Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~ - Volume 6 - Chapter 1

Chapter One: The Gathering of the White Blade

“Huh?! Master’s going to the Gathering of the White Blade?!”

For Tino Shade, this came as quite a shock.

“Hm? You didn’t know? Apparently, he got an invitation and the VCM’s been running around with her hair on fire.”

“B-But, Master was just with me, working on a quest...”

Tino hadn’t heard a word about this. Even during the Trial-disguised-as-a-vacation, he never showed the slightest hint that he had been invited to the Gathering of the White Blade.

Invitations to said event were one of the top honors a hunter could receive and proof of their contributions to the empire. Outside of exceptions like Ark Rodin, whose family had served the empire as hunters for generations, it was unheard of for someone as young as Krai to be invited.

But the Gathering of the White Blade should have already passed. Looking back on his escapades-slash-hot spring trip, Tino never would have imagined he had been bestowed such an honor.

“The VCM was certain he would return, but I don’t think she anticipated the event being put on hold,” the other hunter said casually.

Tino, however, was trembling. She had been by her master’s side and seen it all. She knew it was no coincidence that they made it home just in time for the delayed gathering. Even while being so far away, while causing all that mayhem, he had managed to fit the Gathering of the White Blade into his schedule. If he couldn’t have, would he really have chosen to stop at a hot spring?

After witnessing such a display of temerity and foresight, Tino gave up on even trying to read her master’s intentions. If Tino had been in his position, stopping at a hot spring before such an esteemed event would have been unthinkable, even if she had been aware that it was being put on hold. Her head began to spin as she struggled to figure out what possible meaning there could be behind his actions.

“Still, I wonder who the CM is gonna bring. I’m pretty sure they’re permitted a companion...” the other hunter said as though it was perfectly natural.

Oh, that’s right!

The other hunter was remembering correctly. Attendees of the Gathering of the White Blade were indeed allowed to have someone accompany them. Most hunters did as the nobility did and brought their most trusted acquaintance from the opposite sex. Naturally, that excluded Tino from being a candidate. She didn’t think she was so conceited as to let herself believe otherwise.

And yet...

Grieving Souls was a tight-knit party. At the very least, Lizzy, Siddy, and Lucy were all potential companions. It wasn’t at all hard for Tino to imagine the Smart sisters fighting for that position. But did that mean she had a chance?

If Lizzy and Siddy got into a spat, Krai most likely wouldn’t choose either of them. That would leave Lucy, but she was such a kind person. Surely she would cede the position to Tino. She was, after all, Krai’s younger sister. Tino gulped. It was shallow thinking on her part, but she wouldn’t succeed if she didn’t try.

The future is something you take with your own hands. Her master had taught her that during their vacation. Expediency was key. She would claim her victory before the others even realized what was at stake!

There was a dress code for the Gathering of the White Blade. If she approached Krai in a stunningly beautiful dress, the meaning would be plenty apparent and he would extend the invitation to her. And once he said yes, Lizzy and the others couldn’t argue with him. Such audacious thinking had set Tino’s heart pounding like a drum.

But I know. Today, I’m on fire.

“Don’t tell anyone else about that,” she told the other hunter in a low, threatening voice.

“O-Okay?”

Tino dashed off. She needed to get a dress ready.

***

The Gathering of the White Blade was the most famous and most esteemed meeting among hunters of the empire. It was sponsored by the emperor himself and meant for a small number of hunters who had made contributions to Zebrudia. This was my first time, so I didn’t know much about it, but apparently, there would also be lots of the empire’s bigwigs and only the most accomplished hunters had even been allowed to attend.

According to rumors, this had all started after Ark’s ancestor fought a grueling battle and cleared the Level 10 treasure vault that once rested on what would later become the site of the imperial capital. After that, the emperor wanted to meet with said hunter and began this tradition. Apparently the “Blade” in “Gathering of the White Blade” referred to the holy blade passed down through House Rodin.

Attending the Gathering was an undeniable honor, but I was looking to retire ASAP. I wasn’t excited at the idea of attending an event where the emperor would be present and I lost all reason to go when I remembered that there would be droves of hunters there as well. Compared to those storied veterans, I was practically a bug. Not to mention, I didn’t know anything about etiquette, so I always ended up doing something rude whenever I went to these sorts of events.

With the event right in front of my eyes, I couldn’t even revel in the afterglow of my vacation and spent the whole day trying to think up a plan of action. However, my empty head availed me nothing.

Three days. That’s way too soon. No, wait, a day’s passed, so it’s two days.

I was determined not to go. My stomach hurt.

“I don’t wanna go. My stomach hurts,” I moaned as I planted my face on my desk.

Eva sighed. “You must go,” she insisted.

I go on a vacation so I can avoid this event and then it just gets delayed. Is that fair? No, it’s not.

It was all because Hidden Curse and Akashic Tower had gotten carried away during their little schism. What terrifying things Level 8s were if they could cause the Gathering of the White Blade to be delayed for the first time in history.

Going on another vacation seemed out of the question. Eva was already exasperated by my first blatant attempt to flee; if I tried that again then she’d be the one heading for the hills.

I snapped my fingers.

“I’ve got it. I’ll make Ark go.”

“As I’m sure you’re aware, Ark received an invitation of his own.”

Of course he did. He was a Rodin and a regular attendee. I had already heard something about him attending a number of times prior.

“I don’t have anything to wear.”

“I don’t believe there’s a dress code for hunters, but we do have something prepared for you. It’s tailor-made.”

Classic Eva, always prepared for anything. She brought out a finely made tuxedo.

A tuxedo. I’m going in a tuxedo? No way. Impossible.

“I don’t recall getting my measurements taken.”

“Sitri had them on record. Some hunters attend in their armor, but, well, you don’t typically wear armor.”

That seemed like it would attract no small amount of attention.

Let’s think about this calmly. First and foremost, I don’t want to attend. Under no circumstances do I want to find myself there. 

“Well, I’m fine with going, but something’s bound to go wrong if I bring one of my party members,” I warned Eva.

“You’re the only one invited. You’re to go as the representative of Grieving Souls.”

“There’s something wrong with that.”

I didn’t wanna step into that circle of hell. The pyromaniac lady was going to be there and that alone was too much. I desperately began to think of solutions, like maybe making Ansem go in my stead.

Eva adjusted her glasses and looked at me. “You are permitted to have one person accompany you,” she said.

“Right. I’ll bring Ark.”

“You can’t.”

“I’ll bring Ansem.”

“He...won’t fit into the venue.”

Eva’s tone was incredibly serious, I felt she was chastising me. I wasn’t so sure she was right about Ansem, but bringing him along could cause trouble. He was a man with an overwhelming presence and that might needlessly agitate the nobles and muscles-for-brains hunters.

If running wasn’t an option, then I could just lower my head and hide in a corner where nobody would look my way. I was second to none when it came to letting time pass by. If I had to, I wouldn’t even discount groveling. Which meant I needed a partner who wouldn’t discount me for not discounting groveling (I don’t know what this means).

My options are looking slim. I guess I’ll have to go with Ark after all. I’ll have him decline his invitation and then he can—

“I understand Ark is planning to bring one of his party members. They say it’s incited a fierce battle,” Eva said.

“Oh yeah, something like that’s bound to bring out the murderous rage.”

Strong, handsome, and a party free of troublemakers. What an overachiever. Some people are just born with all the luck.

After working my brain so hard, I let out a yawn. I was tired of thinking about it. With so little time left until the Gathering, I decided I’d just bring whoever happened to be free that day. I had nobody I wanted to butter up and no greater ambitions. I’d just read the room and spend it quietly like the country bumpkin I was. That way, it’d all be over in an instant.

That’s it. I’ve got Mirage Form. I can hide my face and hide among the nobles. If I’m in a tuxedo, nobody will guess that it’s me. Man, I’m on fire today.

I grinned, pleased with such a good idea, when the door suddenly opened. It was Liz. I was glad to see her so upbeat even though we had just gotten back from a trip, but I was caught off guard by her outfit. Eva, likewise, stood frozen.

Liz was wearing a red dress, one with a slit that ran up to her thigh. The tight collar and formfitting dress perfectly matched her slender figure. The sight of her suntanned leg peeking out from the slight was undeniably stunning. But any allure she had was nullified by Apex Roots still covering her legs.

She did an enthusiastic twirl. “Does it fit me?” she asked bashfully.

“It does. But what’s it for?” I said.

“Hee hee hee, you can take someone with you to the Gathering of the White Blades, right? I thought I had to pick an outfit that wouldn’t embarrass you and so I had this prepared.”

Huh? No, no, no, no, no. I can’t bring you. The dress is nice, but you’re the last person I’m bringing to that event.

It was such a flashy dress, we’d be picking fights without even meaning to. We’d be picking a fight with the emperor. She sure was, uh, well prepared. Did she realize this wasn’t a game? And how was I supposed to respond when she acted like her invitation was already set in stone? I was more than happy to bring her to an event, so long as it was one of no real consequence.

Eva looked similarly taken aback. Sure, there was no dress code, but a deep red dress was still out of the question.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to look at me like that, Eva. I won’t bring her.

And then, through the door Liz had left open, entered Sitri. She was in a long black gown. In a sight quite different than her usual robe, the porcelain skin around her shoulders and collarbone was left exposed. It was refreshing on the eyes (never mind that we had just been at a hot spring). I couldn’t help but notice the tasteful accessory in her usually unadorned hair.

Sitri scowled when she saw who had arrived before her, but she smiled after looking at her own reserved appearance. She turned towards me and grinned from ear to ear.

“What do you think, Krai?” she asked. “I had this prepared for the Gathering of the White Blade. Surely, you won’t have any reason to be embarrassed by an outfit like this!”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean, Siddy?” Liz asked.

“Naturally, I’m also prepared for potential combat scenarios. I may not be able to hide my arms, but...”

Cheeks flushed, Sitri rolled her skirt up to the top of her legs. At the top of her white, veiny thighs was a belt carrying a number of small potion vials. Liz was quick to respond to the obvious provocation.

“Siddy, can you even do anything if a fight breaks out suddenly? Step aside, I’m going with Krai Baby!”

“Lizzy, you don’t know the first thing about etiquette.”

“What the hell would I need that for?”

A lot of things, I’d imagine.

If I had to pick one of those two, I was going to go with Sitri. Her dress wasn’t too gaudy and looked really good on her. Sure, she wasn’t going to be useful if we found ourselves in close-quarters combat, but I could count on her to back me up if I made any faux pas.

Tino tepidly poked her head in.

“Ah, um, Master, if you have a mome—never mind!”

Seeing the bickering Smart sisters, she quickly ran off before even entering the room. Perhaps she, too, had heard that I was attending the Gathering of the White Blade? Except I wasn’t going.

Luke then dashed in, eyes aglitter.

“Ah, Krai! Is it true you’re off to fight some tough guys?! Take me along!”

He didn’t even have the right info. Besides, Luke cut down anything and everything, so he was a no-go for the same reasons Liz was.

If I was going to take someone, it would be Sitri or Lucia, or maybe Eliza as the dark horse option. But taking Sitri along would incur Liz’s wrath, Lucia was in her rebellious phase, and I didn’t even know where Eliza was. As the number one free spirit in the party, she was always going missing. The first time we’d met her, she had collapsed in the desert. Her moniker was, after all, Vagabond.

“You’ll take me, won’t you, Krai Baby? I promise I’ll behave.”

“Pshh. Krai, make it clear to her that this isn’t her place!”

Liz and Sitri both spoke with total confidence.

I rubbed my eyes and yawned. Regardless of what I did, Ark would still be at the Gathering and I could just rely on him should anything happen.

“I hate to ask this of you, Eva, but could you make preparations for the Gathering? I want you to come with me.”

“Excuse me?” Eva said, eyes wide with disbelief.

***

The day of the Gathering of the White Blade had arrived. I prayed and prayed that a lightning bolt might demolish the imperial capital, but, much to my dismay, I saw nothing but clear skies outside my window.

Something about me attracted rain clouds. Any time I went to the beach or hiking or some other outdoor activity, there was a good chance I’d get rained on. But, almost like god had it out for me, rain never came to cancel unwanted events.

Surrounded by hunters and nobles, it would only take a few hours before I would begin to wither away and dissolve. I knew Ark would save me, but as time went on I became more and more queasy.

“What’s the matter, Krai?” Eva asked with exasperation. She was still in her usual uniform as the event didn’t start until later in the evening.

“I can’t do it. I don’t wanna go,” I said, as I collapsed on my desk.

“I’m not even one of your party members and I’m being forced to come along. How do you think I feel?”

She was quite right to feel that way, but bringing her was my only option.

“You agreed to this, didn’t you?”

“Have I ever turned down a request of yours?”

“I still don’t wanna go,” I said, pressing my cheek against my desk.

“You must,” Eva said, turning towards me. “And that wasn’t a request!”

“Well, let’s be serious about this. Who knows what might happen if I bring Liz along with me?”

“That’s true,” Eva said, looking surprised. “I didn’t know you considered those sorts of things.”

Just what type of person did she think I was? I wasn’t proud of it, but gauging people’s expressions was how I got by in life.

“This is no minor get-together. If I brought Liz then the results might not be pretty,” I said, trying to at least seem hard-boiled.

“Not pretty...” Eva repeated with a look of exasperation.

Then I remembered something I needed to ask her.

“Right, Eva. Before we go, could you teach me about etiquette? I’ve never studied it, you know.”

Being a Level 8 brought in all sorts of invitations, but I almost never chose to accept. Being the clan master of a large clan also brought in invitations from nobles and merchants, but I foisted those onto Eva for her to deal with. Outside of hunters, the most esteemed person I even occasionally met with was branch manager Gark.

I didn’t want to cause any trouble! I could’ve done worse and brought Liz or someone from my party, but the sad reality was that living harmlessly wasn’t allowed when politics became involved.

“Well, as long as you don’t get too casual, I don’t think hunters are required to be versed in etiquette,” Eva said, slightly put off by my request.

I knew that, but, in spite of how I seemed, I still wanted to come off as someone with their act together. I spoke formally, I was as humble as I could be, yet I still kept making people angry. Surely this was because everyone preferred big macho guys and didn’t care for skinny people like me. What’s that you say? Ark’s plenty popular? Yeah, uh-huh!

“But, now that you mention it,” Eva said, “if you want to get on a noble’s good side, perhaps you could give them a present?”

“A present?”

So bribery? I hadn’t thought of that.

I wasn’t too keen on developing any relationships with nobles, but it might just work. It would be better than pissing people off. As I thought it over, it began to seem like this would be Sitri’s domain (very prejudiced of me).

“It doesn’t have to be something expensive,” Eva explained. “Trinkets that can only be found in high-level treasure vaults have become status symbols among the nobility. Remember, Ark recently grabbed everyone’s attention when he gave someone a Firmamental Blossom.”

“Ah, that useless flower. Hmm, what should I go with?”

It was a flower with transparent petals made of mana material. Some of my friends had picked them before, so I remembered it well. It certainly was pretty and otherworldly, but it didn’t have any powers and wasn’t stable so the poor things couldn’t survive long outside their treasure vault.

In that regard, it was similar to the portraits found in castle-type treasure vaults. It wasn’t an item, but rather a part of the treasure vault itself, so if you brought it out, it would dissipate in the same way a dead phantom would.

Liz and Sitri had once given me a bouquet of them as a present, but I never figured out a good use for it. In the end, I put it in a vase in the clan house lounge and they faded away at some point or another.

I didn’t get it in the slightest, but I guess I could see how their rarity made them a status symbol.

“It’ll get people talking, so if you have something...”

“Good grief, I’ll never understand what goes on in the minds of those rich folk. Hmm, what could there be? I’ll give it a look.”

Conveniently for me, our party had just come back from Night Palace, a high-level treasure vault. They typically only brought back Relics and drops from phantoms, but the Grievers were prone to doing as they pleased; it was possible they had brought back something like a Firmamental Blossom.

It was a pain in the neck, but it was in the name of staying out of trouble. And so I began to look around for something that might aid me during my upcoming social call.

As the sky began to turn crimson, a carriage pulled up in front of the clan house. I put on my tuxedo and sat in my office, clutching my aching stomach all the while. The fingers of both my hands had Relic rings, a Relic pendant was around my neck, a Relic chain around my belt, and I wore Relic earrings just for good measure. On my arm, I had the bracelet Mirage Form, and in my breast pocket, I carried the rings that I didn’t have room for on my fingers.

I was ready for any form of attack, whether it be poison, magic, or physical, yet that didn’t make me feel better in the slightest. Only super high-level hunters were invited to the Gathering of the White Blade. Before such freaks, a normal person wasn’t going to be any less helpless just because they had a few Relics. The only option left to me was simply praying to the heavens.

Don’t worry, Krai. You’ll have allies. Ark will be there and so will Eva. You’ll be perfectly safe.

Not to mention, I had a trump card. I looked at the present atop my desk and told myself that everything would be all right, that I needed to be calm, and that the event would go just fine. Even hunters knew to behave themselves when they were around the bigwigs of the empire. Then, while I was mumbling to myself, the door opened.

“Thank you for waiting. That’s quite a face you’re making, Krai.”

What I saw momentarily caused me to forget the pain in my abdomen. Eva was in a long navy blue dress. I saw her just about every day, and even though she still wore her usual glasses and hairstyle, simply donning something besides her usual uniform made her look like a completely different person.

It wasn’t flashy in the slightest, but it looked quite nice on her. Unlike her usual neat uniform, the gown left much of her shoulders exposed and her pale skin contrasted blindingly with the dark fabric. She also wore some subtle accessories and I couldn’t help but look her up and down a few times.

With my childhood friends like Liz, I still continued to look at them with the same eyes as I had when we were young. But Eva was different. We were separated by only a year, yet at that moment she had an air of serene dignity.

Uh-oh. This might draw some attention if I’m next to Eva. I just need to focus, and not let her distract me.

“You look really nice, Eva. I’m already glad I invited you.”

My heartfelt compliment didn’t elicit any blushes from Eva, just a glare.

“You’re always leaving your duties in my hands and you never accompany me to any events. You could’ve seen me like this any number of times if you just came along.”

“Ah. Aha ha ha.”

“Hold on, your necktie is crooked. Honestly...”

Eva quickly stepped forward and adjusted my tie. It couldn’t have been any more obvious that I wasn’t used to wearing one. I noticed Eva had a very nice scent, like she had put on perfume. Once my necktie was straightened out, she took a graceful step back. At that moment, I felt extremely lucky. I wanted to take a commemorative photograph.

“Now, let’s get going. The carriage has already arrived. You’ll escort me, won’t you?”

“You bet I will.”

It might have been shallow of me, but I was feeling a lot better after being treated to such a nice sight. With my present in hand, we exited the clan house. Outside, a carriage with the crest of the Zebrudian empire was waiting for us. It looked nothing like the sort of carriages used by hunters.

I felt a number of gazes on us. I took Eva’s hand, not completely certain if this was the right way to escort her. Once we were seated, the carriage departed. Its bouncing and rumbling were almost imperceptible. I was nervous, but because I was technically the clan master, I didn’t want to do anything pathetic in front of Eva.

The carriage moved along, almost as though it were flying. We approached the majestic building that symbolized the empire itself—the emperor’s castle. The emperor was hosting the event, so it was being held in his abode. Naturally, I had never entered the castle before now. I took a deep breath, calming my nerves. Eva, meanwhile, was relaxed as could be.

“Krai, may I ask what that box is?”

“Oh, this? I did as you told me and brought a bribe. I thought I might as well try and leave a good impression. Our party doesn’t have the best reputation, as I’m sure you know...”

Eva looked quite surprised, like she hadn’t actually expected me to bring anything.

“A bribe? Be sure not to use the phrase at the Gathering, all right? Is that something from Night Palace? If you have no objections, could you tell me what it is?”

I smiled and stroked the box. I had zero objections.

“No, it’s a souvenir I bought during my vacation. I couldn’t find any potential gifts from treasure vaults...”

It wasn’t anything rare, but it was still better than one of those Firmamental Blossoms. It was delicious and undoubtedly better than giving away nothing at all.

Eva was stunned for a moment, then she looked me straight in the eye.

Stop that, you’re embarrassing me.

“Did I hear you correctly? That’s a souvenir from your trip? Are you serious? It wouldn’t be a box of manju, would it?”

“No, it’s a box with a hot spring egg. They’re a local delicacy of Suls and they’re really good.”

Not to mention the hot spring dragon eggs were worth more than the hot spring dragon manju.

Eva’s cheek twitched and she looked at me in disbelief. “Krai, aren’t you nervous in the slightest?”

Huh?

It wasn’t long before we arrived at the castle. It had been some years since I first arrived in the imperial capital, but I had never seen the castle up close. Zebrudia boasted greater strength than any of the neighboring countries and the towering castle in the center of the imperial capital symbolized its strength with its grandeur. I had seen the castle from a distance plenty of times, but I couldn’t help but gulp when I found myself looking at it up close.

The surrounding moat was almost as big as a lake. As we crossed the massive bridge spanning the moat, the castle in its entirety came into view. The surrounding walls were low, or rather, they looked low. According to rumors, the castle was at all times protected by barriers emplaced via Relics and magic spells. It made sense; a wall a few meters high couldn’t keep a hunter out.

There were soldiers in polished black armor on both ends of the bridge. Even as a carriage bearing the crest of the empire passed by them, they didn’t even bat an eye. The Zebrudian Empire placed great value on strength and fortitude.

I let out a small sigh and turned my attention away from the window.

Well, it looks like I won’t get a chance to throw this souvenir away.

During our carriage ride, Eva had convinced me that the hot spring egg wasn’t a great gift idea.

“This is a time-honored event! Please think these things through a bit more,” she said in a low voice, so the carriage driver wouldn’t hear us.

“You’re the one who suggested I bring a present...”

“Krai, what would you think if you were suddenly handed a hot spring egg during a party?”

I paused. Honestly, I’d be pretty stoked. But it didn’t seem like that was the right answer.

These eggs had a pretty cool name to boot. But they weren’t actually dragon eggs or anything, just chicken eggs. So maybe there was some false advertising going on?

Whatever the case, I had brought it with me and I had lost my chance to get rid of it. I had no choice but to give it to someone.

“Who, by the way, were you planning to give it to?” Eva asked.

“I thought I’d give it to the emperor.”

If you’re gonna curry favor, then of course you might as well go for the top dog. Wouldn’t it be rude to start with someone lower?

The remaining blood drained from Eva’s already pale face.

“You have to stop this, Krai. Are you taking this seriously? What you’re doing is completely unheard of!”

“I hear the emperor’s a pretty lenient guy.”

“There are limits.”

Okay, I get it. I realize what I’m doing is abnormal. Good thing I brought you along, Eva.

But then I had an idea! I could give it to Lord Gladis if he was at the Gathering. I had a tentative acquaintanceship with him through the Suls incident and I seriously doubted his knights had brought back any souvenirs for him.

I took a deep breath. I was so nervous I actually felt like things might work out somehow.

“Should we be worried about the expiration date of that egg?” Eva asked.

“I’ve got that covered. I had Lucia place a preservation spell on them.”

“Aah, I can’t tell if you do or don’t know what you’re doing.”

I don’t know what I’m doing, so help me out here. If we combine your competency with mine and divide it by two, we’ll be just fine.

Countless soldiers watched our carriage as it passed through the gate. Security was just as thorough as you might expect from a place like the Imperial Castle. The driver told us this was where we were to get out, and we did so, even if it made me nervous. From there, we were guided through the castle on foot.

Contrary to the tales I had heard about how tight security was, we weren’t patted down. I asked Eva about this as she strode through the corridor.

“It’s tradition,” she said with a furrowed brow. “At the first Gathering of the White Blade, the emperor at the time trusted the hunters and permitted them to keep their weapons. To this day, that exception is made only for the Gathering. Didn’t I tell you? Some hunters come in their combat gear.”

I see. What a bold man that emperor must have been. Then again, isn’t the current emperor also a famous warrior?

The castle had a spacious interior and a red carpet was rolled out across the corridor. Even the air felt different from the rest of the city. I wanted to look around, but I resisted the urge and did as Eva did. We weren’t tourists.

Eventually, I began to see nobles and hunters. The former looked haughty and the latter looked powerful and they were, in fact, haughty and powerful. I was ready to go home.

Unlike the black-clad soldiers outside, the guards inside wore white armor. They were probably the elites. I stood around and absentmindedly let my eyes wander, when I suddenly heard a very familiar voice.

“All right! Here I am in the most esteemed castle in the empire! Not half bad!” they said.

“S-Stop that! Be quiet! Do you understand what you’re here for?” a guard replied.

“Sure do. I’m here to cut down bad guys. So, where are they? Is it that bunch? Or those guys? Is it everyone here?”

“Quit pointing! The only bad guy here is you! Damn it, why did they decide to let outsiders help guard an event like this?”

“What can we do? Our orders came from the top,” said another guard. “Apparently the Sword Saint pulled some strings. Even if he’s got a good arm, even if it’s only temporary, I can’t believe they’d let the Man Cutter wear the esteemed white armor...”

“I’ve got no need for armor. I can just cut my foes before they cut me! The very thought is exhilarating.”

“Do you really understand what you’re doing here? Listen, your job is indeed to cut down bad guys. But we haven’t had any bad guys here in decades. Hey, quit taking off your armor!”

Eva turned to me with a wild look in her eyes. I pretend not to see anything. I decided it was fine if he had gotten in through the proper channels.

By the way, that Sword Saint was Luke’s mentor. He was considered the strongest Swordsman in the imperial capital, but he couldn’t manage someone as uncontrollable as Luke. I heard many grievances from the man.

Luke enjoyed cutting, but he also enjoyed being cut, so I could only imagine how much stress he caused for his mentor. Mostly, I was just worried that my friend might find himself on the lam once the Gathering was over.

From the entrance, I peeked into the massive hall where the event was being held. I found myself wondering what the place was normally used for. There were tables lined up and a chandelier hung from the ceiling. Yet for such a large hall, there weren’t very many people.

Eva came up next to me and whispered an explanation, “It’s tradition.”

I see. Tradition, huh? What a convenient word. I’ll have to use it myself.

I looked over the hall. Even for me, it was obvious who was a hunter and who was a noble. I had next to no knowledge of or interest in the empire’s nobles, but I could tell who was a hunter by the atmosphere of those who had absorbed mana material.

Any hunter who got invited to an event like this had to be among the best, even in the hunting holy land. This made it easy to tell who to avoid. With that in mind, a quick glance around told me that I was far safer than I had expected. Nobody was turning violent.

Watchful knights lined the walls and maids in fine white apron dresses stood near the entrance alongside butlers in refined black suits. Working in the Imperial Castle was a dream job for many ordinary people. Most who served here were well-educated relatives of nobles.

Then I saw something that threw me for a loop.

“Not a bad place. I know, I know. Can’t forget to say hi.”

A hunter went over to the servants by the entrance and began saying hello. He was a powerful-looking man with tan skin, most likely the sort of hunter who fought with their bare fists. His hair was dark brown and he had rugged features. I didn’t know his name, but he was clearly someone exceptional.

As I watched, I saw that nobles were also heading straight for the servants to give their regards. Some of them were even happily chatting away with the servants. So nobles of the empire even enjoyed chatting with servants. I had assumed most of them to be arrogant, but it seemed they were only true ladies and gentlemen when you got to the top.

And it seemed the hunters were all decent people as well. When I stopped to think about it, it made sense. All the hunters invited to the Gathering (except me) were people comparable to Ark. I very well might have been the only one to enter without offering a greeting. My poor education was showing. Good thing I had chosen to sit back and watch.

“Krai.”

“Mmm, I know.”

I could mold myself to match the situation better than anybody I knew. I slipped in behind a noble and nonchalantly waited for my turn to say hello. I took a good look at the servants and noticed they were all quite attractive. I was in the tuxedo Eva had prepared for me, so I wasn’t dressed any worse than them, but they still had the advantage when it came to looks. On top of that, some of them were clearly younger than me.

The most striking of them was a girl with light blue hair. She seemed younger than Tino, but the pleasant girl wore the apron dress as well as any of the other servants. I thought about how a girl her age was doing such a good job, while I was, well, me. I stood up straight and put on a smile.

I had nothing to be nervous about. Eva seemed unusually tense, but I told myself to keep calm. This wasn’t like dealing with hunters or nobles; these servants were supposedly aware that I didn’t know a lick of manners. As Eva had said, hunters weren’t expected to know much about etiquette.

The servants had mellow expressions, but their eyes were serious. I noticed that for some reason the knights on guard were also looking at me strangely.

I cleared my throat and tried to look as confident as I could.

“Um, thank you for having me?” I said.

“Krai, it’s the emperor who’s hosting us,” Eva whispered to me.

Then what am I supposed to say?

“Oh, that’s right. How silly of me. Forgive me for my poor education. Good evening, it’s an honor to meet you.”

I received a number of cold glares. I knew that glare, the one that said “Who’s this bumpkin?” I cleared my throat and snapped my fingers. This was a good time to ditch my souvenir. My chance to show my humility.

“Right, here’s a gift for the hardworking young lady.”

I handed the box with the hot spring dragon egg over to the maid with the light blue hair.

“Ah...” she said. She sounded completely bewildered, but she had nothing to worry about—I could personally vouch for the taste.

Eva stood stock-still. It seemed the other servants were also taken aback by my display of humility, because they all looked at me in disbelief.

Don’t worry, I’m uneducated, but I’m also harmless. 

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing special,” I said, showing just how friendly I was. “That’s a hot spring dragon egg. They’re really tasty, so you can share them with—”

“A dragon egg?!” the girl shrieked before I could say “your friends.” The next moment, I was surrounded by knights. It was so fast, it was almost like they had been keeping tabs on me. Still smiling, I froze as blades were pointed at me from every angle.

The maid handed the box with the hot spring dragon egg to a knight, who fearfully held the box up and put his ear to it. There wasn’t anything dangerous in that box, it wasn’t the egg of a dragon. Hot spring dragon egg was just a product name, the contents themselves were just a chicken egg.

Everyone in the hall looked at us. Eva was pale as a sheet.

“You there!” screamed a large man in exceptionally ornate armor. “What are you doing?! Are you aware of who that is?”

No. Who is she?

I didn’t understand what was going on, but everyone else stared at me in disbelief. Eva’s complexion only grew worse, but I was managing to maintain a smile.

“Before you is the imperial princess, Murina Atolm Zebrudia, daughter of His Imperial Majesty Rodrick Atolm Zebrudia,” the man said in a booming voice.

“Yeah, uh-huh.”

I see. So that’s how it is. That’s a good degree more exalted than I had expected when those swords were pointed at me.

This was real bad. I kept a smile affixed to my face and kicked my brain into high gear. I had thought she was awfully young and something about her had set her apart from the rest of the group. I knew the imperial princess would be present, but I didn’t know her face. But it looked like everyone else knew. It explained why even the hunters were being so polite to her.

The young lady herself was looking at me, completely stunned. I wished someone had told me about this earlier, but it was probably common knowledge. Still, wasn’t she the imperial princess super important? Who would expect her to be mixed in among the servants?

Tradition? Is this also tradition? My stomach hurts.

“And you brought a dragon egg?! To bring such dangerous objects before Her Highness... You may be here per invitation of His Imperial Majesty, but that is no reason for you to do as you please!”

“Y-You don’t have to get so worked up, it’s all fine. Those aren’t anything special and they aren’t dangerous.”

It wasn’t a dragon egg; it was just called a hot spring dragon egg. The modifier for “egg” was “hot spring” not “dragon.”

I took a deep breath and half-raised my hand. “Sorry, may I go to the bathroom?”

“Krai, aren’t you afraid of anything?” Eva asked.

There were blades pointed at my throat, preventing me from taking a step. Luckily, it didn’t seem like the knights would kill me without provocation. But they still had a pretty low opinion of me.

Getting kicked out seemed a very real possibility, except I would be all too happy if they were to do that. But it seemed just as likely that I might get arrested for defamation of the imperial princess (provided that was an actual crime). If that happened, I’d spend the rest of my life being hunted for being the guy who tarnished the reputation of Zebrudian hunters.

“W-Wait,” said a sharp-voiced woman, just as I was trying to look away from reality.

Some of the blades quivered slightly and a break formed in the ring of knights. The owner of the voice was someone I had encountered about a month prior—Éclair Gladis. Unlike our last meeting, she wasn’t armed and wore a frilly evening gown. Her voice carried the impact of an adult, but there was panic in her eyes.

“Th-That’s the man whose endeavors saved the imperial capital from Akashic Tower,” Éclair continued. “I’m well aware of your duties as knights, but the Gathering of the White Blade is an event for hunters, and going into a frenzy over a souvenir is...unwarranted.”

“Y-Yes, but...”

“Not only that, but dragons’ eggs are extraordinarily valuable. It’s worth much more than the average accessory and they’re a gift befitting of a hunter. I will admit that directly handing it to Her Highness is, well, rude beyond belief, but, as that man says, it’s not dangerous. First, we should take a moment to confirm the contents of the box. Unless you plan to ruin this storied gathering before it even starts?”

The knights had looked at me with such threatening eyes, but now they were being forced to doubt themselves by a girl in her teens. Some of the other nobles began to voice their agreement, suggesting that Éclair was well-liked among them.

I had been saved, but I wasn’t quite sure why. I sure hoped she didn’t want me to return Evolve Greed. That, unfortunately, was now Tino’s. But whatever the case, I was out of the fire. I cast Éclair a look of gratitude and her shoulders trembled.

***

While trying not to draw too much attention, Eva leaned close to the clan master.

“Krai, wh-what are you thinking?” she asked in a rapid voice.

Smiling, he held up his hands as though admitting defeat.

“Huh? Oh, I’m so relieved Éclair saved me back there,” he said.

Eva gave him a look of protest, but his face suggested he didn’t think he had made a single mistake. Recently, he had been causing (relatively) little trouble, but creating headaches for Eva was what the Thousand Tricks did best.

It was probably true that he hadn’t made any mistakes. How could that have been a mistake? Anyone would recognize the face of the imperial princess. It would explain why he was so calm, even when he had been surrounded.

But it was too much to bear for his companion and vice clan master, Eva. There was nothing she could have done back there; he had moved before she could stop him. They could have been thrown out if Éclair hadn’t stepped in. Getting tossed out before the event even began was unprecedented. Similarly, Eva had never heard of anyone giving a souvenir to the imperial princess.

From the very first Gathering of the White Blade, it had been tradition for the emperor’s daughter to disguise herself as one of the maids. At the first Gathering, the emperor decided to test the hunters by disguising his daughter as a maid and hiding her among the servants. One attendee, the hunter Solis Rodin, immediately saw through the disguise and paid his respects to the young lady. The emperor was said to have been deeply impressed by this.

This was a story famous throughout the empire and spawned a tradition. That tradition, however, had become somewhat superficial over the years as the imperial princess’s disguise devolved into a simple change of clothes.

But there was still a tacit understanding. She would be a servant for the duration of the Gathering, but that didn’t make her any less the daughter of the emperor. Handing her a souvenir was one thing, but saying “Here’s a gift for the hardworking young lady” was simply disrespectful.

Eva tried to guess what Krai was thinking, but she couldn’t discern anything from his gaze, which was sweeping over the banquet table. He seemed to be appreciating how delicious the meal looked, but surely he didn’t have something so benign on his mind.

Many of the nobles looked at Krai with contempt. They clearly weren’t fond of how he had brazenly approached the imperial princess and tried to curry favor (even though that probably wasn’t his intention, that was how it looked to everyone else) in front of everyone. And Eva knew that that souvenir wasn’t actually the egg of a dragon, but was just called a hot spring dragon egg! Not that she could tell what the purpose of handing them over was.

“I know it’s far too late to say this, Krai, but I think I’m out of my depth here,” she whispered in spite of herself.

“Don’t say that,” the clan master replied, furrowing his brow. “Look, I’m pretty sure most of the people approaching us are only interested in you.”

As if!

Even a rapidly growing clan like First Steps couldn’t get away with causing trouble at an event like this. So many times, Eva had attended functions as part of her job and wished the clan master was with her. But now that it had actually happened, she thought that maybe it was for the best that she had been alone all those times. Krai saw and understood things in a manner entirely different than she did. Thinking back, even when he had first invited Eva to join First Steps, this man’s behavior was beyond audacious.

Krai walked up to his savior Éclair and began chatting with her like he was bumping into an old friend.

“Thanks for that back there. I don’t really know anything about etiquette, you see. Was it my choice of words?”

Éclair let out a small shriek. “Th-Think nothing of it. I’ve had a debt to you since the auction and from the matter with Barrel.”

“Huh? Oh, I didn’t do anything during the thing with Barrel. Just like during the auction.”

“Indeed...”

Éclair was proud and known for her disdain of hunters, but now she was cowering. It seemed the auction had left a considerable impression on her. There was something remarkable about the contrast between her face and Krai’s grin. That man had a tendency to think everything would all work out so long as he smiled.

“I’d like to offer some form of thanks,” he said apologetically “but I already gave that mask to someone else—”

“I-I have no need for that thing!” Éclair said as the blood drained from her face in an instant. “Do what you like with it. Now, I’m rather busy, so don’t bring me any more trouble!”

With that very reasonable request, the young lady quickly made her escape.

“Ah,” said the man who had managed to incite fear into the famed Éclair Gladis using mere words. He blinked, an absent-minded look on his face. He turned to Eva and said, “And yet it’s not like I want to cause an uproar.”

“It happens.”

It’s a little late for that, Krai. You struck fear into the heart of Éclair Gladis!

The nobles, the special guests, the merchants, all were thinking about how to handle the startling newcomer that was the Thousand Tricks. Sensing the multitude of eyes on them, Eva felt a renewed sense of responsibility and stood up straight.

I have to do something. I need to smooth things over before Krai makes an enemy of every single person here.

With perfect timing, a bell rang. The Gathering was beginning. The hall quieted down and everyone directed their eyes towards the entrance. Krai’s eyes were darting about every which way, but Eva bumped him on the arm and indicated the direction he was supposed to be looking.

Through a wide open door entered a man in a flowing dark outfit. He had blond hair and blue eyes. He looked to be about fifty, but his gaze was sharp and his robust figure didn’t suggest someone middle-aged. His clothes were simple, but not seedy, just lacking in ornaments. Most notable was his lack of a crown. Yet his impressive bearing gave him a strong presence that would shine through no matter what he wore.

This man was the fifteenth emperor of the Zebrudian Empire, Rodrick Atolm Zebrudia. The first man to recognize the arrival of the golden age of treasure hunting and bring even greater prosperity to Zebrudia.

His simple attire, and his lack of crown and bodyguards were also part of a tradition that went back many years. The only thing proving he was indeed the emperor was the sword at his side.

Emperor Rodrick looked out at the crowd. Everyone (except Krai) was kneeling before him.

“There is no need for that. Be at ease,” he declared. “I thank you all for coming here at my behest. Each and every one of you is a boon to the prosperity of the Zebrudian Empire. Tonight, we shall enjoy ourselves, free from the restraints of stiff formalities.”

The crowd erupted with applause, an applause that masked the quiet voice of the clan master.

“I dunno, he’s a lot more ordinary than I imagined.”

Hearing such an absurd statement, Eva couldn’t stop herself from lightly elbowing him. So began a battle, one which was supposed to be fought without swords or spells.

***

“Okay, Krai. I don’t know how serious you are or aren’t, but if you’re at all uncertain or lost, please confide in me. If you really have to, you can rely on me entirely. Am I clear?”

So Eva had said. I knew I could count on her. What a good choice I had made in bringing her along.

The Gathering’s food and drink were of the quality you might expect from an event hosted by the emperor. That alone made me glad I chose to show up. With a wine glass in one hand, I engaged with the old men who milled about like a swarm of flies. With so many people blabbering at me, I couldn’t get to Ark even when I finally found him adorned in his white tuxedo.

I recognized next to none of the people who came up to me. It was clear they were big powerful people of the empire and this was a choice opportunity for networking, but I wasn’t interested in that in the slightest.

Talking to someone even as they blatantly avoided making eye contact was a level of boldness I would never reach. I could barely understand them when every single word they used was something lofty. I didn’t know much about the state of the empire, so I was just as lost when they tried to bring up current events. And they never said anything in clear terms, preventing me from even having a proper discussion with anyone.

But I had my escapism skills and I had Eva, who knew everything about me. Whether it was a noble or merchant or whoever, I’d put on a big smile and say “Yeah, uh-huh.” It worked on these sorts of folk.

“Including clan relations, I leave these sorts of matters entirely to my right hand, Eva,” I said to one old man. “To tell you the truth, I had to bow before the Welz Trading Company to get them to let her go. I’m hardly unbiased, but she’s an exceptional person.”

“What? The Thousand Tricks bowed before someone?!”

“Yeah, uh-huh.”

I must have talked to about ten people and each time I could change the subject by bringing up Eva. Everyone seemed quite interested in the pretty lady at my side.

The Welz Trading Company was one of the biggest in the empire. It was a name everyone recognized and I was certain at least a few of their associates were at the Gathering. Now to be precise, it’s not that I got them to hand over Eva. I got on my hands and knees and got a receptionist, who happened to be Eva. But I guess that meant I had an eye for people. I remembered it clearly. What I said was, “It can even be the receptionist, just give me someone.”

The old men (I didn’t know any of their names) all looked at Eva with wide eyes. Her eyes darted about as the blood drained from her face.

“Indeed. N-Now, Krai, please, that’s enough.”

“I’m not exaggerating when I say my current success is thanks to her talents,” I continued. “It’s why I had her accompany me to such a significant event. She’s done so much for our clan and for me as a person. And don’t even think that I might part ways with her.”

The delicious wine had loosened my tongue. I was so busy chatting, I never had the chance to grab some food, and that made it all the easier for the wine to flow through me.

“Please, don’t jump to conclusions; she’s not my lover or anything. If anyone’s in love it’s me—”

I felt my foot being stepped on, causing me to gasp. The bigwigs all looked slightly taken aback.

“Please forgive us, it appears the CM has had a bit too much to drink,” Eva said in a strained voice.

I knew this voice. It was the voice she made when she was angry. All I was trying to do was secure Eva’s future.

“My apologies, that was just a joke. Oh, Eva, only you’ve ever inflicted damage on me. Even in treasure vaults, I’ve never been harmed.”

“Is that another joke?”

“No, I’m serious.”

I knitted my brow and rubbed the useless Safety Rings on my fingers. The old men finally lost their cajoling smiles and looked at us in confusion.

Just then, Sitri flitted past me. She was in the same dress she had shown me the day before.

“Huh?! Why’s Sitri here?” Eva asked.

“I dunno.”

No doubt, it was indeed Sitri. I would never mistake someone else for her. Crossing my arms and trying to seem composed, I began to think it over.

Is everyone here? I thought security was supposed to be pretty tight, how could they have—

A tan arm reached out from under a nearby table. It poked me in the leg, so I handed it my wine glass and the arm receded. It seemed the tablecloth made for good cover.

“Master, this isn’t a crime, is it?” said a trembling voice from under the table.

Eva looked completely bewildered. I smiled and did my damnedest to pretend I hadn’t seen anything.

Tino and Liz are here without permission. I’m one hundred percent certain of it.

“Krai, what do you intend to do about them?” Eva asked me.

“Eh, they’ve always followed me no matter where I go.”

“I think this is a bit more serious than some tag-along friends.”

She was right, but it was a little late for me to do anything. I just prayed that they wouldn’t stir up any trouble. Tino was there (probably against her will) and that counted for something. Just in case, I checked for the other members.

With his size, Ansem would be easy to spot. While he did have the means to make himself smaller, he didn’t seem like the type to misuse that power. As far as I could tell, Lucia wasn’t there either. But Gark was there. As usual, a tuxedo didn’t suit him in the slightest.

The emperor was extraordinarily popular. Surrounded by hunters and nobles alike, the man didn’t even glance my way. Eva didn’t seem too happy, but I was starting to relax a bit. That battle she was so worried about must have been just a rumor.

“When are you going to give your regards to the emperor?” Eva asked me, noticing that I was looking at him.

“Hm? I wasn’t planning on it?”

“Y-You have to! What are you thinking?”

I was thinking that I didn’t want to talk to the emperor. I wasn’t planning on trying to make friends in high places or anything. If I really had to get in line, then fine, but if paying my respects was optional then I was ready to sneak out and head home. The emperor was preoccupied; I had a feeling I could get away with my escape so long as I didn’t make any noise.

“Never mind that, Eva. Look at all the magnificent food they have here.”

“Hm? Yes, it’s quite an arrangement.”

I hadn’t had much of a chance to get any food because of all those old men who had been talking to me for some reason.

“I think I’m gonna sample a bit of everything,” I told Eva.

“What for?!”

“Because... Because I want to. It all looks pretty tasty.”

“You’re not nervous in the slightest, are you?”

Of course I was. It’s why I was eating. How many people were going to approach someone while they were in the middle of a meal?

My gaze happened to meet Sitri’s, so I gave her a little wave. She seemed briefly caught off guard, but quickly smiled and waved back. Next to her was a large old man.

“That’s the head of Sitri’s old haunt, the Primus Institute,” Eva said.

The Primus Institute was one of Zebrudia’s foremost research facilities. Becoming the head of them also meant joining the nobility. With that in mind, something about the bearded old man made him look very dignified. As with most Alchemists, he was well-connected.

Being my naturally unnatural self, I grabbed some food, took a drink, and wandered off to look for a place where nobody would look at me. Eva followed along diligently.

“You don’t need to stay by my side, Eva. Why not go and make some connections? I’m a dangerous person to be with.”

“Because of a certain someone, I’ve already made more than enough connections. And what do you mean by dangerous?”

I mean I’m a magnet for bad luck.

“Go and give my regards to the emperor,” I told her.

“You’re coming with me!”

“Fine, fine. We’ll go later.”

The emperor was still at the center of a crowd. I could see Ark smiling brightly and talking to him. If I were to get in there, I’d just look like I had been placed there as a form of punishment. There really was something different about men with confidence. Ark was the very image of a champion. I wished some of that would rub off on me.

I brushed off Eva’s grumblings and sampled all the fancy alcohols that I didn’t recognize. But one of the glasses took me by surprise when I picked it up. I didn’t know what kind it was, just that it was a red wine. I glanced around before approaching a nearby table. Sensing my presence, a tan arm jutted out from under the tablecloth. I handed it the glass of red wine and received an empty glass.

How in the world is she moving around?

“What’s the matter?” Eva asked me.

“There was something mixed in with that wine.”

“What?”

“It’s probably a test for the hunters. I’ve heard stuff like this is common at the Gathering.”

“If you say so...”

What a pickle. I didn’t know what was mixed into that wine, but it was probably nothing good. Poison resistance was a necessary trait for plunging into dangerous places. Phantoms and monsters could both use it and sometimes even the air was filled with poison. Poison resistance became especially important for high-level treasure vaults. Some hunters would deliberately swallow poison so their mana material would bolster their bodies against toxins.

I had zero resistance, but I made up for it with Relics. The ring on my right index finger, Silver Breath, was a Relic that detected any drugs that might affect the wearer. If the wearer came near poison, the ring would turn black and grow warm. Safety Rings couldn’t nullify poisons hidden in food and drink, so Silver Breath was another one of my lifelines.

Good grief. I thought I was just going to a party, but now I’ve got a sudden challenge on my hands. Can’t relax for a moment, can I?

“I can’t believe this,” Eva said. “Should we report it?”

“No, think about it. There’s no way the food could be easily poisoned at an event attended by the emperor. And this gathering is known for having especially tight security.”

“Well, you have a point.”

Eva seemed to have been thrown for a loop. Perhaps she had never had her food poisoned before. I had. It was in a dish Sitri had made for me.

“There’s tons of high-level hunters here,” I went on. “Only an idiot would make a move at a place and the hosts would have to be a bunch of morons to not see it happen. Something like that would never happen at such an important function. I’m a pro when it comes to these situations, so you can just leave it to me. Oh, another spiked drink. My bad luck continues.”

I approached the table and the arm once again stuck out. I gave it the wine glass. Liz had resilience against just about every poison out there, so it was safe to give the glasses to her.

I figured this must be another tradition. One where everyone would watch and say stuff like, “Ooh, look. They’re fine even though there was poison in their drinks. Hunters sure are something.”

I looked around, but nobody else seemed to be showing any wariness towards the food and drink. Maybe they were just hiding their wariness, maybe they all had poison resistance, or maybe the hosts were paying close attention to ensure that only hunters drank the poisoned refreshments. Either way, causing a fuss would draw attention and be crass. I brushed my finger against Eva’s glass, but it didn’t seem to be poisoned.

If the current sample size was anything to go off, it seemed like Liz would be drinking a pond’s worth. As fortune had it, there didn’t seem to be any poison in the food. While handing wine glasses off to Liz, I would occasionally enjoy a bite for myself. My favorite dishes were the impeccable chocolate desserts. I wanted to take some home to share with everyone in the clan.

I finished my conquest of the banquet and handed another glass of poisoned wine to Liz, a motion I had gotten very used to. But then I noticed a guard approaching me with an intimidating glare.

“You there, what have you been doing with those glasses?”

Uh-oh. UH-OH.

After passing so many glasses off without getting noticed, I had begun to let my guard down. Apparently, I had been seen. What was I to do?

“N-Nothing. Now, why don’t you get back to doing your job?”

Panicking, I said something quite useless, causing the guard’s already grave expression to turn downright terrifying.

“Quiet!” he yelled at me. “Hey, there’s someone under this table!”

Eva became pale as a ghost. Before I could get a chance to flee, the knights surrounded the table. The hunters, special guests, the emperor himself, everyone looked to see what was going on. I was gonna barf.

Now that it had come to this, I did what I had to and tried to cause a diversion so Liz could escape. Making a split-second judgment call, I pointed in a random direction and yelled, “Ah! What’s that?!”

My bluff couldn’t have been more obvious, but everyone simultaneously looked where I was pointing. Following their example, I, too, looked in that direction. And what I saw surprised me. Right where my finger was indicating, near the ceiling directly above the emperor, was an upside-down top half of a person. Their face was hidden by a deep blue mask modeled after a fox.

The fox-mask person looked at me and paused, but dropped down when they realized they had been seen. As they lowered to the ground, their bottom half eerily materialized. They were headed straight for the emperor. People began to yell, and one noble lady let out an earsplitting shriek.

Huh?! What even is this event? Is this another tradition?! 

I was pretty sure I was the only one who was entirely out of the loop.

Then, a crimson breeze brushed past me. It was Liz. Even in her red dress, she wore her Relic boots. She ran up (maybe trampled is a better word) the back of the knight who had been questioning me a moment ago, then leapt into the air.

Apex Roots was a Relic that let its wearer take one step on thin air. It wasn’t a particularly powerful Relic, but Liz was more fleet-footed than anyone and she knew how to make the best possible use of that one step.

Kicking off of thin air, her boot connected directly with the Fox-Mask’s torso. The impact created a sound as though she had hit something metal, not the body of a human. Fox-Mask’s body bent at a ninety-degree angle and flew back.

At the same time, one of the knights shouted, “Intruder!”

An intruder?! A real one?!

Nobody was prepared for an attacker, but nonetheless, the hunters began to move. Luke kicked open the massive door of the dining hall and hurled his sword with all his might straight into Fox-Mask’s torso, yelling all the while. “THERE IT IS! THERE’S MY INTRUDER!”

“Rock Coffin!” someone yelled.

That sounded a lot like Lucia just now!

Flying boulders stuck to Fox-Mask’s body, entrapping them in a tower of stone. Then I noticed Ansem, tall enough to force me to crane my neck. With a loud grunt, he swung his fist in a wide arc, bringing it down on the rocks. The hall shook and the screams were drowned out by his large fist as it pulverized the tower of stone.

Ark and the other hunters were ready for combat, but Grieving Souls was just too quick on the draw. I turned around and saw Lucia, disguised as a maid and sighing as she pressed her temples.

Oh, so that’s where she was.

Ansem made a questioning grunt. Safely behind the knights, the emperor looked on with wide eyes. Standing right next to Ansem’s fist was Fox-Mask—the person he should have just crushed. Their mask and onyx black robe appeared completely unharmed. It was uncanny; I thought I had seen Luke’s sword pierce their torso.

An imposing man standing before the emperor raised his arm. “Apprehend that person!”

“Quit making such a commotion. This wouldn’t have happened if you had done anything but take half-measures!” said a voice.

I let out a simple “Ah.”

A crowd of ultra-high-level hunters stood ready to attack, evaluating the best way to approach. From their ranks emerged an old woman with a robe red as a pillar of flame. She was already tall for a woman, but she also stood up perfectly straight. A plethora of deep wrinkles were carved into her skin and set deep in her face was a set of crimson eyes that flickered like a candle.

She was an exceptional spell caster. She was the Solace of Vermillion, designated Level 8 for reasons quite unlike my own, and one of the most capable Magi in the imperial capital. She was the Abyssal Inferno.

It was awfully bold of her to attend the Gathering when she had half-decimated the imperial capital just a few days prior. She was known for reducing her foes to ashes and I considered her the poster child for the “cast first, ask questions later” mindset.

It was beyond me why such a dangerous individual was allowed to attend the Gathering year after year. My first assumption was that it was because she would burn the Imperial Castle to the ground if she didn’t get an invitation.

As though stirring the air, she moved her arm, causing a crimson glow to encompass it.

“Everyone get down!” Ark yelled.

Eva, the nobles, and the emperor all heeded his warning and immediately ducked for cover. The only one who didn’t get down was me. I didn’t see the point if my danger-detection Relic wasn’t going off.

“Immolation Coil!”

And then everything was masked by a burning light.

When I opened my eyes, nothing was left.

“Hm?”

To be a bit more precise, everything near the floor remained—it was everything higher than my chest that had been incinerated. The granite ceiling and the chandelier adoring it had been turned to dust.

A hole had been bored into the ceiling just above where Fox-Mask had been. I could barely believe it when I looked through it and saw the sky. That hole would probably require lots of time and money to repair. Times like these called for the cheap labor of the Troglodytes.

It goes without saying, but nothing remained where Fox-Mask had been standing. The flames had risen to the sky like a pillar and the surrounding destruction was collateral damage. The capital’s strongest Magus, the Abyssal Inferno, hadn’t lost her touch just yet.

I also had a strong desire to look away and disconnect from reality. “Aah, such good chocolate, gone to waste,” was all I could say.

“Krai?” Eva called.

It was then that I returned to my senses.

What are you doing, you pyromaniac hag?! I coulda died back there!

I finally noticed how loud the hall was. I noticed all the nobles crouched on the ground. It was a little late, but my heart began to pound and I took a deep breath.

“Hmph. Still the same foolish boy you were the last time we met,” the crazy old lady grumbled.

I looked to my side, unable to bear the sight of her.

“Ah, chocolate.”

A fan-shaped area behind me was unburned. My body had served as a well to protect the chocolate. That spell must have been a directional attack. If it had been an area-of-effect attack, it would have scorched everything (it also would’ve meant there was no point in ducking).

Fully aware that I had no respect for the occasion, I began to munch on my undamaged chocolate. Everyone looked at me with disbelief. I felt like I had to say something. Something.

Gotta say something. Uhh, something that’ll calm down this ill-tempered old lady.

“You missed a spot,” I said. “Wouldn’t have happened with just a bit more firepower.”

While still covering Kaina with his body, Gark looked at me with an extraordinary expression. Sitri was looking at me incredulously. Just as an uncomfortable silence took over, the emperor clapped his hands.

“We’ve had a petty interloper. Unfortunately, I’m afraid tonight’s Gathering will have to end here! Sir Franz, tighten security and make sure that nobody has been harmed!”

Ah, it’s over? What a relief. Well, it’d be weird if it wasn’t over after all that.

That was too much for one evening. I was ready to head back to the clan house and hit the hay, but a glance from the emperor (the first time he looked at me that evening) cut me off.

“Thousand Tricks, no, all of Grieving Souls, I’d like to have a word with you and the Abyssal Inferno.”

I couldn’t say the feeling was mutual. I slumped my shoulders and the pyromaniac old lady snorted.

We left the hall that the evildoer—I mean, the Abyssal Inferno—had rendered useless. Everyone relevant to the situation had been assembled. There was the emperor and his people, along with Gark, Eva, Lucia, Luke, Liz, Ansem, and the exceptionally destructive Abyssal Inferno. Somehow, our dear friend Sitri had slipped out. Sure, she hadn’t been involved, but it seemed unlike her to not come along with us.

Normally, I’d be ready to barf, but this time I was pretty relaxed and managed a calm smile. That was because the Abyssal Inferno was with us. Compared to her disregard for the safety of nobles and the damage she did to the castle, I was free of blame.

A man next to the emperor looked at me. He had an ornate coat that was unlike what the other knights had worn. His dark blond hair and blue eyes gave him a sort of masculine beauty. The emperor had called him Sir Franz, but I wondered if he might be a noble.

“Now then, first let’s get the facts straight,” Franz said. “Thousand Tricks, just what was that back there?”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t answer. I was just as much in the dark as everyone else was. At first, I had assumed it to be part of the festivities. I looked at Eva, then my party members, but nobody came to help me out.

“Tradition?” I suggested.

Franz looked at me with wide eyes and a vein on his forehead bulged. I was the master of getting told off, so I could tell he was moments away from getting angry. I had to be careful what I said.

“Hmph. It appears that wasn’t the right way to put it. Allow me to rephrase the question. Why were your party members there?”

That was another question on my mind. I felt a pain in my gut, but I couldn’t give answers I didn’t have.

“I came here because I heard I could cut people!” Luke said.

“Hah?! If you mugs hadn’t half-assed your security, Krai Baby wouldn’t have needed to take action!” Liz yelled. “Who do you think you are?! You almost let the host get offed! Get on your knees! On your knees!”

They really should have kept their mouths shut.

“Wh-What was that?!” Franz yelled back.

Ah, stop that. Here, I’ll get on my knees, okay? And hold on. Liz made it sound like you guys showed up because I “took action.” I did no such thing. Hm? Or did I?

I began to feel uncertain about my own behavior. Eva’s eyebrow twitched when she noticed this.

Agitated, Liz’s face was more flushed than usual. Our resident maniac in a red dress took an audacious step forward, almost like she hadn’t just been trespassing.

“Not only did that mask guy get in, there was some shit mixed in the drinks. How do you explain that?” she asked like she was some sort of thug.

The knights looked at her with wide eyes and Franz became red in the face.

“Wh-What are you babbling about?!”

“Now, now, that’s enough, Liz,” I said in an attempt to cool things down. “You shouldn’t complain about the refreshments when you weren’t even invited!”

“Really? Still...” she said, in a much calmer voice.

I continued to try to minimize the damage.

“Sure, something was mixed in, but it was hardly anything a high-level hunter should worry about.”

“Well, I guess you’re right.”

“And that was an awfully rude way to put it. You made the guards sound like a bunch of apes!”

Sure, maybe they would have been apes if Fox-Mask really hadn’t been part of the festivities, but the drinks were another matter entirely. At a banquet, and one hosted by the emperor no less, ensuring food is safe should be a top priority.

“Impossible. Our security was flawless. Someone, go check the drinks!” Franz ordered while looking like he might explode at any moment.

I took the opportunity to do some blame-shifting. Liz wasn’t free of fault or anything, but the worst trouble was caused by the old lady who incinerated the castle.

“Ah, but the Abyssal Inferno destroyed all the evidence,” I pointed out. “She also burned up the intruder. Even if she hadn’t blown apart the whole ceiling, I’d still say she went a bit overboard.”

“Hee hee hee, nice try. I didn’t burn the intruder.”

Could you repeat that?

The high-powered, castle-wrecking pyromaniac snorted with dissatisfaction.

“Cut the act already, boy. You noticed it, didn’t you? I couldn’t detect the scent of a scorched body. That intruder was really something.”

“The scent of a scorched body.” Holy shit.

“You’re right, striking that intruder felt strange,” Luke said, looking unusually pensive.

Considering he had thrown his sword, I’m not sure what he possibly could’ve felt.

Everyone else began to chime in with agreement.

“Mmm.”

“Yeah, they were sorta weird.”

“My spells did indeed feel less effective.”

“Yeah, uh-huh!” I said.

If Ansem and Lucia were nodding along, then I figured it was safe for me to do the same. Not that I could at all understand the instincts of talented people like them.

“They had no presence,” the Abyssal Inferno continued. “I don’t know what sort of tricks they were using, but things would’ve turned ugly if the boy hadn’t been there. If I wasn’t mistaken, I caught some hints of recognition.”

“Me? I’ve never seen that guy before.”

“I wasn’t talking about you, boy.”

Oops.

The emperor and his knights all gave me frigid glares. I was so used to everyone assuming I knew something, I just refused without thinking. But did I remember anything?

A fox mask. A fox mask. W-Well, there was a treasure vault with phantoms like that.

In the meantime, I gave a half raise and offered my opinion, “I’d just like to say, I think the blame rests with the Abyssal Inferno for scorching the castle. It’s all her fault.”

She glared at me with wild eyes. I wasn’t too keen on making an enemy of a high-level hunter, but I wanted to draw attention from my friends’ trespassing. My hands were tied.

After working up the courage to offer my opinion, Franz ignored it entirely.

“Setting aside the matter of the intruder, it’s unthinkable that the refreshments were poisoned. Our security was without lapse.”

Yeah, I thought the same thing until—wait a minute. 

A wild idea had entered my head. Silver Breath was a Relic that detected any drugs that might affect the wearer. However, the wearer’s own resistances affected which substances were detected. And my resistances were below even that of a normal civilian, they were subzero. In other words, perhaps the Relic had alerted me to something that wasn’t hazardous to a normal person.

It was possible. If nothing else, it seemed more likely than poisoned alcohol slipping past the tight security. Only drinks had been poisoned, so perhaps the ring had identified strong booze as something dangerous? It lined up with the fact that everyone else had been drinking away just fine.

But if I voiced any of this, there would be no taking it back. My heart began to pound when I saw the grave expressions of Franz and the other knights.

“Well, it’s possible all the poisoned drinks were destroyed by the fire,” I suggested. The only remaining table was behind me. Even if those surviving drinks turned up clean, I had an excuse that I was confident in. “It’s also possible that it was a poison meant only for me—”

“You’ve done nothing but make hollow jests!” Franz barked. “Do you understand what it means if nothing’s detected in those drinks?”

“That’ll be pretty good in its own right.”

“Quiet! It means you’ll have sullied the reputation of the Gathering of the White Blade!”

Possibly because of a calcium deficiency, possibly because of his loyalty to the emperor, Franz had a really overwhelming presence.

But then, I remembered something—Liz had also said the drinks were poisoned. Was I right after all? Maybe not. She was all too willing to go along with anything I said.

After a painful wait, a knight returned. He was pale as a ghost.

“After investigating a sample of the refreshments, we have confirmed the presence of a poisonous substance,” the knight reported. “A fairly powerful one, at that.”

“What was that?!”

“Woo, I was right!”

I couldn’t help but strike a victory pose.

“Krai?!” Eva yelled.

Perfect, my name had been cleared. I had only found poison in the drinks, but it seemed the food had been poisoned as well. The Gathering of the White Blade had been truly terrifying, even if it was in ways I hadn’t expected.

“Well, that settles it,” the emperor said with a bitter expression. “Franz, make this part of your investigation of the intruder.”

“Your Imperial Majesty, allow us to assist in any way we can,” Gark said. I still thought he looked odd in a tuxedo.

The emperor glanced at both me and the Abyssal Inferno. Sure, I was technically a member of the Explorers’ Association, but I didn’t plan on doing anything.

All I could do was sigh. Something told me I was about to get dragged into something strange again.

By the time our interrogation-like conversation was over, it was the middle of the night. Because I truly and genuinely knew absolutely nothing, I had hated every moment of it. Even if my bad luck had made me used to those sorts of situations, I wasn’t immune to them.

“It seems the empire has an idea of what might have happened,” Eva said. She didn’t let exhaustion show, even after having to deal with me.

“To hell with them,” Liz grumbled. “They’re turning their incompetency into our problem.”

“Now, now, just think of this as a chance to put the empire in our debt,” Lucia said placatingly.

Luke and Ansem hadn’t joined us and were instead helping the night watch. Patrolling the half-wrecked castle was being entrusted to high-level hunters for the night. Franz hadn’t wanted my help, so I hadn’t been invited. He may have shouted at me a lot, but I had a feeling I would grow to like the man. I prayed that he would continue to not offer me work.

“Oh yeah, Liz. How did you get into the Gathering? Weren’t there lots of guards?” I asked.

“Hmm?”

Liz blinked and glanced at Lucia, who remained silent. I looked at my sister, and she avoided making eye contact.

So you had magic support. I see. I see. And why were you so determined to get in?! 

They had done this while I had been looking for any reason not to go. If only we could’ve traded places.

But then something occurred to me.

“Come to think of it, where’s Tino?”

“Hm? I dunno.”

Liz had been the one to drag Tino along and now she was casting aside any responsibility for the girl. So I turned to Lucia.

“How about you, Lucy? Do you know anything?”

“Uh. Uhh... Uhhhh.”

Lucia seemed to be panicking, a very rare sight. Poor Tino, even dear Lucy had abandoned her.

“Siddy probably took care of it,” she said, her eyes darting about. “After all, she’s not with us right now.”

Sitri was always on top of those sorts of things. She had probably refrained from attacking Fox-Mask so she could support someone if necessary. We could always count on the Prodigy.

I felt better after that. It hadn’t been without incident, but I had gotten through the day and I was glad to know that event was finally behind me.

At the clan house, we parted ways with Eva. I practically had to drag my tired body up the staircase. I opened the door to my office and froze as Sitri, still in her dress, popped out. Her cheeks were flushed and she seemed to be in an awfully good mood.

“Welcome back, Krai! T and I planted that poison for you. Did it help?”

“What?”

I looked and noticed Tino lying on the couch. She was in an evening gown and looked like she was about to die at any moment.

“Aah, I thought something was up back there,” Liz said, clapping her hands as though it all made sense now. “Cause all that wine Krai Baby handed me, that had been drugged, not poisoned.”

“Aaaah,” Lucia groaned and rubbed her temples.

Wha? Huh? Wait. So in other words...what happened?

“There wasn’t anything in the remaining food and I thought that didn’t bode well. Then I saw an opportunity,” Sitri explained.

“I’m a criminal. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Master, my hands, they’re dirty,” Tino mumbled.

I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have a clue what was happening. I tried to keep calm and grinned as I ruffled Sitri’s hair. Then I decided to head to bed so I could sleep away my worries.

***

What a fearsome engagement. Seeing the Gathering thrown into chaos by the Abyssal Inferno’s attack, it silently expressed its shock.

The Thousand Tricks had brought many organizations to ruin, but his most terrifying skill of all was his ability to obtain information. He knew things he shouldn’t know and showed up in places he should have no reason to be. He was illusive and capable of preterhuman artifice, his poker face flawless. Even for a high-level treasure hunter, he was exceptional. And he was much harder to handle than someone who possessed simple strength.

How had he detected the intruder? Even though it had personally witnessed the Gathering, the questions far outnumbered the answers. The intruder had no presence. They made no sound, had no body heat. None of the castle’s sensors had detected them. Yet, the moment they appeared, they were given away. The Thousand Tricks hadn’t shown the slightest sign that he knew something might happen.

Well, there was the matter with the drug. It had been randomly distributed, yet the Thousand Tricks had found each and every spiked drink. He hadn’t used magic, yet he still seemed to have known exactly where to look. Those drinks were meant to cause the Gathering to devolve into mayhem, but the allies of the Thousand Tricks downed them all.

How fascinating. It was all incoherent and defied comprehension, but the results were clear enough. To challenge a preterhuman artificer with intrigue would be foolish, which meant their only remaining course of action was to simply continue attacking. To gain the advantage through force that no amount of genius could contend with—that was what villains were best suited for.

What a convenient twist that the Thousand Tricks had given them such a choice opportunity to strike. He had given the imperial princess a dragon egg, a gift both valuable, but also very dangerous.

Dragons ranked as one of the strongest beings in the land. The riches they hoarded and the eggs they laid were worth a fortune, but to obtain them was to incur a dragon’s wrath. Dragons offered no forgiveness to pilferers. Some legends even described countries being decimated because they harbored a dragon egg.

Of course, the Thousand Tricks had surely already slain the dragon from which he had stolen that egg. But just how might the nobility feel if their empire was attacked by a dragon?

Thousand Tricks, that generous gift of yours will be the undoing of those you protect.