The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick up Trash - Volume 9 - Chapter 446

Chapter 446:

Three Days

AFTER WE SENT the guild master and Eche on their way back to the captain’s house, we returned to the dining room.

Zinal sighed. “This is just getting more and more complicated.”

My father nodded. It really did feel like everything was getting out of our control. Not that it had been in our control much to begin with.

“I don’t like this. Druid, could you leave this village right away?”

Huh?!

“We’ll have to pack first, but…it shouldn’t be a problem. What do you think, Ivy?”

Right away…would be a tall order. We need to pack and tie things up first.

“A day should be enough. Do we need to get away from Hataka, sir?”

“I’m not sure yet. But you should at least be ready to leave at a moment’s notice, just in case.”

I solemnly nodded in agreement. Just in case of what, though? Did he mean the guild master or the captain might try to do something to us?

“Oh—the guild master and captain are safe. I wasn’t talking about them. It’s just…what with the survey team coming from the capital to check out the summoning circles, I feel like you should leave as soon as you can.”

A survey team?

“Since we can’t completely erase our tracks here, the survey team will probably go after us,” my father said, the crease between his brows deepening. I hated the idea of being targeted by a survey team—they usually investigated criminals. 

“Yeah, that’s too bad. I don’t think there’s anything the captain or guild master can do about it, either.”

I feel bad for all the trouble we’re causing… Maybe we should just talk with the survey team? I have a feeling they’ll think we’re on the run if we skip town.

“Why don’t we have a talk with the survey team, sir? Otherwise, they’ll think we’re running away.”

“Yeah, they’ll most likely think that. Only, the people they send on those survey teams are just kinda…well, you know.”

Was there some problem with them? But wouldn’t people on a survey team be trustworthy citizens?

“How many people on the survey team are legit?” my father asked.

Huh? “Legit” survey team members?

Zinal sighed. “Uhh…about half?”

Does that mean the other half are no good?

“Isn’t that…a poorly run organization, sir?”

If only half an organization’s members do their job properly, the whole organization is a failure, as far as I’m concerned. Why can’t they get the slackers to quit? Is something stopping them from firing people?

“Yeah, but it’s sort of that way by design.”

I guess that means there is some reason they can’t make people quit. And for a reason that can’t be easily explained, to boot. How unsettling. But still…Zinal’s expression is even scarier. The more he talks about the survey team, the darker the mood in the room gets. Maybe we shouldn’t have asked in the first place? Even so, Zinal’s knowledge never ceases to amaze me.

“You sure know a lot, don’t you, Mr. Zinal?” Did all investigators have as much information as him?

“Zinal also has his work behind the scenes… I imagine that’s where he gets most of his tips from.”

Oh, right! His secret job, then.

“Could be,” Zinal said vaguely. “I did get most of my requests from royalty and people in their circle. I wound up learning about a lot of taboo stuff, but I turned a blind eye. Nothing good would come of me sticking my nose in, not to mention we’re a neutral organization.”

Royalty and people in their circle… Wait, was it okay for him to tell us that? Isn’t that the sort of thing a contract would stop you from talking about?

“Is it all right for you to tell us that, sir?”

“It’s fine. I’m talking about it in a way that won’t violate the contract.”

He’s cunning… Is it wrong for me to compliment him that way?

“Ivy, make sure you read your contracts, okay?”

“Er…yes, sir! Huh?” Zinal’s question had caught me off guard. What did he mean?

“You do read them, right?”

“I do, sir.” I make a habit of reading my contracts all the way through.

“Listen to me—make sure you’re always at the center of the contract.”

Make sure I’m at the center?

“Like, make sure it’s the kind of contract where you can say yes or no when there’s an important decision to be made. If the other party has that power, don’t sign. Got it?”

Er… So I have all the veto power, and I shouldn’t let the other party have it. Oh, now I see! That’s what it means for me to be at the center of the contract.

“I understand, sir.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes…I think.”

In other words, I need to sign contracts where I’m at the center of them, so the other person can’t leak something I want kept secret to a third party after the contract is signed. If I’m not at the center, the other person might possibly tell my secrets to a third party…right? Wait—my brain is a mess. Something about contracts—whenever I see them, I just have this negative reaction to them. Odd, since the contracts in this world are so concise. Wait a minute—“the contracts in this world”? Are memories from my past life getting in the way again? What’s this I’m seeing…a contract in small print, several pages long…but I’ve never seen such a thing in my life.

“Argh…” I sighed.

“You okay? Was it really that tough to follow?” Zinal asked me in confusion.

I shook my head. “No, sir, my memories just got all mixed up. I’m fine.”

I thought back to the contracts that I’d signed in this life. They were all very straightforward and only one page long. They each had a clear sentence that placed me at the center of the contract. It was the same with the contracts Zinal had drawn up.

“Mr. Zinal, thank you so much for everything.”

I bowed to him, and he smiled and patted my head—though a bit roughly. It messed up my hair, but I decided I didn’t care.

“Don’t damage her hair.”

The same moment my father said that, I heard a slapping noise. I looked over and saw that Zinal’s hand was a bit red.

“…Um, the little misunderstanding you had about me is cleared up, right?”

Misunderstanding? Oh, right, that he likes kids!

“Of course.”

“Then isn’t it okay?”

I would think so.

“…Fair enough.”

Dad, why the long pause?

“I feel really sorry for whoever Ivy brings home to get your blessing for marriage…” Zinal gave my father a tired smile.

I raised an eyebrow as I smoothed my hair with my hands. Marriage? But that’s not even slightly on my radar.

“I’d never object to anyone Ivy chose,” my father insisted.

What are they even talking about? I guess I’m happy to know he trusts me, though.

“Really?”

“Yeah. If Ivy’s suitor proves stronger than me and can hold their own against Ciel in a fight, I’ll have no objection to leaving Ivy in their care.”

“Huh?!”

“Er… Isn’t that basically the same as objecting?”

“I wouldn’t object. I’d just need to make sure this person is strong enough to protect her.”

I looked at my father. His eyes were hellishly serious. He means it. Every word. Zinal recoiled a little in terror at the sight of my father’s eyes.

“Um, what kind of superhuman could hold their own in a fight with Ciel anyway?”

I had the same question. I looked at Ciel, whose eyes were sparkling eagerly for some reason… Wait, Ciel, you choose violence, too?!

“I’ll have you know I’m only nine years old.”

My father nodded gruffly, and Zinal gave me a pitiful look. How did we even get on this subject in the first place?

“I’ll just go make us some more tea.”

We’ll get the mood back to normal and talk about our plan for the next few days. Then again, we won’t get anywhere with our strategy until the guild master comes back with information from the captain. You know, it’s getting close to lunchtime. I rubbed my belly. Since I hadn’t eaten breakfast, I’d had far too many sweets.

“Let’s just have lunch.”

Knock, knock. Knock, knock.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it.” Zinal got up to answer the front door.

I guess I’ll just get some tea for now.

When I came back with the tea, I heard my father’s voice.

“Got it… We’ll leave in three days.”

“In three days?”

I could tell the guild master was a little irritated.

“Ivy, I’m so sorry. We found out the survey team is already on its way. Not even the captain could stop them.”

So Zinal was right. This was the possibility we needed to plan for.

“I understand, sir. Um, so I guess we’ll be leaving Hataka in three days.”

“That’s right. If there’s anything you need, please tell us. We’ll help you in every way we can.”

“Yes, sir.”

At least we had three days to get ready. We would be fine.