Jidou Hanbaiki ni Umarekawatta ore wa Meikyuu o Samayou
Author: Hiru k.u.ma
—
It"s Been Awhile Since the Seiryu Lake Level"Would you call everyone we left behind over? Because there"s something I get out of these people."
He wants to finish interrogating them while we"re not around, I suppose. In a round about way he was stating that the topic was such that he would be troubled if we were around.
"Got it. Then, we"ll go to bring Hyurumi and the others here, okay?"
Ramis is a considerate, good girl, after all. Without pursuing it any further, together with Mikene and me, we turned around and left that place. As I was swaying on her back, getting further and further away, I watched Mishael, but although I saw his profile when he glanced once towards us, that face was expressionless so I was unable read into it at all.
"Looks like Mishael also has a lot going on, ne?"
"Welcome."
"If it"s like this, it"s hard to tell how far we can get involved, ne?"
"Welcome."
"I do understand that this time was something that didn"t have anything to do with us, but for some reason I just couldn"t stay quiet. I wonder if it"s better to leave some more distance between us."
Ramis is thinking about all sorts of things. I also don"t know what answer would be good for that question. If there are people who think it"s a pain if you meddle, there are also people who think they"d want you to ask about it.
It looks like he is afraid of getting anyone else rolled up into things. Rather than being afraid of being rejected, it feels like he"s just taking care not to make unnecessary victims.
In the time that I was thinking about those kinds of things we had joined up with Hyurumi and the others waiting at the boar-cart and, without particularly hurrying, we headed back to Mishael"s side.
The round trip took around 30 minutes, but when we had returned, there was only Mishael standing still alone; the two magic-user-like people where nowhere to be seen. The three bodies of the men he had killed and tossed aside were also gone.
I wondered if they had run away, but if you carefully a.n.a.lyzed the ground there are a number of faint traces of burns. There - are ones that look human-shaped too. Five of them. So in other words, that"s how it is.
"Looks like you cleaned up. Thanks for your efforts."
"I brought everyone-"
Hyurumi, on top of being about to understand what had happened, called out to him carefreely. Ramis also lightly waves her hand without giving off a smidgen of seriousness.
"Welcome back. I apologize for getting you wrapped up in my personal affairs."
"No worries, no worries. About Hakkon, he got us wrapped up in all sorts of stuff, like getting kidnapped or falling from a Level Break."
"That"s something."
"Too bad."
At that time I relied on you.
Listening to that conversation, it was just a little, but Mishael"s tense face loosened.
"I can"t go into the details, but there is a certain reason that my life is being aimed for. If we"re together for anymore than this, then I would be risking all of you lives, so I will return first and go to a different level. You have been of a.s.sistance all this time."
"A, hold on. The fact is that you"re a person with real ability, so how about joining the Fools of Whimsy Brigade? Leader was saying he was looking for capable people, you know?"
"Right, that kinda thing came out of his mouth. If ya got ability, who cares about origin? In fact, we ain"t got a single guy in our brigade without something troublesome- is what he was braggin"."
A ridiculous way of advertising. Come to think of it, Leader Keryoil certainly did say that. It"s just turning the tables on your pursuers; it will be good training in surprise attacks. I feel like he"d calmly say something like that. Leader Keryoil has a lot of guts.
"The Fools of Whimsy Brigade; that famous Hunter Group?"
"Yup, yup. Everyone"s really funny. We also promised to cooperate with them from time to time."
"Well now, stop thinkin" about difficult things for once and listen. Way I see it, getting more power is a good thing."
"That"s true. Just once, I"ll plan on contacting them. Then, until we"re fated to meet again."
He bowed his head very deeply, then stretched his spine back up and left. He was just at the brink of having departed, but I didn"t miss his muttering carried along on the wind.
"The Fools of Whimsy Brigade they say… having a bunch of people I don"t know… it"s impossibllle."
A-, so the hurdle was too high for him after all. Although he"s a reliable guy in ikemen mode, let"s just think of that gap as also being part of his charm.
n.o.body made to stop him, and when we could no longer see his stature, we resumed advancing. Since it seems that it wouldn"t be good if we raised our speed and caught up with Mishael we drop the speed as we"re able, slowly and leisurely meandering.
Reaching the community while taking over the twice the time to do so, the sky is beginning to be dusk-dyed; there"s no need to hurry so we"re spending one night at the Maze Level"s only inn.
"A lot of things happened, but we"ll finally be returning to Seiryu Lake Level, ne!"
—
The next day. The only person standing on top of the transfer circle in high spirits is Ramis. Hyurumi is sleepily stifling a yawn, and the Big Eaters Brigade are also sleepily rubbing their eyes.
That"s how it should be. It"s early in the morning and the sun still hasn"t begun climbing in sky, so it"s a time that"s tough for night-people and nocturnal animals.
Yesterday we reported that there were no abnormalities to the Hunters a.s.sociation; when they just lightly explained, our mission was completely done. After that they bought products from me in large quant.i.ties, making a fuss until late in the night, and here we are now.
"I"d like ta" take it easy and research once in a while." (Hyurumi)
"Right now, in Seiryu Level, there looks like there"s a lot of work, so you can earn enough so you won"t be troubled about what to eat, you know."(Mikene)
"It"d be nice to be able to eat until my stomach"s full." (probably Pell)
"I want to swim in the lake) (Suko (girl))
"It"s the place the Bear President is in charge of, so there shouldn"t be anything bad about it." (Shote)
Hyurumi was expected, but it looks like the Big Eaters Brigade is also going to live on Seiryu Lake Level; I can have expectations that they"ll also become regular customers from now on.
We"re taking leave of the Maze Level, but I don"t think I"ll come here a second time. In the first place, if I hadn"t gotten wrapped up into the level Break, then I also wouldn"t have come floating down from the sky.
I also met new people, but as I thought, the place that calms me down the most is Seiryu Lake. I"ve only been away from it for about a month, but I have quite the nostalgia for it.
I want to hurry up and do business with the usual regulars in front of the Hunters a.s.sociation. They"re probably all waiting for me too. Seeing the happy faces the moment they buy something is a vending machine"s delight.
"Okay, let"s go back-!"
At Ramis" voice the transfer circle was activated by a staff member and we, who were bathed in light flooding out from our feet, felt the sensation of our bodies becoming lighter.
And then, when I thought that we had lost consciousness for a moment, the light at our feet disappeared, and the surrounding scenery had changed as if a door opened.
Up until a moment ago it was a wooden room that was about 6 tatami mats, but it"s now a large stone room over 100 m(squared).On the walls were magic tool lights installed at the four corners; even though there aren"t windows the field of vision is secured with magic light.
"Looks like we"ve arrived at Seiryu Lake Level, ne." (Ramis)
So Seiryu Lake"s transfer circle was located in this kind of a place. There is a ton of people, and there"s also the transportation of goods, so if the room wasn"t this big, there would probably be a lot of inconveniences.
Ramis threw open a door that was large enough for me to pa.s.s under with room to spare, going out into the pa.s.sageway. To the right doors were systematically lined up; to the left a large window was installed.
The pa.s.sageway is wide enough so that 4, 5 adults lined up side by side would have no problems, and its height covers at least 3 meters or more. From the light coming in from the windows, it looks like Seiryu Lake Community has good weather.
Straight ahead on the long pa.s.sageway is another large double door; when you pushed those open it connects to the first floor"s hall of the Hunters a.s.sociation.
In the hall there aren"t figures of Hunters, but only the Hunters a.s.sociation staff.
Facing the counter was the staff onee-sans, lined up and seated as usual, and when they saw us … why are they surprised, putting their hands to their mouths?
"Huh? Why is Hakkon-san coming from there?"
E-, aa, I see. I fell from a Level Break, so you would think it"d be weird if I returned here from the transfer circle. So the reason they"re surprised is that.
"Hakkon got tossed into the Level Break; he fell to the Maze Level. We got him back, see."
Hyurumi immediately explained. With that, the receptionist-sans" questions should be answered.
"A, I heard of that from the President, so I"m aware, but…"
Huh? Then why were you surprised? If you knew then there shouldn"t be any problems.
"Hakkon-san, were you here this morning? Over a week before weren"t you doing business in the community?"
"E-."
E-. The voice that Ramis and Hyurumi leaked out overlapped with the one in my heart. Wh,what is the meaning of this? I, just right now, returned, so I"ve fallen to the level below for over a month prior. No matter how you think about it, the calculations don"t match.
"H,hang on. Hakkon has always been on the Maze Level, you know? He didn"t return here even once."
The female staff member, who had her hands stolen by Ramis grabbing both of them over the counter and brought her face to face, was somehow able to maintain her business smile.
"That, to say it, actually I saw Hakkon-san"s form in the community. Right?"
"Y,yeah. Yesterday I also bought something."
The staff member seated next to her also nodded her head up and down. It doesn"t seem like the two of them are lying. But, well, if that"s the case then that means that a fake of me, or rather something that is similar to me, exists.
"In other words, there be a Hakkon fake… this is a dire situation." (Hyurumi)
"Fake… we gotta complain!"
The angry Ramis seems like she"s about to go flying out to do so right now, so I shoot out a "Too bad."
"Hakkon, why are you stopping me? It"s a fake, you know. I won"t forgive anyone who pretends to be Hakkon to do business. We have to properly complain and get them to stop."
About that; I"m extremely curious about what the other party is thinking to do this. While I was gone, did he think that he was a suitable replacement? Or was he simply thinking to make some profit by just copying me.
If it"s the latter, then finding fault in it would be a mistake. Aside from copying my business strategy, wanting to make profits is natural. And besides, I"m genuinely curious about how a vending machine"s functions managed to come into existence.
"Calm down Ramis. When ya don"t know the opponents", it"s better to not do things badly. When we report to the Bear President, how about we do some reconnaissance together?"
So Hyurumi agrees with me. In her case it"s simply a scholastic"s approach, though.
It feels like Ramis" rage won"t subside, but she seems to have reluctantly accepted it, so for now all members head over to the Bear President"s room.
Bear President was searching for me, so the many days" worth of work had piled up and came back around; when he returned here he was constantly wrestling with paperwork, it seems.
"President - is it okay to enter?"
"Ramis, is it? You"ve returned. It is alright to enter."
At the door, the Bear President"s lifeless, exhausted voice reached us.
Upon opening the door, a desk covered in a mountain of paperwork can be seen and the Bear President with a completely fed up face was there. That bear paw is skillfully grasping a pen, but I had a useless worry about whether he could properly write letters.
"Good time, I was just thinking about taking a break. Hakkon, allow me to buy a cold drink."
"Welcome."
He bought a lemon tea, sat down heavily onto the sofa, and drank the contents in one go. You can tell by looking that his exhaustion has been piling up.
"Everyone, sit down as well. Why don"t you tell me the result of your request?"
Hyurumi conveyed the situation on the Maze perimeter as our representative. Also, although she hesitated a bit, she also told about the situation with Mishael without sparing anything.
"Mishael, is it? I had heard that he was an excellent Hunter, but he seems to have some deep meaning to not joining up with anyone. Let me commit this to memory."
Well, the reason is because of his communication disorder, though.
"Now then, President. Recently, were you aware of a fake Hakkon appearing in the community?"
"A fake, is it? Sorry, I"ve been constantly shut in this room. I"ve been distant from the outside world."
"Seems like a Hakkon-like thing is around, and everyone be thinking it"s Hakkon. We"re thinking about lookin" into it, but we gotta have the Hunters a.s.sociation"s approval for that?"
"No, it"s fine to do as you please. Others… in this situation it"s difficult to express, but Hakkon is a resident of Seiryu Lake Level. If there are ones taking a resident"s name to earn benefits, then in that situation it wouldn"t do to not give them punishments. As far as a request from the Hunters a.s.sociation, I would like to see through what such a person"s true ident.i.ty is. However, I request that you don"t raise your complaint through violence. It would be enough to have no troubles if you get enough proof."
"Un, got it. I"m going to properly show you his true colors!"
Ramis tightly clenched her fist. The President stuck his claw(finger) into it so I think she won"t run wild, but I"m still a little worried.
But my imitation, huh… I wonder what kind of person it is. Just a little, no, I"m really excited with curiosity. What"s going to appear? Let"s have some expectations.