(edited)

At dusk, the Comer city adventurer’s guild was already crowded with many adventurers.

Dungeon raiding, hunting in the forest, many adventurers who had received a quest that has one day time limit were also coming back to report their progress.

Especially, at the first floor counter of D rank where it was crowded with adventurers that were turning in their quest and waiting for appraisal of various materials.

The longer it took for a receptionist to finished their job, the more hectic it becomes for the adventurers that were already lining up behind and now fighting.

“If your business is done, quickly move over.”

“I’m not finished, I’m still talking to Rebecca.”

Most of the time, the adventurers who were lined up were trying to talk with Rebecca and it became a ha.s.sle and eventually it developed into fisticuffs. They were all trying to get Rebecca’s attention but lately Rebecca and other receptionist seemed to be in lost of thoughts. Their work speed was slowed down and it also slowing down the whole adventurer’s guild’s operation.

“Rebecca, what has happened?”

“Collet, it’s okay. I think I have fallen in love.”

“But still, it caused a fight and it is prohibited inside the guild.”

“Eh? Is that so?”

“Rebecca, please get a hold of yourself.”

After some time, the commotion subsided again and Collet realized that in the past few days, the number of adventurers who gathered around the guild were increasing and the number of dungeon raids had risen in numbers too. But the main reason for their lack of concentration was because of something else.

“Come to think of it, Fifi, I think it’s almost time for our break.”

“Oh my! We need to take it now. Everyone recently has been in a bad condition, lacking rest because of the materials from 「Enrio of Kusakai」 dungeon. We’re even spending all our time appraising it.”

“Do you know who brought back such large amounts of material?”

“I don’t know. The guild master might know it but he doesn’t tell me.”

Rebecca was also replying without much interest in the topic since she seemed to be losing her mind already.

“Rebecca, please focus.”

After Collet trying to get a hold of Rebecca to regain her consciousness, the door of the Adventurer’s guild was opened. There were many other people there but all of the other adventurers’ attention were gathered to the newcomer.

“It’s Marifa, today you also came!”

“Is it really that much? It’s only my thirtieth day coming here.”

usually an adventurer entered a dungeon once or twice a week, and the rest of the day will be used to gather information however Marifa had entered the dungeon every day. Even if she didn’t enter, she will be in open fields defeating monster.

Many of the other adventurers were worried when they know that Marifa was soloing 「Golgo dungeon」 however Marifa doesn’t listen to anyone. At her early days, Marifa always could be seen going home in tattered condition. Now she doesn’t look as bad anymore even when she cleared the 「Golgo dungeon」 by herself. Also after she captured some of the strong demon monster called 「Maokami」 and 「k.u.mohyo」, she was called 「Marifa of the two beast」.

(TL note: it was mentioned as 従魔 = jyuma or demon)

“Marifa.”

“Thanks for your help today.”

“Yes, don’t mind it. Are you going to go alone?”

“No, the demon monsters were waiting outside. If not, they won’t be able to stay quiet.”

Collet who already knew about Marifa didn’t ask any further and Marifa took out the monster material that she looted from the 「Golgo dungeon」 on the counter. Marifa set off and atmoshper that was unfriendly and pushing everyone away, even Collet was worried that in the future she won’t listened to her anymore. Because even some of the adventurers that were acquaintance with Marifa now couldn’t even talk to her anymore.

“This will be the money for the materials and at the same time, Marifa has reached the D rank. Congratulations!”

Marifa was a former slave and a new adventurer. In only a few months she had become a D rank adventurer, it was a big achievement on its own but Marifa’s expression didn’t change at all. Thus she only received the money without showing any reaction to Collet congratulations. When Marifa was about to go out from the adventurer guild, she was blocked by someone.

“Who dare… Wood-san?”

“I have something to talk.”

“Sorry but I was quite busy.”

“I SAID I HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK!”

Marifa was surprised at Wood sudden angry voice. It even echoed inside the adventurer’s guild and makes everyone attention fall on Wood and Marifa. Of course, everyone noticed it since Wood usually avoided trouble and stays silent

“It’s okay, Coro and the others, you guys can calm down, I have some business with Wood-san.”

When Wood shouted earlier, there was a blood thirst coming from behind him although he doesn’t realized it, but Maokami, Coro, and k.u.mohyo were already prepared to attack Woods.

“I am quite familiar with this place, we can talk inside.”

When Wood enter the restaurant, he only stand quietly in the alley along with Marifa. And after that they requested a private room inside the restaurant so Corro, Maokami and k.u.mohyo could enter along. After that Marifa and Corro was served a drink by the clerk but Corro was standing quietly there. Without permission from Marifa, he won’t drink or eat anything even if it caused him to be on the verge of starvation.

“Do you want to order something to eat? I mean, please eat without refrain and if your demon monsters want to eat, it’s also fine.”

“We’re good. So, tell me what do you want to talk with me?”

“It’s about Yu.”

“Do you know where is my master?”

Marifa involuntarily jumped out from the chair when she heard Wood said that, moments later, she regained her composure, cleared her throat and sat down. Although Corro and the demons remained seated in a corner but Corro ears were twitching.

“Sorry, I am just too surprised.”

“I have met with him several times, the last time was yesterday. So have you heard anything from him since he disappeared?”

“no, I never heard anything.”

Wood stared at Marifa glares and spit out a big sigh when Marifa stayed silent.

“So, I want you to keep what I told you as a secret from the others. I also don’t know a lot of details since I only got a limited time to talk to him everytime. He also told me to never tell Nina or Lena so make sure you don’t tell them. Yu is requesting a favor from me on this matter.”

“Alright, I’ll keep this quiet… Master…”

Marifa clenched the hem of her skirt strongly and started to listen to what Wood knew so far. Although she was reluctant but she still listened to what happened.

After the incident with Goria, actually the merchant group was also group of spies form the holy kingdom. And Goria was actually a member of the ‘order of the immortal’ which was a group of evil and death doers. That was why Yu left them to keep them out of danger. Yu left it to Wood to explain it to them which caused a conflicted emotion on Marifa.

Although at first it was said in a serious tone to Marifa, once Wood had his drink, he started to let loose.

“Why he couldn’t understand, the holy kingdom and the ‘order of the immortal’ won’t even care about anything else. They tried to do anything they want which was troublesome.”

after that Wood was offered to have a meal with Marifa and so they were now heading back towards the mansion.

On the way she met with Mago the merchant and Shah the escort coming out from the mansion gate.

“Mago-san h.e.l.lo. But, wasn’t the payment date is still far ahead?”

“Ah, Marifa-san and you have such a rare guest there. I didn’t come to remind you about the payment since I believe it will be paid without a hitch. I am now here to meet with Kuro-san. Is he home?”

“Kuro?”

“Oh, so can you tell me what business you have?”

“I’m sorry but I am just a servant of my master.”

“Yeah, if Yu-san has asked him to not tell you, there is nothing you can do but only paid it back to him later on when Yu returned.”

After that Mago walk ahead from Marifa and Wood as he past by.

Marifa then clenched her fist since she was frustrated that the business was hidden from her as she watched Mago walking back to the city. Wood could only tap on Marifa’s shoulder as they continued to head back to the mansion.

When she arrived back, the black wolves were resting in the garden and some of the black wolves were now breeding. There were some black wolves that were giving their milk to their children and the others are protecting them.

“Oh, what an amazing number.”

“Don’t worry because I have taught them properly, they won’t attack Wood.”

some of the black wolves were looking at Wood when they smelled his presence but Marifa instructed by hand to make them back away to identify that it wasn’t an enemy.

“I don’t think I could survive being attacked by such number. The mansion has such a good guards. So are Nina and Lena in the mansion too?”

“Lena has always been going somewhere lately but she doesn’t ask for lunch today so think she will be back soon and Nina will most likely be inside Master’s bedroom.”

When they entered, Wood’s and Marifa’s face is surprised. Upon entering the mansion living room, Lena was there reading a book, only took a glance at them before resuming her reading.

“Lena, long time no see.”

“You came… why are you here?”

“I got something from Yu. If Nina is inside Yu’s room, it would be better if she came down to listen too.”

Lena didn’t show much interest at Wood but as soon as Yu name is mentioned, she closed the book that she was reading.

“… how do you know?”

“It’s a long story, and I need everyone to be here, so Marifa can you guide me to Yu’s room?”

Lena also stood up from the sofa and walked after Marifa and Wood. When they arrived, Wood knocked several times but there was no reply from inside.

“Excuse me, this is Wood.”

“….. Nina is depressed.”

“let’s just enter.”

When Wood enter the room without waiting for Marifa reply, the sight on top of the bed was something unusual.

“What is happening?”

On top of the bed, there were Yu’s clothes overlapped each other like a mountain. Perharps, Nina has buried herself in the middle of clothes mountain.

“Nina, I know you’re there. Come out.”

Knowing that his words aren’t getting any reaction from Nina, Wood try to lure her out.

“I have an important news.”

“……is it… Yu?…*sob sob*… Yu… where are you?”

“Can you come out so we can have a talk? There is no reason for you to hide there.”

after a while, from inside the mountain of clothes, Nina’s face pops out. Her hair was messy and her eyes were deep red.

“Wood-san… do you know… where Yu is?”

Woods then move a table and a chair to the front of the bed without even replying to her question, he then also asked Marifa and Lena to sit. After both of them have sat down, one by one from his item bag, the equipment that was entrusted from Yu, he took it out carefully. Ring, necklace, bracelet, accessories, it was all the loot that Yu had earned from 「Enrio of Kusakai」 dungeon. Lena was going to touch one of the ring but.

“Don’t touch!”

because of Wood words, she retracted back her arms.

“At this moment, all of this equipment is not something that you guys can touch easily.

“is it marked… this is blood?”

as Lena said, all of the equipment were covered in blood.

“Did you noticed? These things are rare equipment that Yu gathered for you girls. He has worked so hard to gathered this item, and these are the proof.”

Wood word’s isn’t to be taken lightly as he took out more items and pa.s.sed the materials that Yu gathered.

“Marifa you don’t even know the purpose of why you’re battling continously. Lena, you even dived into a dungeon in the capital city alone. Even though both of you seemed to be doing fine but you all forgotten the most important things. as an adventurer, was it ability? Equipment? Strength? It is all wrong. You are all are one party. Yu has entrusted these things to me but I will take them back. Yu is fighting hard out there, and Nina you only stayed on your bed? He even asked me to keep on supporting you guys. However I am not happy at all seeing your progress. Feel free to come to my shop if you feel that you can convince me that you are all worthy of these equipment.”

after that, Wood took back all the items into the item bag and went out of the room without saying anything else.

Nina remained silent there staring at the table without saying anything. On top of the table, there was traces of blood where Wood put the item from earlier.

“Yu…Yu…*sob*”

Nina’s tears slowly drop one by one on top of the table. Soon it was spreading far over all of the table.

“Yu… is working hard… I… I also will work hard…*sob*…”

Nina even hugging the table now but she wasn’t crying anymore. Lena only buried her face in her hat doesn’t let anyone to see her face. Marifa was only looking up as if staring at the heavens as her tears slowly dropping. That day, for the first time Nina took a meal together with the girls in the dining room and they talked for a long time about their future plan.

……..

Next day early in the morning, Nina has been visiting Wood’s shop.

“You know, you should have chosen a better location for your shop.”

On this day, Nina and the girls decided to make a new start for their party.

……..

(Tl note: another scene change at the end *sigh*)

(TL note2: the author didn’t put explanation of who’s talking so I will do it in the author [email protected],@)

“Gor, gor, gori… what’s his name again? I forgot it already. Did he failed?” (Meri)

“It’s Goria, go-chan for short. I don’t know if he failed or not but he hasn’t contacted us. Maybe he just taking things slowly.” (Azerotte)

“Then why not ask using the wind spirit Azerotte? If it turns out that he has failed, he is just a miserable guy. To let him be a member of ‘order of the immortals’ who was it that recommended that small fish to be accepted? Haha!” (Meri)

While moving her tail in irritation and casually waved it to the ground, even though there doesn’t seemed to be much force but a large crater for around ten meters can be seen on the ground.

(Tl note: the appearance wasn’t mentioned but I believe it was the dragon girl aka Meri)

“Meri-chan, don’t get angry. Let me ask with spirit-chan. As for the one recommending go-chan, it was… I don’t remember… Grandpa, do you remember?” (Azerotte)

“Me? I don’t know, I hate violence and you know… recently I become forgetful.” (dwarf old man)

“Just be quiet. We just want to know whether he was able to finish his work or not.” (Meri)

“Alright, I am sending my wind spirit now. Oh, do you want to see this?” (azerotte)

In front of them, it was as if a big mirror has appeared.

(TL note: possibly this is the wind spirit skill)

Thousands of soldiers were standing firm as if they are going to head into a battlefield. All of them standing straight and proud wearing the same swords and armor. They were probably knights regiments of a country. Not long after, the scene of battle, death, slashing, people dying trampled to death, burned by magic, frozen by ice, drowned, all kind of death could be seen.

“This country, was it Ropugi? They only win the war thanks to the mercenary team and they really spent a lot of gold paying people doing ma.s.sacre.”

“Meri-chan, are we going to kill them?”

“Ah, yeah, I wasn’t interested in such a small fish. A member of us can easily exterminate them. The next country that I am interested in is called Mandogoa because it was such a large country.”

However, she said that in a nonchalant manner so there is no telling if it was serious or not. Azerotte looked at the old dwarf which only shrug his shoulder.

“Meri-chan, you have gone crazy.” (old dwarf)

“Uuh… it was because Akate is finicky. Anyway, if Akate really want it, that Mandogoa country is as good as ours. More importantly, find Goria. Can your wind spirit see him anywhere?” (Meri)

“I wonder why you call me Akate? I hate it. It’s not cute. Call me Ah-chan or just Azerotte. Well, I finally found where Go-chan is. The wind spirit, found his trace in Houdon Kingdom. It is strange, why is he still there?” (Azerotte)

“Hmm, for the time being, why don’t you ask your wind spirit to take a closer look at Comer city?” (Meri)

“Understood.” (Azerotte)