Haiyarn's objective was already accomplished, but I agreed to bring her along on the condition that she'd stay quiet. I was the one summoned — to a small meeting room. Even so, it was built with impressive grandeur.
In the seat of honor sat a tall black panther man with a white beard like Santa Claus.
He was draped in a robe that was plain but dignified.
The Grand Guild's Grand Guildmaster... Alhazad Abramirin.
He really was a black panther. Why a black panther, though? He was beastkin, right?
They said he'd lived for over six hundred years. A mystery.
And the witch. Shiro. Chaibe. Munieka. They were there too.
No one else. Hm?
"Nice to properly meet you at last, Wof."
"Y-yes. Nice to meet you."
Alhazad glanced at the rabbit perched on my shoulder and continued on without missing a beat.
Incredible. He didn't ask a single thing. Nothing fazed him in the slightest. This was the Grand Guildmaster!
"Now then — setting aside Narcissus who declined, I've gathered those who chose you. I myself also declined, so only four remain."
"Y-yes."
"Frankly, this is unprecedented. Something like this has never happened before."
"I'm sorry."
"No, no, you have nothing to apologize for. If anything, you should be proud."
"Huh..."
There was absolutely nothing to be proud of... Still, what kind of joke was this?
Well, it's probably the witch's doing. I don't know what she's after, though.
"Well then, let me explain the main topic —
retainers.
First, about retainers —
retainers —
have you heard anything about them?"
Alhazred asked calmly.
"Just that they're like personal servants who look after First-Tier delvers, and that they share a room."
"That's right. And that's not entirely wrong."
"Huh?"
"
Retainers
did indeed play an important role in the past. There were many who aspired to reach the First Tier. They would look after First-Tier delvers, stay by their side, and learn from them.
The easiest way to think of it would be as attendants to First-Tier delvers. However, in the present day,
retainers
are essentially an honorary position.
Retainers
— their waiting lists and the like are just a show put on because the "Great of Rounds" has taken on an entertainment aspect. The "sobriquets" given to Second-Tier delvers are similar in that regard. But it's also true that we enjoy it too. Besides,
retainers
may be honorary, but they still come with the same benefit as in the old days — being able to stay by a First-Tier delver's side."
In my case, the Witch is my master, and then somehow I ended up with those First-Tier delver girls.
So it's a luxury, but I don't really get the benefits. But I guess it was an honorary position after all.
When the discussion wrapped up, the Witch chimed in.
"So, so, what was the idea behind gathering only Kon and the others?"
"Shiro's unhappy too."
"Wait—don't tell me you're going to make the four of us fight for it?"
"If that's the case, I too shall have to get serious."
"After weighing all the options, I determined that choosing just one wasn't feasible."
That makes sense. I could tell none of these four had any intention of backing down.
So what are they going to do, then?
"Hmm, hmm. So what happens now?"
"Follow me. I'll show you."
Alhazared set off walking. We followed along as instructed.
We arrived at a room in the lodging facility.
Inside, there were four beds.
And so we understood. Ah, so that's how it is.
Alhazared said.
"This too is without precedent, but I've decided—
the four of them will serve as one
retainer."
"Ho ho. You compromised, eh."
"At first I was going to have them rotate one day at a time, but I was told that wasn't exactly healthy."
"I see."
"Yeah, I can see how that wouldn't be great."
"I wouldn't mind."
"I was also told it was questionable to have the other three handling guild staff duties during rotations. That allocating personnel to an honorary position was a waste."
That somehow felt like doing things the hard way all over again.
"Hmm hmm. So since it's an honorary position, you just lumped them all together under one, eh."
"Exactly. Saves both manpower and effort."
"Practical."
"It is certainly a sound idea."
"Well, I guess it's not that different from when we were at the witch's house?"
"We were living together, after all."
"Until yesterday, that was the case."
"The distance wasn't this close, though."
She says, sitting on the bed.
"That's all. Interact as you see fit from here."
With that, Alhazard turned to leave the room.
One of the rabbits that had been sitting quietly spoke up.
"Sir. One thing. May I?"
"Whatever could it be, Sir Rabbit?"
"It's Haiyan. That appearance — the Talisman's prank, is it?"
The Talisman's prank? Alhazard gave a slight, wry smile.
"Indeed. The 'Talisman's Eternal Egg'... a price paid in my youth."
"Do you still have the egg?"
"No. What I drank was from a bottle."
"I see."
Egg? Bottle? Could it be...
"Is that all you wanted to ask?"
"Yes. Sorry about that."
"No. Your appearance — perhaps the Talisman's prank as well?"
"No. This is an exchange."
"I'm relieved, then. I was starting to worry I might end up like that too."
"Nothing further will happen. You won't become a complete black panther."
"I'm glad to hear that. Thank you, Master Alchemist."
Haiyan chuckled softly.
"Just to ask — where is the egg now?"
"Let's just say I'm still looking for it."
"Is that so."
"Of course. I'm taking its danger into account."
"Then that's fine."
Haiyarn seemed to have been satisfied.
The eggs are those things, right. Three eggs.
The "Sacred Egg of Elixir" and two others.
I have the elixir. It's still deep in my pouch.
A talisman, huh. What kind of eggs are they?
"Well then, Wof."
"Yes."
"I'll be expecting great things from you as a delver and challenger from here on out."
"Y-yes. I'll do my best."
What's a challenger?
Alhazard left.
What's going on? I wonder if I'm being dragged along without even knowing it.
Well, that's... you know. For now, anyway, I'll leave it be.
I speak to the witch.
"Witch. What's going on here?"
"What, what? It's just like that old Abramirin said."
"That's not what I mean. I'm talking about Shiro."
"Hmm? What about it?"
"Did something happen to Shiro?"
"Mm, mm. What do you mean by that?"
Huh? She doesn't look like she's feigning ignorance. The witch isn't behind this?
"What do I mean..."
I looked at her.
A clueless girl, entirely white from head to toe.
"You. You're not Shiro, are you? Who are you?"
She is not Shiro.
I can say that with absolute certainty. She is not Shiro.
Who is she?
"Wh— She's not Shiro?"
"My, my, my, how interesting."
"Wof-kun. What are you saying? That's not a funny joke."
The being wearing Shiro's appearance gives a bitter smile.
Hiyaan also lets out a worried sound.
"Wof. Are you certain?"
"I'm sure. It's not Shiro."
"Then what are you talking about? Chive, do something about this."
Chive presses her beautiful jade-green curved blade against Shiro's neck.
"What do I mean — you can tell just by looking?"
"You believe what Wof-kun says?"
"Heh, heh, you've talked yourself right into it. Shiro wouldn't say something like that. And as for believing — well, there's no choice but to believe. After all, young Wof would absolutely never say something like that to anyone. If anyone were saying it, they'd have to be an imposter — that's for sure. 'Thousand Faces.'"
When the witch spoke, the person disguised as Shiro sighed.
Their form wobbled and warped, then melted away.
"I give up, I give up. I didn't think you'd catch on so fast, gessu."
Gessu? An actual verbal tic — "gessu." They spoke in a distinct, androgynous, husky voice.
There stood a small figure wrapped in a grimy robe with a hood pulled up.
The hood was drawn low, and they wore a strange mask with a long, bird-like beak.
From my past life memories, it looked like a plague doctor's mask.
"A pleasure to meet you. The one who conquered the 'Impregnable,' young Master Wof — how embarrassing, but my name is 'Thousand Faces,' gessu. I am a lowly member of the first-class delvers, gessu."
"No, I didn't conquer anything."
Where had the challenger gone?