"He's gone...?! What do you mean, what do you mean?!"
"Y-yes. Arnold, sir—in the toilet, this—"
A companion brought over a folded piece of paper, which Arnold snatched and unfolded.
The paper was a bank check. However, where the amount should have been written, there was a scrawled message.
—Busy, so I'm heading out.
Arnold was speechless.
"It seems he escaped through the toilet window..."
"That man... isn't he Level 8?"
His cheeks twitching, he crumpled the check in his fist.
He'd never imagined the man would run. If the opponent had been just an ordinary Hunter or civilian, he might have been more cautious, but this man had been certified as a genuine powerhouse with a higher level than Arnold's own in this holy land of Hunters.
Who would ever think that a Hunter who cared about his reputation would escape through a toilet window? And they hadn't even exchanged a single blow.
He raised his head and looked at the expressions of the two men who had been glaring at each other.
Before coming to the Imperial Capital, Arnold had followed standard procedure and researched the country's most famous Hunters, Parties, and Clans.
Among them, of course, was the name of "the Mage's Staff."
The two before him were members of that renowned mage group. Young, but not to be underestimated.
Arnold's side held the numerical advantage. Normally, the other two would be in a position to be abandoned, but the man calling himself Altobaran didn't so much as change his expression at the shocking letter—he simply sniffed contemptuously and declared with full confidence: "What's with that expression? Listen well, country bumpkin. A truly powerful person—doesn't casually draw their sword."
"So a Level 8 in this Imperial Capital... escapes through a toilet window?"
Is that what you're about, Zebuldia!?
Arnold's objective was revenge against the Peerless Shadow group, who had picked a fight with his Party. With their leader, the Thousand Transformations, having disappeared, there was no point in staying here.
Marie and Altobaran's clothing was well-tailored, but they didn't look at all ready for combat.
However, a skilled mage could fight to some extent even without weapons.
Upon close observation, he could see that both Altobaran and Marie behind him—who wore a strained grin—were already in a combat-ready state.
If they were members of the Mage's Staff, they could activate magic as easily as breathing.
A mage's true strength lay in long-range attacks. No matter how powerful the opponent was as a mage, at this distance Arnold wouldn't lose.
But even if he won, there would be no satisfaction in it. His companions still had their weapons raised, waiting for Arnold's decision.
Altobaran fixed Arnold with an icy gaze and continued.
"To begin with, he ran? How pathetic."
"...No, that was a complete escape."
What else could it be?
The retreat had been so practiced, so clean. Before anger came astonishment.
At Arnold's low murmur, Altobaran called out in a clear voice: "It says right there. He didn't run away—Klye-san is simply busy. A Level 8 in the Imperial Capital doesn't have time to spare, and we've already taken up enough of it. Don't go misunderstanding Klye-san as weak. You lot aren't worth his time—that's all there is to it."
Are you kidding...? In this country... being busy means escaping through a toilet window?!
He couldn't understand the logic. If Arnold had been the Thousand Transformations, he would have dealt with the fools who picked a fight and walked out through the front entrance with dignity.
That was how a merit-based Hunter operated. At least, that was what Arnold knew Hunters to be.
He asked warily: "If you were in the same position, would you also escape through a toilet window?"
At the genuine question, Altobaran's eyes opened slightly, and a wry smile crossed his face.
"I'm still—immature. I can't hope to imitate Klye-san."
"..."
"Arnold, sir, let's withdraw. There's no point in dealing with them."
At that moment, Ei, who stood beside Arnold, spoke up with a suggestion in a small voice.
Arnold glared at him fiercely, but Ei's gaze remained fixed on the two young mages.
"Calm down. They played us for fools, but they're members of an established Clan. Even if we crush them in these numbers, it won't demonstrate our strength. Besides, there are too many eyes here. We'd be lucky not to face a retaliatory mob later. Leaving the Imperial Capital in a pinch is an option, but it might cost us the chance to crush those who mocked you, Arnold."
There was the Mourning Specter, who had ambushed him in a tavern and even tried to shake him down—someone he'd had a grudge against since arriving in the Imperial Capital—and then these two who had just appeared. Which one did he really want to crush?
Looking around, he could see terrified shop staff and civilian patrons staring at them. Some customers had probably already fled outside. There was even a chance the knight order responsible for maintaining order would be called.
Forgetting one's objective and going on a rampage was the mark of a third-rate fighter. After a brief inner struggle, Arnold clicked his tongue loudly.
"...Tch. Fine. For now, that man is the priority."
§ § § Now then, time to run. I'm running—no matter how far.
Once I'd made that decision, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.
Of course, running didn't mean going alone. There were Monsters outside the city, and there was the possibility of being attacked by Phantoms.
Walking along the main road was supposedly relatively safe, but you'd still get attacked when it was time to get attacked.
Bringing an escort when heading outside was common sense. If I were powerful enough or could fly through the sky, that would be one thing, but the "Dark Wings of the Night" couldn't fly that far due to mana limitations.
Leaving the Clan Master's room and heading down the stairs, I ran into Liliz right away.
Same as always—she had that healthy Hunter look. The moment she saw me, she lit up with a blooming smile and came over.
"Oh, Klye-chan! Perfect timing! I wanted to talk to you about something—"
I'd listen to consultations all day, but this conversation... might take a while?
I didn't have time. Before anyone else dumped their problems on me, I needed to get out of here.
The faster I moved, the better—this would only strengthen my excuse for declining the invitation to the "Gathering of White Swords." Time was of the essence.
I slipped an arm around Liliz's shoulder as we descended the stairs, speaking as if sharing a secret.
"I'll hear you out later. Liliz, do you have any plans coming up?"
"Hmm? Let me see... Nothing in particular? Why, do you have something?"
Just as I expected. Liliz almost never turned down my invitations.
Skipping the preamble, I kept it brief.
"I'm leaving the Imperial Capital. Come with me."
Liliz's eyes went wide, and she wrapped an arm around my waist. Our faces drew close, and a faintly sweet scent wafted over.
Her moist lips parted slightly, and she answered in a whisper-like voice: "Roger that. What's the objective?"
Objective...? Escape? Flight? Strategic retreat?
All correct, but I didn't want to say any of that.
With Liliz, I could probably tell her the truth.
After deliberating, I smiled and said: "Vacation, I guess. Oh, but this is a secret from everyone, okay?"
Liliz's eyes sparkled, and she hugged me tight as if to contain that surge of impulse in one small movement.
As always, her skin was feverishly warm to the touch.
"!! That sounds absolutely amazing! How many are we killing? How many people? Just me? When are we going? Isn't this the first time in ages you've gone outside with me, Klye-chan?"
We're not killing anyone... And there were far too many questions.
Having Liliz along would put me at ease, but the more escorts, the better. This time, we were heading outside the city.
Come to think of it, what if I made it a clan trip? I'd been turning down various invitations, so I couldn't very well bring a clerk along, but taking all the members outside might not be a bad idea.
If every member of the clan disappeared, from the outside it would certainly look like there must be a compelling reason. Yes, if people thought there was something important enough to turn down the "Gathering of White Swords" invitation, that would be very convenient.
"I only want people who are free, but I'd like to bring as many as possible. We leave today. It's been a while since I've been outside, hasn't it?"
"Kyaa! This is so... exciting!"
Liliz wore a melted, blissful smile. I wondered what expression she'd make if she knew the reason for my vacation was escapism.
Maybe because it was daytime, only a select few Parties were in the lounge.
Ark didn't seem to be there, but Isabella and Yu, sitting at a table in the back, made disgusted faces when they saw us.
Now then, I wanted them to come along, but under what pretext should I invite them?
Lying would damage trust, and telling the truth would cause friction in its own way.
I hadn't thought this through at all... By my side, Liliz cheerfully announced in a bright voice: "Klye-chan is going outside the Imperial Capital for the first time in ages! It's a vacation—a va-ca-tion! Anyone wanna come along?"
The atmosphere froze. I'd told her it was a secret, and she immediately blurted it out in that loud voice...
Looks of bewilderment and confusion were cast our way. They were probably thinking, "He plays around in the Clan Master's room all day, and now he's going on vacation? What is he even thinking?"
My dignity had hit zero.
Beside me, as I wore a resigned smile, Liliz continued, completely oblivious to the mood: "Oh, we're leaving right now! Only those who can arm themselves properly, though. Weaklings are just dead weight, so we don't need them! Ahh, I'm so excited... I was really worried lately that my arms were getting soft. Thank goodness!"
The gap between Liliz's high energy and everyone else's was staggering.
Helplessly, I turned to a male Hunter playing cards at a nearby table—Lyle, with whom I had a decent relationship.
"Sorry for the sudden ask. You'll come, right, Lyle?"
Lyle suddenly clutched his stomach, his face contorting as he let out a groan. He flailed his arms dramatically, and the cards scattered off the table to the floor.
"...Sorry, Klye. My stomach just suddenly started hurting... I don't think I can go."
The sudden movement looked like nothing but an act, but his face was deathly pale. He really might not be feeling well.
Looking at the other members at the same table, they all turned their faces away in unison.
"Sorry, Master. My sister's wedding is coming up—"
"My grandmother's funeral—"
"I... well... my sword broke, and I'm ordering a new one."
"Then what's that sword sitting on your table!?"
"Shut up! This sword is... just a spare! It's a piece of junk!"
"Hah!? You kept calling it the soul of your sword this whole time!"
"Quiet! It's the truth, Master. Believe me! I just... can't fight right now!"
What on earth... I'd said it was just a vacation. Was I really that unpopular?
Glancing at other tables, there were fewer people than before. Looking behind me, I caught sight of members rushing out of the lounge as if they might trip. Had they suddenly remembered something urgent?
Liliz watched them go with a displeased expression.
Reluctantly, I made my way over to Ark's companions.
They weren't on Ark's level, but they were still an impressive lineup—too valuable to waste as mere escorts for a quick trip outside.
Isabella had her face turned away. Yu, the priest sitting across from her, didn't react strongly, but his eyes were darting around.
"Isabella..."
"Absolutely not."
"Yu..."
"P-please go through Ark regarding Party matters."
There was no getting through to them.
In any case, even if I were to gain their cooperation, where were the crucial Ark and the rest of his companions?
If I could talk to Ark, I would—I really wanted to.
Isabella pushed her long hair back, crossed her arms, and looked up at me.
"Besides, we're on vacation right now! Ark went back to his hometown too, so we've suspended all Hunter activities!"
"We're on vacation too, you know?"
"That's only from your perspective!"
What did that even mean...? Well, it was true that the main reason I'd asked everyone along was for escort duty, but that was just a precaution. It wasn't really a job.
It wasn't a complete vacation, but it wasn't a complete job either.
While I was still confused, Isabella launched into a rapid-fire tirade with even more force.
I'd heard that in the northern country where Isabella came from, women were more assertive, and that might well be true.
"So who are we fighting this time!? Phantoms!? Monsters!?"
"N-no—"
"Not Phantoms, not Monsters—are we fighting humans!? Don't tell me our opponents are going to be people!? That's the worst! I trained my magic to fight monsters, not people!"
It's just a vacation... seriously.
Isabella's eyes were fully on guard. Yu was equally appalled, maintaining his distance.
This lack of trust was something else...
Growing ever more disappointed in my own lack of popularity, Liliz quickly stepped in front of me and offered support in a simmering, boiling-over voice: "Huh? You making fun of Klye-chan's decision? She said come, so come. If you like safety that much, why don't you quit being a Hunter?"
That was not helpful in the slightest. Isabella half-rose from her seat at Liliz's combative tone.
Then Liliz, with her eyes blazing, roared at the top of her lungs: "What's the deal!? If you only fight Phantoms and Monsters all the time, you'll fall behind when you have to fight humans! Killing a human once in a while is just the right level of practice! That's what Klye-chan is saying!"
It's just a vacation... honestly.