Once again, Ruda — still in her post-bath yukata — handed over an envelope bearing the Explorer's Guild's emblem. Young Gilbert and his Party members (the《Flame Gale》) visibly relaxed.
I took the envelope without opening it and passed it directly to Citry, who was waiting at my side. Ruda and her group's objective appeared to be delivering the quest ticket entrusted to them by Gaark, so that would complete their mission.
Ruda's eyes went wide, and she stared at me.
"Wh-why aren't you looking at it?"
"Because there's no need to."
I was firm in my resolve to decline the designated quest, through and through.
Receiving the quest ticket didn't mean accepting the quest. Ideally, I would have avoided even taking it in the first place, but the reason I hadn't dodged Ruda was because doing so would have hurt their reputation.
Well, even without accepting, there was no fault on their part — but I'd rather not leave even the slightest mark on the reputation of these promising young Hunters.
Citry pulled a paper knife from her pocket after receiving the envelope, and with a cheerful smile, slit open the seal on the quest ticket.
Citry's position toward me as a Hunter was similar to Eva's position toward me as a Clan Master.
I averted my gaze from Citry, who had begun reviewing the quest ticket, and from Tino, who kept glancing at it, and spoke to Ruda.
"I appreciate the effort. But sorry — I have no intention of taking this quest."
"Eh? What? Why not?!"
Well, obviously — because it's a pain.
There was no way I could clear it alone, and even if I did, it would only invite troublesome entanglements with the nobility. Given that I wanted to retire as soon as possible, there wasn't a single benefit for me.
But I knew perfectly well that saying that outright wouldn't go over well.
This is tough… I wish they'd just pick up on it. I'm not one of those dazzling Hunters like you lot.
"W-what's with that face—"
Just as Ruda's cheeks tightened at my wordless plea, Citry set the quest ticket on the table.
She looked at me, nodded as if to say she understood perfectly, and spoke.
"Ah, I see… No need to chase after them."
"…Huh?"
Ruda let out a questioning voice. I almost did too, but managed to hold it in. A hard-boiled type keeps his words few.
Citry tucked away her paper knife and explained with a smile.
"It's a joint subjugation request against the《Barrel Thieves' Guild》. They're a large, powerful, cunning, and troublesome outfit. They drifted in from the eastern lands — nearly a hundred members strong, with sophisticated coordination that can outmaneuver even regular armies. The rank-and-file are formidable, but the executives are especially elite. They only recently arrived in Zebuldia, but they'd been ravaging other countries, so they're on the Explorer's Guild's wanted list. Quite high up, too."
Isn't that bad?
Hunters typically operate in six-person Parties. No matter how strong you were, a difference of nearly a hundred was hard to overcome through sheer numbers.
Plus, being able to repel a regular army implied considerable strength. If they were ranked high on the Explorer's Guild's wanted list, they had to be far beyond ordinary Hunters.
No need to chase. Yes, absolutely no need to chase. Subjugating bandits was the nation's responsibility. Why were they trying to foist this troublesome job onto me?
A joint operation probably meant Gradius's Knights would be involved, and the very thought of working alongside the Hunter-hating Gradius Knights was enough to make my skin crawl.
I'd have words with Gaark later. I pay tribute money — the least he could do is decline these terrifying quests.
While I was swearing this inwardly, young Gilbert asked with a suspicious expression.
"So why is there no need to chase them?"
"It's simple," Citry answered. "The reason they've survived this long after ravaging so many different countries, the reason even the Knights of Gradius haven't been able to wipe them out — it's not because they're simply strong. It's because their leader is exceptionally clever and won't fight opponents they can't beat."
I had absolutely no familiarity with the name, but it seemed Citry had everything filed away — from their name to their history.
The《Mourning Specter》's main activity was clearing Treasure Halls, but they'd also taken on wanted-bounty hunts more times than anyone could count. The enemies came to them, so they had no choice but to scatter them — and as a result, Citry's bounty database was something else entirely.
Citry's words flowed without a hitch. Perhaps because of her confident tone, there was an odd persuasiveness to everything she said.
"They ravaged various regions — and when an opponent was dispatched that they knew they couldn't beat, they fled. All the way here. When they heard that a Level 8 Hunter was being mobilized, they chose to stay put? They're not that reckless."
"I-I see…"
"They're sensitive to the presence of the strong. The moment intelligence about the mobilization reached them, they'd already begun preparations to withdraw. I believe they're no longer in Gradius territory."
Citry's analysis was perfectly logical, and it sank into my brain without resistance. The leader of young Gilbert's Party let out a murmur of understanding.
I was applauding internally. My absurdly high Level had actually come in handy. I had no intention of accepting the quest in the first place, but now that the enemy had fled, I was in the clear. Even Count Gradius wouldn't ask me to chase them beyond his own borders.
The last problem was solved. I'd thank Citry later.
I folded my arms with supreme confidence and said something along the right lines.
"In other words, that's the situation. Chasing them is fine, but there's no real need to. I have my own way of doing things."
"A-ah, yes…"
"Don't worry about it. That Thieves' Guild or whatever — the moment Count Gradius put in the request, their escape was inevitable. Well, things like this happen when you've been a Hunter long enough. I'm sure Count Gradius will understand. And Citry, thanks for the explanation."
"Not at all… It's my pleasure, Lord Krai."
Citry's explanation contained a fair amount of speculation, but she was rarely wrong. Even if she had been, I had no obligation to accept a designated quest, so it didn't matter.
Now I could stall for time until the《White Sword Gathering》without a care in the world.
I could enjoy the hot springs, eat Hot Spring Dragon eggs or Hot Spring Dragon buns, browse the souvenir shops…
That's right — I'd take Tino and visit the local confectionery shops. It would double as an escort duty, and even I didn't have all the sweet shops in this town mapped out.
As I grinned to myself, Tino spoke in a slightly flustered voice.
"Mastaa… Is the trial really over?"
"Yep, yep. Over and done. For real, for real."
"Mastaa…"
Tino's voice carried a note of wistfulness. There were no more trials. All that lay ahead was paradise.
I covered my mouth with my hand, but I couldn't quite suppress my grin.
Young Gilbert and his companions stared at me as though I were something deeply unsettling.
§ § § Damn it — to think someone at Level 7 would…
Arnold was at rock bottom. He had no idea what to do anymore.
His body felt heavy, far from peak condition. But what was worse was the state of his mind.
The moment he'd woken from unconsciousness and realized that he had fainted the instant he laid eyes on《Thousand Transformations》's face, a profound disappointment had settled in Arnold's chest. Not directed at anyone else — at himself.
True, the opponent was Level 8, and he'd been through hell to the point of developing trauma. But fainting at the mere sight of that face was inexcusable. If the Arnold of one month ago had heard such a thing, he would have scoffed.
But above all else, what truly shook Arnold were the words from his Party members — from Ei.
"You were just a bit worn out, Master Arnold. You've been through terrible things lately, and you've been carrying us the whole time. The burden caught up with you. Right now, you should soak in the hot springs and get some rest."
They had been considerate. Of course — Arnold was the Party leader. Ei and the others had always listened to him and looked out for him.
But until now, not once had there been pity mixed into their words. They had never spoken to him in that gentle, accommodating tone. And that, too, was proof of the strong leader Arnold had been.
He had fainted at the mere sight of his nemesis. Even after such a pathetic display, his Party members showed no sign of leaving. Not even Jaster — the youngest among them, who had always followed in Arnold's footsteps as the strongest Hunter — showed the slightest complaint. That was undoubtedly built on the trust Arnold had cultivated.
He understood that. But even understanding it, Arnold could not forgive this weakling version of himself who had collapsed at the sight of his nemesis.
His combat ability should have been unchanged.
The fatigue was heavy, but there was no decline in his physical capabilities, and his beloved sword was still intact. If anything, his Mana Material absorption had actually increased after passing through the《City of Ten Thousand Demons》.
Yet to Arnold, he felt like he had become incredibly weak.
The pillar of strength was absolute confidence in oneself. If that wavered, no matter how superior one's physical abilities were, one became weak.
He had to reclaim it. But there was nothing he could do.
Heeding Ei's advice — partly to clear his head and partly for self-reflection — he visited the large bath alone.
But even the spacious bathhouse, filled with steam and warmth, stirred nothing in him.
This is a wound, Arnold thought.
And a wound that could be fatal for someone like Arnold, who had always placed strength above all else. A crack had formed in his soul as a Hunter. If he couldn't regain his confidence, he might have no choice but to retire as a Treasure Hunter.
He told himself to use this humiliation as fuel. He thought it over again and again, but his emotions wouldn't budge. The moment he lost consciousness, it was as though he had become a different creature entirely.
He didn't know how he used to fight. He didn't know how he used to get angry. Intellectually he understood, but his emotions wouldn't respond.
He clicked his tongue the way he used to. He walked with his chest out the way he used to. But in the end, it was all a facade.
He could keep up appearances for now, but eventually the veneer would crack, and Arnold would be nothing more than a weakling.
There were no other guests in the large bath. Come to think of it, this was the first time in ages he'd walked somewhere alone.
Since becoming a Hunter, one of his Party members had always been nearby.
A sense of loneliness crept in. That, too, was a sentiment that the old Arnold could never have experienced.
Everything about the way he moved felt unlike himself. Everything — scattered and wrong.
The thought of swinging his sword again terrified him. The thought of Ei's concern turning to disappointment terrified him. And above all, the not knowing what would happen the next time he encountered《Thousand Transformations》terrified him most of all.
It was only after thinking all this that he suddenly realized his great oversight.
Apparently, Ei had apologized to《Thousand Transformations》on Arnold's behalf while he was unconscious. When he'd heard the report, he'd said thank you — but was the personality of the man known as the《Mighty Thunder Flash》the type to accept that?
No. The answer was an absolute no.
Arnold had always considered Ei's advice but made every final decision himself. He had shouldered all the responsibility alone.
Even if Ei had apologized, he needed to settle things personally. That was what Arnold believed a strong Hunter should be. That was what the man called the《Mighty Thunder Flash》was.
To think that it had taken this long to realize something so simple…
A fresh wave of deep despair crashed over Arnold.
And knowing all of this, he loathed himself for the fact that his body still wouldn't move.
He let out a deep sigh — the kind that seemed to drain every last ounce of accumulated strength.
It was over. There was no point in agonizing. In this state, he could never bear the lives of his Party members.
The《Thunder Dragon of the Mist》had no choice but to disband. Once he got out of the bath, he would have to talk to Ei and the others. That was his responsibility — his obligation to the Party members who had followed the《Mighty Thunder Flash》this far.
Dragging his heavy body behind him, as though stalling for time, he made his way slowly toward the large tub.
And just as he was about to submerge himself in the expansive bath, something crossed Arnold's field of vision.
His consciousness blanked involuntarily. In slow motion, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and focused his eyes.
Contrary to expectation, no panic set in. He didn't faint, and his body didn't shake.
《Thousand Transformations》was doing the breaststroke in the hot spring.
With graceful strokes, the figure — not particularly large — glided silently across the water's surface.
All that remained was shock. All he could do was squeeze out a strangled voice.
"!? Wha… what… wh… wh… what are you… doing?!《Thousand Transformations》?!"
It was no illusion. At the sound of Arnold's trembling voice,《Thousand Transformations》hurriedly tried to stand and took a spectacular tumble.
A huge splash erupted, and a blank, dopey face turned toward Arnold.