The Beginning Footprint Clan House had been built by gathering top-tier young Parties and pouring in a fortune. It was designed so you could live your entire life without ever stepping outside.
If you went up to the lounge on the second floor, there was food there too, so holing up for a week or two was no problem at all.
It had been five days since I returned to the Imperial Capital, and today I was once again wallowing in decadence inside the Clan Master's office.
I slept fifteen hours a day, got three meals plus snacks, and the only thing I had to complain about was having no Treasure Weapons to polish in my spare time.
Since I'd given Eva full authority, no work came my way even if I stayed in the Clan Master's office. The fact that Gaark hadn't barged in here either probably meant Eva had smoothly talked him down.
Well, the full details of what happened in Ygdra were way above my pay grade anyway. When Citry got back, she'd explain everything properly in my place. Especially the Mana Material stirring device— that was something I couldn't really touch.
Apparently while we'd been heading to Ygdra, the cursed artifact incident had been settled. The newspaper Eva brought me barely mentioned it anymore. Time had solved it, maybe… Peace really is best, after all.
But having nothing to do was its own kind of boring. Maybe I'd write in my journal again for the first time in ages… How long had it been since I'd last written?
When I checked, the last entry was the day before the joint Clan recruitment event. Quite a gap.
I wrote down a rough summary while trying to recall recent events. I remembered what had happened in broad strokes, but the fine details were fuzzy. Whether I'd forgotten them or never knew them in the first place— either way, I'd been caught up in all sorts of incidents.
Treasure Hunters traveled the world in search of Treasure Halls and adventures, but having reached Ygdra this time, I felt like I'd been to most places.
I'd encountered bandits, Monsters, Phantoms, even gods, and journeyed through all manner of secret realms. I couldn't think of anywhere else I still wanted to go.
Well, if I had to name something… I'd like to see countries with different cultures— not secret realms or Treasure Halls, but just places with a whole different way of life.
The culture of each nation in this world was shaped by the types of Treasure Halls that existed nearby.
Zebuldia had several Treasure Halls of different categories in the surrounding area, so the city itself didn't have any particularly striking characteristics. But take a country that had multiple Treasure Halls nearby which produced convenient household items impossible to replicate with modern civilization— the residents would naturally come to depend on those. Since Treasure Weapons couldn't be charged without mana, even non-Hunters in that country would probably hone their strength as Mages.
What Mana Materials could produce varied enormously with no limits. I'd heard there were cities in the sky and on the ocean floor. I wasn't too keen on going anywhere too dangerous, though.
If I were to go, I'd prefer somewhere more comfortable than the Imperial Capital. Though I doubted such a place really existed— Come to think of it, there were rumors— just rumors— of a nation that possessed a Treasure Hall of highly advanced physical civilization nearby, whose benefits were enjoyed by every citizen.
A highly advanced physical civilization was one of the rarest types of Treasure Hall. None existed near the Imperial Capital either, but the Treasure Weapons found in those halls were known to boast extraordinary utility compared to those from other halls. The smartphone I'd been carrying until recently— a smartphone, mind you— was itself a Treasure Weapon of a highly advanced physical civilization.
Physical civilization was said to be the polar opposite of magical civilization. It was one type of Treasure Hall I absolutely wanted to see at least once, but even the Mourning Specter had never visited one. Given how rare and valuable they were, nearly every nation that possessed a high-level physical civilization Treasure Hall restricted Hunters from entering.
I had no desire to explore a Treasure Hall myself, but if I went to a city with one nearby, I might be able to get my hands on a new smartphone— to replace the one Keller had stolen and taken from me. Maybe I'd suggest it to Citry and the others when they got back…
While I was mulling over this in a relaxed haze, Eva entered with a knock.
"Klye, there's a message from Branch Chief Gaark. He'd like you to come if possible."
"Busy, can't make it."
"If it's truly impossible, he says he at least wants an update on the Ygdra situation. If you don't have that, any information from inside Ygdra will do. By the way, we've been getting inquiries from all over— interviews, invitations to Parties, the works."
Eva laid out the requests briskly. But what could I do? I didn't know any progress. The teleportation spell was one-way, and there was no way to communicate.
The only information I had was what I'd told them the other day. Selen had said she'd come here once to discuss the Explorer's Guild branch, but she hadn't given a timeline.
"We also have a summons from Lord Franz. I've managed to put him off for now, but it won't hold for long. If we don't release information soon, people might think it's all fabricated. False information about Ygdra tends to circulate a lot, after everyone."
Well, even if people thought it was fake, it wouldn't really bother me. Everyone sure did love Ygdra, though.
I crossed my legs, sighed, and spoke.
"I mean, what do you want me to say… Ygdra was basically just a town in the middle of a forest… Could you tell them patience is important too? Selen's a princess, you know… She's been through a lot and must be incredibly busy."
"B-Been through a lot?"
Selen was serving as the supreme commander of the town's reconstruction as its princess. Even in Ygdra, where the Mages were exceptionally capable, five days wouldn't be enough for a full recovery.
"Well, I don't think it'll take too long. Don't worry— Citry is conducting a thorough investigation right now, and when she gets back, she'll compile a report for us."
"We don't have much leeway, though. For the Level 9 certification, the accomplishments have to be officially confirmed. We need to at least get to the point of sending Explorer's Guild personnel to Ygdra, or it'll be tight…"
"…It'll be fine. Totally fine, totally fine."
It'd be great if I never made it to Level 9 at all, so really, this was fine.
If anything, I wished Gaark hadn't come back with that promise to build a branch there… It was rare for me to ever be useful, so when an opportunity was right in front of my face, I couldn't help myself…
"Branch Chief Gaark appears to be preparing the certification application. Someone from the Explorer's Guild headquarters is coming to hear the details."
"Gaark sure is a hard worker."
He used to be all brawn and fighting spirit, apparently, but somehow he worked tirelessly like this now. Without even being asked.
Even if I hypothetically qualified to take the certification exam, saying I didn't feel confident about passing would probably set him off again.
Seeing my eyes widen at the unexpectedly advanced level-up discussion, Eva sighed in resignation and spoke.
"…Please, I'm begging you. I'll tell Branch Chief Gaark to hold on just a little longer. The moment you have any information about Ygdra that we can release, please call me immediately."
Eva left the room with quick steps. The glimpse of her profile as she turned away looked somehow harried.
I was a little worried she'd collapse from stress… She'd shielded me from the demands for five days straight. Maybe it was about time I stood up and faced the firing squad myself. If Eva went down, I'd really be in trouble. Well, even if I said I'd stand up to talk, I didn't actually have much to say.
"Wait, Eva… Actually, maybe I should talk to them a little."
"Really?! You mean it?"
Eva's eyes went wide. I truly felt bad about always pushing things onto her.
I wasn't eager about it, but I'd start with Franz and Gaark. Better to rip the unpleasant bandage off at once. As for everyone else, I'd figure that out later.
"For now, bring Gaark and Franz to the lounge. I don't have any new information to share, but I'll take their questions. Talking things through might jog my memory anyway."
"…In the lounge?"
I had no intention of having a serious discussion this time.
If it was the lounge, other Clan members would be around, and if someone tried to clock me, surely one of them would step in.
§ Fifteen minutes of waiting in the lounge, and Gaark and Franz arrived promptly.
The presence they brought was intimidating in a way different from Treasure Hunters. Gaark had Kaina with him, along with a somewhat shrewd-looking man in an Explorer's Guild uniform. Franz had brought three subordinates as well.
What was about to unfold here… Under normal circumstances, this was the last situation I'd ever want to be in.
Meanwhile, on my side, there was just me and Eva. Of all days, nobody else happened to be in the lounge.
"You're early."
"We kept you waiting plenty as it is. Normally, you should have been the ones coming to report to us— but fine. Even so… reserving the entire lounge all to yourselves? Lavish."
Franz swept his gaze around the lounge.
"Well… given the circumstances."
It wasn't like I'd reserved it on purpose. But having Kaina here was at least a small comfort.
Let's just get this over with. There wasn't much to say before Citry arrived anyway.
Then, the man Gaark had brought theatrically extended his hand.
"A pleasure. My name is Zultan Lumilson, from the Explorer's Guild Investigation Division. Branch Chief Gaark contacted me, and I've come from headquarters. I look forward to working with you."
"Ah… nice to meet you… My name is Klye Andrich…"
His tone was polite, but his eyes were sharp, and he didn't trust me in the slightest. The word "shrewd" fit him perfectly.
The Explorer's Guild had branches everywhere, but only a truly elite handful were assigned to headquarters. Since the Guild basically left regional management to its branches, it was rare for someone from headquarters to show up in a city with a branch.
"I've heard all about you. This time, you didn't just reach the legendary city of Ygdra— you even secured a promise to build a branch. Headquarters has been in an uproar— Branch Chief Gaark contacted us and I was dispatched immediately. We need to investigate and compile information before a branch can be established, after all."
Zultan rattled on without pause, giving me no room to interject. He sure could talk. Gaark and Franz hadn't gotten a single word in.
"Throughout history, there have been several Hunters who claimed to have reached Ygdra, but upon verification, every single one turned out to be false— a misunderstanding. After all, no one had actually been to that city. Its very existence was in question. There were cases where people found a Spiritfolk settlement in the forest and mistook it for Ygdra, for example."
I could see his point.
I nodded along as Zultan spoke, staring intently into my eyes.
"Yep, that does sound plausible."
"Of course, I don't believe a two-titled Level 8 Hunter would make such a mistake. This information is credible. Branch Chief Gaark seems to trust you deeply— I intend to thoroughly verify the truth for myself. If the accomplishments are confirmed, it will be a tremendous boost toward Level 9. Without question."
He seemed capable, but without Gaark's undercurrent of violence, he was at least marginally more tolerable.
I looked at Gaark, Franz, Zultan, and Kaina in turn, then spoke in a friendly tone.
"Got it. If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask anything. As I mentioned beforehand, I don't really have any new information to offer right now, but if there's something I can answer, I will."
All I'd do was answer honestly and openly.
Franz finally opened his mouth in response.
"You say there's no new information, but the fundamental problem is that there's too little information to begin with. We've heard the princess of Ygdra will come to the Imperial Capital to establish the branch. If that's true, we need to prepare on our end as well. Understand?"
"Hmm… I think it'll be fine. Princess Selen isn't the type to worry about things like that."
"E-Even if it's fine with you, it's a problem for us."
Franz's voltage was already climbing, and Zultan nodded sagely.
"Spiritfolk can be quite temperamental, after all. Between you and me— headquarters has long been assembling a team of the few Spiritfolk Hunters we have to advance the Ygdra investigation, but we've been going nowhere. And this would be their princess, no less— imagine how high her pride must be. I'm very curious how you managed to negotiate successfully with her."
"Ah, well… I brought it up and she agreed immediately. I got lucky."
Besides, I was pretty sure Selen's pride wasn't as high as everyone imagined. Lapis and the others were actually more haughty.
After all those years of constant fighting, she'd probably been stripped of that kind of pretense.
Zultan visibly grimaced.
"Lucky… you got lucky, you say. But I'm puzzled. Why would Ygdra— known for its reclusiveness— suddenly be willing to accept a branch?"
"Well, she said she wanted to relax the entry and exit restrictions going forward and start exchanging with humans. Their leader was surprisingly flexible."
"!? That's absurd…"
Zultan's eyes went wide. Gaark and Franz stared at me with stunned expressions as well.
Ygdra had restricted entry in the first place to protect the World Tree. It wasn't like the restrictions were arbitrary.
"I know, I know— it's hard to believe. But Princess Selen is actually a surprisingly interesting person… She even once offered to give me full authority over Ygdra, which really caught me off guard."
"…………"
An uncomfortable silence settled over the room.
I came back to my senses under the weight of looks that questioned my sanity. Zultan's gaze, whom I'd just met for the first time, was especially piercing. I'd said too much.
I gave a small cough and tried to backpedal.
"W-Well, I think Selen wasn't entirely in her right mind at the time. She was probably so comfortable that the words just slipped out."
In truth, since that day, Selen had never again offered me authority over Ygdra. Must have been a momentary lapse of judgment.
As I corrected myself, Zultan took a thin breath and spoke.
"…F-Fine. We'll know everything once the princess actually arrives here. The question is when she'll come. Neither I nor headquarters have all the time in the world."
"…He's right, Klye. If the princess doesn't come, we can't even start talking. Any idea when? If she could get here before the Level 9 review… that would help."
His tone had dropped far lower than before. Had I said something weird…? Well, I probably had, but nothing I'd said was a lie.
If I had said anything weird, it was only because Selen herself really was strange.
I steadied myself and thought about what Gaark had asked.
But I'd say it as many times as I needed to— I had no idea when Selen was coming. She was an active person, so I doubted she'd be terribly late, but— "W-Well… Spiritfolk have a very long sense of time. To them, a hundred years passes in the blink of an eye, and Selen is busy, so…"
"A hundred years!? Did I hear you right?! A hundred years!?"
"L-Look, Selen is busy with the reconstruction efforts… Ygdra went through a lot and is basically empty land right now, so honestly, I'm not sure what to tell you…"
"!?"
This was getting worse the more I spoke. Zultan's expression was contorting further with every word, and Gaark and Franz looked absolutely livid. Even Eva had gone pale at some point.
"O-Other information should be compiled by Citry, from my Party, so just hang tight. Any other questions?"
At my words, Zultan rose to his feet with a heavy scrape. When he'd arrived, I'd thought he seemed shrewd, but now his face was flushed red and his expression was twisted.
"I'd heard you were an unusual Hunter— but Branch Chief Gaark, to put a man like this forward for the Level 9 review… you're quite the gambler yourself. Level 9 Hunters are meant to be role models and beacons of hope for the people. Asking me to rally support based on a princess who might show up in a hundred years strikes me as rather difficult… But I suppose the decision to submit a review is the Branch Chief's prerogative."
"Please wait, Zultan. There must be some kind of misunderstanding— Klye, say something."
Kaina started to stand in a panic. Hearing Kaina raise her voice like that was a rare sight. And there was no misunderstanding— I hadn't lied. And for the record, I hadn't said she'd come in a hundred years either.
"Well, Level 9 is probably still way too soon for me. I mean, I'm nowhere near strong enough yet."
"!?"
"…Well, I made it to Zebuldia, so I'll stick around for a while and see how the whole Ygdra situation plays out— or rather, how it gets settled."
Zultan spat the words out and headed for the lounge exit. I could only blink and watch him go.
Gaark and Franz turned their gazes toward me with looks you'd give a piece of garbage. I couldn't believe someone had stormed out angry before either of them— I took a deep, heavy breath and asked the group.
"…Did I say something wrong?"
"First— stop calling yourself 我輩!!"
Sorry about that. Habit…
Branch Chief Gaark glared at me with eyes that could kill.
"Klye. Did you actually go to Ygdra or not?"
"…Probably?"
Being asked again like that, it suddenly felt like everything I'd seen might have been a dream.
"Probably'?! What do you mean, 'probably'?! Your usual nonsense is one thing, but if you've caused this massive commotion and the information about going to Ygdra turns out to be false, it'll be the biggest disgrace since the founding of Zebuldia!! Your head alone won't be enough to pay for it!!"
Was that really fair? I didn't recall ever asking anyone to believe me— It was a bed of needles. I never imagined the lounge could become this uncomfortable… This was the worst since that time when Citry suggested we hold a Treasure Weapon charging tournament here. That happened a lot, apparently!
"Once Zultan contacts headquarters, Level 9 will be nothing but a pipe dream. Damn it. Klye, get the princess here NOW!"
That was insane… But if it meant the Level 9 thing went away, I'd actually consider that a lucky break.
I wanted to go back to the Clan Master's office now that business was done, but the atmosphere was anything but hospitable.
I sighed and glanced toward the lounge entrance, and just then, a familiar face entered my field of vision. My eyes went round.
Pacing around near the entrance to the lounge was— Selen Ygdra Frestel herself, the very person we'd just been talking about.
Her beauty remained unchanged, even removed from nature. Selen was looking around the area with the nervous air of a wide-eyed newcomer, and the moment she spotted me, she straightened her posture and composed her expression into an elegant mask. Too late for that.
Selen strode into the lounge with full confidence, completely ignoring Gaark, Franz, Kaina, and the others who were facing me, and called out.
"Human, my mana has recovered, so I've come immediately to— tour the place. Start by showing me around this Zebuldia of yours."
…Your timing is terrible, you know that.
She'd shown up the very moment Zultan left.