It had been just under ten days since Selen's sudden arrival in the Imperial Capital.
In the end, Franz and the others had decided to make Selen's tour of the capital a state-sponsored affair.
The official announcement by the nation of the Yggdran royal's visit—Selen Ygdra Frestelle—was met with wild enthusiasm by the capital's residents. Spiritfolk were already known for their striking appearances, and Yggdra carried considerable name recognition. The fact that the Imperial Capital had recently been dominated by dark topics—curses, assassination attempts—may have only fueled that fervor further.
Selen was being dragged from place to place day after day. At night, she was apparently being shuttled between aristocratic mansions under knight escort. I couldn't have endured it, but Selen truly had guts.
Things were already out of my hands. I'd told them to contact me if anything came up, but nothing had, so presumably things were going smoothly.
During the day, I had Eva accompany Selen, since she probably didn't know the common sense of the human world.
If the Star's Holy Thunder or Elisa had been around, I would've asked them instead—but both were still in Yggdra.
...Perhaps the Star's Holy Thunder might choose to make Yggdra their base. Elisa too.
She'd been traveling the world searching for something, and now that she'd found it, she'd have no reason to continue as a Hunter. If Elisa announced her retirement, I might be able to retire along with her.
Even while supporting Selen, Eva's nighttime routine remained unchanged.
When Eva arrived at the Clan Master's office around dusk, I asked her.
"How's Selen doing? Any problems or anything come up?"
"Well... there were various concerns, but no major issues have arisen. The fact that Princess Selen doesn't despise the human race helps, and the Empire's side has been quite considerate as well."
Eva reported in her usual expressionless manner. She was escorting Selen during the day and managing Clan operations at night—she should've been working herself to the bone, yet she showed absolutely no signs of fatigue.
From what I'd heard, she was making clever use of her subordinates. Having the ability to not only perform at a high level herself but also develop her people—I really couldn't understand how someone like Eva had ended up somewhere she could be recruited from.
It was then that Eva suddenly adopted a thoughtful expression.
"However... there is one concern, or rather, a point of interest. It seems that in Yggdra, there isn't really a culture of paying money to buy and sell things."
"Oh, now that you mention it, Selen never even reached for her wallet during the sightseeing."
She'd offered gems instead... Perhaps it was all barter-based?
"She seems to be aware of the concept, but until she can establish smooth relations with human nations, we may need to be careful. She could be taken advantage of, or she might end up taking advantage of others."
"Well, just handle it smoothly. As for being taken advantage of... I'd say I'm more worried about the other side, honestly. Yggdran warriors are the type to charge straight into a temple-type Treasure Hall, so high-spirited doesn't begin to cover it. Selen herself has considerable combat ability, and she's got high-ranking Spiritfolk with her—"
"!? ...I-I understand. I'll be careful."
The buzz in the Imperial Capital since the announcement of Selen's visit had been tremendous. The streets were abuzz with talk of Selen. Nearly ten days had passed, yet people were apparently still keeping watch in front of the Clan House.
When Citry and the others or the Star's Holy Thunder returned, they'd surely be shocked by this situation. Selen might not be able to come back while she was here, though...
I really should've brought at least Mimmi back. Without a Treasure Weapon to polish, I'd get bored and end up doing something unnecessary.
As these thoughts ran through my head, Eva suddenly seemed to remember something.
"Oh, speaking of which, changing the subject—I have good news. Branch Chief Gaark sent notice that our Clan Level has gone up."
"Oh?"
Just as individual Treasure Hunters and their Parties had Levels, Clans also had something called a Clan Level.
After all, Clans involved multiple Hunters coming and going, and membership criteria were left to each individual Clan, so the number wasn't as heavily weighted as the former two—but it was certainly welcome news.
My own Level going up was something I'd rather avoid, but the Clan's Level increasing was proof of the Clan members' achievements being recognized. It was genuinely something to celebrate.
"With this, Beginning Footprint is now Clan Level 7. Even among established Clans, only the top-tier ones receive that. In Zebuldia, it also comes with tax benefits. Reaching Level 7 within five years of a Clan's founding is exceptional among the exceptional. It's not a matter of just having one high-Level Hunter belonging to you."
"That's great. It's all thanks to you, Eva."
"I'm flattered. It's thanks to everyone who belongs—and to your strength, Klye."
At my words—which betrayed that I didn't even fully understand the tax implications of being in a Clan—Eva delivered this with a serious face, making it sound like a joke. She needed to be less obvious with her flattery... It lacked all credibility.
Seeing my half-hearted smile, Eva continued.
"So... in connection with that, I've been invited to the Explorer's Guild headquarters. Could you accompany me?"
At the unexpected invitation, I widened my eyes.
The Explorer's Guild... headquarters...?
"The headquarters? I've never been."
"Normally, even by carriage it would take several weeks from the Imperial Capital—but this time, Branch Chief Gaark is heading there anyway, and apparently we've been allowed to use the teleportation circle owned by the Guild. You normally need a significant reason to be granted access, so this is a rare opportunity."
When the Clan had reached Level 6, Eva had handled everything including the paperwork. But reaching Level 7 was apparently a different matter entirely.
Being invited meant it wasn't强制—forced—but a teleportation circle, huh.
I'd never heard that the Guild had such a thing, but a teleportation circle that enabled instantaneous transfer between two specific points with inscribed magic arrays was an exceedingly rare and costly artifact—requiring multiple skilled Mages just to activate.
The fact that Gaark was heading there anyway was one thing, but being allowed to use one of these meant they had high expectations, didn't it?
If it were just me, I'd probably decline, but Eva clearly intended to go.
In my current state, I didn't even have a Treasure Weapon to polish—I was practically idle. The lack of an escort was a concern, but this time we'd be traveling directly via teleportation circle, so the risk of running into trouble should be low. (Flag.)
"Princess Selen is planning to go as well. Apparently there are negotiations to be had on that end—"
"...So the escort is taken care of, then."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
Eva looked puzzled. She probably couldn't imagine that someone at Level 8 was worried about personal safety just from going to headquarters.
"Nothing, just thinking out loud. The timing works—I'll come along."
"!! Really!? No—I'm sorry. It's just that you rarely come along for events like this, Klye—"
Eva's eyes went wide. To be surprised after she'd been the one to invite me... Perhaps I really had been slacking off too much?
...I couldn't keep this up. If I didn't show Eva some good sides once in a while, she might abandon me someday.
"Well, I do need to move around once in a while... I've been slacking off quite a lot lately..."
"!? Slacking off a lot!? I-Is that so... is that so..."
Seeing Eva's cheek twitch, I clenched my fist and renewed my resolve.
§ The next morning, after getting ready, I boarded the prepared carriage with Eva and Selen and headed for the Explorer's Guild.
The teleportation circle was apparently located in the basement of the Explorer's Guild's Imperial Capital branch.
Selen, whom I was seeing for the first time in days, was wearing sunglasses and a large hat—wherever she'd gotten them.
You look like you're having fun, you do... Noticing my gaze, Selen looked up at the sky and said: "If I go out as I am, people will gather and cause a scene... It's tough being popular."
"Yeah, yeah, I know..."
Someone dressed like that was rare even in the capital, and sunglasses and a hat alone couldn't conceal Selen's appearance—but I didn't really understand Spiritfolk sensibilities.
Eva had probably arranged the carriage because the Guild wasn't that far away, but she wanted to minimize public exposure even slightly.
Eva was carrying just one trunk case and wore her usual uniform. I was also in my usual light attire. I had the Barrier Ring equipped, but Mimmi—who stored all the Treasure Weapons—was still in Yggdra, so I had no choice.
The fact that we could reach the Explorer's Guild headquarters—which would normally take weeks of travel—with just this luggage showed the incredible convenience of teleportation magic.
"Teleportation circles have a limit on the number of people they can transport at once... Branch Chief Gaark gave us two slots. I was debating who to bring, so I'm relieved you came along, Klye."
"I heard about it. By having multiple people activate it, the burden is distributed, and by pre-inscribing complex formulas, the load can be cut. Normally, teleportation magic should be a formula beyond humankind's capability, but to solve the problem through such ingenuity—humans are quite resourceful. The more I learn, the more I realize how narrow my own perspective has been. At this rate, if I let my guard down, I'll be surpassed."
A person who could use teleportation magic on her own was saying all this... Well, whatever. As long as Selen was evaluating people, it could only be a positive.
The carriage circled around to the back of the Explorer's Guild. Most Hunters loved festivities, so if Selen appeared, it would cause a huge commotion. This was considerate of them.
It really was tough being popular... and besides, royals normally didn't walk around outside so freely!
We entered the building through the back entrance. Inside, Gaark, Kaina, and Zultan were waiting.
Zultan was covered in injuries for some reason. When he saw me, his eyebrow twitched. Gaark's expression visibly soured.
"Klye, why are you here? You haven't submitted a Level 9 examination application."
"...Huh?"
What was he talking about? I'd heard the possibility of aiming for Level 9, but this was the first I'd heard about any application.
I blinked and stared at Gaark, but he gave no further reaction, so I ultimately resorted to my usual hardboiled smile to smooth things over.
"I know that. I came for a different reason. You invited us to headquarters to celebrate the Clan Level-up, remember?"
"...Ah, that. But Klye—you've left everything Clan-related to Eva this whole time, right? I was sure Eva and someone else would be coming, but..."
It seemed Gaark, like Eva, hadn't expected me to participate. If I hadn't shown up, I'd have been complained about, and now that I had, they were surprised. What kind of person was I exactly...
"I'll leave the Clan stuff to Eva. But you don't get chances like this to visit headquarters, so I wanted to see what the Explorer's Guild's main branch was all about. It's more of a sightseeing trip for me."
Also, honestly, because I was free right now.
My words prompted a slight reaction from Zultan.
"Sightseeing...? ...No, I'll take that at face value. Even I don't want to get any more injured than I already have."
"...Zultan, why are you injured?"
Did something happen? Zultan glared at me but said nothing further.
I shifted my gaze to Gaark standing beside me and spoke to him and the wryly smiling Kaina.
"Branch Chief Gaark, let's head to headquarters. Even without submitting an application, you're one of the examiners for this review. We can't be late."
"...You're right. I'm also curious what kind of challenges the headquarters has in store."
The teleportation circle was inscribed in a room underground.
A room with strange patterns etched into the walls and ceiling, surrounded by ten Mages, with a magic circle drawn in glittering, sand-like material.
It was my first time seeing a teleportation circle with my own eyes. If Lucia had been in the capital, she would've been dying to see it. Selen narrowed her eyes and said: "I see... it takes ten people to activate."
Zultan stroked his beard and responded: "No. The headquarters' circle must be synchronized simultaneously, so it's twenty people total. Princess Selen—the patterns on the walls and ceiling are there to reduce the burden, but even so, the Guild's staff alone can't activate it. When using the circle, we commission skilled and trusted Mage Hunters. That's why it can't be used casually. The fact that I was granted permission this time shows how seriously the Explorer's Guild is treating this matter."
"...Humans certainly have it tough."
The reason you rarely heard about teleportation circles was exactly this. Selen's teleportation magic could transport a single person freely to any location, but the burden increased dramatically with the number of people—so it was a trade-off.
When we all stood atop the teleportation circle, the surrounding Mages began channeling their power into it.
The circle blazed with brilliant light, and we were transported to the Explorer's Guild headquarters.
The glow faded. The room was nearly identical to before the transfer. But the lineup of Mages who had activated the circle, and the scent in the air, had changed slightly.
Zultan staggered off the circle and grumbled: "As always, having the scenery change in an instant is a bit unsettling. Still, better than being shaken around in a carriage for weeks."
"Apparently, the sharper your senses, the stronger the sense of disorientation. Can't be helped."
Gaark also frowned and took a deep breath before answering. Having sharp senses could sometimes work against you.
That might explain why Eva and Kaina seemed relatively unfazed.
Selen, who had been surveying our surroundings, turned her gaze toward me and said: "That's something you get used to. Transfer sickness fades with repetition. The Thousand Transformations seems unaffected as well."
Please stop bringing me up in conversation. I didn't want attention. Attention itself wasn't the problem—it was that attention almost always came with trouble attached.
"...It's not that I'm used to it. I'm just keeping my composure."
"...Princess Selen, please don't lump the Thousand Transformations in with us. That man is Level 8, you know."
I'd rather not be thought of as just some generic Level 8... My senses might actually be duller than Eva's.
Well, they say the tongue is the source of all trouble. I didn't mean to say anything unnecessary. Coming to headquarters this time was just killing time—just accompanying Eva.
Following Zultan's guidance, we left the room. It seemed the teleportation circle room was also underground at the headquarters.
We climbed the stairs and opened the door. And I couldn't help but widen my eyes at the Explorer's Guild headquarters before me.
The building was far more refined than I had imagined.
Polished marble floors, pillars. The corridors were wide enough for everyone present to walk abreast, and sunlight streamed in through windows set high in the ceiling far above.
The Explorer's Guild Imperial Capital branch, with bloodied Hunters constantly coming and going, always reeked and was dusty and filled with noise. This place, by contrast, felt like a modest castle.
The vast hall had a few people who looked like Hunters, but their numbers were incomparable to the capital branch—none were dragging monster carcasses, and none looked dirty.
The air was clean without being stale, but it didn't quite match the image of Hunters. If this had been the first place I'd visited when I became a Hunter, I would've been stunned.
"Huh, it's cleaner than I expected."
"...This is headquarters—the place that oversees all branches. They don't conduct general business here like material trading or quest mediation for Hunters. Hunters aren't prohibited from entering, but few actually come."
Zultan explained. It was perhaps more of a facility for visitors than for Hunters.
In terms of beauty, headquarters was superior, but in terms of liveliness, the branch won out. Didn't seem like there'd be much interesting here...
On the other hand, Selen's eyes were sparkling. Yggdra did use stone construction to some degree, but the sight of this enormous, majestic interior would be fresh for someone who had spent most of her life in forests.
Zultan turned to the quietly excited Selen and said, somewhat reluctantly: "So... the higher-ups at headquarters would like to greet Princess Selen once. Would you mind accompanying us? After the discussions about the branch establishment are concluded, please do take a tour of the headquarters. We can assign someone to guide you. There are accommodations here for guests from various nations as well."
"You're right... I should take care of business first."
So serious. When she put it that way, I realized I was the only one who had come here with zero work-related purpose.
Kaina approached Eva. It was a quietly unusual pairing.
"Eva, the Clan Level-up procedures are over there. There'll also be an explanation of the benefits and regulations for Level 7 Clans, so it may take some time."
"Understood. Please take care of me."
"Branch Chief, there's still some time before the high-Level examination meeting. I'll guide Eva. As per the schedule I sent yesterday—let's meet ten minutes before."
"Got it, I'm leaving it to you. Don't dawdle this time... Klye, what about you? Going with Eva?"
Hmm, what should I do? I could tag along for the Clan Level-up procedures, but given that I'd left most of the Clan management to Eva, I'd probably just be in the way.
I glanced at Eva, and she sighed before saying: "I'll be fine on my own here. It's just listening to explanations."
"Technically, you wouldn't even need to come to headquarters for this to be handled."
Selen's departure would leave me without an escort, but this was headquarters, and guards seemed to be posted everywhere. There shouldn't be any major problems.
"Then since this is a rare chance, I think I'll wander around a bit. There might be something interesting."
"...There's a library housing valuable documents, a museum displaying the history of Hunters past, and so on. Some facilities have Level restrictions, but at Level 8, you should be able to access most of them."
Zultan informed me. Despite having angered him so badly before, this man might actually be quite kind.
"I see, a library and a museum... They've got everything, huh."
I didn't feel great about wandering around while everyone else was working.
Maybe it was time to study up and gain some useful knowledge for once.
"There's also... ah, yes. You might not be that interested, but there's a cafeteria too. I've never ordered from it myself, but apparently they serve absurdly large parfaits."
Right. The cafeteria it was. Let's see what the Explorer's Guild has to offer.
As I licked my lips, Gaark frowned and said emphatically: "Klye, I think you understand this, but don't cause any trouble. Don't do anything too conspicuous—there are Hunters here too, even if not that many."