"Oh, a request? This one's from a high-ranking noble!"
One day, a pure-white carrier pigeon arrived at Sharl's location, bearing a request.
"Looks like our little dark information guild is finally getting a break. Let's see... 'Investigate why the White Slave Guild stopped dealing in illegal slaves.' Well, where should I start looking..."
"Sharl, I'm over here today. What's that pigeon for?"
The sadistic young adventurer—the one who'd fitted me with a collar of subjugation (one I couldn't see)—stomped right into my office at the dark guild without so much as a knock.
"Oh, this is a magical carrier pigeon that delivers requests."
With its duty fulfilled, the carrier pigeon poofed into a puff of smoke and vanished.
"Is that how it works? You actually got a request? That's rare."
"Hmph, just you wait—this is how our dark information guild 'Sky View' is going to rise to the same level as 'Green Eyes.'"
"Green Eyes?"
"The top information guild in the country, of course. Both above-ground and underground."
"Gotcha. Good luck with that."
◇◇◇
Not wanting to get in the way of Sharl's work, I left the dark information guild 'Sky View' building and headed for the adventurer guild.
On the way, I felt a faint sense of discomfort.
It was similar to the feeling you get when someone appraises you without permission.
I looked around but couldn't spot anyone who seemed responsible.
In that case—'Perfect Research.'
The source of that discomfort appeared to be in a building far from here.
◇◇◇
"The target is facing this way. Has he noticed me? ...No, that can't be right. There are several buildings between the target and this position."
The objective I'd been ordered to investigate directly by Othello, the boss of the organization, concerned a request from a high-ranking noble: "Find out why the White Slave Guild stopped dealing in illegal slaves." The target was Alan, an Orichalcum-rank adventurer.
A member of the information guild "Green Eyes" had begun surveillance on Alan using the [Telescope] skill, designed for ultra-long-range observation.
It was an excellent skill that could see through buildings to observe a target, and once the target was found, it would automatically track their location from then on.
Or so I thought—before an uncomfortable sensation washed over me, as if I'd been detected instead, and by the time I came to my senses, the target had vanished.
"W-Where did he go!?"
"I'm Alan. I'm standing right behind you right now. For starters—'Dark Bind.'"
Without warning, a voice called out from behind me.
How on earth had he gotten in?
This was bad. This was a private room.
And on top of that, I'd been hit with a binding spell in an instant.
The [Telescope] skill demanded considerable concentration to use, which was why this room inside the "Green Eyes" guild—the one I'd been given—was sealed with multiple locks. So how had he gotten in?
"For starters, tell me why you were surveilling me. Actually, before that—who are you and where are you from?"
"You fool. As if I'd tell you."
"Then I'll just have to torture it out of you."
"Hmph. I have [Torture Resistance], so it's pointless."
"Oh, really? Don't come crying to me later. There's something I've been wanting to try, so you'll just have to humor me. Additional spell—'Tickle Bind'!"
From the black hands already restraining me, additional hands branched out, passing through my clothes and beginning to tickle my body.
"Guh............"
Has about five minutes passed?
I can still endure this.
My[Torture Resistance]is doing its job.
Give up already.
And die.
But this boy cast a cruel magic spell, and I would come to regret it.
"[Time-Space Magic]Fast Clock"
◇◇◇◇◇◇
Skills: [Reverse][Divine Eye][Sword God][Fist God][Spear God][Scorching Magic][Frost Magic][Clear Storm Magic][Stone-Iron Magic][Sacred Magic][Dark Magic][Time-Space Magic][Thunder God Sword][Gentleman Thief][Ninja Master][Truth Elucidator][Supernatural Frenzy][Speed God][Pain Mitigation][Complete Status Abnormality Resistance][Dark Spirit's Protection][Super Intuition][Heaven's Gate][Abyssal Contractor][Magic Hand][Treasure Search][Temptation][Incitement][Eloquence][Great Fortune][Growth Speed ×10][Growth Limit Breakthrough]
Rank: Orichalcum
Thank you for reading!