The next day.
I went back home alone, but nobody was there.
I wondered if Mineha was still in the dungeon.
I drank some tea in my room, then headed to Kuun Hunt's clan headquarters.
The clan headquarters was in the noble district of the central ward. The black building made it stand out.
Especially since it had been attacked by the Witch and Chaibe — the top had snapped off, making it impossible not to stand out.
When I arrived at the headquarters, two guards were standing at the entrance.
Moreover, one of them was — that stern-looking older man with the scar on his face. Was that... Gauro?
He noticed me too.
"Wof, is that you?"
"Gauro. What are you doing in a place like this? Also—"
Behind the gate, men in work clothes were laboring.
They didn't look like clan members at all... were they demolishing something?
"They're in the middle of demolition work. I'm just keeping watch."
"...Demolition?"
"The building was already on the verge of collapse from that incident. Since there's a real risk of it falling down completely, they've started demolition work."
"Um, so where does that leave Kuun Hunt?"
"They moved to a different location."
"Could you tell me where, if you don't mind?"
"What, you need something?"
"Yes."
I asked Gauro for the location. I see. The Rootbelt Villa.
She gave me the details, and since it was in the same noble district, it wasn't all that far.
Before long, a pristine white three-story mansion came into view. This was the place?
A guard stood before the large gate.
"Um, excuse me..."
"What can I do for you?"
"Is this the Rootbelt Villa?"
"It is."
"This is Kuun Hunt's headquarters, right?"
"That's right."
"Good. I have business here—would it be all right to go inside?"
"It's not like non-members are prohibited from entering or anything."
"Oh, really?"
And so I slipped through without a hitch.
They even kindly pointed me toward the reception area.
Once inside the villa, the entrance had been remodeled.
A receptionist sat at the front desk. It was just like a guild.
"Um, uh, excuse me..."
"Yes, how can I help you?"
A beautiful woman with wolf ears handled my request.
"Is Alverld von Rootbelt here?"
"...She is, but..."
Good. She's here. But the woman gave me a suspicious look.
"Um, uh, my name is Wof."
"Wof..."
"Well, you see, I'd like to meet with Alverld..."
"Do you have a reservation or an invitation?"
"Huh? No, I don't have anything like that."
"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't help you."
Ah, so that's what you need.
Hmm. What should I do? A reservation? An invitation?
If it's an invitation, maybe I could somehow manage to get one.
"Hey. You. Wof?"
"Huh?"
I turned around at the voice.
There was a woman with a short, two-toned cut — gold and silver.
Long, pointed ears poked through gaps in her hair. Upturned green eyes.
Refined features. Yep. She was an elf.
Her cold gaze and the neatly trimmed hair cut straight at her collar left a strong impression.
She was tall and slender, dressed in a black suit with a white cape draped over it, and she wore a sword at her hip.
"Um, uh..."
"So it really is Wof. This is Kuun Hunt headquarters."
"I know. Um, who are you?"
"What's your business?"
"I, uh, I have business with Alverd."
"......What, specifically?"
"That's something I'll tell him directly. And who are you?"
The woman stared hard at me.
"You couldn't get in to see him, could you."
"I—yes, that's right."
"Is it urgent?"
"Well... yes, it is."
"I'll get you a meeting."
"Huh?"
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Karla von Fortland. Twenty-one years old. Second-rank delver. I serve as deputy clan master of Kuun Hunt."
"W-Wait, seriously!?"
So she was the second most important person in Kuun Hunt after Alverd.
"So what's your business?"
"……Regarding Kuun."
"I'll show you around. Follow me."
"Y-Yes."
She strides off without waiting. I follow behind.
She seems like a pretty stiff person.
"It's good that we found you early."
"?"
"I'm sure you're aware, but the Kuun Hunt clan doesn't exactly have a favorable impression when it comes to witches."
"Yes. I know."
"And that extends to you as well, being her disciple."
"Me too?"
"You're also known as the one who sullied Alverd's name. In that sense, there are plenty of people who despise you."
"Even so…"
Well, I don't like Kuun Hunt either.
We have bad blood, so I don't particularly mind being hated just as much.
Carla lets out a sigh.
"That said, we've prohibited anyone from acting on it. But there are still plenty of people who don't think it's pleasant for someone who could be called a grudge-bearing opponent to come swaggering into headquarters. We've mostly driven out the ones who would immediately do something stupid. But that doesn't mean the ones who remain are good people. They're delvers, after all. They might notice you and decide to do something."
"I-Is that so…"
"But… it's clear what would happen in that case. The one who starts it would be in the wrong, but we're in the middle of reorganization. I don't want to lose people over unnecessary trouble and foolish stunts."
Well, I'd obviously fight back if someone attacked me.
Ah, so that's why you spoke up first when you found me.
I'd vaguely suspected it, but I hadn't realized just how much of an outsider I was considered.
"I'm sorry..."
"No, it's not your fault. Later on... when I heard that you'd accepted the request to kidnap Narcissus, I was just speechless. That was completely our mistake."
"That did happen, didn't it."
It sure did. Even thinking about it now, it's just baffling.
Would you really accept a kidnapping request, no matter how much you owed Narcissus?
Well, I still don't really know what Alverd is thinking, even now.
He certainly has a unique kind of pressure. He's still a powerhouse.
"At that time, I wasn't the vice-clan master. I was just a member of the Four Heavenly Kings. I only got the position recently. My predecessor caused trouble."
Most of Kuun Hunt's notoriety back then was because of that vice-clan master.
That guy had ties to the nobility, making it difficult to oust him, and he did as he pleased.
On top of that, Alverd, who was the clan master at the time, was just a figurehead.
You could say he had no interest in running the clan.
So, that guy used that to his advantage and did quite a few underhanded things.
But those days didn't last long.
Eventually, Alverd finally stepped up, and I heard through the grapevine that the other guy was purged.
Incidentally, the Four Heavenly Kings were the top executives of Kuun Hunt. They were like the Four Heavenly Kings.
"Huh? Isn't Leold the vice-clan master?"
"People often say that, but he's the leader of the Four Heavenly Kings, not the vice-clan master. Besides, it's not recommended for him to get involved in clan matters given his original job."
"Ah, that's right."
Oh yeah. If we're going to the royal capital, I should probably get in touch with Leold too.
Karla stops in front of a room at the end of the third floor.
So this is the head's office.
"This is it. Wait here a moment."
She knocks three times.
"Who is it?"
Alvereld's voice.
"It's Karla."
"What is it?"
"I have an urgent report."
"――Enter."
"Excuse me."
The door opens and she steps inside.
I caught a glimpse of the office before the door closed, but I couldn't make out Alvereld clearly.
After a short while, Karla opens the door and comes back out.
"You can come in."
"Understood."
I gave a slight bow and entered the office.