At the clinic in the ruined city.
Krishna, sitting in a chair in the treatment room, spoke with a serious expression.
“Zenos. In the end, the only thing we’ve been able to determine about the mastermind behind the golem incident is that they were a person calling themselves ‘The Guide’.”
“I see…”
Zenos folded his arms and sighed.
He had heard that name before.
Zofia had mentioned them before, a member of an underground guild that took on requests depending on the conditions.
After the incident, they were able to cover the cost of rebuilding the houses by selling the treasure sword from the underground labyrinth that was confiscated from Aston, but they hadn’t received any compensation for their hard labor.
“‘The Guide’, huh? I’ll remember that name. I’ll definitely collect what’s owed to me someday.”
“Yes, but it doesn’t seem like it will be easy to track them down. I went to the hideout that Aston mentioned, but it was already empty, and there wasn’t a single trace left.”
“I also looked into ‘The Guide’ a little,” Zofia said, raising her right hand from the dining table in the back.
“I had my brother make some inquiries in the underground guild, and it seems ‘The Guide’ only came down here fairly recently. They don’t associate with anyone and are considered an outsider even within the guild.”
“Ringa also investigated, and got a similar answer.”
“In the underworld, it’s an ironclad rule not to pry into each other’s backgrounds. I believe there’s a limit to what we can find out by questioning people around them,”
“Hmm…”
Next, Krishna raised her right hand.
“The Royal Guard will also mark ‘The Guide’ as a dangerous individual, but considering how thoroughly they’ve erased their tracks, they probably don’t intend to show themselves in public for a while.”
“I see.”
“But they’ll be back eventually. That’s the feeling I get.”
“Hmm.”
“Could you please stop making random guesses?”
“What? Your opinion is just a guess too, isn’t it?”
“No, wait a minute…”
Zenos slowly stood up and looked back and forth between the women in the treatment room and at the dining table.
“Could you stop talking to me alternately from different places? It’s really hard to have a conversation like this.”
Krishna looked downcast and pouted.
“I-It can’t be helped, Zenos. Due to my position, I can’t exactly sit at the same table with Zofia and the others and have tea in a friendly manner.”
“That’s my line. Why are you even here?”
“I have the important job of reporting the aftermath to those involved in the incident. Which one of us is taking up Zenos’s valuable time for no reason?”
“You’re certainly good with words.”
“Shall I show you that I’m not just good with words?”
“Ah, hey, hey, no fighting here. Besides, I’m tired and taking the day off today, so unless it’s an emergency or a serious injury, everyone go home.”
Urged on by Zenos, the demi-humans reluctantly left the clinic.
With her hand on the doorknob, Krishna looked back.
“Oh, one more thing before I go. Aston didn’t mention Zenos’s name at all during interrogations by anyone other than me. He said something like, ‘As if I’d tell them about Zenos’s accomplishments,’ but it might have been his way of being considerate.”
“I see…”
“And so, Zenos has once again achieved great things—”
“I don’t want any awards or records because it’s too conspicuous. I just want to be compensated for my labor.”
“I thought you’d say that. If ‘The Guide’ is found, I’ll contact you immediately.”
The door closed with a soft click.
With the guests gone, a quiet space finally returned.
“Hey, Zenos. Lily has something she wants to say.”
Lily came from the kitchen, holding a cup of tea.
“What is it?”
“In the last incident, Zenos had a pretty hard time, right?”
“Well, I was tired for the first time in a while.”
“So, I thought maybe, for a change of pace, you and L-Lily could… g-go…”
Lily mumbled, still holding the cup.
“G-go?”
“L-Lily and vi—”
“Sensei!”
Suddenly, Zofia returned, and Lily swallowed her words.
Zenos looked back with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong? Did you forget something?”
“No, that’s not it. Actually, I have a proposal, and I was waiting for Ringa and Reve to leave.”
“A proposal?”
“Sensei, that last incident was pretty tough, right?”
“Well, I was tired for the first time in a while.”
“So, how about we go to a hot spring?”
“…A hot spring?”
“Yes. I thought soaking in a large, warm bath might help relieve your fatigue, Sensei.”
“I see… that might be nice for a change.”
“It’s a promise, Sensei.”
Zofia left in high spirits, and Ringa immediately came in.
She approached stealthily, looking behind her.
“What’s wrong? Did you forget something?”
“No, that’s not it. Actually, Ringa has a wonderful proposal, and I was waiting for Zofia and Reve to leave.”
“A proposal?”
“I think Zenos-dono had a pretty hard time in the last incident.”
“Well, I was tired for the first time in a while.”
“So, let’s go to a hot spring.”
“That’s not a bad idea…”
“Yay! Zenos-dono, it’s a promise.”
Ringa left, wagging her beast ears, and Reve immediately came in.
“Zenos. Actually, I have a proposal—”
“A hot spring?”
“As expected. It’s only natural that you’d guess my intentions perfectly, given our mutual affection.”
Translator’s Note
“Mutual affection” is a bit of a loose translation, it is closer to, “of one mind and heart” but felt that worked better with the tone.
“I don’t know about mutual affection, but I can usually guess what you’re thinking…”
These three are definitely close, aren’t they?
Reve left with a light step, and the door opened for the fourth time.
“Z-Zenos. I also have a proposal…”
“Krishna, you too?!”
I wonder if she can actually get along with Zofia and the others.
Having sent his visitors away, Zenos finally breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to Lily.
“So, what was it you wanted to say, Lily?”
“Uuu… I-I don’t want to say it anymore—”
Lily puffed out her cheeks and ran to the bedroom.
“…What on earth was all that about…?”
As he stood there dumbfounded, a chuckle floated down from the second floor.
“Kukuku… A hot spring, huh? It’s been a while.”
Wraith is totally going…!
Thank you for finding me.