Tooru glanced at his mobile terminal as it started ringing again, and for a moment, he considered just turning the power off—but then he noticed the caller ID had changed.

Letting out a sigh, he answered the call.

〈Ah, hello… Is this Tooru-kun’s phone? This is Saitou Megumi. Um… I won’t let Irselia contact you again. She was very rude… um, I’m really sorry.〉

The hesitant voice belonged to Saitou Megumi, the leader of Anthem. He hadn’t spoken with her enough to recognize her voice perfectly, but there was no reason for her to lie here, and her way of speaking matched what he vaguely remembered.

“Uh… yeah. What do you need?”

〈Y-yeah. Sorry. Our Chizuru… Kagurazaka Chizuru, she’s gone missing from the hotel, and since you were probably about to come out of the dungeon, I was wondering if you might’ve run into her. Also, like Irselia said, I think someone from the Dungeon Agency came to see you…〉

Megumi spoke like a girl talking to a strict upperclassman from a club, making Tooru let out a small wry smile. It wasn’t like he was trying to scare her.

Come to think of it, she’d switched from calling him “-san” to “-kun” at some point—but that was probably just easier for her.

“Uh, Kagurazaka-san was at the dungeon entrance. I’ve already met Souma-san and Maisaka-san. Also, there’s been a bit of trouble.”

〈I-is that so? We’ve got trouble on our side too… or rather, we’re not sure yet, but we can’t get in contact with Nanami-san…〉

“Nanami—the Anthem manager—you can’t reach her?”

He said it clearly on purpose. When he glanced at Souma and Maisaka, Maisaka immediately began operating her own terminal.

〈Yeah. We were supposed to meet up with Chizuru and Airi and head into the Noumi Dungeon… but Chizuru’s gone, we can’t reach Nanami-san, and Irselia’s an idiot. Um, really… I’m sorry, okay?〉

“Well, if you’re that idiot elf’s owner, you should do something about her—but you’re not, right? If trash is trash, that’s on the trash.”

〈Ahaha… yeah, that’s true. But still, it couldn’t have felt good, right? Sorry. We’ve only shown you our worst sides so far, haven’t we? We’ve just caused you trouble. Even though you’ve helped us so many times…〉

“No comment on that. Uh… anyway, I’ll put Kagurazaka-san on.”

Saying that, he handed the phone to Chizuru. She looked apologetic, yet began speaking with surprising clarity and energy, which he found oddly amusing.

Apparently, people said her sensibilities were a bit off—but yeah, he could see why.

“…She’s not answering.”

Maisaka muttered, sounding puzzled. She had tried calling Nanami from her own terminal, but it seemed the call didn’t go through.

“Maisaka and I arrived in this city this morning. First, we secured a ‘location we’re free to use’ that the Dungeon Agency maintains—a vacant building near the prefectural office. We had Sasamori Takeshi brought there and interrogated him using Maisaka’s ability. After that, we came here to assess the danger posed by the ‘cursed sword user’—that is, you. We left Hamamatsu at the building to keep watch over Sasamori.”

Perhaps for Tooru’s sake, since he didn’t know the full situation—or perhaps for Lugard’s—Souma spoke in a slightly raised voice. Lugard, sitting cross-legged on the damp ground, frowned as he listened.

“…That manager… she might have been attacked by Girgeil.”

“Ah! Right, right, right! You said Girgeil!”

Tia, who had been left hanging in a suspended “wait” state after the elf’s call, suddenly snapped back into action and rushed toward Lugard.

“Y-yeah…”

“That guy—when he’s disguised as a human, he uses a cane, and even though his face stays blank, only his lips curl into a smile? And when he takes his true demonkin form, that cane turns into a segmented sword? A personality so rotten it makes you want to kill him—is that right?”

“…How do you know that?”

“Girgeil! One of the Demon King’s top commanders! So he’s alive—or rather, survivors of the Gargroa Kingdom have been living on all this time! And then they got caught up in the World Fusion and ended up transported to this world…!”

Apparently, he was someone Tia knew. Not a particularly pleasant acquaintance, and judging by her reaction, not tied to any fond memories either.

“Why do you know Girgeil!?”

Lugard snapped, irritation clear in his voice—but there was also a trace of fear he couldn’t hide. Well, after being beaten that thoroughly, it wasn’t surprising.

Tia, on the other hand, paid no attention to the demonkin man’s fear. She turned to Tooru, flusteredly waving her hands as she spoke.

“U-um… how should I explain this… demonkin, like elves, live long lives, and I was ordered to go kill the king of the demonkin nation… The Gargroa Kingdom was hated by many other countries, and they’d done all sorts of terrible things… We fought them with the cooperation of many nations. Girgeil was one of Gargroa’s top commanders.”

“Ah… so like one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings or something?”

He threw that out as a rough guess, but Tia nodded vigorously.

“Yeah, something like that. But I can’t believe he survived—and even ended up in this world… Even though that dwarf old man said he’d never heard of the Guidorin Kingdom that used me…”

Tia let out a dry laugh.

Tooru didn’t particularly sympathize, but that aside, there were two things he needed to confirm.

“Any idea what he’s planning? And is he stronger than you?”

“No idea. He’s the type to aim for five or six things at once instead of just two, and he’ll throw stones at pointless targets just to hide his real goal. But if his strength is the same as back then, I’d definitely win. From what I’ve heard, his fighting style hasn’t really changed.”

“May I?”

Souma raised a hand, drawing everyone’s attention. At some point, Kagurazaka had finished her call and was now holding Tooru’s terminal with a troubled expression.

Tooru took the device back from her, then gestured for Souma to continue.

“For now, I want to go check on Hamamatsu and Sasamori. I should have set up a camera, but I didn’t think eliminating Sasamori at this stage would mean much. However… this Girgeil fellow sounds like the type to act even when there’s no apparent benefit.”

“…Right.”

Tooru thought he could just go on his own, but Souma kept his gaze fixed on him.

“‘Cursed sword user’ Hayasaka Tooru—I have a request for you. I need you to come with me. Even if nothing happens, I’ll provide you with a proper weapon to replace that blunt weapon you’re using, which lacks mana conductivity. And if something does happen and a fight breaks out, I’ll pay you an additional fifty million yen—even if you don’t end up fighting.”

“Fi—fifty… wait, seriously?”

The complete lack of hesitation in Souma’s tone genuinely caught Tooru off guard.

“You coming along means that Holy Sword girl will follow automatically. And that girl is stronger than this demonkin called Girgeil. I’ve decided never to go against my instincts—and right now, my instincts are telling me to bring you. This will put me in the red on the request fee, but I don’t care. I can only offer money and equipment, but if you’ll accept, I’d like to ask.”

Souma continued in the same flat tone, as if it were only natural. Beside him, Maisaka wore an indifferent expression, suggesting this was a personal request rather than an official one.

“Ah… yeah, sure. If that… what was it, that gagigugego-sounding guy used Assemblyman Sasamori to cause a Dungeon Stampede, then I’d like to at least see his face. Hell, if I end up killing him, I might feel a bit better.”

“If you choose to use force on-site based on your own judgment, I will permit it entirely. Whether the law allows it or not, I don’t know—so be mindful of that.”

“Could I have a moment, please!”

A loud voice rang out from behind.

Holding a high-end-looking umbrella, Kujou Reiko gave a small bow before speaking.

“From what I can gather, the situation seems to be getting rather complicated, so we shall take our leave here. My butler is quite worried, you see.”

“Ohohoho,” she laughed elegantly. Well, she truly was refined—it was just that, because of her personality, even her polished gestures and graceful smile didn’t always come across that way. What exactly she wanted people to see her as… was a bit unclear.

In any case, it seemed like a reasonable point to withdraw. No matter how you looked at it, things from here on were less the work of explorers and more the responsibility of those managing them.

“Ahh, sorry about this, Bro-san. I’ll transfer the money for the Kumanoi Potion by midnight today. I got your ID when we synced the streaming camera and device, so the account details are all set. As for the magic cores, please submit it to your nearest Dungeon Affairs Division. I’ll contact you separately about the investment. Well then, we’ll be off. Let’s hang out again sometime.”

“Hey, Jouichirou! Don’t steal my lines. Now then, Toorubro-sama, Tia-sama, let us explore a dungeon together again sometime.”

“Ah… yeah, sure. Thanks for today.”

“Yeah, I had fun too. See you again, Reiko.”

“There is no need for thanks! For I, too, enjoyed myself thoroughly! Now then, everyone—farewell!”

“Ohohohoho!” With her signature laugh, Kujou Reiko departed, followed three steps behind by Kashizaki Jouichirou.

However, since their cars were parked in roughly the same area, Tooru and the others ended up heading that way as well, making the farewell feel a bit less clean.

“Alright, let’s move as well. We’ll head to the site by car and go over what we need to on the way. Kagurazaka, you’re coming too. This concerns your clan’s manager.”

“Yes… understood. If Nanami is in danger, we should hurry.”

“Honestly, this is such a lousy job. Total black company vibes.”

“Um… what about Lugard?”

At Tia’s perfectly reasonable question, Souma gave an exaggerated shrug, brushed the brim of his hunting cap with his fingertips, and pointed at Lugard, who was still sitting cross-legged on the ground.

“We’ve already gotten all the information we can from him. We know he’s not trying to harm humanity. Leaving him be isn’t an immediate risk, and more importantly, he’s not my responsibility. Confirming Hamamatsu Nanami’s safety, on the other hand, is—arguably—part of my job.”

“I see. What are you going to do?”

After giving a small nod, Tia turned her gaze to Lugard. He flinched for a moment before sulkingly replying, “Who knows.”

Indeed… In the current situation, squeezing more out of this demonkin probably wouldn’t accomplish much. Since Maisaka Risa had already verified things with her ability, killing him outright would be problematic—but still, it left things feeling unresolved.

That said, there wasn’t much they could do.

Even if there were a better solution, nothing came to mind right away.

◇◇◇

“Hayasaka Tooru, I’ll tell you this in advance. For your contributions in suppressing the Dungeon Stampede, along with the purchase price of the two magic cores from the monsters that appeared, a total of 480 million yen will be transferred to you by the end of the week. Of course, since this counts as explorer activity, taxes have already been deducted.”

Once they had all gotten into the five-seater car, the first to speak was Maisaka Risa from the passenger seat. Tooru sat behind the driver, Tia in the middle, and Chizuru behind the passenger seat. The interior was fairly spacious, which helped.

“Also, I’ve just had your explorer license officially issued. For now, it’ll be a D-rank license, but you’ll likely move up to B-rank soon. The paperwork should be sent to you by mail, so fill in the required information and submit it to your city’s Dungeon Affairs Division. The training courses for D and C ranks are waived, but the B-rank course cannot be skipped. Check the documents for the nearest training center and schedule, apply through your terminal, and attend the course.”

“Ah… this kinda feels like getting a driver’s license.”

“Well, it is a license.”

Maisaka replied plainly to Tooru’s offhand comment.

As for the money—he had already become numb to it and couldn’t react properly anymore. Four hundred eighty million yen was an absurd amount for him personally, but considering the potential damage if that Orochi and the five-headed monster had been left alone, it wouldn’t be surprising if it exceeded forty billion yen. So if someone said the reward was too low for the achievement, that might be true—but whether he’d actually ask for forty billion was another matter.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t renewed my license or attended any training.”

“You people are explorers backed by the state, aren’t you? Your support staff handles special renewal procedures. You’re really out of touch with the real world.”

“Well, I am out of touch.”

Kagurazaka replied without hesitation to Maisaka’s slightly sharp remark. Since it wasn’t sarcasm or defensiveness, Maisaka could only give a wry smile.

“…Well, when you put it that way, you’re right. Gathering fourteen-year-olds and training them for the sake of the country, and then calling them ‘out of touch’—that’s rich. Sorry.”

“It’s a fact that I’m unfamiliar with the world, so I don’t mind. More importantly, Souma-dono, may I ask how far you consider your responsibilities to extend?”

Casually brushing off the apology, Kagurazaka directed her question at the S-rank explorer in the driver’s seat without hesitation.

Maybe she was more normal than he thought—when she wasn’t acting weird around him, at least.

“My assignment is to verify the truth behind the statements of the scandal-ridden assemblyman. If possible, pursue the man claiming to be from the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office. Assess the danger posed by Hayasaka Tooru, and if necessary, confiscate the ‘Cursed Sword’ and ‘Holy Sword’ from him. And handle any trouble that arises in the process. For these tasks, Maisaka is assigned to me, and during the mission, I am to protect her even at the cost of my life. That is all.”

“In other words, most of your job is already complete?”

“Whether the current situation falls under ‘trouble’ will be the point of contention. I’d prefer nothing has happened, but Maisaka has been repeatedly calling Hamamatsu with no response.”

So something had happened.

“I don’t mind, but Souma-san—why’d you decide to hire me for that kind of money?”

Since it felt like a Q&A session, Tooru asked casually. Souma had mentioned “instinct,” but there had to be some basis behind it.

Souma glanced at him through the rearview mirror and let out a small breath.

“The Holy Sword girl—Tia, was it? She easily shattered my ‘Stone Prison.’ That alone tells me she’s stronger than me. And Hayasaka Tooru—you believe you can kill me. You don’t seem like the type to misjudge that. Therefore, you two are stronger than I am. There’s a chance we’ll run into this demonkin called Girgeil. He’s likely stronger than that one who called himself Lugard. If someone’s scheming something, the first thing I would do in their place is to eliminate Maisaka.”

Maisaka, suddenly named, looked at Souma in shock. She had likely confirmed with her ability that he wasn’t lying.

“This woman’s ability is rare, and someone with such a rare ability who actively contributes to society is even rarer. So what—should I hide her somewhere and then go check on Hamamatsu? If that’s the enemy’s goal, we’d be finished. She may be A-rank, but in terms of combat ability, she’s below Kagurazaka. Even Lugard could barely kill her. Someone like Girgeil could do it for certain. In that case, keeping her close is ultimately the safest option. And to further increase that safety, I hired you. Hire one, get two—it’s a bargain.”

The way he said “bargain” had a strange sense of humor to it, making Tooru chuckle a bit.

“You’re pretty straightforward… but Souma-san, if you’d decided I was dangerous, what would you have done?”

“I’d have said something like ‘I’ll report this to the Dungeon Agency for judgment’ and immediately withdrawn. However, in reality, I judged that you are not dangerous. At the core, people don’t change that much. No matter what happens in the future, you’re unlikely to cause trouble for ordinary society. That is my assessment.”

“I’d like to stay that way, if possible.”

He let out a short laugh. Beside him, Tia gave him a curious look, then suddenly turned to glance behind them.

Behind them—or more precisely, somewhere up in the distance behind.

Tooru followed her gaze, but they had just left the mountains and entered town. There were forests in the distance and utility poles nearby.

“…Lugard’s following us.”

Tia said it simply. Tooru couldn’t tell, but if she said so, it was probably true.

“Still… why did he pick a fight with me? There was no need for him to drop his human disguise just to fight…”

“Hmm… maybe he’s just an idiot?”

It was an utterly merciless conclusion, but… that might really be all there was to it.

In a mystery novel, that kind of reasoning would get you scolded—but in reality, people were often foolish, contradictory, short-sighted, and prone to making decisions on a whim.

That made him wonder…

What about that Gir-whatever guy?