NOVEL WEB chapter 88 - Divine Cat Mii-chan, you've got some red bean paste on your face.
88 Divine Cat Mii-chan, you’ve got some red bean paste on your face.
The tea Guild Master Serion made tastes like bancha, making me crave some senbei (rice crackers). I have rice, but no soy sauce. How do you make it again? I asked about it at a hands-on miso and soy sauce workshop during a middle school field trip, but I don’t remember much…
“By the way, did we pass by the knights’ unit or something?”
“We overtook them just before Quint. They should arrive by tomorrow.”
“And the other units?”
“They’re somewhere between Sesto and Settimo.”
“What about the situation in the royal capital?”
“They mentioned that the second wave is about to be dispatched.”
“Who did you hear that from?”
Guild Master Serion looks skeptical. Understandably so. So, I show him the patrol officer’s credentials.
“Hmm!? Nero-kun, what exactly are you trying to do?”
“It’s just the way things turned out. When I arrived at the royal capital, I was taken to the palace by Guild Master Zesto and met with the Prime Minister.”
I also showed him the watch I received.
“You certainly have wide connections. Even if you quit the guild, you’ll manage just fine. That much is certain.”
I don’t think this is relevant to the matter at hand.
“So, what’s the situation now?”
According to the guild master, the area south of Quinto and Quart is believed to be under control, and they’ve been rapidly fortifying the white labyrinth between Quinto and Quart. The road connecting Quart to the Hildenburg Duchy to the west has been blocked off.
“I’ll tell you this since you’ll find out soon enough: a Goblin King has emerged. Only a few know about this so far, so please be cautious.”
“What!? Where did you—ah, it’s pointless to ask.”
“Knowing this versus not knowing makes a big difference.”
“That helps. It’s unfortunate but true—though it means fewer unnecessary deaths.”
“One can only hope. Still, many lives will likely be lost…”
“So, what’s next for you, Nero-kun?”
“I plan to visit Quart first. I need to greet Pamir-san and retrieve some items I left behind.”
“Oh, Pamir? He’s been transferred to the capital.”
“What!?”
“I recommended him as a replacement for Celtius. He’s not quite the lead coordinator, but he’s an assistant coordinator now.”
“So, he’s no longer here?”
“Hmm. I thought he might still be around, but I can’t be sure.”
In any case, I have business to attend to. I’ll set off the morning after tomorrow. The guild master promised to treat me to dinner tomorrow night. I’ll look forward to that. I was also told I could use the stable for Sumire until tomorrow and even received a new saddle. Lucky!
When I went downstairs, the guild was a mess. I won’t point fingers or pretend I didn’t see anything.
“Nero-kun! You’ve come at a good time. Could you lend me a hand?”
It was Henry. I’m not thrilled to hear a strange voice from him, but it’s not like I have much of a choice.
“Henry-san, I’m officially retired as of today, so I can’t help.”
“Is that true? Is it because of that incident?”
“Well, you could say that.”
“I see… But it’s still today, right? The day isn’t over yet. Please help us out.”
I guess the day isn’t over yet. I’ll help out after all.
In the end, it took until the ninth bell to finish everything.
“Just as I thought. Things go faster with Nero-kun around… It’s a shame.”
The other staff members nodded in agreement.
“So, it’s voluntary retirement, huh?”
“Apparently, I won’t be able to hold a guild position for two years.”
“The headquarters is foolish. Cutting off such a talented person. What will you do now?”
“I have plenty to do, so it shouldn’t be a problem for the time being.”
“I don’t think I can be much help, but I’ll listen to your complaints. Be sure to visit occasionally.”
“Thank you.”
I went to the kitchen to give Sykes the fish I had brought as a souvenir.
“Sorry to trouble you with this, especially when you’re going through a tough time.”
“I’m leaving the guild, but I’ve received my Hunter qualification.”
“I see. Feel free to come by anytime. You’ll be welcome.”
I then went to Eva to say my thanks for the short time I spent there.
“It’s a shame. What will you do about the Mapper request?”
“I’m currently engaged with other requests, so I can’t take it on for the time being.”
“I see… Given the situation, the Mapper hasn’t shown up, and we can’t move forward with the new labyrinth immediately. If you change your mind, please let us know.”
Even now, hunters are still entering the labyrinth. The skins of Rock Lizards are valuable for making armor, and the demand has increased even under the current circumstances.
“It’s hard to say goodbye to Mii-chan today… Even though we’ve made some new cute friends… Can you bring one with you to the guild?”
“I keep saying this, but Mii-chan is special. If you’re still okay with that, I can look for another one.”
“That’s true… But it was quite a challenge without Mii-chan around… Please find a good one for me.”
“Understood. I’ll look for one when I return from Quart.”
Just as I was about to leave the guild, it turned out to be quite a challenge. The staff wouldn’t let go of Mii-chan and the others…
Perro and Sera were lured by food, Mii-chan by sweet red bean paste, and Lu-kun was physically restrained and didn’t come back. Everyone seemed happy, though.
Mii-chan! Come back!
“Mii~”
Mii-chan, you have red bean paste on your face…
“Mii…”