NOVEL WEB Chapter 73 - Side Story: Gilnandio 2
Side Story: Gilnandio 2
After I carried Meg back to the infirmary, I wanted to stay by her side, but Saura called for me. It seemed like an important matter, so it couldn’t be helped. And when I arrived at the guest room, the usual members were already gathered there.
Saura, Kei, Ludo, Nika, and myself. Schlie was currently on an expedition, but these seven, including the Don, were the founding members of the guild. And they were still the core members.
“Time is precious, so I’ll get straight to the point. Juma… hasn’t come back.”
Saura’s first words left everyone speechless. Juma? It was true that he was careless and free-spirited, but it was inconceivable that he’d be away from the guild for days without any contact. Naturally, we assumed something had happened after he’d gone after Epink.
“Since that day, right? He said he was going dragon hunting after he was done… but maybe that’s not what happened?”
Kei, narrowing their red eyes behind their glasses, asked this. They probably already knew the answer, but this was for confirmation. Saura nodded.
“I told him to come back once he’d followed Epink to Nemo’s home base, or to at least report back if he wasn’t. But we haven’t heard from him at all. …Well, he seemed stressed lately, so it’s very possible that he’s on a rampage, following his instincts. But it’s still taking too long.”
There was definitely something wrong, a minor issue, or a major one. Even if it wasn’t a big deal, we needed to confirm it, so we had to track him down immediately. It was Juma we were talking about, I wasn’t really concerned about his safety. He was number one in terms of attack power and resilience, but there were still countless ways to incapacitate him. Always consider the worst-case scenario. It was common sense in the guild.
“Should I go after him?”
I was the best at tracking people. So, I offered, but…
“…No. I need you to protect Meg-chan. It’s true that your abilities are best suited for this task, but we can’t get our priorities mixed up.”
I couldn’t argue with Saura. Judging from Epink’s words, it was highly likely that Meg would be targeted again. I was relieved, of course. Because I was her father now.
“So, Nika and Kei will go this time.”
“Ooh, I can track him with my sense of smell! Leave it to me.”
“And I can do the tailing and investigation that Veronika’s bad at. I’ll accept this.”
I see, those two would be able to do what I couldn’t. And in this situation, with multiple enemies, it was best to avoid acting alone. In the worst-case scenario, one of them would act as a decoy while the other reported back to the guild. If I was incapacitated while acting alone, it would be a problem.
And while Ludo was primarily a doctor, and Saura specialized in traps, the guild was understaffed this time. We did have our magic specialists, our mid-level trio, but I wasn’t sure if we could rely on them if it came to close combat.
“Take a shadow bird with you. So you can contact us anytime. One bird shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Ooh, thanks, Gil.”
“How far can it go?”
I thought about Kei’s question. Nemo’s home base was in the northern part of Sainsley, if I remember correctly. It was west of Lilthorley, across Centrei, a large country. One shadow bird… and I needed to conserve my power for Meg’s protection…
“To the Sainsley border. Anywhere within Centrei is fine.”
“…You know how vast Centrei is…? Well, I’m sure you do.”
“Gilnandio, you have a frightening amount of magic power, as always.”
“…It’s nothing compared to the Don.”
“Hmm… I don’t think you should compare yourself to him.”
That being said, he was my goal. It was said that his abilities weren’t obtained through effort, but it was still up to him whether he used them or not. I believed that the Don was as powerful as the Demon King, the strongest being in the world, because he understood, accepted, and mastered his own abilities.
Utilizing your innate abilities through effort. That was true talent, wasn’t it? I didn’t think innate abilities were, in themselves, talents.
That was one of the things I’d learned from the Don. Thanks to him, I was able to acknowledge my own shortcomings and strive for more.
I’d probably never surpass the Don. But because of that, I could continue chasing after him, continue to grow. I believed that.
“It seems like I’ll be of little use this time. Sorry to leave everything to you.”
“Don’t worry about it! Most of our heavy hitters are gone. And Gil’s prioritizing Meg-chan, so the guild’s defense is in Ludo’s hands.”
We usually made sure to have at least three capable guild members at the home base. It was usually Kei, Schlie, Juma, and Nika who handled it. I was often away, and this time, Meg’s safety was my priority. I couldn’t be on the frontlines. Ludo was primarily a doctor, and Saura specialized in traps, so the home base was definitely understaffed. We did have our magic specialists, but I wasn’t sure if we could rely on them if it came to close combat.
“I see. Then I’ll focus on monitoring this town, with the guild at its center. The medical team should be fine with Maryla, Reki, who’s been improving lately, and the other skilled personnel.”
So, firstly, we needed to see if there were any suspicious activities in the area. Ludo was the best suited for that. His threads were troublesome for enemies, but incredibly reassuring for allies. Only someone on the Don’s level could slip past Ludo’s surveillance.
“I’ll review and reinforce the traps I have set up throughout the guild. It should be safe inside, but… We have to protect Meg-chan at all costs. The Don entrusted her to us because he trusts us.”
That’s right. He’d said that Meg was someone they also had to protect. And yet, they hadn’t done anything, just left the guild to us. They must have sensed how much we cared about Meg and decided it would be fine. It meant we couldn’t afford to be careless. Not that I was planning to.
“I’ll be with Meg at all times. Is her room ready?”
“Hmhm! It’s all set! It’s such a cute room! Of course, security is top-notch! And I connected it to your room with a door.”
Meg’s room, which we’d been preparing since she arrived, was finally complete. She was still a child, but she still needed some time alone, and we needed a place where she could wait safely while we worked. We’d received permission to move her out of the infirmary, as she’d been calmly drawing in her sleep after her nightly episodes of “sleepwalking,” without any screaming or crying. And since her room was connected to mine, I could reach her immediately if anything happened. Carter had done a good job.
“So! You all know what to do, right? And Nika, Kei… Don’t push yourselves if you sense danger. Promise me.”
“Hmm, I’ll try.”
“Gahaha! That’s a tough one! Well, I’ll try to at least survive!”
And so, the meeting ended. We all went back to our rooms. I headed for the infirmary.
I’d show Meg around her room when she woke up. The thought of her surprised expression brought a smile to my face.