Volume 2 - CH 19

Act 2-19: March Toward Despair 5(Side: Ilsa Harnisch)

The management of Barse’s hunter guild listened to Hook’s story. After Hook finished what he had to say, the leaders heaved deep sighs.

「So, greenhorns like you guys managed to reach that ancient ruin by relying on a pendant a suspicious man gave to you…」

A small, yet muscular man muttered while stroking his beard and sighing. His name was Ralph Excel, and he was the guild master of Barse city’s hunter guild.

「Moreover, to think that you were stupid enough to approach that mountain of gold.」

Another man who was part of management groaned while covering his face with his right hand. His reaction was natural. If something was left in a dungeon or a ruin, it was for A REASON. But those things would normally not be left in a conspicuous place that could be found so easily. If a proper treasure hunter had gone to that ancient ruin, they wouldn’t have taken any of the treasures left in an open place like that.

「Nothing we say now will change the current situation. We have to think about what to do next.」

Guild Master Ralph said so.

「Who’s the black-robed man who gave that pendant to Raiga?」

The staff member with bobbed hair voiced the question that had appeared in everyone’s mind.

「Well, they might be someone from an underworld organization or the demon race. Both aren’t decent, after all.」

「Isn’t their goal to summon that Pazuzu guy?」

One of the management staff with a short mustache asked Ralph with a meek expression.

「It should be. Whichever it is, they all seem dangerous to me. We can’t let that suspicious person continue his dangerous activities anymore. Start searching for that suspicious person in Barse city immediately!」

「Understood! Please give the instruction for all hunters to immediately track them!」

「Yes!」

The staff members of the hunter guild left the room as soon as the guild master gave them the instructions.

「Well then, Guild Master, this is a grave situation. Shall we call C-class hunters and above to resolve this crisis?」

Ralph nodded at the suggestion of one of the guild staff members.

「Yeah. Let’s call them. What about the disaster level? Shall we make this a city-level disaster?」

「Yes. Although I don’t think it’s gonna be a big deal as Wolfman happens to be standing by too, please do, just in case.」

Each management staff member gave their approval to the guild master’s plan.

As a side note, hunter disaster levels are separated into six stages. From the least dangerous to the most dangerous, they are—

1st Stage: Serial Murderer-Level― A threat level where a few people might lose their lives.

2nd Stage: Restricted City-Level― A threat level that might cause partial destruction of the city.

3rd Stage: City-Level― A threat level that might cause total destruction of the city.

4th Stage: Region-Level― A threat level that might cause total destruction of several cities.

5th Stage: Country-Level― A threat level that might cause the downfall of a country.

6th Stage: Global-Level― A threat level that might threaten the entire world.

The current threat level was still the 3rd stage, city-level, a threat that might bring the downfall of a city. In short, the situation of Barse city’s hunter guild was serious.

Suddenly, a staff member tumbled into the guild master’s office.

「B-B-BAD NEWS!」

「What is it this time?」

One of the management staff members asked with a frown, but the newcomer ignored them. He just looked at the guild master while pointing toward the easter gate direction with his right hand.

「IT’S A MONSTER STAMPEDE! There are monsters that inhabit the deepest region of the forest. Some never-seen-before monsters are also there in the stampede!」

「W-WHAT?」

All of the staff members stood up at once as they heard that shocking report.

In the first place, one of the reasons the exploration of the temple hadn’t advanced that much was the monster that lived deep in the forest. Moreover, the story about an exploration team composed of B-class adventurers being wiped out by the monsters in the deepest part of the forest was famous in Barse city.

「Are you kidding me! Do you mean disaster-level monsters are coming out in swarms?」

One of the B-class adventurers present in the meeting along with me shouted with disbelief.

「RAISE THE ‘DISASTER-LEVEL’ TO ‘REGION-LEVEL’ AT ONCE! We’re going to prioritize the evacuation of the citizens! Send someone to tell Wolfman about this situation and ask for his cooperation!」

The guild master gave his order to raise the disaster level at once.

「Wolfman has already left to fight the monsters! Amelia kingdom’s knight leader, Arnold, is also cooperating with us!」

Everyone heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing that report.

The S-class hunter Wolfman was famous for his bravery.

He had received harsh discrimination in this kingdom since he was born from a human and a beastman. However, he had overturned the prejudice with his unrivaled physical strength. He had saved many people from the crisis. As someone who is used to hearing his heroic legends ever since I was a rookie myself, I couldn’t help but feel extremely relieved upon hearing that Wolfman was with us.

Moreover, we even have the backing of the knight leader Arnold, who is famous for being the strongest swordsman in this kingdom. He is comparable to an S-class hunter.

There is no greater fortune than having the two of them in this Barse city right now.

「Yosh, now we’ll split our personnel into three teams: subjugation team, refugee team, and investigation team! Only B-class hunters and above are eligible to join the subjugation team! Lastly, the first floor of this guild will become the emergency headquarters for this incident!」

The limit imposed on the members of the subjugation team was natural since we would only create meaningless sacrifices if low-class hunters were to fight monsters that came out from the depth of the forest.

「「「YES SIR!」」」

The staff members replied by placing their right fists on their chests.

「T-That sounds too much to be true though…」

「STOP THE USELESS CHIT-CHAT, AND DO YOUR JOB! We’re running out of time!」

The guild master scolded the staff members who sounded like they were hesitating. The guild master wasn’t the kind of man who would raise his voice at his subordinates like this in a normal situation. It showed that he was on the edge too.

「I GOT A MESSAGE from knight leader Arnold! He said, ‘Recall Princess Rosemary’s royal guard, Kai Heineman, from Luserhall as soon as possible!」

The room broke into turmoil the moment the messenger finished speaking.

「ILSA! The one called Kai Heineman should be the newbie hunter who’s attending the sacred martial arts tournament, right? Is he actually Princess Rose’s royal guard?」

An A-class hunter approached me and asked that question.

「I-I also have no idea about that! This is the first time I’m hearing about this matter!」

Kai Heineman is Princess Rosemary’s royal guard? Does that mean the pink-haired girl who goes along with Kai Heineman is Her Highness, Princess Rosemary?

No, keeping that aside, a royalty’s royal guard is akin to the strongest martial artist, and someone who has gained trust from the royalty on top of that. No matter how talented Kai Heineman is, it’s way too reckless for Her Highness to choose someone hailed as incompetent to be her royal guard. This development is way beyond my expectations.

「Forget that trivial matter! Is Kai Heineman really that strong?」

「Far stronger than Knight Leader Arnold!」

The room went into another uproar when everyone heard the messenger’s immediate reply.

「I agree with Arnold in this regard. Although I’ve only seen him fight once, even I know that his strength is in a whole other dimension.」

「B-But, his average stat value is 1.」

Mia spoke with a rather impatient voice. It seems she feels some sort of attachment to Kai Heineman. Well, his weak appearance can invoke the motherly side of a woman to protect him. That might be why he could pluck Mia’s heartstrings.

「In my opinion, he has an item that can suppress his strength. I realized this after seeing him fight. It’s abnormal for a master of martial arts like him to only have average stats of value 1. Knight Leader Arnold might have also arrived at the same conclusion as me.」

「The grandson of Elm, is it?」

The guild master, Ralph, shut his eyes and crossed his arms as he muttered those words.

「Anyone acquainted with Kai Heineman, come forward!」

Then, he stood from his seat and gave this order.

「T-Then, I wi―」

I couldn’t finish my reply.

「FOOL! You’re part of the subjugation team. No matter how strong Kai Heineman is, if the city falls first, it’s like putting the carriage before the horse!」

「That’s true, but who will go then? The people who know him are―」

「PLEASE, Let us inform him!!」

Raiga and Hook prostrated themselves on the floor as they begged us to allow them to do this job.

「Uhm, you guys?」

「I’M DEFINITELY GOING TO CALL HIM BACK! My foolishness has caused my comrades’ deaths! I-I… I won’t be able to forgive myself if I just tremble in fear without doing anything to amend for my foolishness!!」

That’s difficult. I mean, Kai Heineman’s impression of Raiga is the worst. In the worst situation where Raiga fails to bring back Kai Heineman, even if he doesn’t die, the citizens and the hunters will become victims. That’s something everyone here wants to avoid at all costs.

「As expected, Guild Master, let me―」

「Good! I’ll leave this matter to you guys. You’ve to depart immediately!」

Dammit! The Guild Master has no idea about the incident that happened between Kai Heineman and Raiga. Raiga had insulted Kai Heineman in public. And he didn’t do that as a joke; it was a pure insult. You think Kai Heineman’s gonna believe the words of someone who had insulted him like that!

「RAIGA, HOOK, we place our hopes on you!」

Guild Master spoke in a loud voice as he looked at them with an extremely serious expression.

「Yes!」

「Definitely!」

Although their current condition could only be described as tattered and messy, they stood at once and left the room.

Naturally, I could pretty much guess by looking at Guild Master’s face that this would be the end of their careers as hunters. However, Barse’s current fate depended on them.

「Guild Master, just now―」

「I know! Sorry! Mia, can you go along with them? Just in case!」

「YES SIR!」

As expected of Guild Master. He knows what I’m worried about. Since that’s the case, there’s no need to worry about this matter.

「I’ll leave this matter to you, Mia!」

「Yes!」

Mia followed the two hunters who were leaving the room as if she were accepting her fate.

「EVERYONE, PREPARE TO SORTIE NOW!」

We left the room at once with the signal from Guild Master.