“That’s enough of the roundabout chatter. Ryouma, you go tighten the security of your store and endure a bit more, then we’ll go deal with the problem.” [Wogan]
“Meaning?” [Ryouma]
“We’re saying that the guys who attacked you will disappear soon.” [Wogan]
“I’ve been doing my own investigations ever since bad rumors of me have been spreading. In the process, I managed to find a good lead as to who it was that was that was spreading the rumors, but unfortunately, just yesterday, we lost track of him. We immediately widened the scope of our search, but the first information we got was a report of you being attacked.” [Taylor]
“We investigated the people who attacked you yesterday, and it seems they just got to this town two days ago. Apparently, someone had informed them that you were a rich kid with a rimel bird. Moreover, it so happens that the person who told them about you matches the appearance of the person we had our eyes on.” [Grisiera]
In other words…
“You’re positive they’re the same person?” [Ryouma]
“The possibility is high. Judging from the rumors he spread before, he probably knows the relationship between us. If he aimed at you too, then he probably wanted us to split our forces in order to protect you, even at the cost of getting attention.” [Grisiera]
“Unless driven by emotions, a person normally wouldn’t follow through with a request to ‘take care’ of a person connected to the duke. It’s the sort of thing one would only do as a last resort.” [Taylor]
“In other words, I was attacked in order to make it easier for him to run?” [Ryouma]
“That’s how it looks to us. But the person we’re dealing with is the sort to pull off a stunt like this and disappear the moment he’s suspected. He probably won’t be coming back anymore. Otherwise, he would have played dumb or laid low for a while. Though it’s possible that he simply didn’t have the leisure to do so, but regardless, we’re not about to just let him escape like this.
This might be a bit misleading, but you’re not just a normal kid. I believe you’re more than strong enough to protect yourself. That’s why I want you to protect your store with all your strength, without relying on others. Meanwhile, we’ll go after the criminals with all of our strength.” [Wogan]
The suspects are hoping that they would split their forces to cover me, so he’s basically saying that we shouldn’t let things develop as they please.
“We’ve already organized a search team to follow their trail with Wereanna’s party, Jeff, and Raypin, an adventurer who can use dimension magic, as the members.” [Wogan]
“Still, the culprits are professionals themselves, so there’s no guarantee that we will be able to catch them… That aside, are you okay, Ryouma? You’ve been quietly listening to us all this time, but what do you think?” [Grisiera]
As Grisiera-san asked me that, I became thoughtful.
“I’d freest like to thoroughly tighten the store’s security.” [Ryouma]
“Don’t worry. We never said we wouldn’t lend any help at all. I’ve talked with Gordon and Cher. They’re not well suited for search jobs, but they’re skilled and also well reputed in this town. They should be able to serve your store well as guards. That guy called Jeff also recommended another trustworthy person, but he’s not registered at the guild, so I can’t give any guarantees.” [Wogan]
So, those two on top of Fei-san and Leelin-san, huh? I don’t know about the guy Jeff-san recommended, but I doubt Jeff-san would recommend someone unskilled. I’ll have to put that guy on hold for the time being, but with this, the store’s security can be upgraded to some extent.
“Carla-san, if we add our cooperation with the guards too, do you think it’ll be enough?” [Ryouma]
“It’s worrying that we don’t know how big the enemy we’re dealing with is, but considering the scope of our store, I think this is more than enough. That aside, what about assigning some guards to protect you?” [Carla]
Not necessary. As for why, it’s because if the enemy is too strong for me to deal with and I have someone with me, then I won’t be able to run. Having someone following me around would just restrict me. I can’t take them with me with my dimension magic either, and it’s hard to just leave them behind. And besides, if I was just going to leave them behind, then I would have just gone on my own and either fought or ran.
“Is the person we’re dealing with human?” [Ryouma]
“There’s a possibility a familiar is being used, but they should still be fundamentally human.” [Taylor]
“In that case, it would be best for me to be alone.” [Ryouma]
There are no monsters on Earth. As such, all of the techniques I trained in were developed with human opponents in mind. Which is to say that the enemies I’m most suited to fight against are human opponents.
“In the past, I did nothing but train with my grandfather, so I specialize in fighting humans or humanoid monsters.” [Ryouma]
“…You do have your achievements behind you…” [Taylor]
“Wogan also seems to vouch for your strength.” [Grisiera]
“Don’t worry, compared to the two of you, I’m a lot better at judging someone’s strength when it comes to fighting.” [Wogan]
Like that our conversation naturally progressed into coming up with a defensive strategy and what to do in case the enemy attacked.
Lastly, Branch Head Taylor handed me two documents.
“‘It is therefore acknowledged that sufficient skills have been proven by taming a slime and a rimel bird…’ What is this?” [Ryouma]
“Those are legal documents proving that I have acknowledged you as a proper monster tamer. The other document clarifies that although your store uses monsters in its business, you are under the management of the merchants guild.” [Taylor]
Apparently, these documents aren’t usually produced because the guild card is more than enough to prove one’s skill, but both documents do have Branch Head Taylor’s signature and stamp, so they might still prove useful later. I should keep them. Or at least, that’s what he told me.
I wonder if the branch head is worried about getting me caught up in this mess.
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