“Hehe, my apologies for summoning you so suddenly. But a situation has arisen where I simply must borrow your strength.”
Rei involuntarily caught his breath at the sight of the woman smiling bewitchingly before him.
She had brown skin, pointed ears, and silver hair cascading down her back. Her body was clad in an elegant evening dress, the kind one might wear to a high-society party. Because she was seated at her office desk reviewing documents, her body was naturally positioned lower than Rei’s, making the deep cleavage between her generous, swelling breasts all the more prominent. Her smooth, dark skin and supple curves seemed almost designed to draw a man’s gaze, much like a flower secreting nectar to attract insects. Being a Dark Elf, Rei couldn't guess her exact age, but judging by her appearance in human years, she exuded the ripened sensuality of a woman in her mid-twenties.
“—!?”
However, just as Rei’s gaze began to drift toward that enchanting valley, the image of Elena’s unsmiling face flashed through his mind. He immediately shook his head and tore his eyes away from the alluring sight.
The Dark Elf woman showed a flicker of surprise at the massive magic power she sensed from him, but she quickly masked it with a smile and spoke.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard quite a lot about your reputation. I am Marina Alianza, the Guild Master of the City of Gilm’s Adventurer’s Guild. And, as you’ve clearly noticed, I am also a Dark Elf. It is a pleasure to have you here.”
Having been formally introduced, Rei finally focused on Marina’s face.
Her features were refined and beautiful, and her almond-shaped eyes carried a sense of deep wisdom characteristic of the Elf-kin.
Dark Elves. Originally, they shared the same ancestry as Elves, but they were a race that had specialized in combat. Legend said that because of this path, they had lost the blessing of the spirits, and their appearance had shifted from the fair skin and golden hair of the Elves to brown skin and silver hair.
That being said, there was no particular animosity between Elves and Dark Elves. In the ancient past—ages so distant it was foolish to even count them, even before the era of Zephyle—the two races had been at odds. Now, however, those old grudges were long forgotten, and they associated freely. If anything, given their shared long lifespans, they were often closer to each other than they were to humans.
Facing the smile of Marina—a Dark Elf possessing a lifespan far longer than a human’s, along with exceptional magic power and combat ability—Rei gave a small nod and spoke.
“I’m Rei. I’m registered as a D-Rank adventurer at this guild. ...To get straight to the point, what do you need from me?”
Realizing he was speaking to a Guild Master, the head of a major organization, Rei attempted to use a more formal, polite tone instead of his usual direct way of speaking.
The moment Marina heard him, the faint smile vanished from her lips, and she turned her gaze toward Lenora.
“Lenora, you’re dismissed. I imagine things downstairs are getting quite hectic because of this situation. Please go and help out.”
“Understood. If you’ll excuse me.”
Lenora bowed slightly at Marina’s command and left the room.
Once the door closed, Marina turned her deep green eyes back to Rei.
“The guilds use magic items to stay in contact with one another. Are you familiar with that?”
“Yes. I remember being told about it regarding bounties when I first arrived in this city.”
“Then this will be quick. The fact is, we’ve received a rescue request from the guild of another city. An emergency request, specifically.”
“...Is this city close to Gilm?”
Rei wondered if a nearby settlement was being attacked by a monster horde—perhaps something like the orc settlement he had dealt with before. If that were the case, it would make sense to request help from Gilm, a city known for its elite adventurers due to the constant proximity of the frontier's threats.
However, Marina shook her head slightly.
“No, it’s quite far. Even for a seasoned adventurer pushing themselves to the limit, it would take about ten days one way.”
“...Why would a city that far away send a rescue request specifically to Gilm?”
“Exactly. Furthermore, the city in question is ruled by a lord from the Noble’s Faction. Normally, they would never dream of sending a plea for help to a guild in a territory ruled by Margrave Larkus, a central figure of the Neutral Faction.”
Rei’s cheek twitched.
According to the rules he’d heard before, the guild was supposed to be an organization entirely independent of political power.
“I thought the guild was independent from the state.”
Marina didn't hesitate; she had clearly expected the question.
“Technically, yes. Between guild and guild, there shouldn't be an issue... or at least, it shouldn't be a major diplomatic incident. But the circumstances are different this time. This rescue request was issued based on the explicit wishes of the acting lord of that city.”
“Is that allowed? He’s only the acting lord, not the actual lord, right?”
“That is how desperate they are. Of course, I’ve already consulted Margrave Larkus about this, and he’s instructed me to respond with the highest priority.”
“So it’s that dire. ...May I ask what exactly is happening?”
“Of course. In fact, I need you to know the details, as your cooperation is absolutely vital. And you don’t need to force yourself to speak so politely. I don’t know about other Guild Masters, but I’ve never cared for that sort of thing. Just speak as you usually do.”
“...That helps. Then I’ll do that.”
Rei nodded, visibly relieved to drop the formal act.
As Marina watched him, she pulled out a small bottle about five centimeters tall. It contained a fine powder.
“What’s this?”
“Aurani Grass powder. It’s a medicine used to treat a specific plague. The herb only grows in lands saturated with high concentrations of magic power.”
“...A plague?”
“Yes. Magic Fever. Normally, it’s a disease found only in warm, humid regions where people don't need long sleeves even in the winter. For some reason, it has broken out and spread explosively in the City of Baar, even though winter is nearly upon us.”
“Magic Fever?”
At the sound of the name, Rei searched through Zephyle's knowledge.
Fortunately, the disease had existed even in Zephyle's time, so it wasn't difficult to find information.
It was a type of fever that affected those with magic power below a certain threshold. Conversely, those with sufficient magic power were naturally immune.
However, the threshold for infection varied depending on the environment, meaning someone safe in one region might be susceptible in another. It was almost exclusively a tropical disease.
Once infected, the patient's magic power would gradually be drained over time. They would die once their magic power was completely exhausted, making it a highly lethal disease. The symptom essentially meant the patient was using their own life-force to resist the illness until they ran out.
The primary cure was medicine made from Aurani Grass powder, which could restore a patient to health in a single night.
The incubation period was roughly a week; if the symptoms didn't manifest by then, the patient’s own magic power would naturally destroy the source of the infection.
After retrieving this information from Zephyle's memories, Rei frowned.
“You’re right. At this time of year... or rather, in this entire region, Magic Fever shouldn't be possible.”
“Precisely. Which is why the City of Baar didn't have any Aurani Grass powder in stock. There was no reason for them to have it.”
“But for some reason, the fever broke out anyway.”
“Yes. And it just so happens that the closest land with high magic power to the City of Baar is right here in Gilm.”
“The Forest of Magic,” Rei realized.
He thought of the grasslands he had visited to hunt the Gamelion. Even though it was winter, the grass there didn't wither—a phenomenon Hasta had attributed to the influence of the Forest of Magic.
“Correct. Because of that, this city fortunately has a decent supply of Aurani Grass powder. It’s primarily used for Magic Fever medicine, but it’s occasionally used as an alchemy material as well.”
Rei looked at the bottle in Marina’s hand and nodded. He finally understood why she had summoned him.
“I see. So that’s why you told me to bring Seto along. Basically, you want me to transport this Aurani Grass powder to the City of Baar?”
“That’s it. You have an Item Box, so you can carry any amount of cargo without it being a burden. More importantly, since you have a Gryphon as a tamed monster, your travel speed is far beyond anyone else in this city.”
“One question. Is this a nomination request?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Then I can expect a fitting reward, I assume?”
As if she had predicted his words, Marina turned her gaze toward the wall of the office.
Hanging there was a single spear. Its shaft and blade were both a deep, vibrant green, nearly the color of a dense forest.
“...That’s no ordinary spear, is it?”
Rei couldn't sense magic power, but he felt an undeniable pull toward the weapon. What was strange was that despite how striking it was, he hadn't even noticed it until Marina pointed it out.
Marina smiled and nodded at his reaction.
“Good eye. That is a magic item. A very powerful one. Rei, I’ve heard you use a magic item that takes the form of a great scythe for close combat, but you often throw spears for long-range attacks. For a fighter like you, I doubt you could find a more perfect match.”
“What does it do, specifically?”
“Hold on a moment. It’ll be faster to show you than to explain.”
Smiling, she rose from her chair and walked to the wall. Her evening dress was boldly backless, emphasizing the supple, alluring curves of her dark skin.
Rei struggled slightly with where to look, but Marina paid him no mind as she took down the spear. She handled it as if it were weightless, giving it a light test swing.
A sharp whoosh cut through the air, the sound itself proving the weapon had considerable weight.
A standard spear weighs about five kilograms, but she’s clearly a combat-trained Dark Elf, Rei thought. To swing something that heavy so effortlessly with those slender arms.
He watched with genuine interest as Marina prepared to demonstrate.
“Ready? Watch closely.”
She whispered, gripped the spear with both hands, and delivered a swift thrust.
The thrust wasn't at full speed, likely so Rei could clearly see the effect.
“...What the?”
Rei gasped, his eyes fixed on the spearhead.
From the tip of the spear that had pierced the empty air, several vines covered in sharp thorns sprouted instantly. They wriggled through the air for a few seconds before vanishing like a mirage.
Seeing Rei’s genuine astonishment, Marina gave a small smile as she explained.
“The name of this magic item is the Thorn Spear. As you just saw, when magic power is channeled into it, thorns grow from the tip to entangle and bind the enemy. I showed it to you in a way that was easy to see, but normally you would activate it after the spearhead has pierced your target, locking them in place. You should keep in mind that it is strictly for restraint. For example, if the spear is lodged inside someone's body, you can't make the thorns grow to shred them from the inside. ...Though, the thorns are sharp enough to lacerate the skin while they’re being held.”
“Can I trigger the thorns even if I’m not holding the spear? Like, if I throw it and it hits an enemy, can I make the vines sprout then?”
“Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't call it the perfect reward for you. The duration of the vines depends on how much magic power you put into the spear, so you’ll have to get a feel for that through practice.”
Rei smiled. A magic item that could be thrown to pin an enemy in place was incredibly valuable to him.
A magic item with an effect like that is more than enough for a reward. And since the plague doesn't affect people with high magic power, I should be safe. ...Wait, I should confirm one more thing.
He looked from the Thorn Spear back to Marina.
“About this Magic Fever in Baar... is the entire population infected?”
“No, only those with low magic power. Right now, that’s about forty percent of the residents. ...Though I must emphasize that’s only 'right now.'”
Forty percent of the city. And only those with low magic power are vulnerable, which matches the knowledge I have, Rei thought. That means the risk of me catching it is practically zero. I’ll just have to deliver the medicine, stay for a week until the source—the bacteria or whatever it is—dies out, and then head back.
He looked at the magic item one last time and gave a firm nod.
“Alright. I’ll take the job.”