“Well, this turned into more of a situation than I expected.”
Rei muttered the words while sitting in a chair in the 2F meeting room. A guild staff member had ushered them here with a polite request to wait before the evening rush began.
In response to his remark, Elena shrugged her shoulders and turned her gaze toward the three statues standing—or rather, placed—near the door.
It turned out the statues Rei had brought back were members of a party called Sky Bell. The remaining members had already filed a search request with the guild, and Rei had been asked to wait while the staff contacted them immediately.
“But since people’s lives are on the line, it wasn't exactly a wasted trip, was it? Besides, even for you, Rei, you’ll be able to receive a reward now that you’ve technically completed a request.”
Elena sat in her chair with the innate grace of a true Duke's Daughter, her presence adding a touch of elegance to the plain room. However, Rei shook his head slightly.
“Elena, you understand the reality here, don't you? Treating petrification costs a fortune. Whether they hire a recovery magic user or use a magic item, dispelling that state is a high-difficulty task. It requires a massive amount of money. To be honest, if their bonds aren't deep, there’s a good chance a party would just abandon the statues and be done with it. …Am I wrong?”
As he finished speaking, he suddenly directed his voice toward the door. He was addressing a presence that had come up the stairs and stopped outside, peering into the room.
The person on the other side seemed to realize they had been spotted. The door opened, and two people entered. They were a human man and woman, both in their twenties. The man looked like a typical adventurer in leather armor with a longsword, while the woman carried a staff and wore a robe, exuding the distinct aura of a mage.
“…Eek!”
The moment the woman saw Rei… and Elena, she let out a small shriek and recoiled. The man, who had been about to speak, looked dumbfounded by her sudden reaction.
“Hey, Nieve, what’s wrong?”
“Ah… a-ah, a…”
Rei, realizing why the female mage called Nieve was in such a state, spoke to the man.
“You should probably take her back out into the hallway. Fortunately, it seems her ability to sense magic power doesn't reach very far.”
Nieve hadn't shown any signs of distress until she entered the room and saw Rei and Elena directly. Rei’s suggestion came from that observation. Elena nodded in agreement, and the man, prompted by their gazes, led Nieve back outside.
“I’ve heard that having the ability to sense magic power is rare, but we seem to run into them quite often,” Rei noted.
“Is that so? There are certainly those in the army with such gifts, but they are actually quite few in number. Besides, there is a wide range of individual differences in the strength of their perception.”
“Even if the total number is small, I suppose a lot of them use it to become adventurers.”
As they spoke, Nieve appeared to have calmed down. The man returned to the room, bringing her with him.
“Are you all right?” Elena asked with concern. “If you can sense magic power, being in this room must be difficult. You don't need to push yourself.”
“No, I’m fine. You saved my comrades, so please let me thank you. …Thank you very much.”
Nieve bowed. These were the people who had rescued her party members, and she knew they weren't her enemies. By holding onto that thought, she was able to suppress the terror clawing at her heart.
Elena seemed to appreciate the woman's devotion to her friends, as a small smile played on her lips. Both the man and Nieve were momentarily captivated by that smile. Blushing, they hurriedly spoke up.
“Um, we’re truly grateful to you for rescuing our comrades. Thank you. I’m sorry for the late introduction—I’m Mel, the leader of Sky Bell.”
Mel bowed as well, but Rei and Elena wore complicated expressions as they looked at the two of them. If they had saved the party from a direct threat in the dungeon, they would have accepted the gratitude wholeheartedly. However, this time, they had simply recovered three people who were already petrified.
“Please, raise your heads,” Elena said. “While it may be something for you to be grateful for, look closely. The three we rescued were attacked by some kind of monster and turned to stone. To dispel this state…”
It would likely require a massive sum of money. As Elena trailed off, Mel and Nieve shared a small, sad smile. There was grief in their eyes, but there was also a glimmer of hope.
“It's true that I can't use recovery magic,” Nieve said, her voice trembling slightly. “But the fact that they are petrified means there's a way to bring them back, whether by magic or medicine. Compared to searching for three people whose lives were a total mystery, this is a huge relief.”
Nieve spoke with a smile, though tears welled in the corners of her eyes. Her gaze was fixed on the stone statue of an elf, who had been petrified while holding a bow. The look she directed at him wasn't just that of a comrade; it was the look of a woman in love.
I see.
Elena understood the relationship instantly. Mel also let out a sigh of relief, knowing how Nieve had been since the three had gone missing.
“Anyway, thank you for bringing them back. I heard you found them on B14F… could you tell us the details?”
Mel directed his question at Rei, but Rei only gave a small shake of his head.
“Sorry, but when I found them, they were already stone. I guessed it was a Basilisk, but I didn't see the creature. Fortunately, the monster wasn't around, so I just put them in my Item Box and left. That’s all I can tell you.”
“…I see. But why were they on B14F? We all agreed it was still too early for us.”
“May I ask which floor you usually operate on?” Elena inquired.
“Yeah… I mean, you’re our benefactors, so there's no reason to hide it. We usually work on B10F. We reached B15F once, but that was as porters for a senior party. The desert floor was too much for us. That’s why we were sticking to the floor before the desert… Those idiots.”
Mel spat the words out, his voice thick with regret.
“I’m sure they had a reason,” Nieve whispered. “Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone to B14F without saying a word to us.”
“I know that. …But still, missing for a week only to be found as statues.” Mel clenched his fist so hard his nails pierced his palm, and a few drops of blood hit the floor.
“Mel, they’re alive, and that’s what matters. We just have to earn the money to treat them.”
“Yeah. Definitely. I’m going to get them back to normal, hear their excuses, and then I’m going to punch them.”
Watching the two encourage each other, Elena lightly tugged on Rei’s Dragon Robe and glanced toward the door. Understanding her intent, Rei nodded. As they were about to leave, Nieve realized they were moving.
“Ah, wait! Um, regarding the reward for this…”
“We didn't save them for a reward,” Rei said flatly. “I don't need it.”
“He's right,” Elena added. “You’ll need every coin to treat your friends. Rather than paying us for a chance discovery, use it for them. I’ll explain things to the guild staff.”
“But, that’s… after you’ve done so much for us.”
If Rei and Elena had been short on funds, they might have accepted. However, Elena was a Duke's Daughter and a general, and Rei was equally well-off. Between the materials they sold and the massive rewards they had already earned for the Spear Frog and the Antlion, they had no interest in taking money from a struggling party.
…Though, in truth, their frequent snack-buying with Seto did consume a fair amount of capital.
Nieve looked as though she couldn't bear to be so indebted. She was an adventurer, and she felt it was only right to pay for a service. Mel, however, reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.
“…If you ever need anything from us in the future, please say the word. You saved our friends. We will repay this debt no matter what. I’ll make sure these three understand that as well once they’re back.”
“Do whatever you like,” Rei said with a sigh, then walked out of the room with Elena.
Mel and Nieve bowed silently toward their departing backs.
Rei and Elena went back down to the 1F and headed for the counter where the same guild staff member was working. They figured it was better to speak to someone who already knew the context. Byune and Vihera were nowhere to be seen; they had likely already left the guild.
“Ah, Rei-san. Elena-san. Is it about the request?” the woman with the short haircut asked.
“Yeah. We didn't bring them back with the intention of completing a quest, so we’re waiving the reward.”
The staff member looked surprised for a moment, but she quickly nodded. She knew how expensive petrification treatment was. Still, she asked one last time to be sure.
“Are you certain? If you change your minds later, the guild won't be able to pay out.”
“I'm sure. It was a coincidence. We hadn't even accepted the search request in the first place.”
“…Understood. On a personal note, thank you. Truly.”
The staff member bowed deeply. Rei didn't know it, but this woman had started working at the guild around the same time Sky Bell arrived in Exil, and she had become personal friends with them. Her gratitude was sincere.
“We gave up the reward, but things are still going to be hard for them,” Rei commented as they walked away.
“Yes, without a doubt. But having their comrades alive will give them the strength to push through. Besides… Mel will be fine.”
The last part was muttered under her breath, but it reached Rei and Elena’s sharp ears. Rei only gathered that the staff member was worried about Mel, but Elena saw more. Reflecting on Nieve's behavior in the meeting room, she thought to herself.
It seems human relationships are complicated everywhere. Though, I suppose it's natural for guild receptionists and adventurers to grow close.
In that moment, the image of a certain cat beastman receptionist at the Gilm guild flashed through Elena's mind—specifically, the one she had seen through Iero's memories. Perhaps seeing the fox beastman woman in Sky Bell had triggered the thought.
“Elena, what’s wrong?”
“…Nothing. I was just thinking. Don't worry about it.”
Elena snapped back to reality, but she was clearly in a bit of a foul mood. Rei, unable to fathom why, could only tilt his head in confusion.
The guild staff member watched them with a small smile before turning back to the room. Evening was approaching, and the guild was filling up with returning adventurers. Lines were already forming at the other purchase counters.
“Well, it’s getting busy, so I should get back to work. Thank you again for everything today.”
She bowed one last time, and Rei and Elena finally stepped out of the guild.