“As always, it’s nothing but trees, nya~. I hate this floor; it’s so hard to walk in, nya.”
“Eh? But Rache-san, you were the one who insisted we call you if we went exploring, weren't you?”
“I know that, nya! The forest is a pain, but it's still heaven compared to paperwork, nya!”
We had returned once again to the forest terrain of the Tenth Floor. Our objective, of course, was to find the place where the Mystery Key could be used.
Rache-san, who had looked haggard just a short while ago, now seemed to have completely recovered her energy. I’d worried there might be lingering effects from hearing a voice that sounded like Garnalava, but it seemed the true culprit was indeed the paperwork. I’d had Halfa sing her Song of Soothing just in case, so she should be fine now.
Since I’d used the Item-finding Rod near the stairs leading to the lower floors last time, I checked it again immediately after descending from the ninth floor.
“Hmm, I see.”
By triangulating the direction from two different points, I managed to pinpoint the approximate location. The target should be at the intersection of the lines extending from my observation points—assuming, of course, there was only one possible destination.
“Geh?! It’s around there, nya? Ugh, nya...”
“Eh? Is there a problem?”
“I wonder, nya~...? In a way, yes, nya.”
It seemed Rache-san had a good idea of where we were headed. Apparently, that area was an open clearing centered around a large spring. Because of the terrain, it served as one of the primary campsites for this floor.
“Um... what exactly is the problem?”
Was it that having other adventurers see us would be bad? If we intended to keep the key a secret, that would certainly be inconvenient. I’d never heard of monsters dropping keys before, and I couldn't predict what would happen when we used it. Perhaps the Adventurer's Guild wanted to keep their options open regarding whether or not to make the discovery public, especially if something dangerous occurred.
While I was considering the political implications, Rache-san’s answer was far more practical.
“That site is frequently used by those guys in the Gurna Warrior Group, nya! They’re so stifling, nya! I wonder if they're there right now, nya...?”
The Gurna Warrior Group was the organization that Masso-san, whom I’d met on this floor before, belonged to. The moment Lowell heard the name, he choked. Even though we hadn't arrived yet, his eyes were already darting left and right as if scouting the perimeter for an ambush.
“...From that look on your face, I take it they tried to recruit you too, Lowell-nya?”
“Yeah...”
“It's not like they force you to join, nya~... but I really wish someone could do something about that suffocating atmosphere, nya.”
“Yeah...”
The two of them stared into the empty void, looking haunted. Hmm, it looks like they’ve really had it rough. I’m glad I have a constitution that doesn't put on muscle.
“What should we do? Should we call it off?”
“N-No, I won’t stop, nya! If I go back now, it’s straight back to paperwork hell, nya! I’m stalling for as long as I can, nya!”
I’m pretty sure the work just piles up more the longer you stall... Well, if Rache-san was motivated, I had no objection. As for Lowell... he had the expression of a hero harboring a tragic, silent determination. At any rate, the plan remained unchanged.
While defeating monsters like Soldier Ants along the way, we finally reached the campsite near our destination. In terms of timing, people were just beginning to prepare for the night. Some were pitching tents, while others were gathering dry wood for fires. There were far more people than I’d expected, all busy with their chores. And almost every single one of them was wearing short sleeves and shorts, as if solely to flaunt their muscles.
“Ah... it’s definitely them, nya.”
“So it would seem...” Rache-san and Lowell groaned in unison.
With those physiques, there was no doubt—they were the members of the Gurna Warrior Group.
Thinking back, since we had the Magic House, we really should have just spent the night somewhere else. I couldn't exactly use it for just our party while on the road with Rache-san, so I had even prepared a room for her inside. Since the Warrior Group would likely be away from the camp during the day, we could have explored then without meeting them. No, wait, it wasn't too late. The Warrior Group had noticed us, but they hadn't called out yet. If we just managed to avoid being spotted by Masso-san, we might be able to sneak away—
“Oh! If it isn’t the young men from before! And the Rampaging Cat to boot!”
Unfortunately, I was too slow to act. When I turned toward the familiar voice, Masso-san was standing there, strike a pose.
“Who are you calling a ‘Rampaging Cat,’ nya?! You’re incredibly rude, nya!”
“Hahaha! My apologies. I suppose you didn't care for that title. In that case, I shall devise a new one for you! Hmm... how does ‘Reliable Muscle Cat’ sound?”
“It sounds terrible, nya! I’d rather be the Rampaging Cat than that, nya!”
It seemed "Rampaging Cat" was Rache-san’s alias. I suppose you get those once you reach A-Rank, though she clearly found it unpleasant.
As fellow adventurers active in Aingurna, it seemed the two of them were old acquaintances. In fact, Masso-san was also an A-Rank adventurer. Apparently, he had even been one of the candidates considered for the position of Acting Guild Master.
“So, what brings you all here? By any chance, have you come to join our—”
“Not a chance, nya! You’re dreaming with your eyes open, nya.”
As expected of Rache-san. She was clearly used to his recruitment pitches and shut him down before he could even finish the sentence. How reliable.
“That is a shame. But why is Rache here in the first place? What happened to your duties as Guild Master?”
“Nya?! This is... an investigation, nya! We found a mysterious key, so as Guild Master, I had to personally come down to ensure it wasn't dangerous, nya!”
Rache-san explained with a flustered air. It was a very suspicious-sounding excuse. Most people would have just been exasperated by her obvious attempt to dodge work, but Masso-san’s reaction was unexpectedly dramatic.
“...Hoh. A key, you say? I believe you should tell me more about that.”
His eyes narrowed into a glare, his voice dropping to a low, emotionless rumble. Suddenly, an intense pressure radiated from him—something far more suffocating than the mere heat of his muscles. There was no mistake: he was trying to intimidate us.
Just what was going on?