Level Eater

They ascended to the second floor and were led deeper and deeper into the room indicated by a sign that read "Guild Master's Chamber." While they were both paying attention to this, Katezina knocked on the door.

"I am Katezina Rysak. Mr. Joel Wickham said that the two of you were coming to visit, so I have brought you in. May we enter?" she asked.

"—Ah, sure, come in," came the reply, not from the elderly guild master, Obsul, but from a voice with a clear and weighty tone.

Upon hearing this, Katezina immediately opened the door and ushered the two inside.

"Oh, you're the adventurers who caught those thieves! I am Joel Wickham, the one responsible for managing this town. So, may I hear your names again?" he asked.

"I'm Tatsuro Hasami."

"I'm Ai Yashiki."

"I see, I see. Well, enough of the standing around have a seat here," said a considerably overweight man, in stark contrast to the stern voice from earlier. He had two guards in armor standing behind him. He had an air of sophistication, making him appear as the guild master, and he gestured for them to sit in the empty chairs.

It seemed that this man was the mayor.

Despite feeling overwhelmed by the mayor's unusually high energy, Tatsuro and Ai sat down in front of Joel and the guild master as requested.

After Katezina made some tea and left, Tatsuro inquired, "So, Mayor, it seems you have something to discuss with us. May we hear what it is?"

"Oh, yes, indeed. You must be busy as well, so let's get right to the point. Is that alright, Zan?"

"Oh, I have no issue with that," replied guild master.

The two had a history together as he casually interacted with the mayor's friendly demeanor.

"First and foremost, as the mayor, I must express my gratitude. I never expected such a group to be near our town. Neglecting my surroundings due to my busy schedule is truly regrettable. The adventurer guild has a reward waiting, so be sure to collect it later," the mayor said.

"A reward, you say? Well then, we'll gratefully accept it" (Tatsuro).

They accepted it without hesitation, understanding it was not a form of charity.

‘Perhaps this will cover our lodging expenses,' Tatsuro thought. ‘I'm not sure how expensive it is to stay in a blacksmith town, and having some cash on hand here will be quite useful.'

While contemplating their financial situation, they nodded satisfactorily at the mayor's words.

Tatsuro had been curious about the mayor's earlier preamble when he mentioned the reward.

"Now, moving on, according to your account, there are other bandits within the territory of Lyadas. Is that correct?" the mayor asked.

"It seems so. We encountered them not only between Obsul and Tofas but we also had two separate skirmishes near Lyadas. Furthermore, they seem to have some connection with Tofas' guards so that it might be a rather large operation" (Tatsuro)

"Hmm… I have heard similar reports from my subordinates, but it's hard to believe all of a sudden. I can't imagine the mayor of Tofas would turn a blind eye to this," the mayor remarked.

"We have no concrete evidence. We merely relayed what the bandits told us, so we can't be certain if it's true or not" (Tatsuro)

"I see. We are currently interrogating on that matter so that we will find out eventually. Now," the mayor continued, shifting his tone, his face growing more serious.

Tatsuro felt that this was where the real issue would be discussed, and he sat up straight in anticipation. Meanwhile, Ai, looking bored, played with his hand beneath the table.

"Currently, we are considering mobilizing troops to deal with the bandits. Among those you captured, some individuals were formerly part of the military. It seems that one of them was in command, and we expect the enemy's strength to be quite formidable," the mayor explained.

"So, you want us to join in?" (Tatsuro)

"Hmm? No, no, while your help would be reassuring, this is the responsibility of my soldiers and I, who have been entrusted to manage this town. I hate to put it this way, but you are an outsiders. I don't intend to involve you in this matter," the mayor replied.

Tatsuro was initially worried about being coerced into aiding in killing people, but it seemed his concerns were unfounded. However, he was now uncertain about what the mayor wanted them to do.

Perhaps sensing this uncertainty, the mayor looked at Tatsuro and continued, "I would like to make a request of you as adventurers. Of course, it's a job befitting adventurers."

"And what might that be?" (Tatsuro)

"There have been some complications due to the mobilization of troops to deal with the bandits. Um, where was it…? Zan, could you please provide the details?" the mayor said.

"…It seems that the Depris, a bee-like creature, has established a nest in a place called the Bupron Wetlands. They are causing problems, and we would like you to destroy their nest and eliminate the Depris. As I mentioned earlier, our elite forces are tied up with the bandit operation, and we can't afford to assign this task to lower-ranking soldiers," Zan explained.

It appeared to be a request for monster extermination. While it was more comfortable and less risky than dealing with people, the concern was the level of danger involved.

"Are these monsters really that dangerous?" (Tatsuro)

"They are dangerous in a sense, but they dislike fire. If you keep fire around you, they won't approach initially," Zan replied.

"Initially?" (Tatsuro)

"Yes. However, the moment you harm their nest, they will attack anyone, regardless of who they are. The severity of the damage depends on how you handle the situation from there," Zan clarified.

Given the patterns of monsters they had encountered so far, Tatsuro imagined that these Depris were likely larger than regular bees. He also considered the possibility of a large swarm of these creatures. It wasn't the kind of request that two people could handle easily.

"Why are you asking us for this? Wouldn't it be better to hire a party with more members among other adventurers?" (Tatsuro)

"Large numbers would make these creatures more cautious. In fact, they might flee with their nest before reaching it if you're not careful," Zan explained.

"Wouldn't it be better if they just ran away, then?" (Tatsuro)

"You wait for the right moment, and if they don't return, it's better to deal with them completely. There aren't many Rank 8 parties with only two members," Zan replied.

"Oh… I see," (Tatsuro)

While part of him wanted to see these creatures fleeing with their nest, it seemed unlikely in this case.

"What's the difficulty level like for this task?" (Tatsuro)

"If attempted with a small group, it's equivalent to a Level 5 dungeon," Zan explained.

Tatsuro would have preferred to use something other than Dungeons as a reference. Still, considering that Carney had labeled their previous job in Obsul as a Level 7 dungeon, this one seemed less dangerous by comparison.

{What do you think, Ai?} Tatsuro asked mentally.

{Well, since they're taking care of the bandits, why not give it a try?} Ai replied.

{Well, it depends on the location and conditions,} he thought.

{That is true} Ai agreed.

Without making eye contact, they discreetly communicated through their mental connection, considering the details more positively.

Based on the information provided, the location was very close, about a four-hour carriage ride away. The creatures had a habit of rapidly increasing their nests, so it was essential to address the situation promptly, as the town could be at risk of harm.

Furthermore, the fact that only two people could tackle this request was a significant point in their favor, and the rarity of such a team was considered, boosting their enthusiasm.

{It's doable as a day trip, and if we defeat a fair number of monsters, we can earn SP. It could also be a good source of funds for our journey and equipment purchases. It seems like a good opportunity} Tatsuro thought.

"We should be able to make up for the rest we took today easily," Ai agreed.

Regarding the Depris, they decided not to take this conversation at face value and planned to research it further in the monster encyclopedia. This task was an excellent opportunity to make up for the recent shortage of monster hunting.

After considering it thoroughly, Tatsuro conveyed to the mayor that they were willing to accept the request.

"Ah, that's great! If I had to rely on that other riffraff, my mind would be preoccupied with them, and I wouldn't be able to focus on the bandit extermination!" the mayor exclaimed.

"It seems like you received your rank in Obsul, and if their guild master recommended you, your skills should be trustworthy. I have high expectations," Zan added.

"Understood. We plan to head out tomorrow," (Tatsuro)

"Excellent! If you manage to resolve it within the day, I'll add a bonus to your reward," the mayor said.

Tatsuro and Ai were surprised by the level of trust they seemed to have earned from the old guild master in Obsul. The mayor was in high spirits, leaning forward in his heavyset body, finishing his lukewarm tea with a gulp.

Afterward, he prodded the guild master to create the request document. The guild master understood his intent and retrieved a board from his breast pocket, the same one Leela had used. He tapped away for a couple of minutes, creating two copies of the requested document, which he then handed to them.

"All right, it's done," the guild master said.

""We got it. Thank you"" Tatsuro and Ai replied.

—————————————————-

Client: Lyadas Mayor

Request: Elimination of Depris and their nests in the Bupron Wetlands

Reward: 5,000,000 SIS

Approved / Declined

—————————————————-

{That is quite a generous sum, five million Sis} Tatsuro remarked.

{I do not know the going rate, but it's probably high} Ai added.

They quickly reviewed the contents, and, despite their surprise at the value, they approved the request. The request was accepted, and it disappeared as if absorbed by Tatsuro and Ai.

"That's all from me. Do you have any questions?" the mayor asked.

"Well, for now, should we stay in this town until the interrogation you mentioned is completed?" (Tatsuro)

"Hmm, yes, that might be a good idea. It could be useful to have you around if new information comes up. Don't worry, we won't keep you for long," the mayor replied.

"Understood. That's all from our end" (Tatsuro)

After receiving detailed explanations about the request and getting directions to the wetlands from the guild master, they left the room.

The two remaining in the room silently watched the door, confirming when the footsteps had faded away before resuming their conversation.

"I heard they were young adventurers, and I expected them to be more like outlaws. But it seems they've received a proper education," the mayor remarked.

"That's true. High-ranked adventurers must not only possess high levels and strength but also a trustworthy character," the guild master remarked.

"I see. I didn't know much about adventurers, so perhaps I had some biases," the mayor admitted.

"I don't particularly mind. At least one of your worries has been alleviated. I hope your food intake decreases as well," the guild master said, patting the mayor's protruding belly.

In response, the mayor let out a huff.

"That's not the only thing. I have plenty of concerns. The problems keep increasing day by day," the mayor said.

"Isn't the mayoral election coming up soon? If it's becoming so challenging that it affects your physique, perhaps you should consider stepping down as mayor. Or maybe you should work on changing your stress-eating habit," the guild master suggested.

"Well, this bad habit won't change until I'm six feet under. Besides, I won't give up the mayoral seat. I've climbed this far, and I won't let it go," the mayor declared.

"I see. Strange rumors are going around, but as a fellow citizen, I'll support you," the guild master responded.

With that, the guild master finished the last of his tea.

Meanwhile, Tatsuro and Ai, after receiving the bounty for capturing the bandits at the reception desk, left the guild and headed back in the direction of their lodgings.

"If we continue like this, it seems like our conversation with the merchant we met on the road might be in vain" (Tatsuro)

"If the mayor is taking action, the lord will likely know about it too" (Ai)

"Indeed, if it turns out to be futile, we might consider returning the money we received. The reward was more than expected" (Tatsuro)

"Wasn't it also five million? And speaking of the merchant, given the current situation, just making an appointment with them might turn into a significant financial gain" (Ai)

The day for their appointment with the merchant was the day after tomorrow. To ensure they were fully prepared to exterminate the Depris quickly, they hurried back to their lodgings to make necessary preparations for the following day.

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