GILF Hunter

After the minor commotion underground was settled, Ian and his party returned to the surface.

Since everyone had been watching closely to see what would happen inside, the disappearance of the erosion was immediately detected by the exploration team above.

By the time Ian reached the surface, the exploration team was already prepared to head back down.

The team immediately re-entered and began their investigation.

’So this is what the interior looked like.’

’...I don’t see any particular devices?’

Lights were brightened again at the camp inside the cave, and the investigation of the interior of the closed room resumed.

Unfortunately, there were no notable artifacts inside, and the things growing within were just ordinary plants.

However, for the exploration team, even such things seemed fully worth investigating.

How ordinary plants had been growing inside, and how the erosion had been contained within this ordinary room without leaking out—there were countless things to figure out.

At that busy site, Ian first shared the story of what happened inside the room with Ellen.

’A ghost was inside.... Sightings of ghosts that aren’t undead monsters do occur very rarely. Usually, they are the ghosts of mages.’

Ellen nodded as if understanding after hearing the account of what took place.

Of course, Ian did not mention the Holy Sword.

There was Frenda’s position to consider, having received such a thing so suddenly, and it was a matter that would be troublesome if word spread too far.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Ellen... but as information passes through several people during investigation and research, parts of it inevitably leak out.

Besides, even excluding the part about the Holy Sword, it was a story bound to pique Ellen’s interest.

An ancient ghost. For someone who travels in search of ancient ruins and artifacts, what story could be more interesting than this?

’But, you said the identity of that ghost was... an Elf? It seems they were an ancient race that lived here a very long time ago.’

’The ghost vanished afterward, so there was no further conversation.’

’Oh dear.... It would have been wonderful if I could have seen it personally.’

An ancient ghost from who-knows-what era would be the very essence of ancient history.

As she said, if Ellen had met the Elf’s ghost personally, it might have been a historic discovery for the ages.

But since the ghost had vanished, there was nothing to be done.

There wasn’t much to be gleaned from the brief account Ian provided.

’Well, what can’t be helped... can’t be helped. It’s something that happens often in this line of work.’

Though regrettable, it was ultimately something that wasn’t meant to be. Ellen didn’t dwell on it and let go of her lingering attachment to the ghost.

’Then I shall go down to investigate the interior of the room. If it’s a place where such a race resided, there must be some clues.’

Immediately after seeing Ellen off.

As if waiting for the conversation to end, another guest approached Ian right away.

’Hey, you... Captain Ian!’

It was Zeke, the blacksmith who was still staying at the camp.

In Zeke’s hand, he held one of the small ores Ian had handed him.

It was one of the ores Ian had given to Zeke, who had suffered losses due to this incident where the cave was consumed by erosion.

It was because Ian thought Zeke would prefer this over simple monetary compensation.

The responsibility for compensation actually lay with the exploration team, but since Ian was one of the sponsors anyway, he decided to smooth things over since it was something that could be covered with a few material items he currently had no use for.

’Are all minerals from the Labyrinth like this?’

’Not all, but generally yes.’

’So you’re saying the properties of minerals from the Labyrinth are like this.... If that’s the case, the mana crystals here must have also been influenced by that ruin or whatever it is down there. I did think the properties were quite different from the ones nearby.’

Ian nodded at Zeke’s words.

Naturally, given the level design, materials coming from the most difficult location, the Labyrinth, were bound to have at least one special effect compared to other common materials.

Because supply was so scarce that demand couldn’t even form, even rumors hadn’t spread properly, but once one saw the item in person, it was inevitable to have many thoughts.

’If this were used as a primary material, one could create much more precise and higher-output devices....’

Zeke, muttering so, asked Ian.

’What are you doing with all the minerals you find? Seeing as I haven’t seen them on the market, it doesn’t seem like you’re selling them elsewhere. They must be piled up in a warehouse, right?’

’No, the volume coming out isn’t that large to begin with... and there’s someone who uses them often, so they aren’t piled up to that extent.’

’Hmm. I figured as much.’

Zeke nodded as if it made sense.

’Indeed, there’s no way such materials would be left alone. What kind of blacksmith is it? If it’s this level of material, I should have heard of the items produced, but no one particular comes to mind. Do you perhaps only distribute them within Labyrinth?’

’Ah.... Actually, most of them are being made into accessories. They’re a lapidary.’

’...What?’

Hearing Ian’s words, Zeke wore an expression as if he had seen a ghost.

’Are you saying... that you’re making mere scraps of rings with such materials right now!’

Zeke shouted so with a face that seemed strangely furious, then left the camp with his group, saying he was going to pack his things.

＊　＊　＊

’Phew....’

Frenda, having returned to the temple, let out a sigh as she went back to her room after finishing her schedule. She looked incredibly exhausted.

It was because she had accompanied Ian on his expedition and once again experienced something beyond common sense.

...In the business trip report she submitted to the temple, she wrote a moderately made-up story.

Making such a false report didn’t sit well with her conscience... but she couldn’t honestly confess that she had been designated as a Hero and received an item called a Holy Sword.

Besides, even if she had written everything that happened there honestly, no one would have believed it. Even Frenda herself doubted whether what happened there was real.

The strange sense of heterogeneity felt within her body... if not for the presence of the Holy Sword’s energy, she would have suspected she had been dreaming.

Frenda flopped down onto her bed.

For some reason, her abdomen throbbed.

Because the work had ended much faster than expected and such a shocking incident had occurred... she ultimately couldn’t make separate time with Ian and returned just like that.

Frenda gently raised her hand and stroked her belly. Recalling the memory of that time, she pressed down on her belly... but felt nothing.

Just what kind of method was it... she couldn’t replicate that feeling from back then no matter how hard she tried on her own.

Ultimately, suffering from that tingling desire that she couldn’t fill alone, Frenda had no choice but to spend every night sighing.

...I thought I’d be able to do it this time.

I-it wasn’t that I went specifically expecting that. But still... there won’t be another chance to meet for a while now.

Frenda sighed again.

- ...Haah. Is this really right?

’...Kyaa!’

An unknown voice was heard from somewhere.

Frenda sat up on the bed with a flustered expression and looked around.

C-could someone have been watching from inside the room? Thinking so, Frenda looked around the room, but no one was visible.

It certainly wasn’t an auditory hallucination.

But to hear a voice in empty air....

Could this be a revelation from the Goddess...?

While Frenda was having such thoughts, the voice was heard once more. It sounded quite exasperated.

- Just what are you saying? I introduced myself only yesterday.

’Y-yesterday? ...Could it be the one who was with the Holy Sword back then...?’

Frenda spoke while looking into the empty air with a stunned expression.

...Actually, not knowing where to look, Frenda’s gaze was wandering aimlessly through the air.

’Why is that person’s voice...? Surely you had disappeared....’

- I never said I was going to disappear. Guarding the Holy Sword is my mission. Of course, in this state, I lack mana so I cannot be active very often.

Frenda took on a flustered expression.

Well, naturally it never said it was leaving... but to anyone watching, wasn’t that the atmosphere?

- More importantly, to think you haven’t checked the Holy Sword even once since then. Just what are you doing? To handle the power of the Holy Sword, you must become as familiar with it as possible.

’That’s... I was going to practice with Captain Ian later.’

- Practice? When do you think that will be, to just wait for that? Now, try drawing the Holy Sword.

Frenda was flustered to be told to draw the Holy Sword again.

To draw the Holy Sword that had become mist and entered her body—she had no idea how to do it.

’Draw it? H-how...?’

- You should be able to create it naturally, just as you made it disappear.

The Elf spoke as if it were something naturally possible, but Frenda didn’t know the method at all.

It felt as if the helplessness she felt when first learning holy magic was being felt once again.

- Focus your mind, picture the form of the Holy Sword in detail....

Receiving the Elf’s advice, Frenda closed her eyes and began to concentrate her mind.

After concentrating for a very long time, Frenda was able to vaguely recall the shape of the Holy Sword and materialize a part of it.

While concentrating, Frenda felt the hilt of the Holy Sword within her body become materialized.

From near her heart, where the mana circle was.

...Given the location, it was a strange sight as if it were sticking out of her chest, but for now, she succeeded in the manifestation.

Frenda carefully gripped the hilt rising from her chest and cautiously pulled it out of her body.

’Ah, ugh.... Phew.’

Frenda, who had managed to pull out the Holy Sword in an uncomfortable posture, muttered with an exhausted expression and a slightly flushed face.

’Do I really have to pull it out like this? It’s too strange....’

- No, telling you to pull it out was just a metaphor.... I didn’t mean to literally pull it from your body.

Just as she had made the Holy Sword disappear, she could naturally use the same method when creating it again.

It was just that Frenda, unfamiliar with swords, had trouble clearly picturing the image of the Holy Sword and re-manifesting it.

- Haah.... Have you never even held a sword in your hand?

’What on earth are you saying to a priestess....’

- This is why I didn’t want to give it to a priestess....

Though it had chosen her thinking it was the best choice at the time, the Elf only now grumbled such small complaints.

...Yes. It was an unavoidable choice.

The Elf muttered while recalling the faces of the other Hero candidates who were present then.

- ...At least you’ll be able to keep your purity, right?

’I’m a priestess. Don’t say such obvious things! I’m keeping it more strictly than anyone.’

The Elf’s face wasn’t visible, but it seemed to have an expression that didn’t trust Frenda at all.

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