Rei checked the rock in front of him to check the traces of slash marks on it.

Elena and Set also looked at the rock curiously.

「It seems that the power of Flying Slash has increased. However, will I be able to shoot out more than 1 as the level goes up, or will it stay the same? I’m a little disappointed that I don’t know.」

「That would be a little wishful. It already is quite powerful and can be shot out some distance.」

「……You don’t need to call it wishful, do you? I don’t know why the Sandsnake’s magic stone increased the level of Flying Slash either.」

Although Rei shrugged his shoulders, he was still glad to be able to upgrade a skill as he hadn’t been able to learn any new skill from absorbing magic stones for a while. He had a small but satisfied smile.

Seeing Rei’s smile, Elena soon spoke up as she looked around.

「So, what do you want to do? It should be getting close to the evening. ……Should we head back?」

At her words, Rei looked around.

Before absorbing the magic stones, Set had confirmed that there wasn’t anyone else in the vicinity, so no one would have seen them.

Also, while Rei wasn’t aware of it, Set’s joyful cry after absorbing a magic stone and upgrading a skill had caused all nearby monsters to either hide in their burrows or run away.

Because of that, their current location could be considered an unusually safe zone.

「That’s right. I’d like to explore a bit of the 12th floor, but if we get greedy, we’d probably end up in trouble.」

「Is that so? ……Hmm, I guess that’s how it is.」

Elena muttered with a slightly disappointed tone. However, noticing Yellow, she nodded as it couldn’t be helped.

「Unfortunately……I think it would be better to let Yellow rest at the inn from tomorrow onward until we’re out of the desert floors. Fortunately, Yellow is my familiar and we have a line of communication using magic. Since it shares the same magic wavelength as me, it should be possible to transfer it to whatever floor I’ve reached.」

「……Kyu.」

No, no, Yellow seemed to say unwillingly as he gave a small cry. However, Elena shook her head resolutely while stroking Yellow’s back.

「There’s no other way. It would be a different story if you were bigger and more resistant to the heat and cold, but right now, you’re still young. Considering that, I can’t let you push yourself so hard. ……You understand that, don’t you?」

「Kyu.」

Yellow looked disappointed, but it seemed it realised that her condition wasn’t good. Yellow gave a cry as hr looked up at Elena.

While slowly stroking Yellow’s head, Elena signalled Rei with her eyes as she headed for the small room with the magic circle.

Following after her, Rei looked at the surrounding scenery as he walked.

What he saw was a bright blue sky. It was true that the time was already getting late into the afternoon, 3-4pm based on Rei’s body clock. But, as it was still midsummer, the sun was still working hard to assert itself.

(That said, I don’t think we’ll have the time to get to the next floor, so it would be better to head back while we can.)

Muttering to himself, Rei entered the room with the magic circle along side Set before returning to the dungeon entrance.

 

 

「There’s hardly anyone around at this time.」

「Yeah. But, in a few hours, it will be crowded with adventurers returning from the dungeon.」

Elena looked up at the sky as she replied to Rei, who had spoken up as he looked around the dungeon transfer point.

There wasn’t a single spec of cloud in the blue sky. The sun’s rays beat down on the ground as if it were the last thing it had to do for the day.

Normally, the heat would be disconcerting, but Rei’s group had just returned form the desert on the 12th floor, and because of that, were wearing a desert cloak and the Dragon Robe, which could regulate temperatures. As such, they weren’t as overwhelmed by the heat compared to other adventurers near the transfer device or those from the Church of Holy Light, who were still waiting for someone to hire them.

Rather, it seemed that Yellow, who had been suffering from the desert heat, had finally regained some of his energy.

「In any case, let’s buy something to eat after selling off today’s materials and magic stones at the guild……」

As Rei was about to head for their usual route along with Elena, Set, and Yellow, several adventurers came up to him.

The adventurers had been the ones waiting nearby the transfer device when Rei had returned to the surface.

(I was wondering whether they were planning to enter the dungeon or if they were waiting for someone to return……no, look like they were waiting for us to come back.

Rei turned to look at the approaching adventurers while having a slight premonition that it was going to be troublesome.

At his gaze, the adventurers stopped.

They waited a few seconds to see what was happening before an adventurer that seemed to be their leader stepped forward and spoke up.

「Are you Rei-san and Elena-san?」

Rei nodded with a surprised expression at the unexpectedly polite question.

(When I get approached in this manner, it almost it always trouble.)

As he thought to himself, Rei prompted the man to talk.

「Yes, I’m Rei, this is Elena. And you are?」

「I am a messenger from the Levisor family. The head of the Levisor family, Schaffner-sama, would like to meet with the two of you. Could you come with me?」

Because Rei, Elena, Set, and Yellow were a prominent group, a few adventurers were secretly listening in. However, when the Levisor name was brought up, they couldn’t keep silent.

「Hey, the Levisor family……」

「Wait, didn’t that party have something to do with the Silva family?」

「Eh? What? I heard that they got into an argument with people from the Silva family at an eatery somewhere?」

「Yes, but after that, they helped out those guys in the dungeon. When he heard about that, Vosk went direct to the guild to thank them.」

「……Is that true? That Vosk?」

「It’s true. In addition, I heard that they have some relationship with Byune from the Fraut family as well……but, that family has already fallen, so it doesn’t really matter.」

Rei turned his gaze back to the adventurer who had called out to him while listening in to what the surrounding adventurers were whispering about.

To Rei, the Levisor family was the one that self confident thief that had tried to get into their party had been working under. They had left parting threats such as ‘Do you know what will happen if you oppose the Levisor family?’. Considering that, it was impossible for him to not be vigilant.

The man seemed to understand that Rei was on the alert. After thinking for a few seconds, he gave a bow.

The adventurers who had come with him to pick up Rei’s group were surprised by his actions, but they refrained from saying anything in particular.

「The man who got into an argument with you has already been fired from the Levisor family. I don’t know what he said to you, but I can promise you that the Levisor family has no hostile intentions towards you for now.」

「……What should we do?」

Honestly, Rei found the man in front of him difficult to deal with. He had bowed opening in front of a large number of people and admitted the Levisor family’s fault. Even if he wasn’t the reason for it himself.

In such a situation, it was clear that if he declined the man’s request, it would result in a situation that wouldn’t be good in various ways.

Rei didn’t really care if the situation around him got worse, but Elena was with him now, so he didn’t want to drag her into that as well.

After collecting his thoughts for several seconds, Rei replied.

「I understand. I’ll accept your invitation. That seems to be the best option……so what do we do?」

The other party must have predicted that Rei would respond with that answer. He spoke up without hesitation.

「I’ve prepared a carriage for you here. If you have no other business, I would like to show you over as soon as possible.」

「As for business, I would like to sell some materials and magic stones to the guild.」

The adventurers behind the leader looked suspicious at Rei’s words. Whether it was monster materials or magic stones, it didn’t seem like Rei or Elena had either with them.

Of course, Rei was wearing his Dragon Robe and Elena was weaing a desert cloak, so it could be possible that they were carrying some underneath. However, even then, it couldn’t possibly be much.

However, the man talking with Rei nodded and spoke seemingly without any discomfort.

「I’m sorry, but I’d be grateful if you could do that later.」

「……What?」

Hearing the man’s words, Rei had some questions in his mind.

(Does he know about the Misty Ring and doesn’t want me to stop by the guild? ……It seems there’s something troublesome going on.)

Elena probably had the same thought in her mind. She turned to look at Rei and gave a small nod.

With that alone, they ended up communicating their thoughts to each other, deciding that it would better to take up the man’s suggestion for now.

「Okay, we’ll follow your lead. By the way, it’s fine to bring Set and Yellow with us, right?」

Rei glanced over at Set, who was yawning next to him, and Yellow, who was relaxing as it lay on Set’s back.

「It doesn’t matter. But, even if they come with you, I can’t let them into the residence……」

「Yeah, I understand.」

「If so, there are no other problems. Let’s go. ……Hey.」

「Yes.」

An adventurer nodded at the man’s words and quickly ran from the dungeon square.

Sending him off, the man walked ahead as if to guide Rei and Elena.

「Well then, shall we go?」

「Yeah. ……But, what is going on?」

「Well. I’ll tell you about it when we arrive at the Levisor residence.」

As they talked and followed the man out the gate, they found a carriage there waiting for them.

It wasn’t a particularly conspicuous carriage, but it was still made from materials that could be considered first class.

「Wow. It’s quite some magnificent wood.」

「It’s a carriage made from the materials of a Wood Golem that appears in the dungeon. I hope this carriage gives you a sense of the concern Schaffner-sama has for you.」

Rei seemed quite impressed when he saw the carriage as the the man opened the door and invited them inside.

After seeing them enter the carriage with a small nod, the man guiding them sent a signal to the adventurer driving the carriage and they set off.

Of course, Set couldn’t ride inside the carriage, so he walked alongside it, scaring the horses pulling the carriage.

「……So, now we’re on the carriage, can you tell us for what purpose you invited us.」

「I’ve heard there is a request that we would like to discuss with you, but I haven’t heard the details. I’d like you to ask Schaffner-sama directly when you see him.」

「Hmm, I see. Are they really that cautious?」

「I wonder.」

At Elena’s murmurs, Rei reject the idea.

It hadn’t been long since he had arrived in Exil, but after spending time in the Labyrinth City, he had heard the reputations of the three families that governed it.

According to what he had heard, the head of the Silva family was energetic and enthusiastic about capturing the dungeon, his youth was a cause for concern. The Marschel family was focused on commerce and the Levisor’s were neither here nor there.

However, the people they hired often had problems and acted arrogantly within the city.

(Considering that self proclaimed thief, that’s not surprising……)

While thinking about that, Rei looked over at the man sitting in front of him.

(Given that they’ve hired someone like this though, rumours might just be rumours. In fact, even those hired by the Silva family kicked up a fuss in that eatery.)

「Is there anything wrong?」

「No, it’s nothing.」

The man must have noticed the gaze directed towards him. Rei shook his head in response to the man’s question.

After that, the carriage proceeded silently towards Exil’s east……finally stopping after about 30 minutes.

「We’ve arrived, I’d like to take you to Schaffner-sama if that is okay?」

Rei and Elena looked at each other and gave a small nod before Rei spoke up.

「Yeah, that’s fine. We don’t have too much time to waste either.」

Saying that, they got off the carriage. In front of Rei and Elena, there was a large mansion, about the size of the Lord’s residence in Gilm.

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