<h4>18-33. Boy in the Labyrinth City (7)</h4>
"What''s wrong?"
I ask Zaki, who is out of breath.
"A thief! Our room was ransacked!"
Zaki said that when he returned to get the writing equipment he needed for the job he was hired for, the room was already ransacked.
"Did you inform the guards?"
"Well, not yet"
"Let''s go"
We ran to the guard station with the baskets on our backs.
I didn''t know where it was, so I asked a person walking along the road and found out that it was in the opposite direction, so we took some time, but we managed to reach it eventually.
" Not again. I''ll do the inspection for the time being."
Talking about the situation, a middle-aged guard said so with a sigh.
Listening to the story along the way, it seems that an explorer dropout, who has been exhausted from doing actual exploring, is targetting ransacking the rooms of a neer with low alertness who are staying in the longhouse.
"That''s it! If you know, crack down on it!"
"I''m doing a patrol …"
Since there is not much evidence, it seems that the only way was to catch the offender in the act.
"This is our room."
Zaki open with the key and enters.
The key is a very simple one.
"This is a crime by the same guy."
As soon as the guard looked inside the room, he said.
Looking from the side of his thick back, you can see the miserable state of the room.
"Terrible"
"Totally"
Our bag of luggage, which was on the shelves on the wall, was thrown to the ground, and the personal belongings in the bag were scattered on the ground.
After getting permission from the guards, we pick up our luggage that has fallen to the ground.
Underwear for changing clothes and your favorite cup spoon is covered with sand.
"Sharon, have you written your name on your belongings?"
"That''s right"
I agree with Lhasa''s words.
"If you live in a group, you should know what you have."
That''s what my sister told me, and I tried my best to write it.
"Dyes are reasonably expensive"
Zaki said, while impressed.
"Is that so?"
As usual, my sister procured it from somewhere, so I don''t know much about the price.
When I return to the vige, I''ll buy a lot of souvenirs that my sister will be happy with.
"Do you know what is missing?"
The guard ask me so, so I will report the stolen things.
The short spear made of ant ws that Mr. Akindo gave me was gone. Other than that, I had only a whetstone, Lhasa had a spare towel, and Zaki had a notebook and a pen stolen.
I don''t know about Gon and Keros, who aren''t here. Unlike yesterday, they should be going to thebyrinth with their equipment, so I think their short spear and equipment are safe.
"Well, if you don''t have a lot of things, you won''t be targeted for the burry again, but when you leave the room, bring cash and valuables with you."
After the inspection, the guards advised us as he leaves.
We dust off Keros and Gon''s luggage and then put it all together on the table.
"Let''s get back to work"
Lhasa suggested.
"I can''t wait for Gon and Keros."
"I will write a message"
There was a small ckboard for messages on the wall, and Zaki wrote down a message to them.
Gon can''t read, but Keros should have read it without any problems.
"It''s okay if we pass each other."
We go back to their jobs.
I wasted time due to the burry, so I could only carry the leaves of Berea one round trip less than yesterday.
When I returned to the loghouse room after bathing with Lhasa, I heard yelling from inside the room.
"You guys stole it!"
The hysterical voice is Keros.
I can hear Zaki''s excuse.
I open the door to get rid of the misunderstanding.
Zaki flew. I couldn''t take it, and the two of us are ttened on the ground. From the view beyond Zaki''s body, it seems that Gon has hit Zaki.
"Gon! Stop the violence!"
I get up from under Zaki''s body and protest Gon.
"Shut up your thieves!"
"We didn''t steal! We also affected by this burry!"
I avoid the attack of Gon who is trying to hit me, and hit the face full of gaps.
Immediately a counterattack kick came. I managed to avoid it, but Gon''s swinging hand hit me and I was blown off the wall.
This stupid power!
"Return my money!"
"Who will!"
Keros, who jumped from the side, was attached to my waist.
"Now, Gon! Do it!"
"Oh! Leave it to me!"
"Stop it!"
Zaki stopped Gon, by lifting the chair and hitting his body.
Gon''s fist swing down at Zaki.
I shook off Keros and attached it to Gon.
"—Stop it"
At the same time as Lhasa''s voice, water was sshed on us.
◇
"What''s the fuss?"
We were soaking wet and trying to advance to the second round, but we stopped moving when we heard a stunned voice.
It was China who showed her face.
"Maybe there was a burry in this room?"
"Are you in China''s room?"
"Yeah, it looks like most of the rooms in this longhouse were damaged, not just ours."
Sina reported that her clothes and essories were stolen.
"Did you understand this? The culprit is not us."
I stare at Gon and Keros.
"Hmm!"
"Wow, do you understand!"
Gon just snorted and turned away, but Keros still seems to be suspicious of us, maybe he can''t withdraw.
"What was Keros stolen?"
"It''s a gold coin! The gold coin hidden in the bottom of the bag was stolen!"
--Gold coins!
I don''t even remember seeing silver coins in the vige.
I think it was worth about 100 bronze coins.
"Lies, it''s not that bad"
"No! It''s bad!"
When Sina held her mouth and was surprised, Keros heated up.
"Then, why don''t you go to the guard station?"
Contrary to the desperate appeal of Keros, Zaki said in a cold tone dismissing it.
"I had the burry reported, so if you tell them the location and room number of the longhouse, they will write it in the record."
"I''ll be back!"
Keros jumped out of the room.
Zaki whispered, "I don''t think they will find his gold coins."
It seems that the anger treated as a thief has not subsided yet.
"Gon, do you have anything to say?"
"Shut up! I don''t apologize!"
Lhasa arbitrates on behalf of Zaki, but Gon stubbornly refuses to apologize.
Sina, who couldn''t stand the heavy atmosphere, sneaked out of the room. I''m follow Sina out of the room and thanking her for clearing the misunderstanding.
"Sina, thank you foring to inform us back then."
"Ehehe. See you around, Sharon."
Sina said so and went away.
After a while, Keros dropped his shoulders and came back.
The reality would have hit at the guard station.
"Keros! How long will you feel down! We can be real explorers tomorrow!"
"No"
"That way, you can earn gold coins right away! Because you''re not a wood-certified nobody, you''re a real bronze explorer!"
"That''s right! You''re a real explorer!"
It seems that Keros revived while being hit by Gon on his back.
After that conversation, even though I hadn''t heard it, Gon took the goblins with a big shield like a door borrowed from the leader, and Keros and Sina boasted that they got three magic cores per person in the operation to stab the target.
They got one with us, so they can qualify for a bronze certificate with one more.
"I envy you ~"
"Separately"
"Say honestly that I envy you."
Keros is entwined by Zaki.
"Gon, Keros, let''s go soon"
Sina came out of the door.
"That''s right, I forgot."
"Hey! We''ll have dinner today too! Good!"
Gon and Keros left the room with a triumphant look.
Unlike yesterday, today seems to go out with proper equipment.
"I''m not envious. I am not…"
"That''s right. Let''s go for dinner too."
I mourned Zakiining looking toward the door of the room after Keros and his friends went out, and I invited Lhasa to go to the square yesterday for dinner.
"Please croquette!"
I was nning to eat the same menu as yesterday, but as soon as I saw the signboard of this stall, I really wanted to eat it, so I ordered it. Zaki and Lhasa did too.
"Tasty"
"Yeah, when I saw that sign, I wanted to eat it."
Apparently, Zaki and Lhasa had the same reason.
"Yes, that''s right."
Someone nods and says.
"That''s the masterpiece of the painter Tama," Dancing Croquette. "When I see that, I''m influenced by the delicious paintings and I want to eat croquettes."
"--Mr. Luram"
The familiar chubby knight is one of the knights who helped us out with the thieves.
While talking, he bought a lot of croquettes and ate them.
"Did you go to subdue the ''Area master''?"
"I came to a supply meeting and report progress to the guild."
In the meantime, he confessed that he was buying and eating as a hobby.
"Dr. Luram, did you find yourself in such a ce?"
Looking back at the cool voice, there was a longing Princess Meetia. She''s beautiful today as well.
"Hello!"
We correct our posture and say hello.
It''s embarrassing. I was so nervous that I felt sick.
"You''re the child from that time. Are you doing your best?"
"Yes! No--No. I haven''t entered thebyrinth yet because I''m waiting for a ss."
"That''s not the case. Even if you''re not in thebyrinth, you''re working in the city and earning your own food, right? That''s something you can be proud of."
Princess Meetia''s hand wrapped in white gloves strokes my head.
I won''t wash this head anymore.
-Clean up! Rom, filth is the first step towards illness!
My sister''s voice echoes in my mind.
Let''s put up with not washing for a while.
"Let''s go, Mr. Luram. Well, I''m still healthy until the day I meet again."
"Yes! Meetia, gobu, good luck!"
Princess Meetia left, pulling Luram''s hand.
"Sharon, fix your mouth"
Lhasa casually said so and walked in search of the next food stall.
I look at Zaki grinning on my side, realize my expression and desperately fixed it.
Please allow your mouth to loosen if you''re not careful. I knew I was feeling exalted, but I could not help myself.
After finishing the meal and returning, Gon and Keros did not return, and they only returned drunkte at night.
"Keros is back! Be crazy about the future hero Keros!"
After rolling Keros on a cot, Gon rolled to his ce and fell asleep immediately. That''s fine, but I want him to stop snoring so loud that people in the next room kick the wall.
Without falling asleep, Lhasa, who was angry, closed his mouth with a damp cloth and managed to stop Gon''s snoring. After Zaki pointed out that that is dangerous method, he thanked Lhasa and fell asleep. I''ll sleep too. It will be early tomorrow.
The next morning, after running and bathing, I returned and found Gon and Keros.
"What about the two?"
"They are moving out"
"I''m living in my seniors'' house. I''m going to have a party over there from now on."
Lhasa simply answered my question and Zaki exined in detail.
It seems that China is also the same.
"We''ve been overtaken"
"It''s okay. We''re notpeting for the best."
I encourage Zaki who seems to be disappointed.
"But there are only three people."
"Rookie ss"
"That''s right. All you have to do is gather members in a neer ss."
I''ve found out about Gon and Keros, but there are many other new explorers.
I spent my days up to neer training with Zaki and Lhasa on a daybor job, imagining friends I hadn''t seen yet.
I haven''t saved enough money to buy a recement for the stolen short spear, but I''d like to do something by the end of the course.
"OK, let''s go!"
Do the rookie training properly and gain the knowledge to work in thebyrinth!
◇
"Down here"
"There are quite a lot of people."
We came to a square a little away from the guild.
A neer ss is held here.
It seems that it is usually held at the training center behind the guild, but Zaki, who is well informed, told me that this wider ce will be used because there are many new adults who will be explorers at this time.
When I was looking around like that, I bumped into another person.
"Be careful!"
The one who bounces and gets angry is a rat-human boy wearing a bright red helmet.
Like a petite race, he''s only about my waist.
"DO YOU NOT KNOW Neze-sama, the child of Warrior Mize?"
"I''m sorry. I didn''t look around properly."
I apologize honestly because I made a mistake.
"Oh! Forgive me! Will you also take a neer course?"
"That''s right. I''m Sharon."
"Well, Sharon! I''ll make you my servant!"
"I won''t be a servant, but let''s take a ss together."
He seems to be a nicer boy than I expected, so I refused in advance for Lhasa and Zaki before inviting Neze.
"Oh! Let''s go!"
Neze raises his fist and runs out without looking before and hits someone else.
Maybe it was like that at my time.
"Be careful!"
The opponent was a beastman about two heads bigger than me.
Larger than arge gon.
"Ah, uh"
The long-haired dog humans look around with vague eyes, then notice the bouncing Neze and bow their heads slowly.
"Wow, I''m sorry"
"Oh! I''ll forgive you!"
"Thank you, I''m Daegu"
"I''m Neze-Hey!"
A dog named Daegu held Neze and put it on his shoulder.
"As appology"
"This is good! The view is great!"
I didn''t know any of the beastmen, but they seem to be more individual than they look.
Perhaps because I was looking up like that, I bumped into another person again.
I just bumped into everyone today.
"Sorry!"
"No, I didn''t look closely either."
The person who wore the hood deeply was a woman who had a low voice.
The color of her eyes that I saw up close was purple, which was as beautiful as an amethyst, the same as my sister''s hair color.
Perhaps the girl doesn''t want to get involved with others, she tries to get away quickly by looking down.
"--wait!"
I reflexively grabbed the girl''s arm.
I''m not sure why.
For some reason, I felt like I shouldn''t leave her alone.
"I''m Sharon. If you''re going to take a rookie course, why don''t you take it with us?"
"No, I''m alone--"
"Good! Good! I''ll introduce it to other children! What''s your name?"
"--Laxis"
I join Lhasa and others while holding the girl''s hand.
She was resisting at the beginning, but maybe it was troublesome to resist after a while, she followed me with a sign.
"Gather around you guys who are training as neers! I don''t take roll calls, soe to a ce where you can hear my voice!"
A tired adult makes a loud voice.
Maybe that person is an instructor.
"--Japanese sword? There are samurai in this world too."
Nihonto? Saurai?
Laxis pronounced something simr to his sister''snguage.
By the way, she has a simr atmosphere to her sister.
Maybe it was because she looked like her sister that I couldn''t leave her alone.
"Don''t speak, listen! It''s your job today to remember even one of my words!"
The instructor shouts.
I have to concentrate!
To be a full-fledged explorer!
◆◆◆ In a certain vige ◆◆◆
"What does Reina want to ask me?"
After closing the transaction, I ask Mr. Akindo.
"What is your purpose?"
"What is your purpose?"
Mr. Akindo tilts his head with a nice face.
"Don''t answer the question with a question. What is the reason for dealing with a child like me on an equal footing? Money, isn''t it? The items I have are not unusual. It''s not a reason for you to go out of the way"
Looking up at Mr. Akindo.
"I can''t fool Reina-san."
Mr. Akindo said so and posed for surrender.
"Then tell me? What is your purpose?"
I do not loosen my pursuit and approach Mr. Akindo.
"My purpose is--"
Mr. Akindo stopped speaking there, and after a short pause he continued.
"--You are Reina-san"