Proofreader: Xemul
“The commission that I want you to accept is about solving an anomaly that is happening in a certain town.”
After confirming that Loren was willing to accept her commission, Ivy began to explain the commission’s content.
“Do you know that there is a place called Blue Desert north of Kapha, about three days’ wagon ride away?”
“Yes, I do.”
The Blue Desert mentioned by Ivy was a place that Loren and his team had stopped by on their way to the mountainous area separating the demon territory from the rest of the country when they went to the demon realm. It was said that there used to be some kind of test site or research facility of the Ancient Kingdom there, and as a result of some research or experiment, a vast area of land was turned into a desert filled with blue sand. Buried under the sand were a facility of the Ancient Kingdom, which Lapis secretly used as her base.
“I want you to turn west from the Blue Desert and take a day’s wagon ride to a town called Suest.”
“What do you want us to do there?”
It would take four days to get there on a horse-drawn wagon. When Loren asked Ivy what she wanted them to do at such a distant place, Ivy frowned and pondered for a while. When Loren looked at her with half an eye, wondering if she hadn’t decided what she was going to make them do, she waved her hands in a fluster.
“No, I do have a purpose in mind. I just don’t know where to start.”
“Then tell me your purpose.”
“Actually, this commission is from the Adventurers’ Guild in Suest.”
Ivy said that the commission came not from Kapha, but from the Adventurers’ Guild in a large, faraway city, Suest.
The story was that, there had been frequent incidents of residents and adventurers going missing in Suest. Adventurers in Suest had been commissioned to solve the problem, but not only were they not able to do it, they also went missing themselves. There was a possibility the situation was too much for Suest to handle alone, so they asked for assistance.
Initially, the Adventurers’ Guild in Kapha did not want to get involved, as it would take four days to get to Suest from Kapha by wagon. However, adventurers who had gone to Suest from guilds in neighboring towns did not send back a single message, no matter how long they waited. The Adventurers’ Guild HQ took the situation very seriously and notified not only the guilds in the vicinity of Suest, but also those further away, that they would send out personnel to find out what was going on in Suest. However, Ivy said that because of the distance to Suest and the mysterious nature of the commission itself, no adventurers were willing to take it on, and the commission remained pending for some time, in a stalled state.
“So you want us to do something about it?”
“My position in the guild will be strengthened if I can find an adventurer who can solve a story like this.”
According to Ivy, the commission was rated for iron rank adventurers for now. But if this continued for too long, and if the cooperation of the Adventurers’ Guilds in different towns were not very good, the Guild HQ would have to take action, and they would naturally be forced to use silver and gold rank adventurers. If Ivy could bring a resolution to the situation before that happened, her value within the guild would increase and her position would become stronger and more secure.
“This directly affects my salary…”
“I don’t see the logic in that.”
“It’s the way of the world. If you want to live as a human being, you need the money for it.”
“That I understand. It’s a harsh thing to say, but it’s true.”
Loren could understand Ivy’s point, but it was still a rather creepy story to hear. People went missing without reasons, and even the adventurers who went to find out the cause didn’t come back. This was something that he normally would not want to poke his nose into. However, he might have to accept it in exchange for information about the ruin he needed.
When Loren was thinking about it, Ivy added a final push.
“By the way, the ruin I told you about is located right there in Suest.”
“I had no way out of it from the beginning, did I?”
“I guess so.”
Ivy said with a smile. Loren stared at her with half-lidded eyes for a while, but eventually let out a breath and turned his gaze toward Lapis and Gula.
“Just as you’ve heard, I’ll take it, but… What about you?”
Loren had intended to accept this commission simply because it was necessary for him. But he couldn’t drag Lapis and Gula into this, and if they wished to, he would take the commission on his own.
Lapis was the first to answer.
“I will accompany you. There is no need for questions or confirmation.”
“I’ll go too. It’s troublesome if I’m the only one left behind.”
“Me too-“
“-I didn’t ask you.”
As if getting carried away by the flow of the conversation, Luxuria also answered, but Loren stopped him in a cold tone.
Regardless of his intentions, the option of taking Luxuria anywhere did not even exist in Loren’s mind. Luxuria’s taste and power of sexual desire were too indiscriminate, and Loren didn’t think they could keep him under control at all. If Luxuria’s influence were to reach the surrounding area, it would inevitably lead to unimaginable devastation, and Loren’s true wish was for him to return to the place where Gula was keeping Evil Gods under protection or something.
“So cruel! You got me involved this far, and now you are going to leave me out?”
“I think it was a mistake to let you get involved this far, don’t you think?”
Following Lapis’ cold words, Loren added in a flat tone.
“Take care of those guys you got registered with the Adventurers’ Guild here. Or rather, keep them in check somehow!”
“What do you have to complain about, cute children?!”
“A lot. Look in the mirror.”
“Isn’t it just showing a reflection of my beautiful self!”
Loren and Lapis wondered whether he was messing around with them by giving this answer, but the short glance at Luxuria’s face told them that he really meant it, and they both let out a deep sigh at the same time.
“Anyway, you can’t. We can’t spread troubles to other cities.”
“Don’t talk like it’s okay if it’s Kapha, Loren!”
Ivy said as if she was chiding him, but Loren had a different idea. It was not that it was okay with Kapha, just that it was already too late for Kapha. In that case, the only thing he could do, would be to prevent Luxuria’s influence from spreading to other cities. It was out of the question to take him on the commission.
“So, would it be correct to say that the three people who can accept the request are Loren, Lapis, and Gula?”
“Gula, can’t you bring that Sloth guy with you? I think he could be an asset.”
“I don’t see how Sloth can do the job. It’s quite trouble to take him along, it’s even more trouble to lead him, and frankly I don’t think he’ll be of much use at all, you know? I think Greed is better, but babysitting is hard.”
“Surprisingly useless, you Evil Gods. So, it’s only the three of us?”
In fact, if they could turn a blind eye to Luxuria’s appearance and personality, he might be relatively easy to utilize among the Evil Gods. However, his appearance and personality were the biggest issue, and impossible to ignore. Eventually they could become accustomed to it and be able to endure it, but currently it was too much to ask for of Loren and Lapis. So there was no way he would be allowed to accompany them.
“Then, through me, Ivy Bridgegard, I ask Loren, an iron rank adventurer, and his team to take this commission. In addition, as this commission is coming directly from the Adventurers’ Guild, a guild official will be accompanying you as an intermediary, so we ask that you also escort them.”
“Don’t tell me the staff who will be accompanying us is…”
“Yes, I am. I’m your agent, so I’ll be accompanying you. I look forward to working with you, Loren.”
Ivy held out her right hand to Loren, and Loren, already weary at the prospect of taking along two evil gods and a demon, grasped it.
After that, Ivy parted ways with Loren and the others and returned to the Adventurers’ Guild. She had to place the commission’s order and complete the necessary paperwork before she could accompany the adventurers.
Luxuria had been arguing to the end, but when he realized that Loren would not change his mind, he gave up and went back to his own people, whom he had registered as adventurers.
Loren and his party also had urgent preparations to attend to.
“We need to buy enough supplies for an eight-day round trip.”
Since this commission had been stale, Ivy wanted to close it as soon as possible, yet rushing preparations would do no good, so Loren’s party was given one day to prepare.
“This time, it looks like we’ll only need the bare necessities. Ivy will provide the means of transportation and general goods, and the guild will provide the rest.”
Lapis mentioned that as the guild was the client, it would be providing some support. Therefore, all Loren and his party needed were tools, weapons and medical supplies. The food and daily necessities could be left to Ivy.
It would be much easier if they prepared these items themselves, but Loren’s group felt that there would be no problem if they didn’t, so they left it to Ivy without hesitation.
[‘Onii-san, are you sure? Even if I go there, I… may not be able to use that ruin, you know?’]
Ivy and Lapis warned that it was highly unlikely that Shayna would be revived in a physical body. Hearing that, Shayna didn’t want to burden Loren and his party with accepting a strange commission to obtain the information.
“You may change your mind, and if we examine the ruin thoroughly, we may find something that will solve the problem. Besides, you can’t stay in me forever.”
[‘Am I being a bother?’]
Loren scratched his head as he sensed a feeling of anxiety mixed in with Shayna’s thoughts.
“I’m not saying that you’re a bother. You can stay there as long as you want, but I’m just saying that if it’s possible, you should get your body back.”
“Loren, you look like a dangerous man, mumbling to yourself like that.”
In order for Shayna and Loren to have a conversation, there was no need for Loren to say a word. However, Loren was not used to such communication, and from the side Lapis noticed that he was unintentionally speaking out loud.
Loren, who had his cheeks slightly reddened, and mouth corners turned down, could hear the sound of Shayna’s laughter echoing in his mind, as he heard Lapis’ remark.