chapter 16

It was late into the night, and we finished our fun drinking party.

I decided to return to the Gran residence, while the others return to their inns.

I said to Ario,

「Ario, Josh, call me whenever you guys don’t have enough people, alright?」

「Sure, but where should we go to find you?」

How do I answer that question?

「Rock-san, which inn do you usually frequent?」

「Uhh……」

There’s no way I can tell them that I stay at Gran’s mansion.

It’s not natural for an F-ranker to stay at the guild’s Grandmaster’s residence.

「I don’t really have an inn I usually stay at……」

「I see」

「Oh, so that’s the case」

For some reason, Ario and Josh seem to understand despite my ambiguous explanation.

Ario then patted my right shoulder.

「Rock. I understand」

「……Understand what?」

Ario nodded his head.

Don’t just go around making assumptions, please.

Josh then pat my left.

「There is no need for you to say it」

「What in the world do you mean by ‘it’?」

「That strength you have. Rock-san, you aren’t just an ordinary person, are you?」

「O, Oh?」

Don’t tell me my identity’s exposed again?

I felt a little uneasy.

However, I’ve only defeated goblins in front of them.

I did defeat them with skill, but not to the level that they’d think I’m the hero Rakku.

……I think.

Ario said seriously,

「Well. If you stay regularly at one inn, hitmen can find you easily, huh」

「Yes, that’s true」

Josh agreed with him.

「Wait no, I don’t think I’m aimed by hitmen or something」

「We understand. Right now, you’re an F-rank adventurer, after all」

「Yes. They won’t go for you since you are an F-rank adventurer, Rock-san」

「I’m not a target, yes」

I understood what they are trying to say.

Most probably, Ario and Josh realised that I’m trying to conceal my real identity.

However, they seem to think the reason I’m concealing it is because I’m targeted by the underworld.

I have a feeling they think I’m a professional hitman.

「……Umm」

「There is no need for you to say anything」

「That’s right, everybody has a past they wouldn’t want to talk about」

「Even a former…… No, pretend that I said nothing」

Josh broke off mid-sentence. I am terribly curious about what he was trying to say.

I might stir up a hornet’s nest if I retorted, so I decided to let it pass.

「Anyway, I’ll try to show up at the adventurer’s guild as much as I can」

「Alright then. We’ll tell the adventurer’s guild when we don’t have enough people and find you then」

「Rock-san, thank you very much for your help this time」

Ario and Josh returned to their inns with the misunderstanding that I am targeted by the underworld.

By the way, Shea had been giggling by the side all this time.

「Ario-san and Josh-san completely think that you are a former bad guy, don’t they?」

「……That’s how they see it, huh」

「That’s right. When I went to the toilet at the eatery just now, I heard them talking……」

「Hmmm?」

「They were guessing that you might be a former assassination guild’s leader」

「……An assassination guild」

That’s even worse than a hitman. This really is troubling……. I think.

No, they won’t randomly talk about it, so I don’t think it’ll be too bothersome.

While thinking that, Shea once again bowed.

「Thank you very much for helping me」

「Don’t mention it. You going back to your hometown?」

「That is correct. I have to temporarily return to restore my family’s honour」

「You too, Shea. If you need help, just call me」

「That will be very helpful, thank you」

Shea’s expression then became serious and came nearer.

She then whispered,

「Ra……Rock-san, can you talk directly with Lord Morton?」

「Yeah, I can」

The Lord Morton she mentioned refers to Gran.

Gran’s full name is Gran Morton.

「I’d appreciate it if you call the vampire lord’s matter to Lord Morton’s attention」

「Sure, but you reported this to the guild already, haven’t you?」

「Of course I have, but…… the adventurer’s guild is a large organisation, so……」

I understand what Shea’s trying to say.

There’s no way a report from a single adventurer will reach the whole guild.

There’s even a possibility that they think it’s a false report.

There have been cases where even if the person who reported something isn’t lying, in the end, it was regarded as a lie.

Because of that, the guild will dispatch adventurers to investigate the report first.

They will then decide on whether to act based on the results.

Naturally, it’ll take a while for the report to reach the Grandmaster, Gran.

「Understood. It’ll be troublesome if they manage to open a gate to the Rift, after all」

「Please. I will gather information at my hometown」

Shea’s whole family lives on hunting vampires.

It’ll probably be easy for them to gather information on vampire lords.

「I almost forgot」

Saying that, Shea handed me half of the vampire lord’s medal.

It’s the medal the vampire lord implanted within its body to store curses.

When I absorbed the curse, I cut it into two with the Devil King’s sword.

「Please take this, Rock-san」

「You sure?」

「Of course. I don’t need the whole medal to restore our honour. It should be easier to explain to Lord Morton if you have this, after all」

「That’s true. Thanks then」

I told her once more.

「If you learn anything new, tell me, alright?」

「Roger. If I want to meet you, I should head to either the adventurer’s guild or Lord Morton’s residence, right?」

「Yeah」

While looking back a few times, she finally left.

No doubt she’s staying at some inn.

I returned to Gran’s mansion.

Even though it’s this late into the night, the gatekeeper is still standing straight.

The gatekeeper’s a different one from last time. He’s probably in charge of the night shift.

「Thank you for your hard work」

「Rock-san. Welcome back」

「I’m back」

I entered the mansion as the gatekeeper saw me off.

I passed by the dining room, and Gran was there.

He was drinking all by himself.

「Yo Gran. You’re still up?」

「What do you mean “You’re still up?”! You said that you’d be out for a while, but it’s already been three days, you know?」

「Come to think of it, it really has been three days, huh」

A night passed before we reached the village, and another on our way back. That’s exactly three days and two nights.

It’s probably quite long for an adventure after I just came back from the Rift.

「Is there anyone who’d suddenly leave for three days?! At least inform us!」

「I’m sorry」

I was lectured by Gran.