Ｓｉｄｅ：Ｒｉｋａ
Saki’s Ascension Ceremony has concluded without incident, and her elemental magic and Ascension magic have been revealed.
That night, we celebrated with a more luxurious dinner than usual. Even though, Saki is still on baby food. In three months, my son Asma will have his Ascension Ceremony. I wonder if it will be like this then too.
About two weeks later, I decided to take a break from my duties and go hunting with everyone for the first time in a while. It’s partly for Prim and Flam’s rehabilitation, but they’ve been going hunting every few days since the New Year, so it might be more like my rehabilitation. Since the opening of the General Academy, my workload has increased considerably, making it difficult for me to take time off. That’s why I decided to go hunting today after a long absence. Although it’s a G-rank Order, I haven’t fought much since Asma’s pregnancy, so my skills are likely rusty. However, I can’t help but question why our hunting ground is the Instant Labyrinth. It is understandable in a way, as it serves as rehabilitation for Prim and Flam. Our destination is the fourth floor, where M-rank monsters inhabit. However, the third floor is home to G-rank monsters, and the Monster Traps can even spawn P-rank monsters, making it a dangerous labyrinth where even High Class adventurers must be cautious.
“I thought so, but I honestly didn’t expect this.”
“It’s well-known, but unforeseen accidents can still happen.”
“Even so, that’s clearly not just an accident.”
“Agreed. Regardless, we’ll help them.”
“Yeah.”
As we proceeded through the third floor of the Instant Labyrinth, we saw hunters who had triggered a Monster Trap being attacked by monsters. We heard rumors of Dragonewts appearing, but the monsters before us seem to be a pack of G-U rank Leptoceratops and P-R rank Triceratops, with no others in sight. Even so, there are about twenty of them, making it difficult for even High Class adventurers with a small party to handle.
“And how did they, being only Normal Class, manage to get this far?”
“Huh? They’re all Normal Class?”
“Yes. Only one of them has magic power close to High Class, but that’s all.”
“It’s probably because they’re Dragonewts with ample magic power. But I agree, it’s amazing they made it this far.”
We haven’t accurately counted the number of hunters being attacked yet, but it’s likely less than ten. We can’t see any Beast Carriages, not even wreckage, so they probably came on foot. Still, to come to this floor, where G-rank monsters normally live, with only Normal Class adventurers is truly remarkable. But if they are all Normal Class, being attacked by over twenty G-rank or higher monsters is beyond desperate. It was a coincidence that we passed by, but they were lucky.
“Yamato-san, it’s over, but don’t you think their behavior is strange?”
“Oh, you’re done already? Yeah, their behavior is definitely strange.”
“They seem to be glaring at us.”
“It looks like we saved a troublesome bunch.”
Flam finished off all the Leptoceratops and Triceratops, but the hunters we saved are completely glaring at us. Mana-sama and Prim are also making troubled faces, and I feel the same way. In fact, I can easily guess what they’re going to say.
“Are you guys planning to steal our prey?”
“What are you talking about? They were clearly being attacked. And since it was Leptoceratops and Triceratops, it means they fell into a Monster Trap. Judging by their rank and level, these aren’t monsters you could defeat, are they?”
Just as I expected, they retorted, and Prim is dealing with them with a troubled expression.
“Hah? Do you know who we are when you say that? These monsters are nothing but pushovers to us.”
“You’re not even third-rate, you’re less than fourth-rate hunters. I wouldn’t know who you are. Your presence on this floor is likely a sheer coincidence, and the fact that you fell into a Monster Trap shows a severe lack of information.”
“Even if you act tough after we’ve defeated them, it’s just pathetic.”
Indeed. First of all, why do they mistakenly believe they can easily defeat G-U rank or P-R rank Saur species monsters? Saur species, like Dragons, are known to have individuals that are one rank stronger than normal monsters. This applies even to packs, so a pack of over twenty is unmanageable not only for Normal Class but even for High Class adventurers.
“Shut up! Do you want to die?!”
“Yeah! As compensation, hand over these monsters, and your Beast Carriage! Oh, and that Beast Carriage too!”
They’re acting like complete thugs. No, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call them thieves. Or perhaps, they genuinely don’t know who they’re talking to?
“Stop dreaming. And speaking of which, you really don’t know who we are, do you?”
“Oh?”
“Why would we know someone like you, you brat?”
“That’s fine too. But for scoundrels like you, this isn’t the first time you’ve done something like this, is it?”
“They’re probably up to something on the first or second floors as well. Well, it’s the end of the line for you now that you’ve bothered us.”
With that, Yamato and Mana threw down their licenses. The hunters turned pale upon seeing them, but of course, it wouldn’t end there.
“Mako-san, sorry, but I’m going to the Order’s Guild. Can I leave the rest to you?”
“I suppose I have no choice. In that case, we’ll be waiting near the fourth floor’s transfer gate.”
“Understood.”
With that, Yamato captured the thug-like hunters with Telekinetic Magic and used an Escape Scroll to head to the surface. While it’s equivalent to picking a fight with a noble family, they are still active as hunters, so it won’t result in severe punishment. However, not only did they not thank us for saving them, but they also demanded compensation for the monsters they defeated and even their Beast Carriage. This is beyond mere bad manners. Given their likely past offenses, we’ll request the Order to conduct an interrogation, and depending on the outcome, they could face the revocation of their Hunter’s License, or even become criminal slaves.
It feels like this long-awaited hunt has been soured right from the start, but let’s shake it off and do our best.
Ｓｉｄｅ：Ｐｒｉｍ
While hunting and waiting near the transfer gate on the fourth floor, Yamato returned in about three hours. He rejoined us sooner than I expected, but he said it was because he used his full Phisicalize and Magicalize and traveled at full speed. He mentioned that he helped with several raids along the way. Traveling to the fourth floor took three hours, but considering the interrogation and other matters, his actual travel time was just over an hour. Even so, to arrive in that amount of time is a testament to how absurd Element Class adventurers are.
Anyway, after hearing his story, the troublesome hunters were taken to the Order’s Guild and underwent interrogation. They were known troublemakers in the Instant Labyrinth, and complaints were lodged with the Hunter’s Guild daily. The Hunter’s Guild had warned them multiple times, stating that if they caused further trouble, they would be fined and expelled from the Instant Labyrinth. Despite this, they chose to provoke us, so they will be punished as described above.
“Expulsion from the Instant Labyrinth and a fine? That’s a lighter punishment than I expected.”
“The reason is that they’ve provoked stronger opponents multiple times. They apparently even provoked the Sacred Bird and the Black Army.”
That’s truly foolish. Both are Unions led by Ancient Class adventurers and have a large number of High Class members. For a raid consisting solely of Normal Class adventurers to pick a fight with such Unions is nothing short of suicidal. Moreover, there are reports that the Sacred Bird and the Black Army intervened when they were bothering other hunters. Normally, this would be grounds for license revocation.
“Why weren’t their licenses revoked?”
“As I said earlier, it’s because they frequently provoked stronger opponents. While there were complaints, the actual damage they caused was minimal. There were a few instances of prey being stolen, but the victims reported it to the Hunter’s Guild before the perpetrators could sell it off. The issues were resolved through quest confirmations and interrogations by the Order’s Guild.”
Just hearing about it, they sound like thoughtless thugs. They’re the kind of people who should have their licenses revoked. However, the monsters they stole were C-rank and B-rank monsters, and the total value of the stolen goods was only a few thousand to slightly over ten thousand Ells, all of which were returned to the victims. Therefore, they couldn’t impose a severe penalty, but since they did cause trouble, they were expelled from the Instant Labyrinth. However, to prevent them from causing problems in other towns, a brief description of the incident has been added to the special notes section of their licenses.
“I’ve never heard of a special notes section, is there really such a thing?”
“I heard it for the first time too, but it makes sense. Those who cause trouble are likely to do the same in other towns. It seems to be a feature that can only be accessed using Guild-exclusive magic.”
I also heard about it for the first time. Since it’s not normally visible, the Guild wants to keep track of habitual troublemakers, which is why such a section exists. Yamato was not told the details, but it simply records what they did and in which town. Apparently, it’s one step short of being placed on the Hunter’s Guild blacklist. The more entries in this special notes section, the more likely it is that their licenses will be revoked, even for minor offenses.
“So, they can’t do their job properly, and more importantly, they can’t even enter towns. That’s when they turn to a life of thievery.”
“That’s what happens to many of them. It’s entirely their own fault.”
“Indeed.”
As Rika and Yamato said, license revocation is a consequence of their own actions. While they might be able to register with other Guilds, it’s impossible for guilds like the Ritter’s Guild, and the Guild whose license was revoked is out of the question. Consequently, their work opportunities and income dwindle. They can still enter towns with a Library, but they might not be able to afford the entrance fee, making it impossible if they have no money. Their options are to live in a small village or become thieves. However, even small villages have resident Ritters, and the problem of finding work remains. Thus, many choose the latter. Even Crafters and Traders are not entirely incapable of fighting.
In fact, there were many thieves in the old Valentia, and in my birthplace, the Hydransia Duke’s Territory, there were more thieves than monsters. I believe this was the reason. The Hydransia Duke’s Territory was small, but because of that, my father, the Lord, had eyes everywhere, and any hunters who acted arrogantly were quickly apprehended by Beast Knights. As a result, hunters whose licenses were revoked became thieves and committed offenses within the Hydransia Duke’s Territory, driven by resentment. This news reached the ears of thieves operating in other regions, and they began to gather there. It was entirely misplaced resentment, and it led to a shortage of Beast Knights, so I myself went on several thief hunts. It probably reflects the low morale of hunters in Valentia back then, but I would like to believe it has improved now.
“Well, that matter is settled. How are things on your end?”
“It’s hard to say it’s going smoothly, but we are hunting reasonably well.”
“I’ve leveled up twice, and Prim and Flam seem to be getting their feel back.”
We’re not interested in their affairs. Our own matters are more important.
“That’s good to hear, but don’t overdo it, okay?”
“I know.”
“Yes.”
My husband is overly worried, but I have a history. However, I’m feeling really good today, and my senses have returned considerably. I’ll be heading back in about an hour, but soon I might be able to face the Guardian of the Solpre Labyrinth or the Instant Labyrinth. Judging by the materials, it’s probably the Solpre Labyrinth. Mana and Flam would likely be interested too, so I’ll suggest it when we get back.
