CH 87.1

To appease his companion who are making a disgruntled face while staring at me, Ark and the others leave the Lounge at a fast pace.

As I expected, Ark listened to my request. I didn’t say anything specific about the subject but perhaps he understood what I meant from my words and the current situation.

As expect of Ark Rodin. The strongest Hunter in the Empire has also the biggest heart. I love Ark when he is so versatile. He can even use Healing Magic, you know. Isn’t he unbelievable?

There is a big difference if you compare him with me who can’t do anything.

High-Level Hunters often have strong Members in their Party but if you go one level above, they are most likely solo Hunters. For example, the click for us “Strange Grief” to become Hunter, are the three people in world who are Hunter with a Level 10, “Exceed Sequence”, they are also soloing. A prominent Hunter is someone who will leave the surrounding people behind because they can’t follow him. And hence, they are highly versatile.

Ark goes to Shrines that matches the Level of his Party Member. To start being solo faster, it might be better for him if he explores with more powerful parties as it will help him level up much faster. Even though he is in a harem Party, he may be waiting for some top-class Hunters to form a Party.

Hopefully, I wish that Ark will always be as kind as now. I will continue to count on your help from now on. While I was happy with my negotiation skills, Liz who had been displease since some time, bends her lips and shakes my shoulders.

“It, is, not, faiiiiiir. Cry-chan, you rely too much on Ark-chan! Rely more on me! Nee? Neeeee1?”

“……”

“Luke-chan isn’t here, I can’t do a mock fight with Syt and Ti is still a small fry, my arms will become dull. Nee! I will do anything!”

Liz coquettishly rubs her body onto mine. Are you a pet or something?

You said you would do anything right? … So please be still for a while. In terms of ability, I have nothing to complain to Liz, but her temper is too strong. I sigh deeply.

“You know Liz, do you understand what I request him?”

“Of course, I know. I should go to that f*cking kid and steal her Relic, right? Leave it to me!”

Liz somehow proudly smiles when she says that. Her ethics is too weird. I want the Relic, but I don’t want to commit crimes over it.

Liz cracks her finger. Her mood is as if she was going on a trip.

“Compare to a Shrine, this is easy-peasy. After all, the knight guards are only amateur, but as Lucia-chan isn’t here, the barrier is going to be a little bit troublesome but it is fine if I steal it and come back before I get captured right? Ah, I know! I should take Ti with me!”

Please stop, don’t do it. Even though she wasn’t such a child in the past, she became too accustomed with wilderness. She may have it in her since the beginning though.

The mask is already all right. Ark will probably bring it back. Sytry who has a conscience, look at her sister as if she was amazed.

“Onee-chan! You are troubling Cry-san! There is a reason why Ark-san was picked to be the one to get the mask, what we have to do is to do something only we can do.”

“Things to do?”

“Money issues.”

Liz openes her eyes to Sitry’s immediate answer, but she uncrosses her legs. I don’t know what she was convinced about, but she makes a small nod while looking at me.

“…… Aaaaah, that was what you mean. Then there is no helping it. You can probably not request this to Ark-chan.”

“We have to fill up Lucia-chan’s savings before she comes back… It is a perfect timing, right?”

What is perfect timing? I don’t understand at all and the story is proceeding without me.

After all there may be some understanding that only sisters have and can’t be understood by other people.

Liz stands up, smiles towards me and contrary to earlier you can’t see any sign of being displease at all,

“… I see… As usual, Cry-chan’s plan is perfect, probably. Un, gotcha. The earlier the better right? Maybe it could be chewy after a long while. Syt, prepare everything.”

“I know, no need to remind me…”

“Weeell, I will lightly warm up my body first. Cry-chan, see you later. I will do my best so I can give you a good report, so please wait for it!”

While turning her arms around, Liz leaves the Lounge with a light footstep. If she is like this, she probably wouldn’t chase after Ark and the others and play thief. I don’t know what you are going to do but if Sytry is with you, then it won’t become a big problem.

“Then, Cry-san. I will be going too. Let me take care of supervising Onee-chan.”

“Un, un, you are right. Be as calm as possible.”

If it was possible, I want to help them, but I would only be a weight for them if I was there. In response to my lack of encouragement, Sytry closes her small fist and smiles.

§　§　§

After returning to their base of operation, Ark and the others start to prepare their equipment. Even so, Ark and the others main job is to be a Hunter. Even if they don’t have any plans to explore a Shrine, they always have a minimum of preparation completed.

Ark is both a Swordsman and a Mage. Hand-to-hand combat is also top notch, but magic can also be used. He won’t easily lose against most Hunters, so there is no need to talk about ordinary citizen.

His pouch which looks normal is in fact a pouch-type 『Magic Bag (Space Bag) 』, boast not only capacity to store more object than its appearance shows but also has the special effect to prevents thing inside from spoiling. It is a super high-class item that has been passed down in the Rodin family for generation. There are of course various potions, but also from food to camp items, there are all sort of items that can be used in all kind of situations.

“Are you seriously… Going?”

“Are you worried?”

Ark makes a small smile to his companion Yu, when she is looking up at him worriedly with her gray iris. The other Members hasn’t complained about it as Ark is the Leader, but they were all preparing with a displease expression.

Their dexterity was suitable for First-Class Hunters but above all, they are preparing with the same degree as if they were going to a highly difficult Shrine.

If you have to give only one characteristic of “First Step (Footprint of the Beginning)”, then it won’t be the fact that most of the members have many benefits, or the fact that the Members have a strength that doesn’t seems to belong to a young Clan, or the fact that they have a huge Clan House. But it is the 『Infinite Trial』 that the Clan Master occasionally gives.

It is falling on everyone without distinction and of course Ark’s Party is no exception to it. No, Ark’s Party is the Clan’s number two. If anything, then they have more opportunities to be ask for something than ordinary members.

No matter how hard the Shrines they have to capture, it is still better than a request that suddenly falls on them without any preparation, was a consensus of Ark’s Party Members. That is also why they always kept their equipment maintain at all times and always have the minimum preparation necessary on them.

Yu Shiiragi neat expression change to an anxious one.

“Yes. Cry-san is… Well, always quick to involve Ark-san.”

“He is a Level 8, so he should do it by himself. Ark-san is also spoiling him too much.”

Isabella who is dressed in the same white robe as when she is exploring a Shrine, sighs deeply. Indeed, Ark almost never refuses requests from Cry.

You can’t be a Treasure Hunter if you are afraid of an accident and some of his requests would certainly have a lot of casualties if someone didn’t do something.

“Do you think he should do it by himself because he has Liz and Sytry?”

When he is asking for the others consent on his question, Ark gives them a stupefy smile.

“Does Isabella want to bring those two closes to Éclair-jou. I can’t do something so horrifying.”

“… That is… Indeed, it seems like Liz is ready to seriously fight even if the opponent is a ten-year-old child. She won’t probably think even a little bit even if the opponent has a higher position.”

“… It is a horrifying story, but it is possible.”

The swordswoman Armelle agrees with Isabella’s words with a severe expression.

Everyone knows the strength of “Strange Grief” but at the same time, they are also well known for their defiance. For the Members in the same Clan and have a long relationship with them like Ark and the others, they will know that the reputation they generally get is a bit mellower than the reality.

They look like a little bit like a bloody mafia.

“The story is different if there was Lucia and Anthem, but it seems they haven’t come back yet… N, no, but then he should just go by himself! Even if the opponent is a noble, if it is Cry then he can easily handle it, right?”

Isabella shakes her head in protest, but her voice isn’t as powerful as before. She understands the logic behind his judgment, but her emotions can’t be so easily convinced.

Éclair Gladys is still a child, but she is the child of a noble. She has a high pride. Furthermore, Éclair had a strong confrontation against Cry which is said to be Ark’s rival. Cry could do it one way or another, but between him and Ark who has a closer relationship with her, it is clear to see who could do it better.

“Admit it, Isabella. In the first place, we have a connection with the Gladys House. Rather, if they have some trouble, we need to go… It is a bit misplace to complain to Cry.”

Even Ark who has a long relationship with Cry can’t read his thoughts. However, leaving aside the other Members, for Ark, compared to the 『Infinite Trial』 he had so far, this doesn’t look so worrisome.

Thanks for reading! What can be the job only Liz and Sytry, two members of the bloody mafia can do? XD. Money… Collecting money, are they going to collect some debt or go to a shrine? Haha Ark you just had to set up some flag at the end XD Tchao à plus!

1. Nee: Sound equivalent to hey in Japanese.