029. Creeping Shadow
The situation was unexpected, but fortunately, Leia-san recovered within 10 minutes or so and the problem was solved without incident.
After that, I dropped her off at the orphanage and had dinner with her, but she did not seem to be complaining of any physical problems. In fact, she seemed to be feeling better than before.
「Leia-san, you seem to be in a very good mood♪」
As Osada-kun said, Leia-san was cheerful and energetic.
In fact, she even says, "I'm feeling very well♪" after returning from the public bathhouse with the children.
「Would you like to do it again?」
I was taken aback when she invited me.
However, I wondered if Leia-san had her own thoughts on the matter.
「Ahahahaha! I was just joking♪」
She said with a mischievous smile on her face, and we went to sleep in separate rooms that night. But,
(Seriously, I didn't mean to be reckless.)
Osada-kun's words came back to my mind.
But thinking about it calmly, I realized that not only had my level increased by 3 in just 10 days, but my folia had also been greatly enhanced.
Perhaps it was because I had placed too much importance on the "basics," but the reality that I had unexpectedly developed and mastered a new form of folia frightened me a little, but on the other hand, it was also true that I had a desire to try out the power I had acquired.
And so it was the next morning.
When I showed up at the guild's reception desk as usual, I noticed that the atmosphere was a little different from usual.
「......Hey, hey. For real?」
「I'm pretty sure that's the 22nd case just this month, right?」
「Apparently the military is trying to solve the problem, too, but......」
「I hear the situation in the East is unstable as well―」
Such stories catch my ears. And then...
「Ah! Yuuto-san. Osada-san. Long time no see ♪」
Hannah-san noticed us and greeted us with a smile on her face.
「Is something wrong? I can feel a strange buzz in the air?」
「About that――For some time now, there was talk that goblins were becoming more active in the forested area of "Forres" in the southwestern part of Hanaria,......Yuuto-san, do you know a town called Karguri?」
「Of course. It's one of the towns along the Hanaria Highway, right? It has a population of about 30,000, and I have heard that tourism and forestry are thriving there.」
「As you say, Karguri is located at the entrance of the "Forest of Forres," and it is relatively easy to get to Hanaria and the "Agricultural City of Bele". There are also settlements of spirit people in the forest, and the impact on the economy is not small.」
「Are there many goblins in the vicinity of such an important base?」
「Yes. There have been signs for some time, and we have sent busters out to take them down on numerous occasions, but it's happening too often that even the military platoon that was dispatched the other day has disappeared.」
「Oi, oi. Are you for real?」
Osada-kun raised his voice at the seriousness of the situation.
「If things continue like this, I think the military will form and dispatch a "Major Strike Force," but the situation in the eastern part of the country is not good――the number of demons in the "Great Sea of Trees" area is increasing rapidly, as well.」
「I believe the total number of troops in the Hanaria army is 50,000, right?」
「If you include reservists and those on leave, it's a little more than 70,000, but of course, they are dispersed throughout Hanaria. Even the resident force in this city is only about 8,000.」
The numbers may seem small, but 50,000 military personnel for a population of 1.3 million is a fairly large number.
Unlike fixers and busters, military personnel is a group of professionals who have received specialized education and training.
In addition, they are responsible for the security of the nation and its people, which is a drawback that makes them costly.
「Hanaria is a relatively wealthy country, so it is said that a considerable amount of money is allocated for military equipment, but to put it another way, they are expendable and are used only for defensive purposes.」
「That's why fixers like us are assigned to take down demonic beasts, huh」
Even so, when a threat arises that cannot be ignored, the military will naturally move.
Dispatching a platoon is probably part of that.
「But they haven't come back ― an unusual situation, right?」
「Yes. But they are goblins――Generally speaking, they are called "the weakest subhuman monsters" with ugly faces and only the height of a child. In fact, most people think that even a child with a stick can drive them away.」
「But when they are numerous, understand the language of the human race, and use sneaky means with weapons, I can't help but think, 'No, that can't be right", though?」
Perhaps the military has a sense of honor.
They are just goblin ― that's the word that comes to mind, but in any case, it's too dangerous to leave them alone.
「What about the senior fixers?」
「Some of them are working, but even here there is a strong perception that we are dealing with goblins and that the risk/reward ratio is not so great, and most of them, like the military, are on missions in other areas.」
Looking at Hannah-san who said this as if she was in trouble, I put my hand over my mouth and pondered.
「Hm~? What's wrong, Yuuto?」
「...... No. It's just a hunch, though. Strangely ...... Um. How should I put it」
I couldn't verbalize it because I couldn't come up with good words, but...
「I just have a 'bad feeling' about it, something like that.」
As if to cover it up, "Ah ha ha!" I laughed, but.
「No. I don't think it's that kind of intuition or something stupid like that, you know?」
Hannah-san said with a serious expression on her face.
「To tell you the truth, there is something that I am also a little concerned about ― I can only say vague things because I have no proof, but there have been various incidents in various places recently, and I'm sure Yuuto-san is no stranger to such things, right? There was also the "case" in question.」
「That's......」
A ritual performed by a group of pagans near Hanaria.
I stared into Hannah-san's big eyes when I realized that she was implying this.
「So? What are you going to do after all?」
After I was prompted by Osada-kun's words, I went over the idea in my head again.
「By the way, that goblin extermination is an official request from the Guild, right?」
「Yes, of course. In addition, the reward for success is set at a high level, and a "special reward" will be paid to the Fixers who make a significant contribution to solving the case.」
「Oooohhh~~~!」
Osada-kun sounded excited.
「From a different perspective, though, it's such a very troublesome and dangerous request」
Before we even get to what the case is about, we're going to make a lot of money just taking down goblins.
We have no money, and it is also true that the demonic beasts around Hanaria are not enough for us anymore.
High-risk, high-return ― and it might be a good time to test my newly acquired abilities and capabilities.
(Though, it just seems like a flag that says, 'I'm definitely going to get involved in a case".)
After careful consultation, I firmly vowed to be fully prepared.
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