Chapter 34: Bargaining Point


    As the food began being served, everyone, the leader of écate Carillon included, began eating what they liked the most while livening up the room, though most of their conversations revolved around the Ancient Temple. Zef spoke about Alfina and how she struck him, Emera about how she was able to use the Spirit Sword only once after finally obtaining it, Asbar about Mira’sck ofmon sense as an adventurer and the incredible gap between her appearance and actual strength, Fra about how she could not get enough of Mira’s cuteness, and more stories like that.


    Mira also felt slightly jealous of how beloved Sero was by them. From time to time she would get asked for confirmation on the stories, to which she would always assent with a short sentence, except when someone said 「Mira is only mine and mine alone.」 which she denied vehemently.


    Mira kept listening to their merry conversation while turning to wipe Takuto’s mouth from time to time or to order extra drinks.


    By the end of the conversation, the topic went back to the distribution of the loot since apart from the Magic Stones, they still had all of the items obtained from the devil. In the end, they figured that they could not leave the remains of a devil on a table in the dining room overnight, so they would take it and split itter inside their rooms.


    When they were done splitting everything, their food and drinks had already started being digested, but then a man opened the door of the inn. Asbar turned around incited by the sound of the bells of the door, there, he saw a familiar face.


    「Is that you Killick? You came at just the right moment!」


    That man named Killick was another member of écate Carillon. He wore a ck-matted armor and with a face devoid of any expression, it was hard to read his emotions, but when he heard Asbar’s voice, his lips twitched into a smile for a split second. That difference was so subtle that it would be impossible to tell unless two pictures were taken at the moment it happened and after, but for someone who had known him for as long as Asbar had, it was clear Killick was in a good mood.


    「What is this right moment I came in at, Asbar?」


    Killick walked up to the table and asked in an incredibly monotonous voice.


    「There was this item we had while splitting the loot that would’ve been perfect for you. I was nning on giving it to you once we were back.」


    After he said that, his eyes shifted to Mira as if pointing at her. Killick followed his gaze and turned around, the single spellcaster girl flooding his vision.


    「Cute…」


    Killick muttered with a voice so low no one could hear him. Mira was stuffing her cheeks with a tart at that moment, but when she felt that gaze on her, she gulped down everything flustered.


    「I see, you must be the dark knight Emera and the others told me about, yes?」


    Mira had only heard about him once, but what she heard about him matched his current appearance, so she asked that.


    「It’s true that I’m a dark knight, but… Asbar, what does this mean?」


    「It means you’re in luck today.」


    Asbar stood up, patted Killick on the shoulder a few times then took the scythe from Sero and held it in front of Killick.


    「This is…? I can feel a strong energy in it, but what is this?」


    Seeing the ck scythe being held in front of him, his eyes opened wide. He could sense a fragment of something like a wriggling fire exuding from it, a type of energy only a dark knight that endowed his body in the darkness could feel.


    「This is one of the spoils of war that that young girl got. She said she wouldn’t use it and that we should give it to someone who would. In our guild, only you look like the one able to use something like this, so try holding it for a bit.」


    As Asbar said that, he pushed the scythe towards Killick and had him hold it. Killick instinctively received it and held it in his hands, the immense power coursing through his body made all his hairs be erect.


    「How is it? Do you think you can use it?」


    Being told that, Killick took a step back and held the scythe with both hands. His built-up magic power began mixing with the scythe’s before it returned to his body and began seeping into him.


    「I… can feel quite a strong power from it, but I can probably use it.」


    Mira watched over him as he replied and seeing his situation, she released a soft sigh of admiration. Even though Asbar had such a rough time maneuvering it with both hands, Killick was now swinging it with such precision he could easily cut through the smallest of particles.


    「Well, what do you think girlie? He looks like he can use it and I can vouch for his personality as well, he might look like a dark personage, but in truth, he’s a softhearted man that even donates to orphanages.」


    「Huh… Asbar, how do you know about that?!」


    Killick became slightly flustered hearing that and it seemed he was about to drop the scythe. His donations to the orphanage were because he also grew up in it, so he wanted to return the favor to the priest there and secretly made donations, but the reply to his question was different.


    「Everyone knows about that, y’know.」


    Zef replied with a smile, then the other members of écate Carillon there all made big nods, looking gently at Killick.


    His original deadpan face quickly crumbled as he flushed red, but that was enough to convince Mira that he was a good man to possess the scythe.


    「This is good. So you… Killick, take good care of it. Devote yourself to mastering it, and work hard to fulfill the dreams of even more children.」


    「Isn’t that great? She approved of you.」


    「Err… I can tell just by holding it, but this is quite a valuable item. Is it really good if I take it?」


    「Yes. It is best for the world and its people to put it to use in this way.」


    The scythe clearly outssed any weapon he had held to date, so Killick felt hesitant when holding it, but hearing his question replied and the way the girl looked straight at him, he epted her gaze and fixed his posture.


    「Thank you very much. I vow I shall never do anything that goes against your will.」


    epting Mira’s wishes head-on, Killick bowed respectfully to her without wavering, even though she clearly looked younger than him. The other guests in the inn nced at Killick because of that, but after a short moment, they all returned to their original conversations. On the other hand, Emera and the others just smiled knowing that it was just like Killick to act that way.


    「Uh… Yes. You’re… wee?」


    Mira was lost for words after witnessing Killick’s extremely serious manners. After giving that vague reply, she stuffed her cheeks with tart to mask her embarrassment.


    「Leaving that aside for now, I feel indebted after receiving such a fine item. Is there anything I can give in return?」


    After carefully storing away the scythe in his Item Box, Killick asked Mira.


    「Something in return…」


    Mira had given it away purely because she had no use for it, so having to think of something in return bewildered her. But she also did not want to let Killick down, his eyes were burning with determination now, which waspletely different from the deadpan look he had when he entered the inn.


    「That’s true. As the guild’s leader, I’d also like to give something back. This event has increased our fighting strength by quite a bit after all.」


    「Hmmm.」


    Being cornered by the écate Carillon leader Sero as well, Mira was even more lost for words. When it came to Sero, she could not build an unpaid debt with him and leave it at that. Emera and the others were also of the same feeling, so they all had their eyes focused on Mira.


    Feeling all those intent gazes on her, she realized she could not get away by saying something vague either. So when she began thinking if there was anything at all she could request, she recalled that there was one thing from not too long ago she could ask about.


    「If you insist so much, there’s one thing I’d like to ask.」


    「Yes, anything you say.」


    Sero nodded and agreed without waiting for Mira to give the details. She had a strained smile wishing they would at least wait until she exined what she wanted as she took a piece of paper from a sealed envelope.<table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Author</strong>: Ryuusen Hirotsugu</td><td><strong>Original Source</strong>: Syosetu</td><td><strong>Word Count</strong>: 2974 characters</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Trantor</strong>: Nomad</td><td><strong>English Source</strong>: Re:Library</td><td><strong>Word Count</strong>: 1506 words</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><strong>Editor(s)</strong>: Fire</td></tr></tbody></table>


    「I’d like you to investigate if there were any major events, incidents or urrences a few days around the dates I’ll give you. Do you think you can do that?」


    「So collecting information? We have some members who excel at gathering intelligence, so I believe we should have no problems. Tell us the dates.」


    Replying as such, Sero took out a pen and some pieces of notepaper he always kept in his pocket to write down poems when they entered his mind, then waited for Mira to speak.


    「September 20th, 2117,


    June 18th, 2132,


    January 14th, 2138.


    Those are the dates. I don’t care if it’s something really trivial. If anything happened, I want to know it.」


    Shortly after Mira finished speaking, Sero’s writing hand also stopped, then he repeated the dates for Mira to confirm them. When Mira confirmed there were no errors, Sero returned the pen and paper to his pocket.


    「I’ll give this information to the best intelligence brokers in écate Carillon so they can take care of it. And while I don’t know the meaning of these dates, I promise I won’t let this information leak anywhere.」


    「Mm, I’d be d if you did so.」


    She did not believe that they would be able to make a connection all that easily, but this involved the most important personages in the Arkite Kingdom, the Nine Wisemen. It was not the same as asking a run-off-the-mill guild to do the investigation, while it was also a nice way to conceal the information as opposed to having a bad run with the nation’s information brokers. Or at least so thought Mira.


    With the negotiations over, they returned to their lighthearted stories and conversation, until the bell of the inn’s clock rang to indicate it was already 8 o’clock. It was the first time for Mira to hear that sound, so she lifted her face and looked around until she found that it was indicating the current time.


    「Oh, it’s already thiste? Takuto, it’s already prettyte, did your grandfather tell you by what time you should be back?」


    After Takuto had been separated from his parents, he was staying at his grandfather’s house. Mira recalled that so she asked him, but Takuto’s reaction seemed somewhat off. He had been enjoying himself until a moment earlier but now his eyes danced around awkwardly.


    「Don’t tell me you left without saying anything?」


    When Mira asked again, Takuto’s body twitched and he looked at her. His reaction alone told her that he had left without telling anything to his grandfather. And that led to the next problem, if his grandfather found out he had left with some adventurers and entered a C-rank dungeon with them, there was no parent or guardian that would pardon him. Mira began scratching her chin as she heaved a sigh, then peered straight into Takuto’s eyes. He seemed to realize he was in the wrong as well, as his shoulders sank.


    「You know, when you found out your parents had died, you weren’t the only one suffering, your grandfather must’ve been suffering just as much if not even more.」


    「Yeah…」


    「And in the middle of such a time, you leave and cause him even more worry. Do you want to make your grandfather grieve for you as well?」


    He did not reply, only shaking his head left and right.


    「Exactly. Now, when you go out, you have to tell him exactly where you’re going, can you promise me that?」


    As she said that, she gently smiled and patted his slumped head.


    「Yes!」


    He engraved those words into his heart before he nodded and replied. Mira then told him 「Good boy.」 and hugged him. Embraced by that warmth, Takuto imagined his mother from deep inside his memories.


    「Sisterly Mira mode activateddd…!」


    「Don’t ruin the mood now.」


    Fra’s breath became ragged as she watched the two, but Emera held her back skillfully.


    「This is usually not like Fra but sometimes Mira gives off some really mature vibes.」


    「Oh, what’s with that, you lolicon? Are you trying to excuse your own dirty tastes?」


    「Huhh? Are you still trying to drag on with that narrative?!」


    Zef spoke with eyes too rxed for his own good, which prompted Asbar to instantlye up with another title for him, the disgrace of which made Zef hang his head down in shame.


    「I’d like to know more about this whole thing now.」


    「Zef, I thought you likedrge breasts?」


    Sero and Killick also jumped on the bandwagon, revealing his inclinations without reserve. As a result, Zef’s new shameful title would be known throughout all members of écate Carillon in just a matter of days.


    「Well then, I’ll go take Takuto back home now.」


    Saying that, Mira stood up together with Takuto, but a voice quickly made her stop.


    「Girly, there’s still one type of loot that hasn’t been split yet, what should we do about that?」


    Hearing that, Mira remembered that the remains of the devil were still left without being split. Though those were materials that she did not need, so she could just say that she did not have to receive anything, but then everyone would try to stop her and get her to take something.


    「Then, I’ll first see Takuto off and return after that.」


    「In that case, I can take him.」


    As soon as Mira mentioned that, Sero stood up from his seat. Having heard about the distribution of the devil’s remains, he offered to take Takuto so Mira could stay.


    「Err, but still.」


    When everything started, she had promised she would bring him back herself, so she could not let Sero, who was an outsider until a few moments ago, take care of it. But when Mira thought that far, Killick also stood up.


    「I’ll also go. I don’t know how much worth it will be, but I hope my help can repay my debt at least by a bit. Not to mention that if I’m together with our leader, we’ll bepletely safe.」


    That did guarantee Takuto’s safety, but Mira was still hesitant…


    「But Mira, if you go, then you might get confused for someone else and guided by the police back here.」


    Emera was just trying to tease her a bit, but that brought Mira’s memories back, which made her hang her head down low and give them her permission.


    「Big Sis Mira, Big Sis Emera, Uncle Asbar, Big Sis Fra, and Big bro Zef, thank you very much. There isn’t much more I can do now, but I promise I’ll return the favor in the future.」


    Takuto stood up, then began bowing to each and every one of them. He would never forget this day, and it would mark the beginning of his life towards bing a splendid adventurer like those he was seeing that moment, he swore so in his heart.


    After his long goodbye, he lifted his face, which now looked a little bit more mature, with signs of gratitude and a strong will in it.


    「See you around Takuto.」


    「If you want to be an adventurer, I’ll teach you a bunch of things next time we meet.」


    「If you decide to be a magician, I might be able to teach you a few things as well. Feel free toe and ask anything anytime you want.」


    「Uncle…」


    Emera and the others walked closer to Takuto and took turns patting his head. That made his face return to a more childish one for a moment, a smile appropriate for his age spreading on his lips.


    「And well… tell your grandfather that your parents are alive, I’m sure that’ll make him happier. Also, you have been deemed apt for three paths as a spellcaster. I can’t say much myself, but you have talent. If you decide to pursue any of them, you can visit the tower. You’re always wee there but don’t forget to talk about it with your grandfather first.」


    With thosest words, Mira patted his head as well, he replied with his biggest smile and replied with 「Yes!」. For Takuto, everything had been thanks to that single girl. Mira sometimes did not listen to reason and acted rashly that made Emera get anxious so she brought herpanions, and at some point, he was surrounded by such amazing people. So with his heart filled to the brim with gratitude and happiness, Takuto left that ce.


    Leaving Mira behind, Takuto left while apanied by that man shrouded in darkness like the night who also had received arge present earlier, as well as the leader of the well-known guild écate Carillon until he was home.


    Once they had exined everything to his grandfather, Sero and Killick headed back towards the Spring Snow inn, when an angry scream like that of thunder resounded behind them.<table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Author</strong>: Ryuusen Hirotsugu</td><td><strong>Original Source</strong>: Syosetu</td><td><strong>Word Count</strong>: 3056 characters</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Trantor</strong>: Nomad</td><td><strong>English Source</strong>: Re:Library</td><td><strong>Word Count</strong>: 1585 words</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><strong>Editor(s)</strong>: Fire</td></tr></tbody></table>


    「Mira! Don’t only wee Takuto but me too!」


    As soon as Takuto left, Fra lost her mind at the unbelievable words Mira had spoken to him. Namely, that he could go visit her at the tower any time he wanted.


    The Nine Towers were the most influential magic research facilities in not only Arkite Kingdom, but of the entire continent. Saying that it was a privilege to enter one of them was an understatement.


    An average adventurer would getughed at if they tried to enter the Linked Silver Towers. It was a den of entric and extremely proficient people who spent day and night working there.


    Danbulf was the top-ranked member there, and Mira was his disciple, adding to that the fight against the devil they witnessed, it was obvious she would have permission to let whoever she wanted in. Fra was not one to have a say in the matter, but from the way Mira had told Takuto he was always wee there, Fra could guess Mira already had quite a strong influence on the tower. Not only that, but Fra was a spellcaster herself, so the Linked Silver Towers were obviously a ce she dreamt of arriving at, almost like a Ma of sorts.


    「Miraaa, I want to have at least a quick look around. Pretty please with a cherry on top~?」


    As opposed to the lustful eyes which Fra had turned on Mira’s way until then, this time her eyes were filled with the desires and jealousy of a spellcaster.


    「Alright alright, I’ll do it so leave me alone now!」


    Fra had been acting like a predator about to pounce on her prey. but now she looked satisfied having a tight hold on her prey, not letting it go. Although Fra was not directly touching Mira, she knew Fra would not budge until she got her way, so she gave in to her demand.


    「I love you Mira!」


    Now that Mira had granted her permission, Fra was taken over by her emotions and leaped onto Mira, but Emera had guessed that would happen and intercepted her. In the end, the matter was settled with her having the same amount of favor as Takuto.


    Their feast came to a close, then they all went to Zef’s room further down on the second floor of the Spring Snow Inn.


    「Alright then, now’s time to continue sharing the spoils.」


    Zef began taking the devil’s drops from his item bag and piled them up on the table. There were two twisted horns, eight ws with a dark aura emanating from them, pitch-ck hide, and two wings. They all had a sinister appearance, and Emera pulled back slightly thinking there might be a curse on them. But since Fra would have been able to tell if something was amiss on the items, she knew she was being unnecessarily cautious.


    「Seeing all of this again…it looks somehow hard to believe.」


    「I know. The magic power infused in the ws alone is already amazing by itself. Judging from its attributes it seems to be on the fire element spectrum, so the spell devices made from these would be quite powerful.」


    While Asbar sighed as he looked over the drops, Fra took one of the ws and looked closely at it as she said that. The one who reacted first to those words was Emera who was cautiously watching from a distance.


    「Like a ming magic sword…!」


    Emera had an abnormally high attachment to different types of swords, so she let her emotions control her much more than necessary as her eyes shone looking at the ws piled up on the table.


    「So let’s start by deciding how we’ll share these…Mira, are you sure it’s okay for us to keep these? We really were nothing but dead weight when acquiring them.」


    「Mm…I know.」


    They were asking the same question once again. When Emera heard Zef ask that, her mind returned to reality and she stopped dead in her tracks. They alone would have never been able to win against the devil. Not just that, but if Mira had not been with them back then, at this moment only their cold bones would remain buried inside a secret underground graveyard.


    「You’re asking that too much. If it bothers you that much, then just make sure to remember what I requested earlier. I don’t mind how small it is, I want any sort of information I can get. There’s nothing else I desire more than that.」


    Hearing her reply, Zef and Asbar looked at each other and shrugged seeing they kept getting the same reply. They had written down the dates back when Sero was there, so they had always nned on keeping their word.


    「Leave it to us then!」


    Emera’s eyes were shining again.


    「Anyhow, take anything you want first, we’ll split whatever remains between us.」


    「…Hum, okay then.」


    Replying so, Mira took a nce at the table. The devil’s hide was really useful when added to armor items, and while there were no limits to what items it applied to, armor normally decreased movement speed and physical strength, limiting the wearer’s mobility. Now that this world was Mira’s reality, that caused a bigger impact on her than before, and since Mira’s stats were roughly the same of any other spellcaster in those aspects, she figured there was no need for the hide. It could have been used as an additive to her robe, but since Mira focused more on her looks, she had never worn something like that. Though her current clothes were not that different either.


    The devil’s ws were incredibly well suited to make magic tools or weapons with spells imbued in them. The wings weremonly used to reinforce magic tools and weapons as well, but there was one drop which suited Mira’s needs more than all the others, namely, the horns.


    「Then I guess I can take these.」


    Saying that, Mira picked up the two horns.


    「Are you sure that’s all you want? You don’t have to hold back. Even if we get a single item it would be more than enough for us.」


    After choosing the horns, Mira pulled her hand back not needing anything else, but Asbar interrupted her asking that. As devils were thought to be exterminated, drops from one would be traded for high prices. These days it was thought that the only way to find those was on ancient battlefields, old ruins, or the underground. But the drops they had there had been freshly harvested from a devil, so that made them all the more valuable.


    「This is enough. The rest would be more than I could handle.」


    The horns she had chosen were obviously of a high value as well, but more than anything, they worked the best with the type of refining skills Mira used.


    「Well, if you’re really okay with it then I guess that’s it. Anyway, time for us to split this up then.」


    Seeing that Mira was convinced she did not need anything more, Zef said that as he turned to look at the table. Just as he did, he saw a hand jump out and take hold of the devil’s ws.


    「Emera…」


    Zef, Asbar, and Fra all shot cold stares at Emera, the second inmand of écate Carillon. Ever since the idea of a ming magic sword got in her head, she had been impatiently staring at the ws waiting for an opportunity to snag them. She was almost acting like a puppy that was told to wait before being given something.


    「Huh…I mean, it’s fine now, right?」


    As soon as the topic became sword types, Emera would change from her reliable older sister character to one oblivious to anything else.


    When they were done splitting everything up, the results were as follows: Emera took six of the ws, Asbar the hide, Fra the wings, and Zef took two ws and a small piece of the hide.


    「Well, I think it’s high time I head back now. This was a fun experience.」


    Mira said that once she found a suitable moment for it. Emera and the rest grouped together to thank her. That was a sudden development for Mira, so she remained silent watching where things would go.


    「It’s only thanks to you that we’re still alive now, so let us express our gratitude again. Thank you.」


    Emera said with an almost startling smile.


    「Thank you, Missy. You didn’t only save our lives, but you even gave us all these things.」


    「Thank you very much, Mira. I promise we’ll repay this debt one day. Maybe you can tell us how to contact-」


    「Same goes for me, thanks to you I was also able to let loose on many fronts. Thank you.」


    Emera silenced Fra before she could finish her sentence, and Zef filled that gap instantly.


    Being thanked that way once again, Mira felt embarrassed and could only let her eyes wander around incessantly.


    「It was nothing big, you need not to thank me this much.」


    Saying that, she turned her sideways looking away. But her cheeks were flushed red, her lips smiling more than her words made it seem.


    「Mira’s so cutee!」


    Of course, Fra was unable to contain herself seeing that, and with that their exchange came to an end.