GILF Hunter

Chapter 473: 473 Thunderstruck Branches

Mika asked as she looked up at a building much larger than the Ian Mercenary Group’s base.

’Will it really be here?’

’If this person doesn’t have it, we should basically consider it non-existent.’

Ian replied to Mika as he stepped inside the building. Mika and Airi followed behind him.

The place Ian visited with the two was the office of the Frey Mercenary Group.

It was because Frey was the most likely person to have the item Ian was thinking of.

...Part of the reason was also that, aside from Frey, there were no other A-rank mercenary groups he was particularly close with.

’What if it’s not there?’

’Either give up on the research or...’

’No way!’

’...Then, well, we’ll have to use a slightly more bothersome method. There are other ways, so don’t worry too much.’

That ’final method’ was... continuously wandering through the lower floors of the Labyrinth until a place called the [Herb Room] or [Shop Room] appeared.

In a game, it’s a method often used when materials are needed, but unlike back then when he could just skip and click, Ian didn’t want to resort to that method now that he had to physically wander around.

He could only hope that Frey had it.

Of course, the possibility of Frey personally having the [Shadow Flame] was slim.

Since this was a fairly well-known material. Even if it was obtained by chance in the Labyrinth, it was highly likely that a mage within the mercenary group had already used it for research.

There was no way they would just let such a material sit in a warehouse. Frey wasn’t the type to hoard those kinds of things either.

Instead, Ian came here to find the method most likely to obtain the material [Shadow Flame] among the ways he knew.

When the door opened, Frey, who was waiting inside, greeted the guests.

’Oh, Airi is here too. Hi!’

’Ah, hello...’

’Come on in.’

Mika and Airi, visiting the base of another A-rank mercenary group for the first time, entered the room with awkward faces alongside Ian.

Frey glanced at a note on the desk and said to Ian.

’You said there’s something you want to buy? First off, that [Shadow Flame] thing wasn’t in the warehouse.’

’Yes. I only mentioned that just in case... what I actually want to buy is a key.’

’We do have quite a few keys.’

The [Abyssal Key], which allows entry into specific fields of the Labyrinth, is an item that can be obtained with a certain probability upon defeating a Labyrinth boss.

Naturally, the person with the most keys in this city had to be Frey.

’We need a key to enter the [Witch’s Forest].’

Ian brought up the name of the item he had thought of beforehand to Frey.

Hearing the name, Frey tilted her head slightly.

’The [Witch’s Forest]...?’

’It’s a key that looks like a withered tree.’

’Uh... ah, I remember now. That place where only herbs are blooming like crazy?’

Unlike Ian, who could see the names of items directly, it took Frey a moment to recall it from memory, but she understood what he meant after hearing his description.

What Ian described was the key to enter the region known as the [Witch’s Forest].

And having understood what item Ian wanted, Frey immediately shook her head. Her attitude suggested there was no need to even check the warehouse.

’That? We don’t have it. We sell those as soon as we get them.’

’You sell them?’

’There’s a person who buys only those every time. Someone you know, too.’

’Someone I know...’

Frey smirked, saying, ’That person from back then.’

＊ ＊ ＊

With Frey’s introduction, Ian was able to immediately set up an appointment with the person who buys the [Witch’s Forest] keys.

In a quiet cafe slightly away from the plaza, Ian was waiting for the appointment partner to arrive along with Mika and Airi.

’This way.’

’It’s been a while, Leader Ian.’

Ian raised his hand toward the guest who had just entered.

The guest spotted Ian’s face, approached the table, and sat in the empty seat opposite him.

’It’s been a while for you two as well.’

’Hello!’

’Ah... hello...’

Since Mika and Airi also knew the face, they greeted her together.

The counterpart was the leader of the A-rank mercenary group who had served as the expedition leader during the Behemoth subjugation. It was Ariel.

Whether she had received some explanation through Frey’s contact, Ariel brought up the topic first.

’I’ve heard a bit from Frey. You need the key to enter the [Witch’s Forest]?’

’Yes. I heard that you, Leader Ariel, buy up all the ones on the market.’

’There is one left right now, but...’

Ariel shook her head with a look of regret. It was a sign of refusal before even hearing the price or conditions.

’I’m sorry, but I can’t sell it. It’s not for our mercenary group’s use; the circle buys them collectively.’

’A circle?’

’Yes. I am also the president of the Labyrinth [Ranger Circle]. The keys are the collective property of the circle.’

He had anticipated that she might not sell it. Ariel must have had a purpose for buying the keys as well.

However, the reason Ariel explained was quite an unexpected answer.

’The [Ranger Circle], is it...’

’Yes. It’s a gathering of mercenaries who use bows. Since I have the highest rank, I ended up as the president.’

A circle wasn’t an official organization, but a sort of small interest group formed by people with the same hobbies or goals.

Most were trivial groups gathered for hobbies, but among them were fairly large social groups consisting of only specific classes, like Ariel’s meeting.

Since it wasn’t a secret, Ariel told Ian what purpose they used the purchased keys for.

’The Witch’s Forest keys are used by everyone in the circle together. The wood found there is good for making bows.’

’If it’s for bows... the [Thunderstruck Branch]?’

’Oh, you know about it?’

It was specialized information that’s usually hard to know unless one is interested in bows. Ariel was slightly surprised, thinking it unexpected that Ian knew about it.

Well, since he had Airi, an archer, among his members. If he had tried to procure equipment for her, Ian, as the leader, might have naturally found out.

Ariel nodded and replied to Ian.

’That material is hard to obtain through normal means... so we buy it collectively through the circle and then distribute the [Thunderstruck Branches] obtained there.’

’Then do only the circle members enter?’

’Yes. It’s not exactly a place where strong monsters appear.’

It was a fairly unfamiliar concept to Ian. Mercenaries hired in the game would only follow the schedule set by the player; they wouldn’t just go out for personal circle activities on a whim.

But in reality, mercenaries were both members of a group and individuals with personal qualifications. As long as it wasn’t an action that violated the contract, it wasn’t particularly strange to do individual activities like this during personal time.

Having finished the explanation, Ariel spoke to Ian as if she felt sorry.

Since Ariel wasn’t a stranger either, she had the intention to help Ian, but this was something difficult to concede arbitrarily.

Even though she was the president of the circle, it was only a private gathering. Unlike a mercenary group, it wasn’t a place with clear hierarchical relationships.

’So it’ll be difficult to hand over the key. I’d like to help, but...’

’I see...’

Mika, who had been hopeful, muttered with a disappointed expression.

Ariel’s gaze turned toward Mika and Airi, who wore expressions far more troubled than Ian’s.

She didn’t know the exact reason why Ian was trying to obtain it, but just looking at the atmosphere, it was easy to guess that it was for the two people beside him.

In particular, Ariel’s gaze lingered a bit longer on Airi.

After contemplating for a moment, Ariel made a suggestion to Ian with a cautious attitude.

’...Leader Ian. You said you need [Shadow Flame], right? Since we’re going there to get [Thunderstruck Branches] anyway, there won’t be anyone bidding for that item.’

Ariel stopped talking for a moment after saying that much. This was a matter she had to discuss with and get consent for from the circle members.

She couldn’t give a definite answer on her own... but Ariel was confident that the circle members would all agree.

’How about accompanying our circle when we go out? If you promise to waive bidding on [Thunderstruck Branches] and a few other items we need, I’ll propose it to the circle.’

’Will the circle agree? Even if it’s an unnecessary material, the number of people to split the spoils with will increase...’

’Normally, that would be true.’

Nodding at Ian’s question, Ariel glanced toward Airi.

’But if Miss Airi accompanies us, I think everyone will agree.’

’Eh? M-me?’

’Everyone has wanted to meet you... but even though we sent circle invitations several times, there was no reply at all from Miss Airi.’

’Hik...’

Airi had seen the invitations sent from the place called the Ranger Circle, but naturally, Airi had no intention of joining such a place. She had rejected all invitations to join social gatherings.

Feeling an ominous premonition, Airi quickly hid behind Ian.

’Miss Airi will obviously be coming along on the expedition, right? Everyone will love it.’

’I-I’m not feeling well, so... Hyak!’

Mika poked Airi in the side.

It was silent pressure to accept quickly.