Chapter 72

We came to the mining town of Hagoromo, the three of us.

Despite being in the mountains, it is quite a large and bustling town. The mine must be in the mountain beyond, as part of the mountain’s surface is exposed, and a road that looks like it was just packed dirt leads to the town, with carts and laborers moving around.

There are dining halls, inns, shops that sell ores, accommodations specifically for the mine workers, and large bathing facilities, along with more places to park carriages than in other towns. The road is wide, taking into account the need for carts carrying ore to pass through. There’s even a recreation area for the workers.

The Adventurers’ Guild and the Commercial Guild are situated side by side. After arranging accommodation, I headed toward the Commercial Guild. I told the receptionist that I was here on Timo’s request to search for Hihiirokane, just as he had instructed. The receptionist called the guild master, and I was given a detailed explanation in a meeting room.

It seemed the interruption in Hihiirokane mining had been quite a blow.

“That’s a relief! We were really struggling with the mining progress. I’ll arrange a supervisor and laborers, so would you be able to enter the mine tomorrow?”

“No problem. I appreciate it. So, there’s no issue with the contract stating that we’ll take ten percent of the mining output, right?”

Timo had taught me to negotiate for ores instead of wages.

The guild master nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, that’s fine. However, the tunnel we’re sending you to hasn’t been worked for a while, so there’s a possibility of strong monsters appearing. Please follow the supervisor’s instructions and, if it feels too dangerous, make sure to retreat immediately. The workers won’t be able to escape before you, so please keep their safety in mind.”

“Understood.”

After confirming the finer details of the arrangement, I bowed and left the meeting room.

Once the door closed behind me, the guild master muttered to himself.

“I wonder if that elegant woman will be alright entering a mining site…”

The next morning.

At the meeting spot, there were many men waiting. Wow.

There were a total of eighteen people holding picks, shovels, or both. So, these are the mine workers. Many of them are well-built.

There are a couple of sword-wielders, probably bodyguards. They seemed worried about monsters. And there’s a slender person holding a wooden staff—maybe they use magic.

“I’m Danio, the supervisor. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you as well. I’m Iriya , a magic item craftsman. I look forward to working with you.”

We lightly touched our fingers and bowed to each other. Danio, though a supervisor, looked to be in his thirties, which is younger than the average miner. He was a man with short brown hair.

“I heard you were an elegant person, and it seems to be true. A mining site is like a cave; are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“It’s nothing special. I come from a village in the mountains, and as a child, I used to run through the forests.”

The workers smiled warmly. Though their faces looked rough, they seemed kind, which put me at ease. They must be excited for the resumption of Hihiirokane mining.

“…Is that sword-wielder a bodyguard? D-rank? Well, don’t overdo it, and if it gets dangerous, fall back.”

One of the sword-wielders, probably an adventurer, checked the rank badge of Ekvar , who was indeed D-rank.

“Can we leave most things to you?”

“Yes. We’re getting paid for this, so you protect the employer—that’s the contract.”

“I appreciate the advice.”

Ekvar  smiled slightly and nodded.

I was worried the atmosphere would get tense, but it seemed like he was just a blunt person.

We started up a gravelly uphill path toward the mountain. Along the way, we passed a large mining cart filled with earth, already loaded from the mining tunnel.

“Wait, has the work already started?”

“Ah, that’s a different operation. Don’t worry about it. We’re extracting other ores too.”

We were about to enter a side tunnel, separate from the large main one. This tunnel also had a set of tracks for carts. However, the tunnel itself was smaller than the central one, which had two tracks.

There were magical lights on both sides of the tunnel, and the ground was surprisingly smooth and easy to walk on.

It felt like we had walked for quite a while, even though not much time had passed.

“We’re almost at the mining site. Please stay alert.”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Danio, the supervisor, encouraged us.

“Since this is my first time entering in a while, there’s a chance monsters could appear. Everyone, stay sharp.”

In a cave, there’s also the risk of suffocation, so fire magic is a no-go. And depending on the type, even earth magic could be dangerous. If the tunnel collapses, that’s it. There are demons with strong fire attributes around…

I’m worried—hopefully, it won’t come to a fight.

“Here it comes, a Sandworm!”

The lead mage shouted. There was one swordsman in the front and one at the rear.

The Sandworm resembled a giant earthworm. It had no eyes and attacked by charging with its head. Honestly, it was a bit disgusting.

“Ice, solidify and become frozen! Load and fire, grant me the trigger. Let the hard ice stones rain down like a downpour. Barrage, Glass-Lon!”

A number of small ice projectiles flew at the Sandworm with great force. It was a mid-level spell. While it was a good choice, the projectiles were small and didn’t have much power.

Can’t they defeat the Sandworm with this? The mage’s spell stopped just as the swordsman rushed in and defeated the Sandworm with a single slash.

The mage looked pleased. I kind of want to offer some critique… but I guess it’s not my place since I’m in a position to be protected.

“Hey, there’s one coming from the side!”

One of the miners pointed out another Sandworm coming toward me.

“Alright, I’ll take care of it.”

Ekvar  ran forward, easily dodged the Sandworm’s attack, and sliced it in two with a quick strike.

“Done. I really hate these things.”

“I hate them too…”

As the fight ended and we casually chatted, one of the tough-looking men smiled and praised Ekvar .

“Wow, for a D-rank bodyguard, you’re strong, kid!”

“Ah, I’ve always liked fighting. I just became an adventurer recently.”

It looked like Ekvar  had made a good impression, as the man laughed and patted him on the back, which seemed a bit painful.

“Ha, I see! You’ve got quite the spirit for someone with that face!”

The adventurers, both the mage and the swordsman, exchanged surprised glances.

We finally arrived at the mining site.

“Here’s the blue aura—Apoitakara. You’re looking for Hihiirokane, right? It would be nice to find some good magic stones as well.”

“…Wait, Apoitakara is here?”

Danio placed his hand on the spot I had mentioned. Apoitakara is actually a different type of Hihiirokane, just with a different attribute. When made into an alloy, the difference isn’t much.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Hey, dig here!!”

A few people gathered around and began digging. Should I just watch for now?

“Break apart the hardened rock, dig, create a path, break down the earth walls, and advance, Excavation!”

A spell for digging through earth was cast. The rock face crumbled into small pieces, allowing for more efficient progress than with a pickaxe.

I see, this is a good way to use magic. It seems multiple people can cast it, and it’s especially useful for tough rock layers. It’s said that being able to use this magic increases wages.

“We’ll need to dig a little more to reach the Hihiirokane.”

The red aura emanating from the Hihiirokane made it clear that it’s compatible with Belial. I still can’t sense it.

Danio, though half skeptical, gave the go-ahead to continue mining rather than digging blindly. For now, they were hauling out dirt in carts.

Since Ekvar  didn’t have anything to do, he kept an eye out around us.

“You’re pretty strong for a D-rank, huh?”

“Hmm? Well, I like fighting.”

“Ah, I can tell.”

“It’s a bit weird being complimented like that…”

It seemed like Ekvar  had become a bit friendlier with the C-rank swordsman. It’s probably better to get along when working together.

In the end, both Hihiirokane and Apoitakara were found. However, the Hihiirokane still needed more digging before it could be fully extracted, so we decided to continue tomorrow.

I didn’t do much, but it was still tiring since it was my first time working in such a way. That night, I slept very well.

The next morning. The mornings in the mine come early. Because of this, breakfast at the inn is also served earlier than in other towns.

Ekvar  said he would check with the Adventurers’ Guild to see what kinds of requests were available in the town, so I decided to go with him and Belial.

“Ah, I

The guild became suddenly noisy. An elderly man appeared from the side of the reception counter and rushed to the injured adventurer.

“Are you okay!? That was unconfirmed information, I apologize. The danger level hadn’t even been assessed yet… Who was the one who assigned the quest!?”

“Are you serious…!? This is bullshit!!”

It seems that there was a mix-up, and something that wasn’t supposed to be a quest ended up being assigned. And unfortunately, the person who took it on found themselves in an overwhelming situation.

“So, can you tell me what kind of monster it was? I’ll pay the reward for the investigation, as well as for medical treatment and danger allowances. Sorry, but I need you to report it.”

The adventurer, who had been enraged, seemed to calm down a little after hearing the man’s offer.

“…It was a monster that uses lightning. Its face was like a lion’s, and it had the body and wings of an eagle. It’s much bigger than a griffon.”

“…A monster that uses lightning, with the face of a lion and the wings of an eagle…?”

It seems the two men didn’t know what it was. Could it be a monster that doesn’t appear around here?

This is an opportunity. I pushed through the crowd, which was focused on the conversation, to get closer.

“Is it smaller than a Rockbird?”

“…I’ve never seen a Rockbird, but I don’t think it’s that big.”

“A retreat was the right decision. It’s probably an Anzu bird.”

It seemed that Belial reached the same conclusion.

“The power of its lightning is three times that of a Thunderbird. It makes nests and increases its numbers. There shouldn’t be just one of them.”

The elderly man, who had been listening to our explanation, became agitated and hurried off toward the back of the reception. I wonder what happened.

The injured adventurer was left behind, confused.

“Anyway, I’ll use recovery magic.”

“Huh? No, but…”

“Kaoru wind, the winds go around and celebrate the fields. In the basket, spring blossoms, and the blessings overflow. Bloom, and be filled. Pain and suffering shall not stay with you. Burie, Wind Heal.”

When I cast the mid-level wind-based healing magic, the wound disappeared without a trace. The numbness from the Anzu’s attack might have been there, but this magic should have taken care of it.

“Oh! No pain or numbness!! Thank you, who are you…?”

The man turned to look at me.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m relieved to see that there’s no problem.”

“…No, really, I’m grateful! I’d like to thank you…”

At that moment, the middle-aged man from earlier returned, holding a thick file.

“I found it! The Anzu bird! It flies high and uses strong lightning. To defeat it, at least a C-rank is required, and preferably B-rank or higher. Also, it’s difficult without attack or flight magic! It forms groups, so it’s necessary to defeat it before its numbers grow!”

“Ah, guess I’m not able to do it. Well, I did get to see Iriya ‘s healing magic, so that was good.”

It seems Ekvar  is also interested in the Anzu bird. Perhaps it’s because they don’t usually encounter strong monsters in the mines. He seems to dislike Sandworms, though. I also don’t like those worm-like creatures.

“Since my healing magic isn’t up to par, I probably disappointed you. I can make items, so I’ve neglected training it.”

“…Your standards are strict. It’s clearly above the passing line.”

“Really? By the way, we can continue the mining from yesterday, right? I want to deal with the Anzu first, it could become a real problem if they increase.”

The elderly man looked bitter and muttered, “This is troublesome.” He closed the file and hugged it under his arm.

“Indeed, we must defeat the Anzu. We’ll either put out the request now or ask the country to send out a team to hunt it…”

“No, leave it to us. Ekvar , I’m sorry, but please convey our regards to everyone.”

“Understood, there’s no problem on this side.”

Now that I think about it, the gathering time is soon. Ekvar  headed out toward the door.

“Now, let’s go hunting! The Anzu bird will make for quite a prize!”

Belial seemed to be in high spirits. It seems his main aim was hunting, after all. I wonder how he even thought of going hunting in the mines.

Moreover, there seems to be an actual target monster. Well, the Anzu bird is just the kind of opponent I’ve been looking for.

“No, we need to leave one behind to guide us to its nest. The basic approach is to eliminate it along with its nest.”

“Who are you talking to?”

“I’m talking to Lord Belial.”

“Wait a minute, are you planning to defeat the Anzu bird…!? But you’re not adventurers… Wait, hold on!”

Belial couldn’t wait and left the guild. Though the man was still speaking, I hurriedly followed after him.

But once we got outside, I realized something.

Where exactly are we supposed to go!? I hadn’t asked where we encountered the Anzu!

I opened the guild door again and asked the man I had healed earlier.

“…Excuse me, where was the Anzu?”

Ugh, how careless of me…

After getting clear directions, we were finally ready to depart.

My goal was to find Alectoria’s stone to create a barrier. It might be something I can hand over to the duke, who destroyed the laboratory and barrier. The Anzu bird might have it.

By the way, the Cockatrice is highly likely to carry one.