The next day, Arshe, mentally exhausted from her family's troubles, arrived punctually at the small tavern where the Four Strategists Squad had agreed to meet.
However, upon entering the tavern, she saw her companions, who should have been waiting there already.
But… there was one more person? As soon as Arshe entered, she saw a little Iri-meimei wearing a luxurious white form-fitting suit and carrying what appeared to be a long staff on her back.
Normally, this tavern was mostly empty at this time, except for the members of the Four Strategists Squad, so the presence of this little Iri-meimei was indeed very abrupt.
"Yo! Arshe, you're finally here," the leader Helanke greeted Arshe.
Arshe responded somewhat reservedly, her gaze fixed on the little Iri-meimei in white who was sitting with her companions.
"Let me introduce her, this is Iri-meimei, who just joined us, serving as…" Helanke intended to introduce Iri, but was quickly interrupted by Iri, who reacted faster.
"I'm the vanguard, just call me Iri," Iri said, then glared at Helanke.
How did you find a girlfriend, you guy? Isn't the young lady still with the team? You just told the young lady directly that we found someone to replace her, how embarrassing would that be for her?
"Ah… yes, vanguard… Don't look at Iri-meimei like this, she… she's very powerful. In yesterday's entrance test, Helanke was thoroughly beaten by Iri-meimei," Imina immediately understood Iri's meaning, quickly smoothed things over, and cast a look of admiration at Iri.
"We have an entrance test?" Arshe sat down, looking puzzled, then extended her hand to Iri.
"Hello, Iri-meimei, call me Arshe."
"Oh!" Iri also extended her hand and shook hands with the young lady Arshe. Is this considered an acquaintance? It should be something to be happy about, but even the young lady called her 'meimei'…
She felt a bit complicated.
"Well, everyone is here. Since Iri-meimei is here, should we talk about that commission again?" Helanke suggested.
"Let's tell Iri-meimei too," Uncle Roba also agreed.
Actually, Iri knew without being told, after all, she had read the script. Good! Now she could start looking for an excuse to persuade them not to take this mission.
"That's roughly it, Iri-meimei, do you understand?" Helanke briefly explained some details about this "treasure hunt" trip to Nazarick.
"Uh…" Iri feigned a thoughtful, serious expression.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem, Iri-meimei?" Uncle Roba asked.
"I just feel something isn't right. Searching for a ruin across borders, and hiring so many famous Black Workers, with such a high price offered, isn't that a bit strange?" Iri replied.
"Who knows what rich people think," Imina said with a smile, waving her hand, completely unconcerned.
"Iri-meimei's suspicion isn't without reason. The conditions offered in all aspects are too generous," Uncle Roba, however, was the calm one.
"Who cares, as long as there's money to be made," Helanke smiled and winked at Roba, then glanced at the silent Arshe.
"That's true, after all, we've already accepted this commission. If we back out now, the reputation of the Four Strategists will be ruined," Uncle Roba said.
"…" Iri was speechless. Too late! She really couldn't make it in time!! They had already accepted this commission! What to do?! And Helanke's obvious reminder just now, wasn't it out of consideration for the young lady Arshe?
At this time, the young lady was in desperate need of money, and the Four Strategists took on this inexplicable commission precisely to help her. Now that the commission had been accepted, what right did Iri, a newly joined member, have to persuade them to give it up? It seemed she had thought too optimistically before!
"Thank you… everyone." The young lady Arshe seemed to understand everyone's meaning and thanked them.
It seemed they had carefully considered before accepting this commission and made the decision to take it. Now, what excuse could Iri use to persuade them?
She couldn't just tell them that the ruin was actually her home, and they would go there never to return, could she?
"Iri-meimei, I'm sorry… we also have various circumstances. If you feel there's a problem with this commission, you can…" Imina probably wanted to persuade Iri that if she was scared, she didn't have to go.
"I will act with everyone. Although I just joined you yesterday, I cannot abandon my teammates," Iri said.
If I don't go with you, you are 100% certainly going to fail. At least if I go, I can reduce the harm or find some other way to save them!
"Oh! As expected of Iri-meimei. Well, that's all for now. For the remaining time, everyone prepare yourselves. Oh, right, Imina, Iri-meimei… could you go to the pharmacist's place later? Our potion reserves are a bit low," Helanke said, giving Imina a wink.
"Right, right, I forgot! Iri-meimei, do you have time later?" Imina understood perfectly.
"I do. Let's go together then." Iri was still thinking about what to do next and didn't notice Helanke and Imina's small gestures.
"Let's go now!" Imina directly stuck close to her, seemingly in a hurry, and pulled Iri out.
"Arshe, can you take a look at Iri-meimei?" After seeing Imina pull Iri away, Uncle Roba whispered.
"Okay." Arshe understood. By this point, Arshe basically knew that Iri was not a vanguard, but a magic caster who would replace her position in the future.
The reason they said she was a vanguard was probably out of consideration for her feelings! Thinking of this, Arshe felt more or less touched. Then, she activated her ability and looked back at Iri's departing back.
"...!" Arshe only saw Iri's back as she left the tavern, then covered her mouth in horror and turned back, trembling all over, as if she had seen something terrifying, trying desperately to endure it.
"What's wrong, Arshe!" Helanke and Roba had never seen Arshe react like this before.
"Ugh…" Then Arshe vomited a rainbow on the floor.
After a long while, after Roba's healing magic calmed Arshe's chaotic state, Arshe looked at Helanke in horror.
"That… that… Iri… that, how… did you… meet her?" The young lady Arshe panted and trembled.
"Arshe… is that Iri-meimei really that terrifying?" Helanke immediately realized that the problem must be with Iri for Arshe to be like this.
Although he didn't know what Arshe saw, could a magic caster who could use sixth-tier magic really be that terrifying? Arshe's teacher, Fulda, could also use sixth-tier magic, right?
"…" Arshe didn't answer, merely nodded like a pecking chicken… then shook her head.
"Roba…" Helanke glanced at Uncle Roba, who nodded and once again cast a recovery spell on Arshe.
"Arshe… what exactly did you see?" Although he had cast a calming spell on Arshe again, and her complexion was much better than before, her body was still trembling uncontrollably.
"A monster!" Arshe answered Helanke's question with a voice that was still trembling.
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