Missha was kidnapped, and in the city. Just hearing this sounded like something big had happened, but I calmly listened to the circumstances. If those words were true, it was strange that Ainar was sleeping peacefully in his room.
«Kidnapped? Explain it well. What happened and when did it happen?».
«It happened yesterday!»
The incident occurred just one day ago. Apparently, Ainar and Missha were returning from a simple meal outside, but upon returning to the inn, some beastmen dressed in black were waiting for Missha.
«Ah! It seemed like they were coming from Missha's house!»
That meant they had been sent by the head of their family.
«...¿Y?»
«What do you mean by and?! The beastmen whispered something to Missha and forcibly took her away!»
Hmm, can you really call that strength? I asked just to confirm, «Did Missha leave you any words?»
«He said he would be back tonight, so he needed to spend the day alone. Oh! She also told me to go say hello to Bjorn... but I was so worried that I couldn't sleep and ended up falling asleep!».
I couldn't help but laugh. Aside from falling asleep, he even left her a message before leaving, so how could it be a kidnapping?
When I asked that, I got a pretty impressive answer. «When he said that, Missha looked like she really didn't want to leave! If that's not kidnapping, what is?!»
Take someone who didn't want to go? That sounded like ordinary barbaric logic, except I was one of those barbarians too. «Yes, so it is true that Missha was kidnapped.» He knew how pointless it was to argue with a barbarian about whether something was a kidnapping or not.
«True? I was also so surprised that I went to Aruru, but I got angry because he talked as if nothing had happened!».
«What did Raven say?»
«Don't do anything strange and wait at home until you get back, Bjorn. That's why I haven't reported it to the Public Peace Agency yet!»
Ok, that was well done. It was better to leave a barbarian with a barbarian. If that didn't work, it was better not to talk at all.
«So what are you going to do, Bjorn? Of course we're going in, right? Missha is our teammate!»
And do you know what will happen if we do that?
I spoke bluntly. «Missha is also a warrior. You have to give her time to fend for herself».
«That es... ¡Ya veo! »
«She said she'd be back today, so if she hasn't come back tonight, I'll go find her.».
«Okay!» When I explained the return thing to him in a barbaric way, Ainar willingly accepted without being stubborn.
«It's in the morning, aren't you hungry?»
«Of course I'm hungry!»
First, I took Ainar to breakfast. Then I heard what had happened while I was gone. There was nothing particularly noticeable, just repetitive days of training, eating and coming home. It seemed like regular meetings with Raven and Mr. Bear had been skipped until my return.
«Oh, Missha admired you back then too. He said that although it may not seem like it, Bjorn is the core of the team, so we can't meet without you!».
«Oh... I see.» Shame appeared out of nowhere. Well, it was a hundred times better than gossiping behind my back... I changed the subject. «Did Missha give you money for food?»
«Oh, but I spent it all.»
«...I'll leave you money, so use it to buy food until tonight».
«¿Te vase? ¿Sin esperar a Missha?»
«Staying home doesn't change anything. I need to do what I have to do. Missha would want that too».
After the meal, I put Ainar in his room and left. My first stop was the magic tower.
«Oh, are you here? How do you feel?»
«Thanks to Mozlan's antidote, everything seems fine».
«Excellent. You must be tired. Anyway, have you heard of Miss Karlstein?»
«Yeah. I plan to check it out myself if she doesn't come back today, so don't worry».
«I wasn't worried to begin with. It's Miss Ainar who's acting weird. Why does it bother you that he goes to his parents' house?».
I smiled bitterly and remained silent. Unlike Raven, I knew the circumstances surrounding Missha and her family, so I had no choice but to worry. «Anyway, I found out that you couldn't reach the agreements since I wasn't there. Let's meet tomorrow».
«What if Miss Karlstein is late?»
«Then I'll come back and let you know».
Then I briefly asked him about his latest news, we set a time and separated. The next stop was Mr. Bear's Tavern.
«Oh, you're finally back. You must be tired».
«Did something happen while I was away?»
«Nothing in particular. But shouldn't I ask you that? How was your stay in Bifron?»
«It wasn't bad. It was a comfortable place to live». As with Raven, I exchanged brief reports with Mr. Bear and informed him of the place and time to meet.
«We can finally share that money», he said.
«I'm sorry I kept you waiting. You could have asked for your share sooner».
«No, those kinds of things have to be done officially in front of everyone to avoid problems. Also, it's not like you were on vacation».
«Thanks for understanding. Then I'll go».
After leaving the tavern, I debated what to do. There was still plenty of time until dinner, so what should I do now? After organizing my thoughts for a while, I headed to the library. Not only was it the perfect place to kill time, but I had to report my survival to someone there.
«...Bjorn Yandel.» As soon as I got to the library, Ragna stiffened.
«How long without seeing you». I smiled satisfied and spoke nonchalantly.
He was about to explain why he hadn't shown up in the last twenty days, but before he could do so, Ragna spoke first. «I have found out. Not only did you show special ability in the city, but you violated the rules to enter the maze and were banished as a result».
Oh, so I knew. Well, judging by what was said at the Round Table, it seemed that it was an issue as well known as political action.
«I'm glad you seem to have returned safely. And I'm sorry.»
«I'm sorry?» The apology didn't fit the context at all.
When I tilted my head, Ragna continued cautiously: «I asked the waiter if he could help you, but he told me there was nothing I could do...».
I still didn't understand. Why was he apologizing and who was the waiter? When I asked her, Ragna fell silent as if something had escaped her. I didn't investigate either, because it was impossible for him to tell me.
It seems like he is talking about his family situation...
My chilled curiosity about Ragna skyrocketed again. She was a twenty-something mage of rank 5 at least, with the whiff of wealth that came from her clothes and wand to begin with, and even the butler she had just mentioned. There were times when I hesitated because I worked as a librarian, but I was certainly noble.
That's a little strange too.
I had researched it out of curiosity in the past. There was no noble family with the surname Peprok. So what was his identity?
«...¿Vas a leather?»
«Oh yeah. I intend to do it».
Uncomfortable with my gaze, Ragna changed the subject. And so I went to read some books.
Well, I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to learn it later.
It wasn't like he had done anything to harm me. It wouldn't be good for a stranger to inquire into another person's family affairs when they didn't want to talk about it. Whoever it was, our current relationship wasn't bad.
Anyway, today I haven't found the Complete Books series either.
Reading in one place until the sky darkened on the other side of the window, I slowly cleared my spot and stood up. After discovering the Complete Books by chance here I kept looking for them from time to time, but I didn't find any this time either.
«¿You copper?»
«There is someone waiting for me».
«...Ya veo.»
After returning to the inn, I had dinner with Ainar and asked him what he had done today.
«Today? I took a nap and visited the holy land because I was bored».
«Holy land?»
«It's fun to teach young warriors. It also reminds me of the past».
The way I see it, she is no different from the old days... Well, her combat power increased tremendously.
«Let's go together next time. Everyone wants to see you. Twenty days have already passed.»
«Okay, let's go together next time.»
After declaring that I would become the chief of the tribe, I visited the holy land whenever I had time to impart early education, so I accepted without much hesitation. After all, I needed to increase my approval rating up front.
«Haha, the young warriors will be delighted».
Since we were both barbarians, when the conversation ended, our meals ended too. We did not return to our rooms and waited on the first floor, which served as a restaurant, because Missha had not returned yet.
Had something really happened?
I became more and more worried as the night progressed, but luckily Missha showed up an hour later. Contrary to her usual shiny clothes, she was dressed in black. «Hey? Bjorn?»
«It's Missha! Missha is back!» Ainar ran straight towards Missha and hugged her.
«Ah! Don't do it. I'm not in the mood for that!» Missha sighed and took Ainar away from her. Then he came down and sat down in front of me. «...I'm sorry. I was thinking of waiting for you here».
«Nothing happens. I'm not a girl. Anyway, how did it go on your side? From what Ainar said, it seems that something has happened».
«Oh, that...» Missha interrupted herself and looked at Ainar. «Ainar, go up to sleep».
«Hey? How is that?»
«Calla.»
"¡Good! ¡Will sleep! ⁇
First he brought Ainar up and then we talked.
«So why did your family call you?»
«Well... one of my brothers died so I had to attend. After all, I'm still a member of that family».
«It was for a funeral». Contrary to what I was worried about, it didn't look like she had actually been forcibly taken away. However, one thing was doubtful. «How strange. At this point?» It wasn't right after the maze closed, so a funeral at this time meant that there had been a fatal incident in the city.
«Don't worry, it's nothing strange. He was always sick. The priest had to be called every day to treat him».
«So he's not the guy from the Soil Lord incident». I asked bluntly: «So who was it? Judging by your gloomy expression, was it the older brother who used to be nice to you?».
«...Surely you don't know him. I've never told you about him».
«Really?» That probably meant he was one of those guys who bullied and ignored Missha. So why did he have such a gloomy face? «Something other than the funeral must have happened, then».
«...How did you know?»
It was nothing new. If I told him I knew just by his expression he'd probably be mad, so I beat around the bush a bit. «If it were only for the funeral you wouldn't have sent Ainar».
«Honestly, why are you such a list?»
«...Tell me. What happened?»
«Well...» Missha sighed and continued. «Father... No, that man wants me to take you home again.»
Why couldn't everyone leave me alone? The head of the Karlstein family wanted to see me again. I was wondering if there would be a new clue about the Frost Spirit Ring.
«Anyway, that's all. You don't have to go. I already drew the line and rejected it».
Since Missha took care of it, I didn't think I had to worry about this matter anymore. Apparently she told him herself to come see me instead of ordering me to go. If there was no news, it would mean it wasn't that big of a deal.
If he really comes looking for me... I will listen to him and think about it then. I feel like something problematic will happen if I go there myself.
So, that concludes this matter.
«Ahh, the more I think about it, the angrier it makes me. What the hell does that person think of me? Funeral or not, I don't pay attention to him anymore».
Afterwards, I talked to Missha, who was angry about becoming independent. I told him about the last twenty days before I went to bed.
***
The next afternoon.
«It had been a long time since we met. How have you been?», Raven said.
All the members of Team Apple Narak were gathered. The place was the three-story tavern where we had been holding meetings since day one. The objective was the final settlement that had not yet been fulfilled.
«I heard it then, but I want to hear it one more time. What is the total income?»
«Including the Fox Flame Knot that was sold a few days ago, that's 159 million stones».
«Does that include your labor cost?»
«Yeah. I thought about it, but in the end, we killed everyone on that side. It seems funny to now claim sole responsibility for labor costs. So I only assumed the cost of the test tube in advance».
Well, if it weren't for that, the loot would have fallen into our hands after the battle. Still, I was surprised. Honestly, I thought he would claim everything as his own. It had gotten a little softer lately, at least compared to when we met.
«Anyway, I have compiled the details of the final agreement here. It will be easier for everyone to refer to this».
Reading the document that Raven prepared with the attached receipts, we begin the official settlements. The mana stone income was evenly distributed. Even scout and combat income were divided equally. However, herbs harvested in the Doppelganger Forest were classified as special loot, so Raven took 40%. Potions were not sold, but were classified as shared items. As the documents were organized in an easy-to-read format, complicated settlements went smoothly.
«Thirty million stones, huh?»
Aside from the slight mistake, a whopping thirty million stones landed in each lap, our largest income to date. But from now on, we had to start returning it.
«Now, all that remains is the liquidation of the personal loot. I actually have some time left these days, so I've organized this a bit too. As usual, it is set at around 70% of the average market price, so it will be much cheaper than buying them for real.» Raven spoke as she looked at each of us. «First, Miss Karlstein. Leather boots equipped with Acceleration and Adjustment magic cost 2.1 million. The Cold Reinforced Engraved Lithinum Necklace costs 2.7. That's a total of 4.8 million. But since here you have to subtract your share... You only have to pay 3.84 million stones.»
«Ugh…»
«Miss Ainar's expandable backpack is 1.5 million...That's all. You only have to pay 1.2 million stones».
«Ugh.»
«Mr. Urikfried's subspace quiver is 2.1 million. The steel shell is 550,000... But why did you take the shell?»
«...I'm going to grant Adjustment Magic and give it to Iron Bear».
«It's not a bad idea. Although it will be cumbersome to put it on every time you summon it. Anyway, you can pay 2.12 million stones».
Aside from Raven, who didn't take any personal loot, everyone put their payout on the table. Then it was my long-awaited turn. How much would I have to spit?
«And finally, Mr. Yandel. First, 3.1 million for the idiot leggings. Then, 3.3 million for No. 8,667, Wasteland Outlaw».
«Wait a minute, leave the Outlaw out of the Wildlands. I intend to keep this as an item of equipment, not my personal loot. »
«...Team item?»
«It can be useful against that guy on the fifth floor. It will be a good idea to save it by then».
«Hmm.» Raven looked at me like a Treasury employee looking at a tax evader. In the end, he agreed. «That sounds reasonable. Although I feel like I'm on the losing side. Let's move on to the next». Before I could feel relieved to have saved myself some money, Raven moved on to the last articles, what could be called the cream of this deal. «The essence of the Manticore, and number 2,988, Guard Corps File. To begin with, the essence of Manticore has an average of 50 million in the exchange, but the value of the test tube has already been subtracted and the value was also calculated based on the official price of the guild.»
«So what is the official price?»
«32 million stones.»
Damn. So if I add a 70% discount here, as usual, and subtract a fifth as I will receive 20% back as my share after paying it...
«For the manticore, you will be paying 17.92 million stones.»
However, it is still expensive. «...And the Guard Corps file?»
«There are 52 million stones according to the average exchange price.»
It wasn't much different from the price in the game. Likewise, if you added a discount, the final value was 29.12 million stones.
«So, if you add the idium leggings to this, it is a total of 48,776,000 stones». Raven smiled and continued: «Have you saved any money?».
I kept my mouth shut and looked at Ainar.
«Hey? Why are you looking at me suddenly?».
«Ainar, how much money have you borrowed from me again?».
«Are you stealing my money...?»
No, I'm just getting it back.
In fact, this exploration brought record revenue. However, after paying everything that had to be paid, not even my savings until now were enough. Even if it included the money I lent Ainar, the amount was too large to pay at once. Of course, that wasn't a problem.
«Ainar, while you pay your money, lend me some more».
«Hmm? I was told that teammates should not trade m-»
«Oh, give it back to you.»
«¡O-okay...!»
«Missha, I'd like you to lend me some too.»
«Wow, how much do you need?»
I made up for the 13 million I was missing with credit loans from Ainar and Missha. As a result, he was in debt. When was I going to pay for this? Should I expect to meet a looter in the maze or something?
«Now I'm rich!»
His depression about lending me money was short-lived. Ainar, who had been receiving care from Missha and me until a few days ago because he had no salary, began to spend the money as if there were no tomorrow. Well, maybe that was an exaggeration. I did buy snacks generously, but since the expenses were so cheap, it wasn't an expense that really stood out.
«Bjorn, what should I do with this money?» missha asked.
«Save it. You can get a new team once we're back».
«Okay.»
«Oh! Me too! I also want new equipment».
«Be patient this month. Some items will be custom made, but will not be finished before you open the maze».
Because of how long the settlement had been delayed, I decided to defer expenses until next month. Now that he had paid a large sum, he planned to make the pieces that would take us to the seventh floor, even if that meant getting only one or two pieces. Of course, I couldn't tell him to spend all the money there.
«Still, since you have earned a lot, don't keep everything and use it wherever you want. Isn't that why you won it in the first place?»
«Hey? Can I do that?»
What did this boy think of me? Growing up was important, but I didn't intend for him to sacrifice his life for it. «Looks like there's something you wanted to do?».
«Sí.»
«Why are you looking at me like that? You are spending your own money».
«Well, it's not just that...» When I sent her a questioning look, Missha cautiously opened her mouth. «Can we move somewhere else?»
"...¿Which?"
«Now that we make a lot of money, I was wondering if we can go somewhere better... I don't even know how to cook here».
Hmm, no wonder he observed our reaction like that. I reflected for a while and accepted. It was because this inn was beginning to become narrow. Plus, Missha's food tasted much better than the restaurant here, and was healthier.
«So let's see where we can move over time. For now, we have to prepare for the maze».
«Okay!»
After that it was the first ordinary day in a long time. It was a quiet time. We met to plan the exploration, I went to receive guide lessons from Rotmiller, which had been put on hold, and sometimes I would visit the business district to see if there were any items to purchase. As always, those days passed like lightning.
«If you're all together, let's get going».
We met at Mr. Bear's tavern, like last time.
[You have entered the Crystal Cave on the first floor].
It was time to enter the maze.