Welcome to the Special-Grade Guild! ~ The Beloved Elf Poster Girl Soothes Everyone’s Hearts ~
Chapter 184

184. Side Eugene (Part 2)

“Well, good work, everyone… Thanks for putting up with all that.”

“N-No, weren’t you the one who had to do the most? We should be the ones thanking you…”

“That’s right, Adol. Are you okay? You should get some rest.”

The investigation, which had taken nearly a whole day, had concluded successfully. And that was all thanks to Adol.

The skill with which he’d issued precise instructions to Ash and Gil while using support magic to ensure efficient magic power consumption, he truly is a remarkable man. Because of that, it seemed like he was completely drained of energy, his legs were wobbling. I’d been restoring his magic power, but that wouldn’t heal his mental fatigue.

“No, there’s no time. We have to go negotiate with the patriarch, now.”

“No, don’t push yourself.”

“Let me push myself! What if something happens to Meg-san while we’re here!?”

I was speechless at Adol’s uncharacteristically rough tone. It’s true, but…

“It’s fine. I’ll rest once we get to the human continent. Now, let’s go.”

There’s no point in arguing. I don’t think I could win, anyway. He’d probably convince us and end up going anyway. So it’s better to not waste energy and time. I concluded this and let out a sigh. I had no choice but to carry Adol on my shoulder and head for the mine entrance. I’m ignoring Adol’s protests that he can walk, ignore, ignore. You can endure this much.

“The patriarch isn’t coming. He said he had nothing to discuss.”

“He won’t see you until you bring his son. If you don’t have him, then go home.”

The moment we arrived at the entrance, the two Dwarves guarding it said this, without even giving us a chance. I wasn’t the only one who was irritated, I’m sure. Or rather, everyone aside from Adol was on edge.

And Adol, calmly, told me to put him down. I, a bit calmer, thanks to his tone, gently set him down. Adol then took a few steps forward and addressed the two Dwarves.

“What if we told you we have a lead on your son?”

“A lead? …What kind of lead?”

“We’ll tell the patriarch directly.”

“No, tell us here.”

I always wonder why they’re so arrogant! I mean, I know they’re not really being arrogant, it’s just how they talk, but… We’re too anxious right now to be calm. Adol’s amazing for being able to stay calm. Ash and I have short fuses, so we’re no good. I find it odd, because I was a capable salesman. It must be because half my soul is Ash’s. There’s no other explanation.

“Well, we can’t do that. We’ll tell him directly. If you won’t let us, then I have no intention of talking.”

“Then go home, now.”

“Are you sure about that? How are you going to find your son if you refuse to leave this mine? You know, don’t you? That it’s impossible for you to find him on your own, since you don’t know the outside world. That’s why you’re trying to have us search for him.”

“Th-That’s not…!”

Ohh, I see. So basically, even these Dwarves have no choice but to rely on someone else. I see, so we’re calling their bluff, okay, got it.

“If you don’t listen to me now, you’ll never find your son. That’s a shame… even though we found a lead.”

“W-Wait! …I’ll ask the patriarch!”

As expected of Adol. And because they’re Dwarves, who are fundamentally honest, he ran off to tell the patriarch, without questioning it.

That’s right, they’re stubborn, but once they’re convinced, they’re surprisingly cooperative. Yelling and getting angry won’t get us anywhere. Or rather, this is all thanks to Adol. He doesn’t rub them the wrong way.

After waiting for a bit, Rodrigo, the patriarch, came out. He looked a little displeased, but there was also a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He must be suffering as a parent, with his son missing. He immediately started demanding to know what the lead was, the moment he arrived in front of Adol. He has a short fuse, doesn’t he?

“Yes, we have reason to believe that your son is… on the human continent.”

“Th-That’s all you have!? That’s not a lead! You tricked me, didn’t you!?”

Rodrigo was furious and readied himself to attack. We also instinctively went on guard, but Adol’s smile remained unchanged.

“You’re the one who’s been deceiving us. …You knew, didn’t you? That your son’s probably on the human continent.”

“!”

That’s right. There’s no mistake. They, or rather, this stubborn geezer… he knew that we couldn’t find his son if we were on the Demon Continent and intentionally made that impossible demand. And I think… he was testing us.

“We searched the whole Demon Continent. It wasn’t a long time, but we were very thorough. We didn’t receive a single report of anyone seeing a Dwarf child. …Not recently, not even in the past few hundred years.”

Rodrigo was probably trying to determine whether we could find out that his son was on the human continent. And then, whether he could rely on us.

“Of course, we also asked the monsters living in the forest near the mine. It’s odd, isn’t it? They said your son sometimes went out into the forest, that he’s a bit of an oddball. So it’s strange that they haven’t seen him. …Rodrigo-san, was your son originally at the mine on the human continent side?”

Deep down, he probably just wanted to ask us for help. But Dwarves are truly a stubborn race. He probably couldn’t just let us use the magic circle, in front of all the other Dwarves.

“You were testing us to see if we were worthy of being trusted to find your son, weren’t you? We’re not here to pick a fight. We understand how you feel about your son, more than you know. We’re in the exact same situation, after all.”

Haa. This was something we could have figured out if we’d thought about it a bit more. But Ash and I still have a ways to go. It made me realize just how irrational you become when your daughter’s missing.

“Please, let us help you. We’re members of Special-grade Guild Ortus. We have the Don, the number two, and even the Demon King. …There’s no way we can’t find him.”

Rodrigo stared intently at Adol’s sincere eyes.

“And to do that, we need to get to the human continent. …Please, won’t you cooperate?”

The patriarch crossed his arms and groaned. O-One more push?

“…And it’s highly likely… that the children we’re searching for and your son are together. And in a dangerous situation.”

“Dangerous!?”

“W-What do you mean?”

Not only Rodrigo, but Ash and I also exclaimed. Meg’s… in danger…!?

“They’re intentionally gathering those with high magic power, you know? You were forcibly summoned with that kind of magic circle. And at that point, how they intend to treat you… well, it doesn’t really bode well, does it?”

That’s so true it made me want to cry. I mean, we’d already considered that from the start, hadn’t we? The patriarch finally spoke, seeing our shock.

“…Very well, you may use the magic circle. However! You’re not using it to come back unless my son is with you, safe and sound!”

“Ah, y-yeah! Got it! Leave it to us!”

Praying that the patriarch’s son and Meg are both safe, without a scratch, we followed him inside the mine.

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