Chapter 35 The Council of Magic and the Golden Key
Outside a bakery near the city's central district, a young mother and daughter were saying their final goodbyes to the feather-eared girl in front of them.
"...Miss Mabis, thanks to you, our city can be relieved. Everyone is really grateful to you."
The mother handed over the prepared things and picked up her daughter with mixed emotions.
Because the benefactors didn't want to make a big deal about it, she had no choice but to convey everyone's feelings on their behalf.
"If you feel tired from the adventure, just come back here and take a rest. I believe that the future 'Magnolia' will not disappoint you."
A city that has gone through so many ups and downs to truly unite will definitely prosper and develop in the future!
The girl with the same expectation and a basket on her arm responded with a sincere smile.
"Yeah! Thank you!"
"Bye, Sister Mavis!"
After waving to the two of them amidst the farewell from her little sister, Mavis took a step forward and disappeared into the crowd.
It's just that the feather-eared girl at this time did not expect that the prosperous city that everyone envisioned would be so inseparable from them.
(Well... let me take a look... at the construction site... ah! Yes!)
Because Mabius heard that the people who helped them at that time were all at the most important construction site, she also wanted to know how the recovery progress there was, so she took a short detour before returning to the hotel.
Although the city is currently undergoing reconstruction work, there is only one place that can be called the most important.
That is the "Cartier Cathedral" that was originally the symbol of this place but was completely destroyed during the battle.
But when Mabius approached there happily, what he heard was an unpleasant quarrel.
...
"Hey!! You guys! Are you done yet?!"
With his trademark loud voice, he roared at the soldiers wearing the same uniform who were blocking the crowd. If he hadn't been held back by his companions, this grumpy blacksmith uncle would have rushed forward long ago.
But at that time, the standard spear in the opponent's hand would not reason with him.
(What happened...?)
Squeezing out from the crowd of onlookers, Mavis looked back and forth, searching for the origins of these people in his memory.
(...That uniform, I remember, seems to be the official uniform of the "Magic Council"? Why does it appear here...)
Frowning, the feather-eared girl who understood the origin of these people also looked puzzled.
The so-called Council is actually an organization in this world similar to the Oversight Council, which is mainly responsible for maintaining order in the magic world. However, Zella once mentioned her evaluation of this organization, "Although it succeeds more than fails, it has an indispensable effect."
There is no meaning of existence.', so the subjective impression left by the feather-eared girl is not very good.
If the arrested Dark Guild members were handed over, then what were they doing at the construction site?
"Damn it! It's been several days! How can we work like this!"
The townspeople who had returned in vain were forced to gather under the shade of the trees outside, and could only watch helplessly as the soldiers trampled on the fruits of their labor.
"Um...please ask..."
The girl who stuck her head out from behind people and stood on tiptoe emphasized her presence.
"Miss Mavis! Is your body okay anymore?!"
The surprising 'noise' made the little guy shrink his shoulders and take a step back in embarrassment. The other party also noticed this and smiled sheepishly.
"Yes, thank you for your concern, but do you know what's going on there?"
After glancing at a few townspeople who were being driven away again, Mavis asked worriedly.
"...Those guys claim to be the investigation team of the Senate, and they are said to be here to investigate the matter of the 'demon'!"
I feel helpless about the identity of the other party. After all, we are just ordinary people. Being able to protest like this is the limit.
The words could not help but reveal deep dissatisfaction. Why did the Dark Guild do nothing when they bullied this place, and now they are running out to hinder everyone as if nothing is wrong.
"And their person in charge also said that because there is no formal guild in our city, many rights should not be enjoyed. How can we live like this! We might as well--"
"...!"
The townspeople with the same dissatisfaction couldn't help complaining. There was no way. Whether or not there were guilds in local cities now had a huge impact on a city. This was why many guilds with bad reputations could still dominate.
The reason for happiness.
"Shut up! What nonsense are you talking about!!"
The uncle in the blacksmith's shop roughly picked up the man's collar, and the other man quickly realized what a stupid thing he had said and started apologizing to everyone.
"...This has nothing to do with you, Miss Mavis! Without you, we wouldn't have the chance to stand here now, so please don't take it to heart."
"Um……"
Although the other party said this, Mabius always felt that there was an inexplicable emotion lingering in his heart, which was very unpleasant.
After leaving there, she has been in a state of confusion, unable to vent, but not knowing how to express it.
Unknowingly, she was back near the hotel, and the feather-eared girl quickened her pace. She was now eager to tell this to her close friend who was inseparable from her.
(If it were Zera...!)
With this thought in mind, the girl pushed open the door of her destination with all her strength.
However, the scene before her eyes made her even more confused...
Zera, who had an expression on his face that said, "You really deserve it," Yuri, who was being supported by his helpless companions and had a doubtful look on his face, and...
"...Don't tell me, these are your guild's 'secret treasures'?"
Pointing to the pile of props on the table that could be called 'junk metal', Zella looked strangely at the adventure hunters who returned to the hotel as if they were fleeing.
Is it really necessary to make yourself disgraced for these things?
"...There's nothing we can do! It was already like this when we found it."
Unwilling to be reconciled, Yuri picked up a cube with a missing corner and tossed it twice again, but it had lost its unique luster and was obviously unusable.
In addition to these, they also found some transaction ledgers in the room they discovered after breaking through the shadow monster's blockade.
In other words, the masked man sold all the secret treasures they snatched at low prices and used them as funds for his guild's activities.
What was left in that cave warehouse were, at best, some secret treasures that could not be sold or were destroyed.
"Well...that's really a pity..."
Leaning on the armrest with her face propped up, Zella could only sympathize with this.
But judging from how disappointed these people were when they came back, she always felt that something else had hit them.
"...Then, if there is anything else you want to say, let's talk about it together."
After seemingly casually saying this, Zella used her other hand to fiddle with the props on the table to satisfy her curiosity, and she really discovered something interesting.
(Huh? This is...)
He began to focus all his attention on fiddling with the small box in his hand that seemed to have a magic seal, and he didn't care so much about Yuri and the others' "frustrating experience"...
"Oh, did you really see it? It's actually like this..."
"Uh-huh."
"Then......"
"oh."
"so......"
"I see."
"The last thing is...Hey!! Did you listen or not!!"
He slapped the table angrily, and the blond young man's saliva flew everywhere in frenzy.
This little witch is so rude! It makes them look like fools because they are struggling with this matter.
"...It's so noisy. Isn't it because your guild is almost disbanded because of the previous attack, and then you are embarrassed to invite us to join?"
"Forehead……"
Did you actually listen to it well?
This time it was his turn to be dumbfounded, but he was still very angry!
"I said...did you make some mistake in the premise? When did Mavis and I say we wanted to join your guild?"
"——!"
That seems to be the case...
What Zera and Mavis agreed to at the beginning was just to join their team, and they did not say that they wanted to become a member of the Sylphs.
As a result, the quarrel lasted for a long time. It was because he was being sentimental.
The figure of the blond young man looked even more decadent...
"Forget it, let's put those things aside for now, Yuri, can I destroy this thing?"
It was rare that he didn't continue to make a few sarcastic remarks, because the brown-haired girl's current interest was all in the small box in her hand.
But after all, it's not her own thing, so she still has this principle.
"Ah? Oh! This... Warlord, what is this?"
After looking seriously for a long time with his eyes open, this guy couldn't see anything at all.
"Huh? Isn't it put together with our union's things? Precht, do you know?"
"……do not ask me……"
"...?"
After going around in a circle, none of the treasure hunters knew about it, they just brought it out together.
if that is the case……
The sealing magic has been strengthened several times, and there is no evil atmosphere in it. What is this if it's not a naked treasure?!
"Really...then I'm not welcome~"
Getting more playful, gray flames appeared on Zella's fingers again, and she placed them on the lock.
The sound of sizzling quickly sounded, one layer... two layers... three layers... as the paper-like seals were burned layer by layer, not only showing the tyranny of this flame, but also letting the three treasures
The hunters swallowed their saliva.
When the 'click' sound appeared, they had all gathered together, their instincts calling!
After looking inside together with excitement, it was a pity...
"……What's this?"
The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. I originally thought I could see some rare gems, but what I found inside was just a gold-plated key.
It's not a big deal at all, but it still needs to be made so mysterious.
Of course, this is only in the eyes of Yuri and others, but Zella's mood is completely different.
(...This can really be said to be an unexpected surprise...)
"You're still a treasure hunter, so you can't even recognize this?"
Flicking the key in her hand, Zella suppressed her excited laughter and said an answer that made them unable to react at once.