After passing through the envious gaze of the guards, Ray hands over his black clothes to the guards.
　Ray, who often acts with people like Elena, Marina, and Vichela, naturally became better at ignoring the envious gaze of others.

"Well, don't ask them, then." ... By the way, have you got anything out of the man you've ever caught?"
"No, it's impossible. The man who stabbed Ray from behind still fainted in the first place, and the man who poisoned the fruit water remains silent."
"...I think it's all right to say something about the poisoned man, let alone the fainting man."

　To Ray's eyes, the poisoned man never seemed patient.
　He seemed to be the one who would definitely talk to him if he pushed him a little harder.
　However, the other party is also an assassin the other party is an assassin.
　It's also a troublesome person to use tasteless and odorless poison.
　It's no wonder you've got a certain amount of courage.
　...although it was true that Ray could only say that he was a very difficult person.

"There must be only assassins. I'll try a little harder, but if it doesn't work, I'll leave it to an expert."
"Expert,"

　I'm a little curious about what exactly the expert means. I'm curious, but... if I hear that here, I'm afraid I'll hear a lot of things that I don't have to ask, and I think I shouldn't go deeper than that.

"I'll leave that up to you."
"If you do that, I'll be saved, too. ... So what will Ray do now? Will he still go to Marina?"
"I'm lost,"
"... are you hesitating? It's unusual."

　As far as the guards knew, Ray always had the impression that he was quick to decide.
　That often caused him trouble, but Ray has managed to do something about it by force.
　In reality, they didn't always make decisions immediately, but they must have had such a strong impression as guards.
　Ray opens his mouth to such a startled look at the guard.

"Oh, I thought it might be better to go to the slum's organization to talk to them now that there are assassins like these."
"No, that's... leave it with Mr. Marina,"

　The guard immediately says so, forgetting to look jealous at Ray, who is just going to see Marina.
　This situation... the security guard's honest feelings were that he was so busy today with the assassin's troubles that he couldn't stand to be made a big fuss in the slums.
　Basically, security guards don't interfere in communication in the slums, but it's a different story when the organization behind the scenes is devastated.
　That's probably why the guard man told Ray not to go to the slums and to go to Marina.
　... of course, I don't feel jealous about meeting Marina openly.

"Really? Then I'll do it. ... Actually, I'm happy to go see Marina, so that's no problem at all."

　Several guards turn envious glances again at Ray, who says so bluntly.
　However, Ray is happy to meet Marina, but he was thinking that he might be able to manage the discomfort that is currently in Gillum with spirit magic.
　It would help Ray considerably if he could manage the situation with spirit magic.
　...though I thought it would be quite difficult for Ray to think about if he could do it.
　If this sense of strangeness is created by spiritual magic, Marina's spiritual magic will manage to cope with it.
　However, if the magic of spirits does not give rise to a sense of strangeness, no matter how much marina has the power of magic of spirits, there is no way she can manage the sense of strangeness.

"Then for now... I'm going now. I asked about these people. The dead... What shall I do?"
"I don't mind if you bring it here. If you're going to pull out the information for now, I'll get you to listen to it. The dead body... I see. Bring it back next time."
"...I don't really want to have a corpse, though I don't smell it."

　That being said, Ray's tone doesn't have that much of a sense of repudiation.
　If it's not a person's corpse, but a monster's corpse, it's probably because it's stored in a mystery ring.
　Of course, if you ask me if I like it, of course I don't.

"You say so. That's the very state of things that you bring in the body, but you can't do a thorough examination of it. ... I'm busy."

　Originally, there have been various problems, large and small, due to the fact that the extension work has been carried out.
　The guards are quite busy, given the need to go over there.
　What happened in such a situation was a series of assassins attacking Ray.
　Captives must be prevented from escaping, from being killed by invading assassins to destroy evidence, or from committing suicide.
　If you think of the people you use to deal with them, you can't afford to investigate the condition of the bodies and dispose of them.
　If so, Ray, who has been attacked and is responsible for the capture of many assassins, has no choice but to accept their request.
　If Ray had had a personality of strong repugnance to a corpse, it would have been a different story.

"All right. I'll keep it for a while. Just pick it up as soon as you can."

　Saying so, Ray leaves with Sett, waving lightly to the guards.

"Well, then... for the time being, I'd like to go to the clinic. I'd like some advice from Marina about this case."
"Gruly!"

　At Ray's words, Seto shouts "Yes!"
　For Seto, the discomfort that currently exists in Gilm is a very troubling thing.
　It's very troubling to feel uncomfortable even though there's no particular damage done.
　For example, when I'm sleeping on a summer night, I feel as if I can hear mosquitoes flying endlessly in my ears... that kind of discomfort.
　There is little clear damage, but the discomfort sometimes bothers me a lot, and then I keep worrying about it for a while.
　It was only natural for Seto to feel that way as soon as possible.

(The downside is whether assassins don't come when you're in the clinic. ... If you think about it normally, you're going to make enemies of not only me and Seto, but also Marina, so I don't think you'll be able to make sense in this case.)

　If you think about it in the ordinary way, whether anyone would think about assassinating Ray or actually doing it.
　No, it may be because the world is so big, but I still don't think they're going to make such a simple attack as this time.

(Well, there's no doubt that this sense of incongruity has a deadly effect, and is it like you're betting on this sense of incongruity or something like that? ... I don't think it's anything other than suicide.)

　Ray is also fairly confident in his ability.
　It's true that Darb had a hard time dealing with this discomfort when he was a street performer and when he was first attacked.
　But if we know that such a thing happens, there are many ways to deal with it.
　In fact, they dealt with the attack by black clothing and Darves accordingly.

"Grull".
"Huh? What's wrong with you? ... Oh, I think I should stop for a while today."

　As I was walking down the street, suddenly a set screamed.
　When I followed Sett's eyes to see why he made such a call, I saw several adventurers ahead.
　He's been playing with Seto many times, and he's been able to feed me a variety of dishes.
　It's not strange for Seto to think that he's just going to say hello to that kind of person.
　However, given the current situation where assassins are targeting them, it is better not to involve such an opponent involvement.
　レイの言葉に、セトは残念そうに喉を鳴らしながらも諦めた.
　そんなセトを見て可哀想だと思わないでもなかったが、それでも暗殺者からの襲撃に巻き込むよりはそっちの方がいいだろうと判断してのことだ.
　冒険者達も、レイとセトの存在には気が付いたが、セトの様子から今は忙しいのだろうと判断して、結局セトに声を掛けるようなことはなかった.
　そうして歩いているうちにに、次第に診療所が近付いてくる.
　だが、それとは別に問題もあった.
　……何故なら、周囲にいる人の数が明らかに多くなってきたのだ.
　普段であれば、そこまで気にするようなことはない.
　だが、今は違う.
　レイは暗殺者に狙われている以上、どこから襲ってくるのか分からないのだ.
　最初に人混みの中で襲われた経験から、レイとしては周囲を警戒せざるをえない.
　もっとも、ダーブのフォローもない状況で、レイとセトの感覚を掻い潜って攻撃出来る者が一体どれだけいるのかも不明だったが.

「何で今日はこんなに人が多いんだ？　……いつもはもっと少ないよな？」
「グルゥ？」

　そう？　と、セトはレイの言葉に軽く首を傾げる.
　レイにしてみれば、いつもより人が多いような気がしていたのだが、セトにしてみれば特に変わりないと思えたのだろう.
　レイとセトのどちらが正しいのかは不明だったが、人混みの場所では周囲を警戒する必要があるのは、間違いなかった……のだが……

「結局何もないまま、到着してしまったな」

　目の前にある診療所を見て、レイが呟く.
　人混みの中で誰かが襲ってくる可能性が高いと、そう思っていたのだが……実際には全く誰に襲われることもないまま、診療所に到着したのだ.
　正直なところ、レイはそのことに完全に意表を突かれた.
　今日ギルムに来てから襲われ続けたことを考えると、この人混みを利用しない筈がないと、そう思っていた為だ.

「グルルルルゥ」

　襲われなかったんだから、いいんじゃない？　そうセトが言いたいのが分かったレイは、そっとセトの頭を撫でる.

「そうだな. 悪いけど、俺は少しマリーナに会って来るから、セトはここで待っててくれ. ……いいか？　暗殺者が襲ってくるかもしれないから、その辺には十分に気をつけろよ」
「グルゥ！」

　任せて、と. そう喉を鳴らすセトの頭を撫で、レイは診療所に向かう.
　そんなレイを見送り、セトは邪魔にならない場所で横になる.
　……もっとも、体長三mのセトだけに、邪魔にならないような場所というのは非常に限られているのだが.
　それでも暗殺者に狙われている現状を考えると、いつものように気楽なままでいられるという訳にはいかない.

「グルルゥ……グルゥ」

　レイを狙う相手が現れたら、自分が倒す.
　そんな決意を込めながら……いつもと変わらないように見せる為に、地面に寝転がるのだった.





　診療所の扉を開けると、そこには以前来た時と比べると若干少ない怪我人がいた.
　もっとも、診療所は別にここにある一つだけという訳ではないので、他の診療所では怪我人も多いのかもしれないが.

「あら、レイ. どうしたの？　怪我……じゃ、ないわよね」

　レイの姿を見つけたマリーナが、そう言い切る.
　マリーナにしてみれば、レイが怪我をするという光景が想像出来ないのだろう.

「ああ. 実はちょっと面倒なことになっていてな」
「面倒、ね. レイが言うからにはよっぽどのことみたいだけど……ちょっと待っててくれる？　今、治療の途中なのよ. そこまで大きな怪我じゃないから、すぐに終わるわ」
「分かった. じゃあ、俺はここで待ってる」
「ええ、お願い」

　短く言葉を交わし、レイは診療所の中の少し離れた場所で待機する.
　診療所にいる怪我人の何人かはレイのことを知らないのか、誰だあれ？　といった視線を向けていた.
　それでもマリーナと親しいというのは、誰の目にも分かったので、レイのことを知らなくてもちょっかいを出す者はいない.
　マリーナが不機嫌になれば、精霊魔法での回復であっても妙な痛みを感じたりすることがあるのだ.
　出来れば、そんな目に遭いたくないというのは、怪我をしている全員にとっての共通した思いだった.