After saving exactly seven cities, including one with a confusing name, we arrived at the eighth city, Mauchma, but it was a little different from the others.
The gates were well guarded, and the monsters fighting the adventurers outside the gates seemed to be pushed back by the adventurers.
In particular, there seemed to be room near the front lines, where the quality of the adventurers was so high that it looked like a one-sided slaughter of the monsters by the adventurers.
My instincts have been cultivated since I came to this world, and I wouldn't call them long-standing, but if they're right, we don't need reinforcements here.

I decided that there was at least enough time to gather information, so I headed towards the guild-like buildings.
From the looks of it, there are no civilians in the city, but they seem to have started sweeping up the demons that have entered.
I can see a man who looks like a gatekeeper in armor slaying demons with his sword, and a man who looks like a Mohawked adventurer using fire magic to set demons on fire.
There seemed to be no trouble there either, so we went straight to the guild.


The interior of the guild was much the same as the town we had been in.
Except for the relatively small number of evacuees and the cheerful faces of the evacuees, it is a guild and a simple refugee center, just like any other city.
The receptionist was standing by, and the way to the place was clear.

"Hey, I'm here with reinforcements from Photoren, do you need ......?

"Reinforcements from Photoren?　I thought they arrived a while ago. ......

Oh, so that's what they are.

I was aware of this when I saw the town.
It was strange that there were demons in the city if they had enough strength from the start, and I felt that the adventurers on the front lines were too strong for the quality of the demons.
Reinforcements from Forchma's and Fotoren's sides must have departed and met up here.
When I was coming here from the previous town, I saw a group of adventurers going in the opposite direction of me, but they were probably part of the reinforcements.

I knew it.

I flew by magic to the Forchma side and then came this way. I flew by magic to the Forchma side and then proceeded to this side. We met up here, right?

"Oh, that's what the adventurers who came before you said. So you're Kaede?

That's right. They must have heard about me.

When I was told that there might not be enough reinforcements to go around, I was told that it would be alright because the wizard with a lot of magic power was ahead of me. So I need to find out where to send reinforcements, so can you tell me what cities you've been to so far?

A wizard with a lot of magic power.
That's what I thought.
You're not wrong, but did you ever think about what would happen if I was killed?
Well, maybe they didn't worry because they knew that they could beat me even if they were asleep.
Also, I'm a swordsman, right?

"Well, forchima, forthema, fortate, for......

Here are the names of the cities I've saved so far.
The names were confusing, but he managed to remember them.

"Hey, isn't that every city down there? Isn't it too soon after we got the call?

I've used magic to burn down the entire forest and left the rest to the local adventurers.

I've already burned the entire forest with magic and left the rest to the local adventurers. I'm going to report this to the branch chief now. Do you have any other urgent matters to report?

Nothing in particular.

Okay. I'll be in touch with the Photoren Office, so Miranda can tell you the rest. Miranda, you take care of the rest.

Okay. I'll explain the plan to you.

I was expecting to have to wait for a full response, but apparently I was wrong.
A little while ago, the person who had been standing behind the first receptionist came to the front.

"Have you decided what you're going to do next?

"Yes. "Yes. They want you to return to the Photon branch by sunrise five days from now.

Five days from now?

That's a lot of time.

Yes, he wants us to be back by then, even if we still have work to do here.

Any reason?

They're testing a new weapon. I haven't been told the details.

Experimenting with a new weapon.
I'm guessing the timing is to fix the current situation.
I wonder if the reason for calling me is to consume a large amount of magic power.

All right, what should I do until then?

Well, ...... we probably have enough strength without you, but can we wait for the branch manager to tell us what to do just in case?

How long will it take?

About ten minutes at most.

I'll wait then.



The answer I got in about five minutes was that there was no specific work I needed to do, so I could do whatever I wanted.
So I decided to go to Photolens as soon as possible.
At first I thought of going somewhere to reinforce him, since I wasn't that tired and there were still four days to go.
However, I don't know where I should go now.
Besides, the new weapon was also a concern.
In the end, I don't see any other option but to go to Photoren.
Then you can decide whether you want to rest or work.

So I tell them that I'm going back to Photoren, and take off for Photoren.
I brought a different anchor from the one I broke, so I don't have to watch the road on the way back.
We started slowing down too late and went a little too far, but it still took us less than 20 minutes to reach Photoren.
To check the situation, I went to the guild first.
When I went to the reception desk, I heard my name called from the other side.

"You must be Kaede.

"Yes, I've just returned. I've just returned. ...... something seems to be okay now.

I've forgotten his name.



Can you please direct your report to the Branch Chief?　As soon as Kaede returns, she should be taken to the branch manager's office.

Understood.



Excuse me.

Nice to meet you, Mr. Kaede. Have a seat.

The Branch Chief was an old man.
He didn't look as strong as an adventurer, but he seemed capable.
In a large guild with a lot of functions, the head of the branch would be a suitable person.

Yes.

He sits down on a chair that looks much more expensive than other guilds.

You're early, as expected, but did you have any problems defending Forchheimer?

Yes, we crushed the forest, thinned out the demons, and handed it over to the local adventurers and the adventurers from Fotolen.

Hmm. No problem.

So you're here to talk about the new weapon?

Yes, I need you to escort a ship to the final stage of the production of a new weapon, the Demon Bomb. The reward is 30 million Tel.

Judging from the name, I guess the new weapon is a bomb made of magic stones.
I'm not quite sure what the ship will be used for.
Also, it's very expensive for an escort.

"It sounds like an important request, so I'm willing to take it, but a ship to make a bomb?

"Yeah, I heard that once you have the first one, you can make an almost infinite number of demon bombs in a chain, but the problem is where to make the first one. The problem is where to make the first one, deep inside the demon's domain.

Why can't we go closer?

Do you need a lot of magical power or something?

It's possible, but it's a safety issue. I've heard that the second and subsequent demon bombs can be made from the aftermath of other demon bombs, but normal demon rocks can't be detonated without the aftermath of other demon rocks.

How can you know that if you've never made one?

I don't know the details either, but that's what the researchers say. I don't know the details, but the researchers say so. This is the reason why magic stone bombs have not been put to practical use despite the fact that research has been done in this area.

But you can't say that after this incident?

I'm sure you're not the only one. If there were ten of you, you might have been able to get by without a magic stone bomb. ......

You're about nine people short.

I can't alter myself either. So you want me to protect the ship from the blast while you do it farther away because the bomb is dangerous?

No, the blast is only a problem if you keep your distance. The problem is what happens after the explosion.

After?

"According to a group of researchers who are against the production of magic stone bombs, they can attract dragons. That's why they're testing it as far away as possible.

"Sublong: ......

This reminds me of something I read in a book about dragons.
I think it was written in a book about dragons that an explosion using a magic stone could attract dragons and then defeat them.
It was a long time ago, so I don't think dragons will appear now, but it worries me.

"Yes. I don't know if dragons will actually appear or not, but if they appear in the depths of the demon realm, there's no problem, just leave them there.

"In other words, you want me to cover your retreat in that case.

That's what I'm saying. The ship itself is one of the only ones in the country that is extremely powerful against sub dragons, but it can't handle sub dragons without the support of adventurers.

As far as I can tell, we're in the clear.
There are no signs of the dragons mentioned in the book, and they probably won't appear.
I'll prepare a magic tool called the "magic freeze" that is supposed to be used in case a dragon appears, just in case.
It's unlikely that I'll use it, though.

Okay, I'll take it.

I'd rather you didn't have to do it, but if it comes to that...

Okay. I'd love to have your job, but if I have to do it, I'll do it.

That's reassuring. ...... That's all for now.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

I'm lucky, I've got a job that's both easy and lucrative.
You can get 30 million Tel just by sleeping on a ship, and in some cases you can even get materials for sub dragons.
You may not get all the materials, but it's more than enough to make the job worthwhile.
It's like picking up a thousand-yen bill on the street.

Now, let's prepare the magic freeze.
By the way, I don't know where Catherine is now.
Maybe I'll ask Mercia.