Morning comes early for the Clan Master.

Just before the sun rises above us. When you wake up in your private room in the clan house, you first take a quick shower in the bathroom to blow off some sleep.

Then, you put on your clothes. He always wears the same clothes because he has many of them. However, the type and number of treasures I equip are different. The number and variety of treasures I have collected is physically beyond the number I can equip at one time. Some of them have effects that can be activated just by holding them, but even those are limited to the amount that I, a not-so-large person, can carry around.

The treasure that I equip depends on my mood of the day. I wear the Warding Finger every day, but most of the time I wear accessories. It is very convenient to wear rings, earrings, necklaces, etc., as they do not get in the way and have a wide range of effects.
Among treasure hunters, there are many who use accessory-type treasure tools. Depending on how you do it, you can even hide the fact that you are wearing it.

I have a lot of weapons in my collection, but I don't carry them unless I have a reason to because I don't have the skill to fight. I can activate my abilities, but I don't want to hurt myself too badly.
Instead, I carry a chain type. It is useful for stopping people, and it can be used by me without getting in the way. This is my favorite type of treasure, as it can catch an opponent off guard more easily than carrying a weapon type treasure, and I have been saved by it many times.

However, only a handful of treasures are currently charged with magical power. Your options are limited.
A quick look around the room revealed that some of the tools were missing, but I didn't care, as Citri had mentioned that they might be taken out to develop a magic restorative. No one is going to steal from the headquarters of a large clan.

Once you are fully equipped, you go to the lounge of the clan house to have breakfast.
The lounge is open 24 hours a day, but everyone is usually busy during the day, so the only people there are the clerks who run the clan. After having a light breakfast of sandwiches and coffee, I head up the stairs to the clan master's office in high spirits.

I sat down deeply in the clan master's chair, which was unsuitable for me, and sighed.

--There's ...... nothing to do.

The spacious desk is shiny and polished, and there is nothing on it.

Originally, as a clan master, I had very little to do. I've given Eva almost all the power to run the Footprints. The only tasks that come to me are the ones that Eva can't make decisions on, or the ones that are too sensitive for a deputy clan master to handle, and those tasks don't come up on a regular basis.

Eva wasn't joking when she told me to just sit quietly.

With nothing else to do, I took out a soft cloth from my desk and began to carefully polish each piece of jewelry with a familiar hand.

To be honest, I was bored. I didn't feel like risking my life to attack the treasure house, but it was too much of a waste of time.

Normally, I'd go out and look around the city or check the performance of my collection in the underground training grounds, but that's not an option right now.

But that's not the case now. Ryz has picked a fight with Arnold.
I didn't do anything, but I'm sure he saw my face, and for some reason I'm often resented. I was nailed by Mr. Gark, but it would be dangerous to go out at this time.
I'm sure that Tino, who is a level 7, is not strong enough to protect you, and I can't even see Citrie or Liz, who I rely on. More than anything, I didn't feel comfortable taking the busy Smart sisters around just because I had time on my hands. Lizzie and Cicely have their own private lives (though they're usually training).

But it's not a good idea to check the performance of a treasure tool when you can't charge it properly. That was a luxury that was only allowed when Lucia was around.

I carefully polished each ring-shaped treasure, and laid them out on the table.

A treasure trove is something that appears at random. Because they are based on information from civilizations that have existed in the past, they have a fixed shape, but no two are alike.
Even if they have the same abilities, they may have slightly different designs. A simple object with nothing attached. One with a jewel-like stone. Some have intricate patterns carved into them. They come in different colors, different shapes, and different materials.

These treasures are mere materials, but they have a mysterious look to them.
Some hunters don't trust treasure tools, which are the heritage of past civilizations, and are proud of their own power, but I couldn't help but love the unique glow of treasure tools.

Next, I removed the chain type, then the bracelet type, in that order. Because of the frequent polishing, there is not a single cloud on the treasure trove.

At that moment, when I felt a strong sense of self-satisfaction with the shiny treasure trove, I remembered that I had received a bracelet-shaped treasure trove from Tino.

It was a treasure trove that I had luckily discovered in the [Alleyne Column Ruins], famous for its miscellaneous treasure halls.
Immediately afterwards, a huge golem appeared and began to rampage, and I was busy with various other things, so it had completely slipped my mind.

I rifled through my desk and pulled out a bracelet-shaped treasure trove that I had left unattended.

Tino gave me most of the treasures he found, as if his master Liz had told him something.
There are many different types of treasure tools. As a trainee, the level of Tino's treasure halls was not that high, and I rarely found useful treasures, but I was grateful for Tino's gifts.

The treasure trove I found this time was only a treasure found in a level 1 certified treasure house. The power hidden in a treasure trove is proportional to the concentration of mana material, so it's probably not a very powerful treasure trove.

The treasure trove was a simple black bracelet with no special features.
It was made of metal. The weight and size are comparable, and the color is black. There are no jewels on it, though there are patterns engraved along the circle.
I carefully observed it while rotating it in my hand, but there is no particular feature that suggests its ability.

The appraisal of a treasure trove's abilities is done by comparing it with information on treasure troves found in the past. It is common to ask a professional appraiser who is skilled in the use of such tools to appraise their abilities, as it is often impossible to know the abilities of a tool without actually using it.

This is true even for me, who has collected as many treasures as any other treasure store in the area, and can somehow activate even unfamiliar treasures.
Some treasures have disadvantages for the user. It is not uncommon for the user to die, as in the case of the Night Hiker. Because they are powerful, they need to be handled with care. Well, I don't have enough magic power to try it out in the first place.

I'm sorry to say that I forgot to mention this, but the more I look at it, the more I wonder about the identity of the treasure.

The bracelet was a simple piece of decoration. There was not a hint of mystique about it, and if you just looked at the shape, it looked like a cheap bracelet. It would be easy for a modern civilization to reproduce the appearance of the bracelet.
It is too simple a shape to give us any clue to its civilization or capabilities. It's not like the "Realize Outer" that Citri brought me as a souvenir.
I can't help it if I'm not a god.

I put the bracelet through my fingertips, twirling it around and sighing.

'...... Arnold...'

If it weren't for him, I'd go to the treasure store right now and ask for an appraisal. .......

I've always had a problem with violent hunters.
Level 7. dragon slayer. He is truly transcendent. And when you're leading a large party, you're more terrifying than any assassin.

I wonder if Mr. Gark's nail-biting worked? Or will they mellow out with time? But with his face so disgraced, it's unlikely.

Then, the final destination would be--a bloody battle, right?
We're screwed. I don't see a future where this can be settled peacefully.

At the very least, if you're going to riot, do it in a tavern for hunters, not on the street. I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot more information on this on the web. ...... As I was thinking about this, Eva came into the room.

She is busy, but she comes to see me at least once a day, even when she has nothing to do.


Some of the clerks in the clan are afraid of me, a level 8. I'm sure it's partly because of my performance against such subordinates. Seeing Eva, who is trusted as the actual head of the clan's administration, getting along well with the other clerks would make them feel a little more at ease.

When Eva saw me looking so disheveled with the treasure in my hand, she said first.

'You've been polishing your treasure tool again? ......'

'If you polish it with all your heart, it will respond to you.

'I've never heard of such a thing. ......'

I've never heard of it either.

When I cowered my shoulders, Eva sighed deeply, as if in disgust.

What do you want? I wonder if she's here to make a living. I've always had a hard time keeping my head above water, but the debt has made me even harder to keep my head above water. I'm really sorry for the trouble I caused you.

I was on my knees in my heart, and Eva reported to me with the same expression as always.

The other day, I contacted Chief Gark about the Foreign Mist, but ...... it seems to have quieted down for the time being.

What?

For a moment, I couldn't understand it. It was so unexpected that it froze my facial muscles.
In fact, I hadn't expected the nail-biting to work at all. After all, they were the kind of people who would pick a fight with me in the first bar I visited in the first city I visited. If the Wraith of Sorrows were in the position of the Misty Thunder Dragon, the nail-biting would never work.

I'm shocked to my core. I did my best to suppress my agitation, but the voice that came out was trembling.

'..............., huh. That's excellent.

'............ Well, even though I'm from a remote country, I'm still level 7.'

So what's with our party? Does my party have more blood in it than those thugs?
I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea. ...... I'm sick of this. I want to retire.

No, wait. Calm down. I'll think it over.

Maybe the nail-biting worked, or maybe he thought it was a two-way street, but whatever the reason, it would be better if he would just calm down.
It was very annoying, but the Misty Thunder Dragon seemed to be more stable than the Wraith of Sorrows.

'They've only been in the Imperial Capital for about a week, and it shouldn't be good for them to be spotted by the Explorers Society. I've already checked them out, and I don't think they'll cause any trouble for a while.



This is our chance. Stand up and quickly put on the treasure equipment on the desk. Finally, she slipped an unidentifiable jet-black bracelet onto her right arm, and her preparations were complete.
The sun is still high and the temperature is just right. It's a nice day for a walk.

'I'll go to the Magus Tail while I'm here. I have a treasure that needs to be appraised.

Now is the only time to do it while Arnold is quiet.
For guards, you can go to ...... and find some in the lounge. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing. It's a good idea to have Tino with you, since he's the one who found the treasure. .......

In the event that you're looking for the best way to get the most out of your business, you'll want to look at the following

'I'm sure you understand that, Crye, but ...... please don't waste your money. I'm sure you understand that.

I don't think he trusts me at all. I'm not so geriatric that I'm going to add to my debt just yesterday. Where else can you find a hunter with a ten-figure debt and a deputy clan master to take care of it?

He smiled and replied with a thumbs-up.

'Don't worry. I don't have any money in my wallet to begin with.'

It was almost empty when I gave Citri his drink money. Appraisal is a bill. Level 8 can pay for itself!

With a quick movement, Eva took my wallet from the desk and silently looked inside. Her eyes were wide open and her lips were trembling.

She looked up at me as if I were a fool and said.

'Hey, you're really empty ........., how are you alive?

'I don't get out much.

'Not anymore! I can only buy about three loaves of bread! I'm going to go replenish my supply.

Eva hurried off with her empty wallet. I'm really sorry for bothering you over and over again.


§


Right in front of the clan house is a main street.
It is one of the arteries of the Imperial Capital, allowing multiple large carriages to pass with room to spare. It is one of the arteries of the imperial capital. There is no end to the traffic in the morning, afternoon and even at night.
When I was hiding in the shade of a plant near the entrance, Tino, who had been looking outside, came running up to me.

He must have had a rough time just the other day because of my childhood friend, but he didn't show any signs of it.
She was dressed as usual in a pair of hot pants that accentuated her legs with excessive lightness and a black jacket. My clothes were no different, but Tino's were just as bad.

Tino reports in a hushed voice.

'I don't see any suspicious shadows, sir. As far as I can tell, that is.

'Let's take the back way.

As a representative of the weak, I never forget to be vigilant at all times.

The other party is a large group, and the leader is a giant, and I don't think a swordsman, even a high level one, can avoid the eyes of Tino, who is a professional thief, but we should do what we can.
You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them in the marketplace.

'As expected, Masutaa. Dragons do their best when hunting sandrabbits, don't they?

'Yeah, yeah, I guess so.

You're very excited today.
But I don't think dragons go all out when they hunt sandrabbits. It's too energy inefficient. It's not worth it to put all your energy into one rabbit.

Tino, undeterred by my perfunctory answer, clasped his hands together and lifted the corners of his lips. That gesture is somewhat similar to Liz's.

'Don't worry, sir. I made sure to tell those riffraff exactly how great Masutaa is.

'Hmm...'

'In the first place, it would be foolish to mess with them when your sister is around, but I'm sure they're trembling at Masutaa's power right now.'

The first half is understandable, but the second half is not. I can understand the first half, but the second half I have no idea.


What is my greatness? ....... I don't know what we talked about, but I'd like to know.

I don't have much time, so I ignore his words and leave the clan house.

It's been a long time since I've been outside at this hour. The weather is fine. You shiver in the slightly chilly air and begin to walk, using your small guard as a wall. There are still many passersby, but as Tino reported, there is no sign of Arnold and the others. There is no response to the danger detection treasure either.

After confirming this, I let out a deep breath. I don't get this nervous when I'm with Lise and Cicely (though I do get nervous in other ways), but I guess Tino isn't enough to reassure my flea heart.

I proceed through the town cautiously. Perhaps it was because the sun was still high in the sky, but there were no treasure hunters in sight.
I ask Tino, who is walking next to me with a somewhat excited look.

'Speaking of which, do you know where Liz is now?

'............ Your sister couldn't break the golem's armor before, so she said she'll break it next time. I'm sure you'll be glad to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this. I'm sure she's at her master's by now.

In the first place, the job of a thief is not to defeat the enemy. ...... You hate to lose, Liz.
I'm not sure what to do. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing and how you're going to do it.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it.

'And I've been told to ...... practice on my own. ......'

I felt so sorry for him that I could only laugh.
It's not even laissez-faire. Tino's got talent too, so why not take him along?

'I'll tell Liz next time. If you want to train, take Tino with you.''

'? No, please don't! You'll die!

'I'll also tell him to be careful not to die.

'............, Masutaa. You should be a little nicer to me, Masutaa.'

'What?

I'm trying to be as gentle as possible, but for some reason, Tino was in tears.
What do you want me to do?


(§)

And so, after taking many turns along the limp back roads, and taking a longer detour than usual, we arrived safely at a store.
It is a famous store known only to those in the know, tucked away in a street a few streets off the main street of the Imperial City.
The exterior of the shop is plain and sturdy, and the signboard is small enough to be recognized only if you look carefully.

It's a store specializing in treasure tools, "Maggie's Tail.

It is run by an old man who has been my second favorite store after Gark, Ark, and Eva since I came to the Imperial Capital.