I'm not a good hunter in any sense of the word, but if I had to pick one job that I'm least suited for, it would be guarding.

The reason is simple. It's because I have very bad luck with .......

I don't have too many good memories of being asked to be an escort.
An escort is essentially an insurance policy. Well, since you are hiring an escort, you are walking in a dangerous place, but I have heard ...... that most of the time, the request ends without much trouble.
If you think about it, there are not many powerful demons in the first place, and even bandits would not dare to target those with guards.

However, I have encountered some kind of obstacle in almost all of my escort requests so far.
Sometimes the obstacle is an illusion, sometimes it's a demon, sometimes it's a gang of thieves or a criminal organization. Sometimes it's a natural disaster. Well, I've gotten into a lot of trouble on vacations when I wasn't under guard, but the odds are much higher when I was under guard.

I'm a person who understands his own shortcomings. That's why I never want to accept escort requests, and in fact, I've been trying not to.

I am! I'm thinking of the client! That's what I'm saying!
And I'm used to getting near-death experiences, but most people aren't.

When Eva saw the request form, her eyes widened for a moment and she looked at me, somewhat confused.

'I think this is ...... a very honorable thing to talk about.'

'Yeah, yeah, it is. ......'

'But, how did you end up with Mr. Cry ......?'

'Yes, yes, yes, yes!

That's really true!

Eva's office...... deputy clan master's office was very chaotic, unlike the clan master's office.
The bookshelves are filled with countless files and piles of stationery. The room itself seemed to be well organized, but there were too many things. It looks like the room of a person who works.

On a well-worn metal desk, there is a metal box with several compartments. Inside each of them is a black stone.
It was a treasure trove called the "Sympathetic Stone. It is a treasure trove of two stones in pairs, and when one stone is sounded, the other stone emits a sound. It is used for communication, but because it is so easy to use, it is in great demand and rarely found in the market. Even my party doesn't have one.

There are 16 of them at ....... If you turn the box upside down, you probably won't know which stone goes where.

Ava notices my gaze and hides the box.

'............ You can't do that. It's for safekeeping.

'............ I know.'

Incidentally, if you lose one of them, the treasure becomes useless.
I once had the good fortune to have one of these, but I lost the other, and now I can't do anything with it. It is a treasure that only a meticulous person can use.

It's been a long time since I've been to Eva's workshop. Most of the time, Eva comes to me when I'm in the Clan Master's office.
After checking all the contents of the request form, Eva looks a little thoughtful.

'............ This is the kind of request that should be ordered based on trust rather than ability. ......... ... "The Ghost of Sorrows" has a strong notoriety. ----'

I'm not a member of the party, but I cried out for help, and Eva didn't give me a bad look.
That's my right-hand man. Perhaps I should call her my body rather than my right arm.

'Eva, can you please follow me to ......?

'......Yes? ............ No. I'm not a hunter, remember?

I wish Eva were a hunter. Then she could do more things.
Since I can become one, I'm sure Eva will be able to level up quickly.

As soon as Lucia saw that her training was over and she was no longer needed, she went away.
I'm not very good, but I'm the leader, so I have to decide what to do. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.



'...... This is troublesome. They're probably on the lookout for someone on the inside. Cry is the only one who has been proven innocent by Tears of Truth. ......'

'...... Can't I just wave it around?'

'Just to be sure, that's appropriate as in appropriate, right?'

The request I received in exchange for the rug was the worst thing I've ever heard.

Zebuldia is said to hold a meeting with its allies once a year.
The request I was given was to go along with it and protect the Emperor and the other participants.
The location is not Zebrudia ............, but Toaizant, a sandy country where most of the land is desert, located over mountains, grasslands, and rivers.
I've never been there because it's so far away, but according to the request form, it would take more than two weeks from Zebrudia by any means of transportation.

It is truly disgusting. Even escorting a delegation to a meeting in Zebrudia is dangerous, but protecting the emperor and his delegation out in the open is something I cannot take responsibility for.

According to the request form, we are only an insurance policy. The emperor's personal bodyguard, the Zero Knights, will be escorting the group. It's not like they're moving an army. It's just a small group of elite guards.
But I didn't trust those guards very much. Because just the other day, there was a drug incident in the Imperial City. Even the most easy-going person like me has his own thoughts. I would still be relieved if they had an Ark class, but that would be impossible. In the first place, there aren't many people like that.

Eva pointed at the request form with a more serious expression than mine.

'I think the limit of five people is also troublesome. I understand that you can't hire too many hunters because of the conflict with your direct knight order, but ...... we just had an incident like that this year--perhaps to show our strong stance. I'm not sure.

'......I don't know much about the talks, but how was it last year?

'Last year, the venue was Zebrudia. The venue for the talks is usually a country with high national power. Roughly one in two meetings is held in Zebrudia, and there hasn't been a meeting held in Toaizant for the past ten years. It should have gone off without a hitch.

'...... Every time I draw the short straw. I can't do it.

Just so you know, if you take me with you, you're in for a world of hurt. And the more important the event, the worse it is.
I don't know the theory, and I don't know what will come out, but I know from experience that it will.

My whining is brushed aside by Eva, who says

'Well, the country has its own prestige, so I don't think the burden on Crye's side will be that great. ...... Do you have any idea what's going on?'

'Yes, I do. He seems to have one too. But I can't theoretically explain the reasoning behind it.

'............Is it a hunch?

It's not a hunch. They say a good hunter has a well-honed sixth sense, but I don't have one.


This is just a ...... rule of thumb. It's just a rule of thumb that if you've had it bad before, you'll have it bad again. There is no way to explain it.

Well, the fact that there were only five of us was a condition of the other party, so it could not be helped. The biggest problem is that we can't include the Ghost of Sorrows in this request.
Our party's coordination is negative. Combined with the nobles, we're in trouble. Anthem, Lucia, and Cicely might be able to handle it, but if we include them, the others will follow. I'm not sure that I can stop the brutality of Liz and Luke, and Eliza is a free woman. I think she'll recommend some lizards she hunted to the Emperor.

After deep thought, I nodded my head and said.

'So there are five of us. ...... In our party, Eliza and I would be left out, but Ark's party would be perfect.

'! ......Cry, you're not planning on not going yourself, are you?

'............No?

'............'

'......Can't you convince him?'

'No, I can't. There's nothing I can do. Please don't be selfish. After all, you do it all the time.'

Eva's every word stabbed me in the heart.
I'm not doing it all the time. You see me lounging around in the Clan Master's office! But that's only if Eva dumps me.

The request form says that I can bring up to five people, but it doesn't say that I have to bring my own party members.
I guess that means I have the right to choose. Does that mean that you trust me, too? Hmm, five, five .......

Then I had an epiphany. I smile.

Footprints of the Beginning is a large clan. It's a large clan, and naturally has a lot of horizontal connections.
And although I'm a lousy player, I'm leading a party that's known as one of the strongest young players. We have many enemies, but also many allies. I have a lot of friends, especially hunters.

So ...... all you have to do is gather five people from the strongest, highest level, most famous and easiest to ask.

Hunters have a lot of pride, and no one will refuse a request from the Emperor.
And even if by some chance the emperor is assassinated, the blame will be distributed.

We can have a dream party. We'll call it Operation Dark Pot. Needless to say, one of them will be Ark.

I'm ............ brilliant today. I'm starting to have fun.


'What's that smile on your face ......'.


Yes, I know you're not a hunter, but let's include Mr. Gark. There is no such thing as a hunter in this requirement.
I'm going to make that guy who's always pushing me to do nasty things realize how badly I've been treated.

If I can't get away with it, then I'll take them all. Let's show them what they've been saying about me.