We'll go home and tell them what happened outside.

Let's kill those guys.

　For some reason, Malika took the initiative in expressing her anger.
　Why?

'Disrespectful behavior towards Dariel-san...!　I cannot allow this as a member of Lax Village........!
'Right!　You know what I mean!

　Don't hit it off with Gacita.
　Today, in order to discuss the future of Lax Village, which suddenly had an influx of people, a dinner meeting called a discussion was being held at the village chief's house.

I don't know what they're feeling. I can understand how they feel.

　That's where the oldest village chief is the one who is completely calm.
　He's also Malika's father.

They call us adventurers, but we're only nomads. The only thing that can prove you are an adventurer is the rank the guild gives you. When I was young, I used to worry a lot about whether my rank was higher or lower than the guild's.

　The head of the village is the guild master of Rax Village, and he was also an adventurer when he was young.
　I'm sure that the memories of his heyday are vividly replaying in his mind.

I'm sure the memories of his heyday are still fresh in his mind. They are also important customers of the LUX village.
About that, sir.

　I ask the village chief what's been bothering him.

'How is the Lax village recovering so far?'

　The number of people passing through the village in search of the mines is increasing, and the amount of money they are dropping in search of a place to stay must be increasing as well.
　It would make me happy if it helped to enrich Lax's village.

We didn't take any money for lodging.
''Yeah........?''

　The village chief's answer is surprising.

The village is deserted and there are no decent places left to stay. The most we can do is rent out an empty house and have them take shelter from the night dew.

　We can't take money from them," said the good-natured village chief.

We're asking them to bring in their own food, too. In a poor village like ours, it's all we can do to provide for ourselves. We don't want to be asked to provide food.

　And you're even giving them free lodging...?

Well, this is what it's like to be busy. Well, this is just a passing phase after all. The home of prosperity is the Mithril Mine, so let's just take our chances with that.
You want me to be less greedy?

　I have a feeling that the village chief is right.
　We shouldn't be too greedy about anything.
　Let's just follow the nourishing wisdom of our elders.

◆

　In the meantime, the city's adventurers left the village of Lax.
　They left for the Mithril Mine.

　They would be there to escort the guild leaders who were negotiating with the knockers, or to guard against the Demon King's army coming to retake the mine.

　Leave those things to the big guys at the big guys.
　I'm just a D-level adventurer in a small village, so I'll stick close to the community and do the small quests.

　........I was thinking that.

◆

　At one point, I was consulted by a guild leader.

'Do you want me to go back to the Mithril Mine?　To me?

　The officer said that he had turned back from the mine all the way back to Lax village.
　The purpose was none other than me.

'The knockers at the mine are not willing to negotiate.

　The guild leader said as if he was really troubled.

'Dariel-san, tell me you won't agree to anything unless it's your word. We can't talk about this alone.''

　I've told the knockers as much as I do.

The knockers have very vivid memories of being oppressed by the demons, and that's why they revolted. That's why they revolted. "That's why they rebelled. It's still hard for them to trust others.
'I understand that. But of all of them, why do they honestly believe you are the only one?
Isn't that because I'm the one who rescued them from the domination of the demon race?

　I can't honestly say that I was once assigned to the mines as an officer of the Demon King's Army and worked with them to build up a trusting relationship.

''I see........Anyway, your cooperation is essential to facilitate negotiations. Would you be willing to act as a bridge between us and them?
Um...!

　Before answering, I asked about the matter that was on my mind.

'What decisions will the guild make if things go poorly?'

　It is possible that the guilds will throw out knockers that don't go along with the guild's wishes.
　For the human guild, there is no reason to continue to protect the knockers who originally belonged to the demon race, no matter what the cost.

　As far as I'm concerned, I just don't want them to end up lost in the streets.

''No, we want to get the Knockers to cooperate with us at all costs.

　Things are better than I thought they'd be.

"The mine is being dug and reshaped every day. "The mine is being dug up and reshaped day by day. We can only make good use of the Mithril mine if we have a knocker who knows what's going on inside.
Oh,
And for the sake of our ongoing relationship, I don't want to impose on you. So, again, Mr. Dariel, I'm going to need your help.

　If that's the case, I must do my best.

　With the village chief's permission, I headed back to the mine.
　It's actually only a day's walk from Lax Village to Mithril Mine. It's close.

　I wonder if this proximity to a place that used to be a demon tribe's territory is one of the reasons why Lax's village has become deserted.　I'm so glad I did.



　When I arrived, the knockers accepted all the conditions with surprising ease.
　I'd like to tell them that if they're going to agree to it that easily, they can't keep complaining until I get here.

　But to them, I was the reason they had no objections. I wasn't ready to leave the negotiation table.

　The main issue I was called upon to discuss went surprisingly smoothly, so I decided to take a look around outside on a whim.

　The area around the mine is guarded by adventurers.
　I saw a familiar face among them.
　That young white hair.
　That's an adventurer from a town called Fitbitan or something.

Yo, long time no see!

　I talked to him openly.
　The other side looked embarrassed at the sight of me for a moment, but quickly mended it.

"You........I heard you received a call personally from the executive, right?

　I knew I was smoking.

'What are you doing here, you saying that?
As you can see, we're on a quest to protect a key location. We're going to be on the defensive to make sure they don't get one step further.
"They?

　The fitbitan points to a group of people on the other side of the mountains.

"Gang?

　Moreover, these guys are screaming something loudly.
　It's still hard to hear them because of the distance, but by listening carefully, I finally understand what they are saying.

'Gentlemen of the Knocker!　The Devil King has graciously forgiven you for your outrage!　If you obey me, I will ensure your safety on the pride of the Demon King's Army!　So please come back!

　What's that?
　I don't need to guess, but that's the Demon King's army, isn't it?
　But why was it there?

''It was expected that they would move to retake the mine, but their approach is strangely circuitous. We're not attacking them, we're just calling for the mine demons to return to the mine day and night like that.......
Knockers aren't demons. They're a subspecies, a relative of ours.
I don't care. I'm just bored with being on my guard. You should have just attacked me...!

　Indeed, as a defender, being unable to move due to constant vigilance was probably more painful than fighting with all one's might.

　But this..........
　The voice from the Demon King's army side calling for them to return to their homes........
　Somehow it sounds familiar.........

Ah.........

　Of course there is.
　It's a voice from a friend.

"I'll be back in a minute.
'What?　Go where?

　I leave the bewildered fitbitan behind and run off.
　I can't be bothered to explain every single thing to him.

''Hopefully we can get the Demon King's army to retreat and save you guys a lot of trouble!　Well, look at you!

　When I said that, I focused my aura and ran off at a speed that no one else could catch up with.