There was a bit of a hiccup, but then things went well....
　We reached the mine owned by Ganz.

　We could see the entrance to the cave, reinforced by a wooden frame.
　There was a trolley track on the ground.
　They were probably used to transport the mined ore.

　As I had done when I encountered the bandits at some point, I hid behind a tree to explore the mine.

''There's no one here...''
'Since the mining has been shut down, is it any surprise that no one is there?　Is my sister so clunky that she can't even think of such a thing?
Luna seems to have a clunky mouth like that you need to correct the way you talk to your sister.
Ho-ho, I'll take that. We'll come back and rip you apart!
Right there. For God's sake, keep it down.
I understand.

　I don't mind answering the question, but....
　In the case of Luna, because of her personality, there is a fear of not knowing what she will do.
　Well, I think she's intelligent in some way, so I don't think she'll do anything too rare.......

　Suddenly, I saw a bird circling overhead.
　What is it?　Looking for bait...?
　It's moving oddly for that.
　
　It's as if it has found something.

"Hey, hey, Rain. Why are we hiding?

　The question dissipates when Kanade calls out to me.
　I switch my thoughts and answer Kanade's question.

'All of a sudden, the ore has stopped being extracted. What do you think caused that?
Uh ... dead?
'The first cause that comes to mind would be, I suppose. But there's something that doesn't quite add up for me to dig through. What if there are other possibilities?　What if there was someone else coming and going besides the adventurers with whom Ganz had a contract?　I asked him beforehand, and he said he didn't have any kind of a lookout in place.
Do you want to say ... theft?
Tania, you're right.
'I see. Well, it's possible, but ... what's the evidence?
No.
What?
'It's one of several possibilities. There are many other possible patterns: adventurers diverting, demonic damage, natural depletion...
Then why are you doing this?
'If the pattern was that the stealers were right, we can't just walk in with our feet swallowed, can we?　You never know what you're going to get. So, here's what we'll observe first. Is the cause a thief?　Or is it another factor?　We'll step inside, we'll figure it out.
You are very cautious.
You're putting your life in my hands, all right? I'd be a lot more careful for them.
Does that mean you're worried about us?
Of course.
'Yeah, well, isn't that a good intention for Rain?　I'll give you a compliment.
Nah, Tania is a twinkle in the eye.
"You're a tsundere, aren't you?
Hey, you got a problem with that?

　The four of us were close.

'Quiet,'

　Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps.
　As if on cue, everyone quickly closed their mouths.

　Two men with obi swords came out of the mine.
　Bandits........they didn't have the appearance of bandits.
　More of an adventurer's look.

　The two men draw their swords and come straight at me.

''Hey, Rain.......could it be that they didn't know about us?''
'It can't be, can it?　I was just here to watch the situation. I didn't make any noise that could be heard all the way into the mine.
Magic...?　However, there's no sign of detection-type magic being used, let alone a magical reaction.......
'Either way, you'd better decide you've been found out. What are we going to do?　You want to hit it?
'We'll intercept them, but be careful not to overdo it. We need to make sure we know who we're dealing with.
Yes!



----------



"...you said not to overdo it, right?

　Two men who are completely unconscious and stretched out.
　And Kanade and Tania, who are incessantly awkward.

'Nyaah I'm sorry...'
Oh, I didn't do anything wrong, did I?　He jumped in and hit my fist without my permission!
You know what?

　It happened in a flash.
　The two of them took out the man who had attacked them with a single blow.
　That's fine but.....

　It was too much.
　One KO and both men are completely rolling their eyes.
　They won't be waking up for a while.

"I was going to get information out of these guys...
Meow....
Ugh....
........Oh well. You can't help what you've done, and the fact that you attacked me out of the blue is proof that you have something to be ashamed of.
Yeah, right!
'Yes, yes!　We knew all that, so we took the initiative.
'I said it was inevitable, but let's be sorry, shall we?　We don't have a clue what kind of people our enemies are anymore, do we?
"...I'm sorry...

　So much for the sermon.
　I don't want to be stingy, and besides, the two of you, the strongest species, would not be good at taming.
　You've never practiced that kind of thing before...
　I'll just have to dismiss it as a matter of course.

'Um,'

　Sola raised her hand.

'If you'd like, Sola and the others can look at those men's memories?
'What?　How is that even possible?
''Sora and the rest of the spirit race are experts in magic. They can use magic that most people don't know about.
"Hmmm, let us handle it.

　As expected, I should say.
　The spirit race has the highest magic power among the strongest species.
　Compared to the second-ranked dragon race, it's several times that amount and is the dangling number one.
　It's precisely because they have such power that they are able to use uncommon magic such as 'peeking into your memories', which is normally unthinkable.

''Then, let's go.''
"Memory Search.

　Sola and Luna each held their palms over the man's head and chanted a spell.
　Pale grains of light swirled fluffily around the men's heads.
　Those grains of light were sucked into the palms of Sola and Luna's hands shortly afterwards...
　Eventually, the light went out.

Search complete, sir.
Hmm, you're right about Lane.
'Well...'
I've got a picture of these guys digging. I'm sure of it.
This guy over here is digging, too. I saw one such scene.
Do you know who the men are?
I'm sorry, I don't think I can...
'When I say look at the memories, it's like stealing images that the men have seen... it's hard to pinpoint just the right memories.
But I see a couple of guys in there. Looks like they're all adventurers.
Well do you have a number?
Excluding these two, I think there are five left.
It's a matter of opinion.
Yeah, okay. Thanks.
How did Sola and the others help Rain?
You've been very helpful.
Then I want to be patted down!

　Luna gave me a searching look, and then Luna fluttered her head towards me.

''What?''
I've heard that Rayne's strokes are a masterpiece. Here, stroke me, too.
'You say that like it's a dish ... well ... you know ... you see?'

　She stroked Luna's head as she was asked.
　Gently, gently.
　He moved his fingers slowly, as if brushing her hair.

"Huh.

　A strange voice spilled out of Luna's mouth.
　Her cheeks were stained and her eyes were glazed over.

....I am going to fall.
....

　Thora was glancing at me.
　To be exact, she was looking at my hand and Luna's head.

Maybe you want Sola to do it too?
'What?　No, it's not, you know...
I'll do this whenever you want, okay?
'Anytime!　Well then........Sora, please.
Hey, boy.
Huh.

　He stroked Sola's head, too.
　Like hand combing her hair.
　Softly and gently stroke it.

I'm going to be able to say that it's not good.........it's not half bad.

　He liked it so much that his tone was out of whack.
　Sora and Luna smile with a smirk of satisfaction.

''Nya.......I'm jealous.
I'm not... you know, I don't feel anything.

　Even Kanade and Tania gave me a greedy look.
　I'm sorry, but we can't lose any more time.
　Let's have them put up with the fact that we'll do the stroking later.

''Well let's get back on track and get inside.
La-la-la!
Just be careful, okay?
Hmm?　What are you talking about?
I think they already know who we are.
'Come to think of it, how did they find out?　That part is a mystery to me.

Kanade, you are correct.
Yay!
But the guards were nowhere to be found. There was no sign of magic.
How do you know that?
The enemy has been watching us from above... or rather, near the entrance to this mine.

　I thought back to the bird that kept circling in unnatural movements.
　Nature's birds don't move like that.
　If that were the case, then it would be.....

We have a beast tamer among our enemies.