Sevens Volume 9 Chapter 104

Translator note: Sorry, I made a mistake with the chapters number for this volume. This chapter number is the correct one

Chapter 104 – Sweeper

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That place was a bar for general public in Beim.

「Lyle, do you know about sweeper?」

I was invited by Albano and we ate there with just the two of us.

「Sweeper? Do you mean like cleaner?」

We continued socializing personally with each other like this even after the expedition was over.

「That’s right. They’re cleaner. But, what they’re cleaning is adventurer though.」

「Are they existence that is hunting adventurer?」

「It’s just a rumor. About how the guild is hiring skilled killers to  hunt the nasty adventurers. There is a lot of this kind of story in Beim  since a long time ago.」

Many people gathered in Beim for good or bad.

There were also bad people among them.

The adventurer guild didn’t ignore the adventurers who were doing  such crime and cleaned them up with the sweepers in their employ. That  was what the rumor was about.

「I have heard that rumor. There was also that kind of rumor in other guilds, but I thought it’s just a rumor.」

「It’s also just a rumor over here. But you’re the type of adventurer  who won’t get troubled even if this sweeper really do exist though.」

「But you’re the type who’ll be troubled huh Albano.」

「No way I’ll do unprofitable thing like doing crime. Well, I don’t  know if it’s about the grey zone thing though. We both don’t want to get  involved with sweeper anyway.」

「Yeah.」

The existence called sweeper that hunted the adventurer──they must be strong.

Albano took little sips of his drink while talking about the recent news.

「Let’s change the topic. Big sis Alette has returned.」

「Big sis? Do you mean Alette Baillet(アレット・バイエ)?」(TN: I think there  might be typo from the author here. Last time her name came out it was  Annette)

I tried recalling where I heard that name before. It was a name that I heard from Miranda.

It seemed that she was a really excellent adventurer.

「──So you know her just as I thought. You have investigated around a lot huh.」

It seemed he was asking me a leading question.

This person was really shrewd.

「I want to know about the people I might work with after all.」

「It’s not like I’m criticizing you. And about that big sis, he is  quite the big name even in Beim. And you know, that big sis returned  back with a scary face.」

It seemed she was returning to her birthplace for a while, but apparently she had returned to Beim recently.

「Did something happen?」

「Big sis is a former noble. It seems that her family fell into ruin  when she was born, but her birthplace is a small country called Lorphys.  It seems that its neighboring country is acting really fishy right  now.」

Several informations inside my head connected with each other.

I had heard the name of this small country called Lorphys.

As for its neighboring country──was it Zayin?

「Is it Zayin?」

「Do you know something?」

We were in this bar in order to exchange information with each other.

We were talking like this because it benefitted both of us.

If I only listened without giving any information back, Albano would surely stop talking with me.

「──I heard that there is an internal discord going on in that country.」

「Really? No wonder big sis cannot calm down.」

「That Alette-san, is she getting uneasy and trying to do something?」

The former noble Alette couldn’t calm down because the neighboring country of her birthplace was showing suspicious movement.

Was she worried for her family there?

「Big sis’s circumstance is also complicated after all. It’ll be  interesting if you try meeting her once. After all she is leading a real  knight order.」

「A real knight order?」

It was already a strange story for an adventurer to lead a knight order.

Was it related with her being a former noble?

「They introduce themselves as Lorphys mobile knight order. It’s a  gathering of former nobles and knights. They are an eccentric bunch  who’re still swearing their loyalty to their country even now.」

──I couldn’t understand.

They were still loyal even though they weren’t noble anymore?

Albano wouldn’t tell me the detail, so I could only investigate it myself later.

「Is there something in this country called Lorphys?」

「That country once lost the war against Zayin, so they’re the most  likely candidate to be targeted again. Big sis is planning to recruit  mercenaries in a big hurry.」

It seemed she was planning to gather mercenaries in order to oppose the enemy as much as she could if it became a war.

But, it was a method that was really like an adventurer.

「Are you hired by her?」

「She is gathering comrades in order to earn money in the dungeon to  fun her effort. I also got invited but, I’ll help her with the dungeon,  but no way I’ll agree to be mercenary at her country’s side. I’m not  going to ally myself with the losing side. Besides, the country called  Lorphys is also poor.」

So he prioritized the reward rather than moral.

I had no qualification to criticize him for that.

「And so, I’m thinking of inviting you, how about it? The expedition  will go easier with you there, and of top of that I got the feeling  we’ll also earn a lot more.」

「I’ll be away from Beim starting tomorrow for a quest though.」

「Quest? How long?」

「Around two weeks. A month at the longest.」

「Then there’s no problem. There is still time until we go into the  dungeon for real. Decide if you’re going to join or not when you  return.」

Alette Baillet──I heard that she was a capable adventurer. She also had a lot of comrades.

She was someone who I wanted to get personally acquainted with, but it made me curious what kind of circumstance she had.

「If you’re going to meet big sis then look forward to it. She’s an interesting person after all.」

「Interesting?」

「She is especially interesting when she’s in her “post-growth” though.」

Seeing Albano reminiscing and laughing, for some reason it made a  familiarity with Alette-san to bloom inside me even though I hadn’t met  her.

.

──Late at night.

Albano parted with Lyle and went on his way home. He entered a gap between buildings.

He made rustling sound there to relieve his urge to pee.

But, a woman’s voice called out to Arbano at that timing.

「It’s appalling to do that here.」

Albano became unable to pee because of a woman who approached without even any sound of footstep.

He hurriedly put his thing back inside and turned around. Overt here was a blonde haired beautiful woman.

「That was rude of me. More importantly, what’s your business with me?  Right now I’m just a humble adventurer who is working diligently you  know?」

「I’m amazed you can say that with a straight face. I’ve also heard some bad rumors about you though?」

「It’s just complaints from Creit anyway right?」

「There are also complaints from others.」

Albano greeted the woman lightly while putting on a bold front, but he was shivering at the inside.

(Why is this woman here huh? Don’t tell me, she is coming to kill me?)

She was a sweeper like what he mentioned to Lyle.

Albano had done something that could be construed as crime before.

A sweeper was sent to him at that time.

The woman narrowed her gaze at Albano. Albano was at a loss whether he should draw out his sword or not.

But, the woman shrugged.

「We had asked you to do various things recently, so I came to thank  you. It’s because you won’t approach me even when I happen to be at  counter.」

Albano felt relieved and realized that he was sweating all over.

(Then don’t threaten me like this! Haa, that was scary. I didn’t feel drunk anymore.)

「I’ll get suspected if I carelessly approach you.」

「Lies. But more importantly, this is our thanks for the previous time.」

The woman showed a leather bag that was filled with gold coins.

Albano took it and checked the inside.

「──It’s a lot.」

「A service from us. I’m thankful to you.」

Albano put the bag into his pocket and looked at the woman──Marianne.

The moonlight shined down. The mask she was wearing became visible.

Her mask was an eye mask type. It was decorated to make it looked like crying.

「Take off that mask. It’s scary when you wear it at midnight.」

「I don’t want to take it off while doing this work.」

Albano wiped his cold sweat while asking a question about Marianne’s quest.

「More importantly, I don’t think it’s something that you should be so concerned about though.」

「What do you mean?」

「I mean those brats, Erhart’s group. I protected them within  limitations without them noticing it but, why are you protecting them?  This also doesn’t feel like a quest from the guild. Why are a sweeper  like you so concerned about those brats?」

The receptionist Marianne who usually could be found in the guild seemed like a harder woman.

Her leading around adventurers like Erhart’s group by their nose was something that suited her.

It was suspicious that she was requesting Albano like this to protect Erhart’s group from danger.

Marianne’s hand moved toward Albano’s mouth and touched his lips with her index finger.

「──You whose life was saved by me should just follow your order without asking anything. You don’t need to know the reason.」

「G-got it.」

Marianne withdrew her index finger and warned Albano.

「More importantly, I wish that you don’t unnecessarily talk about the sweeper rumor to him.」

「You mean Lyle? It was just an idle talk──I get it. I’ll avoid that topic from now.」

「That’s a good attitude to have. Also, something like sweeper doesn’t exist. Keep that in mind carefully.」

Albano nodded quietly at that warning.

Albano had his life saved by Marianne when he almost got killed in the past.

After that he would receive quest from her like this sometimes.

Marianne started walking and vanished into a cramped alley.

Albano saw her off and stroke his chest.

「What a scary woman. What do you mean that sweeper doesn’t exist. You’re a sweeper. Tsk! ──Now I’m wide awake.」

Albano searched for a bar to drink a bit more today──.

.

We accepted a monster extermination quest.

Beim itself didn’t have that large of a territory, but there were several villages existing outside the city.

Monster extermination quests came from those villages. We accepted one such quest.

There were several reasons why I accepted the quest, but the biggest reason was──.

「IT’S OUTSIDEEEE!」

『It’s great that May is happy.』

──May. She was spreading open her arms wide on Porter’s ceiling in a really good mood.

I watched her doing that while ignoring the Fifth’s noisy voice and talked to her.

「You can’t return to your original form in Beim after all.」

「I want to run on the ground, and also fly around in the sky! Aa~, isn’t there a good place there that doesn’t have any people?」

『Of course you’re. Of course you want to run around more. I’m sorry May, we’re making you cooped up in that kind of city.』

May’s true form was a qilin. Although it wasn’t really accurate to  call her human form as fake, it seemed it wasn’t her main form but a sub  form.

Apparently sometimes she was driven by the impulse to return to her original form and run around because of that.

It was stressful for May to live in city.

「We’ll go out periodically, but can you endure with just that?」

May was looking impatient. It seemed she wanted to run around quickly.

「H~m, I might be able to endure it if I’m allowed to act freely for around a week I guess?」

「One week!?」

The Fifth got annoying inside the Jewel when I got surprised like that.

『That much is fine! Do you know how stressful it was for May to live  in Beim for several months? Lyle, I’ll teach you about animals in detail  next time.』

I shall decline.

Generally when it came to animal, the Fifth would become useless. His  opinion would lean toward animal and couldn’t be applied so I ignored  him.

「What are you going to do for a week May?」

「Running around, relaxing? I’m also going to do my work as qilin I guess.」

「Work?」

「Yes! We’ll defeat monsters when they increase too much, and destroy dungeon when we find one.」

I had been wondering about it since before, why would they do something like that?

「Why is May doing something like that? No, not just May but all the  other qilin and sacred beasts, what is their reason to defeat monster  and dungeon?」

May tilted her head and thought for a bit, and then she smiled.

「I don’t know. But Kaa-san told me that it’s because of a “promise”.」

「Promise?」

「Yes, Kaa-san said it was a promise with the goddess.」

I didn’t really get it.

Did they really promise the goddess?

I could hear the Fifth’s explanation from inside the Jewel.

『It’s said that the sacred beasts were created by a goddess after  all. Perhaps they promised one of the goddesses? Though too much times  has passed that even May don’t know about the event of that time.』

「Goddess huh.」

Novem showed her face from inside Porter when I muttered that.

Her hair that was tied into side ponytail swayed in the wind when she got out. She held it in place with her hand.

May rejoiced when she saw Novem.

「Novem!  Want to go play together with me too?」

Novem made a troubled smile and caressed May’s head.

「I’ll stay at Lyle-sama’s side. More importantly, remember to return on time okay?」

「Yep!」

May’s attitude toward Novem, how should I put it, she had no wariness at all toward her.

It even looked like a child fawning on her mother.

Next Miranda called to me from inside Porter while I was watching the two of them.

「Lyle, can we talk for a bit?」

When I entered inside from the hatch on the ceiling, Miranda opened the rear hatch.

She pointed at the scenery that was visible from there.

「Isn’t that curious?」

「That? ──Is that horse carriage?」

There was a damaged and toppled carriage some distance away from the highway.

Was it attacked by monster?

「Let’s stop Porter here.」

Miranda shook her head when I suggested going there to investigate.

「It looks like there isn’t anyone in it. That’s why I’ll go alone to investigate.」

There wasn’t any sign of people around. Miranda wanted to investigate alone because there wasn’t any sign of trap.

「Is there something that interest you?」

「──There is something that make me curious from the town and village  that we passed on our way here. I’ll catch up soon, so please head to  our destination village ahead.」

Miranda said that and leaped out from the rear hatch of the moving  Porter. A golem that Miranda created appeared just before she landed on  the ground and received her on its back.

The golem had the appearance of a feline animal. It ran right away toward the toppled carriage.

.

We arrived in a village that had a lot of wooden house.

There was a forest nearby. This place was near a border with other country.

We came to such village riding in Porter. The village chief talked to us.

「Monsters are coming in from the other side of the border?」

「Yeah, that’s right. Beim is a safe place because it has a lot of adventurers, so the monsters must be coming from other place.」

「Safe?」

「You don’t know? When adventurer retire, a lot of them got tired of  living in big city and move to rural area. This village also have quite  many of those retired adventurers.」

The village chief was also formerly an adventurer. He also looked used to monster extermination.

They could exterminate the monsters around the village by themselves.

But, it seemed this time was difficult for them because of the great number of monsters.

「We aren’t in active duty anymore, it’s hard for us to go inside the  forest and chase the monsters around. Sometimes we would ask the guild  to send young guys here to make them exterminate the monsters.」

It was interesting to hear the situation of Beim’s rural district like this.

I continued talking with the village chief while walking through the village.

「Is there anything strange recently?」

「Strange thing? ──The increasing number of monster that come here  from other place I guess? It’s troublesome that monster types that you  won’t find around here are also coming.」

Was there a reason for it?

「More importantly, do your extermination work properly. We’re troubled because we can’t enter the forest.」

「Please leave it to us.」

I finished talking with the village chief and headed to where Porter was parked.

I listened to the ancestors’ conversation when I became alone.

When I saw the scenery of the tranquil village, I noticed that this village seemed prosperous.

The villagers didn’t look like they were living in poverty.

『As a village this village is in the category of well-off. No, isn’t this village too well-off?』

After the Third gave his impression, the ancestors’ talk was getting heated off.

『Seeing it being this well-off, I can’t help but think that they ‘re cheating with their tax payment.』

『But does tax even exist here in the first place? The merchants are the one in charge around here right?』

『There isn’t also any sign that this village has a magistrate. True I  saw some soldiers at the nearby city, but the government here is really  different from ours.』

『I’m curious how are they governing this place.』

They were formerly feudal lord. They were discussing how the government here was working.

I was listening to their conversation while walking, but I suddenly felt that I had nothing to do and used my Arts.

It was to check the map of this area and where the monsters were hding.

I was planning to decide the plan going forward before I returned to my companions.

But, I found a really curious movement inside the forest.

There were red dots moving relentlessly. In addition it looked like they were chasing after  yellow dots.

「What?」

It looked like the yellow dots were being chased by the red  dots──birds flew out from the nearby forest when my thought reached that  point.

The Third stopped the conversation and talked to me.

『Oh, it looks like there is a commotion in the forest.』

I heard explosion right after that.

The cries of the animals and birds became louder. The villagers were also getting noisy.

「What happened?」

Novem and Sophia came to me while I was pondering of what to do.

「Lyle-sama!」

「Novem, where’s everyone else?」

Sophia told me about everyone else’s situation in Novem’s place.

「Everyone is going their own way so we don’t know where they are. Novem-san and I came here to meet up with Lyle-dono.」

I immediately checked the map inside the village and the surrounding area.

I closed my eyes and put my right hand’s fingers on my forehead to concentrate.

An explosion went off inside the forest. It caused not only the animals, but also the monsters to get into frenzy.

When I focused at the pursued yellow dots, it seemed the dots were humans.

This reaction was three──three people? But one person was surrounded by monsters.

I wouldn’t make it even if I ran there now.

Only two of them could be saved.

More importantly, the monster group was approaching the village.

Were the yellow dots trying to escape from the forest?

「This is bad. Monsters are heading to this village.」

Sophia got flustered hearing that.

「Eh!? W-we have to solidify the defense immediately then!」

But, it was good that she was thinking what should be done right now even though she was flustered.

Novem asked me when she saw me hesitating.

「Lyle-sama, is there something weighing your mind?」

I hesitated of what I should do, in the end──I told Novem and Sophia.

「I found people getting pursued inside the forest.」

Sophia was surprised.

「I-inside the forest!? B-but, we have to go save them then──no, but, we have to protect this village.」

The Fifth encouraged the hesitating me.

『Don’t hesitate! Make your decision quickly. It’ll be the worst if  you can’t protect both the village and the people in the forest if you  only keep worrying. Just go save them rather than hesitating like this!』

The number of monsters creeping inside the forest was a lot.

However, the number that was heading to the village was also a lot.

If I was to save the people in the forest, it would be better to bring only the minimum number of manpower.

Monica arrived while I was considering of going alone.

「Chicken dickwad!」

Monica was carrying Shannon on her back.

「Lyle! The monsters inside of the forest are starting to get restless  because of the explosion just now! It looks like something is coming  here!」

Shannon had mystic eyes. She possessed special eyes that could see  mana. It seemed she used them to detect the abnormality inside the  forest.

Her eyes were really convenient, but because the owner was Shannon they couldn’t be used to their maximum potential.

Originally those eyes could do even more amazing things but──this was what they called pearls thrown before swine.

「I know. More importantly where is May? And Miranda?」

Either of them would be great to have when running around inside a forest.

But the timing was bad.

Monica told me about May.

「If it’s May then she had just flown away a little while ago. Looks  like she will return here in one more week. Well, May is somewhat loose  with time so I think it will be more than one week before she return.」

She already flew away.

Next Shannon told me about Miranda.

「If it’s Onee-sama then she hasn’t returned.」

「──I should have one of them remain.」

If May was here I would be able to ride her back to enter the forest  from the sky. If Miranda was here I could ask her to create golems to  ride inside the forest.

It was a bit difficult with the two of them absent. ──I should have one of them remained behind.

The Fourth let out a small sigh.

『What a bad timing.』

「Let’s call the two of them back right away. No──gather everyone to protect the forest. As for Miranda──」

Then Sophia asked me anxiously.

「Lyle-dono, how about the people inside the forest?」

Sophia asked whether we wouldn’t save them. I answered her even while still hesitating.

「──We won’t make it in time.」

Sophia clenched her hands when I told her we were abandoning them.

「I-if I use my Arts, won’t it be usable for moving faster?」

「Sophia’s Arts? I see!」

If I had Sophia lightened my weight, my moving speed would also increase.

It would burden Sophia, but there was a possibility that we would make it in time.

The Third praised Sophia.

『Sophia-chan too has grown a lot. Well, this is a curious event so  let’s go investigate it. It’ll be all right if you have the remaining  members protecting this village.』

「Got it. You come with me Sophia.」

「Y-yes!」

I immediately gave Novem instruction.

「Novem and others are going to prevent the monsters from entering the  village. They’re coming from the forest, so leave Porter behind and  intercept them there.」

It was possible to deal against the monsters if we knew where they came from.

However, Novem refused my instruction.

「Lyle-sama, I’m also coming.」

.

──Miranda was outside the forest at that time.

Something bothered her along the highway on the way to the village and she investigated it alone.

「As I thought, it’s a trace of battle.」

There was trace of magic usage in that place.

It looked like the toppled carriage was attacked by someone.

「Were they pursued by bandits?」

There were footprints and trace of blood──other than that, there was the wheel track heading to the forest.

Miranda turned her gaze to the forest.

「I wonder if this is something troublesome? Hm?」

Were they escaping into the forest? She was considering that, but she heard the sound of explosion right after that.

「Inside the forest? ──Looks like I better join up with Lyle and others.」

Miranda pointed her palm to the ground. The soil bloated up and a feline animal materialized.

Miranda rode on its back and hurried it to dash toward the forest──.

.

Inside the forest.

My body leaped further than I thought each time my feet kicked on the ground.

It felt like I was advancing with consecutive jumps.

I, Sophia, and Novem entered into the forest.

Novem usually followed my instruction obediently, but today she was strangely stubborn.

Originally I wanted her to stay behind in the village to heal the  wounded and faced the monsters, but she came with me. Sophia who was  following behind me was worried for the village.

「Are Aria and the others going to be alright?」

Most of my companions were staying behind.

「I think they’ll be fine. More importantly, the problem is us.」

「Problem?」

There were people fighting inside the forest.

But, I didn’t know whether those people really should be saved or not.

I told Sophia to not carelessly approach even if we found those people.

「We don’t know what kind of people they are, so it’s better that we don’t approach them carelessly even when we find them.」

Sophia also seemed to realize it.

「I-indeed. It’s also possible that they’re bandits.」

In her panic Sophia thought that the people inside the forest were innocents at first.

When talking with the village chief I heard that the villagers wouldn’t go near the forest because of the many monsters.

I turned my attention toward Novem who was staying quiet at the back.

「Are you also alright with that Novem?」

I asked her about not approaching carelessly, but there wasn’t any reply from Novem.

I stopped advancing. Novem and Sophia also hurriedly stopped.

「Oi, Novem?」

「Eh? Y-yes!」

It felt like Novem was distracted. It was unusual even from Sophia’s perspective.

「Novem-san, what’s the matter?」

Novem put her right hand on her face as though to hide her expression.

「I’m sorry. I was thinking about other thing.」

Was she tired?

I regretted bringing Novem along, but it would be dangerous to send her back alone after this far.

「We were talking about not carelessly approaching even if there are  people attacked by monster. They aren’t villagers. Perhaps they are  bandits.」

I myself was feeling dubious that there would be bandits inside a forest that had a lot of monsters.

But, we still needed to be wary.

Novem apologized.

「Forgive me. I will be careful.」

「──Novem, you focus on giving Sophia and me support.」

I didn’t want to make her force herself too much, so I decided that Sophia and I would deal with the situation.

We also rested a bit while talking like this, then we departed right away.