Chapter 264
Back in the Guild Master’s room.
Franz was conversing with Yuna about the gate that had appeared in Lucia County.
“Franz, what do you think?”
“Well, I think it might be a bit dangerous to bring the hunters along…”
Yuna wanted to resolve this issue together with the other hunters. It was the first incident since the guild’s establishment, and above all, it would serve as good experience for them.
However, Franz’s thoughts were a little different.
“It would be one thing if it were an ordinary gate, but this one is a bit dangerous…”
Hadn’t he experienced a gate of a similar level before? The opponent he faced back then was Yuna, so there was a high chance that an enemy of a similar caliber would appear this time as well.
If such an enemy were to appear, and he were asked whether he could fight while protecting the other hunters…
Honestly, he couldn’t be sure. One person, or perhaps all of them, might end up dying.
He didn’t want hunters to meet a pointless death, no matter that being a hunter was a profession that put one’s life on the line.
Yuna narrowed her brow in thought, then soon nodded.
“I’ll go with your opinion. There’s never been a bad result from following your words.”
“Don’t trust me unconditionally. I sometimes make mistakes too.”
“But I don’t want to doubt the person I like?”
“What in the world… Never mind, do as you please.”
At the sudden, direct remark, Franz was left speechless.
Did that mean he disliked it? Not exactly. He was just extremely flustered.
Anyway, why did they all act like this whenever they were alone together?
Franz let out a short sigh and stood up.
Didn’t they say to strike while the iron is hot? Now that a decision had been made, there was no reason to delay.
Soon, Franz stepped out of the room with Yuna and faced Arian, Yusti-ah, and Hera.
“Why are you still here instead of going back…?”
“Are you asking that because you’re an idiot…?”
“I told you to go back, but you didn’t, so that’s why I’m asking.”
They had nothing to do with this matter, did they? He had told them to go back first because he didn’t want to cause them unnecessary trouble.
Yusti-ah sighed as if frustrated, then narrowed her eyes and spoke.
“It’s obvious you’re going to overdo it on your own. Arian and Hera think the same.”
“I was planning to go with Yuna today, though…?”
In the first place, the Guild Master was Yuna. The one who received the request from Count Lucia was also Yuna.
Going to the gate without her was out of the question.
Furthermore, even though she was the Guild Master, she had only experienced a gate only once, so she needed to build up a bit more experience through this opportunity.
That was also part of the reason why Franz was going alone with Yuna. He had to teach her this and that inside the gate, and he wouldn’t be able to act comfortably if other hunters were present.
At Franz’s confident reply, Yusti-ah blinked blankly.
Yuna strode right up to her.
“That’s right, Franz and I are going alone. You guys can go back.”
“That’s exactly why you can’t…! It’s obvious you’re going to do something weird…!”
“What do you mean, something weird?! I’m not going to do anything like that?!”
“Th-That’s… Anyway, no…! We’re all going together…!”
Yusti-ah and Yuna glared at each other with wide eyes. It was as if neither had any intention of yielding.
Just as Franz was about to sigh at the sight, Hera suddenly approached him.
“Franz, truth be told, worrying about you isn’t the only reason.”
“Is that so?”
“Didn’t Yusti-ah state the church’s position earlier, that they would support the guild with clerics? I also made a request on behalf of my kin to allow them to become hunters. We want to experience for ourselves just how dangerous a gate is before sending everyone to the guild.”
It made perfect sense. It was only natural for them, as the chieftain of the Elves and as the Saintess, to worry about their groups.
Arian was likely in a similar position. He wasn’t sure if she was worried about her group, but knowing various things would make it easier for her to handle her duties.
Franz carefully placed his hand on top of Yuna’s head.
“Yuna, let’s all go together.”
“If you say so, it can’t be helped…”
Yuna seemed to accept it obediently, but her lips were jutting out, full of dissatisfaction.
Would it be better to have a meal just the two of them next time?
Thinking that, Franz took a step forward with everyone.
Not long after, they met Count Lucia.
Upon arriving in front of Lucia County Castle via Spatial Movement Magic, they ran into him just as he was arriving in a carriage.
“Then, are you saying that you will be moving personally, Duke…?”
When Franz briefly explained the situation, his eyes widened.
Usually, high-ranking individuals tended to spare themselves, didn’t they? The fact that Franz, a Duke, was moving personally seemed quite shocking to him.
Not to mention, the entire Hero’s Party was present, along with the eldest daughter of the Duke Phrygia. They were far too exalted figures to be deployed to a mere county.
“There is no need for you to mind it. It is simply because I do not have the temperament to order others around.”
“I-If you say so…”
He said that now, but it was obvious he would offer something later, calling it a meager gift. Every noble he had met so far had done the same.
Well, he would think about that when the time came.
“I would like to know the exact location of the gate.”
“There is a map in the residence, so I will explain it to you while looking at it.”
“Then let us do that.”
Snap-.
As Franz snapped his fingers, light flashed, and the surrounding scenery changed. In other words, they arrived in front of Count Lucia’s Residence through Spatial Movement Magic.
“To use such magic without any device… Then again, since you developed that device, Duke, I suppose it is only natural.”
Count Lucia looked around with wide eyes.
It was his first time experiencing the magic itself rather than a spatial movement device, so it was only natural for him to be surprised.
“Then, I will escort you inside.”
Having calmed his surprised emotions, he began to walk.
Franz followed him along with everyone else.
The place they arrived at soon was a space that appeared to be an office within the residence.
Judging by the map spread wide on the table, he seemed to have been examining it right up until he left the residence.
“I would love to serve you tea, but this is hardly the time for that. I will explain right away.”
Count Lucia placed his finger on the map.
“The exact location is here. If we depart by carriage now…”
“There is no need to prepare a carriage.”
“…That was a slip of the tongue. I apologize.”
“There is no need to apologize. I am simply the unusual one.”
His reaction was perfectly normal. After all, the most common means of transportation one would think of was horses and carriages.
It was just that they weren’t necessary for Franz, who used Spatial Movement Magic as easily as breathing.
“Thank you for your consideration. If there is anything you need, I will do my utmost to prepare it.”
“There is nothing in particular that we need. More importantly, your complexion does not look very good, so you should take a nap.”
“…How could I possibly sleep peacefully when a Duke is taking action?”
He had said it to mean that he could relax, but it was surprising to think he would take it so literally.
He was grateful for being treated as a Duke, but he wondered if it was a bit too much.
It would be fine if he relaxed a little more.
Franz didn’t bother voicing his thoughts. Saying such a thing might actually make him worry even more.
No, if it were Count Lucia, he would definitely worry about it.
So what could he do? He just had to accept it for what it was.
“Then we will be departing.”
“I pray for your safe return.”
“Do not worry. I am certain nothing will happen.”
With that final exchange, Franz exited the residence with everyone.
Count Lucia, who had walked with them to see them off, bowed politely.
Leaving him behind, Franz snapped his fingers and used Spatial Movement Magic. A magic circle was drawn beneath his feet, and light soon flashed.
Yuna, Hera, Yusti-ah, Arian, and finally Franz, the five of them, remained as they were while the surrounding scenery changed.
The place they arrived at was near the eighth ridge of the mountain range that Count Lucia had informed them about.
The densely packed trees weren’t quite on the level of the Great Forest, but they seemed to form a rather lush forest.
“Franz, is that the gate?”
Franz immediately shifted his gaze to where Yusti-ah was looking.
At the end of that gaze, visible between the lush trees, was a mass of power tinged with blue, a rift connected to another dimension.
In other words…
“That’s right. That’s the gate.”
Franz walked toward the gate without hesitation.
Soon, facing the gate from up close, he could definitely feel a tremendous power. It was the same feeling as when he had met the Yuna from another dimension earlier.
Surely, someone as terrifying as Yuna was waiting beyond this.
“Everyone, get ready. We’re going in now.”
Franz didn’t particularly mind. No matter who was beyond this, with these members, there was no way they could lose.
Not long after, reports came from everyone that they had finished their preparations.
“Then we’re going in.”
Franz took the first step at the very front.
His foot, his leg, and his entire body were swallowed by the blue gate.
The scenery that soon unfolded before Franz as he opened his eyes was a lush forest. And it wasn’t just lush; it was incredibly dense.
Just like the Great Forest.
Perhaps this time…
He might end up meeting Hera.