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    Translator: Barnnn

     

    Ize, Hal, and Fieda entered the Adventurers’ Guild, standing in line at the usual reception.

    Kikuno, as always, greeted them with a faint smile, but this time her words were different from the norm.

     

    “Ah, you three. We’ve been expecting you. The Guild has sent word that they wish to speak with you. If you have time, I can escort you to a private room.”

     

    It was, most likely, the contact from the Guild that they had anticipated. Fieda sighed inwardly, his face unchanged as he gave Kikuno a small nod.

     

     

    A few days ago, after completing three days of exploration and conquering the fiftieth floor, the trio returned to their inn, Sage’s Table.

    After celebrating their safe return with a feast prepared by Etta, it was finally time for a much-needed rest day.

    They followed their usual routine, exchanging loot for Gold and training on horseback. Then, as planned, they made their way to the market for ingredients.

    They had something to report to the fishmonger — something they had collected on Ivern’s request.

     

    “Shouldn’t we just head to Ivern’s inn?” Hal asked.

    “He LIVES here Jasted, actually — with his own house. His family’s here, too. It wouldn’t be right to interrupt them,” Fieda replied.

    “Wait, really? What about Poe?” Ize asked.

    “He’s also married, I think,” Fieda said casually.

     

    It was an odd but true tidbit of information. Fieda, it seemed, had a knack for picking up little details in their conversations over drinks.

    Hal, as much as he wanted to join in, had shown no signs of developing a tolerance to alcohol at all. By this point, Ize was starting to think it might be a lost cause.

     

    “All right, sorry to trouble you. Please pass the message along.”

    “No problem! We might catch them by today’s evening,” the fishmonger replied, holding up the note Fieda had given her.

     

    As expected, by dinner that evening, Poe and Ivern had barged into the dining hall, looking for their share of food.

     

    “Zew and Ryzant still not here?” Fieda asked.

    “They’re over there, stuffing their faces. Said they wanted to eat without work hanging over them,” Ivern replied, pointing across the room at the two who had ordered enough food to feed a small army.

    Poe let out a booming laugh, shaking his head. “Ha! Ize, how can you not be gaining any height when you eat like this? You must be harboring a Gluttonous Slime in your belly!”

    “A Gluttonous Slime?” Ize raised an eyebrow.

    “Ha! You don’t know? It’s an old saying. They say if you can eat without gaining weight, you’ve got a Gluttonous Slime living in your stomach! In your case, Ize, it’s a Slime that won’t let you grow!”

    “Hmph!”

     

    Ize rolled his eyes and, pretending to strike a kung fu pose, jabbed Poe in the side, delivering a series of playful yet weak punches.

     

    “Ha! Knock it off!” Poe wheezed as the little attacks had no effect on him, though they seemed to be more of a ticklish nuisance.

    “Hmph!”

     

    As the noisy duo carried on, Fieda ignored them, focusing instead on the conversation with Ivern.

     

    “Ivern, did you read the note?” Fieda asked.

    “Yeah. Is this for real?” Ivern frowned, skeptical.

    “It’s true. So, what now?”

    “Honestly, it’s beyond us. I thought the chances were slim when I asked, but we’ll have to figure something out.”

    “I thought as much. We didn’t get much useful information.”

    “Can we take it to the Guild?”

    “Do you trust the higher-ups?”

    “We’ll handle it. We know who we can talk to.”

    “Then I’ll leave it to you.”

    “Got it. I’ll get back to you once I have a plan.”

    “All right…”

     

    Hal, overhearing their conversation, was puzzled. Not once had they mentioned what they had actually gathered. He glanced at Fieda, who simply squinted at him in response, offering no further explanation.

     

     

    After a raucous dinner with more people than usual, the trio returned to their room to discuss the details of the conversation with Ivern.

    But it wasn’t just a casual chat — Hal, sensing something was off, stood firm and confronted Fieda.

     

    “So, what’s going on? Was there a problem? Tell me.”

    “Uh… before that — Ize, you’d better activate Stealth,” Fieda warned. “If this gets out, it could be dangerous.”

    “Right,” Ize responded, immediately casting a barrier over the room.

    “Sit down, Hal. I’ll explain everything,” Fieda said, his tone serious.

     

    Hal hesitated, then sat on the bed, his eyes narrowed.

     

    “There shouldn’t have been a problem. But I didn’t expect we’d end up with four Sugar Mandragoras.”

    “Wait, Sugar Mandragoras? What’s the issue?” Hal asked, still confused.

    “It’s not the plants themselves,” Fieda explained, “it’s the number. Sugar Mandragoras are rare, even among Mandragoras. You might get one every few years.”

    “Ivern knew this when he made the request?”

    “He admitted it. He thought it was unlikely, but he wanted to try.”

     

    Fieda looked at both Hal and Ize in turn.

     

    “I should’ve consulted with you first. But for what it’s worth, I only told Ivern we got ‘more than one.’ Thought saying four outright would’ve been problematic, you see.”

    “Why is a Sugar Mandragora so important? Is it a rare medicinal ingredient or something?” Hal asked.

    “It’s… Hal, have you ever appraised the leaves of a Mandragora?”

     

    Hal thought back to the appraisal he’d done. He recalled the heart-shaped mark suffixing its description, but he couldn’t remember the details beyond that.

     

    “Sorry, I don’t remember,” he admitted.

    “Never mind. The leaves are actually more valuable than the Mandragora itself.”

     

    Ize’s mind wandered back to the graceful movements of the Mandragora’s leaves.

    She could still picture the way they fluttered gently in the wind, their little gestures almost like a delicate dance. The final bow the plant made, though a sad gesture, was oddly beautiful.

     

    “…The leaves were cute,” Ize said, almost wistfully.

    “Cute, huh? I wouldn’t go that far, but those leaves can be used as a universal antidote. They’re effective against any kind of poison. Royalty and nobility are always looking for them.”

    “An antidote…” Ize murmured.

    “Royalty and nobility…” Hal echoed, finally understanding the magnitude of the situation.

    “Hal, can we somehow unlearn that information?” Ize asked, her tone almost pleading.

    Hal sighed dramatically. “Give it up, Ize. We’re in this together now.”

     

    Both of them turned their frustrated looks toward Fieda, who seemed slightly apologetic, though Hal could tell there was more to his intentions than he was letting on.

     

    “So, why did you tell Ivern we got more than one, instead of just one?” Hal asked.

    “I wanted the Guild’s upper management to owe us a favor,” Fieda admitted quietly.

    “…Why?”

    “Because if we’re tied to them, we can travel freely even with our ranks. Adventurers tend to stay in one place when they’re low rank, building experience and then moving to more lucrative areas when they’re stronger.” Fieda turned his gaze away from the two, staring at the floor as he continued. “I know you two don’t care about being successful as adventurers. But I thought… maybe we could be protected by other means.”

    “Using the Sugar Mandragoras to get the Guild’s favor?”

    “Exactly.”

     

    Hal let out a long breath, scratching his head in frustration.

    Then, he lifted his face from its downward gaze and, with a snap, pointed three fingers directly at Fieda.

     

    “I’ve got three things to say.”

     

    Startled by the sudden gesture, Fieda leaned back, but nodded solemnly, awaiting what was coming.

     

    “First, wherever we’re going, you’re coming with us, Fieda. You’re a C-rank adventurer. Do you really think C-rankers get caught up in trouble just like that?”

    “…The chances are low.”

    “Exactly. So, what’s with the way you’re talking like we’re not in this together? We’re a team, aren’t we?”

    Fieda lowered his gaze, a faint apology crossing his face. “…Sorry.”

    “Second! Don’t apologize for doing what you thought was right for us. Sure, I would’ve liked to be consulted, but if it helps us in the long run, own it! Stand tall!”

    “Got it. I’ll consult with you next time,” Fieda promised.

    “Good.” Hal leaned forward, grinning, as he turned the final part of his attention to Ize. “And third. Ize, take it away.”

     

    Ize blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the conversation’s sudden shift. She hadn’t expected this, but after a beat, she rallied, thinking quickly.

     

    “Uhh, third… got it.”

    Hal eagerly wiggled his three fingers in her direction. “Speak up.”

    “I’m listening,” Fieda said.

    “Right…” Ize took a deep breath. “When we sell to the Guild, are we going to report only the method of how we harvested the Mandragoras, or just the Mandragoras themselves?”

    “It depends on the Guild’s reaction,” Fieda replied. “We’ll only share information if the conditions are right. As for the Mandragoras, I want to keep at least one for ourselves.”

    “I understand,” Ize nodded. “If we do end up selling the information, we need to make sure that those little things don’t get overharvested. I won’t budge on that point.”

    “Agreed,” Fieda said simply.

    “Is that all?” Hal asked, raising an eyebrow.

     

    Ize, sensing the moment was over, grabbed one of Hal’s wiggling fingers with a playful grin and forced it down.

     

    “Hey!” Hal yelped as his finger was bent downward.

    “That’s it. Done,” Ize said, giving him a teasing smile.

     

    Reluctantly, Hal dropped all three of his fingers and leaned back, exhaling with a slight chuckle.

     

    “Man, you sure know how to make an exit… But the leaves, huh? I really thought they’d be using the whole plant,” Hal murmured, curiosity still lingering in his voice.

    “Do you think you could try appraising the leaves now?” Ize suggested, her eyes narrowing in thought.

    “Well, I could try, but are you okay with it?” Fieda asked, glancing at her.

    “Seeing them all again would make me feel guilty, so… I’ll only bring out one,” Ize replied, her hand already reaching for her ring. With a soft movement, she summoned a single Sugar Mandragora from within.

     

    The little white, round plant lay quietly on the bed, still as a stone. Its animated movements from the other day felt like a distant memory.

     

    “It’s… not moving,” Ize commented, watching it with a mix of expectation and regret.

    “Yeah,” Hal added, a little disappointed. “Ah, but hey — it’s not blocking my Appraisal or anything. Just like Fieda said, it’s got that universal detoxifying effect… Oh, wait. Interesting. The information on its preferences isn’t coming up anymore.”

    “Maybe it only shows when it’s moving or showing signs of intent?”

    “That could be it,” Fieda agreed. “The appraisers before probably caught the detox effect first. As for the other details about it preferring healing magic… it seems the appraisal only shows what’s physically present.”

    “Sounds like there’s a gap in the system,” Hal murmured.

    “Hmm…” Ize fixed her eyes on the Mandragora. A thought suddenly came to her as she leaned in closer. “You know, this one — this was the very first one we found.” She gently touched one of its larger leaves, the ones that extended outward. “I remember it so clearly. When it first broke through the soil, its leaves spread out like hands, just like it was trying to grab hold of something.”

    “Ah, that moment,” Hal chuckled. “You really do have a keen eye.”

    “How could I forget?” Ize muttered under her breath, her fingers grazing the leaf. “That scene… it was so shocking, I can’t shake it from my mind.” She paused, then lightly patted the slightly curved leaf. “Do you think… if I cast a healing spell, it might talk again?”

     

    The trio stared at the still Mandragora for a few moments, but nothing changed.

     

    “Guess not,” Ize sighed. “It was worth a try.”

    “Kekyoooo!” Suddenly, a familiar, high-pitched cry echoed through the room.

    “”Huh!?””

     

    The three of them froze, and then, all in unison, they turned to look.

     

    There, on the bed, the Sugar Mandragora was struggling to stand, its tiny limbs tangled in the sheets. With an awkward roll, it tumbled over, its round form bouncing comically across the bed.

     

    “Kekyo!!”

     

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