Duncan believed without question that Rosie had pushed me off the cliff, yet he didn’t have any doubts about me.

Could it be that he had seen me riding Bless?

But his attitude of not asking anything seemed incomprehensible for someone who had seen such a thing.

As I was tilting my head in confusion, Bless, who had been wandering in the forest, flew over with a flutter.

“My baby, you came? Oh, you.”

Just as I hid Bless in my arms, the center’s wristwatch that I hadn’t taken off yet vibrated softly.

Because of this, my puzzling thoughts didn’t continue any further.

I looked down at the watch.

I only read as far as ‘A-grade monster appearance!……’ and didn’t read any further.

It’s probably some message about deploying or something.

I raised the middle finger of the hand not wearing the watch.

“As if I’m going.”

***

―Arghhhh!

Bet, the A-grade bat monster, spat out a handful of blood. It was a horrific purple blood.

Lambert, reigning over the bat’s head, raised his sharp sword.

Swoosh! That sword mercilessly cut off Bet’s nape.

It was a strike that seized the moment of vulnerability.

Lambert’s face remained calm after killing the monster.

He leaped from the bat’s head and landed gently on the ground.

“Phew.”

Lambert looked around as he sheathed the two swords he was holding.

His youthful eyes were constantly searching for someone.

But no matter how much he looked, that someone couldn’t be seen.

“Lambert. Are you looking for Yerena?”

The one who spoke teasingly was Baron.

“That slow-poke guide, today she doesn’t show up even after the battle is over. How much later does she intend to be?”

“……”

Lambert didn’t answer and just waited for Yerena’s appearance.

But the one who should appear didn’t show up, and Benjamin, who had been a mere spectator throughout the battle, sauntered in front of them.

“So the ugly doll doesn’t deploy like me sometimes.”

The one who responded to Benjamin’s words was Baron.

“Isn’t she not coming because you kissed her? You bastard.”

“Baron. I only received guidance.”

“Shut up.”

Baron grabbed Benjamin by the collar.

However, there were two problems here.

The fact that Benjamin was taller than Baron, and so even with his collar grabbed, Benjamin was looking down at Baron.

Baron gritted his teeth.

“If Yerena doesn’t come today, it’s all your fault, Benjamin.”

“Baron. I’d like you to remember that I’m the Captain of the Knights.”

“It’s because you did something stupid that she’s not coming.”

At that moment, even Lambert, who had only been listening to their conversation, joined in.

“……Kiss? Benjamin. Did you kiss Yerena?”

Lambert’s voice was low and guttural.

Instead of answering, Benjamin sighed.

He couldn’t understand why the two men were getting so heated about receiving guidance from a dedicated guide.

The three men called the Empire’s finest knights, revealed killing intent as if they were about to murder each other.

At this, the espers around them started to watch their reactions.

At that moment, one brave esper cautiously approached them.

“Um, excuse me for interrupting, but……”

“If you’re going to talk nonsense, get lost. I’m tired.”

Baron brushed off Benjamin’s collar that he had been holding.

“N-no, it’s not nonsense… I heard a rumor about Guide Yerena whom you’re looking for.”

“A rumor?”

As soon as the name ‘Yerena’ was mentioned, the three men’s gazes landed on the brave esper.

“Speak clearly about what you heard.”

“They say Guide Yerena has been missing for two days.”

The three men uttered the same word as if they had agreed to it.

“Missing?”

Almost simultaneously, an ominous aura began to rise behind the three men’s backs.

This rumor was news to the three men who hardly stayed at the center.

They were heirs to ducal and marquis families.

There was no reason for them to stay at the center when they had respectable families.

Among the three men, Baron especially disliked staying at the center, and his reason was this:

“Only beggars stay at the center. I’m not a beggar, so why should I stay there?”

Baron only stayed at the center when he received guidance from Yerena, who had nowhere else to go like a beggar.

Therefore, they didn’t know much about the gossip within the center. They weren’t interested either.

But if that gossip was related to ‘Yerena’s disappearance’, it was a different story.

The three men returned to the center without even taking time to treat their minor wounds.

In the depths of Pandora Forest, only traces of the three men’s great leaps remained where Bet, the A-grade monster, had died.

***

“Tell the center director to come out.”

Baron glared at Evans, who was guarding Duncan’s study.

Evans involuntarily flinched at how menacing his aura was.

Evans had a rough idea of why Baron was angry.

‘Looks like they just found out that Guide Yerena has disappeared.’

Well… they found out quite quickly, he thought.

Except for the Allen Knights, other knight orders took good care of their guides.

Well, not to the extent of sacrificing themselves, but they would immediately notice if their guide disappeared or fell ill.

But what about the Allen Knights?

Since the three core members of the order ignored Yerena, the rest of the knights also treated Yerena as an insignificant being.

“Evans. Can’t you hear me? Are your ears clogged?”

That…! What an ill-mannered loudmouth.

Evans let out a short sigh. If he could, he wanted to transform into Minky and bite Baron’s calf.

“Duncan is out.”

“What?”

“And you can’t meet Duncan without an appointment. Even if you’re a high-ranking esper.”

“You son of a…!”

Baron tried to grab Evans by the collar. Lambert was the one who stopped him.

Lambert firmly grasped Baron’s outstretched wrist.

Lambert was the strongest in the center in terms of physical strength. Baron couldn’t overpower him.

“Lambert! Let go of me right now!”

Lambert tightened his grip on Baron’s wrist to prevent him from struggling.

“Argh! It hurts! Hey, I said it hurts!”

“Be quiet.”

Baron grumbled but, subdued, he tightly closed his lips.

Not like he’s an untamed feral alley cat… Lambert shifted his gaze from Baron, whom he had been looking at with disgust, to Evans.

“When will the center director return? We have an urgent reason to meet him.”

“You can meet Duncan tomorrow.”

“We need to see him right now. It’s related to our guide.”

Lambert’s voice was low and deep.

The whisper full of chilling energy was sufficiently intimidating.

Evans flinched but didn’t back down from his position.

“You cannot meet him now.”

It wasn’t a lie; Duncan was really busy today.

Perhaps he might have met Yerena by now…

And Duncan wasn’t the type to come just because they told him to.

Duncan needed the Allen Knights, but he wasn’t someone who would bow his head to them.

Without any sign of backing down, a tense atmosphere prevailed.

It seemed like it wouldn’t be strange if someone died.

The person who broke the tension where even breathing was keenly perceived was Benjamin.

“Then make an appointment for tomorrow.”

“Benjamin!”

Baron called out to Benjamin as if he couldn’t accept it.

“Baron. Stop causing trouble. Unless you want your honor to be tarnished.”

Benjamin’s tone, devoid of any emotion, was cold.

He seemed the calmest of all, yet he exuded the most frightening atmosphere.

It felt like anyone would have to absolutely obey Benjamin’s words.

Baron glared at him in silence.

“But if Duncan doesn’t show up tomorrow either… Then I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“……”

“Because I don’t care about honor.”

Benjamin left those words that were close to a warning and turned around.

Following his movement, the black cloak he wore drew a large parabola.

“I’m going to the knights’ hall now, follow if you want.”

The Allen Knights’ hall is located in the center. It was a place the three men had never used.

Baron and Lambert began to follow Benjamin.