Chapter 176: The Conclusion of the Matter
“An undead from the Ancient Magic Civilization era, huh…”
“Yes. Because of that undead, chimeras based on orcs were being mass-produced.”
When we reported, the Guild Master held his head in his hands.
“Certainly, looking at the orcs being dismantled right outside the town as we speak, I can understand they aren’t normal monsters, but to think the cause was ‘an undead with an extraordinary fixation on orcs’…”
” ” ” ” “…” ” ” ” “
Hearing our conversation, Liliera and the others maintained their silence with subtle expressions.
Having returned to the guild, we were guided to the reception room in the back of the guild as usual, and were explaining the full details of the matter to the Guild Master.
“It’s common for an undead who lost their sanity by experiencing death to lose their normal judgment. Just like how a person who was once an excellent chimera researcher came to think of orcs as the absolute best monsters for chimera materials.”
“And running wild so much that he self-destructed along with the laboratory, huh. What a stupid punchline.”
“The destroyed laboratory is at the foot of the eastern mountain range, but due to the impact of the opponent’s self-destruction, the entire building was blown away, after all.”
“It’s just like the matter with the Majin from before. But well, if the ruins of that destroyed laboratory are found, we’ll know something happened there. The lost evidence can be substituted by the orcs outside the town. After this, if the orcs stop appearing, the incident is completely resolved, huh. Ah, sorry, but I can’t issue the permission for request completion until that’s confirmed.”
“Eh-, the reward isn’t coming out yet? We’re exhausted from fighting orcs like crazy, you know? We have the orcs we defeated so far, so isn’t it fine?”
“Don’t say that. It’s our job too. If only there was physical evidence that a third party was operating, we could have talked to the higher-ups and negotiated for an early payment of the reward, though.”
When Jairo complained, the Guild Master sighed, wishing there was evidence that the undead actually existed.
“Evidence, is it… how about this?”
Saying so, I placed two items on the table.
“A hat and a staff? Are these magic tools?”
“Yes, they were used by the undead. We barely managed to recover just these two.”
“Hoh, were you able to confirm what kind of effects they have?”
Realizing they were magic tools, the eyes of the Guild Master and Erma, who was taking the record next to him, sparkled.
“Yes, the hat seems to have the effect of constantly activating defensive magic while worn, and the staff suppresses magic power consumption when activating magic.”
“Constantly activating defensive magic and suppressing magic power consumption, huh. That’s quite a valuable set of items that turned up. Sorry, but can I borrow these? With these, the report will have credibility.”
Well, they aren’t that big of a deal, but if it’s emergency armor for when experiments fail and equipment that suppresses the magic power consumption of spell formulas used in experiments, they should have credibility as the equipment of an undead who was a researcher.
“Yes, I don’t mind.”
“Alright, with this, persuading the higher-ups will progress smoothly!”
“Yes, if rare magic tools are submitted as evidence, the higher-ups will have no choice but to acknowledge it. Even so, it’s very generous of you to lend us valuable magic tools. If by some chance they are forcefully confiscated, it would be a huge loss.”
“No, they really aren’t that big of a deal.”
” “…” “
When I said that, for some reason the Guild Master and Erma looked at each other and sighed.
“Well, he’s an S-rank, after all.”
“That’s right. Because he’s an S-rank, it wouldn’t be strange for him to possess many valuable items, but…”
I don’t really understand, but does that mean they’re convinced?
Anyway, having safely finished the report, we left the guild.
“Aah, I’m tired today. I want to go back to the inn quickly and rest.”
“I want to eat. I’ve been smelling burning pig all day since morning, so I can’t help but be hungry.”
“Jairo, it’s not pig, it’s orcs.”
“It’s similar enough, right.”
“No, pigs and monsters are different, aren’t they.”
“But was it really okay?”
At that point, Liliera calls out to me with a serious face.
“What is?”
“About that undead. Was it okay to pretend we exterminated him?”
It seems what Liliera wants to ask about is Mr. Ganei.
“Yes, I thought it would be better to pretend Mr. Ganei was exterminated.”
Yes, I told the Guild Master that we subjugated Mr. Ganei.
But that was done with a proper reason.
“As I said before we reported, it’s better if the country’s nobles don’t know about Mr. Ganei‘s technology.”
Even after death, having become an undead, Ganei continued his chimera research to destroy the White Calamity.
I don’t know exactly when the Ancient Magic Civilization collapsed, but even so, it means Mr. Ganei has been researching chimeras for hundreds, or at the longest, thousands of years.
Due to the problems of deteriorating equipment and obtainable materials, his research progress didn’t seem to be as good compared to his prime, but even so, the lost ancient chimera research would look attractive to people in power.
If modern people in power took Mr. Ganei in, they would give him the latest research facilities and a budget, and there’s a high possibility they would make him resume research on combat-use chimeras aiming to increase military strength.
There were many such greedy people in power in my previous life and the life before that too. Undoubtedly, there are such folks in the current era as well.
“But I don’t want Mr. Ganei to do chimera research for the sake of destruction anymore. If he’s going to do it anyway, I want him to do peaceful chimera research.”
“Peaceful chimeras, huh. Can chimeras really be used for such things?”
“Mr. Ganei, who has been researching chimeras all this time, can do it.”
Currently, I had Mr. Ganei head towards my hometown.
Since not many people go there, he probably won’t be targeted by people in power.
Besides, the people in the village would gladly welcome Mr. Ganei.
Just in case, I also gave him a letter of introduction from me, so I don’t think he’ll be mistakenly attacked.
“I want Mr. Ganei to enjoy research that is useful to people from now on too. Because as expected, research for the sake of conflict is sad.”
Because even I in the life before my previous one, despite being called a Sage, had the majority of my research solely for combat purposes.
I want Mr. Ganei to be freed from such fetters.
“However, there is just one thing I’m worried about.”
“What is it? After all, freeing that person?”
“No, it’s the magic tools I made as evidence to submit to the guild; I’m wondering if their performance was too low after all. To give it more credibility, I’m wondering if it would be better to submit slightly more decent magic tools instead, even now.”
” ” ” ” “Absolutely do not do that!” ” ” ” ” “
I thought I should submit items more suitable as evidence after all, but for some reason, everyone stopped me.
