It was the third day since our arrival at the resort.
Unlike the first day when it was only the special class of the Old School Building, the resort was now bustling with countless women.
Most of them were members of Vinyudan. Or rather, former Vinyudan members.
They decided to relax by settling into the beds of the resort’s rooms under the guise of inspecting each guestroom.
– Yurha! Yurha! Yurha!
Even if they’re stunning beauties and students from the Academy, who would badmouth the woman who provided them with free luxury suites at a 5-star resort?
Those who win favor with money may lose it when the money runs out, but Yurha has plenty of it.
However, even for someone as wealthy as her, sustaining former Vinyudan members and transforming them into a new organization under the Ludvecia family requires an enormous amount of capital.
Even if she were to capture an S-rank monster and obtain magic stones from it.
In short, human greed knows no bounds, especially for those with wealth, who tend to desire even more.
“Phoenix, do you happen to know any other places where S-rank monsters appear?”
“…”
While having breakfast at the buffet, Yurha’s question nearly made me choke.
“It’s not as if there are dozens or hundreds of S-rank monsters just lying around, appearing wherever you go, is it?”
“But I have a feeling you’d know something.”
“Are you planning to hunt down all the S-rank monsters near the Marquisate of Ludvecia?”
“You’re saying there are that many?”
She’s trying to get ahead of herself.
Though her words aren’t entirely wrong, they do present a bit of a dilemma.
“Senior Yurha, what do others think about this plan?”
“No one seems to have an issue with it. In fact, they’re all in favor.”
Yurha gestured to the other members of the special class at the table, who were eating their salads and bread.
They were glancing between Yurha and me with somewhat sour expressions.
“What’s with those faces?”
“Nothing. It just feels like you’ve changed.”
“Changed? How so?”
“You’re the one proposing a hunt for S-rank monsters now.”
Yunia alternated her finger between pointing at me and Yurha.
“Usually, it’s Phoenix who talks about hunting S-rank monsters.”
“We already hunted one, didn’t we?”
“Does that mean you’re content with hunting just one S-rank monster during the break?”
“…If someone wanted to hunt more, I wouldn’t see a reason not to.”
“As expected!”
Yurha’s eyes sparkled as she clapped her hands.
“If we could gather multiple magic stones from S-rank monsters, donating just 10% of them to the Academy would immensely enrich life in the Old School Building!”
“I understand that you’re proposing this under the assumption that we’ll be moving into the Old School Building in the second semester, but disrupting ecosystems recklessly isn’t a good idea.”
“Ecosystems?”
“Yes.”
I arranged the desserts on my plate in a circular formation, like a map.
“Let’s say this plate represents the entire continent, and these macarons, grapes, and cake slices are S-rank monsters. We recently took care of one, Gerrquan Wiperus.”
I pointed to a slice of cake situated southeast of the center and ate it in one bite.
“SS-rank monsters each have their own Domain, which tends to be much larger than we’d imagine. Now that Gerrquan Wiperus is gone, other monsters will try to take over its Domain.”
“Are you saying more S-rank monsters might appear?”
“No, lower-ranked monsters, A-rank and below, will likely move in to claim the space. SS-rank monsters usually don’t bother encroaching on others’ Domains. However…”
I ate the macaron next to the slice of cake I’d just consumed.
“Imagine that about one-eighth of the entire territory suddenly becomes vacant. Wouldn’t the creatures neighboring it naturally try to expand into that space?”
“If adjacent strong creatures disappear in succession, it increases the likelihood that even those farther away might eventually try to claim the area.”
“As Miss Ludmila said, if things go wrong, the balance could shift across the entire map.”
I lightly shook the plate to emphasize the instability.
“If previously unknown S-rank monsters emerge as a result, would you be alright with that?”
“Hmm…”
“And to be more blunt, what if others try to hunt them down first?”
“Ah, that wouldn’t do.”
Yurha gestured over the entire plate.
“We’d need to carefully handle all of it ourselves to prevent anyone else from taking it.”
“Indeed. If we’re to hunt S-rank monsters, it’s better to go after those located far across the continent.”
“Are there any?”
“There should be one or two.”
I glanced around to gauge the others’ reactions.
Even a vague statement like that should be enough for Yurha to understand.
“Hmm…”
“Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s just that the north isn’t my territory.”
Her hesitation was clear.
“There’s no Silverstar branch up north, only hotels where I can’t exert any influence.”
Unlike the Marquisate of Ludvecia, Yurha can’t rely on her people in that area.
“If we go north, it would mean entering an entirely different nation.”
“The Holy Kingdom, you mean?”
“That’s right, Miss Yunia. It’s a place dominated by the Church of the Goddess.”
A land teeming with the influence of the Church of the Goddess. I’ve always thought I’d have to visit someday, but going there now?
‘Unless we’re prepared for outright hostility, it might be a bit too risky.’
If the Old School Building’s members fully support me, trust me even when the secrets of the world are revealed, and stand against the Church of the Goddess, then the possibility exists.
However, for now, there isn’t enough faith.
Even if I can gather faith from a small number of individuals, it’s not enough to wage an all-out war against the Church of the Goddess.
So…
“It’s better to search the surrounding areas rather than heading all the way north. Somewhere not too far from the Marquisate of Ludvecia, perhaps.”
“Hmm?”
“…You tend to talk like this when you’re trying to steer the conversation in a different direction…”
Yurha tilted her head, and Yunia stared at me and asked.
“But I’ll ask this just to follow proper etiquette. Didn’t you say earlier that disturbing the monsters near the Marquisate could trigger territorial disputes among S-rank monsters across the continent?”
“That’s right.”
“Then wouldn’t disturbing the areas around the Marquisate of Ludvecia also cause territorial disputes? Now, give me the correct answer.”
“Miss Yunia, are you getting too used to me?”
“We’ve talked and spent time together every single day for half a year now. This much is basic.”
“In that case, Miss Yunia, why don’t you try guessing the answer?”
“You just told me to give you the correct answer!”
Yunia pouted in dissatisfaction, her cheeks puffed out.
But instead of frustration or confusion, her eyes shone with a determined confidence that she could figure it out.
“Let’s see… Is there a hidden or sealed dungeon somewhere nearby?”
“…”
“What? Did I guess it right?”
“Miss Yunia.”
I extended my hands toward her and lightly drew a circle in the air.
“Good thing you didn’t ask me to promise you something if you guessed correctly.”
“…Ah!”
Yunia’s face fell as she realized her missed opportunity.
“Ah, so there’s a hidden dungeon, then? Not an S-rank monster hunt, but a dungeon where we could acquire enough magic stones to rival the rewards from such a hunt?”
“It’s sealed. And there’s someone who knows about the seal… to some extent.”
“?”
Everyone tilted their heads in confusion.
While I avoided meeting anyone’s gaze intentionally, one person paused mid-movement as they handled their utensils.
“Is it Instructor Esta?”
“…No way, it can’t be that.”
Instructor Esta frowned.
“One, two, three. Who is it?”
“Two.”
“Two, huh… Then that’s a relief.”
“Excuse me, but could you explain this in a way the rest of us can understand?”
Evangeline raised her hand, voicing her complaint.
She had a point—listening to the conversation as it stood might seem like a secret exchange between Esta and me, which would naturally frustrate others.
“I found some information in the Old School Building’s library.”
Esta stated, casually dropping the hint.
The mention of the Old School Building’s library caused the Phoenix class members to flinch and gulp audibly.
“Could it be…?”
“I’m not certain if it’s near the Marquisate of Ludvecia, but if it’s Phoenix, he might know something.”
“Indeed, with that in mind…”
I pushed my chair back and climbed onto it.
“Ah, to those of you who were part of a t*rrorist organization until yesterday but are starting fresh as your new selves today?”
The former Vinyudan members, who had been casually wolfing down their breakfast buffet, froze and looked up at me.
“While the Marquisate of Ludvecia plans to hire you as staff—maids and other positions—with Silverstar paying your salaries, some of you might occasionally feel the urge to relive your more, shall we say, intense activities from the past.”
It’s not easy to transition from such freedom to a life bound by formality.
“So here’s the plan: let’s create an unofficial organization. Like when we hunted the Gerrquan Wiperus, you’ll work at your jobs most of the time but be ready to answer the call when needed—a ‘hunter group.'”
A special hunter group tasked with subduing monsters that threaten peace, S-rank or otherwise.
“And in the spirit of lighting the flames within your hearts, we’ll name this hunter organization Blue Fire Squad.”
Even if, someday, that flame is aimed at beings intent on destroying humanity.
