Doctor Farlbule’s House

The Royal Capital at dusk.

Liricia and I were in a detached house near the city walls.

It was the home of Doctor Farlbule, which also served as his clinic.

Because it was tucked away in a remote corner, the place was quiet and still.

The end of the dungeon passage had led into the basement.

On the first floor were the entrance and waiting room, examination room, operating room, and a sickroom; there was also a kitchen, dining room, and bath.

On the second floor were a study, an office, and a bedroom.

There was nothing of note.

The silver surgical tools looked about the only expensive things.

He had probably moved everything important down into the dungeon.

And judging from the thick layer of dust everywhere, quite some time had passed since Farlbule became a Hell Lich.

Liricia brushed against me, her habit swaying.

“It does not look like there is anything special here. What will you do, Master?”

“Right… I’ll have the bodies transferred here to the basement.”

Just then—

There was a pounding sound as someone banged on the front door upstairs.

“It hurts! Where did you go!? My body’s all messed up—hurry up and fix me already!”

I tilted my head.

“That voice sounds familiar…”

“Is it not that big guy who harassed you at the Adventurer Guild—the one called Barial?”

“Ah, him… Why is he here? …Let’s go see.”

“Yes.”

With Liricia following behind, I headed for the front entrance.

When I opened the door, the huge man Barial was standing there, clutching his side with both hands.

He saw me and his eyes, twisted in pain, flew wide.

“Wh-what the hell are you doing here!?”

“You—you seem pretty friendly with Farlbule, don’t you?”

“Wh-what!? That’s none of your damn business!”

“I see.”

I filled my fist with Serâge and drove it forward in a flash.

Barial tried to dodge, but he was too slow.

As a result, my fist slammed into his gut like a drill.

His eyes rolled white and he dropped to his knees.

“Gugheee! Th-that hurts way too damn much, you bastard!”

I nodded, satisfied.

“Could it be you were helping Farlbule with his research?”

“I-I don’t know anything! Aah, it hurts!”

Barial clutched his stomach and collapsed onto the floor.

He writhed in agony from my Serâge—even though it was supposed to be a healing power.

That was enough to be certain.

“You… have you taken a monster’s power into your body?”

“H-how… could you tell!? No—I don’t know anything, nothing! Aaagh, it hurts!”

Barial squirmed pathetically like a bug.

I had wondered whether the frail Farlbule could really have captured so many monsters on his own.

This guy had probably helped him catch them alive.

In exchange for being granted greater power.

Gripping the sub-core, I sent my thoughts to the Dungeon Core.

“Transfer the bodies from the laboratory to the basement here. After that, sever the connecting passage.”

『Roger that.』

Then I tied Barial up with a rope and left the house with Liricia.

Looking up at me from below, Liricia spoke.

“To think he became an A-rank adventurer by gaining strength through human modification… What will you do next?”

“I’ve had the bodies from the lab transferred to the basement. Now we go to the Adventurer Guild and report everything, along with the diary—that Farlbule turned into a Hell Lich.”

“Understood.”

And so, in the dusk of the Royal Capital, I headed for the Adventurer Guild.

We arrived at the Adventurer Guild.

I went straight to the counter and laid out the day’s spoils.

Medicinal herbs and mushrooms, and bird and insect eggs.

Then, along with the proof-of-subjugation parts from the Wyvern, I set down the diary.

“These are the results of today’s requests. —Also, the Hell Lich I defeated turned out to be this city’s doctor, Farlbule. I believe the Hell Lich that had been troubling the Royal Capital is the same person. This diary is the evidence.”

The receptionist’s eyes went wide at my words, and she quickly snatched up the diary.

“I-is that true!? —Let me just… th-this is—! Please wait a moment!”

She hurried away from the counter at a half-run.

She returned shortly after.

“We will send an investigation team to Farlbule’s house! You say he revived a Dungeon Core and was using it—was there a dungeon?”

I was at a loss for words.

But Liricia smoothly covered for me from the side.

“It was a resurrected dungeon, so it collapsed during the investigation. However, the basement it was connected to remains intact.”

“I see! Then we will have the house examined at once.”

“Also, there’s a high chance Barial underwent surgery using Farlbule’s magic. He’s tied up and left there, so investigate him along with the house.”

“Yes, understood! …In that case, your requests are complete! —Your cards, please.”

“Sure.”

Liricia and I handed over our cards.

The receptionist began totaling things up.

“Let’s see… Forty-two bundles of herbs for 8,400 Gort, plus 1,000 Gort for completing the request. Five Dreamcap mushrooms for 20,000 Gort, plus 5,000 Gort completion bonus. Eight medicinal insect eggs for 40,000 Gort, plus 10,000 Gort completion bonus. Six blue quail eggs for 48,000 Gort, plus 15,000 Gort completion bonus. Wyvern fangs, horns, and tail for 460,000 Gort, plus 150,000 Gort completion bonus. And 75,000 Gort for completing the Hell Lich investigation.”

She set eight large gold coins, three gold coins, two large silver coins, and four silver coins on the counter—worth 832,400 Gort.

I took them and put them in my pouch.

The adventurer card she handed back now showed a D-rank.

The receptionist spoke.

“I’m amazed you even managed to defeat a Wyvern. I hear even Hero Marius struggles against them.”

“Is that so? Not that I really care.”

I had no time to spare for thinking about someone like him right now.

Whatever I did about him would come after I had built a stable life with Liricia.

We left the main counter and headed for the appraisal counter.

Adventurers began to murmur as we passed.

“First a Hell Lich, now a Wyvern.”

“That guy’s insane.”

“Well, he did smash that crystal ball.”

“I hear he’s already D-rank.”

“His strength is already above A-rank.”

“I’m just jealous he’s doing all that while leading around such a cute girl.”

…It seemed we had become the talk of the guild.

I didn’t feel like I’d done anything that impressive, though.

We reached the appraisal counter.

I placed the jewels on the counter.

“Buy these.”

“Got it.”

The appraiser peered at the jewels through a loupe.

“There are a few scratches, so… all together, I’d say 134,500 Gort.”

Since I didn’t know their value, I looked to Liricia.

Her white habit swayed as she tilted her head.

“I thought they would be a little higher… Could you tell us the price of each one individually?”

“Y-yeah, sure…”

The appraiser explained.

Liricia pointed to a black gemstone.

“I believe this one has been appraised incorrectly. I think this is not black onyx, but rather a dark mana crystal.”

“What was that!? —Ah! My bad! You’re right! You hardly ever see dark crystals! That makes the total 314,500 Gort!”

I looked at Liricia; she nodded, silver hair swaying.

“Then let’s go with that.”

“Pleasure doing business!”

He set down three large gold coins, one gold coin, four large silver coins, and five silver coins.

As I put them away, I spoke to Liricia.

“Shall we get some rest?”

“Yes…”

Sensing my intent, Liricia nodded, cheeks faintly flushed.

Hand in hand, we left the guild and stepped out into the nighttime streets.

Total funds on hand: 45 large gold coins, 31 gold coins, 14 large silver coins, and 66 silver coins.

4,830,600 Gort.