Chapter 4: Exorcism? No! I’m Just Cleaning the Sewer!

“Open wide, Zaggy!” said Kanata. Zag’giel opened wide. “Well? Do you like it?”

“Y-Yes,” said Zag’giel. “It is quite good. However, Kanata! We are not a child! We find this style of eating to be most...humiliating.” Zag’giel chewed the meat Kanata had given him, looking quite uncomfortable.

“Oh, don’t worry about that!” said Kanata. “Okay, open wide!” Kanata paid no heed to her own food, instead holding out a spoon for Zag’giel.

“So this is what it means to have loyalty to one’s master,” Zag’giel muttered. “We are prepared to die fighting for Kanata, but we were not prepared to endure this shame...”

After defeating the dragon, Kanata and company had brought the medicinal herb back to the guildhall and had a late lunch in the attached pub. It wasn’t a normal mealtime, so they were the only ones there. And at their quiet table, Kanata was taking her time spoiling Zag’giel to her heart’s content.

By contrast, the guild itself was in an uproar. Melissa was up in the guildmaster’s face, hounding him with the details of what had happened.

“I’m telling the truth!” she shouted. “There really was a dragon, and that girl really defeated it! Go there and see for yourself!”

“Look,” said the guildmaster. “We sent an adventurer to investigate when we received your report. We’re waiting for him to make it back.”

Melissa was a capable guild officer and a serious person, who had won considerable fame as an adventurer. It was hard to imagine that she would lie about this, and yet her story defied all common sense. The guildmaster simply couldn’t believe it. A girl of fifteen came from a school for the daughters of the aristocracy asking to be an adventurer. And not only did she receive a perfect score on her test, she also vanquished a dragon when one suddenly attacked? It would be too absurd to write in a stage play for the masses. No aspiring novice was at that level. To defeat a dragon in single combat would place her above even A-Rank, making her one of the small number of S-Rank adventurers to exist in the world.

Suddenly, an adventurer ran into the guild with such force that he broke the swinging doors. “I-It’s true!” he gasped. “Everything Lissa said is true! H-Huge dragon! In the forest!” That was all he managed before he collapsed to the ground in a clatter. It looked like he had been running all out.

“See?!” said Melissa. “Kanata is going to be an incredible adventurer! We need to register her before she gets away!”

“I-I never would have imagined someone like that could exist!” The guildmaster felt light-headed, as if he might faint. He staggered as he took to his feet, still giving instructions to his other subordinates. “We need to recover this dragon!” he said. “And right after the incident with the rocs too... We still need to clean up after that.”

The guildmaster, with Melissa in tow, approached Kanata, who was still eating her lunch. “Kanata Aldezia, was it?” he said.

“Yes, sir,” said Kanata. “Have you made a decision? Do I have your permission to become an adventurer?”

“My permission?” The guildmaster blinked. “Well...”

“I see,” said Kanata. “Then we failed. Of course. The medicinal herb thicket was ruined, after all...”

“Huh?”

“Let’s go, Zaggy.” Kanata stood up, holding Zag’giel in her arms. “We’ll have to find some other way to earn money...”

The guildmaster started to panic. He held up both of his arms to block Kanata from leaving.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!” he shouted. “You passed! You passed! We were just making the arrangements!”

Still with his arms out, he started to shepherd Kanata toward the reception area.

“Really?” Kanata exclaimed. “Wonderful! Oh, then here! Please take this!” Kanata produced a medicinal herb from thin air.

The guildmaster balked. “What was that just now?”

“Hm?” Kanata looked puzzled. “It’s a medicinal herb.”

“Not the herb! I mean, where did it come from?! Was that dimensional magic?!”

“Yes, sir,” said Kanata. “I call it my Inventory Screen. It’s very useful.”

“Useful?!” The guildmaster was shocked. “That’s super-high-level magic! Only a Sage could handle something like that! Then...you’re a Sage?!”

“No, sir. I’m a Beast Tamer! Here, I have proof!” Kanata held Zag’giel up in front of the guildmaster’s face.

“You may refer to us as Zaggy,” he said.

The guildmaster thought he was losing his mind. “How in the blazes can a Beast Tamer use dimensional magic?!”

“By studying hard?” Kanata blinked.

“Studying?! You studied hard enough that you don’t even need a Profession to use it?!”

“Well,” said Kanata, “I thought that when I became a Beast Tamer, it would be nice to be able to carry lots and lots of toys and snacks for my cuties! So I tried really hard to learn how.”

“And that’s why you can use top-tier magic?!”

“Guildmaster,” said Melissa, “perhaps we should move on?”

She was trying her best to pacify the guildmaster, whose face had become bright red from shouting.

“Kanata,” she said, turning to the girl, “I am well aware that you are an exception to all kinds of rules. But whatever kind of person you are, there is no doubt in my mind that you will be invaluable to our guild. I would be much obliged if you chose to join us.”

“Yes, ma’am!” said Kanata. “Which makes you my senior! I’m looking forward to working with you!”

“S-Senior.” Melissa balked. “And yet you overtook my rank so quickly...” She shook her head. “I’m looking forward to working with you as well. I will leave the paperwork to our staff member in charge of such things.”

She led Kanata to a table where another staff member had a great array of papers spread out for them.

With just a hint of nervousness in his expression, the staff member explained the guild’s rules and the terms of Kanata’s contract. “Finally,” he concluded, “I need you to write your name, curriculum vitae, and Profession. These documents will be kept in high-security storage—nobody but us will read them.”

Kanata did as she was told and quickly wrote her information in the appropriate places on the forms. “Excuse me,” she said. “Am I meant to indicate any awards I’ve received in the section for my curriculum vitae?”

“Of course,” said the staff member. “They might improve your rank assessment, so it’s best if you include them.”

“Oh,” said Kanata, “but there isn’t enough space to write them all. Should I limit it to my major awards?”

“You’ve won that many? I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that the girl who vanquished a dragon isn’t...your average...” The staff member trailed off. He was watching what Kanata was writing—National Fencing Tournament: Winner; National Magic Tournament: Winner; National Archery Tournament: Winner; King’s Prize for Advancement in Magic Theory: Recipient—it went on.

“F-Falsifying your record is a crime!” he said. “I happen to know that the winner of every National Fencing Tournament for the past few years has been— Wait. You’re Lady Kanata Aldezia?!”

“Yes, sir,” said Kanata. “I told you my name at the start.”

The staff member practically fell backward out of his seat. “G-Guildmaster! Miss Melissa! This girl is the Kanata Aldezia! The three-time winner of the fencing tournament! The one who ended every fight with a single move! The one nobody was even able to hit! The girl they call the second coming of Boldow the Divine Sword!”

“Oh!” the guildmaster exclaimed. “You’re right! She acts so differently in the tournaments, I hadn’t noticed! Back then she was like a blade of ice! I can’t believe Kanata Aldezia is such a spacey-looking girl!”

“But she does have the same face!” said Melissa. “I thought I had seen her somewhere before. Then...the Kanata Aldezia who defeated those rocs yesterday is...”

All three stared intensely at Kanata.

“Oh, didn’t I tell you about the magic beasts who were bullying Zaggy?” Kanata asked.

“You didn’t say that they were rocs!” Melissa slammed her hand down on the table.

“Also,” Kanata continued, “my father is very much alive? I’m not sure how I could be his second coming.”

“Huh?” said the guildmaster. “Don’t tell me Boldow the Divine Sword is—”

“Yes, sir,” said Kanata. “He’s my father.”

“Whaaaaat?!” All three of the guild’s staff members staggered back at once.

“Y-Yes,” said Melissa. “They do share a surname, come to think of it. Then does that mean the Archsage Aleksia is...”

“My mother, yes,” Kanata finished.

“Incredible,” the guildmaster marveled. “So that’s why you’re so strong. You learned swordplay and dimensional magic from your parents, then?”

“Oh, no,” said Kanata. “I’ve never even seen my father use a sword or my mother cast a spell.”

In fact, it wasn’t until she had come to the Royal Capital that Kanata learned that her kind, beloved parents were such lofty people. The two were just living out their postretirement life in comfort.

“A prodigy...” muttered the guildmaster. “A prodigy among prodigies... Melissa,” he said, turning to his subordinate, “we mustn’t let her get away!”

“That’s what I’ve been telling you!” Melissa shot back. “We need to give her a proper reward for the rocs and the dragon! I don’t know if we have enough in our coffers!”

While the guildmaster and Melissa carried on, Kanata finished her paperwork.

“Is this acceptable?” she asked.

“Of course!” said the staff member. The Adventurers’ Guild was perpetually shorthanded. There was no way they would turn away a prodigy like this. With that conviction burning in his heart, he stamped the document with more force than was really necessary. “Thank you for your application! From now on, you are an adventurer!”

“But what will we do about her rank?” asked the guildmaster. “I’m sure we all agree that she already has the skills of an S-Rank adventurer. I would like to give her S-Rank qualifications right away.”

“Under our bylaws, a perfect score on the test should let a novice adventurer skip two ranks to start as a D-Rank,” said the staff member. “But nobody could deny that Miss Kanata is an exceptional case. I believe it would be appropriate to award her a rank of S, as a special provision.”

As excited as they were, however, Kanata rejected the guild staff’s proposition. “We mustn’t cheat,” she said. “Let’s follow the rules as they’re written.”

“R-Really?” asked the guildmaster.

“Yes, sir,” said Kanata. “Also, you don’t need to give me a reward.”

“Why not?!” all three said at once. The reward for the magic beasts she had defeated would easily be enough to buy a house in the Royal Capital. There was absolutely no reason to turn it down. But Kanata held firm.

“That was before I became an adventurer,” she said. “The only request I took was to harvest a medicinal herb. Therefore, I would like a reward for the herb and nothing else.” Aside from her fluff mania, Kanata was an honest, virtuous, and upright young lady. Her only issue was her strange obsession with fluff.

“Well said, our master,” said Zag’giel, nodding his fervent approval. “The way of the true sovereign is to do naught that would bring you shame, but to advance solely by your own power!”

“Ehehe,” Kanata giggled. “Zaggy, you’re so sweet!” She squeezed the former Demon King tight and nuzzled against his cheeks.

“Kanata!” protested her victim. “You are embarrassing us!”

“Well, it’s not bringing shame to me,” said Kanata, “so it’s no problem, right?”

† † †

Across the sea from the continent where humans lived lay a great land known as the Dark Continent, which was dominated by demonkind. There, in that paradise for magic beasts who delight in bloodshed, stood a great castle. Inside, a demon man sat upon a throne, listening to his servant’s report.

“What?!” he bellowed, striking the throne’s armrest and shooting to his feet. “You mean to tell me that not only were the Roc Brothers struck down, but the dragon too?!”

“Yes. My minions were watching with scrying magic. They say there is a human girl accompanying His Infernal Majesty—” He cut himself off. “My apologies. I meant to say she is accompanying the former king, Zag’giel. It seems that it is she who fought the Roc Brothers and the dragon.”

“Preposterous,” said the demon. “No human living could be a match for them!” The Roc Brothers had been ordered to go to the realm of humanity to search for the Demon King. However, it seemed that when they’d arrived there, they had all but neglected their duty. The dragon had already been robbed of his intelligence by magic. But as forgetful as they all were, their strength had been as formidable as ever. It was absurd to think that they could have been defeated by a human girl.

“But Lord Zarbok, the fact remains that every one of the magic beasts you sent has been defeated.”

“It must be Zag’giel himself who defeated them,” Zarbok mused. “Scrying magic is not always reliable—especially from as far away as the other side of an ocean. Your minions must have made a mistake.”

“It is as you say,” the servant said. “I defer to your insight.”

“Zag’giel...” Zarbok hissed. “So you have already regained that much of your power.”

When a demon was sent from the Dark Continent across the sea to human lands, it was important to prevent human forces in the outlying territories from taking notice. Humans were fragile, but their numbers were great. Their territory spread all over the world, with the sole exception of the Dark Continent. Alone, a human was weak. But as a people, nobody could deny that their strength far outstripped that of the demons. The humans must not become aware of their movements—not until the time was ripe for the demons to begin their attack in earnest. That was why it was magic beasts with the ability to fly that had been sent to human lands. But Zarbok could not have expected them to be defeated in such quick succession.

“With no Demon King to unify the Dark Continent, each region has fallen under the dominion of some powerful demon or other. It has been this way for centuries. If Zag’giel regains his power, there will be nothing stopping him from reclaiming his throne. After all, the next Demon King has yet to be crowned. We must end his life before that can happen.” Zarbok sighed. “To think that he was in the human realm this whole time. How much time did we waste searching the Dark Continent...”

Zarbok looked over at the small table by his throne. On the table, in a vessel that resembled a long-stemmed wine glass, was a single plant. “We must hurry,” he said. “It may not have shown any signs of change, but once it buds, it will grow quickly. From what I heard, in the words of the Goddess, the curse will be lifted when the flower blooms.”

“Lord Zarbok,” said the servant, “why do we not set fire to the flower?”

“Don’t be a fool,” said Zarbok. “The flower is nothing but a means to descry Zag’giel’s condition. If we burnt it, we would have no way of knowing what state he is in!”

“M-My apologies!”

“Now hurry!” Zarbok ordered his servant. “Send the next assassin! Before he regains his power!”

“Y-Yes, my liege!”

† † †

“It’s fine, isn’t it?” asked the guildmaster. “If Kanata doesn’t want a reward, it just means more profit for the guild.”

“Of course it isn’t fine!” Melissa snapped back. “Defeating the rocs and the dragon is an outlandish feat! If the headquarters and other adventurers find out, they’re sure to think that we’re unfairly exploiting our adventurers!”

“You’re right! That’s a problem!”

“Moreover,” said Melissa, “she didn’t just defeat them—thanks to her we were able to capture them! The Royal Capital laboratory would be willing to pay an enormous sum of money for a live dragon. I understand that the girl herself refused a reward, but to go along with that would be equivalent to defrauding her!”

“But other than money, we don’t have anything appropriate to offer her. What do we do?” The guildmaster was at a loss.

“We must think of some way to settle this amicably,” mused Melissa.

Melissa and the guildmaster continued to discuss the matter as the other staff member prepared Kanata’s adventurer identification.

“And finally,” said the staff member, “you have one last form to fill out.” He glanced over at where Zag’giel was sitting. “As a Beast Tamer, you will need to register your companions with the guild. Although I really can’t believe that you’re a Beast Tamer, Miss Kanata.” The staff member sniffled, and he watched Kanata write with great interest.

“I am!” said Kanata, taking Zag’giel’s stubby legs in her hands and wiggling them around with jerky motions. “Isn’t he the cutest?”

Zag’giel let Kanata do what she liked with his body, but his face was screwed up with a look of offended dignity.

“I suppose he is rather lovable,” the staff member said. “He looks like a cat crossed with a slime.”

“He’s so squishy!” Kanata declared.

“O-Oh, really?” The staff member hesitated. “May I touch him, just a bit?”

“You may not,” Zag’giel intoned. “We are not some common dog who will wag its tail cheerfully no matter who may pet it. Only Kanata is permitted to touch us.”

“I-I see...” The staff member slumped his shoulders, dejected.

“Should I write his name here?” asked Kanata.

“Yes, exactly,” said the staff member. “And please look over the rules. Once you’ve registered, you only need to present your identification card, and other cities should let you in without a problem.”

A Beast Tamer’s magic beasts were protected by law, but if one were to cause problems, it was the guild’s responsibility to see to its extermination. Still, most Beast Tamers only had beasts on the level of slimes or the like—nothing that could cause any problems worthy of the name. Registering their magic beasts was largely a formality.

“Za-ggy.” Kanata sounded it out as she wrote. “Okay, I’m done.”

“Very good,” said the staff member. “And your identification is ready. All we need now is a drop of your blood and Zaggy’s.”

Another staff member brought in a polished metal card and presented it to Kanata. The drop of blood left an imprint on the card of the unique structure of their soul, which would serve as proof of Kanata and Zag’giel’s identification.

“This card is made of durable materials. It won’t be easily destroyed. However, if it does become damaged somehow, you can get your card reissued at the nearest guild.” The staff member paused. “Oh! Do you need a needle to draw the drop of blood? I’ll give you two. Take care not to use the same one.”

“Nhh.” Kanata made a pained little noise. “There’s no way I could prick Zaggy with a needle...”

“What are you saying? We are not afraid of the likes of a needle!”

“But animals hate getting shots...” Kanata said.

“We are no animal,” Zag’giel declared. “We told you, did we not? This is not our true form.”

While Kanata hesitated, Zag’giel pricked his own forepaw on the needle in her hand and let a droplet of blood fall onto the card. Kanata and Zag’giel’s blood droplets both vanished, absorbed into the metal.

“Good,” said the staff member. “Thank you for your patience. Miss Kanata, you are now a D-Rank adventurer.”

Kanata cheered. “Now we can start earning money, Zaggy!”

“If you had accepted the reward for the rocs and the dragon,” said Zag’giel, “then there would have been no need for us to seek further work.”

“Well, maybe. But since I’m an adventurer now, I wanna try going on an adventure!”

“Hah.” Zag’giel laughed in amusement. “If that is your will, Kanata, then we will not object. After all, to seek greater heights through victory over strong opponents is precisely our desire.”

“Yes!” Kanata agreed. “We must reach greater and greater heights!” Of fluff, of course.

“Indeed! We shall show you what lofty heights”—of power—“we shall reach!”

The guild staff watched the two psych each other up, wondering if Kanata and Zag’giel were under some sort of mutual misunderstanding, but none of them voiced their concern.

“May I look for a job on the bulletin board over there?” Kanata asked.

“Of course!” the staff member said. “There are some cases where individuals with specialized skills are approached for certain jobs, but for the most part adventurers are free to choose their own work.”

“I wonder what sort of jobs there are...” Kanata said as she stood up.

“It’s well into the afternoon, so I’m afraid all of the good jobs have been taken. Why don’t you come back early tomorrow morning? The morning rush is quite a lot to get used to, but you will find better jobs than the ones still posted now.” True to the staff member’s words, the well-used corkboard was almost empty.

“Kanata,” said Zag’giel, “you are currently D-Rank. The requests left seem to be too high in rank, or else unpleasant tasks that no one wished to do.”

“Hmm...” Kanata shook her head. “But it’s still a while until the sun sets, and there’s nothing to do at home except fluffing with Zaggy...” Suddenly, her eyes lit up. “Oh, but that doesn’t sound bad, does it? Let’s fluff-fluff until dinner!”

“Let us find a job!” Zag’giel blurted out, dodging away from Kanata’s hands and jumping up on the bulletin board. “This one! What do you say to this one?!” He selected one of the cards and pulled on it with his mouth, pulling it off of the bulletin board. Zag’giel and the card together slid down until they hit the ground, and rolled into Kanata’s feet.

“Zaggy!” Kanata chastised her pet. “That was dangerous!”

She scooped Zag’giel up in her arms and took the card from his mouth. It looked like it had been on the board for a considerable amount of time. The paper was yellowing, and the edges showed signs of wear and tear.

Kanata looked over the request and nodded. “All right!” she said. “Let’s go for it!”

“Let us see...” Zag’giel climbed up on Kanata’s shoulder to get a look at the card, and then recoiled in surprise. “What?! Kanata, are you serious?!”

“Seriously serious~♪” Kanata sang. “Excuse me! We’d like to take this request!”

† † †

“Miss Kanata, do you really intend to take this request?”

“Mm-hm!” Kanata responded with a smile.

The staff member pursed his lips. That job had been left unwanted for years in a forgotten corner of the bulletin board. It was the last request anyone would want to take. The reward was low, it involved heavy labor and considerable risk, and above all else, it was filthy.

The request written on the card read, “clean the sewer.”

Adventurers who lacked the strength to earn money battling beasts were often left with the dirty jobs and simple chores—jobs like searching for lost items, acting as security at various events, or cleaning up the kills of higher-level adventurers. And among those, the least desirable request of all was cleaning the sewer.

In the filthy miasma of the underground waterways, it was easy for abandoned pets to settle and turn into magic beasts. There were even places that were used as dumping grounds for human remains by criminal enterprises, leading to infestations by undead monsters like ghouls and ghosts. Nobody would agree to clean such a filthy and dangerous place for such a meager reward.

“Kanata,” said Zag’giel. “Are you certain? We, too, dislike this task. It is not proper work for a young lady.”

“But look,” said Kanata, “it’s paid on commission! We get three copper coins for each stride-length cleaned!”

“One stride-length will be considerable work, you know,” said the staff member. He sighed at Kanata’s ignorance. “Listen, Miss Kanata. You are aware that the Royal Capital is divided into three districts, yes?”

The three districts were Hightown, where nobility and royalty lived; Midtown, which was home to knights and merchants and the like; and the slums of Undertown, where the destitute made their homes. In the very center, towering above the rest of the city, was the king’s castle. The other districts formed rings around it like ripples in a pond. The thick stone walls between each section of the city were meant not only to fend off magic beast attacks, but to ensure the physical separation of different social classes.

The waste produced by life in the city flowed downhill from Hightown all the way down to Undertown. To ensure that Hightown remained sanitary, the Holy Church dispatched priests to perform rituals of purification that both cleaned the wastewater and prevented magic beasts from entering. However, the effect of these rituals only went as far as Midtown. The grace of the gods, it seemed, did not extend to the lower classes living in Undertown. Located as they were in a ring around the rest of the city, the residents of Undertown were no more than another barrier—a wall of meat in the way of any magic beasts who would attack the metropolis.

“The request, you see, is to clean the Undertown sewer specifically,” said the staff member.

This was a request placed by the kingdom itself. Even though the Undertown sewers were in Undertown, they connected directly to the sewers in Hightown. If they were to become too filthy, the stench and the contamination might find its way back upstream. As little as the reward on offer was, the kingdom would pay to ensure the job was done. It did not, however, rise to the level of priority where the kingdom was willing to make it a public service. At one point they must have had the idea of giving the work of cleaning up the sewers to low-ranking adventurers, but this was not work to which adventurers were well suited.

“It’s full of magic beasts,” the staff member continued. “The sludge is poisonous, and you could even get the plague. You have no idea how much work it is to clean the sewer.” It would take ten workers an entire day to clean the sludge out of just a few stride-lengths of the Undertown sewer, and all for just a few copper coins—just barely enough money for the night’s dinner. That was why this job had remained untouched for so long. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand,” said Kanata. “Anyway, I’ll be taking this request!”

“You don’t understand at all!” the staff member exclaimed. “Were you even listening?!”

“I was listening!” Kanata said. “Thank you for your concern. But it would be terrible if no one cleaned the sewer, wouldn’t it?”

“I-I suppose...” he admitted. “But I don’t think there’s any need for you to—”

“I’ll be fine!” Kanata interrupted. “Leave it to me!” She held her head high, full of confidence.

“Hah...” the staff member sighed. “Very well. If you insist, you may take the request.”

He stamped the yellowing paper where it said “request accepted.” With that, it was officially Kanata’s.

“The residents of Undertown are an ill-bred lot,” he said. “Take care not to get involved with anything on your way there.”

“Okay!” Kanata said in her singsong voice. “Well then, I’m off!”

As Kanata left, the staff member watched her go with one elbow propped up on his desk.

“It’s hard to believe that such an innocent girl can best the likes of rocs and dragons...” he muttered. He walked over to where the guildmaster and staff were wringing their hands over the conundrum of the reward for defeating those magic beasts.

† † †

Kanata found her path through the narrow alley blocked by two men—one large and one small. “Hey, lady! You got any idea whose turf you’re stepping on?!”

“Whoa, this girl’s a looker! I bet she’d fetch a high price!”

An ordinary girl would have withered before the two men raising their voices at her, but Kanata showed no signs of fear. Her eyes were completely dry. She raised a single eyebrow at her would-be attackers.

“To think we would become involved in something the moment we left the main road to enter Undertown,” said Zag’giel. “We are in awe.”

“Awe is right,” said Kanata. “It hasn’t even been ten seconds.”

The men, sure that Kanata’s cool demeanor was a bluff, took a few steps closer. “Come quietly and you won’t get hurt, you hear?”

“Hmph,” Zag’giel huffed disdainfully. “Kanata, there is no need to trouble yourself with mere ruffians. We shall be more than enough to dispose of them.”

“Now, now, Zaggy,” said Kanata, gently trying to prevent the men from using Zag’giel as their new soccer ball. “We might as well hear what they have to say first.”

“You are most generous, Kanata,” said Zag’giel. He turned to address the men. “Very well. Foolish humans, our benevolent master has deigned to hear you. Speak.”

“Whoa,” said the tall man, startled by Zag’giel’s pompous words. “A talking cat?!”

“Hey, boss,” said the short man, “I bet this girl’s a Beast Tamer!”

“Huh? A Beast Tamer? Hey, that’s a pretty wimpy-looking magic beast. I bet it couldn’t even take on a slime!”

“I hear that becoming a Beast Tamer lowers all your abilities,” the short man said. “I guess all you can get in that condition is rubbish like that!”

“It is you who are rubbish!” Zag’giel rejoined. “You intend to abduct an outnumbered girl?!”

“Hey! It’s her fault for coming alone to a place like this! We’re gonna have some fun with her and then sell her off. Maybe we’ll sell the talking cat too! Might make us a pretty penny!”

“Oh?” said Kanata. “In that case, we might have a bit of trouble.”

“Hah!” the taller man barked. “Trouble? Why, whatcha gonna do?”

“I think you’re the one in trouble here, missy!” The two men grinned wickedly and rushed straight for the girl.

† † †

“Right this way, m’lady! Right this way! Eheh heh...”

“This area is quite dirty, so please do watch your step.”

The street toughs who had tried to attack Kanata were now wringing their hands as they guided her through Undertown. They were so meek and obedient that it was impossible to imagine they were the people who were acting so tough just a few minutes ago. After all, Kanata had taught them that a man can fly.

A man can fly if he is struck by Kanata’s fist.

“I still can’t believe that you are Kanata Aldezia, m’lady,” one of the men said.

Kanata blinked. “You know of me?”

“Just rumors. Even round here, people talk about the girl who won the last three fencing tournaments in a row. I hear they call you The Princess of Sacred Ice.”

“Well,” the other added, “there’s no way we could get our hands on a tournament ticket, so this is our first time seeing you in person.”

Kanata was just as beautiful in person as the rumors said, but her character was completely unlike the popular vision of her. Far from an icy presence, she seemed like a bright, cheerful, happy-go-lucky girl. This was why so few people recognized Kanata when they happened to meet her.

“So how come you’re not wearing your sword today?” the taller man asked.

“I don’t own my own sword,” said Kanata. “Besides, swordplay has never been one of my strong suits.”

The street toughs laughed. Coming from the strongest sword fighter in the kingdom, that statement could only be a joke. But Kanata’s statement was simply the cold reality. Kanata never had been especially good with the sword—that is to say, it was easy for her to accidentally kill people if she wasn’t careful. These men’s Professions were Fighter and Pugilist, after all, and Kanata had sent them flying with just a gentle tap. If Kanata had been using a sword, they would have been reduced to mincemeat.

“This truly is a filthy place...” Zag’giel curled his upper lip. “The smell of it stings our nose.”

The walls were covered in a reddish-brown sludge. At their feet was the skeleton of some creature, seemingly fused with the floor. It was being picked clean by a swarm of rats and insects.

“That’ll be the sewer,” the tall street tough said. “Lately it’s been even worse than usual around here.”

“Our sewer’s bad even by Undertown standards,” the other added.

The farther along the men led them, the worse the smell got. There was no sign of anyone living in the surrounding houses. It was easy to imagine why even people with insecure housing would avoid this place.

“There’s been this weird plague spreading around, too, thanks to all the waste that ends up here. Old folks and kids have been dropping like flies—their bodies ain’t strong enough to endure it.”

Kanata and Zag’giel had seen many people on their way who seemed to have a nasty cough. They must have been suffering from the plague.

“The Church hasn’t sent a priest or a cloistered sister to heal the sick?” asked Kanata.

“As if the Church would ever do that,” the man replied. “The sons of bitches running it these days wouldn’t send someone anywhere they couldn’t get fat donations out of. Nobody heals gutter scum like us.”

“I see...” Kanata seemed lost in thought.

Before long, they had reached their destination.

“There it is, m’lady.” The street tough pointed ahead to the entrance to the sewer. Filthy black water was oozing out of it, too disgusting even to be called wastewater. It was viscous, and the waterway was clogged, raising the water level. Every now and then, a bubble would pop, releasing a cloud of extremely poisonous gas. “Any closer and you’ll be poisoned for sure.”

Kanata bowed politely. “Thank you for showing me the way,” she said. “I can handle myself from here.”

“M’lady,” the tough said, “what exactly are you planning on doing here? We did what you said and took you to the sewer, but you haven’t told us what this is about.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Kanata asked, puffing her chest out proudly. “I am here to clean the sewer at the behest of the Adventurers’ Guild!”

“You’re gonna try and do something about this?!”

“That’s the plan!” Kanata chirped.

“No, no, no!” The residents of Undertown had given up all hope of the sewer ever being cleaned and just did their best to avoid it. The taller man balked at her mad scheme, waving his hands from side to side. Did Kanata really plan on cleaning it all by herself? “No matter how strong you are, there’s nothing you can do about—hey, does the air suddenly smell a bit better?”

“Boss!” the shorter man piped in. “Look where m’lady’s standing! Everything’s getting all clean!”

“Holy—you’re right! Look! The way we came in from is all clean too! I had no idea the road used to be white!”

As Kanata had approached the sewer, she had been continually invoking purification magics. After all, she would hate for her beloved Zag’giel to have his delightfully fluffy fur wind up smelling like wastewater. However, Kanata’s magic was powerful enough that it cleansed not only the air, but the street and the walls as well. The sludge and grime caking every surface turned to white sand—the aftereffects of purification—and vanished.

“P-Purification magic?!” The street tough was stunned. “That’s Holy Church stuff! I thought you were a Fencer!”

“No, I’m a Beast Tamer,” answered Kanata.

“That’s right!” the man said. The magic beast riding on her shoulder testified well enough to her claim. “You’re a Beast Tamer! That makes even less sense!”

The street toughs found themselves unable to comprehend the fact of Kanata’s existence. They turned their heads up toward the sky, hands on their foreheads.

“I understand that you two are poor,” said Kanata, stepping toward them. “But you mustn’t try to abduct people!”

“W-Well, I think it’s safe to say you taught us our lesson,” said the tall man.

“We won’t do it again. I promise,” said the short one.

“Good,” said Kanata. “Now, look at me.”

The two balked, afraid that she was going to hit them again, but they dared not defy her. They did as they were told. Kanata gently touched their cheeks with her cool hands and wordlessly cast a healing spell. The swelling where Kanata had punched them instantly subsided.

“You would heal us, after what we did to you?” the tall man marveled.

“What kindness!” said the short man. “M’lady, are you a Saint?!”

“No! I’m a Beast Tamer!”

The men were crying tears of gratitude—they had forgotten that Kanata had been the one to punch them in the first place.

“Also,” said Kanata, “I have a request. Would you gather all of the sick people into one place?”

“O-Okay, we can do that, but why exactly?”

“I believe I can heal them with my magic. I would very much appreciate it if you would gather everyone together while I’m busy cleaning the sewer and removing the source of the disease.”

“Y-You’re going to heal everyone?! But...we don’t have anything to pay you with...” The street toughs looked downcast, cursing their powerlessness and feeling guilty for their misdeeds.

“Consider it my thanks for guiding me here!” Kanata smiled.

The street toughs fell to their knees, overcome by religious awe, tears welling up from their eyes. “Thank you!” the taller one said. “I-I have no words! My mama’s gonna get better!”

“A Saint!” the shorter one cried. “I don’t care what Profession you are! M’lady, you’re a Saint!” They were weeping openly now.

“Hmph,” said Zag’giel. “Foolish humans. At least you show proper gratitude toward our kindhearted master. Now repent, and apply yourselves properly!”

“Yes, sir!” The street toughs prostrated themselves in worship, while Zag’giel, who hadn’t really done anything, sat up proudly. Kanata found his haughty stance to be simply adorable.

† † †

Zag’giel eyed the polluted wastewater. It was green and black in patches, almost in a marbled pattern. He screwed up his face. “Purification magic or no,” he said, “it is quite the feat of courage to step foot in a place like that.”

“Mm,” said Kanata. “Be careful not to get your fluff dirty, Zaggy.”

“You hardly need to tell us that,” Zag’giel said.

The sludge looked and smelled like pure poison. There was no way it was safe to touch.

“Okay, on three,” Kanata said. “One...two...three!” And she stepped into the sewer with no hesitation. Instantly, the filth around her transformed into white sand. Kanata’s field of purification worked on even the most vile poison.

“I hadn’t noticed before because it was hidden under the mud,” Kanata observed, “but it looks like there’s a place for people to walk.”

True to her words, there was a platform on either side of the waterway wide enough to walk down single file. The sewer, which had been so filthy, was becoming purified at an astonishing rate. The wastewater was so clear that it looked like it might be safe to drink.

“What power! We have never seen purification work with such speed. It seems that all we must do is follow this path upstream, and the sewer will be cleaned!”

Every step Kanata took cleaned another bit of sewer and earned her another three copper coins. With a thousand steps, she would earn three thousand. In silver that would be thirty coins, or three in gold—the average monthly wages for a worker in the Royal Capital. And it would take Kanata no more than half an hour. In addition, this was not the only branch of the sewer. If Kanata were to follow after the filth and purify all of it, it would end up being an incredible sum of money. Ordinarily, there would be the concern of the client being stingy, but in this case the client was the kingdom itself. It would pay. Whatever government official had posted the request would probably faint if they knew.

“Let’s keep it up!” Kanata said.

“Indeed, we have no objections. We believe we are coming around to this task.”

It was dark, so Kanata conjured a white light to see by.

“Water... Recovery... Purification... Light...” Zag’giel observed. “Kanata, are we correct in surmising that you specialize in holy magic? Perhaps you would indeed be better suited to the Saint Profession, rather than Beast Tamer.”

“Maybe,” said Kanata, “but I’d rather do what I wanna do than what I’m good at. Also, holy magic comes in handy a lot, but I can cast every spell in the school’s library.”

“Come to think of it, you used fire magic in the battle against the dragon, did you not? Truly, our master is an extraordinary human. We are in awe.”

Kanata had learned all the magic she knew to increase the number of Professions available to her, hoping it would raise the odds of Beast Tamer making an appearance. But she had another reason—a personal one. The fluff. If her fluffy beasties’ throats were dry, she would have water magic to slake their thirst. If they were hurt, she could heal their wounds with recovery magic. If they got dirty, she wanted purification magic to clean them, and she had learned light magic so that she could shower them with love even in the dark. Everything Kanata had done—all the efforts she had made for all those years—came back to the fluff.

“We thought there would be magic beasts making their homes in this place,” Zag’giel mused, “but we have yet to see any...”

Perhaps the sludge was more poisonous than they had thought—too poisonous even for magic beasts who prefer to make their nests in filth. Needless to say, there was no sign of any rats or bats either. The air was clear around Kanata, thanks to her purification magic, but an ordinary person or animal would die of lung failure if they ended up in such a place.

“Hey Zaggy,” said Kanata, “doesn’t it seem like something’s off?”

“What do you mean?”

“Even if the Church’s purification magic doesn’t go past Midtown, isn’t this too much poison just to come from Undertown’s wastewater?”

“Indeed. We thought so as well. This is too poisonous even for a magic beast. Kanata, do you suspect that some individual has deliberately poisoned the sewers?”

“Exactly!” Kanata said. “Zaggy, you’re so smart!”

“Hah.” Zag’giel gave a single laugh. “In the distant past, we too were a king, and the master of a great city. We know enough of urban planning to tell that this is unnatural.”

“Right! That’s what I’m saying!”

“Then that is why you have led us upstream,” Zag’giel said. “You seek the source of the poison. After all, a practitioner of your ability should be able to simply purify the whole sewer at once. Your spells could cover a far greater area than those cast by the priests of the Church.”

“Got it in one! Nice going, Zaggy! Nothing gets by you!”

“Hmph. It is no great matter.”

Despite his words, Zag’giel held his head high with pride. Kanata took advantage of his position to pet his head lots and lots. All told, it was a win-win situation.

† † †

“We have seen much of the sewer, but this is exceptionally bad. The poison here is like a fine mist. Even the poison mushroom forests on the Dark Continent were not so vile as this.”

“Are you okay, Zaggy? It doesn’t hurt?”

“There is no need for concern. With your purification magic, our nose does not so much as itch.”

“That’s a relief! Tell me right away if it gets bad, okay?”

“What of yourself, Kanata? You have been channeling purification magic for a considerable time. Is your magic not running low?”

“Nope! This is nothing!” Kanata gave Zag’giel a bright smile. She hadn’t even broken a sweat.

“As ever, we are in awe.”

Magic power was not wholly separate from vitality. If a spellcaster were to overuse their magic, they would start to feel faint and sickly. It was similar to the symptoms of anemia. Kanata, however, had a ball of fluff on her shoulder that she could use for recovery anytime. She had no mental fatigue whatsoever. She would give him but one fluff, and her magic would be fully restored. She was a perpetual motion machine, running on the power of fluff.

“However,” said Zag’giel, “it seems that the road becomes more difficult from this point onward. Take care not to slip and fall into the water.”

“Okay!” Kanata replied.

Everything outside of her immediate area was shrouded in a green gas. It was impossible to see what lay ahead. Right now, this was confined to Undertown, but as things were, it would only be a matter of time before it spread to Midtown, and even Hightown.

“This raises the likelihood that these are the workings of someone’s scheme,” Zag’giel said. “Otherwise there would be no reason for the poison to grow thicker as we travel upstream.”

Ordinarily, sewer water would be more polluted the further downstream it went. For the opposite to be the case could only mean that the source was upstream. Kanata and Zag’giel had been right on the money. They reached the spot where the poison was thickest. All that was left was to find where it was coming from and—

“Wait.” Kanata stopped in her tracks. “Something’s moving.”

“Hm?! Where?” Zag’giel began scanning the area, when suddenly the sewer water erupted.

† † †

The sludge swelled up out of the wastewater, towering above them. It looked almost like a deformed clay doll. There were gaping holes in the sludge that resembled human faces, each screaming with anguish. Roaring and throbbing, it launched itself at Kanata.

“Bwaaaaoooooo!”

“Kanata! Stand back! This thing must be an amalgamation of restless spirits! They must have obtained a body by possessing the toxic sludge! Its grudges are spilling forth as poison. To touch it would mean death!” Zag’giel jumped down, intending to shield Kanata from harm, but once again missed the landing, rolled, and plummeted toward the water.

“Zaggy! Watch out!” Kanata caught him at the last possible second, but in the time she’d lost saving her companion, the sludge monster had come within striking range.

“Bwaaaaoooooo!” It wailed in torment, as two massive arms erupted from its back.

Kanata’s back was turned. It moved to grab and envelop her in its poisonous body. Anyone who was caught by that thing would die in anguish, even their bones welling up with sores. They would become one of the many dead spirits inside the monstrosity. With poisonous gas erupting from its body like steam, it grabbed hold of Kanata.

“Bwaow?!” The sludge monster ran straight into an invisible wall between itself and the girl. “Bwa... Bwaaaoooo?!”

“We see! Incredible! Your purification field is too strong for an evil spirit to penetrate, even with a corporeal body!”

“You will not touch a single hair of Zaggy’s fluff!” Kanata declared. “Only I may fluff him!” The parts of the sludge doll monster that touched Kanata’s barrier began to turn to white sand. Kanata narrowed her eyes and stared at it. “Is that thing the source of the poison?”

“We believe so. It seems that upon obtaining a body, its resentment and pain were transformed into physical poison.”

“Bwaaaaoooo! Bwaaaaoooo!” it bellowed, spreading itself out and striking at Kanata with a flurry of blows, hoping to break through the wall of purification. But each time it struck, the part that touched the wall turned to white sand. The sludge doll was getting smaller by the second.

“We do not know how such a thing came to pass, but if you had been any later in coming it would have only continued to grow. It may well have swallowed the whole of the Royal Capital in its poison. Kanata, it would be cruel to prolong the suffering of these spirits. Release them from this tortured form!”

“Yeah.” Kanata nodded. Then, addressing the monster, she raised one hand and closed her eyes in prayer. “This time, move on to your next life properly, okay?” she said. “I pray that you are reborn as something fluffy.”

Kanata’s purification field expanded outward like an explosion, instantly turning the sludge to white sand. Spirits spilled out, their curses broken and their visages at peace. Kanata watched them as they flew up and away.

“Well, that takes care of that,” said Kanata, opening her eyes. The sewer was as pure and clean as a temple, with white sand in piles here and there. It looked every bit like snow. “That has to have been the source of the poison.”

“Splendid work,” said Zag’giel. “We do not believe a priest could have performed a better purification. Perhaps you truly should have been a Saint, Kanata.”

“Well,” Kanata responded, “I never would have worked that hard to become a Saint.” Kanata’s power, of course, had only been obtained thanks to her training to be a Beast Tamer.

“May we ask how much of the sewer has been purified?” asked Zag’giel.

“Oh,” Kanata answered, “about the entire Royal Capital, give or take.”

Zag’giel was at a loss for words. “We... We see.” The Royal Capital was the biggest city in the kingdom, and Kanata had purified the entire sewer. Zag’giel decided not to think about it and nodded his head. “The reward for the request was measured in stride-lengths, was it not?” he asked. “Such a large sum might well damage the kingdom’s finances.”

You can imagine how the guild staff member reacted when they came to confirm Kanata’s completion of the request. Suffice it to say, they passed out from the shock.

† † †

By the time Kanata emerged from the sewer, the sun was setting on the horizon. When they saw her, the street toughs from earlier ran up.

“M’lady! You’re safe!”

Behind them, in the area where they’d shown Kanata the entrance to the sewer earlier, was a great gathering of sick townsfolk. There were old men with agonized coughs and children with great dark spots around their eyes. They regarded Kanata with skepticism. Did this girl really purify the poison that had been spilling from the sewer? It seemed hard to believe.

“There are more here than we anticipated,” said Zag’giel. “It will take days to see them all individually.”

“S-Sorry, cat-man! But everyone here is suffering. Can’t you do something?” the shorter man pleaded.

“Don’t worry!” said Kanata. “I’ve got this.”

With that casual reassurance, she held out her hands toward the gathered crowd.

“Ouchies go away! Ouchies go away!” she said in a singsong voice.

Incantations didn’t need to be any one thing in particular, but such a casual way of casting magic drew more than a few suspicious glances.

“Don’t be ridiculous, young lady!” said an old woman. “Such a terrible illness can’t be—” Suddenly she stopped in surprise. Her throat was clear and her voice worked perfectly. In fact, the sound of coughing that had filled the area just a second ago was completely gone. A soft green light was shining down from overhead, casting a gentle veil over the crowd and purging their sickness from the very root.

“Mommy! My chest doesn’t hurt anymore!”

“It’s not just my cough! My knees haven’t felt this good in years!”

“My eyes... I can see! I can see my daughter’s face again! I never thought this day would come...”

“My arm! My amputated arm is back!”

Everyone was bathed in the light and instantly became the picture of perfect health.

“That should help everyone get better!” said Kanata. As casually as she spoke, she had performed a great feat of magic—essentially, a miracle.

“Y-Your Holiness!”

“The Saint of miracles!”

“Our savior!”

The people clasped their hands together and fell down in prayer, worshipping Kanata.

“My Lady Saint! Your Holiness!”

“No,” said Kanata, “I’m a Beast Tamer.” It didn’t seem like anyone heard her. They were busy with their fervent worship. Kanata sighed softly and beckoned the two street toughs forward from among the crowd. “Are there fields in this town?”

“Y-Yes, m’lady,” the tall one said. “Merchants in the Royal Capital don’t sell enough to us Undertowners to get by, so we gotta be self-sufficient.”

“But the earth here isn’t very good,” the shorter one added. “We can’t really grow enough...”

“Well then,” said Kanata. “Take this sand and till it into the soil.”

Kanata opened her Inventory Screen and deposited a great quantity of white sand. She had been collecting this the whole time as she purified the sewers.

“This is the purified sludge,” she said. “It should be good fertilizer.” With the poison removed, the resulting sand was very high in nutrients.

“Y-You...! Even after the horrible things we tried to do to you, you would show us this much kindness?”

“Hmm...” Kanata gave the matter a little thought. “I didn’t exactly do it for you. People help each other out when they’re in need. I hope you’d do the same for me. They say you reap what you sow, don’t they?”

Yes, you reap what you sow. And Kanata was hoping to reap a rich harvest of fluff.

“Everyone,” she said, addressing the crowd, “please let me know if you see any good fluff. No matter where or when it is, I’ll come running!”

Kanata was more than happy to use her healing of the masses as an opportunity to get what she wanted. There was very little she wouldn’t do for an opportunity to encounter the fluff. It was the fluff, and nothing but the fluff, that guided Kanata’s every move.

“I’m looking for the fluff, okay?” she said. “I wish for the fluff. I do not need your thanks. I only need your fluffy fluffy fluff.”

However, the crowd had no idea what Kanata was talking about. They could only imagine that the fluff was a sacred phrase—a Mystery. They were still in tears at the awe of Kanata’s miracle.

“Your Holiness!”

“I knew it! This girl is a Saint!”

“My Lady Saint! Your Holiness!”

“No,” Kanata said. “I’m a Beast Tamer!”

It seemed like they hadn’t heeded her second objection to the term Saint any more than the first. The people were too busy giving their heartfelt thanks.

† † †

Zag’giel bit down on the huge hunk of meat, only to fail to sink his teeth in. “Mpf! This is tough!”

“Zaggy, hold on!” said Kanata. She took the knife lying on its side on the platter and began cutting the meat into thin strips. “You’re supposed to cut it up thin before you eat it!”

Even with the knife dulled by long years of use, Kanata was able to cut the meat as thin as wood shavings produced by a hand plane. The edge of each thin slice of meat was charred black, but the inside was an appetizing pink, almost transparent with how thin it was. This was the guildhall pub’s specialty: roast beef. It was self-service, in part because the staff liked to see the reactions of the occasional customer who tried biting into the meat directly, like Zag’giel had done just now.

“Open wide!” sang Kanata.

“Our thanks, Kanata.”

Zag’giel chewed on the meat, which was dressed with gravy. It seemed he had gotten used to this style of eating. Perhaps he was being corrupted by Kanata’s influence. Zag’giel felt a sense of danger—if he continued to let Kanata spoil him like this, he might never become strong. However, after centuries of loneliness, he found it hard to resist Kanata’s freely given kindness. In any event, he had no choice in the matter. A good servant did as his master willed. Or so Zag’giel kept telling himself.

“This is fantastic! Can this truly be the same dish as the hard ball of meat we bit into?!”

The meat, having been slowly roasted over the fire and cut so thin as to be transparent by Kanata’s brilliant knife skills, seemed to melt the moment it hit his tongue.

“Hehe.” Kanata grinned. “There’s lots and lots, so eat your fill!” With her wielding the knife, Kanata could cut the roast beef into a nearly limitless amount of thin slices. The chef watched from the kitchen, desperately envious of Kanata’s skill.

“Mm!” Zag’giel licked his lips, eating noisily.

“Awww! Zaggy’s so cute when he’s so into his food. It makes me wanna stuff him until he bursts!”

Kanata rested her elbow on the table and her cheek on her hand, fondly watching Zag’giel eat. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were shimmering. She looked for all the world like a maiden regarding her lover.

“Kanata, you should eat as well.”

“I might,” Kanata said, “if you’re the one to feed me, Zaggy!”

“Hm. We see your point. It would be awkward for only we to receive such care. Very well, we shall carry out this task.” Zag’giel clutched the fork in his two stubby front paws. He somehow managed to skewer a slice of roast beef, and did his best to carry it to Kanata’s mouth, but he was not used to walking on two legs. He stumbled. “Wah!” His round body rolled along the table, launching the roast beef into the air. It tumbled and flew and fell.

Not willing to let Zag’giel’s fluffy kindness go to waste, Kanata moved like lightning. “Thanks! For! The! Meal!” she said, and she caught it in her mouth with reflexes faster than a hunting dog’s. “’S nummy!” she said, chewing noisily. “Thanks, Zaggy!”

“I-Indeed. It is important to eat well.”

“Okay!” said Kanata. “Now it’s my turn! Ready for morsel number two?”

“M-Mmmf,” Zag’giel responded. “We still find this somewhat embarrassing. But if it is Kanata’s will...”

While Kanata and Zag’giel were having their little date, the reception area in the next room over was buzzing with activity. The cause, of course, was Kanata. Only yesterday she had taken down the two Roc Brothers, worth an enormous bounty, and then, just this morning, she had defeated a massive dragon. And now, when they had still not settled the matter of how to handle the bounty, she’d completed this request in a way that boggled the mind.

Kanata’s task had been simply to clean the sewer. Instead, for some reason, she had purified the entire sewer system of the Royal Capital and eliminated the source of the poison in Undertown. The curses of the vengeful dead had been transformed into poisonous sludge, spread throughout the sewer by a hideous amalgamation of evil spirits. If nobody had taken this request, it would have spread its poison farther and farther, gaining in strength until it attacked the hapless Royal Capital from underground. Kanata had done nothing less than save the lives of everyone in the city. She had been performing one heroic feat after another in these scant few days, and the guild was at its wits’ end trying to secure payment and confirm the accounts.

Moreover, it was dinnertime—the time when the great throng of adventurers completed their requests and returned home. They were lined up in front of the reception area, impatiently waiting their turn. If they cut in line, it would result in a black mark against them with the guild, so the violent adventurers stood waiting like they were told. But dinnertime was passing fast and the line hadn’t moved an inch. One angry male adventurer toward the back couldn’t let it slide any longer.

“Why in the hell are they so slow today?” he asked. “Gods, I’m starving...”

“Oh, didn’t you hear?” another adventurer said. “That lady over there completed some out-of-this-world request.”

“Oh, huh?” The man took a good look at her. “Wait, isn’t that the girl from earlier today?”

“I wouldn’t mess with her if I were you. Rumor is they jumped her all the way up to B-Rank.”

“Promoted on the same day she’s made an adventurer. Makes a perpetual D-Rank like me look like a damn joke. Who is she?”

“Kanata Aldezia. I’m sure you’ve heard of her. But who woulda thought she’d be such a cutie! It’s natural enough someone like her would be jumped up through the ranks. And that’s why, right now, we’re still waiting our turn.”

“Ahh, so that’s why that lot’ve started drinking without turning in their requests. Shit, wish I’d done that...”

He glared at a group of men who had already given up and gotten drinks at the pub. But he had already made it to the middle of the queue. It would feel like too much of a loss to back out now.

“Gods,” he added, “how long is this gonna go on? Could someone hold my godsdamned place?”

A man stepped out in front of the line—not an adventurer, but a middle-aged man in a well-tailored outfit. He bowed to the receptionist.

“Please!” he cried. “We beg your patience!” There was a huge clamor of voices, but the man raised his own above the crowd’s. “We guarantee that the money will be paid! However, we are currently over budget!” He bowed deeply. This was the government official who had posted the request to clean the sewer.

When the official had received a report that the request had been fulfilled, he had laughed scornfully at the sum of money being billed. The reward for cleaning the sewer was calculated by total stride-length. One stride was set at three copper coins. It was a terrible deal, so the request had sat untouched for a long time. But now an adventurer had taken it on. Because the reward was based on the amount cleaned, the guild did not have the reward money on hand, and they had sent the kingdom an invoice.

However, the sum quoted was five orders of magnitude more than he had expected. It was an absurd amount of money. There was no way that cleaning the sewer would come to such a tremendous figure. It was ridiculous. Perhaps the guild had made a clerical error. Newer accountants made such mistakes from time to time. An hour later, when the receptionist had explained the situation, the color drained from his face.

He had thought that perhaps the guild had made a mistake. Perhaps they had thought that the request was not to clean the Undertown sewer, but all the sewers of the Royal Capital. If that were the case, it would at least end the project after years of no results. In fact, it would be purely to their advantage. The kingdom was under no obligation to pay for cleaning done anywhere except the requested area, Undertown. When it was decided that the Royal Capital’s sewer should be cleaned in full, it took several thousand workers and a generous tithe to the Church to perform the purification ritual. It needed to be done time and time again, and the cost was in the tens of thousands of gold coins.

The sum the Adventurers’ Guild was asking was six hundred gold. It was a more than fair price for cleaning the entire sewer, but it was not a sum they had readily available. Six hundred gold coins was a large amount of money. It wouldn’t fit in the current season’s budget, but to fail to pay would mean a breach of contract. The Adventurers’ Guild was an independent organization that existed outside the king’s laws and had the authority to unilaterally try to punish those who violated their rules.

“We understand very well that we are in the wrong here!” the man continued. “However! The amount exceeds our remaining budget!”

“I-I see...” Melissa—the receptionist—choked out a poor response to the functionary bowing and groveling before her. They were unable to pay the reward for the request. She had heard that somewhere before. Just like us, she thought. They had just been in the middle of deliberations over what to do with Kanata’s reward for defeating the dragon and the rocs. Even if Kanata herself refused the reward, others might not be understanding. The guild had yet to think of a way to resolve the matter to everyone’s satisfaction. Confronted with a man in the same position as she was, Melissa couldn’t quite find it in her to be angry.

The client and the adventurer both had to sign a request—the adventurer promising to complete the task, and the client promising to pay the offered reward. According to the rules, if a client were to refuse to pay, the guild was to accept no excuse in collecting their money. But there was no obligation to press the matter right here and now. “Still,” said Melissa, “you can’t violate your contract with the guild.” Obligation or no, Melissa was a member of the guild’s staff. There was nothing else she could say.

“We will figure something out! The most we can give you right away is one hundred gold coins! I promise we will budget the rest in for next season, so please have patience until then!”

“Well, but...”

“Please! I beg you!” the man supplicated, pressing his forehead to the floor. This was dogeza, an apology technique from the far east. Incidentally, this man’s uncle was the headmaster of the Lulualas Academy for Girls.

“Um,” said Melissa, “doing that doesn’t change anything, you know. I’m just a member of the guild staff.”

“Please! I beg you!”

“It sounds fine, though, doesn’t it?” said Kanata, coming in from the side to join the conversation.

The functionary looked up at her, on the verge of tears. “What...did you say?”

“I said it sounds fine.”

“R-Really?! You’ll accept those terms?!”

“Yes,” said Kanata, “but I have terms of my own.”

Kanata’s terms amounted to the renovation of Undertown. The fundamental reason that Undertown lacked both labor power and money to purchase goods was that the residents of Midtown refused to employ them or trade with them. By putting a stop to this unjust treatment, Kanata argued, it would raise the standard of living in Undertown and also increase revenue for the kingdom, killing two birds with one stone. There was ill will and animosity aplenty between Undertown and the rest of the city, but Kanata planned to address the matter by interceding herself.

The residents of Undertown were now Kanata’s faithful. If the girl they revered as a Saint said so, they would happily obey. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not commit assault. Thou shalt practice honest work. The budget for this plan would come from the money she had earned for the request, excepting the one hundred she was to be paid immediately—a total of five hundred gold coins.

“Thank you! Thank you! We’ll carry out your plan to the letter, my lady!” Overjoyed to have come out of this with his job intact, the man gave Kanata a repeat of his earlier dogeza.

“Miss Kanata,” Melissa said as she processed the paperwork, “it might not be my place to ask, but are you really happy with this?”

Kanata gave Melissa a big smile. “I am very happy,” she said.

Kanata had told the people of Undertown to seek the fluff. With everything she was doing for them, they would surely find her endless amounts of fluff out of gratitude. Kanata couldn’t help grinning, just imagining her future surrounded by mountains of fluff.

Kanata had not properly communicated what she meant by the fluff, however, and “fluff” was currently being spread as a holy word by Kanata’s faithful, but Kanata had no idea.