Huge Holy 72

72 - My first crime was nothing special

RAW

Me and Midia went on the emergency quest and sure enough, it's a construction site for a large-scale commercial facility in the Wesker District.
They said that almost all plants were completely withered and wooden materials have been set on fire.
They believe there is some business sabotage occurring. They want us to do something about it.
...I had a bad feeling about this from the start.

When I asked Midia to perform the heat-sensing magic [Heat Sensor] at the construction site, as expected, there are several fire-element magic stones buried in the ground here as well.
When I told the site supervisor the truth, he couldn’t quite trust me, so I had no choice but to forcefully dig up the ground and show him, and he could do nothing but accept it.
I tell him in no uncertain terms.

“There have been similar cases in Cameron district. This is a phenomenon where geothermal energy... fire-element magic essences are generated under the ground. I am sure you are aware that I Confederacy has been experiencing a lot of geothermal problems of late.”

Rather, I wish you’d at least do a geological survey before starting construction.
For the time being, if they want to turn this place into a commercial facility, they could do a geological survey under the supervision of experts and turn it into a hot spring resort or something, or they can build an industrial zone utilizing geothermal energy here.
I gave that advice.

I will meddle as much as I can, but I am only an adventurer.
I kept it to the bare minimum.
The site supervisor seemed to be fumbling around, saying, “A tourist resort, no, if so, we’re behind compared to Cameron district... but, this place has its own.”

It's not a particularly wasted resource.
When it comes to things that can be used, there is tourism, industry, or in this different world, fire-element crops. Anything can be utilized.
The problem is whether or not people can make good use of them.
And when it comes to making use of them, problems also emerge――just as Midia and I were about to head home.
The people around us were making a stir.

“What the hell, that's... hey, something’s coming from over there!”

“It’s... it’s a dragon――――!!!”

It really turned out... the way I expected, huh.
A flock of dragons passed over our heads, breaking the glass affixed to the commercial building one after another due to the vibration of the wind pressure.
Glass splinters are a nuisance, so I immediately restore them using restoration magic [Repair].

Is it their wild intuition?
On rare occasions, a flock of dragons goes around the area of I Confederacy.
Their target is undoubtedly the fire-element crops.
The kind that have scents that attract monsters, like the [Crimson Berry] I told Christoph and the others before.

Aah... I gave them advice that the place with high geothermal energy would be the best place to raise [Crimson Berry] and the like, and then that whole area was targeted by dragons, so they called adventurers to exterminate them... that's the scenario.* (T/N: ‘the place with high’ isn’t in raw. Also, the ‘scenario’ is the katakana raw, kanji is ‘script’ or ‘scenario’)
Will I Confederacy become more animated as dungeons are no longer the only thing it has going for it, and calls adventurers from neighboring countries, or even focuses on training adventurers, to deal with threats such as dragons?

“Senpai.”

Midia calls out to me and I come to my senses and say, “Shall we go back to the guild and report?”
However, Midia, whose facial muscles do not move, pointed out.

“Dragon, looking forward to defeating it.”

“...Ha?”

“Senpai’s smile just now.”

...

“You’ve seen wrong.”

I cover my mouth with my hand and walk away as if nothing had happened.
Personally, in order to attract adventurers and tourists from other countries, I’d make a railroad that uses geothermal energy――an isekai land transportation system.
Transcontinental one is also a possibility.
Although that would almost be ripping off the US of my previous life in my previous world.

But it's not a bad plan, right?
If they don't plan on instituting national couriers, they should use the land transportation system to carry agricultural and industrial products made with geothermal energy, as well as raw materials and necessary supplies for these products.
Yes. People aren't the only ones who can carry things. Even carrying things is quite difficult in this different world.

...I have to convince someone of this plan before I'm dispatched to the academy.

Just as Midia and I returned home from the guild.
As we are about to pass the front of the apartment house we call home, Midia suddenly puts herself on guard..

“Senpai! That guy.”

When I casually followed Midia's gaze, I saw a single man there.
A straight-laced, tall man dressed in a jet-black robe, with the light clothes he wears underneath also black, to blend in with the darkness of the night――
That guy is in front of my room, staring scrutinizingly for some reason.
No, we know who this guy is, so we knew right away he was sizing up the security magic circle in my room.

“Garda. You're still alive, huh?”

The one over there is one of the former A Empire adventurers, Garda, an Assassin.
A revolt broke out in A Empire. The elite adventurers and the Knights Order fought each other resulting in almost all of them dead. This was investigated by the new A Country, and announced by B Republic, but...

As for why I remembered him, he was the only one who listened to me and gained wisdom.
Because, like Midia, he had become an excellent A-rank adventurer.
Moreover, since he has a darkness element, he is good at breaking magic circles.
Did he try to break into my room? Other than cash, I don't have much of anything though.

Garda snorts unfavorably and holds something out to me.
...It’s just a letter. Just in case, I cast analysis magic on it, but there didn't seem to be any strange mechanism on it.
Garda observes my and Midia’s state, and opens his mouth with a sour look on his face.

“I've just been requested to deliver this to you. Don't be so defensive. As usual, you use some disgusting magic circle. Even more vicious than E Kingdom elves’.”

“...I'll take it as a compliment.”

The sender is... there is only R written on it.
Wha... Oi, no way.
Having connected everything, I ask Garda.

“So the one who taught him magic circle breaker is you.”

“Who knows, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I'm the type of person who will follow along as long as they give me money. This time's request to deliver a piece of paper was just another legitimate transaction.”

I didn't teach the magic circle breaker to that guy... Randy.
Rather, isn't this guy the main cause that spurred Randy on.
Garda blurts out some unexpected words to me as I glare at him.

“Just, this client lamented that you disappeared from W Country, so he's bored out of his mind.”

“...Ha?”

Bored.
While I was agitated, Garda disappeared from our sight.
...Originally, I thought he was doing crime for fun, but could it be I’m also the cause of Randy running to crime?
While Midia goes to check on her room, saying, “Maybe he has gone inside.”
I look at the contents.

The text was extremely simple and contained only one sentence.

[Next time I'm over there, I'll say hello]

――――

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