I Had a Favor to Ask

「All right. Time to head back.」

I've defeated the monster, but I still have something to do. In fact, the important stuff starts now.

No one would believe me, a D-ranked adventurer, if I said I took down a Heaven-Rending Lightning Dragon. But if I don't step forward, they'd a.s.sume that the Raid Boss destroyed itself and all my hard work will have been for naught.

I got some valuable materials, but it'll take some time for me to able to process them. If I asked someone else to process materials with unknown origins, I'll just get reported to the authorities.

I just hope my plan goes smoothly. And so I hurried back to the town of Desire.

After a while, I spotted Mylia on the road back to town.

Good. First step cleared.

「Mylia!」

「…Eld?!」

Mylia looked at me like she just saw a ghost. It seemed she wasn't expecting to see me.

「Where'd you go? No wait, forget that. You should get away from here, quick! The monsters are coming. I'm staying here to stop them!」

It looks like she was here to stop the monsters. Even with her recently configured Skill Tree, she can't stop an army of monsters alone. Not like there will be monsters in the first place.

「I killed the Raid Boss. There won't be any monsters.」

「…What?」

Mylia stood there, dumbfounded.

「Here's proof.」I said, showing her the horn of the Heaven-Rending Lightning Dragon.

I'm sure she hasn't seen the monster before, but a look at a part from a strong monster, and you'd know the power contained within it. All the more so for an experienced adventurer like Mylia. One look and she should know that this monster part is on a whole different level, nothing like she has ever seen before.

「Eek…」

She took a few steps back upon seeing the horn.

「Do you get it now?」

「Y-Yeah. I thought you'd be able to take down an S-ranked monster… Did you really?」she said, and for a while she just stood there in a daze.「I guess you saved my life.」 she muttered.

This is my chance. It's time to realize my goal.

「Yeah. If I didn't defeat the Raid Boss, a Heaven-Rending Lightning Dragon, you most certainly would be dead. So as thanks, I want you to do me a favor.」

「All right. I'll do anything I can.」

「…Did I hear that right? Anything?」

Nice. I got a good answer. She's an honest woman so she's not gonna like what I'm about to ask of her. Having her word beforehand helps.

Now I just need to verify one thing.

「First, I have a question. Where were you when I was gone?」

「I stood guard here to protect the evacuees from the incoming monsters.」

I see. Any other situation and I would say that's suicide… But I have to thank her recklessness this time.

「Was anyone with you that time?」

「None. It's a suicide mission. No one else would take the role.」

「…So that means no one saw you since then?」

「I suppose.」

Perfect. My efforts would not have been for nothing.