Volume 4 Chapter 45-2 The Silver Shadow Goddess
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Command Bracelet?! Or sending Tifi to the front lines… Which do you want me to pick?”
”I refuse. No way.”
I answered right away.
No chance am I letting Tifi go to the front.
Those demon sardines are her protectors.
Her safeguard.
”Well, yeah. Fine. I’ll just accept things as they are. In the end, she saved the base. Just having the demon sardine swarm circling above keeps the small monsters away. People even call her ‘the Silver Shadow Goddess’ now.”
Silver Shadow Goddess?
I glanced to the side.
Tifi’s cheeks were flushed slightly, and she was averting her gaze.
She looked shy, embarrassed… but not totally against it.
That was her expression.
The sight of her commanding the shimmering silver demon sardines floating in the sky must look like something divine to the people.
Her beauty just adds to it.
For the adventurers saved by her, she’s practically a goddess.
Tifi earning such a title… makes me feel like an even bigger loser.
I’m just a pervy guy at love hotels.
”Um… I’m sorry, Mr. Taro. It’s just… that I’m the one who──”
”Forget it. One day, I’ll try to be called ‘the Silver Shadow Boss’ or something, too.”
Tifi giggled softly, teasing.
That smile eased the tense atmosphere a little.
President Iznes, in the corner, cleared his throat quietly.
”…About the demon sardines… I won’t say much anymore. They don’t cause harm, and in fact, they’re helping protect the base. But… a Bronze Rank adventurer shouldn’t be able to control a monster like that. That’s a whole other matter. But for now, I won’t press it.”
His tone stayed calm, but his eyes were sharp.
Still, he didn’t force the issue, which I appreciated.
He trusted us, at least for now.
Iznes leaned forward, casually tapping the map on the table with his finger.
”Next, tell me. Did you see anything deeper in the forest?”
The air changed completely.
Now it’s serious.
We’re getting to the core of it.
”Yes. The monster we identified was a large zombie. I can’t say for certain, but… that form, I believe it was a dragon.”
”…You’ve got to be kidding.”
Izness’s eyes narrow sharply, a piercing, razor-sharp stare that stabs through the air.
”And more, we saw multiple figures cloaked in black robes. They were following behind the dragon zombie. They weren’t far apart ── it looked like they were trailing it.”
I keep my gaze steady and explain calmly, without hesitation.
”Which way was the dragon zombie headed?”
”Toward outside the forest, in the direction of our base. We saw it, and then we immediately retreated.”
”That was a wise choice.”
”But, along the way, we heard an explosion ── battle sounds, like a roar or screaming from the dragon zombie. We don’t know who they were fighting, whether they were adventurers or someone else.”
I choose not to reveal the full truth or lie outright ── just lay out the facts as clearly as I can.
”So… a dragon zombie, huh?”
A heavy silence falls over the scene.
Izness’s face darkens with increased hostility.
Understandable.
Honestly, the fact that such a monster was wandering inside the forest is like a natural disaster.
Of course, in reality, we’re the ones who defeated it.
But I have no intention of talking about that.
”We’ll organize an urgent investigation team immediately. Can I count on you to guide them?”
”Yes, absolutely.”
That’s only natural.
The goal is clear ── Izness needs to quickly grasp the situation, wipe out any monster remnants, and end this rampage before more damage is done.
”Anything else you’ve noticed?”
Though his tone is flat and matter-of-fact, his eyes are piercing straight at me ── intense and unwavering.
”Anything else…?”
”Right after the rampage started, a giant magical tornado appeared deep in the forest. Even from outside the base, it was clearly visible. You guys were around there at the time, right?”
So they’re coming here next.
Honestly, we did it ourselves ── that’s Lifia’s Spirit Magic, a 9-character spell.
The power was so immense that a chunk of the forest was torn apart, leaving a crater nearly a kilometer wide.
I stay calm, my face unreadable, and respond simply.
”Yes. We were definitely near that area. We felt the loud roar, strong winds, and vibrations like the earth itself was trembling… an abnormal phenomenon was taking place.”
”Did you not go to check it out?”
”Honestly, I couldn’t tell if it was a huge monster rampaging or if some other adventurer cast a spell. Deciding to go into the eye of that tornado? That was just too reckless. Too dangerous.”
That’s the honest truth.
We could have easily gotten caught up in it if we’d been there.
There’s no shame in that judgment. It was the right call.
Iznes kept his hand on his chin, staring at my face for a long moment.
”…So, you noticed the phenomena itself, but you didn’t understand the cause or the details.”
”Yes. I apologize.”
Silence fell thick in the air.
Eventually, Izness let out a small breath and nodded slowly.
”…Very well. We’ll form a rescue team. You’ll guide us again to the site.”
”Understood.”
I quietly lowered my head.
A wave of relief spread in my chest.
For now, this was enough.
The real question is what the investigation team will report after seeing that dragon zombie and the crater.
How long can our excuses hold up?
The surge of panic is mostly resolved.
But it’s not over yet.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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