Fiona frequently met with the Adventurer's Guild receptionist, Auretta.
She had a reason for that.
Auretta had some kind of connection with Ashtal and the others.
That's what the results of her investigation showed.
For Fiona, this was a report she didn't want to believe.
What was written in the report was just the testimony that she had met with Ashtal and the others on many occasions.
It can't be concluded that she was suspicious with just that much.
In the beginning, she wasn't that suspicious of her.
However, as soon as she heard more, her suspicions deepened.
Of course, she couldn't do something as foolish as directly asking her what her relationship with Ashtal was.
She'd only been using 'How have you been recently?' and other common phrases.
In their discussion, Auretta didn't even mention them.
Even when she asked about her life in the guild.
Fiona felt that she was hiding something about them.
In other words, that means that she had something she didn't want Fiona to know.
"What's wrong, Fiona?"
It seemed that she'd been spacing out while thinking.
Seeing that, Auretta called out to her, worried.
"No, it's nothing."
Fiona saw Auretta home.
She's not very high ranked, but she's still a noble.
Her house was in the high class residential area.
Auretta's house is on the way there.
Thus, it was just fine for her to see her home.
Of course, at Fiona's class, she could just use transfer magic to return her immediately though.
Thus, that was just an excuse.
They walked on a side road away from the main street for a bit.
As they approached Auretta's home, Fiona placed her hand on her sword, and put up her guard.
"Wh,what's wrong?"
Auretta lost her presence of mind at Fiona's abnormal condition.
She felt signs of hostility in her surroundings.
Their numbers exceed 10.
Even when Fiona put her guard up, the suspicious people showed no signs of withdrawing.
Do they not know of Fiona, or are they making light of her?
Whichever it is, she has to figure that out with her body.
Fiona pulled her sword from her waist.
A man wearing a mask and hiding face came out from the shadows without making any sound.
However, once he was at a certain distance, he stopped coming closer.
When Fiona took a step forward, he took a step back.
When she went even farther ahead, more enemies appeared from behind her and headed to Auretta.
Since she anticipated that, Fiona quickly turned around and cut up her enemies.
One swing of the Divine Sword Krau Solas.
The enemies were easily sliced, and stopped moving.
Her enemy saw that and without getting upset at all, just maintained his distance.
Her enemy's objective was, as expected, Auretta.
Fiona understood that, and decided to retreat immediately.
Fiona wouldn't lose to enemies of this level.
However, it'd be risky to do that while protecting a civilian.
If one of her enemies was a transfer magic user, they could kidnap her in a moment's gap.
Therefore, Fiona tried to immediately use transfer magic.
"Like I'd let you run."
There was one person who noticed her transfer magic.
They readied their sword, and charged at Fiona.
The moment their sword hit Fiona's abdomen, she transferred away.
By the next moment, the two of them had transferred into Fiona's house.
"Ar,are you alright?"
Auretta was anxious of her, and Fiona nodded coolly.
With that assailant's attacks, she wouldn't be hurt very badly.
She applied healing magic, and healed her wound.
"Haa, now I just have to ask, don't I?"
Fiona sighed.
"Auretta, the people from just now were aiming for you."
Hearing that, Auretta tilted her head.
"For me……? For what purpose?"
"If you're seriously asking that, then I guess I can rest assured."
Fiona offered Auretta to sit in a chair.
The two sat opposite of each other at the table, and continued their discussion.
"The truth is, you're being suspected right now."
Auretta's complexion changed a little.
Fiona who saw that, said 'Ah, I knew it', and confirmed her suspicions.
"It's not that big of a deal. Honestly, I think it'd be fine even if we leave you alone."
"Then—-"
"But this is the king's order. Plus, now that you've gotten involved in this, I can't just leave you alone."
Interrupting Auretta's words, Fiona spoke with a firm tone.
"It's about that a certain guy who's become a popular topic recently, and his comrades. We don't know their true identities, and they're a little suspicious."
To Auretta, who she was referring to was obvious.
"You have information about these people. Right?"
Auretta doesn't answer.
She's not allowed to answer.
A curse that will kill her if she answers was casted on Auretta.
She had no intentions of speaking to anyone.
That's why, even she doesn't know how much she's allowed to speak of.
However, since she's in this situation, she's regretting not asking.
Because if she asked, she might be able to reveal some of their circumstances, and been able to relieve the friend in front of her.
"Today's attack was either to seal your mouth, or to abduct you and make you talk. I wonder which one it was?"
Under whose influence were they ordered to attack them?
They don't have any information, so they can't judge that.
"It couldn't have been to seal my mouth."
Auretta declared.
However, Fiona doubtfully asked her.
"How can you be so sure? Are they people who you can trust that much?"
As expected, it seems that even the hero doesn't know of curse magic.
Auretta once again realized that her master was on an entirely different dimension.
"You can think of it that way."
That was all Auretta could say.
It'd be pointless for people to try and get information out of her.
This is because as long as she's cursed, she'll die if she tries to talk.
Although, it may be possible to get a few words out of her.
"Anyways, stay here tonight. Rather than just today, it might be longer than that though."
Fiona can't trust her with just her words.
Since it's come to this, she has to bring this to an end quickly.
Fiona resolved herself to do that.