This was the second time visiting the company of the SS-rank makers.
The first time she came, she had been amazed by the shining purple barrier.
Seeing the protective shield that encircled the building, Hyejin said to Asha.
“That barrier seems amazing every time I see it.”
“Since it’s a company made by SS-rank makers, defending against external attacks is important.”
“Yeah. It feels like an impenetrable fortress.”
Hyejin smiled at Asha as she spoke, and Asha smiled back.
“Let’s go in. Last time we went to the product showroom on the 4th floor, but this time we’re going to the workshop.”
“The workshop?”
“Yeah!”
Asha, with her tail raised, walked smoothly into the building and continued.
“You can buy products made by SS-rank makers here, but if needed, you can also commission items. As I said before, there’s nothing SS-rank makers can’t create. Except for items meant to kill fellow hunters.”
Hyejin’s heart swelled at Asha’s words. She felt like she could get exactly what she wanted.
Hyejin followed Asha into the building.
***
“I’m sorry, but please organize all the items you’ve brought and place them here.”
Asha and Hyejin, who had tried to enter naturally, couldn’t help but be flustered right at the entrance.
“Why is this necessary?”
“The company’s policy has changed, so we’re conducting security more thoroughly. It may be inconvenient, but we ask for your cooperation.”
Hyejin reluctantly nodded and took out her phone, wallet, and such from her pocket, placing them where the employee requested.
A blue light sensor scanned the items Hyejin had set down.
Identity verification complete.
Asha was undergoing identity verification next to Hyejin, and beside them, numerous people were also getting their identities checked and inspected for dangerous items.
It was just like the checks before departing the country.
“We plan to proceed with the same procedures for entry into our company from now on, so we appreciate your understanding.”
After hearing the final greeting, Hyejin and Asha entered the company with somewhat displeased expressions.
“Hello. Oh, you’re the… F-rank hunter from last time?”
The employee who recognized Hyejin greeted her warmly.
Emphasizing the F-rank part felt a bit annoying, but Hyejin tried not to think too deeply about it and smiled brightly.
The employee was smiling too.
“You seem in a good mood. Did something nice happen?”
“Oh, I leveled up this time.”
“L-Leveled up?”
“Yes. I’m still growing too. I went from D-rank to C-rank. Everyone working here, except the makers, are non-combat hunters. Me, the cleaning staff, the delivery workers, the product display staff—all of us. Though our ranks are low.”
“Oh, I see.”
The employee smiled happily as she looked at Hyejin.
“Leveling up is hard, but this time it went up pretty easily. Anyway, cheer up, hunter who came with Asha. I’m not an F-rank hunter, so I don’t know how F-ranks feel, but if you keep working hard from now on, you’ll level up well too, right?”
She thought she had brushed it off well this time, but sure enough, the employee said something that grated on her nerves.
However, Hyejin didn’t respond to her words.
It would be a waste of time to engage.
Then the employee spoke again.
“Where should I guide you? To the 4th floor like last time?”
“No. Today, we’re meeting the makers directly to make a commission.”
“Oh, I see. Understood.”
The reception desk employee guided Asha and Hyejin to the elevator.
Walking a step ahead of Hyejin, side by side with the reception desk employee, Asha tilted her head curiously and said.
“The security has become quite strict. Did something happen?”
As if she had been waiting for Asha to say that, the employee let out a big sigh.
“Actually, our company has been extremely busy lately.”
“Did something happen?”
“Well… This is just between us and you, Asha. One of the items made by the company was stolen recently. It disappeared after some Blake Guild members visited, but we have no physical evidence, so we’re having trouble.”
Blake Guild?
Stolen item? With security this tight…?
Hyejin tilted her head, and the employee cautiously said in a small voice.
“You mustn’t tell anyone. Well, since it’s Asha, I’m not too worried. This time, someone in our company developed a gun that only affects monsters. Lately, especially, there have been more cases of hunters getting injured in battles with colleagues rather than monsters, which has been a headache.”
“A gun that only affects monsters. That’s quite a novel idea.”
“Yes, I think so too. It’s a good weapon that reduces hunters getting hurt. I heard it’s easy to operate not just for shooters who handle guns, but for regular hunters too.”
“Has the safety testing been fully completed?”
“Yes, of course. And the person who made that gun is very talented, so it’s truly a gun you can’t find anywhere else. I’ve only heard about it and haven’t seen the real thing. It was in a state where it just needed a patent, but then it was stolen.”
“If it disappeared after Blake Guild members visited, couldn’t you go to the Blake Guild and investigate?”
Asha asked with a serious expression, and the employee shook her head.
“That’s the problem. We only have circumstantial evidence, no physical proof. We can’t investigate the top guild in the country without evidence.”
Hyejin quietly nodded.
Indeed, investigating would mean suspecting that guild member as the criminal, so they wouldn’t take it kindly.
They might respond aggressively, and from the company’s perspective, it would be awkward to make enemies with such a large guild.
“When purchasing products and leaving, you have to pass through the door with the method sensor at the entrance, so there’s no worry about theft from the start, but for commissioned products, there’s no separate barcode. This is the first time it’s become a problem.”
“Without a barcode, the sensor can’t read the product, and to make matters worse, there are no security cameras in the workshop. The SS-rank makers asked not to install security cameras in the workshop. They eat and sleep here, so installing cameras would invade their privacy… Of course, as they say, fix the barn after losing the cow—we’re hurriedly installing security cameras in all workshops now.”
“Theft, huh. At least it’s fortunate that it’s not something harmful to humans. As long as you can find it, there shouldn’t be a problem. It’s a product with completed safety testing, right?”
At Asha’s words, the employee slowly shook her head with a worried expression.
“I thought so too, but I heard that shooters sometimes modify guns according to their level. Since our company’s products are handmade, when purchasing, you sign a contract. There’s a no-modification clause, so if you try to modify it, you’re stopped by the power of the contract. But since it’s not a product bought through official channels, it can be modified as much as they want. They could add dangerous functions through illegal routes too.”
“Then the hunter who stole that gun could also modify it in such places.”
“Moreover, that gun is one that hits the target 100 percent once set. They left a manual with that description in the workshop, and the maker said it seems the culprit who saw it stole it. Hearing that makes it even more unsettling.”
“Which part?”
“The reason we suspect the Blake Guild member isn’t just because the product disappeared after he visited. That day, the guild member went to the maker who developed the gun and commissioned a gun. A gun stronger than any other.”
“A weapon that allows even an F-rank hunter to exert SS-rank power. We can make weapons that allow power beyond one’s rank, but we refused because we can’t make one that lets an F-rank exert SS-rank power, and after that refusal, the gun was stolen…”
“A gun stronger than any other? Why would they need that?”
“Exactly. That’s what’s unsettling. And lately, the bad rumors circulating about the Blake Guild keep turning our suspicions into convictions.”
It took quite a while just to wait for the elevator, perhaps because there were many visitors today.
During that time, the reception desk employee talked nonstop, and Asha, seeming quite interested, kept asking questions to draw out more stories from the employee.
“I’m curious what rumors about the Blake Guild are circulating to make you say that. We haven’t heard anything in particular.”
“Actually, since they’re rumors, it’s hard to say they’re credible, but it’s true that bad rumors are increasing. Especially lately, there are even talks that they’re feeding dangerous drugs to guild members to increase their strength.”
“My friend partied with Blake Guild members and entered a dungeon, and said the Blake Guild members there looked just like zombies.”