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With Frank’s words, everyone returned to their posts.

The geezer was looking timid in the corner of my vision, but I ignored him and went to the reception.

Though the game tournament had ended, there were still people playing go and shogi on a few tables. It was honestly bad manners, but since they weren’t doing it while eating I was closing my eyes on it.

“Nadia, please raise your face.”
“But…”

She was a blonde, blue-eyed beauty, one of the elves who came as the geezer’s guards. She was a big shot that everyone in the spring village knew the name Nadia of the Flaming Bow. She was noble and elegant, and many girls in the village adored her as an older sister. Looking from the side, they looked like juniors in schools that looked up to their seniors.

Someone like that was currently bowing her head toward me, all eyes on her.

It wasn’t quite on the level of York’s prostration, but since she wasn’t an opposite gender(?) it felt about as bothersome.

“The Elder can no longer live without you. Could you please reconsider?”
“I refuse.”

My resolute answer made her drop her shoulders in dejection.

The Eyes of God showed me that the reason she looked a little worn out wasn’t only due to stress.

“Why don’t we have a meal? I will make something.”
“Y-Yes… Please and thank you.”

Elves were an exclusive race and because of the Crystal Pillars they were protecting as well as the disputes with other races who came to kidnap the elves, their wariness was in another league.

They were somewhat receptive since I was the one who provided them with the inn and dining hall, but if you asked whether they were able to live normally, the answer would be not at all.

As such, I decided to go with egg porridge and cream stew full of vegetables so it wouldn’t burden her stomach.

That’s all it was supposed to be, but…

“… That s̲h̲i̲t̲t̲y geezer always ate stuff like this, so now he keeps complaining that everything tastes bad…!”
“But even my appetite’s gone down ever since Illya left.”
“I mean, I’m the same!”

Pizza, xiaolongbao, kitsune udon, spring rolls, paella… The elves, who grew in number before I knew it, were devouring every kind of food that was presented before them.

It turned into a large gathering so I had them move to the second floor, but it was still fine until that point. Elves drank wine too, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt and gave them fruit wine… or rather, cocktails, but it was a poor move.

“That geezer doesn’t deserve our Illya!”
“““EXACTLY!”””
“You don’t want anyone but Illya, he says?! Maybe fulfill your responsibilities before being so selfish!!”
“““EXACTLY!!”””

During the party, one of them grumbled while the rest cheered in agreement.

… They were really full of grudges, huh? My condolences.

According to their talk, the fact that I cared after the geezer was a bad thing.

He was apparently complaining about things like, ‘food tastes bad’, ‘you have a bad performance’, ‘you can’t even insta-kill that level of an enemy?’ and so on. Always going, ‘If it was Illya… if it was Illya… if it was Illya…’

By the way the private rooms had soundproofing by default, so the geezer wouldn’t overhear them.

So stay and grumble away. I’ll also take some measures myself.

During the evening, Frank finished his curry and then enjoyed the tea with the specialty sweets that he brought back as souvenirs.

They were a kind of torte that reminded me of Sacher torte, so I was thinking of adding it to the menu along with Linzer torte once I improved it. The thing you make with less sugar but plenty of fresh cream.

The reason I was thinking about sweets was that I wanted to escape reality.

“…So you’re against it, after all, Illya?”
“Yes.”

Frank scratched his head in trouble at my immediate answer.

The thing he wanted to discuss with me was the outcome of the Union Guild’s main and branch division conference… the construction of the arena.

He apparently went to Ector to negotiate that.

“Is it due to the worsening of public safety?”
“That’s part of it.”
“…There’s more?”

I nodded as he knitted his brows.

Then I opened the plan documents I was handed over and pointed out a clause from it.

“It says something about capturing monsters and having them fight with the participants, but monsters will attract more monsters.”
“Is that related to the increase in monsters that you spoke to Ector about…?”
“No, this is different. Even if monsters increase along with humans, they fundamentally remain in their sphere of life.”

The exceptions happen when humans approach them, or with the increase of Magicules and under the influence of miasma. Or maybe if a demon or an evil god manipulates them.

“However, it’s a different story if the monsters remain in the human habitat.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Monsters of the same kind, that is, the same species, have a general idea of each other’s location and rough state.”

It was thanks to this ability that they could discover new individuals during the breeding season.

Then what would happen if the monsters of the same species sensed that their brethren were attacking humans in their stimulated state?

“So they would call for friends, huh?”

Like Frank’s mutter, anyone who had experience fighting with monsters would arrive at that conclusion.

More accurately, their excited state… their destructive impulses toward humans would be the thing leading the other monsters here, but the result is the same so there was no need to correct him.

“And there’s one more thing.”
“…Okay, please tell me.”
“Monsters that remain in the human habitat for too long have their forms and abilities mutated.”

It was understandable for Frank to be shocked to hear this, but this information was quite well known to a certain kingdom that captured monsters to research them.

That said, the cause was still considered to be unknown. It hadn’t been discovered that the Umbracules emitted by humans had been responsible for enhancing their intelligence and leading them to mutate into humanoid forms.

“I don’t know how big the mutation would be or when it would happen, so the danger risk is unknown.”
“I see… Looks like there’s no other way but to strengthen the security to deal with that.”

I actually could tell quite well based on what the prototype species was, but I decided to keep quiet as it hadn’t been discovered by any kingdom yet.

I felt sorry for Frank who fell silent, but just having him aware that it could get us surrounded by monsters was good enough.

“That said, I’m a mere receptionist. If that’s what the Guild has decided, I will not object.”
“…I’m glad to hear that.”

Saying so, Frank leaned onto the sofa.

He didn’t seem physically fatigued so it must have been the mental one. That said, I don’t think the matter of monsters should be making him that stressed.

“Did something happen there?”
“Hmm? Ah, no, nothing much.”

Looks like it did.

Well if he doesn’t wanna say it, fine with me… Just as I thought so, Frank continued.

“They glorified the Luneville branch for having no discord with the kingdom and being highly trusted by the guild members.”
“…I see. My condolences.”
“Tell me about it. I wish I took you along, Illya.”

Ehehe. I didn’t say or let it show since it was Frank, but no way.

The reason their relations with the kingdom worsened was that they weren’t managing the domains they were respectively in charge of, and the bad reputation among their members was mostly because they are doing nothing but revel in the Union’s superiority.

I want no part in being stuck between their ugly envy and irresponsible expectations while turning the blind eye to their own shortcomings.