GILF Hunter

Chapter 365 Construction

Ian looked around the construction site where workers were gathered.

Several people were busily moving back and forth, and equipment and materials were being laid out as preparations for construction were in full swing.

This was the mercenary group’s land, newly contracted through the Guild not long ago.

’Ah, you’ve arrived.’

One person supervising the site noticed Ian’s arrival and approached, extending a hand.

’I’m Jun from the Architects’ Guild, in charge of this site.’

’I’m Ian.’

After a brief greeting with the person in charge, Ian looked up at the site where construction preparations were underway. What stood there now was a building that wasn’t very large.

Jun, standing next to Ian, pointed at the building and explained.

’Demolition won’t take long. We can start the work soon.’

’I have to go on an expedition soon, so I won’t be able to see the start of construction.’

’Yes, well, clients from mercenary groups are often like that. Leave it to us.’

Jun nodded confidently as if telling him not to worry.

Merchants were always picky throughout the construction period, but on the contrary, mercenaries were clients who had almost no interest in the work on-site.

Regarding the results of the work, as long as the specifically requested parts were made properly, most clients tended to be satisfied with the outcome.

’But, you see...’

Jun glanced at Ian’s face, then approached cautiously and asked Ian.

’About the contents of the request. Is that really correct?’

’Was there something strange?’

Jun asked, recalling the contents of the request he had received through the Guild.

’It says that after demolition, you’re not putting up another building... but just to dig up the ground?’

’Yes. That’s right.’

Ian nodded.

It wasn’t even doing foundation work, just asking to dig the ground deep. Jun’s expression became increasingly peculiar as he listened.

’How deep should we dig?’

’Until something comes out.’

’I see...’

He had wondered if that was the case, and indeed it was.

Jun could only then roughly understand the situation. He then spoke to Ian with an even more cautious attitude.

’By any chance, did someone who says they can use prophecy magic come to see you? That’s a scam they do by teaming up with the landowner. Things like saying treasure will come out if you dig the ground...’

Jun spoke to Ian with a serious face.

He had already been wondering why the land was purchased at a high price with a premium, but it seemed he had been played.

’It’s fine. Just dig a reasonable amount.’

’...I can’t take responsibility even if nothing comes out.’

Jun seemed to have received similar requests often.

Especially since mercenaries were superstitious, they were often fooled by individuals who talked about prophecies and such.

It was even more so because items that could occasionally perform something like a prophecy were sometimes unearthed in the Labyrinth of Labyrinths.

’I don’t know what kind of fellow the scammer is, but he really hooked a big one.’ Jun had an expression that looked like he wanted to say that.

Well, since he said he’d do it, there’s no helping it.

Jun shook his head from side to side where Ian couldn’t see, and saw Ian off as he departed.

The current request was only to dig the ground, and there was nothing particular to do by staying at the site, so Ian turned back as he was.

’But are you really going to build a hot spring there?’

Rin, who had followed Ian out since morning after hearing he was going to see the nearby construction site, asked with a slightly strange look in her eyes.

’Was the hot spring we went to back then really that good?’

’No. It’s not that I’m doing it because I like hot springs, it’s because that’s a good place to build a hot spring.’

Rin still had a face that didn’t understand.

’Can a hot spring come out even if it’s not a hot spring zone?’

Rin didn’t know the detailed principles of how hot springs are formed, but she knew at least that a hot spring doesn’t just come out if you dig the ground anywhere.

But suddenly a hot spring in the middle of Labyrinth City. A bathhouse would have at least made sense, but a hot spring was nonsense.

Of course, Ian didn’t mean that a real hot spring like the one in Mirsil would gush out. He meant that a hot spring could be built.

’It’s not a real hot spring, but you should see it as something similar.’

Ian thought about whether there was anything similar among what he had seen so far, remembered something to use as an example, and told Rin.

’You remember the Fairy Spring we saw in the Labyrinth last time, right?’

’Ah, yes. The spring where food came out?’

...Is that the image she remembered it by?

Anyway, Ian explained using that Fairy Spring as an example.

’That’s just ordinary spring water. It became a spring like that because fairies stayed there.’

Fairies are spirits that like to move across spaces, collect items, or give gifts. The effect of the Fairy Spring could be said to be the power of the fairies who stayed there.

It sounded like a bit of a sudden story, but Rin vaguely understood what Ian wanted to say.

’Then... does that mean if something like a fire spirit lives there, the groundwater becomes like a hot spring?’

Ian nodded after hearing Rin’s example.

If it were simply a fire spirit, only ordinary hot water would gush out. Of course, that alone would be enough to operate something like a bathhouse or a hot spring, but what was in that place was not a hot spring of that level.

It increases affinity with spirits, and from stamina recovery to erosion treatment.

A healing spirit hot spring with every kind of recovery effect attached to it.

It was the only hot spring tile in this city.

However, Ian couldn’t watch over that construction the whole time. Since it was almost time to enter the Labyrinth again.

’By the time we come out of the Labyrinth, the hot spring construction will probably be almost finished.’

’Are you really going to enter the Labyrinth right away?’

’Wouldn’t it be better to go while everyone’s bodies are still warmed up? We don’t have that much time either.’

’Time? Isn’t this plenty?’

Rin, having roughly calculated the time remaining until the Labyrinth’s entry prohibition period, asked with a puzzled face. In Rin’s opinion, it wasn’t to the extent that one could say there was no time.

But Ian’s time calculation was much more conservative.

Ian shook his head and said to Rin.

’We also have to consider cases where we fail and have to enter a few more times.’

’Would it be to that extent... Miss Frey said our skills would be sufficient.’

It was the evaluation of an A-rank mercenary who went in and out of the Labyrinth like her own home. Considering practical experience, in some ways, her eye could be said to be more accurate than Ian’s.

Even in Ian’s eyes, the current party’s combat power was sufficient.

But that was strictly a theoretical story. The difficulty of the Labyrinth is ultimately determined by a combination of randomly decided terrain, monsters, and events.

There were cases where the terrain was strange or the combination of monsters was nonsense, and there was also the possibility that monsters with very bad compatibility would appear.

It was essential to set aside enough time to the point where it might be considered excessive.

Since deciding the schedule was the captain’s authority, Rin nodded as if she understood.

We just have to succeed in one go, and spend the rest resting leisurely.

Rin spoke confidently.

’Ah, that’s right. I learned how to pick treasure chests there. Next time a chest comes out, leave it to me! I’ll definitely open it!’

From how to pick the lock of a treasure chest.

Avoiding flying arrows just by listening to the sound, identifying what kind of trap it is by listening to the clockwork sound, stopping a descending iron gate, and so on.

Rin was in a state where she had thoroughly learned how to deal with various traps that come out of treasure chest rooms from Frey.

’What kind of training did you receive there...’

’Because she said I had to be able to deal with all traps...’

Since most malicious traps are concentrated in treasure chest rooms, if you learn how to deal with them, you’ll be able to deal with most traps. That was the theory.

On the surface, it sounded quite plausible.

’Was that person’s liking for treasure chests not because of a curse, but her original personality?’

’From what I hear from the people over there, it seems that’s likely the case...’

He had thought it was because of the [Treasure Obsession] curse he had seen when he briefly checked the status window last time, but it seemed that liking treasure chests was her original preference.

Rin, glancing at him, smiled slightly and asked Ian.

’So, you’re leaving the chests to me, right?’

’No.’

’I heard that if I’m at this level, I’ll be able to open silver-bordered treasure chests without dying!’

’It’s still too dangerous, so no.’

Rin flopped onto the ground upon hearing Ian’s firm answer.

’Then... why did I go there and perform such hard training...’

’Did you only learn how to open treasure chests there...?’

’A bit of monster weakness analysis and trap theory too...’

Rin added the story of theory classes with a slightly unconfident expression.

Of course, Frey wasn’t the type to care about theory, so the theory classes were handled by the person who was said to be the vice-guild leader instead, while sighing.

Well, even if she spoke like that, seeing that her stats rose quite a bit every time she visited, the effect of the training was certainly certain. Things like reflexes were stats that were also quite helpful in combat.

Since Frey was a type of person who solved most things by instinct, Rin’s effort in passing that method of education that said to develop instinct anyway was worth considering to some extent.

In the end, Ian nodded to Rin, who was looking at him with sparkling eyes.

’Alright. If it’s something that’s not very dangerous, I’ll let you open it.’

’Ah, really!’

Rin’s expression brightened instantly as she stood up and hugged Ian.

It was a few days before the Labyrinth expedition’s departure.