"Alright, little girl? Who are you?" - Mira

After we slapped the monkeys and snakes away and constrained the bandits and had the Boss Monkey take them back to the village (along with Milo. Let's have the monkeys gain some merit, and bananas, from the chef), Mira turned her attention to the little girl who had been fawning over me all this time.

...Mira? Could you please not look too much into this girl? I'm glad that you waited until when there was no one else here, but... I secretly Identified that girl while I was busy tying up the bad guys with my strings, and...

Name: Filyn Belial | [President of Nequitas] Race: Lilith Gender: Female Level: 55/80 Traits: 10 Karma Value: -200 Main Class: Netherworld Blade Mistress Lv.50

ERROR!! Cannot obtain more information.

Yes. I do NOT want to mess with this person. And [President of Nequitas], doesn't that mean she is Blot's boss? What am I talking about? OF COURSE, SHE IS!

"Mira, please show some respect." - Garami

"Hmm? Do you two know each other?" - Mira

"No, and I'm not sure I want to know..." - Garami

"Aww, what's wrong? I'm feeling saddened~. People like us, leaders of evil organizations, should stay on the same page, little Miss Darkness Championness~." - Filyn Belial

"...Never call me by that name, and I'll humor you. But what is this about evil organizations? I'm leading a proper Guild!" - Garami

I couldn't stop myself from playing the straight man to the big boss' foolishness.

"A demon-led organization isn't an evil organization? Do you not have grunts dressed in full-body tights? Any enemies dressed in colorful outfits?" - Filyn Belial

What are you? The villain in an old sentai TV show?

"...Let us do this from the beginning. I am Garami, the leader of the Nightmare Voyagers Guild. Got no last name. And you are?" - Garami

"We're going that far back? What a pain... My name's Filyn Nequitas. I'm a no-name demon from Solomar and the boss of the Nequitas Security Company. I'm very pleased to meet you~." - Filyn Belial

Hmm? Why did she say such an obvious lie?

"(Psst, Master! Your [Identification]'s effect is stronger than most thanks to it being integrated with the core of the [Gamemaster] skill! I am surprised she could keep part of her information a secret at all! While she is not dedicating her skill build to it, she is putting many resources into keeping her identity a secret.)" - Bloom

Bloom gave me some input without showing herself or letting other people hear her. A good call. So this girl wishes to keep her identity, or her "family", a secret? Hmm...

Solomar is a country built on 72 royal families, and if my guess is right, "Belial" must be one of them. I'm smart enough to put 1 and 1 together to get 2. Whatever this girl is carrying on her small shoulders, she has a royal pain of a problem. Let's keep clear of it as much as possible. Heck, this little lady may have deliberately only shown so much to make anyone who Identify her question her motives and get involved. Like we are right now anyway...

"Nequitas? Oh, so you're Blot's boss." - Mira

"Pretty much~. He is acting as my vice-president~." - Filyn Nequitas

Why are you suddenly acting like a lady in love?

"And why is the CEO of a famous security company here on this island?" - Garami

"I hitchhiked a ride in your boat's secret storage room." - Filyn

"You WHAT?!" - Garami

"How did you do that? And what secret storage?" - Mira

"That's a secret~." - Filyn

Ugh, now I'm starting to connect the dot. That ****ing bastard Karion didn't wanna kiss up to the chef. Getting some good connections with a potential rival to stop them from taking all the quests previously aimed for the Union? Or maybe he wants a partnership? He did mention that the Union's swamped lately.

"And your reasons?" - Garami

"A secret hideout. Do you know how dried out that market is these days?" - Filyn

"Please be serious." - Garami

"I am! And there are always people watching my every move, so it wouldn't be a secret if I didn't survey the location incognito. How is a girl supposed to obtain her private adult playground nowadays!?" - Filyn

Crap. This girl is being serious. Serious about fooling around! And she IS older than she looks. Heck, "Lilith" is a C-rank demon that you could call the succubi race's answer for a combat maniac.

Speaking of which, I shouldn't try to get on this girl's bad side. Both her race and that crazy-strong-sounding class she has is discouraging me from getting on her bad side.

"Yeah, whatever. We have a chef and his cat to take home, so you go and enjoy your...secret hideout-ing. Bye-bye." - Garami

"See ya never!" - Mira

My partner, she's the best..., at catching on quickly.

"Huh?! Wait! Isn't this when you're supposed to follow the pretty girl everywhere and help her on her quest?!" - Filyn

"Says the CEO businesswoman who's faking her age." - Garami

"I KNEW IT! In that case, smell you later-!" - Mira

"I'll hire you as bodyguards and triple your pay." - Filyn

*ZOOOOM!!*

"Pleased to be at your service, ma'am!" - Mira

...Tch. Blot must have blabbered.

---

"...so you see, we're going to have to return right after we dump you two, along with the assortment of various bandits to the city guard, over at Velantas. Mind if we take care of the payment at a later date?" - Garami

"Dear god, that sounds troublesome. But I understand. You adventurers have to stick together." - Marcus Pollen

After I returned to the village, I gave a quick rundown without mentioning anything Nequitas-related to the chef. He's believing that we're about to assist an adventurer who was exploring the island while on a quest to map the place. Someone who's been here for so long that they didn't know anything about the catnapping or anything. Good thing this guy's not as sharp as his kitchen knives.

"*Meow *(this girl is hiding something)." - Milo

...And once again, I'm feeling that this cat is a big loose mouth. Too bad even my [Language Adaptation] skill can't understand "meow". It only works on "intelligent languages".

"Is it fine that we're leaving you and Mira here with this adventurer then?" - Alf

"Just get back ASAP. And use our half of the bounty for these guys," I said while kicking the literal mountain of captured crooks, "to buy more survival gear and weapons. We're going to need it."

"...Okay. I do not know what is going on, but I know better than to ask. Just one question: who is getting the other half?" - Alf

"Of the bounty? The apes. Just remember to convert the Sol into 'divine fruit'." - Garami

I saw off Alf before heading to where Noire was killing time preparing some sorta accessory. Hmm, banana-themed. Is she planning on selling it to the monkeys for a quick buck?

"What is it? Just so you know, I am not planning on staying on this island any longer than I possibly can." - Noire

"Is that the way to speak to your GM? But your wish will be granted. I need you to do an errand for me. Deliver this here to Blot when you arrive at the city." - Garami

I handed Noire a black envelope written on with gold ink. It's something I got from that little edgelord CEO.

"......G-G-G-Garami...? Wh-wh-wh-where d-d-d-d-d-did you obtain this...!?" - Noire

Whoa-, what's happening?! Noire started to look like her SAN points just went into the negative!

"Ehm, from our new quest giver?" - Garami

"...Guild Master, I am sorry, but my chronic 'cannot work for little demon girls' sickness will strike after I deliver this letter. Do you mind if I take the rest of the year free?" - Noire

"Nope. You specifically have been requested by the customer by name. No fleeing, no escape!" - Garami

Noire looked like the world had ended. I think I remember her mentioning once that she used to work for the CEO before being officially part of the grunt forces of Nequitas. She must have developed some traumas during that time. Now I fear for my future...

It took us a while, but we managed to stuff all the criminals into the boat's storage containers, and the trio + one cat sailed off toward Velantas. Now I need to return so I can entertain (read: prevent the island from getting cut into pieces by a bored "little" demon lady) Miss Nequitas until they return... yay...

With heavy steps, I said farewell to the monkeys and headed for the former snake waterhole. "Former" in that the giant snakes have left the place. That area is giving them bad memories now, memories that include ghosts and horrible music. Poor fellows. I still don't like snakes that much though.

"Hey, demon girl!" - ???

A voice came from the river that led to the waterhole. It took a while, but I finally noticed the giant water snake, the Pure Lake Dragon that used to be one of the Water-Knot's floor bosses, hiding in the water. Wow, he sure is easy to miss when he decided to go stealthy. I need to up my information warfare game soon. I've been "honored" of witnessing just how lacking I am in that department, even if it should technically be my best subject.

"What do you want?" - Garami

"Just wanted to thank ya." - Pure Lake Dragon

"Huh? Oh, right. No prob." - Garami

"And come with 2 pieces of news for ya." - Pure Lake Dragon

Greaaaat. More "good news".

"The first thing is that my older brothers, the two guys you people helped earlier, said it was fine for you to take over the location at the waterhole. They've been thinking about leaving this country for a while now anyway, even before that horrible musician arrived." - Pure Lake Dragon

Hmm? So, nothing's different from before? ...Oooh, now I get it. He's saying that the giant snakes aren't gonna go and demand the return of the area if they decided to overcome their trauma. That's...surprisingly good news. Hmm? Then the next is...

"And the other thing I wanted to tell is that the big boss..., you remember the giant dude from the Dungeon?" - Pure Lake Dragon

Giant dude...? .........! CRAAAAAAAP!! He's talking about the King Cobra!!

"It looks like you do. Now, that guy-" - Pure Lake Dragon

STOP!! STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP, STOOOOOOP THAAAAAT!! I don't want anything to do with that freak of nature! I'll die! Be blown to pieces by a tidal wave concentrated into a single water blast!!

"-he's currently living on a different island. A 'volcanic' one, I think it was called? Anyway, he has a problem, and I think you would be the one to help him." - Pure Lake Dragon

"NO WAY!! I'm not gonna go close to any volcano, or any giant monster snake!! You hear me!!?" - Garami

"Hey, you forgetting who you're talking to?" - Pure Lake Dragon (giant monster snake)

".........I meant a more gigantic-than-gigantic type of giant!" - Garami

"Ah, that type. But it's not that I'm telling you to go and help that more-gigantic-than-gigantic-giant..." - Pure Lake Dragon

"...? Yes? Go on." - Garami

"I think it's better to let your curiosity handle the rest. So long!" - Pure Lake Dragon

Wha-!? Hey, come back! Don't just drop some strange foreshadowing and flee, you coward!!

...Tch. He's not only stealthy in the water, but he's also got the speed of a racer boat. I can't catch up. Besides, I'm a bad swimmer. Not enough to be an anchor, but still...

Ah, whatever. Volcanos + boss monsters = no way I'm getting close to that island! But now I should consider placing my future Dungeon in some location that watery snakes don't like. Maybe a desert?

*CLANG!*

A loud metallic sound could be heard from the waterhole area. What are those two doing now!? I specifically asked Mira to stay and keep an eye on that crazy CEO..., hold on. Wouldn't it be deferential to place her so close to a source of big money? ****, this ain't good.

I ran the last bit as fast as I could and saw the two girls standing in front of the locked door I discovered when I was looking for Milo. And it's been cut down. No need to guess who's responsible for this.

"And WHAT are you two doing?" - Garami

"Little Champion of Darkness~. Isn't it obvious?" - Filyn

"First, don't call me that either. And second, let me rephrase: WHY are you two cutting down some old, mysterious door? ...One that seems to have kept back a lot of miasmas, from the looks of it." - Garami

Strange, black fumes were flowing out from the now-broken door. It looks obviously bad for your health, but it also looked strangely familiar to me...

"Of course it has! What else did you think an old, forgotten secret passage leading to a cursed place filled with the undead like Tir na Nog would be contaminated with?" - Filyn

Necromancy! That's what it reminded me of! And Tir na Nog?! The place I specifically wanted to visit sooner or later?! ...I'm starting to dig this CEO's style.