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Beast Tamer Who Got Kicked Out From the Hero’s Party Chapter 42 Part 1

CHAPTER 42: ILLEGAL MINING OPERATION PART 1

It could be said that we had a slight hiccup on our way to the mine, but in the end everything turned out surprisingly well……

Just like that, we managed to reach the mine owned by Gantz-san without any further issues or interruptions.

We could see the entrance to the cave, reinforced by wooden frames.

There was also a trolley track that was laid on the ground.

They were probably used to transport the mined ore outside of the cave, where it could be ready for transportation.

And just like that one time a way back when we encountered bandits occupying a cave, we hid behind the nearby trees and I got myself ready to scout the place ahead of us for any enemies or possible dangers.

「At first glance the place looks to be deserted……」

「Since the mining has been shut down, is it any surprise that no one is there?　Are you seriously this daft, sister dearest? It’s just a common logic, an outcome like that.」

「Luna…… Ever since that Shadow Knight incident I can see that your mouth has grown increasingly more potty as compared to before. I guess it will be my duty as an older sister to correct that horrid way of speaking of yours. And maybe I should also teach you to respect your elders a little bit more!」

「Hoo, hoo. Nice retort, sister. I like that. I like that a lot. However, don’t hold it against me when I retaliate and you end up beaten up as a result!」

「Alright, you two. You can bicker with one another all you want later. But for the time being, just please be quiet.」

「「As you wish.」」

It’s good that they understand and listen to what they are being told, but then again……

In the case of Luna, because of her somewhat unpredictable personality, there is always the fear and anxiety of not knowing what she will choose to do or say next.

But at the same time, she is also really smart, so I don’t think that she would actively go out of her way to say or do something that would get us in trouble……

Suddenly, I saw a bird circling high in the air over our heads.

What is this?　Looking for a possible prey or something like that……?

No, that’s not it. Its movements were way too strange to be something so natural.

It was flying around in circles for some time…… and then it would just fly away from here in a straight line.
　
It was as if…… as if it was looking for something.

「Hey, hey, Rein? Why are we hiding here in the first place?」

The questions piling inside of my mind dissipated all at once when Kanade called out to me all of a sudden.

So I switched my thoughts and answered Kanade’s question.

「Think about it for a moment. Up until now, the ore was being mined here as usual, but then all of a sudden it came to a stop. Why do you think that is? What could be the cause here?」

「Umm…… because all of the veins have been depleted?」

「Well, that would be the most logical conclusion, a sort of first choice that comes to your mind. But there’s something that doesn’t quite add up for me with that completely natural explanation. What if there were other possibilities here?　What if there was someone else coming and going in here besides the Adventurers with whom Gantz-san had a contract?　I asked him beforehand about it, and he said he didn’t have any kind of a lookout in place.」

「So what you want to say here is…… it’s the work of thieves?」

「Yes, Tanya. That’s the correct answer.」

「Hmm, I see. That is certainly a possibility…… But, do you have any sort of evidence to support that claim?」

「Not really, no.」

「Huh?」

「It’s just that it’s one of several other possibilities. There are many other possible patterns that could be applied here…… Adventurers diverting the mythril onto the black market, monster or demonic infestation, natural depletion of the veins…… the list could go on and on.」

「Then, why are we even doing this in the first place?」

「If it turns out that thieves really are the cause of the mining operation coming to a halt, then we can’t just waltz in there as if we own the place, can we? When you are going in blind like that, you need to expect the unexpected, or else you can end up regretting it later. So, here’s what we are going to do: we are going to observe: is the cause thieves?　Or is it some other factor? Once we are going to be able to figure this out, then we can finally step inside and go to work.」

「You seem to be very cautious about this, huh?」

「That’s because you are all placing your lives in my hands, isn;t that right? And since this is not only about me, there is no such thing as being too careful.」

「Does that mean you’re worried about us?」

「Of course I am. You are my precious companions, after all.」

「I-I see…… Oh well, I guess that it’s just like you to be so nice and considerate for others, right, Rein? Let me compliment you on that one!」

「Nyah, Tanya can be such a tsundere at times, nya.」

「「Yeah, a total tsundere alright.」」

「Hey, you got a problem with that?」

The four of them surely got close to one another recently.

「…… !!! Everyone, be quiet!」

Suddenly, we could hear the sound of footsteps.

As if on cue, everyone quickly closed their mouths and focused on remaining silent.

In the next moment, two men with short and crude swords came out of the mine.

Were they perhaps bandits…… No, they had neither the appearance nor the vibe of bandits to me.

They looked more like Adventurers to me.

The two men drew their swords and started to walk straight towards the place where we were hiding at the moment.

「H-Hey, Rein……. Could it be that they actually knew that we were here from the start?」

「That can’t be right, can it?　We were just hiding here all the time so that we could watch the situation from afar, not making any noise. There’s no way that they managed to hear us all the way from the mine.」

「Are they using magic to detect us……? But still, there were no signs of Detection Magic being cast all this time, let alone any other kind of magical reaction in the nearest vicinity…….」

「Either way, we must assume for the time being that we have been found out and that our position is now compromised. What are we going to do?　You want to get out in the open and for us to mop the floor with them?」

「Yes, we are going to intercept them, but be careful not to overdo it. We need to make sure we know who it is that we are dealing with here.」