The gatekeeper, Haiba, had a sense of satisfaction and pride in his work that surpassed anyone else's.
The gatekeeper of the Nerester family, one of Hexagram!
In fact, for a commoner, this was akin to achieving great success.
As the Nerester family was a magic family, from gatekeepers to maids and chamberlains, all servants had to be proficient in magic to a certain extent.
From the perspective of other families, one might question how valuable magicians were being used in such a manner, deeming it a waste of resources.
But for those entering the world of magic, there were plenty willing to become janitors as long as they could enter the Nerester family.
'Just by getting inside, not only can one elevate their status, but they can also have access to high-level magic that they couldn't even dream of outside!'
Haiba had entered the Nerester family with such intentions, and even though he was just a gatekeeper, he was quite satisfied.
'After all, unless you're insane, there's no one who would pick a fight with Nerester's main house... If I pass the regular exams, I can always transfer to another position. So, Haiba Tencent! You'll make your mark in the Nerester family no matter what!'
What made the Nerester family shine brightest among the Hexagram was that the gate was always open, and as long as you proved your abilities, you could receive rewards accordingly.
The fact that the head of the Melvinger family, which was only rumored until then, became the disciple of the head of the senate, was a prime example of this.
'Now that we've joined forces with the magic royal family, how much higher will the Nerester family soar in the future? And me there, hehe...!'
Just as Haiba was swelling with dreams of grandeur,
Knock, knock!
"I'd like to have a word with you."
A woman stopped in front of Haiba, making a sound with her shoes.
Haiba suddenly came to his senses and was about to reply, but was completely speechless.
It was because the person speaking was a very beautiful woman.
With hair as beautiful as a shower of stars.
Green shining eyes.
Even her slender shoulders and calm demeanor.
If Tasha, whom Haiba respected, was the epitome of a haughty and noble noblewoman, the woman in front of him was a fragile impression that naturally evoked a desire to protect.
Should I say it's like the difference between a cat and a dog?
However,
Contrary to the woman's demeanor, Haiba couldn't calm his heart at all.
'W-What's that hanging on her back...?'
Despite her slender figure, the woman was carrying a massive sledgehammer on her back, much larger and thicker than any ordinary hammer.
It seemed to be over two meters in length, and the hammerhead was ominously glowing red, sending shivers down one's spine just by looking at it.
"Y-Yes...! P-Please, go ahead and speak."
Haiba didn't even realize that his voice was trembling.
Despite wielding a terrifyingly large hammer, she spoke with a surprisingly gentle tone. Haiba was completely overwhelmed by the strange atmosphere.
"Is this place 'Hill of Fog,' the main house of the Nerester family?"
"W-Well, yes, but..."
"Oh, thank goodness. It seems I've found the right place."
The woman breathed a sigh of relief.
"Um, may I ask who you're looking for? P-Please show some identification."
"Identification, you say?"
"I-I'm afraid if you don't have any identification, I can't allow you to enter..."
"In that case, I'll have to give it to you."
With a strange smile, the woman reached behind her.
"Here it is."
"…!"
And moments later,
BOOM!
With a huge explosion, the main gate of the Nerester family was shattered.
Ding-dong-ding-dong!
The warning alarm signaling an intruder blared loudly.
***
"What... what's that sound?"
Tasha paused for a moment at Sean's words, then her eyes widened as the warning alarm to evacuate the house suddenly sounded.
'Intruders have entered?'
'Who in their right mind would dare?'
The magic installed in the main house of the Nerester family was notorious, not only among scholars but also among the nobility and common folk alike.
Rumored to be a labyrinth from which one could never escape once entered... No, even entering was nearly impossible, a den of demons.
So even skilled thieves who were confident in their abilities tended to avoid meddling with Nerester's main house.
"W-Wait a minute!"
However, Sean abruptly fell into thought and then sprang up from his seat, rushing outside.
"Hey! Where are you going!"
Tasha yelled loudly, but Sean seemed to ignore her completely.
'Could it be?'
Tasha belatedly recalled the phrase Sean mentioned earlier: "The Melvinger afraid of a Melvinger."
If that's the case, it would mean that Elric's older sister had come in person.
But there was still something she couldn't understand.
'Even if she has a Melvinger-like temperament and vents her anger at the main house... the warning alarm wouldn't be triggered so easily, would it?'
The gatekeeper of the Nerester family was not just a mere guard of the main gate.
They were the face of Nerester.
In other words, they were exceptional mages.
With at least 5th-circle of proficiency, any disputes would typically end with little more than a scuffle.
But that wasn't all.
Even if she managed to overpower the gatekeeper, the Defense team on standby would be immediately deployed.
Considering each of them had demonstrated remarkable prowess on the battlefield as outstanding battle magicians, the concept of "intruders" was simply inconceivable.
Yet, the alarm had sounded?
It meant that an intruder of at least magus-level had appeared.
However, Sean had clearly stated that Elric's older sister had sacrificed herself to take care of her younger brother for her entire life.
That statement implied that Elric's older sister didn't possess exceptional talent for magic.
Given the decline of the prestigious magic family, even concentrating on one person would have been overwhelming.
Thus, it was natural to assume that Elric's older sister was an ordinary person, making the possibility of her being the intruder even less likely.
Yet, despite all that...
'Why did Sean think she was Elric's older sister?'
Something felt off.
'Somehow... it feels like there's something I don't know.'
Suddenly, the thought that Elric's older sister might be as interesting as Elric himself crossed Tasha's mind.
Tasha immediately used 'Levitation' and swiftly made her way toward the main gate.
And then...
".....Oh."
She couldn't help but let out a light gasp.
The smell of coal was thick, and the sight of the front door, which was almost completely destroyed, caught her eye.
Gatekeeper Haiba, along with the Defense team's battle magicians, all wore faces filled with disgrace and defeat as they glared at the intruder.
The intruder was a slender, blonde-haired beauty.
However, despite her slender figure, she held a fearsome large hammer in one hand, just looking at which was terrifying enough.
Sean, who had moved first, was sweating profusely as he tried to persuade the intruder.
Although the intruder still exuded a menacing aura.
"Oh, Young Miss!"
"Young Miss Tasha has arrived!"
The members of the Defense team turned pale as soon as they spotted Tasha.
It was as if a lifeline had finally been thrown to them in their desperate situation.
One of them stood up boldly and shouted loudly at the intruder.
"You wench! Do you know who our Young Miss is? You've caused such a commotion! Now you'll pay with your life—"
But he had to abruptly fall flat on the ground before finishing his sentence.
The hammer flew right in front of his nose in the blink of an eye.
Knowing that standing still would result in his head being smashed like a watermelon, he quickly activated his "Agility Enhancement" memorized skill to barely dodge the attack.
"Why does it sound like a fly buzzing around? What a nuisance."
The woman chuckled as she pulled back the iron chain attached to the handle of the hammer, retrieving it effortlessly.
Although her tone couldn't have been more amiable, her demeanor was equally fierce.
Therefore, both Sean and the Defense team were utterly dismayed.
'Who is she...!'
'How on earth can she handle that heavy hammer so effortlessly?'
'Is she... a monster?'
Even though she didn't seem to be generating any special aura, it was amazing that such a small body could freely handle a hammer that must have weighed dozens of kilograms like a toy.
And the fact that she easily subdued the defense team "lightly" without causing any fatalities made her even more intimidating.
Anyone with a decent level of skill would have been able to assess her appearance and characteristics, but they had no clue about the intruder's identity.
It was as if she had fallen from the sky out of nowhere.
"Oh my! Are you planning to meddle with me as well?"
The intruder now turned her cold gaze towards Tasha in the sky.
She seemed ready to rush towards Tasha with her hammer raised, even though capturing Tasha in the sky seemed impossible. Nevertheless, her fierce demeanor suggested she might pull it off if she were determined enough.
The problem was, Tasha wasn't one to be underestimated either.
"Is that so? It sounds like it could be fun."
Swoosh!
Tasha summoned a barrage of fireballs similar in size to when she had threatened Sean, laughing mischievously.
With both women poised to clash, Sean, who was caught in between, had to intervene urgently.
"Elder sister Heize, please stop!"
The intruder addressed as Heize turned her head towards Sean, still smiling gracefully like a crescent moon.
"Why should I do that?"
"Please, just look at me..."
"Hmm."
"E-Elric... I'll somehow bring him!"
Sean seemed on the verge of tears.
Finally, Heize sighed and relaxed her grip.
"Fine. But I will give you three hours."
"Yes! I'll do whatever it takes to bring him, even if I have to tie him up by the scruff of his neck!"
Sean glanced at the Defense team, hoping Heize might change her mind.
"What are you all waiting for? Hurry to the labyrinth and bring back that Elric brat!"
"Yes? Oh, yes! Understood!"
The Defense team seemed perplexed, unable to grasp how the situation was unfolding. However, seeing Sean's desperate expression, they quickly started running towards Augustine's territory.
"You shouldn't just stand here. Come inside and wait for Elric," Sean urged.
"Yes. Please, go ahead."
Heize smiled brightly as she hung her hammer on her back.
Yet, Sean couldn't help but tremble because there was no way he could not have known the message contained in that smile: "Cross me, and you'll regret it."
Thanks to that, Tasha also had to retrieve the fireball along the way.
While Sean might have been scolded for trusting the intruder to lead them inside, Tasha was taken aback when she noticed a mark embedded in the center of the hammer.
'What's that?'
Because it was the mark of a mercenary corps that has recently become the most famous in the mercenary world!
Black Skull was a mercenary corps made up of a small number of elites, and each member was known to be skilled and had achieved A-rank or higher.
'Why would they...? Could it be that Melvinger's daughter is a mercenary?'
It was astonishing enough that a female from a prestigious magic family, revered for centuries for its exceptional magic prowess, could wield a hammer with such ease. But to be a highly skilled martial artist in a rough mercenary world known for its lack of formal training was even more surprising.
'No, even if that's the case... why would she cause such a commotion if she's not our enemy?'