"...the only thing that comes to my mind is that you must be the other person that Stein sensed when we investigated the damages in the more shady part of the Jade City… The one whose presence somehow mixed with Melinda's... Sorry."
Zane took a deep breath and pointed out, definitely not without his suspicion about the maid's identity.
"It isn't wrong of me to assume that you… retain the memory of her because you two are in a party together, is it?"
He added, looking over at Melinda.
"I hoped to say that's not the case, but if even you forgot about her, then the answer is most likely yes."
The gold-haired girl breathed out and nodded with a somber expression.
"...would it be okay for me to join your party while you…? Huh… I didn't confirm anything, did I? Are you out here because of the Kobolds?"
Zane asked hesitantly before furrowing his brows in realization and asking.
"Yes. We do want to check on the rock munchers. Depending on what demon got to them first, it might be best to get rid of them early."
Melinda nodded and filled him in… conveniently not including anything about the Silva Head that might have been lurking in the same area, but once again, not straight-up lying either.
She then reached out her hand for a handshake with Zane, and the monstrous man joined their party.
"Hmhmhm~"
As the link was properly formed, Melinda hummed. Instead of letting go of Zane's hand, she merely changed the way she held it, intertwining their fingers affectionately and leaning against his shoulder, beaming with joy.
"My lady… I don't think this is appropriate behavior in public…"
"Then let's get away from the public's eye~ We can return here for a meal later."
The maid cleared out her throat and reminded Melinda, but the gold-haired girl wasn't bothered by it at all, so she opted to leave the town instead.
"That's not what I…! Young Zane! Please tell her something!"
The maid called out in disbelief, turning to the white-haired man for aid.
*chuu*
"I just so happened to have the path to Kobold's quarry memorized from the last time I was in the area. I will take the lead."
"Please, do~!"
But instead of trying to speak some reason into Melinda, Zane ended up leaning down to kiss her hand and chuckled, seeing the girl's golden eyes sparkle with pure happiness.
"That's not what I meant!"
The maid cried out after the pair, who began to leave without her before finally giving up and trailing them.
"..."
Just as the tiro disappeared out of sight, a certain green-haired King stepped out from inside the ruined farmhouse with a rather troubled expression.
Ace Adonis.
He was checking out the abandoned building on behalf of a town resident who had decided to buy the property.
Ace didn't want to eavesdrop or hide.
Initially, when he noticed the girl who seemed too similar to his best friend's younger sister sitting by herself at the edge of the well, he wanted to approach her and properly greet her, maybe even inquire about the reason she was in the area instead of going back home…
…but then he was stunned by the rather uncanny entrance of the white-haired monstrous man and the rather… unabashed display of affection…
Certainly, that didn't fit Lazurii's description of his younger sister, whom he was telling Ace about at every opportunity.
Lazurii's little sister was supposed to be madly in love with the rather carefree and certainly brash crown prince of Diamondium Kingdom.
And then, when the brown-haired maid joined in, and they all left, Ace lost his chance to reveal himself properly.
"...wait… they said they are going to Kobold's quarry…!"
Suddenly, the green-haired young man flinched and gasped to himself in realization before forgetting his promise to one of the townsfolk and following after the trio.
—---
The place described as the Kobold's quarry was a rocky valley surrounded by bare mountains. If one had some poetry in them, they could describe the scene as akin to the hands of a giant coddling a delicate treasure, but in all honesty, it was more like a soup bowl.
Interestingly enough, although it was rather apparent that the valley itself was carved out deep by the short, scaly humanoid monsters called Kobolds. At some point, those creatures known for their stone-based diet seemed to pick up mining as a hobby and began digging tunnels into each mountain surrounding their settlement…
Back when the world was only a game, Kobolds could be found in mines, but only in small groups - nothing anywhere near the primitive village that the ones that particular Kobold's quarry seemed to have going on.
Places like that were reserved for small-scale raid events.
"...umm… Zane? Adi? Could you help me out here? I cannot spot the banner of allegiance…"
Melinda asked as she and her two companions were looking down at the quarry from a convenient vantage point at the side of the mountain they scaled and then descended half-way.
"I… don't see one either…"
After a moment, the white-haired monstrous man spoke up in a hesitant voice, as his distorted, venomously green eyes shifted from one stone hut to the next.
"If either of you don't mind, what do you mean by a banner of allegiance? Are Kobolds separated in factions…?"
The maid accompanying them, for some reason, spoke up and furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Wouldn't that make them rather smart and self-aware…? They don't fall under the intelligent races umbrella, though…"
She added in a hushed voice as if embarrassed that the knowledge she had gained to help her master was out of date.
"Oh, that's a common opinion, alright. Not factual knowledge, though."
The gold-haired girl admitted without taking her eyes off the figures of the short lizard-like humanoids going about their day.
".…?"
"...oho…?"
Just as Melinda was about to begin an explanation that was outside the common knowledge, some commotion below got her attention, just as it did for the other two…