『There's a saying that if a dog wanders about, it might get hit with a stick, but...』
"Woof."
I let out a bark as I faced the stunned Captain Serena on the holo-screen.
『Originally, that saying warns one not to take unnecessary actions in order to avoid misfortune, but... Well, I was the one who ordered you to move out in the fist place, I suppose. In any case, you sure do tend to attract trouble.』
"Well, regarding my unusual propensity to encounter trouble, just picture it like this – Instead of the dog getting hit with a stick by chance when it's walking about, the dog actually exerts some sort of mysterious force that causes other stuff apart from the stick to come flying towards it. It's not something to brag about though."
『That truly isn't something you can be proud of. For now, please put off restoring the ship you captured and leave it anchored at Volks Secundus. We'll investigate the interior as soon as we join up with you.』
"Roger that. I'll compile the data storage devices we managed to collect before handing them over to you. Oh, I can also have Mei analyze them directly. How about it?"
『There's no problem with handing them over, but if you can proceed with the analysis yourselves, then it would be a big help.』
"Aye aye, ma'am. I'll do as you instructed."
『Please do. We'll finish reorganizing as soon as possible and head over there. Well then, transmission over.』
I returned a salute to the saluting Captain Serena on the other side of the line, and the transmission was cut.
"You heard all that, right? Sorry, but please inform Tina and Wiska of Captain Serena's instructions."
"Understood! I'll contact Mei-san as well."
"Yeah, thanks. I think I'll go with Elma... Right, you come with us as well, Kugi. We'll pay a visit to the local Mercenary Guild branch."
"Yes, My Lord. I shall be glad to accompany you."
Dr. Shouko was probably holed up inside the lab again conducting her beloved research, but I gave her a call just in case. She'd probably think there'd be nothing that'll satisfy her intellectual curiosity at the Mercenary Guild, but I better give her a call anyway.
"So this is the Mercenary Guild! Wow, it's like I'm in an amusement park. How exciting!"
"..."
"Sorry."
After seeing Dr. Shouko behave like an excited child the moment we entered the Mercenary Guild building, Elma gave me a reproachful gaze. Uh, I didn't think Dr. Shouko would get this excited... There just are some stuff even I can't anticipate, okay?
"Ahem. Dr. Shouko?"
"Nn? Ah, my apologies. Researchers like me don't get many chances to come to the Mercenary Guild. I did have some interactions with the Security Department and Foreign Businesses Department though. I mean, one of the biggest reasons why I agreed to board your ship was my admiration for the mercenary lifestyle, remember? Until recently, I've only ever seen it through holo-movies and novels, okay? And now, I'm finally here in person! You understand where I'm coming from, right?"
"You sure are talkative today... Okay, I get it. I get it already, so please don't overdo it."
"Mmhm. I understand."
Dr. Shouko responded and displayed an innocent-looking smile. The expression was quite rare for her, who usually had a cheeky grin on her face. Be that as it may, I do hope she tones down the excitement a bit. Right now, so-called space pirates with unusually high-performance weapons and equipment have been running rampant within this star system. Due to that, her lighthearted attitude might seem provocative to some.
"Tsk. What's with that woman...? Acting all carefree."
"They should be new faces. Those pretty girls will probably end up as playthings of those damned space pirates before long though. What a waste."
The was a lounge-like area near the entrance, which was a fair distance from the office counters.
Whether or not such a space was set up depended on the Guild branch in question, and this particular branch apparently chose to implement it. But, as expected, it doesn't have a bar counter attached to it like those adventurer's guilds that appeared in fantasy novels. Piloting a combat ship while drunk was absolutely not allowed after all.
Anyway, the mercenaries who were hanging around that area were saying some rude stuff regarding us.
"Hiro-kun, what are those guys–"
"Okay, let's keep our mouth shut, shall we? Hello guys. Just passing through."
I sensed that Dr. Shouko was about to blurt out something bad, so I decided to cover her mouth with my hand, secured her firmly, and slowly pulled her toward the reception counter. Let's not get into trouble now, okay?
"You're getting pretty used to it, aren't you? Dealing with trouble, I mean."
"I sure wish I shouldn't have had to though... Anyway, I'm not sure what you were trying to say back there Doc, but due to those pirates equipped with unusually powerful weapons running rampant, those guys back there who are lazing around without doing any work probably got beaten up so bad that their ships are in bad need of repairs. Either that or there were too many casualties among their ranks, and they can't continue working without filling the vacancies. Or perhaps they are simply just waiting around until the storm passes. They probably also have a lot of pent-up frustration and resentment. One wrong word, and they'll likely snap. That's gonna be more trouble than it's worth."
"Oh, I see. I was only gonna ask why they are grumbling around here pointlessly like that even though they appear to be mercenaries."
"Are you a genius at provoking others, Doc?"
Those guys were already feeling a lot of resentment, and then three unfamiliar beauties suddenly appeared, and one of them suddenly asked why they were only sitting around without doing any work. Once that happens, an outburst is inevitable. It's practically Muka chakka fire (outdated millennial speak).
"Guess your judgment was correct..."
"I'm sorry, but please, you two? I'm also gonna do my best, but please?"
"Oh c'mon, Hiro-kun. I'm not a child, so I can also read the room and be considerate."
When Dr. Shouko saw Elma breaking in cold sweat and me seriously begging the smiling Kugi with her tails swaying behind her for help, she puffed her cheeks and got mad. No, I mean, didn't you almost cause a mess earlier? That kind of reaction was only suited for folks who didn't show any signs of making trouble in the first place.
And so, we were able to successfully smash the event flag where we'd provoke disgruntled fellow mercenaries who were down in the dumps. We headed to the counter where a Guild staff member who seemed to have a lot of free time on her hands was stationed.
"Ara, such lovely company. Welcome to the Volks star system branch of the Mercenary Guild. This... isn't about a request, is it?"
The Guild staff oneesan who greeted us at the counter tilted her head to the side as she inquired. At first, the fact that I came to the Mercenary Guild with swords strapped to my waist and under the company of several beautiful women must have given her an impression that I was some sort of noble young master... However, one of the women accompanying me appeared to be a mercenary, and upon closer inspection, I wasn't just equipped with swords, but also a laser gun. 'In that case, is he actually a mercenary after all?' was probably what she thought inwardly.
"It's not about a request. I just wanted to pay a visit and gather some information. I'm supposed to clean this place up by order of the higher-ups."
"The higher-ups? The Mercenary Guild didn't receive any word about... Hold on. Come to think of it, the recent movements of the military are–"
The Guild staff member repeatedly tapped the counter with her fingertip, and she was about to blurt out something she probably shouldn't before raising her finger and putting it before her lips. It's a bit interesting that little gestures like these were so similar to the ones on Earth, even though this was a completely different dimension.
"Well, that's how it is. I want info on the coordinates of the recorded attacks that occurred within this star system and the surrounding systems along with the data about the estimated routes of the merchant ships that have gone missing."
"I understand the situation, but I don't think it's alright to simply hand over that data so easily..."
"The request related to this matter already went through the Guild officially. If you look up my ID, you'll get info about the request I'm currently working on, right? As you know, this situation isn't exactly a regular one. That's why I want to handle things carefully."
"This is...? –!? H-Hold on, please. I will call my superior, so please give us a little more time."
After confirming my ID, the Guild staff oneesan retreated behind the counter in panic. It seemed that I was becoming pretty well-known already. Apparently, there weren't that many Platinum rankers out there, so it's no wonder she was so rattled.
"My Lord, did we need to come all the way to this place? Isn't it possible to obtain the relevant data remotely?"
"There's always a risk of the network getting hacked and monitored. Space pirates are good at that kind of stuff, and considering the importance of this matter, there's a high chance of information getting leaked. More old-school analog methods of data exchange are safer."
"But you know, it's kinda improbable for other parties to intercept info from within the Mercenary Guild."
"Really? The staff are just regular people, so isn't it possible for some to succumb to temptation?"
"I don't think that applies to Mercenary Guild employees in particular. They say the moment a staff member commits a breach of trust, they'll be hunted down to the ends of the known universe."
"How scary."
I'm not sure about how exactly Imperial Law treated the issue, but I do sometimes see dead or alive bounties offered for employees who've committed acts of betrayal. They were often quite hefty sums, even for someone like me. Naturally, the mercenaries drawn to such bounties chased after those former Guild employees in a dogged manner. The employees were often just ordinary civilians, so it was pretty hard for them to successfully escape.
"That's why there's no need to be wary of betrayal by Guild staff. Oh, it looks like she's back."
The Guild staff oneesan from earlier came back with another woman who seemed to be her manager. Now then, I wonder what we'll get to learn from them.