Agonizing Cry?
"I apologize. I will immediately review the situation."
"N?"
When I returned to the room, the Director of the Headquarters immediately apologized.
"I heard that you guys weren't given an explanation of the precautions at the reception.""Oh! I completely forgot about that.”
While we were away, it seems that Dill-san had informed them that we didn't receive the initial explanation.
"Y-you forgot?"
"Yeah, I guess so. There were too many shocking things, you know? Dill-san, on the other hand, remembered it well."
"Although there were certainly shocking things that happened… you can't forget about this!"
"Thanks to you, we managed not to violate any rules. It's fine."
"”Dill-san, our gracious~""Allen, Elena!? Where did you pick that up!?"
“"I wonder where~"”
Allen and Elena interjected into our conversation.
"They are fun kids, aren’t they?”
"That's true."
The Director of the headquarters, Vice-director, and Guild Master chuckled as they watched our interaction.
"Ah~... so, about the reception, I don't really care, so if you could create a separate line for first-timers or handle it differently, that would be great."
"We'll take care of it properly."
With this, there shouldn't be anyone violating the rules without knowing that it's prohibited in the future.
"By the way, is that the matter this time? It's an important matter, but it's not an issue that would require me to be called, right?"
"No, no, the main topic is different! It's something even more surprising!"
"Oh, really?"
The content so far has been related to the Dungeon Management Headquarters, and it had nothing to do with the Adventurers’ Guild. The Guild Master tilted his head in confusion.
"This is it, this!"
“””"!!!"””
Dill-san took out the ruby branch he had been holding onto, pressed onto him by Allen and Elena, and placed it on the desk. The three newcomers gasped, and Dill-san and the security guards had expressions that seemed to say, "What do you think? Are you surprised?"
"Is, is this real!?"
"Dill, did you pick it?"
"No! It's not me! It's them!"
Although it seemed like Dill-san took it out of his own bag, he denied it in an instant. He pointed towards us.
... And he referred to us as "them." I have nothing to do with this~
"Pointing fingers!
"Is not allowed!"
"Oh, sorry."
Allen and Elena, who are always told not to point at people by me, immediately scolded Dill-san. In response, Dill-san apologized sincerely.
"Moreover, they picked a large quantity!"
However, he continued with an excited explanation.
"Isn't this amazing!?"
"Allen has them, too~!"
"Elena has them as well~"
“””Wha–!?"””
Then, with great joy, Allen and Elena took out branches from their bags and held them up.
(Should I also show mine?)
(How about we refrain from doing that?)
(Umu, understood.)
Kaiser, asking if he should join the display, asked through telepathy.
It was really good that he checked before showing all the branches he had obtained here; otherwise, it would have been chaotic.
"H-how did you break them!? You said you didn't receive any explanation, so was it through magic? But you mentioned avoiding violations. In that case, was it through physical means? Physical, seriously!?"
"”With this~"”
In a state of intense confusion, the head of the headquarters was shown by Allen and Elena, who took pickaxes from their bags.
"A pickaxe!? Wait a moment. Did the kids pick them!?"
"”We did~"”
“””””Eh!?"””””
… They never would have expected that the kids picked the branches.
Not only the three who were informed about the branches just now, but also the security guards were surprised together.
"There's no mistake. I saw them break the branches right in front of me. Besides, this guy here was breaking them barehanded!"
"””””Wha-!?"””””
The five who were surprised looked at the kids, then at Kaiser, and for some reason, their gaze shifted towards me at the end.
"I didn't pick any."
“”””"........"””””
So, I decided to honestly confess before they started to suspect me strangely.
I didn't pick any!
"Well, I understand that it's been a while since anyone picked up a branch. So, what should we do? Do we sell them?"
“”Ehh~ No, that's a no-no~"”
When I brought up the idea of selling the branches, Allen and Elena hugged the branches they had as if to hide them.
"Oh, yeah, those are Allen and Elena's, so let's put them back in the bag.”
“”No selling souvenirs, either~"”
"I’m keeping the ones you decided to bring back as souvenirs, so it's okay. If we are selling, it’s the ones Kaiser picked."
"”That's fine, then~"”
"Umu!"
Since Kaiser originally said it was okay to sell them, he nodded casually.
"”Ah! Dill-san's is also a no-no~"”
"N?"
"The one we gave you~"
"You can't sell~"
"Eh? This one?"
"”That one!"”
"This is yours, right!?"
"”Nah~! Dill-san's~"”
It seems like the kids want Dill-san to keep the branch they gave him as a memento, rather than sell it.
"Oh my, Dill, you received something amazing~"
"Eh, you must be joking! I didn't receive it! Well... I'm just holding it for now!"
"”Gave you~"”
"No, I'll definitely return it!"
“”Don’t wanna~””
Since neither side seems willing to give in, the back-and-forth between the kids and Dill-san seemed like it won't end anytime soon.
"Is it okay not to stop that?"
"N? Do we need to stop? They're just playing together, right?"
"No, not the exchange, but the part where they say they are giving out branches."
"It's really fine, isn't it?"
"... Ehh."
Watching the exchange between the kids and Dill-san, the Director of the Headquarters looked at me with a puzzled expression.
He probably wanted to say that branches shouldn't be given away for free, but I'll just play dumb. In response, the Director was left dumbfounded.
"Takumi! You are their guardian, stop them instead of being so relaxed!"
"Even if I try to stop them, they won't stop. Dill-san, please give up."
"”Give up~"”
"I won't give up! What do you mean, 'give up'!"
Dill-san came all the way to my back and vigorously shook me by grabbing both my shoulders.
"Teiya!"
Then, the kids who were sitting between me and Kaiser jumped over the backrest of the chairs and clung to Dill-san.
"Whoah!"
“”Umiyu~””
"Allen, Elena, it's not like he's bullying me, so go easy on him, okay?"
“”Okay~””
Dill-san, surprised by the kids jumping on him, took a few steps back but didn't fall.
However, Allen and Elena were pulling on Dill-san's cheeks.
"Hey!? Sto–stop it!"
"”Just a little more~"”
"Ehh!?"
It seems that Dill-san was not accustomed to dealing with children, as he struggled helplessly, unable to forcibly get away from the twins.
