Get your stories straight, okay?

Here we are at the adventurer guild.

I'm in the form of the suspicious mage, Healer-shi, all bundled up. It's easy to prepare since all I need to do is wear heavy clothing and hide my face. No need to ask Aishia for help.

"… Hey, the door guard and gatekeeper saw you yesterday too, right? Does hiding your appearance even matter now?"

"Oh!"

What insight. Could you be a genius, Mashiro-san?

"Hey, what was that 'oh' just now?"

"No, yesterday's appearance was just me in magical disguise. This is the Great Mage's true form."

"You're way too suspicious."

"Get your story straight with mine, okay? Please! Otherwise I'll just get looked down on for being a pretty young girl."

"Well, fine… but does magic for disguising yourself actually exist?"

Hmm. True, if I'm asked to transform into a different appearance, that might be tricky.

… Maybe I could manage changing hair color at least.

"Mashiro-san, excuse me for a moment."

"Hm? What—whoa!?"

When I deployed my Spatial Magic, Mashiro-san's fur changed from silver-white to jet black.

Good, success.

"Wha, what is this!?"

"Disguise magic. How's that?"

"Don't just go casting weird magic on people! This goes back, right?"

Well, I'm just blocking light reflection, so… The reason I didn't cast it on myself is because making things black is easier… But maintaining the spell over her entire body was pretty taxing, so I dispelled it right away.

"Oh, it's back."

"Right, preparations are complete! Let's go, to the guild!"

I said that while changing my voice to Healer-shi's raspy tone.

"Heh, you can change your voice that much? You're quite the multi-talented one, Karina."

… You could've been a bit more surprised, you know? I changed it suddenly and everything.

What, changing body fur color is more surprising? I guess that's fair.

And so, I followed Mashiro-san into the guild. I'd already been here a few times for delivering cargo and selling dungeon loot, so this was my fourth visit.

Mashiro-san headed straight to the counter without hesitation and whispered to the receptionist, "About that matter, I'm heading to the back." The receptionist's face turned bright red as she nodded. I get it, I get it. Mashiro-san's voice is cool and pleasant, right…

Drawing stares with Healer-shi's obviously suspicious getup, I followed Mashiro-san and the receptionist, walking with deliberate big-shot-like steps as they led me into the guild's back area. We were shown to a reception room.

After waiting in the reception room for a bit, a rugged, scarred man appeared. He had red hair and a beard like a lion's mane, but appeared to be human. This was the guild master of Karkassa's adventurer guild.

"Silver. Is this the Great Mage named Karina you mentioned?"

"Yeah. Apparently the name Karina she used yesterday was a fake name while in disguise."

"Indeed. Yesterday I was borrowing my friend Karina's name and appearance. My apologies for the confusion."

I said this while maintaining an arrogant attitude, not bowing my head. How's that? Pretty Great Mage-like, right?

"I also wish to apologize for hunting treants without knowing the dungeon's rules. As an apology, I offer this."

Taking the initiative to apologize, I placed a Black Mantis scythe on the table.

I have two anyway, so giving one away is fine, right? This one's cracked anyway.

"This is… th-this is unmistakably a Black Mantis scythe! Ah, no, I accept your apology. And sorry for the late introduction. I am Garuon, guild master of Karkassa's Adventurers' Guild."

"Indeed. I am Healer."

We exchanged a firm handshake. Incidentally, under my glove I was using Spatial Magic to pad my hand, making it seem large and masculine. Fuhaha, Healer-shi of indeterminate gender, at your service.

"Ahh, well, Healer-dono. I realize it's presumptuous after receiving such a gift, but might I ask for your cooperation until the situation settles?"

"Indeed. As I told Mashiro-sa—ahem, Mashiro-dono yesterday, that was already my intention."

After all, I hunted treants without knowing better. If the Black Mantis or something stronger spawns again, it'll be my fault.

So I'll be providing proper aftercare until things settle down. I'd have trouble sleeping if someone died because of this.

"I require no payment either; this incident was caused by me, after all."

When I said that, Garuon let out a relieved sigh.

Right, money must have been a concern. Sorry about that. I'm not shameless enough to pull a scheme where I profit off a problem I caused.