“Mr. Tetsuya, welcome back.”

“Oh, Tetsuya, it’s been a while. I’m glad to see you made it back safely.”

“Mr. Patrice, Mr. Rizac, I’m home. Yes, thanks to everyone, I returned without a single injury.”

The day after returning to Al-Flare, I headed to the Adventurers’ Guild. Lilia, Berna, and Ferry were with me, while Lange stayed back at the shop to rest.

Today was a day off, and we planned to reopen the shop tomorrow.

“Berna, Ferry, thanks for guarding Tetsuya. Knowing you two were with him, I had nothing to worry about.”

“It was nothing.”

“Yes, it was a most enjoyable escort.”

“…So, uh, how was that guy, Ruhail? Was he doing well?”

Rizac looked away as he muttered that.

He did mention before that Ruhail was a former party member. It made sense that he’d be curious.

“Yes, she seemed to be doing very well. Though she looked extremely busy.”

“I see, that’s good. Well, she’s always been the type to overthink things. She should learn to relax a little and take it easy.”

“Guild Master…”

“What? I do my job properly when I have to!”

Yeah, I had a feeling that Rizac really relied on Patrice as his vice guild master.

“Oh, right. Ruhail also praised you, saying that you always look out for the young adventurers, Mr. Rizac.”

“Tch, she acts like she’s not the one who’s always meddling.”

Rizac looked a bit embarrassed. It seemed that words like that from an old party member still meant something to him.

“I bet she also told you that I’ve got the face of a villain, didn’t she?”

“………………”

Now that she mentioned it… Ruhail did say something like that.

Having been party members for a long time, I guess they could predict what the other would say.

“I knew it. Well, as long as she’s doing fine, that’s all that matters. So, how did things go with the compass?”

“Yes. They’ve started researching it in the royal capital. By the time we left, they had already conducted several tests and even made some progress. At this rate, they might be able to start producing compasses in the capital soon.”

“That’s quite fast work. I see, that’s great news.”

“The Adventurers’ Guild in the royal capital also showed interest in the outdoor shop. And about the map and encyclopedia—when I bought them, it seems they recorded information based on my current location.”

“I suspected as much. That is very useful information, but I must ask you to be extremely careful in handling it.”

“…So, it really is a big deal, huh?”

“Yes. The encyclopedia is significant, but the real concern is the map. If people find out that you can obtain detailed geographical information for just a small sum of money, it would be an incredible matter. If nobles or royalty learned of this, they would undoubtedly try to claim you as their own.”

“That serious…?”

“Absolutely. A map is crucial not only for understanding one’s own country but also in conflicts with other nations. The strategic advantage of having access to such detailed maps is immeasurable. Currently, there is no war between nations, but it wouldn’t be surprising if a war broke out over your abilities.”

“………………”

Patrice spoke with a serious expression.

It might sound like an exaggeration, but he wasn’t wrong. The ability to generate accurate maps of one’s surroundings was beyond broken. It even displayed the precise locations of towns and villages. If war were to break out, the strategic importance of my ability would be immeasurable.

On top of that, with enough money, I could also secure an unlimited food supply. It wouldn’t be surprising if people actually started a war over me.

…I was starting to get scared.

“If used correctly, this could be an incredible ability. But power like this always attracts people who want to misuse it or claim it for themselves.”

Used properly, maps could reduce the number of lost travelers, and encyclopedias could help people better utilize monsters and plants. But not everyone would see it that way. This was another world, where many would use power and violence to seize such advantages.

“For now, I haven’t told Miss Ruhail about this. But… having a map is undeniably convenient.”

“Indeed. I believe the best approach is to create simplified maps and introduce them in the capital as though they were made by traveling merchants.”

“Ruhail is sharp. It’s best to wait a while before revealing anything.”

“Agreed. For now, that’s our plan. Also, I’ll be extra careful when handling maps from now on.”

The only ones who knew about the maps were the staff at my shop, Berna, Ferry, Patrice, and Rizac. Unlike the other camping gear, maps were an entirely different matter. This had to be kept a closely guarded secret.