The Sweep Begins
"Roger, don't go over there anymore, okay?"
A child who was about to head out to play as usual was stopped by his mother, who gave him a stern warning.
Seeing her serious expression, the boy, who had been about to fool around, could only nod and agree.
"I understand, Mom."
Scenes like this had been happening in the nearby homes for the past few days.
Everyone knew that the vacant lot had a new owner.
And in just one week, a private estate resembling a noble's manor had sprung up from nothing.
People said they had seen a red dragon inside.
So, worried parents in the neighborhood had forbidden their children from going out.
They were afraid the kids might be careless and wander into the estate enclosed by fences, only to be eaten as a snack by that fearsome red dragon.
Gauss knew nothing of his neighbors' worries.
Of course, if he had known, he would only have laughed them off.
For one thing, one of the conditions he had set for letting Hefis roam freely was that the dragon couldn't use "force" without his permission.
Even without that gentlemen's agreement, children couldn't climb over the tall fences. And a group of concealed black scouts was always watching the sky and surroundings near the adventurer group's headquarters.
Some perched on tree trunks or along the fence; others circled overhead.
These black ravens were like a set of ever-present, mobile eyes, constantly monitoring everything happening inside and outside the estate.
"Finally, some peace and quiet."
Gauss sat on the balcony of his home, sipping tea as he surveyed the Red Dragon Group headquarters, which was gradually settling into a routine.
The Red Dragon Group had recruited dozens of staff so far.
His family had arrived in