The conversation continued, for most of the ride. Haruko had begun talking about her glory years.
The group didn't know how to feel as she spoke. Only thing that was for certain was they couldn't get enough of hearing it. "Back in the day, when I was in my prime, I used to slay abyssal monsters all by myself!" She proclaimed.
Dante had stars in his eyes just hearing this, "seriously?!"
Haruko nodded happily. "That's not all, I used to take down entire guilds, and found a ton of wild treasures!"
Toni snickered. "What's the weirdest one you found?"
Haruko stopped to think a moment, before snapping her fingers. "Well I think the weirdest one, would have to be this amulet, but when you wore it, it swapped your gender, a very uncomfortable thing to go through in seconds." She laughed.
Toni looked at Dante, who looked around confused. "Why did you hear that and look at me?!" He shouted. Toni laughed, looking away without responding.
Now Kaito also had a question. "My favorite thing I see is all the new places, what was your favorite?" Kaito asks.
"Had to be the star littered valley, it's a place where dead stars rest."
Dante didn't believe what he was hearing. "That sounds impossible."
Haruko laughs. "Well it's a magical world anything is possible."
As the conversation continues Kaito accidentally bumped into the table, spilling Haruko's wine in what seemed to be the expensive carpet.
Dante shrieks. "Kaito we can't afford that!"
Bein giggles. "She's about to kill you."
Haruko looks at the spill before beginning to clean it herself. "You're gonna have to pay a fortune to fix this." She jokingly says. Everyone relaxes a bit seeing that she didn't get mad, which was strange for her guild. Since they all knew, when you spilled Haurko's wine she usually sliced a few people.
Her calm demeanor, along with her joking nature, reminded Kaito of how Moon would react when he would do troublesome things.
"Haruko," he called, and she paid him attention. "Are you a mom?"
Everyone in proximity looked at him as if he were insane for asking such a question.
Haruko too looked like the question froze her in place.
Jin stood from his seat across the room and began storming over. "Have you gone mad?!" He barked.
Haruko blinked, like she had woken up. "Jin it's fine."
"But, Haruko."
"It's fine Jin."
She turned to Kaito. "I'm not a mother, no."
Kaito smiled. You'd make a good one!" He happily said.
"Thank you."
A few more hours pass after.
"So what does the Dynasty guild do exactly?" Dante asked.
Jessie slouching in her chair answers. "Believe it or not, we're an investigations guild, doesn't seem like it because Haruko chills pretty often."
Dante rests his head into his hand.
"Investigations guild? I had a few guesses, but that definitely wasn't one of them."
Jessie smiles. "It might not seem like it, but Haruko's actually crazy smart, there's a reason she's the head of the dynasty guild!"
"Well, I actually didn't do anything for this, my old boss put me in charge."
Nanami tugs at Kaito's sleeve showing him that they're getting close to the thieves.
Arriving where the thieves stopped they find a small town, it was... well it wasn't an impressive one. Kaito couldn't find a thing about the place worth mentioning.
"Fufel?" Haruko questions as she exits the carriage. "What could they want in a town like this?"
As Kaito steps out behind her she tosses her bag at him. "Carry the bag would you?" She teased.
Dante looks around more cautious then the others. "Shouldn't we be trying to keep a low profile?" He asked.
Haruko burst into a laugh. "Not at all, I could take on that entire guild if I really felt like it!"
"Seriously?" Kaito questioned.
Haruko nodded. "But don't worry, I won't take all the action from you all."
None of Kaito's friends believed that claim however.
The group eventually got a room a few rooms at the inn. They weren't sure how long the stay would be, so Haruko bought rooms just to be sure.
"I don't get it, if we know where they are, why not just go beat them up, and go get Rika back?"
"Yes, we could do that, however, it is in our best interest to find out what they're planning." Jin says, his cold tone never changing. "Yes we're here to return the bulb, with that being said, if the thieves can cause more damage we're going to prevent it."
Nanami nods. "An approach I personally believe we should have taken, while dealing with Renji."
Haruko pulls out a whiteboard. "Alright, what do we know about this town, and what reason they could have for bringing the bulb to such a place?"
Ashley speaks up first. "There's a few trade posts in this town, maybe selling to the merchants?"
Haruko shakes her head. "I doubt it, no normal merchant would buy something like this."
Jin pondered on it. "Perhaps the underground jungle, there was an old imperial facility inside?"
The boys made eye contact instantly. "An underground jungle?!" Kaito blurted.
"So cool!" Toni added.
How is that possible!?" Dante cheered.
Haruko dramatically pointed at Nanami. "Does it line up with their location?"
Nanami does whatever she does with the machine, Kaito has no idea what it is, Nanami nods. "Yes, it would seem that guess was correct."
Haruko claps her hands. "Alright, that settles that. The underground jungle is our target, prepare anyway you have to, and we'll head over there."