Chapter 28
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Pig Hunt (5)
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The fake twisted its body immediately and bolted in the opposite direction.
I leaped down from my horse and gave chase right after it.
"C-Central Officer!?"
I shouted to the startled Gustatory Officer.
"Five cavalrymen, head to the bridge and report the situation! The rest, split into two groups and circle around from the left and right flanks!"
Now that the bastard had abandoned the carriage, controlling its escape route was going to be tough.
In that case, the only option was to surround this whole area as quickly as possible and cut off its retreat.
"Gustatory Officer, have the Olfactory Officer take one side each!"
"What about you, Central Officer!?"
"I'll pursue from the front!"
Even the rampaging Olfactory Officer seemed taken aback by my words.
"You don't know how to fight! You can't go!"
"Are we just supposed to sit on our hands and watch it scamper off!?"
But if it was disguised as me right now, letting it slip away would blow the situation wide open.
My face was pretty well-known in the Reyes Margrave's territory.
As one of only five immigration inspectors in the south, and the border chief to boot, most people recognized me on sight.
That meant it could use my face to punch through a encirclement.
I had to stop it before that happened.
Not liking it one bit, the Olfactory Officer growled.
"...Damn it all! At least take three cavalrymen with you! And for god's sake, keep your distance from the illegal immigrant while chasing it!"
"Why?"
"I don't wanna pay condolence money!"
With its knack for shaking off pursuit and the skill to knock me out in one hit, this wasn't your average crook.
If I charged in blindly like last time, I might not just eat a fist to the face—I could lose my life.
At the Olfactory Officer's warning in his own way, I nodded.
"Very well! Go!"
No sooner had I agreed than my two direct subordinates split off to either side.
"Hey, you five! Follow me!"
"This way over here!"
- Thud thud thud thud.
I shouted to the cavalry following behind me as well.
"Pursue first! It's highly skilled, so stay sharp! I'll be right behind you!"
"Yes, sir!"
Far ahead, another me fled, veering left right before the Lakur Grand Bridge.
"There it is! The man in the inspector's uniform!"
But not even a second later, spotting the Gustatory Officer and her group catching up from a side street across the way, it whipped around again.
This time to the right.
"Grrrrr! Not escaping this time!"
The pissed-off werewolf appeared alongside the cavalry.
"Tch...!"
The fake's eyes darted around frantically before locking onto something.
Right in front of it stood a building with its doors shut tight.
It didn't hesitate.
- Bam!
It kicked the closed door savagely and charged inside.
"The smuggler entered the building!"
"Move in! Cut off escape routes!"
As the hyped-up cavalry dismounted to pursue fiercely,
"Hold it, stop! Stop!"
I yanked them back.
"You can't go in! Wait!"
"Inspector, sir, this is our chance! It's a rat in a trap! We need to go in and grab it now!"
"No! That's an order!"
Only after I stopped them firmly once more did the soldiers halt, grumbling though they were.
"But if we let it get away like this...!"
"Rushing in now, and we don't know what chaos that thing might unleash."
The opponent was no slouch.
If it could kidnap a saintess, it had to have something that even paladins could handle.
Charging in headlong, who knew what we'd walk into.
"Even if we've got the numbers and cornered it in one spot, we can't let our guard down."
Dark places and indoors were an assassin's best stage.
Plus, cavalry dismounting and entering a building was a massive handicap in itself.
In other words, it might have picked this spot deliberately as a fallback.
To maximize its own performance.
'And what the Olfactory Officer just said sticks with me.'
- I don't wanna pay condolence money!
A warning not to die, in the Olfactory Officer's own gruff way.
Somehow, it cooled my head.
'Right. I don't wanna pay condolence money either.'
The moment I spotted another me across the street, I'd gotten too hot-headed.
Who could stay calm seeing someone disguised as themselves trying to break through a net?
Chasing after without restraint was a clear mistake.
'Why the hell did I do that? Me, who can't even fight.'
The Olfactory Officer had to rein me in, after all.
But think about it: what the bastard wanted was for us to get riled up.
'Overheat emotionally, and holes open up.'
This was just like immigration inspection.
Someone trying to sneak through, and someone blocking them.
Plug it in like that, and staying calm and collected to manage the situation was the path to victory.
Don't shake, and you won't fall.
Don't fall, and you won't lose.
Don't lose, and the opponent shakes.
Basic inspector's mindset.
'Forgetting that... guess I still reek of rookie, like the Northern Chief said.'
I let out a short sigh, steadied my breath, and addressed the soldiers.
"You're right. The suspect's a rat in a trap now. No need to rush."
Once it went inside on its own, all we had to do was not play along.
If anything, it had tightened the noose around itself.
"...Why aren't they coming in?"
Shahal peeked out through a second-floor window.
This building was perfect for ambushes and traps.
She'd picked it in a hurry, but with its maze of rooms and corridors, plus the dim gloom, she'd hatched a counterplan the moment she entered.
"Figured that inspector would storm in hot-headed."
A guy who didn't know the first thing about fighting, hopping mad to catch her—his underlings would be even more fired up.
She'd already rigged some hasty traps and ambush points, waiting.
Thin the pursuing soldiers' numbers even a little, and the rest would be a cakewalk.
But twenty minutes in, and no one had budged.
Instead, even more soldiers were showing up from all directions.
"Damn... what the hell are they plotting..."
Uneasy, she bit her nails and glanced at the bag in her hand.
- Oink...
A faint, terrified pig squeal leaked out.
"It's okay, Saintess."
She soothed it.
"No matter what, you're getting to the north."
She said it like she was convincing herself.
"For the info I want, even if nothing else."
About twenty minutes later.
One cavalryman approached me.
"Encirclement complete, Inspector, sir!"
"Report the status."
"Yes, sir! We've got our 50 cavalry and 60 infantry from the surrounding roadblocks—building's completely wrapped up tight!"
I scanned the area at his words.
Nearly a hundred soldiers had the place ringed like iron, standing tense around that one building.
He declared with confidence.
"Not even a rat could slip out."
"Excellent."
Roads leading here and to the Lakur Grand Bridge were locked down too.
Perfect.
The final encirclement was set.
Just one thing left.
"Ah, ah!"
I raised my voice.
"Sota in the building! Can you hear me!?"
Sota was probably a fake name. But it was the only one I knew, so I used it.
No reply.
"You're surrounded! No way out!"
Silence.
"This is your final chance to surrender! Drop your weapons and come out with the strategic creature!"
Not a peep.
"You can't hold out forever—you'll be caught! We don't want any bloodshed, so come out!"
Quiet.
The soldiers exchanged glances.
"Stubborn bastard, holding out like this."
"I'd have surrendered by now."
I waited in silence too, then shook my head.
"No choice, then."
We'd done all we could humanely.
Next step: just one.
"We're commencing forceful suppression."
The cavalryman said confidently.
"We'll go in and take it down. Just say the word."
"No. There's a perfect candidate for the job."
"A candidate?"
Soldiers couldn't go in.
That was playing right into what it wanted.
Couldn't oblige so openly.
Besides, letting the margrave's troops spill blood casually was a heavy burden.
But we had the ideal pick.
Perfect for this kind of thing.
I called the name.
"Olfactory Officer Blaszek."
"Grrrrrr."
He strode forward, barely containing his instincts.
Drool dripping—utterly feral.
I asked him.
"You let it slip once, but can you catch it now?"
"You callin' that... an ask?"
His tone turned aggressive.
Minimal courtesy intact, he snarled.
"Prey flees... ends up in my jaws, all the same."
No hiding those razor claws glinting threateningly.
It smelled blood yet slipped away once—and failed to protect its boss.
That must've ignited every ounce of his rage and beastly drive.
The opposite of his usual suave, jovial self.
'A werewolf on the verge of exploding.'
Perfect.
I smirked faintly and pointed at the building's door.
"Go in. Spare the pig unharmed, and you have my full permission for anything."
The werewolf smashed the door and plunged inside.
- Kaboom!
"Awooooo!"
"Argh! You damn wolf pup...!"
Screams and roars.
- Clang! Shring!
Eerie metal screeches amid flashes from the dark building made the soldiers flinch.
"Wh-what the hell's going on in there...?"
"Shh. Werewolves in berserk mode are scarier than demons."
"Even if, what's with the bomb-like blasts?"
Anxious murmurs spread.
"Heard he's been stressed at work lately—guess it's true."
"Yeah, guy's even clocked out early."
Me and the Gustatory Officer were the only calm ones amid it.
"Um... Inspector, sir. That werewolf going in alone—is he okay? Who even is he...?"
As one soldier couldn't hold back his worry and started asking,
- Bam!
A wall exploded outward, revealing the Olfactory Officer.
His gray fur was soaked in blood.
"Grrr... won..."
Wounded all over, he spat bloody saliva, staggering through the dust cloud toward us.
The soldiers' faces shifted from unease to awe.
"Ooooh!"
"Werewolf power...! You took it down!"
In lieu of a reply, the Olfactory Officer pumped his fist triumphantly.
The picture of victory, plain as day.
A man who'd won a life-or-death duel.
But the Gustatory Officer and I narrowed our eyes at the werewolf.
"Hm."
"Hmm..."
Something's off.
A werewolf with rampaging hunter instincts wouldn't act so tame after a kill.
What beast stays meek after snagging prey?
It'd be howling in triumph, mauling and licking its catch like mad.
Our eyes met.
She shook her head ever so slightly, just for me to see.
I halted the approaching werewolf.
"Hold on, Olfactory Officer."
"...What."
A curt reply.
I continued.
"You're bleeding a lot. Hurt bad?"
"Tough bastard. Bitch, maybe? Doesn't matter now. Dead anyway."
The werewolf shrugged with a chuckle.
"Where's the suspect?"
"Second floor. Inner room."
Irritated, he jerked a thumb upward and resumed walking.
"Damn it, need a breather. Move."
I seized the moment for my final question.
"Woof woof woof, grrr grrr bark bark? (= But where's the Saintess?)"
In werewolf tongue.
"...Huh?"
Back came a baffled look and tilted head.
The instant I saw it, the Gustatory Officer yelled.
"It's a fake!!!"
I shouted too.
"That's the culprit! Disguised as the Olfactory Officer!"
- Kaboom!
The opposite wall shattered as the real Olfactory Officer burst out.
"Blood!!!!!!"
His gleaming eyes locked on the identical fake and roared.
"Fight ain't over!!!"
The thunderous howl froze everyone in shock.
"Time to taste wolf meat!!! Cannibal day, you mongrel!!!"
Yeah, that ferocity and beastliness—that's the real deal.
Not a scratch on him, slobbering, fur bristling like a true predator.
That's how it should be mid-hunt.
"Our Olfactory Officer."
"That's him."
Only then did we nod in satisfaction.
"F-Fake?"
"Fake! Weapons out, everyone!"
The soldiers finally clued in, drawing blades en masse on the fake.
The fake Olfactory Officer, utterly spent, stared at me in dismay.
"You... what the hell are you?"
Its voice reverted to female.
Violet eyes held fear, pain... and deep curiosity.
Exhausted and wounded, its body slowly shifted to a slender woman's form.
Revealing her true self.
A bloodied, scarred woman with pale purple hair dropped to her knees right there.
The Olfactory Officer had gone berserk on her—no unmarred skin left.
"How... how did you corner me like this?"
She muttered, utterly baffled.
"What drives you to hunt me this hard? Some pissant inspector...?"
I fell silent a moment, then answered calmly.
"You didn't go through proper immigration inspection."
"..."
She blinked her violet eyes, stunned.
"...That's it?"
"Sneak in unauthorized, and it's our asses on the line!"
What happens if an immigration inspector can't nab one illegal?
Big trouble, lady.
The shapeshifter muttered in disbelief.
"You chased me this far... for that? Really mobilized the whole margrave's forces... over that?"
She pointed at the Olfactory Officer, still swinging his arms like it was nothing.
"That's why that wolf pup went apeshit? Just for that?"
Truth is, that's not all.
Surface reason only.
Beyond that: kidnapping the Saintess, beating me up,
you've got the woman who'll save my neck at trial in 24 hours,
gotta stop the clean break you're about to smash,
I'm already on edge mood-wise, perfect timing,
hate reporting to the Minister who's already pissed,
etc., etc.
Lots of reasons.
But no need to spell 'em out.
Not your business anyway. That's all I gotta say.
"Yes."
"Haha... what a lunatic."
She let out a hollow laugh.
"Properly bitten by mad dogs."
Then, she passed out from blood loss and collapsed.
"Awoooooooo!!!!"
The Olfactory Officer's victory howl rang to the heavens.
And so, the pig hunt ended.