Quite an Interesting Incident
“Just how on earth did they find out about the extra-large Star Silver?”
“…It’s an oversight on our part. Given the size of the Star Silver, we needed to purchase additional reagents for the compression process. It seems someone noticed during the purchase.”
“That is quite an interesting incident.”
It wasn’t as if they had spread rumors throughout the neighborhood. They simply bought a few extra chemicals, and thieves broke in immediately. There were only two possibilities: pure coincidence, or they had been watching from the very beginning. They might have grown suspicious the moment I transported the extra-large Star Silver. No matter how much the exterior resembled marble, hauling a stone of that size to the Alchemy Guild was more than enough reason for them to poke around and see if something was there.
“…I’ll provide compensation right away.”
“You will?”
“…And since we’ve already deployed people, we’ll soon uncover not only the Star Silver’s whereabouts but the culprit’s identity as well.”
Muran’s eyes darkened. After letting a murky gaze linger for a moment, she spoke slowly.
“…We plan to make them pay a very heavy price for touching our Alchemy Guild. Please wait with peace of mind. I will return the Star Silver to you.”
“Compensation isn’t necessary.”
The ways to hide and transport something that large had always been limited. Making excuses after the fact would just be pointless. Since I bore some responsibility for the Star Silver theft, I had no interest in accepting compensation.
“More than that, I’m curious about the culprit.”
Just who was the bastard that took my Flora’s Continuing Will…! Just wait until I catch them. I’ll turn them into a Jerry.
“Huh? Me?”
“So, Lady Muran. Who is the culprit?”
“…I don’t know that yet. However, since they easily breached our strict magical surveillance, it’s clear they’re a professional.”
I stroked my chin.
“I see.”
“…Once the culprit’s identity is revealed, I’ll come find you again.”
Muran bowed once more and left the inn.
I put the pipe in my mouth. As I quietly tapped the table, Jerry snapped his fingers and lit it for me.
“Thank you.”
After offering a light word of gratitude, I fell into thought.
It didn’t make sense. A Star Silver so large that even the emperor couldn’t obtain it? Certainly surprising. However, that didn’t make it the supreme treasure. If I had actually handed the Holy Grail over to the Alchemy Guild, this reaction would have been understandable. That would be a treasure worth staking one’s life to steal. But an extra-large Star Silver wasn’t on that level.
Of course the extra-large Star Silver was special and worth stealing, but that wasn’t my point. Their reaction was so swift it felt as if they had been glaringly searching for it from the very beginning. That was what I couldn’t understand.
It felt like a piece of the puzzle was missing. And I couldn’t quite figure out what that piece was.
“Lady Ruina.”
At Leon’s voice I lifted my head. With a serious expression, he continued.
“I will assist in the search for the Star Silver.”
“No, it’s fine. This is my matter.”
“But given the circumstances, we’ll need to investigate the slums. Wandering there alone would be dangerous.”
“There seems to be a misunderstanding. In any case, I don’t plan to move personally. The Alchemy Guild has already deployed people, hasn’t it?”
“Is that so?”
Leon sounded surprised. It seemed he had expected me to rush out immediately. I exhaled smoke toward the ceiling and moved my lips.
“Besides, as you said, Leon, the slums are dangerous, right? There’s nothing to gain from stirring that place up.”
“That is correct.”
“For the time being, let’s just relax at the inn. Everything will resolve itself.”
I smiled. Then Leon murmured very quietly.
“Something feels off….”
Lest there be any misunderstanding, I truly believed there was no need for me to take direct action. Honestly, if the thieves had stolen something of Kelton’s, I would have made whoever it was pay the price regardless. But Flora was, to put it coldly, merely a friend I had known for a few days. There simply wasn’t enough between us for me to lose my reason and go on a rampage.
“That’s an expensive robe.”
“How would you even know that?”
“The fabric is high quality. Merchant’s daughter?”
“Your father clearly didn’t teach you enough. To think you’d come to a place like this.”
Hearing the whispered giggles, I continued walking. As the clichéd conversation suggested, this was the slums. Contrary to what I had told Leon, I had come here in person.
It wasn’t that I had intended to deceive him, but I had no choice. I had lain down to sleep, but sleep wouldn’t come. I was burning with delayed anger.
“Miss. What are you doing here?”
A drunk man staggered toward me. The stench of the slums masked the alcohol, but I was certain he was intoxicated. Even at night, his face was visible in the moonlight. To still hit on me after seeing my face? Only a drunk could manage that.
I ignored the drunkard and kept moving. The sort of person I was looking for wasn’t someone like him. The drunkard approached with a sinister smile.
“Wandering around alone without an escort…”
“Hey.”
Thud. Someone approached from the slum entrance. At the sudden voice, the drunkard—who had been reaching for my shoulder—flinched and turned. The man who had walked over stood in front of the drunkard, then quietly looked down at him. Under that silent gaze, the drunkard retreated hesitantly.
“W-what the hell?”
“I won’t repeat myself. Get lost.”
At the man’s sharp words, the drunkard fled with a terrified expression. The people lying on the street found it hilarious and giggled, but the man simply glanced at them once and sighed.
“Not even worth dealing with.”
“Jerry, you’re more helpful than I expected.”
“…If you thought I wouldn’t be helpful, why did you bring me?”
“We’re a team, aren’t we?”
“First time I’m hearing that.”
“That’s because I’m saying it now for the first time.”
“Why is it always just me…”
Leaving the grumbling Jerry behind, I moved deeper into the slums. Perhaps because I had the large-built Jerry beside me, no one bothered us. I clicked my tongue softly.
“This is why I told you to keep your distance and follow. They won’t take the bait like this.”
“You have far too much of a sense of incongruity to serve as bait. Burn victims are rare even in the slums.”
“Then it can’t be helped.”
With no other choice, I approached a person nearby.
“Hello?”
“……”
“You’ve been secretly following us for a while now. Might there be a reason?”
The moment I finished speaking, the other party swiftly kicked off the wall and leaped upward. It was clearly an attempt to flee, but before he could kick off the second wall, a blue rope tore through the air.
Crash—. The man bound by the water rope fell to the ground. I calmly questioned the groaning figure.
“We’re not strangers, are we? It may be our first meeting for me, but it seems you know who I am.”
“……”
“This won’t do. Jerry? Please use your specialty in torture to open this person’s mouth.”
“I don’t have such a specialty.”
“How troublesome.”
I crossed my arms. I couldn’t think of a suitable way to make him talk. Burning him with fire would certainly loosen anyone’s tongue, but that seemed excessive for simple stalking. Besides, it wasn’t even confirmed that this guy had stolen my Star Silver.
“I really must obtain magic that can discern the truth.”
“You’re planning to burn him without hesitation the moment it’s confirmed he’s working with the ones who stole the Star Silver.”
“No way. I’ll only bite him a little.”
Inside the lantern, the flame bared its sharp teeth. Our child doesn’t bite. Really.
Realizing I had no intention of attacking, the stalker—who had been fidgeting with his hands behind his back—grew quiet. He seemed to have judged that a battle of endurance would favor him. It was actually the correct judgment. I had no desire to waste time in a place like this.
“Jerry. Let’s head back.”
“Already?”
“Standing around in the cold is tiring too.”
I released the water rope. The stalker’s expression brightened for a moment. He must have thought I was freeing him. That wasn’t the case, but the poor thing was getting excited for nothing. I snapped my fingers. Immediately, a tree rose from the ground. After summoning the wooden soldier, I had it roll the stalker into a ball and carry him, then spoke to Jerry.
“Let’s return to the inn.”
“What do you plan to do with him?”
“You’ll see. If we take him back in that state and feed him warm food, he’ll open up.”
“There isn’t a human alive who can eat a meal while their body is crumpled into a ball. How many days do you intend to keep him like that?”
“You already know the answer, Jerry.”
I gave him a meaningful look. It was a signal to play along. Understanding my intent, Jerry responded smoothly.
“I’ve already been caught for several years and have been rolling around as a slave. I roughly understand. But unlike me, this person hasn’t done anything wrong, has he?”
“Then who told him to run away? If he had simply denied it when I spoke to him, I wouldn’t have done this.”
“I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything, so please release me!”
The ball-shaped stalker shouted miserably. I ignored him and left the slums. Jerry scoffed at the man.
“Trying to set negotiation conditions. You still haven’t come to your senses.”
“What are you talking about? It’s not that. It just feels wrong to send him away without even feeding him. He rolled around on the ground because of me and must be in pain. The least I can do is provide free meals for a month.”
“I belong to the Ashen Blade! We’re the ones who took the Star Silver!”
Found the culprit.
I listened as the stalker spilled information about the Ashen Blade. It was a fairly well-known thieves’ guild in the capital—though honestly, they were closer to a gang than a proper guild.
“Having to give a password to enter the headquarters. How thoroughly professional.”
“What will you do?”
“We’re going, of course.”
I headed to the Ashen Blade’s headquarters with Jerry.
“Huh.”
I blinked at the people lying at the entrance. What was this? They couldn’t possibly have wanted to lie on the ground groaning, so this was clearly the work of someone else. Someone had beaten up the Ashen Blade members.
Curious, I stepped over the groaning figures and entered the building.
Creak. The moment I opened the door, a hot wind struck my face. I shifted my gaze to the center of the room. There, in the middle of the building, was a man I had seen before.
The brown-haired man—currently grabbing the collar of a person with a badly swollen face—murmured quietly the instant he saw me.
“Chess?”
“Hello.”
Why was Tasia’s attendant, whom I had met at the chess club, here? Had he gotten robbed too?