The Labyrinth City of Zarkal (1)
The Labyrinth City of Zarkal (1)
A guard station near the teleporter.
Redin followed the knight inside, where other knights were resting.
"Hey, Monde, I need you to cover my shift for a bit."
"Yes?"
"I have some urgent business to tend to."
The long-haired knight grunted in annoyance and headed out the door. He pushed past the remaining knights and went inside, where he saw the captain's office.
Clank!
"Sit over there."
He pointed to the guest sofa with the tip of his chin. He walked over, sat down, and watched what he was doing.
"Is this how you... do it?"
It was a little weird to see him fumbling around with the communication bead.
He didn't look like a captain of the guards.
"Don't you know how to use a communication bead?"
"Well, the captain has the day off, and the company commander is out in the old city...so..."
Somehow, he doesn't seem too good for someone in charge of the Security.
"Why does this have to happen when I'm on duty... F*ck, it's annoying."
Redin rose from his seat and moved toward the grumbling knight. He sidestepped the knight and activated the communication bead.
After a few moments, a voice spoke up, confirming the connection.
-What's going on?
He handed the bead to the knight.
The knight took it, began to talk, and walked back to his seat.
"This is Luda from the Security Guard. I'm calling because there is someone who would like to see the lord."
-Who.
"They say they're from Burning Hell."
-Burning Hell?
"Yes, sir, they say they're with the Special Task Force."
"What is the identity of those special agents who keep coming and going? You idiot, don't you have any basic common sense?"
The knight frowned and pursed his lips at the vitriol emanating from the communication bead.
"I've checked their identification."
-What, you stupid bastard, that ID can be faked!
The knight narrowed his eyes at him.
Skepticism.
Not everything they've said on the other side of the communication orb is wrong. Generally speaking, the Special Task Force keeps their identities a secret.
Swoosh!
Redin showed the handcuffs around his waist.
"He's got handcuffs, too. It looks like he's a real special task force member."
-Ha... Why the hell are the Special Forces here?
"They say a few of the guards were killed in the explosion in the old town, and they want to meet with the lord to investigate it."
-You crazy bastard, that's the first thing you should tell me, where is he now?
Well, he'd better get moving.
"Tell him I'm heading out now."
Rising from his seat, he left the station. It wasn't too difficult to find the castle where Viscount Bothaman resided.
Just off to the forest in the east.
All he has to do is look at the tower extending above it and walk towards it.
clip clop!¹
Clip clop!
Walking along the main street.
People passing by, pedestrians, vendors, and other people on the street all sneak a glance at Redin.
"What branch of the state is that?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know what it is? It's Burning Hell."
He laughed inwardly at their chatter.
Soon, word will spread that he has visited the Bothaman’s from Burning Hell. Then it will be difficult for even Viscount Bothaman to touch him within these walls.
Slowly.
He entered the forest, making his presence known to many, and walked along the carriage path until he came to the castle walls.
There were knights blocking the gates.
"Halt."
They looked him up and down warily as if they'd been briefed, then drew their swords from their scabbards.
"Identify yourself."
First, he raised both hands, indicating he had no intention of fighting.
"I'm Redin, a member of the Burning Hell Special Task Force."
"What is your business?"
"I'm here to see Viscount Bothaman."
"The lord is not here now. So go back."
"Then tell me where he is, and I will go there."
"It is confidential."
Phew.
In this case, there is only one way.
Swish!
Redin also unsheathed his sword.
"If you continue to be this uncooperative, I'll have you all arrested for violating the Magnes Special Law."
"Is that a threat?"
"Let's call it legal process."
With a slight twist of the foot, both knights drew mana at the same time. Judging by the aura emanating from their swords, the knights didn't seem to be backing down.
He extended his senses.
Just in case, there was one lurking in the vicinity. Behind the castle walls, on the other side of the gate. Someone was watching from there.
Is he going to test me?
'Heh.'
He took a step forward.
Taking a stance, Redin infused his sword with mana.
Whoosh!
Mana spun, creating a wind around the sword. Redin channeled his power, intent on tearing down those walls.
An unrelenting surge of power.
A powerful gust of wind began to form.
"This... what!"
"Senior... we can't do this alone!"
Seeing the two knights panic, they shouted over the ramparts.
"Will it be done according to the law for real?
"Where are you looking and talking..."
Boom!
The closed castle gate has been opened.
As the knights looked on in bewilderment, a middle-aged man slowly stepped out from behind the castle walls.
An odd momentum.
He calmly accepted the energy Redin was emitting. He slowly reached out his hand and created a mana barrier.
And he protected the knights of the estate.
"There seems to have been a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?"
If he was any weaker.
Maybe he would have used the two knights to take care of Redin.
Redin decided to let the incident go.
He's not here to fight these men, he's here to put pressure on Viscount Bothaman.
Whoosh!
He slowly withdrew his power.
A small breeze blew across his sword.
"Can you tell me what misunderstanding you have?"
"Come in. We'll talk inside."
* * *
Viscount Bothaman Castle.
Viscount Bothaman, gazing out of the window in his office, raised the paper in his hand as he saw the man approaching.
[Information]
-Redin
-Member of the Burning Hell Special Task Force.
-Came in as a rookie this year and was credited with a major role in the prison jailbreak. As a result of his efforts, he was recruited into the Task Force.
"Hmph."
It clearly said "rookie."
Based on his youthful appearance.
Anyone would think he was a rookie.
From the confident expression on his face to the ease in his gait, he didn't look like a rookie.
"Does that mean he's not normal?", came the musings of Bothaman.
Sure.
That's why he's in a special unit.
Viscount Bothaman closed the curtains, sat back in his chair, and waited for Redin. After a few moments, there was a knock on the door and the voice of the chief knight.
"Viscount, may I come in?"
"Come in."
"It's very difficult to meet the viscount."
"It's hard to meet people when you're in this position. If you had contacted me beforehand, I would have set up a date."
Redin smiled oddly and strode away. He looked around, letting out a small exclamation of admiration, then stroked the leather of the guest sofa.
"Is this what the high and mighty live in? This must be a great place to work."
Redin did not remain still.
As he looked around curiously, Viscount Bothaman asked.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"Something cool, please."
"Fetch it for me."
The chief knight closed the door and disappeared.
Viscount Bothaman watched Redin's every move.
Normally, he would not have accepted.
But there had been a lot of activity about Magnes lately, and he wanted to see if he knew anything.
If he's a danger, he needs to be eliminated.
"Are you done looking?"
Redin, who had been walking quietly, stood in front of the portrait.
"Rumor has it that you have a beautiful daughter, so why is there no portrait of her here?"
"The child's painting is in her room."
"Is that so? It's a pity, I would have liked to see it. But if she's really as beautiful as the rumors say, it will break my heart when she gets married later."
At that moment, a very small change occurred within Viscount Bothaman.
A small unease.
An unpleasant sensation that stabbed him in the chest. A twisted yearning that began with intense possessiveness and spread throughout his body.
Viscount Bothaman forced a smile.
“It seems like a long introduction.”
"Is that so?"
Redin's eyes shifted.
Like a hyena looking for its prey. He sat down on the couch, staring at Viscount Bothaman with a very sharp gaze.
"So let's skip to the point: what is your connection to the Magnes?"
Viscount Bothaman cleared his throat and cleared his head. Whatever emotions he had felt at the mention of Magnes were gone.
He opened his mouth calmly.
"What do you mean, what kind of relationship?"
"After the explosion, the knights of the House of Bothaman blocked entry to the Old City."
"That's protocol. Since the explosion occurred within the territory, shouldn't we investigate?"
"Do you know that there is a dungeon in the area of the explosion?"
Viscount Bothaman shook his head.
"I've been busy and haven't gotten a report yet. There must have been a dungeon in there."
"The prison guards who were caught in the explosion were lucky enough to escape into the dungeon, where they report that they met members of Magnes' organization."
If he had heard this story for the first time right here and now, he might have been stunned into silence.
The prison guards' entry into the dungeon was unplanned.
However, he has already been informed.
Directly by Redin's very own admission, sitting in front of him.
"The prison guards who were caught in the explosion entered the dungeon and somehow survived to return to Burning Hell. How are we to believe this story?"
"I'm one of those people, so you don't have to worry about that."
Redin quirked a toothy grin.
"The people I met inside told me the story of Terry the poison toad, that it was Terry who made them do this, and that he told them to find something inside."
"What's that got to do with me?"
"I wanted to talk about Terry being involved in what happened this time."
Redin adjusted his posture and leaned back.
He crossed his legs in front of him and interlocked his fingers.
"Let me change the question, then, and ask you, are you acquainted with Terry the Poison Toad?"
"I am not."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
Viscount Bothaman remarked calmly.
To get to this point, he'd lied about so many things that he'd gotten used to lying.
"There's a case I stumbled upon while researching this. The case of the Magnes spy at the old Eleanor Estate."
"...."
"I remember the Special Agent in Charge of the case was Terry, and I thought you were the one who caught the spy and turned him in... Are you sure you didn't know?"
At Redin's words, Viscount Bothaman's train of thought paused. The discomfort he'd buried deep inside. It began to rise again.
"I met him briefly, but I haven't seen him since. I didn't know he had joined Magnes."
"I see, you really don't know anything, Viscount, and I must have misunderstood something."
Rising from his seat, Redin bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry."
"That's understandable, I suppose."
"Thank you for your patience. In that case, you should get back to work."
"What are you going to do next?"
At Bothaman's question, Redin thought for a moment, then quietly leaned closer to Viscount Bothaman and whispered.
"I'm currently on a secret mission on my own, so everything is under wraps, but I'm only letting you in on this, Viscount."
"...."
"I'm going to look into Terry's connections first, and then I'm going to go back to Burning Hell and revisit some of the cases he worked on."
"Well, let me know if you ever work on that spy case, and I'll tell you all about it."
"Thank you for your cooperation, I'll be on my way."
Redin walked out.
The chief knight came in carrying a tray.
"Did he leave?"
Bang!
A crack
Viscount Bothaman slammed his fist down on the desk, then glared at the chief knight with wild expression.
"Contact that damned toad right now, and tell him to finish him off that fucking bastard properly."
** ** **
TL/N:
1. Onomatopoeia text effect of a person walking