Apprehending the Culprit
"Does it seem effective?"
"It seems so."
Unlike yesterday, there were no monster attacks on the merchant carriages today. It was true that the demon race could control monsters. Blue mana flickered from the magic stone held in Eos's hand, and the monsters approaching the carriage immediately changed direction.
If things continued this way, it looked like we could reach the noble territory without any problems.
"We'll just have to wait and see what they do next."
"Yes, Master."
With Eos's power we had blocked the enemy's path. Now it was the hidden ones' turn to act. We needed to show that we could break through the demon race's power. Otherwise we wouldn't get paid by the nobles.
"Now it's up to Syucali to do her part well."
"..."
Eos trusted me to a certain degree, but she was still indifferent toward Syucali. She had no interest in how the other woman behaved or what she liked.
*Crunch...!*
She simply stuffed her mouth with the bowl full of fried snacks.
"Kang Seo-ja! Kang Seo-ja!"
"She's here."
I heard Syucali's voice and then she appeared.
"I found her!"
Since she said she had found the culprit, it seemed she had located the one harassing Isabella.
"Who is it?"
"It seems to be the carriage repairwoman riding in number six."
"'Seems to be'... so it's only a suspicion?"
"By my feeling, it doesn't seem like the repairwoman is working alone. She suddenly asked whether I knew the Poila family."
The Poila family. It had to be one of the two houses currently fighting the territorial war.
"What did you tell her?"
"I said I didn't know. Then... she muttered something about that noble having a lot of resources. It didn't seem like the repairwoman had received direct orders either."
"So there are accomplices, just as you said."
"Yes, there definitely are."
It wasn't a single person. The odds were extremely high. A repairwoman who could directly interfere with the merchant group's carriages couldn't have created a monster-attracting vehicle without advice from someone else.
"Should I go catch her right now?"
"No. We wait."
"We found the culprit but we're waiting?"
Syucali asked again, looking puzzled.
"Yes. If the monster attacks have stopped, the repairwoman will eventually move."
"Move where... Oh!"
"Right. She'll go to her accomplice for help."
"That makes sense. If the monsters aren't approaching the carriage she modified, she'll report the problem to her partner."
Syucali was right. This was the only way to catch both of them cleanly. If one escaped and reported to the noble, it would create all sorts of headaches. In the worst case Margaret herself might appear inside the carriage.
"Stay near the repairwoman and watch where she goes."
I gave Syucali her next orders and handed over the food I had prepared.
"Leave it to me!"
Syucali beamed at the generous pile of food cradled in her arms.
"What in the world is going on?"
The professional repairwoman from Isabella's merchant group stationed in carriage six tapped her thigh with a model hammer, sensing something was wrong.
"The monsters aren't coming."
Several hours had passed since departure, yet there had been no attacks.
"She definitely said she'd pull every monster in the area."
Yet the surroundings had remained quiet the entire time.
"At this rate we'll reach Kidichi Territory and resupply."
The repairwoman stopped tapping, stood up, and opened the door of the supply-laden carriage.
"Repairwoman, is something wrong?"
She peered outside from the rattling vehicle.
"I'm going to check carriage ten. I just remembered they mentioned hearing strange noises from that one."
"Understood."
The repairwoman stepped down and waited until carriage seven passed, then eight. When she reached number ten she began walking.
"Hey."
"Repairwoman, you came all the way out here."
The repairwoman looked up at the woman sitting atop the carriage.
"Why has the merchant group gone so quiet?"
The repairwoman demanded an answer.
"I don't know either."
"Don't give me that! At this rate we'll arrive at Kidichi Territory!"
The woman glared at the repairwoman and sighed.
"I did gather the monsters. But the moment they approached the carriages they turned and left."
"What? What are you talking about?!"
"Someone who knows monsters better than I do has been hired."
"...So Isabella noticed."
"She must have sensed something."
"Tsk... that woman really does have nine lives."
The repairwoman glanced around and lowered her voice.
"We have to stop this caravan no matter what. Otherwise we're in serious trouble."
"You mean we'll end up like the people at Isabella's mansion?"
"Exactly. She said it's a lone wizard. Even someone as good at running as you won't survive."
"Hmm... I don't want to die. But I also don't want to cause a huge mess when there's still money to collect from Isabella."
The repairwoman and the woman pondered how to halt the caravan.
"If monsters won't work, I'll break the carriages myself."
"Won't Isabella kill you?"
"Heh... you think I'd do it openly? I'll do it secretly so no one notices."
"That's reliable. If the carriages stop, they can't resupply."
The repairwoman decided to stop the caravan her own way.
"But if the carriages stop, won't other repairmen just fix them?"
"Hehe, will they be able to? I'm probably the only person on the continent who knows these carriages inside and out."
"True. Since you built and maintain them, you must have left yourself a back door or two."
"Exactly. That way they'll keep calling me back. At a premium, of course."
"All adventurers really are swindlers."
"You're no different. Betraying Isabella to side with the nobles?"
"Hehe... we're the same, aren't we?"
The repairwoman and the woman shared a small laugh.
"I want to swim in bigger waters now."
The woman sitting on the carriage nodded.
"I'm sick of these backwater jobs too."
The two women's whispered conversation continued.
And someone was eavesdropping on every word.
"As expected, my instincts are spot on."
*Crunch...*
Syucali munched on crispy fried snacks. She had hidden inside carriage seven to keep watch on the repairwoman in carriage six. The moment the repairwoman moved, she followed naturally.
"Since the repairwoman is moving, I can't stay idle. I'll try to bring the monsters back into the attack."
"You said that wouldn't work."
"That's why I'm going to the suspicious one."
"The suspicious one? Do you know who it is?"
"Yeah. The recently hired black-haired guy seems the most suspicious."
"Black-haired... Oh, I heard about him. They say he's incredible in bed."
"That's what they say, but I think it's a lie. I talked with him last night and he seemed pretty sharp."
"Hmm... now that you mention it, no matter how much Isabella likes men, she wouldn't hire someone cursed, right?"
The repairwoman and the woman thought the same thing at the same time.
"He must have been hired to protect the carriages."
"Exactly."
The repairwoman and the woman looked at each other and chuckled again.
"You stop the carriages. I'll go see the black-haired man."
"Good. Let's both do our best."
After the conversation ended, the repairwoman ran forward.
The woman sitting atop the carriage turned and looked back.
"The smell of fried food is everywhere."
She slowly climbed down from the carriage. Inhaling the mouth-watering aroma drifting on the wind, she licked her lips.
"Let's learn about this black-haired man and fill my stomach while I'm at it."
The woman gradually drew closer to carriage sixteen.
...
"Hey~ Black Hair."
"Staini."
The woman waved at me when I called her name.
"The food here is supposed to be that good?"
"The main merchant group doesn't have a professional chef, so I fill the role."
"That makes sense."
Staini walked beside me, eyes darting around as if searching for anything suspicious. What caught her attention was obvious.
'What is that enormous bag?'
She looked overwhelmed by the sight of me carrying a bag large enough for three or four people alone.
"Isn't that heavy?"
"Not at all."
"Ah... I see..."
"Did you come for a meal?"
"Huh? Oh, yes."
"There's still time before the main rest period."
"It looked like there would be a crowd, so I came early to wait."
"Isn't carriage ten dangerous?"
"It's fine. The monster attacks have stopped~"
"..."
Staini scanned the area around me and noticed the robed figure walking beside me wearing an identical hood.
"Who's that next to you?"
"My colleague."
"Where's Syucali?"
"You have a lot of questions."
"There's nothing else to do until the main rest, so we're just talking."
Staini glanced at the robed woman's hand. Seeing the tanned skin, she frowned.
'That's quite sun-darkened. Hmm... I feel like I've seen that skin somewhere before.'
She definitely remembered it, but the memory refused to surface clearly.
"Staini."
"Yes?"
"Have you found the person targeting Isabella?"
"Since the attacks have stopped... maybe they've already left?"
"You speak as though you're certain the attacks won't return."
"Because they really aren't coming."
Staini maintained a relaxed expression, as if there were no problems at all.
"About those cave mushrooms you mentioned, Staini."
"Did you find any?"
"No, I couldn't find them."
"It wouldn't be easy."
"...Not easy to find, huh. I see. Then have you at least identified any suspicious individuals?"
"Well..."
Staini brushed off every one of my questions, then turned the tables.
"What about you? Did you find anything?"
"I haven't found them yet, but I have a suspect."
"Oh? Who?"
"It seems one of Isabella's close aides has betrayed her."
"A close aide? Why do you think so?"
Inside, Staini was rejoicing at how easily she was obtaining information from me. Her decision last night not to antagonize the black-haired man and to try using him instead had been correct.
Thinking that, she continued her questions.
"There were no adventurers showing unusual behavior."
"Did you check everyone?"
"Syucali checked them all."
"She's impressive."
"If they're hiding it this well, it's most likely someone who's been with the main caravan for a long time."
"That makes sense. Anything strange or awkward would show immediately."
Staini nodded, apparently agreeing with my reasoning.
"The person we identified that way is the repairwoman."
"Huh?"
The moment I mentioned the repairwoman, Staini jolted as if struck.
"Re-repairwoman?"
"Yes. The repairwoman can directly interfere with the merchant carriages."
"Th-that's true... she builds and repairs them..."
"But there's something strange."
"Wh-what?"
"It was too professional for one person to plan and design alone. Right? To create or modify a carriage capable of drawing monsters, one would need a hunter's knowledge."
"It-it's probably not that. The noble is backing her, so she could have obtained information through them..."
"Staini."
"Uh...?"
My dark eyes locked onto her.
"Who said the noble was backing her?"
"Ah... doesn't it look that way? With the wizard and everything... haha..."
"Staini."
"Y-yes?"
"It's strange. You look exactly like Margaret, trying to extract information by any means necessary."
"Margaret? Who is that wom—"
Whoosh!
Thud.
It happened in an instant.
"Ugh...!"
Someone struck the back of Staini's neck. As her body crumpled she looked behind her.
"Sy...cali..."
Staini lost consciousness while staring at Syucali's bright smile.