Strange Sounds in the Sewers
A broad harbor stretched along the northern edge of Bianca Arca’s eastern side.
It was used solely for loading and unloading cargo, so aside from the laborers, ordinary people were almost nowhere to be found.
“As expected, it’s quiet here too.”
Watching the bustling scene of cargo being loaded, Schwarz murmured in a low voice.
He had held out a faint hope, but this place, like all the others, showed no suspicious traces.
“Hmm… I had a feeling something might be here.”
“Let’s search a little more carefully, just in case.”
Looking at Milia, who spoke with clear disappointment, Schwarz answered and began walking deeper into the port. She followed close behind him.
Cargo towers rose high enough to blot out the sun, stacked dense and tight.
Any trade that crossed the sea had no choice but to pass through the Riel Coalition, so the harbor was piled high with enormous quantities of goods waiting to be carried onward to countless nations.
“It’s huge. Checking all of this would take days.”
Milia leapt onto a nearby stack of crates, surveyed the surroundings, and let out a short sigh.
The harbor stretched so far the end was nowhere in sight. For just the two of them to examine every crate would easily take several days.
“It would be nice if we could look from higher up…”
“That would draw way too much attention.”
Milia narrowed her eyes at Schwarz, who sounded genuinely regretful.
If a dragon suddenly appeared in the middle of the Coalition’s capital, every eye would inevitably turn their way. For the two of them, that would be nothing short of a headache.
“No helping it. We’ll just have to make do from here.”
With a brief sigh of his own, Schwarz jumped up onto the cargo and began scanning the area.
Even with eyes that could see mana, nothing suspicious appeared. All that met his gaze was the vast harbor, the blue sea beyond it, and a clear sky.
“The view from here is pretty nice, though.”
“Yeah.”
Anyone looking out over that open expanse would have been hard-pressed not to let out a sound of admiration. Schwarz and Milia stood there taking it in—until a voice rang out from below.
“You two up there! What exactly do you think you’re doing?!”
“Huh?”
Milia leaned over the edge at the shout.
“This is a restricted area! Civilians are not allowed! Get down here at once!”
“Ah…”
A man who looked like a harbor guard was yelling up at her from the passage between the crates. Milia made a small sound of realization and glanced at Schwarz.
Back in the count’s territory, no one had ever stopped her from going wherever she pleased. Needing permission was still an unfamiliar concept.
“Wh-what do we do?”
“I’ll handle it.”
Amused by her flustered look, Schwarz gave a quiet chuckle and dropped lightly to the ground.
“Who are you people? Never mind—you’ll have to come with us for questioning.”
“We’re not suspicious. Councilor Wagner asked us to look around the area.”
“Councilor Wagner?”
“Here. The token he gave us.”
As the guards eyed them warily, Schwarz drew the seal of the 8-Man Council from his pocket. The moment they saw it, the color drained from their faces and they sprang to attention.
“S-salute!”
“There’s no need for all that. We’re only outsiders, after all.”
Schwarz waved off the rigidly saluting guards.
In the Coalition, the authority of the 8-Man Council was absolute. A seal proving one acted under their delegated power was something no guard could ignore.
“If you need anything at all, just say the word!”
“Hmm, anything we need…”
“We don’t need anything in particular. But have you seen anything strange around here lately? Or heard any odd rumors?”
While Schwarz was still making a thoughtful sound, Milia dropped down beside him and put the question to the soldier. The man rubbed his chin, searching his memory.
“Strange rumors… I haven’t heard any. What about you lot?”
“Nothing here.”
“Same. It’s been pretty quiet lately.”
The other guards shook their heads as well. Hope had been slim, and the disappointment was just as large. Milia and Schwarz both let out short sighs—until a voice spoke up from the back of the group.
“I don’t know if it’s related, but I did hear a strange rumor.”
The rearmost soldier raised his hand. Instantly every eye turned to him.
“What kind of rumor?”
“I’m from the slums originally. A friend who still lives there told me they’ve been hearing weird noises coming from under the sewers lately.”
“Under the sewers…”
Milia made a low sound and looked at Schwarz. He met her gaze and gave a silent nod.
Unidentified sounds rising from the sewers. After what had happened in Barenberg, that was more than enough reason to investigate.
“If it’s all right, we’d like this man to come with us. That won’t be a problem, will it?”
“Of course not! Take him wherever you need!”
“Wait—me? Hey, hang on a second!!”
The other guards nodded eagerly while the chosen soldier, shoved forward without explanation, stared at his comrades in pure bewilderment.
“Don’t worry. We’ll handle anything dangerous. All you need to do is show us the way.”
“B-but…”
“Listen, you idiot! Just do what they say! All our necks are on the line here!”
The other soldiers barked at him in urgent voices. A low groan escaped the man’s throat.
“Well then, let’s get going right away. We’re counting on you.”
Milia gave a soft laugh at his expression and started walking.
A short while later…
“Ugh… the smell.”
The sewers.
Exactly what the name implied: a place where every kind of household waste flowed. Inside the cramped tunnels, an indescribable stench hung thick in the air.
“Haa…”
“You okay? You look pale.”
Schwarz was no exception. With a sense of smell far sharper than any human’s, the reek was enough to make his head spin.
“I-I’m fine… Once I get used to it, it’ll be okay…”
“If it gets too much, say so. We can rest a bit.”
“All right…”
But only for a moment. As with any strong odor, the stench that had been clawing at his nose soon faded into the background. Looking considerably better, Schwarz followed the soldier ahead through the narrow passage.
Green moss coated the walls; footsteps of people above echoed faintly overhead. That scenery continued for a long while.
“It should be around here… Ah, this way.”
The soldier checked a sign fixed to the wall and changed direction. Splashing through the water, the three of them walked against the current deeper into the sewers.
How long they walked, none of them could have said.
“…”
“Schwarz?”
When he suddenly stopped, Milia’s voice rose in mild confusion. Schwarz pressed a finger to his lips, signaling both her and the guard to stay silent. They nodded, and he left them behind, creeping carefully toward the corner ahead.
[Grrrrrrr…]
From beyond the bend came the growl of a beast—and at the same time, ominous traces of violet mana began to appear in his vision.
Pressing himself flat against the wall, Schwarz cautiously peered around the corner. What he saw was a creature he had never encountered before.
Its overall shape resembled a wolf with its hide flayed away. But instead of a wolf’s head, it had something more like a reptile’s, and its sunken, skull-like eyes burned with a sinister violet light. Its forelegs were larger than the hind ones and tipped with claws that looked razor-sharp even at a glance. The skin glistened a raw, bloody red, as though the flesh itself had been stripped bare.
The unnerving violet mana was pouring from the malformed beast.
“How is it?”
“Found it. Right ahead.”
Schwarz answered in a lowered voice to Milia’s whisper.
“Good. Let’s finish it quick and get out of here.”
“Just a moment, My Lady.”
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
He stopped her just as she was about to charge the monster. She looked at him in puzzlement.
“Is there a way around to the other side from here?”
“Yes. There should be a path leading the other way.”
Leaving her for a moment, Schwarz asked the soldier, who nodded. The space ahead opened into a wider chamber with a ladder to the surface, and another passage branched off in the opposite direction.
If they attacked without sealing that route and the thing fled, the trouble would only multiply.
“There’s a chance it might try to escape. Better to cut down every variable we can.”
“You’re right. I’ll block the far side. Give me the signal when you’re ready.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Milia nodded and moved off with the soldier. About five minutes later she reappeared at the opposite passage. Schwarz met her eyes and gave a single nod.
Then he raised an open hand and began folding his fingers one by one, counting down.
—5… 4… 3…
A clean finish was the best choice. Watching the abomination, Schwarz slowly drew a breath.
—2… 1!!
The instant the last finger closed, Milia and Schwarz launched themselves at the monster together.
[Krrrrrk!?]
Startled by the sudden assault, the creature jerked its head up—just as both of them swung their weapons.
In the dark of the sewers, a savage beast’s howl rang out, echoing long and loud.