Chapter 21: Armand Duchy 11
The body of a high-rank Adventurer wouldn’t even get a single scratch from the impact of jumping from the second floor.
Upon landing in the front garden of the viscount’s mansion, I immediately placed the Summoning Stone Tablet on the ground.
As the Stone Tablet’s Magic Circle shone particularly brightly, five large Magic Circles emerged on the ground around it. As if rising up from within those Magic Circles, headless armored knights mounted on horses appeared. Holding a reddish-black Spear in their right hand and a helmet in their left, their ominous figures still felt imposing, even for someone like me who was accustomed to battle.
Landing sounds echoed behind me.
It seemed Freynil, Lani, Sphenia, Marianne, and young Nielsen had also come down.
“Hey, hey, hey, aren’t Dullahans Rank A? And five of them at that… Your Excellency Marquis Okuno, is this going to be alright?”
“No problem. I’m more concerned about what’s happening in the town.”
“Soushi-sama, we’re getting reactions from many Undead monsters on the streets as well. However, there’s nothing on the level of a Dullahan.”
“Then that side should be fine too, huh?”
“…Ah!?”
Freynil suddenly let out a loud cry.
But before I could investigate it, the Dullahans all started moving at once.
“Soushi, leave the one at the end to me!”
“I’ll take the one on the opposite side.”
Lani and Marianne each headed towards one. They already possessed the strength to defeat Rank A monsters one-on-one.
“I’ll take one.”
Sphenia, with ‘Preemptive Strike’, unleashed her Lightning Magic ‘Lightning’. A pale white bolt of lightning, released with a deafening roar, tore apart the upper body of one Dullahan.
After that, all I had to do was unleash ‘Crushing Wave’ and it would be over. Since I aimed for the upper body, the damage to the garden was minimal.
Lani, with her flaming magic sword, bisected a Dullahan’s upper body from mid-air, while Marianne used ‘Status Infliction’ to stop its movements, then dismantled the armored knight from behind, completing the subjugation.
“The Dullahans were wiped out in an instant? I don’t get it…”
Young Nielsen behind me had a dumbfounded look on his face.
But what concerned me now was the cry Freynil had let out earlier.
“Frey, was there something wrong with that cry just now?”
When I called out to her, Freynil nodded with a serious expression and pointed south.
“Yes, I felt a malevolent presence departing in that direction. It’s probably, I believe, the presence of the one called Sarasa who was possessing the Viscount-sama.”
“Does that mean Sarasa was nearby?”
“No, it’s not that, it felt more like the power of the spell cast on Viscount-sama returned to its caster. Therefore, I believe Sarasa is in that direction. Moreover, the place it returned to is within the town.”
“It might be their base. Should we head there quickly?”
I called over Lani, Sphenia, and Marianne and told them what I’d just heard. The three of them nodded immediately.
“We need to go right away!”
“Yes, let’s head there at once.”
“I will go to support the Grand Master, and once things are settled there, I’ll tell them to head in the direction you just mentioned.”
“I’m counting on you. If something’s up, there should be a commotion, so use that as a landmark.”
The beastkin Karma is over there too, so it should be easy for them to follow us.
So, the four of us—me, Freynil, Lani, and Sphenia—would go, and Marianne would act as the liaison.
“If the ones who got my old man are there, let me go too.”
Young Nielsen certainly had the right to come along. After all, he was also the next lord of this town.
I nodded and started running in the direction Freynil had pointed.
The southern part of the town had no Undead appearing, and there was no particular sign of commotion.
On the northern streets, Maricier and the others were probably still fighting with other Adventurers, but if Freynil’s words were to be believed, no powerful monsters had appeared, so there shouldn’t be a problem. Even if somewhat strong monsters did appear, they would likely be able to subjugate them without any issue.
I could see Adventurers on the southern streets as well, warily observing their surroundings, probably on Dorozitte’s orders. They were surprised to see us running full tilt down the street, but we ignored them and kept running.
We reached the place Freynil had indicated in about five minutes.
It was located along the southern central street, standing near the south Gate—a large, three-story merchant house.
Just then, a person wearing a gray robe was entering that building. If that gray robe meant they were affiliated with the ‘Netherworld Candlestick’, did that mean the merchant house before us was the ‘Netherworld Candlestick’s’ base?
“Soushi-sama, there’s no mistake, this is the building. I sense a very malevolent presence inside. The presence itself is very small, but it feels like something terribly dark and profound.”
“Are there Summoning Stone Tablets?”
“Yes. And there seem to be very many of them. Strangely, they don’t seem to be active.”
“Hmm, it might be a warehouse. Nielsen-kun, do you know what kind of building this is?”
“Nah, it’s been here since I was a kid, but I don’t think there was anything particularly noteworthy about it. It should have been just an ordinary merchant house.”
“I see. Well, let’s try going in for now.”
“Yeah.”
I took the lead and entered the merchant house.
Immediately, a woman in a gray robe approached us in a flustered manner. That was to be expected, given our rather imposing atmosphere.
“I apologize, but this building is off-limits to unauthorized personnel.”
“I am Okuno, an Earl of the Kingdom, appointed as an inspector by His Majesty the King of Vermilion Country. And this is Nielsen Dolmat, acting head of the Viscount Dolmat household. We will now conduct a compulsory search of this building. If you interfere with us, appropriate judgment will be passed down by His Majesty the King. Step aside.”
“B-But…”
“Excuse us.”
Using somewhat theatrical words, I pushed past the woman and went deeper inside. From the feel of it then, I realized the woman possessed the ‘Immovable’ Skill—meaning she was an ‘Awakened’.
Sensing the commotion, men and women in gray robes appeared from further within, but I pushed past them as well and proceeded. As expected, they all seemed to be ‘Awakened’, but none could oppose my strength. They tried to push me out in earnest, but a mere shake of my body sent them flying.
“They all seem to be ‘Awakened’. Be careful.”
I warned Freynil and the others just in case. That said, judging by the feel of them, they were at most equivalent to Rank D Adventurers. They wouldn’t be a match for us.
However, the problem here was, if they were affiliated with the ‘Netherworld Candlestick’, it would indicate that the ‘Netherworld Candlestick’ was gathering ‘Awakened’. Judging by the presences, there seemed to be about 50 people in this merchant house, and if all of them were ‘Awakened’, that alone would be a considerable fighting force.
“Soushi-sama, the malevolent presence seems to be in the basement.”
“The basement, huh… The entrance might be hidden. Frey, Lani, search for a passage to the basement.”
“Yes, Soushi-sama.”
“Roger!”
The two of them began their usual ‘Purification’ and scent detection.
Just then, a well-built man in a gray robe appeared from the back of the hallway. From his aura, he seemed to be the leader of the gray robes.
“What’s going on!?”
“We are inspectors from the Royal Family. Just watch quietly.”
“What did you say? Don’t think such a falsehood will pass!”
“You can verify whether it’s a falsehood later. If you interfere, we will take appropriate measures.”
“You bastard!”
The large man drew the Longsword from his waist.
At this moment, he was a rebel defying the Royal Family. Thinking such thoughts, I might already be starting to get used to this class-based society.
As I stepped forward, the large man slashed at me, his blade flashing. It wasn’t a threat; it was a blow meant to kill.
I caught the blade with my right hand and thrust my left fist into the large man’s stomach. The large man’s eyes rolled back as he collapsed on the spot, but if he was lucky, he’d still be alive.
Their leader was taken down in a single blow, and the group of gray robes who had been chasing us from behind stirred. When I glared at them with intimidation, they froze in place as if petrified.
“Soushi, this way seems suspicious.”
Lani twitched her nose and advanced, entering a certain room.
It seemed to be a room used as a warehouse. Several large wooden boxes were placed there, and there were shelves on the walls, also lined with several boxes.
“A really nasty smell is wafting from here.”
When Lani moved a large wooden box placed on the floor, there was a staircase leading to the basement.
From downstairs, a foul miasma-like substance was billowing up so thickly that even I could sense it.
“That place is…!”
“Protect the Master!”
The gray-robed people tried to enter the warehouse.
But, at the entrance, they stopped as if they had run into an invisible wall.
“What is this!? There’s something here!”
“Damn it, don’t push from behind! Something’s blocking the way!”
From the struggling, clamoring gray robes, I shifted my gaze to Freynil.
“Is this Frey’s ‘Absolute Barrier Magic’?”
“Yes, Soushi-sama. Was that satisfactory?”
“Ah, it’s a great idea. However, to think it could be used in such a way.”
I nodded to Freynil, then signaled to the other members, and stepped down onto the stairs leading underground.