Chapter 356: Acquisition of Evidence
Today, I arrived in the Royal Capital early in the morning. My objective was to steal evidence of corruption from the Chancellor’s mansion and notify the castle of my visit. The last time I came here, I easily targeted the TYPE Series, and I expected this time to be just as effortless.
As expected of a Chancellor, the mansion was quite large. In addition to the main residence, there were three separate wings, and the grounds were vast. However, thanks to the TYPE Series utilized by our Hinomaru, not only was the layout of the estate laid bare, but even the hiding spots for the evidence were exposed.
“Mesaria-san is incredibly capable.”
With my Stealth Skill fully activated, I stood atop the highest roof of the Chancellor’s mansion. Spreading out the documents I had received, I compared them to the mansion below. By matching the shape of the mansion as seen from above with the map, I pinpointed the building where the evidence was hidden.
“Of course, the important documents must be in the main residence.”
I extended my spatial awareness skill to search for any open windows, but it seemed there were none. The map indicated that the evidence was hidden in the office on the first floor. Since I was currently on the fourth floor of the building, I decided to descend to the garden before making my way inside.
The garden was indeed well-guarded, but it seemed they couldn’t detect me with my Stealth Skill in full effect. Quietly, I descended into the garden and teleported to the corridor closest to the office.
As I walked down the corridor, I spotted a figure approaching from the opposite direction—someone who appeared to be a servant. The impeccably dressed butler brought to mind the phrase “a capable person.” However, it seemed he couldn’t notice me thanks to my Stealth Skill. I casually stepped aside to let him pass.
“…Hmm?”
After I had walked a little further, the butler suddenly stopped and turned back. I thought I had been discovered, but he merely tilted his head, seemingly unsure. Truly, he was a competent butler. He continued on his way, turning the corner without any indication of following me. I proceeded to the door of the office, which, of course, was locked, so I teleported inside.
“Now, where was it again?”
I glanced at the documents in my hand and confirmed the location marked with a red circle. It appeared to be a shelf behind the desk. The photo accompanying the documents even showed the hidden door opened. I couldn’t help but wonder how they managed to take that picture.
As I removed several books from the shelf, I noticed a subtle protrusion on the back wall. Sliding it revealed a large doorknob that could be gripped with both hands. With a click, the shelf slid aside.
“Whoa!”
It seemed I had triggered an alarm upon my entry. There must have been some sort of alert system installed on the hidden door. Not to mention, the sound of the sliding shelf was rather loud.
“I need to find the evidence and get out of here quickly.”
Behind the now-opened shelf, which had taken up most of the office, was another shelf filled with documents. Among them, a safe stood out, seemingly integrated into the wall of the building. It was about fifty centimeters wide and one meter tall.
“Found it!”
The photo in the documents had a red circle around that very safe. Without hesitation, I smashed it open and swung the door wide.
“There’s quite a lot here… Which one contains the incriminating evidence…?”
The documents didn’t provide much detail. As I pondered, the mansion grew increasingly noisy, and people began to gather outside the office door.
“An intruder!?”
“Y-Yes! The security system has been triggered!”
I could hear voices as they rattled the door, but of course, it remained locked.
“Guess I’ll just take everything inside.”
I didn’t have time to verify the contents. As I hastily stored everything into my Dimensional Box, the office door finally burst open.
“What are you doing there!?”
Fully armed individuals rushed into the room, but my task was already complete.
“Oh, hello there! Thank you for your hard work. Well, I’m done here, so goodbye!”
I leaped through a nearby window, shattering it as I escaped outside. Activating my Stealth Skill once more, I kicked off the building’s wall and swiftly leaped onto the roof, making my way along it to retreat. While I could teleport away like I did when I entered, it was better to keep my ability to jump anywhere a secret to avoid unnecessary complications.
As I heard the commotion of the mansion growing louder behind me, I began to review the documents I had taken from the safe.
“Alright, it looks like I’ve got the evidence I need. I’ll have Mesaria-san double-check it later… Now, I just need to arrange a meeting with the castle.”
It didn’t need to be formal. As long as the castle officials understood that we were serious about our visit, that would suffice. If news of the Chancellor’s mansion being attacked spread, it would only add to our credibility.
“In exactly ten days after the Stampede alert level has been lifted, I will personally deliver the evidence of the Chancellor’s corruption to His Majesty the King. S Rank Adventurer Shu.”
That was the gist of the letter I held in my hand. Of course, I had made a hundred copies to avoid any potential cover-up. Truly, copy machines are wonderful inventions.
I planned to distribute these copies to the castle officials, but first, I would try the straightforward approach. I had already completed the necessary reconnaissance. The castle was just a stone’s throw away from here. I descended from the roof to a nearby street, deactivated my Stealth Skill, and walked toward the castle.