Chapter 38: The Transmitter
That night, after finishing dinner, I slipped into bed early. I awoke to a faint presence. Having camped in the Forest of Enchantment before, we never let our guard down, even while sleeping.
Glancing at the bed beside me, I could hear Rio’s soft breathing; she seemed unaware.
“Rio, wake up.”
As I quietly sat up, I immediately began to act. When Rio opened her eyes with a snap, she quietly but energetically propped herself up.
“…What’s going on?”
“There’s someone approaching from downstairs, moving stealthily.”
“…Oh, now that you mention it.”
Rio furrowed her brow, staring intently at the entrance of the room. It seemed she could sense something, albeit faintly.
“There’s a decent level of presence concealment, but I can definitely sense two presences slowly approaching this room.”
It didn’t feel like returning guests to the inn in the middle of the night. If that were the case, they wouldn’t be hiding their presence so carefully.
“Right.”
She donned the black robe that was resting by her pillow and grasped her staff, preparing herself. Rio knew that my presence detection was more sensitive, so she wouldn’t dismiss it as mere imagination.
“They’ve reached the front of the room.”
I lowered my voice further, bracing myself. It was wise to assume our adversaries also possessed presence detection skills. If I moved to the shadow of the door, they might realize we were aware of them.
The presence remained still outside our room. Were they really targeting us?
After a brief wait, a faint click echoed as the lock turned.
“They’re coming.”
I whispered this warning as I slowly gathered my magic power, ready to leap from the bed at a moment’s notice. Just as the door began to creak open, Rio unleashed her magic.
“Gah!”
The area before us brightened dimly. With dark magic, she shrouded our surroundings in shadows while simultaneously casting a flash of light magic that momentarily blinded our foes.
As the light faded, I sprang into action, delivering a fierce electric shock to incapacitate the first attacker. Before the second could regain their sight, I struck them with another jolt.
“Phew.”
Taking a breath, I retrieved some rope from the Dimensional Box and bound the still-twitching assailants. The surprise attack had gone off without a hitch. Although Rio’s flash had illuminated the room, I doubted much light had escaped to the outside. I couldn’t tell about the hallway, but there hadn’t been much noise, so hopefully, no one would wake up.
“Looks like we got unlucky with our opponents.”
“Ha, indeed. …But still, these guys.”
Though the brief illumination had revealed only silhouettes through the dark magic, I decided to conjure a proper light spell.
“…Black robes.”
The moment she saw them, Rio’s expression shifted dramatically. “Could you tone it down a bit? Your killing intent is leaking everywhere, Rio.”
“Calm down…”
I grasped her shoulders, trying to steady her.
“Why are they here…?!”
It wasn’t long ago that we had nearly been killed by these very people. In fact, it had been just recently. Their attire was similar, but were they truly the same individuals from that time?
“Well, I suppose we can just ask them directly.”
Whether they would answer honestly was another matter. I peeled away the cloth covering the mouth of one attacker and cast healing magic. Their body, still twitching from the electric shock, gradually began to recover.
“Hey. You awake?”
The assailant stared at me with wide eyes.
“Wha… What’s going on…?”
“That’s my line. Why did you attack us? …And who the hell are you?”
If they had broken in without permission, even if we hadn’t suffered any harm, they could be classified as attackers. I wouldn’t entertain any complaints.
“…”
“Looks like you’re not going to answer honestly.”
“Yeah, no surprise there.”
I scratched my cheek at their expected silence.
“We just arrived in the Royal Capital… You attacked us knowing who we are, didn’t you?”
“…How did you make it here from Zain in just two days?”
Huh? What is this guy talking about? Despite all the disguises, changing our names and appearances, had everything been figured out? Was our location completely exposed?
“…Why do you think we made it here in two days?”
I could answer, but first, I wanted to ask a few things. We were supposed to be in control here. They were tightly bound with rope, unable to move, and even if they tried to use magic, I could crush them before they could channel their magic power.
If they knew we had been in Zain, did that mean they were involved with the guards we had to escape from?
“…Could it be that brooch?”
Rio murmured with a sudden realization, and I couldn’t help but think she was spot on. No, it was the only conclusion I could reach. She had been suspicious of it, and it turned out to be just as dubious as she thought.
“This…”
I pretended to pull it from my pocket and instead retrieved it from the Dimensional Box.
“So that means the black-robed individuals who attacked us in the Forest of Enchantment two weeks ago are also connected to you.”
It was hard to believe anyone could stumble upon a solitary house in the Forest of Enchantment by chance. This brooch must serve as some sort of transmitter. Even stored in the Dimensional Box, it still functioned. Fantasy worlds were incredible.
“Hmph, that’s correct. …Since I’ve answered you, it’s your turn. How did you travel from Zain to here in two days?”
Even while captured, this guy had quite the attitude. After attacking us twice, what should I do with them?