Chapter 360: The Enemy of My Enemy is Not My Ally
The man who had suddenly attacked and beheaded a human spoke with a tone that reeked of self-importance, yet he was visibly irritated as he watched me eat my meat without a care.
He appeared to be in his thirties, with a clean-shaven face and neatly combed hair that exuded an air of cleanliness. Rather than an adventurer, he looked more like a knight, albeit with a slightly disheveled appearance that made him seem rather pretentious.
“So… munch munch, what do you want from us?”
While I could have chosen to ignore him completely and continue my meal, the interruption had soured my appetite. However, I couldn’t let my food go cold, so I decided to ask him while chewing on my meat.
“At least swallow before you start talking!?”
Just as I was about to engage with him, Ivan chimed in with a sharp retort.
“Well, since you went through the trouble of making it, I can’t let it get cold.”
Looking around the table, I noticed everyone was continuing their meal, albeit with wary glances at the intruding man. El was still busy inside the Camping House, but I took the opportunity to ask through Telepathic Communication if anyone recognized this man or if his name appeared in the data I had on my Computer. If he was someone we had already investigated, there should be information on him.
“Well, I do want you to eat, but…”
Alternating my gaze between the man and the dish I had prepared, I finally sighed and sat down to eat the meat myself.
“Seriously…? After saving you from danger, this is the attitude you give me?”
It seemed the man was trying to make a point, despite having barged in uninvited and preventing us from interrogating the attackers.
“Is that so? I think my attitude is quite reasonable.”
“Huh?”
Even after subduing the assailants, he continued to wield his sword without sheathing it, maintaining an air of intimidation. It felt as if he was trying to force a sense of obligation on us for his so-called ‘rescue,’ hoping to manipulate us into doing something for him.
There was another person observing us from a distance, which added to the suspicion. I could sense that they were not strangers to each other, so it was odd that this second person remained hidden.
It was unlikely that he was in cahoots with the attackers, but I couldn’t help but wonder what his intentions were. If he had come to us knowing we had declared war on the kingdom, then perhaps he was merely an enemy of our enemy.
“You’ve been watching us all along, and you chose to interrupt at the last moment. You were waiting for the perfect opportunity to cash in on your favor, weren’t you?”
“…What are you talking about?”
His response was laced with a hint of panic, but it seemed he still intended to play dumb. If he acknowledged my words as truth, it would mean he was aware that there was another person waiting behind him, which could put him in a precarious position. He should act quickly if he wanted to cover his tracks, but perhaps he was still in doubt about whether we had truly figured it out.
“I found something. The man named Sonlien over there appears to be a mercenary. He seems to be employed by a criminal organization lurking in the Royal Capital.”
“Wait, what…? A criminal organization?”
“It seems they are not a resistance against the royal family.”
Rio interjected, clearly intrigued. In a country where noble tyranny ran rampant, I had thought a resistance group might exist, but a criminal organization was a surprising twist. Upon further inquiry, it seemed there was a possibility of a connection to the Count. Still, was there not a single decent noble in this country? Surely there must be some, but their numbers seemed far too few.
“Due to a lack of evidence, we are still investigating that angle.”
“Hmm. Count Mozal Rahani, huh…”
I couldn’t help but voice my thoughts, and immediately Sonlien reacted. He sheathed his sword and dramatically raised his arms, becoming quite animated.
“Count…? What are you talking about? …But I will admit that I was timing my entry. I had heard you were S Rank Adventurers and was curious about how formidable you truly are… Yet, just before the attack, you didn’t move at all. You only got involved when I barged in.”
His exaggerated gestures seemed to signal someone behind him, who began to retreat. Did he really not notice that I had erected a Barrier to halt the attack?
“Shuu, they’re making a move!”
“Looks like it… Should we chase after them?”
“Or rather, you’re planning to have someone tail them without being noticed.”
I had mentioned chasing, but I had no intention of doing it myself. It was time to eat, after all.
“Hehe.”
As I responded casually through Telepathic Communication, Rio seemed to find it amusing, letting out a chuckle. True to my word, I summoned a Bird TYPE using Spatial Magic to follow them from the sky, entrusting the tailing to it.
“Tch!”
Finally realizing they had been discovered, Sonlien began to move. I had expected him to flee, but he seemed to be heading our way instead. As he stepped forward, drawing his sword, I took a bite of my meat while casting a Spatial Isolation Barrier around us.
“?!”
As he collided with the invisible wall, I sealed off the area with the Barrier to prevent his escape. While he could still move around, there was no way he could break through the invisible wall, no matter how much he struck or slashed at it. To add to the chaos, I decided to muffle his incessant shouting by blocking out his voice as well.
“Finally, it’s quiet now.”
“Seriously. Now we can eat in peace.”
“I thought he might be a decent guy, but he turned out to be anything but!”
Once things settled down, Ivan finally chimed in with his usual sarcasm.