Chapter 21: Armand Duchy – 01
The road leading southwest from the Beastmen Village was an unpaved dirt road.
The road wasn’t particularly wide, and it was just barely wide enough for our carriage, so we ended up traveling on foot until we hit a paved highway along the way.
As we walked with the members along the road, with a forest to our right and cultivated land to our left, a peaceful scene unfolding, I found myself feeling strangely calm.
The place we were heading to was clearly a land where some trouble was brewing, but perhaps because I’d already grown accustomed to trouble, I didn’t feel that much anxiety.
Our Adventurer party, “Guidance of Sol,” consisting of an old guy and ten beautiful women and girls, stood out to an extreme degree even when just walking, but fortunately, this road was only occasionally traversed by Beastmen Adventurers or travelers.
It was said to be four days to the border of the Armand Duchy, and another two days from there to the ducal capital, but we arrived at the border checkpoint on the third day.
Of course, “Guidance of Sol,” led by me—an Earl of the Kingdom of Vermilion and a Marquis of the Aldebaran Empire—passed through while receiving the deepest bows from the guards, and entered the Armand Duchy.
The scenery didn’t particularly change, but since it was a land I had been avoiding for so long, I naturally tensed up. Looking at Freynil-san, she was acting as if nothing was wrong on the surface, but I could still see a slight tension in her.
After passing the checkpoint, we were rocked in the Spirit-drawn carriage for half a day. We arrived at a post-town that was still a day’s journey from the ducal capital.
The post-town seemed to have a population of about 500 people, and was a town surrounded by low stone walls.
We entered the town and walked down the street, but aside from a few shops, there wasn’t much to see. Then again, that’s what post-towns are usually like.
Due to our status, we would be staying at a high-class inn, but it’s quite difficult to get rooms for eleven people on the day of arrival, so we often end up camping out. Nobles generally reserve inns in advance, but since we are Adventurers, we don’t send out advance notice or anything like that.
Still, as we were walking down the street looking for an inn just in case, a young man who looked like a traveler smoothly approached me. His movements were flawless, and he was likely an Awakened.
When he came before me, he bowed respectfully, and spoke in a voice low enough that those around us couldn’t hear.
“Marquis Okuno-sama, I have been expecting you. I am one dispatched by the Vermilion Royal Family to the Armand Duchy.”
“Pleased to meet you, I am Okuno. I have heard that investigators have been dispatched.”
“I have been instructed to report the results of the investigation in the duchy to you, Marquis-sama. Therefore, I would like to speak with you at an inn. Have you decided on an inn yet?”
“No, we were just about to decide.”
“In that case, I shall guide you to an inn. This way, please.”
And so, I was guided to the finest inn in that post-town.
Moreover, it seemed the Royal Family was covering the accommodation fees. I was humbled by His Majesty the King’s consideration, but it also seemed to imply he had high expectations of us.
We each went to our rooms to rest our bodies, and after half an hour, we had dinner in a reserved dining hall. Just as we finished our meal, the aforementioned young investigator arrived, and we proceeded to hear his report.
When I urged him to take a seat, the young man bowed once and sat down, and then began to speak.
“Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Raglay, an investigator for the Kingdom of Vermilion. However, this name is an alias. I hope you will forgive me for not being able to reveal my real name due to my duties.”
“Understood. By the way, Raglay-san, are you conducting this investigation alone?”
“No, there are two others. However, we wish to keep public appearances to a minimum, so I am here alone.”
“You’re very thorough. Well then, could we hear your report?”
“Yes. First, regarding the matter of the freed slaves, there was actually a major development yesterday. We received information that there are Beastmen, believed to be the freed slaves, in a mine within the Armand Duchy.”
“A mine, you say? What do you mean?”
“We haven’t investigated that far yet. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say we don’t have the authority to investigate it. Actually, we once inquired with the Duke about the missing freed slaves, but it seemed he himself was unaware they were missing at the time. He then said he would dispatch his own soldiers to investigate the surrounding mountains and fields.”
“Hmm…”
“Separately from that, the matter of the mine came to light, but there’s a possibility the Duke himself is involved in that case, making it a matter we cannot handle on our own. It’s partly due to a lack of manpower, but fundamentally, we haven’t been granted that much authority.”
“I see. Does this mean that official inspectors will be dispatched from the Royal Family after this?”
“About that, actually, the Royal Family has instructed us that if Earl Okuno-kakka were to arrive, we are to hand over all information to you and entrust the matter to you. Please take a look at this.”
The young man, Raglay, took out a letter from his bag and presented it.
I received it, opened it, and confirmed its contents. It was an official letter addressed to me from the Royal Family.
As I was reading through it, Lani-san peeked over from the side.
“What does it say?”
“It seems to be a request form, asking ‘Guidance of Sol’ to investigate matters concerning the Armand Duchy. It says they will grant us authority equivalent to that of the Royal Family’s inspectors, and they want us to conduct the investigation.”
“Eh? They actually ask Adventurers to do things like that?”
“That’s likely a request made considering our unique circumstances,” Sphenia-san answered in my stead.
The young man Raglay nodded and took out another letter.
“If you would be willing to accept this request, I will hand over this letter of attorney from the Royal Family. What do you say?”
“Let me see… I’m inclined to accept it, but what do you all think?”
I looked at the faces of the members on the spot, and everyone nodded.
Well, we intended to do so from the beginning, so Raglay’s proposal was rather a timely offer, making it a natural course of action.
“We were planning on it from the start anyway, so isn’t it fine? We’ll get a reward too, right?”
“That’s what it says.”
While replying to Lani-san, I turned back to the young man Raglay.
“We accept this request.”
“Thank you very much. Then, please take this.”
I received the letter of attorney, confirmed its contents, and stored it in my Item Box.
I then turned my gaze towards the members.
“Alright then, everyone, is there anything that concerns you?”
“Soushi-sama, shouldn’t we also ask about the Netherworld Candlestick?” Freynil-san replied immediately, so I nodded and turned back to the young man Raglay.
“Actually, regarding this current matter, we suspect that the Netherworld Candlestick, which caused a commotion in the Royal Capital, might be involved. Is there anything concerning in that regard?”
“His Majesty the King is also concerned about that, and among the investigators dispatched this time, there is one proficient in Holy Magic. He has thoroughly examined the ducal capital, and reported that places with an evil presence are about the same level as in other towns, with nothing particularly strong. What is concerning is the Duke’s mansion. When he went nearby to investigate, he said there was a faint, impure aura drifting about.”
“An impure aura, you say?”
“He said he could faintly sense a presence similar to that of Undead monsters. However, regarding this matter as well, His Majesty has instructed us not to delve too deeply, so we have not conducted any further investigation.”
“That’s a wise decision.”
Regarding the Netherworld Candlestick, if we poke at it half-heartedly, it will either escape or go haywire, and nothing good will come of it.
Actually, I had told His Majesty the King that it would be better for “Guidance of Sol,” which includes Freynil-san, a specialist regarding the Netherworld Candlestick, to handle it. His Majesty had agreed to this, which is surely why things have been handled this way.
After that, I had a few more exchanges with the young man Raglay, and was able to obtain various pieces of information in advance.
All that’s left is to actually go into the ducal capital of the Armand Duchy and investigate, but the general feeling is that the area around the Duke seems suspicious.
Since it’s certain there will be troublesome matters, including Freynil-san’s situation, even though we’re dealing with high-ranking nobles, I need to steel my resolve to handle things properly.