Chapter 46: Mina’s Escort Request
“The reason I called you here is because I want to request an escort.”
“An escort?”
“About two months ago, a letter from my mother arrived addressed to Mina-san. At that time, she wrote that she was well and looking forward to seeing Mina-san again. However, a letter that arrived about ten days ago, addressed to my father and me, said that her health had been failing for about three months and she desperately wanted to see Mina-san.”
A letter signaling something is wrong, huh.
“I’m a Tamer, you know. Even with Bee-chan’s support, this isn’t really my kind of job.”
“I understand that. But you possess the wisdom that overcame difficulties and saved those two. No matter how many knights or Adventurers we gather for protection, I’m not sure if they can save my mother.”
“You believe she’s being confined, or at least watched, don’t you.”
“Reading those two letters, I can’t help but think so. Also, considering what happened last year, I believe there might be an informant…”
“Any reason for someone to hold a grudge against you?”
“I don’t think so myself, but there’s no end to people’s envy and jealousy.”
Saying that, she glanced at her father.
A prime example of someone with strong preconceptions is right in front of me, causing all sorts of trouble, so the possibility of a grudge isn’t entirely out of the question, huh.
But still, I think I can handle close combat, but an escort and hostage rescue mission? That sounds like an impossible game.
“If the three of you go, knowing all that, I doubt it will end with just a ransom.”
“I know, but we can’t abandon her. In the worst-case scenario, I want to protect Mina at least. I want to ask you to escort Mina, and if something happens to my father and me, I want you to deliver retribution to everyone there.”
To decide something like this without letting her father, who’s right in front of her, say a word… she’s not just a henpecking wife, she’s a true heroine.
“Even if it’s just escorting Mina-jou, I can’t say for sure I can protect her completely. In fact, there’s a high probability that Mina-jou and I will both die.”
“You! Milene, don’t rely on such an Adventurer! Leave it to the guards!”
“Father, do you think they can protect Mina completely?”
“Well…”
Game over. A father who can’t win against his daughter has no chance of winning against bandits.
If Milene-okusama’s assessment is correct, this will be a hostage rescue mission. But if the family just waltzes in there, they’ll be more than a hindrance; the worst possible outcome awaits.
It seems Mina and I are quite fated, but is this a bad omen?
If I were the bandit, what would I do? Would I be watching from the town of Holm? Or would I be watching the entrance to the town where her mother lives?
“Okusama, I must refuse the request to escort Mina-jou.”
“See! He’s just a lowly Adventurer after all! The moment he thinks he can’t win, he betrays us!”
“You’re quite hasty, aren’t you? Besides, ‘betray’? I’m not your subordinate or family.”
“You’re refusing to escort Mina?”
“If your thoughts are correct, Okusama, then the grandmother is likely confined or under guard. What about the servants?”
“Well…”
“The grandmother is the master of that house, correct?”
“Yes. There should be about 13 servants.”
“If the master is taken hostage, the servants are likely being threatened and forced to act as if everything is normal. Otherwise, people around would become suspicious and some inconvenience would arise. For you all to go there is the height of folly.”
“But if we don’t go…”
“It’s simple math: either one person is sacrificed, or all four of you die.”
“……”
“So, I have a proposal.”
“Do you have some brilliant idea?”
“No, you’ll have to give up on the grandmother.”
“Are you mocking us! I could order your head to be struck off, you know!”
“Do you want to be stung to death by Killer Bees all over your body this time? If you don’t have a plan, then shut up and listen to the end!”
“Please continue your story.”
“Please state the success reward. If I fail, not only will I not get paid, but there’s a high chance I’ll die. Also, if I don’t return, please give up and either leave it to the officials or turn back.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“It seems I’m quite fated with Mina-jou, but it appears to be a fate involving life-or-death exchanges. I could abandon you, but if I do, it seems you’ll all die or become slaves, and I wouldn’t sleep well. If a youngster like me goes in alone, the enemy probably won’t be too wary. I don’t know the situation, so it’s an all-or-nothing gamble: either I die, or the enemy dies. If I die, Bee-chan and the others won’t forgive them.”
“That is…”
“Friend or foe, good or evil, it doesn’t matter to them. Everyone present will undoubtedly be massacred. If you’re lucky, you might be saved, but you’ll either be killed by the bandits or by Bee-chan and the others. That’s why I said to give up.”
“I understand. I’ll entrust this to you. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Gathering forces here would take time, and using the escort Adventurers would create a hole in their security.
It seems I’ll have to gather them in Zandra.
Well, even if I say forces, they’re just witnesses and liaisons, so gathering a few Silver-rank adventurers should be enough.
Sometime during this, the carriage had stopped, and looking outside, I saw we were parked in front of the hotel.
“Please tell me what you plan to do inside the hotel.”
“Yes. I also have various things I want to ask.”
“Huh…? Shinya?”
I smiled at Mina, who had been woken up by her mother and was still sleepy-eyed, but Mina was staring intently at Mii-chan, who was relaxing on my lap.
In Milene-okusama’s room at the hotel, I asked for details about the location and layout of the grandmother’s house.
The town of Kantas, located south of Zandra, a two-day carriage ride away.
I heard the grandmother’s house is in a corner of the town’s main square, so I had them draw a simple map and write a letter.
The square also serves as a market, and it’s a two-story building with 18 rooms on the west side of the square, so it should be easy to find.
Kantas is the grandmother’s birthplace. She married the current head of the family, but was so disgusted by his personality that she divorced him and returned to her family home. She used to live with her daughter and son-in-law, but now she lives alone with only servants.
I cut off any more detailed talk and focused on asking for the layout and the location of the grandmother’s bedroom and living room.
All I need to do is secure the grandmother and eliminate or capture the bandits. That’s good enough.
No matter how much I use King’s Pressure as killing intent, I can’t do everything.
Neutralize the guys who look like bandits, frozen by the killing intent, and separate them from the grandmother, and the job’s done.
It’s not that difficult, but I just had them prepare for the worst, just in case.
The problem is, if this grandmother has a heart attack from the killing intent, I’m worried if my Potions will be enough to heal her.
After our talk, I was given a room in the hotel, but Mina wouldn’t let go of Mii-chan, whom she was hugging.
She was hugging Mii-chan tightly, sniffing and nuzzling her, looking completely enraptured. She has plenty of potential as a servant, but Mii-chan was looking at me with an annoyed expression.
For 7-year-old Mina, the shrunken Mii-chan seemed to be just the right size for hugging. I consoled Mii-chan, telling her to endure it for a little longer.
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First thing in the morning, I left Emden and started walking along the Tanzas Highway towards Zandra, but I soon veered off the highway and ran through the grasslands alongside it.
It takes five days by carriage from Emden to Zandra, then to Kantas, but I wanted to hire a few Adventurers in Zandra, so I hurried.
I used Tame on the Beasts I encountered, but for Beasts I saw for the first time, I stopped them with King’s Pressure, quickly stabbed them, and sent them to my Magic Bag.
I arrived in Zandra on the evening of the second day, so I headed straight for the Adventurers Guild.
“Isn’t that Shinya? You look like you’re in a hurry, what’s wrong?”
Turning around, I saw a female warrior… I think she was from Blood Splatter Swords.
“Melinda, what is it?” a voice called out, and Belga, who had introduced himself as their leader, appeared from behind her.
“Belga-san, would you be willing to accompany me for 4-5 days for 2 silver coins per person per day?”
“That sounds like a good deal, but it’s quite sudden.”
“It’s an urgent job. We’re going to Kantas to help someone out a bit. You and your party, Belga-san, will just wait until I call for you. If you don’t hear from me, you’re free to return.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, but the offer sounds too good to be true.”
“It’s within the town of Kantas, so it’s not a shady job. If you accept, it’ll be 7 Gold Coins for 5 days, but how about 3 Gold Coins upfront and the remaining balance after 5 days? I’ll explain the details on our way to Kantas.”
“I think we should accept. There are rumors that Shinya earns quite a bit, and I’m interested too.”
“Yeah, we saw his skills the other day, and we owe him for helping us out.”
“Alright. When do we leave?”
“We’re leaving town now. I have enough food for everyone, and I also have a Camping Barrier that everyone can sleep in.”
“A Camping Barrier? Seriously?”
“I’ve heard rumors, but I’ve never seen one.”
“They say it can withstand minor Beast attacks.”
“Let’s go. We’ll camp outside the town, and I’ll explain the details then.”
I gave Belga 3 Gold Coins on the spot, and we hurried to leave the town before the gates closed.
＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊
After leaving the town, we walked for a while in the direction of Kantas and then stopped.
“I’m going to summon my tamed beasts, so please don’t attack them.”
“Your familiar… it’s not that cat-chan?”
“Yes, it’s a Forest Wolf. I haven’t registered it with the Guild, but I have Tamed it.”
“Seriously?”
“Hey, something’s approaching from the plains on our right!”
“Wait, it’s a wolf… no, there are two of them!”
I let Hoo-chan and the others sniff the scent of the seven people and 《told them we’d be traveling together for a while》.
“I’ve never seen a Forest Wolf familiar before.”
“Me neither. Usually, they’re Dog-types, and occasionally you see Black Wolves or Gray Wolves, though.”
“And even then, it’s usually just one.”
I deployed the larger Camping Barrier in a flat area of the plains.
When I did, I had three of them place their fingers on the barrier magic slate simultaneously and explained that for entering and exiting, if one of those three led them by the hand, anyone could come and go freely.
Hoo-chan, Mii-chan, and the others were outside, having a meal of two Horned Rabbits, while we, inside the Camping Barrier, offered the seven members of the Blood Splatter Swords the preserved food I had.
They were surprised by the Camping Barrier’s mechanism, but they were doubly surprised when they went inside.
“We can see everything outside!”
“It’s convenient for keeping watch, but if a Beast approaches, I don’t think I’d be able to sleep; I’d be too worried.”