Chapter 17: The Long Road to the Imperial Capital – Part 32
For the time being, a feast began in the square of the mining town, and I found myself at the center, being forced to drink copious amounts of alcohol.
It was about an hour after the festivities commenced that Lianos, the Village Chief of the Dwarf Village, and Marquis Zanzagir arrived with the rescue team.
I was taken aback by the sight of the townsfolk of the mining village drinking heartily, but upon hearing the situation from his brother, Gostera, Lianos exclaimed, “Well, we must drink then!” and joined the celebration. The dwarves of the rescue team followed suit, of course.
However, it seemed that Marquis Zanzagir, along with Miss Dorozitte and Mariane, headed towards the Adventurers’ Guild in the mining town. They were likely going to relay information about a certain “Rove,” a member of the Kin of Twilight, to various locations.
Seeing that, I felt I couldn’t just keep drinking, so I discreetly left the guest seating and made my way to the guild.
At the guild in the mining town, I found Freinir, Sakurahime, and Geshura—members who weren’t fond of festivities—taking a break.
“Lord Soushi, thank you for your hard work.”
“Ah, Freinir, I’m sorry for always dragging you into these situations.”
“That’s not true. Everyone is praising your greatness, Lord Soushi. I am very pleased as well.”
“Well, that might be the case, but it could just be that they want to have a good time. I’m not entirely sure. More importantly, have you all managed to eat something?”
“Yes, Rauni and Shizuna have been bringing us food.”
“That’s good to hear.”
I’m grateful for having such considerate members around.
“By the way, are the Grand Masters in the back?”
“Yes, it seems they are discussing matters in the back room with Mariane and the Marquis.”
“Got it.”
Since the receptionist was absent, I headed straight to the back room.
The presence of people gathered in the branch chief’s office was palpable. After knocking and entering, I found Miss Dorozitte, Mariane, and Marquis Zanzagir all present.
“Oh, Lord Soushi, it seems you have been quite active this time as well. I never expected you to remove the rockfall before our arrival and even defeat the culprit, the Kin of Twilight. I heard from my daughter that you did it barehanded.”
“It was unavoidable since I was attacked without any weapons. By the way, did you gather any information regarding the movements of the Kin of Twilight?”
Miss Dorozitte answered that question.
“According to reports from the branches in the Imperial Capital and nearby cities, there seems to be no movement at the moment. We have issued warnings, of course, but simply stating that Rove, a member of the Kin of Twilight, is likely to do something doesn’t give us much to work with. We’re in a bit of a bind.”
“I mentioned it before, but it seems that a member named Milan targeted the mines to disrupt the supply of weapons. If they were to conduct similar sabotage on military supplies, what locations might they target?”
“I considered that as well, but it would likely be the mines or directly attacking places that manufacture weapons. If they aim to disrupt military supplies broadly, they might also target food supplies, which would lead to an overwhelming number of potential targets.”
“That does make sense…”
While it’s good that the existence of Rove from the Kin of Twilight is known, the uncertainty of their whereabouts is a cause for concern. It would be ideal if we could somehow track their movements.
“However, I was quite surprised this time. I never imagined that a member of the Kin of Twilight would disguise themselves as an adventurer. To think they would hide among humans and operate like this—it calls for a reevaluation of our understanding of the Kin of Twilight.”
“Indeed, there are examples like Geshura, and when I spoke with her, it seems there are various types among the Kin of Twilight…”
At that moment, a light bulb went off in my head.
It was a shift in perspective. Instead of chasing after Rove, we could lure him to us.
If we don’t know where Rove will strike, we can prepare a target for him.
“Grand Master, how about this plan?”
I proposed a certain strategy on the spot.
If Rove, as a member of the Kin of Twilight, is indeed as clever as Milan suggested, he would likely take the bait.
However, I never thought I would be devising a scheme against a member of the Kin of Twilight.
“I see. If this plan succeeds, Lord Soushi’s reputation may soar even higher.”
Miss Dorozitte said this with enthusiasm, but… I hope I’m mistaken in thinking she might spread rumors about it herself.
The next day, we were set to return to the Dwarf Village.
Of course, Village Chief Lianos and Marquis Zanzagir were accompanying us. Some members of the rescue team would remain in the mining town to maintain the entrance to the mining dungeon, but most would return to the village.
Additionally, due to the appearance of the Kin of Twilight, Marquis Zanzagir headed straight back to the capital city of Zanzagilium.
Upon returning to the village, the Village Chief and others immediately began crafting weapons. It had already been mentioned that it would take two weeks to complete, but considering the quality and quantity of what was requested, it was an incredibly tight schedule. They would prioritize the work with skilled artisans who had experience creating Named weapons, including the Village Chief.
From the conversation, it seemed they had a backlog of orders, and we were cutting in line.
“Prioritizing the Soul’s Guidance is only natural for us and for the nation. No thanks are needed, and you need not feel guilty, Lord Soushi.”
I was patted on the back.
Now, we would have to wait in the Dwarf Village.
Since we were setting a trap for Rove of the Kin of Twilight, we couldn’t move, but it was unreasonable for ten of us to just sit still.
Thus, Rauni, Sfenia, Karma, Shizuna, and Sakurahime decided to gather materials from the mining dungeon. Since a day trip was impossible, they would be staying overnight.
Although it was an all-female party, they were effectively an A-Rank party, so there shouldn’t be any issues. The experienced Karma would lead, with Shizuna as the healer, and Sakurahime, who possessed an Item Box, would handle the material transport, ensuring everything was in order.
The mining dungeon itself had varying classes depending on the floor, with the deepest levels being close to A-Class, but it was said that there were only weak monsters, so there shouldn’t be any problems.
“Since Soushi-san isn’t with us, we need to be cautious and not push ourselves too hard. And if any strange men approach, we’ll cut them down, so you can rest easy.”
Karma said something that made me uneasy as they set off.
Meanwhile, we set up Geshura’s log cabin and tents outside the village, planning to stay there.
While there were certainly inns in the village, if Rove were to enter, there could be casualties, so we decided to wait outside.
I did recommend that Miss Dorozitte, the Grand Master, stay at an inn, but she replied with a chuckle, “Hehe, if I’m not there, who will prepare the bath for you?”
Since Sfenia and Shizuna were absent, there was no one in the party who could produce water or fire. In fact, I ended up asking Miss Dorozitte to join us for the camping.
And so, I found myself enjoying a rare moment of relaxation.
Of course, I made sure to train every day, but aside from that, I chatted with Freinir and Mariane, practiced my resistance skills by having Miss Dorozitte use magic targets on me, and engaged in crafting research with Geshura.
Particularly, Geshura, having some free time for the first time in a while, began working on creating a magical tool.
I was allowed to observe, and as she pulled materials from a bag imbued with the effects of the Item Box skill and processed them using advanced magical techniques, she exuded the aura of a seasoned craftsman, captivating me completely.
“Is it interesting to watch?”
“Watching skilled techniques is fascinating. By the way, what are you making?”
“Well, I heard that the guild uses magical tools to communicate over long distances, so I’m trying to create something similar.”
“Can you really make it just from hearing about it?”
“Actually, I was shown the real thing at the guild in the mines. So I understand the technique, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”
“You were shown? That must have been a pretty important secret…”
I don’t mean to sound suspicious, but the communication magical tools owned by the guild and nobility are something I’ve never even been shown.
Well, I might be able to see them now, but showing them to Geshura, a member of the Kin of Twilight, would be out of the question. While I don’t think that way, it’s entirely possible for others to suspect Geshura of being a spy for the Kin of Twilight.
Well, perhaps Miss Dorozitte has her own reasons for this.
“So, do you think you can make it?”
“I’ve almost grasped the principles, so if I take my time, I can definitely create it. In fact, for me, it’s no different from making a replica. So I’m trying to devise a way to make it as small as possible.”
“If you can complete it and achieve mass production, it could change the world.”
The communication magical tools allow for conversations between cities, essentially equivalent to telephones in my previous life. If they become widely available, they could easily trigger a paradigm shift.
This conversation made me acutely aware of Geshura’s significance and the precariousness of the situation.
Well, that’s precisely why Rendurm is trying to force her into submission, and why she could also serve as bait.
A presence approached the entrance of the log cabin. Turning around, I saw Freinir standing there.
“Lord Soushi, I sense a rather unpleasant presence. It feels similar to what I sensed when the Kin of Twilight appeared the other day.”
“Thank you, Frei. It seems the fish has taken the bait. Geshura, I’m sorry, but please halt your work and come outside.”
I stood up, gently patting Freinir’s head as I stepped outside.