Chapter 73 "Following"

　When I returned to town, the area was dimly lit.

　I wasted a lot of time drying my clothes since then.

　But still, I feel like I've seen most of the town....

　Am I missing something?

　I nod my head.

Because I usually get my information by sucking out memories, I am far from experienced in doing research on my own.

　I'll have to think of something....

　For the time being, should I simply hit the places I haven't seen?

　One place I haven't seen in this town is .......

　"That one?"

　I turn my gaze toward the school.

No, I don't think so, but just to be sure, why don't I take a look?

　It's not hard to just enter the grounds. If I say I'm going to worship at the church, they'll let me in.

It would be impossible to enter the "academy," but I could at least take a look around.

　Just as I was about to head there, I received a thought from Savage asking me to send him some food.

　For a moment, I thought about ignoring it, but I wanted to check on Heidi, so I decided to return to the inn.

　I went to a nearby store, bought a decent chunk of meat, and returned to the inn.

　Without going inside, I headed for the stables.

　When Savage saw me, he huffed and puffed like a starving dog.

　I offer him a piece of meat, and he begins to devour it with glee. You're a dragon, right? Are okay with this?

　I asked him if there was anything out of the ordinary, just to be sure, but Savage replied that he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

Heidi had gone out and back in a few times, he said.

She is back in the room now, he said.

　That's all I needed to know. Well, let's head for the church.　

　After leaving the stables and walking for a while...? I raise my eyebrows.

There is a follower.

　I check with my magic and see that there is one presence a short distance away.

　...Strange, isn't it?

　As far as I've seen, they work in groups of three.

This is the first time they've been alone.

　...Is it simply that the number of people who can move has decreased?

I wonder. If they have a purpose, it's odd that they're sticking with me.

　Or is it surveillance? That's odd, too.

　To be frank, whoever is following me is not following me very well.

He seems to be using magic to muffle the sound, but he's hardly erasing his presence.

With that, someone experienced in this field would notice it immediately.

Are you mocking me?

　Well, it doesn't matter.

He's all alone. This time, I'll pull the memory out.

　I pretended I was unaware I was being followed and headed for the outskirts of town.

　I heard there was a patrol, so I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

　As I walked, I saw my destination.

　The area ahead is a bit of an open space with only a well in the center.

Any interference or spying would be immediately obvious.

Let's finish him off here.

　Once I entered the plaza, I walked quickly to the well and hid in the shadows.

　My followers followed me into the square.

　After a short walk, he rushed to the well. He must have thought he lost me.

　...His reaction is strange.

It's like he's an amateur....

I put aside all unnecessary thoughts, and after silencing the sound with [Silence III], I stepped out from behind the well and kicked the follower in the side of his body.

　First of all, I broke a few bones to make him unable to act....

　...Oh?

The follower was blown away, but not much damage was done.

　He must have taken it with his sword as quickly as he could.

The follower looks up and glares at me.

　I'm the one who wants to glare at him.

　"What the hell do you think you're doing all of a sudden?"

　He yelled at me for some reason.

　Is he trying to play the victim by playing dumb? Or was he just trying to get someone else to come over?

Maybe you're trying to falsely accuse me of something and turn me in to the Order of the Knights?

"That's my line. You can't do that after following someone around for so long, can you?"　

The follower looked surprised when I retorted.

He looked surprised and wondered if I knew he was following me. Is this guy stupid?

　"Where are the kidnapped children!?"

　...Yes?

　What is this guy talking about?

　He stinks too much to be acting.

　I let out a sigh.

　"...Now you come to me with some incomprehensible cause. I wish you'd stop this."

　While I was talking back, inwardly I was thinking, "This is too much trouble, let's just do it already."

　What else hadn't I tried...oh, I hadn't tried cutting off the head, had I?

　Let's cut off his head.

　I was about to put my hand on the sword when I noticed something.

　There are people nearby. There are three of them.

　What's that? Four?

　They must have changed hands.

I'll hear everything from this guy. I don't need the others.

　Besides, the other three are better at masking their presence. They're gonna be a nuisance. I'll take this one first.

　This guy in front of me is the last one.

　I dive into his pocket at once, grab him by the chest, and throw him.

　I threw him to the ground. I slammed him to the cobblestone pavement with all my might.　

"Ga..."

　He was completely in.

　It seems he won't faint, but he won't be able to move properly for a while.

　If he commits suicide, try something else. Next.

I kicked the ground as hard as I could and ran into the hiding figures that were watching me.

　They didn't think I was aware of it, and they stiffened for a moment, but quickly regained their footing and scattered.

　I took a full swing with the club at my waist at the nearest one.

　The black robe, bent in a crooked shape, blew away toward the well.

As if to take advantage of my swing, the other guy slashes at me from behind, but I take the blow by hardening my shoulder.

　The tip of the broken sword swung in the air.

　Death Worm's armor really helps.

I grabbed the black-robed head, shaken by the broken sword, spun it 180°, and threw it away.

　The other one drops back to the middle of the square and holds up his dagger.

I can tell he's shaken up, though he's hiding it with his robe.

　If you look closely, you can see that he is hunched over.

Well, I'm not going to let him get away free.

I set up a "stone pillar" in its path as it seemed to be planning to run into me anyway.

　Sure enough, it lunged at me, so I gave it a big hole in the gut. At the same time, I cut off its head and caught the flying head to see how it would react...but that was impossible. At this rate, it would explode.

　I throw the head upward. It exploded.

　"Another failure. Well, I've kept you waiting. Your turn."

　After all, I can't help it if I kill him. Still, I was a little annoyed by this string of failures.

I turn to the guy who has been following me and has been waiting for a while. How should I cook him?

　The guy who was following me looked at me with a stunned face...

　"Wait, wait, wait!"

　He suddenly got down on his knees.

　...... What the hell is this guy doing?

　"I'm Rick. I'm a student at the Academy of Theology."

The follower suddenly began to introduce himself.

"Let me check one thing, are you not a member of Darzain?"

　"No, I'm not."

When I denied it, the follower...Rick apologized and began to tell me about a situation I hadn't heard about.

　"...so? So you followed me because you thought I was suspicious?"

　"Yes, I am. But from what I've seen, you seem to be at odds with Darzain. So let me apologize for misunderstanding and following you."

　...Hmmm.

　"So what do you say, we have the same enemy! Why don't we help each other? If you're as good as you are..."

　"I'm sorry to interrupt the excitement, but what's in it for me to help you?"

I don't want to work with a guy who's so careless and not good enough to make such a blatant following, to say the least.

Rick stammered, as if he didn't think he'd get a rejection.

　"There's more. I'm not going to join up with a guy who's not only careless, but also not very good at what he does. Are you fucking kidding me?"

　"No, I didn't mean to..."

　"In the first place. I suspect you just like you suspect me. I'm wondering if you're Darzain."

　"What? I am not Darzain! I don't like it when you say that, even in jest!"

　Rick gets all snarky and then comes over to glare at me.　

　From the reaction I've seen, it looks white. There's nothing strange about the story either.

　Sure, there was a kidnapping yesterday.

But that doesn't mean I can trust him.

"How can I be sure that the guys I just took down weren't a decoy, an act to get me to believe you?"

　"Well, that's..."

　Why does this guy suspect people but think he is not suspected?

　It could be that he's confident that he's not, but it's also possible that he's acting.　

　I'm not an enemy, but I'm not an ally, and I don't want to get used to it.

　"Then let's at least exchange information. If we give each other information, we might be able to find out something..."

　"Well, if that's the case. Then give me some information that I don't know. Depending on what it is, I may be able to tell you what I know."

Normally I'd like to pull out the memory without doing something so lame...

　"You guys! What are you doing!"

　A group of men in armor entered the plaza with a clattering sound from behind.

　They were holy knights. They seemed to have sensed the presence of battle and were heading this way.

Well, I can't let them see the extraction of the memory, can I?

In fact, they were almost here when Rick started to introduce himself, so I refrained from touching him.

　"Rick, isn't it? What are you doing here?"

　Holy knight...or is that 'white armor'? That's a Temple knight, then. Plus three Holy Knights.

Looks like they know each other, and it was a good thing I didn't mess with him.

　"Instructor. How did you...?"

　"It's my usual patrol. I was walking around here when I heard a hint of magic nearby, so I followed it and ended up here."

The silence will muffle the sound, but it won't erase the presence.

I guess if you're close enough, they'll notice.

　"Rick. Who's there?"

After finishing the conversation with Rick, the Temple knight turns her gaze toward me.

Her voice is high. Is it a woman?

"An adventurer who was attacked by Darzain. His name is..."

"It's Ro. I am an adventurer."

The Temple Knight raises her visor and removes her helmet.

　His long hair spread.

"I am Maroua Margo Sherifa. A Temple Knight. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have to ask you a few questions."

"I was attacked by Darzain here, so I turned the tables on them. That's all."

I shrug my shoulders at her.

　"Do you have any idea what they were after?"

　I have, but the people who attacked me this time...it looked more like they were keeping an eye on Rick.

　I was very wary of being followed. If they didn't get caught in my net, there's a good chance it wasn't me they were after. Well, maybe I just didn't notice...

I shook my head because I didn't want to tell the truth.

"Well, I guess that means they are abducting people indiscriminately... So, Mr. Ro, would you mind if I asked you to accompany us to our office for more information?"

　I can not refuse.

　I'm not going to be able to refuse.

　I let out a sigh inwardly and nodded.　　

　"I appreciate your cooperation. Then, let's go."

　I left the place surrounded by the holy knights.