Magic? Muscle Is Much More Important Than Such A Thing!

To find out more about the Velquis bandits, I first head towards the guild .

Once there, I ask around for any information regarding them .

“The Velquis bandits?”
“Yeah, my friend was kidnapped . Please tell me anything you might know . ”
“Those guys act as slave dealers as part of their money-making activities . I’d say it’s likely your friend is going to be sold on the black market before long…”

Black market? That’s not funny!

“Where? Where can I find their base?”
“I’m really sorry…”

I leave the guild .
Some other place where they might know…would be?…The knights’ station!
If it’s them, they ought to know!

I ask a pa.s.serby for directions to the public security’s office and make my way there .
While leaning over the counter, I speak to the receptionist .

“How may I help you today?”
“Do you know where I can find the Velquis bandits? Please tell me!”

The receptionist frowns .

“My apologies, but we are not able to share confidential information with an outside party . Please return . ”

I snap .

“Don’t mess with me! If you know, just tell me! My friend’s been kidnapped!”
“That’s unfortunate, but these are the rules . ”

I get the reasoning . After all, they can’t say .
If by chance I were to be a member of the Velquis bandits, just by asking I could find out how much the knights knew about our operations .
Or there’s the possibility that if I were to be caught by the bandits, I could end up causing even more damage .

However, right now I can’t concern myself with any of those reasons .
I cannot calm myself .
I start to rampage at the reception desk while I plead for them to tell me about the Velquis bandits .

“Tell me! Hurry up and tell me!”

“As I’ve said, those are the rules!”

Even under the face of extreme pressure, the receptionist’s response does not change .
I’m getting nowhere…! What am I supposed to do?

“Hm? If it isn’t Yuri . It’s been a while…Or more importantly, what in the world is going on? Things seem to be getting out of hand…”

The one standing there was Gauche .
As for what he was doing here in Mossenmorges, right now it really doesn’t matter .
While in a half-crazed state, I moved closer to Gauche .

“Tell me what you know about the Velquis bandits!”
“The Velquis bandits? Again with that, but why?”
“Phelia’s been kidnapped!”
“Phelia was?!”
“Yes . So please tell me already!”

Gauche calmly takes a look around .
Then with a pensive look on his face, he starts to speak .

“At this rate, looks like the station might end up destroyed…No choice then, I’ll tell you . However, I expect you to properly receive your punishment afterwards . ”

Gauche looks around the station that had become a mess .

“Really? Great, please tell me now!”
“However, I’m coming too . ”
“No, just telling me where I can find them would—“
“No . It’s only on the condition that I come along . Do you accept?”

Gauche cuts me off and says .
As it is, I have no choice but to agree .
If he doesn’t tell me, I won’t be able to determine Phelia’s whereabouts .

“…Okay . Let’s hurry . ”
“I’ll prepare a ground dragon . Please follow me . ”

While restraining my turbulent emotions, I follow after Gauche .

“When was Phelia kidnapped?”

“That I’m not sure of . When she didn’t come back in the afternoon, I started feeling anxious and went looking for her . She must have been taken before then . ”
“You didn’t see it happen yourself? Then why think the Velquis bandits captured her?”
“When I followed Phelia’s scent, I ended up at an estate . I barged into the place, and there was a fat man . He said he was planning on making Phelia into a slave, so I socked him . Then he told me that Phelia was in the hands of this guy Velquis of the Velquis bandits . ”
“Barged in huh…You’re also doing some outrageous things . Yuri, did the face of the man at that estate look something like this?”

What Gauce showed me was unmistakably the face of that fatty .

“Yeah, that’s the guy . ”
“I see, thanks . ”

Seeing his good-looking smile, my impatience dwindles if only just a little .

I’ve ended up talking quite a lot all at once . And, I’ve even made quite a mess .

“…Sorry . About making the station like this . ”
“You don’t have worry about that for now . I’ll be having you make up for it in the future . ”
“Is that right?”

And so, we continue walking .
After a while, we arrive at a stable for magic beasts .
The smell of straw which is strewn all about stimulates my nose .

“We’re going, Yuri . You get on too . ”
“No, I don’t need to . I’ll run behind you . ”

From the start, I didn’t intend to rely on something like an earth dragon .
Gauche widens his eyes for a moment, but upon realizing I was serious, he responds with a nod .

“…Understood . But, if you lag behind, I’m not going to wait for you . ”
“Yeah, that’s fine . Let’s go already . ”

Gauche riding on the earth dragon begins to run .
I chase after him .
Phelia, please be safe…!

Gauche skillfully handles the earth dragon and traverses the plain .
After several hours we’ve arrived at a mountain covered in trees .
Seeing the slope of the earth gradually becoming steeper, Gauce dismounts from the earth dragon .

“Thank you, that’s far enough . Please wait here . ”

Gauche addresses the earth dragon .
The earth dragon responds with a “Kuiii!” then approaches a nearby tree and nestles into the earth .

“…All the same, I’m shocked . To think you’d be able to keep up with the speed of an earth dragon . ”
“That’s not important right now . Where’s their hideout?”
“Yes, you’re right . Their base is just up ahead . We’ll be walking from here on out . ”

So Gauche says as he begins walking .

A few minutes later .
Gauche, who was walking while lowering his breathing, points to his left .
Over that way is a clearly man-made cavern . There’s even someone on watch .

“The Velquis bandits have about twenty members . The average member’s strength is only middle of the road, but the leader Velquis is undeniably strong . If you were to compare him to an adventurer, he’d be rated rank . However…the lookout is short-handed . Something must have happened . ”

Gauche whispers the information to me .

“Is it okay if I just go beat them up? It’s fine, right?”

Hearing what he said, we can’t just wait around .
Even the lookout seems to be rather restless .

“We mustn’t be impatient . Follow my lead . ”

Black shadow-like hands sprout from Gauche’s back and extend towards the lone watchman in front of the cavern .
The man who was a.s.saulted by the numerous hands loses consciousness without a chance to shout and falls to the ground .

“Okay, let’s go . ”

Having dispatched the lookout, Gauche quickly approaches the cavern .
Before entering, I check for presences inside the cavern .

“…!?”

I cannot hide my shock at the result .

“Hey Gauche…There’s only one person in there . ”

Inside that cavern, only one person could be detected .

“Is that true, Yuri?”

Gauche who hears that is also shocked .

“Wait a moment . ”

I hone my sense of smell .
…I can definitely smell Phelia up ahead .
However, the smell that p.r.i.c.kles my nose is—!

“There’s an overwhelming stench of corpses . Hurry! Something may have happened to Phelia!”
“Corpses!? Okay!”

We quickly enter the cave .
Now and again we run into split paths, but we beeline towards the one presence .

“This…”

What we find is an area strewn about with the cut up remains of corpses, along with Phelia who was standing in the middle while clad in the Wind G.o.d .

“Phelia! You okay!?”

I rush over to where Phelia is .
“Yuri…?”, Phelia says before she ends up collapsing .
I catch Phelia’s body .
As always, she’s so light it’s almost concerning . But, her heart is still clearly beating .

“Thank goodness…”

I let out a sigh of relief .
I’m seriously thankful that she’s safe .

“I can hardly believe it . For one person to annihilate the Velquis bandits like this…”

Gauche is wide-eyed, looking at a particular one of the fallen .
Perhaps this one whose head was chopped off is Velquis?
Somehow it seems that Phelia took out the boss as well as all the other members .

“Anyway for now, let’s go back . We have to bring Phelia somewhere safe so she can rest . ”

With no reason to disagree, I heed Gauche’s words and carry Phelia as we make our way back to Mossenmorges .