Translator: Jay_Samuel Editor: JackOFallTrades
「From what I can tell, without a doubt, those adventurers are probably the same people making up the party of peddlers that came to the village.」
Minnalis after having heard the gist nodded deeply and replied thus.
「I see……, if that"s the case then that means, there wasn"t any other hero who was summoned after me. Perhaps, the most likely possibility is of one that was summoned before me」
The fact that she doesn"t look j.a.panese could easily be explained if she were to be considered of mixed blood, and it also doesn"t contradict the fact that she mentioned 『j.a.pan』.
Which country would do such a thing, or, why is such an existence being neglected to roam free and so on, there are a lot of doubts, but if something like that was being performed in secret before my coming to this world, then I cannot say for certain that there was no hero summoning.
「In any case, we just have to hear from them directly. About the hero, and Minnalis" village」
「…… Well then, we"ll have to lock them up somewhere, and get the information……」
「No, I am not thinking of getting it using that method this time around. You too don"t really want to use such method, do you?」
I did not miss Minnalis" expression which got distorted for a moment.
「You cannot, Master-sama!! Rather than such little sentiment, we need reliable information even if we"re a little forceful!! I"m glad that you are worried about me, but we do not have any need for a madperson who would come between our revenge」
Minnalis" eyes after saying that, contained a strong, cold intent that bespoke her intention of not willing to back down one bit.
「That"s exactly why. Where we"re going to from here on is Carbonheim. That town has just the right magic tools for contracts. If we use it proficiently, we will be able to obtain the information we want to know legally. Even without having to spend time and effort with torture. Besides, there is a possibility that the information will instead be transmitted, by killing them. If we"re thinking about staying in the city, it"s not the best choice」
「But……」
「Besides, if she"s a 『Hero』 that I am not aware of, there"s no telling what kind of trump card she might be concealing, and if possible we should avoid a situation where anything goes, even if we"re going to do it, it should be after we"ve gathered the information. You know that the scariest thing is 『Because I didn"t know』 right」
Because we lost everything in that way.
「…… That, may have been the case」
「Fortunately, the other side seems to be obsessed with you. If all these favorable conditions are lining up, then there is no need to take the hard way from the beginning. …… Though I hope the need to do that doesn"t arise」
Although it"s slim, there is also the possibility that they are connected with Princess Alesia.
If so, then I must definitely obliterate them. Even if Minnalis disagrees, I will most likely kill them.
「Well then, let"s hurry up and get moving. Hey, Shuria you too wake up」
「Hmm, I"m still sleepy」
I do very much understand the feeling of not wanting your sleep to be interrupted, but I cannot afford to say so this time.
「Uhmm, on a normal day I would allow it even for a little……, but Kuu, Chuusuke, DO IT」
「Yau?" Yauu! 」
「『Chuutsu!!』」
「WaPssh!? I, it"s so ticklish!?」
As the instruction was given out to Kuu and Chuusuke who were messing around, playing plays, Shuria who was lying down got her face licked and woken up.
Shuria, whose face became sticky, wakes up with teary eyes.
「Hurry your a.s.s up and get that dirty saliva-smeared face washed up, you tiny-breasted elf. It"s not the time to be dozing off」
「Argh, this method of waking someone, and the abuse right after, it"s so terrible, Ughhhh~」
Although her words and expression are a bit, since she"s back to normal I guess it"s all good.
「Now then let"s depart quickly. You see, rather than chasing after something, I like to lie in wait ahead. It"s easier to cease the initiative in that way」
If we"re to make contact, it should be as soon as possible, and preferably in a place with alot of people.
Right, for example, checkpoints that go into the city are the best.
☆
「Wh……, wh……, wh……」
「Yo, you were slower than I thought」
It was in front of the wall that surrounds Carbonheim.
The blue walls, much like the clear sky peculiar to this country, seems to have been enchanted with unique magic. The barrier covers the whole city along its walls.
In front of the walls, the procession of waiting for admission continued, and at the end of the line, we were waiting for the incoming Leone and co. while securing the position.
「Ugh」
「Whoa, think about the situation before you act out」
I raised my voice so as to keep Leone, who was trying to setup a bow right away, in check.
To be honest, I was very jumpy about what to do if I were attacked soon before raising my voice, but just as predicted her movements was halted by the surprise.
「Hey, causing a commotion here is not good, Leone」
「That"s right, calm down」
「…… I know that」
After being suppressed by her companions, Leone halts her movement.
That"s all good and all, but I"ll also be troubled if you"re not in high spirits and willing to shoot.
「With this much people as witness, no matter how you try to gloss it, you won"t be let off the hook? No matter what you bunch think」
「Kyaa!?」 「Hyawa! 」
「These babies, are mine」
While using the image of a pompous idiot acquaintance in my memory as reference, I held Minnalis" and Shuria"s waists in a way to look as lewd and detestable as possible.
I brushed up Minnalis" hair, and exposed the slave crest as if showing it off.
「Ah, you!!」
「So, that"s the gist……, you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, you want this baby, right?」
「Hmm!!」
I embraced Minnalis more strongly, and show off.
「In that case, I don"t mind making a trade. What will you do? Or do you want me to call the guards right here?」
As she moves her neck lightly, she could feel that they"re gathering attention from those lining in procession.
Guards near the checkpoint are also looking towards here intermittently.
Because it is also one of their roles to suppress squabbles between violent fellows.
「…… low-life」
It contained a feelings of direct disgust.
「Haha, that"s a good compliment. Well then, for now why don"t you be a good girl and line up」
After a long time・・・・while basking in feeling of pleasant stabbing stares, we turned our backs on Leone and lined up in the line.
「(It went well, easy peasy)」
「(Oh, good grief, those people don"t seem to have changed at all)」
Minnalis had a complicated expression on her face, of being delighted or troubled.
It was arranged beforehand to use the telepathic communication when speaking. I want these guys to think that I"m garbage who is forcing Minnalis and Shuria to obey.
If not, the value of liberating Minnalis who is the trading condition, from slavery will drop down.
「(Geez, she"s so straightforward, that it"s sickening)」
If only people were just like that, I might probably still be be upholding my role as the 『Hero』.
…… No, no chance huh.
No matter what I did, or whatever I chose.
Because this was probably the only viable path from the future where I know everything.
「(Honestly, if possible I would like to end this amicably)」
Even so, I think robust people like her actually wants to be welcomed accordingly.
…… Therefore, even knowing that we are absolutely incompatible.
After nearly an hour pa.s.sed, the very long queue was finally our turn.
「…… All right, you may pa.s.s! 」
「Yes, thank you」
As we received permission from the guard at the checkpoint, we pa.s.s through the translucent film glowing blue.
「Hyu, ugh, it"s suddenly got warmer」
「This, is really not just for appearance is it. If it"s this warm, the cloak for cold weather is almost too hot」
The cold air which cuts the skin up to a while ago, changed radically, into a warm atmosphere which one could endure in early spring.
The townscape did not feel fantastic despite it being a Magic City.
The commonplace town which remains the same like any other city continues, but the only difference from other cities is just about the abnormally high number of magicians among the people pa.s.sing through town huh.
The numbers of people able to wield magic isn"t few, but few people are able to settle on magic as their primary.
「…… So, what are you going to do now」
「First of all, we"re going to buy 『Richmond"s Contract』. If you"re going to trade in this town, that"s the best」
Richmond"s contract.
Richmond who is said to be an ancestor of Carbonheim, celebrated as the strongest magician of all time, it is a magical contract who the old genius, said to have created a lot of magic systems, invented.
A magic item that does not activate if the prinic.i.p.als who make the contract do not seriously desire it at that point, but forcibly carry out the contract written on parchment.
I have never seen the real thing, but the gist is that a command given which exercised its commanding authority has more compelling force than the slave crest, and that the spell curse can"t be broken unless if it were used in a secret ceremony in the Law country.
「Unbelievable……」 「Wow……」 「So daring……」
Perhaps the three on Leone"s side knew the price of the contract, as they leaked such voices.
It is a contract that is established at the highest peak as a contract. Naturally, it is quite pricey as such.
「……, is it that pricey?」 「Is it expensive? 」
「Ten gold coins for one sheet」
「「…………」」
As I replied thus to Minnalis and Shuria who cordially asked together, they opened their eyes wide in surprise.
Speaking of Ten pieces of gold coins, it is roughly a million yen in j.a.panese yen.
I think it"s up to each person whether this amount is high or cheap for the item, but typically there"s no mistaking that it commands quite a great cost.
In reality, it is extremely difficult to cough out that much gold coins.
It"s not like I can"t afford it, but there is also the enrollment fee for Minnalis and Shuria.
「(Ma, master-sama, are you really buying such an expensive item?)」
「(Yeah, because it"s necessary)」
I replied decisively with such words to Minnalis who spoke out to me in whispers.
Well, if you buy such a thing, there"s no way you can remain conspicuous, so I do not feel like buying it at all normally.
So, my dear Minnalis, stop looking at the round bag that contains the gold so flutteringly.
Shuria didn"t say 『So it"s a cheap inn today?』 or something like that, things will work out somehow even without having to stay in a cheap inn.
「And, here we are」
The place we arrived at by relying on my memory was a run-down antique merchant shop.
「Hey hey, weren"t you going to buy Richmond"s contract?」
A man called Dan speaks out for the feelings of the Leone party.
「It"s okay, right here」
I ignored those words and stepped into the shop.
The inside fits adequately the outer appearance of the store, and the various items lacking any form of integrity covered in dust were scattered about randomly.
「Yo-you, are welcome」
The person tending to the shop is a very shady-looking old man.
As a matter of fact……, for some reason, he is just an ordinary shady-looking old man as he appears. He doesn"t feel like a quick-witted person, or that he"s actually some kind of big shot.
This is a shop most fitting to be called third-rate, that normally sells shady goods, at shady prices.
It really is to my liking.
「What are you looking for today?」
「Oh, we"re good. We"ll search on our own. ……Ah, this one」
I looked around the store and picked up a book that is piled up behind the shade of the shelves.
Puff, puff, I dusted the dust on surface with my hand.
「Oh, dear customer, you have such good eyes. That item is」
「I don"t need any explanations. How about two large silver coins?」
「Eh?」
I dropped the money on the counter.
「Is it not enough? Then here"s one more piece. I"m not going to add any more than this though……」
「No, no, this is enough!!」
When I placed the additional one large silver coin on top the one on counter, he hurriedly s.n.a.t.c.hed the money which seemed to convey this already belongs to me.
「I"m done. Let"s go」
「？ Did you come to buy that book?」
「Yeah, that"s right」
As I replied thus, Spinne who made the inquiry looks towards me dubiously and observed me.
Leone"s companions looks at me with appearance that says that they have no idea what was going on. However, only Leone was not puzzled, but was rather as expected, looking at me with eyes of vigilance.
「……Shall we change location, it"s also not a matter that can be settled while standing and talking」