Chapter 194 - The Hunting Outpost
Using magic to sense the movements of people, I crept up to the building. If anyone came out now, I decided to knock them out, no matter who it was.
Fortunately, no one interfered. Peeking through a window first, I saw a man sleeping lazily in the middle of the day. The scattered wine bottles made it clear he was passed out drunk. Given the spacious room and the lavish, unnecessary interior, he might be the most important person here. He looked like he wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon, so I decided to leave him be.
Looking to my left and right, I noticed Mira and Graylease had already opened a window and were about to enter. They must have broken the lock, securing a safe entry point. Their experienced and smooth operation was impressive, though it made me a bit wary of their usual activities. Putting that aside, since breaking and entering is unfamiliar to me, I focused on being thorough rather than fast.
I circled the first floor, checking through windows. It turned out that all the rooms except the bathroom and storage were sealed. Given that people were gathered in these sealed rooms, I suspected they were being held captive. Hmm, the situation was starting to make sense.
After circling the building, I entered through the front door, mindful of traps. The door broke easily with a little force.
Near the entrance was a spacious kitchen, with shelves full of grains and other food supplies. Opening a magic-powered refrigerator, I found only a small amount of food. It seemed like they were about to gather more supplies, as the grain reserves were unusually low, and there were only a few wine bottles left. It was possible that the people who had gone out to gather supplies would return soon. Better to hurry.
Exploring the building, I found that the structure was designed to hold small groups of people in several rooms.
Approaching one such room, I confirmed that it was locked from the outside, confirming that they were indeed being held captive. The question was who was being held.
"There’s no point in not opening the door and seeing what’s inside, right?"
Magic sensing alone couldn’t tell me who was inside. I carefully unlocked the door and opened it.
The moment I opened it slightly, I felt a stagnant air, as if the air had been trapped. The Purifying Engraving on my cloak must have been working, because otherwise, it would have smelled unpleasant.
I opened the door wide. The dark room, lit only by a few candles, revealed several men. They looked at me with suspicious, exhausted faces. They were all sturdy-looking beastmen, likely from the surrounding area.
"...A woman? Who are you?"
One of the larger, more alert beastmen asked, his eyes sharp despite his weakened state. I wondered why such strong individuals were so easily captured, but quickly realized the cause.
"I’m just passing through. By the way, are those Magic-Sealing Bracelets?"
"...What happened to the guards?"
The Magic-Sealing Bracelets looked like bulky men’s watches, but the ones these men wore were thinner. They might be a cheaper or advanced version, but the basic structure seemed similar.
"Just passing through? Are you not with them?"
The men looked at me with confused, lifeless expressions.
Instead of answering their questions, I removed my sunglasses and stared them down.
"Quiet. I’m the one asking questions. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
I decided to use my magic to intimidate them and show the difference in power.
Their confusion deepened, but the bear-like beastman, who seemed to be the leader, stepped forward.
"We were captured by slave hunters."
"Slaves? You seem stronger than the people outside."
Even with the Magic-Sealing Bracelets, I could sense the amount of magic power they possessed. Given their sturdy builds, it was hard to believe they were captured so easily.
"They attacked the village while the men were away. With hostages, we couldn’t do anything."
I see. I suspected that the hostages were also captured along with them. It was better than being killed, I suppose.
Judging from the situation, this was likely a base for slave hunters. The Snake Head Society was involved in slave trading, so it made sense that they would have such bases and personnel.
Other buildings and rooms probably held more victims gathered by the slave hunters.
Unlike us, the Kikyo Society never dealt in slave trading and had no plans to. While it seemed like a profitable business, given the minimal initial investment, we had members who had been victims of such practices. Engaging in such activities would cause unnecessary resentment within the organization, and the risks outweighed the benefits. The Kikyo Society, despite being part of the underworld, would never engage in such dealings.
Unfortunately, there was no benefit in taking the captured slaves for ourselves. There was no other valuable loot here. The treasures in such a dilapidated place would only be a hindrance.
"Hmm. So that’s how it is."
I didn’t have time to deal with them. On to the next.
"Wait!"
Just as I turned to leave, a panicked voice called out.
"What? You can do as you please. I’m just passing through. We’re busy."
The Magic-Sealing Bracelets could be removed with a key. It was likely that the guards had the key, either inside this dilapidated place or on one of them. Taking it would allow the men to remove the bracelets and either escape or fight back. There might even be a weapons cache in a place like this. I didn’t think there was a need for further assistance.
The men, who had been confused by the sudden opportunity, seemed to realize their situation. They nodded among themselves, and all but the leader left the room.
The bear-like beastman still had something to say, but he was also concerned about the others outside.
"I’m going with you this time. See you."
"At least tell us your name. We’ll repay this debt."
If that’s the case, it’s fine.
"...I’m Shinogami from the Kikyo Society. In Exembra, we’re somewhat well-known. If you ever feel like repaying the favor, just come to our headquarters. But I’m on a journey to the western continent, so it might be a while before I return."
"The Kikyo Society in Exembra, Yukarinowe. Understood."
Seeing him nod solemnly, I headed outside.
Mira and Graylease, who had already finished their search, had a similar experience. Outside, beastmen had escaped the buildings, tying up the guards and checking who was present. Some were even shouting for their families and friends.
Given that this was a slave hunter base, it was possible that someone could return at any moment. While we might have a few days of leeway, slave hunters or those receiving the captured slaves could show up at any time. The low food reserves also suggested we should hurry. As I thought this, the bear-like beastman came out and started assessing the situation.
Observing the beastmen, my team also gathered to report.
"This is definitely a slave hunter base."
"Many people were held captive, with only a few guards. It’s likely that others are out on a mission and will return soon."
"Yukari said there were traps set up. We’ve destroyed all of them, so they’re no longer a problem."
"There was a small vehicle in the back."
The absence of a large vehicle used for transporting slaves suggested it was currently in use. I decided to inform the beastmen about this as well.
The beastmen were busy searching for weapons and their belongings, and tending to those in poor condition. I decided to inform the leader of the situation again, as a courtesy.
"Best to move quickly. There’s only one vehicle for transportation, and there are too few of you to defend against a large group. Others are likely to return."
"We know. There were many more of them when they attacked the village. However, many are too weak to move."
Indeed. It seemed the slaves were valuable, as there were no deaths, at least in this place. However, the women, in particular, were severely weakened. The men’s faces told a grim story. There were also children with poor nutrition and injured men.
"What do you plan to do?"
"We’ll wait here and kill them when they return."
Their resolve and determination were clear, despite their injuries. They were prepared to fight to the death.
"...Alright, I like that. Let’s make a deal."
"What do you mean?"
"You can trade the Magic-Sealing Bracelets you stole for healing potions and food. How about it?"
The bear-like beastman, surprised by the unexpected offer, paused before nodding, curious about my intentions.
"...Can you provide enough for everyone?"
"Of course. In exchange, we’ll take the magic devices."
I returned to my team and informed them about the trade. I sent Albert and Mira to fetch healing potions and food from the vehicle. The others continued to keep watch. I created several healing potions in a hidden spot. These were different from the usual ones, and I explained this to the bear-like beastman before handing them over.
"Give these to the women. If you suspect poison, you can throw them away."
"No, we’re grateful and won’t be that disrespectful. Thank you."
Just as the team members returned with the cargo, I handed over the healing potions and food. The specially formulated crystal vials contained a potent combination of healing effects, with half being mid-tier and the rest being high-tier. Since the compound healing potion had already been publicly announced through Rosabel, it was no longer a secret. Giving some away wouldn’t be a problem.
"These have various effects and should work for any condition. The light-colored one is equivalent to a fourth-tier potion, and the dark-colored one is equivalent to a sixth-tier potion. Use them wisely."
"Such valuable items... You don’t seem to be from the Healer Guild, but perhaps you’re a merchant?"
They were likely surprised by my thorough preparation. They tried to hide it, but they seemed to doubt my intentions a bit.
"I’m close to that, but I’m wealthy, so I have these on hand. This should be enough to heal everyone. After that, you’re free to run or fight, as you see fit."
"...No, I meant what I said. We’ll kill them."
Even if they doubted my intentions, they had no other choice. They decided to accept the unexpected help.
"Alright. We’re leaving now."
"Yukarinowe, thank you. You said you’re heading west?"
"Yes. If you want to repay the favor, you can do so later."
I couldn’t be sure what would happen to the beastmen. They might be wiped out, or they might successfully take revenge. This was their fight. If the bear-like beastman survived and came to repay the favor, that would be the only way we’d know the outcome.
With the trade completed, we quickly withdrew and prepared the vehicle.
"Despite our plans, we found something interesting."
"Those are likely new Magic-Sealing Bracelets. They’re more valuable than any treasure and better suited for restraining enemies."
Special magical devices are hard to come by, and not everyone can obtain them. They could be sold for a high price if needed.
"I’ve never seen slave hunters before. Hearing about it is one thing, but seeing it in person is infuriating."
Graylease had found the women in the dilapidated building, and the sight of the oppressive scene had deeply angered her.
"It’s infuriating. They said they would stay and fight. I hope they’ll be okay."
While we couldn’t afford to wait for their enemies to return, the men seemed capable of putting up a good fight. I hoped they would be fine.
The presence of organizations like the Snake Head Society in Exembra was concerning. If the beastmen could eliminate them, it would be beneficial for us. Supporting them was the right decision.
"We’ll manage. Probably."
"I wanted a field for Lily."
"Hopefully, the next one will be a hit."
While we replenished the healing potions we had used, we also planned to gather food along the way, as we had depleted our emergency rations. There were plenty of forest resources and even some magic beasts to hunt. We had time before nightfall, so we decided to push forward. What would we find next?