Chapter 297 - A Slum Warehouse with Many Visitors
With the attack plan canceled and some free time, we spent the night at the port with a barbecue and fishing, enjoying a traveler’s mood.
The first sight of the sea lifted our spirits, and it felt like a mini-vacation.
The next morning started with a run, a sprint on the beach, and a bit of combat training before returning to the warehouse, giving it a camp-like feel.
After an elegant breakfast, another visitor arrived while we were chatting.
"Who was it this time?"
"Another messenger from the Vigilante Captain."
Frequent communication is a sign of a good partnership, I suppose. We thought our relationship was still shallow, but let’s take it positively.
But why would they send a message so early in the morning? I half-expected a betrayal, but it turned out to be nothing major.
Everyone seemed a bit disappointed.
"Remember the Daisy café in the red-light district?"
"The one with the open terrace and the old lady owner?"
"That’s the one. The old lady wants us to be her bodyguards."
Hmm, an unexpected turn of events.
"Didn’t the red-light district fall under the Vigilante Captain’s control? There shouldn’t be any more conflicts among the forces, so why is she asking us?"
"Yukari-san, the situation here is a bit different from Exembra. In this town, unless a shop belongs to a specific influential person, it doesn’t fall under anyone’s protection. Some might act out against the Vigilantes, so it’s understandable that she wants a bodyguard."
"That makes sense."
"The café was at the center of the chaos. If anything happens and they report it to the Vigilantes, it might take time for them to arrive."
Rigaheim is a town of unscrupulous merchants, not controlled by any major forces. There are no bodyguards or protection fees, as the Vigilantes usually handle any issues. But still, if we acted as bodyguards, it could undermine the Vigilantes’ reputation.
"But if the Vigilante Captain’s messenger said it’s fine, there shouldn’t be a problem, right?"
Right, I remember Siegrune mentioning that during the attack, a piece of glass hit the old lady’s neck, and she almost died. The Vice-Commander’s bravery and coolness impressed her. But why would an old lady be so affected?
I can imagine what the Vigilante Captain might be thinking, but if he’s not concerned about his reputation, we don’t need to be either. Let’s put it aside.
"Hmm, but being bodyguards... It’s a bit far from the port and inconvenient. It’s also a waste of manpower to have someone there all the time, and we probably won’t get much in return."
Even if it’s a generous offer, it doesn’t seem very beneficial for us.
"What if we use it as a temporary base in town? It might be a good temporary location."
The Information Bureau member suggested this while listening.
"A temporary base, huh? It would be convenient, but we’d need a dedicated room, and it might be a bit intrusive to use someone else’s house."
"The café was quite spacious. We might be able to borrow a room in the back or basement. Instead of making an immediate decision, why don’t we go talk to her? We have to go out anyway, and I can check it out if you want."
"If it looks good, go ahead. I’ll leave the decision to the Information Bureau."
After our morning tea, I started to think that the temporary base idea wasn’t so bad.
Setting up a dedicated office in town would be a big project. We aim for a high-quality office, and it would take time to find a location, build or renovate a building, and design the interiors. We’d also need to install security magic devices.
Setting up an office is a lot of work, and it would take time and money.
For us, who don’t plan to do business in town, it’s not worth the effort. It would be better to renovate the port warehouse to make it more convenient. Even though it’s just a temporary base, it’s more practical for port-related work.
Using the café as a hidden base in town could be a good compromise.
If we control the town from the shadows, we’ll likely receive various inquiries from influential figures, and we might have to ask them for favors.
Having a base in the town center would make communication easier. It’s inconvenient for influential figures to visit a base in the slums.
It seems that having a base in town would be convenient. If it’s a low-maintenance base, it would be ideal.
We don’t need to store supplies, so a space for meetings and waiting would be sufficient. Using a café means we don’t have to worry about building maintenance.
We plan to have a significant presence in Rigaheim, so having a few people in town to act as bodyguards or consultants would be manageable.
While the top-tier members might join the Vigilante Captain’s ranks, the lower-ranking members might rebel.
Maintaining a presence to deter sudden trouble and respond immediately is a necessary measure for a ruler. It can also serve as a deterrent.
It seemed to have many benefits.
"Someone’s here again. I’ll check."
We were enjoying our post-meal break when another visitor arrived.
A member of the Second Combat Unit went out and returned, looking a bit annoyed.
"It was a beggar. They must have liked the free food yesterday, so I chased them away."
"We don’t want them coming every day. People will start complaining if it becomes a routine. This is fine."
"Yeah, they’ll appreciate it more if it’s occasional."
Despite the intimidating presence of the first group, the beggars kept coming. They were quite persistent after just one meal of free food.
Due to the multiple unexpected visitors, our conversation dragged on, and we finished lunch before starting the day’s activities.
"Alright, let’s get ready to go out."
"Next is the mayor, Onee-sama. He shouldn’t be too difficult."
"He’s not strong in the face of violence and is often underestimated by powerful figures, but he’s surprisingly well-liked by the residents."
According to the files, the mayor has been a steward of the noble family that has governed Rigaheim for generations. He is a devout and kind person, which gives him a good reputation. However, his lack of independent power, such as his own forces, makes him an ineffective ruler.
The mayor comes from a prestigious family that has governed the town for generations and is supported by the residents. His hands-off approach is convenient for the various forces, which is why he hasn’t been ousted. For us, it’s also convenient if he remains in place.
If a greedy person took over as mayor, Rigaheim would likely descend into deeper chaos.
The person we aim to eliminate is the mayor’s closest advisor, the Deputy Mayor, who is a very bad character.
"Being kind is sad if that’s all you have to offer."
"It’s better than having nothing, isn’t it?"
Generally, powerful people aren’t often “good people.” The mayor is a rare exception.
"The problem is the man trying to bring the mayor down. He hasn’t shown any outward signs of trouble, but just reading the files makes him seem despicable. How should we deal with this person?"
"No questions. We should eliminate him."
Mary’s decisive statement and Siegrune’s bitter expression suggest that the Deputy Mayor is a particularly nasty individual.
I wasn’t asked to do this, and I don’t have a personal grudge. I’d rather not get too involved, but if we’re backing the mayor, the Deputy Mayor will surely be a hindrance.
The worst-case scenario is that he might try to assassinate the mayor. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already.
"They probably thought they could take us out with this. Fools never change."
"If they had managed to eliminate us, it would have been a major blow. Even if we weren’t killed, a preemptive attack like this would cause significant damage. If we were away, our base would have been destroyed, and anyone would be intimidated. It’s an effective strategy."
"But using a bomb against us is a desperate move."
Everyone was still on high alert, sharing their thoughts.
Indeed, it’s a desperate move.
They used a bomb to try to eliminate us. If another bomb was used, it might have caused a lot of damage. Even if we weren’t there, our vehicles and supplies would have been destroyed.
"This is a challenge we have to accept. We’ll find out who did it and make them pay."
"Right!"
We’ll accept any challenge. Using a bomb is unforgivable, no matter what excuses they offer.
If it was the Vigilante Captain’s men, it might complicate things, but we can’t pretend it didn’t happen. Let’s see how this plays out.
"Ah... This doesn’t sound good."
The meaning of someone’s murmur became clear to everyone.
The creaking sound was coming from the warehouse itself.
"It’s collapsing. Evacuate!"
With six large holes in the walls and pre-existing cracks, the warehouse was on the verge of collapse. The roof might also fall.
If only one wall was collapsing, we could handle it, but this was a situation where evacuation was the best option.
"Damn!"
Unfortunately, the worst-case scenario came true. The cracking sound grew louder, and part of the roof was about to collapse.
The magic barrier I used earlier was effective but specialized for a short duration and wide area. It could withstand the impact of falling debris but couldn’t sustain it for long, especially while using other magic.
It was an emergency spell, not designed for prolonged use.
Even if we used a defensive shield, the warehouse was too large to protect everything, including the vehicles.
"Onee-sama, I’ll do it!"
"What? Ah, right. A Collapse Magic! I’ll support you, so count on me!"
Good thinking, my little sister. She understood my concern about protecting the bikes.
Siegrune’s sensible decision and command allowed us to focus on the task while others evacuated.
We concentrated on the falling roof. A large structure falling is quite dramatic, so we focused on the major parts and ignored the smaller debris.
"Valeria, now!"
I activated the magic barrier at the right moment, feeling the magic power drain and a headache coming on.
Using such a powerful and wide-area spell in quick succession isn’t a good idea, even if it’s effective.
As the barrier absorbed the impact, Valeria jumped up and touched the roof.
The Collapse Magic activated, turning the massive falling debris into a cloud of fine dust. Feeling relieved, I lifted the barrier, mindful of the decreasing magic power and headache.
"Ah!"
Distracted by Valeria’s landing, I realized too late that the dust was pouring down on us.
I couldn’t help but laugh at my own carelessness.
But at least the Bloomstar Galaxy was protected. Let’s be happy with that.