Chapter 42 - Episode 13: First, We Shall Create Counterfeit Money
Gokigenyou! I am Violia Nico Fortesia, the one who has gracefully succeeded in escaping from the execution platform!
Magnificent! This is truly magnificent! I am shining at my absolute brightest right now!
Though I am at my most brilliant, for the time being, I am being carried by Doran as he runs, so I cannot be too reckless.
"Doran, what is the plan from here?"
"You and I are going into the bag."
"Eh? What did you just say?"
...Doran dove into an alleyway and jumped into a Spatial Bag that had been hooked onto a fence there!
Ah! I see! Only we and the residents of Bag Village know that humans can enter a Spatial Bag! In other words, it is the perfect escape route to lose our pursuers!
Immediately after entering the bag, Doran sat down and let out a deep sigh.
"The arrangement is for Keeb to retrieve this bag."
"Oh, is that so? Then we can rest easy."
After all, Keeb is adorable. ...It may sound cruel, but cute and beautiful things are generally forgiven for most things, and even if they aren't, they can smooth things over. In that regard, Keeb is perfectly fine just by having that cute face. Yes.
"...I'm sorry. I kept you waiting."
And once he caught his breath, Doran said that and sighed again.
"The time until the execution was far shorter than planned."
"Yes. I began to think you weren't coming to save me."
I shall allow myself one sarcastic remark. It was not Doran's fault that the execution proceeded so quickly.
"Yeah. I thought I wouldn't make it in time either."
But when you say it like that, it's actually not much of a joke, is it?
"...I was prepared to charge in without any setup if it came down to it. However, it seems the soldiers got into some trouble at the last minute. Thanks to that, I was able to take the time to make various preparations."
"Ah, that was probably the time they spent picking out the bread stuck in the keyhole."
"...Keyhole? Bread?"
"Since you all weren't coming, I thought I'd buy a little time. I stuffed bread into the keyhole of the dungeon door where I was being held."
So that little trick was not in vain after all. I'm glad I did it. Ohohohoho.
Now then.
The downside of being inside a Spatial Bag is that one has absolutely no idea what is happening outside. No sound can be heard, and there is no shaking.
...I wonder if Keeb managed it successfully?
"Ah, it seems it was retrieved safely."
Just as I thought that, something fell into the bag.
It was a slip of paper and... a flower. I wonder if the flower was bought at a florist? It's just a single bloom, but it's quite lovely.
And on the slip of paper, it simply said, 'Recovery complete.' ...It's Keeb's handwriting. Yes. That boy has such a cute face, yet his handwriting isn't cute at all...
"We arranged for a flower to be included whenever he contacts us."
"Ah, so that we'll know even if the enemy happens to seize this bag?"
"That's the idea."
Looking closely, this bag has been quite well-prepared with various things.
There are weapons, and food is inside as well. Oh, there's even a bed. Excellent.
"...If Keeb retrieved this bag as scheduled, we'll be idle for a while. You should sleep."
"Oh, that would be a help. I wasn't able to sleep properly in the slammer."
"I imagine so."
It would be foolish to force myself to stay awake here. It's best to just go to sleep.
"...Ah, come to think of it, I haven't thanked you for coming to save me yet. Thank you very much. You were a great help."
"That was the plan from the start."
How curt. I think successfully snatching a great criminal right before her public execution is something he could be a bit more proud of.
...Well, it is very like him.
"Well, I suppose that's true. Good night, then."
"Yeah."
And so, I shall sleep! I was constantly tense inside the prison, after all. As soon as I got into bed, my eyelids became heavy.
The next time I woke up, there was a person in the other bed. When I went to peek, it was, naturally, Doran sleeping.
"...Did something happen?"
However, he woke up as soon as I approached. Impressive.
"No. I just came to check if you were alive."
I also thought about peeking at his sleeping face, but well, there's no need to mention that. Ohohoho.
"I received another message from Keeb earlier. Did you see it?"
"No?"
"I put it on the table, but it says he's arrived at an inn. He'll set out again tomorrow morning. He plans to meet up with Chesta near Elsemarin to hand over the bag. Keeb will wait a bit longer before returning to Elsemarin, just to be safe."
"I understand. I'm sorry for waking you. You can go back to sleep."
"Yeah."
Doran said that, but he showed no sign of closing his eyes. ...He probably has the type of personality that can't sleep when someone else is nearby.
"I shall get another bit of sleep as well."
It would be a pity if he couldn't sleep, so I decided to sleep a bit more too.
Now then, we shall arrive in Elsemarin tomorrow. Once that happens, finally... I shall begin to rule my town!
Along the way, another memo came in with a flower. Based on the memo that simply said 'Handover complete,' it seems Keeb successfully gave the bag to Chesta.
...I wonder if it's alright to let a junkie carry the bag...? W-well, as long as the drugs have worn off, Chesta works properly. Yes. I'm sure it's fine. I want to believe it's fine.
"Oh, by the way, Doran. What happened to the Guild in the end? Were they cleared of all charges after handing me over?"
And so, the thing to consider is what comes next!
Whether or not the Guild, the cornerstone of the town I will rule, was ultimately exempted from that one black gold coin. This is a major issue!
"Ah, about that..."
...However, Doran had a strangely gloomy expression...?
"It seems the fine remains."