Chapter 239 - Seventh Story: Capture of the Bandits
At the village head's house, a grand banquet is being held.
It's not just for the dragon-slaying, but because the heroes who defeated the Demon Lord are the guests.
However, Harris-sama returned to the Royal Capital saying he wasn't a hero, and Gwyn-sama and Roberts-sama, who had become bald, said it was too unsightly and returned to the Royal Capital, and in addition to Gladys-sama and the escort knights, Hughes-sama also went back with them.
Even so, four contemporary heroes have gathered. They must be avoiding the topic of the dragon-slaying and getting very excited with stories of the Demon Lord's subjugation.
Even though it is a direct territory, it's said that a King staying at a village head's house is unheard of. For the time being, there is a room for guests, but the village head once declined, saying it was too shabby, but it was put into action with the King's words that he didn't mind.
Since it was a sudden story, the Royal Palace would bear all the expenses, and it became a lavish affair.
Those who wanted to hear the stories of the heroes were free to participate, and most of the villagers gathered.
Inevitably, the surroundings of the village head's house are strictly surrounded by Royal Army soldiers.
"I definitely would have preferred that side."
Beatrix is grumbling while listening to the noise of the banquet faintly heard from the direction of the village.
"Oh? I'm perfectly fine here."
Mary smiled at Gladys-sama. Whether the dinner is porridge of oats and dried meat, or the location is a crumbling ruin, as long as Gladys-sama is there, anything is fine for her.
All three are wearing white robes. They are pretending to be Priestesses.
There is one more person pretending to be a Priestess. It's Dune. She seems quite angry that they cursed the Water Dragon protecting the lake and polluted the water, and I'm worried she might end up killing the opponents.
"We're still on the better side. Since we're inside."
Roberts-sama, Hughes-sama, and Harris-sama are outside. Just in case, I cast Repellent magic on them, but it only lasts for two hours. There's no doubt they'll be attacked by swarms of mosquitoes as time passes.
"They're coming tonight, right?"
"It seems that's what was in the letter Fiona saw. The policy was decided as soon as the King announced he would hold a banquet tonight."
When Mary asked, Beatrix answered.
"I wonder how they'll come? Could it be Teleport or something?"
This is something even Beatrix can't answer. That's because we don't know where the opponents are.
"His Majesty the King said there was a fortress at the edge of the lake, didn't he? I heard that because it was destroyed by the waves the dragon caused, the soldiers were evacuated. I think that place is suspicious."
If that's the case, they can row out in a boat. The moon is thin. Even though Flora is with the three outside, if the opponents are Revenants, even the heroes might struggle.
"They're here. One small boat. Two humans on board."
Dune sensed them already. It seems the lake water told her.
It's from the direction of the fortress. Gladys-sama's reading was correct.
To inform the standby team outside, I throw three small stones from the window into the bushes. Hughes-sama approached without making a sound, so I told him of the bandits' arrival.
Next, I send a letter via a Teleportation Circle. Gwyn-sama, who is waiting as a separate unit, will lead his men to the fortress.
"They might not be the main force. Dune, can you sink the boat? As quietly as possible, and if possible, enough that they have time to call for help."
"I can. Then, it's better if it's not too far from the shore."
She stood up and went to the window. When she raised her right hand, held up her index finger and spun it around, she came back.
"What will happen?"
"Boats that humans make with wooden planks always have gaps. So if I make water enter inside from there, it will sink."
When I heard that, an answer that no matter how you think about it, a human couldn't do, came back.
Before they know it, the boat will be half-submerged. If it's a dugout canoe, she'd have to create waves and flip it over, so it's apparently easy to be found out.
Since there are scoundrels who do their business in the middle of Nakanohara Lake, she has punished them many times.
Several decades ago, there was a pair of young hunters who persistently tried to break through the mist, and it seems they got angry because they couldn't break through and tried to relieve themselves side by side. She said she shook the boat in the middle of it, and they fell over on their backs inside the boat and got covered in urine, and she's cackling as she tells the story.
Since they might be people we know, I decided not to dig too deep into it.
While we were talking about foolish things, it seems the enemy's reinforcements have come. They must have noticed because the first boat was swinging a lantern around.
"Three people. They're all Revenants."
Apparently, it's the main force.
"We just have to catch them, right?"
"That's right. If we kill them, we won't know the background."
"Understood."
As soon as she said that, she stood up and raised her right hand high twice.
Don!
A sound like gunpowder exploding in a hole comes from the direction of the lake. No, I've heard it once before.
We go outside and join up with Flora. Roberts-sama and the others are also gathered.
"Suddenly, two water pillars rose. The boat is riding on top of them. To be precise, it's wrapped in water."
It must be the technique that blew away the Gargoyles. It seems she wrapped the boat in something fluffy. There's no doubt they can't escape no matter what they do now.
We wait for a while. It seems there are no followers. Dune pulled her right hand, which she had thrust forward, back toward her body.
When we illuminate with Light, two water pillars advance across the lake surface.
As they came to the island just like that, they shrank and became lower, and a small boat wrapped in water could be seen at the top.
The two are young men of commoner appearance, and they are lying down, perhaps unconscious.
The three are wearing black robes and were pressed against the bottom of the boat by the fluffy stuff. They are also unconscious.
"It seems we were unnecessary?"
Harris-sama is laughing while making eye contact with Roberts-sama.
"How did you do it?"
"I tightened them with the fluffy stuff. I thought about crushing their ribs to pieces and draining the water from their bodies, but I decided against it."
When I heard that, a quite terrifying answer came back.
I could hear the sound of Harris-sama swallowing his saliva.
Once we've caught them, the rest is easy. We tied their hands and feet, gagged them, and even blindfolded them before carrying them to the temple. It's time for interrogation. We leave the five of them lying in a wide room with sufficient distance between them. I cast Thought Communication. After that, we just wait. The monitor is Harris-sama. Since he has experience in reading aloud, he can conduct the interrogation so that his own thoughts aren't read by the opponent. While they are blindfolded and gagged, he just has to ask questions unilaterally and read what the opponent thought.
We decided to rest just like that.
The next morning, Harris-sama told us the information he had obtained.
The Revenants were indeed priests of the Ruined Town. They plotted this matter according to the instructions of the Council. They are also the ones who brought the talk to the King of Septanaquila and enticed him. If it went well, the Finis Royal Capital would fall into chaos and lose the ability to wage war. The reward was financial aid. It seems they had briefly told him what they would do, but they hadn't told him in detail what would happen to the lake as a result. The success fee was paid at the point when the withdrawal of the Finis army was confirmed. A living human priest handled the negotiations. Between warring countries, they use sorcery when they use it. It's not Forbidden Magic, and it seems the King of Septanaquila didn't think deeply about it.
There was no one at the fortress. No Teleportation Circles or traces of them were confirmed. The Ruined Town was aiming for the Black Stones and probably wanted a foothold for that.
The two humans were young men from the village. They are village guards. They had connections with Septanaquila from before. In other words, they are internal information providers. If they are in the direct territory, a summons order comes in. They transmitted that content and received money from Septanaquila scouts disguised as itinerant traders in return.
The matter of the Water Dragon was a direct exchange with the priests who came from the Ruined Town and had nothing to do with the Septanaquila scouts. It seems they were reluctantly following because they were threatened that their identities would be exposed. However, it seems they had firmly received the money. James-sama suggested that they should just let them continue their relationship with Septanaquila under surveillance. They just have to leak false information at the critical moment, and from the two's friendships, internal information providers might be identified in a chain reaction.
"Your Majesty, with this, the evidence is gathered. After that, you may do as you please."
James-sama said, and Evans-sama nodded.
"I am truly grateful to you all. However, are you not going to Septanaquila after this?"
"I wonder if the King of that country thinks it's already a finished matter? We are also capable of talking about the Demon Lord's subjugation while pretending not to know anything. Now is the period of the non-aggression pact and the time to celebrate the Demon Lord's subjugation. Might it be fine to leave out such dangerous talk as past wars?"
When he said he'd leave it to them, the King let out a laugh.
"Please do not forget the reward for Beatrix and the others. Besides, it is not over yet. Let's do something about the Purification Orb. Since we've been involved this far, as long as it's during our stay, we will not spare our cooperation. Besides, it might be fine to extend our stay by another week or so."
"As expected of a hero, how magnanimous. It feels good. Then, first, Beatrix. I shall guarantee the granting of free passage and free commercial rights for your shop in our country in the name of the King of Finis. I will definitely hand over the written document later."
Beatrix and Aira made eye contact, patted each other's shoulders, and laughed.