"... Here we are,"

　In the dark, a small voice echoes around.
　In the darkness, it is right to describe it as winter, and also as cutting cold at the cold. There are twenty figures that fit in there. Each of them is dressed in a black costume that makes it look like a night out, and waits patiently on the roof.
　This road from downtown to the lord's residence is not very crowded at night. That is to say, it was the best place to act in a way that could not be seen.
　A carriage on the road lies just beyond the eyes of those who are in the dark. It's not just a carriage. It's a horse-drawn carriage that has been reinforced to keep criminals from escaping.

"All right. Are you all ready? Rescue, if possible. If you can't, I'll keep my mouth shut."

　Other figures nod silently to a man's emotionless voice.

"They have already deprived us of our alchemists and demagogues of what could be considered the linchpin of the Empire. There should never be any further information leakage."

　Whispering figures, others nod silently as if they agree.
　Confirming this, they waited for the carriage with a game-seeking gaze... the moment they passed by, twenty figures rushed unhesitatingly towards the carriage through the darkness.





　The next day, having finished his breakfast as usual, Ray was out into town with Seto. I wasn't going to the guild today, but I was going to look for some interesting books in the library.

"What's this? It's so noisy all over the city."
"Glu".

　mutter involuntarily as one walks along the main street
　Even Seto seems to agree with Ray's opinion, and he chirps in his throat.
　I see a lot of people talking to people nearby with anxious faces.

"What, doesn't Ray know the cause of this trouble?"

　When I see Ray like that, the owner of a stall baking crepes calls out to me. However, crepes are not sweet things made of sugar or fruits, but rather like gallets wrapped in ham, cheese, meat or vegetables.

"As far as the city goes, it doesn't seem to be a happy event."Oh, give me six."

　Order and pay copper for information.
　The owner nods to the order with a smile and hands Ray a crepe wrapped in a quick bake.
　Receiving the crepe, he bites it deliciously, not long after breakfast, and turns to the owner, feeding Seto.

"I hear a convoy was attacked last night." and the criminals in the carriage and the knights who were escorting him were all killed."
"...what?"

　Listen to the shopkeeper and stop biting on the crepe.
　a convoy and knight last night I knew those words well.
　Feeling Ray's surprise, Seto also stops eating crepes and turns his eyes to the shopkeeper.
　It must have been an unexpected bite. The shopkeeper nods a few steps back at Ray's keen gaze from behind the hood.

"Oh, I'm sure," I don't know whether it was a convoy or not, but it is true that there was some kind of burnt wreckage on the side of the road when I pulled this stall here to-day, and there were some guards and knights around it."
"…I see. The information was saved. And wrap around ten more ham, eggs and tomato crepes."
"Every time,"

　The crepes I ate were unexpectedly delicious, so I buy more freshly baked crepes and put them in the mistling.
　Ray walks away, receiving the sweet voice of the stall owner on his back.
　While eating the crepes I bought with Seto, I growl inside.

(The convoy that was attacked must have been the one I caught yesterday. Then did you move to recapture your comrades? Nevertheless, if you imitate killing a knight, you would certainly make the knights serious. ... No, did you decide that that's OK? Was there a reason to do that? What? For example, was the information that I had about the three people that I had caught critical? Well, I don't know. Well, my duty itself ended with handing over three spies to the Knights. I wish it would end well like this...)

　Ray, who thinks like that, sighs without thinking.

(I don't think so.) Why, I'm the one who got those three caught. If that happens, then naturally there will be a sense of antagonism towards me. Were those three rescued or killed in silence so that the information wouldn't leak? Either way, I'm afraid it's going to be a lot of fun for me. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"... well... you know, man.

(Well, then, it might be awkward to go out like this. Should I stay in the inn until the trouble subsides?)

　That's how Ray was thinking, but suddenly he puts his hand on his shoulder and forces him to turn around.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!"
"Huh?"

　He turned around fluently, and found a familiar face. He was also involved in the Knights attack Ray had just thought of.

"I'm sure it's a security guard..."

　Yes, it was a guard who stopped Ray in downtown yesterday and took him to his station.

"Oh, did you finally realize that?" I don't know what you were thinking, but it's dangerous to walk thinking."
"I'm sorry. I just heard about yesterday."
"...I see,"

　Even though he was not as close as his friends, he might have thought that the knight, who is considered his companion in the sense of protecting the city of Gilm, died. After a small sigh, I turn my eyes to Ray again.

"It was on that subject that I stopped you." Captain Langa wants to hear more about yesterday's incident. Will you come for a moment?"
"Ranga?"

　Ray muttered in spite of himself, but he soon agreed.
　Ray's understanding was that Langa was the one to take care of when he left the city, but his real job was to be the head of the security guard in the city. With that in mind, it wasn't funny to call Ray over yesterday's incident.

"Oh, for I've lost the note of what I heard from you yesterday. You may want to hear about it again."
"... well, you know what? I had nothing particular to do today."I was just trying to find a monster dictionary in the library or a book that might be useful on request. He nodded honestly and headed for the post with the guards, because he had no business to do today.

"Well, I'm sorry," It seems that there will be some reward for cooperation in the investigation."

　a guard who says so and turns his eyes to Seto

"But if the Gryphon's appetite, as I have been rumored, is true, it will only be about a meal's worth."
"Don't worry. As I said, I had nothing particular to do today. I'm not particularly dissatisfied with that. Rather, it's as good as one meal."

(If you think about it, there is little development in entertainment in this world. I don't have internet, games, or comics. I barely have a picture book. It was a little unexpected that there was nothing like a novel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . That said, it seems foolish to go out of your way to ask in a snowstorm. An ordinary adventurer would drink at a bar...)

　Ray, who knew he wasn't that good at drinking, couldn't have the option.
　It also shows Ray's poor social skills, as he doesn't have the option of killing time with friends and acquaintances.

(Then it's just like a library, after all. Or maybe you can buy a book at a bookstore. I have a lot of money to spare. Oh, there's eating out after that. To collect monsters' magical stones... No matter how many dragon robes there are, it is strictly forbidden to underestimate winter.)

　Raised deep in the mountains of the Tohoku region, Ray knows the horrors of winter and continues to walk, remembering the dangers of winter, until he reaches the headquarters of the Guard, a little further away from the Adventurer's Guild.

"Come in, then," There were not many people about yesterday, but the captain is already waiting."
"Oh, set,"
"Glu".

　A set of people who, without giving detailed instructions, cry softly as if they knew everything, move into a gap in the building and lie down.

"I'm sorry. I'll go to the full house when this is over, so please eat this and wait."

　He said so and threw the dried meat out of the mistling into the set and into the building.
　They are led straight to a room at the back of the building by guards. There Langa, whom Ray had seen many times at the gate, glanced at the papers with a difficult face.

"Captain, I brought Ray with me."
"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry. I was a little too focused here. Sit on the sofa over there."

　His beard was usually well trimmed, but he must have had no time to rest since yesterday because of the carriage attack. Ray seemed to have some sort of weakness in his beard.

"I'm sorry, but will you bring me two cups of tea and something to eat?"
"Yes, immediately,"

　Seeing the guards leading Ray out of the room, Langa also sits across from Ray's desk.

"I'm sorry to call you all of a sudden,"
"No, you don't have to worry. for it has nothing to do with me."
"I hear so," ...well, I'll have the details heard when he comes back. We're understaffed by this incident, too."

　Ray opens his mouth, leaning his head slightly at Langa's words and lowering his hood.

"Is there a shortage of workers because you're looking around for the culprit?"
"Well, there are so many adventurers in this town of Gillum that there are so many bloody people. So, if there's violence, it's like every day... it's been a long time since a few knights were killed together. That's why we have to get this done as soon as possible so that we don't worry the people of the city."
"Is that why you are here?" I'm usually at the front gate."

　Langa breathes loudly at Ray's words.

"Well, that's the best thing for me, too. It's inevitable that such an incident should happen."

　I guess it's out of fatigue. As he talks to Ray, somewhat languidly, the door knocks and the guard comes back. The tray in his hand had three cups of tea and a large plate of sandwiches.

"Thank you for waiting."
"Yes, you sit on the sofa, too." Tell me over a cup of tea."

　Following Langa's words, the guard sits on the sofa, reaching for a sandwich.
　The story was nothing new, as Ray told knights and guards yesterday. Even for Langa, this is what I've heard from a guard already in front of me. Still, I was faintly expecting some clues, but in the end I couldn't find any particular new information.

"…I see. Yeah, I got the general idea. Unfortunately, I didn't have any particular information."

　Langa mutters regretfully, carrying a sandwich of vegetables and cheese into her mouth. Watching it, Ray nods his head slightly and opens his mouth.

"Still, it was certainly the people of the Vestian Empire who attacked the convoy guarded by the knights,
"Perhaps... no, I'm sure." As you say, attacking a convoy does not deprive us of our treasures, our food, and our supplies."
"By the way, what happened to the spies I caught? Were they taken away or kept quiet?"

　Ray's mind reminds me of three people who attacked him last night. Two of them were dressed in black and had ordinary faces as if they were everywhere.

(but he is a spy, and if he has good features, he will stand out.)

　And if anything, it was safe to say that she was beautiful.

(Perhaps they had a role to play in eliciting information through s*xual intercourse...?)

　Langa shakes her head slightly at Ray's question.

"All three were found dead. but the body itself was burnt, and I can only say that it was the three men you had caught."
"...was it also used in the magic of the Flame?"
"I don't know if it's magic, but there's no doubt that all the bodies, including the knights, were burned."

　Ray frowns at Langa's words.
　Then he suddenly remembers and takes a black needle from the mistling and places it on the table.

"These are the weapons that three of us used when they attacked me yesterday. I don't know if it will be of any use, but I will give it to you in case you know something."
"Thank you. I'll be saved."A black langer on the table and wrapping a long needle in cloth.

(Even though it's nighttime, don't you bother to use fire in an attack on the city? Isn't that like asking me to find anything? ... It stinks a little.) But what is the reason for this? I think it's just to disguise the body.)

　Looking at Langa, he must have expressed himself thinking like that. Langa also nods with a heavy sigh.

"Yes, the slower we are known to attack the carriage, the more advantageous it should be to the spies. Nevertheless, he uses fire to make himself stand out. There's a lot of fishy smell about this, isn't there? ... in fact, the news of the inhabitants who found the fire revealed this matter. In other words, it is possible that the uproar is not over yet. ...that's where. I'd like to make a request for your nomination. If we find a base for those who committed this incident, we would like you to help us control it."

　Langa's words echoed through the room.