CH 55

“…That’s a big group for someone trying to flee the country.”

I organize additional information bought from the informant.

Twelve people, including three carriages, Zannis, servants, and bodyguards and his five children.

The children are probably in one of the three carriages. I heard that some of the guards are skilled, so if I’m going to kill someone, I might as well start with them.

I also found out the route they are using. However, regarding this, the informant said, “I can’t take responsibility if the other side changes the route on the way.”

The price is 50 gold coins. It’s not cheap, but it’s definitely to help the children. Besides, it seems that Zannis is also taking out his personal property, so we should be able to get the money back.

When I told Emilia and the others about this to rent a carriage, they told Harsalia.

“For all intents and purposes, he’s a bandit planning a robbery of a merchant.”

I was told.

“Really?”

“Well, there’s no denying this.”

…and the bandit part?

“Um… I think it’s fine to be like Gray-san. Yeah.”

When I asked Emilia and Kasha for their opinion, both of them replied with their eyes averted. Even I can see that Emilia’s statement was not a follow-up..

“Kohum…I’ll prepare the carriage tomorrow morning, so please wait for a while.”

Emilia returns to the topic with a deliberate cough.

“Thank you. I’m grateful for your help. I’ve been relying on you a lot lately. Thanks again, and if there’s anything else I can do, let me know.”

There were a lot of situations that would have been pretty bad if Emilia and her team hadn’t been there.

“I see. Then I wonder if I’ll ask you something again. Fufu… now what do you want me to ask for?”

Emilia said so and laughed mischievously.

“…… take it easy.”

On my way home from the “Battle Maiden” party house, I was wondering if I should take Ares with me on this one.

If the children are alive, it would be nice to have Ares accompany them. The only problem is that the people from Storia would be after him. It would not be good for them to know Ares’ whereabouts.

After all, I’m the only one who can clean this up.

The problem is that I don’t think I’ll be going home tomorrow. How am I going to explain this to the kids…? But anyway, let’s play as much as we want today.

I decide to do so and open the door to my house.

“I’m home.”

――――――――――

We are almost there, almost across the border.

That way, the pursuers from Storia’s would not be able to easily get their hands on the stones.

The escorts I hired are also skilled, but I still feel uneasy when it comes to dealing with holy knights. I don’t think that will happen by any chance, but if the head of the Holy Knights, Raizen, or his deputy, Castor, come out, it would be a dead end.

I’ve made so many connections over the years by preparing illegal goods and handing out slaves as perverted aristocrats and self-interested clergymen desired, but it’s all been in vain.

Shit, a coup d’etat? What a stupid thing to do…

Now in Storia, merchants like me, who had close relations with some nobles and clergy, are being arrested one after another. At this rate, I too will be captured and executed. Stop  kidding…I won’t end like this!

One of the reasons for the coup d’état was the bishop who had taken the oracle’s hero out of the country without permission and had gone missing. Of course, the bishop was also a regular customer of mine. Not only that, but also the Holy Knight Rondi, who went missing together with the bishop. No, now he’s a “former” holy knight. I heard that he was discharged from the army when the matter became public.

I’m really not lucky… But I still have one last hope. That’s the kids who lived with the hero. I didn’t let anyone touch that kid Mia or whatever she was for just such an occasion.

Luckily, I know where the bishop was going and what they want. They may be missing, but I don’t think they’ll go down that easily. No, I don’t care about the bishop or Rondi anymore…as long as we can find the hero, we can use the kids as bargaining chips….

At that moment, the carriage suddenly stopped and there was a commotion outside.

(Could it be a pursuer?!)

When I timidly peeked outside the carriage, my bodyguard pointed a sword at a man who looked like a bandit.  I was relieved to see that he was not chasing us from Storia, and at the same time, I felt irritated at the man who attacked us at such a time.

Moreover, I don’t see any of his friends…are they hiding somewhere? I don’t think he is alone.

I hear a man’s voice from outside.

“Oh? Who’s a bandit? I’m an adventurer no matter how you look at it.”

…What the hell is that guy talking about?

Just as I thought that, the head of the guard who was pointing his sword at him flew off.