Chapter 38

Chapter 38

「Chapter 038」

Translator: Silver

The ordinary people were still asleep early in the morning, but the merchants were already in motion.

Through the early morning hassle, I found myself making my way through the city.

I knew the approximate location of my destination.

“Wraith-san, you usually don’t have an escort.”

My first destination was last night’s manor. I headed to where the meeting took place, showed my guild card to the gatekeeper, and got permission to enter.

The upkeep of this building fell under the guild’s jurisdiction. Therefore, I could enter it at will.

I received the key and headed to the meeting.

In the dimly lit room, the only source of light came from the partially obscured window.

After checking the room, I went to the window and searched for a building within line of sight.

“Thought so.”

During the meeting, the man named Takiya seemed to be looking in this direction, but it seems he’d been focusing on me rather than Wraith.

No, to be accurate, he’d been looking at this window.

There was only one build outside this window at the same height as this manor, and behind that stood a single watchtower.

I sat in the seat where Wraith had been and looked out the window.

From this position, I couldn’t make out the watchtower platform.

“Then, let’s take a look at that building.”

I quickly changed my sword’s load-out and left the manor.

It turns out the building in question was a warehouse.

When I asked around, I discovered that Takiya’s merchant association owned the build.

It wouldn’t be a good idea to force my way in right now, but I could ask the guild to investigate the recent activity of this place.

A sniper or an equivalent to one had probably been posted here.

However, killing Wraith was synonymous with turning the entire city into an enemy.

If it was meant to be a warning…… then shooting me should’ve served the same purpose.

Sniping her guard as a warning would’ve done the trick. Yes, it should’ve been compelling enough.

But if it wasn’tー.

“Did they know me?”

It’s wasn’t that hard to connect my current appearance and “that” version of me.

The mask and eyes leave a different impression, but the hairstyle and general appearance remain the same.

A few interactions were all you needed to see through the difference.

However, I only revealed my other appearance once since I came to this city.

Then, the suspect list should be limited to people who knew of that form beforehand.

“Was there a guild member in this city that made the connection?”

What’s happening with Oink and the fringes of her organization?

Although, nothing could stop the gradual reveal from spreading, right?

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

“Why didn’t you shoot him? No, it might not have done anything to him, but it would’ve served as a warning.”

“I-I couldn’t shoot……that man…… is beyond my scope.”

“I was in the room, I know that. But, you felt it at that distance? Even if you couldn’t inflict a fatal wound, enoughー.”

How did you employ such a person from the guild?

Then, isn’t the guild chief to blame for this?

However, if he didn’t do that, she would’ve been the target.

I doubt there’s a man in this city that would do it.

Ah, I’m currently sneaking into Takiya’s main office.

My current ability load-out was as follows,

『Telepathy』

『5 Senses Enhancement』

『Sonar』

『Presence Detection』

『×2 Ability Effect』

Thanks to these abilities, it wasn’t that difficult sneak in.

Or rather, it was just a regular office.

The security wasn’t that tight. There were no hidden alarms or invisible enemies.

『5 Senses Enhancement』 and 『Presence Detection』 really showed their worth this time.

I usually used 『5 Senses Enhancement』 for eavesdropping, but it wasn’t a hearing enhancement.

Once again, it strengthened all 『5』 senses.

The number was in the title.

No, what surprised me was that there was something beyond the five common ones.

It was the so-called sixth sense.

I felt something close to that through my enhancements.

Just listening to others in this state gave me a vague understanding of things beyond their words.

Isn’t this a forbidden strategy?

Or rather, the problem was the insistent quibbling that I picked up.

“It was also transmitted to the guild in my city…… don’t defy that person.”

“……It’s gone that far?”

(All of the regional guilds have been notified…… then my work won’t end here.)

Work……I assume there was someone else behind him.

The influx of foreign entrants and the timing pointed to someone outside the city.

……Well, I’m sure it’s that former lord coming to this city or something like that.

Well, I have no choice but to ask Wraith about the situation tonight.

“Well, do you have the time?”

I’ll leave a little souvenir.

One thing I learned, was that the game’s messaging system actually survived the cross-over into this world. Unfortunately, it only produced written letters here, and the sending function had been lost.

You could still select a reciprocate, but that was a far as it went. It couldn’t reach anyone.

Actually, I sent a message to Oink once, but I never got a reply.

Therefore, I quietly inserted the materialized letter into the door gap and quietly left the building.

If the function worked properly…… it would’ve been easy to contact Syun and Daria.

Visit lightnovelreader[.]com for extra chapters.

No matter how many times I pressed the button, the chatbox wouldn’t update.

Well, there was no one to send anything in the first place.

Or is it like infrared communication, and it wouldn’t work unless the other party was nearby?

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

When I returned to the inn, Rue was sitting in the dining area, enjoying a late breakfast.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t eaten anything yet, so I took a seat and ordered what she was having.

“Where’d you go, Kai-kun?”

“Oh, I was taking an early morning walk.”

A plate of freshly baked bread and a bowl of cheese-scented potage soon arrived.

Rue mimicked me as I tore off small pieces of bread to eat.

“I’m sorry, but Wraith-san wants to meet with me today. Maybe I can learn something important.”

“I see. Hey, Kai-kun, I was saved by you.”

Casually, she began speaking with potage in her mouth.

“I would scream myself awake every night for a year, fearing that you’d disappear one day. It was a lot harder than spending centuries alone.”

“……I’m sorry that I didn’t notice it.”

“You don’t have to apologize. I was hiding it. Besides, I was saved in the end. I was released from that curse.”

“Don’t mention it. ……Why bring it up now.”

She had a slightly different aura than usual, and even her posture was off.

“I think Wraith-san is like me.” I don’t know what it is, but when I first met her, I felt something warm and nostalgic.”

“Rue too?”

“You felt it too, Kai-kun? Actually, I felt something similar when I first met you. It didn’t feel like it was the first time I saw you.”

I also felt it.

I remember feeling like I knew her, even though I couldn’t see her face under the robe.

……I see. Is that what I felt when I met Wraith?

“But, I don’t think she’s tied to anything.”

“Certainly. But she seems reluctant to leave this country.”

“Perhapsー.”

Rue took a deep breath before continuing.

“Maybe she’s waiting for someone. I’m not sure I know, but she’s waiting for someone who can make a difference.”

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

It was evening.

I headed to the mansion she was waiting at alone.

Even as I advanced through the red light district, no one tried to solicit me.

I was currently agitated.

And, I was worried.

She was probably the Wraith I knew.

The appraisal glasses were in my pocket, but they were the last resort.

I hope to hear everything from her own mouth.

“Good evening. I was called my Wraith-san today, but is it still too early for business hours?”

“Ah…… Kaivon-san. Mother is waiting in the private room in the back……that…….”

It was the elf daughter who greeted me at the dimly lit entrance.

I can tell by her complexion that things were different from usual.

“I’m an elf, so I’ve been at my mother’s side longer than anyone else. That’s why I can somewhat understand her.”

Elves were a long-lived race. Even those not from the genesis had lifespans measured in centuries.

“Mother is always in the back. Not in the mansion, but her heart. Multiple men have tried to take her. However, none have been able to illuminate her depths.”

“……Really.”

“Kaivon-san, please take care of mother.”

She left after that final sentence.

Perhaps there was someone other than me that I reached this place before.

However, no one had been able to take her away.

With my fighting spirit reignited, I bid the elf farewell and ventured into the deepest part of the mansion.