Volume 2 Chapter 33

Volume 2 Chapter 33: Carrier, brings back a whole lot

「Oh my, welcome back, Axel-san and you two. You are fast.」

「As expected of Axel-niisan and the two that shine brightly even among the young adventurers. Though the search area was narrow, the location was quite far away, to be the very first to come is just like you.」

Upon our return at Pirate’s inn in Sylvestre, Lilac and Wilhelm welcomed us with such words.

「Ahaha…… Though we didn’t do much, all of it is almost exclusively thanks to Axel-san’s help.」

「Yeah, I learned just how big the world is, or rather, how narrow my perspective was……」

Hearing Cecile and George’s remarks Lilac and Wilhelm exchanged glances and their eyes opened wide in surprise.

「……When they left they had quite excessively energetic attitudes, and now they changed to such modesty, Axel-san, did you do something?」

「Nothing in particular. I just went normally about my task as an observer.」

To my words, Lilac smiled wryly.

「Looks like a lot happened while you were just normally doing your task… Well, it’s fine if they grow more prudent. Above all, you all came back in one piece… So, the result of the survey, did you find anything?」

「Yes, something quite troublesome in its own way.」

「Troublesome……?」

I nodded to Lilac’s question. However, the one who undertook the investigation request wasn’t me. The one who stood in the vanguard and did the actual work should be the ones to talk first, is what we decided on our way back to town, as such, Cecile spoke up.

「We found a man who was pouring magic stones into the sea that might serve as a bait for monsters. On top of that, he called himself a majin.」

「What……?!」

With that report, Lilac’s face instantly turned grim.

Wilhelm beside her was the same.

「……Where is he?」

「Ah, I have him captured and can pull him out right away, would it be fine to it here?」

「Let’s see……Just in case, let’s move to the room in the back, it is more solidly built.」

That being the case, we switched location to Lilac’s workroom in the back of the inn, where I took everything from the bag out on top of the table.

First, were consumables and medicine, that I received from Lilac. Then—

「……This is the powder that the majin was using, it has plenty of magic stones in there.」

I took out three leather bags.

Seeing those, Lilac narrowed her eyes.

「This……Has quite a high concentration of magic power……It sure can lure magic beasts, but it also can be used as a drug.」

「Oh, you can tell?」

「In the past, I participated in the suppression of those. However, with this purity, it can even poison monsters around this area.」

Looks like it’s quite dangerous stuff.

It was a really good idea to collect everything from the cove, without leaving a thing.

With those thoughts, I took out the last thing remaining in the bag and put it on the floor.

「——And the one, who was scattering such dangerous stuff was this guy.」

From the bag appeared the scarred man, whom we tied with rope. Looks like he has still yet to regain consciousness and was completely unmoving, but he was alive.

「……So this is the man who called himself a majin. Was there anything peculiar about him?」

Cecile was the one to answer Lilac’s question, which she asked glaring at the man.

「Peculiar……Not sure if this can be called so, but he controlled monsters. He also had an amazing bloodthirst, so he might also be an outstanding combatant.」

「Hmm……I see. Judging from the appearance, he doesn’t look like he would have a technique to refine magic stones. Just where did he get something like this, and what was he using it for.」

「This we don’t know. I knocked him out before we learned that.」

「With a majin as your opponent that was the right call. ……Then, first of all——Let’s interrogate him.」

Lilac said, sighing.

「Interrogate you say. Lilac, will you be the one doing it?」

「Yeah, my job is called《General》(mistress). Well, it’s high ranking job for a pirate…… As such, I can use some pretty potent skills. It’s called Confession of Truth (Voice of Authority), ranking above a pirate’s「Intimidation」, and a High Pirate’s「Interrogation」and「Torture」. It’s used as a way to strongly coerce the target into spilling the information.」

While Lilac provided us an explanation, she sat the scarred man on the chair and was tying him up with a rope.

「Is it okay to reveal details of such an amazing skill to us?」

「Yeah, no problem. Since only the folk that I can trust are gathered here. Moreover, the target of this skill would be scared out of their wits, exhausting their force of will, so I’m not gonna use it on my friends anyway. It would be the same as attacking them.」

After she said that with a small laugh, Lilac’s expression changed to a serious one.

「But, well…… It wouldn’t be a big deal if I use it on this guy that calls himself a majin.」

There was a certain sternness to her expression. I guess it can be said that this expression belonged not to the owner of a tavern but to the top of the marine guild.

With that expression, Lilac grabbed the head of the man that claimed to be a majin.

「Well, it’s about time you wake up.」

As Lilac forcefully pulled the man’s head—

「Ugh……Thi-this is……」

The scarred man appeared to begin regaining consciousness.

Opening his eyes he leaked a groan.

『Did you wake up, mister self-proclaimed majin?」

「You are……who the hell……」

Perhaps due to the remaining damage, but his awakening appeared to be incomplete. But Lilac didn’t care about such a thing and continued to speak to the majin.

「It doesn’t matter who I am. Rather, tell us what the hell you were doing. I hear that you claimed to be a majin and scattered some weird crap into our sea?　What is your aim?」

To this question, the man claiming to be a majin only raised corners of his mouth and—

「Haha……Who’d……Tell you. Gods’……Dogs……」

As he spat such words. Lilac looked at him with a cold stare—

「So you are not denying it. I see. In that case…… I have no other option but to use it.」

And firmly grabbed his head.

「Wha-what are you……」

「Now, look into my eyes. ……And tell me, your mistress, what you were doing——【Confession of Truth]……!」

As Lilac made eye contact with the man, her eyes slightly shone. That instant, the man’s will disappeared from his eyes.

「Now, let’s hear. Is it fine to consider you a majin?」

「Yes……I’m one of the demonfolk……」

It looks like the skill properly activated. The man obediently answered Lilac’s question. Confirming that, Lilac asked another one.

「What is that magic stone powder?」

「Refined magic stones……For monsters, specially attuned to ancient beasts……」

「To ancient beasts……?　Why would you scatter such a thing? What were you trying to do?」

She asked one of the main questions we wanted to get answered. Then, the so-called majin flapped his mouth for several seconds and—

「Aiming for the area about one kilometer away from Sylvestre, pour bait and use the movements of monsters and tides. And with that…… Lure and strengthen Alfador, the black tortoise. 1 And then lead it to attack the pier and then the town itself. The black tortoise tends to devour its feed after smashing people and settlements to pieces, so I will have to bait it……After fulfilling my orders, my objective, standby at the rocky area——」

「Wha…?!」

Like from a waterfall information poured from him.

Without even taking time to breathe, he just kept squeezing out one word after another—

「——」

And after saying that much, he dropped his head powerlessly.

「Wha……So he exhausted his mental strength at such a moment…!」

「……Can’t you just wake him up again and ask another question?」

「For the time being it’s impossible. He won’t wake up until he recovers his strength of mind. Though I really wanted to ask from whom he got his orders……But it’s not the big question now……!」

Wilhelm then strongly reacted to her words.

「That’s right. That’s right Lilac. Luring an ancient beast to the point one kilometer away from the town……Hey, hey, wait a moment……?!」

Panic could be seen on his face, as he repeated those words.

「Is something wrong?」

「Everything, not just something, everything, Axel-niisan. After all, right now there is a squad researching the seafloor there——And it is also the point where the hero of magic and others should join them……!」

And the moment he turned his gaze to the window leading outside.

*——Boom!*

The thunderous boom resounded as part of the sea visible from the window exploded.

A giant figure appeared there.