Episode 38.13

"Oy, did you hear that, guys!"

Bruska shouted out loud once again.

A huge number of adventurers have gathered here before anyone realized. And weirdly enough, every one of them is pretty skilled in their own right. Especially the adventurers standing in the front row, it's a full line up of powerful individuals.

"Knight Torog wanted to get his hands on a sword Lecan risked his life to obtain in the dungeon! He kidnapped a grandkid of <Skeleton Ogre Zoltan>'s savior for that! Then he made a demand to Zoltan. Kill Lecan and strip him of his sword if you want your savior's grandkid alive!"

The adventurers let out some truly tremendous boors and jeers.

"Do you get that, guys! Knight Torog attempted to rob an adventurer of a sword he had worked to get himself. For that, knight Torog took an innocent couple as hostages! All so he could pit two adventurers on each other against their will!"

A torrent of angry roars bellowed.

(Ah, I see.)

(The guys shouting the loudest there.)

(Must be all <Grindam>'s acquaintances.)

Meaning they're depth-walking adventurers. There should be a shortage of <Other Side> adventurers presently in Tsubolt. If these prominent adventurers harbored animosity toward the dungeon management in such a situation, it would deal a serious blow to them.

Bruska had made effective use of the last two days to get these adventurers together on the same page on this issue.

"You're all familiar with Dungeon Law! <The property right of objects possessed by a bearer or bearers at the time they leave a dungeon fall on them>, knight Torog infringed on that!"

Voices of anger exploded here. Bruska was about to say more once it had calmed down, but knight Haydent raised his hand to stop Bruska.

"Knight Orug. Your son, knight Torog has been found guilty of violating Dungeon Law."

"Y-You can't seriously believe s-such nonsense."

"You bear some responsibility for the crime perpetrated by knight Torog. And as you yourself made false statements in an attempt to misrepresent knight Torog's crime, you too shan't escape indictment."

"Please wait!"

"I shall grant you one last chance."

"...Eh?"

"A chance to prove your innocence by dueling with Zoltan-dono's proxy, that is to say, adventurer Lecan."

Knight Orug's face turned pale. But it changed to laughter before long.

"Fu, fufufufu. HAHAHA. Haydent-sama, I trust you will uphold those words then."

(Oy oy.)

(Isn't that terribly rude to Haydent?)

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

"What words?"

"How I won't be charged when I stand victorious against this adventurer."

"I hereby declare that I shall not seek further inquiries regarding the matter with Zoltan-dono if you manage to prevail against Lecan."

"Haha. My utmost gratitude! Oy. Bring me that shield!"

His subordinates brought a large tower shield and handed it to Orug from above his head.

The moment Orug held the shield, he immediately poured it with mana without warning.

Tens of magic arrows emerged out of the shield, assaulting Lecan.

"<Fire Arrow>!"

Tens of <Fire Arrows> got produced around Lecan at once and shot down every last piece of the magic arrows.

Of course Lecan would have been protected by <Necklace of Intuador> even if he didn't shoot them down. However, the dungeon exit is situated right behind Lecan, and some adventurers leaving the dungeon have been watching them from over there.

(Ah crap.)

(They'd put the blame on Orug had some died.)

(Ended up covering these adventurers behind me on reflex.)

Knight Orug's eyes almost popped out of their sockets you'd think they'd fall down.

Lecan raised his right hand and turned the palm straight at knight Orug.

"<Flame Spear>!"

A single ray of light ran in the sky.

Ordinarily, <Flame Spears> are colored red.

However, this <Flame Spear> had a bluish-white color.

And it was thicker and longer than any <Flame Spear> anyone here had ever witnessed, the light emanating from it seared the pupils of everyone who saw it.

Just as the <Flame Spear> was about to hit Orug, some sort of equipment he was wearing produced a barrier. However, Lecan's <Flame Spear> easily penetrated that barrier just like that.

The <Flame Spear> disappeared in the clear blue sky beyond horizon, by the time the crowd regained their visions, nothing remained above knight Orug's neck.

Knight Orug's body tilted and fell off his horse down the rocky ground with a loud thud.

Several knights got restrained by other knights and got knocked out by some sort of magic tools. They must be Benchara House or Orug faction knights. Their action was swift, almost as if they had made the arrangement beforehand.

"Men, hark!"

Knight Haydent's voice echoed.

"It has been made apparent that the father and son of Benchara House arrested innocent citizens of Tsubolt and used them as hostages to make retainer Zoltan-dono fight against adventurer Lecan. Their goal was to illegally obtain a Grace Gear adventurer Lecan acquired in the dungeon. On top of a clear violation of Dungeon Law, adventurer Lecan is a sworn friend of retainer Zoltan-dono, Benchara's horrendous action of making them fight against each other is simply unforgivable!"

'OU', 'OU', the knights answered back.

"We had received a confidential testimony previously! Knight Orug and knight Torog had been illegally selling rare Grace Gear obtained in the dungeon for the sake of enriching themselves. If that is proven to be true, the crime Benchara Family has committed can never be forgiven."

Knight Haydent raised his voice further and declared.

"We shall charge at Benchara main residence and launch a search! Arrest every members of Benchara Family! Look into every nook and cranny! Find every last bit of evidence of their corruptions!"

A hundred knights let out a rallying cry. It had enough force to flinch even depth-walking adventurers.

"CHARGE!!"

With knight Haydent leading the way, the cavalry charged toward Noble District while raising soul-crushing sounds along their path.

"Well well, things sure took a drastic turn didn't they?"

Chubby came near Lecan.

"Oy, Chubby. What was the thing you took from Orug and gave to Baiad."

When everyone's gaze was gathered at knight Haydent earlier, Chubby got to Orug Benchara's corpse, rummaged around and then handed something to knight Baiad Rengra. Knight Baiad called himself a knight of townlord's aide. Meaning he's the right hand man of knight Haydent.

<TLN: Error in previous TL. Correct: Haydent is the sole aide, Baiad is a knight under Haydent.>

"Ah, you mean the red ring. That's a key to unlock a hidden safe, you see."

"A hidden safe?"

"Yes. It's located at knight Orug-sama's private room. Oh everything will be fine. I have meticulously informed Haydent-sama where the safe is. Though Haydent-sama had done all the homework on his side already to begin with."