Chapter 209: Leads to the Mastermind

We received minimal healing from the healer and returned straight to the city. This wasn’t because the combat healer cut corners or anything, but simply because that was the most he could do at that place.

We let the orphanage know about Cloud but left him with the knights to keep watch over his condition at the guard station. The stations of Raum were high-end military installations. They had far superior equipment compared to free medical facilities, so they could deal with emergencies better.

While we were waiting there, Cortina and Elliot arrived and got to know about our condition.

Cortina was shocked to the point of screaming and immediately contacted Maxwell. When it came to someone as famous as her, she could use the Guild’s exclusive telepathy magic almost unconditionally.

Learning about it, Maxwell went and brought Maria to us, and by the end of the day, our bodies returned back to full health.

Naturally, it didn’t come for free. Given that Cloud was my friend, Maria did not ask for compensation, but instead, we were in for severe punishment, that is, a lecture.

“Nicole, why do you always rush into trouble the moment I let you out of my sight!” “I’m sorry.”

My judgment this time was not a mistake. But I couldn’t deny that my action wasn’t something a child should have taken. Thus, I had no choice but to accept her scolding.

“You too, Cloud! Rushing in for the glory just because you found something suspicious… You do know that is the biggest cause of Adventurer’s death, right?” “Yes, I am sorry…”

Regeneration magic was cast on Cloud and he managed to restore his lost blood by nighttime, and he was now back to normal condition. Looking at the result, his hasty pursuit for success got even me dragged into it, so he had no words to offer in his defense.

The two of us sat dejectedly on the ground, reflecting on our actions. Seeing us like that, Maria couldn’t find it in herself to keep scolding us, and laid down her arms surprisingly fast.

“Oh, you are still here? Give it a rest already, it is time for the kids to sleep.”

Maxwell showed up in the nap room of the station where we were being forced to reflect. He was busy questioning the survivors of the slave traders so he only just joined us. He probably came to report to us what he had found out.

“Maxwell, how is it? Who dared to lay a hand on my daughter?”

Lyell asked in a calm but penetratingly cold voice. Gadius was also fiddling with his battleaxe in an attempt to calm himself.

That showed the extent of their anger. Which was natural, given that I was a daughter to one and a friend’s family for the other. Were I in their place in my original form, I’d also have rushed out to hunt them down.

“Yes, they seem to be slave traders doing operations between Berith and Raum. Incidentally, the one that assassinated Count Tarkashire seemed to be involved as well.” “Oho…”

We were talking about someone who had managed to slip past the security, sneak into a strictly-guarded prison and assassinate the Count. But now that we found out that slave traders were involved in that too, the situation had changed.

We might have gotten some leads on the scoundrels that have been prowling in this city for several years now.

“And what about that Jend Sect of the hidden blade style that Nicole told us about?” “I have heard of them before. They are a bunch working for the city-states centered around the southern central city of Qaum.” “The southern?”

The southern city-state alliance of Qaum. It was located next to the Sword Kingdom of Alecmarle. They were the city-states focused around cities called Qaum and Lilith that once dominated the entire southern area.

Alecmarle used to be part of them at one point, but they became independent later and gave rise to a war. The Zeed Commonwealth further west also achieved independence. So right now, that whole area was on the verge of conflict.

Incidentally, it was also where Cortina was born. Led by her, Qaum City-State Alliance had clashed with the Sword Kingdom of Alecmarle numerous times.

“They are an assassin sect that practices dual-blade style. I’ve had my fair share of trouble with them.” “Alright, let’s go destroy the south.” “Hold right there, Lyell. It doesn’t sound like a joke when you’re the one saying it.”

Cortina smacked Lyell on the back of the head. Meanwhile, Cloud was opening and closing his mouth in surprise, seeing all of the Six Heroes line up before him for the first time.

“Hey Cloud, you shouldn’t point at people.” “But… They are the Six Heroes, you know? All of them even…”

Cloud answered in shock, pointing out something so obvious this late in the game. I was the daughter of those same heroes, so I expected this to happen.

For Cloud, who aimed to become an Adventurer, the Six Heroes were the ideal figures. The pinnacle that he aimed to reach.

And now, they were all gathered in front of him and doing some silly chatter, so I could understand why his brain was going in circles.

But you know, you were being trained by the reincarnation of one of those Heroes. Not that you know that I reincarnated.

“So, did you find out who ordered Tarkashire’s assassination? Any clues about the mastermind?”

Gadius returned to the main topic in a low voice. Whenever I, Maxwell, or Lyell went off-topic, he was always the one to bring us back to it.

He wasn’t much of a talker, but that fact made us lend an ear whenever he did talk.

“No. After all, we only managed to get hold of their underlings. The one that knew the particulars managed to escape.” “So he did… Annoying.” “Rather, had Nicole not caught these underlings, we wouldn’t have managed to learn even this much. Or perhaps it would be better to say it was all thanks to this lad Cloud for discovering them.” “You really did well in that regard.”

With those words, Gadius roughly grabbed Cloud’s head and started swinging it around. No, maybe he was trying to pat him?

Having his head jolted around made his eyes spin, but he didn’t seem to be hating it. In fact, he had a loose, ecstatic expression on his face.

“Still, there was one phrase that we managed to get out of these fellows.” “Oh, what phrase?” “It seems that when the leader of these slave traders was talking with this escaped fellow Mateus, they heard the word “Stolla” pop up in their conversation.” “Stolla?”

I cocked my head, having a remembrance of that word from somewhere. Maxwell, however, did not wait for my reply and stated the answer.

“At the northern edge of Raum where it meets with the United Alliance, there is Count Stolla domain.” “Wait, wasn’t that next to Count Tarkashire’s territory?” “Indeed. Stolla domain of Raum is adjacent to the Suria domain of the United Alliance. The one governing it is Margrave Klein Stolla Serwa.” “Stolla Serwa… I feel like I have heard it before?”

I muttered to myself. I have heard it a little, no, quite a bit before… Right, I think it was…

“Donovan introduced himself as Stolla Serwa, didn’t he?”

When I went on the inspection with Michelle before enrolling in the academy, that authoritarian boy bumped into me. I didn’t think his name would pop up here.

When you were given a territory to govern in this kingdom, the name of your dominion would be added as your middle name. In Letina’s case, her name meant that she was of the Yowi household that governed the Winne domain.

“If my memory isn’t failing me, Tarkashire referred to Serwa as “my friend”. He also said his son was attending the magic academy.” “I could not see him playing an active role until now so I left him alone… But this should settle it.”

Maxwell agreed to Elliot’s words. He found out who was betraying his kingdom. He was convinced of it.

“While Tarkashire had some royal blood in him, he was still a mere Count, at the end of the day. Going against Elliot like that seemed too much for his plate… But I am finally able to see the full picture now.”

If we considered that he had the backing of one of the great feudal lords of Raum, it was plausible for him to have grown overconfident and risen in revolt.

Everyone gathered agreed to Maxwell’s conviction.