CH 126

It was the evening of the day we encountered the kidnappers.

After returning to the inn, Tauro and Aeris took Shin and Rumeya to the inn where Leada was staying and explained to her the whole story of what had happened.

“How could that happen? …Then we can’t go back in the morning…”

“I’m sorry. I apologize for the inconvenience to my employer.”

Tauro and Aeris bowed their heads together.

Shin and Rumeya, who were listening nearby, also hurriedly bowed their heads.

“No, I don’t know how this business meeting would have turned out without Tauro, and I’ve saved a lot of money by having him help me with the transportation, so please don’t worry about it. Besides, I’ve been wanting to stay here and look around a bit more, so now I have a good excuse.”

Leada was happy and pleased.

Tauro told Leada that they would pay for their own stay while they were here, but she refused, saying that the business association would pay for it.

He said that it would be a shame if they caused trouble for their employer and had to pay for their stay, but really, Leada didn’t seem to mind.

Shin and Rumeya were also very happy to learn that they would be able to stay here in O’circus for a little while longer.

They seemed to enjoy the water there very much.

As it was, the five of them, including Leada, had dinner together and talked about the kidnapping.

“I don’t think there are many buyers in this country, since slavery was abolished a long time ago.”

Leada shook her head, troubled.

“Then is it possible that they came from another country?”

Shin made a sharp point.

“But if the kidnapper spoke with the accent of this city, wouldn’t that be different?”

Leada argued against Shin’s point.

“They could hire riffraff who know the geography of the city to kidnap people, and transport them overseas and sell them themselves.”

Aeris pointed out another possibility.

“So even people from this city can do it, as long as they have a ship.”

Rumeya, of course, arrived at the answer.

“It’s possible, but unlikely. I think the risk of being caught trafficking people in this country is too great for someone who has the financial resources to own a ship. However, it might be conceivable if it was out of debt and had to do to it as a last resort.”

Tauro pointed out that it seemed unlikely.

“ I think it’s possible to narrow down the criminals, such as those who were in trouble with debt but have recently improved their weighs, or maybe are looking for a ship out of the country.”

Leada nodded to Tauro.

“….we can’t help but think about it, can we?”

Aeris made a valid point.

“Haha…. You see, you and I have to go to the guard station tomorrow, and if we tell them then, it might help them in their criminal investigation, right?”

“Yeah, but… who’s going to listen to the suggestions of a child?”

“We’re the only victims who they didn’t succeed in kidnapping, so I’m sure we’ll be helpful.”

“Well, that’s one way to put it. All right. We’ll tell them tomorrow.”

Aeris was convinced by Tauro’s words.

Her mood seemed to have improved before she knew it, and Tauro was inwardly relieved.

The next morning.

Tauro and Aeris immediately went to the guard station to give their testimony.

There, they told them of how the leader of the group had an accent from this city, and what they inferred from it, The man who seemed to be in charge of the guards nodded.

“The people we’ve captured aren’t talking yet, but I think we’ll start with that line of inquiry.”

He was surprisingly straightforward.

Since he couldn’t get a confession, there was nothing he could do.

“Oh, can I meet the people who were caught?”

“What? Normally victims don’t want to meet their assailants, are you sure?”

The person in charge asked back in surprise.

“Yes, and if he confesses, the investigation will proceed, right?”

“Yes, that would be a great help, but are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

With that, Tauro went down to the cell in the basement of the station, guided by the officer in charge.

“Are you all okay, how are your injuries?”

As Tauro approached the isolated cell one by one, he worried about the injuries of the two criminals.

“Damn it! You little dark magician! I’m not going to tell you anything!”

As soon as one of the criminals, the man with a resistance to dark magic, saw Tauro, he went on alert.

“I imagine your leader is going to cut off the two of you who have been captured because you’re no longer useful, are you willing to talk?”

“Who’s going to talk? You little shit!”

“….”

The man with the Dark magic Resistance gasped, but the other man remained silent.

“For the one who talks out of the two of you, we’ll drop the report and ask the superiors to reduce the sentence. That way, you might be able to avoid a death sentence, right?”

“!”

The person in charge stared in amazement at Tauro’s comment, but he guessed what he wanted to do.

“I’ll help you. But as the boy said, only one of you will be saved. So, I’m going to have to ask the quiet man over there to move to the interrogation room.”

He suggested, and ordered his men to take the man out of the cell.

“Hey! Ah…!”

The dark magic resistant man was in a panic, but he couldn’t do anything but tell the man not to talk as he was being taken away.