CH 214

What was projected onto the wall from the magic stone was a directive for the plan to assassinate Count Dareder.

The plan centered on a sorcerer sent by the Assassination Guild, who was to use a person to sneak the curse stone into Count Dareder’s living area and curse him to death.

The plan included detailed instructions on how to do this, from sneaking the stones into a large number of magical stones to mixing them with stones in the garden.

The instructions also included a reminder to conduct a test on site once to confirm the certainty of the method.

“I guess that means …… this test was done with the client Riryo’s parents.”

Tauro made one assumption.

“Perhaps they were chosen as the subject because of their personal grudge, since I heard that they were usually arguing with each other. ……”

Aeris added to that assumption.

“I’m not going to let this happen. I’m going to call the guards.”

“That’s right. I think we’re in over our heads with this story. Please, Ankh.”

Tauro nodded and threw the magic stone, which Ankh received.

Then he ran out of the store and went running to find the guards.

“What are we going to do? It will take some time for the guards to arrive, so why don’t we go to the main culprit’s mansion first?”

Ragune suggested.

“Yes, that’s right. We don’t want them to escape in the meantime, so let’s go.”

The three nodded and decided to leave the store and head to the house of the main suspect.

The sun had set and it was dark in the vicinity of the main suspect’s large mansion, which was lit up by the countless lights of the “lantern,” a magical tool made by Tauro.

Screams and groans could be heard coming from the main culprit’s mansion, so nearby residents gathered with their lanterns as onlookers.

“… Tauro’s curse seems to have been successful…”

Aeris commented on the cries coming from the mansion, horrified by the vicious power of the screams.

“It sounds like he didn’t die, because the fact that we could hear voices means he was taking measures to return the curse. With all those curses, I’m sure he deserved it. ……”

Even Tauro felt chills at the power of it.

Then Ankh arrived with the guards.

The guards were sorting out the onlookers as they entered the mansion.

“What’s that screaming?”

Ankh found Tauro and the others among the onlookers and approached them.

“It’s like the effect of the curse being returned.”

Ragune answered.

“I see. Well, if you want to curse someone, you have to prepare your own grave, right? They got what’s coming to them, don’t worry about it.”

Ankh patted Tauro on the shoulder and comforted him.

“That’s right, Tauro. They cursed Riryou-san’s father to death, and were plotting to assassinate the count.”

Aeris also encouraged Tauro with concern.

“Yes, it’s true. No evil has ever flourished. This is the right thing to do.”

Ragune, too, seemed to want to say that returning the curse was a justifiable act.

While they were exchanging these words, the main culprit, an influential local man, a man in robes who looked like a sorcerer, and a small man who had been inquiring about the case, screamed and were taken away by the guards, writhing in agony.

“Help me! Please help me! Release me from this suffering!”

“There’s something writhing under my skin! Someone please remove it!”

“Aah! I’m in agony. …… Somebody kill me!”

As the screams of the culprits echoed around the crime scene, they were being loaded into a carriage and driven away.

As they were being escorted away, one of the guards called out to Tauro and the others.

“It’s been a long time, my friends. You did a good job this time, too.”

It was the captain who had led the territorial army and was rescued by Tauro and the others when they were in danger while subjugating monsters.

“Ah, It’s been a long time.”

Tauro also remembered seeing him and greeted him.

“I’m very grateful for your help, but I’d like to ask you a few questions about the circumstances surrounding this incident. So do you mind coming with me?”

“I understand. I’ll accompany you since it’s my job too.”

Tauro nodded and followed the captain.

“I’m sorry.”

The captain thanked him and took Tauro and the others to the station.

During the interview, Tauro and the others emphasized that they had only done the quest as adventurers and that the magic stone was a coincidence.

In the cellar below the prison, the screams continue.

If someone who did not know what was going on had heard it, it would have sounded as if they were torturing them, but of course that was not the case.

The suspects readily admitted to the murder of Riryo’s father.

When questioned about the plot to assassinate the feudal lord, Count Dareder, the suspects spoke honestly with a desire to be released from their suffering.

As a result, it seems that the planner of the assassination plot against Count Dareder is a person in the royal capital called “That One,” who apparently made the local influential person, the main suspect in this case, rich.

The means of communication was always by magic stone, and the person who carried it was said to have called himself Alexa, but it was probably not his real name.

The mystery only deepened, but the most important thing for Tauro and his team was that they were able to complete Riryo’s request.

The rest was left to the guards. Exhaling a sigh of exhaustion from the late-night interview, I rested on the bed the guards had prepared for me.