CH 53

The Knights are a country-established organization that pairs with the Adventurer's Guild.

If the Adventurer's Guild moves for the freedom of the people, the Knights move for order.

Crackdown on criminals and keep the city safe.

That is the Knights.

The Knights have sectors not only in the royal capital but also in each city.

Kanade and I asked for the branch.

By the way, everyone else is an answering machine.

It would be a nuisance to ask in large numbers, and I don't want to imitate it so much as it is targeted by Edgar.

"excuse me"

Enter the building and call out to the receptionist.

The system around here is no different from the Adventurer's Guild.

"Yes, what happened?"

"I have something to ask about criminal damage."

"what do you want?"

"If you submit a damage report, you will be investigated, right?"

"Yes, of course, because our Knights exist to keep the order of the city."

"Then, can you accept our damage report? The content is ... about the lord's son's abuse of power."

"What !?"

When I cut straight, the receptionist's complexion changed.

Now.

How will you come out next?

"Do you know the uproar that happened in the square a while ago?"

"... Yes, of course. Prompt information gathering is essential."

"We are the victims of the incident."

"eh"

"I and two people who aren't here were damaged. Oh, this kid is just a companion."

"Hello, just a companion"

"Hey, cat ghosts? Why are you in such a place ... No, it's not the case right now. Anyway ... is that story true?"

"Of course. If you need testimony, why don't you collect it? It's just that, so many people still remember it."

"..."

"I want to submit a damage report, can I get a form?"

"... I don't need that"

A voice flew from another place.

A middle-aged knight in armour appears and glares at us.

"What do you say?"

"Sure, the lord's son seems to have caused a turmoil ... I hear it's trivial and like a light fight. There's no reason for the Knights to get into a fight. Excuse me. But aren't you making the story bigger? "

"So that's it"

"Hey, what do you mean by just fighting? Sora and Luna are forced to ... Rain?"

Kanade, who tried to protest, was stopped with his eyes.

"Then, isn't the Knights going to move in this case?"

"That kind of incident happens so often every day. The Knights aren't free enough to deal with every little incident."

"Small incident ..."

"In addition, there is a survey result that such a story is highly suspected of being forged. It is planned to damage the reputation of the lord ..."

"I don't do that. I have no intention of doing that."

"Then, can you avoid thinking too much? If you say something that isn't necessary, it's defamation and you'll have to investigate."

I was expecting various patterns, but ...

Apparently, it's the worst development.

"Thank you for your advice. We are not trying to despise the lord ... so we will not submit a damage report."

"It's a wise decision."

"Then, this is it. Kanade, let's go."

"Eh? Ah, yeah"

I left the Knights branch.

Kanade sees this when he leaves the building and moves to an unpopular place.

"Hey, Rain. Is that okay? Didn't you listen?"

"I intended to do that ... First of all, there was something I wanted to check."

"Nyan, what do you want to check?"

"Is the Knights connected to the lord?"

No evidence of the lord's wrongdoing can be found by repeated national audits.

How can I get such a perfect evidence-destroying ability?

How are you squeezing the evidence when you're witnessed by so many people in the city?

There are various possibilities, but ...

One of them is "cohesion with the audit side".

It's a simple story.

By spending money etc. in advance, make a close relationship with the Knights who audit.

By doing so, they are asked to relax the audit and conclude that there was no evidence.

In this case, no evidence will be given no matter how many times the audit is conducted.

The victim's complaint can be dispelled and the victim can be free to do whatever he wants.

There was no confirmation.

I just thought of it as one of the possibilities.

But what if the lord and the Knights were connected behind the scenes?

It would be impossible to hear from the Knights.

On the contrary, it may be pushed out to the lord.

So, first of all, I decided to check if there was a back ...

That knight's attitude was telling everything, so he quickly withdrew ...

"Nyaru ... Rain, I'm thinking about various things."

When I told Kanade my thoughts, I was impressed.

"If possible, I wanted you to be wrong ..."

The lord is not the only enemy.

The Knights who are supposed to protect the city are also enemies.

As expected, not all members are connected to the lord ...

At the very least, the knights who audit will be connected to the lord.

There is no reasonable evidence.

"Well, I'm sorry."

"Nya ... If the Knights are on good terms with the lord, no matter how much you appeal, it will be useless."

"Somehow we have to reveal the wrongdoing of the lords, but the Knights who are supposed to do it are at the mercy of the lords."

"What do we mean by auditing and uncovering bad things?"

"It's difficult ... because no personal audit is allowed. Whether it's accepted as evidence ... if it's bad, treason will be applied again."

"Nya ... I'm angry."

"Really"

The lords of the city are enemies.

The Knights are also enemies.

I have to overcome this situation somehow ...

What's wrong?

"I'm sorry"

Looking back, there was a woman dressed in a knight's armour.

I'm older than me ... Is it about 20?

Long hair is tied up with a ponytail.

The dignified expression was like a knight, and a strong will was felt in his eyes.

"Nya, knight !? You've been chasing me !?"

"Kanade, calm down"

Kanade is ready for battle, but he can't stand up with the knight in the city.

"……something?"

"Are you guys at the Knights branch earlier?"

"Come on? Something went wrong. I don't remember going to that place."

"I was there too. I heard your conversation. Did you talk about the criminal damage by the lords?"

"Eavesdropping is not a very good hobby."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that, but I was curious ... No, it's just an excuse. I apologize if I feel sick. That's right."

The female knight bows her head.

I was surprised because it was so easy to lower.

Knights usually have a high pride.

It is a profession that only those who have passed through many barriers can become.

Many have an elite consciousness.

Even so, it's so easy to bow your head ...

Is it the personality of this woman?

Or is it a trick to keep you alert?

...... No, I can't judge.

In such a case, let's rely on Kanade.

"... What do you think, Kanade?"

"... Hmm, I don't feel uncomfortable. I think it's really bad."

At such times, Kanade's intuition, or the ability to see through people, is reliable.

This is also because the cat spirits are the closest to the wild among the strongest species.

He has a keen sense of mind and has an excellent ability to see through the opponent.

If Kanade says, you can trust this woman.

"I accept the apology. I want you to raise your head."

"Yes, it helps"

"So, is it something we're doing? I don't think it's true, but did you come to remind us not to talk about the incident?"

"It's ridiculous. Rather, the opposite is true."

"reverse?"

"I'm late. I'm Stella Enplace, Deputy Captain of the Knights, Horizon Branch."

"It's a rain shroud."

"It's Kanade"

"My purpose is to expose the wrongdoing of the lords to the sun and condemn them."

Female Knight ... Stella said something out of the ordinary.

This is a completely unexpected event.

I inadvertently round my eyes.

"Nya ... In other words, is Stella on our side?"

"I said that I wanted to be that way."

"Can you tell me the story for the time being?"

The Horizon branch of the Knights seems to be rotten due to the adhesion with the lords.

Most of the members are compliant with the lords.

The captain also drowns in money and does not conduct a decent investigation.

With a strong will and a sense of justice, Stella never got into the bribes prepared by the lords.

It is said that he was struggling alone to regain the correct appearance of the Knights as it should be.

I want to make a hole in the rotten Knights' system.

I want to clarify all the wrongdoing of the lords who are all the culprits.

However, there is a limit to what you can do alone.

You can't do anything.

Who are the companions and who are the traitors?

I had no choice but to continue walking alone in the dark.

At that time, we heard our conversation.

An adventurer with the strongest cat spirit tribe is complaining about the damage of the lords.

It may be a turning point.

It seems that he called out to us with that in mind.

"... I see, that's why."

"Nya ... it's hard, isn't it?"

"It's an embarrassing story, but I can't help myself anymore ... I called out to you with the thought of clinging to the straw. Now I want some information to move forward."

"Even if you say ... we don't have much information, right? It's the first time we've been involved in the case of the lords."

"Mmm, is that so ...?"

"But the purpose is the same."

"That's right. We've just decided to get rid of the lords."

"Yes ... is that? But why ..."

"If you know this situation, can't you leave it alone?"

"..."

"..."

"Eh? Is that the only reason?"

"that's right, but?"

"I can't leave it alone ... Are you trying to turn the lord into an enemy for just that reason? Are you trying to set up with the Knights?"

"For me, that's a good reason. Do I need a reason to help someone in need?"

"... Pup, Kuha"

Laugh as Stella can't stand it.

"No, I'm sorry. I don't mean to be stupid. But I don't think anyone would say such a thing seriously."

"It's like Rain"

For some reason, Kanade has a smiling face.

I'm happy as if I was complimented.

"I think we can cooperate, but what about?"

"Oh, of course. It doesn't seem to be a mistake to talk to them."

I shook hands firmly.

"But what do you do? Not only the lords, but the Knights are also enemies, right?"

"That's right ..."

"After all, do you beat them all together?"

"Well, that's really bad. If we do that without evidence, we'll be charged with treason."

"Unya ... it's annoying. I need proof, but the Knights didn't move ... Nya, I think too much and my head seems to be short."

"……Disagreeable"

Put your thoughts together in your head.

The lords are enemies ... the knights are also enemies ...

All you need is proof ...

What to do for that ...

"... As Kanade says, do you beat everything?"

"What is it !?"

"Rain, did you get burned?"

"That's not true. I have a decent idea."

"What is it? Tell me, let me know."

"You need two things. Evidence of wrongdoing and the right knights to judge the lords. First, return the knights to what they should be."

"That's ... but what are you going to do? Already, most of the members are tied to the lords. We're overwhelmingly at a disadvantage, right?"

"At this time. Let's clean up."

"Nyan? Cleaning?"

"Eliminate all members who are dyeing their hands illegally"