CH 217

“I-It doesn’t hurt …… In fact, it makes me feel lighter ……?”

“Really ……!? No way, did it work?”

“H-He’s got a dragon with him too, who the hell is he ……”

I appraised the bandit’s shoulder and felt indescribably sick, so I shaved the flesh off his shoulder. I felt sorry for the man, but I knew that I couldn’t just watch him like that, and alarms went off in my head, so I took action.

The simple appraisal was only for a moment, but I felt terribly agitated. When she saw me like that, Makina squeezed my hand tightly.

“Hah …… Hah …… Thank you, Makina.”

“Don’t scare me like that …… Have you calmed down?”

“Yeah …….”

I shake my head and Makina hugs me, smiling. So Sarge mutters as he looks at the charred piece of meat.

“If Sarge the dragon says that much, I guess so.”

Basleigh-sensei doesn’t seem to mind, sighs, and shakes her head …… Could it be that the reason she’s being called back to the castle is because of these guys?

As I looked at Basleigh-sensei and thought about this, the bandits spoke up in unison. 

“…… H-Hey, can you do what you did to this guy to me too? If it weren’t for this tattoo …… I, I want to live …… Of course, I’ll pay for my sins! P-Please, help me! I don’t want to do what the Founder says anymore!”

“I feel like I’m being watched with this tattoo …… If only it weren’t for this ……”

I ask these people, who are shaking and saying such things.

“But if they find out you’re still alive, they’ll kill you anyway, right?”

“Let’s just say that’s just the way it is. As long as I don’t have a creepy tattoo. And I’d still be safe in jail ……”

“Hmm ……”

“Please! Even if it’s a capital offense, if I can get rid of this tattoo, I want to get rid of it before I die!”

As I was worrying about it, Basleigh-sensei stepped in front of me, crouched down in front of the men and started talking. She was unusually serious.

“…… If I help you, will you cooperate with me? If you can do that, I can ask Lars-kun to do it for you. You will have to atone for your sins not in this territory but in the basement of the castle, which may be safer than here.”

“Basleigh-sensei, what do you mean ……?”

“I don’t mind ……! P-Please!”

“I understand, Lars-kun, can you make these four guys’ tattoos disappear? I’ll take full responsibility.”

Before I could ask, Basleigh-sensei looked me in the eye and said. She said she’s going to take responsibility for this, so I quickly slashed the shoulders of the four of them and heal them with healing. The pieces of flesh will still be burned away by Sarge.

“Thanks for your help, Sarge. I can’t help Lars with something like this, after all.”

“S-Sheesh, Sarge ……”

“Hahaha, but it’s okay because it’s true. I’m glad that Makina was not a knight and went on a journey with me.”

I said this as I felt my face heat up. I was worried about it right up until the last minute, but that’s another story.

Regardless, when the four of them had lost their tattoos, the grim look on their faces came back to life, and Basleigh-sensei opened her mouth again.

“I’ve sent out a letter, and in a week someone will be dispatched from the castle. You will be transferred at that time, so until then, please remain quiet in the guard’s prison.”

“All right.”

Now that the bandits are out of the way, we all turn our attention to deciding what to do with Kelbrem.

“Hmph, kill me now. If I escape, I will attack Hugel again.”

“You’re still thinking about that ……!”

Kelbrem was swearing and Conrad was shouting. Then Hugel-san began to stand in front of Kelbrem, and we watched in silence.

“…… I’m sorry your village was attacked. And please listen, like when that village was attacked, I kind of knew that the number of monsters had increased too much, but since there was no report from the guild, I thought they could handle it. I can hardly ask you to believe you, it’s like an excuse …… The day after the incident, the maid who was out shopping heard that the village had been attacked by monsters, and finally found out about it.”

“That’s a ridiculous excuse …… The guild had already reported it! I’m not the guild master at the time, but I heard about it! I also heard that they went told the lord’s mansion!”

I can understand what the enraged Kelbrem is saying. There were times when Hauzen-san would come to my dad for advice. The guild is given a certain amount of authority, but if there is still a problem, they will ask for help from the mayor if it is a normal town, or the lord if there is a lord.

So, if the number of monsters had increased 15 years ago and the guild was unable to handle it, it would not be surprising if he had visited the castle or other territories in hopes of calling for support.

Then his wife, Rakute, tilted her head and muttered.

“That’s strange …… I’ve been married and lived in this mansion, but I’ve never heard of such a thing either. The only story I’ve heard is that the maids panicked and the village was attacked …… just as my husband said.”

“That can’t be ……! I surely heard that the guild master would go ……”

I then noticed something strange and asked Kelbrem.

“Where is that Guildmaster now? If what both sides are saying is strange, I think it’s best to ask the parties involved.”

“…… If I can do that, I won’t have any trouble …… He died fighting a lot of monsters at that time, after all.”

“I see.”

When Kellebraim said that, Sarge and I muttered to each other. I’ve got a pretty good idea of what’s going on, so I said what I guessed.

“This is just a guess, but maybe the guild master at the time was also a member of the Founder? In order to make it known that the “Lord didn’t do anything”, he didn’t tell Hugel-san and lied that he was refused. And without pause, the monsters attacked the village and Kelbrem’s lover died. I don’t really know, but didn’t you become the guild master right after the previous one died? And Kelbrem was the most skilled at the time, no?”

“……!? Uh, muuu …….”

He seemed to have understood what I meant, and Kelbrem was sweating. Conrad and Borzov looked at me as if they didn’t understand.

“What do you mean? Fifteen years ago, we weren’t here, so we didn’t know about it then either.”

“As I said before, the original Guildmaster was also a member of the Founder, and he kept the monsters a secret from Hugel-san in order to somehow obtain the title of the Lord. Then, he died from monsters, gives the guildmastership to Kelbrem, and makes it look like he’s dead by telling him to denounce the Lord. Then you’ll have one more person with the same goal as you …… I hate to say this, but there’s a good chance that Kelbrem’s lover wasn’t killed by a monster, but by the guild master himself.”

“Ah …… ahhhhh ……”

Kelbrem shuddered and sagged, as if he had some idea what was going on. It’s probably a bingo.

“So that’s how it is …… I guess I’ve always been a little naive ……”

“Papa ……. No, it’s not my Papa’s fault! It’s the person who comes up with this stuff that’s wrong! It’s true that Papa tries to run away from things that seem troublesome, but in the end you try to do something about it!”

“Thank you …… Henrietta.”

Everyone laughed as Hugel-san tearfully held Henrietta in his arms.

“If that’s what the Founder was thinking and doing, then he’s pretty crazy. And it’s insane that it’s going to take 15 years to plan the next one. I don’t know how old he is, but I wonder what he plan to do with such a long time plan.”

“Let’s see …… Well, I guess we’ll just have to stay vigilant for now.”

Conrad gives me a puzzled look, and Kelbrem says to me.

“Lars, can you cut off my tattoo too? …… What you said, for a guess, meshes with a lot of what I know …… I really thought there was a possibility that the “Founder” might have anticipated this much …… If that’s the case, I’ll have to thank the Founder. I have to thank him for killing my lover. I can’t die anymore, so …… please.”

“Kelbrem ……”

The eyes that had been cloudy earlier had now changed to vengeful eyes. I can’t help but think that the old me would have had eyes like this. If I’m not mistaken, Kelbrem was a serious man. He has a temper, though.

“I understand. But you have to pay for your sins, okay?”

“Yes. It’s broken, but I swear on that sword.”

Kelbrem nodded and closed his eyes. I cut off the tattoo, applied healing, and had Sarge burn it.

“That certainly eases my mind …… Thank you. Hugel, I didn’t believe everything you said, but I’ll leave it for now.”

“Kelbrem …… yeah, okay.”

With Henrietta in his arms, Hugel nodded with a slightly sad look on his face.

I think that this time the series of incidents in Oriola territory has come to an end.

The culprit has been caught, but we can’t rest easy. There is a possibility that the “Founder” will try to take the territory again in some way.

While Retzel was still alive and hoping that nothing untoward would happen, Basleigh-sensei stretched out her arm and began to speak.

“Well, there are many mysteries, but let’s call it good for now! …… It looks like there’s nothing more to it, after all?”

“What?”

“No, it’s nothing ♪ Conrad-san, let’s have a date now.”

“W-What!?”

“Basleigh-sensei, that’s a bit of a problem, isn’t it? I’ve got to get these guys to the Guard too.”

“So let’s have a date while we’re at it!”

Then, Leisha-san, who had been watching the whole thing in silence, perked up and became indignant.

“Hey! I can’t overlook that! The Guildmaster is gone, so we need to choose one! Conrad-san is someone who is one of the candidates. He doesn’t have time for shameless people like you!”

“Ku~kuku …… Do you think that’s going to stop me? Now, let’s go to the guards, everyone!”

“Uwah!? H-Hey, Basleigh-san!”

“Wait!”

Suddenly, the scene became noisy, as if the colors had returned, and Basleighse took Conrad-san by the hand and ran outside.

“Hah~, She’s a good person if it weren’t for that. …… It’s no use, help me carry Borzov and the others.”

“Ha-ha-ha, no problem! …… Well, I sympathize with your hardship ……”

“Thank you …….”

“Fufu, it’s never boring, though.”

“That’s bad, let’s hurry.”

I shrug my shoulders, let out a sigh, and began to move about. I left the mansion, thinking that I could finally take a break.

——————　

Finally, it’s over! What will happen to the six of them?

Thank you for reading!

[Afterword Theater]

“It’s like ‘If it’s the same old thing’ ……”

People who read my other works might understand? (lol)

“Mi–!”

Don’t talk!?

“Guha ……!?”