Chapter 140: Search for the Vanished Meguri!
“Huh? Has Meguri not returned yet?”
When we returned home, it was pitch dark inside, and Meguri was nowhere to be seen. Even though she said she was feeling unwell and going home early.
“Could it be she collapsed somewhere…”
When Liliera said that anxiously, Jairo and the others returned from the back room.
“She wasn’t in her room either.”
“This is bad, we have to find Meguri immediately!”
“A-Alright, I’ll search the main street, Mina, you check the shops Meguri frequents!”
“Understood.”
“Then I’ll trace the path we usually take to the Guild. We took a different route back today to buy dinner, so we might have missed each other.”
“…I found Meguri‘s location.”
“Right, so Rex will…”
” ” “WAIT, EHHHHHHHH!?” ” “
“H-How did you know!?”
Everyone raised voices of surprise because I identified Meguri‘s location so easily.
“I investigated the magic wavelength of the equipment Meguri is wearing.”
“Y-You can do that!?”
“Yes. I concealed it so enemies can’t detect it, but I made it emit a wavelength that only I can recognize, mixed into the minute magic power in the air.”
“I-I didn’t know that…”
“To think magic items could do such things…”
Mina is wide-eyed with surprise. It’s relatively common knowledge for magic item engineers, though. But I guess mages not affiliated with the military who specialize in enemy detection wouldn’t care about it? Even in the military, detection was handled by specialized detection casters.
“Adding a tracking function itself is simple. What’s a bit difficult is the mechanism to disguise that wavelength so the enemy doesn’t know.”
Yeah, in the life before my previous one, it was a function I made upon request from the military to find separated comrades. Well, apparently it was actually more useful for catching deserters than for search and rescue…
“I don’t think that ‘simple’ is actually simple at all, and in the first place, who would think such a function exists!?”
“Enemy spies, perhaps?”
“Who is Rex fighting against…”
For some reason, Mina slumped her shoulders.
“Heheh, finding her this easily, as expected of Big Bro!”
“You adapt too quickly!”
“Kyu kyuu!”
Oh? Mofumofu is coming along to search for Meguri too.
“I see, you’re worried about Meguri too.”
“Kyu guuu.”
Making a sound like that, he must be really worried. Those two became quite good friends without me knowing.
“Guu.”
“Alright, then let’s go pick up Meguri!”
” ” “OOOH!” ” “
“Guu!”
“Meguri‘s reaction is in this direction.”
“This direction… isn’t this the Nobles’ District?”
Following the direction of Meguri‘s reaction, we were blocked by a large wall. Beyond this is the Nobles’ District where nobles live, a place we commoners cannot enter without permission. Moreover, since it’s already night, it’s even more difficult for us to enter. If we force our way in, people will call the guards immediately and we’ll be surrounded.
“Meguri, why is she in a place like this…?”
” “…” “
When Liliera tilted her head in wonder, Jairo and Mina made awkward faces.
“Do you two know something?”
“Ah, no, it’s nothing, Big Bro. But with this…”
“Right, the wall is in the way, so we can’t proceed.”
“Eh? Why not just use flight magic?”
” “Ah.” “
The two raised their voices as if to say they had forgotten, and made indescribable expressions. What’s wrong with both of them? It feels like they are hesitating to search for Meguri…
“Umm, but if we are seen flying in the sky…”
Mina worries about being found by guards if we fly, but that’s no problem either.
“There is Invisibility Magic, so it’s fine.”
“Ah-, come to think of it, there was such magic.”
I’ve used it with Liliera before, after all.
“Then let’s go. Everyone hold hands.”
“A-Ah. Understood, Big Bro.”
“…Can’t be helped.”
What on earth is wrong with those two? Even though they were so worried about Meguri just a moment ago.
“Okay, here we go.”
Holding hands with everyone, I activate the Invisibility Magic and then fly into the sky.
“R-Really, we can’t be seen with this?”
“Yes, it’s okay to talk too. As long as you don’t let go of the hands.”
Liliera, who has experience, answers Mina who asks anxiously.
“Whoa, s-somehow it’s hard to fly holding hands.”
Jairo, unaccustomed to flying while matching speed, is flying while wobbling unsteadily.
“Ouch ouch ouch! Hey Jairo! Fly more slowly! My arm is being pulled and it hurts!”
“S-Sorry, but I can’t slow down well!”
Yeah, originally, flying while matching speed is basically done between people of the same attribute. When humans of different attributes try to match speed, the way of flying is different, so it’s more difficult than between those of the same attribute.
“Big Bro, can’t we do something about this?”
“Let me see, maybe I can carry everyone and fly?”
” “REJECTED!!” “
It was rejected immediately by Liliera and Mina.
“Can’t be helped. We have no choice but to match Jairo.”
“Right, if we accidentally let go, it could cause a huge uproar.”
“Sorry, everyone.”
Jairo apologizes remorsefully. As a matter of fact, Jairo, who flies by spouting flames with fire attribute, stands out even at night. If he is seen flying right above the Nobles’ District, it would be a huge uproar in no time.
“Don’t worry, Jairo. If you train flight magic more, you’ll be able to fly in a way that won’t be found even for the fire attribute Jairo.”
“Seriously, Big Bro!?”
“Yeah, Jairo will soon be able to fly faster than sound!”
“Uooo! Faster than sound! With this, I might get the alias Sonic Jairo in addition to Blue Flame Jairo.”
Hearing he can achieve speed exceeding the speed of sound, Jairo smiles excitedly. That’s good, he seemed depressed earlier, but he seems to have cheered up.
“Hey… being able to fly faster than sound is fine, but will Jairo‘s body be okay?”
Mina, having doubts about supersonic flight, asks. As expected of Mina. She notices the problem of supersonic flight with a living body.
“Yes, if he does Body Enhancement properly, he’ll be fine.”
“I see, so he won’t be fine without Body Enhancement…”
“Oops, we are getting close to where Meguri is.”
Having already flown over the Nobles’ District, we turn our eyes to the large building visible ahead.
“Meguri‘s reaction is inside that building.”
“Eh? But that building is…”
At my words, Liliera raises her voice saying “No way.”
Yeah, I understand that feeling. We have never entered there, but we know what kind of building that is.
Ahead of our gazes, the place where Meguri is. That is the place where the King who rules this country lives.
“Yes, it’s the Royal Castle.”
“W-Why is Meguri in the Royal Castle!?”
Indeed, I never thought Meguri would be in the Royal Castle either.
“Then, shall we go in?”
“Wait, EHHH!?”
“Wa-Wait a minute!”
“That’s definitely bad, Big Bro!”
When I try to proceed toward the Royal Castle, everyone stops me for some reason.
“Eh? But Meguri is inside this castle, and we can’t meet her unless we go in, right?”
“A-As expected, trespassing inside the castle is bad. If caught, worst case is death penalty, you know?”
Hmm, I can understand what Liliera wants to say. Trespassing into a castle unauthorized is bad in my previous life and now too. But…
“The Meguri I know is a normal adventurer. The fact that Meguri is in such a place means there’s a high possibility she got involved in some trouble. If Meguri has been captured for a crime she didn’t commit, shouldn’t we hurry to save her?”
“Th-That is…”
Nobles sometimes calmly pin crimes on innocent people for their own convenience. Even more so if they are commoners who can’t defy them. Knowing from my previous life’s experience that such situations are fully possible, I felt that rescuing Meguri was an urgent task.
“We adventurers have the right and duty to protect freedom. In exchange for cooperating with any country, we do not subordinate to any country. Freedom is the Adventurer, that’s the philosophy of the Adventurer’s Guild, everyone knows that, right? So, if a fellow adventurer is exposed to danger, we have to help.”
Yes, adventurers are those who love freedom. Therefore, adventurers do not forgive those who try to take away freedom.
“U-Umm, you know. I think there isn’t that worry. Besides, maybe she came for some job!”
“Y-Yeah. Meguri might come back tomorrow.”
Really, what’s wrong with both of them?
“If that’s the case, that’s fine. If she is there for a reason, we just have to leave immediately. …But.”
“But?”
“At that time, Meguri looked painful.”
” “!!?” “
Hearing my words, the two made startled faces. And the two looked at each other and nodded.
“…Mina.”
“Yeah, it’s useless to say anything now.”
“Or rather, I feel like an idiot myself.”
Jairo turns his face away in embarrassment and mutters while scratching his head.
“Yeah, actually those were the words we should have said, and the action we should have taken.”
Mina was also scratching her cheek with an awkward expression. The two exhale deeply and turn back to me with faces full of resolve.
“Sorry Big Bro, I woke up!”
“Let’s go, to meet Meguri!”
“Yeah!”
I don’t know what it is, but I’m glad the two felt like going. As expected, both of them couldn’t help but worry about Meguri!
“Whatever, but I feel like I’m the only one left out of the loop.”
“Kyuu!”
” ” “Ah.” ” “
Turning around, Liliera and Mofumofu, who were left alone, were sulking.
” ” “Sorry.” ” “
N-Now then, that being the case, infiltration into the castle!
“Meguri is in the back of this room.”
Having arrived by detecting Meguri‘s reaction inside the castle, it was a room by the window on the upper floor of the castle. Strictly speaking, the reaction is even further in the back, though.
“Let’s enter from this window.”
We open the window and enter the room.
“Excuse us~.”
“Coming in~.”
“Aaaah… if we’re found out, it’s definitely the death penalty.”
“A-As long as we don’t let go of hands, it’s fine.”
Liliera and Mina, looking restless, grip my hands tightly. Honestly, it hurts.
“It’s dark.”
Inside the room is dark, and there is no sign of people. Since we can’t turn on a light. When I use night vision magic to look around the room, the full view of the room becomes visible.
“…It’s a normal room.”
Yeah, a large canopy bed, a decorated table, paintings and ornaments on the walls; it feels exactly like a noble’s room. I understand less and less why Meguri is in a place like this.
“Huh? Meguri isn’t here?”
“Meguri‘s reaction is deep inside, beyond that door. But it seems it’s not just Meguri.”
I point to the door leading to the back of the room. I feel Meguri‘s reaction from the back room, but I also feel someone else’s reaction.
“If there are people, we can’t enter carelessly.”
“Right, seems we have to wait until that someone leaves for a bit.”
“Then let’s wait in this room. If there’s any sign of trouble, then we’ll jump in, rescue Meguri, and escape the Royal Capital as is.”
“Hmm, I don’t think there’s that worry, but understood.”
Strangely, Mina seems convinced there is no danger to Meguri.
“Mina, and Jairo, do you two know something about Meguri?”
Asked by me, the two look at each other. Their expressions seem lost on whether they should say it.
“Umm, Big Bro. Meguri has various circumstances. So, umm, for us to say it without permission is a bit…”
“Yeah, coming from us is a bit…”
Ah, the two are Meguri‘s party members, after all. Besides, adventurers probing into each other’s past is a violation of manners.
No matter how worried you are, if the person has no intention of saying it, leaving it alone is the adventurer’s code of honor; Liegard said that in the story too.
“Understood, you two. Unless Meguri says it herself, I won’t ask.”
“Thank you, Big Bro.”
“It helps that you say that.”
“…Also, even if you learn Meguri‘s circumstances, I want you to treat her as usual.”
“Hmm? I don’t really get it, but understood.”
Hearing my words, the two show relieved faces. I see, both of them were holding me back because their code of honor toward Meguri and their worry for their companion were clashing.
Thinking that way, maybe Meguri really is safe. However, since we came all the way here, I guess I’ll check just Meguri‘s safety before returning. If she’s still feeling unwell, I want to tune her up with healing magic.
“Everyone, someone is coming.”
Liliera calls out to us who were absorbed in the conversation. And simultaneously, the sound of the door opening echoed in the unmanned room.
“Well then, good night.”
The person who entered the room says good night to someone in the back room. Judging from the voice, a woman? It’s a very gentle tone, so it seems directed at someone close.
The next moment, my eyes are dazzled for a moment as the light turns on in the room. Simultaneously, a soft, sweet scent tickles my nostrils.
“Kyu?”
At that moment, Mofumofu, who was on my shoulder, raised a voice and jumped out.
“Ah, Mofumofu!”
“Kya!? Eh? What is this child!?”
“Kyuu kyuu!”
Separated from me, Mofumofu loses the effect of the Invisibility Magic, and his figure becomes revealed. Crap, if I knew this would happen, I should have put a leash on the collar.
“Lady Idola! What happened!?”
Perhaps reacting to the surprised voice of the woman called Idola, someone rushes in from the back of the room.
“Kyuu!”
“Eh? Mofumofu?”
The someone who entered the room calls Mofumofu‘s name. Huh? She knows Mofumofu? And it’s a voice I remember hearing.
My eyes quickly get used to the light, and I become able to distinguish the figures of Mofumofu and the others. The one who was there was a person we knew very well.
No, it was people we knew very well.
“Meguri is…”
“Meguri is…”
” “THEREEE ARE TWOOOOOOOOOO!?” “
Yes, there were two Meguris wearing dresses there. …What is going on here!?
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