HOT NOVEL UPDATES

Manuke FPS - Chapter 57




Hint: To Play after pausing the player, use this button

Chapter 57

“Hey, just letting myself in . ” Siegfried announced .



“Oh, Siegfried-san . Quite rare to see you here . Is there anything I can do for you?” A guard responded .

After I passed the newcomer exam for the mercenary guild, I came to the Royal Guard post .

“Yesterday, the Knight Order left as soon as they heard about the attack on Marida Company’s caravan at one of the western rest stops? I didn’t hear anything about that happening . ” Siegfried replied .

“Please hold on for just a bit, I’ll bring you the report book . ” The guard said .

The guard who was on standby at the post went further inside to get the book . The reason why I came here was to get information regarding the guy in the black mask that the said company brought . A former A-Ranker like me to be immobilized by him in an instant despite the fact I’ve been retired for so long . There’s no way someone with such power is not well known .

However, there wasn’t anything to check at the General Guild; Not even tax records . All the information that was available was the payment collection from when the Marida Company registered at the guild .

“Sorry to keep you waiting . Here’s the report book . ” The guard said as he came back .

“Ah, thanks . Let me take a look at it . ”

What is this… Seven dead bodies . All of which seemed to be from the bandits . They were all had multiple stab wounds on their back, head, and chest . All were found on the main road to the western rest stop . Eight bandits and horses who were victims of what looked like fire magic in the camp surroundings . Nine others found in different places with severe head injuries .

Lastly, slightly far from the rest camp were eight horses with no heads…

[E/N: LOL You sound like one of those directors who think small calibers can mutilate a body . ]

The bodies had no identification and everything pointed toward them being apart of a bigger criminal group .   However, there was nothing found to prove it and none of their faces corresponded to any wanted posters . Since many of the corpses had suffered great damage to their heads, there was no real way to confirm either . There was no damage done to the camp itself, just two burnt wagons… No sign of any remaining bandits in the area .

The merchant group had four guards, three of which fled as soon as the attack happened; none to be seen afterward… Which meant the person behind the damage was the guy in the black mask?

The Marida Company got their hands on quite an interesting guy . This meant they could now both attack and defend themselves from any conflict related to the dark side of the capital .

I returned the book to the guard and returned to the Mercenary Guild . I couldn’t help but feel that if the capital became chaotic, that man would be the reason .

I returned the report book to the guard and left the post for the Mercenary Guild .   I couldn’t help but feel that the capital become chaotic – that man would be the reason .

◆◆◇◆◆◇◆◆

Upon returning to Marida Company with Malta-san, accompanied by Marida-san; I went to receive the reward for the mission, which was a hundred bentos .

“Shaft-san, here are the rice and bread meals you asked for . Fifty of each with a good balance of deep-fried and steamed food as a side dish . ” Marida-san said . “Along with some vegetables, the total value of each meal should be slightly above the value evening meal at a restaurant . ”

“Much appreciated . I was told this basket would be retrieved later on, I suppose it will be reused?” I said .

“That’s right, in order to reduce the price of each meal, we’re still not prepared to keep producing such big baskets in large quantities . We’re also thinking about using them for the harvest festival . ” Marida-san confirmed .



I activated my TSS while I chatted and summoned the gift box . Marida-san, who had just seen my flash summon for the first time, stared at it with a fascinated look as light particles converged .

“So, that’s Shaft-san’s toolbox . Its appearance is quite a marvelous sight . ” Marida-san commented .

“Should I only take my part of the meals for today?” I asked .

“Yes, the rest of the meals carried by the company’s party will be ready before the day of departure . ” Marida-san said .


Two wagons were lost in the bandit attack so we ended up with only one wagon left to return to Fort Barga . The plan was for me and the other three wagons to split the cargo in between us to carry, but the plan changed to me carrying it all . There was the option to use the wagons from the headquarters, though if we got attacked again in route to Barga; it’d be problematic . If we took only one, it would also mean the number of targets to protect would be less . This included the company’s exclusive guards we settled to head towards Barga .

I had also thought to take a carriage for myself, but entering Barga with a carriage was something I wanted to avoid . Even if I were to hop off before I reached Barga, if I told them I walked all the way from the Royal Capital would be too weird, so I gave up on that idea .

After I had checked nearly everything in regards to the part’s escort back, a maid from Malta-san’s residence brought tea .

“Sir; Madam, its about time I leave to get the Young lady . ” The maid reported .

“Ah, yes . Thank you . Please don’t forget to take along guards as an escort . ” Malta-san said .

“Yes sir, I shall take my leave then . ” The maid said .

The couple’s daughter, Minea, seemed to have been attending the primary Royal Sorcery Academy . Only nine years old, yet she’s already learning and earning experience in the field of magic, along with general education and etiquette . The Primary Academy was for children from royalty and influential merchants while the secondary was for children who belonged to the lower social statuses .



Attendance seemed optional though it seemed most families that could afford to send their children did so . Even students that attended the second academy could be offered a scholarship to attend to the primary academy; grant that they have permission and help from their guardian .

In this world, magic was extremely important . Therefore it was understandable that people would try to have descendants with higher magical ability . After I listened to the academy’s story, I even wanted to pay it a visit .  It won’t happen today since the maid had already gone to pick up Minea, but I might just tag along tomorrow .

However, that night, Minea never came home .

“Any leads on her whereabouts?” Malta-san said

“No, she was seen on a carriage leaving the first district Academy, but there was no confirmation about them reaching the second district . ” A guard from the search party replied .

“Which meant something happened as soon as they left the academy . ” Malta-san said .

Minea would normally be home before evening, but she was still not home . Three hours has already past and there was no sight of the maid or the guards so something bad must have happened . The couple asked the company’s guards if there was any progress with the search, but there was nothing . Time-wise, it would make sense the kidnapping had been done by the bandits or their comrades; however, there had been no demands sent to us or the company .

Two more houses had passed and the sun had set a long time ago . In the vicinity, there was the only amount of dim light generated by magic tools . I stood on top of the company’s roof with crossed arms . I concentrated heavily on the blinking spots on the map and at the same time, tried to pick up any odd sounds with my headset . I was absolutely sure they’d send someone to convey their demands, but I wasn’t going to let him run away .

Another two hours passed and nothing happened . The company guards in charge of the search had since returned with no changes in the situation . A group of Capital guards came to assist in the missing group and a maid plus a few guards left with them . Due to how long the bandits had prolonged the situation, there was a chance it had not been a kidnapping case so Malta-san immediately reported this possiblity to the guards . They also did not have any information .

Another hour passed and the surrounding lights disappeared, the day came to an end . In the quietness of the night, a tomorrow; that was when I heard something that tried to approach stealthily .

The rhythm was steady and hardly noticeable, but it was the sound of footsteps . The sound stopped in the shadow of the company building, about a hundred meters from here . I heard the sound of a bow drawn followed by the sound of air being cut by an arrow which penetrated the wooden door of Marida Company . An arrow with a letter wrapped around it, quite an old way to contact someone . At last, what I wanted was here and he could not escape my sights .

I switched the ballistic mask’s mode to NV mode, jumped to the next roof to follow the suspect without thinking of the possibility of the kidnapper noticing . Even more so due to my pursuit via the roofs . After he distanced himself from the company, the kidnapper no longer hid his presence and started to run past the second district’s area .

Eventually, he turned a corner of a remarkably large building and headed towards the back . He ended the building after he carefully checked for unwanted followers .

“So, this is the place…” I said .

It was a building similar to Marida’s Company . Just as expected, it was due to the business conflict . A three-story building made from stone with a billboard that hung on the first floor . “Yagorche Company” was written on it . I stood on top of the building and I heard a conversation that came from within it .

“Did you deliver the letter?” Someone said .

“Yes, I left it at the company’s door . ” The suspect said .

“Alright, good job . Move away . Hey! Hows the girl and the others?” the mysterious person said

“Stripped them of everything they had so they couldn’t escape and threw them into the president’s dungeon . ” another person said .

So they’re inside the dungeon… By his tone, I assumed he was the company’s president . No, wait… I remember this voice from somewhere… From the bandit group . He was the leader of the group that attacked us . Which meant that the building at the back was the president’s residence . Despite it at a time when the capital was asleep in silence . These men held lanterns and went about on rounds as they guarded the building I was standing on .

[E/N: Angry ninja noises . ]

I left without having read the contents of the letter to follow the suspect . If the letter was a demand to immediately destroy the priority buyer documents for the festival . I would have to stop that from ever happening, no matter what . With just a few moments of hesitation, I decided that I had to save them right away for the best of it . Even if the priority buyer documents for the festival was lost, what was truly important for the couple was their daughter and their staff . I’d have to rescue them as fast as possible



Share This :


COMMENTS

No Comments Yet

Post a new comment

Register or Login