Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 269

269.

“Wow, this is driving me crazy. What on earth are those guys up to? These cursed bastards!”

“What do we do now, Captain? Should we raid the temple for real?”

Herol’s eyes gleamed ominously. Iril and Mighty looked ready to charge out at any moment. Hussen forcibly pushed the two who were about to get up back down.

“I told you, it’s empty. I looked around, trying to sense anything, but there was nothing. They might not have done anything inside the temple, or even if they did, they’ve probably moved them somewhere else. Investigating the temple again at this point is pointless.”

“Hmm, I guess. It’s been several days already; they would have moved them long ago.”

“Aren’t they already out of this area?”

Sherry’s face turned pale at the grim conclusion. The others didn’t express it, but they were all thinking the same thing. The fact that they left wasn’t a big problem in itself. If they moved without stopping, they could catch up with a few days’ head start. The opponents were moving with children, so they wouldn’t be able to move that fast.

But that was only possible when they had some idea of the route. If the Archduke was gathering them, the capital was the most likely destination, but they couldn’t be sure. In the current state with almost no information, it was more likely to end in futility.

“It’s too early to assume they’re not here. Judging by the looks of it, this isn’t something they’re doing for the first time. It would be cumbersome to send the kidnapped kids out every time, and they’d be afraid of getting caught. So, they’ll try to use a means of transportation that doesn’t raise suspicion.”

Hussen’s words at least reassured them. Everyone focused on him with serious faces.

“A means of transportation that doesn’t raise suspicion… Do you have any idea, Captain?”

“As far as I know, the Demon God’s Order sends a delegation from the main branch every fifteen days in the name of the Pope. It’s an officially scheduled visit, so no one pays attention even if they come and go regularly. I think they’re waiting until then to hand over the children all at once.”

“Oh, that makes sense. Then we just need to find out when the delegation is coming?”

“I already checked. It’s in two days.”

It wasn’t a lot of time, but it wasn’t too tight either. The reaction was much calmer than before, now that they had a target to chase.

“Ambushing them and raiding the place might be an option, but let’s rescue them before that if possible, in case something unexpected happens. First, we need to find the place where they’re hiding the children. If they’re planning to send them with the delegation, they wouldn’t have put them too far away. Let’s start searching from places that frequently interact with the temple.”

“So, there’s a collaborator on the outside?”

“Even priests fall, so there’s no reason why others wouldn’t.”

After replying with a grim face, Hussen began to explain. It was the information he had gathered while walking around the village in the afternoon.

“It seems that a cart loaded with groceries and supplies regularly enters every three or four days. Conversely, there was also a cart being sent from the temple to another place.”

“Oh, what is it?”

“Laundry.”

“Laundry?”

“There’s no laundry facility inside the temple, so all the clothes are washed and brought in from the outside. That’s why the laundry goes out. It’s also done every day, consistently.”

“Hmm, laundry… If you pile up a lot of clothes on top, no one will know what’s underneath. That seems like the perfect way to move a few kids without anyone noticing.”

Herol smiled and lightly licked his lips with his tongue. It was the face of a predator in front of its prey.

“So, where does that cart go?”

* * *

Late at night. Two black figures flickered near a building shrouded in darkness. The ones cautiously moving while concealing their presence were Hussen and Herol.

“Damn it, why am I in a team with the Captain?”

Herol kept grumbling in a small voice as he surveyed the surroundings. Hussen, who was looking inside, gave him a displeased look.

“Stop complaining already. It was a lottery. How long are you going to keep harping on about something that’s already over?”

“I can’t help but be dumbfounded. How could I be the one picked to go with the Captain? Why did you even decide to do it by lottery? You could have just said you were going with Sherry.”

“We’re all one family, and I’m the Captain. I can’t do things that way.”

“You initially assigned us, didn’t you? You paired me with Iril.”

“So what? Do you think I paired you up because you’re lovers? I divided you up based on the suitability and efficiency for the mission. I would have paired you up even if you were enemies, not lovers.”

“Anyway. The Captain’s biggest problem is his inflexibility. That’s why this terrible situation is happening. What do you think about that?”

“Shut up. Do you think I’m happy to be going with you?”

“What? What’s wrong with me?”

“I’ll just return that question to you.”

“Heh, Captain. Were you trying to appeal to my charms? Sorry, but I have Iril.”

“…Never mind. I was wrong to even talk to you.”

Hussen was far ahead in terms of skill, but he couldn’t win against Herol in terms of banter. Hussen cleanly gave up and chose a method that was more comfortable for him. In short, he pressed down on the back of Herol’s head with his fist.

“Ouch! That hurts!”

“Your voice is too loud. If we get caught because of that, I won’t let you off.”

“Tch, you always pick on me.”

Herol, who was making an unfair expression, had no awareness that he was doing something to deserve it. Hussen shook his head. Although he was frustrated with his constantly teasing colleague, he didn’t feel any tension even in a situation where he was hiding near someone else’s house. He didn’t know whether to be happy or sad about this.

The place they were at now was in front of the mansion of a wealthy man named Falk. Falk was a merchant who dealt with various fabrics and processed goods, including silk and fine silk. After spending the entire evening investigating, Hussen found out that the Demon God’s Order’s clothing was being managed by the trading company he ran.

The laundry from the temple was all sent to the private laundry facility inside his mansion, and after drying and ironing, it was sent back to the temple. It was such a formal contract that a separate storage warehouse was even prepared. Hussen and Herol were aiming for that warehouse.

“Do you really think they’re in there, Captain?”

The security of the mansion was tight, but it wasn’t difficult to shake them off. The two easily found the warehouse. The structure, standing alone in a remote location, was made of solid planks. It was in a rather secluded place, so it seemed like it would be dark even during the day.

“We have to hope so.”

Next to the warehouse, empty carts that seemed to be for transportation were lined up. Hussen muttered calmly, not taking his eyes off the sight. He fiddled with a small firecracker he had put in his pocket. It was to alert the other members in case of an emergency.

The rest of the group had the same thing as he had. While Hussen and Herol were investigating the Falk trading company, the other three were in charge of the trading company that supplied food and supplies to the temple. By now, they should have arrived and started the operation.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah, but Captain. I just thought of something. What about the delegation coming from the main branch? They might not be on the same side as us, right? What if the visit in two days is just a normal regular visit?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“No, why? If the Captain’s guess is correct, then these merchants are also involved in this. Then they might be transported by those guys, right? In fact, if there’s a place that can come and go to other places often without attracting attention, it’s a trading company. In other words, there’s a very high possibility that the kidnapped kids are no longer in this area.”

“I understand that, but why does that lead to the conclusion that the delegation is innocent?”

“Why are you so sure that the main branch is involved? You can’t assume that all the Demon God’s followers are in cahoots. Maybe only a few temples that the Archduke has recruited are doing this…”

“Well. Even if they’re not all in cahoots, the main branch is definitely the Archduke’s puppet, right? Don’t you remember the Pope issuing an arrest warrant for His Majesty the Emperor?”

“Huh? Oh, that’s right. Did he? It was buried so quietly that I completely forgot.”

Hussen sighed as he watched Herol scratching his cheek awkwardly. The mercenary guild’s ranking test also had a section that looked at situational judgment. Although martial prowess was valued the most, that was also a fairly large part. He suddenly wondered how Herol was able to get the Silver Badge.

“Hmm, so they’re not being transported through the trading company?”

“…How can you only think of one thing at a time? Of course, they might be transported by the trading company. But in this case, I’m seeing that possibility as low. When I looked into it, no trading company has gone out or come in recently. They might have secretly left in the early morning, though.”

“Wow, when did you find that out? You’re so meticulous when I see you like this.”

“You’re just too sloppy. Anyway, we’re currently operating on the assumption that the children are still in this village. Don’t think about anything else and focus on this. The aftermath of not finding them and coming out is a problem to worry about later.”

“Aye.”

A sharp light entered Herol’s eyes as he nodded. It meant he was starting to concentrate. Hussen was relieved because Herol, who had become serious, was a fairly reliable colleague, and he began the operation with peace of mind.

The two quickly broke the latch and opened the door. As they entered, the scent of wood unique to wooden buildings and the smell of dry dust wafted through the air. Herol took out a small lantern from the bag he was wearing around his waist and lit it. As light appeared in the dark space, the surroundings began to be seen more clearly.

The warehouse was filled with clothes hanging on lines. The huge cabinets on both walls were filled to the brim, and baskets filled with clothes were in each compartment. A pile of unwashed clothes was also seen piled up in one corner of the floor. Hussen and Herol carefully and quickly looked around. They opened all the places where clothes were piled up, as well as the cabinets with doors, to find a place to hide the children. But they couldn’t get the results they were hoping for. Herol, who opened what seemed to be a tool box last, turned to Hussen with a disappointed face.

“There’s nothing here. What about you, Captain?”

“It’s the same on this side. It doesn’t seem like anyone is trapped here. What do you think?”

“If the Captain can’t feel it, then there’s nothing.”

‘Is this a waste of time?’

Hussen’s face clouded over. He had been fully aware of the possibility of failure because it was an operation that was only proceeding with speculation. Nevertheless, his mouth felt bitter when it actually turned out like this.

“They might have hidden them inside the mansion, right? In places like the basement or closet.”

“It can’t be helped. Since we’ve come this far, let’s just go there instead of going back. If we get caught, we’ll each run away on our own.”

“That’s good. It’ll be totally thrilling, right?”

It was just like Herol to not lose his humor even at times like this. Hussen chuckled.

“Then let’s just close this door properly… Oops!”

Thump! At that moment, one of the objects hanging in the tool box fell to the floor. Herol accidentally touched the inside while closing the door.

“…Herol.”

“Ah, sorry, sorry. Why did this suddenly fall?”

After glaring at Herol, who was awkwardly smiling, Hussen stood close to the warehouse door. It was to figure out the situation outside in case someone heard the noise and came. Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be anyone nearby. Relieved, Hussen turned his gaze back to Herol to say a word. But he was immediately taken aback by the sight that followed. Contrary to his expectation that he would have cleaned it up right away, Herol was actually taking out a lot of things from the tool box. Hussen doubted his eyes when he saw him making a mess instead of cleaning it up.

“What are you doing now?”

“Captain, come over here.”

Herol didn’t even turn around and kept taking things out. It seemed like he was planning to empty the tool box itself. Hussen, who was curious about the reason, quietly approached him. The tool box was revealing its bottom because most of the things that were filling it had been taken out. It seemed that the inside was wider than he thought, perhaps because it was a place where large objects were mainly stored.

“What is it?”

“No, the sound was a bit strange when it fell earlier.”

“Sound?”

“Look.”

Herol laid his fist down and lightly flicked the floor. Hussen’s pupils shook at the sound that rang out more hollow than he had expected. Herol looked at him and smiled playfully.

“Something like a basement. Don’t you think I found it?”

* * *

When the floor was lifted, a gaping hole appeared. A ladder was lowered below it. Hussen looked at Herol with a slightly dumbfounded feeling. It was said that a lucky guy can do anything. Who would have known that a secret room would be found because of one item that was accidentally dropped?

When he thought about it, Herol had been quite lucky since before. There were several times when he survived dangerous moments in ways he never expected. Like when El, who he thought was a priest candidate, suddenly used healing power to save him when he was dying while fighting a monster. After thinking that far, Hussen punched Herol in the head with his fist. Herol, who had been excited, groaned at the surprise attack.

“Why are you hitting me again!”

“You’re just a little too lucky.”

“Wow, now I’m getting scolded even when I’m making achievements. You just don’t like me, do you?”

“Shut up and go down.”

Hussen’s eyes became more ferocious. Herol obediently put his body on the ladder, even while grumbling. Hussen also went down below.

“Captain.”

The secret room wasn’t that deep. As soon as his feet touched the floor, Hussen raised his head at the sound of someone calling him, but immediately hardened his face. Herol was crouching down and gesturing urgently. The children who were lying unconscious were reflected in the lantern he was holding. Two boys, two girls. There was one more than the number they needed to find, but that didn’t matter.

“We found them.”

“Yeah. But everyone’s body is so cold. It doesn’t seem like they’re breathing.”

At those words, Hussen immediately approached the children and checked their condition. Their bodies were really as cold as ice. There was almost no breathing, so they looked like they were dead. It seemed that the reason why he didn’t feel any presence from the outside was because of this state. Only after holding his wrist and concentrating for a long time did he catch a very weak pulse. Only then did Hussen finally let out a breath.

“…It’s okay. They’re still alive. It seems like they were put to sleep with Demon Spirit Grass [a type of magical herb used for sedation].”

“Damn it, did they keep them locked up in this state all the time after kidnapping them? Without even giving them food?”

“They wouldn’t be thinking of sending them as corpses, so they must have fed them something. But they wouldn’t have taken care of them properly.”

“That’s no different from starving them!”

“Take care of the kids first. Let’s take them out right away.”

The surroundings were still silent, unaware of the change. Hussen and Herol each picked up two children and carefully left the warehouse. The wall of the mansion soon came into view in the sight of the two people who were moving quickly, avoiding the flickering torches. They would be able to breathe a sigh of relief once they crossed that wall. It was when they were spurring on their steps to the destination that was right in front of them.

“…!”

At that moment, someone suddenly jumped out in front of the two. Armed soldiers had appeared. Hussen and Herol, who were startled, reflexively stopped moving and took a defensive stance. In that short gap, a group holding spears and torches surrounded them. They were all wearing jet-black armor. At a glance, they were different beings from the guards who originally guarded the mansion. Hussen immediately recognized their identities.

“…The Knights of Darkness [elite soldiers serving the Archduke]. The Archduke’s henchmen.”

“I prepared for something like this happening.”

People wearing white robes walked out from among the soldiers. They were the priests of the Demon God.

“I heard there were rats interfering with our work recently. Today, we’re finally catching their tails.”

The old priest standing at the very front of them was the priest who had guided Hussen inside the temple in the morning. He also recognized Hussen and made a surprised expression.

“You are…”

“We meet again, Priest.”

“Haha, so that’s how it is. I thought you didn’t seem like an ordinary guy. Did you know everything from the beginning and approach us? You’re not an ordinary person to have found out this far. Who’s behind you?”

“These children’s parents sent me.”

“Stop talking nonsense and tell me who’s really behind you. You must be related to the group that’s been ruining our work lately, right?”

“Wow, there are other heroes besides us who are stopping this? This world is still worth living in.”

“Shut up!”

The old priest looked at Herol, who had intervened in the conversation, with a look of hatred. Herol also glared at him without backing down.

“If you don’t intend to answer willingly, it can’t be helped. There are plenty of ways to get a confession. Anyway, you won’t be able to leave this place alive. Hand over the children quietly.”

“This is a completely stupid old man. The negotiation should be that I’ll spare you, so put the kids down and get out of here. Who would say yes if you say it like that?”

Herol provoked him again this time. Hussen didn’t stop him from provoking him because he felt the same way. But the old priest was also not an easy person. He smirked.

“You’re the stupid one. It would be easier on your mind to hand them over. If you want to keep those children alive, that is.”

“…In other words, if we don’t hand them over, you’ll kill us along with them?”

“It seems like you understood properly this time.”

“Ha! Look at these bastards? You’re threatening the lives of the children to the person who came to save them? You’re not even human beings?”

The priests didn’t budge even at the blatant insults. Herol, who was grinding his teeth, made a bewildered expression at the heavy sensation that reached his legs. Hussen was leaning the children he was holding against his legs.

“…Captain, what are you doing now?”

“Take care of the kids for a while.”

“What? No, wait…!”

“You’ll die if you hurt them.”

After only saying what he had to say, Hussen immediately took out a firecracker from his pocket. It was such a natural movement that none of the people surrounding him even thought of stopping him. It was already too late when the old priest, who was late in realizing the situation, made a horrified expression. The firecracker that exploded from his hand was drawing red streaks in the sky.

“What is this…!”

“Sorry, but I’m not naive enough to believe the words of kidnappers that they’ll ‘spare’ us.”

“What?”

“So I’ll assume I didn’t hear the offer. I don’t know what you’re collecting the kids for. But it doesn’t seem like they’ll live a better life than dying if I hand them over to you.”

With a calm reply, Hussen smiled. It was a soft smile, but Herol next to him shuddered. The aura surrounding Hussen had become fierce.

‘He’s completely pissed off.’

It’s better for his well-being not to touch Hussen at times like that. Herol decided to quietly take care of the children.