Seigensou 126.1 [Unfinished]

Chapter 126.1 : Journey Toward Restoration~Part 3~



Arein, a 2nd rank adventurer who is looking for someone who's looking for Lucius, the killer of Rio mother, was hiring the adventurers in the post town by speaking to incoming travelers by using human wave tactic.
((Ed: This is an ugly sentence. I did my best with it))

Thereupon, Arein tries to keep tabs on Rio who reacted to Lucius name, by ordering the young adventurers of Orein party to chase after Rio-tachi but……..
((Ed: For those who don't know. "tachi" in this case can be loosely translated into "group of", so in this case it means "Rio's Group".))

「Your job is simple. Follow those guys in front of us. Keep a reasonable distance in order to not lose nor discovered by them. Though, I don’t care if they discover you guys, never initiate a contact with them. Even if they approach you, just pretend that you’re fellow travelers. Alright?」



Arein went to explain the job to Orin-tachi after they all gathered at the gate of the post town.




「Understood」




When Orin-tachi is nodding at his explanation, the corner of Arein lips raises slightly.



「Yosh.  In that case, chase after them immediately. You guys should know about the crossroad which will led to east and south at the south of this town, right? 」

「Of course.  These area is our area of activity after all」

「Well then, after you guys arriving at that junction, take a different route from their group. After that, take a rest for few minutes. That’s your job. I’ll take a different action in the mean time and then meet with you guys」

「Understood」



Orin replied immediately. Though he has yet to understand the general framework of this request, this is simple job.



「Any questions? 」

「No……」



Though slightly hesitating, Orin just denied it. Deep inside, he wants to move the conversation to remuneration but, it’s a difficult situation since he is the one who made the request for the job.



「I see.  As I said before, I have something minor I must take care of. It might take me a while to go back. Though I’ll be back when the sun is set, but you might be waiting for a while. Well, you may do as you please till that time」

「Understood」

「Then, later」



After saying so, Arein went into the town for the second time.



（This…………… Which one I should follow?　Should I notify Haruto about this?）



Aisia is pondering while looking at the back of Orin-tachi who advances toward southern direction at fast pace.



（Uhn. It should be no problem to leave them as it is. In that case, I have to chase after that guy）



After making that judgement, Aisia decided to follow after Arein.



◇　◇　◇



At that time, earl Claire territory, capital Creia.

The commander of Christina Search Party, Charles Arbeau, is secluding himself inside the room which he assigned from Celia's father, Roland Claire, while reading the reports from two of his squads which consists of 400 men.
((Ed: Changed this to sound more militaristic))

「Have you found about the whereabouts of princess Christina!?　You good for nothing! 」



Charles shouts, slamming his fist onto the disorderly desk.

Alfred, who standing in front of him, frowns hearing that.



「The soldiers are moving according to your instructions. They’re freezing the highway to east and north, and even searching inside the forest. However, it seems they can’t find any traces of the target」



He said so matter-of-factly.



「Are they really searching properly?　It won’t end up as a joke if it’s proven later that they’re overlooking something you know? 」

「They’re exhausting themselves」

「Then show a result! Effort is meaningless without results!」



Charles isn’t even trying to hide his irritation.



「The soldiers are moving according to your command, they have no responsibility in this. The responsibility falls upon their superior officer who leads them」

「…………… Are you implying I gave a wrong command? 」

「I don’t mean it that way. I just mean, stop trying to lay blame on someone else and force your responsibilities onto your subordinates」



Though Alfred is objects in roundabout way, Charles is glaring at Alfred with a dangerous light in his eyes.



「What？  」

「Be quiet. Maybe we need to change our point of view in this matter」

「……………….. What do you mean? 」



Charles smacks his lips togther and then asks for an explanation from Alfred.



「The south highway. Though I’ve been saying this from the beginning, we cannot dismiss the possibility that they’re escaped from that direction. Despite us currently lacking in personnel, it’s still not to late. Now, should I send a search party toward that direction? 」

「…………. No. We’ve don't have enough personnel」

「Why?　The search range will become even larger each passing day. We’ll still lacking personnel anyway, we may as well attempt」



Alfred shows an astonished face while looking as if he can’t believe what he just heard.



「3 days have yet to pass. We can’t neglect the possibility that they’re escaping to the north or east.」



Charles tries objecting the idea for such a reason.



「Fool. They might have run away by the south route due to our lack of man power that direction. Charles, stop making such foolish mistakes as a commander」

「SHUT UP!　I’m the commander. Stop ordering me around with such a condescending attitude. You’re nothing more than my assistant in this matter right?　So stop meddling with me! 」

Charles becomes hysteric and starts venting his frustration on Alfred.

His inferiority complex over Alfred could be seen from his remark just now.



「………………….. I only meant to give you advice, you know? 」

「Don’t worry. I won’t force the responsibility onto you. Seeing that you’re opposing my idea, the achievement on this matter won’t be yours」

「I see.  Do what you want」



As if Alfred was struck with dizzy spell, he barely manages to stand on his own while holding his forehead. ((Ed: This one confused me))

Charles watches Alfred's movements with vexed expression.

In the end, Charles ends up sending a search party to the southern route a few days later.



◇　◇　◇



Going a little south from earl Claire territory capital, Creia, there’s a small town with population around 1000 people.

A man came to such deserted bar of that town—– His name is Arein.

After surveying the inside of the bar for awhile, he choose to sit on one corner of the room. There he found two men in their thirties wearing adventurer attire already sitting on that place.



「Yo, Ven, Lucci. Hanging around in this kind of bar since afternoon, it seems something good just happened」

「You’re early yourself. Arein. Don’t tell me that you already finishing your job? 」



Amongst the two, the one with medium build―― Ven responded lightly to Arein sarcasm.



「Hump.  I’m not finishing yet. My job is the most troublesome one. I came to ask for your help since you guys most likely ditching your job around this time while exchanging information」

「I agree with exchanging information. But, we’re not ditching our job. We were on stand by. So we will be ready at anytime in case something happen」



The man with large build―― Lucci is nodding while objecting Arein previous words with a grin on his face.

Thereupon, to there――,



「Wat is your order, master? 」



The blunt barkeeper came to ask their order.



「Beer. What about you guys? 」

「Second for us」



Arein is throwing one large copper to the barkeeper while ordering the same things as Ven duo.



「Right away」



After taking the big copper, the barkeeper return to the counter and began to pouring the liquor for them.



「Well, sit down. Let’s have a chat while drinking our liquor」

Arein is sitting on a chair after urged by Ven.

Soon, the barkeeper is carrying the beer and then Arein-tachi started to exchange the information they have on them.



「As expected, the national army that staying in Creia were really searching for something. I mean several hundreds of them spreading out everywhere at the north and east highway, even as far as searching the forest in it’s vicinity」



So, Ven is telling that while drinking his beer.

After downing his liquir, Lucci is continuin after him,



「The thing I’m worrying about is the one who have bad blood with our leader. If it’s according to Reis-sama, it seems he is running toward south direction but, what you found at south direction, Arein? 」



Saying so, he asked to Arein.



「The south side is completely understaffed. Though they does examination at every checking station before the highway, no result so far」

「In that case, we might be as well as saying that this enemy and the searching target is an entirely different case right. Well, the story about that enemy itself might be a fake story but, it doesn’t mean that person didn’t exist either」



Lucci is brushing his unshaven beard.



「No, the possibilities of it being a fake story is low. Even if the commander of the searching troop feeding a fake information to Reis-sama, it’ll be too unnatural for him to suddenly mentioning our leader name」



Arein resolutely denying that.



「I’m with Arein in this case. As long as we were observing those searching party, it’s not the kind of atmosphere where they’re looking for the enemy. Though that person might have assaulted the searching party, I concluded that was completely different matter with the one the searching party looking for」



Ven is cutting in between the conversation while stating his opinion.



「Why did you think that two was a completely different matter? 」

「Like hell I know about that. In the first place, I don’t even know what those soldiers are looking for」



Ven is kicking the bucket easily when Lucci asking that question.



「What shall we do then, how about we kidnap one of the national soldier? 」

「We can do that too but, let’s keep that as our last resort. It’s still too early to do that. It’s still not too late even if we gathering information in secret」

「That’s waay too troublesome. Working behind-the-scene like this. I want to take an action in large scale operation」



Lucci scratching his head with plainly troubled expression and told his objective to Ven.



「If that was the case, come with me. Though I already forming a network at the post town along the south highway, I still need someone else to help me. Left the investigation of searching team to Ven」



Arein is inviting Lucci to come with him.

「Have you found the clue to the enemy? 」



Ven asked with curious face.



「Though I’m not 100% sure, I found a suspect. Well, the probability of a miss also high」

「Is it really okay for you to come here? 」



Lucci asking Arein.



「No problem. I’m employing adventurers with money. But, I have to go back immediately. I’ve run out of time」

「Go with him, Lucci. I’m alone are enough for this kind of job」



Ven is approving Lucci to help Arein.



「Well, that’s nice. It’s someone who beaten several knights. It seems he got some skill with him. I want to test try to fight him if possible」

「Well, it’s depending on the situation. Reis-sama order is for us to find someone but, contact with the target is unnecessary」

「Ou, understood. Well, I still want to test that person skill. Moreover, we have no other way to confirm whether he is the one we are looking for or not without testing his skills」



After saying so, Lucci emptied the beer in his glass and then showing a wide grin on his face.

Arein just heaving a sigh in seeing that.

Someone was eavesdropping their conversation right by their side.



（As I thought, these people have something to do with Lucius. Moreover, Reis. He’s the one who instructing these people）



It’s Aisia.

Though she eavesdropping their conversation in her spirit form, these people themself never expecting that someone will eavesdropping their conversation in this virtually empty bar.



「Then, let’s get going. Lucci」

「Ou.  Will we reach by noon? 」

「It’s one and half hour distance if we use griffon」



Arein is leaving the bar along with Lucci. Just like that, they leave the city, entering the nearby forest and then blimbed on the back of enslaved griffon.



（Let’s tell Haruto about this）



Aisia’s following after them headng toward the direction where Rio is heading for.



◇　◇　◇




At a different place, A while before.

Rio-tachi who left the post town was walking along the highway that will led them to the stronghold of Restoration.




「Haruto-dono………」



At that time, Vanessa is called to Rio in low enough voice in order to not caught the other member of their party attention.