Chapter 21: Accident – 4

Chapter 21: Accident – 4

“So, who is behind them, or before that, who was attacked?”

“I, I don’t know… There was only an anonymous report, without any details…”

“You’re telling me that the defense force members of the Empire, even in the capital, can’t even figure that out?!”

Even with the thunderous scolding, the adjutant who continued the report couldn’t say anything.

Because it was all true.

In fact, it is almost impossible to find out the victim of an anonymously reported case, especially a case where the report was made after seeing the robbers who were lying down, not directly reporting the scene.

It is also realistically time-consuming to find out the mastermind from the robbers who have all fainted.

However… the one who has already changed that impossibility into possibility is the defense commander who is giving the thunderous scolding right now.

“Damn it… The fact that they appeared so openly means that there is a mastermind behind them…”

“It is presumed to be an aristocrat…”

“Do you think I’m asking because I can’t even think that much? There are nobles all over the capital! Even I, even you, are all nobles!”

The adjutant’s efforts to somehow deliver the report unfortunately only brought the defense commander’s scolding, who was already angry.

So much so that her cold and aloof face, which rarely changes, had her brows furrowed, making her look even more terrifying.

Not only the adjutant, but also the security forces who were with her in that place were trembling as well.

If the defense force is in charge of major problems and key bases in the capital, the security forces are an organization under its command that mainly handles the outskirts of the capital.

Since the outskirts are quite large, security chiefs are assigned to each district, and although they are inferior to the defense force, it was also an organization where talented people who can easily maintain security are part of the security forces.

The problem is that this attack… occurred on the road leading out of the center of the capital to the outskirts.

The innocent defense force is being harassed and scolded first… but in fact, the responsibility itself clearly lies with the security forces.

Therefore, not only the security chiefs of each district, but also the security forces of the district where the attack occurred were all summoned and were just holding their breath.

Even the low-ranking security forces who knew nothing about this attack were quietly watching and remaining silent.

…Yes, there ‘was’.

…Not everyone reads the atmosphere like that.

“But defense commander. What’s the problem? It’s just a road leading to the outskirts, and rather, the robbers who carried out the attack were found unconscious, right?”

“Hey, hey! What are you doing now!”

“No, honestly, isn’t this too much of an overreaction, security chief? It’s not like there’s a riot inside the security forces, and the defense commander is directly…”

Bang!!

A dull sound was heard from the wooden table, and the head of the man who was speaking disappeared from view for a moment.

The next moment, it reappeared with his head buried in the table under the defense commander’s hand.

The defense commander, who had subdued the man in an instant, was staring at the man’s head with her unique aloof and cold expression.

“…Who is this guy?”

“He, he, he’s my adjutant. I’m sorry!”

“The adjutant of the 2nd district’s security chief, he should have nothing to say even if he had several mouths in his position in charge of the district where this kind of attack occurred?”

“This guy is skilled, but he’s still inexperienced…! I’m sorry!”

Tsk. With a short clicking of her tongue, the defense commander’s hand fell from the man’s head.

…Of course, the man’s head did not rise again immediately.

“It seems like you don’t understand the seriousness of the situation, so I’ll tell you. We have received a report of a planned attack in the capital.

If it was just a simple robber attack, we wouldn’t have summoned you like this. However, based on the words of the informant and the information the guys have, it is certain that it was a planned attack.”

At that word, everyone held their breath and listened to the defense commander’s words.

No, in the first place, is there anyone who can talk to the defense commander in that state right now?

At least not in this place.

“A planned attack occurred in the capital of the Empire, and the defense force and the security forces were not aware of it at all!

We can’t specify it because the identity of the victim who was attacked is not known right now, but if this was an incident related to a high-ranking aristocrat or the imperial family, we would all be screwed together! Do you understand?!”

…The person who is saying those words is that ‘high-ranking aristocrat’, so there will never be a case where they are punished together, but no one objected.

And in fact, it is extremely rare for there to be a plan to attack ordinary passers-by, or just anyone.

In the first place, the situation was certain that it was an intentional crime from the point when a document called ‘request form’ was found in the robbers’ possession.

The victim was referred to as ‘target’, so it was impossible to know who the victim was…

Fortunately, it seemed that the worst situation that was feared was not the case, as there was no news from the high-ranking aristocrats and the imperial family.

An attack targeting a high-ranking aristocrat above the Marquis or a member of the imperial family, and the defense force and security forces failed to stop it?

It was a situation where it would not be strange even if everyone was imprisoned for failing to perform their duties properly.

Therefore, it was not strange for the defense commander to come up with such a sharp response.

In such a sharp atmosphere, a member of the defense force who was investigating this attack came in with a miserable expression.

…With an expression as if he was being dragged to the execution stand.

“…Defense commander, I have something to tell you about the victim.”

“What is it?”

“That… I can’t find them. I can’t identify the victim.”

Seeing the defense commander taking a breath to drop another scolding, the member quickly continued the next words faster than anyone else.

“The combat power of the existence presumed to be the victim is strange! When I used analysis magic, it was not a power that a normal person could ever have.”

“When you say power, are you talking about pure muscle strength?”

“Yes. Th, this is what was found at the scene…”

Shiny, very small glass fragments.

Anyone would think that the glass was forcibly ground.

“He’s a guy who does this kind of thing with just pure muscle strength. Without using a single bit of magic!”

“That’s… definitely strange. If it’s someone with that much combat power with a pure body… at least as far as I know, he wouldn’t be going to the outskirts?”

“In the first place, he used a glass bottle as a weapon… Who does that so ignorantly? He would rather throw a pebble next to him.

Therefore, the victim cannot be identified for the time being…”

“There’s a possibility that he’s not human in the first place… Haa…”

If a humanoid monster was involved in this incident, the defense force would have even more headaches.

There are guys who are openly trying to carry out planned attacks or assassinations in the capital, and there is even a humanoid monster that is evaluated as an unconditional extermination target?

And yet, the defense force still didn’t know this?

It was an emergency situation that would have turned the defense force upside down several times.

“…Keep investigating, I’ll go in first to prepare the report.”

“”Eh!!””

It was such an emergency situation, so it was not very strange for the defense commander to prepare a ‘report’ with a sigh.

…The truth was not that though.

***

‘2nd district… It was definitely the place where Lucia’s house is presumed to be located when I checked the way Lucia went home last time…’

Failure to detect a planned attack? The existence of a humanoid monster whose existence itself is called a disaster?

Of course, they are important things, and things that must be protected as the defense commander. They are things that must be protected, but…

‘What’s the point if I can’t even protect one of the people closest to me.’

There is quite a gap between the time the attack was reported and the time Lucia left… but even so, it is a problem that such dangerous guys are near Lucia.

What if Lucia is walking down the street without any thoughts and encounters the guys? Or, what if a humanoid monster really exists and she meets that monster?

…Just thinking about it makes the terrible situation vivid in my mind.

That’s why I was angry.

That if it wasn’t for the anonymous report, this situation would have been concluded as a minor incident where a person died in the outskirts without knowing this situation properly.

To myself, who can’t do anything and doesn’t even know this situation properly.

…I had the first person I really wanted to protect, I had a reason to really act as the defense commander, and this kind of thing happened right away.

Therefore, I may have treated my subordinates a little harshly…

…Of course, it was right to say something because the entire defense force was about to be punished as it was.

‘I guess I should do this quickly first…’

It may be an inappropriate thought as the defense commander… but more than other problems, I wanted to get Lucia out of that place, or at least near that place, as much as possible.

Therefore, I kept fiddling with the document that I would have originally suggested to Lucia after a little more time had passed.

‘Proposal for Adoption into the Lorendel Ducal Family’

The best proposal to protect and meet her in the closest place…

There would be nothing bad for Lucia either.

She has to become a Duchess and learn etiquette and other things… but even so, I am sure that it will be better than living in the outskirts of the capital.

“…If I give her this, will she be happy?”

I put the report that was rarely used in the corner of the desk and thought about it for a while.

…Honestly, I don’t know very well.

“By now, she’s probably in a comfortable and safe place, right…?”

A hope that is not a hope echoed in the quiet office where no one was there.

***

*Now is the time! Throw it!*

“Alright!”

A forest covered in the deep night.

Originally, it was a very dangerous time for humans because it was the time when the monsters of the forest were starting to become active in earnest…

Clang!

…Because of the human who was freezing the forest solid wherever she went, it seemed that the monsters were unfortunately spending a dangerous time.

“…But who’s talking about me? My ears are itchy.”

*Isn’t it because you’re destroying the forest like this that the monsters are cursing at you?*

“Well, is that so? But aren’t these all dangerous creatures anyway?”

Of course, the human looked very peaceful.