Ch.272Operation-Setting NPC. (3)

As the second daughter of the Count Müller family, and as a proud noble of the Empire, I couldn’t just listen to the story and wait quietly without doing anything.

“Hmm-hmm-hmm~♬”

“……”

But honestly, I was a bit scared. I hadn’t seen the sudden movements when those people in priest robes pointed weapons at my parents and sister. And the gaze of the man who seemed to be their leader looked as if he was licking me with his eyes.

-Swish. Swish. Swish.

“♬~”

“Hey, Ira?”

“Hmm?”

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Huh? Of what?”

My dearest, most precious, and cutest friend who was in the carriage with me—Ira, with her wavy rose-colored hair and twinkling violet eyes like the Milky Way, humming a tune. When I asked her with a slightly trembling voice, she tilted her head as if she genuinely didn’t understand and wiggled her fingers.

“Those people from earlier moved incredibly fast. I heard they were bad people, but no one said they were that strong.”

“Hmm? Did they?”

“What do you mean ‘did they’…”

I let out a rather big sigh as I watched Ira, who met my gaze and cutely tilted her head while continuing to move her fingers. What could possibly be so enjoyable that she’s moving her fingers and humming like that? Well, it’s fine since she’s cute.

“Ehehe. It’s because now I can protect someone precious to me, just like my brother!”

“…Didn’t you say your brother was an adventurer?”

“Yes! But he was originally a forest keeper. My brother was a wonderful forest keeper like a prince who protected weak little me!”

That’s even more concerning.

Forest keepers are uneducated people from rural areas who just chase away wild animals or report monster sightings. Ah, is that why he went from being a forest keeper to an adventurer? To support Ira? Because he didn’t want her to grow up without an education like him? If so, that’s somewhat admirable. But still…

“Even your brother would probably be scared and run away from people like them, right? With you in tow, of course.”

“Hmm? Why?”

“…When I saw how those people moved earlier, they were much stronger than the knights in our territory. No, they seemed even stronger than the professors at the Academy. So, what I’m trying to say is that this isn’t the time to be humming happily.”

“Eh, really? They seemed much slower than when my brother, Miss Ray, and Gorem practice fighting, so I didn’t notice.”

“And honestly, I’m having fun because my heart’s racing a bit traveling with you in a carriage at night, Grace!” Ira said with a bright smile. She stopped humming, but she didn’t stop wiggling her fingers.

Oh my. Your optimistic and cute demeanor certainly helps calm my anxious feelings, but couldn’t you be a little more tense? If those people are truly bad, we might be in danger the moment we arrive. Besides, Gorem and Instructor Ray aren’t here!

I conveyed my anxiety to Ira, but she just smiled energetically and said, “It’s okay! I’ll protect you, Grace!!” while continuing to move her fingers in the air.

‘*Sigh*, if worse comes to worst, I’ll summon all the spirits, blow everything up with composite spirit magic, and flee at full speed with Ira.’

According to Ira’s plan, the golem maid Gorem and Instructor Ray would follow us and expose the villains’ evil deeds to save the territory’s people. But I’m worried about whether we’ll be safe until they arrive. And even if they come on time, I doubt if they can really defeat those people. It might be better to mobilize all the knights from our territory… Ah, they’ve been conscripted. I’m so scared that my mind isn’t working properly.

While I was lost in thought, Ira continued humming and making those incomprehensible finger movements. After a while, I felt the carriage beginning to slow down.

“…Looks like we’ve arrived.”

“I see! Got it! I’ll hurry!!”

Hurry with what? Ira, who had been waving her fingers in the air, stopped humming and moved her fingers even more frantically as the carriage slowed down. Wait, what’s the meaning behind that behavior? Ira, is there really something to it?! You’re not sick, are you?!!

-Knock knock.

“Young ladies, we’ve arrived at our station. May I open the door?”

“…Yes, open it.”

As the high priest’s voice came through and I told him to open the door, Ira finished whatever she was doing with a quick flick of her fingers, moving them so fast it almost made a sound cutting through the air. Then, as we exited the carriage with the high priest’s escort…

“This place, this area isn’t in the direction of the Empire, is it?”

“Hahaha. As expected, you recognize it immediately since it’s near your family’s territory. Yes, this is a station on the way to the Holy Theocracy.”

“…Theocracy?”

Imperial conscription, but why toward the Theocracy? I stared at him blankly in disbelief, but he simply gestured for us to enter the station while maintaining his smile.

Ugh, his smile is snake-like.

“Since the night is getting late, I’ll guide you directly to your lodgings. Now, Miss Grace this way. Miss Ira thi—”

“No! I want to stay in the same room as Grace!!”

“……”

When Ira threw another tantrum like before, the priest made a slightly troubled expression but then instructed another priest to prepare a room for both of us. And then.

“Piyak. Go.”

I was slightly startled when Ira quietly called for Piyak, making sure the surrounding priests couldn’t hear, but I didn’t see Piyak materialize anywhere. Wait, could this be spirit operation without materialization? That’s definitely something taught in the advanced classes…

“It seems we’ll need to reorganize the reception room a bit to make a room for both of you. Since you’ll have to wait a while, would it be alright if I guide you to the guest waiting room first?”

“Ah, yes. Please do that.”

Before I could even wonder about Ira operating Piyak without materializing it, we were immediately guided through the station by the high priest. Since it was late at night, the interior of the station was dimly lit with only torches providing light, creating an eerie atmosphere with white-robed priests standing here and there. But am I seeing things wrong, or do the huts inside the station look like prisons? Why are they all locked from the outside?

“Are you concerned about the buildings in the station?”

“…Yes. Why are they all locked?”

“Haha. You can see that in this darkness? You have good eyes. It’s nothing unusual. As you know, this station houses conscripted personnel. It’s just that, given the special situation of being before going to the battlefield, sometimes people try to escape at night, so we manage them like that.”

“…Are our territory’s people here too?”

“Well, not all of them. About 200 people, perhaps? This is a training ground, and those who have completed their training have been moved toward the Empire or the Theocracy.”

The priest spoke as if it was nothing unusual, making me almost believe it too.

No, this can’t be normal. The fact that people try to escape means it’s forced conscription!! This can’t be done without an imperial decree, and a mere prime minister doesn’t have this kind of power?! I was told the current prime minister is only a marquis. Even in times when dukes served as prime ministers, I’ve never heard of such actions in history!!

Forcibly calming my increasingly angry thoughts, we followed his guidance to the guest waiting room. After we arrived, the high priest said he would check on the preparation of the reception room and left, while another priest brought us tea.

“Please, make yourselves comfortable.”

The one who brought us tea closed the hut door and left. Hah, a hut with nothing but a table and a lamp is called a guest waiting room? What kind of sensibilities do these Holy Theocracy people have? Ah, wait, more importantly.

“Ira, did you really move Piyak without materializing it?”

“Yes. I learned it from my master.”

“…Who exactly is your master? That’s spirit operation taught in the advanced classes, you know?”

“Eh? Is it? My master said he could do this much at my age.”

No, I’ve never seen or heard of such a person! If it’s someone recorded in history, or perhaps the current dean of Neity, Neity Naika, that might be possible, but if anyone else had such skills at Ira’s age, their name would definitely be known!

“Hehe. I can’t now, but later I’ll ask my master to introduce you!”

“…Yes, I’d really like to meet them someday.”

After having a light conversation to ease the tension, some time passed, and we began to sense someone approaching from outside. Ah, I haven’t even taken a sip of the tea while talking with Ira.

“I think it’s better not to drink the tea. It’ll taste terrible.”

“Uh, okay?”

Is she saying it’s gone cold and will taste bad? As I was reaching out to take at least a sip, Ira shook her head with a bright smile and said that, so I lowered my hand. Just then.

-Knock knock.

[Miss Ira, Miss Grace. Your room is ready. Shall we go?]

Hearing the voice of the high priest who had guided us earlier, we stood up from our chairs. And as we approached to open the door.

-Grip.

“Huh, Ira?”

“Let’s begin now. Piyak has seen and heard everything. These people, every single one of them, are bad people.”

Suddenly, Ira grabbed my wrist, preventing me from opening the hut door. Begin what? What suddenly? Instructor Ray and Mr. Gorem haven’t even arrived yet! I know we came here knowing they were bad people, but what exactly is she planning to…

“Piyak. Set it on fire.”

-⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯!!!!

[What?!!]

The moment Ira whispered, there was a sound like something enormous exploding outside, and the high priest’s surprised voice could be heard. The hut shook from the tremendous explosion, as if a flint stone warehouse had blown up, and Ira, still holding my wrist, continued.

“Hehe. Let’s rescue the imprisoned people first? The ladies will be here soon.”

Ira spoke with her usual cute smile, but unlike usual, her eyes weren’t smiling at all.