Ch.3838. The Pursuit Squad

At the time when the pursuit team was being organized, at the Cordana Exchange.

The opening price was 25 million Lyra.

The imperial palace had even dispatched personnel to observe this place.

This was because knowing the Hero’s whereabouts and sending a pursuit team disguised as an inspection team to capture him could affect the market price.

Of course, the dispatch of the pursuit team itself was confidential, but investors’ intelligence networks were beyond imagination.

Even trivial gossip circulated openly, like how the small-time Bingo had purchased a new house in District 3, or how the son of Count Sesemori, who had lost his investment capital, had been reprimanded by his family.

“Be careful, as the price might surge due to groundless expectations, just like during the Prince’s investigation.”

“How about suspending all transactions until we secure the Hero?”

“Impossible! That could cause civil unrest. We should observe the situation while being extremely careful with information management!”

Perhaps these concerns were justified. The Cordana Exchange was particularly active today.

However, according to intelligence gathered by agents dispatched from the palace, the main reason wasn’t the pursuit team. This meant nobles with access to privileged information weren’t visiting the exchange due to concerns about negative (or positive) developments.

Those increasing the trading volume now were ‘commoners.’

Not the commoners struggling with low wages. Most were those who ran businesses of considerable size, or those who were once minor nobility but had fallen to commoner status over generations.

But regardless of whether they were upper-middle class or whatever, they weren’t nobles who could secure high-level information.

The reason they flocked here was simple. Price adjustments had begun to occur in 100,000 unit increments, making price changes more frequent.

Also, as prices had relatively decreased, access had become easier. Though still a significant amount, the diligent upper-middle class could afford to participate.

“I made 400,000 Lyra in just two hours, haha.”

“Damn it! I invested right before closing yesterday and prayed…”

It was essentially a situation where people were eating into each other’s money.

For now, it was a minor movement involving a small number of people, and the damage wasn’t significant.

In a slightly bullish market, about one in three or four people made pocket money, while the rest lost small amounts.

However, the palace felt a sense of crisis. Reports had even reached the Emperor.

Since this was unprecedented, they couldn’t explain it clearly, but everyone felt that this wasn’t a beneficial phenomenon.

They needed to secure the Hero as soon as possible. Fortunately, Inspector Erick Wellesley was already preparing to depart.

***

It took me only three hours to organize the pursuit team.

But despite the short time, the composition was quite impressive.

First, there were five Experts including myself.

Of course, Experts varied in their abilities.

There was a world of difference between low-level Experts who occasionally emitted aura like heat haze and then became dejected, and top-level Experts who could freely unleash slashing attacks with their aura.

And this time, all but one of the Experts I recruited were top-level.

A baron in his mid-30s who had performed well in the Black Iron Knights before retiring to inherit his territory, a knight in his early 40s who had served in the Royal Order for over 20 years before joining a duke’s household (he was my superior when I first joined), and so on.

There was even a foreign nobleman, specifically from the Kingdom of Lessotona.

“…Until recently, I was the deputy commander of the Forest Knights.”

He looked young but had been a deputy commander.

He was said to be a genius representing his generation in his country. Although the Kingdom of Lessotona was a small kingdom near the great forest that the Empire had left alone as it wasn’t worth conquering, he was still a knight representing a nation who had come under my command.

Of course, he hadn’t quit his position as knight commander just to answer my call.

“…Actually, I’ve been staying in the imperial capital for the past few months because of Cordana.”

Just looking at his expression with tightly pursed lips, I could sense that he had lost a lot. I decided not to ask about the amount.

The only one who wasn’t top-level was “Katie,” a current member of the Royal Order.

She was a female knight who looked like a baby bear, and she had volunteered herself, claiming to be skilled in reconnaissance. In reality, it seemed that “someone” had assigned her as my aide out of concern for me, a young inspector.

‘I guess they were worried I might struggle among these older men.’

And of course, I decided to bring mages along.

One court mage and one professor from the Academy’s magic department. Both were 6th circle mages, and one of them was even my neighbor.

“…Professor Weaver.”

It was Professor Weaver, who had come running immediately after receiving my call while teaching at the Academy. Having experience in military service, he was even preparing his own equipment.

In some ways, he was a more frequently mentioned celebrity than I was, due to his impressive performance during the market crash.

He had become a topic of conversation when, as a magic department professor, he begged for mercy from an exchange employee young enough to be his nephew, and later contributed to a grand stone-throwing event against the former Prince.

I heard that the Magic Tower ridiculed Professor Weaver as a fool, but in some circles, he was known for his ultra-fast incantations and delicate mana control.

That day, he cast “Breath of Earth” 18 times in the square.

Thanks to that, Matthias’s face was completely ruined, but Professor Weaver seemed to have made unexpected progress as a mage. Originally, magic wasn’t something you could use 18 times in succession from the same spot.

“Actually, after that disgraceful display in the square, I was planning to put it all behind me. It was too embarrassing to face my students.”

There was a time when he used to call me “you,” but now he naturally spoke to me with respect.

“For someone who says that, you came quite quickly when I asked.”

“…Actually, I came this time for the students too.”

He said that these days, some magic department students were preparing for employment. But of course, they weren’t applying for glamorous positions. They were going to small local territories or merchant branch offices as mages specializing in communication crystals.

“They must be in urgent need of money.”

“I’m trying to dissuade them, but what can I do when they’re in dire financial straits?”

The imperial palace was pushing for tuition exemptions, but the students currently in difficult situations weren’t dropping out simply because of tuition. They were trying to operate communication crystals because they needed to support their families.

“How can I just watch as these kids, who haven’t even discovered the extent of their talents yet, spend all day waiting in front of communication crystals? …Of course, catching one Hero won’t provide a clear solution.”

I guess he felt he had to do something rather than just stand by. It created a somewhat solemn atmosphere.

‘Still, with this composition…’

It wasn’t bad. No, it was excellent.

And soon, personnel from the Papal State would join us as well.

A former archbishop of the imperial capital diocese, a young bishop called the future pope, and a holy knight who was among the best of those remaining in the Papal State.

This was a composition that would normally be difficult to gather in one place.

They all had one thing in common.

Except for me, every person had suffered losses, big or small, because of Cordana.

Some had lost all their assets and barely managed to keep one house, some had been staying in a foreign country with no connections for months, and some were even from the leadership of a country whose national fortune was on the decline.

“Erick, you must be feeling awkward. Looks like the price will fall again today.”

Just before leaving the imperial capital, Bingo, who had come to get my signature (he was in the process of acquiring additional real estate), added this concern.

Bingo seemed slightly intimidated by the imposing figures emanating killing intent. He also seemed worried that they might recognize him.

But Bingo’s concern was unfounded.

“…Don’t worry. Those gentlemen don’t have time to pay attention to me. They’re all focused on the Hero.”

“Still. Human psychology, you know.”

It was true that I was an object of envy in the imperial capital.

Not only had I sold my Cordana at the peak, but I had also received a title by imperial decree and had the backing of the Royal Order commander.

However, I couldn’t detect any hostility toward me from these people who were now holding their reins with serious expressions.

If they had any complaint, it was just one:

“Erick… no, Inspector. When are we departing?”

They were just impatient to leave.

Everyone was either licking their lips or taking deep breaths in excitement, and even the war horses seemed to share their emotions, snorting steam.

I need to move before they go berserk. I swiftly mounted my horse.

“Let’s go.”

Seven of the most agile and well-trained war horses in the imperial capital began to gallop fiercely.

From veteran knights with thousands of riding experiences to mages who, despite having military experience, weren’t skilled riders.

Yet no one complained, even though it wasn’t easy to hold on while riding a madly galloping horse.

Rather, it was the horses that tired first.

Neigh!

Running at a speed approaching a canter, they quickly became overloaded.

Perhaps I should reduce the speed a bit. Even the best horses couldn’t maintain this pace. I was about to signal the riders on either side…

But I decided against it.

It was because of the people we encountered at the first milestone after leaving the imperial capital.

“…Radiant Veil!”

Without any notice, the Papal State personnel had already cast blessings to alleviate fatigue.

A former archbishop and a bishop said to be among the top in the Papal State in terms of divine power. From any perspective, they were higher in status than us.

They naturally joined me.

“Archbishop Edin…”

“I’m not an archbishop!!”

The war horses galloped, empowered by the unexpectedly surging vitality.

It wasn’t just about maintaining speed; they seemed to be getting faster.

This was because whenever either people or horses showed any signs of fatigue, the clergy immediately cast blessings. Even though I was quite experienced, this was the first time I had seen divine power being used on horseback.

Perhaps the buff was too strong, as a holy knight who looked younger than me rushed forward in excitement, as if intending to charge into the Hero the moment they met.

“Woaaah!!”

Was the headwind too strong, making his eyes sting? Moisture from the unnamed holy knight’s eyes scattered in the air.