episode_0068

The accommodation we stayed in during our stay in Rizerca is the most luxurious hotel in the city and therefore has the best security.

It is an expensive hotel, with the smallest room costing over 5,000 lagir per night, but I think it is incredibly cheap compared to our lives.

The hotel’s facilities were so good that they were comparable to Veronica’s mansion, and the service was also top-notch.

The entrance to the hotel is always guarded by armed guards, and there is a small military base-level security room within the hotel grounds, ensuring security that goes beyond common sense.

However, I couldn’t completely erase my anxiety, so I always drew thick curtains on the windows and avoided going near them as much as possible.

‘I may look like a coward, but it’s still better than being ridiculously shot to death.’

I started my day today with self-justification.

We stayed in the room since the afternoon of the day before yesterday, relieving the fatigue of our trip.

Rather than just resting, I indulged in a bit of extravagance by receiving luxurious massage services provided by the hotel and enjoying expensive food that was said to be good for relieving fatigue.

Thanks to this, my skin is shiny and my stomach is well oiled, so now it’s time to get to work.

From yesterday to this morning, I closely observed the mobile headquarters of Darius’ mercenaries through the map window, drew up the results, and shared them with Laura and Iris.

To be honest, my drawing skills are terrible, but I believe I won’t have a big problem explaining it to my loved ones.

“The Darius mercenary group has a total of 53 members as far as I can tell. Seeing as there are no names of those who attacked me, it is clear that a significant number of troops are stranded in Franca or are returning.”

“Are you going to choose infiltration again this time?”

Laura spoke as if undercover missions were now a given.

She had successfully completed her mission so far and had received a lot of praise from me for it, so she seemed to be looking forward to it again this time.

But this time, I’m going to try a slightly different method.

“No. I plan to push in with force. The headquarters is outside the city walls, with small carriages surrounding it and sentries standing in tight shifts. Moreover, most of the mercenaries live in carriages, so there are no gaps. So infiltration is impossible.”

The mercenary group’s mobile headquarters is a very large carriage, almost like a moving house, more than four times larger than a normal carriage.

I was very curious about how to move this, but thanks to the beast tracking skill, I was able to quickly solve my curiosity.

Four elephants pull the mobile headquarters instead of horses.

Surely, with the strength of elephants, they could pull a carriage as big as a house.

“As expected, the mercenary group is tight. In that case, Iris’s role must be important.”

“That’s right. It’s a flat area with almost no cover, so if Iris covers us from the high ground, even though it’s light, we have magic armor, so we can easily overcome our numerical inferiority.”

I pointed to the abandoned tower that I had drawn in a clumsy manner.

Since sniping was not possible from the castle wall guarded by the knights, I had no choice but to choose the tower, which was the only high ground in the vicinity other than the castle wall, as a sniping point.

Still, it is fortunate that the tower is approximately 700 meters away from the mercenary group’s mobile headquarters, which is much farther than the 500 meters effective range of a typical magic rifle, so the possibility of Iris being exposed to return fire is low.

Additionally, Iris’ magic sniper rifle has an effective range of about 1km, and when combined with the magic eye’s ability, all mercenaries’ lives are in her hands.

“Iris, what time do you think would be a good time to start the operation?”

“Um… sunrise time. That’s when our ability to respond is at its lowest. It is a time when both sleepy people and half-asleep people open their eyes.”

“I see. Thanks to you, I learned something good.”

I stroked Iris’ head.

Iris must have learned from her father, Elkudan, or Dominic.

I felt sorry for unintentionally reminding Iris of her father, but Iris was actually very calm.

I hope you are not trying too hard to hide your true feelings.

“What would you say is the attack date?”

“Let’s do it tomorrow. If we wait too long, those dispatched to Franca may join us.”

“Yes, Rebecca. Then, should I go out and sleep outside today?”

“Ah, that’s right. There was a curfew. If we use the certificate like last time, our identities will be exposed right away, so we have to leave in advance. Is it safe to camp alone?”

“There is a campsite right next to the castle gate, so you can use it. The campsite is guarded by the knights, so it’s safe enough, even if it’s not as safe as a hotel.”

I nodded to what Laura said.

We already have all the things we need for camping, but we have never camped alone until now, and when we came to Rizerka this time, we got everything and didn’t have to use anything.

This is a world where camping is extremely dangerous, so it is common sense to travel long distances only after reaching a certain number of people.

So, until the number of my harem members increases, I don’t think we will take the risk of camping out alone in a place with no one around.

“Let’s go to the campsite before curfew today, get some sleep, and then go to ambush the mercenaries in time. Iris goes to the tower, Laura and I wait here, and when Iris starts sniping, we attack right away.”

I said, pointing to a rock located a good distance away from the mobile headquarters.

It is an important location along with the tower in this attack as it is of a suitable size and is in a good location to hide and block enemy attacks.

“If we start fighting, won’t the Knights intervene?”

“Iris, you don’t have to worry about that. The Knights Templar does not intervene in skirmishes between armed groups that occur outside the walls. So, as long as we don’t kill or injure ordinary people this time, we will never be arrested or attacked by the Templars.”

Laura explained the situation to Iris instead of me.

The Knights protect the people from demons and are responsible for the security of the territory. However, like mercenaries or adventurers’ guilds, armed groups fighting among themselves outside the city are legally permitted ‘duels’, so they leave the fighting unattended while it occurs and conduct field investigations once the work is over. .

If, during the investigation, it is revealed that an innocent person has been harmed, the Knights Templar begins a mandatory investigation into the party or group that engaged in combat.

Fortunately, there are only enemies with red names in the Darius Mercenaries’ mobile headquarters, so we won’t be dragged into the Order for any unpleasant reasons.

“This time we are fighting against people, so Laura, you should always be behind me. I think it would be best not to get off this rock if possible.”

“Rebecca, lightweight magic armor has relatively weak defense, so please don’t blindly trust it.”

“Thank you for your concern. Still, I have to take the lead to protect you, who has no means of defense. The reason I liked the magic armor was not simply because it was cool.”

“Rebecca…”

I tried my best to comfort Laura, who couldn’t easily shake off her worries about me, by kissing her.

It’s natural for Laura to be worried about me, but when the battle begins, I hope you take care of your own safety first.

“Then, let’s rest for the remaining time and make the necessary preparations.”

“Yes, Rebecca.”

I stood up while listening to Laura and Iris answer simultaneously.

There is nothing grand about the operation plan, and it may be insufficient as it is just a matter of talking about a clumsy medicine, but since you can receive help from the map window in real time, you will be able to respond organically according to the situation on the field.

I was about to lie down on the bed and roll around for a while, but suddenly I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the guest room door.

I’ve never made an appointment to meet anyone or ordered room service, so who could I be?

When I looked at the map window, I saw that the nobles and attendants of the Paraine family, whose names appeared in white, were just beyond the door.

If nobles come to see me one by one, it means they have something important to do, but if they are related to Baron Maxian, there is no telling when they might turn into enemies.

So I slowly approached the door, holding the magic pistol in one hand and the small magic shield I received with the magic armor in the other hand.

“Who are you?”

“Alicia Paraineda.”

I became even more wary of the husky voice of someone I had never heard before.

Who is it that even knows my name?

“What’s going on?”

“I am Alon’s older sister, so there is nothing to be wary of. So open the door.”

Alon’s older sister? ah! It was said that he was the successor of the lord who ruled the Rizerka region.

I don’t know why such a high-ranking person came to see me without contacting me in advance.

It’s probably not just because I want to see my younger brother and sister-in-law’s benefactor.

“Please wait a moment.”

I disarmed myself and slowly opened the door.

And Alicia Paraine, a human woman of similar height to me, made eye contact with me.

A beautiful woman with an uncanny resemblance to her younger brother Alon, Alicia’s eyes were sharp yet powerful, and her elegant figure was literally aristocratic.

According to her analysis skills, she was 38 years old, but she looked young for her age, so much so that it was believed that she was the same age as Veronica.

His level was low, similar to that of someone without the ability to fight normally, and his body seemed weak, but just looking at his aura, I think he was much more capable than Lucius, the lord of Franca.

“Let me introduce myself formally. This is Alicia Paraine, the rightful successor to Count Franz Lizerka Paraine, the lord who rules the Lizerca region, and the older sister of Alon Paraine. It’s really nice to meet you like this.”

“It is truly an honor for me to meet Alicia. My name is Rebecca Caron. We sincerely apologize for having to greet this precious person in shabby clothes.”

I bowed down in accordance with etiquette and offered a half-hearted apology.

However, in return for temporarily letting go of my pride, I was able to make a good first impression by satisfying Alicia, who was meeting me for the first time.

Alicia smiled gracefully and extended her hand to me, and I immediately politely accepted her request to shake my hand.

“I was curious about what kind of person my immature younger brother, who only knows his wife, was giving high praise to others for the first time in a long time, but he is truly a polite friend. I like it. Excuse me, but can I come inside?”

“Of course. Please come in. Laura, Iris. Get ready to welcome the distinguished guest.”

I quickly let Alicia into the room, and Laura and Iris cleaned up the area together and prepared to serve refreshments.

It created a slightly chaotic atmosphere, but it was impossible to have the lord’s heir sit in a space littered with leftover snacks and drinks.

“ done. It’s crazy, so take it easy. Rebecca, please sit down quickly.”

Alicia sat down on the sofa following my guidance and ordered Laura and Iris to stay still, and they stood side by side behind me and took a polite posture.

I followed Alicia’s instructions and sat across from her, but the pressure from the attendants surrounding her made me suffocate.

“First of all, on behalf of the Paraine family, I would like to say thank you for saving our precious family member, Veronica. My sister-in-law is someone who should not die in vain like that.”

“I am also very happy that I was able to protect Veronica, who is precious to me, even with my weak power.”

“According to the letter Alon sent, Veronica said she cherishes you like her own sister. I’m glad that you seem to care about Veronica just as much.”

“You are the one who first gave me deep trust, so I think I should repay that favor.”

To be honest, saying grace is a grand expression, but it is not a lie because it is true that I am grateful to Veronica.

The reason I’m going to all sorts of places this time to investigate is because I want to go beyond simply repaying what was done to me and make those who messed with my friend pay.

“Is it to repay a favor that you came to Lizerka?”

“You can say so. There are criminals who attacked us in Rizerka, and we plan to make a deal with them and find out who is behind it.”

“There is no need to hide the target of revenge. I have already received all the necessary information from Alon and have even been asked to help you.”

It seems that Alon is more willing to help me than I thought.

I simply wanted to ask for your cooperation in rescuing the bodyguard and retrieving Iris’s mother’s body.

“What I can do for you is to make sure there are no legal problems. While you are uniting with the Darius mercenaries, if a bullet bounces off the castle wall or someone gets hit by a blind bullet, you can be held responsible, so I will take responsibility for that.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“This level is nothing. Anyway, I didn’t like the situation where mercenaries were living in the city. This is all because of that foolish Maxian.”

“Are the Darius mercenaries and Baron Maxian related?”

“Okay. It was Maxian who brought them to this city in the first place. I don’t know what the mercenary group is going to be used for by a guy who has been holed up in his mansion ever since he became a baron and doesn’t even think about coming out.”

“Then, if we engage in combat with the mercenary group, what measures will Baron Maximiac take?”

“I will take care of that too, so don’t worry. When do you guys plan to start the operation?”

“It’s around the time the sun rises tomorrow.”

“Then, I will have to go to Maxian early tomorrow morning and stop him from doing such foolish things. And if possible, we will also retrieve the body you wish to retrieve.”

“Thank you so much. But why are you helping us so much?”

“As I said before, you are the benefactor who saved Veronica’s life. And since our interests coincide with mine, I think there is nothing to lose by actively pushing for it. I apologize in advance if you don’t like it because I feel like I’m being used.”

“Oh, no. I will gladly accept Alicia’s help.”

“Hehehe, I like you because you are so humble. When this is over, I will invite you to my mansion, so look forward to it. Ah, the time has already come. I have to go now.”

Alicia stood up as soon as one of the attendants whispered something in her ear.

We’ve only met for a few minutes, but seeing him leave makes it seem like he’s a busy person.

“Don’t let down your guard until the job is done. If they got hurt for no reason, I wouldn’t have the honor of seeing Alon and Veronica. And… Iris, I am truly sorry for the tragedy you have experienced. There will come a day when Maxian will be punished. So please wait a little longer.”

Contrary to my expectations, Alicia cared about Iris, and Iris was touched.

I’m glad that Alicia seems to genuinely care about us, not just because she did Alon’s favor.