[WN] Hidden Reincarnated Hero : Chapter 45

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045 Head-Chopping Nest Hunt

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Translator : PolterGlast

The cold wind swept between the buildings, making me shiver.

"It looks like it's going to snow soon," Anneliese observed, wrapping a scarf around my neck. This world seems to have wool-like clothes, but no mufflers.

"Thanks, Anneliese."

 

Anneliese, Rosalina, and I sat on a bench in front of the guard post, waiting for the knights to get ready, when Rook came to call me.

"Toi-dono. Everyone's here."

 

I entered the post and looked at Rook's company members. Many of them were dressed shabbily, as I had requested. However, there were still some in full armor.

 

"Are they going on patrol?" I asked, referring to the two in armor. They were probably the contact personnel, needed to stay at the post.

 

"No... those individuals, um..." Rook seemed hesitant. What is it?

 

"We are honorable knights! We cannot wear such dirty clothes!" one of them exclaimed.

"That's right! We are honorable knights. We demand proper knightly treatment!" another chimed in. I sensed what was going on. They were probably pampered nobles, from high-ranking families. Rook was also a noble, being Barukan's son, but he probably hadn't lived a soft life, given how Barukan drills me. His son must have been drilled even harder.

 

However, disobeying a superior's orders is a serious dereliction of duty.

 

"Captain Rook. These men are in the way, so please have them patrol another area," I stated.

"To say we are in the way is incredibly rude!" one retorted.

"Just an honorary baron, yet so arrogant," the other sneered. I'm not an honorary baron by choice, you know.

 

"Do these men lack the ability to think?" I asked Rook, ignoring the two.

 

"Uh, no... that's not the case," Rook stammered.

"I explained the objective, didn't I?" I pressed.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Then they're idiots, aren't they?"

"You bastard!" the two interrupted our conversation.

 

"Quiet! I'm talking to Captain Rook!" I instantly punched the two, sending them flying. My main job is Sword Master, but my sub-job Assassin allowed me to move so fast they didn't even see me. They didn't die, so no problem.

 

These two and I aren't friends. At least for now, they're my subordinates. The Knight Order is like the military (probably). I believe punching someone who talks back without permission, or even interrupts a conversation between superiors, is perfectly acceptable.

 

Compared to me, who was half-tricked into becoming an honorary baron by the Duke, you guys are knights by your own will, aren't you? Or were you forced into it by your parents? Either way, you're talking about knightly honor, so fulfill a superior's order, even if it costs you your life. Even if you hate working under me, isn't that a knight's job?

 

Besides, people who don't understand that much are truly a hindrance to the investigation. I just want to finish this detective charade quickly and level up in the dungeon.

 

"Captain Rook. Does the ducal Knight Order grant subordinates the authority to defy a superior's orders?" I asked.

"...No, a superior's orders are absolute," he replied.

"Then these men are in violation of orders, aren't they? In the military I know, those who violate orders are severely punished, but is it different in this Knight Order?" I asked. Rook's face was twitching. Is he okay?

 

"No, as Toi-dono says, we will punish them severely," he affirmed.

"Then, immediately throw these two into a cell. As for the rest, please dispose of them according to military regulations," I instructed.

"Understood! Hey, put these two in a cell!" Rook commanded. The two went to a cell, and I talked with Rook. Yes. All's well that ends well.

 

"Now, I will explain today's patrol," Rook stated. Anneliese and Rosalina put up a paper on the wall. This was the map I drew of the areas where the Head-Chopping Nest was likely to appear. I had obtained permission from Zaigen to only map this vicinity.

 

The map was drawn with black ink. The Head-Chopping Nest's crime scenes were marked with red ink.

"From here to here is Squad 1, from here to here is Squad 2..."

 

Rook's company had six squads. The areas assigned to each squad were written on the map. This way, everyone would know their assigned post. The squads led by those two insubordinate knights were placed slightly outside the main area, with temporary squad leaders.

 

"Finally, splash some of this alcohol on your clothes before heading out on patrol," I instructed, gesturing to a barrel of ale I had bought from a tavern.

 

"Aren't we supposed to drink it?" Rook asked. I replied with a wry smile.

 

"What good would drinking it do when we're about to go on patrol? This is just to get the smell of alcohol on your bodies. Those who get drunk from the smell don't need to apply it, but if you soak your clothes in it, you can pretend to be drunk."

 

"I see. If we pretend to be drunk, it won't seem unnatural to be on the streets near the entertainment district," Rook mused.

"Exactly. First, we need to make the Head-Chopping Nest feel safe; otherwise, he won't come out, like a turtle retracting into its shell."

 

The company members, convinced by my explanation, splashed ale on their clothes and left the post. Their soaked clothes might feel cold in the biting wind, but they'd just have to bear it.

 

"Captain Rook. We're going too," I said.

"Yes," he replied.

 

I splashed ale on Rook too. Generously, almost throwing it at him.

"T-that kinda hurts!" he yelped.

"No, it doesn't. It's your imagination," I countered. I'm not taking out my grudge against Barukan on his son!

 

My unit's assigned area was about 150 meters, including some alleyways slightly away from the entertainment district. My team consisted of Anneliese, Rosalina, Gandarvan, and the four soldiers. The soldiers, dressed in simple clothes like those they wore when they first became explorers, split into male-female pairs, pretending to be couples.

 

It would be counterproductive to do anything illegal to catch criminals, but undercover operations aren't illegal. They don't seem to have the same strict rules as Japan.

 

Anneliese was disguised as a prostitute. Anneliese, who usually wears no makeup, became even more beautiful with serious makeup. However, I still preferred the simple, unadorned Anneliese.

 

Anneliese was wearing a very provocative blue dress with an open neckline. The scarf she wore to hide her slave collar looked a bit out of place, but it probably wasn't too odd given the cold weather. I was sure the Head-Chopping Nest would be drawn out by Anneliese's beauty.

 

Rosalina, on the other hand, was cute, but unfortunately lacked sex appeal. She also wasn't good at acting like a prostitute. Therefore, she hid in the shadows with Gandarvan, keeping watch over Anneliese.

 

As for me, I was observing from very close to Anneliese. My main job was Assassin, and my sub-job was Sword Master. This combination gave me the highest AGI value, so I'd be able to react quickly if anything happened.

 

Naturally, I had activated Stealth and was invisible. At first, I had intended to disguise myself as a prostitute, but Anneliese insisted on doing it herself. Anneliese can be quite stubborn once she sets her mind on something. It's a problem. So, I was guarding Anneliese from nearby.

 

About three hours had passed since the undercover operation began.

"Ugh, it's cold..." My toes were starting to feel numb. I wanted to finish this quickly and take a warm bath. I felt like I was going to catch a cold.

 

If I was this cold even with a mantle on, Anneliese, dressed in thin clothes, must be even colder. I wanted it to end quickly, but that depended on the Head-Chopping Nest...

 

Several men had approached us so far, but when Anneliese said "one platinum coin," they would curse and leave. Nobles and the wealthy could afford platinum coins, but it was a lot of money for ordinary people.

 

My Sense skill detected someone approaching. A woman emerged from the darkness. She also seemed to be a prostitute, wearing a bright red dress with an open neckline.

 

The bright red dress suited her red hair well, but she had a rather plain face. She was heavily made up, but she couldn't compare to Anneliese without makeup. Yes, Anneliese is incredibly beautiful, after all!

 

"Oh, a new face. This is my territory," she said, a line straight out of a drama.

 

"Oh... I'm sorry..." Anneliese began to leave, but the woman called her back.

 

"It's fine, you'll get a customer soon anyway. There are plenty of perverted men around," she said. I was there, and I couldn't deny her words. If Anneliese wasn't a slave, I would have made my move long ago.

 

However, I thought the Head-Chopping Nest wouldn't appear if she was around. I wished she would go somewhere else.

 

"What's your name?" the woman asked Anneliese.

"...Annie," Anneliese replied.

"Alright. I'm Linesa." Linesa sized up Anneliese from head to toe.

 

"Annie, you're beautiful. You wouldn't need to solicit customers in a place like this; you'd be popular if you worked at a shop, wouldn't you?"

 

"I only come out occasionally," Anneliese replied.

 

"Hmm. Beautiful women can name their price, so it's easy for them, isn't it? As for me..." Linesa looked down, her shoulders trembling. Was she crying? She seemed emotionally unstable. Was she okay?

 

"Are you alright?" Anneliese asked, placing a hand on Linesa's shoulder. Linesa covered her eyes with her left hand, sobbing.

 

"I'm fine. It's better if I'm killed by the Head-Chopping Nest," she cried.

 

"That's not true. You shouldn't die," Anneliese said.

"You're so kind," Linesa said, placing her right hand on Anneliese's shoulder.

 

"It's fine, because it's not me who's going to die!" she exclaimed.

 

"!" A thigh emerged from the slit in her dress, and a knife was there.

 

I felt a sense of danger and instinctively reached out.

Grab! Linesa's knife stopped just before Anneliese's neck. Because I had grabbed the blade of the knife. It hurt, but I was glad the blade didn't reach Anneliese.

 

"Wh-who are you!?" Linesa shrieked.

"That's my line!" I retorted, punching Linesa in the face. I tried to hold back, but a broken nose would probably be fine.

 

"Master!?" Anneliese's hands enveloped my hand, which was gripping the knife blade. Her soft touch gently spread my fingers one by one.

 

"I'm fine," I said. Even as an Assassin, I'm wearing armor, so my DEF is decent. The good thing about an HP system is that you don't die as long as your HP isn't zero.

 

The knife grab only reduced my HP by 5 points. Fortunately, the knife wasn't poisoned, so that was all.

 

"Sir!" Gandarvan yelled.

"Gandarvan. Don't let her escape!" I commanded.

"Understood!" he replied. Gandarvan pinned Linesa down. Pinned by a giant Level 28 Strong-Armored Knight, the small Linesa couldn't escape.

 

Rosalina rushed to me and hugged me. "Master!"

"I'm fine," I reassured her.

"Yes!" Rosalina said, her eyes teary, clinging to me tightly. Ouch, ouch, please ease up a bit.

 

"Master, please drink a potion!" Anneliese insisted.

"It's just a thin cut," I replied.

"Please drink it!" she urged.

"O-oh..." Overwhelmed by Anneliese's intensity, I drank the potion. It was a waste to drink a somewhat expensive potion for just 5 HP points, but it was fine if it put Anneliese at ease.

 

Hearing the commotion, Rook and his team rushed over. I could leave the rest to Rook. It was cold, so I wanted to take a bath quickly.

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[WN] Jitsuwa 3-Domedatta : Chapter 54

Chapter 54

(Kyle Calendar Year 505: Age 12)

Chrisia ①

Translator : PolterGlast

I was accompanied by my younger sister, Chrisia, on our return journey to my territory, Teigun.

 

"Brother, I'd like to see the grasslands over there in detail," my younger sister (Chrisia) requested several short breaks along the way.

 

"The power of the earth is weak around here. Unfortunately, I don't think many crops can be grown."

Yes, her unique skill, Earth Magic, was strongly influenced by Mother.

 

It was very similar to Mother's unique skill of appraising minerals hidden in the earth, ground conditions, and suitability for cultivation, and she could see the potential of the earth. Her unique skill, as recorded in the history books, was "Soil Improvement," so it was strange that it was a little different.

 

"This is your town, Brother! It's completely different from Est! Brother, could you show me around?"

As we passed through the main gate of Teigun, my sister's excitement reached its peak.

 

"Teigun is a long rectangular town, built on the gentle slope of the mountainside.

So, the town is divided into four large tiered sections, getting higher in order from the entrance."

 

Along the way, I explained the town's layout and walked with my sister towards the lord's mansion branch at the very back.

 

"The big road continues on and on!"

 

Yes, first, after passing through the main gate, a central street stretched straight to the lord's mansion branch.

With this central street as the boundary, the town was divided into the North District and the South District.

 

<Fourth Section>

 

"This is the entrance to the town of Teigun. You see the main gate guard post and the reception office in front, right?

And to the left are the mercenary corps' barracks and garrison, and to the right are the residential areas and longhouses exclusively for temporary workers.

You absolutely must not go out alone in this Fourth Section, Chrisia."

 

Yes, this was not an area where permanent residents lived, and there was a high possibility of outsiders sneaking in.

To control this, we deliberately placed the mercenary corps' barracks and garrison there, asking them to keep a vigilant eye.

 

"Understood. But why is there a large vacant lot after passing through the gate?"

 

"That's for the Self-Defense Corps training. If there's a defensive battle, we can deploy many soldiers in front of the gate, so we leave it open."

 

<Third Section>

 

"Beyond this partition wall is the actual town of Teigun."

 

Beyond the partition wall was the Third Section, the main area of the town of Teigun. It was a gentle uphill slope along the side of Mount Teigun.

 

From the perspective of maintaining public order, a partition wall and a step were installed between the Fourth and Third Sections. One could only enter the Third Section via three roads: the central street, the North Street, and the South Street. All roads passed in front of either the guard post or the mercenary corps barracks, keeping a vigilant eye on suspicious individuals.

 

"From here to the central plaza, shops line both sides of the road. Behind them, in the South District, are inns, restaurants, and rental housing areas. Let's not go too deep into this area."

 

"Why?"

 

"There are still many vacant lots, and even though there's a partition wall, it's connected to the Fourth Section. Especially the South District has many inns, so there are many people who aren't permanent residents..."

 

Well, that wasn't the only reason...

 

"And the North District is for sale, but it's also still mostly vacant and deserted."

 

"Brother, there are so many shops here, it's lively... and it smells delicious!"

 

As we continued along the central street and entered the large circular central plaza, 200 m in diameter, my sister's eyes sparkled.

The central plaza was where events were held, and usually, it was an area lined with stalls. Even now, many stalls selling food, luxury items, and ornaments were crowded together, showing lively activity.

 

To the left of the central plaza, in the North District, was the government-run commodity exchange, behind which spread a vast warehouse that also served as a granary, and further back was a residential area for sale.

On the opposite side, in the South District, was the government office, behind which spread a shooting range, and further back was a rental housing area.

 

After letting my sister enjoy a tour of the stalls, we proceeded past the central plaza.

Beyond the central plaza, high-end commercial facilities lined both sides of the road, and the North District behind them was planned to become a high-end residential area for sale.

The South District was the workshop area, where craftsmen's workshops, warehouses, and shops were spread out.

Further back was another rental housing area.

 

At the very top of the Third Section, near the border with the Second Section, a church lined the road, and the North District behind it was planned to become a high-end residential area.

On the South District side, across the central street, stood the infirmary, the school and daycare center, and the orphanage.

 

"By the way, Brother, I noticed something strange. Why are all the roads dug down?

It's strange that you have to go up several steps to enter any shop from the road...

And wherever roads cross, there's always a dirt patch where the cobblestones are interrupted..."

 

As expected of my sister, she noticed something amazing at first glance.

 

"What I'm about to tell you is absolutely top secret."

 

After emphasizing that, I confirmed our surroundings and then explained...

 

"If the town is attacked and it becomes unavoidable, we can cut the sluice gate of the moat at the uppermost lord's mansion branch and release a large amount of water onto the roads.

 

First,

Torrents will rush along the roads, and these torrents will sweep away the intruders on the roads all at once.

Intruders swept to one spot can then be effectively repelled.

 

Next,

The dirt sections are designed with earth mages in mind. We can make the earth in specific places rise up to form barriers or walls.

This allows us to control the flow of the torrents with the barriers and send water to targeted locations.

 

That's why the roads are lower, to prevent damage to buildings from the water flow."

 

"Wow, such a mechanism is built into the town! I'm amazed!

It's incredible to protect the town using the power of nature!"

 

"Well, once we use it, we probably can't use it again for at least half a year, so it's a trump card for when we're really in trouble.

Now, if you climb these stone steps, you'll reach the Second Section."

 

<Second Section>

 

The Second Section was the area for stationed soldiers. Across the central street, the North District side housed the garrison, with the training grounds behind it. The opposite, South District side housed the barracks, stables, and armory.

The South District side also had a vast vacant lot where temporary barracks could be set up if a large number of soldiers were stationed there.

 

<First Section>

 

Climbing further up the stone steps from the Second Section led to the First Section. To enter the lord's mansion branch directly ahead, one had to cross a dry moat and a castle wall.

 

"This dry moat... if water is collected here, then the strategy you mentioned earlier, Brother, can be used, right?"

 

"Yes, right now it's still a dry moat until the snowmelt comes next spring."

 

To the left and right of the lord's mansion branch, four vast experimental farms spread out.

 

"Brother, may I see the experimental farm first?"

 

"Of course. I'd be grateful to hear your opinion, Chrisia."

 

Chrisia immediately ran around, then touched the ground, closed her eyes, seemingly thinking, and had a strange look on her face as she touched the crops.

 

"I wonder why. The power of the earth here to grow crops is different from the land outside the town that I've seen so far.

This farmland here has much better earth power. But it also feels slightly different depending on the location..."

 

Yes, that's correct. I didn't know the proper amount of oyster shell lime to spread, so I varied the amount for each section.

Seriously, I could have just asked my sister instead of struggling with trial and error to find the answer!

 

I felt a little down knowing that.

 

I let her do as she pleased all day and enjoyed being her escort.

Yeah, she's still so cute. Among my family, I'm definitely the one who dotes on my sister the most.

 

For the next two days, I was swamped with government-related work that had piled up during my absence. My sister, under Anne's escort, toured the town with Claire, Rosa, Mia, and others, especially visiting the infirmary, school, daycare, and orphanage.

 

Little did I know at the time that this would escalate into a major, long-lasting problem...

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