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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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