87. [Knights Order] Right Effort
「[Seraph’s Grace] can create a human being from nothing. If so, I thought it might be possible to “modify” an injured human being while treating them.」
The Knights Order is an organization that calls itself justice. If that’s the case, then there’s no doubt that we, their opponents, are the villains.
In that case, we should take appropriate action.
「It should be able to buy us some time. We’ll start preparing for it… But for now, I think everyone is tired today. Let’s make use of Angelina’s hospitality and rest while we can.」
「Yes, master.」
「Please use the head of the family’s room, Skill Lender-san. There’s no one there anyway!」
If I’m a villain, then I’ll act like a villain and make morally unrestricted choices. I muttered that to no one and asked Angelina to guide me.
◆◆◆
–Knights’ base.
「You mean there are two Marge Siu?」
「Y-Yes, Captain. The people who attacked the mansion reported seeing a man who looks like Marge.」
「Isn’t Marge Siu supposed to have failed in rescuing the girl and escaped underground with the Dwarf Loyalty Corps?」
「That should be the case, but…」
Kirmiji slightly furrowed his eyebrows.
According to reports he has received, Marge was unsuccessful in rescuing the dwarf girl. Although he managed to defeat Sodom and Gomora, he was seriously injured and escaped to the underground mine with the help of the dwarves. All of the knights at the scene had fainted, so it was only a guess based on the circumstances, but there were many who witnessed Marge heading underground.
「However, there are eyewitness accounts on the surface at about the same time.」
「It must be a strategy to disrupt information. What about Sodom and Gomora?」
「They haven’t regained consciousness yet. Their injuries were so severe that the doctor said, “They look like completely different people”.」
「Hmm, so we have a shortage of field commanders right now.」
「What shall we do?」
Kirmiji spoke straightforwardly to his subordinate who was waiting for his instructions.
「Focus on the preparations to head underground.」
「The underground? There is information that Marge has the skill to instantly jump far away. There is also information that he moved to the surface…」
「Then there’s no way he would have escaped without taking the girl with him. That means his movement skills aren’t that almighty either. That girl… Azula is still underground, right? 」
「Yes, it has been confirmed. The “guest” has also been received according to the reservation.」
「In that case, the above-ground Marge is a fake. I think it’s a disguise to disperse our forces and delay us from going underground. Don’t worry about it and– Hmm?」
Restraining his men with a hand, Kirmiji looked straight ahead. Walking towards him was a cheerful middle-aged man who was quite stout. As his subordinate whispered “This is the guest from the underground” into Kirmiji’s ear, he greeted the person in a formal manner.
Speaking of the cheerful man, he was fanning his face in a truly good mood.
「My, my, it was quite the thing. It has a different kind of tightness.」
「Glad to hear you were pleased with it.」
「However, it was too quiet. The tears were indeed there, but nothing beats the crying.」
「The voice? That is strange… No, thank you for your opinion.」
「Some said that the body is so small that no one could “use” it. If they had been able to use it, it was rumored that they were “tiny”, which is why the number of customers has declined.」
「Yes.」
「If it’s too tight, just widen it. Meat is meat, even if it’s a dwarf. Hahaha…」
「Well, well…」
「Please prepare a dwarf that cries a little more, Captain.」
The guest patted Kirmiji on the shoulder as he left. Kirmiji wiped his shoulder with a cloth. His men started cursing as the man descended the stairs.
「A disgusting rich man, isn’t he, Captain Kirmiji?」
「He is an influential person who lives in the center of this city. Do not be rash with your words.」
Kirmiji said calmly, but his young subordinate couldn’t accept it that easily. The underground guests are those who “use” prisoners of war. The knight’s expression showed clear disdain for such people.
「Doing it with dwarves! Isn’t it like a human intermingling with a pig! It’s so far off the moral path!」
「Whether or not it’s a pig is up to the person themselves. You see, what separates people from beasts is whether or not they can make the right effort. It is human to study to be more intellectual, more cultural, and more noble. It is what makes us human. If they can do that, even dwarves can be called “human”.」
「Are there such dwarves?」
「None at the moment.」
That is why, as a precedent, he has dwarves living in the city who have been given suggestions to make the right effort. Although Kirmiji explained it, his subordinates still looked unconvinced.
「Even if you make a pig imitate a human, it’s still a pig.」
「You’ll understand eventually. Regarding Azula, I have already extracted all the necessary information using the [Placebo Master’s Golden Spoon]. Don’t waste her and continue to use her as a source of funds.」
「I understand. There is no law that prohibits keeping pigs for such purposes. I have a hard time understanding that, though.」
Immediately forgetting about the guest, Kirmiji proceeded with the preparations to head underground. About five days later, Kirmiji received another report.
「I heard that Officer Sodom and Officer Gomora have recovered enough to be able to talk!」
「That is great news. What about their testimony record?」
「Well, there is something confusing about that.」
「Explain.」
「It seems that they are both saying, “We are not Sodom and Gomora”.」
Comment (0)