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Volume 5 Chapter 9 Part 1

Lumina and I did not waste time and we began to monitor the orphanage.

From the back alley, we kept watch of its entrance……

「…… Do not take this the wrong way Lumina, but why are you dressed like that…..?」

I could not ignore her choice of clothes any longer. It was hard.

「This is to not draw attention……」

She is dressed in her usual bikini armour and a hood that extends to cover her head. What puzzles me is the colour of the hood.

Of all the times to be wearing a glaring pink colour. Why now……?

Not to mention it has decorative flutter for some unknown reason. I am actually curious to know where she bought it.

She caught glances from passersby, who then immediately averted their gazes.

If I was one of them, I would do the same.

「….. Is that so? Where did you get the hood……?」

「No, I befriended a girl from a brothel at a bar, and she advised me to dress inconspicuously…… Is something wrong?」

It took a lot to suppress the urge to lecture the woman, I distracted myself by paying attention to the orphanage gate. When I turned to look back at Lumina, she was rummaging through her items with a loaf of bread in front of her.

「What……?」

「They also told me to bring this along. Here, there is some milk too」

What is this, a picnic? I once again managed to keep myself from asking.

As expected in this world, there are no bean-jam buns like in Japan, so it was a sandwich.

I took a bite, and to my surprise it was quite tasty.

I also accepted the glass of milk and drank it…… It was tepid. Lumina was also thinking the same thing seeing how she held out the bottle containing milk to me.

I knew what that meant and I immediately cooled it down with magic. I did so for mine too.

When Lumina held the milk and confirmed it was cooled, she took a sip and nodded in satisfaction.

「Just like ale, cold milk tastes better」

「Indeed……」

I agree with her, but I still would like to question the person who insisted on telling Lumina to bring bread and milk with her on this request.

After a few days of our surveillance, a merchant-kind of man entered the orphanage.

「Hey, Lumina. He went in」

「Finally…… I was beginning to think we would have to wait even longer」

I thought about how their meeting was bound to be damning, but I could not risk sneaking in, so we kept watching the orphanage, and an hour or so later he came out with the priest.

「It is settled then Father. I can count on you tomorrow as always, can I not?」

「Mm-hmm, of course. I will make arrangements to have the children in separate rooms tomorrow」

After the man left, the priest went back inside the orphanage.

My hunch was correct. There is some kind of deal set for tomorrow. I think this request might actually get completed sooner than expected.

「Lumina looks like they are planning something for tomorrow. We will have to keep watch on them day and night」

「Yeah, okay. Nothing changes, I just need to bring a weapon」

「No, you need to change out of that hood tomorrow」

That colour draws attention way too much.

「…… What is wrong with it? Well, it would be easy to move if I am not wearing it」

Thankfully she was easily convinced. Now we just have to wait to see what kind of deal they were talking about……

I kept staring at the entrance to the orphanage for a while before deciding to return to the guild.

At the Adventurers’ Guild, I caught Grusia up to speed with the situation and asked him to arrange a couple of adventurers to be ready as contact.

We need a way to quickly contact the guild and possibly the guards as well.

If the battle were to break out, I do not doubt Lumina and I are capable enough to handle it, in the meantime we will not have a way to do anything else.

I had no intention of getting into a fight though. Grusia introduced us to a trio of young adventurers.

Although I say young, they are not that much older than me, I reckon……

They were two men and one woman, and they were E-rank. The two men were instantly charmed by Lumina, and the woman looked peeved as she tried to knock some sense into them with her cane.

「My name is Lumina, B-rank Swordsman」

「Thank you guys for accepting my request. I’m Touya, Recovery Priest, and I am A-rank」

The three of them looked amazed when they learned of my rank. I can understand their shock, I did not look a day older than them, but I was already A-rank.

It is a normal reaction……

After they each introduced themselves, I explained what role they will be serving. The three did not have any objection. The trio also seemed relieved about there being no possibility of them fighting against other people.

As we stayed hidden in the alleyway, waiting, carriages pulled up in front of the orphanage. It was fully covered with sails with no visibility of what they held.

Several grown men emerged from the carriages and all entered the building.

「This could be it. Is everyone ready?」

「Of course, ready as always」

The trio with us nodded, prepared to run at a moment’s notice.

「I and Lumina will ambush them when they come out and get the evidence we need. You guys will make your way to the guards and guild to make reports」

「「「Understood」」」

A little while later as we continued to wait, ready to jump into action, a man came out carrying a large sack on his shoulder.

He tossed it in the back of the carriage, and proceeded to do the same with other similar sacks.

「All right, Lumina, let’s go」

「Right!」

We both ran quietly toward the carriage. Lumina got into the back of the carriage and I waited for the men in front of it.

Not long, a man walked out with yet another bag on his shoulder.

The man’s demeanour changed when he noticed my presence.

「Oi, you!」

I said as I pointed my Buster Sword at him.

「Mind if I take a look in the bag? If….. by any chance there is a kid inside, well, you can already see where this is going, right?」

「…..!?」

The man tossed the bag with no care and pulled out a knife from his pocket, pointing it at me.

「Touya! Inside the bag is a child. The other bags also contain children! It is as we thought!」

「As expected. What are your plans with these kids? You might want to start talking」

He launches himself at me with the knife without a word. I counter by thrusting the hilt of my Buster Sword into his gut. With one blow, the man was lying unconscious on the ground.

I signalled to the trio of adventurers who were still in hiding and watching to call for the authorities. In a quick response, they were gone.

The rest of the men who arrived earlier came out, along with the…… priest.