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Chapter 172

At His Highness’s request, we decided to intervene in the human trafficking that had become so rampant in Elkeney. We heard from Dramina, who had gathered information while she was out last night, and then the next day, in other words, today, we moved to take action.

Vampires originally possess eyes of hypnosis with the ability to manipulate the minds of intelligent creatures, but Dramina’s ability to gather information is truly something I can tip my hat off to.

She already had an idea of where the human trafficking was mostly taking place within Elkeney, and she had already made a list of names of the merchants and government officials who are most likely involved, so His Highness and I were amazed by all this.

With that, we split up into three groups and headed to various places within Elkeney, and that’s how I found a prison in the basement of a certain noble’s mansion, but…

「I will forget everything I just saw earlier, so all of you should also forget that you saw me here. That is the best way to leave this place with the least amount of harm to your hearts」

I spoke awkwardly to Fuuko and Yachiyo, who were lying inside the prison cell in a disheveled state, as I destroyed the locks to their cell along with all the magic casted on it, and removed their rope bindings and collars.

Now no longer restrained, Fuuko’s face was bright red, and she sat in a corner of the prison cell, with her back turned to me and her face downcast.

Yachiyo seemed to be worried about Fuuko, and after saying a few small words of thanks to me, she kept pacing around Fuuko and calling out to her timidly.

I’m sorry to be so indiscrete, but no matter how I look at it, she just looks like a dog trying to cheer up a depressed friend.

「Fuuko~, you heard what Dran said, it’s best to just forget about it completely.

It’s true if he had done the same thing to me, then I’d be so embarrassed, my face would burst into flame, but we can’t keep sitting around here, who knows when the slave traders will come back again. Besides, we still need to go help all the other people trapped here too」

「Uuu, I-I understand. I just really hate myself right now for being such a big, big idiot. D-Dran」

Thanks to Yachiyo’s encouragement, and the fact that she hadn’t forgotten the situation they were all in, Fuuko stood up with a determined look on her face, and although she was still blushing, she turned around and looked straight at me, with her fox ears and tail standing on end.

Although I told her I’d forget about it, if Fuuko reacts like this every time we see each other, then I’m sure I’ll end up remembering, whether I like it or not. I’m really sorry about that.

I pushed down my internal sigh, and asked a question to Fuuko, who was trembling all over in shame. At the very least, since Fuuko had mustered all of her courage to look me in the face, it would be in good faith to change the subject.

「What is it?」

「I-I-I’m going to pretend everything from earlier never happened, so, so allow me to say I’m sorry, just this once, please!」

「That was my intention in the first place. I have no objections. So then, I want to save all the other people trapped here, will you help me?

Since the two of you were also trapped here, you should hold more credibility and be more reassuring if you’re the ones to tell them that we’re here to save them」

「O-Of course! Until just earlier, Hachi and I were worrying about how to escape and save all the other people too」

「I see. It’s helpful to hear you say that. Fuuko, Yachiyo, I will break the locks to the prison cells and remove their restraints, so can I entrust explaining the situation to everyone to you two?」

「Please leave it to us! You have no objections, right, Hachi?」

「Umu, for now, we should start with escaping from this place. As for what to do after we escape, hmm, it will be hard to lodge a complaint to the governor-general, so we’ll have no choice but to postpone that」

Thanks to Yachiyo and Fuuko regaining some spirit and helping out, the people who had been sinking into grief and despair in the jails were successfully rescued, and the color of hope gradually began to appear on their faces.

One of them in particular left a strong impression on me. She was a woman wearing a bright red dress with her hair tied up in a bun with a cheap barrette. There was a strong light hiding in her eyes, but she only glanced at me halfheartedly when I conveniently appeared to help her.

Fumu, what a strange reaction. Rather, I should praise her for being able to still make normal decisions despite being in this kind of situation.

「First of all, let me say thanks for saving us. So, thanks. I’m Nessa」

「I’m Dran. We just did what we wanted, but if it was able to help you all, then that’s for the best. Are you hurt anywhere?」

「For me, it hasn’t been too long since I was brought here, and there wasn’t enough time for me to do anything like showing resistance. I’m not injured at all. So who exactly are you anyway? I’m sure there were several tough bastards guarding the place before I got here」

「Well, I’m a little confident in my abilities. Besides, two other competent people came here with me. All the people upstairs were all knocked out.

I’m not so irresponsible to think that escaping from here will be the end of it, so rest assured. Well, my plan’s a bit haphazard, but that’s just a miniscule problem」

Oops, I was trying to reassure her, but there I go running my mouth.

The woman named Nessa was still looking at me with suspicion, but although Fuuko and Yachiyo were still somewhat awkward around me, they were interacting with me in a relaxed manner, and seeing that, it seems Nessa has decided to trust me for now.

「Excuse me if I’m being too rude to you, even though you’re the one who saved us. I’m sorry, I ended up here because they tricked me into thinking this was a just a job, so I’ve become a little paranoid」

「No, there’s nothing you need to apologize for. It’s the people who are doing wretched work like this who are completely at fault here.」

「I’m glad you’re a good guy who can understand me. So, I’m sorry if this is impudent of me, but I want to at least get these kids back to their parents as soon as possible. Have you thought of a way to get out of here?」

With that, Ness clasped her hands together and looked around at the faces of the young children gathered around her, and sometimes patted them on the head.

When I saw a sparkle of trust in the children’s eyes toward Nessa, I knew that she must be a caring woman.

「Yes, I guarantee that it will be alright. There are two other places besides this one where the same kind of trouble is occurring. Even if the situation is discovered, we’ve already done enough to delay the other side’s decision」

「Is this one of those so-called premeditated crimes?」

「No, this crime was committed extremely spontaneously. Now then, let’s say goodbye to this terrible place. Humans should be living proudly where the sun shines, after all」

「I think so too. You sure say things that are unsuited for this place」

That may be true, I thought, as I shrugged my shoulders. After we freed everyone who was captured here, including Nessa, and I gave the ones who were showing signs of weakness some special nourishment and recovery magic, we left the underground prison, and moved into the mansion through a hidden passage.

Yachiyo and Fuuko were excessively enthusiastic, and were willing to act as scouts and move on ahead of us to be on the lookout for any enemies, even though I already explained to them that there was no one left in this mansion who could be our enemies.

After we exited a staircase hidden in one of the rooms in the mansion, we continued further inside and turned several corners, until we heard the happy voices of Yachiyo and Fuuko ahead of us.

「Ah, it’s Leon and Charles!」

「So you two came here with Dran as well. No, because of our failure, it wasn’t just Dran, but you two as well ended up dealing with something unpleasant」

When I quickened my pace at the sound of Yachiyo’s happy voice, I saw the backs of Yachiyo and Fuuko, whose tails were wagging in joy, as well as His Highness, who was fully armed, and Charles, who was carrying many boxes in his arms. Fumu, I thought those two were supposed to be searching the mansion for evidence, I wonder if they found anything?