Chapter 40

Al watched the pale, glowing man fleeing from a distance, repeatedly questioning himself if there was any better way. It seemed that Eric's detection spell had an effective range of only 50 meters. However, the distance was much greater, and even Al's magic arrow spell couldn't reach. If only he could bring Eric there, but considering their previous battle, it didn't seem like Eric could run fast enough to catch up.

"Where did he disappear?"

Sir Jonas and Plasida stood beside Al, looking in the same direction.

"Near that tree with three branches... It's about 200 meters from here."

Sir Jonas frowned at Al's words, and Eric shook his head.

"Out of the detection range."

If they did nothing, the man would escape... Watching Eric, Al suddenly had an idea. Although Eric wasn't as well-built as Orson or Iris, his equipment seemed light. What if...?

"Sir Eric, please sit in this chair."

*Transport*

Al pulled the chair floating in the air and glowing white in front of him. It was a chair transformed from a disc he had once played with Iris.

"What is this?"

"It's a disc transformed from a transport spell. Please hold onto the armrests."

Pressed by Al's enthusiasm, Eric sat in the chair. The transport spell chair floated in the air without touching the ground.

"Sir Eric, can you use the detection spell and telepathy spell while sitting in this chair? If so, I'll transport you."

Al was desperate. The man was escaping while they were talking. Eric, who was seated, gripped the armrests with a bewildered expression.

*Detection*

He looked around with a slightly tense expression and then nodded lightly.

"Yes, it seems fine. I can sense the wooden box."

Al nodded seriously. Eric looked at Al's face, unsure of what he was planning.

"Sir Jonas, we'll chase after him. If we run randomly, we might be able to catch him within the 50-meter range. Once we do, I'll have Sir Eric send a telepathic message to you."

"Understood, we'll follow you. Run!"

Sir Jonas finally seemed convinced and shouted.

"Yes!"

*Physical Enhancement* - Running Enhancement

Al ran down a five-meter-high embankment in one go. Of course, the floating chair with Eric on it followed him quickly.

"Whoa-!"

Eric clung to the armrests of the chair. Although Al was a mage, his skills as a scout were not low, and in terms of movement, he was on par with the guards. With the physical enhancement spell, his running speed was like that of a galloping horse.

"Are you okay? Let me know when you find him."

The 200 meters passed in an instant. Al stopped where the man had disappeared. Eric's breathing was heavy. Getting too close might result in an attack from the shadows with a paralysis spell or a magic arrow spell. Al shielded Eric behind a tree while looking around.

"Wait, wait, explain what you're going to do..."

The path extended further north. However, in Al's view, the pale, glowing man was visible in the vast wheat field to the east.

"I don't think the thief will run straight. Right or left... Right, let's go."

Al came up with a reason and pursued the pale, glowing man.

"There, a little to the right."

After a while, Eric finally spoke. His voice was still a bit high-pitched. The detection spell had reacted. Al glanced back. Sir Jonas had just climbed down the embankment with a rope.

"We're still a bit far, but I'll send a telepathic message to Sir Jonas as soon as we get within range. Keep going straight..."

Eric gave Al instructions desperately. Of course, Al could see the pale, glowing figure, but he couldn't say that. Pretending not to see, he called out, "Where is he? Is he there?" while gradually closing the distance. The man, unsure if Eric and Al knew of his existence, ran through the vast wheat field in confusion. Soon, Sir Jonas and the others caught up. Al also closed the distance to the mage called Bashel. When they were about 30 meters away, Eric used the dispel spell.

Bashel's figure appeared. Sir Jonas and Plasida quickly closed the distance. Bashel tried to cast a spell, but before he could, they tackled him, and he fell to the ground, unable to do anything.

"Ah, well done. That's good."

Eric, sitting in the floating chair, let out a sigh of relief.

-----

When Al, Eric, Sir Jonas, and Plasida returned to the northwest corner of the square with the mage called Bashel tied up, Kane and three guards were facing each other with a tense atmosphere. Two men who looked like thieves were lying on the ground, and behind Kane, a woman in her thirties, who seemed to be a pharmacist, was hiding.

"Captain Jonas, it seems there was a fight. What happened? Secretary Kane hasn't told us anything."

The three guards spoke to Sir Jonas, who waved his hands lightly.

"It's a crime investigation, but there's a possibility of more accomplices, so we're trying to keep the number of people involved to a minimum. If we need your help, we'll call you, and we'll explain when it's resolved. For now, go back without saying anything."

When Sir Jonas said this, the three guards sighed lightly. They shrugged, nodded several times, and turned to go back to the guardhouse. Seeing this, Kane sat down on the spot, looking relieved.

"I intended to resolve it more quietly, but it became noticeable. It's a bit troublesome, but there's no choice. Sir Eric, can you dispel the spell on the wooden box? As I told the three guards, the contents are related to a crime, so only I, Kane, and Al will check it. I'll take responsibility."

Implied that dispelling the spell was enough, Sir Jonas said, and Eric nodded. He approached the carriage in the back. Kane followed, and Al, who had knocked down a tent, returned it to its original position and entered inside. Plasida stayed near the front carriage, gagged the mage to prevent him from casting spells, and tied up the two thieves lying on the ground. The woman who seemed to be a pharmacist also stayed.

*Dispel*

The spell was dispelled, and the wooden box appeared. Eric smiled, greeted, and left the scene. Sir Jonas watched him go, then broke the lock with the hilt of his dagger and opened the lid. Inside, as Al had seen from the bell tower, Ruela was crammed in, her limbs folded. Her face was pale, but she looked like she was sleeping. Sir Jonas quickly felt her neck.

"She's very weak, but she's still breathing. Al and Kane, take care of her. However, she'll need to be questioned later. Ask the woman waiting where to take her."

Al and Kane nodded, wrapped Ruela in a blanket to hide her, and picked her up. The slight warmth reassured them that she was still alive.

"I'll investigate and clean up with Plasida. Kane, have you contacted Lester about her?"

Sir Jonas didn't mention her name, only saying Lester, perhaps because Plasida and the pharmacist were there. Al thought it was better not to ask the pharmacist's name.

"Yes, the first messenger has already been sent. We plan to send the second messenger after confirming her safety."

Kane nodded lightly as he answered.

"Understood. The second messenger should reach in time for the departure the day after tomorrow. Tell the second messenger to report to Baron Bancroft as well."

Baron Bancroft was the commander responsible for the security of the border city of Lester and its surroundings. Kane's face tightened slightly but he nodded slowly. Seeing this, Sir Jonas removed the tent and sent the two out.

"Plasida, once you tie up the three, help with the investigation here!"

It's a long story, but finally, the rescue. The next part will be the aftermath, and I hope it can be wrapped up in one chapter...

Thank you for reading.

I plan to post twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays at 10 AM. Thank you for your support.

Thank you for correcting the typos. I always appreciate your help.

I'm also grateful for likes, ratings, and comments. Please feel free to leave them.

May 1, 2023: I received a comment that Plasida was in a state of being in two places at once, both pursuing the mage and staying at the scene. I apologize for the mistake. The correct version is that Kane stayed at the scene. I have made the correction.

July 7, 2023: I have changed the reference to Jonas from "knight" to "Sir Jonas" and the reference to Baron Hawthorne to "Baron Hawthorne."