Chapter 53

Today, I managed to update on time ('ω')

The letter that began with "I'm sorry, Yuke" was filled with unbelievable words of apology and gratitude, unlike anything Jamie had ever written. However, her unique handwriting revealed that she had written it.

"...It's almost like a suicide note," Silk muttered.

I had the same thought. Everything was written in the past tense, as if recounting memories, and it seemed to be written with the awareness that it would be read after her death.

The letter also included several documents.

They contained details of the illegal jobs and transactions carried out by 'Thunderpike' and their clients. Among the names on the list was the man who had been harassing Marina and her friends—Beshio Salas.

"...She must have regretted it," Nene said, lowering her eyes.

"I understand because I'm also a criminal. Before you know it, you find yourself in a place you can't escape from, hurting someone, and unable to apologize. I can relate to how she felt," Nene continued.

"Damn it..."

Jamie had already changed her ways.

She risked her life to accompany Simon and his group, ultimately helping us.

Despite my doubts, I failed to make a calm judgment and let her die.

"Yuke, don't blame yourself. There was nothing you could have done in that situation."

"I know, but I can't accept it. If I had just thought a little more clearly, I could have saved Jamie. No, with this evidence, we might have been able to make Simon and his group pay for their crimes."

We are adventurers.

We never know when or where a tragic death might await us.

There are adventurers who are killed by orcs, too.

But if I hadn't been consumed by short-tempered and narrow-minded anger at that moment...

"Let's check the recording crystal too."

Since it was included with the letter, it must have been entrusted to us by Jamie.

We need to check its contents.

We all went down to the living room, and Silk brought me a cup of tea.

"Thank you."

"I haven't eaten anything for two days. Please, have some warm tea first."

The tea was generously laced with lemon jam, which I stirred and drank.

The warmth of the tea gradually soothed my tense stomach.

"Okay, play it."

To check Jamie's stream, I inserted the crystal into the tablet and played it.

"Hey, are you really going to do it?"

"Of course. I'll make Yuke see reason."

"What about the women?"

"Mr. Beshio said he wanted them alive. Especially that little mage. He's obsessed with her. I'll put a collar on her. And she's Yuke's woman. It'll be perfect for making him obey."

"What's so good about that runt?"

The screen changed, showing a different scene.

"Here, Simon. The Concealment Bracelet... It was quite a hassle to prepare enough for everyone."

"In return, I'll give you the women."

"Thank you. I've also prepared some useful magic items for the dungeon. I'm looking forward to that man's groveling stream."

Beshio Salas's face appeared on the screen.

That bastard... He hadn't learned his lesson.

The screen changed again.

This time, it showed the inside of the 'Colorless Darkness.'

They were whispering to each other.

"...There they are. They're still at the stairs to the second level."

"What should we do? Should we ambush and crush them?"

"Maybe. It might be good to teach them a lesson. It'll be more dramatic if the women are in bad shape when we wake Yuke up."

"Stupid. If you want to use them as reinforcements, just put them to sleep. If they resist, you might end up killing them."

The stream showed Marina and the others, exhausted and slumped over, and me unconscious.

It was just before the ambush.

Nene noticed and turned to the camera, and Jamie used a sleep spell.

The spell, which she had always refused to use, even when asked, rained down on Marina and the others.

The video cut off there.

She probably deactivated the recording crystal to hide it in our belongings.

"Jamie saved us here too."

"...Yeah."

I let out a deep breath.

It's tough, but I can't just wallow in regret.

We need to share this information with Benwood and have him arrest the malicious sponsors and underground merchants, starting with Beshio Salas.

That would be the best way to honor Jamie's wishes.

"I'm going to see Benwood."

"Ah... He's probably coming soon."

"Huh?"

Just as Nene spoke, there was a knock on the door.

Nene opened it, and Benwood appeared.

"Hey, you're up? Yuke."

"Benwood, why are you here?"

"I got a message from Nene via a rat."

I remember seeing Nene entrust small packages to rats from time to time. Whether it's a ninja skill or a beastkin ability, I don't know.

"I heard from the girls, but I didn't quite understand. What happened after the stream was cut?"

"We were ambushed by 'Thunderpike' at the stairs."

"What!? How did they get into the 'Colorless Darkness'?"

"They used an illegal magic item, the Concealment Bracelet."

I showed Jamie's letter and confirmed the details of the stream with him.

"They threatened to use Rain as a hostage to make me write this."

I showed him the final piece of evidence, Simon's contract.

Benwood's face turned red with anger as he read it.

"So... What happened to them?"

"Probably dead. The stairs collapsed, and they encountered a group of orcs in the lower levels. We managed to return using a Scroll of Return..."

"The stairs collapsed!? Is that even possible? Ah, but of course... That explains it."

"Is there something you know?"

"There's something I need to check urgently. Since yesterday, there have been distress streams coming from the 'Colorless Darkness,' where only you guys were supposed to be."

"..."

Benwood placed a small tablet on the table and played a stream.

The video quality was poor, and the audio was crackly.

But the voice that came through was familiar.

"Static... Is anyone... listening? The 'Colorless... Darkness' is in a... bad state. The collapse of the levels has started... Static..."

How was it ('ω')?

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