Chapter 44

★ Kingdom of Light Knights, 10km Offshore ★

The night sea was calm, like a mirror reflecting the starlight without a ripple.

『…………』

However, a deeper darkness slowly rose from the black sea. It was so large, it seemed capable of swallowing an entire village. It remained still near the surface for a while before gradually sinking.

★ Kingdom of Light Knights, Port Town Zackerhaven ★

"I found them, Miss, Chief. There are four magic ships in this Zackerhaven."

The cold light of the magic lamp illuminated the room. Four men were gathered around a small table, and Lark, the only woman, was sitting on the bed, listening to the conversation. They were all acquaintances of "Chief" Cook from their bandit days, and they had lived a modest life, often targeted by the guard but never causing serious harm or taking too much. Their roles had remained unchanged since then.

"Hmm. All four of them?"

"Of course."

The slender man, known as Scout, puffed out his chest. He had no name, only the role of "scout," and like his companion called "Engineer," this was sufficient for him. Scout pointed to the simplified map of the town on the table.

"This port is divided into two main sections: fishing boats and transport ships. But this one corner is a docking area used by the town's influential figures."

"Huh? Aren't there military ships too?"

"The military ships are in the neighboring port. They can't operate military ships in the same place as civilians, can they?"

"That makes sense—so the magic ships are in that rich man's docking area, right?"

"Yes, but it has a dry dock, so they put the ships away quickly."

"Ah. They store the ships on land instead of letting them float in the sea. Rich people just hoard everything and let it rot."

Chief said this, but Scout grinned.

"That's where the opportunity lies. It's time for the Locksmith to shine."

He placed his hand on the head of the small man sitting next to him. The man had messy hair that hung down to his eyes, and his stocky build made him resemble a dwarf, though he was just a short human.

"M-Me?"

"Just break into the dock and take it. You're needed for that, right? With your locksmith skills, you can open it."

"Will it really go that smoothly…?"

Engineer, who had a skeptical look, was met with Scout's response:

"I think it will. If the ship is in the sea, there are people around, but once it's in the dock, you don't have to worry about being seen. I think the most time-consuming part will be you, Engineer, starting the magic ship."

"Ah, I see. You're smarter than I thought, Scout."

"…For me, that's a given, Chief."

"Once the engine of the magic ship is running, the rest is just dropping it into the sea and it's over."

"Will it really go that smoothly…?"

Engineer looked at Chief with a skeptical eye, but Chief turned to Lark.

"So, what do you think, Miss?"

Lark, who had been called, finally opened her mouth.

"…Huh? Ah, if you guys can do it, then let's go with that."

"Miss… Are you really coming with us? You'll just be a hindrance here."

"Shut up. You're doing this for me, so I can't just sleep here alone. Come on, let's go if it's decided."

"Miss, this kind of thing requires careful planning…"

"Shut up, Engineer. You've never made a plan before, so don't act like you know."

Lark stood up quickly, and her words were, in a sense, correct. There was no hope of gathering new information or making further plans. They were going to take their chances, and if it didn't work, they could always run. They had been through many battles before.

(…But this time, I don't want to use Miss Lark's innate ability.)

Chief thought. Lark's condition was almost certainly due to her innate ability, and using it to get the ship would be counterproductive.

"Alright, let's go. The pirate group 'Five Thousand Miles of Seabreeze' is setting sail."

Chief stood up as he said this.

"…………"

"…………"

"…………"

"…Hey, Cook. Seriously, stop with the lame name."

Chief heard the cold gazes of his three companions and Lark's exasperated voice.

"That's why uneducated thieves are no good."

"That has nothing to do with education…"

The late-night Zackerhaven was still bustling in the main streets, but a single side street was dark and deserted. The sound of the tide, splashing continuously, could be heard from somewhere. The five of them walked casually, but none of them made a sound. They naturally chose to move through the shadows, so even if someone glanced from the main street, they wouldn't think five people had passed by.

The port at night was even more deserted. There were torches burning on the transport ships, with guards and mercenaries standing watch, but the fishing boat area was empty. Further ahead, the docking area for the wealthy was similarly unoccupied.

"Hey, are magic ships really kept in such a place? They're worth a fortune, but there's no security at all."

Lark said, and the Locksmith, pointing to the nearest dock, replied:

"W-Well, there are m-magic devices set up to deter intruders…"

The dock was a stone building about three stories high, with small windows scattered throughout. It had a massive door facing the port, which, when opened, led down a ramp to the sea. Ropes were strung across the door, and several magic lamps hung from them.

"I-I don't know the range, but if you get too close, an alarm will sound… It's simple but troublesome."

Incidentally, there was a guard post at the back of the dock, and the guards would respond if the alarm sounded. This was more efficient than standing watch.

"How do the owners disable the alarm?"

"There's a magic device to disable the alarm. Making a substitute now isn't realistic."

Scout answered for him.

"Let's check the other docks."

Many of the docks had the same alarm system, and after excluding them, only two docks seemed accessible. One of them was likely the dock with the magic ship.

"Probably… but it's a fifty-fifty chance."

"Hmm, not a bad bet. We have nothing to lose, so let's give it a shot."

Lark punched her right fist into her left hand.

Only 5 days until release!

My wife said, "The Fantasia Bunko official account is doing a countdown on Twitter. They're really pushing it." But it feels more like the editor is abnormally enthusiastic.

(In a good way)

(In a good way, "abnormally"?)