Chapter 70

★★★ "Silver Scales" ★★★

Before Dantes could speak, Mimino said, "Dantes... Can we get an airship?"

"Coincidentally, Mimino, I was thinking the same thing. We just need to enter the Red Gate."

Dantes and Mimino exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously.

"No way!!"

Non interrupted.

"What are you two thinking!? Are you stupid!? You are, aren't you!? There's no way Rai will be happy about this!"

"Non, we're serious. Even if the empire closes the Red Gate, if we get there first, it'll be ours."

"Even if we get there, how will we find Rai!?"

"......"

"......"

Dantes and Mimino exchanged glances again.

"It's a hunch."

"Or a scent."

"Unplanned!!"

Non shouted.

"That's why Rai keeps having to save you!!"

"Oma... When you put it that way, I have no words to say."

"Uu, Rai-kun..."

Mimino almost cried and clenched her teeth.

"Wait a moment, all three of you. Calm down, okay?"

Lulusha stepped in, and Aba, who had been silent until then, said,

"Chupa. I just thought of something. Can we confirm if Rai and Princess Anastasia are safe? Chupa"

Aba's lollipop was already empty, so he was just sucking on the stick. He actually had the money to buy a lollipop, but since it was a type of food, he thought it would be better to give it to hungry children rather than consume it uselessly—though he was aware that he was consuming it uselessly. As a result, he looked a bit gaunt, but he was still far from being underweight.

"What do you mean by 'confirm if they are safe'?"

Muge asked.

"Chupa. The Red Gate connects to somewhere. If we have a long-distance communication magic tool—"

"No. Rai doesn't have a long-distance communication magic tool."

"Can't we do something about that? Chupa"

"What do you mean by 'do something'...?"

At that moment, Mimino shouted,

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"

The scream was so intense that it made Dantes, who was standing nearby, stiffen, Lulusha's eyes lose focus, and Zelly, with her keen hearing, let out a cat-like "Fugya!"

"This! This, this, this, this!"

Mimino pointed to the bracelet she had been given upon entry and had kept on.

—Your movements within the empire are restricted. Please wear this bracelet at all times and do not remove it. When you leave the empire, please return the bracelet. If you leave the country without returning it, a loud alarm will sound. Information about the bracelet is recorded on your guild card and will be deleted upon return.

"Can this bracelet track location!?"

Lulusha's eyes changed.

"That... is true. It emits a weak magical wave, so it might be possible to detect it. The one managing this is—"

"The Foreign Affairs Bureau. But I don't know if they'll reveal technical information just to find one adventurer... Chupa"

"Isn't it the Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Bureau's job to make that happen?"

At Lulusha's words, Aba waved the stick he had been licking up and down.

"Chupa... I need something more to push it. Preferably something related to Princess Anastasia. That would be a sufficient bargaining chip."

Just as everyone was deep in thought,

"AAAAAAAA—mug"

Mimino tried to shout, but Dantes and Zelly covered her mouth.

"Mugumug, mugumug!"

"Don't make a loud noise. If you don't, I'll let go of your hand."

"Mug!"

Mimino nodded.

"...I'm just worried."

"Can't be helped."

Reluctantly, the two let go, and Mimino started rummaging through her bag.

"This, this, this, this, this!"

She pulled out a bundle of hair.

The hair Anastasia had given as a reward instead of payment to "Silver Scales."

"High Elf hair contains very special magic! There might be a magic tool that can search for magic of the same wavelength!"

Mimino spread her arms wide.

"Normally, it wouldn't be possible, but here! This is the Ref Magic Empire, the forefront of the world's magic tools!"

★★★ "Moonflower" ★★★

The Ref Magic Empire's latest airship, "Moonflower," managed to escape the chaos of the Hebiginchaku attack. However, due to the lack of fuel, it had to make an emergency landing on a cliff in the uncharted territory of "Canyon," just a little way in.

"Boss... How's the young lady doing?"

"She's sleeping soundly. Don't make a fuss and wake her up."

"With only five of us on such a big airship, even if we make a fuss, it won't be that noisy."

In front of the room where "the young lady" was sleeping, there was a small space with a small table. The boss and another person were eating preserved meat and dry bread while drinking beer. The lightly carbonated wheat beer was loaded in the food storage, and since it had a low alcohol content, they were drinking it like water.

"So, what's the situation with the empire?"

"Indeed. I took a look, but there's not a single person around. The empire has abandoned the city and is fighting using the checkpoints as walls."

"Hmm... It's ironic that the checkpoints meant to defend against external enemies are now defending against internal enemies."

The boss took a big gulp of beer.

"...But it's none of our business. We need to leave as soon as the fuel issue is resolved. Otherwise, the young lady's body won't hold up—"

"—Whose body won't hold up?"