Chapter 31

The moment my punch landed, Mayor Schultem flew away.

Schultem hit the basement wall and was buried there.

It's because he looked at Samyue with strange eyes.

I huffed. Then, Samyue timidly spoke to me from behind.

"L-Lady Rini, are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Um... do you remember what we talked about in the underground passage...?"

"...What we talked about."

Samyue's words brought back the conversation from just a little while ago, when we were digging the underground passage to the basement.

"Lady Rini, only Schultem and the servants closest to him are allowed to enter the basement. Servants don't enter or leave at night, so you can assume that any man you meet in the basement is almost certainly Schultem."

"Okay."

"I can recognize Schultem's face, so if he's there, I'll make sure to let you know by calling his name. Please rest assured."

"Got it."

"Also, I'll try to get information from Schultem."

"But, Samyue, you've already gathered a lot of information. Schultem is bad. I need to take him down for the sake of my parents' life."

"Yes, of course I agree with that! However... the fact that he was buying children and selling them somewhere is concerning. The information about where they were being sold and why he was gathering children... I think it would be better to know that."

"Got it. I'll investigate the situation."

...I remembered.

"Phew..."

And at the same time, I realized what I had done.

I messed up. I was supposed to question him, but I turned him into a fossil without a word...

"...Despair."

I always do this... In the game, it was the same. For monster hunting quests or events with a specified number of turns, I often failed. Even though I knew it would take 5 to 10 turns, I would mindlessly defeat the enemy in 2 turns and fail the event. And now, again...

"I couldn't stand to look at Samyue with those strange eyes..."

I didn't want to hear Schultem's last words. I thought I'd make him be quiet, so I punched him...

When I apologized, Samyue shook her head and knelt on one knee.

"No, no...! Information can be obtained in any way...! Besides, ...Lady Rini, you... you were thinking of me, right?"

"Yeah."

"Nggh..."

She nodded and, for some reason, clutched her chest and shuddered.

"Lady Rini... nggh, how noble...!"

Seeing Samyue's reaction, I gently reached for my hood. ...Look, if the hood comes off now, I think Samyue will faint. Just my voice made her react like this...

"In the presence of Lady Rini's nobility, information is but dust!"

"Samyue..."

Calm down. Information is not dust.

"Even without getting information from Schultem, I'll investigate!"

"But, I wanted to hear from Schultem too?"

"No!"

No, that's not right. She answered with a lively denial, but it's definitely wrong.

Information from Schultem is important too.

But now he's buried in the wall and turned into a fossil...

"I've got it!"

I had an idea! A good one!

"Item box"

As I muttered, the item list appeared. I shifted my gaze to the familiar item there—

"Decide"

With the word, a heavy weight landed on my chest.

I caught it with both hands. What I held was—[Healing Potion (God)]!

"Lady Rini?"

"Revive Schultem."

I approached Schultem, who was buried in the wall, and opened the bottle. When I was a one-year-old, it was a struggle, but now, at three years old and equipped with items, I have no blind spots.

I easily opened the lid and splashed the contents on Schultem.

That's right! I learned from the game. When an event fails, you can try again. And fossils can be restored.

"Huh!? Huh!?"

Seeing Schultem suddenly drenched in water, Samyue cried out in alarm.

Then, Schultem, who hadn't moved at all, groaned, "Ugh..."

"What is this..."

"It's a healing potion."

"Healing potion...? To think such a wonderful effect exists..."

Samyue was speechless.

Yeah. As expected of [Healing Potion (God)]. It's supposed to be taken orally, but it works even when applied externally. It's good that it worked on Schultem, even though it was proven with my father. Now I can question him.

"What is this... why did this happen..."

"It's because my punch hit you."

"Wh-who...!? Where are you!?"

"Here."

Responding to the awakened Schultem's voice, I removed my hood. My face should now be visible.

Schultem, buried in the wall, can't move, and knowing my location doesn't change anything. It's better to show myself to hear the children's story.

"Huh? A catgirl child...?"

"Why did you gather children and sell them?"

"What are you talking about!?"

"Don't waste words. We have evidence that you gathered children and sold them somewhere. Focus on answering the questions given your current situation."

"...Damn."

Samyue scolded Schultem, who tried to deny it.

Schultem looked regretful but, unable to resist his immobility, began to speak in a small, slow voice.

"...I was commissioned."

"Commission?"

"...About your age. Gather those children. ...Especially those with distinctive appearances or exceptional talents."

"Who commissioned you?"

"...I don't know the details. But it was a recommendation from the mayor of another large city. Selling them brings money and connections. ...I'm not meant to be just a mayor of a small town! I can go higher!!"

Schultem, who had been speaking quietly, suddenly barked.

"You wouldn't understand! No matter how much I develop this town, it's only to a certain extent. Above that, the positions are held by bureaucrats with connections in the capital and nobles with no abilities! I had no other way to rise!!"

"Is someone who cheaply buys and sometimes kidnaps the children of the town or village they govern, and who can only oppress poor women every night, capable of rising higher?"

"Shut up! I'm the mayor! The most important person, so it's only natural to do that much!!"

"...Foolish."

Samyue looked away uninterestedly.

Then, she thanked me.

"Thanks to your efforts, we gathered the information. The fact that this man doesn't have the information suggests that something big might be happening. We also learned the conditions for the children being sold and that it's not just this town."

"Okay."

"I need this man's seal. With it, the women he let escape will be completely free, and this man can be made to resign as mayor."

"Got it."

"Leave this room, go down the corridor, and climb the stairs to reach this man's office and private room. The seal is kept in the private room, so let's go there."

"Wait a moment."

I stopped Samyue, who was about to leave the room, and peeked into the underground passage leading to the basement, listening carefully.

"No scent. No footsteps."

The women who escaped seem to have safely left the town through the underground passage.

No one is in the underground passage. So—

"Cat claws!"

I extended my claws on both hands and slashed diagonally at the underground passage!

The ten winds cut by my claws hit the earthen wall, collapsing it as they advanced. The underground passage was buried with a rumbling sound. It made more noise than I expected, but there's nothing I can do about it.

"Underground passage sealed, good."

I confirmed the underground passage. There's just an earthen wall there now.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Let's go."

I hurried to Samyue.

Then, Schultem, who had been watching my actions, shouted.

"Wait... wait! ...Wait, please!!!"

A desperate voice. I could ignore it, but I turned back slightly before leaving the door. The moment our eyes met, Schultem swallowed hard and forced a smile.

"Hey... hey, little girl."

Schultem called me in a cajoling voice.

"You're really strong, aren't you? I was surprised. How about living a luxurious life with me?"

"Luxury?"

"Yeah. I'll buy you anything. You can eat as many sweets as you want, and I'll provide toys. I'll give you beautiful clothes and accessories. You're so strong, don't you want to fight people?"

"Fight?"

"Right! Do you want to fight human men? Or maybe a different race? Anything you want. I'll give you everything you want! You don't have to do anything."

Schultem pleaded more with each of my responses.

He probably thinks I'm interested and is desperately trying to appeal. How easy and comfortable it would be to be with Schultem, how easily you can get anything.

He'll give you anything. You can get anything.

It's certainly tempting. But—

"I don't feel happy getting things from others."

See.

"I'm strong because of Rini."

I'm the strongest three-year-old.

"I get what I want with my own hands."

Everything. I will.

"Bye-bye."

I turned my back on Schultem and opened the door.

I could feel Schultem desperately trying to free himself from the wall, but it would be impossible for him to do so alone, buried that deeply.

"Wait...! Please wait... Wait...!! Please—"

The moment I slammed the door, Schultem's voice stopped.

—Now, for the final touch.