Chapter 83

Unaware of my presence, I launched a surprise attack on the party.

I infused a large amount of magic and fired a dozen Water Arrows from a distance at an angle where they wouldn't be seen, aiming for a curved shot.

As I approached running, everyone who noticed me entered a combat stance, and the tank man stepped forward. At that moment, Water Arrows rained down on the narcissist, healer, mage, and scout, with several hitting directly. Only the tank, who had stepped forward, remained unscathed.

Or, the scout had started to turn towards me and sensed the attack, so barely avoided being hit? ... Did the narcissist use the mage as a shield? What? The healer also took quite a bit of damage, but the mage seems to be in a pretty bad state? Direct hits? It's not my concern, but with the magic attacks, it's a bit, no, quite injured... Is there any blood?

No, I need to focus!

"... Earth Wall!"

I can't be worrying about the other side. I cast an Earth Wall to isolate the tank man who was approaching me.

Learning from the snake incident, I made it 30 centimeters thick and narrowed the space around him to almost immobility to prevent it from being broken. I also blocked the top to prevent him from climbing out. There's a possibility he might suffocate, but there's still air for a while, so I'll leave it.

The cries of the women, who were caught off guard by the magic attacks and confusion, rise. I made sure the attacks didn't hit the old lady and the mysterious person I had made eye contact with earlier. Well, the old lady is still screaming...

"Damn it!"

"..."

I received a sword attack from the male scout who had come alone with my Mithril knife.

"Ugh... What...!?"

The moment my knife and his sword collided, he was paralyzed and couldn't move.

The lightning magic I wrapped around my knife worked like a stun gun, successfully paralyzing him. After the incident with the Frank Apothecary Guild leader, as a countermeasure against opponents I couldn't beat in STR, I thought about ways to intimidate and immobilize them... I'm glad this method worked.

I then followed up with an attack. I fired a Fire Burst at his stomach from close range, blowing him away. I confirmed he fell to the ground and used the Grass Magic Vine Cage to restrain him. I also used the same magic to restrain the injured healer and mage. I'm a bit worried, so I'll give the mage a potion... I don't want to kill him.

So far, everything has gone smoothly. I've taken away the freedom of four people and now face the leader, the narcissist.

Honestly, this guy is making some unexpected moves. Maybe he thought the mage would be better at defense because of the magic attacks, but using him as a shield... As a result, his fighting strength has decreased, and I wonder if he's a good leader.

"What, what... Do you think you can get away with this!?"

"Huh? First of all, you were the one who started this, and you didn't even consider being ambushed?"

The man trembles and protests, but rather, I want to ask him. Did you think I would come quietly after kidnapping my pet and demanding I show up?

It's strange to think I would come obediently. I came alone, but... I was also angry with them, so I wanted to get back at them... I really want to kick this guy's face.

"I saved your life back then! And yet, what are you doing to me and my companions! Don't you think this is unfair!"

"Huh? First, kidnapping my pet and summoning me isn't unfair? Moreover, demanding my master in exchange for my pet... What are you thinking? Are you stupid? There's no way a pet can be traded for a national treasure-level person. No, my pet is family, but there's no way I'd trade my master! From the moment you targeted my master's life, it was clear you and your companions would be eliminated. If it wasn't just me, it would have been even worse."

"What about the old lady! I told you to bring her along!"

"I made sure she was in a safe place no matter what."

With Leonis and... well, the guild leader, I'm sure she'll be protected... So I can face the enemy with peace of mind.

"I'm offering to make you my companion! Just become my companion!"

Ha... I really don't understand why he thinks I'd become his companion. Honestly, this guy seems to have high abilities, but he could be anything. I wonder what kind of person the clan members are to have him as a leader...

"Anyway, I'm acting on the orders of a noble. Do you think you can defy a noble?"

"Hmm? Whose?"

"Von Hambard, the Viscount!"

"Is there any proof? Do you have any kind of order?"

"Wh-What? Of course not! A noble wouldn't give such a thing."

"Right. Then it's more likely you're impersonating a noble. The person behind you, if she's the former Von Hambard Viscount's daughter and the current Apothecary Guild leader Frank's wife, Christina... She's a commoner because she married a commoner. Did you meet the real Viscount and receive orders?"

He's looking behind him as if he just noticed. There's no way a noble would give such a fool something that could be used as evidence. I doubt he could even meet a noble directly. Honestly, I don't even understand why this is an A-rank party...

"You tricked me! You promised to make me S-rank!"

"Hey... I... Rather, that girl... If it weren't for that girl, I could... I could ask my father to squeeze one in."

He was easily persuaded and raised his sword towards me... But this guy really only thinks about himself. My companions are injured and restrained, but he doesn't seem to care. No, he's unscathed because he used his companions as a shield...

I don't think a viscount can decide on an S-rank promotion for the Adventurer's Guild... I know the power of nobles is scary, but a viscount is a lower noble, right? He doesn't have that much power, does he?

With the opponent raising his weapon, I also got ready and infused my short sword with magic. I need to be careful not to overuse MP, but normal attacks won't do.

The opponent is a higher rank, so even if he's a fool, I'm at a disadvantage without a surprise attack. I have to do it, but I'll reveal my hand... It can't be helped.

I focused and infused my short sword with lightning magic, preparing to attack in the same way, when I saw a familiar figure behind the opponent.

And it was running towards me quickly.

"Huh? Ah..."

"I got you, girl!!"

The narcissist was about to attack me, but he was tackled from behind and fell to the ground without touching me. Moreover, the figure had its front paw on his head, preventing him from getting up. A muffled roar-like sound came from below, but my reinforcement, which had appeared, was mercilessly stepping on his head and back.

"Um, Tiger King? Long time no see?"

"GURUUU!"

For some reason, the Tiger King, a monster that should live near the border, suddenly appeared. And it probably came to help me. I was able to easily subdue the situation.

"Ahh, no, no, no!!"

"GYAAAAU!"

"Ah... You'd better return my pet quickly. The Tiger King likes my pet."

Christina is screaming, but I ignore her. The Tiger King looked at me, then at Christina, and barked again.

Come to think of it... It really liked Momo. Maybe it came to help her. Hmm... They're different species, and Momo is still a child... Is it a lolicon?

"Don't come!!"

With the Tiger King's bark, Momo was freed and happily played with the Tiger King. Well, if they both like it, it's fine. No, a king coming to save a maiden in distress... It's probably the moment when a love event is achieved. Even though it's a monster, not a human.

"Tiger King, can you hold this person for a moment while I talk to these two?"

"GAU!"

I got a good answer, so I left the narcissist to the Tiger King and faced the two again.

"Excellent. Your skills are even better than I heard."

"I am deeply honored. My name is Crein Medici."

"Ah. Is it necessary for me to introduce myself?"

"... No. If there's an opportunity to greet you in the future, I would like to do so then. For now, I would be grateful if we could speak as strangers."

Scary!! No, he has a featureless face, and I wouldn't recognize him if we passed on the street, but he has an overwhelming presence. I feel pressure even though he's doing nothing. He's definitely in the same category as Mr. For, and I can tell he usually does undercover work, even though I don't know why.

And as a representative of the nobility, he's being polite, so please forgive me. I'm scared.

"Right... I have two questions."

"If I can answer them..."

"One, where is Frank. I couldn't get a clear answer from the old lady."

"Yesterday afternoon, the person who attacked my house was that person. I don't know him, but my master, Pamela, testified that he was Frank. During the attack, he was in a state of severe confusion, unable to communicate, and couldn't distinguish between me and my master. After calming him down, he seemed to be in his right mind for a moment, but quickly became strange again... He ran off in the direction of the town's entrance for carriages while screaming. I reported this to the guard station yesterday."

"What happened after that?"

"Nothing... I haven't received any reports of him being captured or seen."

"Tch... Was he disposed of first?"

Wow... I don't want to hear this. There's no need to tell me such things. Is he telling me this?

If he was disposed of, does that mean he was buried in the dark? I don't know if it's in a mental sense or a matter of life and death, but he was already mentally unstable, so he couldn't be a pharmacist in that state.

Honestly, he was a person I disliked, but... in that state. I feel more pity than hatred. I don't want to think about the person who put him in that state.

"Second, are you willing to meet my master? He says the treatment will be guaranteed."

"I cannot tarnish the face of the person who helped me become Medici... I respectfully decline."

"I see, I'll convey that."

"I am grateful."

So, are you willing to switch sides? But he laughed, "Huh," so he probably knew the answer or wanted that answer. He's not without emotion, but he's so scary that I can't sense any affection. However, my <Intuition> didn't work, only for a moment before the battle.

"Pamela is a treasure to this country. Her achievements as a pharmacist cannot be ignored even by nobles. If you are to inherit her skills, you will not be treated lightly. I have been looking for a while, but I didn't mean to scare you. I want to convey that this was not my intention."

"I deeply appreciate your evaluation. Also, I am not familiar with the ways of the nobility, so if I have been rude, please forgive me."

"Yes. The royal family granted the title to Pamela, who was not recognized as a pharmacist, and allowed her to practice as a pharmacist. The younger brother of the king, who left the pharmacists' guild in this town unattended, is the one who proposed the marriage to the third son of the younger brother. If this was done without your consent, you should consider your position."

"Huh?"

"And... If your brother and the third son of the younger brother were to fight, which side would you take?"

"... My brother. If I can only choose one and can't help both, I will choose my brother."

I state this without hesitation.

Naga and my brother... Well, if there's someone I would choose over these two, it would be my master.

I would probably choose my master over both of them. Next would be Leonis, but... Hmm. I don't think he needs help.

So, next would be Naga and my brother. If I have to choose, it would be Naga. I've confirmed this with my brother, so the priority won't change.

"Hmm... That's troublesome. Well, it's fine... We will meet again."

The mysterious person left in an instant. He said we might meet again, but... Honestly, I never want to see him again.

No... He left a lot of bombs, didn't he?

If I believe his testimony...

First, someone has disposed of the Apothecary Guild leader Frank. The viscount's side was preempted... The viscount's family doesn't have the ability to outmaneuver the viscount's family. It's implied that the younger brother of the king's side handled it. However, this might just be to make me think that... I have a feeling they're acting on the younger brother's side.

He seems to use pawns like the ones who attacked my brother in the Mushroom Forest Dungeon and launch attacks. It seems that Lord Laz can't stop them...

So... The responsibility for neglecting the Apothecary Guild lies with the younger brother's side. The king supports my master.

This is unknown, but when my master became a baron, it was during the reign of the previous king. The previous king didn't particularly involve himself with my master, and when the current king ascended the throne, the younger brother was sent to this area, and my master became a viscount. In exchange, my master freed the slaves, and the debt was written off. This is based on the information provided by Lord Laz, but...

Furthermore, the relationship between the Apothecary Guild and my master has been bad from the beginning.

To begin with... My master has been fixated on this town and has stayed here all along. He could have gone to another town after opposing the Apothecary Guild. He has been in this town even before meeting Leonis and the others. He wanted to be here...

Moreover, the mysterious person said that I am supposed to marry the third son of the younger brother. If it's not my choice, I should run away... I wonder why. I don't know who the third son of the younger brother is. The status difference is too great. A viscount's daughter (adopted, commoner) and a royal family member are too different.

However... I think it might be Lord Laz. After all, he's on the younger brother's side, and there are hints that he reports directly to the younger brother.

... And I don't think my brother would do whatever he wants without listening to my opinion at all. I trust him, so even if he arranges a marriage for me, I don't think it would be with someone I don't know.

For now, I can't take the information from the other side at face value, but at least I should interpret it as a warning to be suspicious of the younger brother. The warning came from the viscount's side.

He also mentioned my relationship with my brother... I'm perfectly caught up in the political struggle. Nobles are scary.

"GURUUU"

"Ah!"

While I was thinking, the woman who tried to escape was intimidated by the Tiger King and seemed to have lost control of her bladder, but she was still struggling to move backward.

Well, then, the main event. A confrontation with the person who set up this ridiculous stage.