Chapter 40

Thanks to Norris, it became clear what was causing the discomfort Aldis had been feeling. While it might not be something that needed immediate action, it was not a problem that could be left unaddressed.

However, since the cause was nothing more than a superstitious belief about cursed children, it would not be easy to resolve. It was not something that could be settled by force, like slaying a monster. Given the involvement of a goddess and faith, the roots ran deep.

On the other hand, the relationship between Nere and the provincial army had also deteriorated. Being targeted by the squad leader and supported by the provincial army, it seemed unlikely that the matter could be resolved peacefully. It felt as though even the lord of the province had turned against them.

After parting ways with Ted and the others, Aldis returned home, enduring the impolite gazes of the residents just as on the way there. As soon as he entered the living room, he sank into the sofa, leaning back and gazing at the ceiling.

He wished he could just take a nap right then and there.

"Haa... Maybe I should just leave Trias."

"What's the matter, my lord?"

Sighing, Aldis felt Nere approach from behind, tray in hand. After placing two cups of tea on the table, Nere sat down next to Aldis and took a sip from his own cup.

Despite his rough manner of speaking, Nere, who had come to live under the same roof as Aldis, had shown his versatility in cleaning, washing, and cooking, establishing a firm position in the household. He even showed considerate behavior, such as making tea for Aldis during his breaks.

On the other hand, Nere still spoke rudely and sat down next to Aldis, drinking his tea before his master, which made one wonder if he truly had the awareness of a servant. However, at least Nere acted in accordance with Aldis's wishes and took good care of the twins.

Recently, the twins had finally started to get used to their new environment and could be seen talking to Nere. Despite the revelation that Nere had been carrying a dangerous secret, the twins had begun to feel some affection for him, enough that they wouldn't be immediately driven away.

"It seems the marquis and the provincial army have their eyes on me."

Aldis said this while moistening his mouth with tea.

"Is there any inconvenience? Such petty people are not worth considering. If my lord's life is at stake, I can go and destroy them now?"

"Please don't."

That was not what he wanted.

If it were a matter that could be settled by force, it would be fine. Aldis could storm the lord's mansion alone without needing to rely on Nere.

The problem was what came after. The marquis was the one in question, and behind him stood the Nagrass Kingdom. Destroying the Marquis of Trias would be tantamount to declaring war on the kingdom.

Aldis was just a mercenary. He didn't want to start a civil war against a country.

If necessary, he could move his base of operations to another country. At this point, since only the marquis and the provincial army were involved, the country itself might not be directly involved. If he left Trias, the problem might naturally subside.

"Let's stay low for a while. It's unsettling to leave the house in this situation."

The residents might calm down over time, and while the marquis and the provincial army might have ill intentions towards Aldis and the others, as long as they were in a position to enforce the law, their options were limited. Of course, as long as they adhered to the law.

"Nere, have you met the marquis? What kind of person is he?"

Aldis knew the character of the general. He was arrogant but tried to uphold the law and order. As long as the lord of the province kept a firm grip, he wouldn't go off the rails.

However, Aldis had never met the Marquis of Trias directly. From what he had heard from the residents, he seemed to be a capable ruler. Nere, who had met him directly, would have a more accurate assessment of his character.

"An unintelligent, despicable, and greedy pig."

Aldis's hand paused as he brought the cup to his mouth.

"...What?"

"So, you asked about the marquis, right? I said he is an 'unintelligent, despicable, and greedy pig.'"

The evaluation was unexpectedly harsh.

"O-oh... By the way, what about the general?"

"A stray dog that barks a lot at other stray dogs."

Hearing this, Aldis nodded in understanding. The evaluation of the general was not much different from his own. This suggested that Nere's assessment of the marquis was not simply based on personal bias or feelings.

In that case, it would be better not to judge based on what the law allows or doesn't allow. There was a possibility that they might resort to underhanded tactics.

"It seems we should be on our guard."

Aldis's concerns became reality a few days later.

It was overcast from morning, and the sky remained dark even as night fell. The stars were hidden by the clouds, making it darker than usual. There was a loud knocking at the front door.

"My lord."

"I know."

Aldis sensed a large group of people surrounding the house. From the amount of magic they possessed, they were likely guards. At this hour, surrounding the house could only mean bad news for Aldis and the others.

"Shall I go and repel them?"

Repelling or driving them away would be easy for Aldis and the others. However, the problem was what would happen afterward. If they were driven away by force, more would likely come.

"I'll go and deal with it. Nere, prepare to leave the city with the children."

He wanted to resolve the matter as peacefully as possible, but that seemed unlikely. Given the number of people surrounding the house, they were likely there to make demands that would provoke resistance.

With Nere and the twins starting to pack, Aldis headed to the front door.

"Inspection! Open this door!"

A guard's voice echoed as he pounded on the door. The tone was already at the level of a shout, and it seemed they would break down the door in a few minutes if nothing was done.

"What are you doing at this hour?"

As Aldis opened the door, a command rang out.

"Charge!"

The guards tried to force their way in, fully armed. However, their attempt failed spectacularly.

"What is this!?"

The guards were stopped as if by an invisible wall, their heads bumping into it and halting.

This was a physical barrier spell that prevented moving objects with malicious or hostile intent from passing through. It was an original spell of Aldis, not a commonly known magic. It was more of a magical technique than a spell. The barrier covered the entire house, preventing entry through other windows or the back door.

"That's quite a rude way to visit. If you want to be invited in, there are proper procedures and etiquette to follow, you know?"

Aldis said this with a polite but sarcastic tone.

"Y-You! Defying the guards!?"

"There's nothing to defy if I don't know what you're here for. I might be able to cooperate depending on the matter."

Aldis answered in a nonchalant manner.

"So? What brings you here today?"

A senior guard stepped forward from the group, likely the commander.

"There is an arrest warrant for the female mercenary living in this house! It won't do you any good to hide her!"

"Hmm... An arrest warrant? What for?"

"Assault on a provincial army soldier and suspicion of child abduction!"

"That's... not a peaceful matter."

Aldis's eyes showed a hint of disdain.

The assault on a provincial army soldier likely referred to the squad leader and platoon leader that Nere had defeated in a duel. The child abduction was clearly a pretext to involve the twins.

If they were to listen to the guards, not only Nere but also the twins would be taken away as victims. This was a situation Aldis could not accept.

"Do you have the arrest warrant?"

"See this!"

The senior guard showed Aldis a large piece of paper.

An arrest warrant is an official document issued by a public authority. According to the laws of the Nagrass Kingdom, guards can arrest a criminal on the spot if they are caught in the act. However, if it is not a current offense, an arrest warrant is required to detain a suspect based on the investigation.

In practice, arrests without warrants were common, and warrants were sometimes issued after the fact. The system was largely a formality. However, if the suspect was a noble or a powerful mercenary who might resist, the warrant was often issued to have a psychological effect on the suspect. In this case, the latter was likely the reason.

"Indeed, it is an arrest warrant... but it doesn't seem to have the seal of the Law Guardian?"

"That's...!"

The commander was taken aback by the unexpected question.

The Law Guardian is a national institution that guarantees the validity of arrest warrants. It prevents the forgery of warrants by local lords and nobles by verifying the content of each warrant and checking for any suspicious points in the charges and suspects.

An arrest warrant only becomes legally valid with the seal of the Law Guardian. Without it, the warrant has no legitimacy.

(That means this matter is unknown to the country. It's the marquis's personal decision.)

At this point, Aldis decided on his course of action.

"The review by the Law Guardian will be completed soon! The arrest of the suspect was deemed the top priority!"

The commander, caught off guard by the mercenary's unexpected counter, tried to cover up his mistake.

"So? Who are you here to arrest?"

"The female mercenary! We know she's here!"

"Name?"

"What does the name matter? A female mercenary is a female mercenary!"

(These guys... don't even know the name of the person they're here to arrest?)

The arrest warrant did not have Nere's name, so Aldis had suspected as much and confirmed it. As expected, they didn't even know her name.

"Well, if you don't know the name, how will you know who to take?"

"Just hand over the female mercenary!"

Aldis's mind was already made up. His current task was to buy time while Nere and the others prepared.

"There are three female mercenaries here. Which one should I hand over?"

"What...?"

Of course, this was a lie. The guards didn't know exactly how many people lived in the house.

The residents of the town didn't know either. Only Ted and the others, who had actually been inside the house, would know.

"Her hair is long, Alice blue, and her eyes are sky blue!"

"Well, all three have the same hair and eye color..."

"There's no way that's possible!"

"Well, if you say there's no way, there's no way, but it's actually true..."

Aldis scratched his head and put on a troubled expression.

"So, who should I hand over?"

"Grr... Fine! Bring all the women in this house! We'll decide from there!"

(This is the right time.)

"Understood. I'll bring them to the front door. Please wait there."

Aldis retreated into the house, showing a compliant attitude. The guards did not seem to have any intention of forcing their way in.

When Aldis returned to Nere and the others, he asked:

"So, how much preparation is done?"

"My lord, the personal items and weapons are ready. Phia and Liana have already changed clothes. We have enough food for four days. We can't take the furniture, of course."

Two large backpacks and two large bags, each big enough to fit an adult, were packed to the brim.

"That's understandable. As long as we have the equipment, money, and food, it's enough."

The furniture they had bought would have to be left behind, but they could always buy new ones.

"Phia, we're going out?"

"Liana, I don't want to go out..."

The twins clung to Aldis's pants, looking anxious. For them, the outside world was a place of unpleasant memories.

"But if we stay, a lot of scary men will come. Both of you, please bear with it."

The twins reluctantly nodded in agreement with Aldis's words.

Recently, they had become more talkative and assertive, but they were not spoiled. If they had started crying, it would have been a problem, but Aldis was relieved that they were obedient.

"Alright, let's go."

Aldis and the others went to the roof via the attic from the second floor.

"Both of you, hold on tight. It's better to close your eyes."

"Okay."

"Got it."

Aldis picked up the twins, one in each arm, and dissolved the barrier around the house. As the guards rushed in, Aldis and Nere, who had followed with the bags, floated up into the darkness. In a few seconds, they rose to a height of a hundred meters and flew southwest into the night sky.

By now, the guards were likely searching the house frantically. They might even break down walls or set it on fire, but the house was no longer of any use to them.

The guild that had helped them would suffer significant damage, but Aldis had no sympathy for those who would say "immediately cancel and leave" as soon as rumors about the twins started. They probably took a hundred gold coins as a deposit for such troubles, so the losses might be balanced out.

Aldis and the others flew for about a day from Trias and landed in a place away from the road, where they spent the night.

2019/07/30 Correction: "petty" → "underhanded"

*Thank you for the correction report.*