Chapter 41

I knew they were trying to do something malicious by surrounding them. Although it was an attempted crime, I had warned them and apprehended them as current offenders, but I'm struggling with how to handle them.

I need to go to the town to call the patrol team, but even if they are tied up, I can't just leave them. I'm worried they might escape if I untie them, but I also feel uneasy about the possibility of them being attacked by monsters before they regain consciousness. I don't think there are any monsters around here, but there's no such thing as "absolutely" safe.

I looked down at the four men lying on the ground and felt a bit depressed, thinking about what to do next. I really had some work I wanted to do.

Well, there's no choice. I'll have to cut it short. I'll have to make them walk to the town on their own. It would be nice if I had a cart or something, but I didn't prepare anything like that. I can't just drag them on the ground, so I'll have to wake them up. Do I have any wake-up medicine...?

"Hey... Riana!!"

"Ah, Fred."

As I was walking down the half-buried road leading from the quarry, someone came from the direction of the town. I realized it was Fred even before I could wonder who it was.

"It's been since this morning... What's wrong? You seem so flustered..."

"N-no... Duke called some bad acquaintances and... h-he left the town without taking a job... He was planning to do something to Riana..."

Fred, who had apparently run at full speed, explained the situation between breaths. He looked relieved when he saw the very people he was worried about, tied up behind me.

"Are you hurt? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"...It seems I was too late, but I'm glad nothing happened to Riana."

"Thank you for coming to warn me despite the danger. I'm... I'm sorry..."

I started to apologize out of habit, but Fred smiled as if to say, "That's fine."

"I'll take over. If we keep going like this, it will attract a lot of attention, and if Riana keeps going, she'll be bombarded with questions from adventurers and won't be able to move forward."

"You're right... That's true. Then, um... please."

Duke Gord is known to have a bad reputation but a wide network of acquaintances. If someone who doesn't know the situation starts asking questions, it might cause unnecessary trouble. I don't have the confidence to handle it well, so I felt a bit guilty but handed over the end of the rope when Fred offered to take over.

"Anyway, it's okay if people think that Duke and his gang, who were planning to do something bad to Riana, got their comeuppance, right?"

"Yes. Um... I'm sorry. I was told to run away, but I had some things I couldn't leave behind, and I thought I could handle it, so..."

"Well, I don't want you to take unnecessary risks... but sometimes you can't avoid it."

Indeed... If I had run away today, they might have continued to stalk me and try the same thing again.

Fred, who chuckled, walked beside me without showing any signs of fatigue despite having to return the way he had just run.

"...By the way, why are they so battered?"

Fred, who hadn't said a word to them since joining us, pointed at them and asked me. Oh, right. They had been quiet for a while, so I hadn't paid much attention.

"I tied them up while they were unconscious. At first, they resisted, so I kept running at a pace that would make it impossible for them to resist."

"Running..."

"I also kept an eye out for magical reactions in case they attacked from behind, but fortunately, it didn't come to that."

"...I don't think they stopped resisting because they understood their situation."

At first, they were shouting things like, "Do you think you can get away with this?" and "I'll let you go if you untie me now," but they stopped talking as I kept running.

The ones Fred was looking at were panting heavily, trying to catch their breath after the run, and could only glare at us with resentment, without the energy to say anything.

They didn't seem to be under any particular strain, but they were apparently very poor runners. Especially Gord, who is supposed to be an adventurer, seemed to be out of breath after a short run at that pace. Hmm... Maybe his equipment is heavy?

"What, they were saying that?!"

As I explained what had happened on the way to the town, Fred started to get angry, more so than I did. I silently agreed with his mutter, "They seem to have a lot of other crimes to answer for."

"The video recording will be evidence, so the Guild Master... that might be difficult. Darria or, if she's not there, the staff member Quade should handle it. Tell them you're bringing in adventurers who committed a crime. Ah, Riana, don't... don't look at the video inside!!"

I was asked to run ahead to the town and contact the patrol team and the Adventurer's Guild. I needed to get back before Fred arrived, so I should return as quickly as possible.

Fortunately, the road was empty, so I didn't have to worry about bumping into pedestrians. I cast a speed-enhancing spell and kicked off the ground, heading for the town.

"...Why did you have to stick your nose in at the guild?"

Watching Riana run off with an incredibly efficient and ideal body enhancement spell, I stopped to admire her for a moment before continuing my walk.

Zig's comment was probably about the violent incident inside the guild that was treated as a "fight" the other day. Behind his words, I could see the selfish blame-shifting, "If I had known she was that strong, I wouldn't have tried anything." Indeed, Riana could have easily defended herself and retaliated even if I hadn't intervened. If that had happened, they would have understood the power difference and wouldn't have targeted her.

That's how he had been targeting only those he could overpower.

"It doesn't matter that Riana is so strong that she doesn't need me. I was just so angry that I couldn't control myself when I heard what you said. ...Come on, walk properly."

"Tch... Always grinning, but that's your true self, huh..."

"I treat people who don't matter to me accordingly. It's only natural, right?"

I deliberately yanked the rope, causing Duke and the three others to stumble. The one at the back fell face-first into the ground. He seemed quite frustrated at being caught in a situation where he couldn't talk his way out, and as soon as he caught his breath from the run, he started spewing vile curses that Riana shouldn't hear. ...I'm glad I sent her back first.

I can't empathize or understand his motives, but it's clear he's been doing this for a long time. I want to pursue all his past crimes and make sure he ends up in prison. To think he would target a girl with a group of men and a magic device that can record video... The rumors were dark, but now I understand why there were no unnatural complaints from victims. It's really disgusting.

Thinking about his father makes me uneasy, but even if he's released after a short time, I'll do my best to make sure the hate is directed at me instead of Riana.

His party members included women, and I was worried about them, but I remembered that he only showed his true colors to those he considered easy targets.

Riana happened to be strong, and she wasn't aware of her own abilities, so she caught his attention. If she had been a beginner adventurer as she claimed, she would have been a victim...

It's terrifying. Just thinking about his past crimes makes my stomach cold and nauseous. Even though there have been victims, I selfishly feel relieved that Riana is unharmed. ...I can't tell her something like this.

"...I should have done something before Riana got involved."

Living as a convenient person and adopting a "don't rock the boat" attitude has made me a rather unpleasant person. I can't keep going like this.

I need to deal with Duke's party members, who are all talk, and make sure Riana isn't targeted again.

As I walked back to the town, I thought about how to act, considering all the connections I have and doing my best to find the best solution.