第５５４堀：マジック・ギア・スティーブ 後編 (Part1)
**Chapter 554: Magic Gear Steve - Part 2**
**Side: Steve, Call Sign: Steel 1**
Night.
The world was shrouded in darkness, lit only by the stars and the moon twinkling in the sky.
"It’s darker than I thought, outside of the royal castle."
"Well, light isn't free, you know. It’s impossible unless the state has a system in place for it."
"Is that how it works?"
"That’s how it works. Even in developed countries, it’s not exactly bright outside of the cities, is it?"
"Ah, I guess the countryside is like that."
"No, you were born and raised entirely within a dungeon, and you were attached to the Boss, so you grew up surrounded by the lights of civilization, didn't you?"
"Nah, nah. Until I got some sense, I was living a wild goblin life in the dungeon meadows. Oh, well, I was taught things like studying from the start, though."
"Is that so? Anyway, get to work. The surroundings should be fast asleep by now."
"Yes, yes."
As I said that and stood up, a single human silhouette was cast upon the ground of the darkened Heiden royal capital. It wasn't my shadow, but that of a patrolling soldier.
"…The patrol has passed. Begin the operation."
Hearing the signal, I jumped down from the roof where I had been hiding. I landed without a sound—business as usual.
"Kept you waiting."
"You just wanted to say that, didn't you?"
"What's wrong with a little flair?"
"You might be the protagonist, but I’m just the communications guy, the extra."
"It’s fine. Think of us as Otakon and the Colonel."
"I’m not saying I dislike those two, but my position is fundamentally different from both of them. If anything, am I more like Raiden?"
"What are you talking about, you fatso?"
"Oh, you brat. Be prepared when you get back. Anyway, operation start. Don't get caught."
"Roger."
Exchanging such banter, I made my way toward the Turklam mansion I had been eavesdropping on earlier.
"As I said before, the noble district is separated by walls, and soldiers are stationed at the gates day and night. Basically, commoners cannot enter the noble district without a permit. Since the gates are closed at night, you should assume entry through the gates is impossible."
"Well, yeah, that makes sense. Trying to go through the gate would cause a huge commotion. So, I’ll climb the wall as planned, right? Where at?"
"Marked. The patrol on the wall just passed by."
Checking the call screen, there was a mark about 20 meters away from the gate. Still, there were more patrols than I expected.
"Is it always like this here?"
"I don't know if it's 'always,' but it was like this when I arrived. It feels like more than other countries I've seen, so maybe it’s because of the battle with Findal?"
"Ah, I see. Well, I’ve cleared the wall and successfully infiltrated the noble district. Heading to the Turklam mansion now."
"Understood. I know you know this, but don't climb onto the roof. You’ll be spotted by the guys patrolling the wall."
"That’s a pain. The roof is the highlight of an infiltration mission."
"That’s for burglars."
"If only I had a cardboard box..."
"You have one, don't you? Use it. It’s supposed to be perfect if you have a cardboard box, right?"
"I was joking."
Honestly, this Orc. He doesn't even get a joke.
Still, the fact that I can infiltrate without any issues is, as always, unsettling.
"Target mansion confirmed. What’s the situation inside?"
"All marks inside are stationary. They’re likely asleep. Transferring the marks, check them."
The reactions of the people in the mansion sent to me were in the same positions as the call reactions. No problems there.
"Matches my data. All marks confirmed as sleeping. I’m entering the mansion now. First objective: the office I was eavesdropping on. Second objective: the basement warehouse. Third objective: Turklam’s bedroom. Any issues?"
"None. I’ll let you know immediately if there’s any movement from the marks."
"Infiltrating through the office window. By the way, do you have any info on Turklam?"
I asked what was on my mind while using magic to open the window.
"As if we could hear that."
"No, I mean, any info provided by Catherine-san or the Baide side?"
"Ah, that. Nothing particularly new. Zuno Turklam. A noble of the Heiden Kingdom. He just holds a decent position in the Heiden royal court. No clue about his background."
"Nothing at all, then."
"I told you there was no new information. Well, the fact that his reputation is bad is just info from Catherine and the others from Baide. Can't take just that at face value. He must be good at navigating politics. If he only chased short-term profits, he wouldn't be able to hold a high-ranking position. He wouldn't be connecting with dangerous organizations like the Gathering of Wisdom, either."
"Well, I guess so. And, what’s this..."
While chatting and rummaging through the office, I found some documents that looked promising.
"Send me the contents of any suspicious documents before you examine them."
"Yeah, yeah. It’s probably the roster for the Gathering of Wisdom. Looks like they just left it there, even though they mentioned contacting them while I was eavesdropping earlier."
"…Looks like it. The names of the nobles who own mansions where Magic Gears are stored match the list. Are they idiots? Why would they leave it in a place like that?"
"At a glance, it’s just a roster. You wouldn't know what kind of list it is unless you knew the background."
"Ah, I suppose so. ...Alright. Search for anything else that could serve as definitive evidence. Any info on the Gathering of Wisdom, or that 'Sage' person?"
"If it were that easy to find, no one would have any trouble..."
I continued to search the office, but found nothing else of note. Well, I found something like a secret ledger of corruption, so maybe this would be enough to support the princess who’s planning to storm Heiden?
"I’m done with the office search. Heading to the basement warehouse. That’s the Magic Gear storage, right?"
"That’s right. You’ll be moving through the mansion, so be very careful."
"Roger."
With that, I started moving through the dark mansion. Thanks to my camouflage function, I wouldn't be seen, but there’s something about a dark mansion that just doesn't feel good. The paintings are too realistic and creepy, and the armor looks like it might start moving at any moment.
Well, this is a place like authentic medieval Europe, so I guess this is standard.
"Still, there’s really nothing here."
Despite being spooked by the atmosphere, I reached the basement warehouse without any issues. The mansion was quiet, with the night-shift attendants staying put in their rooms. Or rather, they were definitely asleep.
Or maybe they were just sleeping in their chairs in their work clothes, ready to be called at any moment?