第６１１堀：噂が終わり真相へ (Part2)
While we were busy with that, we managed to extract a certain amount of information from the captives, so we relocated to Duke Kamishiro’s mansion.
Incidentally, Duke Kamishiro and Kagura are currently absent, as they are busy providing explanations at the royal palace.
For some reason, we—the guests—are in the strange position of giving direct orders to the butlers.
"Yuki-sama. Here is the report sent by Steve-sama and his team."
"Thank you very much. And I apologize for the late hour."
"Not at all. Thanks to you and your companions, the Kamishiro house I serve has been saved. This is no trouble at all."
"But still, it feels a bit odd to be acting like I own the place while the master is away."
"Whatever do you mean? I am well aware that you, Yuki-sama, share the same Japanese lineage as the Kamishiro family. Therefore, it is only natural that you should be the master of this house while Sou-sama and the others are away."
...This butler. He’s incredibly competent, but his "Long live the Japanese" sycophancy is honestly terrifying.
I suppose it just goes to show how much trust he has in us.
Well, that’s neither here nor there.
First, I need to look over Steve’s report, and if there are no issues, I have to send it to the relevant parties.
Why did the "Gathering of Wisdom" target Solo? I doubt they’d spill the reason so easily, but if there’s even a hint...
◆ Solo Findow Assault Incident Report - Reporter: Steve
Situation: Following his appointment as an assistant diplomat for Weed, Solo Findow (hereafter referred to as Solo) was returning from resigning from his job in town when he was attacked by a group calling themselves the "Gathering of Wisdom."
Response: Initially, not knowing they were the Gathering of Wisdom and assuming they were mere bandits, the independent unit under Royal Consort Yuki intercepted and suppressed them.
Result: Suppression completed without issue. Solo sustained no injuries. We only learned the attackers were the Gathering of Wisdom after securing Solo; the relevant parties were notified immediately, and the bandits were imprisoned at Duke Kamishiro’s mansion for interrogation.
- Preliminary Interrogation Results
Details of the Bandits: There are five members. Their appearance does not match that of typical bandits or night-thieves; we request an inquiry from the nobility.
Reason for Attack: Given their well-groomed appearance, we believe they specifically targeted Solo. They have admitted as much, though they claim they were not aiming to cause chaos within the Hayden upper echelons or the Academy. While we are still investigating, their remarks suggest this is not their first time, and we cannot rule out the possibility that they have been kidnapping Academy students every year. We request an inquiry with the Academy regarding this as well.
The content was a mix of good and bad.
If we are to believe the words of the captives...
The fact that the bandit group calling themselves the Gathering of Wisdom wasn't specifically targeting us VIPs is a good point.
It means there are no traitors regarding the international conference we are planning to hold at the Academy.
Furthermore, while it’s known that we are visiting and that VIPs are present, the fact that they weren't targeting us also, in a sense, proves our safety. Though the presence of bandits nearby is a grave issue in its own right.
As for the bad points, as mentioned, the presence of bandits nearby means VIPs could still be in danger.
Furthermore, during interrogation, the bandits claiming to be the Gathering of Wisdom were unaware of the total wipeout of the Gathering of Wisdom in Hayden. This suggests that the organization is scattered, that information isn't reaching the lower ranks, or that the main body still exists even after the group in the Hayden royal capital was eliminated.
If it were just the former, it would be one thing, but the possibility of the main body remaining is nothing but a future headache. In fact, since the head of the laboratory said to be the origin of the Gathering of Wisdom is still missing, the theory that the main body remains is quite strong.
And the biggest problem is the reason Solo was targeted. An individual who wouldn't be missed was targeted, and based on their testimony that they had been doing this for a long time, it’s possible that—much like Princess Arge, Princess Stasia’s sister, who was used as a sacrifice—they have been kidnapping students from the Academy all along.
Well, in a sense, the question of how they were collecting mana for the Magic Gears has been answered, but that doesn't exactly make the truth a happy discovery.
We’ll likely have to put the screws to the former Academy headmaster and begin an audit of all missing students.
The thought of the gruesome things I’ll likely see during that process is enough to depress me.
Incidentally, since there were no particular issues with the report itself, I sent it off to the Hayden upper echelons. Needless to say, everyone’s eyes popped out, and they immediately launched an investigation to verify the facts.
"At the very end, what Solo said about being recruited into a secret society turned out to be true."
"Seriously, the things you hope aren't true always end up happening. Well, the strange rumors about the Academy have been cleared up, and along with the Magic Gear issue, I need to ask about the Dungeon Core and what happened 500 years ago."
With that, we are about to take our next step in this New Continent.
And what happened in the New Continent? What happened 500 years ago?
The period of lying low at the Academy is finally over, and we are moving against an invisible enemy!!
But before that, here is a bit of old-fashioned storytelling from Souta.
"Once upon a time, in a certain place, an old man went to the river to cut grass, and an old woman went to the mountain to hang out the laundry..."
That kind of story.