第１７２２堀：寒村の感想 (Part2)
“I suppose so. Killing them would create its own set of problems. Which brings us to this kidnapping-by-summoning case. If they were tucked away in that backwater village for some illicit reason…”
“Then they would want them found even less. Honestly, what a headache. It makes you wonder why the village chief bothered to file a report in the first place.”
“Well, in his position, searching for the missing is the standard protocol. Besides, given the agenda of his superiors, letting them just slip away would be just as much of a liability.”
“Fair point. It would look like a failure of oversight. So, in the end, it just means Weed’s people were too good at their jobs?”
“Exactly. Kirika and her team are nothing if not thorough. The Adventurer’s Guild had them flagged as simple missing persons cases; no real intel was surfacing there.”
The truth of the situation had only come to light thanks to Kirika’s reconnaissance and the relentless grapevine of the wives back in Weed. One should never underestimate the power of idle chatter—even if Kirika claimed ninety percent of it was pure fabrication.
“Still, while the investigation is ongoing, it’ll be a problem for you if we come up empty-handed, won't it, Kagura?”
“It would. I need to demonstrate that the Hyden region is uninvolved, so ideally, I should be the one to settle this. Still, Yuki understands the political nuances; I’m sure he’ll provide some discreet support.”
“Even so, there’s a world of difference between a tangible result and a blank slate.”
“Quite. Which is why I’m putting so much effort into this field survey…”
“Oh?”
We sensed a presence and came to a halt. In the middle of a forest, it was a distance at which an ordinary person would notice nothing, but we were far from ordinary. The party on the other side seemed to have noticed us as well, as they began to close the gap. Normally, this would be cause for alarm, but I recognized the signatures.
“Well, if it isn't Holy and Vilia.”
“Greetings to you both.”
Holy and Vilia emerged from the foliage. Just as I was, Holy was carrying a pack on her back, from which the diminutive Vilia peeked out.
“Hey there, you two. This would’ve been a lovely stroll if the circumstances were better.”
“Indeed. Did you find anything of note on your end?”
“Not a thing. No mana fluctuations, nothing.”
“It’s true. It’s just an ordinary forest as far as we can tell. We haven't even spotted any monsters. Do we really have to head into the heart of it?”
It seemed Holy and Vilia had also failed to turn up any leads regarding the summoning incident. I was inclined to agree with the plan of searching deeper into the woods, but…
“The depths are off-limits. Yuki should have sent word by now, but since we don't know what lies within, a specialized unit is being deployed.”
Nina appeared suddenly to deliver the warning. I hadn't sensed her approach, but there were more pressing matters.
“No luck on your end either, Nina? I heard you’ve been mingling with the locals.”
“Unfortunately, no. I’ve already filed my report to that effect. I have no reason to withhold information.”
“I’m not doubting you. We can’t exactly speak freely in the village, so I’m just taking the opportunity to double-check while we’re out here.”
We had crossed paths with Nina in the village, but since we were posing as merchant assistants and she was there as an adventurer, we had kept our contact to a minimum. Meeting like this in the forest was likely her way of ensuring we could speak candidly. I pressed her further.
“In your opinion, Nina, is the village hiding something?”
“Undoubtedly. The village chief plays the part of a man whose tongue is tied by circumstance. It’s clear this wasn't just some simple, honest frontier settlement.”
“That makes sense. And what about the rumors of some illicit facility hidden in the woods?”
Enola followed up with a question of her own, but Nina simply shook her head.
“I can’t move on that. Approaching recklessly could bring trouble down on the village. All I can do for now is scout the perimeter—”
Before she could finish her sentence, a magic circle flared into existence beneath Holy’s feet.
“Start recording! Holy, Vilia, stay calm!”
At my command, Enola and Nina sprang into action. Holy and Vilia didn't panic; they remained perfectly still, holding their positions. In less than ten seconds, the magic circle erupted in a brilliant radiance, enveloping them both in light. An instant later, they were gone.
“Comm link! Headquarters, did you catch that? We’re beginning an analysis of the residual evidence.”
I immediately dropped to the forest floor, beginning my deconstruction of the array that had appeared so suddenly. We had been looking for a lead, and now we had been handed a full-blown abduction. Between this and the dark secrets of the village, I had a feeling things were about to get very complicated.