Ray, Sett and the guards were walking towards the barony.
　The goal is to establish a base for the suspected mastermind behind the Cobold affair.
　It's not a disposable base, as Grande knew it, but a real base.
　However, given the prudence of the other side, there may be another base besides the one we are heading for.
　At any rate, the Rays were heading for the stronghold, but not all of them were walking together.
　When Ray, Sett and a large number of guards move together, it stands out as a matter of course.
　That's why Ray and Sett wandered around as if they were just buying and selling, and the guards, each dressed in plain clothes, moved around separately into groups.
　The reason I'm so wary of this is that the other party this time seems to have a high level of intelligence gathering ability.
　Particularly large was the possibility that there was a traitor among the guards, but this time it seemed unlikely that the information was being leaked, as the guards acted quickly after receiving the information, and then watched each other.

(Well, if there are multiple connections over there, and they work together... I can't deny the possibility that this information is being circulated, but given the speed of action, there's a good chance that they haven't had time to deal with it's possible.)

　While eating the skewers he bought at a stall, Ray looks around him.
　Perhaps because of their occupation, the guards are not particularly noticeable, and at first glance only look like ordinary passersby.
　The integration meant the guards were used to this kind of work.

(Come to think of it, there were masked police cars on TV, but I wonder if that's what it looks like. ... Or is it more like a plainclothes?)

　When I walk down the street thinking back to when I was in Japan, I guess it's because the aristocratic street approached me. The street stalls naturally dwindle.
　Some aristocrats say they can't stand stalls near where they live.
　Of course, some are acceptable, but not many.

"Ray, it's about time,"

　One of the guards who approached us briefly tells us that he was coming to Ray's side.
　They wear ordinary clothes that seem unlikely to be guards, but their facial expressions have changed from those of ordinary people to those of guards.
　It was not just the guards who spoke to Ray, but the others.
　Maybe it's because we're getting closer to the barony street and fewer people around us. They're all gathering on Ray's side, not individually.
　There are still some passers-by, but when they see Ray and Sett, they pass by without particular concern.
　With Ray and Sett, anything could happen.
　I was sure I was thinking that way.
　Ray had a few things to say about it, but he didn't complain because it was convenient for him now.
　They move along with the assembled guards, and eventually they see the building.
　a pretty fine mansion, close to the barony street
　At the very least, it's not a building that ordinary people can afford.

"Is that the house?"
"Yes, sir, unless what the red-cloth man says is absurd."
"It may be absurd that he may have taken such measures to save himself, but it was only after he divulged the matter to me that he felt his own danger, or that he might have perceived it and made it seem that he knew it."

　The guards around him nodded, agreeing to Ray's words.
　If you talk to him for a moment, you'll soon find out that he's not the kind of person to be mindful of such things.
　It was obvious that he was as short‐tempered as he looked.
　That's probably why they obeyed stupid orders like breaking down mud walls.

"Anyway, let's just sneak in. ... I'll ask you just in case, OK?"

　When asked by Ray, the guard nods softly.
　It was a question in the sense that there was no need for a search warrant, but for a security guard, this absurdity is commonplace.
　Since it is a guillem where many adventurers gather, there are many cases that cannot be solved without doing so.
　...however, if you, as a matter of course, have done so and become irrelevant, you will be held responsible accordingly.
　This time, in particular, it happened in a mansion close to the aristocracy, if not the aristocracy itself.
　If what the red-clad man was saying was absurd, the guards here would undoubtedly be held accountable.
　Even though they knew that... the guards were never going to stop this action.
　It's obviously dangerous to have someone in Gilm who manipulates a lot of monsters, even though they're as small as Kobolt.
　It's obvious that if there are many people in the spring and a large number of covolts occur when the extension work begins, it will be a disaster.
　As security guards, there was no problem at all as long as we were to take responsibility for nothing.
　It's not that the guards have no ulterior motive.
　If the risk is high, the return is naturally high.
　If we could catch a mastermind behind Cobold's case here, it would be a great benefit to the guards as well.
　Still, it seems to Ray that the risk is overwhelmingly higher.

(Somehow, it's a good person or a strong sense of responsibility as a guard... that's what it is.)

　Watching the nodding guards, Ray agrees with a smile.

"Then shall we go?"
"Oh,"

　The guards nod to Ray's words... one of them opens his mouths.

"But you had better be careful. There are many places in the house that appear to be convenient for hiding. That is to say, if anything happens, they may hide somewhere and let us go, or they may launch a surprise attack on us."
"Oh, yes. Outside, Seto will find a place where the enemy is hiding, but it would be a bit troublesome if he did it in the house or something like that. Fortunately, there are no red cloths here."

　The guards react to Rey's words... but they stand at the gate of the house, ready to respond to any surprise attack, perhaps because everyone agrees that they can't remain like this forever.
　If this is a noble town, or a mansion where people live more dignifiedly, there may be gatekeepers... unfortunately, there is no such thing as gatekeepers here at present.
　Since that is the case, they do not call out from outside the gate quietly, but enter the house through the gate.
　Normally, if someone enters the premises of a house without permission, people from that house may come out immediately.
　However, there has been no such thing at all so far.

"Nobody is coming out. Are you not aware of this at all, or are you waiting for me in the house? ... Which do you think?"

　Ray asks, but the guards are not familiar with the estate either.
　No, Ninglei has known the man in red cloth who brought us this information for a long time, so we can look at him as if he could expect it.
　But even though we've known each other for a long time, it's only about an hour... no, it's only about a few dozen minutes.
　Ray's honest impression is what we can expect from that long relationship.
　Anyway, Seto and some of the guards don't enter the estate and prepare to deal with any escape from the back door or window.
　Others arrived in front of the door to enter the mansion.

"I didn't think there would be any reaction at all when I got this far. Did you think you could deceive me if you pretended to be out?"
"What do you think? It's not impossible that Ray is doing what he says. But... I don't think it's possible that he'll be able to pass us off by doing such a thing. If he finds us, there's no way to deceive us."
"Didn't you notice that someone was here?"

　Knock on the door just in case, listening to the guards.
　I didn't even think that this would make someone come out, but I still thought...

"What?"

　The first person who uttered such a voice was Ray, who knocked.
　I thought no one would ever come out of the door, but there was a sign of someone approaching me through the door.
　Surprised to know that he wouldn't act like someone would come out so proudly, the guards question him when they see him.
　But before the guards could ask Ray why he was so surprised, the door opened... ...not Ray, but the man inside the house.

"Yes, who is it?"

　It was an elderly man who showed up saying so.
　She's dressed neatly, and she looks as if she's a butler as anyone would agree.「……」

　Ray gently turns his gaze to the guard next to him.
　I asked him what he thought, but he looked at me with a strong sense of bewilderment.
　It's only natural. If you manipulate the red cloth behind the scenes and think it's a stronghold involved in the Cobold affair, you'll find that it's only a butler who came out like this.
　However, the guards, who are turned to Ray, are at a loss as to how to return to Ray's bewildered gaze.
　According to data from the security forces, this mansion is now on sale and no one should have lived there.
　That's why I thought it was the right place to use it as a base... but I could say it was a completely unexpected.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm a guard, but isn't this mansion now vacant?"
"Guardian, for that matter...."

　It's no surprise that an elderly man should look suspiciously at the guards he spoke to.
　It was painful for the guards to be attacked there, but another guard next to the old man managed to make excuses.

"Actually, on account of the fact that the house is vacant, there have been reports of a suspicious person recently, but as you know, it is very close to the barony, and if so many guards had moved to such a place, they might notice it and run away. So I came here in plain clothes."
"Oh, but, as you can see, this house is now being purchased and used by my master. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .."
"You didn't come. That's why I thought this was an uninhabited house. If I could think of it, there might be some big events like the year-end and New Year's troubles, and the demolition of the Gigant Turtle, which have delayed my contact."

　Ray looked at the guard, asking, "Are you going to put the dismantling of the gigant turtleneck in it?" But the guard lightly ignored Ray's gaze.

"I see. I've been busy with guillem lately. So there's no problem with this case."
"...no,"

　It was Ray who said so in the words of an elderly man.
　There was something wrong with what the elderly man said in front of me.
　Ray doesn't know where he felt uncomfortable in the real casual conversation.
　I don't know... Still, I'm sure I felt uncomfortable.
　Even the guards had no sense of incongruity in the first place, so the guards suddenly opened their mouths and looked at Ray suspiciously.

"Ray?"

　Ray thinks a little about what the guard says... suddenly understands why he feels uncomfortable with the elderly man in front of him.

"Why do you smell blood?"

　It stinks of blood, which ordinary people wouldn't have noticed.
　Ray's body was created by the Zepyle family, and it was probably because he had five senses sharper than the average human being that he could sense the smell of blood.
　Ray's words would make the old man stretch himself.