After leaving Noah and Kazui at the restaurant.
　After parting ways with Noah and Kazui at the restaurant, Arx hurried through the streets of the city and headed for the place where Deet and the others were said to be.
　The reason why he was able to reach his destination in the shortest time possible, without having to ask anyone for directions, was because he had been told where they were when he left them.


We'll be at the military camp all day, so if you need anything, just come by. You're welcome.

You're welcome to come by if you need anything." "The boy has some paperwork to do, as well as some planning to do.

Umm ......, can someone take over for me?

No. It's all your job.

No!　I have to report to my mother.

I'll take care of it. You can go about your business.

"d*mn you, you heartless bastard of Galanga!


　And so it went with .......
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.
　It's a terrible thing to make a child of this age read a text full of words.
　Even if it's just a matter of calling out the text and stamping a seal, it will probably give them a headache. Even if it is just a matter of reading the document and signing it, it must give you a headache.
　It's a pity.


　Anyway, it was this evening when Deet, with a depressed expression on his face that made me feel pity for him, was taken away by the famous small lords.
　It's now just before sunset, and the bell is about to ring, which means the end of the work day.
　Taking into account the reports and paperwork, I'm sure they're still working, but...


　In front of the Territorial Army headquarters.
　It seems that he had already talked to the gate guards, and just by mentioning his name, they gave him a look of recognition.
　As a precaution, I had brought a permit with the royal seal on it, but they didn't need to see it.
　I asked them to go and tell Deet that I wanted to talk to him, and soon one of the small lords of the area who was with Deet appeared.


　It was quite a fearsome thing that a lord would come out to meet a mere nobleman's boy, even if he was small in scale, but I guess that's the way of the Rastinel Lords.
　Rather than being so short on human resources that they have to use their lord as a messenger ......, they may be trying to show their authority by demonstrating that they can have someone in a position of power work for them.
　I don't think he's doing it very efficiently, but that's probably because there's a gap or divergence between his own consciousness of reliving the life of a man and the way he values the face of this world.


　The little lord exchanged a few words with the gate guard.
　The gatekeeper is nervous, but not in an overly reverent manner. He gives the impression that he is talking to his boss at work, rather than to someone with absolute power.


　After the handover, we exchanged a brief greeting.
　The little lord led me into a room that seemed to be his office.
　What I saw was Diet propped up on his desk.


　He was buried in paperwork and almost suffocating.
　His face is blue or purple.
　His face was blue or purple, vaguely suggestive of cyanosis.
　I can't help but have a vision of him spitting ectoplasm out of his mouth.


　Although the amount of paperwork is not that much, I really feel that paperwork is not a job that a child of this age should be doing.
　Even though the emphasis is on ability, this world is black.
　First of all, we need a child guidance center before a labor union.
　When Deet noticed me, he turned from near-death. He leaps over the desk and clings to me.


"Oh, Arx!　You've come to the right place!　Thank you!　Thank you!　Thank you so much!

It's .......


　As the papers flew by, I couldn't help but feel a bit confused at the sudden call of thanks.
　It's not as if they are happy to see me, but rather as if they are seeing me as a heavenly help.
　It's as if they are rescue workers or volunteers on a disaster relief mission.


　Meanwhile, Galanga, who was supervising Deet's work on the side, said.


"Hey, kid, is that the thing that was dead just now?　Was it pretend?

"No, no, no!　No, that's not true!　My head was all messed up and I felt faint. ......

You said you almost fell asleep.

That's not true!

...... You'll have to get used to this job by now, though.


　You'll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this sort of thing. I'd rather be moving! It's true that he seems to be very active, but he's probably more comfortable working in the field than doing paperwork.
　Using his own (Arx's) body as a shield, Deet is arguing with Galanga.


"Oh, even Arx can't do this kind of thing, can he?　What?


　He's asking for her consent with a lot of force, probably regarding the paperwork.
　However, I have to tell him that I'm sorry to hear that he's trying to get involved.


"No, I do three times as much as this these days.

You're right!　You don't usually do that. Don't do that. Go to ......!

I'll do it. I do paperwork, too.

You do, what?　And three times as much?　Of that?　What?　What?

Oh.




　Of course, it has to do with the production of magic meters.
　It wasn't long after we set up a system to increase the production of magic meters.
　Since we started letting our mages handle the production process of the magic meters, the burden has decreased and we have been able to save a lot of time.
　But it was a naive estimate to think that this would allow me to have more free time, and that's when the paperwork started coming in.
　The paperwork included how to adjust the magic meter, a list of test values, and applications for places to use it.
　Since we couldn't do it at Raytheft's house, we had to rent a room at Crabbe's house.
　With documents related to the magic meter arriving every week and regular reports, my free time has not changed much.
　I can't help but sigh as the workload increases, which is unbecoming of a teenager.
　Eventually, I plan to decentralize the authority and distribute the work - but that's beside the point.


　In front of me, I see Deet in a state of shock.
　Galanga says to him, as if to tell him to give up.


"Come on, kid. Other people are doing more. Come on, let's do our best.

"No, that's crazy!　That's absolutely crazy!　I don't understand it!


　The first thing I ask Deet, who is arguing with Garanga, is:


The first thing I do is to ask Deet, who is arguing with Galanga, "......, should I change my language now?

"What?　I'm sure you'll agree.　...... I'm more comfortable with this way of speaking.


　I'm not sure what to say.
　I'm not sure who he is yet, but his status and position are well known.
　The other party is the son of a lord and the minor lords under that lord.


　On the other hand, this one is the son of a nobleman, but he is classified as a child of a lower class nobleman.
　I can't just keep talking to these people as if they were my friends.
　So...


"But...

"Then it's my order not to use honorifics!　That's fine!　What?

"Don't be absurd.


　You can't help but feel a little embarrassed.
　Even if someone in a higher position gives you permission in the first place.
　If there is someone around and watching, it will be perceived that we are not respecting our position.
　The position of the son of the Lord of Rastinel is quite high even in the entire kingdom.
　More specifically, it is a position that surpasses that of Charlotte, the Countess.
　Normally, I would have to speak to her in a respectful manner.


　But


"No, no, no!　I don't care if it's in a formal setting, I just want to feel at ease in a setting like this!

When you're working in the Oval Office, it's not the place to be casual. ......

No, I'm actually using this room for my personal use.

"No, this is actually my private room." "That's just too obvious a lie.


　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.
　Eventually, Galanga said apologetically, "I want you to do as Deet says.


But I have to be nice to you and the others.


　Galanga's voice changed slightly as he said this to Deet.


That's right. That's it for us.

"Yes, sir. Mr. Garanga.

Yes.


　Well, that settles the matter somehow, doesn't it?
　But then the airheaded boy spoke up and said.


"Oh, you're so pompous and sarcastic.

"Boy, I'm a big boy, aren't I?　Didn't you know?


　"You don't know that? They are very good friends.
　Anyway, we had a lot of small talk.


Can I get to the point now?

"Hmm?　About tomorrow's audience?　Galanga told my mom about that.

Yeah. She's been informed. I've also told people not to leak anything about you. Nothing to worry about.


　I appreciate that, but...


No, it's not about that. It's about something else.

What's that?


　I tell Deet, who asks.


"I think I may have found the location of that bandit.

"Really?　I want you to tell me more about it!


　Now that information is scarce, anything that might lead to a clue will be eagerly sought.
　Because of the suddenness of the story, Galanga asked, "Is it true? Galanga asked.
　He replied, "It's highly credible.
　When he replies, "It's very credible," Galanga begins to gather the main people in the room.




　...... Eventually, when everything is in place, I'll share a story from the restaurant.
　Pilokolo and the bandits were in cahoots.
　There is a possibility that Nadar may have committed a breach of trust.
　Based on this, the Dauphin might be targeted.
　Of course, I'll tell you everything I know about Gills.


"......, this is the story of how this happened.


　When he finished, Garanga opened his mouth.


"It makes sense, doesn't it? So you had an informant so you could carry him out and get away with it?

Yes. Yes. I think they did it because they knew where he was from the beginning and they were ready to get him out.

But I'm curious as to the identity of that merchant with the Imerian accent. Why didn't you take him into custody?

"Oh, .......


　I couldn't think of anything else.
　It hadn't occurred to me.
　At the time, I was just getting to the facts.
　And I was so preoccupied with the fact that the Dauphin was being targeted that I didn't pay any attention to it.


　............ No, you didn't.
　He gave me some useful information.
　He's not my enemy, but he's not my friend either.
　That's what I've come to terms with.
　That's why the idea of keeping him in custody slipped my mind.
　Deet and his team would have liked to have another interview with him.


I didn't think of that. It's my fault. I'm sorry.


　When he apologized, Deet defended him.


"Galanga, we underestimated him as well, remember?　You can't put that on the shelf and blame Arx. In fact, it could be more of a problem if Arx detained the merchant in our territory without permission.


　As soon as he said that, Deet smiled at me.
　I'm sure you've got a good tongue, or perhaps this is just the wisdom of the excuse maker.


"You know, at ....... Is it wrong to poke at that?

"Besides, this is not the time to talk about it. We need to get a hold of a merchant named Pirocolo first.


　When Deet said that, the digression returned to normal.


"That's the point. So, we're going to go and get that backstory, right?

Yes. I'm sending Noah and Kazui to the warehouse now, if that's okay with you.

That's fine. That's fine. I'd rather have it this time.


　The premise is that we must not move on our own because it would destroy their reputation.
　However, in order to respond to changes in their movements, we need to monitor them to some extent.
　Then, after reporting like this, you can leave the scene to me.


"So, kid. How can I help you?

"Of course it's going to work.　We can't let them do whatever they want in our territory.

It's also possible that the merchant in question had nothing to do with the bandits or the silver.

Hey, Garanga, do you doubt Arx?

No, but it could be a mistake, right?

But if he's telling the truth, there's a chance his Highness could be in danger. You have to at least look into it. Besides, it's happening right here in our own backyard. We can do whatever we want.

"So, you know. We need all the information we can get right now, so I think it's important to move.


　The other small lords agreed with Galanga's words.
　Even if this information was wrong, it would be painless for them.
　Yes, there are many powerful people here.
　It is easy for them to use their power to squash anything inconvenient, and it is not a kind world where a merchant can denounce a lord's recklessness.
　In fact, in this case, if it were true, the damage would be too great.


　...... Currently, the Dauphin and his party are leaving the Rustinelle territory.
　If it is said that the Dauphin was attacked after leaving the Rustinelle territory, there is no guarantee that suspicion will not fall on the Rustinelle side.
　From their point of view, they would have to avoid such a situation.
　If you just want to inspect the cargo, you should definitely do it.


　In the middle of the conversation, one of the small lords who had been absent for a while appears.
　Is this some kind of document? He presented Deet with a document he was holding.


"Young man. Here is a list of the cargo that entered the capital today.


　He must have procured them immediately after I told him what I said earlier. You work fast.
　Deet unfolded it so that others could see it, and the small lords began to look at it.


"There's a cargo in the name of the merchant.

What's in it?

It's supposed to be sundries. But the quantity is quite large.



I guess we'll have to look into this.


　As soon as they finished talking, they started to move, starting with Diet's order.


　The soldiers seemed to be ready to move immediately.
　Several squads were immediately formed on the spot.
　Under Galanga's orders, the troops dispersed into several groups and went to their respective positions.
　The raiding group consisted of Diet, some minor lords, and strong-looking soldiers.
　Another group, also headed by a small lord, moved to seal the gates and the river.


　............ Arks also followed Deet and his raiding team to the warehouse district.
　It was already early evening.
　In the warehouse district, the delivery work has already been completed and there is almost no crowd now.
　There was a lot of "glittering glass" lit up everywhere, perhaps to prevent crime, so there was no difficulty in walking around.
　The buildings with large doors are lined up in a row as if they are on the right side of the street.
　Beside them, there were carts and wagons that had been left unattended.
　There was a cool breeze blowing, probably due to the proximity of the water, and the temperature seemed to be a degree or two cooler than the rest of the city.


　As we approached the entrance to the warehouse district, Noah and Kazi appeared from behind a wall.
　They must have figured out where they were coming from and were hiding like this, waiting.


"I've brought them. Are you there?

"Yes.


　Noah nodded in his usual tone.
　Noah nodded in his usual way.


Did you find the pyrocoros yet?

Yes. Kazu-san said that the villains are hard at work, so we looked for the ones who were busy and found them quite easily.

Wow, that's very convincing.

That's very convincing.

I'm pretty useful too, aren't I?　Yeah!


　"I'm quite useful, aren't I?" Cazi lied, not even a hint of regret.
　The way of the snake is the way of the snake, as they say in that man's country.


So, I've confirmed that Mr. Pirocolo is coming and going from that building over there.

He's got quite a load on his shoulders, don't you think?　At this rate, he'll probably finish his preparations in the middle of the night and leave early in the morning.


　I checked the list the little lord had brought, and it seemed to match the amount of cargo that had been brought down from upstream this morning.
　Deet asks Noah.


"Are those bandits inside, the ones who attacked the village?

"Yes, sir. I'm pretty sure it's them. I saw some familiar faces outside, though they were wearing different clothes.

So it's a hit. No, no, I didn't think they were doing anything wrong this close to .......


　Blind spot.


Diet. What do you want us to do?


　We'll get confirmation on our movements first.
　I've already done what I had to do by telling them where I was.
　Our main objective is to acquire the silver.
　It's not a good idea to get too involved in other unrelated matters. ...... is a good place to start.
　If Deet and his men have taken control of the situation, they should keep themselves quiet.
　In fact, it would be normal for them to make the person who brought the letter to the lord stay back because they don't want to put him in danger.


　That's what I thought, and I said...


"I've come this far. I need your help. Besides, it was Arx who found these guys, and you'll get less credit if you back down now.

"No, that's .......


　Isn't that a strange thing to say?
　This is Rustinelle territory, which we have no connection to.
　There's no need for Deet to be concerned about the work of outsiders, let alone those below him.
　That statement was beyond honest to goodness stupid, though.


　I looked at Galanga and he was rubbing his brow in an indescribable way.


I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea. ...... It's kind of a tradition at Rustinelle to give credit where credit is due. It is also strictly forbidden to take advantage of others.

That's right, that's right. I'm sure you've heard of it. Even the arks have to be seen through to the end to be fully appreciated, right?

Well, ......

Okay, that's it.　We're going in!


　At Deet's command, a group of armed men rushed toward the warehouse.
　The Arks followed them into the warehouse.