After leaving Filia and the others past the slave market, Aldis was alone, gathering rumors about the town.
　As she walked down the streets where the vacant shops were prominent, she casually inquired at the stalls, which were probably fewer in number than usual, and listened to the conversations of the people on the street.

　What I found out was that the Seitz Chamber of Commerce, which had just brought the people along, had a ridiculously bad reputation.
　They forged documents to force a contract that gave them an advantage over their competitors, didn't hesitate to use their power behind the scenes to undermine their competitors, and ripped off the profits of their counterparts by negotiating under the guise of blackmail, and when they saw that their opponents were in a weak position, they sucked the marrow out of their bones.

　It is said that of the ten slaves taken to the trade association, one or two of them disappear without being taken out of the association, which is also a famous story among merchants.
　If you include the eyebrows-raising story of a frightening beast's voice that is heard every night from the trading house grounds, the black rumor is no longer more than ten or twenty.
　There is also a story about refugees from the surrounding villages being captured and illegally sold as goods and people.

It's not just dust, it's mud! I don't know why these things are being left out: ......

　I thought he was consolidating his position by cozying up to the lord, but it seems that this is not the case.

It's as if they've been conducting a reconnaissance to begin with. This civil war comes just as we are about to start gathering evidence in earnest. It's probably no longer a situation for the King's faction's lordship to expose the misdeeds of the Chamber of Commerce. After all, this territory is surrounded by the Marquis of Copse all around.

　That's the kind of story I got from an informant in a tavern that was open during the day.

　If that's the case, Aldis decided to explore it.

　It's not that Aldis didn't feel anything when she saw that scene.
　But it's not that he is so steeped in a sense of justice that he would go so far as to fall into the hands of criminals himself to save them.
　If Filia hadn't accompanied him, he would have passed by without a second thought, even though he was bitterly disappointed.

　But if the other party is a villain who is dabbling in illegal activities, it's a different story.
　It's also convenient that the lord had his eye on them to begin with.
　Nothing is necessary for Ardis himself to destroy the entire Chamber of Commerce, but it is enough to give the lord and the soldiers of the security service an opportunity to intervene.

''Well, let's get this over with.

　Ardis immediately goes to the Seitz Trading Company and rides in.

　There are no magical barriers and no traps.
　It's not that I'm not familiar with the art of spying, but it was easy to infiltrate.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

It's always marketed as underground for this kind of thing, but ......

　Many reactions are trapped in Aldis' magic power probe.
　As expected of a large trading association, it seems that there are many employees, and a number of independent magical reactions that seemed to be (presumably) working on paperwork in the private rooms of the building could be seen, and even more than that, there were quite a few reactions from people who were moving busily.

　In the midst of all this, there was one weak little magical power in the basement of the largest building on the premises.
　In contrast to that, we first find one large magical power that is definitely not human.

''There's ...... another one that's quite out of place. The smaller one is ...... the breath of an insect.

　The weak magic power is so small that it looks like it could disappear at any moment.
　It's a good idea to check it out first.

　You will find a staircase to the basement, hidden in a room with a doorway, which leads down to the basement.

'There you are.

　We arrived at a place where small cells lined one side of the corridor.
　The thick smell of blood and fecal matter caught Aldis' nose.

　There were four cells in all.
　Each one contained a human being whose limbs were secured to the wall by chains.

　Aldis approached the only cell that had a magical reaction.
　A boy not yet old enough to be chained to the cell.
　There are long, thin bruises and reddish-burned skin all over his body.
　A clot of blood covered his entire body, and it was impossible to tell what color his original skin was.

'It's disgusting,'

　Righteous indignation dwells in Aldis' black eyes.

　The iron bars of the cell are easily cut off with the "Aotensaika" called from the "Gate", and then he steps into the cell.
　The boy's body reacted with a twitch as if it had noticed the presence of this.

　Ardis didn't care and approached him and swung his sword in a lid swing.
　He breaks the chains that held the boy's arms to the wall.

''U......''

　Either the pain was no longer numb, or he didn't have the strength to scream, and the boy fell down with only a small groan.

'Just hold on a little longer,'

　When the words, which he didn't even know if he could hear, reached his ears, Aldis took off the hooded robe he was wearing and laid the boy on the floor, laying him there.

'It'll be a little better,'

　The temperature of the room seemed to have risen somewhat as he created several flames with his magic to float in the chilly cell.
　Next, he took a high-grade cure from the pouch on his hip and raised the boy's upper body.

'Can you drink it?'

　When I unsealed the seal and placed the mouth of the cure bottle to the boy's mouth, his lips moved slightly.
　Just when the boy's moistened lips form a faint smile, the magical reaction in front of him fleetingly disappears.

　The high grade cure has the power to restore even a dying person.
　But that doesn't mean they are always effective.
　I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get the right amount of the right kind of information from the right person, but I'm sure I'm going to be able to get it in from the inside if I'm too weak to swallow.

　One more day earlier and he might not have died.
　But there was no point in making such assumptions now.

　The little bit of high-grade cure that he had put into his mouth was probably halfway effective.
　The numerous scars on the boy's body were half gone.

'.................. Good night.'

　Slowly laying the boy's body down again, Aldis stood up.
　He stood there with his eyes closed for a moment, and then opened his mouth as soon as his eyes opened.

'So you don't have the slightest need to hold back.

　His voice is flat and yet sharp to all intents and purposes as he declares coldly in his solitary cell.

　In an attempt to vent his elusive emotions, Aldis leaves the cell and moves further down the corridor.
　Because the magical reaction, which is not appropriate for a secure town, is beyond that.

　At the dead end of the passageway, there was a single metal door that was far more solidly constructed than the iron bars.
　It's a double-ended door that is three meters wide.
　The strong magic power can definitely be felt from here on out.

　Aldis took the Aoten Saika in his hand and smashed the lock on the metal door and forcefully opened the door and stepped into the room.

''Giiiiii!''

　At that moment, a liquid that gained momentum flies towards Aldis's head.
　However, the wary Aldis dodges it with ease, and the second wave that follows is also prevented with a magical barrier.

''Yomiuri Mantis?　How did you do this?

　The one in the room was the Yellow Spring Vulture, a demon that also lives in the Canobis Mountains.
　The old bamboo-colored slender body reminiscent of a praying mantis is equipped with a tyrannical strength, and it is said that even ordinary mercenaries would be reckless to confront it.
　Capturing such a monster and bringing it to town is no easy task.

　But that question would soon be answered.

''Giiiiiiiiii!''

　The Yellow Water Violet's feet stopped unnaturally as it tried to attack Ardis, and at the same time a high-pitched metallic sound echoed in the room.

'Fetters?'

　The metal shackles on the Yellow Water Violet's feet caught Ardis' eye.

　You can find that the mantle of the mantises' fetters that restrain their legs are so thin that the shape of their outer skin is deformed.
　It is not the right size.

　Seeing this, Aldis understood.

'You brought them in their infant form?'

　It is true that the possibility of capturing a newborn juvenile would be higher.
　Of course, it would still be dangerous, but it was more realistic than capturing an adult demon.

　As they grew up, their fetters were no longer the right size, and as a result, they probably ended up digging into the outer skin.
　Of course, the strength of a heavy iron maneuver is not enough to restrain a monster.
　But the fetters on the legs of the mantis and the chains that lead from them are slightly reddish in color unlike most metals.

It's really exciting to see the seven-colored powder mixed in.

　The seven-colored powder is the powder of the rare gemstone Lesia, for which the refining technique has been lost.
　When working with metal, it can be kneaded together with magical power to dramatically increase its strength, so restraints made from this powder can be used against demons.
　Ardis' three swords, the Sotensaika, the Tokiharugasumi and the Tsukishirofubuki, are also rare swords that use the seven-colored powder.
　Because the seven-colored powder itself is a rare material that is impossible to refine nowadays, it is known to fetch a dizzying amount of money.
　No one would ever think that someone would use such seven-colored powder for a restraining device.

''What's going on here: ......

　Aldis pondered as he used a barrier to prevent the liquid flying from the Yellow Water Vulture.

　Revealing the existence of the Yellow Spring Mantis would definitely be the end of the Seitz Chamber of Commerce.
　It is a felony to bring a live demon into the city.
　Dealing with unlawful creatures is also a felony, but it's a far more serious crime than that.

　But the problem was how to convey this fact to the lord.
　If a traveling mercenary with no acquaintance or anything else appealed to him, the lord would not believe him.
　And the current Aldis was like a wanted man.
　It might be one thing for Aldis himself to go on a rampage here, but if possible, it would be better to make the existence of the demon known to many people so that the Saitu Trading Company could be buried for sure.

　It was that time.

　As Aldis was thinking in front of the Yellow Water Violet, multiple footsteps running down the passage could be heard in his ears.

''Well, if they're this rampant, they'll notice us, right?

　When Aldis stayed still, the Yellow Water Vulture didn't become quiet.
　Thanks to the Yellow Water Violet, which rampages around despite being restrained by the shackles, the people of the Chamber of Commerce have apparently noticed it.

''Giiiiii!''

　The sound of hurried footsteps seemed to increase the excitement as the yellow water mantis began to flail about more violently.

It's not a good idea to be quiet!

　It didn't help that Aldis had a bitter look on his face.
　The Yellow Spring Mantis was leaning forward so fast that its own legs were about to be torn to shreds.

　Cracks appeared around the manacles that were biting into his legs.
　It was not the fetters that were cracked, but the legs of Hades's vanguard.
　The Yellow Spring Violet's instincts must have outweighed the pain of cutting its body.

''What!　What's going on?!

Who the hell are you?

　Then five armed men arrived.

　Naturally for them, Ardis, who is a suspicious person, would be a more alarming opponent than the demon that they knew existed.
　When the entrance of the room is surrounded by a semicircle of swords from the outside and drawn out, they watch Ardis's movements without caution.

''Geeeeeeee!''

　That's when.
　With an unpleasant sound, the legs of the Yellow Water Viper's Viper's Viper's legs snapped off, freeing it from its shackles.

　The Yellow Water Violet attacked the closest to Ardis, but as soon as its powerful barriers prevented it from striking a full blow, it quickly changed direction and headed for the entrance of the room.

''Ugh, whoa!''

　In an instant, one of the armed men was decapitated by the Yellow Spring Violet Mantis sickle.

''Hii!''

　Yet another was ripped in the chest and fell, but the remaining three barely managed to pick up their lives.
　This is because the Yellow Water Vulture flew away low in the passage, ignoring Aldis and them.

'Not good: ......'

　As one would expect, they couldn't just let Hosen Years ago free like that.
　No matter how bad the Saiz Chamber of Commerce is, not all of the people who belong to the Chamber of Commerce are bad people.
　Aside from the top management and those like these men who are still cooperating with the organization with the knowledge of what's going on behind the scenes, there are also employees and menial jobs that are working without any knowledge of what's going on behind the scenes.
　The Seitz Chamber of Commerce would make them pay for their misdeeds, but that didn't mean they were going to ask individual employees to give up their lives.

　Aldis slipped past the men standing there on shaky legs and ran off after the magical reaction of the Yellow Water Vulture.