Chapter 25
The city of Lockfort was a moderately sized city.
Neither too big nor too small, it was a region without any particular characteristics.
However, it was a land where crops grew well, and there were also profitable mines where copper and other things could be mined, and thanks to that, there was no major problem in running the city.
Because it was such a place, it was actually the perfect place to run a caravan stably.
It was a situation where capital could be increased slowly but surely just by selling high-quality products and repeating the trade of buying luxury goods from visited places and returning.
However.
Recently, the owner of the Miller Caravan had been feeling impatient.
“What in the world does that an! Speak so I can understand!”
“The broker we hired has been detained in the underground prison. Soone related to the Rom Caravan was also dragged away with him.”
Avara, the owner of the Miller Caravan, narrowed her brows at the absurd report and asked back.
“……Dragged away? Together?”
“He apparently ntioned our caravan's na during the interrogation. That it was a job requested by the Miller Caravan of Lockfort.”
“That doesn't matter. We can just say we don't know anything about it.”
“That's true. Anyway, I thought it was a bit strange, so I looked into it. You know? We didn't hire a rookie, and he was a guy who boasted that he had already successfully completed dozens of jobs.”
Avara agreed with the mber's explanation.
That confidence was not a bluff. Even the fact that he ended up in prison showed that he had no intention of taking the money and running.
“He said he had connections in the City Hall too. The sa goes for the guard.”
“So I looked into it, and a knight got involved.”
Avara flinched again.
A knight got involved.
“Don't tell , from Paganoa?”
“No way. The knight belongs to a place called the Taton Knights. His na is Reinhardt. I heard he even caught a wicked warlock recently?”
“……A knight of the Taton Knights? A guy like that defeated a warlock? Not Paganoa?”
“So I've heard. I'm surprised too, but it doesn't seem to be a lie. It's a rumor that even snot-nosed kids know if they're a citizen of Serigel.”
This explanation was also difficult to understand.
In the first place, an ordinary knight does not intervene in such matters.
Of course, if it was the Paganoa Knights, it would be a different story, but this person nad Reinhardt was just an unknown knight belonging to a cheap knights' order.
'How could that be? Don't tell he was planning to take the down paynt and back out… No, that's even stranger.'
What was even more absurd was the fact that even the broker and the person related to the Rom Caravan were rcilessly dragged away.
Just how great was the authority of Knight Reinhardt in Serigel that those two didn't even resist and accepted the situation?
“So, Master. Do we really need to expand our territory to Serigel? Isn't it better to just scrap it now that things have turned out like this?”
“We need to reconsider the plan.”
“I told you from the beginning, but I really don't think it's a good idea. We must have been branded by this incident. Even if we establish a base in Serigel, they'll probably pick fights over this and that and extort a huge amount of money, you know?”
“I get it, so you can leave now. Let think.”
Avara waved her hand with a sigh.
However, instead of leaving, the caravan mber looked at Avara for a mont and then said with a look of suppressed emotion.
“Avara. You've been really strange lately. You're not like you used to be.”
“It's Master.”
“I know, Master. It's just that I've been thinking about the old days a lot lately. I'll be going now.”
Only then was Avara left alone.
The mber who had just been reporting was soone who had been with her since she first established the caravan.
In the past, Avara had also considered him important. She respected his opinions, followed his advice, and considered him more than just a simple mber.
But not anymore.
'To think Weber was defeated. To think he died at the hands of such a knight.'
She followed the teachings of Agrio-s.
To achieve her goals, she would control innocent humans at will, and she regarded her caravan mbers not as equal humans, but as tools.
'I have no choice but to move myself.'
The sealing stone had to be secured. There was no more important issue for the warlocks who currently followed Agrio-s.
As long as she could achieve her goal, she didn't care if the caravan she had built up until now collapsed entirely.
After all, sothing like this was just a mask she could cast off at any ti.
And in order to move the caravan according to her will.
“lvin! Co in for a mont! You're still out there, right?”
“How did you know? Have you decided already?”
“It's always like that. You were probably just pacing back and forth, worried about . Weren't you?”
“I was worried. Thanks to that, eok, keok!”
Crimson demonic energy enveloped lvin.
It was demonic energy that flowed from Avara's fingertips.
lvin's eyes beca bloodshot. He was looking at Avara with eyes of disbelief.
“So I'm going to relieve that worry. Thinking too much makes a person anxious.”
lvin's pained expression soon beca peaceful.
His mind, eroded by demonic energy, stopped thinking. From now on, he was just a doll that would comply with Avara's instructions.
“A bit of a waste. There was no other mber as competent as you.”
That was why, unlike the other caravan mbers, she had not dominated lvin.
Because his abilities were outstanding.
But not anymore. lvin had been demoted to the sa level as the other dolls.
Sowhat foolish, but one who would reliably carry out the orders given.
“lvin.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Our caravan is going to Serigel. It doesn't matter if we abandon all the foundations we've built here. Move with the thought of completely relocating our base. Understood?”
“I understand, Master. I will proceed swiftly.”
Avara nodded in satisfaction.
Within a week from now, the Miller Caravan would be setting up a new nest in Serigel.
***
Even a high-ranking official like the tax collector was powerless before the na Reinhardt.
Guard Captain Jerad seed greatly surprised, but this ti too, he obediently followed Reinhardt's request and threw him in prison.
“Thank you, Sir Reinhardt! We will definitely handle it according to procedure without any exceptions!”
[The ‘Tax Collector’ has been handed over to the Guard Captain.]
[The ‘Investigation of the Superior Officer’ mission has been handed over to the Guard Captain.]
[The effect of the ‘Justice’ skill has been maintained.]
[You regain your composure.]
Guard Captain Jerad was a very useful person to whom Reinhardt could pass on his missions.
In any case, this thod was also a way of realizing justice.
However, since he had not resolved the mission himself, he could not strengthen the [Justice] skill, but Reinhardt did not mind.
'To survive for a long ti, I need to know how to pull out appropriately.'
If he dug any deeper here, Reinhardt would also be in danger.
What if by so chance he got entangled with Mayor Graham of Serigel?
And what if he drew his sword and aid it at him?
The rest of his life here would undoubtedly beco tumultuous.
“Nothing to report during my watch! You've worked hard!”
“Keep up the good work.”
Reinhardt returned to the Taton Knights.
Only after returning to his quarters with a deliberate calmness did he take out and unfold the pouch he had put deep inside his clothes.
The crimson-colored sealing stone popped out.
'I've secured it according to plan.'
If so, what was the next thing to do?
Reinhardt rested his chin on his hand and thought while staring at the sealing stone.
'I don't know. Should I try to contact that Miller Caravan directly? But what if I get entangled with another warlock then?'
The situation was not that simple.
Still, the fact that he had resolved the most urgent task was a comfort, if anything.
Reinhardt stroked his chin and pondered.
Looking at the demonic energy slowly rising from the sealing stone, he felt a daze, as if looking at a bonfire.
'Throwing it outside doesn't make sense either. What if they succeed in the descent then? They said it was the next town over, so the aftermath will reach Serigel.'
He had thought that before, but not now.
If it had been sothing other than the sealing stone, he would have gladly handed it over.
But since it was a material directly needed to descend a demon, he had to judge it carefully.
'I can't even store it in my inventory.'
If only he could put it in his inventory, there would be no need to worry. No one would be able to find even a trace of it.
But the sealing stone was a special item, and such items usually ca with tricky restrictions.
“Hmm.”
Click.
Reinhardt, who was pondering, opened the community. With the intention of seeking help, or sothing like it, from the collective intelligence.
[Serial Post) I picked up a sealing stone, what do I do with this???]
Reinhardt attached the 'Serial Post' prefix as always and filled in the content.
The changes that happened to Bitdori, the discovery of the sealing stone at the city hall, and the fact that a few people involved had fallen into a state of demonic energy addiction.
Of course, a dozen or so images that would serve as evidence were also included.
└Anonymous1: If you give this to the order, you get reputation points
└Author: That system isn't open yet
└Anonymous1: The Magic Tower won't take it either?
└Author: That's not open yet either. It's a point in ti when the sealing stone isn't even properly known…….
└Anonymous2: Hey, you can't process it yet either, right?
└Author: yeah
└Anonymous2: Then just dump it on Evangeline while you're seeing her faceㄱㄱ
“Oh.”
Reinhardt let out a sound of admiration.
It was a very excellent idea.
In any case, at this point, it was nearly impossible to gain any benefit from the sealing stone.
Its value was not properly known, and of course, none of the related systems were open, so for now, it was just a dangerous and unpleasant lump of demonic energy.
'But it's a different story if it's Paganoa.'
After thinking for a mont, Reinhardt reached a rather reasonable conclusion.
The Paganoa Knights were practically a group that specialized in dealing with demons.
Fortunately, he had a minimal connection in Evangeline.
They would surely handle the sealing stone in the most reasonable way possible even in this situation.
'As for questions like how I found out, I can just answer that I don't know.'
Knight Evangeline.
And Inquisitor Bardo.
If need be, the two of them would prove Reinhardt's innocence.
If anything, he was worried they would try to recruit him sohow.
'Alright. It's decided.'
His mind beca at ease once he made the decision.
Reinhardt wrapped the sealing stone tightly in a multi-layered pouch and put it deep inside a drawer.
Reinhardt himself was fine, but an ordinary person with no resistance could fall into a state of 'demonic energy addiction' just by being near it, like Malcolm.
“Bpiiiiii! Bpiiit!”
“It's okay. I'll put it away soon.”
“Bpiiiiiiit!”
“I said it's okay.”
Reinhardt cald the anxious Bitdori.
It seed that it really didn't like the sealing stone.
With the now-cald creature on his shoulder, Reinhardt spoke to the servant who was waiting outside his quarters.
“Tell the Commander that I wish to see him.”
“Shall I tell him that Sir Reinhardt will be visiting soon?”
“No, the Commander needs to co here.”
“Yes, I understand.”
He couldn't rashly leave his spot since the sealing stone was nearby.
There would be nothing more foolish than to lose it by being careless.
And not long after, Ethan Taton visited Reinhardt's quarters, looking like a wilted kimchi as always.
“Sir Reinhardt. You called for ?”
“I apologize. I made a rude request as I could not leave my post.”
“What do you an, rude. If you need , I should co running anyti. So, what is it?”
“You must keep what I am about to say a secret. It is related to a warlock.”
The mont he said that.
Ethan's face began to liven up like a weed that had revived after being rained on.
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