Chapter 269 – Traces of Ashen

000

As the sun rises above the horizon, the dawn of the shadowy kingdom turns into morning.

People come to the streets to work, and some residents prepare for the upcoming Victory Day celebrations.

Regardless of the biggest event in the kingdom, there were some who tried to live their daily life as hard as possible.

Among those residents, Cleon was walking along the streets of the royal capital with Rampart to the aristocratic streets.

The reason was that the parents of the boy they had saved yesterday wanted to thank Cleon.

If it was a reward, it had already been delivered by Rampart, and it was set aside to hand it to Merca, but apart from that, if a noble called, Cleon, a commoner, had no way to refuse.

Therefore, when I went along the roadside with Rampart, who had come early in the morning, I could see people around me greeting Rampart warmly.

Watching Ram Part talking to the residents without losing his smile on his face, he remembered the time he spent in the capital.

Rampart at that time, compared to the hot-tempered adventurers of Elesia, had a relatively mild disposition, and was also a person who was highly trusted by the residents.

Besides, he was kind to the other person no matter where he came from, and to Cleon, he was one of the few acquaintances he could open up to during his childhood.

His personality his didn’t seem to change even after he came to the capital.

“Ram part has never changed. People seem to follow him well.”

“It’s not like they follow me. It’s just… It’s about remembering faces and names and saying hello.”

Rampart shrugged his shoulders and replied, but Cleon thought that was great and asked again.

“With most of the passers-by?”

“What. It’s not that difficult, right?”

When Cleon heard his answer, he only sighed.

“You’re the embodiment of sociability.”

Haha.”

Rampart, who was not sure if it was Cleon’s praise or not, just smiled.

However, the road that the two of them passed through was not the road from Cleon’s house to the aristocrats’ street, but the road that went around the city.

“I’m going to visit a nobleman’s mansion. It would be polite to buy something, even a present.”

At Rampart’s words, Cleon shook his head as if he didn’t understand.

“Even though this is going to be thanked?”

“Haha, that doesn’t matter. Both this side and that side need to save face. Well, even if it’s not an expensive item that nobles usually get, it’s not the case to visit a noble with bare hands.”

Hearing those words, Cleon felt a little embarrassed as he recalled the many times he had visited the Tromeia family empty-handed.

In any case, following Rampart’s advice, Cleon entered the market and was on his way to the store that was open early in the morning and used by nobles.

Suddenly, something catches my eye and stops my steps.

When Cleon stopped, he was in front of a young man who was selling all sorts of accessories and antiques with bags lined up on the street.

“Come on, brother! You look like an adventurer, but is there something that bothers you?”

The young man looked up at Cleon as he sat down with a commercial smile on his face.

“What’s wrong, Cleon? Is there something that bothers you?”

“Ah- no. I thought it was a store I wouldn’t normally see when walking down this street.”

When Cleon said that, the young man shrugged his shoulders and nodded.

“That’s right, it’s because I do business while wandering around. Today I just stopped by the royal capital, and tomorrow I’m going to go to another place.”

After hearing the young man’s answer, Cleon carefully examined the items he had laid out.

Most of them are objects that have weak magical powers, and their origins are somewhat predictable.

Dungeons, and the habitat of monsters.

It must be something like a memento of adventurers who gave their lives in such a place.

Cleon knew that there were people who traveled to such places and retrieved the things they left behind through technology or magic that concealed their presence.

Rampart’s expression darkened a little, probably thinking the same thing.

Cleon was silent for a moment, then stood up and took some gold coins from his bosom.

“I will buy everything here.”

“No… Really? Brother? How dare you say this, but I don’t think all the things here add up to the price of that single gold coin…?”

Even the young man himself may not have a proper understanding of the performance or value of those things, but at least what he said was true.

However, he thought it was right to pay a little higher price to hand over all the goods without complaint.

“Cleon.”

When Rampart tried to stop Cleon, the young man quickly took the gold coin, packed a bag, and handed it to Cleon.

“No! Anyway, thank you, brother! I gave you the goods properly, so please use them well!”

And, later. When Cleon and Rampart watch the young man walking away without looking back, Rampart sighs.

“How do you do with those things?”

“Take care of it at the adventurer’s guild… Maybe, I might be able to return it to the arms of the bereaved.”

At Cleon’s words, Rampart was silent for a while, then accepted and picked up the bundle Cleon gave him.

“This is originally what our adventurer guild should do… It’s not your job as an ordinary adventurer.”

Ram Part said so and took a coin out of his pocket.

It was the same number of gold coins that Cleon had given him.

“So, take it, Cleon. There’s no reason for you to care about this any more than you need to. To save my face. Haha!”

Cleon was silent for a while at Rampart’s words, then quietly accepted the gold coin he handed him.

Rampart nodded his head while looking at Cleon, but immediately looked down at the luggage he was holding in his hand and shook his head.

“But it’s in trouble. I can’t bring this luggage to the mansion, so I’ll stop by the adventurer’s guild and leave it there.”

“Ah. That’s right… I’m sorry. I made you work for nothing.”

“No. Even if it wasn’t for you, I would have done it. It’s not that far from the city.”

Saying that, the two of them tried to move their feet, but in an instant, an object inside fell from the cloth.

It looked like a locket pendant studded with cheap jewels, but when it fell to the ground, the inside opened.

Thanks to this, a portrait of a woman holding a child inside was revealed.

As Cleon carefully picked up the locket, unfortunately the lock appeared to be broken and unable to close again.

“It’s a talisman with a divine protection spell… Although its magic has weakened.”

When Cleon muttered that, Rampart recalled the story that would have been contained in such an object from his long experience his, and naturally put on a sad expression.

It was a common story that the head of a family lost his life after being commissioned as an adventurer.

Bad luck, or lack of skill. Maybe, I made a fatal mistake.

What hasn’t changed is that the waiting family has reached an end where they can’t even find their belongings.

“…This. It’s pretty rusted. Probably, the owner’s been dead for a long time.”

When Rampart said that, Cleon looked at it and talked to Rampart.

“It’s a little too much to just keep. I think it’s better to fix it.”

When Cleon said that, Rampart calmly spoke with a slightly troubled expression.

“…No one knows if the bereaved family will actually come looking for it, right?”

“But. It’s our fault for dropping it. Don’t worry, anyone who can fix something like this knows. I’ll fix it.”

“…Whoa, yes. If you say so.”

This time, when Rampart, who thought he couldn’t break Cleon’s favor-or stubbornness his, nodded, Cleon put the rocket amulet into his pocket his.

“Now, then, so that you don’t increase the number of items you need to repair, let’s be careful and move them to the Adventurer’s Guild.”

Hearing Rampart’s joke, Cleon nodded his head.

And after a while, the young man who sold the goods to them showed his face in the alley where he had carefully disappeared.

“Master. I handed him something.”

[Yes, well done. You should return to the temple as it is.]

The young man who had finished contacting the ‘teacher’ with telecommunication magic nodded his head, then took a ring out of his pocket and put it on his finger.

It was decorated like an animal, and had the shape of an owl.

His eyes his were made of black jewels and he seemed to possess considerable magical powers.

“Gate.”

As the young man muttered, a crack opened in an unnoticed place.

It looked like a door for transfer, but beyond that it looked like a ‘different dimension gap’, not a normal place.

A normal human being would feel a natural reluctance to enter it.

However, as if he was used to it, he warmed up and went inside without hesitation.

And after a while, the door closed, as if nothing was there.

Only silence remained.

001

In the end, what Rampart and Cleon found and carried was wine that was available in the right line.

I don’t know if the aristocratic couple enjoyed alcohol, but wine is used not only for drinking but also for decoration and display.

For the nobility, quality wine was also a kind of asset.

However, the house was in a bad situation.

Despite being aristocrats, the couple bowed to Cleon and Rampart one after another and thanked them, then started talking in the drawing room.

“This time, thank you so much for saving my son. I heard that he needs a little rest, so I’m letting him rest in his room his.”

“The shock of being kidnapped will be great, so that would be the correct answer. It’s better not to overdo it.”

When Rampart spoke on behalf of Cleon, the boy’s father nodded his head and put on a sad expression.

“No way, the guys from the thieves guild came in while the house was empty. Should I say that the recent guys have become bolder in many ways. They seem to be acting without thinking about the future.”

“It’s not like that. They’re definitely starting to act out, but there’s going to be some ‘calculation’ of their own to some extent.”

At Rampart’s words, the aristocratic man made a slightly surprised expression.

“Then… Are you saying that the reason you targeted my son this time was because you were certain of something?”

“Confidence… Should I say. Either way, it would be confidence in your work. Besides, there’s no way a mediocre thief would know that everyone is away at that time… It spilled.”

That was what Cleon and Merca had been talking about before.

Rampart also thought it was a reasonable reasoning after receiving this story from Cleon.

However, he left it to Rampart to decide whether he should convey it to them.

The man who had been looking surprised until earlier was looking at Rampart with an expression of almost astonishment.

It seemed that they couldn’t easily believe that there was someone who leaked their information to the thief.

“Excuse me… But can you tell me what kind of people you two are working with in the royal castle?”

“Why did it…”

No matter how much the man is said to be a benefactor, he didn’t seem to want to open his mouth about that part.

Is it out of respect or out of fear? Or is it another emotion?

Rampart and Cleon didn’t know about it, but considering that the dark side of this incident was connected to Astarothe, it was a problem that they had to figure out.

However, it was not a very good decision to tell the story of the ‘Devil’ to those who had nothing to do with Astarothe.

Hide that part and be able to convince them.

“That’s… It’s because there’s a high possibility that the person who grasps various information, such as your work hours, is behind the scenes.”

“A person who grasps the information… Indeed, surely some of the people in the capital’s agency to which we belong know.”

He looked at his wife for a moment, then opened his mouth with a sigh.

“I… We, instead of defense, are working under Sir Percy. We are the last, and we do not fight directly.”

Upon hearing his answer her, Cleon’s expression her was naturally colored with surprise.

Lord Percy, whom I had met once, though only once, did not seem like a man capable of such a thing.

Besides, she is the father of that Aruru, a former hero.

I couldn’t believe that such a person was colluding with the devil.

However, Rampart nodded in a surprisingly calm manner and continued.

“I see. Sir Percys… Then, of course, you are also working with Sir Sethos.”

“Of course. The two of you are working together to keep the peace in the kingdom.”

After hearing that, Cleon was shocked as if he had been hit in the head for a moment.

But it was something I couldn’t be sure of. There was no way the two were the only people working under the Minister of Defense.

Quite a number of nobles and commoners must be working under him.

“…Well, are you saying that one of them was after our son?”

“No, no. Apparently, I think I’ll have to think a little more about finding the dark side. Instead, I think it’s better to set up guards in the mansion and barriers to prevent intrusion.”

Rampart shook his head and turned around as he thought that if he dug over this, he would rather be suspicious.

“That’s right. Certainly, there’s no law that you won’t be targeted again. However, with the money we have, such a large-scale and powerful barrier…”

“About that part, I think I can help. There is a wizard with good skills among my colleagues. I, too, have knowledge about barrier stones. You don’t have to worry about money either.”

Cleon opened his mouth as if to ease the aristocrat’s worries.

Rampart laughed bitterly at Cleon, but the nobles seemed a little thrilled.

“Anyway. Please be careful when working within the castle. If there is anyone suspicious, please let us know.”

“… I understand. We also really want to catch the real culprit who harmed the maid who was like our family and kidnapped her child.”

When the nobleman nodded, Cleon and Rampart talked a little more, perhaps thinking that they couldn’t get more information than this, and then left the mansion with the two seeing them off.

At that time.

“Wait, adventurer hyung…!”

A boy was standing at the gate of the mansion, where the two had escaped.

Cleon immediately remembered that the child was the same kidnapped boy they had rescued yesterday.

“I heard he’s resting in his room.”

“Uh, yes. There’s a passage through which Father and Mother can sneak out. I came out through that.”

Quite a trouble maker, Cleon thought to himself, and bent his knees to meet the boy at eye level.

“Yes. Even sneaking out, there’s something you want to talk to me about.”

When Cleon said that, the boy nodded.

“Mmm, first… Thank you for saving me.”

He was a troublemaker, but a kid who knew his etiquette.

When Cleon nodded, the boy sighed and continued his story.

“Yesterday, before my brother and… My sister came. Actually, there was someone who helped me.”

“…What?”

When Cleon’s party arrived, there were only thieves, Ishtal’s vision that appeared on the way, and the boy they had rescued.

There was, of course, no trace of any other person there.

“…Is that for real?”

“Uh, yes. A child of the same age as me … I think we were weaving. Because his eyes were covered with him, I couldn’t see his face.”

And, after hearing the boy’s story, Cleon’s expression became even more difficult, as if he had no idea who he was talking about.

“Since you got out, I want to say thank you to that kid too… He said he was acquainted with my older brother.”

“…Come out?”

Cleon began to sift information about children around the same age as the boy among the people he knew.

Sasha and Lilim were banned from going out after being scolded by Quon for some reason, and Amelia must have stayed in the tower.

Perdia has battled Evelynn, and then all that remains is-

“Oh, and I used a slightly unusual tone. ‘Suddenly’.”

“…Gray.”

When Cleon included Gray’s name, Rampart’s eyes widened a little.

“Gray? But, Gray has been missing for a few days… Could it be that he was investigating the kidnapping case by himself?”

“No. Even so, there’s something strange about leaving the office… Besides, it didn’t look like you could infiltrate the thieves’ hideout without leaving a trace.”

As a matter of course, the thieves’ hideout has clear countermeasures against intruders.

Being able to break through the trap would be if you had some level of skill, like Cleon and Merca, or if you were actually a member of the thieves.

However, if you do that, the people inside will surely notice the intrusion.

If so, there was no way Gray could reach the boy’s location.

“…What happened. Grey. Where are you now and what are you doing…”

As Cleon was trying to think of something about Gray, the bell announcing the hour rang from the square.

“… I’ll look for more about her. Thank you.”

“Yes…!”

After stroking the boy’s head once, Cleon got up and turned around.

“There’s no doubt that Gray is doing something alone… Maybe something happened to him. He’s been unable to appear.”

“Are you being chased by someone?”

“Because I’m a detective. It wouldn’t be strange if I did something like that. Maybe, it’s the demons.”

At Cleon’s words, Rampart’s expression became a bit serious.

“Gray is a kid who has helped our adventurers guild many times, then. This time we should help.”

Cleon also nods his head.

But first, it was necessary to solve the problem in front of me a little.

“Cleon, since you have to participate as a companion in a noble party in a while, go back for now. Regarding Gray, I’ll try to do something on my side.”

“Thank you, Rampart.”

When Cleon expressed his gratitude, Rampart smiled.

“Gray is something you don’t have to do alone. Cleon. Don’t try to shoulder this and that on your own. Have you ever heard or said something like that to your colleagues?”

Cleon briefly blinks two or three times at Rampart’s words, then shrugs.

“It’s from Lesia.”

Haha! Then you’re almost sick.”

At Cleon’s words, Rampart burst into laughter once again and moved his feet toward the adventurer’s guild.

Cleon, too, needed to return to the inn and join Beatrix.

The fact that there are ‘brass and gray’ eyes looking behind him when he starts to move quickly.

He didn’t seem to notice yet.