Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Infiltration Agent
Steve used Illusion Magic on Viscount Cameron, showing him hallucinations of torture to make him confess to past crimes. Then, it was revealed that he had partnered with slave traders from the Kingdom of Merda across the sea and was selling domestic commoners across the sea.
It was also revealed that he wasn't just taking people from his own territory's subjects, but sometimes taking subjects from Remington Land under the pretext of them committing rudeness, and Margrave Remington could no longer protect Viscount Cameron.
And since this would become a noble scandal, it was secretly conveyed from Steve to Margrave Remington, leading to the destruction of the Merda Kingdom's slave trading network built in Remington Land.
Since there was a possibility of being noticed if guards were moved on a large scale, based on information Steve gathered from Viscount Cameron with his cooperation, they decided to raid the slave traders' bases.
Since this involved danger, Christina and Sherry were staying behind at Margrave Remington's castle.
Before a large ship owned by slave traders, which was docked at the harbor under the guise of a merchant ship, Steve checked the interior using rats and insects.
During that, Bella spoke to Steve.
"As I thought, we got involved in trouble."
"There's no helping it this time. Rather, by getting involved, we can save people who would be sold abroad, so maybe it's a good thing."
"That's how it is."
Nancy agreed with Steve's positive response.
While doing so, the situation inside the ship became clear.
"The sold people are locked in the cargo hold. It's before departure, so there are few crew members inside. There are guards, but it won't be a problem. If we neutralize them, shall we teleport Margrave Remington's guards to leave the aftermath to them? We have to hit the land bases too."
"If the Master is here, there's no turn for us, is there?"
Nancy voiced dissatisfaction at not being able to move her body, but since she would turn the surroundings into a sea of blood if she went serious, Steve decided to have her endure it.
Just before they were about to breach, a letter being read by a man in the captain's room came into view. Its contents were to retrieve 100 infiltrators who had infiltrated Viscount Cameron's territory and return.
"Even if you say retrieve 100 people, it's impossible with one ship. Don't the land folks know even that? Besides, there's no port where a large ship can dock there. Do they think 100 people can come to this port without being noticed? Moreover, they've been ravaging the surrounding territories."
He could imagine the mutterings were likely complaints to the people back home.
What caught his attention was the phrase "infiltrators have been ravaging the surrounding territories." Steve realized that unplanned trouble had spread further.
"Sorry, the trouble has expanded."
"What?"
"It seems about 100 Merda Kingdom infiltrators have infiltrated Viscount Cameron's territory. Those infiltrators are supposed to be ravaging the surroundings, and this ship has received orders to retrieve those infiltrators."
"That's tough."
Bella answered without being surprised by Steve's story, somewhat like it was someone else's affair. Actually, it was someone else's affair, but since Steve was going to get involved himself, it would immediately cease to be someone else's affair, yet even knowing that, Bella's attitude remained unchanged as always.
"I thought about clearing this up and then hitting other bases, but we might have to prioritize Viscount Cameron."
"Master, may I also be allowed to work on that side?"
"Yeah. They are enemies, after all."
With Steve's permission, Nancy's mood improved.
Steve shrugged, thinking he didn't want Nancy to stand out too much.
"It doesn't seem like we can spend too much time, so let's rush in and take that captain to Margrave Remington."
Steve said that, teleported inside the ship, restrained the enemies with magic, and teleported Margrave Remington's guards to ask for the aftermath processing.
And, he teleported the captain who couldn't grasp the situation to Margrave Remington's castle.
There, using Illusion Magic to make him confess known information, the Merda Kingdom's strategy came into view.
He conveyed that information to Margrave Remington and had him extract information from Viscount Cameron as well. Once that was gathered, a countermeasure meeting was held.
Before Margrave Remington and his subordinates, Steve explained the situation first.
"Merda Kingdom infiltrators are coming to Viscount Cameron's territory using Teleportation Magic. Their number is 100. Those fellows intend to escape to their homeland by ship after causing a certain amount of damage while ravaging the territories around Viscount Cameron as a bandit group. The situation is such that they are about to start infiltration, and there is no time to spare."
Sherry asked a question in response to Steve's explanation.
"Why use Teleportation Magic when coming, but a ship when returning?"
"That's because the mages' mana is insufficient. They teleport little by little, and when enough people gather, they move for infiltration. Mana isn't enough to send them back to the country all at once, but once the infiltration is set in motion, it's also difficult for the mage to grasp the infiltrators' positions, and if they take a long time to escape, they become more likely to be exposed."
"Steve could do it, right?"
"The enemy mage's limit is transporting 3 people a day. I have to go back and forth. There's also the distance to the Merda Kingdom, so normally it's about that much."
Since Sherry's standard for a mage is Steve, she thinks the distance and number of people that can be teleported are normal. However, considering the mana amount of mages in the world, the limit is teleporting 5 people including himself to another country per day. That is also for a distance of about 5 days by ship.
"So the escape after infiltration becomes a ship, huh?"
"Yes. However, somehow the plan is rough. Or rather, it's a theory on paper. To accommodate such a large number of people on a ship, what kind of large ship are they assuming?"
"Even using all the ships we seized here, it's over capacity."
Margrave Remington counted the number of seized ships with his fingers. Sailing ships existed, but no ships that large were built. They were already carrying commoners to be transported as slaves to the Merda Kingdom, and with 100 soldiers added, it was impossible to transport them in one ship. So it would be multiple ships, but since the seized ships were not large ships either, they shouldn't be able to transport them no matter what.
If they didn't load water or food and stuffed them in the empty space, it might be possible, but that's an unreasonable story.
It is a usage that seems like they are thinking of them as pawns, but if those fellows realize they are pawns and go berserk, you don't know what they will do. They wanted to catch them as soon as possible.
"Based on information from Viscount Cameron, we have grasped the buildings where they are stationed. I will go there now, check if they are still there, and if possible, restrain them and return together, so Lord Remington please prepare soldiers immediately."
"Understood. I'm sorry for letting you clean up the mess of the southern incompetence."
"No, no, this is less incompetence and more that the Merda Kingdom's infiltration was skillful, isn't it? From here, it's a counterattack."
At Steve's word "counterattack", Nancy raised the corners of her mouth.
"Master, my arms are itching."
"Please take care not to kill."
"Understood."
Unaware of the existence of Queen of Sword who smiled fearlessly, the Merda Kingdom infiltrators hiding in Viscount Cameron's territory were just about to start their activity. It was one of the five divided hiding bases, a large warehouse. In the inn where the captain and vice-captain of this operation were, the two were talking about what was to come.
"Well, starting tomorrow, it's finally time. My arms are itching."
"Captain, the opponent is a local lord, right? If we 100 of us ambush them, can't we dominate this area? If we threaten that foolish viscount and put him up as the head of a rebellion, I think we can cause quite a bit of damage."
"Well, yes. However, the people above seem to want to use this base for a long time and many times. They say they will ravage the surroundings again like this when the heat dies down."
"The viscount also has our leverage, so he can't refuse."
"Exactly. If it gets out that they are selling their own people as slaves to another country, it will be execution even in the Kingdom of Cascade."
Unaware that Viscount Cameron was captured, they intended to continue threatening and using the viscount. It was convenient to take action now while the viscount was absent. After ravaging the surroundings, they intended to confront them with the fact that it was only because of the viscount's cooperation, and then make them obey.
An insect listening to their conversation was inside the room. Of course, the one controlling it was Steve.
Steve, Nancy, and Bella were outside the building.
"Everyone seems to be inside. 30 people in this building."
"I hope they have some bite."
Nancy clenched her fist.
"Even so. To be thorough, I'll give you body strengthening and sensory enhancement."
"Master is worried too. However, if body strengthening goes too far, you might be able to kill enemies with bare hands."
"I'll stop at double."
Saying that, Steve used magic including himself.
"Then, after teleporting inside, I'll seal the windows and doors so they can't escape outside, so the rest is up to you."
"Understood."
When Nancy was mentally prepared, she teleported inside.
Naturally, the opponents were surprised by Steve and others' appearance.
"Wha----"
The vice-captain who was about to say "What the hell are you guys" was kicked by Nancy and fainted.
Before the others reacted and raised weapons, they took Nancy's attacks and fell silent.
In the blink of an eye, when 10 people became combat ineffective, the soldiers who finally grasped the situation drew their swords. However, just because they raised their swords didn't mean they could stop Nancy's attacks, like a child can't fight a fierce beast tiger.
In the blink of an eye, nothing moving inside the warehouse remained.
The battle ended with hardly any time difference from when Steve's earth magic finished sealing the building's windows and doors.
"There was no need to seal the entrance and exit, huh?"
"But I didn't move enough."
Nancy, from unsatisfied combat desire, sought the next battlefield.
"Let's go to the next place after teleporting these people. It's troublesome if they notice the anomaly and escape."
"If so, wouldn't it be fine to block the entrance and exit like here?"
"Ah, I see."
Steve realized what Nancy said. Immediately he sealed other buildings with magic so they couldn't go outside.
Teleporting Nancy, he teleported the fallen enemy soldiers to Margrave Remington.
After that, it was just repeating that.
Bella, having nothing to do, stared at Steve's face.
"You managed to win against her well."
"At that time, they weren't body strengthened, and the fight was decided in the magic battle before close combat."
Seeing Nancy's movements like a demon god, Steve wondered how he could win against Nancy. The reason was as Steve stated.
However, now he can reproduce Nancy's movements with the work standard book, so he won't fall behind.
"Can I go that far too?"
"Of course. It's a competition with Daphne."
Daphne is also raising her abilities under Nancy's guidance.
Her physical condition after childbirth was also fine due to Steve's magic, and she kept saying she wanted to return to work immediately, troubling her husband.
Such was Daphne, but she thought of Bella as a rival, and was spurred on by Steve's words that if Daphne couldn't do it, he'd make Bella the Royal Guard Knights Order Commander.
"Well, we've finished suppressing the last base too, shall we go back?"
While Steve and Bella were conversing, Nancy had defeated all the enemies, so Steve decided to return to Margrave Remington.