Chapter 119 - Chapter 118: Side Story: Chase the Mysterious Girl
[Shesbarno's Perspective]
A tavern in the royal capital.
In a seedy establishment slightly removed from the entertainment district, Shesbarno was drinking fire liquor alone.
Shesbarno, who drank fire liquor strong enough to ignite without even diluting it properly, gnawed on an assortment of nuts while waiting for an old acquaintance.
On the table sat a glass with only a small amount of fire liquor remaining.
Shesbarno downed it in one gulp and ordered another from the master.
"You're still drinking that stuff? You'll die young, you know?"
There, a burly man dressed like an adventurer appeared.
The man wore no armor, but a sword hung at his waist.
The adventurer, who carried the air of a veteran, bumped fists with Shesbarno with a thud.
Then, sitting opposite him, he ordered ale.
"It doesn't hit the spot quite like it used to. And you, how can you drink something that tastes like piss?"
"Hey, hey, cut it out."
The man gave a wry smile.
He casually picked up some nuts from the plate on the table, popped them into his mouth, and asked Shesbarno a question.
"It's rare for you to call me out. How long has it been?"
"Ah, how long indeed. It's been about four or five years, hasn't it?"
After receiving his drink, the man ordered smoked meat.
Shesbarno and the man lightly clinked glasses, drank, and then exhaled with a satisfied sigh.
"So, you have some business, right? ...Ah, have you finally decided to quit being a knight?"
"Standing knight" was a term for prostitutes, but it was also used mockingly for soldiers and knights who stood guard in the city.
"Don't be stupid. There's just something I want to ask you."
"Something you want to ask?"
"Yeah."
Shesbarno muttered and gulped down his fire liquor.
■■■■■■
Fifth Knights Order Headquarters, Knight Commander's Office.
After the battle with the Chimera, Shesbarno had interrupted his search of the Modesse Forest and was reporting to the Knight Commander, Ozendorwa.
Two Chimeras had appeared suddenly.
A young girl had defeated one of those Chimeras all by herself.
And a young man who had tried to kill a knight.
The situation had escalated beyond a simple search for a missing mage, so they had consulted on how to proceed.
Currently, public access to the area around the ruins was prohibited, and the ruins were under surveillance.
Regular patrols were also being conducted throughout the Modesse Forest.
However, there had been no movement or clues whatsoever.
Three months had passed in that state, and Shesbarno had been summoned by Ozendorwa.
"It seems there is no one matching the description."
"No one!? That's absurd!"
Shesbarno's loud voice echoed through the room.
(After making me wait so long, that's it!?)
Shesbarno had been searching for the two individuals who had vanished: the girl who defeated the Chimera and the young man who tried to kill a knight.
There were no clues regarding the young man.
In the first place, the charges were too weak for the Knights Order to pursue.
Attempting to kill a knight was certainly a serious crime, but it was not an incident that warranted mobilizing the Knights Order for a thorough search.
A wanted poster with his likeness would be created, labeling him a dangerous person, and circulated within the Knights Order and to other orders.
That was enough to handle it.
If several knights had been killed, it would be a different story, but at this level, not even the Fifth Knights Order could be mobilized.
At most, it would end with a warning: "Be especially careful of this kind of person."
The fact that the young man had an ordinary appearance was also subtly painful.
Therefore, Shesbarno had focused on the other person, the girl who defeated the Chimera.
There were several clues regarding her.
First, she used God's Miracle.
This alone narrowed down the targets considerably, but even within the royal capital, there were still thousands remaining.
And then, her age.
The robe she wore was that of an official Kingdom Army mage.
However, no matter how one looked at it, her age did not suggest she was an official mage belonging to the army or the Court Magic Institute.
She had no insignia or other items indicating rank.
If that was the case, the Magic Academy came to mind.
The girl had mastered multiple instances of God's Miracle.
Judging by her movements, Physical Enhancement was a certainty.
More importantly, this God's Miracle seemed to be the first one learned.
If so, given how well she wielded God's Miracle, it was impossible for her not to have it.
And then, Heal.
She had suffered burns all over her body yet healed them in an instant.
Furthermore, she had even healed a knight whose torso had been torn apart.
She had also used fire and water attribute God's Miracles.
Honestly, Shesbarno had never seen or heard of these two types of God's Miracles, but there was no mistake that she had used them.
And there was one more.
Although it was unclear even while watching her fight the Chimera, the girl had definitely thrown something to injure the Chimera.
From the numerous stone pebbles left behind, it was likely an earth attribute God's Miracle.
This alone meant she used five types of God's Miracle.
What was most surprising was that a single mage had defeated that Chimera.
Even Shesbarno, working together with Hoguajil, had barely managed it.
And yet, a girl who looked so young had defeated it.
A mage's way of fighting was to unleash God's Miracle from a distance.
That was all.
They demonstrated their true value in group combat.
There was no point in firing a God's Miracle with the power to defeat dozens of people at once at a single target.
More importantly, mages, who had to chant spells every time, were not suited for one-on-one combat.
That girl was inconceivable by the common sense of what a mage was.
But that inconceivable thing had happened.
Although Shesbarno detested mages, it was only natural for him to feel a strong interest in her strength.
Ozendorwa leaned back in his chair with a creak.
"The Magic Academy is an institution under the direct jurisdiction of the Ministry of Military Affairs. The Court Magic Institute is also involved in its management. It is not a place we knights can easily touch."
Shesbarno inadvertently clicked his tongue.
It was a matter involving politics, which Shesbarno hated more than anything.
The Fifth Knights Order was under the command of the Kingdom Army, and the Kingdom Army belonged to the Ministry of Military Affairs.
And while the Magic Academy also belonged to the Ministry of Military Affairs, its management was decided through consultations between the Ministry of Military Affairs and the Kingdom Army.
However, a complicated situation intervened here.
The Court Magic Institute.
The Court Magic Institute was an institution under the direct jurisdiction of the Royal Palace and had a completely different chain of command from the Ministry of Military Affairs.
For both the Ministry of Military Affairs and the Court Magic Institute, His Majesty the King was the highest decision-maker.
However, since His Majesty did not intervene in everything personally, he naturally appointed proxies.
For the Ministry of Military Affairs, it was the Minister of Military Affairs.
For the Court Magic Institute, it was the Director General of Magic.
And one of the sparks for the power struggle between the two was the Magic Academy.
The Court Magic Institute had stuck its nose into the management of the Magic Academy to prevent the army from monopolizing talented mages.
Of course, this was done with His Majesty's approval... or rather, in the form of His Majesty's orders.
For this reason, if Ozendorwa of the Fifth Knights Order wanted to investigate a student of the Magic Academy, he first had to consult the Kingdom Army.
The Kingdom Army would then confirm with the Ministry of Military Affairs.
And it did not end there; the Ministry of Military Affairs also had to inquire with the Court Magic Institute.
Apparently, it had not been this troublesome in the past.
But currently, although the affiliation was with the Ministry of Military Affairs, the Court Magic Institute was heavily involved in its management.
It seemed the Court Magic Institute was trying to change the Magic Academy's affiliation from the current Ministry of Military Affairs to the Court Magic Institute, and they had become quite sensitive about it.
Therefore, even trying to investigate a student slightly required consultations between the Ministry of Military Affairs, the Kingdom Army, and the Court Magic Institute.
Ozendorwa let out a large sigh.
"Considering the characteristics you saw, such as mastering at least five types of God's Miracle and being accustomed to combat, we asked them to check if there was anyone like that in the higher division, but it was a no-go."
"Couldn't you expand the scope a bit more? She looked like she belonged to the juvenile or elementary division. At least check up to the intermediate division—"
"It seems it is truly difficult to interfere with the Magic Academy right now. An acquaintance in the Ministry of Military Affairs was lamenting about it."
The authority of the Court Magic Institute was strengthening year by year, and they were trembling with fear over when they might be separated from the Ministry of Military Affairs.
The Ministry of Military Affairs was apparently resisting desperately as well.
"In any case, with the number of mages decreasing year by year, both the Royal Palace and the Court Magic Institute are desperate to secure students for the Magic Academy. In such a situation, they told us not to bother them with trivial matters. I was told to my face, 'If you do anything to our precious mage eggs, we won't let you off easily.'"
Ozendorwa gave a wry smile.
Shesbarno had heard that the number of mages was decreasing, but he did not know they were this desperate to secure them.
(So that's why they're getting arrogant, isn't it?)
Shesbarno could not help but think so.
They were a group who, despite being mostly useless usually, had high pride and were irritating.
"I am also slightly interested in that girl. We cannot place mages in the Fifth Knights Order, but there is no harm in knowing capable individuals."
Ozendorwa crossed his arms and thought for a moment.
Shesbarno waited quietly so as not to disturb Ozendorwa's thoughts.
Soon, Ozendorwa sat up, placed both elbows on the desk, and leaned forward slightly.
"In any case, investigating through official channels will lead nowhere. We have no choice but to investigate on our own."
"Haaah!?"
On our own?
That was impossible.
The population of the royal capital alone was over ten million.
Moreover, nearby villages were also possibilities.
If it could be handled on their own, they would not have asked Ozendorwa to investigate using such a time-consuming method.
"What do you do if you encounter a monster outside of a mission?"
"I slash it, of course?"
"..."
Shesbarno answered Ozendorwa's sudden question casually.
Ozendorwa placed a hand on his forehead and shook his head weakly.
"...My question was poorly phrased. What do you think a normal person would do if they encountered a monster?"
A normal person?
Wasn't that rephrasing somewhat rude?
It sounded as if Shesbarno was not normal.
"Ah... they would run away, wouldn't they?"
"Yes, they would run away."
As if to say "I thought so," Ozendorwa affirmed it exaggeratedly.
"But what about that girl? She went towards such a huge monster. Why?"
"...Why?"
He had not considered it.
Why had that girl gone towards such a dangerous monster?
"You must have some idea, right? Regarding those kinds of eccentric people."
"Some idea...?"
Eccentrics who went towards monsters?
Someone like that.
"...Adventurers?"
"That's right."
Ozendorwa slammed the desk with a bang and pointed at Shesbarno.
"They are probably among the most eccentric of that group. Those adventurers won't move without a reward."
"Well, that's true."
"But some eccentrics happily go towards monsters. The motives may vary, but it is certain that there are those who fight regardless of rewards."
What was this?
Wasn't this the same as saying Shesbarno was an eccentric?
"Don't you think that if we investigate along those lines, we might find some clue? Even if that girl is not an adventurer, she might have heard some rumors."
Ozendorwa leaned back in his chair again.
Certainly, it seemed far more promising than searching blindly.
"If we try to settle things between organizations, entanglements arise. But if you personally happen to stumble upon something, no one can complain about that. Don't you think so?"
"Well, that is true, but..."
It was a matter of stumbling upon it, after all.
"I do not have any adventurer acquaintances, but what about you, Shesbarno?"
"I wouldn't say I don't have any."
"Then, go have a drink with him next time and ask around. Depending on the content, I'll cover the cost of the drinks."
"Seriously?"
The look in Shesbarno's eyes changed.
The Knight Commander would pay, allowing him to drink for free?
"If you hit the jackpot, I can afford to pay that much. I am that interested in her as well."
The two smiled at each other.
Then, as Ozendorwa pointed to the door, Shesbarno saluted and left the room.
■■■■■■
"Do you have any idea about a child adventurer?"
An unexpected question flew from Shesbarno, and the adventurer-like man blinked his eyes.
"A girl around seven or eight years old. She uses God's Miracle."
It was the kind of story that would be laughed off as ridiculous.
In fact, the man who was asked made a strange face.
But—
"...There is someone similar, I suppose."
"There is!?"
Shesbarno leaned over the table with a clatter.
Due to the excessive force, the man instinctively pulled back, holding his plate of ale and smoked meat.
"Where is she!? Is she in the royal capital!"
"Calm down. ...It's just a 'maybe'."
The man returned the plate to the table, took a sip of ale, and gnawed on the smoked meat.
"Sorry. Just tell me what you know. Can you tell me?"
Seeing Shesbarno's serious demeanor, the man scratched his head, wondering how to answer.
"First, she is far from the conditions you stated. ...But, she is similar."
"Hah?"
Far from it?
But similar?
He did not understand the meaning.
"First, she is not a girl. And her age, she should be at least ten years old."
"...That's completely different, isn't it."
In what way was she similar?
"But, her appearance is as you said. She only looks about seven or eight years old, and no matter how you look at her, she only looks like a girl. It's better now, but before, when a tiny thing was wandering around in the crowded guild, I almost kicked her by mistake."
Appearance...?
Come to think of it, Shesbarno had also judged that child by her appearance.
She looked about seven or eight years old.
She looked like a girl.
That was all.
"...Tell me more about her in detail."
With a serious face, Shesbarno leaned forward.
"Ah... well, I'm not that detailed myself. Because of that appearance, she's just a bit of a celebrity within the branch. It's just rumors and things like 'I saw her briefly,' that sort of thing."
"Yeah, just what you know is fine."
When Shesbarno said that, the man looked up at the ceiling while chewing on the smoked meat.
"She started frequenting the guild around last year."
"The guild in the royal capital?"
"Yeah."
"The guild you use is..."
"The Second Branch. On the Southeast Main Street."
That place.
He recalled a simple map of the Southeast Main Street in his head.
"Do you know the adventurers Kaerya and Trys? Both are women with decent skills."
"I know Kaerya. Isn't she the warrior who sometimes causes a ruckus in taverns and ends up in the care of the guard? The warrior."
"Yes, that's her."
The man drained his ale and ordered another.
Kaerya's bad drinking habits were famous among the knights and soldiers involved in the royal capital's security.
Shesbarno had also been punched several times while restraining her.
Of course, he punched back.
Anyway, she was a sturdy woman, and it was quite a struggle to throw her in jail.
"Those two seem to be quite fond of her. They often tease her. If I recall correctly, her name was... Mika, was it?"
"Mika..."
Shesbarno repeated the name.
"I don't know much about God's Miracle, but I've heard rumors that she attends the Magic Academy. If she goes there, she can't be completely useless."
"We checked the Magic Academy. She was not in the higher division."
"If she has been attending since last year, wouldn't she be in the elementary division?"
The man received the delivered ale and pushed his empty mug toward the staff.
"...Her, in the elementary division?"
Shesbarno muttered with a dumbfounded expression.
That child, who wielded five types of God's Miracle and defeated a Chimera all by herself, was in the elementary division?
The man ignored Shesbarno, who had frozen in place, and ate the smoked meat.
Then, since the plate was empty, he ordered skewered meat and cheese.
"...How is that child's strength?"
After a while, Shesbarno, who had been half in a daze, came to his senses.
"No, I don't know. I only see her at the guild occasionally, and I've never seen her fight. But I think she's D-rank, probably. I remember hearing something like that."
"How strong is D-rank?"
Ordinary people did not know much about adventurer ranks.
In the first place, it was rare to interact with adventurers, and when placing requests, the guild assigned the rank based on the request content, so clients rarely cared about the adventurer's rank.
Unless one was a very experienced client, it would be rare to know the detailed breakdown of ranks.
Generally, people only recognized that A-rank and B-rank were amazing.
Shesbarno knew more than the average person, but even he did not know all the ranks.
He only knew that C-rank was the most numerous and had the widest range of ability.
"In terms of rank alone, D is half-baked. They are rookies who have just graduated from F or E. Well, there are some who remain half-baked for ten years, though."
The man bit into the delivered skewered meat and gulped down the ale.
If that child was called a "rookie" or "half-baked," it was certainly true.
Given her age.
It might be natural that she was not even a full-fledged adventurer, let alone a veteran.
"Well, F and E are ranks everyone passes through initially. If you quit being a knight and became an adventurer from now on, you would start at F."
"Does ability not matter?"
"No, it doesn't. There is no test to measure ability. First, you start at F. Then, if you accept a few simple requests, you become E."
Shesbarno gulped down his fire liquor and exhaled hot breath with a sigh.
Had it finally started to go to his head?
"She definitely became D last year. It caused a bit of a stir at the time. It's a famous story within the branch."
If the system was for ranks to rise sequentially, it was hard to say that it necessarily reflected current ability.
Considering she defeated a Chimera, she should be seen as having at least full-fledged ability or higher.
Shesbarno drained his fire liquor and ordered another.
"I heard some good information. I'll cover the bill here."
"Hey, hey, what wind blew this way? For you to say something like that."
"Well, once in a while."
It was the Knight Commander's treat anyway.
Besides, if the Knight Commander said he wouldn't pay for this level of information, that would be fine too.
He could pay for this much himself.
He was satisfied with the information brought by the man to that extent.
Shesbarno, with a drunken head, began to plan his next move.