Chapter: 20
– “Mother, I’ve brought you porridge. Please give it a try.”
– “I’m sorry to hear that…”
I turned on the flashback, showcasing how I came into contact with the bandits—basically, my sad childhood story—and it was a total faceplant of nostalgia.
What I truly need right now is solid evidence proving these guys are in cahoots with the bandits. I have zero interest in the villain’s convoluted past.
I flicked through the useless bits rapidly and landed on something intriguing.
It was a scene where the first of the three thieving brothers, a B-class loser, was chatting with someone over the communication port.
– “It looks like the guild has hit the jackpot this time.”
– “Yes. I’d say at least a Count’s estate. Yes, you can wait at the intersection toward Disposé.”
Turns out, checking out the higher-ranked goons right off the bat was indeed the right call.
Having taken on the vital task of relaying information means the chances of tangible evidence surfacing are high.
– “How much is all this…!”
Bingo! The flashback’s protagonist was grinning like a Cheshire cat while eyeballing the gold. The fact that he was holding a ring makes the image a tad awkward.
It’s totally stolen merchandise. This could be figured out through the knowledge of the concerned party, using the tutorial manager’s authority.
Just because they were lower-ranked doesn’t mean they worked as enthusiastic interns, leading to some heart-wrenching outcomes.
Sure, the quality and quantity of rewards might vary slightly, but the treatment was almost analogous. Given that these were stolen goods, they couldn’t sell them immediately, so they were waiting for someone to melt them down and repurpose them.
Ironically, these thieves were having cooler deals than a lot of established companies.
This request yielded a striking decrease in the actual indicators.
At best, I managed to see the lord when he casually drifted by for personal errands or glimpsed him from afar during an event.
No other suspicious signals popped up.
With around 20 minutes remaining until the end.
I’ve done all I can with these fellows. Now, all that’s left is to apprehend them or hand them off to the guards.
Since I’ve already set this in motion, I might as well boost my proficiency and make it worth my while. I mean, it’s not like it’s a skill you can whip out anywhere.
I hope everyone had sweet dreams. It must have been a precious time; being true to oneself must be golden.
But if humans are entitled to happiness, they’re also obligated to face their share of unhappiness.
Above all, as one of the biggest victims of the attack, this level of personal retribution is a calamity they’ve brought upon themselves.
Did you think I chose the horror genre for nothing?
It’s nightmare time now.
*
“Ugh…! Gasp, ugh…”
“Oh! You’ve woken up right away.”
“You, you…!!”
As the three thieving brothers bounced out of bed amicably, they all started gesturing and casting judgmental glares my way.
From an outsider’s view, it would seem the entire past I witnessed in my dreams was nothing but my own handiwork.
Yet, it seems they’re sharp enough to grasp the situation instantly. Thank goodness they aren’t just being relentless bullies. The actual villains are clearly on the other side.
“I’m just asking out of curiosity, but you three aren’t actually brothers, are you?”
“I’ll kill you…!”
The moment he spit those words, his expression revealed his intentions, and I tilted sideways, dodging all three of their attacks like a pro.
With their low-tier thief moves, it was a straight-line assault only.
They’re still too dazed. If they knew what was about to come flying at them from that distance, they’d dodge with their eyes closed!
“Did you just hit me?”
Like I said, I wasn’t touched.
It’s crystal clear I was under threat of a mob lynching. Now I…
“Maria~!”
No matter what we do next, it’s all legal self-defense.
In this medieval-like world, there’s no pathetic law against over-reaction.
“Who touched my brother?!”
“Who touched our master?!”
““···.””
Stuck in place with a wall blocking their escape was one B-class loser, who ended up playing with the thieves. And beside him were two C-class guys who couldn’t even reach him.
A class A adventurer, along with a girl emanating a strong spirit, arrived on the scene. They were just coming back from some fun and were splattered with monster blood.
““Uh, uh uh….””
chin-
“…Huh?”
One of the thieves, backing away slowly, smacked right into something and looked behind him.
Standing there was a knight in pure white armor, towering over them by at least two heads, his presence commanding even in the night.
The imperial logo stamped on his chest stood out clearly from afar. The thieves looked ready to cry, envious of their expensive brand name items they could only dream of.
“Ha, I surrender…”
BANG-!!
The surrender declaration was emphatically dissed in action.
Thinking they’d be able to catch us politely after trying to kill us first was, well, a foolish notion. Most importantly, this is a perfect opportunity to assess Maria’s new doll and Astrea’s capabilities.
It seems likely to be one-sided, which is a shame, but I’m just thrilled this is a no-holds-barred battle.
Crunch-
The pure white knight swung his sword in a broad horizontal arc.
Kwaaaa-!!
As the trio of bandits barely rolled out of the way, the resulting shockwave sent debris flying, turning the area into a disaster zone.
“Oh.”
Maria seemed to realize that was her main goal too. She exclaimed in awe of the overwhelming force.
Truly, the craftsmanship of the royal family. This might just be the year to aim for S-class!
“It’s ridiculous how you’re crawling on the floor. Finally, your attitude is starting to please me.”
Next came Astrea. She leisurely stepped forward, relaxed her shoulders and neck, getting ready for action.
With a thud, she kicked off the ground, lifting the bandits lounging on the floor skywards.
“Whoa, whoa-!!”
The two C-class ones fainted almost instantly. Only the B-class guy barely held on and screamed in pure panic.
If Maria was enjoying her new doll, Astrea was caught up in her own moment, swinging her clenched fist into the air.
BAM-!!
In the deep of night, inside a dark forest, a darkness even more eerie than the surrounding gloom settled in.
It descended upon the helpless victims and reveled in their plight. Only the twin red moons shining high above danced, flickering softly.
“I, Cheonma Astrea, the sole legitimate heir of the Heavenly Demon Sect! Remember this name clearly, even if you’re a sinner!”
Knock knock-
“Fainted.”
“Oh dear. I’ll have to wake him and do it again.”
I caught a glimpse of what was to come, and I couldn’t have been more satisfied.
Maria’s powerful enhancement had already built up anticipation for the return of her dolls, and Astrea had left the realm of being dismissed as just a concept far behind.
“Argh, eek!”
“Did you see that? Bending here gets nice results, but I wouldn’t recommend it in situations where it’s essential to stay quiet.”
“Okay. Maria will keep that in mind.”
The sight of them sharing tips on how to wake someone who’s passed out was oddly heartwarming.
Is it really the same group who would growl at (Maria) whenever they bumped into her? Even my heartless chest felt a warm sensation.
“But what if we accidentally kill someone?”
The night stretched ever onward.
We occasionally strengthened our bonds as comrades while hauling away the abandoned villains.
Using worthless evildoers in this manner? I have no doubt it was all for the greater good of society.
*
“So, let me get this straight… you’re a victim of an attempted murder?”
“Yes.”
“And they were the aggressors…?”
The investigator from the guard, who had taken on the conniving traitors, inquired with a bemused expression.
Hard to blame him; the perpetrator’s state was a ghastly sight to behold.
The entire body was collapsing, and even the face was so misshapen it impeded any identification. It was ridiculous trying to locate a single bone that wasn’t fractured.
“Yes.”
Of course, appearances don’t really matter. What truly counts is the essence of a person, how they usually behave, and what type of being they are.
“···.”
“No, for real. If my companions hadn’t rescued me, I would’ve been facing death right now.”
“That’s right. Maria saved me using this.”
Maria pulled out the pure white knight.
And she pretended to point with her hand, blatantly highlighting the imperial emblem.
“…Maria did a pretty huge thing, didn’t she?”
The investigator instantly tucked his tail between his legs and hurriedly scribbled down the report.
We hadn’t sold out the royal family; Maria merely flaunted her new doll, and the other party was awestruck.
We goofed around a bit like that, shared the findings gathered from my flashbacks, and exited the investigation room.
Now, if I just finish reporting the situation to the guild master, everything should sort itself out.
“Maria. Does the Trans Cathedral only accept external visitors on Sundays?”
“Yep. I know because I once went to perform a puppet show at Maria’s request.”
“Oh? Next time, how about a talent show instead of a puppet show?”
“I’ll throw you a bloody feast.”
‘If it’s indeed only on Sundays, I can take it easy today and kick things off tomorrow without a hitch.’
As the crew bantered away, I opened my inventory to check if I had a letter of recommendation that could lead me to becoming a saint.
One of my companions is a celestial being, and I’m essentially a monster. May the merciful God provide me with the correct answer through love.
Tonight, I’ve decided to say a prayer before heading off to bed.
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