“…….”
Donum stared at the floor.
His vividly glowing golden eyes scrutinized the traces intently.
The ground was roughly dug up.
If you looked closely, footprints were visible.
He lifted his head to see the path where the traces continued.
A forest on a mountain where no one had passed through.
There was hardly a path to speak of.
But Donum’s senses accurately picked up the route the fugitives had taken.
‘…This way.’
The marks left on the ground.
The direction the grass lay.
The signs hastily left behind in their escape.
And the faint smell of blood.
Even in this place thick with the scents of dirt and grass, Donum pinpointed the smell of blood precisely.
“Urrk, urrng….”
The wolf he brought along sniffed the ground and looked up at Donum, signaling him.
That meant he was on the right track.
A gray-maned wolf.
A creature similar to Yuel.
It was originally a breed that didn’t cohabitate with humans, but Judas had tamed it because Donum wanted it.
Donum patted the wolf, which he named “Urrng,” and fed it raw meat.
He gave it that name because it growled whenever he conveyed a message.
While the wolf ate its meat, Donum scratched a tree with his dagger.
He was marking the location.
Then he took out a communication gemstone developed and commercialized by Amor and spoke softly.
“This is Donum, captain of Ranger Unit 1. I inform the tracking unit that we found traces of the Messiah Church—”
At that moment.
A rustling sound came, and a person jumped down from the tree.
Wielding a dagger, he aimed for Donum as he fell.
However, Donum made no effort to react.
“─We have discovered it. From the scale, this is confirmed as their stronghold. However, we need further verification if they are all gathered. That’s all.”
After saying that, Donum glanced indifferently to the side.
The person who had ambushed him was lying on the ground.
Tough vines were tightly wrapped around his body.
Those vines were shot from a small stuffed doll at Donum’s waist.
It was a doll made by his mother, Eliya, when he was young.
Recently, magical effects had been added.
“Cough…! Why do you persecute us! We are the true Messiahs of Lord Eliya…! Ugh!”
Donum, not wanting to hear it, buried his foot in the man’s face, covering it with dirt.
“Captain.”
Soon, people approached from all around the thicket.
They were rangers clad in leather armor camouflaged in green and brown similar to the forest colors.
“…What’s this guy?”
“He seems to have been hiding. Quite skilled too. It’s nothing major. So, what’s the route?”
“There’s an underground canal that connects the west and east. It looks like they’re using it as an escape route. The main gate was hidden in the southern cliff. The overall structure of the stronghold looks something like this….”
After listening to all of his subordinates, Donum organized the information in his mind.
Her spatial perception was such that she could gather such conversations and paint a detailed and three-dimensional map in her head.
“…Got it. I’ll report it.”
Donum picked up the communication gemstone again.
He changed the resonance pattern of the gem and opened his mouth.
“Fides, are you listening?”
A sigh came back as a response after a moment.
– I told you not to call me ‘oppa’ when working.
Even though he was now 18, his naive little sister worried Fides.
*
Fides was currently tracking a criminal organization.
Various sub-organizations had emerged in the Empire, among which was the “Watchman Unit,” dedicated entirely to ensuring the overall peace and order of the Empire.
Separate from the military, while the army confronts foreign enemies, the Watchmen handle internal threats.
Fides became a Watchman immediately after graduating.
It had now been two years since graduation.
He had risen to the rank of “Executor,” a position that allowed him to make important decisions and carry them out.
He also had the authority to form and command small organizations within the Watchman Unit as needed.
The organization he was currently pursuing was relatively new and not large enough to threaten the state.
However, they were a nuisance that deeply irked Fides.
That was because they gathered under the pretense of being Eliya.
The current Emperor Eliya is a god, and humanity must dedicate their lives to serve her.
Those who do not dedicate their lives to Eliya must be punished, and all their possessions must be returned to her.
That’s their claim and justification.
Despite their claims, they had never served in the Royal Palace.
Thus, they were merely a bothersome criminal organization.
Naturally, Eliya, rolling around in the Palace with Judas, had nothing to do with them.
They were merely using Eliya’s name as a pretext.
Thanks to that, all the children of the Imperial Family were determined to capture the Messiah Church.
However, they were scattered like a pointilism artwork, making them difficult to track.
For this reason, Fides collaborated with Donum.
Rangers, who searched the national borders and detected threats early.
Utilizing Donum’s physical abilities and sharp senses, she became a ranger.
Tracking and archery. She demonstrated talent in every virtue needed by a ranger.
Especially archery, which she picked up out of curiosity while at the Academy, had shown her innate talent since then.
She started working before even graduating and had risen to a position fit to lead a unit.
Thanks to Donum, the tracking was proceeding swiftly, and they had discovered what could be called a stronghold.
– End of report. Do you have any questions?
“No. Now I’ll step in. Thank you for your hard work.”
– Got it. I’ll provide cover from afar.
“Since we might miss something, I’d appreciate it.”
Fides stood up holding his sword.
He once received the moon’s pupil from his father and had used it a few times, but then he set it aside.
He could not wield the moon’s power like his father.
He could not display the true potential of that weapon.
If so, he wanted to reach the top with just an ordinary sword.
It was ambitious, but Fides had managed it well so far.
“Alejandro. Gather the kids.”
Alejandro.
He had a deep dark history in the Academy, and now he entered the Watchman Unit.
He had joined later than Fides, one year junior.
Currently, he served as Fides’s deputy, holding the position of “Assistant Executor.”
That position was by no means trivial.
This served as proof of his excellence as a “magic swordsman.”
Unlike his skinny past, his physique had improved.
“Yes, sir.”
Having matured, he treated the younger Fides with respect.
Though younger, Fides was his superior.
Due to having grown up, he bore the secret shame that washed over him every night like a suicidal impulse, recalling his past dark history.
He still sometimes couldn’t sleep at night because of those memories.
Fides looked at the ten people gathered in front of him.
Including himself and Alejandro, a total of 12 formed a team.
To mobilize more personnel than this, he needed permission from above.
Using the prince’s name would naturally get rapid approval, but he didn’t want that.
He wanted to prove himself and proudly boast to his parents.
He had already received much help from his parents in tracking the Messiah Church.
He had not borrowed power, just personal magic and power assistance.
He could not lean on his parents any longer.
And he also wanted to be a husband worthy of respect to his wife.
‘With Donum and the rangers, that makes 19.’
That’s a number they could work with.
Aces from each organization.
Among them, he and Donum were particularly outstanding.
“We’ve found what is presumed to be the stronghold of the Messiah Church.”
Messiah Church.
A name that robs under the pretense of serving the savior, Eliya.
“Since they scatter like ants, it’s possible that there could be an additional stronghold, but this is the largest we’ve encountered so far. So be sure to prepare thoroughly. Gather your gear, and align the gemstone resonance patterns.”
The subordinates seemed to be already prepared.
Fides nodded.
“Let’s head out once we’re ready.”
He touched the doll tied to his sword sheath.
A stuffed doll made by his mother when he was young, resembling himself.
His siblings had different functions endowed by it.
One common feature was teleportation.
The dolls could share coordinates and could move with mutual consent when necessary.
They even supported large-scale teleportation.
In an instant, the scenery changed.
The Watchman and Fides arrived in a certain forest.
The now grown woman Donum welcomed them with a smile.
“Oppa!”
“…Call me Executor. We’re working.”
“If you’re going to breach straight in, you can go down there, that way. If you plan to sneak in, you’ll need a guide.”
“Let me speak.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Geez….”
Fides found himself pathetic for getting distracted by his unruly sister yet again.
He surrendered.
Now, it was time to work.
“We’re going for a direct assault. Please cover us.”
“Yep. Leave it to me.”
“Remember the principle is to capture alive. Avoid vital points.”
When fighting on-site, the Watchmen are permitted to kill in desperate situations where their lives are at stake.
However, generally, capturing alive is prioritized.
“Of course. It’s not my first time doing something like this.”
Donum confidently brandished her bow.
She may not have matured completely, but her skills were solid.
She was a reliable little sister.
The Watchmen plunged straight down the slope towards the main gate.
A large wooden door.
As they ran, Alejandro asked.
“Should I break it down?”
“No, I’ll do it. Save the magic for emergencies.”
Fides took a gold gemstone from his pocket and threw it forcefully at the door.
It flew like an arrow and crashed against the large wooden door, exploding.
It was a spell, “Fire Ball,” embedded in the gemstone using Amor’s technique.
This was no ordinary fire ball.
It was a new creation studied by Amor, containing Eliya’s flame.
The golden flames burst the wooden door apart, spreading fiercely around.
The Watchmen stormed through the burning door.
“Intrusion! Intrusion! The Watchmen have breached!”
In the chaotic interior of the stronghold, the Watchmen made their appearance.
Personnel on guard rang bells and set off alert alarms.
Someone from the Messiah Church recognized Fides and gasped in horror.
“Fides…! Executor Fides has come—!”
Fides simply held his sword and spoke calmly.
His beast-like golden eyes shimmered with suppressed rage.
“Execute the order.”
*
“Three fleeing individuals. My subordinates are currently pursuing them.”
The battle ended swiftly, but the result was messy.
They had let three slip away.
“Any injuries?”
As Fides wiped the blood off his sword, he replied.
“Two, but they were healed immediately.”
Also using the gemstones improved by Amor.
The healing magic stones significantly reduced injury risk.
Thanks to Amor, even non-mages could use magic.
This was the so-called popularization of magic.
“Are you fine, oppa?”
“Of course.”
Fides hadn’t even been touched.
He was too strong to suffer injuries from mere criminals.
“Well, now we have to transport these guys…”
They had captured everyone alive without any casualties.
About several dozen people secured.
To instantly teleport them to the Imperial prison, both Fides and Donum had exhausted their magical power.
This place was too far from there.
After all, the stuffed doll was ultimately a magical tool that requires the user’s magic.
Donum grinned.
“I knew this would happen, so I told Spei.”
“Eh? Told him what?”
“There’s a train station nearby. I asked him to come and transport the captured criminals.”
“Ha.”
Fides chuckled in surprise.
“Are you intelligent, or just naturally perceptive?”
“Both, really.”
“…But when will that train come?”
“I asked Spei to figure that out.”
“…….”
Fides thought, She’s not all that intelligent.
They still had enough magical power left to use large-scale teleportation to the train station.
The two divided their personnel and arrived at the train station with all the criminals in tow.
The massive object laid on the tracks never failed to evoke awe.
Even three years after its unveiling, it was still hard to get used to.
The epitome of magical engineering.
A great transport machine called the decision plate.
Another miracle birthed by Amor, known as an inventor, engineer, and revolutionary.
It served as a catalyst for changing the study of magical engineering into “Magical Engineering.”
The “Magical Train.”
In front of that train stood a man in formal attire.
He looked like he was waiting for someone.
His glossy suit seemed precious even to someone oblivious to fashion.
The man, brushing back his black hair, spotted Fides and Donum.
His indifferent red eyes checked his wristwatch before turning back to them.
He spoke bluntly.
“You’re late.”
Judas and Eliya’s third son.
He was Spei, the twin of Donum.
And he was a prominent businessman, currently the president of the railway company and a senior executive in the central bank, as well as a big player in the trade industry.
“You’ve kept me waiting three minutes past the anticipated time.”
Watching his brother, who was trying to hide his worry, Fides thought.
Indeed, it was Spei, not Donum, who was the intelligent one.
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