Chapter 40: Chapter 35: Power Against Power

“Alen, Elena. Good morning.”

“”.........””

Since yesterday, Allen and Elena would never move away from me.

And when I told them good morning today, the two looked at me with dispirited expressions without speaking. They have reverted to their original state they were in when I found them.

That slave trader really did it now!! I will absolutely not let him off!!

I have to prepare one ticket to hell for him......... fufufu...

First, I visit the Adventurer’s Guild and finish our business.

I secure several tens meters of Evil Viper’s skin and 100kg of its meat and sell the rest to the guild.

When the material such as Bloody Wolves was added, it was a significant sum of money. Even a Platinum coin was mixed in.

I kept half of the money on me and deposited the rest in the guild’s deposit.

Next stop is the Knights branch.

A messenger from the Knight’s came to the Inn yesterday evening telling me to visit the Knights next day. It seems to be about Sajesh.

This is convenient, so I went.

“―――And that’s it.”

First, Risner-sama reports about the matter.

Sajesh has been punished by two weeks of house arrest and three months of being demoted to an apprentice.

It’s much stricter punishment than I thought. Although it’s only three months, it will be probably hard to work as an apprentice.

“That’s all from us. So, Takumi, what’s wrong?”

Because I conveyed to the messenger yesterday that I would like to consult with Wald-sama about something, he asks me immediately after the report is finished.

“Actually......――”

First, I spoke about the problem with the slave trader.

As Allen and Elena are orphans, Wald-sama has guaranteed me last time that I’m their guardian. Therefore, it would be better to get the troubles out of my chest beforehand, right?

I mean, although the slave trader was taken to the station yesterday, there will definitely not be enough evidence. I don’t think he will give up on the children that easily. He will definitely show up again.

And then, I explain what happened with the Gold’s Wheat Shop and Baron Gilbert.

I ask them about what to do since the opponent is a noble. Well, in this area, I don’t rely on Wald-sama, but Risner-sama instead.

Would it be possible to cooperate? I had such plan.

Well, my intentions to let someone else take care of them.

I mean, this is a case where I have to smash someone up without directly touching them, right? If it would be directly, Allen and Elena would definitely come into contact with those fellows.

I don’t want them to be affected by those fellows anymore. While that may be true, I have no intentions of leaving the twins.

There is no value in leaving the children behind in order to interfere with those fellows.

Therefore―――take care of them!

Those fellows! Are definitely! Committing crimes.

Therefore, let’s crush them with a frontal attack!

“I see... if it’s about that, there’s a more suitable person for that than us. Let’s head over there.”

Risner-sama who heard the story urges us to move.

“Excuse me.”

“Oh? Isaac, huh. What’s the matter? ... N? This is?”

“He’s Takumi Kayano-san.”

“Oh! You are! I see, I see, I’m glad you came. Please sit down.”

We leave Wald-sama’s room, and Risner-sama guides me to a room with a friendly man in his thirties and another man also in his thirties who hadn’t spoken yet.

“Takumi-san. This is the Commander and Commander’s advisor.”

“...... I am glad to meet you. I’m Takumi Kayano......”

“Commander is son of Lauren House the feudal lord governing this territory.”

“Derrick Lauren. There are several people of Lauren house in this town, so Derrick is alright.”

The destination was the office of the commander of the Knights of Shirin.

The friendly man is Derrick Lauren. He’s the most important person of the Knights of Shirin and the Lauren House’s second son. Because his older brother was assigned to manage the territory, Derrick-sama became a Knight.

The second man is Philip Callan-sama. Commander’s advisor. Not a vice-commander, but he seems to be in charge of administrative work.

Risner-sama has brought me to an incredible place, huh...... tell me beforehand, please.

After the short introductions, I explained my business to the two.

“Fumu, I see. Alright, we will investigate!”

“Eh?”

Derrick-sama takes it in quickly.

It was too unexpected I let out a weird noise.

“Although I have asked you for help, is it alright for you to agree that easily?”

“You took care of my subordinates. Besides......”

When Derrick-sama glances at Callan-sama, Callan-sama clears his throat and starts explaining.

“Information about Baron Gilbert has been reported to the Knights before. He apparently does what he pleases, and reports are coming from here and there, the problems don’t run out」

“There are rumors about that house behaving strangely lately.”

“Yes. No special goods are coming from Baron Gilbert which should be covered by taxation, yet he’s lavishly buying various luxurious products. Hearing Takumi-dono’s story, his relation with the slave trader is suspicious.”

“A lot of dust is likely to come out when you hit it, huh......”

“Yes. And in large quantities at that......”

Apparently, there are a lot of things Baron Gilbert is guilty of that I don’t know yet.

Nevertheless, Risner-sama and Callan-sama...... they are in a perfect sync...... and their smiles are scary!

“That’s why we are already in the middle of an investigation. We also direct people towards Gilbert’s territory. Since this is an opportunity, let’s us handle your matter too. If we let him do as he pleases in our territory, our reputation will be affected too!”

Ah, un. Derrick-sama also looks quite angry.

Well, I don’t mind leaving it to you so please take care of it.

“Apart from that, about the Gold Wheat’s Shop! It’s the store where the new bread started, right? That bread is good! It’s just right to eat when the stomach is empty.”

“That’s right. The “Phantom Bread” was especially delicious”

“What!? Isaac, you have eaten the “Phantom Bread”!?”

“Yes.”

“Ku~ How! How did you obtain it!! It’s something sold out on days without set dates in few minutes! It’s impossible for someone like us the Knights with duty system to obtain it!!”

A person captivated by the sweet bread is also in here. Risner-sama looks proud to have eaten the Cream Bread......

Although not seemingly interested, Callan-sama also glances between Risner-sama and me. Is he perhaps concerned about the acquisition route of the Cream Bread?

“The reason why Takumi-dono is being concerned about the Gold Wheat’s Shop affair should convey the only possibility.”

“I see! They were given by Takumi!”

“Yes, Takumi-san is the inventor of the Cream Bread.”

“What!? Is that true?”

“Hoh~”

“Y, yes...”

Scary!!

Derrick-sama’s and Callan-sama’s eyes look at me as beasts stalking their prey......

“Regarding the “Phantom Bread” although it’s possible to manage somehow, something similar may happen with person in power again, so Takumi-san seems to be troubled.”

“all right! Lauren Household will back you up!”

Back up? Lauren House?

What Risner-sama said is not wrong by any means.

Even if we tidy up this matter and reopen, I think that something similar may happen again. If we have a noble’s support, something like that will not occur ever again.

But, I’m not satisfied when things advance so smoothly......

“If you back us up, the “Phantom Bread”... Cream Bread, was it? You will make it for me, right?”

Ueeh!? The aim was the Cream Bread!?

Is he perhaps wanting to support us because of that!?

“What are you talking about? Something hard to obtain will become easy to obtain, you know?”

“That’s right. You should do whatever it takes to make hard to obtain things easy to obtain, you know?”

“...... Is that so? Well, if you won’t say to make it when there are no ingredients at hand, that condition seems all right.”

For things, you really want “Pay whatever the price”, is it something like that? It’s backing this time, though......

“Alright then, let’s go now.”

“Go? To the Gold Wheat’s Shop?”

“Naturally! Now that I will back you up I have to meet the shopkeeper!”

“That’s what you are saying, but in fact, you really just want to eat the Cream Bread, right?”

When Callan-sama points out, Derrick-sama’s shoulder twitch. It seems he was right.

“Commander, you won’t be able to eat the Cream Bread at the moment.”

“What!?”

“That’s only given. It takes time to make bread.”

Callan-sama has a reasonable opinion, but......

“Ah~...... you may be able to... eat it?”

“Oh?”

I have asked Road-san to make a lot of bread yesterday, after all. Of course, I requested him to make some Cream Bread.

I think it should have been done soon~ Surely.