The Reason For Anger
Alexia and Helen, who noticed us when we get close to the gate, smile at us.
“Thanks for the hard work, Alexia. I’m glad that you came back safely. Helen as well, sorry for asking so much of you. Thanks”
I say and embrace Alexia and Helen in sequence. Immediately after, Alexia and Helen also embrace me back happily.
“It’s alright. I understand that it’s something only I can do”
“That’s right. It’s the only job that I, who’s useless in battle, is useful at so please don’t hold back”
Alexia and Helen, who say and smile at me. As I thought, they’re too good for me. When we’re talking in that manner, Aerith and the others also turn up. Mei-chan charges at Alexia, rejoicing, ‘Fuka Fuka1~’. Roy seems jealous somehow though. I’m jealous too.
“In any case, you guys were able to request the Baron huh”
I say and look at the carriages that line behind Alexia and Helen. About ten carriages that can carry about six people are lining up over there. We can probably get everybody on board and set off if we have with these. However, when I ask about that, Alexia and Helen make furious expressions.
“Wha, what’s wrong?”
“I actually have something to talk about regarding that matter. I can’t quite talk about it here so let’s go to the mansion”
Alexia, who says and starts walking. I had no choice but to follow behind her.
We, who finally arrived at the mansion, take our seats. Here, there’s Alexia, Helen, Ferris, Aerith, me, and Eclat, who rides on top of my head. Dargris and the others are in the middle of training with Levine-san; Rene and the others are looking after the victimised women.
“Did something happen at Baron Mangus’?”
When I ask Alexia, Alexia nods.
“Didn’t Lei find the matter about the bandits that were in this village strange?”
“Those bandits?”
I recall the bandits that were staying here. Indeed, there are unexplainable points. Under ordinary circumstances, it’s the norm that if it becomes a bandit group at the scale of about 50 people, subjugation squads will be assembled by the nearby Feudal Lords, and they’ll be subjugated before they become massive.
There are also bandit groups that skilfully hide and upscale little by little, but even so, they’re roughly under 150 people. But, the one in this village, inclusive of the bandit group that we were attacked by in the afternoon, is at the scale of about 300 people. It’s strange how it became this massive.
“Under ordinary circumstances, if a scale half the number of that emerges, subjugation squads would’ve definitely been organised, and they should’ve already been captured. However, they’ve been lingering here for over two months. It appears that merchants had been travelling along this village periodically and there’s also the main road that we’d been travelling along nearby. And yet the bandit group that was here wasn’t subjugated. Why do you think that is?”
Alexia asks me. I suppose it’s not that they were hiding skilfully. It’s as Alexia said just now, we’d travelled along a main road nearby and there should’ve also been people who drop by here to rest. Nevertheless, they weren’t subjugated, which means
“Subjugation squads weren’t organised?”
When I say, Alexia nods.
“Baron Mangus’ look was obviously strange when we talked about this village’s matter, so we questioned him. Immediately after, the reason he gave, he said, ‘I’m lacking in funds so I couldn’t form subjugation squads’!”
Alexia gets agitated from her overwhelming anger and strikes the table with all her strength. Eclat, who’s dozing off above my head, was surprised by that sound and fell from my head. She fell in front of me, so I caught her though.
“Ah……sorry. I got a little bit worked up”
It appears that Alexia, who witnessed that sight, slightly collected herself. On the other hand, Eclat, who was surprised and fell, flew into a rage this time around. Eclat is letting out an angry voice, going, ‘Kyururu’, on top of my lap, and slapping the table. I’m stroking her, so she calmed down though.
“Is something like that possible? In the first place, our March is a unique location, right? So I don’t know about it since I’ve never heard stories about bandits appearing around those parts, and in the first place, we have a standing army, so there haven’t been such stories”
I say and Aerith also nods. Well, that place is near the Demon’s Land so the bandits themselves won’t approach, and Adventurers’ levels are also high in comparison to other territories. If the bandits were loitering around those parts, they’d probably be hunted down instantly.
“Well, it’s because the March is special. It has the Demon’s Large March as well as being the national border with Regalia Empire, so Otou-sama has placed more soldiers there in comparison to other territories”
“Yes. However, it’s not something impossible in other territories, especially small territories. It’s because, in such places, all they’ve got are soldiers to maintain public order. Nonetheless, if bandits appear, they’ll borrow soldiers from other territories even if it means getting a loan. Since if they report that matter to the country afterwards, that money will return”
“In that case, you’re saying that Baron Mangus didn’t even do that?”
“Eeh. In regards to what I said just now, that we’d return the money afterwards in the case that they got a loan and borrowed soldiers, an investigator will be dispatched to that territory afterwards”
“Investigator?”
Again, a new occupation came up. It doesn’t come to mind even when I recollect the things I learnt from Helen in the past.
“Yes. It’s one of the finance occupations within the Royal Palace, and it’s responsible for investigating whether the other territories are corrupted. I suppose in cases like the one this time around, the reason that they’re so lacking in funds that they’re unable to borrow soldiers from other territories will be investigated. I suppose Baron Mangus would loathe for the investigator to come and investigate”
“Which means, Baron Mangus was feeling guilty about something?”
I ask, and Helen nods.
“Baron Mangus detested for what he’s hiding to be exposed and abandoned that village. In addition to that, he covered all the bases, not letting merchants go to that village. And then he left the bandits alone. If those bandits cause damage to territories other than the Baron Mangus Territory, those Feudal Lords will organise subjugation squads, right? He’s waiting for that”
That sure is, well, a cunning ploy. He turned a blind eye and tried to shift it to the other territories.
“Did you find out what he’s hiding?”
I ask, and both of them shake their heads. Well, a Princess, and Marquis’ daughter as they may be, they can’t go as far as to comment on another territory’s management huh.
“We don’t know, so for the time being, we said we’ll report and despatch an investigator after returning to the Royal Capital. He was breaking down because of that though”
He reaped what he sowed. Well, I guess he never would’ve thought that this country’s Princess will pass by a place like that. Nevertheless, it’s not something forgivable though. Because of that, there were women who were victimised, people who were killed, and even children who were sold. I got infuriated after I thought about it like that.
“Kyuii!?”
Oops, I startled Eclat because I released my magic power out of anger. I stroke Eclat while apologising. She looks slightly angry, but it’s adorable how she’s rubbing her head against my hand.
“So those carriages are?”
It’s unthinkable for Baron Mangus, who’s saying that he’s lacking in funds, to be able to provide ten carriages. Where did they bring it over from?
“We borrowed it from the neighbouring territory that Baron Mangus was trying to shift the bandits’ case, Viscount Kennuss’ territory. He gladly lent it to us when we talk about that matter”
Alexia, who makes a malicious smile, going, ‘Fufufu’. ……It’s a little bit scary.
“Well then, when are we departing?”
“Let’s make it the day after tomorrow. Although I think that it’s alright already, let’s depart after checking everybody’s condition one more time tomorrow”
She’s right. If they force themselves to set off and wreck their bodies midway, we might not be able to deal with it. It’s just that,
“We won’t make it for the new school term at this pace”
Everybody is lost for words, going, ‘Uu’, at that matter. Although both Shishou and Mary-sensei will probably let us off if we talk about the circumstances, it’s a little bit scary because we don’t know what they’ll say to us. I was considering such things while stroking Eclat.
