svetikya #330 - Evil Party
#330 - Evil Party
After continuously challenging A-rank labyrinths, Zunzun and the others bid farewell to Alicia and her group.
“Farewell? Where are you going?”
Edgar couldn't help but ask.
He was hoping to continue traveling with Zunzun and the others, as both their strength and teaching abilities were excellent, and they were very patient with them. As mentors for novice adventurers, they were invaluable.
Zunzun and Shima Kyoosuke exchanged a glance.
“…To the Royal Capital.”
“We have some trivial matters to handle.”
Indeed, their thoughts aligned.
Zunzun's initial intention was to prevent Alicia and the others from being treated as tools, but unexpectedly, due to that damned priest's coercion, Alicia and the others still became heroes.
If it were unrelated to him, he could ignore it, but since they were the ones who eliminated the goblin army, he couldn't stand idly by.
“Is that so?”
Alicia lowered her head with some regret, but quickly said, “The reward for the assassination beast subjugation mission in Sharee Village hasn't been collected yet, you…”
“No, we're a bit pressed for time. As for our share of the reward, um… we'll talk about it next time.”
“Are you stupid!? Aren't you afraid we'll embezzle it?”
“Would you?”
“Of course not!”
Leca retorted loudly, his cheeks flushed red as if he himself had been humiliated. Edgar couldn't help but cover his mouth and chuckle.
Knowing their true nature, Zunzun naturally knew they wouldn't embezzle the reward.
But they were really short on time.
Four months had already passed out of the six-month limit for the second trial. They were only missing the final shrine to conquer and destroy. It was precisely because they had some spare time that Zunzun decided to detour to the Royal Capital to resolve this matter's potential consequences.
Leca was playfully fighting with Edgar, arguing about being ridiculed, while Alicia stepped forward and gave Shima Kyoosuke several talismans.
They were recovery talismans.
It was precisely because of the existence of these convenient talismans that Zunzun's healing potions weren't very popular.
The beautiful elf girl said with slight surprise, “Miss Alicia, aren't these very precious?”
“Yes, but I can make them myself, so I don't need them.”
Shima Kyoosuke, being very dense, made a gesture to return the talismans, but Alicia shook her head, smiling, and said, “No, these are a gift for you.”
“…Is that so.”
Hearing that it was a gift, he no longer declined.
Then, the three bid farewell to them.
“Hey, Kuroki! When we give you the reward next time, don't die! But, with your strength, you'll definitely be fine, right?”
“Thank you, Miss Elf, and thank you, Zunzun! I will always remember your teachings!”
“See you next time!”
The three waved and left briskly.
…But before they had walked a hundred meters, the beautiful elf girl could no longer completely conceal her dissatisfaction, puffing out her cheeks and crossing her arms.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing. Zunzun, you're going to the Royal Capital for Alicia, aren't you? Hmph, how nice. You'd detour to the Royal Capital for someone else, but you were so hesitant when I said we should go to the sealed city.”
A strong scent of jealousy wafted over.
Behind them, Alicia and the others were constantly arguing, seemingly saying that Zunzun and the others were very mature and had the demeanor of powerful adventurers. Alicia even said that she would definitely become as mature as the beautiful elf girl in the future.
Mature…? Looking at the beautiful elf girl who was turning her head away and throwing a tantrum like a little girl, whether in appearance or personality, he couldn't see any maturity at all.
Rather, compared to her, Alicia was a bit more mature.
Especially her broad-mindedness.
“You're mistaken, Cui,” Zunzun shook his head and said, “Admittedly, I'm going to the Royal Capital because of Alicia.”
“See!”
“But it's not for her, but to clean up my own mess.”
“Clean up your mess?”
The beautiful elf girl's cheeks flushed slightly, seemingly not quite able to accept Zunzun's crude explanation, but she was still very curious about it.
“It started with us.”
Shima Kyoosuke began to explain, and after listening to the explanation, the beautiful elf girl understood the reason. Although she often became blinded by jealousy, at least her intelligence was still online.
“That's how it is. Next stop, the Royal Capital.”
Zunzun and the others headed towards the Royal Capital.
The production of the bicycle had already been put on the agenda, and it was successfully produced a week after departure.
The beautiful elf girl was very happy riding the bicycle.
He originally thought it would turn into Guan Yu riding a bicycle, but Zunzun overlooked the fact that people with high looks good no matter what they do, and the beautiful elf girl was no exception.
With the bicycle, the speed became faster, but only a little bit faster.
Because Shima Kyoosuke's stamina was still not enough, even riding a bicycle was just changing from walking to riding a bicycle. The fact that he was physically weak still hadn't changed.
Wind talismans were useless.
The bicycle was too fragile, almost falling apart as soon as it started, which made it slower than taking a carriage. On the main road, the bicycle was completely reduced to a toy.
It seemed that not all modern tools could become applicable in another world.
It took 25 days to reach the Royal Capital.
And as soon as they stepped onto the land on the outskirts of the Royal Capital, they saw a large group of knights wearing standardized armor and holding spears, surrounding Shima Kyoosuke.
“Hey, that guy is a beastman!”
“Quickly protect these two!”
“To think you'd chase us here, you're courting death!”
Zunzun and the beautiful elf girl were protected by the knights in the crowd, and some even came over to comfort them, saying that it was over and they didn't have to be afraid of being harmed by the beastman.
Harm my ass!?
However, before Zunzun could explain that the misunderstood beastman was their companion, Shima Kyoosuke grabbed the captain of the knights and instantly refined… no, checked his memories.
“So that's how it is, the organization with the hero appointment authority is the church? The leader among the recommenders this time is Zerniwang… oh, he's currently conspiring with the commander-in-chief of the army in the headquarters?”
“Y-You… how do you know this information…!?”
The captain who was grabbed was sweating profusely.
Shima Kyoosuke spread out his hands, revealing a terrifying smile: “Thank you for the information, thank you for telling me this… hehe, hehehe—”
He already looked like a villain.
As Shima Kyoosuke left, the captain shouted: “The thief beastman's destination is probably the military headquarters, quickly gather the soldiers! That lord is no exception!”
“That lord too!? But that lord is still unwilling to move…”
“Then persuade him until he moves! Also, those two commoners, bring them into the city and settle them down!”
“Captain! Those two commoners are gone!”
“What!? Not good, it's a trap! They're in the same group!”
“How could this be!?”
In short, the scene was chaotic, and under their propaganda, the entire Royal Capital would fall into an uproar. However, this had nothing to do with Zunzun and the beautiful elf girl who had already secretly slipped away.
The two chased after Shima Kyoosuke's footsteps.
This guy is slow as a snail usually, but the damage he can unleash in an instant is incredibly terrifying, and almost no one can catch up to him.
The three arrived at the Royal Army Headquarters.
Zunzun signaled the two to follow him, while using optical camouflage magic to hide the figures of the three.
They arrived at the hall.
A man wearing a priest's robe was talking to a man in military uniform sitting behind a long table.
“What is the movement of those three?”
“I remember that they obtained the exploration permit for the A-rank Dark Deep Labyrinth from the Adventurers Guild a month ago, and they also received the reward for subjugating monsters in Sharee Village. After that, there was no activity.”
“…Tch.”
The man in military uniform clicked his tongue in displeasure, and said: “It seems that they gave up on conquering the labyrinth and instead started doing safe money-making missions. I thought they could be of some use when they used the hero's permission to conquer dangerous dungeons.”
His expression was not at all hoping that the three could be of use, but rather hoping that they could simply die in the labyrinth.
“But, is this really okay, from the standpoint of the church as the appointer…”
“Hehehe, not at all. For the current church, the so-called hero is just one of the many tarnished honorary titles.”
The priest smiled, looking kind and amiable, but the sinister and cunning look that occasionally appeared in his squinted eyes indicated that this person was not as benevolent as he appeared on the surface.
“Compared to this, the construction cost of the new Great Cathedral has been severely overspent, and this matter is even more urgent and troublesome. After all, our church led the way to make the Royal Capital the heart of many lost sheep…”
“I know.”
The man in military uniform interrupted him.
As if not wanting the priest to say the next words.
“If the heroes can fall into a desperate situation on the verge of life and death, even the optimistic Minister of Finance would probably have to agree to our request to increase military spending. In this way, one-tenth of it will be donated to the church through the Military Association as agreed upon…”
“As agreed upon…? Hmph hmph, in any case, I would like to express my deep gratitude on behalf of all believers for your good intentions.”
The priest bowed pretentiously, his face showing no piety towards the gods, but rather a desire and mercenary attitude towards money.
The beautiful elf girl could no longer restrain the impulse in her heart, wanting to rush up and reason with them.
The conversation just now completely disregarded the lives and deaths of Alicia and the others, trying to use them to fall into crisis or even death, in order to attract the Kingdom's attention and increase funding for the army.
This approach was completely about seeking wealth and harming lives.
Zunzun held her shoulder.
He was also very angry, but now was not the time to go out. He was using a magic tool to record their conversation, so that it could be used as evidence to convict these people.
But he overlooked another person in the team.
“So that's how it is, that's what's going on.”
“W-What!?” X2
Not only the priest and the others, but even Zunzun looked at the front in astonishment. He didn't know when, but Shima Kyoosuke had broken away from Zunzun's perception and had already arrived in front of the man in military uniform.
What on earth did he want to do?
— Everyone present subconsciously had this thought.