Chapter 66 Beginning Of Investigation And Execution
The day after capturing the assailant of King Zeios.
Me, Maia, and Teti gathered at the main gate of the royal palace.
Today, we are planning to gather information about a suspicious organization related to the country's missing persons cases in the town of Rune Gaia - the Apostles of Salvation.
"Adel-san, and everyone, please take care."
"Yeah... But Cress, you didn't have to come all the way here to see us off just for going to ask around in town."
"No, Adel-san and the others are working for the sake of Rune Gaia. Please let me do this much as a princess."
Cress, who had come to see us off, smiled gently.
It felt like a mix of sincerity and stubbornness, showing the strength of Cress's will.
"I really wanted to go with you, but..."
"...I told you yesterday that it would cause a commotion if the princess went into town, didn't I?"
"Yeah, that's right..."
Cress, who looked visibly down, awkwardly nodded.
Did she really want to come along that much?
"Leave the woman who attacked King Zeios to Fran. It's also about my reputation as informant. Once I get some new information, we can discuss it when Adel-san returns."
"Got it."
I nodded to Fran, who was also seeing us off.
"Well, I'll probably be back by evening."
"Yes, Adel-san. See you later."
"...?"
Was there some hidden meaning in Cress's smiling words, or was it just my imagination?
Despite my faint doubt, I called out to Maia and Teti and started walking towards the town below.
* * *
――Sneak, sneak.
"Adel-sama..."
"Adel..."
"...Yeah."
As we walked through the town below, the three of us, Maia, Teti, and I, confirmed "that fact" and let out a sigh.
The reason is that there was someone following us, and it turned out to be the person we just parted ways with earlier.
――Seriously, that princess...
We deliberately moved away from the main street of the town and headed towards a deserted alley.
Even though it's an alley, it's truly a city of water.
Along the sides, well-maintained waterways are laid out, with clean water flowing pleasantly.
As we proceeded to a suitable spot, I suddenly turned around.
"――"
The person who had been following us was swiftly hiding behind a large barrel placed next to a building.
Quite a swift move.
"Cress, what are you doing in a place like this?"
"Uh..."
As I called out while peeking at the shadow of the large barrel, golden hair swayed from beneath the deeply worn hood, and Cress put on a strained expression.
"Oh, Adel-san. And everyone, what a coincidence."
"No, that seems unlikely."
Seeing Cress resigned, I sighed once again.
"Geez. How did you figure it out? Even though I'm good at hide-and-seek to the point of being able to shake off my servant Halim multiple times."
"Teti-chan has a keen sense of smell, and I'm also reasonably sensitive to people's presence. And above all, Adel-sama is so sharp that he can see through me using my Job ability."
"I see... I was planning to surprise everyone later."
Cress slumped her shoulders at Maia's explanation.
But really, to think she followed us.
"Princess, you're quite the tomboy."
"Uh... N-no, Teti-san. There's a proper reason for this."
"A reason?"
Teti tilted her head and twitched her ears in response.
Just as Cress was about to answer.
I sensed multiple presences and looked ahead down the alley, towards the shadows of the buildings.
――Crunch.
There emerged a group of eerie individuals wearing red cloaks.
"""..."""
There were three of them.
The group approached in silence, steadily closing in.
"Hey, are those kinds of people common in this country?"
"Well, I've never seen them before."
Cress responded to my question with a puzzled expression.
Their eyes seemed empty, lacking vitality.
As I observed, the person at the front raised one hand towards the sky, and the other two followed suit.
"Neutralize and capture..."
"Neutralize and capture..."
"Neutralize and capture..."
The group in red robes muttered in a cold tone, generating fireballs from their raised hands.
The heat was intense enough to ignite a nearby wooden box with the sparks flying.
"They seem to be quite powerful magicians..."
"Yeah, but using that kind of magic in a place like this is a big inconvenience. Let's make use of the resources of this country."
"I see. Adel-sama, are you going to try that?"
In response to Maia, I activated my [Executor] job ability.
In front of me, a pale blue text is displayed.
==============================
Total Execution Coefficient: 19,563,010 points
Do you want to execute the [Paladin] job ability by consuming 6,000 points of Execution Coefficient?
==============================
Agreed――.
I aim my job ability at the red-robed group who are about to cast a fireball.
"Water Prison――"
"""Whoa!!!"""
As I chant, the water flowing in the alley gathers, forming a ball of water the width of the alley.
It's like a huge water cage, swallowing the red-robed group along with their fireballs.
"T-This is――"
Cress opens her eyes wide at the sight and lets out a word.
Among the Paladin job abilities that can receive the protection of spirits, this one is a skill that manipulates water.
The people in red robes were struggling and writhing, but it didn't last long. By the time I deactivated the job ability, they had collapsed to the ground, powerless.
"Phew."
"As expected, Adel-sama. Thank you for your hard work in extinguishing the fire."
"All that practice paid off."
I clenched my hands a few times to confirm the sensation of the ability I just used.
It seems that this ability is even more compatible in a country abundant with water.
"Wow... manipulating that much water, even the best magician in the royal palace can't do it. Adel-san, you're truly exceptional..."
"Well, that's just how Adel is."
Teti reacted to Cress's words as something familiar.
"Well, it seems like these guys will be our first interrogation targets."
Saying that, I turned my feet towards the red-robed individuals who had fainted.
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