Volume 13 Chapter 9 Suspicious Person
Al asked Sigmund where Baron Zora's mansion was. He used the 'Magic Sense' spell beforehand and carefully approached the mansion.
The chances were low, but he thought there was a possibility that Zora could be the culprit.
He had heard that Zora was the captain of the magician corps of the Count Senet family in the Tempest Kingdom, where magic was very active. This meant he might be as skilled as Lord Veil, who had been very cautious about Patricia's case.
As Lord Radyard had told him, the mansion that Baron Zora rented wasn't very big. The street in front of the mansion didn't have many people, so Al first pretended to be just a passerby and walked past the mansion.
The mansion was surrounded by a fence, with a front yard big enough for a carriage to park. The building was about the same size as Donald's house, suitable for a somewhat successful merchant and their servants.
All the shutters on the mansion's windows were closed, so Al couldn't see inside.
'Something is coming! I wonder if this person was watching too.'
At the edge of his vision, a transparent round orb floated in the air, moving from the mansion towards Al. It was probably the 'Floating Eye,' serving as a warning.
But Al focused on a black carriage parked in a hidden alley. It was standard-sized, fitting four people, and looked ordinary. Still, it reminded him of a carriage near the Levy merchant guild before.
Carriages usually have a unique color or family crest to tell them apart, but this one had none. The carriage the 'Floating Eye' was tracking was the same.
'Why are you stopping? What's wrong?'
Glee's voice urged Al to walk faster. Could Lord Veil be in that carriage? When he used 'Magic Tornado' on the boat in the border area, escaping was his only focus.
He didn't check if anyone was alive, but it seemed likely that Lord Veil survived and made it to Parker.
Al quickly passed the alley with the black carriage, keeping his distance. He turned a few corners, checking behind him to avoid being seen. The 'Floating Eye' following him disappeared about a hundred meters away, and Al sighed in relief before stopping.
"Did you notice that black carriage?"
Glee probably hadn't been paying much attention. It took a while for him to reply.
'It looks a lot like the carriage that was watching the Levy merchant guild. I can't say for sure if it's the same one, though...'
"Right?"
Is Baron Zora hiding in the mansion, thinking the carriage is watching him? If so, why hasn't he informed Naresh or the guard team? Maybe he's hesitant to cooperate with the Sylvester Kingdom after Baron Sanford's death.
Still, that thought is just Al's imagination. The carriages looking similar could be a coincidence. He wanted to check inside the carriage, but using a spell might get him noticed.
Last time, while tracking Lord Veil's carriage, he got too close to the 'Floating Eye,' and the target escaped. Careless investigation could lead to the same result, but without spells, Al's fighting ability is limited.
His plan was to check on Baron Zora at his own pace, so he parted ways with Sigmund, but that might have been a mistake.
It's been a week since the incident, so there's no need to rush. He should report to Naresh and the others before getting involved with the carriage. Al decided to pause contact with Baron Zora.
* * *
"That must be Alder Tree Street... I think..."
While eating a famous steamed turkey egg bought at the open-air market, Al looked at the entrance of Alder Tree Street from a little distance.
The open-air market was lively like yesterday, but Alder Tree Street had a darker atmosphere. Near the entrance, an old man in tattered clothes sprawled on the ground, eyes closed. It was hard to tell if he was awake or asleep.
According to the stall owner who sold him steamed turkey eggs, Alder Tree Street used to be bustling with vendors, but they had all disappeared. When Al asked about similar questions from yesterday, he learned that some guards had checked on the old man and the buildings.
It must have been Lord Radyard and his group, but they didn't listen to any stories outside Alder Tree Street. Al thought that since he didn't know the area well, he could gather this information.
The old buildings made of wood and sun-dried bricks lined Alder Tree Street, about 30 meters (98ft) long. Torn canopies suggested there were once stalls, but no people were in sight. At the opposite entrance, another old man lay on the ground with a bowl rolling in front of him.
It looked like just a lonely street, but it still felt suspicious. The old man lying down was probably a disguised lookout.
Al hesitated but realized nothing would change if he didn't act. He decided to use the 'Floating Eye' spell to check out the street. The eye passed the old man and entered the street unnoticed.
The buildings on Alder Tree Street had chimneys and open windows. Some seemed livable, and about ten people appeared to live there. This felt few compared to the rooms available. The residents looked to be in their twenties to thirties, moving quickly and seriously, as if it were a guard station.
'Spies, maybe?'
At Glee's words, Al quietly nodded. It seemed likely, but was he overthinking it? He moved the eye to check further and recognized a woman. Her name was Tress, who had been with Lord Veil.
Al quickly canceled the 'Floating Eye' spell. These people were spies from the Tempest Kingdom, without a doubt. Luckily, they hadn't noticed, and there were no signs of magicians, but he hadn't checked every room yet."
He has to let Naresh and the others know!
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)