Volume 4 Chapter 15 The Great Villain Of The World, Investigating The Suspicious Person
During the night, Shuu-san and I visited Heki Nei-san.
We were there to talk about the suspicious person.
Heki Nei-san was swinging a spear behind his house.
The face reflected in the moonlight was a serious expression I had never seen before.
Heki Nei-san is still angry at the guy who killed his family.
That's why he's training like this at a time when no one is around.
To someday take revenge.
In the world of 'History of Swordmaster' ten years later, had Heki Nei-san's revenge been completed?
Or did he betray Aika Country to defeat his enemy...?
While I was thinking about that, Shuu-san called out, "Brother Heki."
He handed Heki Nei-san the emblem dropped by the suspicious person.
Under the moonlight, Heki Nei-san looked at the emblem and said──
"...It's the same as the one that was found where my sister and her husband were killed."
──He said that and looked at me.
"Did Kou Tenhou-dono fight the owner of this emblem?"
"Yes. But I'm sorry. We couldn't capture him."
"That's not right. The ones guarding the gate are to blame."
Shuu-san, looking frustrated, slammed his fist into his palm.
"Even if a suspicious person is climbing the wall, no one notices. Even while Platoon Leader Kou is fighting on top of the wall, everyone's gaze is only on the south gate. When I climbed the stairs and called out, they finally noticed and started moving. And there are only 3 guards? What's going on? If there were more, we could have caught the suspicious person!"
"This town has been under the Chou Family's rule and has been peaceful for a long time. It's no wonder everyone is relaxed."
Saying that, Heki Nei-san bowed to me.
"Thank you, Kou Tenhou-dono. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have noticed the suspicious person entering the town."
"It was just a coincidence that I noticed. More importantly, Heki Nei-san."
"Yes, Kou Tenhou-dono."
"What do you think the suspicious person's goal is?"
That's the important part.
The suspicious person easily climbed over the wall.
They knew where it was easy to climb.
This isn't the first time they've entered Toukaku of Eastern Town.
They've probably come in and out many times, waiting for their accomplices outside.
"Heki Nei-san, you've worked as a soldier for many years, right? Based on your experience, what do you think?"
"Most likely... they were trying to make contact with someone in Toukaku."
After thinking for a while, Heki Nei-san said.
"They probably didn't go through the gate because they didn't want to be seen. The suspicious person needed to contact someone inside Toukaku without anyone knowing. And they needed to do it multiple times."
"And that person is..."
"I don't know."
"Now's not the time to be thinking, Brother Heki. Platoon Leader Kou."
Shuu-san raised his voice.
"If we catch them, we'll know what's going on. Let's gather the 'Six-Person Unit.' As soon as the sun rises, we can follow their tracks!"
"...Shuu is right."
Heki Nei-san nodded.
With a spear in hand and a fierce expression, he said,
"Let's capture the suspicious person and make them spill all the information. We need to find out who they are and why they infiltrated Toukaku. We also need to know the reason they killed my sister and her husband... everything."
"Understood. I'll get ready too."
We decided to wait for dawn to track the suspicious person's footsteps.
Then, the next morning.
Captain of the defense, Ri Kai-san, took command, and an investigation by Toukaku's soldiers was underway.
The soldiers reported to Ri Kai-san about the suspicious person.
──There was a suspicious person entering and exiting Toukaku at night.
──That person harmed soldiers.
──The suspicious person's accomplices shot arrows at the defense wall.
And all of this is a crime.
According to the laws of Aika Country, criminals must be captured and punished.
That's probably why Ri Kai-san took action.
On my side, I've also contacted Master Raikou about the suspicious person.
They used a technique similar to 'Five Divine Swordsmanship' and 'Five Divine Steps,' and they called me the disciple of the 'Cloud that crushes its own kind.'
Master Raikou might know something about it.
I sent a pigeon at dawn, so a letter might be arriving soon.
I also included a letter addressed to Shuu-sensei.
It says, 'Please don't push Master Raikou too hard.'
Master Raikou has just been poisoned by the 'martial artist killer.'
I need Shuu-sensei to stop her from overdoing it.
"──No matter how small, find any clues about the suspicious person!"
Ri Kai-san's shout echoed.
After encouraging the soldiers, Ri Kai-san 'looked up' at me.
He seems a bit dissatisfied.
Maybe he doesn't like that I'm looking down at him.
But it can't be helped.
It was Ri Kai-san who said, 'As the Vice Captain of Defense, you shouldn't be on foot. I want you to participate in the investigation on horseback.'
So here I am, riding Sakugetsu.
Sakugetsu is much taller than the other horses.
That's why I'm in a position to look down at Ri Kai-san.
"Kou Tenhou-dono."
"Yes, Ri Kai-sama."
"Your unit can conduct the investigation independently."
Ri Kai-san looked away and said that.
"Since you fought the suspicious person, you might have noticed something. You are allowed to act freely. Go ahead and investigate as much as you want."
"Understood."
I clasped my hands on the horse.
It's a relief to be allowed to act freely.
Sakugetsu, my black horse, has been snorting for a while now.
Sakugetsu and I found traces of blood left on the grass.
The dried blood, mixed with dew, probably belongs to the suspicious person I cut down.
Horses have a great sense of smell.
Plus, Sakugetsu is a famous horse from the Jinkyo Tribe, so it's not surprising it can smell the blood.
That's why it's looking south and seems eager to run.
Sakugetsu might know the direction the suspicious people went.
Since I've been given the chance to act freely,
let's follow their trail.
"My horse seems to have picked up the trail of the suspicious people. I'm going to follow it."
I told Heki Nei-san.
"I'm going to let the horse run now. It will probably be quite fast, so Heki Nei-san and the others should follow slowly."
"Eh? Ah, okay."
"Then, I leave it to you, Sakugetsu."
I patted Sakugetsu's neck.
Then, Sakugetsu let out a 'neigh' sound──
And right after that, it started running with incredible speed.
"──W-what speed is this!?"
"──Is that the one he took from the Jinkyo Tribe...?"
"──Don't lose sight of the platoon leader!!"
Heki Nei-san and Shuu-san, the people from the 'Six-Person Unit,' are getting farther away.
Sakugetsu runs straight down a pathless road.
Whether on grass or dry ground, there's no hesitation.
It's as if he knows where he's going, running at full speed.
Anyway, I need to find clues about the suspicious person.
I can't be picky about how to do it.
Those guys are enemies of Master Raikou's faction... and probably enemies of Aika Country too. Ignoring them is dangerous.
'...neigh.'
After a while, Sakugetsu stopped.
We ended up in a hilly area, away from the main road.
There are small hills and rocky mountains surrounded by trees... wait, what?
I recognize this terrain.
I've passed through this place several times in the game 'History of Swordmaster.'
It's when the hero army attacks the town of Toukaku.
I remember the main characters gathering at a nearby save point to plan the attack on Toukaku.
The Toukaku battle was really hard.
I kept going back to the same save point to try again.
...A save point, huh.
Speaking of which, the save point I went to with Shouou was in a cave.
It was a place for travelers to take shelter from the rain, with firewood prepared.
At the save point I went to with Touri, I met Tougen Shimei.
It was a secret place known only to the Jinkyo Tribe, who wanted to trade.
...So, what about the save point nearby?
If it's a place that people don't know about, and it's good for hiding──
──could the suspicious people be using that place?
The save points around here are in a good spot to get into Toukaku.
It wouldn't be strange if the suspicious people made it their base.
"Let's go check it out. This way, Sakugetsu."
'Neigh!'
I headed toward the save point in this area with Sakugetsu.
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