Chapter 102 Interrogation Meeting
Patrol, security, gatekeeper.
Shift change, members, patrol route, and so on.
By the time the captain finished explaining all that while spreading out the map of Joosa, the evening twilight was already creeping into the sky.
And then, just like the reddish hue of the sunset, the mayor of Haboch town, flashing his usual diamond smile, approached us. He had a rather apologetic look on his face as he whispered a request to Captain Shidou.
He said he really wanted to introduce the knight order to everyone at the Inquisitorial Council.
Maybe because our escort mission was about to kick off, he looked a bit reluctant, but he probably couldn't just brush it off.
Like a rehash of our arrival, we followed behind the town mayor, who was leading the way with great enthusiasm.
* * *
"Oh, we've been waiting for you!"
"Your achievements are well-known. Thank you for coming!"
"Thank you for your trouble."
"Haha, sorry for being so demanding."
As soon as we entered the Inquisitorial Council hall, we were greeted by 4 elderly gentlemen.
They all looked to be about the same age as the mayor of Haboch town. Their speech had its own flair, but they were like a scene from an election speech, reaching out for handshakes. They all wore broad smiles, just like the town mayor.
But the most striking commonality among them was... each of them had large diamonds in their accessories.
(Wow. Earrings, necklaces, bangles, brooches... they're all diamonds. It's all diamonds. What's going on?)
Even if I didn't know how many carats they were, I could tell that if they were the size of small acorns, they must be worth a fortune. Could it be that this neighborhood meeting has more of a vibe of a gathering of wealthy people?
"Wow! Look at all the diamonds over there! So sparkly! This is amazing, is this a group of rich people?"
"Hey, sister. Don't get too excited... but it really is impressive. Is having diamond accessories a requirement to join the Inquisitorial Council?"
"Well, ha ha ha. No, no, that's not it at all, my lady knight. It's just an extension of our little hobby."
"Indeed, indeed."
"Hehehe. It's not like we're forcing you or anything."
"Well, it's all voluntary, really."
"In that sense, you could say it's a testament to our bond."
Speaking of bonds, the committee members seemed to be in perfect sync.
The 5 old men had a diamond smile that gave off a strange pressure, making us uneasy.
"Let me formally introduce ourselves. We are the Joosa Inquisitorial Council. We've been eager to meet you two from the Reginleif squad that we've heard so much about."
"Yes, yes."
"...What a warm welcome."
"Wahaha. Indeed! Just last month, we were trembling in fear from the beast threat. With the arrival of new heroic knights, we couldn't feel more reassured!"
"If knights like you are guarding us, even a beast... no, that [Licking Shadow] would surely run away in fear!"
"Indeed, indeed."
"Hehehe, they'd turn tail and run barefoot!"
"──[Licking Shadow], you say?"
What's this Licking Shadow?
That name has a damp, unsettling ring to it.
"Do ya know about this freak, Captain?"
"Yes. It's a famous street killer that's been causing a stir lately. It's even on the knight order's blacklist as a bounty target."
"S-street killer, huh..."
"I've heard the name too. I don't know much about it, but apparently, it's quite skilled, Hiiro."
(Some punk bounty target, eh... that's straight-up romantic.)
(Huh? Romantic? Isn't that the opposite of knights?)
(No, no, in hardboiled stories, that's pretty standard. You know, we're talkin' take-'em-down-one-by-one, plain and simple.)
(*Sigh.* Here we go again with Master's bad habit.)
Ruthless might be exasperated, but in reality, that's a classic trope in serious stories. In resistance tales against evil governments or dark hero narratives, having the protagonist as a bounty target isn't uncommon.
That kind of thing is cool too. Not my usual style, but still.
([Licking Shadow], huh... the nickname is a bit odd, but I'd like to meet it.)
As I was getting all worked up about this and that... suddenly, Captain Shidou was staring intently at one spot.
"By the way, can I ask something a bit rude?"
"Sure, sure. Ask away."
"Hmm. What's that room over there? It's locked up tight."
Curious about what the captain was pointing at, I quickly understood why he asked.
In front of us was a door. But that door was secured with multiple locks and bolts, making it super tight.
"...Ah. That room over there is the 'storage room.'."
"Storage room?"
"Yes, yes. It holds important things like budget books used for Joosa's neighborhood policies and the town residents' registry... just that kind of room."
"Oh. Seems like you're really serious about security."
"It might seem a bit excessive, but as the leader of this town, this level of awareness is necessary, yes."
(Is this really just a security concern...? It feels more like a vault.)
Well, sure, the registry info is important, but still.
Opening that thing must be a hassle. Even with White magic 'locking,' it seems like it would take some effort.
Maybe I should try asking to see the resident info. Nah, better not. The pressure from the inquiry committee's smiles might get intense.
(Dude's more freaked out than he's showin', Mr. Haboch.)
(Worried, huh... I think it's a bit suspicious, though?)
(Suspicious?)
(Well, I mean, if it's locked up that tight, don't you think there's a secret they really don't want anyone to see?)
(Yeah, financials and records are always on lock. But I'm talkin' 'bout somethin' else.)
(No, no, it's not just that... Oh! How about we sneak in next time? Master's White magic might actually come in handy!)
('Might'? Don't get me started. And even if we don't get caught this one time, the squad'll be all over me.)
(Come on! If we don't get caught, it's all good!)
(But if they find out... game over, period.)
You really want to do something bad, huh?
I averted my gaze from Ruthless, who was making a fuss in my head like a kid throwing a tantrum.
(...a secret I don't want anyone to see, huh)
Outside the window, the night is slowly creeping in.
It looks like it might rain soon, with clouds so thick they could hide even the sparkle of jewels.
The sky, dyed in shades of crimson, was gradually being swallowed up.
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