Adventure Group

Paul Greiman led Morrison through the rooms, asking as he went, "Isn't there anything valuable here, like treasure?"

"I'm not sure about that. The Shark Gang kept a very tight hold on their money. Usually, only a few core members knew where it was. But about two hours ago, a group of people came over and carried away several large and small chests."

"Looks like they really did flee with the money. Pray to the Lord of Light for them for me. But to start an Internal Strife at a time like this—they really have a death wish."

Morrison was puzzled. "Internal Strife? I've never heard of pirates turning on each other."

Paul asked, "Then what happened to these pirates' corpses?"

Morrison looked bewildered. "Weren't they killed by your men, my lord? I hid after hearing the commotion."

Paul panicked when he heard that and immediately ordered the soldiers around him, "Stay alert. There may be others lying in ambush here." With that, he took out a powder flask and loaded ammunition into his pistol.

The soldiers became fully alert and escorted the count to the main hall on the first floor.

At that moment, a soldier ran out from the corridor beside them. He stopped in front of Paul and reported, "Reporting! Chief Intelligence Director Cecil discovered a basement containing several suspicious individuals. They have all been disarmed. However, they claim they aren't pirates and are asking how you wish to deal with them."

"Oh? So there really are other people in this church. Come on, take me there to have a look."

"How many times do I have to say it? We're not pirates! Have you ever seen a naturally beautiful pirate girl like me?"

Meru Heimer, commander of the Lichman Adventurer Group, loudly protested with a frown. Her hands were bound, so this was the only way she could vent her frustration.

Yet no matter how much she protested, the gloomy-faced man simply stood opposite her with his arms crossed, ignoring her completely.

"You won't release us, but you won't kill us either. What exactly do you want?" Meru asked loudly again, but her words fell on deaf ears.

The green-haired girl in a scholar's hat advised, "Meru, stop shouting for now. This man is probably waiting for his superior to decide what to do with us."

Alas, this time we really fell into a ditch while chasing rats! Dean sighed inwardly.

At first, everything had gone according to plan. After two strange explosions rang out outside the city, most of the pirates stationed at the church had been sent away. The group had lain in ambush near the church and waited quietly for a while longer. As luck would have it, the few pirates remaining in the church had sent another group to carry several large chests onto a wagon bound for the docks. They judged that the pirates could no longer hold out and were preparing to flee. They could not wait any longer. They had to seize the opportunity—if the pirates transferred the hostages as well, it would be disastrous.

The adventurers had each used their own skills to launch a surprise attack on the church. A few pirates remained inside, probably searching for anything important that had been left behind. However, they were all weaklings when it came to combat and were no match for the adventurers. They were dealt with in short order. After the battle, the group carefully searched the church and found the entrance to a basement at the end of a corridor. When they went down, they discovered only Susan's grandfather, the town mayor. The old man had been tortured into unconsciousness, but their original target—the first son of Bern of the Horn Bay Alliance—was nowhere to be found.

Commander Meru Heimer made a snap decision and had the green-haired girl, Laddie, help Susan's grandfather return first, while the others went after the pirates. However, just as they were preparing to return to the surface, dense footsteps sounded above them. They had no choice but to hide back in the basement.

After Chief Intelligence Director Cecil led the soldiers into the basement and sensed that someone was inside, he immediately ordered these "pirates" to disarm and surrender. He also announced that the army led by the lord of the Alarda Territory had arrived, and that resisting to the end would only lead to death, and so on.

Only then did the adventurers realize that the army attacking Franklin Harbor belonged to the local lord. They hurriedly explained that they were not pirates, but adventurers who had come to rescue the kidnapped hostages.

How could the suspicious Chief Intelligence Director believe them so easily? He insisted that the adventurers put down their weapons. Commander Meru Heimer, meanwhile, had a short temper, and the two soon began trading barbs. Just as the two sides were on the verge of drawing their weapons, the usually calm Dean and Laddie together persuaded their commander to stand down. The group then surrendered their weapons. Cecil ordered the soldiers to bind their hands and sent someone to ask Paul how to proceed.

Second by second, time passed. After what felt like an interminable wait to the adventurers, someone finally walked down the stairs into the basement.

"A boy?" Everyone was deeply puzzled when they saw what the newcomer looked like.

Paul asked, "These are the suspicious individuals you captured?" A pink-haired, flat-chested girl; a blue-haired pretty boy; a yellow-haired Scene Kid; and a green-haired girl wearing a scholar's hat. The hat and the dim lighting made it difficult to see her features clearly.

Cecil answered respectfully, "Yes, my lord. They claim to be adventurers from the south who came here to rescue hostages kidnapped by pirates, but I believe it would be best to exercise caution."

Paul nodded. "Yes. You did the right thing."

He turned to the members of the adventurer group. "Tell me, how can you prove your identities?"

The members of the Lichman Adventurer Group were astonished. Judging by the boy's voice, he was clearly still going through adolescence, which meant he was only around fifteen years old. Wasn't he far too young to be a lord?

Commander Meru said anxiously, "You're the lord here? We really came to save people. Hurry up and release us."

Dean nearly wept when he heard that. He hurriedly leaned toward Meru's ear and whispered, "Commander, we're meat on someone else's chopping block right now. Could you at least use an honorific? He's a Robe Noble like Greedy Wolf Giles, a sovereign in his own territory. He won't be as easy to reason with as the Robe Nobles back home. I've heard that northern lords are crude and overbearing. If we upset him, he could kill us on any pretext. Who would we even appeal to?"

Seeing them whispering among themselves, Paul grew alert. "What are you doing? I'm warning you, don't collude on your testimony!"

Dean was about to explain when the silent companion beside him, Laddie, suddenly said, "Honored lord, I believe you should first concern yourself with the safety of your people. The old man beside me, who was tortured by the pirates into unconsciousness, is the local mayor. Please render him aid. His family can prove our identities."

Paul looked toward the green-haired girl who had spoken. She was staring straight back at him, her face fully revealed.

She wore the attire of a traveling scholar, with every inch of her body wrapped tightly. The face above her high collar possessed a beauty far beyond that of ordinary women, while her eyes held crimson pupils that were exceedingly rare even in this world.

As Paul met her gaze, he suddenly noticed an almost imperceptible glimmer in the girl's pupils. Was that just his imagination?

A faint dizziness swept over him. He shook his head to dispel it and thought, Alas, I was too excited about tomorrow's siege last night and couldn't sleep at all. I'm exhausted now. I need to find time to catch up on my sleep.

Suppressing the urge to yawn, he said, "All right, what you said makes some sense. Cecil, do you know the mayor of Franklin Harbor?"

Cecil looked troubled. "I'm sorry, my lord. I know the mayor is an old man, but I really don't know what he looks like."

"Find a physician to treat this old man, and ask some townspeople to confirm his identity as well." Chief Steward Ford, who handled the territory's administrative affairs, might know the local mayor, but he had not come with the army.

"Yes!" Cecil acknowledged him and had two soldiers carry the old man out.

Paul turned to the members of the adventurer group. "As for you, you may leave only after the old man wakes up and proves your innocence." He would not blindly believe their story just because there were beautiful women among them.

Dean said, "My lord, the mayor was already unconscious when we arrived, so he doesn't know us. But you can bring his granddaughter, Susan, to testify for us." He then gave them Susan's address.

Paul agreed. "I'll have her brought here at once. I hope you really are innocent."

No one noticed the green-haired girl quietly let out a sigh of relief beside them.