An explosion resounded. The door didnât move even an inch. However, in the next moment, the door made loud sounds and then crumbled down. The door was not just opened, but utterly destroyed.
âNow! Please enterâŚâ
Seriaâs voice resounded. The soldiers went inside the room which has a very low temperature to the point that one can feel it to their bone.
âAs expected. To crush the door by making use of the difference in thermal expansion.â
Toward Rolphsâ words Seria nodded her head lightly. At first, when Seria was going to use flame based magic, Rolph thought that she was going to break the door by melting it with high heat. Thatâs why he tried to stop Seria by pointing out the problems after doing that. However, Seria understood what Rolph worried about. That the air inside the room will be like a scorching hell if she tried to use heat to melt the door. For Seria and Rolph who can use magic, they will be okay, but for the ordinary soldiers, it would be fatal. They would be unable to enter the room until the temperature cooled down. Thatâs why rather than doing that, Seria immediately cooled the door the heated door by rapidly using ice related. Making use of thermal expansion.
âNow then. we shall go inside as well.â
The two people went inside the room, and what spread before them is a scene of carnage. A smell of rusty iron hung in the air, which is the unique scent of blood.
âThis isâŚâ
âWhat happened hereâŚâ
The two people at a loss for words. They could not believe the scene that appears in front of their eyes.
âG-Grandfather?â
In the eyes of Seria who examine the vicinity, she saw Gaies body laying down on the ground. The characteristic of his robe, made it so she could not be mistaken.
âNo~~~~! Grandfather!!â
Seria broke down and fell to her knees. Rolph hurriedly tried to hold her but, Seria brushes his hand aside and made a dash toward Gaies body. Losing herself to her emotions, Seria held Gaies body in her arms. Looking at Gaies being held in Seriaâs arms, Rolph grimaced. Even for Rolph who had gone to many battlefields, heâs was still not used to see a dead body with such horrible injuries. By looking at his head, which had been crushed, he could see that he had been attacked while crunching down. And, by checking Gaieâs condition it was clear that his neck had been broken, the criminal had seemingly delivered a decisive blows to Gaies, which had had caused his respiratory tract to block up.
âJust who did such a cruel actâŚâ
Resentful words comes out from Rolphâs mouth. For Rolph who is used to the battlefield where people usually kill one, he didnât normally feel anything seeing a dead body. He just thought that the weak had died. However, Gaies was different. For Rolph, heâs a fellow soldier who has been fighting together for years. With the death of a friend of his, heâs unable to keep his feeling in check. <Note: I call it BS, it must be because he likes Seriaâs breast.>
âIâve decided! This must be the doing of an otherworlder!â
An exclamation full of hatred came out from Seriaâs mouth. The flame of anger because of her grandfather having been killed dwelled in her eyes. Looking at her eyes, Rolph desperately suppresses his own feelings. It is not good to have both commanders lose their calm.
(I guess, it is normal for her⌠after all, their relationship was pretty much that of a parent and a child.)
Seriaâs parents both died at the time when sheâs still a baby. They had been killed in action during the war with a neighbouring country. After that, Gaies who was her grandfather took her in and brought her up. He was also Seriaâs magic art master and at the same time her only immediate family. Thatâs why itâs natural for Seria to become distracted due to his death.
However, Rolph thought that her exclamation is misgiving.
âHowever Seria-dono. Although an otherworlder would be powerful if one were to raise them, arenât they weak when they appear just after being summoned? After all, unlike here, in their own world, thereâs no war, and I heard even carrying a weapon is forbidden.â
âBut!â
âBut when you mention it, there is no mistake that the summoned otherworlder is suspicious; thus the possibility of the otherworlder being the culprit is also very high.â
He gently comes to Seriaâs defense. Right now he does not have other choices other than to try to and calm her down for now. Because if he were to get dragged with Seriaâs emotion, they might miss the real criminal instead.
âWhat we should do is grasp the current situation properly, and discover exactly what happened.â
Being persuaded by Rolph, Seria tightens her expression. Sheâs a genius who at a young age have been appointed as a junior imperial magician. After hearing Rolph words, she remembers her role and responsibilities, and tries to calm her mind.
âIâm very sorry. It is as Rolph-sama had said.â
Rolph stopped Seria whoâs about to lower her head and immediately ordered the other soldiers.
âCheck and confirm the soldiers that have fallen here in case of any survivors! And make sure that the person with the weird clothes who is been lying down over there, is dead! After that, examine this room completely. Check if thereâs any hole for a person to escape or not! Next is⌠is there anything? Seria-dono?â
Seria shook her head as a response to Rolph question. Although her calmness has been restored, the death of her family is still affecting her heart. Her mind still unable to think anything though properly.
âRolph-sama! Seria-sama!â
âThereâs a survivor. This person is still alive!â
In a few minutes, the soldier who tried to confirm all the body comes back reporting to Rolph and Seria.
ââWhat!?ââ Is that right?â
Rolph and Seria rushed toward where the soldier had been lying down in the sea of blood.
âR-Rolph-samaâŚâ
The cracking voice is indeed coming from the body of a soldier that they thought had died.
âWhat happened?â
âWhat happened here?â
Since the person is a sole witness. Rolph and Seria raided the wounded soldier with their question.
â⌠Rolph-sama⌠by a monsterâŚâ
Hearing the soldierâs words, their complexion change. Because the soldier is the only person alive, who knows what had happened inside this room.
âWhat did you say?! A monster you said?â
Listening to the soldier worrisome words, Rolphâs face turned pale. Seria also panicked, wondering whether her grandfather had made a mistake in the summoning ceremony and summoned an unexpected foreign being.
âWhat do you mean! Hang in thereâŚ!â
âGa⌠GaiâŚGaâ
Although they are both desperately asked, the words that came out were unclear and had no meaning. They could barely hear the word monster, but they were both unable to understand the situation, due to it.
âR-Right. Oi! Anyone! Bring this person to a doctor!â
âSay it clearly! Grandfather⌠what did it do to grandfather!? What is this about a monster?â
While desperately trying to control Seria who forcefully kept on asking, Rolph ordered the soldiers to carry the wounded out on a stretcher and rush him to the medical office.
âWhy?! Why did you stop me!?â
Rolph thinks that Seria who flares up at him, appears like a demon. If he doesnât say anything clearly here, he wonât be able to make someone who had lost their family member to calm down. As expected, is this because of difference in experience? Although sheâs a talented person, Seria seems to still have difficulties in controlling her emotion. After he went through the trouble calming her down, after hearing the soldier mentioned the word ămonsteră, it immediately threw her mind and heart out of order once again. In the first place, if her respected grandfather were to die because of failure in summoning magic, one cannot help but think of it as a normal reaction.
âHowever, if you kept questioning him like that, he might die before telling us anything.â
Rolph told Seria who flare up at him, the reason as cool headed as possible. What Rolph had said was a sound argument. Right now, if they conducted such an unreasonable interrogation, that bloodied soldier might die after all. However, Seriaâs mind was unable to think about that. Rather than one soldier life, for her, itâs more important to get the information regarding the one who robbed her grandfather life.
âThat⌠Wonât confirming the situation here be more important than that personâs life?â
Thus, Seria tried to fight against Rolphâs words. While she normally would understand the meaning behind Rolphâs words, and find that his judgment was right, her mind currently dismissed such judgment. However, Rolph kept persuading Seriaâs calmly in an attempt to put the situation in order.
âIndeed finding that information is important; however, only that man know everything that had happened. Even if we leave his injury as is and keeps interrogating him, no useful information would come out. It would be meaningless if he died before we got any information. Although it would take time, wonât the man recovering be good for the prospect of interrogations in the future?â
After Rolphs explaining it calmly, Seria was unable to refute him anymore. The things that Rolph had mentioned was right. The thing that she could not accept was that her family member had become a victim, to something unknow.
âFuu⌠I understand. Rolph-sama words are right. Iâm very sorry for being unreasonable.â
After she had sighed Seria regained part of her calmness. Thanks to how much as she flared up toward Rolph, her heart was able to regain some composure. No matter how much of a genius a person is, the difference in life experience is something that one cannot do anything about.
âBut still, the thing that man said, what on earth is this monsterâŚâ
âWell, we will be able to know about it after the soldier has recovered from his injury. For now, letâs put our energy into things that we can do something about.â
After Rolph had responded to Seriaâs words calmly, he ordered some soldiers to resume the search inside the room.
However, Rolph judgment turned out to bring an unfortunate result.
âT-This is bad! Rolph-sama~~!! The medical office! The medical office!â
ââ!!ââ
One soldier came running toward the summoning room. The tone of the soldierâs voice was clearly indicating something serious.
âCalm down! What happened?!â
Rolphâs angry voice resounded inside the room. The soldier after receiving Rolph angry voice began explaining the situation while gasping for air.
âHa Ha, currently for some unknown reason a fire has broken out at the medical office, the spread of the fire is so fast that the medicine storage alsoâŚâ
âWhat did you say! A fire? Is no one extinguishing the fire?!â
Rolphâs high pitched voice interrupted the report. Several flammable goods are being kept inside the medicine storage. Furthermore, they just sent an injured person there a few minutes ago. The only eye witness.
âN⌠No. As soon as we contacted the imperial magicians, the fire was already being extinguished.â
After listening to the soldier report, Rolph sighed in relief. He was relieved that at least the fire wonât engulf the entire palace.
Rolph then began asking Seria. Because doubt was beginning to build up within his heart.
âSeria-dono. What do you think?â
âI believe that this is very unnaturalâŚâ
âAs expected⌠Seria-dono also thought soâŚâ
âIndeed⌠Too many accident are happening at the same time.â
Rolph then pondered. A particular answer crosses his mind. However, it was quite impossible if he considers it with his common sense.
âIâm able to think one possibility butâŚâ
âDo you think itâs impossible?â
Seria was able to accurately grasp what had crossed Rolph mind. And the things that he cannot say.
âIâm not sureâŚâ
Rolph shook his head. Speculation is just a speculation. And the thing that Rolph want is not speculation but an absolute conclusive.
âI wish to report!â
The conversation of the two people got interrupted by a soldier.
âUmu, go ahead!â
âIâve confirmed the dead soldiers.â
âAnd? the cause of the death is?â
The soldiers looked at each other when they heard Seriaâs question. The soldiers face showed that it was something that is hard to report.
âWhatâs wrong? What is the cause of the deaths?â
After getting pressured by Seriaâs aggressive attitude, one of the soldier came forward representing the other soldiers.
âP-Probably it was done by bare handsâŚâ
âWhat did you say! Bare hand? How do you know it?â
Rolph also questioned the soldiers with great shock.
âFrom two dead bodies, we found that their throats had been crushed, and we clearly saw finger marksâŚâ
Another soldier joined in supplementing the others answer.
âFrom the corpse that I checked, I determined the cause of death to be a blow that broke the neck from behind. Thereâs no damage to the armour and helmet; furthermore, thereâs no trace of weapon being used to kill the soldier.â
Another one then gives his report.
âAnd, the thing that worrisomely isâŚâ
âWhat is it!? Hurry up and say it!â
Rolph who is usually calm clearly shows his frustration. However, thatâs reasonable.
âYes! The body with burned face that I thought was the otherworlder personâŚâ
The soldier reported to Rolph hastily.
âWhat is it! Say it!â
Winced at Seria vexation, the soldier continues his report.
âYes! The belt on his pants. If it were being left alone like that, the pants would come off from the corpse. To think that he fought while like that isâŚâ
Listening to the report, Seria and Rolph complexion turned pale.
âDamn it! Rolph-dono!â
As Seria said that, she rushed outside of the room.
âYou guys, go alert the guards inside the castle!â
After Rolph had given the order, he chased after Seria. If the various clues were to be combined, it would draw to one conclusion.
âIt seems like I was right.â
Rolph began to speak to Seria.
âIndeed. It will become apparent when we confirm all of it at the medical officeâŚâ
âHowever, that means the otherworlder possess the capability of fightingâŚâ
âIndeed. Furthermore, the person is able to kill fully armoured soldiers and my grandfatherâŚâ
âHaving such abilitys since the start huhâŚâ
Chills ran down Rolphâs back. An otherworlder with such power wanders around inside the palace.
(We will catch it by all means!)
Having determined what he needed to do, power began to flow though in his whole body.
The two used body reinforcement magic and ran to the medical office in 30 seconds.
âIt has been extinguished as reportedâŚâ
They must have been using water based magic art, since the medical office and the medicine storage were both wet. One young man came towards them after noticing that had come.
âSeria-dono, Rolph-dono. Did something happen?â
âOrlando. The fire is?â
Toward Seria question, Orlando shifted his gaze toward the medical office.
âThereâs no problem. Though the entire medical office ended up like this, we managed to extinguish the fire before it spread out to the other place, itâs justâŚâ
Orlando said something ambiguous.
âOrlando! Hurry up and say it! What do you mean byâItâs justâ? ⌠a while ago, we sent an injured person here! What happened to that person?â
âThree dead bodies came out from the medical office, but it looks like they didnât die due to the fire. Besides, if we counted the dead bodies⌠and one person seems to be lacking⌠I donât if itâs the injured person you mentioned, thoughâŚâ
Seria held her breath. This is because they realize that their guess was right on the mark.
âHow do you know the numbers donât match?â
Orlando answered Rolph question.
âYes well. Even if the doctor leaves the room to take a rest time, there should still be 2 soldiers bringing an injured person in stretcherăźâŚâ
Rolph and Seria then looked at each other.
((Just as we had thought))
ââThen!?ââ
Rolph and Seria voice overlaps each other.
âThe injured person seemed to have a severe injury, and they immediately put the person in bed. However, when the fire was extinguished, and after checking the medical office, there are only three dead bodies, and the bed was emptyâŚâ
At this point Seria then interrupted Orlando. They already obtained enough information. The thing they needed to do now was to take action.
âOrlando! Immediately organize a party of magicians! Rolph-sama, please arrange the Imperial guard! And I will ask His Majesty for permission to mobilize! Letâs meet up at the courtyard!â
Having interrupting Orlando, Seria immediately began giving out instructions.
âUnderstood!â
âW-Wait a minute Seria-dono. I donât know whatâs going on hereâŚâ
Orlando who donât understand the situation called out toward Seria.
âItâs fine Orlando-dono, just follow Seria-dono instruction!â
âOrlando, please! Thereâs not much time. Or else he will escape!â
Orlandoâs expression changed after looking at Seria desperate cry. Though usually unreliable, heâs the third seat of the Imperial court magicians. Since heâs someone who had tasted war, he should be able to assume some courage. From Seriaâs tone he could understand that it was an emergency and he switches his mind from normal to battlefield mode.
With a low and cold voice, which one wonât believe came from someone who acted so timid a while ago, he asked.
âDo you need the strength of the army?â
âYes! Assemble as much as possible! The opponent is quite a dangerous fellow. I will authorize the use of magical art as an emergency!â
Seria issued permission to use magical art which is normally being prohibited within the palace. This is the proof of how dire the situation currently is.
âUnderstood. ăThe supreme deity that controlled light Meneus. In accordance with the contract. Bestow Divine protection to me, Teleportationăâ
Orlando who understood the situation immediately casted a magic incantation immediately. He instantly moved to the magicians lodging.
âAs expected of the third seat huh~. He was able to use teleportation magic with such a short incantation.â
âNaturally. Heâs the pupil of my grandfather after all. If heâs unable to do that much, then he is not worth talking about.â
Then Seria turned toward Rolph.
âRolph-sama, thereâs not much time! I will transfer Rolph-sama to the Imperial guards lodgings. I will say it in advance, for gathering the soldiers, thank you very much.â
âUnderstood. I will leave it to you to get the permission from His Majesty!â
âYes! Letâs go. ăThe supreme deity of light Meneus shows me thy power! Invite this person to that place! Teleport!ă.â
Confirming that Rolph figure has disappeared, Seria begins chanting once again. All to chase after the shadow of the criminal.
âăThe supreme deity of light Meneus. In accordance with the contract. Bestow Divine protection to me! Teleportationăâ
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