■ Pinocchio □
Perhaps because I had met his daughter Rachel once during my previous visit to Hamburg, the Male Lord of Hamburg allowed me into his study more easily than expected.
He personally handed me a cup of freshly brewed black tea.
“So, can you tell me why a Mage from the Hero Party would sneak in like a Thief at such a late hour?”
I quietly stared down at the tea he offered before placing the teacup on the reception table.
Then, I got straight to the point.
“Please help us. Our party is currently facing a great crisis.”
The Male Lord of Hamburg nodded slightly with a hardened expression, as if he had anticipated something.
“I will listen to the situation and make a judgment.”
Since the prey had taken the bait, I began spinning the lie I had prepared without hesitation.
“Our party was about to reach the Demon King’s Castle when the Hero was poisoned by the Corpse Poison used by Mephisto, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, leaving us unable to proceed. Fortunately, it seemed that the Hero might recover with rest, but this forced us to make a choice: whether to retreat or push forward despite the Hero not being fully recovered. However, since we couldn’t abandon the Hero, we decided to retreat.”
“So that’s why you came to me.”
“It seems there’s no one closer to Doom Land who could assist us other than Count Hamburg, the father of Rachel.”
Saying this, I handed over the letter I had shown him through the window earlier.
“This is a letter written by your daughter. Please take a look.”
Naturally, the content inside was exactly what I had transcribed.
“To Father, back in our hometown,
It’s been so long since I last saw you that I barely remember when it was.
I am completely isolated in this distant foreign land.
While trying to find a way to survive with my companions, we accidentally discovered a secret passage leading directly to the Demon King’s Castle.
Though I wrote this letter to inform you, there was no proper way to deliver it, so our Mage has kindly volunteered to bring it to you.
He is trustworthy, so please believe the contents of this letter.
If you were to gather an army and conquer the Demon King’s Castle, we could finally put an end to this long war.
I pray for your victory every night before I sleep.
With love, Rachel von Hamburg.”
“Hmm… This is certainly a letter written by Rachel.”
The Male Lord of Hamburg muttered while stroking his pointed beard.
“How is my daughter doing? Is she safe?”
“Yes. Thankfully, all the other members of the party, except for the poisoned Hero, are still alive. They are currently hiding in a hideout near the Vulcan Mountain, waiting only for my return. We need to hurry before it’s too late.”
“…What kind of assistance do you need from me?”
“We’ll require an antidote to cure the Hero’s poison and about a hundred swift and strong Soldiers. If word gets out that the Hero is critically ill, lackeys of the Demon Tribe might attack. Therefore, we must move quickly and safely from the hideout to here in Hamburg.”
“That seems entirely possible. I can mobilize the private troops under the guise of training.”
I confirmed the most important fact.
“Do you intend to lead them yourself?”
“It seems necessary. You coming secretly like this means you want as few people as possible to know the information, right? It’s obvious that news of the Hero being critically injured while fighting the Demon King wouldn’t be received well internally.”
“Thank you for understanding that.”
“…However, there’s no mention in Rachel’s letter about the Hero being poisoned. Why is that?”
“Perhaps she wants to remain a proud daughter in your eyes. No child writes to their Parents detailing their own suffering.”
“Hmm. That makes sense. Our Rachel is a filial daughter.”
When confronted with his unexpectedly sharp observation, I cleverly evaded using a bluff, and fortunately, the ever-energetic Male Lord of Hamburg accepted it.
“Then I’ll have everything ready by tomorrow. Where and how do you plan to meet up?”
I briefly stroked my chin in thought but didn’t take long to decide.
“If you’re stationed about 10 kilometers east of the eastern City Gate of Hamburg by 10 o’clock tomorrow morning, I’ll find you. Luckily, I can use Flight Magic, so it won’t be difficult to spot a group of that size from the air.”
“Understood. We’ll do it your way.”
By now, the tea had grown lukewarm, and I drank it all in one gulp before placing the empty cup back on the table.
“That was quite refreshing.”
“That’s good to hear. It’s been quite a while since I’ve personally served tea to someone.”
The Male Lord of Hamburg chuckled dryly as he extended his right hand toward me.
“Until tomorrow, then.”
“Indeed.”
I reciprocated his handshake with my right hand.
As much as I wanted to continue the conversation, we agreed to part ways here.
After all, lingering too long might risk being discovered by someone.
I exited through the study window just as I had entered, climbing onto the roof outside.
With all the preliminary work done, I calmly cast the Invisibility Spell again and slipped out of the Count’s residence.
[[#]] The next day.
Although I managed to nap after working overnight, I felt groggy and ate breakfast with a tired face.
Fortunately, it seemed the Male Lord of Hamburg had fallen for my deception.
Having passed the biggest hurdle of this mission, all that remained was luring him and ensuring his demise.
I chewed on the sausage from the breakfast menu while pairing it with bacon, ham, and fried eggs on bread, keeping my hands busy as they had been the previous day.
‘All this hard work is for survival.’
It had been a while since I tasted the sweetness of civilization, but knowing I might not enjoy these oily foods again anytime soon made my hands naturally quicken.
The meals at the fortress were frankly tasteless.
What could one expect from mass-produced food by cooks? Still, I preferred these greasy dishes.
“Gulp—”
After filling my stomach, I went upstairs to pack my belongings.
I needed to hustle to meet the Male Lord of Hamburg by 10 a.m.
I neatly packed items into the backpack I had unpacked the previous night, donned a disguise robe in dark colors, and pulled my hat low over my face.
I returned the room key to the lobby on the first floor.
“Looking forward to your next visit.”
In response to the generic greeting from the staff, I gave a casual wave and stepped outside.
The bright sun was rising beyond the horizon.
“Kuuuueee!”
It was indeed a refreshing morning.
[[#]] After retrieving Goldrun from the stable, I headed back out through the eastern City Gate of Hamburg and into the snowy plains as per my arrangement with the Male Lord the previous night.
Everything around me was covered in blinding white snow.
I wore the sunglasses I had crafted through alchemy during my last mountain climb and let Goldrun autonomously navigate while I leisurely enjoyed the scenery.
Before long, I began spotting distant shadows of people moving far ahead.
There was no reason for so many people to be wandering outside so early in the morning, so it was obvious who they were.
Rather than waste energy using Flight Magic, I tethered Goldrun at a distance.
Considering the potential for serious combat, I couldn’t guarantee his safety, but walking all the way back to the fortress wasn’t feasible either, so this was the best compromise.
“Just graze here until I come back.”
“Prrrrk!”
Goldrun enthusiastically bobbed his head up and down as if understanding my words and started munching on the sparse grass poking through the snow.
‘Then…’
This is the decisive moment.
Though we have no deep grudge, his death will greatly benefit Lord Demon King and Dorothea.
It’s truly a win-win situation.
While contemplating the best way to lure him into my trap, I began walking toward the approaching group led by the Male Lord of Hamburg.
