◇

Early in the morning the next day, that marquis Dasles and his retainers are to be transported to the duchy capital together by s.h.i.+p. Since they could try to escape, about 20 guards are accompanying them.

Looks like they'll be transfered to a large s.h.i.+p on the town before the great river.

Now then, there's actually quite a complicated reason as to why baronet Poton was accommodating marquis Dasles.

First, marquis Dasles seemed to carry a letter of introduction from the previous earl Bobi at the duchy capital. With the backing of the previous earl Bobi, he earned the cooperation of a certain organization in the duchy territory.

And, it seemed that the son of baronet Poton who went to the school at the duchy capital admired this organization. There'd have been no problem if it ended with that, but this organization was the [Wings of Liberty], and he was in the wanted list from the duke, so it was a bit problematic.

Even though his son was put in the wanted list, that didn't mean that he would be relieved of his duty as a governor, but there were many people who wanted his position, so it was very possible that someone would use it to drag him down.

And, at that time, the fact that the son of baronet Poton was a part of [Wings of Liberty] wasn't well-known.

Furthermore, it seems that this son is safe and currently taking shelter at the other hunting mansion of earl Bobi house at the duchy capital. Of course, if the authority at the duchy capital find out about the location, the son will be arrested, and probably executed later.

Thus, marquis Dasles held the cards for the [Scandal], and the [Life] of baronet Poton's son, and forced the cooperation and submision of baronet Poton.

Of course, he didn't openly talk about this at first.

He told various excuses like he was threatened with fire magic, he had a debt from the person who introduced the marquis, earl Bobi, or that got some bribes, but since they were all full of holes, he finally confessed after I raised the Interrogation skill to maximum.

I've made a deal with him.

Normally, I should have reported to the duke and the kingdom authority about the remnants of the [Wings of Liberty] holed up at the hunting mansion, but I decide to leave it to marquis Lloyd as the leader of the faction to deal with them. As expected, I cannot overlook them.

Marquis Lloyd might try to hide the scandal of his faction, but I expect him to dispose the remnants of the [Wings of Liberty] in the process.

Marquis Lloyd will probably rescind baronet Poton as a governor of this town, but at least he can avoid the worst scenario where this is used by his political opponents to execute or deprive him of his peerage.

Since I've sent a letter for marquis Lloyd pertaining the details, the issue with baronet Poton will probably gradually subside in time.

Now then, I demanded three things from him.

First, distribute the fortunes of the arsonist n.o.ble to his victims as the reimburs.e.m.e.nts.

Second, establish an orphanage in this town.

Third, establish a place for the young magic hunters to train under the retired ones.

He had shown disapproval for the third, but we compromised by making it monthly course instead of permanent one. Since it's for the sake of decreasing loss among the magic hunters, it's (the course) probably going to be alright even if the governor change.

I didn't expect that he accepted the second one easily, but it seemed that there was an orphanage that opened until the end of service of the previous governor, so the building itself still remains at the outskirt of the town. The fund for the orphanage stopped once the governor changed, but since I requested it in the letter for the marquis Lloyd, it's probably going to be alright. It's a request through and through. I'm not coercing him.

Now then, as for the management of everyone who has attacked the inn, they're all turned into slaves.

Of course it doesn't apply to the people who I've asked to infiltrate.

The outlaws that have attacked the inn, and most magic hunters are turned into crime slaves.

However, if too many of the magic hunters were decreased, this town's main specialty, magic cores gathering would stagnate, and so the ones who didn't have offenses before the incident were picked from the ones who had first-cla.s.s crimes, and turned into common slaves with time limit instead.

The ones who become common slaves are to work under the official of Puta town, and their terms as slaves are decreased in exchange for their compulsion to hunt monsters.

Lastly, I actually got a lot of things from the incident this time.

First, I got equipments confiscated from marquis Dasles, and the money that he had used to pay the a.s.sailants, moreover, I also got some of the money from selling the crime slaves to the slave trader.

The latter aside, I don't know why the former comes to me. When I inquired, it wasn't bribes, but payments for capturing criminals from the administration. Ah, confusing.

To be honest, I didn't need the money, but I thought that I could just distribute it after, so I accepted it.

As rewards for this incident, I gave several bottles of diluted potion, and some silver coins for Kena, Ord, and the others. Kena and the women were pondering hard whether to sell the potions for money, but in the end they decided to keep it. Life can't be replaced after all.

I also intended to split it among the victims of Dasles who had their houses burnt, but they gratefully refused.

Instead, I got several baskets of nuts and medicinal plants that they've gathered in the forest first thing in the morning. Since it seem to be thanks for the medicine yesterday, I gratefully accept it. I make baked sweets from those nuts, and pa.s.s it to Pochi and Tama for them to share it among the children. The two came back totally exhausted, so it must've been accepted delightfully. Since Nana who had gone with the two looked glossy even while being expressionless, there were a lot of children it seems.

It's decided that baronet Poton is going to pay for the compensations of the villages that Dasles has attacked, so there's nothing in that front from me.

And also, I don't know who's spread the rumor, but it seems that it has been decided that I like tomatoes. Merchants come visit me to the inn while bringing a lot of tomatoes as presents.

There are different kinds of tomatoes than the one at the harbor mixed in, but tomatoes aren't going to be unneeded no matter how many I have, so I gratefully accept them.

However, I firmly refused the suggestion to have a bronze statue of me, as the town's celebrity, put on the harbor. As expected, something like a bronze statue is too embarra.s.sing. They asked me to receive at least the [Puta Citizens Medal of Honor], so I accepted it.

Do the people of this world like medal or something?

◇

"Oh, it moved! It moved just now right?"

"Yeah, if you keep it up, you'd be able to move it like I've displayed earlier, work hard."

"Un, thank you! n.o.ble-sama."

Even though it was something that I made to kill time while waiting for the raid, it's working properly huh.

I've given a simple artificial arm made of wood to Kon boy.

The artificial arm has mitten-like part that has movable fingers. When you spread mana on the artificial arm, the magic circuit on the joints will react and the wire will be winded and move the the fingers. If you stop the mana supply, the spring board will spring into action, and the hand will open. Since the opening and the closing response is slow, it's probably impossible to hold weapons to fight with it.

You can also wind it manually for the possibility that he can't handle the mana well. Of course I've also made the lock function.

This artificial arm is a bonus for Kon boy. If he didn't do his best, Ord and the others who were acting in behalf of me would have been included among the criminals.

I've also left him with a leather armor and boots from wolf leather, and also a breast plate and a helmet made from the sh.e.l.l of rhinoceros beetles that are strong for its lightness. I've also made a s.h.i.+eld from the rhinoceros beetle sh.e.l.l that can be attached on the joint of the artificial arm.

Since his weapon is a keepsake from his father, I only fix it by sharpening it.

"Uwaa, is it fine, this many! Look at me nee-san, I'm like an explorer!"

"However, if a beginner like you have these kind of equipments, won't the idiots take them away from you?"

"It's going to be alright, I didn't use expensive materials."

Kena is slightly concerned toward the boy who is honestly rejoicing.

I've thought so at this time, but in the future, I find out that these sh.e.l.ls of rhinoceros beetle are unexpectedly expensive materials in the labyrinth city. Since the rumor that these materials aren't expensive spread in this city, it's probably alright.

"Then, then, make some for us too."

"I'll reward you with my body."

"If it's your body, far from rewards, you'd need to pay him instead."

"How cruel! It's no different than yours."

Since I've expected these fussy reactions, I've already made breastplates from the rhinoceros beetle sh.e.l.ls to give them. They're just simple enlarged j.a.panese archery-type chest protectors that can be attached to leather armors.

Of course they're not free.

In exchange, I ask them to bring Kon boy together to hunt monsters, it's fine for just one month. In this world, if there's an opportunity, and you can survive, it should be easy to level up.

I feel a bit too busybody, but it's fine if it's just this much.

That's why, Arisa, stop that grinning.

◇

Several days after the raid, we're finally able to depart Puta town.

The wagon would be buried by nuts and tomatoes if we stay any longer.

"Then, young organisms, we'll be parting briefly."

"Nana, you go? You're going?"

"Nana, won't stay together? You can't?"

"Nana, don't go."

After saying goodbye to the 3-5 children, Nana mounts the horse.

I've thought that she'd want to take 1-2 of them, this is unexpected.

"They are in a base now. I have judged that the journey is dangerous for young organisms' life."

By 'base', she probably means the provisional orphanage.

Although the bed are just only spread mats, it's better than sleeping under the hanging roof outside people's houses, or under the trees. There are around 50 orphans, whom Nana has gathered from the downtown, living in the provisional orphanage. The orphans are actually three times that number, but we weren't able to gather them all.

I was going to donate several gold coins to the caretakers of the orphanage, but they gently declined it. There doesn't seem to be any place where gold coins can be used in this city. It couldn't be helped, so I donated 100 kilograms of rice and 100 copper coins. I pray that they won't embezzle it.

We leave the town with the grand farewell from the children, the beastkins, and the magic hunters.

Several fast children are running in parallel with the wagon, but they quickly become tired, and get left behind.

Nana seems to turns her head toward the city several times as if she's reluctant to part.

The wagon continues on the highway, or more like an animals trail overgrown with gra.s.ses.

First, toward the farthest village, then cross the mountain range on the southeast toward the forest of Bornean.