The Difference Is Like Between a Dog and a Cow

37 – One Strike (1)

The association building was completely burned down, leaving only the black skeleton.

The faces of the merchants who had been chatting lively in front of it just a few hours ago were completely empty.

“Rumia.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Now, without saying much, Rumia did her best. In fact, she is at a level where she can be made a deputy platoon commander right away.

As she scanned the crowd, she soon spotted someone she knew somewhat and moved closer.

She’s actually been in the unit longer than me, and she’s been in charge of the interior all along.

It was only natural that there was at least one acquaintance in the city’s Merchant Guild.

“Officer John!”

“Ah…… ! Sergeant Rumia.”

“Do you know where Chief Clerk Alfera is?”

“Mr. Alpera should have been working as a clerk in there originally…… As you can see, it turned out like this. I do not know.”

“Then, if you could just tell me where your home is… ….”

Rumia didn’t give up and asked again, but he answered by shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, I’m too distracted right now, so I don’t think I can help you.”

“Oh, no. Excuse me!”

“Other people probably don’t know either. Alpera was famous for managing her personal life thoroughly.”

Is that why Shakov left it?

So that even if Lamour pursues you, you can pass the time as much as possible.

After that, Lumia continued to ask for Alpera’s whereabouts, but all she got back was the complaints of the half-mad merchants.

She eventually fails and she truds back.

“Now what?”

“If Alfera had really gone into hiding to escape La Mour’s pursuit, she would have been more careful in hiding, even with the Merchant Guild.”

He openly set fire to the building to destroy evidence. It honestly makes no sense to snoop around in these circumstances.

In particular, if privacy management was thorough, it would be normal to lock yourself in a “Real” Secret place, leaving your existing address behind.

“For now, it would be better to go back to the base. It is getting late.”

It’s better to return quickly and report to Major Lannister than not find it.

Rumia and I decided to visit Cherno City in the first place, it was the concept of preliminary investigation, not digging behind the guards or the Merchant Guild.

If Lamour hadn’t done the stupid thing of burning down the Guild Building, Lumia and I would have been taking a leisurely walk by now.

This situation is purely coincidental.

“And just in case. The captain of the Lamour guard might notice.”

I was in disguise, but it was only a matter of time before the guards found out that I was the officer responsible for the last commotion.

Even if it’s a criminal organization that will be pushed out anyway with the National Military Police, it’s best to avoid encountering it right now.

If you don’t die in a physical battle like last time, you might get sick again tomorrow, right?

But since you can’t cast magic at civilians, it’s better to leave quickly.

‘You can ask Claude or Bell to investigate further.’

I thought that the two of us would do well.

…… Isn’t that again?

Anyway, it would be the right decision to return to the unit now.

You avoid poop because it’s dirty, not because you’re scared.

That moment.

Tuk-, someone lightly pushes my shoulder.

From noble mtl dot com

“Hey, hey!”

Rumia shouted disapprovingly at the sight of her bumping into her first and walking past without apologizing. She slipped through the hood of her robe, and she met his eyes directly with mine.

The moment they exchange glances with each other.

I had a hunch that he was the ‘Chief Secretary Alpera’ the President of the Shakov Guild had spoken of.

“-!!”

A man slips away as if he were swimming into the alley, as if to follow him.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes? Where… No, Platoon Leader!”

I immediately ran after the man, and Rumia followed me without knowing why.

Entering the alley, he ran skillfully down a street littered with trash and boxes.

It is only when we finally reach a dead end that we stop there.

“You are quite fast.”

A man grinning through a hooded hood. He removes the hood that covers his face, revealing his jet-black hair.

‘It’s a bit surprising.’

Since he’s the chief clerk, I thought he’d wear glasses and look like a nerd. Rather, it gave the impression of being a very swift delivery man.

He asked, looking back and forth between me and Rumia.

“From the looks of it, it doesn’t seem like Lamour…… Who directed you to find me?”

***

“Honestly, I didn’t expect that information power would be this great.”

When I told him the code I had received from Shakoff, Alfera stuck out his tongue in admiration.

“Everything, of course. It’s the National Military Police…… !”

“Um.”

To be honest, I just got caught, but neither I nor Rumia bothered to correct it.

It is much better to misunderstand at will. That way you won’t be kidding.

“Does the guard know about this?”

“I don’t know. As the charges have not yet been proven, it is because we are the only ones moving temporarily.”

A lot of lies came out of his mouth. It feels like a long time ago.

‘It was very difficult to do this at the time.’

The days when I was still in my military uniform.

Every time I went into an operation, it was not my shooting skills or stamina that always held me back, but my speaking skills.

All of the conversation techniques I learned while being shattered by my seniors were still valid in the world of Hearts of General.

I think Rumia was also trying to answer, but she seemed a bit surprised to see me respond appropriately without blinking.

“Then I just need to show you the proof.”

I nodded silently, and Alfera stood up from her seat.

He said that this is the secret library of the Cherno Merchant Guild.

A kind of ‘archive’ known only to those close to him, including Shakov, the head of the union, and Alpera, the chief secretary.

In addition to the documents related to the artifact theft case.

It is a Pandora’s box that contains intact evidence of all kinds of transgressions committed by the guards and other merchants so far.

“Is this all evidence of corruption?”

At the sight of the ledgers piled up like a mountain, Rumia put on a tired expression.

“Chief Shakov always hides a dagger.”

Alfera said as she pulled out a stiffly sealed envelope from among the piles of paperwork.

“Here you are. I have also enclosed security documents prepared by the client who requested transportation to Belgordo Fortress.”

I broke the seal on the envelope and checked the documents inside.

[Cargo ledger]

[Item: Fresh food]

[Purpose: Regular military delivery of groceries]

To others, it may seem like an ordinary transportation ledger, but this was the problem.

[Note: subject to special inspection]

A phrase written as if painting over documents. The seal of the chief of the guard stamped beneath it.

“Special inspections on military supplies happen so often that I just passed them over, but it is rare for the commander of the guard to personally inspect them.”

Befitting the chief clerk, he seemed to meticulously check the oddities in the documents.

“If this is it, can you prove it enough?”

“That should be more than enough.”

I took the briefcase and handed it to Rumia.

Even simply thinking about it, it is a tremendous harvest.

Since we also obtained intelligence from Shakov that ‘the person who leaked the information was Lamour’, if we return to the unit as it is, the national military police will be able to move.

It didn’t have to drag on for long, as soon as Major Lannister requested it, it worked.

Can’t you just see one more diamond right in front of you? Do you really think there will be one added?

But I never showed excitement.

How to make a cool judgment until everything is finished.

“Then, I will definitely take responsibility for your cooperation.”

“Please.”

Alfera bowed her head in greeting, and I stood up after a light bow.

After passing through the alley like that, I finally arrived at the Merchant Guild’s waiting area where the coachman was waiting.

It was after heavily armed guards had already taken over. As the driver with a troubled expression turned his head towards us, the guards’ eyes were all at once.

“I found it-!!”

The number of people gathered is not just the guards.

“Doesn’t that sound right?”

A guy wearing a different outfit than the guards points at me.

A face I’ve somehow seen before. It was one of the gang of thugs who looked after Bell Meyer.

‘It’s an image that if you mobilize even the bullies, you’ll attract the real souls.’

It is certain that the guard captain noticed something.

There is no reason for the guards to treat you like that when you have already verified your status as a magic officer.

“Rumia.”

“B, fouret?!”

Sergeant Sergeant didn’t think that he would come out this far in the guards, so it’s obvious that he was flustered.

Unless Lamuru recognized me and Rumia as the National Gendarmerie, or a force equivalent to that.

If you are handed over to the National Military Police, you won’t see anything good.

If that’s the case, shouldn’t we rather hold them back so they don’t report them, negotiate or threaten them?

But isn’t that the case when you can’t escape the city?

“Go back to the alley, hide, and get into the wagon straight out of town.”

“Yes!? Then the platoon commander…… !”

“You can run away on your own.”

On the contrary, two people draw more attention. It’s much better to be alone to earn time.

“Please take good care of the transportation ledger. As soon as you arrive at the battalion, report the current situation in the city to the battalion commander.”

“Platoon leader Enoch…… !”

“Come on! If you get caught, you will be neither here nor there!”

At my urging, Rumia disappeared behind her, biting her lip in anger.

“Pooh.”

I took a deep breath and immediately deployed my magic.

As soon as a blazing fireball was lit, the guards who rushed recklessly stopped in their seats at once.

“Don’t come closer.”

“We are just carrying out our official duties according to due process! Reap the magic!!”

“Due process?”

That’s not even a funny excuse.

“I am just exercising my right to self-defense according to due process.”

“Well, are you really going to use magic? Unauthorized use of offensive magic is a serious crime…… !!”

“I’ve already done it once, but the second time is easy.”

Rex said the same thing, so I took care of it properly.

And that’s it.

If their back is the captain of the guard, my back is the captain of the military police, right?

“Come in here first, the bastard who wants to be discharged from the righteous army.”

Let’s take a chance.

You bastards.