Chapter 264 – Reunion
“Um, so the soldiers disperse to find the flower fields and we wait here, and when the soldiers return with the news that they have found the flower fields, then we set off straight to the flower fields and look for traces there?”
“Okay. You understood me well.”
Trissian nodded at my question.
“For now, I will give you a more detailed outline of the search operation so that you can follow me to the tent. There, Gemanic and Beck. You too come with me.”
Gemanic and Beck, who had spread out their tents some distance away from ours, caught up.
I followed Trisian into the huge tent spread out in the middle of the clearing.
The skeleton built up with prefabricated wooden poles caught my eye. The interior of the tent is similar to the shape of a 24-person tent seen in the military. However, there was no such thing as a cot, and I saw guards sitting down to rest after putting their luggage on the floor where the cot should be.
They are a group called the Guard, but in fact, except for high-end combat personnel such as knights and wizards, they are the most familiar with combat and are like the lord’s army. Whether it is a soldier or a police officer, the reason for the ambiguous line is probably because it is a world where there is no need to divide the police and the military.
The guards, each whispering to the other person sitting next to him, fell silent as Trisian entered. Trisian didn’t care, as if he was used to it, and walked all the way inside the long tent.
At the end of the place where the soldiers stayed, there was a space divided by partitions. It was probably the space of the commander, Trician.
I pushed aside the tent blocking my way and followed him. The interior is a space separated from the soldiers for Trissian, who is really the commander and the woman. There’s nothing.
“Adjutant, a map.”
“Yes.”
At Trisian’s instructions, one of the guards waiting took out a rolled paper from a bag standing in the corner and hung it up on a hook on the wall.
In the center of the map, you can see the Westway in the form of a square surrounded by a wall.
Trissian extended her index finger and pointed at the woods southwest of the Westway.
“Coming along this road, our position is approximately at this point. Here, the guards form a team of three and conduct a search movement based on sixteen directions. However, the five directions from east to north are excluded because they are the way we have been. In that case, the direction to be searched from east-southeast to north-northwest would be reduced to 10 days, which would be perfect for the number of people. Do you understand?”
Trisian’s explanation is quite a story that a soldier would say.
Her gaze is not on us, her mercenaries, but on her own lieutenants, her two guards.
It’s probably to spread the word to the guards before conducting a search.
“The time to travel in the designated direction is four hours one way. It’s an eight-hour round trip, so everyone should be able to return before sunset. Any questions?”
At Trissian’s words, one of her lieutenants opened her mouth.
“If you find a flower garden made of medicinal herbs, can you tell them to return immediately?”
“Okay.”
Like scattering a spider’s web centered on the empty lot we are in, the soldiers are sent in all directions… No, they are going to send them out in 11 directions to find a flower garden.
The guards move in the assigned direction, and if the distance to the flower field is less than a day’s walk from here, as she and Roin guessed, they will definitely be able to find it with this search.
But a question arose.
“What if the guards who went out to search don’t come back?”
“Like the apothecaries are missing?”
“Yes.”
“Since it is a three-person movement, it is unlikely that all of them will be able to return. And if there are guards who have not returned, it is proof that the destination they are headed for has something to do with the disappearance of the pharmacists.”
“Hmm, that sure is.”
The guards who scatter according to Trisian’s instructions become the eyes and ears for the flower field search and at the same time become the bait to find the culprit of this incident.
He nodded his head at Trisian’s cold words, bearing in mind the sacrifice of his troops.
Guards are soldiers, that is, those who have entered the same occupation as soldiers. There is no big difference from mercenaries in that they earn money by collateralizing their armed forces. They are probably prepared to risk their lives the same way.
Of course, I have no intention of risking my life.
After explaining to his lieutenants, Trician’s gaze turned to us.
“And you mercenaries, come out of this clearing and wait with my lieutenants. Your armed forces are stronger than the individual guards. If this disappearance is a high-ranking, strong monster, please proceed with the subjugation of the monster.”
“If you succeed in subjugating the monster, what are the rights to the by-products?”
Quietly, Beck, who had kept his mouth shut, asked briefly.
“Well, let’s say it’s paid through the mercenary guild. If that’s the case, you guys won’t have any problems either, right?”
“Good.”
Seemingly satisfied with Trissian’s answer, Beck crossed his arms and nodded briefly before closing his mouth again.
“Adjutant, move the guards soon.”
“Yes. All right.”
Following Trissian’s instructions, the adjutants went outside.
“We will be out too. This inside is a little stuffy.”
Beck and Gemanic followed the lieutenants outside.
Only me, Natalia, Roin, and Trisian were left in the command room of the marquee.
The sound of soldiers moving could be heard from beyond the partition.
Hearing that sound, he looked at Natalia, who was next to him.
“Why are you paying through the mercenary guild when you can give it right away from the guards?”
“Paying compensation through the mercenary guild means that it will also increase performance.”
“Hmm? Oh, indeed.”
Hearing Natalya’s words, he nodded.
Of course, money is important, but for mercenaries, performance that helps them rise through the ranks is equally important.
It is a story of Trisian’s own way to repay our good will for helping the search for this disappearance case.
“Trician, I have a question for you.”
“What?”
“When you came to the Black Moon in person before, you came thinking of us as the culprits in this case.”
“Um, sorry about that. It was my misunderstanding.”
At that time, she had confirmed the Black Moon as the culprit, so she drove the guards to find her.
The Black Moon is the city’s largest slave trade and has ties to the lord of the West Way. Using that network, Gerumi could easily kick out guards of moderate status.
So, it is understandable that she moved directly to subdue the black moon with ease.
But now I don’t quite understand.
The leader of the largest armed group in charge of security in the huge city of Westway. The position of captain of the guard is Trisian’s position.
You have to consider that this world is different from the modern one I lived in. The huge metropolis where the lord exists is only loyal to the king in the center and pays taxes, and the operation of the city is up to the lord’s will, as long as he follows a few decrees set by the kingdom.
Because it has strong autonomy, it is literally a small city-state. In such a world, the position of captain of the guard is a position that cannot be taken lightly.
However, it is incomprehensible that she, in such a high position, directly leads the guards and moves for a search operation like this.
It is that her class is not right for her to come forward directly.
It’s literally like using a knife to catch a cow to kill a chicken.
…
Considering Trisian’s personality, using a cow-slicing knife to kill chickens is more reliable, so would you say it’s good?
It wasn’t long before I saw her, but for some reason, I was convinced that she was the owner of a character that was worth talking about.
“Why are you directly involved in this disappearance case? You are now the captain of the guard. Considering where you are sitting, isn’t it okay to ask the mercenary guild instead of moving directly, or if you don’t like that, have your subordinates do it? There must be many other important things. Shouldn’t you be away?”
“…”
At my question, Trissian closed his mouth and looked at me still, but his face was completely hidden by his helmet, so I couldn’t tell what expression he was making.
“It’s a legitimate question, and I’m under no obligation to answer it.”
She is right. She has no obligation to answer my questions.
However, she was a little taken aback as she hadn’t expected her to respond so bluntly.
“Just let me fix one thing. The guards are doing everything perfectly. It won’t be much of a problem if I’m away. That is why I am entrusted with the investigation of this disappearance case myself.”
Trissian responded with a final shrug, asking if she needed more answers.
Natalya’s skeletons returned to the tent. The entrance was well concealed, so the inside could not be seen from the outside.
On the contrary, if you move a little from the inside, you can easily see the outside through the leaves.
“Oh, the entrance is covered well.”
“Is that so? I just…”
As he sat inside the tent and praised him, Natalya twisted his body strangely. Seeing that, his mischief returned and he grabbed his large breasts.
“Do you want a prize?”
“Oh…”
She grabbed her breasts abruptly, but Natalya didn’t avoid it, but blushed and gave her breasts away so I could massage her.
I passed the time with Natalya and her old man, playing moderately naughty pranks.
There were no guards who returned early saying they had visited the flower garden until evening.
