Chapter 146
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Approaching danger.
"Yahar-san, why are you so surprised?" (Gray)
"You guys aren't aware, Gray-kun? The Faust family is a Ducal Household, and the head of the family, Claude-sama, is the current Prime Minister." (Yahar)
""""Eh!?""""
When the four looked at Gai in shock after hearing Yahar's words, Gai supplementary explained with a wry smile.
"Only Feli and Al are from the Faust family. I am… what am I again? A butler? Guard? Or was it a babysitter?" (Gai)
"Don't say babysitter!" (Albert)
"A butler-type guard? But, Gai is a family too." (Felice)
"Thank you, Feli. That being the case, I am a butler-type guard." (Gai)
"I, is that so? So you have contacted the Faust family a little while ago, I see. Then, the friend?" (Yahar)
"Ah, it was Lewis." (Gai)
"… If I did not mishear you, you said Lewis, right?" (Yahar)
"Lewis."
"The Lewis-sama that helped bring up His Majesty the King?" (Yahar)
"N? That Lewis." (Gai)
"Lewis-sama is a friend… I see." (Yahar)
Yahar looked with a distant look for a while, but recovering his spirit, he inquired from Gai.
"In that case, will get saved?" (Yahar)
"That's, you see~ to be frank, it might be dangerous if we stay here." (Gai)
"W, why is that!?" (Gray)
"The help won't come?" (Yahar)
"No, the help will come, but the guys that will come to help are dangerous." (Gai)
""Haah?"" (Gray, Yahar)
'What does he meant that those who will come are dangerous…' Felice continued the talk while Yahar and others were thinking such.
"There's a possibility that we will get rolled up in the mess if we don't escape before everyone comes." (Felice)
"It will take some time for them to arrive from the Capital, but it would be better to hurry up." (Albert)
"Yeah." (Felice)
"Umm, you two, I don't think there's much time left." (Gai)
""Why?"" (Albert, Felice)
"You made them able to teleport, did you forget?" (Gai)
""…… Ah."" (Albert, Felice)
"Claude did come to Branka before, so there's not much time left until he comes here if he teleports there." (Gai)
"Wh, wh, what do we do, Gai!" (Felice)
"Come to think of it, Tousama said he knew of our location… do we teleport back to the hall and get rid of the bandits first?" (Albert)
"Wouldn't it be better if we don't? We don't know where the point of the spear will be turned to when Claude and others come and they won't have any prey to hunt." (Gai)
""Ce, certainly."" (Albert, Gai)
Yahar spoke reservedly to the discussing three.
"Umm~ may I?" (Yahar)
"What is it?" (Gai)
"Guessing from your conversation, everyone has means of teleporting, yes?" (Yahar)
"Correct." (Felice)
"What about it?" (Albert)
"In that case, how about transferring all the prisoners into a safe location? The bandits won't notice, and your family will have p, pray left to hunt." (Yahar)
"""………… Ahh!""" (Albert, Felice, Gai)
The three who heard Yahar's proposal clapped their hands and
"There was such a way, indeed. We should just move everyone away." (Felice)
"Killing was much easier method, so I did not think of this way." (Albert)
"True. The lecturing time should be shorter by leaving the prey behind, rather than exterminating and setting the prisoners free." (Albert)
"Since we have decided such, let's quickly save them and escape!" (Felice)
"Gathering them in one place first would be much easier. Let's work in groups." (Gai)
Yahar and others who were watching the three's exchange were thinking the same.
(((((I, I wonder if things will be all right…)))))
Just when Felice's group intended to act, they heard several pairs of footsteps approaching.
When they kept silent to wait and see, several men appeared, but some of them continued walking deeper, behind Felice and other's cell.
"Everybody, come out! Chief is calling for you!"
"Don't be loitering around!"
"Hurry! Get up!"
Even though Felice, Albert, and Gai were irritated that their start was spoiled, they obediently left from the cell.
They were brought to a place with several prisoners and other bandits.
Felice saw a familiar face beside the person they called 'Chief' so she tried asking Albert.
(Al, the man beside the chief, we have met him yesterday at Branca, right?) (Felice)
(Eh? Hmm… possibly, the baggage carrying store's…?) (Albert)
(Right! He's the one who drove us away.) (Felice)
(Since he's here, it means that he's the bandits' companion, right? Then, that baggage…) (Albert)
(What's the matter?) (Gai)
(Gai, actually——) (Felice)
While Felice and Albert were explaining to Gai, the bandits' chief spoke up.
"Is this everyone?" (Chief)
"Yeh! 25 men, 30 women, 15 children."
"This time, there are 7 adventurers, one of them B-rank, two n.o.bles! The B-ranker is grouped up with the n.o.bles!"
"I see. Oy! How long until the slave trader comes?" (Chief)
"Less' see~ about an hour?"
"It's a good time for some entertainment then. Who are the n.o.bles? Stand up." (Chief)
The two stood up without hesitation and Albert stepped before Felice to protect her.
The bandits were grinning and the chief spoke to the two.
"What rank are you, brats?" (Chief)
"We registered yesterday, so we are E-rank." (Albert)
"I see, I see. Hey, n.o.ble-sama, I have a proposal for you." (Chief)
"What is it?" (Albert)
"Don't look so angry. It's just a little wager." (Chief)
"Wagger?" (Albert)
"Right. If you two win, I will release all people that are here. But, if you lose… the elderly and babies will end up fodder for my pet." (Chief)
Hearing the chief's words, the families with eldery and babies let out a short yelps.
Commonly, no one would believe that E-rank adventurers who registered just yesterday would be able to win against the bandits, and besides, there are stories of n.o.bles buying ranks with money floating around.
Yahar and others looked at Albert and Felice with despairing gazes.
However, the two in question were thinking the opposite.
(What a nice proposal! Let's swiftly finish and evacuate.) (Albert)
(What's the pet, I wonder? I will cast a barrier around Yahar and others just in case. Gai, protect everyone when the necessity arises.) (Felice)
(Got it. I don't think these guys are going to keep their promise anyway.) (Gai)
The chief who thought that the silent Albert and Felice were faltering, so he looked at Gray and others while laughing.
"If necessary, I am also fine with those adventurer brats over there, ya know? Ahh, you can fight while being such skin and bones, yeah? Right! I will have you kill these n.o.bles." (Chief)
"What!? As if we would do something like that!" (Gray)
"Why? I will release everyone if you kill them. Looking at you, you guys must be orphans, right? You will get money when you kill them, I may even consider making you our companions, how about it?" (Chief)
Hearing the chief's words, Grey's group were bitting their lips while trembling.
To the other prisoners, rather than the n.o.bles defeating the bandits, Gray's group had a higher chance of killing the n.o.bles.
With all gazes on him, the four glared at the chief while Gray replied.
"I refuse! We certainly might be orphans with no money! However, if we do that, the sister who helped us… Mother will be sad! I won't be able to face my little brothers either. That's why… that's why, I refuse!" (Gray)
"How wonderful. In that case, do your best at cheering for the n.o.bles!" (Chief)
The bandits approached Felice and Albert while brandis.h.i.+ng their weapons.
The prisoners huddled up together nervously, but a carefree voice echoed around.
"Say~ is it fine for us to use magic and weapons too? Or should we not use them? If we don't give you at least a handicap like that, it will end way too fast, after all~" (Albert)
"… Ahh? You have some nerve! Why don't we accept your handicap then!"
The frenzied bandits rushed at Albert, whose words were looking down on them, at once.