Chapter 1 E 7 (Escape 3)
Dogagaga!
An explosion resounded.
The door didn't move even an inch. However, in the next moment, the door make loud sounds and then crumbles down.
The door not just opened but destroyed to Smithers.
"Now! Please enter..."
Seria voice resounded.
The soldiers went inside the room which has a very low temperature to the point that one can feel it to their bone.
"As expected. To crush the door by making use of the difference in thermal expansion."
Toward Rolph, words Seria nodded her head lightly.
At first, when Seria was going to use flame based magic, Rolph thought that she was going to break the door by melting it with high heat.
That's why he tried to stop Seria to point out the problem after doing that.
However, Seria understood what Rolph worried about.
That the air inside the room will be like a scorching hell if she tried to use heat to melt the door.
For Seria and Rolph who can use magic art, they will be okay, but for ordinary soldiers, it would be fatal.
They won't be able to enter the room until the air gets cold.
That's why rather than doing that, Seria immediately cooled the door rapidly using ice related magic toward the heated door. Making use of thermal expansion.
"Now then. we shall go inside as well."
The two people go inside the room, and what spread before them is a scene of carnage.
A smell of rusty iron hung in the air, which is the unique scent of blood.
"This is..."
"What happened here..."
The two people at a loss for words.
They could not believe the scene that appears in front of their eyes.
"G-Grandfather?"
In the eyes of Seria who examine the vicinity, she saw Gaies body lay down on the ground.
The characteristic of his robe. Make her could not have mistaken.
"No~~~~! Grandfather!!"
Seria broke down and fall to her knees.
Rolph hurriedly tried to hold her but, Seria brushes his hand aside and makes a dash toward Gaies body.
Losing herself, Seria holds Gaies body in her arms.
Looking at Gaies that being held in Seria's arms, Rolph grimaced.
Even for Rolph who had gone to many battlefields, he's still not used to see a dead body with such merciless wounds.
If one were looking that the back of his head is being crushed and his face is buried in the ground, one could see that he have been attacked while crunching down.
And, if you think about the condition that Gaies neck is broken, one can see that the criminal deliver decisive blows to Gaies back where he's crouched down when his respiratory tract was blocked up.
"Just who did such a cruel act..." <TLN: He deserve it.>
A resentful word comes out from Rolph's mouth.
For Rolph who usually kill one another in many battlefields, he didn't feel anything seeing a dead body.
He just thinks that the weak had died.
However, Gaies is different.
For Rolph, he's a fellow soldier who has been fighting together for years
With the death of a friend of his, he's unable to keep his feeling run. <TLN: I call it BS, it must be because he likes Seria's breast.>
"I've decided! This must be the doing of an otherworlder!"
An exclamation full of hatred comes out from Seria's mouth.
The flame of anger because of her grandfather have been killed dwelled in her eyes.
Looking at her eyes, Rolph desperately suppresses his own feeling.
It is not good to have both commanders lose their calm.
(I guess, it is normal for her... after all, they are both close to a parent and a child.)
Seria's parents both died at the time when she's still a baby. They have been killed in action during the war with a neighboring country.
After that, Gaies who's her grandfather took her in and brought her up.
He's Seria's magic art master and also at the same time her own immediate family. That's why it's natural for Seria to become distracted due to his death.
However, Rolph thought that her exclamation is misgiving.
"However Seria-dono. Although an otherworlder would be powerful if one were to raise them, aren't they weak when they are appeared just after being summoned? After all, unlike here, in that world, there's no war, and I heard even carrying a weapon is forbidden." <TLN: Surprise bitches.>
"But!"
"But when you mention it, it's no mistake that this time summoned otherworlder is suspicious; thus the possibility of that is also very high."
He gently comes to Seria's defense.
Right now he does not have other choices other than try to calm her down for now.
Because if he were to get dragged with Seria's emotion, they might miss the real criminal instead.
"The things we should do are to grasp the current situation properly and know exactly what had happened first."
Being persuaded by Rolph, Seria tightens her expression.
She's a genius who at a young age have been appointed as a junior imperial court magician.
After hearing Rolph words, she remembers her role and responsibility and tries to calm her mind.
"I'm very sorry. It is as Rolph-sama had said."
Rolph stopped Seria who's about to lower her head and immediately order the other soldiers.
"Check and confirm the soldiers that have fallen here in case of survivor! And make sure that the person with weird clothes who have been lying down over there is dead! After that, examine this room completely. Check if there's any hole for a person to escape or not! Next is... is there anything? Seria-dono?"
Seria waved her head toward Rolph question.
Although her calmness has been restored, the death of her family is still affecting her heart.
Her mind still unable to think anything properly.
"Rolph-sama! Seria-sama!"
"There's a survivor. This person is still alive!"
In a few minutes, the soldier who tried to confirm all the body comes back reporting to Rolph and Seria.
""What!?"" Is that right?"
Rolph and Seria rushed toward where the soldier have been lying down on a sea of blood.
"R-Rolph-sama..."
The cracking voice is indeed coming from the body of a soldier that they thought have died.
"What had happened?"
"What had happened here?"
Since the person is a sole witness.
Rolph and Seria raided the wounded soldier with their question.
"... Rolph-sama... by a monster..."
Hearing the soldier's words, their complexion change.
Because the soldier is the only person, who knows what had happened inside this room.
"What did you say?! A monster you said?"
Listening to the soldier worrisome words, Rolph's face turns pale.
Seria also panicked as to whether her grandfather had made a mistake in the summoning ceremony and summoned an unexpected foreign object.
"What do you mean! Hang in there...!"
"Ga... Gai...Ga"
Although they are both desperately asked, the words that come out are unclear and have no meaning.
They barely could hear the word monster but, they both unable to understand the situation out of it.
"R-Right. Oi! Anyone! Bring this person to a doctor!"
"Say it clearly! Grandfather is, what did it do to grandfather!? What is this monster all about?"
While desperately tried to control Seria who's forcefully keep on asking, Rolph ordered to carry the wounded soldier with a stretcher and rushed to the medical office.
"Why?! Why did you stop me!?"
Rolph feels that the appearance of Seria that flares up at him appear like a demon.
If he doesn't say anything clearly here, he won't be able to make someone who had lost their family member to calm down.)
As expected, is this because of difference in experience?
Although she's a talented person, Seria seems to still have difficulty in controlling her emotion.
After he went through the trouble calming her down, after hearing the soldier mentioned the word 「monster」, it immediately threw her mind and heart out of order once again.
In the first place, if her respected grandfather were to die because of failure in summoning magic, one cannot help but think of it as a normal reaction.
"However, if you kept question him like that, he might die first."
Toward Seria who flare up at him, Rolph told her the reason as cool headed as possible.
What Rolph had said was a sound argument. Right now, if they conduct the unreasonable interrogation, then that bloodied soldier might die after all.
However, Seria's mind was unable to think about that.
Rather than one soldier life, for her, it's more important to get the information regarding the one who robbed her grandfather life.
"That... Won't confirming the situation here more important than that person life?"
Thus Seria tried to fight against Rolph words.
While she might understand behind Rolph words that his judgment is right, but her mind dismiss such judgment.
However, Rolph keeps persuade Seria's heart calmly and put the situation in order.
"Indeed finding that information is important; however, only that man know everything that had happened. Even if we leave his injury and keep interrogating him, no useful information seems to come out. It would be meaningless then if he dies first before we get the information. Although it would take time then, won't that man recovery will be good for the prospect of interrogation in the future?"
After Rolph saying until that far, Seria is unable to refute him anymore than this.
The things that Rolph had mentioned is right.
The thing that she could not consent is that her family member becomes a victim of it.
"Fuu... I understand. Rolph-sama words are right. I'm very sorry for being upset."
After she had sighed Seria gained part of her calmness.
Just as much as she flared up toward Rolph, her heart was able to regain some composure thanks to it.
No matter how much a genius a person is, a difference in life experience is something that one cannot do anything about it.
"But still, the thing that man said, what on earth is this monster about..."
"Well, we will be able to know about it after the soldier gets his injury recovered. For now, let's put our hand on things that we can do."
After Rolph had responded to Seria's words calmly, he ordered some soldiers to resume the search inside the room.
However, Rolph judgment turns out bringing an unfortunate result.
"T-This is bad! Rolph-sama~~!! The medical office! The medical office!"
""!!""One soldier comes running toward the summoning room.
What the voice come out from the soldier is definitely indicating something serious.
"Calm down! What happened?!"
Rolph angry voice resounded inside the room.
The soldier after receiving Rolph angry voice began explaining the situation while gasping for a breath of air.
"Ha Ha, currently for an unknown reason a fire outbreak happen at the medical office, the spread of the fire is fast that the medicine storage also..."
"What did you say! A fire outbreak? Is there no one extinguishing the fire?!"
Rolph high pitched voice interrupted the report.
Several flammable goods are being kept inside the medicine storage.
Furthermore, they just sent an injured person there a few minutes ago. The only eye witness.
"N... No. As soon as we contacted the imperial court magician, the fire was being extinguished."
After listening to the soldier report, Rolph sighed in relief.
He was relieved that at least the fire won't engulf the entire palace.
Rolph then began asking Seria.
Because some a certain doubt began welled up within his heart.
"Seria-dono. What do you think?"
"I believe that this is very unnatural..."
"As expected... Seria-dono also thinks of such..."
"Indeed... Too much accident happen at the same time."
Rolph then pondered.
A particular answer crosses his mind.
However, that's quite impossible if he considers it with his common sense.
"I'm able to think one possibility but, but..."
"Do you think of it impossible?"
Seria was able to accurately grasp what had crossed Rolph mind.
And the things that he cannot say about.
"I'm not sure.."
Rolph shook his head.
Speculation is just a speculation. And the thing that Rolph want is not speculation but an absolute conclusive.
"I wish to report!"
The conversation of the two people getting interrupted by a soldier.
"Umu, go ahead!"
"I've confirmed the dead soldiers."
"And? the cause of the death is?"
The soldiers looked at each other toward Seria's question.
The soldiers face telling that it was something that is hard to report.
"What's wrong? What is the cause of the deaths?"
After got pressured by Seria's aggressive attitude, a soldier comes forward representing the other soldiers.
"P-Probably it was being done by bare hands..."
"What did you say! Bare hand? How did you know it?"
Rolph also questioned the soldiers with great shock.
"From two dead bodies, we found their throat were crushed, and we clearly saw fingers mark on it..."
Another soldier answered his question.
"From the corpse that I checked, the cause of death is because a blow that broke the neck from behind. There's no damage to the armor and helmet; furthermore, there's no trace of weapon being used to kill the soldier."
Another one then gives his report.
"And, the thing that worrisomely is..."
"What is it!? Hurry up and say it!"
Rolph who usually calm clearly shows his frustration.
However, that's reasonable.
"Yes! The body with burned face that I thought was an otherworlder person..."
The soldier reported to Rolph hastily.
"What is it! Say it!"
Winced at Seria vexation, the soldier continues his report.
"Yes! The belt on his pants. If it were being left alone like that, the pants would come off from the corpse. To think that he fight while like that is..."
Listening to the report, Seria and Rolph complexion grew pale.
"Damn it! Rolph-dono!"
As she said that, she rush outside of the room.
"You guys, go alert the guard inside the castle!"
After Rolph giving the order, he chased after Seria.
If the various clues were to be combined, it would draw to one conclusion.
"It seems like I was right."
Rolph begins to speak toward Seria.
"Indeed. It will become apparent when we confirm all of it at the medical office..."
"However, that means the otherworlder possess the capability of fighting..."
"Indeed. Furthermore, the person is able to kill full-armed soldiers and my grandfather..."
"Having an ability since the start huh..."
Chill ran through Rolph back.
An otherworlder with such power wanders around inside the palace.
(We will catch it by all means!)
Having determined at doing so, power overflow in his whole body.
The two used body reinforcement magic and ran through toward the medical office in 30 seconds.
"It has been extinguished as reported..."
They must be using water based magic art, since the medical office and the medicine storage were both wet.
One young man comes to us after noticing that we both have come.
"Seria-dono, Rolph-dono. Did something happen?"
"Orlando. The fire is?"
Toward Seria question, Orlando shifted his gaze toward the medical office.
"There's no problem. Though the entire medical office was ended up like this, before the fire spread out to the other place, we had the fire extinguished. It's just..."
Orlando says something ambiguous.
"Orlando! Hurry up and say it! What is that "It's just" thing? .. a while ago, we sent and injured person here! That person is?"
"Three dead bodies came out from the medical office, but it looks like they were not dead by fire. Besides, if we count the dead body... it lacked one body... I don't know about this injured person, though..."
Seria held her breath.
This is because they realize that their guess is right on the mark.
"How did you know the number did not match?"
Orlando answered Rolph question.
"Yes. Even if the doctor leaves the room to take a rest time, with 2 soldiers bringing injured person in stretcherー..."
Rolph and Seria then looked at each other.
((Just as we had thought))
""Then!?""
Rolph and Seria voice overlaps each other.
"The injured person seemed to have a severe injury, and they immediately lay the person in bed. However, when the fire was extinguished, and after checking the medical office, there are only three dead bodies. By which, the bed was empty..."
Until there, Seria then interrupted Orlando.
They already obtained enough information. The next thing they need to do is taking action.
"Orlando! Immediately organize magic user party! Rolph-sama, please arrange the Imperial guard! And I will ask His Majesty for permission to mobilize! Let's meet up at the courtyard!"
Interrupting Orlando, Seria immediately gives some instruction.
"Understood!"
"W-Wait a minute Seria-dono. I don't know what's going on here..."
Orlando who can't understand the situation called out toward Seria.
"It's fine Orlando-dono, just follow Seria-dono instruction!"
"Orlando, please! There's no much time. Or else it will escape!"
Orlando's expression changed after looking at Seria desperate cry.
Though usually unreliable, he's the third seat of Imperial court magician.
Since he's someone who has taste war, he should be able to assume some courage.
From Seria's tone of voice he could understand that it was an emergency situation and he switches his mind from normal to battlefield mode.
"The strength of the army is?"
With low and cold voice.
One won't believe it that he was a timid man a while ago.
"Assemble as much as possible! The opponent is quite a dangerous fellow. I will authorize the use of magic art as an emergency!"
Seria issued permission to use magic art which is being prohibited within the palace.
This is the proof that the situation is very dire.
"Understood. 「The supreme deity that controlled light Meneus. In accordance with the contract. Bestow Divine protection to me, Teleportation」"
Orlando who understood the situation immediately cast magic incantation immediately.
He instantly moved to the magic art user lodging.
"As expected of the third seat huh~. He was able to use teleportation magic with such a short incantation."
"Naturally. He's the pupil of my grandfather after all. If he's unable to do that much, then there's nothing to talk about."
Then Seria turned toward Rolph.
"Rolph-sama, there's not much time! I will transfer Rolph-sama to the Imperial guard lodgings. I will say it in advance, for gathering the soldiers, thank you very much."
"Understood. I will leave it to you for asking the permission from His Majesty!"
"Yes! Let's go. 「The supreme deity of light Meneus shows me thy power! Invite this person to that place! Teleport!」."
Confirming that Rolph figure has disappeared, Seria begins chanting once again.
To chase after the shadow of the criminal.
"「The supreme deity of light Meneus. In accordance with the contract. Bestow Divine protection to me! Teleportation」"