Chapter 180 : Chapter 180
Chapter 180: Hunting (3)
We decided to proceed with the negotiations in a deep forest located not far from the Wall.
Actually, it wasn't that we intentionally chose a forest, but simply because there was nowhere else.
Only after passing this vast forest could it truly be called the territory of the demon race.
In other words, this forest could be called a ‘neutral zone’, if anything.
Although called by the name 「Forest of Devils」, actual demons were hard to find.
I mean, who would want to live in a forest like this?
A place teeming with such dangerous monsters.
It was a place difficult for an ordinary person to even set foot in.
Simply dangerous monsters were one thing, but finding the path wasn't easy due to the large trees standing so densely that you couldn't even see the sky properly the moment you stepped in.
If the seal on the letter sent by Etian hadn't been glowing and indicating the location, finding him would surely have been no easy task either.
But since we were able to find him thanks to that, the only thing we had to worry about was monsters.
“Miki!”
“Yes, brother!”
“Rapha! One going that way too!”
“Leave it to me!”
And even that, well, actually wasn't particularly a ‘dangerous monster’ to us.
With Rine back making the party complete, plus the two temporary Irons companions, monster hunting proceeded truly without any hitches.
Thanks to that, we could save Rine's circles, a crucial resource, as much as possible before the battle with Etian.
With the three Irons blocking all the monsters at the front line, Ibi and Toric dealt with them alongside me, while Rine focused on support like Lily.
A mage's circle management was like a yardstick to gauge a player's skill.
It might be different if there was plenty of rest time, but in a situation where we have to fight a boss battle right away like now──and one of the Demon King's army executives at that, we had to squeeze out as much as we could.
Especially since the Time Mage spells obtained by clearing Rine's ‘Companion Quest’ were literally the power of a god, they were all 10th-circle ultimate magic.
Normally, 10th-circle magic is something that can be learned starting from level 19, just one level below the max level, so it isn't unlocked at the current level.
So while it's good that she can already use them, circle management was definitely necessary.
Put extremely, it wouldn't be strange at all if a situation arose where she used 10th-circle magic once or twice and then just swung her staff because she had no circles left.
Of course, put differently, it means she can already use magic that can completely overturn the flow of battle with just those one or two uses.
“How is it, Rine? Did you rest well?”
“Yes. I am in perfect condition.”
“That's reassuring.”
Anyway, thanks to managing it like that, we were able to completely refill all the circles consumed in battle so far with just a ‘Short Rest’ like now.
Now, it was truly time to catch the Demon King's army executive.
***
“Etian will have taken out ‘insurance’.”
The brief ‘Short Rest’ was to recharge Rine's circles, but it was also a good timing to discuss the strategy.
“Insurance?”
“Yes. Just in case you harbor other thoughts, he surely placed a restriction on Sir Johannes.”
Literally placed it on him.
“What kind of restriction would it be?”
“With high probability, it will be a necklace.”
On the neck.
“If it's a necklace…”
“Yes. It will be a necklace designed to kill Sir Johannes immediately if the contract goes awry or something.”
Commonly called an explosive collar.
Something put on slaves or prisoners to prevent escape, which can be detonated if things go wrong.
“He must have established a kind of contract. As I said on the way, their contract magic is quite systematic. It won't be easy to undo.”
“Even if we rescue Father, if he's already bound by the contract…”
“…In the worst case, does it mean it becomes meaningless?”
That's right.
So even if we secure Johannes's person safely, it was useless if we couldn't do anything about that necklace in the end.
“T-Then what do we do, Teacher…?!”
“Well, we have to undo it.”
He dies if we don't.
What else can we do but undo it.
At my answer given so naturally, the two Irons showed a slightly flustered reaction.
However.
“Yes! As expected, that's the only way!”
Miki seemed to ponder for a moment, but eventually nodded with an expression where firm will could be felt again.
As if it must be so if I say so.
He was probably convinced that I was saying this because I had some idea.
But the two brothers, before such firm trust had formed with me yet, looked even more bewildered upon seeing Miki's reaction.
“Do you… have a plan?”
“Of course I do.”
To those two, I raised the corners of my mouth in a smirk and answered confidently.
“First, the subjects of that contract are naturally Etian and Sir Johannes himself. So unless it's Etian, the party to the contract, it can't be destroyed.”
However.
“Still, we could steal the contract.”
“Steal the contract, you say?”
“Yes. Ultimately, he has to flow his mana into that contract for it to work as per the contract… meaning, to detonate the necklace likely placed on Sir Johannes.”
In short, the contract is a kind of detonation switch.
“If we snatch that away, Etian won't be able to harm Sir Johannes immediately. Of course, we won't be able to tear up that contract or anything… but if it's just snatching it so he can't touch it, that doesn't matter.”
Meaning, making it so he can't press that switch right away is fully possible.
At my words, the companions' gazes naturally turned to one person.
“Of course, to do that, one would first have to approach one of the Demon King's army executives without being detected and ‘pickpocket’ him.”
To our Rogue, Ibi.
“Is, is that, possible…?”
“Fortunately, we happen to have a legendary Rogue in our party.”
“Fck, talking so fcking comfortably when he's not the one doing it.”
Ibi swore immediately in disbelief at my gaze with the smirk, but,
“Still, it's not impossible, right?”
“…Yeah, well. F*ck.”
Eventually, instead of denying or refusing.
“Whatever. I'll just try it. It seems we're f*cked if I can't do it anyway.”
As if we had come too far to nitpick over this now (literally came far. Since we crossed the Wall together.), she soon accepted her role obediently.
“Sister Ibi…!”
“I just have to roughly approach secretly and swipe it while you guys draw attention somehow, right?”
“Of course, after that, you'll have to safely bring Johannes, who is tied up in chains in the middle of enemies, to our side while avoiding the Demon King's army executive and his henchmen who will be furious because an important item was swiped.”
“Ah, yeah, fck. So fcking easy. Thanks for the courage, you son of a b*tch.”
“You're welcome.”
That's right.
The problem was that even after snatching the contract (switch by name), the situation where Johannes is surrounded by enemies remains unchanged.
And in a ‘bound’ state where his hands and feet are tied and he can't budge an inch.
So it just means the necklace can't go click and explode; if they put their mind to it, he could be stabbed to death by their hands at any time.
Meaning, only when Johannes's person is also ‘swiped’ simultaneously with the contract is his safety finally secured.
Yes, ‘simultaneously’.
In other words, within ‘one turn’.
An unrealistic statement.
Because of that, the two brothers listening to my plan, especially Gabriel, frowned deeply for a moment as if he couldn't see a future where that operation succeeds no matter how much he thought about it.
“That… Unless time stops or something, wouldn't that be practically impossible…?”
Asking if there really isn't any other way, while stating the only correct answer.
“…Ah.”
Then, including Ibi who opened her mouth blankly, the companions' gazes focused on one person again this time.
Towards Rine, who likewise grasped my intention and nodded quietly.
***
Before long, when the seal stamped on the letter no longer glowed.
“──You've come.”
Etian, standing at the end of that light, raised the corners of his mouth upon seeing the two people who finally revealed themselves.
“Welcome, Irons brothers.”
Gabriel Irons and Raphael Irons.
The sons of Johannes, whom he is currently holding captive.
Of course, not only them, but a long-haired human, a dwarf warrior, a nun, etc., followed and revealed themselves, standing nearby as if to protect those two, but Etian showed no particular interest in them.
“You brought escorts.”
As if he didn't know who they were, and had no need to know in the first place.
“I clearly told only the two Irons to come out.”
It was a very relaxed tone, not sounding like he was particularly disputing it.
As if.
“We are about to make a contract, it wouldn't do to crack the trust relationship already.”
Even if there were a few, a few hundred, or a few thousand more of such people, the current situation wouldn't change at all.
“Is an honorable knight family not keeping even a minimal promise. Disappointing.”
The overwhelmingly advantageous situation where he holds the heart of Irons.
“…Since beyond the Wall is a dangerous place. I thought minimal escort was necessary.”
“Were you that afraid of beyond the Wall? Hmm. True, your father wasn't as strong as the rumors either.”
“That bastard…!”
“Enough with the provocation, Etian. I will confirm if Father is truly safe first.”
At the calm words of Gabriel, who restrained the enraged Raphael, Etian pretended to ponder for a moment, then soon gave an order to his subordinates.
“Bring him.”
Then before long, a carriage with a cage slowly appeared at the ‘negotiation site’.
“…!”
“Father…!”
Along with Johannes, who was trapped inside the iron bars on that cart with his hands and feet tied, like a prisoner.
“As promised, I brought Johannes.”
A necklace was placed on such Johannes's neck, and a gag was also placed as a bonus so he couldn't make a sound.
With a shabby appearance, as if all his strength had drained away even if he tried to resist.
Seeing that appearance, too humiliating for a knight called the hero of all halflings, directly like this, the two people seemed even more shocked.
Seeing the reaction of those two brothers, Etian smirked with satisfaction, raising the corners of his mouth.
Meanwhile, even through the iron bars, and even in a situation where nearly half his face was covered by the gag, one could tell Johannes was wearing a very miserable expression.
And this seemed to be him blaming himself for the fact that the two brothers came to be here because of him, rather than because of the situation he was in.
“Why, Johannes? Shouldn't you be happier? Such filial sons came to save you.”
Seeming to know this well, Etian chuckled and muttered words that made him even more miserable.
“Now, the contract──”
Just then.
“──?”
For a moment, Etian felt a strange sense of incongruity.
──Something, happened.
He looked as if he couldn't figure out at all why he felt this incongruity himself, but it seemed he realized it instinctively.
So he slyly raised one hand and felt his chest area.
And he finally realized that his unidentifiable hunch was correct.
It was empty.
What should have been there, was gone.
Etian quickly thrust that one hand inside his clothes, and.
“──!”
Realized the fact that the leash he was holding instead of Irons' heart──the ‘contract’──had disappeared.
Startled by this, he looked around, and soon heard.
──Click.
A sound of a heavy lock being undone, which absolutely shouldn't have been heard right now.
The iron bars on the cart were already wide open.
So what was unlocked wasn't the lock on the iron bars.
It was the locks of the necklace and shackles that were restraining Johannes trapped inside.
For some reason, they all unlocked by themselves.
Or so Etian and everyone around thought.
Until a Dark Elf, who had been hiding her body with the 「Pitch-Black Shadow Cloak」, revealed herself.
“Looking for this?”
She raised the corners of her mouth in a grin and shook the scroll in her hand ostentatiously.
That's right.
It was the ‘contract’.
Literally, in the blink of an eye.
As if, ‘time had stopped’.
──Bang!!
Before they could even be properly surprised by Ibi's appearance, the ground near the iron bars suddenly shattered.
A figure descended from the sky as if slamming down.
“──I came to save you, Father!”
Michael Irons.
A blonde, blue-eyed halfling knight, who descended with ‘wings’ on his back.