There were a lot of nobles even in the free trade city.
And in this city, the one who held the most authority was two great nobles. First was the Valois family who has become noble under the kingdom. They had held a strong influence on the city ever since before the free trade city was born, when it was a mere one among the numerous commercial cities. The other one was the branch of the Lenweil family, the family of the second son of the duke family from the capital.
Free Trade City was originally an autonomous city made by traders, and then a noble family whom close to the king come there and try to hold the authority of the city, and thus the influence split between those two houses, and they become the one who holds the authority of this city.
The two-family was in a good relationship–of course not, they would try to snatch each other influence every day using various trick and scheme.
Creating reclamation villages around the free trade city was Lenweil’s family scheme.
The family head representative, Eleonora Luty Lenweil. In reality, she was the one who hold the influence of the Lenweil family in this city, because her husband mostly stay in the Capital. She made policy two generations ago which push the reclamation projects around the Free Trade City. On the surface, it was to give the wanderer and those who lose jobs a place to reclaim and cultivate and make a smaller market. There were twenty fours reclamation villages created.
However, in the dark, it was used as a base for another work. Since she has less influence due to most of the traders follow Valois’s family, she held a position in the underworld which deal with various dirty requests including assassination. For example, the assassination of the woman who was called a witch, Crysta Nave Branrichter.
In the luxuriously decorated room, Eleonora read the reports in an annoyed mood.
“Even the legendary mercenary is useless–”
Of course, Eleonora did not really think that Duran lost to a young girl.
She just guessed that he left the battlefield on a whim.
The jewel rings that filled all of her fingers glittered reflecting the light.
“Nacht huh. They said she was a peerless beauty, but whatever. I am more interested in this, it said her servant wore never seen jewelry. Well, killing and taking it would be easy, but first, let’s call her–”
Said Eleonora toward the servant that was kneeling on the floor.
Eleonora who has a strong information network of course able to grasp the information about Crysta’s return and Nacht and Aisha’s existence.
“Call the girl called Aisha. Additionally, took her ring in the name of tax. Use my name as you see fit, I allow it.”
After replied, the man left the room.
***
Twilight Little Bird Inn.
In the free trade city, it was a pretty high-class inn that even the nobles use. Nacht and Aisha stayed on the third floor using the introduction letter from the Guild Master.
The introduction letter that Nigurd wrote was for the sake of warding off unnecessary troubles. Nacht’s appearance was only a young girl, without peering to her mana or feeling her presence, which could only be done by people with a certain level of power, people would not be able to grasp her danger.
If she stayed in a low-class inn, there might be some mercenary or adventurers who would want to drag her to their room. Although the public order in the free trade city was not that bad, it still impossible to watch every corner of the city, especially the poorer area. There were people who profit from war, and those who work in the dark. Even excluding them some adventurers were a pretty rough bunch. There were even quarrels due to racial differences and discrimination.
If Nacht was dragged into unnecessary trouble and snapped, this city might be no more, that was what Crysta told the guild master through eye contact and the guild master readily made the introduction letter.
It was located in a pretty high area, and since the building itself was also tall, this inn was famous for its panoramic view especially in the evening when the sun dyed the town red. The main street that filled with people would slowly become gloomy as if declaring the ending of the day.
In the room where it could see that spectacular sight, Nacht was sitting seiza on the floor.
“So, please tell me the truth, Nacht-sama.”
It’s weird.
The usually unconfident, spoiled, and cute Aisha was looked extremely scary right now.
Nacht looking for excuses calmly.
“No, look, that’s–probably just a coincidence. It’s true I burn a spring, but it might not be the spring where the seal was located, right?”
Aisha could see through Nacht’s agitation and asked why she was flustered.
At first, Nacht said it was nothing, but in the end.
“”So you…won’t tell…Aisha…about it…””
She could not resist against teary-faced Aisha and tell her the truth.
“But in reality, after Nacht-sama destroyed the spring, a lot of troubles started to appear in the town, is it really a coincidence?”
Aisha’s eyes were sharp.
Nacht did not have leeway to gawk at it though.
Well, in the first place, perhaps her way to confess was a problem.
“”I want to try magic I destroy it, tehe~””
Nacht tried to act as cute as possible, but it seems it was not enough.
She used her old comrades as measurement sticks, her groupies would happily cover up for her, even fighting among themselves for it, but it seems it did not work for Aisha.
“Bu-but! Even if, in one thousand, no one million chance it was really me, the demon races that could be sealed by that kind of seal must be extremely weak. Yup, there is no problem at all.”
Nacht said confidently.
However, Aisha’s mood turned even sour.
“There’s no way that was true! The ancient demon race in the legend should be as strong as dragons! It was different from a demon person who simply has wisdom. It was the descendant of a demon king who fought against heroes in ancient times. Since it has extremely strong power, they were sealed using the relic of the hero. A true demon. Even my father, whenever Aisha did bad things would say that bad kid would be abducted by the ancient demon! Nacht-sama needs to understand a bit how unusual your power is! Hah, hah…”
“Um, yeah…my bad, I was wrong so please calm down, Aisha.”
“No, Nacht-sama hasn’t truly understand! If Nacht-sama really set the ancient demon free, and it has grudge against humanity, this free trade city would be destroyed! Do you understand?”
Well, it was no problem at all for Nacht even if this city disappeared, but it was indeed slightly regretful that the source of information: Crysta, and a nice base like this town disappeared.
But what the thing that truly stopped Nacht from being uncaring was if this continues Aisha might become even angrier.
“I understand, I understand. I will do something about that ancient demon and the monsters. Look, there is no problem, right?”
Although Aisha still feels peeved by Nahct’s act that it was not her fault, since she already said she would deal with it, Aisha has no further right to inquire.
“Yes, since Nahct-sama is also half-human, Nacht-sama should also be responsible.”
The young girl acted as if she was an adult.
Although being remonstrated by the younger girl did not sit well with Nacht, since it was Aisha she accepted it with an open arm.
In the first place, it was her own fault, so although it was troublesome she will deal with it.
When Nacht about stood up, a knock was heard from the door.
It was a pretty rough knock.
Nacht and Aisha did not give their permission.
But the man opened the door, and enter the room arrogantly.
There were two knights with swords behind him. Aisha trembled for a moment.
“I see, this seems to be the right place. I am representative of Leonora Luty Lenweil, the head of Lenweil noble house, Robert. I come here bringing the order from my master, so prostrate yourself and listen.”
Hearing words of full arrogance and ignorance from his mouth made Aisha’s body trembled.
“Hmh. Quickly prostrate yourself, commoner. Well, whatever. You are Aisha right. My master requested your presence. From what we got you are from Eleonora-sama reclamation village, go together with us to the mansion. And you, Nacht, is it. I heard you are pretty strong, just wait for orders related to a strange occurrence in the forest, that’s all.”
Cold sweat appeared on Aisha’s forehead.
It was certainly not due to fear of the man who says things arbitrarily. Of course, she felt fear from him since he was a noble and there were two knights behind him.
But that was not even registered in Aisha’s mind.
Because for Aisha, there was nothing scarier than her master that trying to hold her anger, like a volcano that was about to explode, desperately.
“–!”
No sound escaped her mouth.
It was not targeted toward her, but Aisha trembled.
Nacht direct her killing intent mostly toward the knights, not to the blabbermouth man, and it made the knights collapsed in spasm.
The building shook.
No, not only the building.
It spread to the land, and expand everywhere, farther and farther until everyone in the free trade city could feel it, batted their breath, and stopped moving.
The pressure was,
overwhelming,
absolute,
absurd and terrifying,
the coercion of the dragon’s roar reverberated.
“Wa, yu, di, ho,….”
The man who now couldn’t say anything right has touched Nacht’s reversed scale.