I’ll be carrying out the rescue mission for the Elves enslaved in the Imperial Capital by myself.
When the town went to sleep, I moved around stealthily moving while relying on Magic Perception and the marked map. Once I reached the high walls surrounding the mansion, I placed my hand against it.
『Decompose』
When I whispered the chant, it made a hole in the stone wall. I did the same inside the mansion too. Be it a wood wall or a stone wall, they all crumbled soundlessly. Of course, I restored them as well. I didn’t have the time to reproduce the finer interior of the mansion though, so it was only a patch-up job. This much is enough for the mansion of people who make Elves their slaves unlawfully.
I found out that the man who was the master of this mansion and the enslaved Elf were inside the target’s room. I walked without making a sound, erased my presence, blocked off my magic, and made full use of the Stealth skill as I trespassed into the room.
On the large canopy bed in the room was a fat middle aged nobleman and an Elven woman enslaved by a detestable slavery collar.
I quietly approached the Elven woman and cast Dispel Curse on the Slavery magic placed on her. Then I gently placed my hand on her arm then teleported.
The place we teleported to was a spot around 5km from the imperial capital towards Samandour Kingdom. There were large rocks around and in their shadow was a parked carriage.
The moment we teleported, the Elven woman sleeping in bed woke up and I quickly held her in my arms.
「Eh, eh?!」 「Calm down, it’s alright now.」
I calmed the Elven woman overcome with panic, then I took her into the carriage. The Elven woman was surprised by the difference in size between what she saw outside and inside, but she was relieved when she saw Sophia, her companion.
「I’ll be heading out to rescue the next target.」
Saying so, I then teleported back to the capital. Having erased my presence, used Stealth skill, and wore the Overcoat of Presence Concealment, no one noticed me even when I walked in front of them.
As common as it was in any country, the section where nobles live in was clustered in one district in the capital. In Divine Empire Sydnia’s case, they don’t have an imperial castle but a large church which became the entire Light God Faith’s headquarters. Within the cluster, the mansions in the middle were mostly owned by high ranking nobles, and the lower the rank, the farther out they would be situated.
「(It’s convenient for me though because it’s so simple.)」
Yes, we searched the whole capital, but in the end, the illegally enslaved Elves were gathered in the same section.
It took me until morning to rescue all 20 Elves. I also ended up having to drink a number of mana potions to recover my magic power.
Sophia gave words of gratitude once I rescued and brought back the last Elf to the carriage. Maria, Akane, and Lulu-chan were still on standby in our inn room.
「Welcome back, Takumi-sama.」
「I’m back. Sophia, you stay by these ladies’ side. I will teleport back to the inn in the capital for a moment. We’ll check out and join up with you.」 「Yes, we will be waiting.」
Leaving the rescued Elves with Sophia, I then teleported back to our inn room.
「Welcome back.」 「I’m here. We’ll be checking out first thing in the morning.」 「Of course we would, huh? If the grand church acts how we expected them to, it would be best to return to the Sanctuary for the time being.」 「It really makes no sense. I can’t feel Akira and Yamato’s magic power.」
When I teleported to the room, Maria and Akane were up waiting. Lulu-chan was inside the dream world.
There’s a reason why we’re changing our plans and were going back after only rescuing the Elves.
At the heart of Divine Empire Sydnia’s Imperial Capital should have towered a large church. And sure enough, there was a needlessly extravagant church was in sight. But, yes, just by its outward appearance.
「No way, did it change into an Otherworld?」
Otherwordification, it meant that the Grand Church itself had turned into a dungeon. Dungeons are possible if there was a Dragon Vein[1] and magic power accumulating. But for one to be made in the middle of a large town, such an occurrence was unprecedented.
「We’ll investigate the Otherworldification again at another time, so let’s leave the inn tomorrow morning.」 「Understood.」 「Got it. You should rest up too, Takumi.」
I took a nap at Akane’s recommendation.
The next morning, we left the imperial capital and walked down the south highway to meet up with Sophia. The carriage boarded by twenty Elves pulled by Tsubaki ran directly to Samandour Kingdom. Tsubaki’s gigantic figure might stand out, but since we’re going back with no intention of stopping at any town or village, my only thoughts were to get out of Sydnia without being prudent.
The noble residences are probably in turmoil right about now.