The Black Sky Pirate Laughs Beneath the Moon. The Crimson Mage Howls at the Stars (18)

Mimino-san and I left the Foreign Affairs Bureau building and hurried to Rororo Trading Company.

But coming toward us along the road was—none other than Muge-san himself.

"Oh, come on! Listen to this!"

While calming down the agitated Muge-san, we returned to his trading company and reunited with Dantes-san and Non-san.

As soon as we got back, he pointed at the knee of his coveralls with his index finger. The fabric was smeared with red.

"When I went to Rororo Trading Company, this is what happened! This! They suddenly threw tomatoes at me! They said, 'Not a single copper for a swindler!' Those bastards must have inspected the Automaton's insides before paying me."

"Well, at least they didn't assault you or anything."

"Wasting tomatoes is practically assault!"

"Huh?"

When I heard the whole story, it seemed that Muge-san was angry not because his clothes had been stained, but because they had treated food so carelessly. Food was limited in this isolated Empire; although there were plenty of mushrooms, the staple food, vegetables and the like were considered luxuries.

Since Muge-san's caravan mainly dealt in dried meat and vegetables, it seemed they had thrown tomatoes at him to mock him.

"But isn't taking it apart before paying kind of underhanded?"

When Mimino-san asked, Muge-san nodded vigorously.

"Exactly. They're no merchants at all. At this point, I suppose I'll have to take this to the proper authorities... Heh heh heh..."

A dark flame burned in Muge-san's eyes.

"Uh, so? How did things go for Reiji and the others?"

"Well—the thing is, it seems we'll need to ask Dantes-san for help, too."

"Ask me?"

I told him what I had heard from Aba: that Rurusha-san was suspected of treason and that we needed proof she had not neglected her regular reports.

"Hmm... Something smells fishy."

"I think so, too. But even if we press that issue now, it won't get us anywhere. We need to hurry and find the messengers. Physical evidence that Rurusha-san sent regular reports would be the most conclusive proof of all. ...I want to enter the Labyrinth of Dread again."

"Do you think the messengers are still in the labyrinth? Why?"

There were only two possibilities: the messengers were either outside the labyrinth or still inside it.

But I had a feeling they were inside.

If there was a faction trying to frame Rurusha-san, would they really go to the trouble of contacting every messenger who came out of the labyrinth and hiding them? Even if they did, it would be an overly roundabout method, and a mere failure to report would not amount to high treason. If Rurusha-san had simply emerged from the labyrinth and returned the military force to the country, this would not have become such a major problem.

The charge of high treason had been foisted on her in conjunction with her defeat by the Automaton and the needless loss of military force. If people who resented Rurusha-san had used this opportunity to eliminate her completely and make her take responsibility for the failed expedition, it all made sense.

Then.

The messengers must still be inside the labyrinth for some reason.

"But can we enter the labyrinth again, Muge-san?"

"We can. In fact, there are probably other trading companies that still have people exploring the labyrinth."

"Oh."

Come to think of it, I hadn't seen the "Golden Brigade" since then. Were they still inside?

We discussed it and decided to explore the "Labyrinth of Dread" again the next day. We would have to forgo Zelly-san's nighttime gamble—her little indulgence—tonight.

We set out early the next morning.

Muge-san seemed to have stayed up all night and was sleeping in Neko-chan's wagon, so I ended up driving it in his place. He had apparently incorporated several kinds of magic removed from the Automaton into it,

"Neko-chan's a Super Neko-chan now!"

he declared proudly. In addition to the steam engine, auxiliary power from magic stones had been added, apparently improving its torque—though I couldn't really tell the difference.

Driving Neko-chan was surprisingly fun, and it trundled along as slowly as ever.

We rode the elevator up the cliff and headed for the entrance to the Labyrinth of Dread. Mimino-san still seemed afraid of heights, so she clung to my arm. You're getting less and less reserved, aren't you? Well, not that I'm complaining.

We reached the human face at the entrance—and I remembered.

"That's right... The smell of blood."

"What is it, Reiji?"

I remembered that, the last time we entered, I had smelled blood near the row of stone statues farther ahead.

"Can you smell it, Zelly-san?"

"Mmm, I prefer this one, but I did catch a little whiff."

When Zelly-san said "this one," she flicked one of her cat ears with her finger.

"Young master, I hear something."

"!"

At Zelly-san's words, I noticed it, too. A muffled groan came from beyond the entrance—like someone crying out for help.

"Muge-san, please wait here!"

We rushed into the entrance—the eerie human mouth—and found a human figure lying beyond the row of statues.

"Are you all right!?"

Even from a distance, I could tell the figure was bleeding heavily. Their yellow cloak identified them as a member of the "Golden Brigade."

She must have noticed us, because a slender woman with her hood pulled low raised her face. With a pained expression, she opened her mouth—"Up."

Up?

"Above!"

We were in the middle of running toward the woman. When we looked up, we saw a row of statues holding weapons.

They should have been statues.

And yet every one of their eyes was turned toward us.

"Incoming attack!"

Since the dungeon itself could pull the ridiculous stunt of "changing the route," it was only natural that—

the statues could move, too.

They brought down the swords, spears, and hammers they were gripping. I slammed on the brakes,

"Mimino-san, the rope!"

"Got it!"

Mimino-san flung out a rope made of vines from inside her clothes. I activated ten 【Flower Magic】 spells, making the rope branch into ten strands and wrap around the arms of the weapon-wielding statues.

But I could hold back four of them at most.

"Here goes."

Zelly-san, who had gone ahead, nimbly dodged the spears and staffs coming down from either side and headed for the fallen woman.

"Raaaaaagh!"

Behind us, shielding Non-san, Dantes-san used his shield to knock aside a statue that was trying to crush him with its own shield, while catching a spear thrust on his mace and deflecting it.

"Run, Reiji!"

"Yes!"

Dantes-san, who had been closer to the entrance, turned back with Non-san, while Zelly-san was just escaping down the passage in front of me, dragging the fallen woman along.

I heard a series of rips as the statues tried to tear apart the rope I had sent out with 【Flower Magic】 using their incredible strength.

"Mimino-san, excuse me."

"Wh—whoa!?"

I slipped an arm around Mimino-san, scooped her up in a princess carry, and started running. Thanks to 【Support Magic】 boosting my physical abilities, her weight didn't bother me.

As I ran, the spear and staff Zelly-san had dodged came crashing down again, but I jumped to dodge them. The dance lessons I'd been forced to take during my time as a bodyguard proved useful here. Of course, I had never danced while carrying a young lady.

Mimino-san and I slipped into the passage farther inside.