Chapter 48

"Are you serious, right now?"

"Dead serious."

Lucy answered my question without any hesitation. Indeed, it's generally better to act quickly in most situations. That's undeniable, but in this case, it feels like the judgment is too hasty. It's not just about making a quick decision.

Well, I can understand that this isn't the kind of thing that gets better by dragging it out. It's better to nip evil in the bud, and I get that.

But, going right now seems a bit difficult, don't you think? It's not like we're going on a picnic.

"I think we're being too hasty. We should take time for preparation and notification."

"Still as stiff as ever, Alyssia."

While I was thinking about this, another opposing voice joined in. Unlike me, Alyssia presented her opposition with a solid reason.

"However, there is a good reason, you know, at least in theory."

But from her expression, I couldn't sense any contempt. She had clearly taken in my surprise at the suddenness and Alyssia's insistence on preparation, yet she still supported the immediate action with her intelligence.

"First, their true nature."

Lucy continued, pointing a finger.

"To be honest, I don't fully understand this either. However, both Alyssia and I have heard their names, but they haven't been caught yet. They must be quite observant."

"If that's the case, shouldn't we prepare even more?"

The stance of the knights and mages in maintaining order is unclear. At the very least, they're not out to kill anyone on sight. Even organizations with the power to enforce the law can't act however they want. On the other hand, they're not just letting evil go unchecked.

In that sense, it's quite troublesome that despite their notorious reputation, they haven't been caught. They must be good at escaping. That's why I think we should prepare thoroughly and have a solid plan to ensure we don't let them get away.

"On the contrary. This is mainly the domain of the knights, but if we take our time, they'll just escape again. We'll lose the advantage of having Mui's information."

"…I see."

I think I understand what you're getting at. Whether we use the knights to gather information or increase patrols, if we take any action, an observant opponent will likely notice. If they realize they're being searched for, they'll retreat quickly. They've been evading capture precisely because they move quickly.

So, the plan is to not let the information that we're searching for them leak out and to strike all at once.

Normally, we'd start by searching for the hideout of the bandits, but now we have Mui as our trump card. Since she knows the location, we can go straight in.

"Also, if we set a preparation period, what do we do with Mui during that time? If we protect her, it might seem suspicious if she doesn't return."

"…I can survive without your help, you know."

"Without stealing?"

"…Damn."

Well, that's probably not possible. If she continues to steal, that's a different story, but there's no one here who would accept that. The only exception would be to send her to the magic academy, but the timing isn't right for that yet.

However, Mui's mental recovery is faster than I expected. I thought she'd be more affected, but despite some sadness, she still shows the same spirit as when we first met.

It must still be smoldering inside her. But perhaps she has already realized, even at her young age, that there's nothing she can do about it. Her sister is gone and won't come back. She might have had a vague sense of this but didn't want to accept the reality, which is why she kept delaying.

To put a proper end to that smoldering feeling, we need to give a tough lesson to the宵闇 (Xiaoyan) gang. Not that I'll actually beat them up, as vigilante justice is prohibited.

"Alright, as they say, good things come to those who act quickly. Let's go, Mui, Beryl."

"Wait, me?"

Me?

I thought you were going to take Alyssia. Besides, I'm completely unarmed. My favorite sword is broken, and the only thing I have is a wooden sword.

"Alyssia stands out too much. If the knight commander is seen wandering around, they might run away."

I think Lucy stands out too, but from a distance, she might just look like a little girl.

"Well, that's fine, but I'm completely unarmed."

"A wooden sword will do. Are you really going to use a real sword against mere thieves?"

"…Well…"

I don't want to kill anyone, but I don't know what kind of weapons they have. It seems a bit dangerous to me.

"Don't worry, my power will take care of it. I'll protect you if things get rough."

"…Alright."

I'm still uneasy, but having Lucy, a powerful force, with us is better than going alone. In the worst case, we can protect Mui and retreat.

"Mui, is this okay for you?"

"…Yeah. I understand. I'll guide you."

Lucy, who had taken control of the situation, gave the final confirmation. Mui, after a brief silence, agreed.

"Alyssia, it should be fine with you and Lucy, but be careful."

"Of course."

"Thanks."

With Alyssia's concern, Lucy, Mui, and I left the knight headquarters.

The sun was starting to set, and it would soon be sinking below the western horizon. We wanted to finish everything before it got dark.

"By the way, Mui. How much magic can you use?"

While walking through the central district with Mui as our guide, Lucy, who had nothing to do, started a conversation with her.

"…I can only make fire."

"Hmm. Who taught you the basics of magic?"

"I don't know. I just realized I could use it one day."

"I see. You're quite talented."

The conversation continued, but from an outsider's perspective, it looked like two girls chatting. The combination of two young women and one older man was quite unbalanced. If someone approached us, it would be hard to explain. But with Lucy around, I think we'll be fine.

To suddenly realize you can use magic is really mysterious. It's no wonder the country goes to great lengths to secure such talents. It's like a stone on the road suddenly turning into gold. They wouldn't want to miss out on such a talent.

"By the way, how did you find out about this, Lucy?"

While we were talking, I asked a question that had been on my mind. I suspected that Alyssia had temporarily left to pass the information, but I couldn't figure out how she did it.

"Through a communication magic device. They're set up in major facilities like the knight headquarters and the magic academy. I have one at home too, though it's a bit large to call it a device."

"Wow… that's convenient."

I see, so there are such devices. They really are versatile. While I think they're convenient, I don't need to communicate frequently with many people. I can visit Alyssia if I need to. Besides, there's no one who needs to contact me regularly. I can usually resolve things by going to the knight headquarters. The only thing I'm concerned about is my family, but I'm sure my dad and Randir are doing fine.

Hmm. Thinking about it, maybe my social circle is narrower than I thought. Since I'm from a small town, I never had many shallow acquaintances, and I can't imagine a scenario where I'd need a communication magic device. It's just my normal life, so it's not inconvenient.

"Hey, we're almost there."

As we were having a casual conversation, Mui's voice, tinged with tension, reached us.

Mui, who has been betrayed by the home she once relied on, must have her own thoughts. She probably isn't 100% convinced by this turn of events. The days she spent there, though not socially acceptable, were undoubtedly a part of her life and her identity. Given her age, it could be said that it was a significant part of her life.

However, fortunately or unfortunately, she met me, Alyssia, and Lucy. The strange connections have disrupted her previous life. I can only hope that the new life she will face will not be a source of unhappiness for her.

I think it's better for her to clear her slate and enter the magic academy rather than continue as a thief. That's why I'm helping Lucy.

"Are there any lookouts?"

"In the middle of the central district, they'd stand out too much."

We arrived at a location a couple of streets away from the main street of the central district. It was still daytime, and there were people around. It was just a regular house, and without Mui's guidance, no one would have noticed it.

"Mui, is this the right house?"

"…Yes, it's the right one."

Lucy made the final confirmation.

Now, how should we approach this?

We don't know the layout of the house or how many people are inside. I don't think it's packed, but we can't assume the best-case scenario. It's a good location for thieving, with many people and shops. The thieves probably don't want to give it up. Even without lookouts, they likely have enough people to respond quickly if something happens.

Think of it like a dungeon attack. Always expect the worst and be prepared to overturn it.

"Alright, let's go."

"Huh?"

As I was thinking, Lucy took a couple of steps toward the house.

She's not going to cast a spell, right? This is the middle of the city, the heart of the capital, Baltrain. There are other houses next to it, and breaking in from the outside would cause a lot of trouble.

"Let's go!"

Bang!

Lucy opened the door forcefully and shouted.

Ah, so that's it. A frontal assault. All my careful planning feels wasted. Well, it's very Lucy-like.

"Who are you!?"

The sudden intrusion was met with a rough, angry voice from inside the house. Lucy is really easy to move. Professor, what is this…?