Seirei Gensouki's
Chapter 153: Battle of Outpost pt2
「Come leave this place. 」
Rio also turned around and went to the inn as Christina-tachi chased after him in a hurry.
When Rio saw the spectators blocking his path from under his veil, they trembled in fear and opened a path for him.
「Uhm, my apology, Mr. Amakawa. Because of me, you ………. 」
Christina began to apologize to him a moment later.
「Nothing, even though we are close to the gate, we are still outside the fortress and because of the crowd of people, it is natural that public order will be bad. I think you're just unlucky, so don't worry about things like that. 」
Rio replied with a somewhat awkward tone. He felt guilty because it was an opportunity to call people he was in contact with.
「…………. Yes yes . Uhm, thank you! 」
Christina thanked him in an awkward tone.
"It's okay . 」
Rio smiled wryly as he shook his head denying his apology in a somewhat cold tone, he suddenly started to look around him. As if to make sure that no fool would repeat the same action as before after seeing the previous exchange.
Christina stopped trying to talk to him again when she saw him do that.
After that, now Celia was the one who started talking to Rio.
「Hei Haruto, you don't need to have more than that amount of money for those people right? 」
「....... Otherwise, it would be a great uproar and we would be in a difficult situation if the officials came to that place. You don't want to get involved with the influential people of this kingdom in the current situation, do you? 」
Rio explained the reason for his action with a troubled face.
「Muu, that's true, but still ………. 」
Celia who seemed to be unable to accept was pouting at him.
「Eh, is that why you quickly gave us the amount of money they requested from us? 」
Kouta asked her timidly from his side.
"Religion . 」
Rio nodded at her.
Those people must be Lucci-tachi in disguise. He knew from Aisia's report that Arein hired an adventurer named Orin.
The incident some time ago was probably to test their strength.
Risk exposure is acceptable to ensure the identity of the other party, to understand roughly the people associated with it or the composition of their party. Moreover, if he were to judge the probability of winning, he would take it even further.
He could predict his opponent— Or so he thought, yet Rio was not carried away by his pace as he killed the current immediately.
In short the winner of this mental battle was Rio. If they came out for the second time, it would be an act bolder than this one.
At least they would not take such action in front of the public eye. If they are going to do something, it will be done when Rio-tachi leaves the city.
「A little more. As long as we can enter the territory of Galwark kingdom, the Bertram kingdom army cannot openly invade the territory of other kingdoms, So let's do our best until then. 」
Rio said those words after they arrived at the area filled with inns. Christina-tachi braced themselves as they nodded at him.
Their journey towards the fortress of Recovery had reached her.
◇ ◇ ◇
That afternoon, Lucci takes Orin-tachi away to a secluded inn outside the city fortress.
Although the old man at the counter was glaring at them, he did not say anything to them. Lucci-tachi also didn't care about him and just went to the inside of the inn.
After moving towards the room on the 2nd floor without hesitation, Lucci knocked on the door. After which, the old wooden door opened while letting out a loud creaking sound.
A man in the second half of his twenties, Arein appeared from inside the room.
「Log in. 」
「Ou. 」
Invited by Arein, Lucci casually entered the room. Orin-tachi followed. The ones in the room other than Arein were the two youths from the Orin group.
「SO, how are you doing? 」
After Lucci sat on the chair with a thud, Arein asked the question.
Orin-tachi moved away from them and stood upright in one corner of the room.
"Not good . Although I acted further to disguise myself as an accident maker, the man easily paid the money on site. And here we hope they at least hesitate a little. 」
Lucci clicked on his toungue and replied in a displeased tone.
「Any pay money on site? Without a single doubt? 」
「Yes, they don't show any loopholes even when we provoke them. . They easily paid 5 gold coins out of their pocket. I should have asked for 10 gold coins instead. "You fool . The problem is not the amount of money. Rather than that, didn't you find anything else? 」
Ask Arein while smiling happily.
「In hindsight, their relationship was more like a master-servant relationship. His master may be that woman. 」
"I saw . …… . Although you might say that they are willing to pay 5 gold coins to avoid trouble in the middle of the city, should we assume that there are witches or swordsmen who are experts among them because of their amount of wealth? 」
Arein changed his mind after hearing the report from Lucci who witnessed Rio-tachi's battle against those orcs.
Their goal is clear enough, what should we do? It's time for that, right? 」
「You're right, let's start tomorrow. We were pretty much at our limit and there has still been no contact from Reis-sama since then. I will secure the necessary energy. Let's see, I think we need about 30 people to match them. 」
Arein looked at Orin-tachi as he made that decision. Hearing that, Lucci suddenly clenched his fists and made a winning pose while saying 「YEAH!」.
「Uhm, it won't be a dangerous job right? ………. Or something like a crime? 」
Despite being hired and just listening quietly from the side, the representative of the Orin-tachis party, Orin, timidly asked that question when he heard that dangerous conversation.
「Ah？ You can leave if you don't want to. In that case, I will reduce your remuneration. 」
Lucci smiled as he thought— What are you talking about at this late hour after participating in an act like a forger of the accident.
「……. . W-What do you mean we will get a bonus as long as we participate tomorrow? 」
「Yeah, something like that. We get you moving to many places. If you guys help us in the operation tomorrow, we will give you the 5 gold coins we just got. 」
「 TOTALLY！? 」
Orin-tachi's face changed after hearing Lucci's suggestion. Orin's colleagues pressed him with 「Let's do this, Orin」
Arein and Lucci exchanged glances with scorn on their faces. Akhlak can go to hell.
Afterwards, Orin-tachi declared their intention to participate in tomorrow's plan. So, Arein and Lucci made their plans to ambush Rio-tachi.
（The situation so far is in line with Haruto's prediction. ）
The invisible girl in the room watched their discussion with an expressionless face.
◇ ◇ ◇
The next morning, Rio-tachi left the city and advanced towards the eastern highway that would lead them towards the national border of Galwark kingdom.
The weather is bright and bright. After walking for several hours towards the foot of the mountain from the ridge, the national border was only a little away from them.
Despite this, they could not walk straight forward like that. There, at a certain spot at the bottom of the valley, was the Bertram royal check station that controlled emigration and immigration.
The hills spread out right in front of them, as long as they managed to cross this examination station. Although the scenery was not so good as there were so many large rocks and small hills around the highway, it also made it easier for Rio-tachi to sneak out of the highway. It would be a problem if caught.
They would be able to cross the national border between Galwark kingdom and Bertram kingdom as long as they managed to pass through the fortress which was an hour walk away from them.
Rio-tachi was waiting for the highway to become deserted while pretending to rest along the highway and then sneaking out of the highway, entering the mountain and forest area.
（Haruto's. There is a river in front of you. Looks like they'll ambush around the bridge. ）
After sneaking out into the mountainous and forest areas to make a detour because of the fortress, he received a telepathic message from Aisia as they might already be within reach allowing for communication.
（Roger. They moved according to yesterday's report huh?）
He heard from Aisia the matter about Arein who was planning to ambush them by hiring mercenaries and adventurers in this area.
(What are you going to do? The detour will take quite a while but, I can feel it when I see it from the sky, can you make a detour?）
（No, I will continue to advance towards the bridge. They still have the griffon even if we take a detour, right? In that case they just have to wait in front of us somewhere else. Even–)
(Even?)
Aisia asked as Rio stopped his words for a moment.
（It would be troublesome if they followed us more than this. I will make them spit information about the man in this area. Since I will be the one to take care of those people, can you protect sensei and the others while still in your spirit form? Just in case you see. ）
（…………. . Entiendo. Careful, Haruto. ）
（Yes, it's okay. ）
Rio was trying to give a casual answer to Aisia who was worried about him.
After walking for about ten minutes, he could see the river mentioned above. They had to get closer to the highway to cross the bridge.
And then, when they can see the bridge――,
「Everyone, because I do not have time for a long explanation, please just do what I say after this. 」
Rio said those words to them.
Christina-tachi listened calmly to what she said.
「Someone is waiting to ambush us on that bridge. They may or may not be our opponents. That's why everyone strengthens your physical abilities and then crosses the bridge on my signal. Don't stop whatever happens. Is that clear? Answer with a mild cough if you understand the plan 」
Rio ordered them in a tone that did not allow any useless questions. After which, Christina-tachi gave a mild cough.
「I'll keep them busy if they try to chase us. Well then, let's meet at our destination today. In case of any irregularities, let's do our best to wait for each other for 3 days. 」
Rio nonchalantly added that information. Although Celia seemed like she was about to say something, Vanessa suddenly pulled her shoulder to stop her from doing what she was about to do.
The bridge was close, in front of them as they carried on such a conversation.
So, as their feet step onto the bridge—,
"NOW! 」
Rio gave the instructions.
After that, Christina-tachi started chanting aria at the same time—, '
「《Physical Capabilities Hyper》」
As soon as they strengthened their physical abilities, they all directly crossed that tens of meters long bridge.