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(Battle Scene #1) This link opens a new window. (Battle Scene #2) This link opens a new window. |
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| "... Hmmm, I expected that I could have a better reward..." I looked into a small leather bag and whispered. I brought the robber whom I caught the night before to the officers and they gave me money. The robber was one of habitual criminals, and the officer told me that he had stolen or robbed here and there. Still they granted me only five pieces of silver coin. ... I know that the robber wasn't a vicious criminal... I know that the officer won't give good citizens a lot of money... Still, five pieces of silver coin was beyond my expectation... "Now I realize that if I want to make a lot of money, I have to attack robbers and get precious things from their secret base." As we walking down the street in the town, I complained. "But, it's better than to have no money." Gourry said. "Yes, it is... I know... but... Okay! Let's go to Solaria city, and get two or three magical swords from the lord!" "... Wait! Wait a minute, Lina!" "... What?" "Please don't do it! Please change your mind! Don't you know that the target is the lord? If you blow him away by an offensive spell and take his things away, we will be on the top of the wanted list!" ... Oh, no... Disgusted by Gourry's misunderstanding, I signed a deep sign. "Hey, why do you think that I'll do such a violent action?" "I don't know the case that you didn't do... -- Oh, well. I was wrong to say that. Please tell your story." Gourry swung his hands, realizing that anger in my eyes. "I don't want to be on the top of the wanted list. I have a plan to negotiate with the lord democratically. I'll tell him 'If you don't want me to tell the king about your buying stolen weapons, then let us have one or two magical swords.' Do you understand?" "How can you describe it as 'democratically'?" "In my hometown, people say it's democratic!" "What town is your home?" "Set my hometown aside. I won't go straight to the lord. The robber might tell us lies, so I won't make an action until I get a reliable proof. ... Now it's time to go, not to talk! Let's go to Solaria city!" When a city was growing big, the city was filled with energy and distortion. Solaria city had such distortion in it. It wasn't a dangerous place, but it was the city itself which was distorted. There were many cities surrounded by walls, and Solaria was one of those cities. -- But. The bigger the city became, the more the people gathered. People built their houses and buildings inside the walls, but there was a limit. Once the area became full, then people built the houses and the buildings outside of the walls, and they built more walls outside of the newly built buildings... The city repeated the construction of the houses and the walls again and again. At last. Solaria city was separated into many blocks by irregularly winding walls. |
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It was just like a huge maze for those who weren't used to the city. When we walked toward the castle, suddenly a high wall stood in front of us. Then we had to walk by the wall and find a path. Even when we could find paths, we couldn't know which way would be the shortest. In the worst case, we did come and go in one area that wasn't related with the castle. -- That was why we, Gourry and I, were lost our way in the city. "Hey, do you see the inn which we have passed by?" Gourry said. "What do you mean?" I replied in an irritated tone. It was evening, and we walked in the street. "I remember that we had passed another inn with the same name. Do you notice?" "Yes, I do." "....." Gourry fell silent at my answer, and then he said. "Are they chain store?" "No! We are lost! We go through the same streets again and again!" "Oh, I see." Gourry clapped his hands with a happy look. "It explains well." "... Yes, it is..." I was so exhausted that I couldn't shout at Gourry. We arrived at the city several hours after the noon. We had tea at a restaurant we found first, and we started to walk in the city, going to find an inn in the area nearby the castle. But we couldn't go nearby the castle. |  |
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"... Well, Lina, I think that it was better for us to ask the way to the castle at the restaurant where we had tea." Gourry said. "I agree with you. But I didn't expect that the city is so complicated." I said in a tired voice. At that time, I didn't know where to go, but kept walking. There were houses on the both sides of the street. People were ready for their dinner and the street smelled tasty foods. From one house, the smell of the boiled vegetables came out. The housewife might cook the stew. From the next door, there came the smell of roasted fat fish. From another house, the smell of broiling meat. ... Oh, I'm hungry. I stopped my feet and sighed deeply. "... Okay, we'll find an inn nearby, and we'll go to the block of the castle tomorrow." "It sounds great. I agree with you." Gourry nodded. His tone wasn't serious. Probably, he didn't consider anything. The sky above turned its color into navy, the color of the night. "Wow, I didn't expect that this city has so many big buildings." Looking around, I said. We were strolling about the block where the castle stood in the center of it. It was the day after we were lost in Solaria city. The night before, we stayed in an inn, and in the morning, I asked the landlord about the way to the castle area. Then we could enter the area. The castle was the center of the whole city, and it wasn't small but wasn't huge, neither. The structure and design didn't have striking features. It was constructed by grey stones, and on the wall there were normal decorations, which were neither pomp nor simple. In short, the castle of the lord Langmeyer was a common castle thoroughly. -- However. I noticed that there were several characteristic establishments around the castle. When the city was growing big, people moved from the center of the city, and the center area became occupied by government offices and shrines. But, I could see that the new buildings in that area weren’t those offices or shrines. Those establishments seemed to be the offices or the shrines at a glance, but when we observe them, they were doubtful. All of those establishments stood in the sites surrounded by the walls. There were soldiers on guard at each building. And those guardian soldiers didn't allow citizens to enter those establishments for the reason of some unimportant matters. The landlord of our inn told me that almost all of those new establishments had been built recently. "Hey Lina. Can we find out what is going on here only by walking and looking around the city?" Gourry asked me. "We can't see anything only by looking around the place." "... Hey..." We walked together. I looked around the buildings and Gourry did what I did, and he was tired of that. "However, I can guess the situations." I added. "You can guess? What?" "The landlord told us 'there are many establishments which aren't normal but are disguised as to be normal'. And we actually saw those establishments. Didn't you notice? Those establishments are surrounded by the wall or buildings and there are soldiers on guard." "Oh, I remember that there are several standing guys who created cautious atmosphere." "Good job. I guess that all of them are the military establishments." "Military?" Gourry was surprised. "Hush! Don't talk in a loud voice! Somebody could hear us talking!" "... I see... But, if you're right, then what does it mean?" "Recently, several military establishments are built. And they say that the lord is buying several magical swords in these days... From the information, the most possible conclusion is a revolt." "....." When I talked about my idea, Gourry fell silent. "Let me explain more. The information tells me that they are ready for a battle. But the lord isn't a king, therefore, it isn't natural for the lord to attack one of nearby nations. Then, the imaginary enemy can be the one who is superior to him -- the king." "I understand. So it must be a revolt." Gourry said. "There can be other possibilities. For example, the lord lets some men to study or produce some magical weapons and tries to sell the technology or the products to a nation. This story can explain the situation well." "... Hey, hey... If you're right, it will be dangerous to carry out your plan to get several swords from the lord, won't it?" "Exactly..." When I told the lord "if you don't want me to tell the king about your buying stolen things", and when the lord was planning for a revolt, my words meant "it's better for you to kill me here at once". ... Gourry and I can't be easy prays. But I don't need to make the situation worse. "Okay, plan B, then! We'll get a clue of lord's revolt, bring the clue to the king, and from the king we'll get at least one magical sword! It's the best idea!" "... Anyway, your plan is always cunning..." "How dare you say that I'm cunning? Let's imagine what will happen when the lord actually incite a revolt against the king! Many people will be injured or dead! We'll prevent it. Is there any problem to get the reward from the king? Or --- Do you mean that it's better for us to turn a blind eye on the possibility of a revolt?" "Oh... No, I don't." "Okay! Then geed deeds should be done quickly! We'll start looking for clues of lord's revolt tonight, sneaking into one of those establishments!" |
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| "... Hey... Is it alright for us to get settled here and eat our breakfast?" Gourry asked me in a low voice. It was the next morning of our sneaking into the disguised chapel. We had the seats in the restaurant on the first floor of our inn. On our table, there were many plates of our breakfast. "I'm anxious that they are looking for us." "Maybe... but I'm not sure. Frankly speaking, I can't see what's going on here." I said and ate a mouthful of bacon-lettuce salad. "If those men in black were related with the lord, they would place us on the wanted list. They can make up good reason to arrest us. -- On the other hand, they didn't want to make things known to the people. Let's see. We sneaked into the establishment last night, and we couldn't find anything. If we found some clues, they would do their best to find and arrest us. But they know that we couldn't find anything, they would prefer to leave us alone." On that morning, I found that the soldiers in the city did the same routine. From that fact, I got a conclusion that they determined to leave us alone. Then, what we will do? "When we choose to avoid danger, we have to leave this city soon. But, if we leave now, we have no chance to see what's going on here. I don't like that idea. ... Probably, the masked man whom we saw last night knows something." "Yeah, I remember him. He seemed to be very skilled. As far as I could see from his voice, the man isn't young..." Gourry said with his mouth full of a croissant that sandwiched fresh cream. I stopped to eat, held my fork between two fingers and swung it. "Another problem is this. Were those men in black the enemies we fought before?" "The enemies we fought before? Whom do you mean?" Gourry asked. "Don't you remember the incidents in Bezeldo? We fought over a magical sword against a mysterious group. There were Luke and Millina, too, and they fought with us against the group. And in the end of our fight, there appeared an almost immortal monster and we had a desperate battle against it." I explained. "Oh, I feel like... I feel like that I fought such a battle before!" Gourry replied. "Okay. There were men in black in the mysterious group. And those men in black dressed just as the two enemies whom we met in the establishment last night." "Does it mean...?" Gourry asked. "It means as you suppose." I nodded to Gourry. "There are two assumptions. That group which keeps looking for the magical sword by hook or by crook is slipping in the authority of this city. Or, lord Langmeyer is the wirepuller of the mysterious group. In any cases --" I stubbed my fork into a thick piece of ham and whispered. "I'm afraid that we will be involved in a troublesome situation." Suddenly, Gourry's face twitched with strain. "I think that we are now in a troublesome situation." He said and pointed at a place behind me -- at the doorway of the restaurant. "?" I frowned and turned back. And I was frozen. There were two soldiers on guard standing at the doorway of the restaurant. One of them had a paper in his hand, and they dropped their eyes on it and then they watched at my face. Wow! Are they coming to arrest us? Two soldiers came straight toward our table. Gourry and I got up from our seats and were on guard against them. But they stopped in front of us and stood straight. "Excuse us. I think that you are Miss Lina Inverse. Am I correct?" One of the soldiers said. An idea to tell them a lie flashed in my head, but I abandoned it. I saw them had a paper, and it was possible that my portrait or information was on it. It was no use to cheat them. When they would check the list of the guests of the inn, they could find my name on it. "Yes, you are correct." I kept on guard and replied. But the soldiers gave me a salute at my reply. "Let me introduce ourselves! We are the guards of lord Langmeyer!" One of them talked loud. "We bring you a message from the acting lord. Please accept this. The acting lord hopes to talk with Miss Lina Inverse, who is the famous sorceress in the world. He hopes to invite you a dinner as well. Now, please tell us your reply to the acting lord!" "What?" Both Gourry and I said in a stupid voice. "Please, can you tell me what is going on?" Gourry asked me. We were on our way to the castle. It was the evening of the day when we had been given a message from the acting lord, and the streets were filled with the sunshine of a setting sun. "I can't. I have no idea." I said. It was true, because I didn't have an idea that a man in the castle invited us a dinner. "Only I can tell you some possibilities." I added. "Fisrt. All of the happenings happen by chance. The acting lord has known my name by chance. And he heard that I was in his city by chance. And he sends his men to find me today by chance." "It's almost impossible, I think." Gourry said. "I agree with you. Then, second. There are two confronting groups here in this Solaria city. One is the group of the men in black, and another is the group of the acting lord who is inviting us. The acting lord hopes to contact us by some means or other in order to check the action of the opposite." "It's reasonable." Gourry said. "There is one more." I continued. "The acting lord and the men in black belong to one group. And this invitation is a trap." "... I'm afraid that the last is most possible." "So you are. I think that the last possibility is true," I said. "Oh, do you? Then, why you accepted this invitation?" Gourry asked me. "I felt like to accept it." At my answer, Gourry fell down on the ground flatly. "How dare you to accept such an invitation only because you 'felt like to'? It can be a trap, you know!" He complained as he stood on his feet. "But, when the acting lord is confronting to the men in black, my rejection will leave him alone." I explained. "Yes, you are right." Gourry agreed. "And when the acting lord is the wirepuller of the men in black, do you think that my rejection will close all of this case?" I asked Gourry for his opinion. "... Ah, I don't think so." "I agree with you." Satisfied with his answer, I continued. "So, it's better for us to accept this invitation. We'll be able to find something in the castle. When there is a trap, we'll break it through, that's all." "I think it's a dangerous idea... But, yes, you always have dangerous ideas." "What do you mean? Don't you have guts to confront with a danger? There is another reason for me to go to the castle!" I said. "Another reason?" "Yes." I winked at Gourry and said. "I can't stand to leave all the things unsolved." "Oh, ... I forget that you are curious." Gourry smiled wryly, put his hand on my head and said. "It's no problem. I will go everywhere you go till the finish." "Thank you, self-styled guardian. -- And now," I turned my eyes toward the castle becoming bigger in my sight, and said. "Now is the time to go! Gourry!" "I'm sorry for let you waiting for long time." An old butler came in the waiting room where Gourry and I took our seats. He gave us a polite bow. After we had gotten ready for the trap in the street, we entered the castle. They had welcomed us very politely, and hade been escorted to the waiting room to waste our time till the dinner would be ready. From the beginning, there had been no troubles there. Those men around there had no hostile feeling to us. The waiting room wasn't big but composed of established furniture. In that waiting room, we had waited for a while and finally, the polite butler appeared. "The dinner is ready now, and the acting lord is waiting for you." He said to us. Gourry and I looked at each other's face and nodded without a word. Now, let's start a game. "I see." I said and Gourry and I stood up from the seats. We walked through the door of the waiting room, and went through the long corridor for a while. The old butler stopped at a door. "Here is the dining room." He said. ... Well, how will they welcome us? "Please enter," saying, the butler bowed and opened the door. "?" Both Gourry and I were frozen at the doorway. In the dining room, there was a long table covered with a white cloth. On the walls, there were lamps with magical lights. On the table, there were lit candles standing on the candle-sticks. On the other side of the long table, there was a young man sitting on his seat. He seemed to be twenty-something. He put on the refined white suits -- in other words, the snobbish suits, and the white clothes made a striking contrast with his bright fire-like red hair. He had a beautiful smile on his handsome face. Oh, he must be the acting lord. But it wasn't the young man which surprised Gourry and me. There were two persons stood behind the acting lord. The man with black hair and the woman with silver hair. I could tell who they were. They were Luke and Millina with whom we fought against the men in black in Bezeldo. | |
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"-- Welcome to my castle, Miss Lina Inverse. I'm waiting for you." The man with red hair said and Gourry and I came to ourselves. "Please come in, and have your seats." The young man stood up from his seat and invited us with a gesture. "Ah... Thank you very much for your inviting us today." I said and entered the dining room. I was still embarrassed a little. "Not to mention it." The man said. "It's a great honor for me to meet with the famous sorceress, Miss Lina Inverse." "Am I ... famous?" I whispered when Gourry and I sat on the seats. I know that the acting lord has heard so many naughty rumors... The young man sat on his seat again after he saw us sitting, and the he introduced himself to us. "Please let me introduce myself. I am Laavas Nexaria Langmeyer and I am the acting lord of this Castle of Welgis. The lord Clain, my father, is ill in bed for several weeks, and I have all of the responsibility as a lord now." While the acting lord was talking, Gourry glanced at the two acquaintances again and again. Perhaps Gourry was eager to know the reason why Luke and Millina were there. Besides, Luke seemed to be anxious about us and glanced at me and Gourry one by one. But his colleague, Millina had no feelings on her face as she had done before. I wondered if Laavas noticed their glancing at each other, but he kept talking. "I am interested in magic. No, to say accurately, I'm interested in the tales of magic." |  |
| There came waiters out from the door behind the acting lord, and they brought a vowel of potage soup to each one of us. Laava kept talking. "I gather the tales of some sorcerers, and recently, I hear a name in many interesting tales. It's your name, Miss Lina Inverse." "But all of those tales must be horrible, aren't they?" Gourry interrupted. Hey, Gourry! Why can't you miss such episodes while you miss many other important tales? If it hadn't been in the dining room of the acting lord, I would have kicked at Gourry, but the acting lord had a wry smile on his face. "Ah... Yes, there are many bad rumors about Miss Inverse. But I think that the more and the greater the achievement one person has done, and the more famous the person becomes, the more people abuse that person. I always think the bad rumor for a person must have only a half of the truth about the person. -- I'm afraid that it is troublesome for you, but I have gathered tales about you, Miss Inverse. I hear the tales about your being deeply involved in the struggle for power in the Sorcerer's Guild in Atlas City and in the royal family of Saillune kingdom. I hear that you destroyed a group of cult in Kalmart, and you killed Zooma, a man called as the assassin of assassins. I also hear that you were related with the destruction of the capital city of Dilss kingdom and with the fall of Sairaag. I don't know how perfect those tales are, but there is no doubt that you are one of the most excellent sorceresses." ... Oh, my. In my head, I admired him because the acting lord had investigated me so precisely. He kept talking. "However, I know that a rumor is a rumor. Therefore, I am eager to hear about those tales directly from you as we have a dinner. Oh, I'm sorry to talk for so long. Please eat your soup before it becomes cold." The acting lord picked up his spoon. |
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| "I can't understand." I said to Gourry. In the night before, we had killed many chimeras that had gone out from the plant into the city, and then we had come back to our in pretending not to no anything, and had slept in the beds. In the morning, I had been curious about the situation, and after we had breakfast, I had went out to the city to know what was going on there, leaving Gourry at the inn. When I came back to the inn, Gourry was waiting for me in the restaurant, sitting at a table for lunch. I took my seat at the same table. "So you can't find anything in the city. Do you mean that nobody knows the incident?" Gourry asked me. "They are talking rumors. Moreover, they say that the city authority has announced that the incident was caused by a sorcerer who was on the wanted list, and that they already arrested the suspect." "What does it mean?" Gourry frowned and asked me again. "In short, those men in black covered up the incident." I said. As long as the city of Solaria was their foothold, they didn't want to have disturbance here. We had found some bodies of chimera which had been killed by someone else last night, and I thought that those men in black killed them. They wouldn't be able to tell the true story to the citizen, so they had made up a story of a wanted sorcerer. "But, I wonder why they didn't blame us for all of the happenings in these days." I continued. "When they wanted to do, they could, because they have both power and information. Still they don't. That's why I can't understand the situation." "Oh, I understand why you can't understand..." Gourry said as he scratched his head. "May I help you?" A familiar voice came from my side. "What?" I looked around and found a face that I saw last night. "Luke? Why are you here?" I said. Yes, it was Luke, the black-haired fighter with unpleasant look to his eyes. I couldn't realize when he came by my side. To my surprise, Millina wasn't with him. "Hello," Luke said friendly and took an empty seat at our table. Then he scratched his head with a gloomy look and then he started to complain. "To tell the truth... I don't like to do a job for an errand boy... But, it's a request from my client, and I can't refuse it... That's why I don't want to be hired by someone..." "Hey, it's you who spoke to us, and why you talk to yourself?" I said to Luke. "You are a mercenary, aren't you? It's natural for you to be hired by someone." "Am I a mercenary? No! I don't know how you estimate Millina and me, but both of us are the treasure hunters!" Luke argued. "Really? Are you?" I asked. "Yes, we are!" Luke insisted. Treasure hunters were those who investigate the ruins or some places to find some treasures. When they succeeded, they sold the treasures to earn their money. It was just the same what we usually did, and they could call Luke as a hired fighter or mercenary. But indeed, Luke had a right to call himself as a "treasure hunter". "Oh, I remember that you were looking for a magical sword when we met before." I said. "Exactly." Luke replied. "In quest for the ancient treasures, we overcome many hard accidents, and finally we find out them! This is the true man's spirit of romantic adventure! We are different from those mercenaries who fawn on a leisured rich man and are overworked. Don't call me a mercenary." "But you actually are the errand boy of the acting lord Laavas, aren't you?" I pointed out, and Luke pretended to weep. "I didn't intend to work for the guy! The reason why I am hired is..." "Running out of money?" I asked. "No! It's because... Millina accepted the job without letting me know! I couldn't reject the job!" Luke said. "Why you couldn't? You have a right to do, don't you?" I asked again. "Stupid! How dare I say 'I dislike the job you accepted' to Millina? She is my love!" "It's hard to believe that the man who talks about the man's spirit of romantic adventure becomes a weakling when Millina tells something to him." I said. "Hey! I am a slave to her love." ... No, you are only a slave of her... "Hey, Luke. Don't say that you are a slave of someone's love." Gourry interrupted with and embarrassed look. "It means that you are only under Millina's thumb. As I am a man, I feel you pitiful." "Oh, how dare YOU say that to me?" Luke looked at Gourry and me one by one with ironic eyes. "Don't misunderstand me." Gourry replied. "I'm not under Lina's thumb. I don't think about anything, and I don't make up my mind to do anything at all. People may think that I'm under Lina's thumb, but actually I'm not." ... Hey, both of you seem to be pitiful, can't you see? "Hey, hey", I interrupted because I realized that if I wouldn't stop them talking, they would keep talking those pitiful tales. I looked at Luke and asked him. "Now, tell me why you come here. You seem to know something about the happenings." "Oh, yes, yes." Luke suddenly remembered his task and looked around the guests in the restaurant, and then he began to talk in a low voice. "Last night, there came some chimeras and they fought against the soldiers, you know." "I hear of the rumor." I replied. "You don't need to pretend not to be involved in the happenings." Luke said. "The acting lord supposed that you had been involved in the happenings and it was he who covered up the truth." "Did the acting lord cover up the truth?" I asked Luke in a low voice as he did. "Yes, he did. Frankly speaking, the acting lord Laavas wants you to help him." "Really?" I thought for a moment and asked Luke. "Is there a family quarrel?" "Oh, you are so quick to understand." Luke grinned at me. It wasn't a difficult conjecture. When the acting lord was against another group, the group had to be as powerful as the acting lord Laavas, and in the most cases, the boss of the opposite group was one of the blood relatives. Luke explained. "According to Mr. Laavas, there is the elder son of lord Langmeyer, and his name is Baitham. Laavas says that Baitham is very ambitious and he isn't satisfied with the position of a local lord. It seems that Baitham has planned something wrong and dangerous. You know that his father, lord Langmeyer is ill in bed. It is his duty to be the acting lord, but Baitham forces this duty on Laavas and the elder brother is doing what he wants to do by his money and power." "Is there the elder brother of the action lord?" I whispered. Luke kept on talking. "Yes. And Laavas is anxious that someone may notice the actions of Baitham. When the king happens to hear of them, lord Langmeyer will be divested of the position of the lord, and in the worst case, all of the Langmeyers will be executed. Laavas wants to avoid the tragedy, and he is eager to stop Baitham peacefully. Therefore, the acting lord needs strong and skillful fighters. By the way, there are spies of Laavas in the group of Baitham. And they reported that Lina Inverse and her guardian stayed in this city. Then Laavas got an idea to hire both of you." "I see". I said. The story of Laavas seemed to be logical. Luke continued. "Last night those chimeras appeared in the city, and you seem to be two of those who killed the chimeras. If you would be arrested, Laavas' plan came to be nothing. Therefore, he circulated a false rumor that an wanted sorcerer had been arrested, and he also asked me to tell those stories to you. -- That's all. Now I must bring your answer to my client. Will you help him or not?" "Uh..." I scratched the back of my head. "May I ask you a question, Luke? Did you see that brother Baitham with you own eyes?" "No, I didn't. Laavas told us that Baitham had disappeared from the castle." "I see. Then, I can't take Laavas' proposal." I said. "Alright. I'll tell him so." Luke nodded at my answer and stood up from his seat. I was surprised at his quick action. "Hey, wait! Don't you need to ask my reason to refuse the proposal?" I asked. "I told you. I don't like to do a job for an errand boy." Luke answered. "Frankly speaking, I don't care if you'll help the acting lord or not. For me it's nothing to me to know the reason why you refuse his proposal." "And when you'll go back to the castle," I said, "Millina will blame you not to have my reason to refuse his proposal." Luke's body slightly trembled, and he sat on his seat again. "... I... I think it's not bad to hear your reason to refuse the acting lord's proposal." He said. "You have a huge weak spot for Millina, don't you?" I said. "It's time to talk about you, not about me. Now, tell your reason for your refusal to help the acting lord." Luke seemed annoyed. "Oh, I won't." I replied, and both of us fell silent for a few moments. "Hey... you," Luke scratched his head. "You are kidding md, aren't you?" "Yes, I am." Me honest answer made Luke silent again. "Well, well. I have my own reason not to tell you. So, when you'll be asked by Millina or Laavas, just tell them, 'she was stubborn as a mule not to tell me the reason'." "I see." Luke left the words in an irritated voice, stood up his seat and turned his back at us. After he went out through the door of the restaurant, Gourry asked me. "Why did you refuse the proposal of the acting lord? As far as I can understand, the acting lord is in trouble. I don't mind to help him, and I think that you don't, neither." "I don't mind," I replied, "as far as the story of Laavas is true. His story is logical, but it doesn't mean that the story is true. I suspect that the positions are changed." "Whose positions? Please tell me clearly." Gourry said. "I mean that it's possible for Laavas to be the man who has a plan for a revolt, and for Baitham to be the man who is trying hard to stop his brother." I explained. "If this assumption is true, we can see the story in this way. Baitham ran away from the castle because he was afraid to be assassinated. Laavas is trying to hire us in order to let us approach for the truth and if he has a chance he uses us to kill Baitham. Anyway, it's only an assumption. We'll decide what to do after we have evidences. In addition --" "In addition?" Gourry asked. "The masked man. Don't you remember?" I said. "Tow nights earlier, when we were chased by two men in black. And the masked man interrupted. I must find out who he is and what he does." "Is it possible that the masked man is Baitham?" Gourry said. "I think the possibility is very low..." I answered, but Gourry insisted. "Don't you remember? There was a member of a royal family who came with you because of justice. I don't think it's weird that there is another member of a royal family who stood on the top of the wall in the night, putting a mask on his face." "Yes... I do. And your consideration seems to be logical...." "Now, we got a conclusion." "Anyway, we have to find an evidence first. Let's go out to the city and get more information!" |
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