"Why are you here?" William blurted out from behind his superior, his voice filled with surprise and suspicion.
Memories from the past flooded my mind. The first crime I committed in this world was killing a bunch of goons in the Balcker Forest, and it was William who took the lead in the investigation. He had been highly suspicious of me when we first met at the guild, instructing me not to leave Sephra for a few days. I had followed his instructions, confident that I had left no evidence behind. And I had managed to evade any further complications, believing I would never cross paths with William again in such a situation.
Yet here we were, surrounded by people who knew me all too well, including someone I had only glimpsed from afar and someone I wasn't supposed to encounter yet.
"Sir William, do you happen to know this man?" the elderly figure in front of William and his supposed subordinates asked, his tone stern and serious and the eagle on his uniform told that he is from Grav.
Grav Kingdom's official symbol is an eagle, depicted holding a sword in its left claw as it soars through the skies,Reva Kingdom's symbol, on the other hand, is a circular emblem with intricate details and a prominent star at its center.
As for Elishia Forest, their symbol represents the sacred world tree, featuring a prominent leaf design that signifies their connection to nature and the forest,The symbol of Hestia Kingdom is a stylized flame encircled by intricate patterns. The flame embodies the kingdom's passion, creativity, and warmth and light.
Well they are important in the future quest.
"Y-yeah... I do," William replied, straightening his back and assuming a more formal posture as he addressed his superior.
"Was it important?" the man asked, directing his question to William. Meanwhile, William scrutinized me from head to toe, as if... verifying my identity.
"No, it's not," William responded, his tone was casual. "I am acquainted with his father, that's all. I was just surprised to see him here, far away from Sephra."
Surprisingly, William's response caught me off guard. It seemed he wasn't as foolish as I had initially presumed.
Introducing me as a criminal suspect in front of his superior and a high-ranking knight would have been a grave mistake. If I were to object and William admitted that he had made such accusations without any evidence of my involvement in past incidents, it would only serve to make him a subject of ridicule.
"Umm, Sephra... you were stationed there for some time. Anyways, Dame Amelia Clay, why were we called here?" the superior inquired, his tone respectful as he addressed Amelia.
"This is the only person that the criminal interacted with... at least, that's what we know," Amelia pointed at the rabbit beastman, who continued to glare at me for some unknown reason.
"And?" The superior seemed unsatisfied with her answer.
"And he claims that this person," she gestured towards me without even looking, "-was also with the criminal at that time."
"What?" I blurted out unconsciously, drawing several gazes towards me, though I hadn't spoken loudly.
Sighing, Amelia turned around and walked towards a nearby table. She retrieved a poster and held it up in front of me, and suddenly everything clicked into place.
I should have killed a guard, I suppose.
The poster displayed two individuals—one was the Tiga I had seen moments ago on the fallen poster, and...
"Devon?" I couldn't hide my surprise, though I made sure not to let it show on my face.
The other person featured on the poster alongside Tiga was none other than Devon, my guide when I arrived in Reva Kingdom.
Devon was always good-natured, but the way they depicted him on the wanted poster made him appear quite unsavory. Criminals really should have more detailed and accurate wanted posters. It wouldn't hurt for them to put a little more effort into it—no matter which world they're in, they always seem to overlook this detail.
'I am more surprised that you aren't surprised to see Devon on a wanted poster with a thousand gold coin bounty, but by the fact that they actually drew him without details,' Blaze remarked in my mind, not bothering to come out of the bag.
I was surprised but-
Indeed, anyone can be a criminal,
Amelia raised an eyebrow, noticing my reaction to the poster. "You know this person?" she asked, her tone was curious.
I quickly composed myself, not wanting to reveal too much. "I met him briefly during my time in Reva Kingdom. He was a guide who helped me navigate the city," I replied casually, trying to downplay any connection between us.
The superior studied me intently, his gaze piercing. "Do you have any information regarding their whereabouts?" he inquired, his voice stern.
I looked at him for a moment, considering my response carefully. "I'm afraid I can't be of much help in that regard. I haven't seen or heard from Devon since our partition from prowlers'cove. Our paths diverged, and I have no knowledge of his current whereabouts," I explained, keeping my tone measured and composed.
Amelia and the superior exchanged a brief glance, seemingly assessing my words. It was clear that they were skeptical of my claims, but without any concrete evidence linking me to Devon or the crimes, they couldn't make any definitive accusations.
"Very well," the superior said, his tone indicating that the conversation was coming to an end.
"We will need you to explain to Dame Amelia the purpose of your visit, how you came to know Devon, and the nature of your conversations with him," the superior instructed. He then turned to Amelia and added, "I will excuse myself for now. It seems we have received a report from the Prince of Grav Kingdom regarding the current criminal syndicates."
"Prince?" Amelia queried, but she was met with a stern look from the superior, indicating that he couldn't divulge more information in front of us.
"I will take my leave," the superior said as he gestured for the rabbit-like beastman to follow him. The beastman complied, casting a disdainful glare in my direction as he exited the room. He should direct his anger towards Devon for his horse, not me.
- and William, too, gave me an uncertain look of why the hell he was here before leaving, and now it's just me and Amelia in the room.
'Bang her,' Blaze chimed in with his usual perverted comment. I thought this guy had cleaned up his act, but apparently not!
"Please, take a seat," Amelia invited, gracefully gliding towards her plush chair.
I settled into the comfortable seat, delicately readjusting a few stray locks of hair that had fallen across my face. I couldn't help but notice the arch of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows, raised in what seemed like admiration.
"Well, they do say that even criminals can possess a certain charm," she mused aloud, almost as if lost in her own thoughts.
"Now, I implore you to recount every detail of your journey, starting from the very beginning of your trip to Reva Kingdom until this very moment," Amelia requested, producing a parchment and a finely crafted magic quill from her desk.
I began to weave a narrative, skillfully omitting specific details about the exact locations I had stayed in. I wove a tapestry of fabricated places, knowing that the vast array of motels in Reva Kingdom would make it virtually impossible for her to verify each one.
As I spun my tale, Amelia's curiosity led her to inquire about my choice of Reva Kingdom over Grav Kingdom. I crafted a response that spoke of a deep longing for exploration and adventure, a desire to venture off the beaten path. It was an answer that resonated with the spirit of this world, where the pursuit of adventure is cherished and revered.
However, I took great care to keep my true purpose concealed within the depths of my mind.
And then there was the intriguing revelation about Devon, which piqued my curiosity. I discovered that he was known as a slave smuggler, responsible for clandestinely trafficking numerous individuals to the nobles of the Hestia Empire. However, he had been apprehended by the authorities just a few days prior.
But what astounded me was the fact that he had mysteriously managed to escape. There were no signs of forced entry, no evidence of magical tampering, and no reports of a fierce struggle with the knights who had been guarding him. It was as if he had vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a lingering sense of enigma and intrigue.
"And that's why-" Amelia's sentence was abruptly cut off as the heavy wooden door swung open with a forceful creak. In a whirlwind of commotion, a disheveled man burst into the room, his face contorted with panic and beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.
"Dame, urgent news! We have uncovered a Renouncer within our midst!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with a mix of anxiety and urgency.
The sudden intrusion sent a jolt of adrenaline through the air, and the atmosphere crackled with tension. Without hesitation, Amelia sprang into action, her movements fluid and swift. She vanished from my line of sight in a blink of an eye, gracefully leaping from her seat and soaring above me like a lithe predator, ready to confront the newfound threat head-on. Her departure left a lingering sense of anticipation in the room, as if the very air itself held its breath, awaiting the unfolding events.
'Someone's gonna get fucked up,' Blaze said.
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