Slime Reincarnation

Chapter 106: Let’s Help Out with Krelia’s Work

Fileontina and I left Cafe Crystal Garden. But it suddenly hit me that I’d only meant to go out for an early morning walk.

"Ah, this is bad! I didn’t tell anyone where I was going. They might be waiting with breakfast ready."

"Eh, that does seem rather regrettable, doesn’t it?"

Fileontina looked worried too. So we hurried back to the Coluna Frontier Count’s residence.

"Lord Coluna, it has been some time. Thanks to Lord Yabe’s assistance back then, I was able to keep my life. I am deeply grateful."

"Lady Fileontina, let’s skip the formalities. You’ve come following after Yabe, I take it. Please stay with us here."

"I appreciate your kindness."

"Lord Fenberg, it seems Fileontina borrowed a carriage and horses from the Earl of Tarbal, so I’d appreciate it if arrangements could be made to look after them. I’ll stop by Tarbal to return them on my way back from the capital."

"Ah, understood."

Since Fileontina and I had already eaten, we just had tea and waited for everyone else to finish breakfast before sitting down with Fenberg.

"Yabe, the audience with the king has been set for seven days from now. Two days from now you’ll need to go to the royal castle once to confirm the arrangements and be fitted for the formal attire the royal family will prepare."

"A week from now, huh..."

"By the way, you really did come, Lady Fileontina."

"Let’s support Lord Yabe together!"

"Fuoo!? Doesh Mashter already have a wife!"

Irina, Luciana, and Rina each reacted in their own way.

"Hmm, buying a cute slave like Rina chan doesn’t quite match with that troubled look... Lord Yabe, there’s still something you’re hiding deep down, isn’t there?"

"Wh, what!? Yabe, what’s going on here!?"

Irina got worked up, but I decided to just ignore it.

"Lord Fenberg, about the castle visit in two days, do we know the time yet?"

"Yes, the visit is planned for ten in the morning. Because of that, we’ll be preparing from the morning that day, so please don’t go anywhere. Hold off on walks like today’s as well, on that day."

"Understood."

"So, Yabe, what will you do today?"

"Irina, Luciana, please go along with Fileontina’s shopping. She’s probably prepared for travel, but if she’s staying in the capital for a while, there’ll be things she needs. Bring Rina along too if possible."

"Fuoo!? Mashter!?"

I ignored Rina’s shocked expression and worked out everyone’s schedules.

"What will you do, Yabe?"

"There’s something I want to look into, so I’ll be out around the capital with Logan until evening."

"Hmph! I’d rather go around the capital together with you, if possible."

Irina puffed out her cheeks, saying she wanted to be with me, but I shook my head.

"Once the castle visit is done and things settle down, we’ll do that. Just wait a little longer for now. Also, don’t go into town alone. This is absolute."

"What’s wrong, Yabe? The capital is fairly safe, there’s not much to worry about. Though of course a noble young lady wouldn’t walk around without an escort anyway."

"No, it’s better to avoid unnecessary outings for now. Even by carriage, I don’t think a lady should go out with just a few attendants."

Seeing how seriously I was giving this advice, Fenberg grew uneasy as well.

"Is something going on...?"

"It seems there’s a group trying to worsen public order in the capital in order to bring down Krelia, the captain of the capital’s guard. Probably people connected to the Pleasure ducal house."

"What a troublesome business... Greed, send word ahead to Duke Draisen. Say I’d like to pay my respects now that I’ve arrived in the capital."

"Understood."

So that butler’s name was Greed. Not Sebastian after all.

"I’ll pay my respects to Duke Draisen too, and try to gather some information about the capital while I’m at it."

"Then please let me know tonight if any new information comes in."

"Got it."

"Gerdon, you’re on training again today. No slacking off, got it?"

"That’s harsh. I wanted to go sightseeing in the capital too."

"Training in the morning, and the afternoon’s fine, but try to go with someone if you can. You still can’t speak human language, right?"

"Ah, true enough."

"For now, focus on your training, and when the people of the Coluna Frontier Count’s household go out, you can serve as an escort. That way you’ll at least get to walk around the capital."

"Got it."

"Well, I’m heading out now."

Leaving Rina screaming Mashter behind, I left the Coluna Frontier Count’s residence with Logan.

Yesterday had been quite a packed day, honestly. I’d arrived in the capital just past noon two days ago. That day, after arriving at the residence, I’d had dinner and gone straight to rest, so my actual time active in the capital had only really been yesterday. In that one day I’d gone to see Marin, visited Sister Anri, gone to the diner Poporo, and stopped by the Commercial Guild. But on the afternoon of the day I first arrived, I’d also bought Rina from the slave trader De Gado and bought bread at the handmade bread shop Mamma Miya. What I hadn’t gotten to yet were the matter of Baron Harknar’s household, the capital’s church headquarters, and the matter of Krelia, captain of the capital guard.

But before I even had time to consider where to go, trouble came looking for me instead.

"Stop it! Argh!" "That’s awful!"

Looking over, I saw six thuggish looking men causing chaos, smashing up stalls on the main street and stealing fruit without paying.

"Hm! Bandits, boss?"

Logan asked, but I shook my head.

"Not quite. Given the feel of it, they’re probably just small time thugs, or maybe hired to deliberately cause trouble."

"You there! I will not tolerate those who disturb the order of the capital! Surrender quietly!"

With a spirited shout, a woman knight on horseback came riding up, along with four spear wielding knights.

"Ha! The captain who clawed her way into her position with her family’s money and her looks is here! Run, everybody, run!" "Ha! Like I’d let some weakling who got her position without any real skill catch me!"

The six men tried to make a run for it.

"You talk plenty of trash for guys running away with your tails between your legs. Who’s the weakling here, exactly?"

I stepped in front of them, provoking them on purpose.

"Ah! Who do you think you’re picking a fight with, you bastard!" "Die!"

One of them lunged at me with a knife.

Even in a robe, I was currently in Yabe Hiroki’s form, with full use of both arms and legs. I grabbed the wrist of the man lunging at me with the knife, tripped him, dragged him down, and stomped on his side.

"Guaah!"

"You bastard!" "Get him!"

Two more came at me swinging, and I dodged their punches, driving body blows into them instead.

"Gehah!" "Gubuh!"

Both of them dropped to the ground.

With the mounted knight already closing in, the remaining thugs had no choice but to charge at me, this time three at once.

But noticing that the man who seemed to be their leader in the middle was slightly slow on his attack timing, I lashed out with sharp kicks left and right with my right leg, sending two of them flying.

"Wha!?"

The apparent leader, thrown off by being a step behind, looked shocked, but in the next instant I was already moving into my next attack. I drove a palm strike into the leader’s chest with my right hand.

"Lightning Bolt."

With a crackling spark, the leader convulsed violently as if bursting, smoke rising off him as he collapsed.

"That’s all six of them, then."

The mounted knight arrived just then. Since only she had been on horseback, her subordinates would take a bit longer to catch up.

The knight who dismounted and called out to me was a woman.

"My apologies, I am Krelia, captain of the capital’s guard. Thank you for your assistance in apprehending these criminals."

"Ah, it wasn’t a big deal, don’t worry about it."

I answered, waving my hand casually. While we exchanged greetings, the four subordinates arrived as well.

"Tie these men up with rope. Take them back to the station. Interrogate them and get them to talk about who’s behind this."

"Yes, ma’am!"

"Even so, that was impressive work. I’m sorry for the trouble, but I’d like to take your statement. Would you be willing to come with me to the station?"

Krelia asked for my cooperation with a warm smile. Perfect timing, actually, since I’d been trying to figure out how to make contact with Krelia in the first place. Might as well accept her invitation and see if I could draw out what was troubling her.