Build a tower from under the water (1)
“sh*t! I mean move quickly!”
From noble mtl dot com.
A warehouse full of dust.
Every time I moved my steps and rummaged through things, a thick layer of dust flew up.
Even holding my breath, my cough came out.
However, the workers carrying the luggage did not have time to worry about such things.
It was then.
“Coke! Coke!”
“Hey, hey!”
Someone coughed and staggered momentarily.
It was a very fleeting thing. However, there was no way the man giving the order would not have noticed it.
“… … This bastard!”
puck!
“Gagging!”
As the man kicked, the coughing worker rolled on the dusty floor.
At that moment, the eyes of those who were carrying the luggage were focused, but it was only for a moment.
Tired of the man’s demon-like expression, she instinctively began to move.
“Can’t you go faster?!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Like these slugs… … Tsk!”
The man who clenched his tongue as he glared at the workers shouted loudly toward the entrance.
“Hey, hey!”
“Yes, Captain!”
Then, the man named by the captain quickly approached.
The captain looked impatiently out of the room and said.
“How are you guys? Do you see any signs of movement?”
“Not yet. It is understood that there are no knights who have come out of the palace yet.”
“… … sh*t. What is this like?”
The appearance of loading the warehouse’s cargo into a wagon was shabby and pathetic, even to himself.
But it wasn’t arbitrary. Just a few hours ago, they were just a group of mercenaries drinking at a bar.
If it wasn’t for that contact, it probably wouldn’t have come this far.
“… … It looks like you’ve been caught, so I’m telling you to quickly withdraw from Esteban?”
sh*t!
The captain sighed and bit his lip.
Even the ‘they’ who left the first correspondence irresponsibly did not hand over important information at all.
where and how did you get it? They don’t even tell you when or by whom.
At that time, the mercenary who reported the situation in the palace spoke cautiously.
“In the first place, they may not know the details.”
“Maybe you don’t know?”
“Yes that’s right.”
The only information they gave was that the Mage Tower and the Merchant Corps had been attacked.
No, it’s not like I was hurt. I was just speculating that it might have happened.
There was a difference between saying to withdraw because you were caught and saying ‘it seems’ that you were caught.
“Isn’t there any news that even those of us who are actually active inside Esteban have heard?”
“That’s right, but… … .”
“Probably, I was hit without a bird to even leave communication. If it happened to not one but two places, security would have been thorough.”
“Hmm… … .”
Come to think of it, it was too quiet for Sejak to be caught.
So, weren’t they, who disguised themselves as mercenaries to collect items, drinking too much?
The mercenary continued.
“It can be assumed that they, too, were aware of the situation because they were not in regular contact. Literally, this is an emergency that even they did not expect.”
“… … Right. It definitely overlaps with the regular contact period.”
If so, the situation was more serious than expected.
Since you don’t know when it happened, you can’t even guess how far the pursuit went.
I didn’t even know it had hit the bottom of my chin.
“damn… … ! It just unnecessarily increases my anxiety!”
“Don’t worry though. The only places they attacked were the Mage Tower and the upper guild.”
“… … Aww! It doesn’t mean that we have penetrated all the triads that have infiltrated Esteban.”
“Yes that’s right.”
If they had been caught in the first place, they would have already become like the Mage Tower and the guild.
It was a positive situation. At least, the possibility of not being discovered until they evacuated to the Federation Empire increased.
In addition, there was a higher possibility that they were unaware of their existence in the first place, who were only in charge of recovering the stolen items.
The captain said with a satisfied smile.
“Okay, but just in case, don’t neglect your vigilance.”
“All right.”
“Now, get out of Esteban as quickly as possible.”
Its destination was not the border with the Commonwealth Empire.
hidden passage.
Esteban had a secret passage they didn’t know about yet… … .
‘hehehehe, I just need to return safely like this.’
If you do, you will be able to get a huge reward from him.
I don’t know, but the amount will fall enough to play and eat for the rest of my life.
Desire passed across the captain’s face as he gazed into the dust-covered warehouse.
… … but.
The fact that Esteban’s pursuit was already playing at the top of their heads, they were unaware of.
* * *
“Well, once I found it.”
George entered the office and put down the papers.
“There was a part of the ledger from the top that matched that of Cromwell, bastard. Again, there was a workaround. Each cycle is different, but it will be clear if you look at this part.”
“her… … .”
A look of astonishment passed over the baron’s expression in the office for an instant.
The ledger at the top was related to which mercenaries were hired, and Cromwell’s ledger was nothing more than a record of how the budget was used.
But did you mean that you found a commonality in those two documents and uncovered a method of recovery? How?
“Right.”
But at least that didn’t matter to me.
Because I was the one who knew better than anyone about that startling insight.
I nodded my head as I read the document he handed me.
“These guys are the Federation Empire’s payback plan.”
“That’s right.”
“The Deflon mercenaries… … .”
It was a name I had never heard of.
It was probably because he had a new identity in order to work for Esteban.
There was a high possibility that the name used in the Commonwealth Empire was separate.
As soon as he informed the Argon Knights, the waiting knights attacked the residence of the Deflon Mercenaries.
However, the only reply that came back was the news that it was already too late.
Sure enough, it seems that they left for the east at least three days ago… … the belated follow-up.
Upon hearing one answer, my lips curled up.
‘Not bad.’
If it’s three days, it’s not too late.
no. It was an hour long enough, knowing that they weren’t going to leave alone.
The recovery plan was supposed to be working with supplies stolen from Esteban.
“They probably haven’t gotten out of Esteban yet.”
“It sounds natural.”
“And it is highly likely that the behavior is in the form of a mercenary group, not a mercenary group.”
“Because it’s the best way to get away without being suspected.”
I nodded my head in agreement with George’s answer.
Then all that remains is to track their movement. but… … so it’s late
My gaze landed on Baron Vidor, who was watching the situation blankly.
“Contact the Argon Knights right now and ask them to follow the Dephlon mercenaries.”
“… … Ah yes! All right!”
“How about having the Argon Knights block the border area?”
It was a suggestion made by George, who confirmed that the baron was leaving.
But when I heard that, my head was lowered.
“There is no need for that.”
“Movement toward the Commonwealth is limited. It would be more efficient that way.”
“No, they will not move to the border.”
“… … .”
George tilted his head curiously.
one moment. If there was something that passed through my head, I asked after a while narrowing my eyes.
“There seems to be a secret route leading to the Federation Empire.”
“okay.”
It was a question close to certainty.
In fact, it wouldn’t make sense otherwise. It would only be a matter of time before the soldiers who carelessly went in and out of the border area were caught by soldiers who were suspicious of supplies.
“what… … I guess so.”
George nodded in agreement. But the problem still remained.
“By the way, how are you going to find that secret route?”
Yes, there was nothing they could do even if they knew that they would be moving by secret route.
It was too late to track it down, and the only way to reliably catch the retrieval plan that had already moved was to wait at least along the route.
That was the moment.
“… … huh?”
George suddenly looked at me and made a whistle.
That would be too… … It was because the smile never left my lips from the moment I mentioned the secret passage.
It’s time to discuss countermeasures for the secret passage. In this situation, he would miss the recovery method he had been looking for.
Of course it wasn’t for any other reason.
‘To head to the secret passage without hesitation, you look at me so funny.’
secret passage? Of course, the existence of such a thing was not a problem for me, who had memories before returning.
Not only the current secret passage, but also the smuggling method after that, it was all stored in my head.
But what made it enjoyable was the way he responded.
Even knowing that Esteban had already caught the Mage Tower and the Merchant’s affairs.
The fact that he concluded that he would not know the existence of the secret passage and let the recovery plan escape there was so ridiculous.
If that’s not the case, then it would be said that there was no time to argue about such things.
‘Fourth Prince, I guess even you didn’t have enough room for this variable?’
The smile that spread across my lips turned into a sneer.
well, anyway.
If you did that, I would be grateful.
Being tricked by my cunning and giving Esteban time wasn’t enough, so now he was trying to give me strength too.
I got up and glanced at George.
“Follow me.”
“yes?”
“It’s time to check the gifts they sent.”
“Oh, no… … .”
George questioned, but had no choice.
“What about my vacation?”
… … Only pitiful murmurs could be heard.
* * *
Darkness fell.
The wagons running endlessly through the forest looked very urgent.
But not as much as the expression on the man leading the way.
‘Khehehehe! If you go a little further, it is the land of the Federation Empire.’
A sparsely populated forest.
Under the shack hidden there was an enchanted passageway. It was a long tunnel spanning several kilometers.
And it was only the trinket of some of the Commonwealth Empire that knew that fact.
It was said that as long as they got there, they wouldn’t have to worry about Esteban’s pursuit any longer.
‘The chase… … does not exist.’
I passed through several gates to reach this forest, but in the end, there were no problems, contrary to the drowsiness.
Naturally, Esteban showed no signs of pursuing them. I didn’t know if I was really unaware of their presence or if I failed to track them down.
Of course, using the scouting team would allow Esteban to know the situation in more detail, but now that all three forces were retreating, there was no need for that.
“There it is… … !”
Before long, the man’s eyes began to see a quiet cabin.
… … A hidden passage to the Commonwealth Empire!
A deep smile crept across the man’s lips.
From noble mtl dot com.