Trinitas Mundus

At the end of the operation meeting, Ray bowed his head to Randall and left his office behind.

Ray was about to head to the Intelligence Division to find the demonic puppet Kutsuku, who had already infiltrated Periclitle here.

Raspade, who was at the meeting with him from behind him, called out in a sneer.

"If you find a puppet, will you give me a voice? I've come up with something."

Ray smiled bitterly at Raspade's pleasant expression, "Okay. If I get caught alive, I'll make sure the teacher sees me," he says and breaks up with him.

"As always, you come up with a lot," smiles Ashley on her way to the Information Division. But it soon became a serious look,

"How do you broil out a demon spy? They won't let you grab their tail easily either."

Ray drops his voice a little, looks around and then starts talking.

"Check with the Intelligence team about the six parties. Has anyone heard anything about Mr. Hazel's party?"

"Hazel? You mean Luna. But why? Aren't they already aware of Luna's information?

"More than a month after we returned from the village of Thysek, Luna was safe until four days ago. I don't know how often I've been in the woods, but I don't think I could spot you just keeping an eye on Periclitle coming in and out. Maybe he's already been abducted in Rickadale..."

"I see," Ashley nodded.

"It is indeed Luna that the Demons are after. At least if there's a secret detective, there's a good chance we'll check the information."

"Even if you had a watch, you wouldn't even know where you're going, so I'm wondering if someone confirmed your plans, like Ash asked."

The Rays go straight into the Guild's Information Division room.

The Intelligence Division was bummed by the same busyness, but managed to find Lloyd, and Ray told him what was going on single-handedly.

"I have a favor to ask of Mr. Lloyd. Besides us, there must be someone else who's been asking for information about Hazel's party. I was wondering if you could check with the Intelligence team."

Lloyd frowned a little and said, "Are you busy? You can't," he replies instantly.

Ray accentuated the tone slightly,

"I know I'm busy. This is a top priority. I have Mr. Randall's permission. So please hurry up."

"He said it was the command's permission. I don't think I'm gonna let you leave, but just in case, I'll let you know."

Lloyd goes straight to Randall's command and confirms that Ray has become Randall's staff officer and has given him the authority to hunt undercover.

Lloyd, who hurried back,

"Got it. Let the West Branch and the East Branch also check. But are you sure there's a demon spy in there?

"I don't know, but I think that's likely. It's a little delicate, so I'll just talk to Mr. Lloyd..."

Ray talks about the possible use of magic by the Demon Clan to puppet "Kukutsu," and the suspicion of the six parties that went out on reconnaissance the other day.

Lloyd is surprised by the story and mutters, "Is that why there's a Doctus professor..."

"Got it. Wash out all six parties immediately. Just in case, I'll keep an eye on him. But why would he want to know about Hazel's party?

Ray hesitated to answer, "... I can't tell you right now. This is information I can't even tell Mr. Randall..." he replies small.

Lloyd said, "You're so confidential I can't talk to you right now. I better not know either...... ok. So, how do I get in touch?" Convinced.

Ray explains how to contact him, hoping for the words.

"I show my face here on a regular basis. And then pass the information on to Dr. Raspade as well. I'm not an expert in dark attribute magic, but I know more about demons than we do. Then, if there's a suspicious adventurer, could you quarantine him for a reason in the Intelligence Division?"

"Quarantine... that's command authority too. Got it. He wants more information about his last reconnaissance, and I'm gonna throw him in the conference room."

When Ray asked Lloyd to do so, he decided to go check on the light divinity.

Lloyd, who was left behind, was beginning to think this disturbance was worse than he thought.

(This really doesn't make this city a battlefield. My family has already evacuated me, but if I'm relaxed too, I'm gonna eat the convoy. Except three years ago, but I haven't even trained since I retired. It will not be possible to interact with the Demons in the present situation. After hunting a secret detective, you decide to escape to Armaswaite - an accomodation town 100 km west of Periclitle...)

Lloyd was a former quaternary adventurer turning thirty-seven this year, retiring from active duty on the occasion of his marriage. Originally, because he was good at gathering and analyzing information, he found a place in the Alliance's Intelligence Division and was now on a safe job.

(But the magic of the puppet Kutsuku... that's nasty magic. Ray is right, if this story spreads to the city, it will be suspicious and the defense will be gone... but what secrets does Hazel's party have? Whoa, curiosity kills cats, too. Stick your neck in the bad stuff and the rest is tough... well, I wonder what to tell my colleagues...)

He went back to his room and checked Hazel's party for anything.

The Rays had come to the North District, a commercial district.

Because I heard that there is a luxury inn here used by the merchants and that the Bishops of the Light Divinity, the Holy Knights, are staying there.

(I am not going to make contact with you this time. But there's a chance they'll come in contact from the other side. That bishop can talk some, but that captain of the Holy Knight won't talk. At least I want to stab the nail so I don't get in the way of this one...)

On the way to the inn, I catch my eye at a warehouse in a chamber of commerce.

Because the peasant militias we saw in Doctus were in front of the warehouse.

(Those are the soldiers who were walking behind the Holy Knight. What are you doing here? Did you pick up the supplies?

I wasn't particularly interested, and when I somehow tried to get past it, I lit a fire next to the warehouse and saw it cooking in a pan.

A thin soup like wheat porridge was made in their pans, and the soldiers seemed to take precious care of each vessel.

(Maybe you're sleeping in an empty warehouse... the meal looks crude, and can you move satisfactorily in this cold sky?

Ray got here and finally understood that they were conscripted soldiers.

They are uniformly thin and I don't think spears can be used satisfactorily. He was not dressed outdoors in the cold skies of December, just wearing crude thin clothes under the further-used leather armor.

(I guess he was forcibly brought in after listening to the demon tribe. It doesn't look like there's any satisfactory cold protection, and I'm glad I didn't have to go to Turok. They say there's snow by now, so they'll freeze to death in no time...)

And I remember Bishop Gastaldi and the head of the Paredes battalion of the Holy Knight, who spoke in Doctus.

(... and phototheism is a really terrible religion. With one ring that that bishop wore softly, those soldiers should be able to have a more decent meal... it's called surveillance on their own, what do they think they can do)

I see eye to eye with one peasant militia.

In its eyes there was a colour of despair, like that of objectivity, like that of giving up everything.

(I don't care if a bishop or a holy knight dies, but don't feel sorry for these people getting killed. He dies in a homeland away from his family, without being informed of the reasons for his death, etc. Can't you help me...)

As he sympathizes with the peasant militia, Ashley grabs his arm.

"I know you're sympathetic to those soldiers, but it's not about you talking. It's their country's problem."

For a moment, Ray tried to argue that it was "too cold”.

"If you speak up here, those soldiers will be subjected to even harsher eyes. Not as long as that arrogant man is a commander."

I heard words similar to Ashley's giving up, and I could understand what she wanted to say to him, too.

"... I think I know what you're trying to say. But we have to do something about light theism. I'll see if I can do anything in the process."

Ashley nodded small and agreed with him.

The quarters of the Holy Knights and Bishops were the finest inns in Periclitle. It's a fine three-story wooden inn built on a stone foundation, and there's nothing confusing about it in this situation either.

Inn where the great merchants would normally be gathered, but now the "priests”, dressed in pure white clothing and gear, are walking wide.

Ray tried to pass in front of the inn.

From behind him he said, "This is Lord Arklight. It's a coincidence," he says.

When he looked back, Bishop Gastaldi, dressed in white bishop clothes, stood.

(Have you still been contacted by the watchman? It was still these guys because Stella said she felt the eye of surveillance sometimes. You've changed your tone a little. I used to call you "Ray.” Nevertheless, I've never named it "Arklite" from here, but now...)

"We're out of time. Bishop Gastaldi"

He tried to pass as he was.

The bishop, with a smiling expression, calls him to rest, "I wonder if you are in a hurry".

"Would you like some tea? It's a rare vanilla tea from Lukes around here."

(What do we do? If we embrace Bishop Gastaldi, we will not have to be disturbed in the forthcoming battle. But he's like putting a watchman on his own...)

Ray was slightly hesitant.

"You don't have to be so vigilant. I don't even have Captain Paredes today. Well, don't hesitate to come inside."

(Maybe we should talk about this here for once. Stella is troublesome when she finds out who she is, so let's have her stay away from Ash)

"Okay. But we have some business to attend to, so I'll ask you later."

Gastaldi gave a slightly dissatisfied look, but immediately re-created his smile and went inside the inn saying "I'll see you later".

The three of them rush off the scene.

"I'm meeting with the bishop. Ash will you and Stella head back to HQ first?"

Stella asks the words, "Am I too?"

"Stella also wants Stella to (...) go back rather than (...). That bishop uses the“ inside ”beast man, right? If so, your qualities may be distorted. [M] If I may, I don't want you to meet with the light gods."

The two of them could understand his thoughts, but Ashley can't believe in light theism.

"Isn't it dangerous? Even if Stella returns to headquarters, I don't have to go back. I don't expect you to use your hand at assassinations and such, but there are also things about Azaro - the Bishop of Light God who attacked Ray and Ashley in the city of Morton. Letting you go alone..."

"It's okay. I'd rather be alone this time. Why did you put me under surveillance? Why have you changed your language? What are you trying to do in this city? I want to check the area. I think there's something I'd only like to talk to one person about, so I'll go alone."

"But isn't it dangerous? No matter how much you are, a“ watchman ”with more arms than Stella is bad for the target. If it means assassination..."

"'Cause it's okay. If we make a scene in this city now, the Light Divinity itself will be condemned. Even I'm having a problem. If you're not going to turn the people of the city you're worried about, my safety will be guaranteed."

Ashley reluctantly admitted Ray's idea, although he was not convinced.

Stella was glad Ray thought about herself. And I was also thinking that my presence might pose a danger to him.

(I know I shouldn't go. But it doesn't seem like Ray needs to go alone... but if you think Ray needs to do it, this is necessary. The rest is how to keep this person safe...)

"I can't help seeing you alone, but how about we change places? How about renting a room at Alliance headquarters, for example?

Ray looked straight at Stella and said, "I'm glad you think you're safe."

"But I don't think it's dangerous this time. That's why you should hear it in a place where it's easier to talk."

When Ray says that, that's where he stops talking.

I put my face on Alliance headquarters, but I still had no information on the Demon Clan's secret detectives.

With that leg Ray headed to the inn where Bishop Gastaldi stayed.