CH 143

Chapter 143 – To Steal and To Be Stolen

After watching the female boss die, we headed for the deepest part of the hideout. The side passage widened a bit at the turn and was just wide enough to move through standing up, but that was all.

Torches stood on either side of the door, and dagger sheaths were lying around. Perhaps this was where the fat man’s men, whom Myrril had shot and killed, were waiting.

“The room is probably the thief’s treasure room at last, but it doesn’t look very romantic or dreamy.”

“Reality is not always like that.”

After reloading the Alaskan, Myr-neesan holstered it and picked up the UZI that was lying around. She exchanged the magazine as she met my gaze, indicating that she would go with the UZI at the end.

“The footsteps and body language are light. There is no sound of armor. There is a creaking sound of strings, so it probably is an elf.”

“…Elves, criminals?”

“Yes. The Republic seems to be far more open to subhumans than the tribal union territories.”

So here, beastmen, elves, and dwarves have the same “right to be criminals” as humans.

I stow my AKM, raise the receiver of my night vision goggles, and equip my left hand with a Maglite and my right hand with a MAC10.

The merchants that were attacked were Peybrois, the largest merchant group in town, and Beynan, the second largest merchant group. They were attacked by the mole chivalrous thieves.

That was the first information I had heard, but as Myrril said, the ending of the story was going to be unpleasant.

“The last one is the mastermind behind the attack on the merchants. If possible, I’d like to take him alive as evidence.”

“I don’t care what you do, but you have to promise me one thing. Your safety comes first.”

“Of course. And that includes you, too, of course.”

As soon as we kicked open the shabby door, arrowheads came flying in from inside the room. I quickly dodged and fired my MAC10, and I felt a bullet hit something in the back of the room.

Strangely enough, I could actually feel if the bullet had reached the target or not. It was neither psychic power nor magic but a feeling that even seasoned soldiers and hunters acquire through experience.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not something to apologize for. I know you have your own reasons. Safety is our first priority.”

The deepest part of the hideout was an unassuming room about 10 meters square. In the midst of piles of supplies, like a warehouse, I saw a brief flicker of magical light.

Peering into the shadows of the wooden boxes, I saw a tall woman lying on the floor, her side stained with blood, apparently gouged out by a 45 ACP. She was moaning and groaning, but she was still alive, probably because she had applied healing magic.

“Aaahh, you little ape!”

She is writhing in anger, pain, and frustration, but she is desperately trying to get an arrow into her longbow.

“Behold, Takifu. The world is equal. All nations and races are equally foolish.”

“…Ah, yeah.”

I never thought she was really an elf.

Around her, a large cloth bag was lying on the ground, as if she had tried to take it with her while escaping, and gold and silver coins were spilling out of a hole that had apparently been opened by a bullet.

Is she the same kind of money-grubbing elf who joined the bandits and sold out her friends? Maybe it’s race discrimination, but I’m still disillusioned.

“…This!”

The bow that was about to be pointed at us was shattered by a .45 caliber bullet fired by Myrril, snapping the archer as well. The splintered pieces of wood and fingers hit the woman in the face, staining her fine features.

“G-gah…!”

“Are you Beynan? I am Myr, a new adventurer. This is my partner, Takifu.”

“R-remember this! I will kill you all, I swear it! I will kill you! Absolutely…”

“Oh, that’ll be fun. Then shall I tell you our true names?”

“Ah!”

“Myrril, daughter of Kazinair and the Demon King of Casemaian.”

Her right eye, the safe one, widened slightly, and a grinding sound could be heard.

Beynan, who glared at us with a furious expression on her face, was looking for a moment to strike back, but one of her eyes was half-closed, and her left hand had barely any fingers left. She seems to be plotting something with her right hand, which is behind her back, but we are already ready for a fight as we split to the left and right and point our guns at her.

“…Case, maian? If you’re sneaking around in those ruins, you’re no better than those damn moles. You’re just a bunch of thieves who bow down to the kingdom, despite all your big talk!”

“Demons, huh? Well, I don’t know what you’ve heard, but at least that’s what we were called in the Kingdom, the Empire, and the tribal union.”

The former elven merchant is trying to find out something from Myrril. Information, a chance to escape, or the timing of a counterattack?

Whatever it is, Beynan does not have much time. She has lost too much blood. Her face is not only pale but completely white, and her body is trembling slightly.

“Casemaian is now in a state of tremendous growth, having defeated and slaughtered every invading army. The population has already exceeded its peak. No one is hungry, no one hates anyone, and everyone is happy and harmonious. The good tidings are so beautiful that we are almost dazzled by their brilliance.”

“Nonsense! Don’t give me all that nonsense! Do you really think I believe that nonsense? Do you really think I believe you?”

“You have no idea, do you? In fact, we feel as if we’ve been dreaming for a long time.”

Mirryl looked at me and said, “That’s enough.”

Leaving Myrrille with her UZI still up, I approach from out of the line of fire, shining my Maglite on the elf’s face.

The elf’s resistance vanished as I stowed the small sword she had hidden behind her back from the side.

I pull her down and restrain her with the rope that had bound the hostage. The elf’s body was limp and weak, and her skin was cold with blood.

“Myr, if you intend to let her live, you’ll have to stop the bleeding.”

“I understand.”

The remaining enemies are identified, and the surrounding supplies are stripped from them. The elf’s expression becomes more and more intense as she sees wooden boxes, jars, barrels, and cloth bags disappearing in front of her eyes.

Maybe she really thought that the “demon king” was just a bunch of nonsense.

“…Are you going to…. take everything… away from me like that?”

“Huh? I never thought I’d hear such words from a bandit.”

“Not like those… who would destroy … our country.”

The elf is quiet as she tilts her head back. When Myrril looked at her, she shook her head and sighed.

“You’re just out of your mind. You’re just saying what you want to say, and you’re selfish.”