Paradigm Parasite

Chapter 77: "Footstep"

I - Rick - was waiting for everyone to gather at the church at about the same time as yesterday.

Around us, the Holy Knights and the Temple Knights who had already gathered were exchanging information.

The instructor...didn't seem to have arrived yet.

After a while, Refia and Gervas appeared.

Gervas is sleepily rubbing his eyes.

"Yo, Rick, good morning."

"Good morning, Rick."

"Good morning, you two."

We were talking about what we were going to do today when the instructor rushed in.

"Sorry, I'm late."

Sweat was beading on her forehead, as if she had been in a great hurry.

The instructor looked around, then approached us and started whispering.

"I'm sorry to bother you guys, but I have some business to attend to. I'll catch up with you later, so please go ahead and start your search."

She took out a map, explained to us the scope of today's search, said, "I'm sorry, but please do this for me," pushed a magic stone for communication to me, and left the church early.

We were left behind and all of us tilted our heads.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know..."

I was wondering what was wrong with her.

I was curious, but I decided to switch things up.

"The instructor trusted us and entrusted us with the job, so let's do our best."

The two of them chuckled and nodded.

Now, let's get going. Today is the day we will find their base.

"I knew it..."

I, Heidi, was walking in the city.

Even the Holy Knights, who knew the area well, couldn't find it.

I guess it was impossible for me, a stranger, to find it....

After that, the day we finished touring the ruins, he stopped coming back to the inn.

At first he said he had some business to attend to, and with his ability, I thought there was nothing to worry about, but a whole day went by and he still hadn't come back.

He had left a message at the inn, so he must be safe, but...I'm worried.

I wonder if he might be looking into Darzain.

Since he targeted me, maybe he thought that even if we leave this town, we might still be targeted.

I couldn't stand still thinking about it.

I decided to leave the inn and make my own move.

In fact, just because I was at the inn did not mean I was safe, and in some cases, I might have gotten the people at the inn involved.

If that is the case, it is somewhat better to stay out of the city than to stay cooped up in an inn, even if I have to move around the city.

Once in town, I decided to gather information. My first stop was the Adventurers' Guild.

I talked to some of the staff and adventurers there, and was told that they knew some of the victims and knew of their relatives.

I tried to get them to let me meet with the victim, but most of them were not there, so my efforts were in vain.

I still managed to talk to some of them, but I couldn't get any useful information, which made me grit my teeth inwardly.

However, this does not mean that there was no fruitful discussion.

The one thing in common is that all the crimes were committed in the city, and there were always witnesses.

So at the very least, Darzain is hiding out in the city.

If they didn't just appear out of nowhere like a fog, they must be hiding somewhere.

Then the place to look is in the city.

But there are some things that are tricky.

Why are they doing something like leaving witnesses?

From what I've heard so far, I get the impression that they dare to kidnap someone in front of others.

What is the point of leaving witnesses?

As I walk, I continue to think.

Is kidnapping not the only purpose?

If so, is there some use for the witnesses?

If so, is the reason why the people I asked are not there, because they did something to them?

That doesn't explain why I was attacked in an unpopular place.

Did they attack me for some other reason?

I thought about whether there was any difference between the victim and myself, but nothing in particular came to mind.

Then I should put this aside and focus my investigation on the city.

Perhaps he is getting pretty close.

I know he won't be happy to see me, but I'll show him that I can do it, too.

Besides...he's my friend, so don't hold it against him.

I'm going to show him that.

And...the reason he did it...

I don't let my thoughts take shape, but instead I take a step in a different direction.

The only place to hide in the city...an empty house? Unlikely.

If that were the case, someone would have found them by now.

If that's not the case, there must be some kind of trick.

Are they dressed up as residents? Is it possible?

It's not as if the other residents are unaware of this. But what if they were originally residents here?

If that's the case, there is a high possibility that they know that I'm checking around.

If that's the case, I hope so. If they can't move, they will explode and die.

Then I'm going to kill them right from the start. I'm not going to try to capture them.

If I search around the place where I was attacked, I should be able to find something.

Contrary to my expectations, there is no sign of an attack. It is a peaceful scene in the city.

Where to hide?

Think. The conditions are that it has to be a place that can be used by a large group of people and is secluded... or rather, a place where they won't be found.

If they were really residents, they would just go home, but there is a possibility that not all of them would.

Would you put those people in your house? Even for free, the extra people are noticeable here.

...Were they originally residents here?

That's the tricky part.

Then how long have they been here? A few years ago? Decades? Or since this city was founded?

What if they were residents of this city at the time of its creation?

I wouldn't be surprised if they had some tricks up their sleeves.

In that case, the most suspicious thing is the ruins. After all, that's the reason this city was founded.

And the vast space in the lap of the Holy Knights, where no one would suspect anything.

...that fits the bill.

Let's check it out.

I turned my attention to the ruins.

"Damn!"

I - Rick - kicked at the wall of an abandoned house in frustration.

I lost track of how many abandoned houses I'd already looked at, but nothing had come of it.

If not me, I'd be tempted to take offense.

"I know what you're thinking, but you need to calm down."

Gervas called out to me to calm me down.

Refia, who had been looking in the other rooms, came back, but shook her head helplessly.

"No. This room is empty, too."

"Why can't we find it?"

If we can't find them after all this time, they must not be around here, right?

Am I wasting my time?

These thoughts were going around and around in my head.

I'm pretty sure it's on the outskirts of town.

The people who kidnapped Sania went to the outskirts. There is no doubt about that.

Then why can't I find them? I scratched my head and sat down in a nearby chair.

"Hey, Gervas. What do you think we can't find it?"

Gervas exhales lightly and leans his back against a nearby wall.

"...... Sure enough, they were headed to the outskirts of town. They've got to be around here at least. But somehow we keep getting the short end of the stick. At least they're up to something."

He scratched his head.

"I'm sure I'm missing something, but I don't know what it is. But something's blocking us."

Gervas concluded by saying, "All I can say is this is about as good as it gets."

I look at Refia. She crosses her arms.

"I can't speak for myself...it's just that there are still some places I haven't seen yet, so I think you're being a bit hasty in assuming they're not around here."

Regardless of Refia's opinion, I was concerned about what Gervas said.

-Do you have any idea why the investigation hasn't progressed?

Yes, the words of that man Ro came to mind.

Gervas's reason and Ro's reason are the same thing....

Is Roe an enemy of Darzain?

That man is suspicious. I can't say he's not Darzain.

But he knows something. Or is likely aware of it.

"It's Roe."

"Roe?"

"...... Ah. That adventurer? What's he doing there?"

"He was in town... and he had something to do with Darzain."

"Wait a minute. I don't understand. Start from the beginning."

Well, they weren't there.

I explained to them everything that had happened last night.

From finding Roe, to being attacked by Darzain, to the conversation with the instructor at the school, and then the man's suspicions.

When I had finished, they listened in silence....

"Just the fact that he's coming all the way here at this time of the year is too suspicious. It seems a bit too obvious..."

"Why did you let such a suspicious person go straight home?"

...and thoughtful comments.

"Well, I get the story. So? What are you going to do? You gonna shut down this Roe guy or whatever he's called?"

"But our allotment still stands, though, doesn't it?"

Gervas gives me a look that tells me, "You decide."

Refia also shuts her mouth. She does the same.

I'll think about it.

Our objective is to rescue Sania. But the instructor told us to search the area around here... but that instructor is not here.

And she left it to us, saying, "Please do this for me." Then we can assume that she left some things to our discretion.

Frankly speaking, I feel that it is useless to search here.

Then, we should choose the one with the highest possibility.

We grab Roe and ask him what he knows.

"Let's go back to the city."

Refia nods and Gervas smiles out of the corner of his mouth.

"Do you have any guesses where he might be?"

Then we're good.

"We'll go to the inn he's using. I know where it is."

We headed back to the city and headed for the inn as fast as we could.

But...

"...he's not there."

He wasn't there.

"The ground dragon was in the stables, so he must not have left town."

"What are we going to do? Find him?"

It's settled.

"We'll look for him. He's pretty big, so he should stand out."

I was trying to think of where to start looking when my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a scream.

"What?"

Gervas frowns.

By the time I turned to look in the direction of the scream, Refia was already running.

I hurriedly ran after her, Gervas following suit.

For some reason, a scene like a widening crack appeared in my mind and then vanished.