Volume 5 Chapter 15 I'm Not Sure, But...
I was surprised by the unexpected appearance of a person, and at the same time, I felt something was off. Usually, if there is someone who stands out or needs attention nearby, Gram would be the first to point it out. At least, that's how it usually goes.
'Sorry partner, I feel like I strangely noticed him late or something.'
When I threw a question through telepathy channel, the response I got back was quite vague. Come to think of it, even the first time we met, his reaction was subtle.
But now is not the time to worry about Gram's condition (?).
The problem is why Reed appeared in this scene.
"What, who are you!? Outsiders should stay back! Or do you also want to be arrested for obstructing justice!?"
The soldiers shouted angrily at the sudden intruder, Reed. However, their voices seemed to contain some uneasiness.
Even though a normal person might shrink back at such a loud voice, mercenaries have been exposed to the terrifying roars of monsters, which are dozens of times scarier, on a daily basis. Reed approaches us with the same nonchalant attitude as when he first appeared.
"Come on, as a sensible citizen, it's hard to just overlook a little something like this."
But for a citizen, he sure stands out too much, and if he's sensible, he wouldn't try to flirt with someone else's lover right in front of them.
'Stay quiet because things are gonna get even more chaotic!? Seriously!'
With Gram's words hitting home, I decide to keep my mouth shut for now.
"The real troublemaker is that tough guy over there. The guy with the spear is the one who helped out the old man at the stall."
Surprisingly, Reed speaks up in my defense.
"I saw everything from start to finish. All this did was something cool that he's not ashamed of in front of the sun. But it doesn't make sense to just arrest him without question along with the troublemakers who caused the commotion."
"Even if what you say is true, we need to take him to investigate it further."
"There's no need to hear the story again. After all, there are plenty of witnesses around here."
As Reed looked around, there were still many onlookers who had heard about the commotion. Among them, there should be many who, like Reed, had been watching the situation from the very beginning until now. By listening to their stories, he could probably understand what had happened.
The crowd had been swept up in the momentum since the soldiers appeared, but Reed's words seemed to make them realize something. They felt a sense of discomfort with the soldiers' forceful methods and cast suspicious glances at them.
"At the very least, the soldiers I know who maintain public order understand the reason behind things properly. ...Or maybe."
Right in front of the soldier, Reed approached with a smirk that could be seen as provocation and whispered,
"Are you really a soldier?"
"―――Hmph."
Thanks to Gram who picked it up, the soldier's small mutter was barely audible. But the impact was dramatic. The soldier who muttered visibly stiffened his expression as everyone could see.
Instantly, the soldier turned to his comrades. The soldier who was being looked at frowned, but eventually shook his head while frowning.
"...It seems that we misunderstood. The man carrying the spear over there was trying to calm the situation. If there are so many witnesses, there is no room for doubt."
It was a refreshing reversal, but the soldier who had been ready to capture me nearby stepped back with those words.
"However, this man will come with us. There is no reason to release the person who caused the disturbance right here."
"Hey, no problem at all. Let's get out of here."
Reed raised both hands as a sign that he wouldn't push any further. The soldier, who alternated between looking at Reed and me, clicked his tongue and then took his companions with him as they left the scene.
The man who had caused the disturbance looked back at me with a triumphant expression. Feeling irritated for no reason, I glared at him with intense killing intent.
"Eek!"
Immediately, the man let out a pitiful scream, turned pale, and tried to hide behind the soldier as he was taken away.
"Yukina-san!"
After the soldier was gone, Aina ran over and hugged me.
"I'm sorry! I couldn't do anything when Yukina-san was about to be taken away! There were so many things that seemed strange if I just thought calmly about it, but I was so flustered..."
"If you say that, so am I. Don't be so hard on yourself."
Until Gram pointed it out, I had no idea that the man causing a scene and the soldier were in cahoots. We were at a standstill until Reed showed up. There's no way Aina should be blamed.
Still, feeling guilty, I try to reassure Aina by patting her head. It's my fault for getting involved in the commotion in the first place.
As I do that, Reed approaches with a light laugh.
"Hahaha, you really got into trouble there."
"Thank you very much."
"Yeah, thanks a lot."
It's annoying to be so straightforward with my thanks, but I still say it because it's a fact that he helped me, though I slightly regret it after Reed's response.
Then, Reed looks around nervously.
"...Hey, where's Kyunei-chan?"
"She's on a different mission today."
"No way!? Wait, are you kidding me!? Then why did I help you!?"
"I don't know!"
Correction, I regretted being grateful.
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