Chapter 36 Report on Operation
Yuruyana sent me off with a nod when I said I was going for a short walk.
"Make sure to come back before we open. We'll have a lot of customers today."
"Got it."
Luka might have an inkling, but since he went out of his way to drag me here, I can guess that whatever he has to say is mostly military-related, so I don't push to hear more.
He did seem a bit worried, though.
Walking side by side with Luka through the neighborhood, I listen to his report with a casual expression.
"To cut to the chase, we found Isandro's base, but the purpose is still unclear."
"Unclear?"
"There's a sense that he's planning something, though."
The fact that Isandro, who should be dead, is alive and staying in the capital is a situation that calls for caution.
We quickly found and started watching a man with a similar face to Isandro, marked by a large burn scar. He seems to be holed up in a regular apartment.
Plus, there are about 4 or 5 remnants from back then who've gathered here, taking advantage of the festival influx, but there doesn't seem to be any further movement.
"If his guys are gathering, it means it's not just a look-alike, right?"
"The apartment was rented under a real person's name, but the actual person is missing."
As expected, someone trying to cause trouble legally is more of a pain.
"But I don't think they're planning to target the royal family during the parade, are they?"
Luka, who has experience being caught up in the squabbles of nobles' bastards as a commoner, has a sharp sense for such things.
"There's no info about them starting the same business in the capital again, so the higher-ups haven't decided how to deal with it yet."
With so many VIPs gathered in the capital during this time, it would be troublesome if someone caused a stir.
If they're not aiming for the festival as political prisoners, we should keep watching the low-key to figure out their purpose. That seems to be the consensus.
"By the way, what's the opinion of the [Fourth]'s vice-captain (you)?"
"An invitation, maybe?"
He gave me a sly smile.
"That burn-scarred man, he leaves his room at the same time every day, walks around different parts of the capital, and just goes back at an appropriate time."
Even though he's known as a dangerous criminal, and even if he erased his tattoos, wandering through the capital without hiding his striking looks is basically shouting "Find me."
"Who is he inviting?"
I was almost reaching the same conclusion Luka had, but I didn't want to admit it, so I asked hoping for a different answer.
But
"It's gotta be the Two-Star."
Luka pointed to my cheek and crushed my hopes without hesitation.
"...No way."
"A ghost trying to get revenge on the man who killed him, probably."
"A ghost?"
A ghost is when a dead person comes back to physical form because of some magic. It's considered a type of beast.
I've even encountered ghost-related incidents firsthand.
But,
"A ghost wouldn't bother renting a house. Especially not in someone else's name, trying to be sneaky."
Ghosts are basically leftovers of a person's strong will after death.
They cause all sorts of trouble to reach their goals as fast as possible, but they don't think like living humans.
"But Isandro really came back to life, right?"
"..."
That's the real issue in the end.
"So I really screwed up back then?"
"Nobody thinks you slacked off as captain. There's even records showing the body was recovered."
"So there's just some guy who looks exactly like him?"
"Yeah, and he's got a big burn in the exact same place as the tattoos."
"And somehow he's linked to the people from the group Isandro was in?"
"Exactly."
Not a chance.
I grimaced in frustration, and the nasty guy laughed loudly, "Ahahaha!"
"If you don't know, the fastest way is to just ask him himself."
But the military plans to just watch quietly.
I sighed deeply, realizing the entire point of why Luka and the people behind him made me, a civilian, spill this much info probably wasn't just coincidence.
"...What's the plan?"
"So, Captain, that's how you gotta be."
"I'm not captain anymore."
* * *
Due to the operation's arrangement, I ended up having to go out alone for a few days after closing, so I told Yuruyana it was a temporary request from the military related to the founding festival.
I wasn't exactly lying, though.
"...try not to collapse, okay?"
"Don't worry, I've been feeling good lately."
Training with the arcane gun or talking with Luka doesn't make me feel bad anymore.
I'm still taking sleeping pills, but I don't have halfway dreams or wake up early like when I'm traveling.
Even though I convinced him I'm definitely improving, Yuruyana still looks dissatisfied, his mouth turning sharp.
Since there was nothing I could do, I tried to change the subject by acting playful on purpose.
"Got it, you're lonely eating dinner alone."
"Not really? It's fine, I can chat with Mako while eating in the cafeteria."
I meant it as a joke, but who knew it would be a hit.
"Why don't I ask Hannah about Tsukumo's childhood stories?"
"Better not."
"Maybe I should get Sesto and have him talk about your academy days."
"Please, seriously, cut it out."
If it's Sesto in that state, he'd surely get called over with a whistle if Yuruyana asked.
Then he'd get drunk and the stories would flow.
That's the one thing I want to avoid.
"Then, hurry up and finish your work. You'll be done before the founding festival, right?"
"...that's the plan."
The deadline is here.
I need to wrap this up quickly, for real.
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