The Shadow General, Moves
“He~ it’s quite a lively town.”
(This Melshia is flourishing commercial town partly because of its important traffic position.)
We have arrived in a town called Melshia.
According to Naviko-san, it’s a town independent from other countries, even possessing own army. The so-called city-state.
It appears to be a town with many immigrants, even the clothing on each person greatly varies. Because various civilizations are mixed, I get the impression that the townscape is also a hotchpotch, but I rather prefer it.
The density of the population is higher in the towns I have visited so far.
“I heard in stories, but there really are more people than in the Alsara’s capital.”
“N, hot and stuffy.”
“Shugo~i! So many people~!”
Ellen leaks out a voice of admiration, the expressionless Shiro mutters gloomily.
On the other hand, Filia looks very happy. She’s an innocent child who can get happy about anything.
“There are many flesh and blood beautiful girls waa…… gueee……”
It would be terrible if we don’t watch Lucifer properly…… she already stared and drooled over a girl passing by. She’s still only a suspicious person, but she will soon turn criminal at this rate.
“I’m not that good with crowds, but I don’t dislike the energy.”
It’s truly opposite of the Elf Village, but Tira unexpectedly seems to like this atmosphere too.
We decided to stay in this town for a while.
The sun has already started going down so let’s look for an inn first.
“An inn with a large communal bath would be the best! It’s the best legal chance to worship Tira-sama, guhehehe……”
“No, because I already did that.”
“…… What do you mean?”
I ignore the perverted angel who tilts her head and go towards the highest class inn in the town.
“Such an expensive-looking place, will we be fine?”
“Yeah. I still have the reward for clearing the S-rank dungeon.”
Ellen is uneasy in spite of being a princess, but I still have almost half of large gold coin in the [Infinite Storage].
“However, there was no income since then, right?”
“I can make as much money as I can if I have to. This town has a huge casino so let’s visit it later.”
“…… Please make money by more respectable means.”
The five of us check-in a beautiful, white marble inn.
“I’d like to share a room with Tira-sama desu wa!”
“That’s absolutely not possible.”
“Then, do you want same room as me?”
“Stop it please.”
Assigning rooms has delayed us for a bit, but in the end, Tira is with Filia, Shiro with Ellen, Lucifer and I each has own room.
“This inn, do you not offer prost*tutes?”
“W, we are not a brothel……”
Lucifer asks a stupid question to the miss behind the reception counter.
“Is that so? Then you will do desu wa.”
“Eh……?”
Lucifer appearances are of peerless beauty. Oneesan who had her hand held by such opponent had a bewildered but blushing face.
“Please visit my room at night by all me——”
“What are you doing!”
Tira hits the fallen angel’s head with her staff.
“Ahh, of all things I could do, to have an affair……”
“Everything’s this person’s nonsense. I’m sorry for causing trouble.”
“H, haa……?”
Tira apologizes to the blankly staring Oneesan, and we go towards our rooms.
The town was noisy, but because it’s an inn with a big garden, the rooms are quiet.
This room is on the fifth floor which is rare for this world, so I can see the landscape of the commercial town when I open the window.
“NAVIKO is comfortable, but an inn is also good.”
I collapse on the soft bed and heal my fatigue from the trip.
I’m not tired or anything, though.
◇ ◇ ◇
Midnight.
There was a shadow of a person who completely erased its presence on top of the roof of the highest class inn of the commercial town.
Those who don’t possess very high-level detection wouldn’t notice this black clothes person who blends with the darkness.
“The target stays in this inn ssu.”
A voice leaks from behind the mask of the shadow.
“If this Shadow General Mea-sama sets her eyes on you, even escaping to the end of the planet would be futile ssu.”
She’s one of the “Four Generals” of the Rein Empire. The strongest assassin called “Shadow General.”
It’s impossible to escape from her enormous information network because she has subordinates hidden in countries all around the world.
But, it took a considerable amount of time to identify the target this time.
That’s because the target wandered from place to place by unknown means.
Moreover, although the target doesn’t have a carriage, the means of transport of the target are as fast as a carriage.
No, it’s impossible even for a carriage to travel that fast.
That mystery has not been explained even now.
In any case, getting the information that the target is staying in this town’s inn, she came personally to accomplish the mission.
The target is none other.
But, the man who singlehandedly helped the country of beastmen Ekbana and later fled.
Even though they are saying that, there’s no way he defeated 100,000 all by himself. The soldier who fell into panic must have exaggerated the report to hide their cowardice, is what Mea was thinking.
“Destroying the Dragon General’s unit singlehandedly shows that he has some ability, though.”
The orders were to capture the target――if too difficult, kill the target and bring the body back. He’s an opponent that brought down one of the “Four Generals” after all.
Even the strongest assassin can’t be careless.
“However, the Dragon General was the weakest of the four after all ssu……”
Kukuku, Mea laughs behind the mask.
In fact, the Dragon General is stronger than her in pure fighting strength, but…… she wanted to say that line at least once.
“Now then, shall we start the mission ssu?”
I heard there are six people in total including the target. They were five just the other day, but one more person apparently joined them when appearing in this town.
But, the target stays in a separate room alone.
“It’s just over there ssu.”
She quickly moves on the roof and stops above that room.
Then she descends to the window with nimble movements. This is the fifth floor, but there was no need for a lifeline.
She opened the window with a key.
Even if it was closed, there were many ways to open it, but time and labor were saved thanks to that.
She soundlessly opens the window and stealthily creeps inside.
…… The target seems to be soundly asleep ssu.
There was a swelling on the bed.
The Shadow General stops her breathing and slowly approaches.
Then, she pulls out a poisoned dagger from her waist. Although the poison is non-lethal, it will paralyze the target’s body.
It was at that time.
A hand suddenly reached out from the blanket.
“Uh!?”
The blanket rolls down, and the face of the sleeping person appears.
It was not the target she heard about. Far from it, the gender was different.
S, someone else!?
Huh, what a beauty ssu!
The target wasn’t sleeping there, but an unbelievable beautiful woman with magical hair color.
The good looks of a carefully made doll.
However, she has currently sloppily relaxed.
“Ufufufufu…… it’s my first time desu wa. To receive someone creeping on me at night……”
At that moment, Mea’s intuition of an assassin sounded a terrible alarm bell.
I will be killed!?
No, I’m dead!
Mea tried to shake off the hand. She has to escape immediately.
Oi, what a power ssu!?
But, she couldn’t shake it off. On the contrary, she was pulled in by tremendous strength.
And before she noticed, she was pressed down, and her knife flew somewhere at the same time. Mea who mastered dreadful skills of assassins couldn’t react at all.
“Uhehehehe! The night has just started desu wa! I will giiiiiive you a ple~~~~nty of affection!”
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaa!”