Kays Translations

Chapter 303: Investigation Begins

Lionel was genuinely angry with me. It seems I got a bit too carried away with the base construction. Brother Cain, on the other hand, looked at me with a sigh and said, “Julius, you’re still just a kid.”

True, Brother Cain. But I saw you watching me build the base with shining eyes. Isn’t a secret base a boy’s dream?

“Lord Julius, this isn’t a mansion. We don’t know what might happen. Don’t waste your magical power unnecessarily.”

“I’m fine, Lionel. I still have plenty of…”

“Lord Julius.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

Lionel seemed really upset. This isn’t good. If I keep raising Lionel’s anger level, he might not let me participate in the investigation tomorrow. That would be problematic.

Fortunately, Lionel’s lecture ended when he announced that dinner was ready. Perhaps seeing me being scolded, he arranged an early dinner. I should thank him later.

Dinner time wasn’t just for eating; it was also crucial for planning the mission.

“Today, we were able to set up the base ahead of schedule. Originally, we were going to start the investigation tomorrow afternoon, but we’ll move it to the morning instead.”

Lionel said this. The schedule being disrupted was entirely my fault. I feel a bit guilty about it. However, the knights didn’t seem displeased; in fact, they looked quite pleased.

“Hey, Nero, everyone looks happy. Why is that?”

“It’s only natural. With such an impressive base, they can move around with peace of mind. It must give them a sense of security.”

That makes sense. The mages were able to conserve magical power they would have otherwise used, so they’ll head out for the investigation tomorrow with extra energy.

“And we have hot cookies and magic-stone hand warmers. They don’t have to worry about the cold, so it’s no wonder they’re happy.”

I seem to have contributed more to the expedition than I thought. I need to make sure I don’t drag anyone down. Lionel continued speaking.

“The team will be divided into five units as planned. If you find anything, don’t tackle it alone; always return here to report. I’ll announce the team members again.”

Neither I, Nero, Brother Cain, nor Lionel were among the team members. Some of the units would stay to defend the base.

Four units would therefore investigate the Cassius Mountains. They were covering only the slopes facing the territorial capital, but that was still a considerable area. I hoped I could be of some help.

Brother Cain objected, but Lionel overruled him. It looked as though I would not be allowed to join the search either, so I would have to do what I could from inside the base. After dinner, I left the clean-up to the knights and returned to our tent.

I wanted to contact Lady Fabienne, but Brother Cain was sharing the tent with us. I also did not want Nero listening in, since that would be awkward for Lady Fabienne.

It seems this isn’t going to work here. If that’s the case, I’ll have to go outside.

“Do you want to go outside? Of course, that’s not allowed. Please stay inside the tent and rest,” Lionel said.

He then spoke to the knight stationed at the base’s exit. I’m sure he was instructing them not to let me pass. What a lack of trust. Or rather, he’s probably certain that I might try to sneak out. In a different sense, he has a lot of faith in me.

Alright, I would have to take a chance. I could use invisibility magic and contact her from a secluded corner of the base. I could not reveal the ring’s secret to anyone; even I understood how extraordinary its communication function was.

“Irēs.”

I whispered the spell from the shadow of the tent. That should make me invisible. As a test, I wandered around right in front of the knights, but none of them seemed to notice me. Good. I moved to an empty corner of the base and channelled mana into the ring. It responded immediately.

“Can you hear me, Lady Fabienne?”

“I can hear you. Your voice is rather faint.”

“Yes. I’m whispering secretly from a corner of the building.”

A soft, chuckling laugh came through. I hope this made her feel a bit better. I hadn’t had the chance to contact her last night, so she might have been worried.

“I’ve successfully set up the base. The actual investigation starts tomorrow, but don’t worry—I won’t be participating.”

“I see. I’m relieved to hear that. I heard you were at the foot of the Cassius Mountains. Is it very cold there?”

“No need to worry. Thanks to the hot cookies and magic-stone hand warmer, it’s quite warm. When I get back, I’ll teach you how to make the hot cookies. They’re easy to make, and their simple, homely taste is delicious.”

Another soft laugh came through.

“I’m looking forward to it. I never thought you could make sweets in the same way as magic potions.”

“Now that you mention it, that may be true.”

I chuckled softly as well. The next time I met Lady Fabienne, we’d make sweets together under the name of ‘magic potions’. That made it all the more important that I return safely.

“I’ll be heading back to the tent now. I don’t want to raise suspicion if I’m away too long.”

“Understood. Take care.”

“Thank you.”

I deactivated the ring’s communication function. My chest felt a bit warmer. After checking the surroundings, I also deactivated the invisibility spell. It seemed no one had seen me. I was in the clear.

When I returned to the tent, Nero immediately asked where I had been. Lionel had clearly ordered him to keep an eye on me.

This was troublesome. I needed to find some way to slip past Nero’s watch. Though I could just tell him I knew invisibility magic. For the time being, maybe I should say I’d gone to the toilet?

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