Kays Translations

Chapter 418: Beyond the Chase

　Tauro’s original plan was to take down a fledgling organization that manufactured and trafficked harmful drugs before it got too big, but a stairway to the basement with a hidden door is a big deal, and apparently a not-so-small organization is involved.

“…This could be dangerous if we don’t get serious about it…”

　Tauro muttered to himself, and once again used his invisibility magic to make himself disappear, and decided to go down the stairs to the basement.

　Grado, whom he was following, he could faintly see that he was going underground by “presence detection,” but that too soon disappeared.

　It seems like the basement is constructed with some kind of powerful sensing-blocking magic or some such mechanism.

　Tauro used “anti-inhibition” to confirm that Grado was moving deeper and deeper underground, so he decided to follow him.

　When we reached the bottom of the stairs leading underground, it seemed to be connected to the capital’s sewerage facility.

　When I opened the door to the basement, I was greeted by a foul stench.

“…… Finally, the organization Grado seems to belong to is anything but ordinary…”

　Tauro surmised.

　The reason is that a staircase leading to the ground level in an underground facility in the capital of a lord’s domain would normally be noticed immediately.

　In other words, this was something that had been created from the beginning, and it was highly likely that someone in a position to know about this special entrance and exit was involved in the organization.

　Since all the entrance doors were elaborately concealed by inhibiting magic, it is easy to imagine that the organization is a considerable force.

　Tauro had never heard of the existence of such a large organization from his father, Count Graunewald. And even though there would likely have been rumors about such an organization, he had no recollection of hearing about them either.

　What does this mean?

　As I continued to follow Grado, that question only grew louder.

　After 15 minutes of following Grado’s trail through the basement, Grado finally began to make his way up the stairs to the top.

　At first glance it appears to be a dead end, but as usual there is a door hidden by inhibition magic, and opening it reveals a staircase leading further up.

　Grado climbed up the stairs to the ground.

　Tauro waits a moment before approaching the door with those stairs.

　Then Pella instantly broke its mimicry and spread out thinly across Tauro’s body, creating a wall.

　At the same time, a small metallic sound was heard three times.

“A trap!?”

　The sewer facility was dark, and although there were small magical lights here and there, it was mostly darkness.

　Tauro looked down at his feet and saw that he was stepping on a thin broken thread.

“…so you had a typical trick up your sleeve. ─ ─ Thank you for noticing, Pella.”

　When Tauro praised Pella, she happily jumped up and down on his shoulders a few times before quickly mimicking back to the surface of his leather armor.

　Three long, needle-like metal rods lie at his feet.

　When I picked them up and checked them with my “true eye,” I found that they were carefully coated with various kinds of poison: one with a poisonous effect, one with a paralyzing effect, and one with a confusing effect.

“I guess the idea is that with three types of poison, one of them will be effective against those with resistance…”

　Tauro was half impressed by his adversary’s well-prepared trap, and he was now more alert as he walked up the stairs to the ground.

　When he opened the door at the top of the stairs, light from the surface poured in.

　There was no stench.

　It is truly heaven.

“The air feels so fresh…!”

　Tauro was cautious, but he took a deep breath and enjoyed being outside.

　The surrounding area seemed to be a cluster of warehouses, large and small.

　As I recall, there was a corner where warehouses were clustered in the capital, so it was probably that place.

　Grado was about to enter a large warehouse nearby from there.

　As far as I could see, there were two guards standing at the entrance and exit, and it seemed impossible to get in from the front without being noticed.

　Tauro remained out of sight and looked around the warehouse.

“…The windows seem to be completely blocked off. If anything is open…it’s probably only at the top, I think?”

　Tauro looked up at the wall of the large warehouse and saw several windows that were open, either for ventilation or to let in light.

“Hardly, there’s nothing on the walls that could be used as scaffolding, but ……, I’m different.”

　Tauro grinned and released the invisibility spell.

　No matter how  much a person has the ability, such as “multiple chanting” and “magic manipulation (extreme),” there is a limit to the number of spells one can use.

　Then, using one of his abilities, 『Levitation』, he floats a little and clings to the wall.

　In this state, Tauro’s weight is zero, so all he needs is something to hold his fingers on and he can climb up easily.

　Tauro used magical manipulation to slightly increase the power of low-level earth magic, and then he launches the “stone gravel” into the wall until they made a dent the size of a finger.

　Tauro inserted his finger into the hollow made by the stone and, in no time at all, he had ascended to the top.

“… Phew. Let’s see…”

　Tauro looked inside through the window.

　The interior of the large warehouse was divided into two large halves.

　One half was used as a workshop, and the other half appears to be living space.

　Tauro came to this conclusion because there was a sense of life inside the warehouse, with laundry and other things hanging in the windows.

　And as for the main work area , it seemed like medicine was being manufactured.

　The men, shirtless and wearing only underwear, were using various tools to refine a white powder and pack it into bags.

　In movies like this from my previous life, it was explained that the characters were not allowed to wear any extra clothes while working so that the powder wouldn’t be hidden and stolen, so it must have been for the same reason.

　There are 14 men in the workshop. Including the guards, there were about 20.

　Then, from the back, Grado and a large man, who I guess is in charge of this place, came into the open-air workshop.

“…A Territory Inspector, huh? I heard that a group of thieves who was one of our business partners was wiped out by that Territory Inspector and his party.”

“Really?! No wonder he’s so strong. One of our most proud mercenaries got defeated. He’s definitely no ordinary guy.”

　Grado seemed convinced after listening to the man in charge.

“But it’s a shame that it’s become so hard to get the ‘Leaves’ from Keishi Village. We had only just found them after much effort.”

“I’m sorry. It was a mistake on our part.”

“…… By the way, you didn’t get followed here, did you?”

“Of course. Just to be safe, I came here through the underground, so there’s no way they could have followed me.”

“I see. Good. I’ll have to tell the boss about this. You stay here and lay low.”

“I understand. I’m also a fugitive, so I’ll  stay here and hide myself.”

　……Wait, isn’t that person who seems to be in charge the boss?

　Tauro felt a bit uneasy when he thought that there was a big shot behind him.

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