CH 294

“Assassin-san of the Alder Empire, who ordered you to assassinate me?” (Mitsuha)

“……Eh?” (Man)

When I asked the man, who was tied up to a pillar in the basement, the one who attacked me and injured Colette-chan, the man looked surprised.

Perhaps because I assumed the man was from the Alder Empire without even checking his identity.

“Was it the emperor? Or a minister in charge of practical affairs or a high-ranking military official?” (Mitsuha)

“Why do you assume that I am from the Alder Empire?” (Man)

Ah, here we go…

“No, I don’t make assumptions or anything. I know…… I don’t have to ask you the things that I already know.

So, let’s skip that part and talk about what’s beyond that…” (Mitsuha)

“……”

“…………”

“”………………””

“N, no, I was just hired for money, I don’t know anything about my employer……” (Man)

“As I have said, “I know”.

So, I don’t need a statement or evidence.

We sold fighting prowess to the buyers. We accept wars that are waged.

If you are attacked, immediately return the gesture. And then crush them so thoroughly that they can never do stupid things again… Isn’t that obvious?” (Mitsuha)

“…………”

The assassin-guy apparently wanted to somehow make it appear that he had nothing to do with the Alder Empire, but he got stuck and fell silent.

Even a fool could understand that claiming that he has nothing to do with the Alder Empire would be counterproductive. Therefore, I guess he was in trouble because he cannot say “yes” or “no” to my assertion that the mastermind was, in fact, the Alder Empire.

‘Well, if you don’t want to talk, that’s fine with me. I’ll just go and destroy the whole empire.” (Mitsuha)

“Eh?” (Man)

Even if you look surprised, it’s too late.

“Because if I knew the people who had planned it, I could specifically crush them, but since I don’t know who planned it, or if they have the consensus of the emperor and the nobles, I have to annihilate them all, right?

I thought I’d go easy on those who opposed or tried to stop it and those who had nothing to do with this assassination attempt……

Well, you are the one who is responsible for the destruction of the imperial family and many high-ranking nobles by failing in your mission and destroying your own chance to have the damage limited to a few people.

I will tell that to all the survivors after the empire is destroyed.

Maybe your name will go down in history. As the unique great villain who caused the downfall of the empire……

Your family, relatives, friends, and colleagues will be very proud of you.

So, I guess the next time we’ll see each other will be after the empire is destroyed? At that time, I will send you back to your colleagues and bosses…… if they’re still alive, that is……” (Mitsuha)

With that, I left the basement.

I could hear his voice behind me saying, “Wait,” or “Listen to me,” but it was too late.

He already figured out that no one but me could understand his words, so if I walked away, he would no longer be able to convey his words to me.

……Of course, that would make him impatient.

But he said clearly, “I don’t know anything about my employer,” so it can’t be helped.

If you turned back on what you’ve said, it’ll be difficult to know which would be the truth, you know?

Okay, shall we go on a live-fire exercise?

=====

A few days later.

It was about 2 a.m. local time.

There was nothing to illuminate the place no street lights or moonlight.

Of course, not a single person was present.

I was in the imperial capital of the Alder Empire, dressed like a very ordinary city girl.

Yes, I had seen it from the sky before, so it was easy to come by transfer.

In my hand, I’m holding a kakeya(掛矢) or a big wooden mallet……. And I’m also carrying several kōsatsu(高札) or notice boards on a pole used in the Edo period……

One of the kōsatsu would be planted into the ground near the main gate of the Imperial Castle, where the kōsatsu for the announcement to the people was set up, and a hammer was swung.

I covered the head of the hammer with a towel to prevent making loud noises…

No matter how important the main gate of the Imperial Castle may be, no gatekeeper would be standing there at this hour. The gates were tightly closed, and the gatekeeper should be sitting on a chair in the inner station taking a nap.

……According to the prior investigation.

After sinking it deep enough, I moved on to the next location.

Next up, was the crowdest place in the capital, the central square.

The location has been confirmed during the daytime, along with other important facilities in the Imperial City. I have also been able to gather information by asking them directly.

Everyone seemed to have no idea that the little girl with the exotic face and prominent features in front of them was a counterintelligence spy, and when I asked questions, they told me everything, as if they thought I was a tourist from another country who was a little curious.

“Uncle, what’s that?”

“It’s a military food storage.”

“Auntie, what’s that?”

“It’s a warehouse of a large store that has transactions with the royal palace.”

It was like…

Well, it’s not really a secret matter, and everyone in the Imperial City would know about it, so I guess it’s not a problem……

After that, I went to three more places.

It’s a solitary operation, in an uninhabited city.

But it’s not that awful.

This is my revenge for hurting Colette-chan.

……Behold the fury of the Yamano clan!!

=====

“What the hell is this?”

“…Wha, is this a notice from the g, goddess?”

No wonder the people of the Imperial City were confused.

The kōsatsu that people saw that morning said the most unimaginable things.

“The Alder Empire sent an assassin to the angel of the goddess.

The angel, protected by the power of the goddess, was of course unharmed, but a pious servant, a nine-year-old girl, who was trying to protect the angel, fell victim to a deadly blade.

This evening, divine punishment will be administered. All pious servants who have nothing to do with the incident are to stay far enough away from the Imperial Castle and military-related facilities.” -Notice Board

“Hey, this is …”

“Ah. Either the idiot nobles did it, or it was the work of a divine enemy who deceives in the name of the goddess……

But either way……”

“Ah. In the evening, I should be in a safe place…”

And a short time later…….

“What’s that! Papers from the sky?…”

Loads of papers fell from the sky above the Imperial City.

“……Letters? I can’t read, someone read to me!”

Some of them shouted so, as the literacy rate was not so high, and a kind one read out loud what was written on a piece of paper that had fallen down.

“It says “Notice from the Goddess of Mercy”…… it’s the same thing that was written on the notice. The Goddess must have prepared it to make sure everyone got the message! All right, listen up! Here’s what it says…….”

(…… Just as planned……)*

Mitsuha, who had copied a large number of flyers in Japan, scattered them from the sky above the Imperial City by instantaneous transfer, then went to the Imperial capital grounds to see how people were doing.

And the fact that the paper fell from the sky and that it was the thinnest, smoothest paper they had ever seen, etc., confirmed that many were convinced that this was definitely the real thing, an announcement from the goddess.

(Okay, let’s go over it again before the evening comes, and carry out the operation as planned!)

Mitsuha then moved to the home base of Wolf Fang.

=====

Author’s Note:

『Working』 finally surpassed 100 million PV page views this past Sunday! (^^)/

It has been five years and nine months since I started writing, with a one-year break in between.

This is my debut work for [Naro], and it’s been more than 20 years in the making.

……By the way, 『I’ll survive by relying on potions!』 was 32 hours in conception, and 『I said make my abilities average!』 was conceived in 5 days. (^^ゞ

This is all thanks to you, our readers.

yoroshiku onegaiitashimasu.

Thank you for your continued support. (^^)/

Lastly…….

Sorry, this is a week earlier than usual, but I will be on summer vacation for two weeks next week and the week after.

During the vacation, I will take it easy and work on the book project. (^^)/

……〇| ̄|_

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Translator’s Note:

*(…… Keikakudōri……)

Alright back to weekly sched. Thank you for supporting Mitsuha’s weirdness (^^)/