Shortly after our battle with Hamuls ended.
Velmeria and others came down to the underpass. She rushes to Fran with a worried look. So, the escorts sent to Fran was Velmeria huh.
「I'm terribly sorry. Even though he said i must be wary of any enemies coming into contact with Fran…」
「But i never expected it to be in a place like this…」
Apparently, my guess about a barrier to prevent people to enter the underpass was correct. According to Frederick's analysis, it seems that this underpass would be hard to recognized unless you have certain or higher status.
Moreover, it seems to be considerably higher cause even Velmeria and others couldn’t break in.
Because of that, Velmeria and Frederick lost sight of Fran and stuck around. They seem to not recognize we had entered the underpass because of the high-level barrier.
Both of them are quite dispirited. In the end, they can't grasp our opponent identity.
「What happened?」
「Attacked by street murderer」
「Street murderer…Did he escape?」
「Defeated it. I can take it out」
「Ah, you were a space-time magic user right, does it mean, you killed him?」
「Nn」
Velmeria thinks on Fran nods.
「Even so, I don't think a mere street murderer can put up such barrier」
Surely, but I don't know if it was just a mere street murderer.
「He had strange sword」
「Sword?」
「Nn, it was a magic sword」
Fran asks Velmeria and others about the magic sword that Hamuls had. However, it was not possible to identify the true identity of the magic sword by only that.
However, we tell them that the sword seems to be manipulating Hamuls and also greatly improved his ability, and about how it escaped by moving alone.
「Impossible…It can manipulate people? is there really such a magic sword」
「Well, you are right…I don't have any proof, but if it's an undead sword, it might be possible」
Frederick seems to have a guess.
「Undead Sword?」
「Ah, it's a sword which a soul have moved in」
Frederick explained to us, it is a weapon that has become a host for ghost, and the user will be possessed by the ghost and be manipulated. In addition, those who are being manipulated may be strengthened by the ghost's ability. Certainly, it matches the characteristic of that magic sword.
But, if it's an undead sword, it wouldn't be a magic sword anymore but a kind of demon beast from ghost system.
「However, undead sword is not such a strong demon beast. Their threat level is only F. If you are slightly stronger than average person, you wouldn't be manipulated by it.」
「Nn? But, felt great magical power from it」
「That was strange, I've never heard of an undead sword that emits magical power so strong that would makes Black Lightning Princess felt it. Maybe it's a unique individual or a higher-ranking species」
Even though it was a unique individual, is the original small fish demon beast was strong?
「I have to report this to his excellency and search for it. Also, in order to find out the identity of the street murderer, I would like to ask you a few question」
「I understand」
「We have a room as our base on this side. Let’s go there before the guards come in this turmoil. It would be a lot of trouble if you get detained」
With the guidance of Velmeria, we moved to a small room prepared in the apartment house in this entertainment district. We took Hamuls's corpse out of the dimensional storage and show him to Velmeria and others.
It seems that Hamuls was not just a mere street murderer.
「Eh…? Hamuls!」
「…without a doubt」
It seems they knew each other. After confirming it, Velmeria rushes to Fran.
「Fran! What do you mean by this!」
「I fought because he attacked, Then, he couldn't stand the strengthening of that magic sword and it killed him」
「There is certainly no external wound」
It's good for Frederick to remain calm. Velmeria seems to have noticed that she was too restless when she saw her subordinates’ attitude.
「I'm sorry Fran, that was my bad」
「Acquaintance?」
「He's no more than a colleague! He was missing during infiltration in Marquis Ashtner ranks」
It's smells fishy. In other words, is the source of that undead sword is Marquis Ashtner? Or by any chance, they are not researching for magic sword but for an undead sword? Isn't it impossible?
「But it's certainly unusual. There's no precedent for an undead sword that can control a warrior like Hamuls」
「…Hamuls. Why…」
Velmeria gently touches Hamuls's face, she seems to be trying to close Hamuls's eyes which remains open. However, her hand suddenly stopped.
「This is…?」
「Velmeria, what's wrong?」
「Frederick, take a looks at Hamuls's eyes」
「Eyes?」
「Yes」
「I see. This colour…」
And like that, the two begin to examine Hamuls's body. they examined his eyes, his gums, and smells. Further, Velmeria apologized at Hamuls and she lightly scratched her fingertips and checked his blood colour.
「What's wrong?」
「Yea. on Hamuls's body…it's showing symptoms of being a drug addict」
「His body is pretty tattered. I think he was given a large quantity of drugs in a short period of time」
Speaking of drugs, I recalled Serdio. His party member was also a servant of Marquis Ashtner and he was also insane.
Did it mean, he was captured by Marquis Ashtner during the infiltration, administered drugs, and used as a host for the undead sword? It means, when you lose your sanity with the drugs, even a strong person wouldn't be able to resist the control of an undead sword.
Even so, the appraisal didn't tell us he was a drug addict, right? Serdio had the title of a drug addict. No, are constant addict and being drugged different? Apparently, the addict isn't listed as a title. Does Hamuls's state, Fanaticism represent for being drugged? Drugs addiction and fanaticism…I can't really connect it together.
The most important thing for us than that now was how much Marquis Ashtner involved in this attack, and what he knew.
Does Marquis Ashtner known that Fran was looking for Gallus and that attack was a warning for us? Did he think we were related to Count Bailleys? Or is Marquis Ashtner not involved in this attack at all?
Well, I don't think the last one is possible…Now, how should we move in the future huh.
「Fran, are you injured」
「Nn? no」
「Although he was being manipulated, but you didn't suffer a single wound against a warrior like Hamuls…You are really strong」
It was a compliment, but her tone was dark. Rather than blaming Fran, she has a colour of self-mockery.
「If it as strong as you, my father too…」
「Nn?」
「No, it's nothing」
The expression of Velmeria shaking her head after saying that is still dull. And Frederick stared quietly at such Velmeria.
And then, Urushi returned, but the chase seems to have failed. He looks disheartened. However, something that flies in the sky was hard to track by smell only, so it can't be helped.
Even so, where on earth did that conspicuous magic sword disappear?
