Combatants Will Be Dispatched - Volume 6 - Chapter 3.6

6

After Rose and Little Bashin spend some more time chasing after each another, it feels like we’ve gotten to know our neighbors a little better.

I’m giving a report in my room to Alice as she returned from spending the last few days negotiating with merchants gathered from the various neighboring countries, but…

“If they love axes so much, we could probably hire them as mercenaries by offering them tomahawks. Since we’re short on combatants back on Earth, it might be an option if things get bad enough.”

Alice makes this proposal while lounging around on her bed.

“They don’t seem like bad people. Little Bashin comes out to play every once in a while, and she seems to be a positive influence on the chimeras.”

I ask for the girl’s name, but evidently the tribe considers itself a single entity, and they have no concept of individual names.

Rose decided to call her Ms. Bashin, while the rest of us have started calling her Little Bashin.

Though she utters the occasional word we can understand when playing with Rose, it feels like it’ll still be a while before we’re able to communicate properly.

“So the problem is the crazy one in white armor.”

“Yep, seems they released her at some point.”

It sounds like Adelie has even started causing problems with the Bashin tribe while we aren’t looking, and it feels like past time to settle things with her.

“Seems the police put her through rigorous interrogation, but she didn’t break in the end. There’s no doubt she’s related to the ones that took over Toris, so let’s collect some evidence to prove she’s a spy and have her hanged.”

“Again with the violent solutions. I mean, I know espionage is a capital offense in most countries, but that’s going too far. I’m nice to pretty women, after all.”

But even as I say that, I just can’t feel a hint of attraction when I look at her. At first, I thought it was because she wasn’t my type, but could it be that…

Just as I’m pondering Adelie’s secrets, someone opens the door to my room.

A demon merchant who does business in Hideout City appears on the other side in a panic.

“Ms. Alice, come quick! Ms. Snow’s been captured in the city of Grace…”

Alice and I get up to deal with what feels like our daily routine of damage control.

“So you’ve finally shown your true colors, corrupt Governor Snow! I had been investigating various crimes in this city, but it seems you’re at the heart of it all!”

“Wh-wh-wh-wh-what basis do you have for that accusation?! To accuse someone you just met of crimes! How rude!”

Having been shown to the city’s main square by the merchant, we find Adelie pointing an accusatory finger at Snow in front of a large crowd of onlookers.

I approach someone in the crowd…

“Hey, what’s going on here?”

“Mm? Oh, you’re one of the black suits in charge of law enforcement. That woman decided to call out Lady Snow, who’s been flaunting her authority as governor to get her way. People have been suspecting Lady Snow of rigging bids on public projects and accepting bribes…”

Given Snow’s personality, I can say there’s no doubt that those allegations are true.

“Hey, Alice, we’re totally at a disadvantage here. We should ditch Snow and retreat.”

“Yep, agreed.”

Alice and I try to go home after we grasp the situation, but Snow, who has been looking around for help, spots us before we can leave.

“Six, Alice, help me! This rude woman is calling me a criminal!”

“I’ve already got the evidence! Just surrender and come along peacefully!”

Help her? Why? We know better than anyone that she’s guilty.

Alice and I turn away from the pleading Snow and try to hide in the crowd.

“C-curse you, Six—I’ll remember this! Is the evidence those papers you’re carrying?! It’s true that they’re signed by me, but that’s easy enough to forge!”

“What?! They’re not forgeries. They’re definitely authentic…!”

Snow decides to abandon any pretense of playing innocent and goes on the offensive.

“For example, someone could have brought me a blank sheet of paper and told me, ‘I’m a fan, please give me your autograph!’ and then filled in the contract text on the rest of the sheet at a later date! Or maybe by using the ink of a camouflage octopus that fades away after a certain amount of time and getting a signature on a harmless contract before rewriting it later! There’s plenty of methods like that!”

“<Hey, Alice, she’s definitely used those tricks before, hasn’t she?>”

“<It feels like it’d be better to just leave her and go home, but…>”

As Alice and I exchange whispers in Japanese, Adelie, on the defensive from Snow’s counteraccusations, produces something from her fob.

It’s—

“If you’re going to make that claim, then we’ll use the karma-measuring crystal to…”

“Lady Snow made a run for it! After her!”

“So she’s been engaging in corruption! Apprehend her!”

The moment she sees the crystal ball in Adelie’s hand, Snow makes a run for it.

The corrupt governor runs not toward the distant Hideout City, but toward the royal palace.

Evidently she’s come to the conclusion that she can’t outrun the mass of people to get to Hideout City, so she decides to use her connections from her last job.

The fact that she makes that decision so quickly probably means she already planned out her options in case she was exposed.

“H-hold up, Snow, you corrupt governor who uses the taxes earned by the blood and sweat of the people to line her pocket! I, Adelie, the Umbral Savior, won’t let you escape! …H-hey, don’t run away! At least say something snarky before you flee…!”

“…”

Snow wants to avoid wasting her breath on a remark, and she keeps running without a word.

Her ability to just roll with the situation is pretty admirable, honestly.

“Hey, Alice, I’m starting to think Snow’s an even better fit for Kisaragi than I am.”

“If she became a full employee, I bet she’d climb the ranks pretty quickly. I really don’t want to give her a teleporter… I’m pretty sure she’d start selling things she’s not supposed to sell just to make money…”

Alice sighs and produces a small radio.

“I guess we can hedge our bets…”

As Alice calls in to Hideout City, she and I chase after Snow as she makes a serious run for it—