75 — Side Story: Edgar Back Then (1)

“Episode 41”

Daytime in the Royal Capital.

At Alec’s shop, “Puchi Eli,” Edgar was asked by Alec to investigate a wealthy person or noble who had been buying large quantities of unconditional slaves.

Edgar accepted casually and left the shop. (1 second)

As he slipped into the alley beside the shop, Edgar thought for a moment.

—If someone was buying unconditional slaves in bulk, the slave trader would have a buyer list. If they were rich, they’d be paying on credit.

“Wind Release—This Leaf Concealment Technique.” (3 seconds)

After activating the technique and vanishing from sight, Edgar moved instantly by running along rooftops.

He arrived at the slave trader’s place. (5 seconds)

He entered through a second-floor window.

He activated the thief skill [Treasure Detection].

In the slave merchant’s room, he found the customer list and purchase list. (8 seconds)

He checked the list and learned that Lord Thomson had been buying in bulk.

He also looked at an address added afterward.

There was no way Lord Thomson would march home while dragging a long line of slaves. He would have had the slave trader deliver them.

That was why Lord Thomson’s address was written directly beneath the purchase record. (9 seconds)

Then he looked at another document that [Treasure Detection] had flagged. (11 seconds)

It was a dossier the slave trader had compiled by investigating Lord Thomson’s conduct.

Edgar skimmed it, but since the investigation had failed, he only kept it in mind. (15 seconds)

Then, from the slave trader’s window, he located Lord Thomson’s mansion. (16 seconds)

“Wind Release—Wind Traversal Technique.”

He reached the mansion’s roof. (17 seconds; stiffness time afterward: 5 seconds)

After that, he went inside and searched around—of course, using thief skills. (24 seconds)

He quickly ransacked Lord Thomson’s private room. (27 seconds)

Using [Treasure Detection], he found a list—names of the people to whom Lord Thomson had “gifted” slaves—inside desk drawers and document shelves. (30 seconds)

He then opened the safe with thief skills. (35 seconds)

He rummaged through it and found evidence of brutal wrongdoing. (40 seconds)

It seemed Lord Thomson had been sending slaves and goods to collaborators, turning them into accomplices.

Edgar considered whether to copy it with a technique. (43 seconds)

But no matter how he looked at it, it was ironclad evidence.

Instead of copying, he decided to take the originals. If the originals were erased, the evidence would be weakened. (45 seconds)

He tidied up lightly. (47 seconds)

From the window, he searched for Alec’s shop. He found it. (49 seconds)

“Wind Release—Wind Traversal Technique.”

He flew near the shop with the technique. (50 seconds; stiffness time: 4 seconds)

He dispelled the Leaf Concealment Technique.

He opened the door with a clack and entered the shop. (57 seconds)

Alec asked in a puzzled voice.

“Hm? What’s wrong—did you forget something?”

“No, I already checked it out—”

---

“Episode 53”

One day.

Edgar was asked by Alec to investigate something again.

“There’s a high chance the soul slipped into the Demon Realm or the Fantasy Realm. If there are records of past heroes, we should be able to check. And while you’re at it, find out whether the Demon King’s Castle has a Philosopher’s Stone.”

Edgar accepted casually and stepped outside the shop. (1 second)

“Hero records would be at the castle or the church—Wind Release: This Leaf Concealment Technique.”

Edgar vanished from sight.

He then looked at the tall castle on the north side of the Royal Capital.

“Wind Release: Wind Traversal Technique.”

Edgar disappeared. (4 seconds)

Edgar appeared on the castle balcony. (5 seconds; stiffness time: 4 seconds)

He headed to the archive room for hero-related materials. (15 seconds)

He activated the thief skill [Treasure Detection].

He picked up the glowing documents one by one and flipped through them.

He found maps. (20 seconds)

—Hmm, so this is the Demon Realm. Looks like there isn’t a complete map… Oh, so there is a Philosopher’s Stone.

He checked another set of materials. (25 seconds)

—The Fantasy Realm map is basically perfect. Doesn’t look like there’s anything there, though… With just this, it seems like I won’t need to go to the church. If it becomes necessary, I’ll go to the church again.

Edgar laid the maps and documents out on the floor. (30 seconds)

When he was done, he brought over blank paper.

Then he took out a scroll from inside his clothes. (35 seconds)

“Alright, let’s copy this—Ninjutsu: Woodblock Transfer Technique.”

He flicked the scroll open and spread it out, covering the maps and documents laid on the ground.

He rubbed it from above, then peeled the scroll off.

The letters and shapes from the maps and documents were transferred onto the scroll in reverse. (40 seconds)

Next, he placed the blank paper on the scroll and rubbed again.

The original maps and documents were immediately transferred onto the blank paper. (45 seconds)

He rolled the scroll back up and put both it and the paper away inside his clothes. (50 seconds)

He returned the maps and documents on the floor to their original places. (55 seconds)

He left the room and came back to the balcony. (65 seconds)

He looked toward where Alec’s shop was. (66 seconds)

“Wind Release—Wind Traversal Technique.”

He flew near Alec’s shop. (67 seconds; stiffness time: 4 seconds)

While dispelling the Leaf Concealment Technique, he opened the shop door. (73 seconds)

Edgar entered and walked up to the counter, then handed the paper to Alec. (75 seconds)

“This is the material you asked for.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

---

“After Episode 65”

Before dawn in the Royal Capital.

The eastern sky glowed faintly.

Edgar left a house on the outskirts of the Royal Capital with the still-sleeping Princess on his back.

Princess Nobara on his back wore a padded vest over a red kimono, with a hood on her head.

As Edgar quietly closed the door and began walking without a sound, the Princess muttered softly.

“Will you not say goodbye to the children, Azuma?”

“Oh—you were awake. Morning, Princess.”

“Good morning… yawn.”

The Princess yawned softly.

Edgar laughed, his messy hair swaying.

“No need to say goodbye. We’ll be back soon anyway. —Please sleep until sunrise, Princess.”

“Mmm. Very well.”

Princess Nobara went limp against Edgar’s back and rested her chin on his shoulder.

With a gentle smile tinged with loneliness, Edgar lifted his face.

Then he fixed his gaze on the mountain ridges, which were already being dyed by the morning sun ahead of the dim Royal Capital.

“Wind Release—Wind Traversal Technique.”

With a shhk, Edgar vanished.

He moved at once to near the mountain summit.

He could see the awakening land stretching far into the distance.

Deserts and grasslands, forests and great rivers. Small villages and towns scattered here and there.

Everything was about to wake.

And from between the eastern clouds, a red sun began to rise.

At first it was tiny as a needle point, dark red. Gradually it grew—marble-sized, then the size of a kickball.

From Edgar’s back, Princess Nobara let out a small gasp of awe.

“Oh… the continent’s dawn.”

“It’s magnificent.”

“A sunrise seen from atop a mountain… how beautiful…”

She spoke with her face dyed red by the morning light, moved by it—yet her voice sounded somehow lonely.

Edgar adjusted his grip and carried her more securely.

“It’s cold up on the mountain. We’ll be coming up to the summit many times, so keep your clothes and hood fastened properly.”

“Seems so.”

“Alright, we’re going, Princess.”

“Very well.”

Princess Nobara wrapped her small hands around Edgar and clung to him, stifling another yawn with her small mouth.

Edgar looked toward the far edge of the horizon and murmured,

“Wind Release—Wind Traversal Technique.”

And once more, Edgar vanished.