Chapter 84 – Planning a Rescue Mission Part 1

Translator: SFBaka

Editor: Thor’s Stone

When I went down to the inn’s dining area on the first floor, I found Elna chatting with Cleria and the others at the innermost table. Fortunately, Dalshim and the other party leaders were also present nearby.

The inn staff members were already informed that we were the Shining Star Clan and that they didn’t have to serve us except during meals and cleaning up the tables afterward. Of course, this was done as a precaution to the possibility of a sudden surprise assault.

We’ve already informed the innkeeper of such a possibility, and we were able to easily convince him to let us continue staying at his place after assuring him of a hefty compensation if his establishment suffered any damages. As such, only members of Shining Star were present in the building, and those associated with the inn were all staying in an employee’s quarters separate from the main building.

“Have you already finished drawing our coat of arms, Alan?”

“No, I actually have something to ask Elna.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about the group you were working with before you came to Gotania. Are you familiar with the names Heinz and Bruno?”

“……Heinz is the name of our squad’s leader and Bruno is our vice leader. But how did you come to know their names, Alan?”

“As I expected. Everyone, gather around me for a while.”

And so, everyone who was inside the dining area gathered near Cleria’s table while wondering what was up. There should have been about 40 of us all in all.

“I think you’re all already aware that the royal guard team Elna was a part of was detained and taken away by this country’s nobles. Actually, they are probably being held here in the royal capital. More specifically, they should be locked up in the underground prison beneath the royal castle.”

“Eeh!?”

“Is that true, Alan!?”

“Yeah, it’s true.”

“Are they all alive!?”

“Goddess above……”

“Elna, how many of your teammates were captured?”

“There were nine of them.”

“I see. If that’s the case, then it really is possible that the ones imprisoned beneath the castle are your teammates. They should all still be alive.”

Recently, whenever I say something outrageous, everyone tends to simply believe me unconditionally without asking any questions. I guess they’ve all just gotten used to it huh. The adaptability of humans really is amazing.

“It can’t be…… The castle’s dungeon? If so, then what of the men who were captured……? What should we do?”

“Of course, we’re going to rescue them.”

“……Alan-sama, since you are about to be granted a peerage, it’s important to act with prudence. It’s unfortunate, but it would be better for us to endure and wait for the time being.”

“No, I don’t plan on leaving our comrades detained inside an underground prison for long. I’m sorry Adjutant Dalshim, but I’ve already decided to rescue them as soon as possible.”

“……Understood.”

“Fortunately, my conferment ceremony will be held in five days. Let’s mount a rescue operation at that time.”

“But how?”

“I haven’t decided on the exact details yet, but the basic idea is for a rescue team to sneak inside the castle while my conferment ceremony is being held, retrieve our captured comrades from the underground dungeon, and then hide them inside our carriage. Once the event is over, we’ll be able to bring them out with none the wiser.”

“……Who will be part of the rescue team?” Elna asked.

“According to the event program I was given, I can only take three attendants with me. Selena, Sharon, Elna, can you three handle it?”

“Of course.”

“”Roger!””

As long as Elna had Selena and Sharon with her, they should have no problems in terms of combat capabilities. Elna will handle talking to the captives in order to ensure everything goes smoothly.

“It can’t be…… Just the three of them?”

“Even if I insisted on bringing additional attendants, we can only bring one carriage after all. So we can’t really increase our numbers, and we shouldn’t because that would make us stand out. The problem is whether or not they’ll question why I’m only taking women with me.”

“It probably won’t be a problem. It might seem a bit curious to others, but we’re just a newly instated noble house after all, and it’s not like there aren’t any other nobles who only have women as attendants.”

Some of the people from the royal guards were nodding in agreement. Apparently, female attendants weren’t that rare among aristocrats here. I wonder if they’re actually regarded as mistresses or something? Well, I don’t really care even if some people give me weird looks.

“According to the information I obtained, the captured people seem to be subjected to harsh treatment. They’ve probably lost a lot of weight and would just be wearing tattered rags for clothing. If they walk around the castle with such appearances, they’d probably get found out immediately.”

“So what should we do?”

“If possible, I’d like to obtain clothes similar to what the castle guards are wearing. The castle guards and the soldiers patrolling the city are basically dressed the same. I’d like you to find a company that wholesales equipment to the castle guards and the city garrison.”

“Well then, allow me to look into that, Alan-sama.”

“I’ll be counting on you, Katolle. If possible, I’d like you to procure at least eleven sets of clothing. At worst, we can secretly attack the soldiers guarding the capital and strip them of their clothes, but I’d like to avoid that option as much as possible.”

“Understood.”

“In the very worst case that the rescue operation fails, we might find ourselves fighting the castle guards and the city garrison. Please keep that in mind, everyone.”

A hint of tension appeared in everyone’s expressions. That’s to be expected. After all, it’s very possible that we won’t just be going up against the castle guards and the city garrison, but the entire army stationed within the imperial capital.

“What, everyone? It’s fine I tell you. We can always escape to the neighboring Cecilio kingdom you know. If we bring Gloria along, I’m sure they’d appoint me as a baron straight away.”

Everyone laughed at my joke. Well, it’s not really much of a joke. It might really end up being the case after all.

“The details of the plan should be ironed out by the day of the ceremony. Please do what you can to prepare, everyone.”

“”Yes!””

There’s not much I can do until Iris finishes checking the overall security measures of the royal castle after all. I went back up to my room in order to finish drawing our coat of arms.

The next morning, I managed to run into Katolle, who was just about to leave the inn, when I went down to have breakfast. In addition to his usual helpers, he also brought five temporary assistants with him. Apparently, the five of them offered to be Katolle’s assistants themselves.

“We’ll be off then, Alan-sama.”

“Yeah. I’m counting on you, Katolle.”

The drunkards from yesterday were confirmed to have returned to the barracks of the royal castle. I wonder if it was really alright for castle guards to be out drinking in the city security-wise. But if it proves too difficult to perform a rescue operation on the day of my title conferment ceremony, there’s also the option of pretending to be castle guards and sneaking in later.

Cleria and the other girls were already sitting around a table and having their breakfast. The breakfast was served buffet style, so I put some dishes on a plate and joined Cleria and the others around the table.

“Alan, are you sure everyone from my team is still alive?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. But there is no doubt nine people are held together in one cell inside the castle dungeon.”

“……I see.”

After hearing my reply, Elna quieted down in thought. Cleria also appeared pretty pensive.

Apparently, Cleria and Elna were feeling a lot of responsibility for the matter.

For me, I didn’t even know their faces or most of their names, but for Elna and Cleria, they were friends and comrades who’ve shared joys and sorrows with them. Of course, they’d feel apprehensive, and perhaps even guilty.

Elna’s eyes suddenly sharpened. It looks like she’s decided on something.

“Alan, is it alright for me to kill the castle guards during the rescue mission?”

“No, if possible, I don’t want there to be any casualties among the guards. If their comrades were killed instead of just the prisoners escaping, I’m sure they’d conduct an even more serious investigation. At least, that’s what I’d do if I were in their shoes.”

“……I see. Sharon, Selena. Can you instruct me on the hand-to-hand combat style you practice later? I’d probably end up killing them if I used a sword after all, wooden or otherwise.”

“Of course.”

“We have the perfect techniques you can use in such situations.”

Originally, Imperial Arts was created for anti-personnel unarmed combat scenarios after all. In practice, they were particularly effective in covert operations such as the rescue mission we were planning. It really was perfect for this particular situation.

Elna knows Air Bullet, so I don’t think she actually needs to forcibly learn CQC techniques, but magic spells do produce a considerable amount of noise after all. I guess the more cards she can use, the better.

It seems they were planning on conducting a training session in the inn’s courtyard right away. Cleria, who wasn’t actually going to participate in the rescue mission, still joined them for training.

Now then, I better hand the coat of arms design that I finished drawing last night to the workshop suggested by the royal castle.