Summoned and Unwanted

240 Hidden ulterior motives

Ester answered “no” after she pondered for a minute or so. She couldn’t remember finding any traces of bandit during their journey from and to Lusterfall City.

Lupa shook her head and then showed a sad expression for a different reason. She recalled how the bear meat Ester kept freezing didn’t taste fresh nor tasty.

As for the response given by Iris, she lowered her gaze and shook her head. Iris never thought she would ever be in a room surrounded by so many humans looking at her. Even if she wasn’t visually seeing Ben, feeling his stare with a serious frown made her body slightly shiver.

“Uncle Ben, don’t bully big sister red cheeks!” Tula protected Iris. Then she placed a cookie next to Iris’s cup of chamomile tea.

“The Uncle Ben I like is not a meanie all the time. I will protect big sister Iris from grumpy Uncle Ben. ” Tula added, surprising everyone in the room for her thoughtful and mature action.

“I understand, little Tula. Uncle Ben apologizes.” Ben said. He turned his head towards Iris and apologetically lowered his head.

“Hehe.” Tula giggled. She picked up a cookie and started feeding Plow.

“Now, this is perplexing.” Ben rubbed his chin. “I don’t know why or how, but we received a half-baked report yesterday morning.”

“The report stated that a noblewoman was taken hostage, and her husband made a quest with the requirement of secrecy. But... *sigh* we couldn’t find who the noblewoman was... we couldn’t even find the soldier who gave us this verbal report. The man left as when he was asked to wait for a written affidavit.”

.....

“Usually, we would send one or two newbie soldiers for such a dubious report or a suspicious rumor, but a noble was the victim, so I had to lead the investigation personally since the report arrived in my south city guard department.”

“I won’t let the slightest possibility of a noble barging in my department and fire my soldiers, so I headed out and went to the adventurers guild. There I saw the famous Beatrix getting scolded by her brother Belowin. I overheard him scolding his sister about using money she never received from work.”

“Belowin wanted to know why Beatrix decided to buy a crate of sweets of all things and distribute them to the children, and why did she have to cause a ruckus beside the Adventurers Guild building with a line of children waiting to receive a hand full of candy.”

“Time was of the essence, so I interrupted their conversation and asked Beatrix about the report I received regarding an important quest we weren’t informed of. However, I didn’t think Beatrix would make this investigation change drastically.”

“She said how a hooded man asked Beatrix to make the usual quest and placed a bag of coins on the desk. However, Beatrix didn’t understand what he meant. After a while of explaining how it was a safe escort quest, Beatrix felt bad for the kidnapped noblewoman, so she ended up accepting what the hooded man wanted to do.”

“Beatrix mentioned how she was asked to only verbally inform D Rankers and keep it a secret from others in fear of the possible hidden bandits lurking in the city.”

“Beatrix had to inform the adventurers meeting this requirement to meet a day later, which was two days ago in front of the east gate. Later they would head out the rendezvous point and escort the noblewoman back after the ransom is paid.”

“I went to the east gate directly and asked the soldiers there about who was guarding the gate two days ago. But even after spending most of the day to find them drinking in a bar in working hours, they didn’t say much.”

“They mentioned how ten adventurers left with six men who looked like the private guards of a noble. A woman dressed as a noblewoman’s attended shouted and delayed their late midday departure. But she left with them, they said.”

“The report became weirder anytime I found a clue. I was about to give up and make a report to the Captain in charge of my shift when I noticed one of the soldiers winking at the other.”

“I noticed an insignia on his armor. The idea of important information being withheld to sell it to their sponsor flashed in my mind. So I grabbed the bastard by the throat and dragged him outside.”

“I pulled out my sword and showed the other soldiers and any customer drinking not to interfere in my job. I really wanted to punch someone at that time. Such revolting shady things disgust me.”

“Later, after an extensive and persuasive interrogation, he spilled the beans. He said how Viscount Demel Blackheart felt ashamed how his wife got kidnapped. The Viscount wanted to send his wife for a vacation, so he paid people to keep it under the rug.”

“The soldier sponsored by the same noble which he was paid to keep this secret started begging for his life *sigh* the weakling couldn’t resist my intimidating and probably killing intent. I guess he is another back door soldier.”

*Sigh* “As I took one last look at the east gate guarded by questionable soldiers, I remembered how you and your women went outside the city. So, I came here this morning to ask if you guys went east, but before I was going ask, Lupa ran upstairs, and you know the rest. ” Ben explained all that happened in his arduous quest to find what transpired.

Ben couldn’t catch a break. Additionally, after meeting the person everyone calls the curse upon the world, Ben’s mind almost shut down from too much overwork. He began suffering from a headache now.

Tula, Lenn, Renn, and Yula accepting Vincent was the final straw for Ben to rage quit and think, ‘I don’t care anymore. I will protect Koss’s family. Everyone else can fend for themselves with the hush money they love so much.’

[Now, this is a troubling revelation... Does it mean their destination could potentially be where we fought the bears and where the goblins are planning to stay for a few weeks?]

[Lilith Lionheart can’t go out, right? So why is Demel Blackheart sending his caged wife for a vacation? No wonder Ben is confused.]

[So, in the end... does it mean that someone saw the cloud of dust caused by Elsir?]

“What!” Vincent exclaimed. He looked at Iris and asked, “Do you think your father left by now?”

Iris flustered and shook her head. “If my father d... decided to stay for a week...” Iris looked at Vincent with a pair of saddened eyes and was about to cry. “M-my father is in danger, isn’t he?” She understood the situation clearly.

“Ben, please let us borrow three horses.” Vincent knew it was a race against time. He wanted to confirm the goblins were safe and force them to leave. Vincent didn’t want anyone becoming a slave because of him.

Vincent noticed Ben massaging his temple from a headache. “You should know quite well that his wife isn’t allowed to leave the mansion because she is sick. Then, how could he in such a suspicious timeframe send his wife for a vacation and get kidnapped as if was planned from the start?” He added.

Ester agreed that the current predicament seemed quite strange. She recalled about Leonis Lionheart and his daughter having a problem.

Ester went beside Iris and placed her hand on Iris’s shoulder. “Leave it to us. We will do something about it.” Ester tried to reassure the worried Iris.

“Is it time to hunt? Goblins gave me cooked meat, so goblins are good.” Lupa said with her fists clenched.

“Vincent, I understand the urgency, but do you know what you are implying? What will you do if you find an injured goblin or if they became a slave? Didn’t you tell us how you want to live a peaceful life?” Ben continued growing troubled by the various events happening one after the other.

“No one messes with family. ” Vincent said with a hint of killing intent in his voice.

“We know where the group is headed. It would be too late if we went to the goblins on foot. That’s why we need horses to gain the speed advantage.” Vincent insisted.

Ben massaged his temple. “But...” He was saying before the sound of a clap interrupted him.

*Clap* “Why is everyone so tense? Vincent’s words are correct. No one touches family members without getting what they deserve. But Ben is also correct to express worry about a future changed by hasty actions.” Yula interrupted after gaining the attention of everyone.

“The answer is simple. Both of you do your jobs. Would you mind letting Vincent borrow my husband’s and my brother-in-law’s horses? I would be grateful if you could lend them another one. Only then can Vincent do his job.” Yula suggested.

[I am starting to like this mother more and more. I thought she was only good working as a maid, but she can also help others make a compromise after hearing both sides.]

[But let’s leave the speculation for later. I hope Ben is willing to help us now.]

-I hope so. I don’t want to see Iris regret coming with us.-

*Sigh...* “Vincent, Ester, Lupa, and Iris, please follow me to the south gate stables, but I don’t think you will be able to arrive before the others at this pace. The horses are living beings, so care for them as if they are a part of your family. I don’t want to hear how my friend’s horses died.” Ben agreed to lend the horses.