Chapter 471: Those Authorities…

The residents who came out in front of me are holding weapons in their hands. Swords are the better ones; clubs, kitchen knives, and so on—anyway, their intent to stop us is clear. In short, we’re outsiders and criminals, and the atmosphere is overflowing with the feeling that anyone who harms their comrades won’t get off lightly.

From behind,

"You mustn’t cut them! You mustn’t kill them!!"

Dee shouts. I know, I know, so I jump. I run along the wall, going over the heads of the residents in front.

But,

"W-Wait! I-I’m—!"

Dee is surrounded by the residents. This guy couldn’t jump over... Useless. Dee, surrounded by the residents, gets beaten up.

Having no choice, I beat up the residents surrounding Dee from behind. It’d be bad if I injure them, so I avoid bones and knock them out. Some lumps have formed, and I hope they’ll forgive a few bruises and contusions. But Dee is surrounded by punks and, having no choice, draws his sword and deflects their attacks. My opponents are the residents, and none of them have anything that looks like a proper weapon, so I have to deal with them barehanded no matter what. It’d be easier if I could just cut them all, but if I did that it’d become a sea of blood and the ground underfoot would be covered in blood. I’d end up being called Bloody Marie later.

Even so, after I beat down about ten of them, all the residents ran away. At first they looked down on us because we were children, but I was much stronger than they thought, so they decided to run quickly.

Even so, the number of punks Dee is fighting has increased. The cause is,

"Come on, capture them alive! They should have valuable stuff!"

"Don’t put a scar on that one’s face! It’ll fetch a high price!"

This seems to be about me.

"Let’s take a ransom! Don’t kill them!"

And so on—guys driven by greed have joined in. It’s probably a plan where numbers will somehow manage it. It looks like how even weak goblins become a threat if a hundred or a thousand gather.

Dee is constantly facing about three of them, parrying the punks without injuring his own body, but the punks seem to think that if they surround him it’ll somehow work out. They’re probably thinking that as long as someone else gets hurt and they themselves get to be on the side that restrains the opponent, it’s fine.

I join in too and beat down the punks. Knocking them out uninjured has become a bit impossible, so I pick up a fallen club and hit! Basically, I strike hard a little above the wrist and break the bone!

As I take down one, two, three, a wind of cowardice starts blowing among the punks.

"Marie-sama, with this we can somehow escape!"

Dee raises a flag. I think you shouldn’t say that at a time like this, but,

"Right, let’s run!"

I say and turn around to start running.

Just when I think the main street is just a little further! A group comes again from the main street. More punks——! I think, but this time it’s different.

"It’s the security force! Be quiet!"

The one in the lead shouts. Coming late and acting so high and mighty! I think, but.

"Good grief, they’ve finally come. It’s fine now."

Dee says, breathing heavily, but I thought that was raising another flag.

"You guys, don’t run! Be quiet!"

The one in the lead yells at me and Dee for some reason. Eh!? Us? As expected? I think and look toward Dee, and Dee is also dumbfounded. In other words, it’s because of Dee’s flag!

"Don’t move, don’t move!"

The one who said security force brings his subordinates and slowly approaches.

"Captain! Those guys were chasing my friend to extort money! They’re suspicious, so please catch them!!"

The guy who was mixed in with the punks earlier says. The man in front of me, called captain by this guy, shows as,

"Alun, 42 years old, Security Force Captain"

It comes out. Oh, so this guy isn’t an Empire pawn. For the moment it’s reassuring, but,

"Yes, you’re under arrest! Be quiet!"

Is said, and I thought resisting here wouldn’t lead to anything good, so I literally stayed quiet, and my wrists were bound. Dee,

"We are attendants of the Hero-sama, and what that man says is a false accusation!"

Says in a panic, but at this point it’s like something out of a picture, or rather the standard development of a light novel, and Dee is also restrained without resisting. What reassured me a little was that the rope used to bind us didn’t have any enchantment magic like mana nullification attached. I don’t know if something like that even exists in a cheap town like this in the first place. On top of that, the binding is loose and feels like it’ll come off soon. But the biggest problem is the smell!! Ropes like this probably don’t get washed. Used as-is, or rather, the sweat, blood, tears, and grime of past criminals are surely soaked into them. Thinking that, I cast

"Purification"

And the condition improved a little. It feels like the color became brighter even in the night.

"I am a baron! Baron Derrick May! Do you think it’s okay to do this! You guys, just you wait! You’ll regret it!"

Dee starts making a fuss. When the security force appeared, he thought allies had finally come, but before he had time to be surprised at how efficiently things were handled, he was restrained. Dee is yelling loudly, perhaps reflecting on the fact that he dragged down my escape. As for me, I also want to see what a jail is like. Humans don’t understand things until they experience them once. But Dee doesn’t seem to have a tolerant heart like me,

"You guys! Do something about this! It’s wrong! Do you think it’s okay to restrain a baron!!"

His tone becomes even more intense.

As expected, the security force side also thought it was strange with him shouting this much,

"I’m sorry, but do you not have something that proves your identity? Like the crest of the baron’s house or a sword or something?"

They ask, at least acting humble. However,

"Prove my identity? No, I left it at the inn. I went out to play while hiding my identity, and I left it because it’d be bad if it was stolen... But if you inquire, you’ll understand! Inquire at the inn where the Hero-sama is staying! Ask Baron Bill Blueford!"

I understand what he’s saying, but Dee, who doesn’t have it at the crucial moment, is useless. This gives a sense of déjà vu. Isn’t it close to after eating on a business trip, having neither wallet nor driver’s license, so ask the acquaintance at the hotel? I think he’s making quite an unreasonable request.

And in the end, we’re taken to the security force’s station. I’m glad we weren’t hit or punched. There was also no one who touched my ass.

Even so, since Dee himself is claiming to be a baron, it seems they thought they couldn’t treat him roughly, and a chair was prepared for the time being. However, the handcuffs aren’t removed. After that, this state will continue until the fight scene becomes peaceful and the security force finishes withdrawing.

In the end, none of the punks were restrained, what those Empire dogs said was taken at face value, and we became the bad guys... Aah. What a thing. Even saying bad guys, since Dee is saying he’s a baron, he’s being respected for the time being and is in a private-room standby state. If a guarantor comes to pick him up, he’ll be released, so we’re waiting for Bill. Dawn is already breaking. At this rate, we’ll be left behind by the Hero-sama’s party, I think. Anyway, we’re like extras, and that’s fine, but. It’s a shame there wasn’t the development often in light novels where you’re put in jail and then have a whole mess with the other detainees inside.

Even so, Bill! What are you doing! Maybe you’re on round three? You’re not going to say you stayed the night there, right! Late! Too late!!