Chapter 122: Chapter 107: A Concerning Gaze

“Before that Your Majesty, I have something I would like to ask if you allow it.”

“Fumu, I don’t mind. What is it?”

With His Majesty’s permission, I decided to confirm what was on my mind all this time.

“Erm...... do you have some other guards besides those standing near the walls, I wonder? There are several people in hiding who are watching us, though?”

“What? Is that the truth!?”

Huh? His Majesty appeared to be shocked?

I looked at the prime minister because of His Majesty’s panicked state, but he also appears to be unaware as he was shaking his head.

“Takumi-dono, is what you said just now the truth? Is it not just your misunderstanding?”

The prime minister seems to think that it was just my imagination.

“That’s unlikely.”

From the looks of the two, it doesn’t seem like the two are just trying to distract me from the existences within the shadows...... n~ If they are not His Majesty’s pieces, then spies?

Ah but, they might not be foreign spies, but spies of this country’s nobles?

“There~”

“Over there too~”

“Ah...... yeah, that’s right.”

Allen and Elena have naturally noticed the existences within the shadows. They are pointing with their fingers at them......

First of all, I pat the two’s heads and lower their pointing hands.

The people within the shadows showed some movements when the two pointed at them with their fingers, but...... they didn’t leave. Their locations were accurately pinpointed, but are they thinking it will be all right because it was kids who did it?

I don’t know when they will escape so I kneaded my magical power into the wind and sent it towards them so I could restrict them anytime. Now then, what are we going to do from here on?

“...... It wouldn’t be good to leave them as they are, right?”

“Takumi-san, would you be able to capture them? We don’t know whose subordinates they are, so I would like to ask if you could capture them without killing if possible.”

When I asked Isaac-san who was next to me in a low voice, he requested me to capture them alive.

“Well, there’s only three so I will manage somehow.”

I entwine the wind I sent in around the targets and restrict them in order to prevent their escape.

“Umm...... Wald-sama, there’s one on the left behind His Majesty, can I leave it to you?”

“...... Oh, I see. Leave it to me.”

The restriction was a success, but because he was on the platform and right behind His Majesty at that, I couldn’t possibly capture that person myself, so I asked Wald-sama to capture him.

Wald-sama explained only simply, but he still received His Majesty’s permission, so he moved into action.

“Your Majesty, Prime Minister, someone is certainly here.”

“Guh.”

Wald-sama dragged along a person who was completely dressed in black. His consciousness doesn’t seem to have completely recovered, so he let out a groan when Wald-sama constricted him.

“To truly be there......”

Understanding that it was the truth that people were lurking around, shocked voices leaked from the surroundings.

“There are two more in the ceiling, but...... from where can you enter above the ceiling?””

“Is it safe to go secure those people?”

“Yes, they have been restricted with magic so they can’t escape, but it should be fine if you take into consideration that they are still conscious......”

“I understand.”

The prime minister quickly gave instructions and the knights went to capture the men in black.

Because this and that, the hall was in an uproar for a while. I think it’s because we have shown our abilities in such a weird place, but there are more gazes on us now than when we entered.

The spies didn’t show any bloodthirst, so they must have been there to gather intelligence. That’s why it might have been fine to leave them alone, but I couldn’t help but be concerned about the hidden gazes~

I would rather be surrounded by the gazes of the people in the hall. Is what I thought, but...... as I thought, those are also annoying in their own way~

“Your Majesty, Prime Minister, we have safely captured them.”

“Good work.”

A short time later, the Knights came back with the two restricted men. It seems the men above the ceiling were safely captured.

“So they also were in there.”

“...... It appears that way.”

His Majesty and the prime minister let out sighs.

“Takumi-dono, sorry for the trouble.”

“Forgive us for doubting you.”

“Ah, no. I have said something so abrupt all of sudden, so I believe your judgment was inevitable.”

I got apologized to. They are people of great status, but they are not haughty at all. Generally, someone of their status would definitely be doubtful of everything. Well~ they give off a good feeling~

“I’m thankful you said so.”

“At any rate, Takumi-dono. It appears that you are used to dealing with people who lurk in the shadows.”

Ah~ they would ask about that after all~

“I was able to distinguish their presences.”

“Presences, huh...... that’s incredible.”

“I see. As expected of a high-ranked adventurer.”

His Majesty and the prime minister seem to have quickly accepted it. But, at that time――

“Your Majesty! To distinguish the presences of those hidden in the shadows, that is by no means possible! That person is surely lying! He surely discovered the spies he prepared himself to do a meritorious deed in front of His Majesty!”

“......”

A short and stout man stepped forward and started criticizing me.

Lying, he said...... how rude~ I have skills like Presence Detection and Detection, so I’m able to completely deny his accusations......

“Count Tugal, you mustn’t say something like that without evidence.”

“Indeed. I don’t think it’s a good idea to decide that by yourself.”

The short and stout man is apparently a count. Unexpectedly a high-ranked noble. Rather, aren’t most of the nobles here high-ranked?

Still...... he’s accusing me of performing a part in my own play to do a meritorious deed, but I, unfortunately, don’t have any motive for that. As of now, I don’t think of buttering up the country or His Majesty.

In the first place, isn’t there a considerable amount of risk by catching your own spies?

There is nobody who would accept a job on the assumption that he will get caught and had to become a sacrificial pawn in silence. Well, “Anything for my Master!” subordinates exist, so it’s quite possible, but still...... he’s currently suspicious that I’m playing a part in my own play, so this is unrelated at the moment.

Rather, in this case, the person who tries to accuse others is more suspicious. I mean――

“Isn’t it almost as if his spies got caught, so he’s hurrying to place the crime on others?”

When I absentmindedly whisper, the surrounding gazes focus on me for a moment and then all move at Count Tugal.

I intended to say it in a low voice, but the audience hall was silent, so it resounded rather well.

“I, it isn’t me!!”

“...... Count Tugal?”

“T, that’s a false accusation!!”

Count Tugal started panicking when all of the gazes gathered at him and begun insisting on his innocence. Nobody said anything, though......

“Eh, Your Majesty!”

Count Tugal desperately appealed to His Majesty, but this desperation made him seem even more suspicious.

“Your Majesty, it would be all right to interrogate the captured people in detail, yes?”

“Yes. Take those guys with you and investigate their backgrounds.”

“Ha.”

His Majesty nodded to the prime minister’s words and the Knights took the three restricted men out of the audience hall.

“Count Tugal, take the responsibility of carelessly causing a disturbance in this place and leave for today.”

“......!!”

With His Majesty’s order, Count Tugal unwillingly left the hall. I felt that he glared at me for a moment when he was leaving...... it would be nice if we didn’t get dragged into something troublesome later, but......