Chapter 80: Chapter 70: Hideout

According to what I heard from the bandit I have caught, there are less than ten of companions in the hideout.

Moreover, it seems that the hideout is in a place on this mountain.

In truth, I wanted to report the information obtained from the bandit when we returned to the town, but would it be better to clean up the hideout since it’s nearby?

“”Finished~””

While getting the needed information from the bandit, Allen and Elena ran up to me. It appears they have defeated all of the remaining bandits.

“Welcome back. Were you able to properly hold back, I wonder~”

“”Yea. Able~””

After confirming the defeated bandits just in case, there wasn’t anyone who died.

When I tied the bandits with a rope so they couldn’t escape and wondered whether to bring them with us to the hideout, Vector looked at me with some kind of expectations.

Somehow, when I tied the end of the rope from the bundle of bandits, Vector was――

“Garu~?”

He was easily dragging ten-odd adult men behind him in a happy mood.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

I thought that Vector looked strong the first time I saw him, but it seems it was just like that.

I couldn’t be bothered, so I decide to have Vector transport the bandits.

We immediately went towards the bandit’s hideout.

Will we arrive at the hideout soon? When I used Detection with such thoughts, there were seven responses. These responses must be the remaining bandits.

When quietly moving from there, we immediately discovered a hideout-ish cave.

When I peeped at the situation, I saw the bandits having a drinking bout at the cave’s entrance. Their appearances are not different from the bandits we have defeated, but I use Appraisal to check just in case.

Un, they are bandits.

From what was told to me, the remaining numbers were around ten, so it can be said that seven is everyone...... but, because they use the inside of the cave as a dwelling, there’s a possibility of others being inside...... as expected, even my Detection can’t check the cave’s interior.

Well, after tidying up the people outside, should we examine the cave too?

“Yaa!”

“”Guha.””

“Kyan.” “Nnaa.” “Piii.”

“””Gyaaーーー”””

“Garu~”

“”Ugyaa-“”

While having such thoughts, the children immediately defeated the bandits drinking at the front of the cave.

“Hahaha~”

My turn didn’t appear once again.

Well, let’s assume that it’s alright that my turn didn’t come. But, however!

“Vector! Stop chasing after the bandits while dragging bandits behind you.”

Vector’s behavior was a bit intolerable, so I have cautioned him.

“Garu~n?”

However, Vector I have cautioned returned expression that seemingly wanted to say “Eh? Why?”.

Vector should be the oldest one among the contracted beast, but...... can I settle this with being a simple-mindedness?

First of all, because I would feel awkward if the bandits we have caught with great troubles die, I unfasten them from Vector and tie them up to a nearby tree.

I ask Joule and others to watch after the bandits after tying up those who were rolling on the ground and decide to enter the cave with just me, Allen, and Elena.

“”Onii~chan.””

“N?”

“”There~””

Allen and Elena call me to halt and point at a wall immediately after entering the cave.

It looked just like a wall, but now that I look at it, it certainly looks suspicious. When I strongly push against the wall, the wall of rocks started moving. It was apparently a trapdoor.

“This is amazing.”

When I peek behind the moving wall, there was a small room filled with casually piled up things. Money, weapons, ornaments, art, and bottles of liquor.

I guess this is the treasury room where bandits store their loot. It’s surprising to see a hidden room that can be only found in dungeons in a normal cave.

“Allen and Elena, good job noticing. You are amazing~”

“”Ehehe~””

When I pat and praise Allen and Elena, the two get bashfully happy.

Now then, the rights to the bandit’s property――all of the various articles transfer to those who caught them, otherwise, those who have defeated them. In other words, there’s no problem for us to take it.

Therefore, I decided to store everything in the《Infinite Storage》for the time being. It would take time to sort it out. I will check the contents later.

After collecting the treasure, we continued walking to the depths of the cave.

When advancing smoothly to the depths of the cave, not meeting a single bandit on the way, we have arrived at a prison-like place.

Several women and children were locked in that prison.

When we arrive at the prison, the people inside got simultaneously scared. However, when they confirm our figures, they alternate their gazes between the children and me.

To them, it must look like I’m one of the bandits who abducted the children...... as expected, it will make me sad if they make such a mistake.

But, it’s okay, right? The fright the women showed when we entered disappeared......

“Umm, we are adventurers. We have defeated the bandits, so please be at ease.”

“Eh? R, really?”

“Yeah, everything is all right now. I will open the prison now.”

When I appeal to them that they are okay, that it’s safe now, the voices of relief resound.

I immediately grasped the key hanging on the wall and unlocked the prison, then we took the escorted the people outside.

“...... We are saved, aren’t we?”

After getting out of the cave, the women who saw the tied up bandits muttered. There were some who even shed tears.

I was worried about having the bandits who injured them at the same place as them, so I drove away the bandits to a blind spot. I would like them to endure with that for now.

Now then, the problem now is what to do with the women and children that were caught.

There’s a distance of a half a day on foot from here to the town. It’s not an unwalkable distance, but I’m afraid they don’t currently have the strength to walk that far.

But, while that may be true, it’s not like we can leave from here to get a carriage.

Although the bandits are tightly tied up, I can’t be sure that there aren’t any survivors. Of course, a monster attack is also possible. They won’t be able to defend against that.

I could leave Allen and Elena with them, but although there wouldn’t be a problem of fighting power, the girls’ anxiety would be fanned with Allen’s and Elena’s appearances.

Conversely, staying behind myself and sending Allen and Elena to town......

In the first place, I didn’t have an opportunity to be separated from the two for a longer period of time yet. As expected, it’s impossible to perform without rehearsal.

Hmm, I’m troubled...... what to do?

“Say, Joule. Could you pass a letter to the soldiers in the town?”

“Kyan.”

Oh?

After wondering whether Joule or others could run to the town on my behalf, I tried asking without expectations, yet Joule gave me a reliable reply.

“Eh? Will you be really okay? Can you go to the town alone and let them know?”

“Kyan!”

When I confirm with Joule just in case, Joule barks as if saying “Leave it to me”.

Shall I leave this to Joule?

“Then, Joule. Be careful, okay?”

“Kyan.”

I decided to have Joule go to the town with a letter.

The letter says that we have defeated the bandits and gained control of their hideout. I also wrote that there were women and children held prisoners in the hideout.

Then, I requested for their protection and arrangements for carriage and to escort the bandits.

Joule’s mission is to hand over that letter to someone in the town of Bailey and guide them to this place.

Just in case, I handed my identification papers to Joule, and I saw Joule off to the town.