Volume 3 - Chapter 9 – True Value (2/2)

「Reinhardt, a magic engineer of the Shyoro Kingdom.」

And the leader,

「Hm? … so you’re probably a guest of,….」

Reinhardt laughed,

「So you know? I’m a person of the Shyoro Kingdom who was invited to participate in the golem boat race.」

Then, the leader salutes.

「Excuse me, but wasn’t your dock in the central part of the harbor?」

「Yeah. I happened to pass by by chance, because I saw the fire I put it out with magic.」

Then the leader saluted again,

「Is that so? Thank you for your work.」

Then, toward Marcia and Jin,

「I’d like you to come to the station so we can hear your circumstances.」

Reinhardt was clearly received with a different attitude.

In a low voice, Jin said to Reiko,

「I’ll tell you later, make sure nothing more happens to the ship.」

Jin gave instructions and went out of the harbor to the office on the outskirts of the city block.

*   *   *

While the spectators were scattering, Reiko was monitoring the vicinity. This is because she felt an unknown magical power.

And it wasn’t only Reiko who sensed it.

「What is it? This feeling?」

Reinhardt of the Shyoro Kingdom also felt the strange magic.

*   *   *

On the other hand, questioning was being carried out in the Guards Office.

「Like I said, this morning I was helping fishing and I wasn’t here!」

「When I came to the port after playing properly, the fire was already extinguished.」

Neither Jin nor Marcia were present when the fire started.

「Fumu, but it’s apparent that the fire started at the dock you borrowed.」

「But, there’s no fire in the dock!!」

「That’s apparent, but I can process materials without fire.」

「Hmm, then it is in fact an arson.」

The garrison leader had an uncooperative atmosphere and was gradually irritating Jin.

「Anyway, will it be arson or accidental fire, either way, I wouldn’t set my own ship on fire.」

Jin tried to bring it to an end.

「U-Umu. Is that so?」

Here, Jin said

「The other docks are safe, is there any possibility that this was an arson committed towards us because we are planning to participate in the golem boat competition?」

Then,

「Hey, shut up! You bastard, you can’t order me!」

The leader began to get angry suddenly. Jin thinks this is a little strange. Previously, Jin had encountered a similar atmosphere from a tax collector during a false investigation for tax evasion.

So Jin,

「The golem I made is autonomous. Why don’t you ask him? He may be able to provide some useful information.」

He says so, then in the leader’s surprise,

「What? Can you make such an advanced golem? …… It seems worth checking it then.」

So, the guard leader,

「OK. Marcia, you stay here, and Jin, you come with me.」

He said so and left Marcia to the other guards, and went to the area with the rental dock again with Jin.