Volume 9 - Chapter 51 – Side Story 13: The Efforts of a Certain Quinta (1/2)

09-51 Side Story 13: The Efforts of a Certain Quinta

‘Quinta’ seems to have originally been a Spanish word.

Its origin was during the Spanish Civil War, when a general of the anti-government army had broadcast the following on radio: ‘Our four columns of troops are heading to marching towards Madrid. In Madrid our fifth column (quinta columna) will begin to support our battle. ‘

In other words it had the meaning of a betrayer, a spy, or a covert operative behind the enemy lines.

Unconcerned with that, the Quinta were sent from Hourai Island as observers to various places.

“This is Deneb-20, I have just arrived at the base in the ruins of the eighth subdivision. No people are around”

“Hourai Island reads you. While gathering information of your surroundings, head towards the appointed area.”

Deneb-20 was an adult female type Automata. For her goals she looked just like a human from the outside.

She could freely change the color of her hair and eyes. Deneb-20 now had light brown hair and eyes. This was because it was deemed the most inconspicuous, being the most common colors in this world.

“I suppose I’ll prepare clothes first.”

For now she was wearing a commoner’s clothing, but they had been bought from the town of Port Rock in Elias Kingdom. And so the possibility was high that they weren’t customary here.

Deneb-20 headed to the town Laojin had instructed her to. She had been given ten thousand Torr to use.

The name of the town was Sasari. It was a medium-sized town near River Torres.

Anyone could freely come and go during the day. Despite that Deneb-20 was standing near the entrance, watching the clothes of the people going back and forth.

“I see, they should be clothes like that.”

She walked the streets while looking for a second hand store. Unexpectedly she found one quickly. There she bought the clothes she needed.

For now she bought a woolen skirt that reached all the way to her ankles. She also bought a fur vest and kept her blouse as it was.

Her skirt was bright light brown and the vest was gray. It looked like colors that weren’t too flashy were popular.

The total cost was 1200 Torr. Deneb-20 who had changed in the store completely fit in with the town.

“Now then, how should I go all the way to Kemai I wonder?”

Kemai was the area Deneb-20 was in charge of, and at the heart of it was a town. It was located to the southwest of Lake Azul.

The first question was how to cross River Torres and River Azul.

There were a few ways.

She could cross it on a boat like a normal person. This was impossible for Deneb-20 who had no identification papers.

The other choice was asking a black market trader to help her cross. Considering that Elsa and Mine had been attacked while taking this option and since it came with the risk of the possibility of her true nature being revealed, that was rejected.

“So it’s got to be swimming after all.”

Because the Quinta had been built to resemble a human exactly, they could barely float on water. But swimming on the surface of the water then had the concern of being spotted by a nightly patrol boat. It was preferable to swim to the destination under the surface.

“It should work out if I bring some weights with me.”

Thinking that it should be easy to proceed underwater if she carried a stone or something, that night Deneb-20 put the plan into action.

She took off all her clothes and securely packaged them. She then carried them on her back. She held a stone as a weight with both of her hands. If necessary, she could let go of the stone and double her swimming speed.

The water was still cold but Deneb-20 threw herself underwater without minding it.

Possessing nearly unlimited stamina, Deneb-20 was able to effortlessly swim across River Torres. Actually, more than half of the trip was done by walking at the bottom of the river.

Then a commotion arose once she got out of the water.

There was someone who noticed the naked Deneb-20 come out of the water. It was a soldier going on patrol around the river bed.

Since the river she crossed was at the side of the capital Esaia, the defenses were rather strict.

Deneb-20 had been careless as she hadn’t seen even the shadow of a soldier from the opposite side.

The soldier was taken aback seeing a naked woman get up from the river in the middle of the night.

“B-bastard, what do you think you’re doing!”

He shone a light on Deneb-20 with the Magi Lamp he had in his hand.

Her light brown hair was drenched and dripping with water. Her white skin was glossy as if it was repelling water, and her pair of bulging plump breasts were completely uncovered.

“I don’t think you were swimming at a place like this and at a time like this. You’re suspicious.”

The soldier licked his lips while talking.

“I’ll overlook this if you keep quiet and do what I say, got it?”

While saying so the soldier pointed his sword at the back of Deneb-20’s neck.

“…Soldier-san, are you alone?”

The soldier seemed to misunderstand the meaning of Deneb-20’s question.

“Ah, yeah. I’m alone. Aren’t you glad? Well, I’ll try to be as loving as possible, you know?”

“…”

Deneb-20 muttered something again, but the soldier didn’t seem to have heard her.

“Hm?”

The soldier turned his ear towards her to hear her better, and this time he clearly heard her.

“What a vulgar fellow.”

“Uoaaah?”

Heaven and earth were reversed.

“Uagh!”

The soldier’s back hit a stone on the riverbed and he fainted.

The Quinta’s methods were the same as the SP’s. Although since the materials were different they couldn’t produce the same power they still were nearly five times as powerful as a human. They could also use martial arts quite well.

A soldier or two were no problem at all.

However, since it had been an unexpected situation she had decided to report to Laojin through her internal ManaCom and ask for instructions on how to deal with the situation.

“This is just a guess, but that soldier surely isn’t a very earnest person. And so it’s not a problem to leave him there as he is.”

Laojin’s instructions were simple.

“Instead leave the scene quickly. Make sure to not leave behind any evidence. And pay attention from now on.”

Deneb-20 followed the instructions and hurriedly wiped off her body, put on clothes, then left the spot at full speed.

In the middle of the night, Deneb-20 ran the100 kilometers to Lake Azul as fast as a horse, and no one noticed her.

A town on the shore of Lake Azul, Rok.