Oran Knight is out (1/3 chapters for today)
A Slight Clue
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After the blizzard subsided, a discussion was held about whether to turn back or move forward, and in the end, the decision was made to move forward. The main reason was that the enemy who attacked us likely wouldn’t recover quickly. Although some of their soldiers fled, we had inflicted considerable damage. It was judged safer to push on toward the fort rather than retreat and give them time to regroup.
We returned to the carriage and, speaking little, allowed ourselves to be rocked by its movements. After a while, Heinz spoke up.
“I mean no disrespect to those who sacrificed their lives, but…” (Heinz)
After prefacing his words, he continued.
“It’s fortunate that the ones who died were the guards who came from the academy.” (Heinz)
“Heinz!” (Sonia/Hana)
Sonia and Hana raised their voices in reproach.
In the earlier battle, all those who lost their lives on our side were soldiers from Rozan. Even those who were gravely injured were mostly from Rozan. That was because they had pushed the Remnos soldiers back and stood on the frontlines themselves. The reason was clear. In an internal conflict within their own country, they couldn’t afford to lose face by not taking the lead.
“That’s why I said I meant no disrespect! But if Remnos soldiers had been lost, it would have left a significant grudge. It could escalate into an issue between the two countries. The fact is, we were saved thanks to their sacrifice.” (Heinz)
Though Sonia and Hana understood this, their emotions couldn’t keep up with the logic.
“…Are the culprits soldiers of Solar, degozaru?” (Hana)
At Hana’s soft-spoken question, Heinz shook his head.
“Not necessarily. They could be rebellious elements from Rozan, or perhaps troops dispatched from the northern fort.” (Heinz)
“No way!?” (Sonia)
“Well, that possibility is slim, but…” (Beretta)
Heinz’s words were interrupted by Beretta-san.
“We also cannot rule out the possibility that they’re assassins from Remnos.” (Beretta)
“From Remnos? Beretta-sama… no, Beretta-san, why do you think so?” (Lev)
“In Remnos, there’s a rule prohibiting marriage among the royal family. It also includes close blood relatives among powerful nobles. There were some… incidents in the past.” (Beretta)
“And?” (Lev)
“Right now, I’m first in line for the throne. If I were to die, the right would pass to someone else. If bloodlines can’t consolidate power, then those who back a queen they support might aim to make her child king. Surely you understand the implications.” (Beretta)
“I see…” (Lev)
This time, Heinz supplemented Beretta-san’s explanation.
“If we take it a step further, we can’t completely dismiss the possibility of assassins from a fourth country. For example, if someone connected with a neighboring nation beyond the mountains wanted to worsen relations among the three countries, this would be an excellent opportunity. That said, it’s unlikely given the short preparation time.” (Heinz)
“In other words, it’s hard to pinpoint who’s responsible.” (Heinz)
“According to Verger, there was nothing to identify the culprits. The one thing we’re sure of is that they prepared meticulously to target us.” (Beretta)
As I, listened absentmindedly to their conversation, I suddenly recalled the suspicious men from the town last night. My right hand grew faintly warm. Looking down, I saw Sonia placing her hand on mine and gazing at me.
“What’s wrong?” (Lux)
“What’s wrong? Are you okay, Lux? You shot someone after all…” (Sonia)
Sonia must have thought I was in shock over having killed someone. Her eyes were filled with deep concern.
“Ah, no, that’s not it. That’s still a bit hard to process, but honestly, it hasn’t sunk in yet. More than that, remember what I mentioned before we left? About what I saw the night before…” (Lux)
I stopped mid-sentence.
Yesterday’s conversation…? Wait a minute. Think. Precisely.
“Then, as agreed…” (??)
“What about Zel-sama…?” (??)
Zel? I’ve heard that name before…
As I froze in the middle of my sentence, Sonia leaned closer.
“Lux, are you sure you’re okay?” (Sonia)
Zel? Zel…
“Send word to the soldiers waiting in town. Arrest Zel. Bring him back alive!” (Nork) (TLN: Chapter 60)
“Ah!” (Lux)
I remembered! I involuntarily stood up, drawing concerned looks from everyone, not just Sonia.
“That’s it! Zel, it’s Zel!” (Lux)
“Who’s Zel?” (Sonia)
“The suspicious guys last night mentioned ‘Zel-sama.’ Remember? I told you all about it! The incident where Lamie-senpai and her uncle were targeted! The subordinate of her uncle who escaped was named Zel!” (Lux)
“What!? Is that true, Lux?” (Heinz)
“No doubt about it. Though I can’t say for sure if it’s the same person…” (Lux)
“No, there’s not likely to be more than one Zel targeting key figures. If we ask Lamie-senpai, we might at least get a lead on identifying this Zel.” (Heinz)
“Yeah. Her family is probably searching too, but since there’s been no contact, he’s likely still at large. However…” (Lux)
However, it might be a start. The hazy feeling of not knowing who had attacked us lightened, even if only slightly, thanks to this small lead.
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