Inn Overlord: Reincarnated with Enhancement Magic, Now Worshipped as a Divine Messenger! - Chapter 46

(Jeanne’s Perspective)

Thanks to Albert and Setsuna, we arrived in front of the office. For some reason, there were no guards here.

— Was that terrifying magical power I felt earlier from the guard?

Just like when I checked the bedroom, I used wind-element magic and magic detection to check the inside.

There was no sign of magical energy from inside, which every living creature should have. It is possible for powerful people to hide their magic, but it is not possible to hide the sounds of a heartbeat or bl00d flowing through veins. I couldn’t hear any signs of human life from inside.

Instead, I heard a dripping sound, like liquid falling drop by drop, coming from the office.

“?”

What is this sound?

I had a bad feeling. I couldn’t explain it well, but I felt something terrible was happening on the other side of this door. I looked at Albert and Setsuna one by one and then rushed into the office.

When I entered the office, the sight in front of me made me click my tongue. Albert and Setsuna looked confused.

“Tch…”
“Huh?”
“What?”

In front of a large wooden desk, a man who seemed to be Margrave of the Borderlands, Burlington, was slumped in a chair. Bl00d flowed from his mouth. He was dead.

The dripping sound I heard was bl00d hitting the floor.

“No mistake. This is the Margrave himself.”

“Then why is he dead?”

Albert and Setsuna said exactly what I wanted to ask.

Was it a fight between allies? Or maybe he was killed by his eldest son, Greg? Either way, there’s some plot we don’t know about.

I approached the Margrave and examined the body carefully.

“The body is still warm. The cause of death is this spilled wine. It’s an older vintage than what’s sold in shops, but it smells different.”

Setsuna asked,

“A different smell?”

“Probably poison.”

Albert interrupted our conversation.

“We’d better get out of here quickly.”

Setsuna replied,

“You’re right. People might think we killed the Margrave.”

We left the mansion.

Then I came to a conclusion. The one who killed Margrave Burlington was the person who gave off that terrifying magical energy.

— That person must have set magic detection over the entire mansion to make sure the assassination was completed without fail. After finishing the mission, they turned off their magic and left the mansion…

We moved far from the mansion and thought about our next move.

“Sis, what now?”

I answered,

“A new third force we didn’t expect has shown up… If we rush to complete our mission without knowing their goal, we won’t succeed perfectly. Luckily, they probably don’t know about us yet…”

Setsuna agreed,

“That’s true. If we act carelessly, they might find out about us…”

Albert asked Setsuna,

“Then what do we do?”

“Try thinking for yourself for once!?”

Ignoring their back-and-forth, I spoke.

“I’ll go to Barmuller alone now and watch how that group moves.”

“W-We’ll go too—”
“I’m coming with you!”

“No. Taking you both to Barmuller would use up a lot of magic. Worst case, I might have to fight that group. I want to save as much magic as I can.”

“B-But…”
“Still…”

Albert and Setsuna tried to argue, but I said,

“You’ve both done more than enough. If Seraph-sama hadn’t ordered it, I would’ve killed you already. But now, as long as you don’t leak our information, you’re free. This is goodbye.”

“Please wait!”

“Don’t go!”

Albert spoke,

“I-I want to keep working for Seraph-sama and you… Sis…”

“Why?”

“You probably won’t believe me, but I love that inn and that village… When I was at that inn, I wasn’t an assassin. I could just be a normal adventurer, a normal person. It was such a comfortable place… A-And now, with this new third force, maybe they’ll come kill us too! If that happens, we’re fine being used as bait! Right, Setsuna?”

Setsuna nodded and slowly shared her feelings.

“…We did something unforgivable. And we know it’s selfish to say this now. But after seeing your strength with our own eyes, we’ve changed. And Albert is telling the truth. I feel the same way.”

I replied to them,

“I know. Albert, back at the Black Piglet Inn, when you provoked those three adventurers, you tried to say something to Seraph-sama, didn’t you? Setsuna, you didn’t try to stop him either.”

“T-That was…”

“Th-That’s…”

“You were trying to warn Seraph-sama, weren’t you?”

Albert seemed to be trying to remember, but before he could answer, I continued.

“I’ll tell you now—I don’t have the authority to accept you. So prove your worth. If you do, Seraph-sama will surely respond.”

“Yes!”
“Yes!”

“Then, both of you will return to Noonan Village and report to Seraph-sama what happened to Margrave Burlington.”

“Hah!”
“Understood!”

I used wind-element magic and took off from the ground.

“Amazing…”
“She can even do that?”

I heard Albert and Setsuna saying something, but I was already deep in thought.

— It’s been a long time since I passed by Burlington’s soldiers. I need to hurry… What is this third force trying to do?

I flew through the sky, heading toward the small city of Barmuller.