Chapter 62. Bounty Head and Awakening [5]

Through my still hazy consciousness, I heard the stiff voice of a woman.

「–Aa, it’s the Black Organization! A tall, big man and a slender woman, they were wearing the infamous black cloak! As soon as you get any information, please contact me immediately!」

This voice probably belongs to Leia-sensei.

(Eh… Come to think of it, what am I doing…?)

My head slowly started to clear up, and gradually my five senses became clear.

(…It’s an unfamiliar ceiling.)

Apparently, I seem to be lying on my back.

I pushed off the brown blanket that was covering my body and slowly raised my upper body.

「W-Where am I…?」

「-You’ve come to, Allen! Rest assured, this is the Director’s office in the academy. Those guys are gone.」

「…Those guys!?」

The moment I heard those words, my heart leapt into my throat.

Shopping with the president.

The Black Organisation that attacked Ria and Rose.

Battle with Zack and Thor.

I remembered all of them clearly.

「Oh right, Ria!? Is Ria safe!?」

I immediately stood up and approached Leia-sensei.

She shook her head quietly.

「…Sorry. She was already taken away by the time I arrived at the scene…」

「No…」

In an instant, the colour drained from my face, and my vision flashed.

「O-Oi… are you alright!?」

Sensei rushed to me and supported my body that was assailed by strong dizziness.

Even though I didn’t want to think about it, the worst case scenarios rushed into my mind.

What if Ria is tortured?

What if Ria is humiliated?

What if Ria – if she’s already killed?

A number of『what ifs』filled my head.

(That’s no good… Get yourself together …! I can’t change anything by thinking about it…!)

I clenched both fists, grit my teeth, and strengthened my heart .

「…I’m sorry, I’m all right now. Rather than that, where did those guys go?」

「…That’s right. Let’s share information before we discuss about it.」

Saying that, sensei arranged wanted posters with mug shots on the table.

「These are the wanted posters of the Conflagration, Zack Bomber, and the Conjurer, Thor Sammons. As you can see, both of them are internationally wanted first-class bounties. You did well to survive against those two, Allen.」

When I heard sensei’s explanation, I was surprised.

(Come to think of it… I was on the verge of death with a serious injury, right…?)

I was pierced by the〈Blaze Lance〉, and my whole body was burned by a blazing conflagration.

Eventually I lost consciousness due to excessive bleeding – and I was laying here when I came to.

As I fearfully looked down at my abdomen,

(Eh…?)

There were no burn marks left, not even a scar.

(…Medicine in this country is developed, but this injury healed way too fast… )

Did Leia-sensei dispatch an excellent doctor with the director’s authority?

When thinking about that,

「Now, take a look at this.」

She pointed to the national map spread out on the desk.

「Currently, House Arcstria is taking measures to strengthen border security at every critical place like never before. It is extremely difficult to escape through such a tight security network. Those guys are definitely still hiding within the country.」

Apparently, while I was sleeping, the president used the power of『Arcstria』to move.

「And for the purpose of the Black Organization, they can’t kill Ria immediately.」

「The purpose of the Black Organization…?」

When I asked,

「…I’m sorry. This matter falls under confidential national security. Even in the sense of keeping you safe, I can’t tell you yet.」

Sensei shook her head with a slightly bitter look.

「I…see…」

It’s very worrisome, but…

If she says that it is a confidential matter, then it is not possible to pursue it any more.

「I can’t go into detail, but… They almost certainly brought Ria to a『laboratory』somewhere in the country. Twenty-four hours until the end of the『analysis』,they can never harm Ria.」

「Only 24 hours…?!」

It was too short a time.

「Aa, it depends on the position of the laboratory… We can expect midnight to be the time limit. 」

I immediately checked the clock in the room.

The current time is twelve o’clock in the daytime.

Only half a day left.

「-Anyway! We can’t even fight until we know where their laboratory is. Allen, please help with the search too!」

「Yes, I understand …!」

Then I rushed out of Thousand Blade Academy to find their laboratory.

「Wait for me, Ria…」

I’ll definitely find it by midnight today…!

■

Then I frantically continued gathering information.

First of all, Paula-san, the dorm mother, and Bons-san, from the Magic Swordsman Association.

After that, Ferris-senpai and Lilim-senpai of the student council.

After that, I called out to passers-by in Orest at random.

I used all my personal connections and searched for the laboratory high and low, but… the result was zero.

「Damn, what should I do …」

The sun has already sunk, and the darkness of the night covers the world.

The time is nine o’clock at night.

Three hours remaining until midnight time limit.

(Even while I’m doing this… Ria must be suffering…)

Thinking about that, I was so agitated and frustrated.

But as long as we don’t know where the enemy is, we can’t do anything about it.

I fully realized the weight of『information』.

(…Maybe Leia-sensei has already found it.)

I dragged my heavy feet to her, as if clinging to my last hope.

I passed through the gates of Thousand Blade Academy and went to the director’s office.

When I knocked on the heavy black door, I got a short reply saying 「…Enter.」

There was a hint of fatigue in her voice.

「-Excuse me.」

When I opened the door slowly, there was the figure of Leia-sensei looking through a thick pile of documents.

「…Allen, how did it go on your end?」

「I’m sorry, I ran around all day, but… I didn’t get any results…」

「I see… I’m also trying to find information, but… the results are not good…」

Sensei said so and exhaled deeply.

Heavy air flowed through the director’s office.

One minute, two minutes after that,

「This is just my intuition, but… I have an idea of a guy… who is sure to know the location of the laboratory.」

Sensei said something ridiculous.

「Oh, is it true?!」

「Aa… She is constantly surrounded by wicked rumors, but her information network is『extraordinary』. First of all, I’m certain she knows where the laboratory is.」

「Who is it!? Please tell me!」

「…But she’s a rotten guy. She absolutely won’t give us the information. To put it bluntly, going to her is『100 percent』a waste…」

「If the chances are not zero, it’s worth a shot! And there’s no time to waste! Sensei, please tell me who that person is!」

After a little hesitation, she spoke quietly.

「The boss of『Fox Finance』that governs the country’s finances from the shadows – Rize Dorahain, one of the Five Wealthy Merchants. The eldest daughter of the prestigious House Dorahain, a witch who is rumored to be connected to various shadow organizations – commonly known as Bloody Fox Rize.」

「Ri-Rize-san…!? You mean Ferris-san’s sister…?」

When I asked,

「Oh, so you know of her, Allen?」

Sensei was a little surprised.

「Y-Yes… No, more than that – does Rize-san really know the location of the laboratory!?」

「Aa… However, that rotten Rize, won’t tell us easily. She is the richest person in this country in both name and reality, and above all, she is famous for her insidiousness. It is almost impossible to get information out of such a guy. Since she already has everything she wants… You would probably be turned away at the front gate…」

It’s about that quirky Rize-san.

As sensei says, she won’t easily entertain my request.

But, I have the power to make it work at least once!

「If that is the case, then it could work…!」

「What? What do you mean !?」

That’s right… I had completely forgotten.

(I have that thing…)

Rize Dorahain, one of the Five Wealthy Merchants that boasts tremendous wealth and influence.

I have the incredible “right” to ask for her help『just once at anytime』…!

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