Meeting Prince Laika wasn't hard. His summer house remained concealed from almost all acquaintances, so Jin knew it was a safe space.
The guards opened the doors without hesitation.
Coincidentally, Prince Laika was resting in the main hall. Jin felt relieved seeing this.
"Oh, who's this? Welcome back, milord."
Laika dismissed the guards as soon as he saw Jin's party. Huphester's respect toward a Runcandel exceeded Jin's expectations.
"Long time no see, Prince Laika."
"I presume the ones searching eastern Delki belong to you?"
"I apologize if that caused any trouble."
Kashimir bowed, and Laika waved his hand.
"No worries. No citizen was hurt from it. Anyway, you came without any notice… I'm sure there's something urgent to discuss, milord."
"Indeed, I have to find someone with the utmost speed."
"Please tell me more."
"The one poisoning the Delki soldiers. We must identify him."
Laika's eyes sparkled.
Jin immediately knew that Laika wanted to make a deal with Jin. To be truthful, he did save Jin's life and helped him many other times.
Jin also had an incentive to heed the deal. Finding Kuzan before Joshua could reveal vital secrets regarding his brother.
'Deploying a few more guardian knights might be…'
As Jin laid out his boundaries of the deal, Laika smiled.
"That is nothing too hard. I will tell them. We have been cautious of that man for a while, so we already have his hideout identified."
Laika did not ask Jin anything. Even voluntarily offering his aid without hesitation.
He knew how to please people like Jin in order to gain favor. At some point, Laika would reap a great benefit.
"I shall not ask what your business regarding this man is, milord. But I am happy and willing to help whenever I can. Oh, and… this might be useful."
Laika lent a badge of Delki royalty to Jin.
It didn't look like much compared to Runcandel's black sword emblem, but Laika knew that Jin still was a prospective flag-bearer.
Which was why if he got into legal troubles in Delki, he could waive his way out of the situation with that badge. A very considerate present.
"I will return this favor someday."
They quickly bid their farewells and left.
'Whenever I come to Delki, this kid is great.'
Even when he was searching for the last Marius in Delki, Laika ordered the troops to move with Jin's command.
The map pointed toward a small village in southern Delki. The group boarded a transfer gate and immediately set off on their way with a rented horse.
* * *
When Jin arrived in the village…
Another group of people arrived at Laika's summer house. Runcandel's guardian knights
"Prince Laika, there is someone we must find."
"Who would that be?"
"Very recently, this man was poisoning your soldiers. The second flag-bearer requests to bring in the culprit."
"Ah, I already put a bounty on his head. Within a day or two, his location will be confirmed, so please wait."
* * *
If the alchemist was Kuzan, then he'd be in a dire situation.
Jin constantly pondered about this. For a hunting dog, he'd been excessive in leaking his location.
As if he wanted to be found.
'I smell blood?'
A strong scent of blood surrounded the house.
"Kuzan Marius?"
As soon as he opened the door, they spotted Kuzan.
His hair and beard were a mess. Even though he didn't disguise himself, it was hard to identify him.
And he didn't look too surprised, as if he expected Jin to arrive first.
"What a pitiful sight. I thought you made some money selling your concoctions. I would've never thought I'd be happy to see you."
Kuzan didn't answer and just stared, but Jin felt the hopelessness within those colorless eyes.
"Carelessly exposing your location implies you had that much of a reason to do so. Let's move to a safer location and talk. It looks like you wanted me to find you before Joshua, but was I wrong?"
"No… you are correct."
"Where's Beris?"
"In the back."
Visiting that room, the reason for the blood all made sense.
It was all her blood. Kuzan had tied her to the bed because she had been seizing nonstop.
If she wasn't treated, she would die.
"I see. You did this because you had no other way to save her."
It wasn't something money could fix.
Especially in Huphester, where not many experienced mana congestion. There were probably less than five people capable of treating it. In the case of these criminals, it was effectively impossible.
And going to the Lutero Magic Federation wasn't an option either. They did have the legal documents to travel, but all of it was made by Joshua
Thus, the use of any transfer gate was impossible. Without any external assistance, they couldn't manage any efficient transportation.
But Beris inched closer to death.
Kuzan was left with only one choice. Expose his location and pray that Jin found him first.
If Beris wasn't in such a condition, Kuzan would just hide and search for Jin.
Thud!
In lieu of a response, Kuzan fell to his knees.
"…Please save me… No, please save us. I will do anything, so please forgive my mistakes. I will spend the remainder of my life atoning for my sins."
Kashimir and Alisa stared at each other. They initially thought Kuzan and Beris were just immoral villains.
However, Quikantel remained stone-faced.
"I'll consider whether or not to take you two in after I evaluate your ability. Let us discuss this after I save your companion."
Jin examined Beris.
'This is much worse than I thought. This'll be hard without the Vankella priests.'
Her current situation mirrored that of shattered glass. It had gone beyond the point of normal repair, and they couldn't do anything immediately.
Moving her would be challenging as well.
"You wouldn't understand because you're not a magician, but if she is transported even by a comfortable carriage, she will break. With the smallest shock, her bones and organs will burst. It's way too late."
Kuzan's head drooped without response. Jin felt quite bad for him.
Kuzan did try to kill him when they first met.
But from the start, they had been abused and used by the Runcandels.
They got shipped to Lunar Sacrifice before they could even walk.
They blindly heeded the orders of their mother, Taimyun Marius.
They became a hunting dog of the one who killed their mother, attempting to kill the force opposing their true enemy.
And Taimyun didn't even leave a small will for them, either. The only one she loved was Luna Runcandel.
What had they been working for all this time?
Beris was on death's doorstep, and Kuzan was being tracked down by his new master. Had Jin never arrived, all that would be left was being 'dealt with' by Joshua.
"I will try my best to transport her. However, if we encounter Joshua's goons, then we might have to give up on her. Do you understand?"
Kuzan nodded. It seemed like blood would spill out from his bloodshot eyes.
"Thank you."
After settling the case, Alisa took off her robe and wrapped Beris like an asylum patient. Some of her limbs broke in the process, but it was the best solution.
"I've been in this situation during my cadet days, where we had to aid the magicians. The lieutenant said that this increased the chance of survival."
Jin and Quikantel already knew this. Breaking some bones was infinitely better than the organs sloshing around the loose body.
Wrapped in robes, Beris looked like a corpse. Even if she came back to life, she would never be the same.
Jin's initial plan was to have Beris taken to Tikan. After a round of treatments, he'd compromise with the priests in Vankella, which would save her.
"We just need to get to the southern transfer gate. Hopefully your friend can hold on until then."
"But our documents currently have a bounty."
"I have Delki's royal badge. It would remain in the records, but Joshua can't lay a single finger on Tikan."
Due to the situation, they couldn't travel by horse. They had to carefully make their way to the transfer gate while carrying her.
"Even with quick steps, it'd take us three hours. Milord, there are too many eyes on the way."
Unfortunately, the transfer gate was in the largest street with many people.
And it was midday.
It wasn't a time to carry a blood-dripping, robe-wrapped corpse.
"We can get across any national defense, but the only problem is seeing Joshua's henchmen. This is pretty conspicuous."
But if the witnesses weren't actual knights, there would be no problem at all.
Yet, Beris would still bear the consequences.
As soon as they got to the main road, all eyes were on them. People would scream or faint, seeing the obvious corpse wrapped in the cloth.
They encountered the police, but they got through with the badge. In fact, they even offered some guards to escort them. However, Jin rejected them because he didn't want to make himself more of a spectacle.
"As I thought, this wouldn't be over so easily. Sir Kashimir, we've got company."