Published: July 4, 2025
"......Hey, are we really going to do this?"
The scout Oriana asked anxiously.
"......I'll confirm that no one is around before we proceed," answered the leader swordsman Hector, trying to reassure her.
"......Isn't there any other good way to handle this?" urged the spear warrior Aizeiya to reconsider.
"......We discussed it, but there were no other options, right?" Hector replied with a sense of disbelief.
"......So, we're the ones who are going to execute this, right?" confirmed the priest Tarlow, his face tense.
"......We have to confirm it ourselves," Hector nodded in agreement.
"......No way," the earth magic user Kenji said with a single word.
"......Just give it up," was all Hector could say in response.
"The setup is complete. If the timing is right tonight, we will carry it out."
At Hector's words, the other four grimaced.
It seemed they were about to do something quite unpleasant.
"Look, I don't want to do it either, but... can you think of any better way?"
"How about Hector goes alone and barges into the 'annex' to see if the duke and the demon's kin are meeting? That would be better, wouldn't it?"
"I would die!" Hector retorted vigorously to Oriana's terrible suggestion.
The other three wore expressions that said, "Well, we have no choice," which was a sad thing for Hector.
This was their comrade.
Poor Hector.
"It’s for times like these that His Majesty and Count Heinlein gave us this."
"I don't think so."
At Hector's declaration, the other four denied it in unison.
They were given something to use, it seemed.
"In any case, we have to find out as quickly as possible."
"I won't argue with that... But it's the government office, right? Are we really going to use that black powder...?"
"If everything goes as planned, no one will get hurt."
"Well, if we stick to the plan, anything will go smoothly. But... hey..."
Hector insisted, while Oriana countered.
And the other three nodded in agreement with Oriana’s words.
Thus, the operation that faced the most opposition from the party members in the history of the 'Morning Star' was to be executed...
"Only two of us are on patrol as usual."
"Well, it's not like there are any valuables here. Normally, no one would be foolish enough to attack the government office and make the huge duke's house their enemy... except for those five from somewhere."
"......Are you still saying that?"
Hector tried to dismiss the scout Oriana's grumbling with a faint shake of his head.
"The two we knocked out have been tied up and left in a distant place."
"There’s no one else in the building."
The priest Tarlow and the mage Kenji reported.
"Alright. Then, as planned, we'll handle this with two over here. We'll confirm on our end."
"I’d prefer that..."
When Hector said this, the mage Kenji grimaced and expressed his hopes.
"You can’t go without Kenji over there. No, Tarlow has to stay there too."
Hector cut off the priest Tarlow, who was about to say, "Then I'll go."
"There are only three telescopes, after all. I’m counting on you."
When Hector said this, Kenji and Tarlow looked downcast.
Hector and Oriana, who had moved from the government office, joined the spear warrior Aizeiya, who had been waiting.
"A few minutes ago, Duke Shrewsbury entered the annex. From that distant mansion, the kin entered an hour ago. If we haven't missed anything, the duke and the kin should all be inside that annex now."
At Aizeiya's report, Hector and Oriana nodded.
Then they looked at the clock.
"It’s almost time," Hector murmured, and Oriana positioned her telescope.
It was one minute later.
Boom! Bang!...
An astonishing explosion echoed through the air.
Yes, it was the sound of an "explosion."
The continuous explosion sounds were emanating from the government office.
Lights began to turn on in the duke's residence.
Furthermore, people opened windows to look outside.
Or they stepped out of doors to check on the government office.
The sounds continued, but nothing had changed about the government office itself.
It wasn't collapsing or breaking apart, nothing like that.