Chapter 56 – Evidences

THE PRINCESS RETRIEVAL TEAM went back down to the sewers to avoid hundreds of soldiers in Sandersonia Arc, much to Riku’s dismay. She would rather get dirty while fighting the soldiers than get dirty and stinky for traversing the sewers.

Percethal, the knight that replaced Robin, decided to trust Robin, who used to be a well-respected Royal Knight and the protégé of Thoras, and Lancea and Drancei, whom he actually both looks up to.

He heard that the three of them has been friends with the princess. It made him think that there should be no reason for them to actually kidnap her.

“Keep those mouths of yours closed. These waters have no chocolate mixed with them,” said Fergal.

He realized that his mouth is wide-open in awe thinking about Robin, Lancea, and Drancei, and immediately pushed his chin up.

Robin told him everything that has been happening, including the apparent abduction of some people from Sandersonia Arc and Shiropolis led by Prince Rafflesia while Lancea and Drancei told him about the ambush done by Rourke back at Shiromori.

Percethal cleared his throat. “Look, this retrieval mission is a bad idea. The Zentolian Accords Auction is happening right now, as we speak. Signatories are present and the king will sure ask for their support for the invasion of Shiromori under the pretense that the princess was kidnapped by the Rogue Archers. So please, tell me you all have a plan.”

“They can go inside Shiromori all they want. The people of Shiropolis should be long gone by then,” said Robin.

“Cannoppia Arc should be just above us. Once we ascend, there will surely be a lot of soldiers. Get ready for anything,” said Lancea.

The team ascended from the sewers and tried to navigate the place as discreetly as possible, but they were immediately spotted after Jack caused a considerably loud sound, causing the soldiers to be alarmed.

“Everyone, go!” shouted Jack. “I’ll hold 'em off!!”

Jack used his power to create a wall of jackfruit trees that separated him from the team.

“Jack!!” Riku shouted.

“We’ve got to hurry. They might move Cattleya to another location,” said Robin.

Percethal led the team through the streets and alleyways while running away from soldiers behind them until they reached one of the mansions of Minister Edmund Onageria.

“Recently, there have been a lot of wagons from the Office of Public Service and Infrastructure coming in and out. They are usually escorted by some knights even,” Percethal revealed. “If you are right, then the princess could be inside that mansion.”

“Let’s turn that mansion upside down then,” said Robin.

Robin and Fergal equipped their bow and arrow. Lancea and Drancei equipped theirs as well. Riku used her magic to create a bow and rose arrows. Percethal unsheathed his sacred weapon, the Irithium, a glass-like bladed rapier.

Robin looked at him and at the fine rapier. “It suits you well, Percy.”

Percethal remembered that the Irithium once belonged to Robin. He smiled after being complimented by his predecessor.

“Thank you, Percy...for trusting us,” said Drancei.

Percethal nodded.

The team entered the mansion and shot every soldier waiting for them with arrows just enough to incapacitate them. Percethal followed by controlling the wind with Irithium and blasted a gust inside the mansion.

* * * * *

Jack used his power to create a translucent barrier that looked like a jackfruit's skin. He has been surrounded by soldiers trying to penetrate the barrier but to no avail.

Soon, the second prince, Prince Dionaea, arrived at the scene with navy personnel armed with muskets. One of the soldiers reported to him before he continued towards Jack.

“And who might you be?” he asked.

“I am Jack Thornwood, a member of the elite group Chasers of the United Alliance.”

“I heard that you came with the Rogue Archers. What makes you think I’ll believe you?”

“I work as an undercover. More importantly, I need to speak with the United Alliance in this kingdom. They can prove my identity. And if you want the Rogue Archers, they are going to a mansion of some minister. You can have them all you want.”

Jack raised his hands and canceled the barrier.

He was immediately handcuffed and was taken to the kingdom’s harbor discreetly where the ship of the United Alliance is anchored.

“Wait here,” said Dionaea. He proceed to ask for the presence of Captain Nat. As an act of goodwill, Captain Nat went down from the ship and talked to Prince Dionaea.

“Prince Dionaea, I was told this is an urgent matter so I…is that an elf?” he said as the noticed Jack.

“Says he’s Jack from a group called Chasers. He also said you could verify his statement.”

Prince Nat ordered a soldier to check with the Union Gates regarding a chaser named Jack. A few minutes later, the soldier came back and confirmed.

“Captain, it says that he is indeed a member of Chasers and is currently stationed in Maria Island.”

“Maria Island? Care to explain, elf?” said Prince Dionaea.

“Maria Island is the island of elves where our village is located. I am here to hand over this,” Jack showed a small orb. “This is an event-recording orb containing confidential information. I’m afraid I can only show this to the United Alliance officials.”

“Captain Nat?”

“I’ll take him from here, Prince Dionaea. I apologize for any inconvenience. Anyway, are you sure you do not want any assistance in dealing with the intruders? ”

“We have it under control, Captain. You and your men can just stay here.”

As the prince left, Captain Nat and Jack walked towards the United Alliance ship.

“We can now talk here in private,” said Nat as they entered his office.

“Thank you for having me. I was told that there is a U.A. Navy ship here, so I tried my luck to speak with you as soon as possible.”

“We are actually here for the evidence that you have. Division Commander Garou ordered us to visit nearby kingdoms from Arcanas Kingdom. I never thought you would really be here.”

“You didn’t tell the people of Emergent Kingdom about your visit, didn’t you?”

Nat told Jack about the secret mission ordered by Garou.

“And that’s why I had to do the ‘check with the Union Gates’ act. I can’t have the prince thinking I am expecting you.”

“That’s great to hear.”

“Anyway, am I authorized to see the content of that orb?”

“Of course!” Jack activated the orb, showing a recording of the events from the Arcanas Kingdom, especially the moment when Daisuke invoked his avatar powers and defeated a Diabolia alone.

“So you’ve been traveling with an avatar?”

“Yes. I am a member of the Chasers after all. We specialize in capturing powerful groups of hunters and avatars. With this recording, I can now prove that Daisuke is an avatar and receive the necessary support to catch him.”

Using a unique monitored telesponder, Nat placed the event recorder orb on a holder. Images and texts appeared in the monitor, showing that a recorded event is being transmitted to the Union Gates.

“This might take a while.”

“How long?”

“Hours? This machine will send everything recorded in this orb. And since we are quite far from the Union Gates, it might take longer.”

“Daisuke cannot control his power properly right now after receiving a mana bruise from his own power. Now is our chance to catch him. He is at Shiropolis and it is lightly defended.”

Nat looked at him sternly. “Jack, I’m not sure I could be of any help. We have no experience or even the capacity to subdue an avatar and the main U.A. forces is not trained in handling avatars. It’s better to wait for the reinforcements, Chasers for that matter, and orders from the higher up.”

“And I can assure you that Daisuke will be easy to catch. I can deal with him personally,” Jack insisted.

Nat careful thought about it, whether he should help or not. Catching an avatar could give him incredible recognition. On the other hand, he does not want to overstep his mission order.

* * * * *

While being locked up, Cattleya tried to struggle as much as she could to remove the rope on her wrists and ankles and the gag on her mouth but to no avail.

When Cattleya heard the door rattle, she went back to sitting still. Then, a guard came in with food and water and took off the gag in Cattleya’s mouth and the rope tied on her wrists and ankles.

Once freed, Cattleya tried to run, but the guard easily grabbed and overpowered her. “Please, princess. Don’t do anything stupid. We don’t what you to get hurt.”

The guard left the room and locked the door once again from outside.

The door of the room she was locked in had iron bars that let her see the storage room which was filled with weapons; swords, axes, shields, spears, maces, lances, muskets, cannons, cannonballs, and barrels of gunpowder, and three sacred weapons; Thoras’s Liontooth, Lancea’s Dragonspear, and Drancei’s Twinstar.

Other than weapons, there were also barrels labeled with "ink ores" which alarmed the princess.

“My gods...just how many ores have they already got?” Cattleya then remembered what Robin said. “The miners…they really are the missing and abducted people…”

The princess stood up and yelled at the soldier guarding her. “Hey! Let me outta here!!”

“Sorry, princess. Prince Rafflesia’s order is to keep you in there.”

Inside her room, she could clearly hear sounds of clanking metals coming from the outside. She could also hear sounds coming from whips, and people crying and screaming in pain.

She once again peered at the larger room. “Soldier, what’s going on outside?! Why are there people crying and screaming?!”

“Sorry, princess, Prince Rafflesia’s order is to not answer your questions about those filthy people from the slums who are being forced to mine for some ores.”

Another soldier came into the room with a whip.

“Ugh. Those people are tiring. Do you mind watching over? I’ll just take a quick break.”

“Sure. Keep an eye on the princess for me then. I'll go take a leak first.”

“Sure, sure. She ain’t going anywhere anyway.”

The soldier then proceeds to take a smoke inside the room.

“Um, soldier, you mind giving me one too?”

The soldier looked surprised. “You smoke too, princess?”

“O-Of course! What? You think a princess doesn't do stuff like smoking and drinking?”

The solder gave a stick of cigarette to the princess without hesitating.

“Make it two. I'm so stressed right now; I could use two sticks of those.”

* * * * *

The mansion of the Onagerias was in chaos. When the news reached Edmund and Rafflesia that the Rogue Archers were already inside the kingdom, they were both outraged.

Rafflesia led an infantry unit and surrounded the mansion of the minister.

“Where’s Rourke, Garanin, and Ronan?” he asked one soldier.

“The soldiers that came back said Sir Garanin and Sir Ronan were fighting the Rogue Archers outside, sir.”

“How about Rourke? and Percy?”

The soldier was unaware of the whereabouts of Rourke and Percy and was unable to answer.

“Go and find them!!”

“Those filthy archers! They'll pay for thrashing my mansion!!” said the raging minister, his nose flaring.

Inside the mansion, Robin’s team was looking for any clues on the whereabouts of the princess.

While the others were looking for clues, others were keeping the soldiers at bay by shooting arrows from the higher ground. Thanks to Riku, they had more than enough arrows made of a rose plant

“This place is huge! There's like twenty master bedrooms in this place!” complained Fergal.

“Then just help on keeping the soldiers outside!” Raghnall scolded.

Riku was also looking around the mansion when she stumbled into a room where she saw items that she has never seen before. The place was also filled with books. “Daisuke would be very envious,” she muttered.

“I don’t think she’s here,” said Robin as she arrived at the library where Riku was.

“Guys, we’re surrounded,” said Raghnall as he entered the library. "If the princess is not here, then she could be anywhere at this point."

“Fine. We’ll make our way to the office of the Onagerias then,” Robin decided.

“That would be careless, Robin. We’ve already alerted the kingdom. They will probably move her in a different location. How about we just make that prince tell us where the princess is?” suggested Riku.

“I like that idea, but there are too many soldiers outside. Mirana and Siegfried are not here.”

“Robin!!” Lancea shouted.

“In here!”

Lancea and Drancei arrived, both catching their breath.

“You might wanna see this,” said Drancei.

The five of them left the library and went down to the basement of the mansion. The basement was directly connected outside and several wagons can fit inside. There, they saw crates full of sootinites as well.

“So, they place the ores here,” Robin observed.

“Look at that floor near that wall,” Lancea pointed.

On the floor near the wall was a sign of track from wheels.

“Wagons must have been going through here, but it doesn’t make sense for them to go through a wall,” said Drancei.

Out of nowhere, Robin used her magic to destroy the wall in front of them, revealing a hidden passage.

“I guess that's one way to do it...” commented Raghnall.

Inside, the group noticed some kind of transport machinery.

“It seems that the office of tech and research have been busy here as well,” said Lancea.

“Looks like some kind of pulley system to transport materials,” said Drancei. “Could transport people as well, probably during ascension.”

Raghnall and Robin immediately called the other members of the team that were holding off the soldiers.

“So that’s why there’s an awful lot of official wagons coming and going here!” Percethal commented as soon as he saw the hidden passage. “Could the princess be down there?”

“Only one way to find out,” said Robin.