Chapter 338 – On to the Castle

「Yeah! What’s wrong with that?! I don’t want to pay! But our only B Rank adventurer here tried to avoid paying, and the next day, he was dead!」

「Killed, huh? That’s not nice.」

「Well, it seems that we need to pay these murderers a visit.」

「I think we know why this agent of the crown does nothing.」

Luka, Yureena, and Vi-Vi all said.

If you let these murderers go, then the whole area descends into anarchy.

「Of course, it’s made to look like an accident. The adventurers are attacked during their quests. There’s never any proof of criminality.」

「Do you really think you can beat the Demon Lord?」

After I spoke, the guild master asked us, and we all nodded.

「I see. Because whenever they come to collect and are denied, they always say they hope nothing bad befalls the one not paying.」

And the next day, some unknown beast attacks the adventurer that refuses to pay.

Then the guild master said,

「...all I have are these F Rank weaklings. I can’t let them be killed.」

I knew why he was so intent on protecting these new adventurers of his.

I didn’t want him or the others to be attacked either.

I probably would have payed the high taxes if I was in his position too.

「I understand. But we can’t just let this so-called Demon Lord get away with it.」

「Let’s go then.」

「Hey, wait! Didn’t you hear what I said?」

「We did.」

「Well, then...」

Yureena then stood before the man and presented her card.

「Listen, it’s not just Luka, I’m here too.」

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「...the priestess Yureena Linmia...」

「And that’s Alfred.」

「You mean... the great magician...」

He finally seemed quite relieved.

「I heard that you were heavily injured to the knee, Viscount Lint?」

「...yeah, well, that’s true, but I’ve fought through it I guess you could say.」

「Is that so?」

He looked us over again.

「And the hero?」

「She’s in the capital.」

「...I see.」

He seemed a bit disappointed.

「We’re fine without her. At least with this fake Demon Lord.」

「If we don’t come back or something happens, just call a girl called Timisoara at Tom’s house.」

「Tom’s house?」

So I showed the master where Tom’s boarding house was.

「She’s very strong as well. If you run to where she is, I can guarantee your safety.」

「I see.」

He looked a bit hesitant, but still nodded.

「We’ll tell you what happened when it’s over.」

And so we left the guild office, straight to the castle.

Vi-Vi was riding Moofy when she said,

「This is some really bad business.」

「You’re right.」

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「ryaa ryaa!」

Even Shiggy seemed upset.

Seeing all this go on, Leah quietly said,

「Um, about my brother!」

「What is it?」

「If he’s the bad guy...just finish him off, okay?」

Kill him without worrying, is what she meant.

I can see why, after seeing what happened to Elkay.

I guess that’s why she felt the need to say so.

「Hey, if we see we have to, then we’d do so even if you told us to stop.」

If there was no other way, then we’d have to destroy him.

With all our power.

But if it wasn’t necessary, we still might be able to save him, but that’s all I’ll say for now.

「We might figure out a way.」

「This so-called Demon Lord might be on the same level as the real one though.」

He did cast psychological magic on Leah, after all.

That made whoever it was seem quite strong.

「You don’t need to call Timi?」

「I think we’ll be okay.」

If we needed her, I could call out and magically expand my voice.

「Moo moo!」

「We’ll be fine with Al.」Vi-Vi said.

「I guess so.」

And with that, we had arrived at the Demon Lord’s castle.

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Two henchmen stood by the gate of the castle. Their faces were covered in black cloth, with pitch-black clothing.

「You ready?」

「The Demon Lord’s castle...kind of nostalgic being here again.」

I ignored the guards and headed right in.

The two henchmen grabbed onto my shoulder without a word.

「Moo mOO」

Twomp!

Moofy headbutted one of them.

The fellow on my right all in black was blasted away by Moofy.

「Moo?」

After that, Moofy looked confused.

「What is it, Moofy?」

「Moo MOOO」

Thump!

And now the guy on the left was knocked far away.

「Moo?」

Again, she looked confused.

『Zombie.』

「Huh?」

『Was zombie.』

I guess the two guards were zombies, and Moofy had noticed.

「Really?」

And saying that, Luka ran over and peeled back the black covering from the fallen guard.

We could smell the faint odor of rotten flesh.

「What the...」

「It really was a zombie.」

Yureena said with a grimace.