Chapter 31: Not good, what should I do?

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Translator: Soafp

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At the same time.

On the surface, the tremors caused by the ground sinking had toppled nearby houses, causing immense damage.

Wearing a plague doctor mask and a jet-black coat to hide her identity, Fran gave orders to the Indiscriminate Healing Magicians, Nightingale.

“Everyone, stop playing at being No-Face!! Start hauling away the rubble!! Rescue every single person who's been buried alive!!”

“Hyahhaaaah!!!! Treat every injured person you find!!!”

Those who had previously been muttering things like “the wind is restless” all let out strange screams at once and sprang into action.

“Hyahaha!! Someone's buried over here!!”

“We'll save you right away!! Stay still!!”

“Disinfect the wound!!”

“These buildings look like they're about to collapse! Get away now!!”

“Don't panic, evacuate calmly!!”

Some dug through the collapsed rubble, some treated the injured who were pulled out, and others began guiding the civilians to safety.

The one left speechless by their actions was the commander of the Royal Knights.

“Vice-captain.”

“Ah, yes? Wh-what is it?”

“Despite the ground collapsing just moments ago, they began rescue and evacuation operations with hardly any confusion. They deserve praise. I'd even call them a model for knights to emulate.”

“I mean, taking cues from people screaming like lunatics might not be the best idea though…”

“And what about us, the Royal Knights?”

“…Most of our guys still have their legs shaking, unable to stand.”

The knight commander's hair stood on end as he flew into a rage.

Knights, who had a duty to protect the people, were being outdone by those who bore no such obligation.

It was a disgraceful situation.

“You spineless cowards!!!!”

“!?”

“How long do you plan on sitting there trembling!? Move!! Gather the knights stationed around the capital and begin rescue and evacuation at once!!”

“B-but acting without Princess Christina's orders—”

“This is an emergency!! Princess Christina would surely order us to prioritize saving lives!! Move unless you want a boot up your a*s!!”

“Y-yes!!”

The knight commander rarely did more than complain, hardly ever truly getting angry—so seeing him enraged made the knights straighten their backs instantly.

“But, uh, what exactly are we supposed to do…”

“No-Face… or should I say the Mysterious Heal Guy? Actually, whatever. Let's just go help them!!”

“Let's search for people who are buried!!”

“Right! Bring the beastfolk with sharp noses!! They can smell people trapped under the dirt!!”

“Have the student disciplinary committee kids from the Magic Academy help with evacuation!!”

Despite stumbling over themselves, the Royal Knights began cooperating with the Indiscriminate Healing Magicians Corps, Nightingale.

Seeing this, the knight commander spoke to Fran.

“Excuse me, are you No-Face-sama?”

“Huh? …Ah, y-yes. I mean, yes, that's right.”

“Thank you for beginning rescue and evacuation efforts before we even arrived.”

“That sort of line should be said after everything is over. And praise is unnecessary to begin with.”

Fran manipulated her voice with magic to sound as close as possible to her adorable younger brother's tone.

At that moment—

“Hmm? Over there…”

In the area still untouched by the Nightingale corps or the knights, at a collapsed house, several figures were gathered.

The knight commander frowned, and Fran made a displeased expression beneath her mask.

“Heheheh, look at this. Expensive furniture.”

“Whoever lived here must've been really rich.”

“Don't take bulky stuff. Go for jewels and precious metals.”

“We can live easy for a while off this!!”

“We gotta thank No-Face for causing all this chaos, gahaha!”

Trash exists everywhere.

They were digging through the collapsed house to steal valuables—classic disaster looters.

“To be committing robbery at a time like this!!”

“That's exactly why we're doing it. Knights are too busy rescuing people to bother with looters.”

“That may be true, but now that we've seen you we can't ignore it!! I'll cut you down myself!!”

The knight commander drew his sword and moved to confront the looters—when suddenly:

“Stealing from people during a disaster… Shame on you!!”

“Huh? Who the hell are you?”

A young girl stood before the looters.

The crossbow in her hand shone with a golden, divine light.

She spoke her name.

“I am Rhydiel Lidiel, Rank #2 second-year at the Belhart Empire Hero Academy, Hero Candidate!!”

It was Lidiel, the exchange student from the Hero Academy.

Hearing her name, the looters froze for a moment and said:

“…Who?”

“In a few years I'll become a hero greater than the First Hero herself!! Remember it, idiots!!”

“I-idiots!?”

Just as the looter flew into a rage and tried to attack her, a bolt struck the ground at his feet.

“Let me teach you something good.”

“Hah?”

“Money earned by doing bad things and money earned by honest hard work—playing with the latter is way more fun!!”

“W-what the hell are you talking about!?”

Lidiel moved to subdue the looters.

Watching her, Fran muttered quietly under her breath:

“…She's just a good kid. A girl like that… I wouldn't mind entrusting her with that child.”

“No-Face?”

“Ah— ahem. Forget that. …By the way, Commander, there is one thing bothering me.”

“Hm?”

“Where is Princess Christina?”

“If Her Highness is anywhere, she would be inside the tent we set up in the plaza… the tent… the…”

The knight commander turned around.

Where the plaza used to be, a massive hole yawned open—and the tent where the princess should have been was nowhere to be seen.

“…”

“Commander?”

“Suuh… haaa…”

The commander took a deep breath and said:

“NOT GOOD, what am I gonna do. This is beyond overtime.”

“C-Commander!?”

As he thought of his daughter's upcoming birthday tomorrow, the knight commander broke into a cold sweat.

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TL: I am going to take a break. I will be back around around at the start of January. Happy holidays.