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After the fight was concluded, Mira, Kagura, and Sero, waited for the follow-up platoon to reach the deepest room, and let them take care of everything while they left for the surface. They exited above Chimera Clauzen’s main base, at the tip of a rocky mountain.

They had to search that last room exhaustively to find the exit, which was extremely well hidden. But it existed, otherwise Chimera Clauzen would have been like bagged rats the moment the attack started, and knowing their usual behavior there had to be an escape.

「I see, you worked hard. Try to rest now.」

Kagura was still in contact with the other platoons, and once she received the final report, she ended communications.

「How was it? Did the other groups succeed?」
「Yeah. There are quite a lot of injured, but no casualties. It’s our complete victory!」

When the first reports came, Kagura had looked rather worried, but now she could not smile enough. Mira’s group had a rather localized fight, but considering all the other places they stormed, it was almost like a small war. It was almost a miracle that no one had died in an operation of such a scale.

That no one died did not apply to Chimera Clauzen’s side though. Kagura did not mention it to the rest, but it was easy to imagine there were plenty of casualties on their side. Though that much was needed if they wanted to achieve such a victory. Everyone in that world knew that truth about war.

The sun was about to rise. The starry sky had started to lighten up near the horizon, and willingly or subconsciously, Kagura gave a short recap of the reports she received while avoiding mentioning the enemy casualties.

The first unit, under Emera’s command, had safely overtaken the control systems, while also rescuing around a hundred spirits that had been trapped underneath that facility. They were in cages made of black mist stones, but Emera rather enthusiastically broke them out with her new Anti-Demon Silver sword.

The spirits were incredibly debilitated, but it was not life-threatening. They were now under the care of other spirits collaborating with the Fifty Bells, who shared their own power to nurse them back to health.

There had been spirits fighting alongside the Fifty Bells for this mission, the humans would stop any weapon from Chimera Clauzen that could harm them, while the spirits supported them from the backlines. Arrows would be easily deflected by the spirits’ wind, spells had no chance of standing up to the spirits’ magic, and when black mist stone weapons appeared, the humans would stop them.

That was another key factor in avoiding any casualties on the Fifty Bells’ side.

「Hmm, so quite a few were saved. Our efforts were not in vain.」
「Yeah, somehow I feel like I finally contributed substantially to this world.」

Their main objective had been to exterminate Chimera Clauzen, who posed a huge danger to spirits, and along the way they had managed to rescue many spirits who were on the verge of perishing. Those were really invigorating reports. Mira had a very soft smile, while Sero gently rubbed the embroidered scarlet bell on the neck of his coat, closing his eyes as if praying.

「Oh right, Sasori’s group also did really well.」

Next Kagura told them what Sasori and Hebi reported.

Their mission began exactly at midnight. Their role was to take down the Melville Trading Corporation entirely.

They broke into Melville’s warehouse together with the international trade minister and a squad of knights of the holy order. That was a lawful investigation, so they apprehended anyone who tried to resist the forceful intrusion in the middle of the night, and eventually they found stashes of black mist stone weapons stored there.

With proof in hand, they went to lay siege to the Melville Trading Corporation. Their owner, Elvis Melville, was still half asleep, struggling to understand what was happening as he was arrested, charged with collaborating with Chimera Clauzen, an enemy of the state and the world. His property and assets were seized as well.

All of Melville’s associates were summoned to court, while also being banned from leaving the country, and all of their establishments were blockaded, ready to be investigated the moment it was required.

They already had irrefutable proof, but Johann was also going to give his witness testimony later on, meaning the Melville Trading Corporation had no future. All of his property and assets would be absorbed by the country. In other words, the next official ruler, Eabates, would have a solid foundation.

「It feels good, doesn’t it?」

Melville’s fall was pretty much certain. Kagura relished that feeling seeing the future of everyone involved with Chimera Clauzen, before adding 「this is what you get」 in a low and cold voice.

「Though well, I’m sure this will cause quite the uproar in the country, at least for a while. Are they going to be alright?」

It would soon be public knowledge that the owner of the biggest firm in Roseline had been cooperating with criminals. Such news would certainly create a commotion in the city, and maybe it would start raising suspicion against other innocent citizens. Mira was worried about seeing that happen.

「My guild already has plans to send a few people to help with that, but overall we’ll just have to wait it out. And it would have been far worse if Chimera had finished burying its roots here. Growing pains, to put it somehow. Either way, worrying about that won’t do us any good, we’ve done our duties to help the people. Just think about it like a surgeon, it might hurt a bit at first, but with time it’ll get better than before, so just bear with it.」

Either because he had experienced that many times, or because he had been in such a situation himself, Sero said that with a bright smile, though there was a hint of sadness and resignation in his voice. They were no selfless heroes, they did not force others into what they saw as justice, they simply had strong beliefs and saw them through. It was just a lucky coincidence that it resulted in people getting better lives.

That was Sero’s philosophy, which took him many years to understand himself.

「I guess you have a point. Let’s just hope the future is bright for them.」
「Nicely said. Let’s just do our best.」

Mira and Kagura responded, smiling as they saw the first rays of light break through the gaps in the mountains. The morning sun seemed oblivious, shining in a different hue to give everyone a new day.

「…Ah, I forgot to dispel the hypnotism!」

Kagura’s voice suddenly rang completely different, as if the sun of a new day had also changed her emotions. Everyone they had left tied up when they entered the secret tunnel had been left in the same state since then.

「Ahh, I think I saw charms stuck on them.」

The secret tunnel leading to the main base was hidden in some state-run institution. That meant there was plenty of night security there, as well as people working night shifts.

Mira’s three man group would have been able to easily sneak past them, but there was another Fifty Bells platoon coming after them, who would struggle to get through unseen. So to make everything proceed swiftly, Kagura had placed everyone in the building under hypnotism when they entered.

That was a spell cast by Kagura, one of the Nine Wisemen. There was no one who could dispel it except for her. If she did nothing, the workers arriving in the morning would discover everyone in an unconscious state, which would lead to a big mess.

「I really have to go back. You two should regroup with a different platoon. They can tell you what to do next, so help as much as you want!」

She climbed on Piisuke’s back as she spoke, adding 「Ah, and thanks for your help!」 before flying towards Sentopolly.

「She seems so clumsy sometimes…」
「I know. I think it’s just the perfect amount for her though.」

Kagura had done a wonderful deed which would be passed down in history, saving the world from the dangers of Chimera Clauzen, but somehow she still seemed like a klutz in the end. 「Things are always like this when she gets involved,」 said Mira with a wry smile. 「I kinda like it this way though,」 replied Sero, laughing a bit.

「By the way, I just noticed.」

Once Kagura vanished beyond the horizon, Sero turned to Mira.

「Hm? What is it?」

Mira had a rather relaxed look, almost like she was recalling memories of old.

「You do realize that the way you spoke sounds like you’ve been friends with Kagura, one of the Nine Wisemen, for a long time, right?」