I Transmigrated as my Bias's Messenger Bird - Chapter 42
Several days passed without finding any other clues after that conversation with Dito. It could be someone from the shrine… But why would someone from the shrine antagonize the elves?
Even going back to my memories of playing the game didn’t offer any explanation. After all, the game didn’t feature the elves.
More than that, the incident seemed to have become quite the hot topic. Sitting at the central square, it was easy to overhear chatter about it.
“Have you heard about it? They’re talking about the thief who stole His Majesty’s fishing rod…”
“They caught them? Sir Leon was conducting the investigation, so they must have caught the culprit, right?”
“Well, you see… There’s a rumor that the culprit is a ghost.”
“A ghost…?!”
“They say the ghost haunting the cursed helmet among the items in the warehouse hid the fishing rod…”
‘A ghost? That’s too far-fetched.’
Thankfully, it seemed the rumors about the royal guard’s murder hadn’t spread widely yet, but the gossip sure had gotten around.
A ghost is a ghost, and a killer is someone with clear intent—someone who was specifically targeting me and wanted to make it look like an elf murdered the guard. But why?
As I paced, still thinking about the unraveling threads, I heard a cheerful shout from somewhere.
“Keisha!”
“It’s Keisha! Hi, Keisha!”
When I turned around, Alfie and Lolo were waving from a distance.
As I approached them, Alfie exclaimed excitedly, “It’s a special invitation to the royal banquet!”
“They’ve specially invited all the students of the Royal Academy to welcome Mina!”
‘Ah, it’s that event season.’
After the entrance ceremony, the royal banquet would take place shortly. The purpose of the banquet was, as was well-known, to welcome Mina, the girl from another world. It was an event I had to attend as it would bring together all three main male characters except for Rai. However, I didn’t have the time to enjoy the banquet right now…
‘Besides, I was supposed to avoid those main characters.’
“Oh, I’m not sure…”
“Let’s go together, Keisha!”
“The High Priest will also attend! Come with us, Keisha!”
The High Priest, Theo Santitas. He was one of the four male leads, dignified and kind. Oh, that’s right. The first encounter with Theo was during this royal banquet event.
A long-forgotten memory of him came flooding back.
‘To help those in need, that’s my mission.’
‘This moment…I’ll remember it.’
‘A blessing for you and you alone.’
Long, dazzling silver hair and sapphire eyes. His whole body radiated divinity, and he always had a smile on his face.
The events that crossed paths with him were all sacred. Whether it was praying at the temple on a holiday or providing mercenary support as a healer in the punitive force. Even Theo’s final confession was sacred.
‘You are my eternal prayer.’
‘If that’s the case… maybe he could help me?’
Maybe I could inquire about someone who dresses like a temple priest and roams the village at night. Although Leon the Retriever had turned into a ruthless investigator, he wasn’t a High Priest, right?
“Alright, I’ll go.”
“So exciting!!”
“Great! Let’s go together!!”
“But when is it?”
Lolo exclaimed at my question.
“Tonight!!”
***
The Forest of Shadows was just a short distance away from the Magic Tower. At the edge of this dark forest where sunlight didn’t penetrate even in the middle of the day stood a colossal cave.
Ten or so mages nervously stretched their hands toward the cave, chanting spells. An unidentifiable blood-curdling scream echoed through the forest from the darkness of the cavern. The great magic circle drawn on the floor between the mages and the cave glowed in a whirlwind of light.
On a wagon parked nearby, Rai stared at the sky, looking rather bored and uninterested. Birds flitted through the dense trees, carving small paths in the sky. Then, the sound of eerie echoes resounded from within the cave once more, and Rai lowered his gaze with a languid gesture.
“4th level…No, 5th level,” he said.
With the current group, it would probably take about three hours to subdue it. Rai contemplated as he leisurely lounged on top of the wagon roof. In the distance, he saw a pigeon fly in and land right next to him.
Already used to this routine, Rai plucked the note from the pigeon’s foot and scanned it.
[There has been no suspicious movement from the targets for several days. Miss Keisha is currently touring the village to prepare for tonight’s royal banquet. Someone has been observing Miss Keisha outside the shop as she tries on dresses, but we have refrained from acting, just as you instructed. Trust us, my Lord!]
Rai’s eyes narrowed slightly as he read the last line.
“…Hmm.”
Reading the note again, Rai’s gaze shifted forward.
“Defense, raise the shields!”
“Argh, I’ve been poisoned!”
A 5th level venomous dragon emerged from the cave, breathing out a greenish mist as it swung its foreleg, causing five mages to crumble like autumn leaves. Behind them, the remaining five mages, gulp down potions to protect themselves from the poisonous fog and hurled fireballs at the creature.
“Support team, do something! Hurry and cast a detoxification spell!”
“Well, um… I don’t have enough mana!”
“What? Then drink a mana potion!”
“That… the potion has been contaminated by the poison.”
“What did you say?!”
Tsk-
Rai, momentarily crumpling the note again, stood up and stared straight ahead. Even while observing the mages engaged in subduing the creature, the contents of the note somehow flashed through his mind.
‘There is someone observing Miss Keisha outside the shop, but we have refrained from acting, just as you instructed. Trust us…’
Rai let out a small sigh and closed his eyes.
