The first thing to do was to rescue the children.

But there was one strange thing. There was no one guarding or watching the children anywhere in the underground factory.

"Lord... but... isn't it too quiet here?"

Aman also asked in a low voice, as if there was something suspicious.

"I know. I'll use my detection magic... no, that's not it. What are you doing? Why aren't you using magic?"

"Ah, right."

Aman, who seemed to have just remembered at Lucas's words, winked one eye and spread his detection magic wide.

-Saaah

"Hmm... there's nothing dangerous. It seems they just left it empty with some alarm magic. Don't you think they just left because they're kids?"

"Do you think that makes sense? They must have taken some measures."

"Then why are the children still making illusion potions?"

"...Because it doesn't matter if they die."

A difficult answer came out of Lucas's mouth.

"That's right. It doesn't matter if those brats die, so they're making them do this dangerous work. Damn bastards!"

In fact, the children were the size of Nella or his own peers. That meant that they had taken children who were not even fifteen years old and made them handle dangerous poisons.

It was something that could not be done while wearing a human mask.

"Now, the first thing to do is to rescue them."

"Right."

-Bang!

The magic shot from Aman's hand instantly unlocked the door.

-Shhh... shhh...

But the children just let out rough breaths at a constant rate, without any reaction to the loud noise.

"Hoo..."

He was so angry at the sight of those children.

"It seems they're addicted to the illusion mushrooms."

The 'illusion mushroom', the main ingredient of the illusion potion, was fine for a short time, but it had the effect of making people dazed when exposed to it for a long time.

That's why the illusion potion was sometimes refined and used as a sedative.

"It would be best to put them all to sleep and take them out."

"Yes, Lord."

-Thump!

At the sleep magic cast by Aman, all the children collapsed weakly on the floor.

"It would be best to take them all to your lair for now. Humans won't be able to find them there."

"Ha, is my lair some kind of daycare?"

Aman pouted his lips at Lucas's words, who was telling him to go to his lair as if it were natural.

"The warehouse."

"Oh my~ let's go to my house~ our poor little children! Then I'll be right back!"

But at Lucas's one word, the pouting lips went in, and Aman, who had become as soft as a freshly made pudding, quickly disappeared with the children.

-Pfft.

Lucas, who saw that, also regained his laughter for a moment in the tragic scene.

"Haa..."

But as he looked at the empty factory again, a sigh came out automatically.

'Where in the world is the end of human greed...'

It was a part he couldn't understand even now that he was living as a real human.

The humans Lucas had observed did not know what satisfaction was.

Humans coveted other houses even while living in a mansion that others would envy, and furthermore, they coveted other countries even after becoming a king who ruled a country.

The war that broke out because of that brought a lot of blood and slaughter, and created countless women who had lost their husbands and children who had lost their fathers.

With a victory full of blood and pain, they left behind countless victims and put forward a single hero, calling it a true patriot.

-Flash!

Aman returned just as he was feeling pity for the humans.

"It's done. I've also activated the barrier just in case, so you don't have to worry."

"Right, you've worked hard. Where are you thinking of going next?"

"As it happens, these guys were moving, you know? So I watched where they were going, and they're heading towards the port. It seems they're planning to take a boat."

"...A boat? Are there only the three of them?"

"Yes. I don't feel any other presence nearby."

The sea was not far from Citata, but to get to a proper port, one had to go to the border with the Raskan Kingdom. That was a distance that would take at least five hours by carriage.

'Why? Are they trying to go to Divanos? But the person from Divanos is dead...'

As Lucas put on a serious expression for a moment, Aman asked.

"What should we do? Should we follow them?"

"Didn't you boast that you would handle this on your own?"

"O-of course! I just asked in case the Lord had an opinion. T-then let's go!"

"Where to?"

"We'll follow them!"

"...If it seems certain that they're heading to the port, it might be better to wait for them to take a boat. And aren't there only three of them? Do you know where the other Noru Trading Company people are?"

"..."

The Noru Trading Company was not only the largest in Citata, but also the only youth association. It was certain that not all of them were there, even if not all the members were.

"You didn't think that they were all there, having committed a crime of this scale, did you?"

"O-of course not!"

There was still a long way to go. So he had no choice but to help a little.

"Right, then let's try to find the others. As far as I know, there's a general store near the tavern we went to last time."

"Oh, they might have used a crystal ball there!"

"That's right."

Most commoners not only didn't have the money to buy a crystal ball, but they also couldn't use it. Mana was needed to use a crystal ball.

So it was common for general stores in villages to have a small mana stone with concentrated mana and allow people to use the crystal ball for a fee.

"Then we can just go and track the coordinates. As expected of the Lord!"

"...Let's go."

***

-Ting-a-ling!

They, who had entered the general store with a cheerful bell sound, headed straight to the owner.

"Yes, what are you looking for."

"I'd like to use the crystal ball."

"You know the crystal ball number, right?"

"Of course. I also know how to input it, so you just have to guide me."

"Yes, it's 1 shilling per minute. You pay 10 shillings in advance and go through that door over there. Don't worry, we'll give you back the remaining money when you leave. If you exceed the time..."

Aman, who had cut off the owner's words, placed a gold coin in his hand and quickly turned around.

"T-this is a large sum, I-I don't have change..."

"Yes. I'll come back for it next time. Then I'm busy, so I'll be going."

-Clack.

As he opened the door and entered, there was a simple table and a long bench in the small room.

Aman, who immediately placed his hand on the crystal ball and closed his eyes, and small numbers began to line up like threads in the crystal ball.

Not long after, Aman, who had opened his closed eyes, shook his head slightly.

"There's nothing for today."

"That can't be. Move aside."

That really couldn't be. Because Lucas had also left a mark on them.

'He said he left a mark... what a careless dragon.'

One of them had definitely stopped by here.

"Ha, you really don't trust me, when will you..."

As Lucas placed his hand on the crystal ball, the numbers began to line up again. How many times had he repeated that action? A few of the numbers that were lined up like threads began to float up large.

"No, I'm telling you there's really nothing... there is?"

Magic was like mathematics. When the arrangement of the floating numbers was strange, it was clear that someone had arbitrarily twisted the numbers.

"When the arrangement of the magic is strange, you just have to flip the numbers and match them again. Do you know what I mean?"

"...Yes."

"Let's go."

"Wow... this is what you call an ancient dragon..."

"Shut up."

***

They, who had left the general store, headed straight to the coordinates of the crystal ball number.

"Isn't this Vamaras?"

"It is."

The place they had arrived at was none other than Vamaras. Vamaras, a large island country between the central continent and the northern continent, had served as a hub of trade since ancient times.

The building style, which was a mixture of the northern continent and the central continent, one of the characteristics of Vamaras, came into their eyes.

"This seems to be the right place."

"It's certain."

The building in front of them had a sign that said 'Noru Trading'.

As they opened the door and entered, an employee at the front desk greeted them.

"Welcome. This is Noru Trading. How may I help you?"

"Hi? Where's your boss?"

"Pardon? Why the boss..."

"Why, you ask? Because I have something to say."

Aman was playing with the employee with a friendly tone.

-Bang! KABOOM!

But his wordplay came to an end with the magic shot from Lucas's hand.

"Ah! I was asking!"

"Stop wasting time."

The magic that Lucas had shot made a huge hole in the ceiling, and the second floor was clearly visible.

"Cough... cough!"

The man, who was slowly crawling towards the hole in the floor, was coughing like crazy in the hazy dust.

-Flash! Bang!

Lucas, who had teleported there in an instant, shot magic from his hand.

"Guk!"

The man, who was attacked without a chance, hit the wall and was vomiting blood.

"Found you."

"Khuk! Gak!"

There was not even a single emotion in Lucas's eyes as he slowly approached the man.

"Because of you..."

-Twang!

"Gaaah!"

The man's left arm, which was pierced by a sharp ice spear, made him unable to move.

-Twang!

Next was the right leg.

"Gaaah! S-save me..."

-Twang!

The right arm.

"Guuuh... p-please..."

-Twang!

And finally, the left leg. The man's appearance was like a cursed doll made of straw, with his limbs pierced by ice spears and stuck to the floor.

"It would be a little difficult to save you. But if you answer well..."

Lucas's eyes turned to the portrait hanging on the wall. There, the appearance of his family, standing affectionately with the man in front of him, was drawn.

"Saving your family... I'll think about it."

"Khuk... ugh... family, family... please..."

Nausea rose at the man's desperation. His young son and daughter in the portrait were young children who looked to be the same age as the children in the illusion potion factory.

"Disgusting. It's disgusting to even breathe in the same space as you."

"A-anything... I'll... khuk! say..."

Lucas's face was full of disgust as he approached the man.

"You should. For a bug like you... to cherish your wife and children. I don't know if I should call this a relief."

One corner of his mouth, which had curled up as if he was at a loss for words, was sharp.

"S-so... khuk! please..."

"Aman."

"P-pardon? Me?"

Aman, who had been watching the whole thing blankly, pointed to himself and asked back.

"Right. I'll leave it to you to decide whether to spare the wife and children of this bug-like man... so find out all the information."

"The Lord does all the fun stuff, and I just have to do the Q&A..."

Lucas glared at the teasing Aman.

"You mean~ I really like Q&A! Hahaha! This will be fun!"

"I'll be at the lair. Show me how you handle the work you said you would do."

"Yes, sir!"

-Flash!

As Lucas left, only the man and Aman were left there.

"Now, I should have some fun too. Is that okay?"

Fear settled in the man's eyes as Aman grinned.

(End of Chapter)