Hell Mode: Volume 11, page 5
“What’s the matter, Allen?” Helmios asked, noticing a shift in Allen’s demeanor.
“I think something may have gone terribly wrong...” Allen replied.
He sent out three Fish Ds in search of his merchant friend, but Pelomas was nowhere to be found.
Chapter 3: The Disappearance of Pelomas the Merchant
Allen reported the situation to the ladies at the annex.
“Pelomas is gone?! What in the world?” Cecil asked.
“Yeah, I can’t find him anywhere,” Allen replied through Bird F. “Could you try scoping out the nearby area? Maybe you can find something.”
“Got it.”
Pelomas—Peloniki, rather, had ostensibly betrayed his home kingdom of Crevelle with Alec—Allen—to side with Ignomasu. The merchant had been allowed free rein over the palace and the city streets, allowing him to go practically anywhere he pleased. At a little past eight that morning, he and Allen had headed to the palace’s reference room to do some research, but the Summoner had left a bit past ten to teleport to the Rank S dungeon and hand Krena, Dogora, and the others some newly obtained accessories. Pelomas had thus been left to look into the crystal seeds that the palace had supposedly purchased on his own.
Before Allen left, Pelomas had said that he could not find much additional info, claiming that he would probably call it quits and go talk to the warehouse manager so that he could visit the warehouse where the crystal seeds were reportedly stored. Sure, Pelomas might have gone to meet that official, but after hearing what General Rudo and Princess Rapsonil had to say, as well as learning about Dverg’s past, Allen realized that there was a chance the merchant had been captured by Shinorom. He cracked open his grimoire to check his friend’s Status.
* * *
Name: Pelomas
Age: 16
Class: Magnate
Level: 60
HP: 1,662 + 600
MP: 1,421
Attack: 948
Endurance: 1,185
Agility: 1,362
Intelligence: 1,866 + 600
Luck: 2,193 + 600
Extra Skill: Libra
Skills: Magnate {5}, Calculate {5}, Analyze {5}, Negotiate {5}, Estimate {5}, Youth {1}, Sword Mastery {4}
Equipment
Ancient Wood Abacus: +2,000 Attack, +1,500 Intelligence (stored in Pelomas’s magic bag)
Arrow Shark Cloak: +4,800 Endurance
Ring 1: +5,000 Endurance
Ring 2: +5,000 Agility
Necklace: +3,000 Endurance
Earring 1: Decreases physical damage taken by 7%
Earring 2: Decreases magic damage taken by 7%
* * *
Allen and his party carried around magic bags made by dwarven magus smiths ranked lower than Captain Rarappa. They were storage items that hung around the wearer’s waist, and many items could fit inside. They were convenient tools.
In the Patlanta palace, visitors, barring knights and soldiers, were not allowed to carry weapons around. Pelomas had stored his shortsword in the magic bag, and he wore his Arrow Shark Cloak underneath his formal attire to give him boosted Endurance. He also used Grass C’s Potherb every day in case of poisoning. While his Magnate Talent was not meant for combat, he had maxed out his level and boasted higher stats than armed knights within the palace. Even if he were attacked, he was capable of taking down several soldiers at once and fleeing to get help from Luke or Faable. Since Captain Iwanam, who possessed the two-star Talent of Sword Lord, was also around, they could hole themselves up and buy some time until Allen arrived so that they could all escape together.
Judging from his Status, Pelomas isn’t dead. I’ll keep searching and wait for him until tonight... No, if he doesn’t return until then, it means things are really bad. Pelomas might die by tomorrow. Allen checked the time using a magic tool. Pelomas was under the effect of Fish A’s Mimic, but like all Abilities, it only lasted twenty-four hours. Once the effects wore off, Pelomas would revert to his human form, and he would drown within minutes. He’s got gear and pots, but even I don’t have a way to avoid instant death.
“Do you think Sir Pelomas is being held captive by Ignomasu?” Sophie asked. “Or perhaps he’s been captured by the rumored Shinorom.”
“Yeah, that’s likely,” Allen replied. “If he’s still alive but nowhere in the palace, it’s safe to assume that the Demon Lord Army got him.”
He could not think of any other scenario. The day of the sealed sea monster possibly awakening from its slumber was fast approaching, and no one could find where the crystal seeds that warded off monsters had gone after they were purchased by the palace. Furthermore, Shinorom, who was likely a member of the Demon Lord Army and the one who had convinced Beku to incite a revolt, was lurking about the palace.
While Allen was uncertain why the Demon Lord Army and Shinorom had chosen to abduct Pelomas, it seemed rather clear that he had been dragged into a precarious affair. I have to return to the palace and search for Pelomas. After Allen ended his meeting with Helmios, he immediately teleported back to the Patlanta palace and searched for anyone who might know where Pelomas had gone.
The Summoner found an official who had met with Pelomas around an hour earlier and had the merfolk guide him to the warehouse the merchant had reportedly visited. But Pelomas was nowhere to be found, and there was nothing indicating that he had been there. There were no signs of a struggle either.
“What now?” Cecil asked through Bird F. “If you want to let loose, we’ll join you.”
“That’ll be our last resort,” Allen replied. “We’ve got to find Pelomas by tomorrow.”
Allen swiftly left the warehouse and was visibly relieved to see that it was still bright outside. Prostia was deep underwater, on the ocean floor, and Allen was neither knowledgeable about nor interested in the water pressure in the empire, but he knew that sunlight did not reach them this far below. However, the crystal flowers throughout the city that emitted a bright glow like the sun would dim during nighttime as though it were sunset, closely mimicking the day and night cycles of the land above.
Patlanta in particular had been built atop the massive crystal flower the sea monster was sealed within. It was over a thousand meters tall and three hundred meters wide, and during the day, it was brighter than anywhere else on the ocean floor. The flower’s style would shine brighter than ever during the Songstress Contest, which was set to begin at nine the following morning. I feel like the style’s fully matured. The crystal flower would expel its seeds, which also glimmered beautifully, the next day. Allen wondered just how many seeds would decorate the waters. Just then, he heard Princess Carmine’s voice.
“Sir Allen, we shall follow your decision to save your friend,” she said. “Is that all right with you, Princess Rapsonil?”
“Of course,” Princess Rapsonil answered. “No matter what you do, Sir Allen, I trust that you won’t harm my empire’s precious citizens.”
“Thank you,” Allen replied. “You might need to clean up the aftermath, but I’ll do my best not to cause any trouble.”
“Please don’t betray my trust.”
Allen then told his friends what he was about to do and the possible result of his plan before heading for Ignomasu within the palace. He asked the officer in charge to allow him an audience with the emperor and was told that he could meet with Ignomasu in the evening. In the meantime, he sat in the waiting room and used every free slot he had to Create Fish Ds and have them search for Pelomas. He even used Bird F’s Awakened Ability, Transmission, to help him find his friend, but to no avail. Time ticked by until he was finally allowed to speak with the emperor.
In the throne room, Ignomasu was already waiting for his guest. Allen bowed to him to feign courtesy.
“What’s wrong, Alec?” Ignomasu arrogantly asked. “You said that you needed to meet with me immediately. Did you make the money I asked of you?”
Yeah, he really doesn’t seem like an emperor. He’s more like a former commoner.
“I-I’m terribly sorry, Your Majesty,” Allen replied, kneeling on the spot. He made himself appear as awkward and uneasy as possible while looking up at the emperor. “There is something I must report to you.”
The Summoner had raised his Intelligence as high as he could and manipulated his Fish D that hid on the ceiling, carefully analyzing Ignomasu’s and Chancellor Ajiray’s every movement. Ignomasu remained on his throne with Chancellor Ajiray beside him, but both were clearly irked. The Songstress Contest was being held the next day, so they were very busy.
“And?” Ignomasu urged.
“A friend of mine above water has notified me that Beast Crown Prince Beku of Albahal has returned,” Allen reported. He had made sure to use the title “crown prince,” assuming that Beku and Ignomasu were connected somehow.
“What?! Is that true?!” Ignomasu cried as he leaned forward with great interest.
“I’ll contact the Crevelle Kingdom immediately,” Chancellor Ajiray said. “We must confirm this for ourselves.”
He called for a nearby official and ordered them to use a magic tool to ask Crevelle directly if what Allen had said was true. Hmm, so I guess they won’t just blindly believe me. That means Beku must be somewhere in Prostia. Needless to say, Allen was lying. Beku was nowhere in Albahal, but he intended to sprinkle in a few lies to check Ignomasu’s and Chancellor Ajiray’s reactions. This was all according to plan.
Before coming to Prostia, Allen had not understood why Beku would have fled to the underwater empire. But now that he had spent some time in Patlanta and learned that Ignomasu, who had incited a rebellion to usurp the throne, would soon invade the land above, the Summoner quickly guessed that this had been Beku’s destination because he was going to assist with the invasion scheme. Put another way, Beku’s actions had the potential to throw a wrench in Ignomasu’s plans.
The emperor was most shocked that Beku had acted of his own accord without once giving any notice. Allen guessed that he feared that word of Prostia’s internal affairs might spread to the world on land. Were that to happen, the invasion would be halted before it could even begin. Allen carefully observed the emperor and the chancellor until a short while later, when the official returned to the throne room.
“Your Majesty! We received a response from Crevelle!” they shouted. “They have confirmed Beku’s return to Albahal! He has turned himself in, and the Country of Beastkin is currently deciding how he should be punished.”
“But...how?” Chancellor Ajiray muttered.
Allen grinned internally, happy that his plan was going so smoothly. The official who had spoken with the Crevelle Kingdom through the magic tool had actually been duped. In truth, they had been communicating with a Bird G. Allen had used Voice Mimic to trick them.
How to Activate Bird G’s Ability, Voice Mimic
User must have heard the voice they wish to mimic
User must know the name of the person whose voice they wish to mimic
“Shinorom!” Ignomasu cried. “Where is he?! Wasn’t he guarding Beku?!”
“I apologize. It seems no one has seen him recently,” Ajiray replied. “I’ll summon him and have him explain! Knights, bring Father Shinorom here immediately!”
Though Allen remained quiet, he was starting to panic. He had used his Summons to search every nook and cranny of the palace, but he had not found Shinorom anywhere. I knew it. Shinorom planned this entire thing. But how in the world did he get into the palace? Was Allen going to have to clash with the demon while they were still inside? Worst case, he would have to use his Bird A’s Awakened Ability to leave, and he braced himself when the knights returned.
“The priest is nowhere to be found...” a knight reported.
“What?! Where in the world is he?!” Ajiray demanded.
“Hmm... So Shinorom is gone, is he?” Ignomasu gazed accusingly at his chancellor. He refused to give more thought to the issue.
“This matter is not to leave this room. We will keep it a secret from even the nobles,” Ajiray said. “Alec, have I made myself clear?! If you speak of this matter to anyone, you’ll pay with your life!”
“Of course, Your Excellency!” Allen replied. “And my friend Peloniki has been gone since this morning as well. Would you know anything about him?”
“Peloniki? How in the world should I know? Now isn’t the time for such trivial matters!”
While the chancellor scolded him, Allen bowed as low as he could and organized his thoughts. He had raised his Intelligence considerably and carefully analyzed both Ignomasu and Ajiray, so he was almost certain that neither one knew of Pelomas’s whereabouts. It was also clear that Beku was linked to Ignomasu, and Shinorom was behind this plot. It had become increasingly more likely that the demon was the mastermind behind the revolts in Prostia and Albahal. Shinorom was the one secretly pulling the strings. And if he was the one who researched curses, magic, and weapons for the Demon Lord Army, the riots in the two nations were just parts of a larger plan the Demon Lord Army had put into motion, much like the entire Daemonism debacle. I don’t have all the pieces of the puzzle yet, but I have to think about what’ll happen in the near future.
“Alec, you had best understand your position,” Ignomasu warned in a quiet, oddly calm voice. “If you stay with us, you’ll be treated well. You seem the smart type, so I do hope you’ll continue to be on our side.”
“Thank you,” Allen replied.
I guess acting grateful won’t hurt. The Summoner bowed his head, and Ajiray regained his cool as well.
“We must make tomorrow’s Songstress Contest a success,” the chancellor said. “We’ll handle the Beast Crown Prince Beku and Shinorom matters later.”
“Indeed,” Ignomasu replied as he stood from his throne and outstretched his arms. Then, he raised his voice. “And tomorrow, Rapsonil will become my wife! It’s the day that I’ll become the true emperor of Prostia!”
He really doesn’t like to think, huh? If these two men could not track Shinorom down, it only made sense that they could not find Pelomas either. Deciding it would be a waste of time to ponder much longer, Allen quickly left the throne room. He exited the palace and ordered his Spirit-type Summons to convey his message to all the soldiers stationed in the Rank S dungeon, Ratash Kingdom, and the Academy: They were to return to Hardcore User Island and rush to prepare for a fight against the Demon Lord Army.
Since he was the commander in chief of the Allen Army, Allen’s orders would definitely be followed. He also contacted Helmios and requested the Hero Army’s assistance. I don’t know what’ll happen, but it’s probably best to act while I can. Think a couple steps ahead. When he returned to the villa Princess Carmine was staying in, he told Luke, Volmaar, and Iwanam the situation.
“Then the Demon Lord Army’s here, huh?” Luke asked nervously. “Will we fight?”
Allen had warned his friends that they had to be prepared for death in the midst of battle. Of course, he would never abandon them, and he knew that they would never abandon him either. They all protected one another. However, if people wanted to fight with Allen, they would ultimately have to face the Demon Lord, the being who had been born a century ago and who was using every method at his disposal to eradicate humanity from the face of the world.
Furthermore, they would be up against Strategist Kyubel, the Primeval Demonic Deity. Merus, the former First Angel and assistant to God of Creation Elmea, had lived for over a hundred thousand years, but Kyubel boasted a lifespan exponentially longer than that. Under those two entities, numerous Demonic Deities and countless monsters had banded together to form a colossal army whose goal was to eradicate humanity. Even Merus was not sure just how many forces the Demon Lord had at his disposal, and no one’s safety would be ensured during such a grisly and harrowing battle.
“We probably will,” Allen answered. “Luke, think carefully about whether you’d like to join this fight.”
Despite his words, the Summoner always welcomed new allies. Elmea had reincarnated him into this world specifically to bring down the Demon Lord—a job that he agreed needed to be done, so he had no complaints. Still, if the enemy had amassed a sizable army as his pawns to destroy the world, then Allen, too, required friends and allies to fight back. While he was waiting for Luke’s response, Faable, the protector of the dark elves and the Sovereign of Spirits, quietly stared at him from within Luke’s arms.
Silence settled upon the room as Faable turned to gaze up at Luke, her dark eyes filled with worry. Luke looked down and locked eyes with the Sovereign of Spirits for a while, gently stroking her head. Then, he finally looked up at Allen, the same determined expression on his face that had been on Faable’s.
“I know,” Luke said quietly. “I’ll join, of course.”
Allen nodded before turning to face a window. The sky outside was slowly growing darker, implying that the crystal flower was losing its glow. The day was coming to a close.
＊ ＊ ＊
Allen deployed Fish Ds and had them scour the imperial capital. Even after spending the whole night searching, however, they did not find any sign of Pelomas. When morning came and the crystal flower glowed brightly once more, Allen’s panic grew. He checked the time, and it was already past seven. In less than two hours’ time, at nine, the Songstress Contest would start. An hour later, shortly after ten, the Mimic on Pelomas would wear off, and he would die.
“Should I try to get the contest canceled?” Allen wondered as his mind raced.
The Songstress Contest was a sacred and important ritual, but Allen cared more about his party member than the customs of a foreign nation. He had no apprehensions about forcing the cancellation of the event if needed. But is that the right move? Even if he did that, it would not guarantee that Pelomas would be found. Still, the Summoner had to do something for his friend. His mind went a mile a minute in search of a different solution, but nothing else came to mind. Not even the Intelligence-boosting rings he wore helped him; he just kept coming up with more details for his plan to get the Songstress Contest called off. He wandered around the living room of the villa, muttering to himself, when he realized that Luke was quietly watching him.
