Patrol Begins

Just before sundown, Azu and the others set out from the tool shop with Master seeing them off.

Adventurers, mercenaries contracted by merchants, and private soldiers had divided the town into zones for their patrols.

Azu's group was assigned the area Master had taken responsibility for, so they checked the map.

A reasonable stretch of ground.

Given the hour, the only people they passed were a handful heading home from work.

"What could it even be, I wonder."

As she spoke, Alexia cast a light spell before it got too dark.

"Maybe a monster got into town?"

"Could be."

"Honestly, what is the lord of this town doing?"

A small carnivorous monster slipping inside the walls and preying on dogs and cats at night.

It wasn't impossible.

Every time they came across an alley, Azu peeked in while Alexia lit the way.

Nothing so far.

Though there were faint traces of blood in a few spots.

They checked several alleys as they walked their zone.

The sun dropped below the horizon entirely and darkness settled in.

Perhaps because the magic stones for the streetlamps were expensive, there were barely any.

Without Alexia's spell, just seeing where you were stepping would've been a struggle.

In the distance, they could see lantern flames and magical lights like Alexia's.

Other patrols, doing the same thing.

At the edge of their zone, they ran into someone from a neighboring patrol.

It was the veteran adventurer who'd helped Azu during the Water Sheep hunt.

Azu bowed her head. He told her to stay safe out there.

"No anomalies so far."

"Same here. My detection magic hasn't picked up anything besides the patrol people."

"Looks peaceful for now, at least."

In tandem with the patrols, the residents had agreed to stay indoors at night.

Doors were to be locked, and no one was to open up for anyone they didn't trust. The word had gone out again.

Precautionary measures.

This should have been the guard's job, but there was no sign of them patrolling.

As a result, Azu's group hadn't crossed paths with anyone besides fellow patrol members since nightfall.

They reached the plaza.

The stalls were covered with sheets, and every shop was shuttered.

In the center sat a pedestal. Something draped in cloth stood on top of it.

"That's the bronze statue, isn't it?"

"It is. At this size, it's probably already finished."

Alexia and Azu moved closer and shone the light on it.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

They were about halfway through their route.

Finish the other half and call it a night.

As Azu was thinking that, she noticed Elza staring at the statue.

Elza was a priestess of the Creator King faith, and the statue being erected here depicted the Sun God, or so they'd heard.

Maybe it stirred something in her.

"Elza-san, let's go."

"Mm, coming."

When Azu called out, Elza turned to face her.

The rest of the zone turned up nothing, and the night's patrol came to an end.

Not a single cat, though. Before, they would have spotted at least one on a walk this long.

The familiar town felt unsettling.

Back at the tool shop, a light was on in Master's room.

Azu knocked. A short wait.

"Come in."

She opened the door. Master was still working.

The backlog of ledgers must have been considerable.

"What is it? Sit down."

They sat on the carpet.

Once Azu finished her patrol report, Master offered a word of thanks for their effort.

Azu was about to excuse herself when Master spoke up.

"Oh, right. You might have seen it already, but the unveiling ceremony for that statue is tomorrow."

"It had a cloth over it. So it is finished."

"Infuriatingly, yes. My money went into that thing, so it galls me, but I plan to go watch. What about you three?"

Azu said she'd go. Alexia said she had no interest and would pass unless it was mandatory.

"I'll go too."

Elza answered.

"You don't have to force yourself."

"I'm not forcing anything. I just want to see it."

Elza smiled the way she always did.

What lay behind that smile was beyond Azu to read.

"Suit yourselves."

Even after they left, Master kept working.

Alexia and Elza went to their room.

"You're not going back, Azu?"

"I will in a bit."

Instead of heading to her room, Azu went to the kitchen.

The kitchen was automated with magic stones.

She boiled water and mixed honey and apple vinegar in a cup, then topped it off with the hot water.

Master had told them they were free to use anything in the kitchen.

Azu carried the cup back to Master's room.

She knocked again, waited for a reply, and entered.

"Oh, it's you, Azu. What's up?"

"Um, this."

Azu held the cup out to him.

Master paused his work and took it.

"I was just getting thirsty. Thanks."

"It's nothing, really."

"Oh, here."

Master held out an individually wrapped candy to Azu.

"Golden apple juice in this one. Don't tell the other two."

Golden apples. So delicious that people said eating one extended your life.

A super-premium ingredient only top-tier adventurers could obtain.

Azu had certainly never had one.

Golden apples that couldn't be delivered due to something happening along the way were juiced and processed into things like this.

Master unwrapped his candy and popped it in his mouth, so Azu followed suit.

The instant the candy touched her tongue, layers of sweetness and aroma flooded her mouth.

Without question the most delicious thing Azu had ever tasted.

The candy dissolved almost instantly.

"It was so good…"

"Glad to hear it. Someday, when you can get them yourself, you'll be able to eat a real golden apple."

"I'll do my best!"

The most enthusiastic reply he'd ever gotten.

Even Master looked a little startled.

"Get some sleep."

"Good night."

"Yeah. Night, Azu."