第22章：手がかりなし[Chapter 22: No Clue]
チームは泥棒を見つけようと心に決めていたが、その仕事は予想以上に困難なものだった。盗みは何カ月も続いていたが、ギルドの誰も手がかりを見つけることができなかった。泥棒が痕跡を残さずに活動を続けていたことは、印象的であると同時に苛立たしいことでもあった。
ライラはこのミッションに真剣に取り組み、謎を解く決意を固めた。彼女の隣にはエイドリアンがいた。二人は自然に指揮を執り、互いにアイデアを出し合い、戦略を練った。セラはいつものように、グループの中では静かな思想家だった。彼女はライラとエイドリアンの議論に注意深く耳を傾け、必要に応じてメモを取った。ライラとエイドリアンは何度も何度もプランを練り直し、あらゆる可能性を考慮した。
ドランは、自分の強みが戦略や泥棒捕りにはないことを知っていたので、別の役割を引き受けた。彼は町を回り、店主や行商人に話しかけ、有益な情報を集めようとした。彼は気さくで、人々の話を引き出す術を心得ていたが、その努力にもかかわらず、重要なことを聞き出すことはできなかった。
ドラカーは予想通り、無口でよそよそしかった。議論に積極的に参加することもなく、質問攻めにすることもなかった。それどころか、ほとんどの時間をギルドホールで静かに座って過ごし、何もしていないように見えた。フィズルも当然、食べ物を注文して一日中食べる以外は何もしなかった。「本気でそうやって食べ続けるつもりなの？"。ライラはある時、フィズルが大きな皿に盛られたフルーツを頬張っているのを見て、そう尋ねた。フィズルは顔を上げようともしなかった。「他に何をすればいいの？お化け泥棒を追いかけるの？いやだね。ライラはため息をついた。
---
ライラ、エイドリアン、セラ、ドランの4人は、町中を歩き回った後、もっと人目につかない危険な場所を探検することにした。ライラ、エイドリアン、セラ、ドランの3人は、もっと人目につかない危険な場所を探検することにした。しかし、努力にもかかわらず、何も見つからなかった。そこで、町の外まで捜索範囲を広げることにした。
郊外の森に手がかりがないか探した。頭上には木々が茂り、日差しを遮っている。地面は凸凹しており、落ち葉や絡み合った根で覆われていた。彼らは警戒を怠らず、泥棒の気配を探った。
しかし、ターゲットを見つけるどころか、野生の熊のペアに出くわした。その巨大な生き物は大きなうなり声を上げ、重い前足で下草を踏みつぶしながら近づいてきた。鋭い爪が光り、黒い目は敵意に満ちていた。
戦いはすぐに始まった。ライラが最初に反応し、剣を抜いて決意をもって前に出た。彼女は熊の一頭に斬りかかり、その一撃は熊の厚い皮に命中したが、熊はほとんどひるむことなく、巨大な前足で反撃した。ライラは間一髪のところで身をかわした。
エイドリアンは素早く動き、剣を一閃させながら2頭目の熊の脇腹を攻撃した。彼は素早いフットワークで熊の攻撃をかわし、熊の攻撃の間を縫って正確な斬撃で対抗した。熊は苛立ちをあらわに咆哮し、一撃を加えようとしたが、エイドリアンは常に一歩先を行っていた。
セラは後ろに下がり、杖を振り上げて魔法を使った。蔓が地面から伸び上がり、熊の脚の一本に巻き付いて固定した。彼女は一陣の風を起こし、熊のバランスを崩した。クマは唸りながら彼女の魔法に抵抗したが、セラは集中を切らさず、他のクマが攻撃するのに十分な時間、クマを拘束した。
一方、ドランはエンチャントされたハンマー、モルテンハートを握りしめ、もう一頭の熊と正面から対峙した。武器は炎のようなエネルギーで脈打ち、力強い弧を描いて振りかぶり、地面に叩きつけた。その衝撃は大地に衝撃波を与え、熊をよろめかせた。クマが体勢を立て直し突進してくると、ドランは再び強烈な一撃を加え、クマを後退させた。
戦いは数分間続いた。ライラの素早い一撃、エイドリアンの敏捷性、セラの魔法、そしてドランの圧倒的なパワーが相まって、ついに熊を倒すことに成功した。クマは倒れ、その重い体は森の床に静止した。チームは息も絶え絶えに立ち尽くし、戦いで痛んだ体を休めた。勝利したとはいえ、この遭遇は彼らの体力を消耗させ、疲労を増幅させた。しかし、彼らの任務はまだ終わってはいなかった。一息ついてから、町はずれの廃墟に移動した。泥棒が潜んでいそうな場所だったが、くまなく探したが、またしても手がかりなし。がっかりしながらギルドに戻った。日が暮れ始めているのに、何の収穫もなかったのだ。
---
ギルドホールに入ると、別の冒険者たちが受付で品物を提出していた。エイドリアンは、「どんどん状況が悪くなっていく」とつぶやいた。エイドリアンは、「状況は悪化の一途をたどっている」とつぶやいた。エイドリアンがつぶやいた。ドラカーの翼にとまっていたフィズルは、にやにや笑ってライラを見た。「ほらね、私は一日中ドラカーと一緒にいたから、品物を食べられなかったのよ。結局、僕は無実なんだ」。ライラはフィズルのからかいを無視した。何がいけなかったのか、深く考え込んでしまった。人に尋ねたり、いろいろな場所を探したり、野生動物と戦ったりして、手がかりを見つけようとした。しかし、謎の解明にはほど遠かった。
彼女は何を見落としていたのだろう？彼女が苛立ちに我を失いかけたとき、ドラカーが突然立ち上がった。彼の深く真剣な声が部屋を切り裂いた。「泥棒を見つけた 衝撃の波が一団に押し寄せた。ライラは目を見開いた。「何ですって？
エイドリアン、セラ、ドランも同じように唖然として彼に向き直った。フィズルでさえ、一瞬言葉を失ったように見えた。ギルドホール全体が静まり返り、皆が彼の言葉を理解した。ドラカーは一日中ほとんどその場を動かなかったのに、泥棒の正体を知っていると言い出したのだ。ライラは心臓がドキドキするのを感じた。
もしドラカーの言う通りなら、この追跡劇はついに終わりを迎えることになる。
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The team had set their minds on finding the thief, but the task was proving to be far more difficult than they had anticipated. The thefts had been going on for months, and yet, no one in the guild had been able to find a single clue. The fact that the thief had continued to operate without leaving a trace was both impressive and frustrating.
Lila had taken this mission very seriously, determined to solve the mystery. Alongside her was Adrian, equally passionate about the challenge. The two of them naturally took command, bouncing ideas off each other and coming up with strategies. Sera, as usual, was the quiet thinker of the group. She listened carefully to Lila and Adrian's discussions, making notes whenever necessary. Time and time again, Lila and Adrian would revisit and refine their plans, ensuring that every possible angle was considered.
Doran, knowing that his strengths didn't lie in strategy or thief-catching, took on a different role. He went around the town, speaking to shopkeepers and vendors, trying to gather any useful information. He was friendly and knew how to get people talking, but despite his efforts, he wasn't able to uncover anything significant.
Drakar, as expected, remained silent and distant. He didn't actively participate in the discussions, nor did he go around questioning people. Instead, he spent most of his time sitting quietly in the guild hall, seemingly doing nothing. Fizzle, naturally, did nothing as well—except order food and eat all day. "You're seriously going to keep eating like that?" Lila asked at one point, watching as Fizzle munched on a large plate of fruit. Fizzle didn't even bother to look up. "What else am I supposed to do? Chase after some ghost thief? No thanks." Lila sighed but decided not to waste energy arguing.
---
After exhausting their options within the town, Lila, Adrian, Sera, and Doran decided to explore the more hidden and dangerous areas. They ventured into the shadier parts of town, sneaking around and keeping a close watch for anything suspicious. But despite all their efforts, they found nothing. Undeterred, they decided to expand their search beyond the town.
The team made their way to the outskirts, searching the nearby forest for any potential clues. The trees loomed overhead, their thick branches blocking out much of the sunlight. The ground was uneven, covered in fallen leaves and tangled roots, making every step cautious. They remained on high alert, scanning for any sign of the thief.
However, instead of finding their target, they stumbled upon a pair of wild bears. The massive creatures growled loudly, their heavy paws crushing the undergrowth as they moved closer. Their sharp claws gleamed, and their dark eyes were filled with hostility.
The fight began immediately. Lila reacted first, drawing her sword and stepping forward with determination. She slashed at one of the bears, her strike landing on its thick hide, but the beast barely flinched before swiping back with its massive paw. Lila ducked just in time, feeling the wind from the powerful swing rush past her.
Adrian moved swiftly, his sword flashing as he struck at the second bear’s flank. He dodged its attacks with quick footwork, weaving between its swipes and countering with precise slashes. The bear roared in frustration, trying to land a hit, but Adrian was always a step ahead.
Sera stood back, raising her staff as she channeled her magic. Vines shot up from the ground, wrapping around one of the bears' legs and holding it in place. She summoned a gust of wind, pushing it off balance before launching a burst of sharp leaves that cut through its thick fur. The bear snarled, struggling against her magic, but Sera kept her focus, keeping it restrained long enough for the others to attack.
Meanwhile, Doran faced the other bear head-on, gripping his enchanted hammer, Moltenheart. The weapon pulsed with fiery energy as he swung it in a powerful arc, slamming it into the ground. The impact sent a shockwave through the earth, making the bear stumble. As it regained its footing and charged, Doran met it with another crushing blow, forcing it back with sheer strength.
The battle continued for several exhausting minutes. Through their combined efforts—Lila’s quick strikes, Adrian’s agility, Sera’s magic, and Doran’s overwhelming power—they finally managed to bring the bears down. The creatures collapsed, defeated, their heavy bodies still against the forest floor. The team stood catching their breath, their bodies aching from the fight. Though they had won, the encounter had drained them, adding to their exhaustion. And yet, their mission was still far from over. After catching their breath, they moved on to an abandoned building on the outskirts of town. It seemed like a possible hiding place for a thief, but after thoroughly searching the area, they came up empty-handed once again. Disappointment settled over the group as they made their way back to the guild. The sun was beginning to set, and they had nothing to show for their efforts.
---
As they entered the guild hall, another group of adventurers was at the reception desk, submitting their goods. However, it quickly became apparent that they, too, had missing items. "The situation keeps getting worse," Adrian muttered. Fizzle, still perched on Drakar's wing, smirked and looked at Lila. "See? I was with Drakar all day long, so I couldn't have eaten any goods. Guess I'm innocent after all." Lila ignored Fizzle's teasing, her mind too occupied with the problem at hand. She fell deep into thought, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. She had done everything she could think of—questioned people, searched various locations, even fought wild animals in hopes of finding some kind of clue. Yet, they were still nowhere closer to solving the mystery.
What was she missing? Just as she was about to lose herself in frustration, Drakar suddenly stood up. His deep, serious voice cut through the room. "I have found the thief." A wave of shock washed over the group. Lila's eyes widened. "What?"
Adrian, Sera, and Doran turned to face him, equally stunned. Even Fizzle, for once, seemed momentarily speechless. The entire guild hall fell silent as everyone processed his words. Drakar had barely moved from his spot all day, yet he was now claiming that he knew the identity of the thief. Lila could feel her heart pounding.
If Drakar was right, then this chase was finally coming to an end.
