V9 - CHAPTER 2 : SETTING THE STAGE

Returning to the time when the expeditionary force continued its moving conference through the use of Nekt…

"We finally know there's a spy in our midst. If we can make good use of him and feed him false info, we can give Emilia and the others time to flee to safety. Don't you think so?"

"—"

Subaru spoke thus as he divulged a series of information while on the road toward the Mathers domain.

During the time the expeditionary force's thoughts were shared via magic, this opinion sent vigorous arguments flying back and forth. While nodding at their various thoughts, Subaru raised a hand and spoke.

"Hey, listen. Just like we talked about, wiping out the fingers is nonnegotiable for kicking the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins' butt. That said, even just taking out those fingers is easier said than done. We have to be smart about this."

"Purportedly, making use of your physical condition would allow us to draw out and fight the fingers one by one?"

"I can guarantee it. But either way, the fact that they have a spy means whatever we do will get passed on to the enemy. Even if we take out the spy first, they'll know something's up when he misses the regular time to call, so it amounts to the same thing. So I was thinking we flip this around on them and leak intel for him to send them—fake intel."

As he replied to Julius, Subaru recalled the sight of the village being raided at the end of his last go-around. At the time, every last enemy had launched a combined attack on the village from the forest. Given the numbers of raiders, he was sure he was right in thinking so, and also that Petelgeuse had possessed the finger hiding among the traveling merchants.

—In other words, the traveling merchant named Kety, the Witch Cultist embedded with them.

One way or another, he was in contact with the fingers. Likely, unlike the other Witch Cultists accompanying Petelgeuse, he'd been assigned the duty of gathering intelligence about the surrounding area.

"That's why we should turn this back on them. If we fool the spy, we fool the whole Witch Cult."

"So that is why you wish to send Rajan and his group to the traveling merchants and tell them the rendezvous will be delayed?"

Subaru's roundabout statement seemed to clear up Ricardo's doubts, bringing him to agree.

Just like last time around, a small detachment of the Iron Fangs would be sent to greet the traveling merchants cooperating with the evacuation. But this time, those select few would deliver a rendezvous time with Subaru's ruse attached. Before the Witch Cult's spy could rendezvous with the expeditionary force, they'd dispose of a mountain of concerns he wanted dealt with beforehand, making it a race against time.

Incidentally, Subaru had recommended the fox-man and his team, casualties from the last time around, for those select few, hoping to keep them far from the fight.

"So this is less of a proposal and more an update after the fact. You have such a naughty personality, Subawu."

"It's like we're talkin' 'bout the little lady… No peaceful death down that path, y'know?"

"Setting Ferris aside, what's with Ricardo's assessment of his employer…?"

Ricardo was the one working for her, but his appraisal of Anastasia was harsh. The boisterously laughing thought that followed right after made Subaru assume it was simple lighthearted banter.

At any rate, the operation to confuse the spy was already underway. And, accepting this—

"Then our counterespionage plan is settled. Incidentally, what is the source of this information…?"

"How about I say my…nose for the Witch Cult?"

"—That is a thin basis, but I shall take that as meaning you have one. That is my reply."

Julius responded to Subaru's usual vague explanation with his own difficult-to-decipher inner thought. The thoughts he passed through Nekt were opaque compared to those of the others, perhaps because it was his own magic.

But there was no room to doubt the truth of his willingness to cooperate. So it would do for the moment.

"That's fine, but what about the issue with the letter? Leaving it at just the blank page makes things difficult."

"Ehh, why? If it's completely blank, you can write whatever you want on it? Seems convenient to— Ouchie!"

"Sis, please be quiet."

The cat siblings were the next ones to wedge themselves into the telepathic conversation. Actually, behind the telepathic exchange, a torrent of lighthearted thoughts flowed out from Mimi, but everyone was taking that in stride.

For his part, TB was paying serious attention to the operation. Subaru drew his chin in during the kitty siblings' exchange, thinking over how to deal with the blank letter.

After all, thanks to that problem, Ram had launched a surprise attack on the expeditionary force, costing it precious time. The operation was in part a race against time, so a loss like that was to be avoided at all costs.

"What should we do, then?"

TB sent over an ashen, nervous thought, wanting to hear a plan to deal with it. Others beside him also turned their minds toward Subaru, waiting for his reply.

At the center of that attention, Subaru folded his arms and told them how they would deal with the blank letter.

And that method was—