We made contact with Elinalise and Cliff inside the castle.
Carrying a sack full of tea leaves on their back, and each with a sapling in their hands.
Ocher colored leaves, reminds me of shriveled aloe.
"Because they're weak against sunlight, they must be grown underground. I also got a notebook of instructions, but I can't read them."
"I can have Roxy take a look at it after, let's hurry."
"What happened?"
I explain to them the situation.
Elinalise has a [I knew this would happen] look on her face.
"I heard something like this before. Like Kishirika gives demon eye, Badigadi gives wisdom, and Atoferatofe gives strength."
"If you knew, you should have told us!"
"I don't understand Demon God language, maybe you should have translated better."
Ah, true, I was at fault too.
But I am not a translator.
I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
"No time to fight. Hurry and run. Then, that underground tunnel? Should we go?"
I come back to my senses after hearing Zanoba.
Right, right now Atofe may have already healed the face Zanoba smashed open, and is on the way to kill us.
"No, better avoid going underground."
A voice from behind my legs.
When I look back, Kishirika has been staring at me.
When we last met, we were roughly the same height, but now I can't help but stare down at her.
"This one didn't say anything earlier, because this one was mad of your betrayal, but Badi destroyed that tunnel during the Laplace Campaign. It hasn't been fixed yet."
"Really?"
"Really. That guy is a liar. Moore lies to help Atofe. He's basically her right hand. He might have said that, but he's probably planning something once you start to fight Atofe."
Even if Kishirika is lying, that sounds plausible.
Moore wants to deceive us and capture us underground.
That bastard...
... But he was kind enough to not attack us immediately.
And he kindly prepared cultivation notes for the herbs for us too.
Betraying that kindness, pissing off Atofe, that's all my fault.
I should just hand over Kishirika and cleanly refuse the reward.
Maybe they would let me go.
Although Moore might grumble about Atofe, he's definitely not on our side.
"But if that's the case, then why not catch us right then."
"That's Atofe you're talking about. She definitely wants to catch us herself."
I see.
It's just a game.
As a confidant of the Demon King, this is part of the job.
Do the other soldiers know?
Maybe some did, and some didn't.
"I understand. Then, we escape from above?"
"Yes. There shouldn't be any inspections right now."
Inspections at the entry points.
Indeed, with the private guards all inside the castle, there shouldn't be any inspections.
"Perhaps things changed when Kishirika-sama was in hiding. Maybe they have already fixed the tunnels?"
"If that's what you think, then either way is fine right?"
True.
Is the enemy above or below ground?
Um.
"Elinalise-san, which would you pick?"
"I definitely won't pick the path that might be blocked."
"Zanoba?"
"Narrow areas are easier to fight in."
"Cliff?"
"I, I pick above ground. I hate dark places."
It's decided.
Democratic rules.
"Then let's escape above ground. Elinalise take the front. Please lead us straight to the magic teleportation circle. Cliff and Zanoba in the middle, and I'll take rearguard. Zanoba and I will handle our baggage."
I take what Elinalise was carrying.
Better to let us hold it than them.
I can use magic, so I don't need much mobility. Zanoba won't mind a little weight.
Cliff isn't very strong, so better off if he doesn't carry anything.
"What about this one?"
"Your majesty, you can sit with Zanoba's luggage."
"Understood."
As instructed, Kishirika climbed up Zanoba like a small animal.
I was kidding...
AAh, oh well. That's probably the safest.
"Alright, let's go!"
We run out the castle.
From within, the sound of [Moooreeee! Chase themmm!] can be heard loudly.
Terrifying.