LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 262.2
Chapter 262.2. Corruption
The next day arrived. With a few soldiers from the inner town, they visited Otomo Sorin’s mansion. True to his position as the ruler of Hakata, the mansion was set on a vast property, with a well-maintained garden and a Western-style house. It resembled the residence of a medieval European noble.
“Good afternoon, Mayor Otomo. I apologize for the sudden visit, but I have something I wish to discuss.”
“Please, don’t mind it, Taira-sama. The visit of the savior of the city is always welcome.”
Surprisingly, Otomo Sorin was present at the mansion. She had thought he would be out handling business, but it seemed he was leisurely at home during this busy time.
Regaining her composure, Konoha greeted Otomo Sorin. She had expected him to be surprised by their unannounced visit, but instead, the bald man greeted them with a smile.
It was an unsettling smile. Normally, one would at least show a hint of hesitation, but he remained unfazed, clearly at ease.
Wondering if things were going according to plan, Konoha briefly felt uneasy but trusted Rei. She decided to press Otomo Sorin about his corruption in a stern tone.
“I’ve heard that the supplies meant for the former abandoned town have not been delivered. There are witnesses, too.”
She glanced briefly at the children she had brought. They were bundled in coats, looking warm, but with a bit of investigation, it would quickly be clear they were from the former abandoned town.
Otomo Sorin, however, simply shrugged and returned a thin smile.
“Actually, I must apologize, Taira-sama. There was likely confusion during the process, and reports were made stating the distribution had been completed, but that was an error. I was about to go apologize.”
“…Apologize?”
Konoha glared at him cautiously, asking in return. This wasn’t what she expected. He should have been flustered by now, but Otomo Sorin remained calm.
“The report said the preparations were finished. Let me show you the warehouse. We have gathered enough supplies to last 3,000 people for a month.”
“Supplies?”
“Yes. Please, allow me to show you.”
Otomo Sorin gestured to the warehouse as he led the way. Was this true? Konoha turned to look at Rei, who, smiling slightly, reassured her that this was likely part of the plan.
“You see, I’ve been investigating corruption as well. I’ve also been looking into the new Adventurer’s Guild. And there was something that caught my attention.”
“What caught your attention?”
“The corruption within the Adventurer’s Guild. Heh, did that surprise you, Savior-sama? Even with someone holding the button for a nuclear missile, politicians can still negotiate. If there is clear evidence of corruption within the Adventurer’s Guild, as mayor, I must oversee it.”
Konoha realized what was happening. Otomo Sorin knew she was a powerful mage, yet he remained unperturbed and was attempting to manipulate them. He hadn’t misjudged their strength, but calculated that they couldn’t use it against him and was setting a trap.
“First, let me prove my innocence. Here, these are the supplies I’ve prepared.”
He continued to speak in a suggestive tone, his grin widening. When they arrived at a large, gymnasium-like warehouse behind the mansion, he instructed his subordinates to open the thick metal doors.
“Please, everything in the cardboard boxes is part of the supplies.”
When the door opened, Otomo Sorin exaggeratedly waved his hand and indicated the interior of the warehouse.
“Huh… there’s nothing here?”
The warehouse was empty. There were no cardboard boxes, only a vast, empty space.
Contrary to what she expected, Konoha tilted her head in confusion. She had expected to find large amounts of supplies, with Otomo Sorin preparing to laugh triumphantly.
“This… this can’t be! Where are my supplies? I definitely arranged for them to be here!”
Panicked, Otomo Sorin shouted at his subordinates. Konoha shot him a cold glare.
“So, there are no supplies here. Does this mean you’ve been engaging in corruption?”
“Here are the ledgers. I happened to get my hands on them. Double-entry bookkeeping, a convenient piece of evidence to expose your corruption.”
Rei stepped forward and tossed a bundle of books she had been holding. Otomo Sorin’s eyes widened in shock as he saw the books. He had no idea how Rei had gotten them, though they probably used magic to search the house.
“Impossible! But… the double-entry ledger from the Adventurer’s Guild! Show them!”
“Yes, here it is.”
Flushed with rage, Otomo Sorin shouted as his subordinate hurriedly took a thick notebook out of a bag. It seemed to be the double-entry ledger from the Adventurer’s Guild. Wait… double-entry bookkeeping? Wasn’t the special district tax-exempt?
Otomo Sorin snatched the book and triumphantly showed it to them, as if he had caught them in a trap.
“This is a problem, isn’t it? We’ll need to investigate further, but this is clearly evidence of corruption. We must send an inspector to the Adventurer’s Guild…”
His voice, which had been triumphant, began to falter. Otomo Sorin’s face went from red to pale, shrinking into a whisper.
“Wait a minute… this is blank?”
The notebook Otomo Sorin had shown them was completely blank. It was as if it had never been written in.
“Impossible! I checked it yesterday when it was handed to me. There were characters written in it, just like ink!”
Otomo Sorin flipped through the pages rapidly, but it remained blank no matter how many times he turned the pages.
He had probably schemed many things, but everything was thwarted. Konoha almost felt sorry for him, but he had made himself an enemy, so it couldn’t be helped.
“Well, we have the evidence of corruption, and now you will listen to my demands, won’t you? At the very least, I will have auditors sent from Tokyo to inspect the distribution of the supplies.”
With a smile full of compassion, Konoha said to Otomo Sorin, who was slumped in despair.
With this, the people of the former abandoned town would be saved. Konoha sighed in relief, feeling a sense of accomplishment.