Without any regard for Doganbo and Golan being bored guarding Maria and the others, the shopping tour was on its second day.
During this time, several dark guilds were arrested or suppressed by the Knight Order and the intelligence units.
First thing this morning, the knights guided by the intelligence units raided the dark guild hideouts to go on a manhunt.
「Surrender obediently! Those who defy us will be pardoned.」
「Guwah! What’s this!? You bastards!」
The garrison soldiers of the Royal Capital surrounded the area to prevent anyone escaping the raiding knights. The small and medium-sized dark guilds did not have the strength to break through.
A similar scene was occurring here and there in the Royal Capital. King Valkyra and Simon had intended on doing a major clean up. Latest content publıshed on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⁂𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾⁂𝔫𝔢𝔱
They had also noticed the men who were bound up in string in the maze of alleys in the Royal Capital being the work of Takumi’s familiar, the Arachne Kaede.
Those men were dragged away by the soldiers, and after intense interrogations, were treated as criminal slaves because of the severity of their crimes.
If they had minor offenses, they were detained in jail for a few days and released afterwards, but the members of the dark guilds were people who didn’t just commit misdemeanors, they were all sentenced to forced labor at the mines and highway development as criminal slaves.
Plenty of knights and soldiers were running around the Royal Capital since morning.
Maria and the everyone else, who looked at those passing knights and soldiers with sidelong glances, were on the second day of their shopping spree.
「How about we go around the shops to the north of the capital?」
「It’s near the noble district. Why not?」
「Akane-sama, are those shops that sell expensive clothes nya?」
「Yeah. We bought clothes for the children yesterday, so today we’re going to get clothes for Poporo-san, Melty-san, and ourselves.」
When Maria talked about their plans today, Akane replied that they should buy clothes for the adults and themselves.
「Umm, secondhand clothing are more than enough for our clothes nya.」
「Yes. If we buy cloth, we could sew it ourselves.」
Hearing them talk, Poporo and Melty grew pale.
「You don’t have to worry about money. We got enough money from Takumi to go buy things from stores.」
「She’s right. Takumi told me this. That this was to thank you for always taking care of the children in the Sanctuary, and for doing your best working at fields and at the orchard.」
Hearing this, Poporo and Melty were moved to tears.
「Besides, today we’re going around to check around the lingerie stores and buy underwear for children.」
「Poporo-san, Melty-san, buy as much as you’d like. You’d have to make it yourself in the Sanctuary, no? Kaede-chan and I make it for everyone in our family, but underwear is a lot harder unlike clothes, right?」
In Valkyra Kingdom, the underwear Takumi designed became popular through the Countess Rockford, but now it had not only spread within the country but also to the Lomaria Kingdom and Samandour Kingdom.
In the Sanctuary, Poporo and Melty had no choice but to make their own using the cloths provided by Takumi. They jumped up in delight at being told that they are allowed to buy it.
In a place a slight distance away, Doganbo and Golan watched with pale faces. It couldn’t be helped that they were glum.
「……hey Golan-aniki, I wanna go home.」
「……we’re their escorts. If you think you can increase alcohol production when we get home, you can endure.」
The two aged Dwarves decided to endure this day with pathetic resolve. The struggle of a father being made to accompany others shopping on Sundays seemed to be a thing even in another world.
A short while after they started shopping , Marnie talked to Maria in a whisper.
「Perhaps twenty people? I don’t think they’re that big of a deal.」
「As expected of the Rabbitkin’s senses. Marnie-san please keep the children’s safety.」
「What’s up, more bad guys?」
「*sniff sniff*, they smell bad nya.」
It seemed Akane had also become aware of the enemy presences tailing them, and Lulu-chan noticed their scent.
「Yeah, it’s finally our turn. Let’s vent our anger out on them.」
Golan and Doganbo grabbed the hammers on their hips delightedly. They must have accumulated a lot of stress. So the members of dark guilds being used as a way to vent was a good problem.
「Poporo-san, please hold onto Miri and Lala’s hands. Wappa, hold hands with Sara. Colette, make sure you don’t let go of Shirona. You too Melty-san, take care of Melanie and Malorie.」
Marnie called out to Poporo and Melty to caution them, while Akane and Lulu-chan stood up to protect the children together.
「We could leave it to Kaede-chan, but Golan-san, Doganbo-san, and I are also here so there’s no need to worry.」
Maria spoke out to alleviate Poporo and Melty’s worries.
Poporo and Melty looked visibly nervous, but their tension was relieved at the sight of the two Dwarves raring to go, and Maria looking as she always does.
The group which had been walking altogether had quickly changed to a cautious formation, with Maria at the vanguard, then the children, Poporo, and Melty’s family in the middle, Marnie and Akane protecting them from either side, Lulu behind them.
And in the next moment, the dark guild members rushed in from the front and the rear to pincer them, attacking them in an alley.