Well then, since the Leader became a star as well, I can’t ask him about the location of the safe.

However, besides that, even if I have a talk with him, it would probably be useless and there is something I understood after arguing back and forth with him.

That is…

「He was looking here the whole time.」

About the center of the rubble.

Each time I said「Safe」 , his gaze traveled there.

When I brought it up, he started speaking forcefully and louder to cover my words.

He tried to divert my attention by calling me evil and ridiculing me to avoid telling me about the safe.

「I found it.」

One can truly say more with a look than with ten thousand words.

Although intelligence gathering is important, reading your opponent’s expression, gaze, trembling fingers, and so on is important too.

So…

「Is it here?」

I break the rubble into pieces with【Cat’s Claw】 as I go.

Glancing at the wooden floor, it doesn’t seem that different from the rest.

Bang Bang.

I try to tap it, and it sounds different from the rest of the floor. The sound echoes like it’s hollow below.

There’s a space down there. I’m certain of it.

Looking at it closer, the floorboards seem to be a square that can be lifted, kind of like a cabinet in the kitchen.

I put my claw in the crevice and lift it with a huff. The floorboards easily become loose.

It revealed a gaping darkness.

So it’s here. If this was a game, I’d investigate each square on the grid, and when I finally reached it, a sign saying 「It seems like there is something here」would pop up.

Nodding my head, I’d bring out a ladder and climb down.

Since I got【Rabbit Boots】, I can just jump down, but since I don’t know what the ground looks like, I’m being at least a little careful.

The distance with a ladder seems like 1m, so I arrive quickly.

「It’s pitch black.」

Although I look around, all I can see is a darkness spreading out.

If I was a normal person, I wouldn’t be able to see anything.

「There’s plenty of food.」

I can see food lined up on shelves in the dark.

It looks to be about 6 tatami mats¹. How spacious.

「...Cat’s Eyes are so convenient.」

The reason I can see in the dark is that I had transformed into a cat to get 【Cat’s Gloves】and had therefore gotten 【Cat’s Eyes】too.

Though maybe actual cats wouldn’t be able to see either? I think as I look around.

However, I never thought【Cat’s Eyes】were this useful.

Since I had items like 【Fairy Lantern】to light up the dark, it was easier to use. If the item level up and I can use it before entering a dungeon, it would be lit most of the time.

Obviously, I could use it now too, but I can see with no problems, and if I use 【Fairy Lantern】in reality, everyone around me would benefit from the light as well.

If that is the case, I’ll easily be discovered.

I’m in the middle of a covert operation right now.

「Something fishy… Something fishy…」

Canned and dried food is lined up on the shelf. It really looks like a long-term supply of food.

On the contrary, that is odd.

If it really is a food supply, they would have made the entrance easier to get through, and it was concealed as ordinary floorboards.

There is definitely something here.

If I’m not mistaken, the basement should be in the inner parts. If I go there…

「It’s here.」

There are stairs below a simple wooden shelf.

Paper bags with wheat flour are lined up here.

With only a glance, this looks normal, too. However, behind the shelf, I saw something looking black or silver with a fleeting glance.

Approaching it, I move the wheat flour bags nimbly.

The bags are large-sized and probably weigh around 30kg. If I didn’t have【Cat’s Gloves】, I don’t think I could have carried them.

Even【Restorative Medicine】and【Fertilizer】shouldn’t be too heavy with 【Cat’s Gloves】.

… However, I can’t use 【Cat’s Gloves】in front of mother and father. I’ll transform into a cat then, after all.

「Safe discovered.」

There is a combination key on the silver handle of the safe. It’s the kind that has 5 on the right and 20 on the left and ticks as it’s turning.

A PIN is necessary to open the lock.

Naturally, I don’t know it. The Leader is a star too.

But it’s okay! As long as I have the【Cat’s Gloves】!

「Unlock!」

I draw the claw on my right hand closer to the silver handle.

This is the 【Unlock】that I have improved with training.

Click.

The lock opened with a sound.

Opening the safe, I see a bunch of documents lying inside.

「Promissory note, promissory note… This is a promissory note too.」

I take them out one by one to confirm.

Although it seems to be a lot of promissory notes, that’s not what I’m looking for.

There has to be something more important than that.

Therefore,I take the documents out, one by one, to check without growing discouraged, and…

「...I found it.」

I snicker for myself unconsciously.

It’s here. It really is here.

I’m holding the documents proving the town mayor Schultem’s wrongdoing in my hand.

It’s unauthorized accounting.

Although I don’t know the details, it’s probably about things like fraudulent accounting and embezzling.

There is something like slave trading too.

If the debt collectors had caught mother, her name would probably have been in one of the slave trade documents.

For now, I’ll hold all the evil documents to my chest.

And then, I’ll go back to the entrance.

Differently from when I went inside, my hands are now full, and I can’t use the ladder.

Therefore, I’ll have to use【Rabbit Jump】.

「Jump!」

Staring at the entrance of the basement by the ceiling, I nimbly kick off from the floor.

Since the entrance isn’t that big, if I measure the size wrongly, I’d knock my head. I carefully make my escape out of the entrance.

「Phew!」

Oh no! I used too much force!

I jumped higher than I expected to.

It would have been enough if I only made it out of the first floor, but before I knew it, I ended up on the second floor.

Because of the momentum, the wind pressure increased, and some documents I held in my hands flew away.

I reach out my hand to catch the fluttering papers.

As I’m doing that, my posture in the air becomes altered…

「Watch out!」

A bell-like voice calls out.

There is someone there!? Surprised, I turn downwards and see a girl with glossy golden hair and vivid blue eyes…

「This way!」

While balancing my posture, I float down.

The girl caught me firmly in her arms.

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