Journal of Miyara Kyosuke (29)

    We formed a group to arrest Gehrig: everyone except Omi and Son were to take part.  We left the chest in the secure area in the Inn, after Goru had inspected it and complained loudly about the security.  The watch captain stayed behind too, and Miyara told me that Pireseri had trapped the chest as well.  The Dorufurikata came with us to ensure the arrest was carried out according to such legal requirements as the barbarians had in place.
    We arrived at Gehrig's house to find that the gates were locked.  Pireseri did his usual thing and found that they were not locked after all.  The gates swung open with an ominous squeak.  We continued up to the door, where Hosei was about to knock when Pireseri peered through it first with his special sight.  Seeing nothing unusual, he motioned to Hosei who rapped loudly on the door with his staff.
    There was no response, so Hosei rapped again and tried the door handle.  He indicated it was locked.  Pireseri walked up, and this one too was unlocked.  The door swung open.
    We marched through the door.  Jeison said something loudly, and Gehrig stepped out and spoke softly.  There was a quick exchange of words, but Gehrig did not resist Jeison leading him by the arm outside the house.  The man appeared to be unarmed and unarmored.
    Then it was Goru's turn to question Gehrig.  The White Fairy was clearly annoyed at him.
    Finally, the Dorufurikata spoke formally to Gehrig, obviously listing quite a number of charges for which he was being arrested.
    Gehrig was clearly shocked.  He spoke to the Dorufurikata in a clearly personal conversation, as if between friends.  Obviously the man was denying everything.
    Nevertheless, his complaints did no good.  Jeison and the Dorufurikata escorted him to the jail, while Goru remained behind downstairs to accost the fairy butler, and in case Martin turned up.  I did as ordered, which was to guard the back door.  Everyone else searched the house.
    Most notable from the search, I learned later, was that the walk-in safe contained a very large quantity of cash, mostly paper money.  There was also a plentiful supply of springwort in the potting shed; this was the only herb there, and appeared to be the sole purpose of the room at the moment.  There were a number of strongboxes around the house containing assorted papers.  Pireseri reported that they all contained contracts and ledgers.  The contracts were with people and businesses all over the Empire; Pireseri said they were for the purchase of land or buildings, or lease contracts.  The strongboxes were collected to present to the Dorufurikata.
    Eventually Jeison returned, having delivered Gehrig safely to the jail.
    Ashu, Goru, Jeison, and myself stayed to guard the house against the return of the fairy or Martin.  The remainder took the strongboxes to the Dorufurikata, telling him about the locked safe and the springwort.
    Son delivered a meal to us from the Red Bull.  We ate at our posts; I took my food up to my hidden position on the roof.  The watch captain came back to remove the springwort, and left shortly after.  I remained on watch all night; others, including competent villagers organized by Miyara, rotated various watches throughout the town.
    The night passed uneventfully, except that the doctor returned overnight.  He had shown up at the jail complaining that someone had broken into his house, even though nothing was missing except a little manbane antidote.  The Dorufurikata talked to him and assured him things were fine.  The doctor volunteered to look after the sick people, which the Dorufurikata allowed.  He would of course be under the watchful eye of Rabena.
    Miyara decided we should track down the renegade fairy.  Dagoma Tausika volunteered to remain at the jail with the mage; she has apparently had experience in such matters.  The watch captain was also to stay there.  All guards were removed from the house, but the doors left locked.  At Miyara's command, I drank a draught prepared by Rabena; it was a stimulant, I was told, to allow me to assist with the hunt for the fairy.  Rabena and Carimera remained behind.  Pireseri did too, but I saw him pass a ring to Ashu before we left.
    While the drugs were being administered to me, Ashu had been getting the scent of the fairy from the house.  We then set off quickly along the trail that Ashu pointed out.  The path went through the gate, and then east out of town.  He was a day ahead of us on the track to Noln.  If that's where he had gone, then it would take us a week or so to catch him, but we were counting on him either cutting back to another place, or holing up somewhere.
    After five hours it was clear we were not making any significant gains on the fairy.  Jeison and Hosei turned back to town, leaving the quicker of us on the trail.  Ashu, Goru, Miyara and myself continued.
    We had not brought food; we had to search around for things to eat on the way at occasional forage breaks.  Nevertheless, we were encouraged by finding his overnight camp.
    As I would later be told, back at the jail Pireseri tried to get Gehrig to talk, but the main claimed to know nothing.  He did admit to some past real estate dealings with Martin Schnapp, speculating in land  in general in Krutzhoffen.  This Martin Schnapp was a fairly successful merchant in good standing in Noln, whom he had met when the man came to him and suggested they work together.
    The evening and night passed uneventfully for all, bringing in turn the next morning.