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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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After we slowly finished our meal, Asirye and I first did a simple equipment check, then left the mansion and headed out to the streets.
Having dealt with the nearest slave traders, it was time to find our next target.
We decided to use the remaining time until evening to visit Zikmel.
“To have a shop in the capital, he must have worked really hard, right? And it didn’t even sound like he had wrapped things up in his original city before coming here.”
“I kind of brushed it off back then, but it is pretty impressive. I bet no one would object if he went around saying he made it on his own.”
I had planned to go alone this time as well, but Asirye insisted on coming along, arguing that it’s always better to have more sources of information.
As we walked towards the shop, Asirye compared the current capital to the one she last remembered, and we chatted along the way, so the journey wasn’t boring at all.
It seemed she had quite a few memories here, as she had more stories to share than I expected.
Then, she suddenly whispered to me.
“Hmm, it’s confirmed. We’ve had a tail since we left the mansion.”
“Already? I expected it, but this is faster than I thought.”
Unlike me, who hadn’t noticed anything, Asirye seemed to have sensed something as soon as we left the mansion.
With a level of skill that made it impossible to tell when she had confirmed it, Asirye finished her discreet investigation, linked her arm with mine, and explained the situation.
“They’re quite skilled. It seems the provocation you used on Count Bosha this morning worked perfectly.”
“Are they only watching us?”
“Who knows? The only thing I’m sure of is that this person followed us without any hesitation.”
I had thrown that provocation out there hoping to attract this kind of attention, but I hadn’t expected them to issue orders and act on them in the short time it took for us to enter the courthouse.
I was a little surprised.
“Well, I guess you need this kind of initiative to plot a rebellion.”
“You say such outrageous things so casually.”
“What’s the point? It’s going to fail anyway.”
They were already done for the moment they got involved with me.
Even if I couldn’t stop his rebellion, I would personally cut off the head of the guy who would be rejoicing at his success.
Still feeling the effects of the spirit’s moving walkway, we arrived at Zikmel’s jewelry shop after what felt like a long walk.
As we opened the door, a shop assistant greeted us.
“Welcome… Oh! Customer! What can I help you with?”
Perhaps he remembered my face, because the employee, who had greeted us, froze for a brief moment before quickly regaining his composure.
If he remembered me, things would be much easier.
“I was quite pleased with the jewelry I bought last time. I was wondering if you had anything similar.”
“Ah, I see! The manager happens to be in, so I’ll guide you to him right away!”
Had Zikmel given him specific instructions on how to deal with me?
The employee, despite Asirye being with me, unhesitatingly led me to the room where Zikmel was.
And Zikmel greeted me just as boldly.
“Welcome, Eldmia-nim! I was expecting you, so I’ve been waiting!”
As always, Zikmel bowed deeply, his back bent at a 90-degree angle, but today, with Asirye here, I felt a bit embarrassed.
“You expected me? Why?”
“I heard the news this morning. They said you completely destroyed a slave trading group?”
For a moment, I wondered how he had identified me, even considering the possibility that Krul or the others had sold me out.
But I quickly realized it was a simple conclusion, not even requiring any deduction.
“Well, if you heard that a trading group was destroyed right after you bought information from me, it’s natural to assume it was me.”
“Hahaha. That’s right. Honestly, it was so sudden that I even wondered if it was just a coincidence.”
Naturally offering me a seat and even bringing out prepared teacups and tea, Zikmel didn’t ask any questions about Asirye, as if her presence here was the most natural thing in the world.
It was a bit funny how he seemed to be emphasizing that no information about me would leak out through him, but I decided to play along for now.
“Since you already know everything, there’s no need for a long explanation. Where’s the closest one?”
“Actually, the word ‘close’ is a bit of a misnomer now. Unlike the slave traders, they’re more skilled in combat.”
It seemed his words about waiting for me weren’t an exaggeration.
Unlike last time, Zikmel immediately took out a document and showed it to me.
“Correctional Facility for Newly Recruited Mercenaries…?”
A very suspicious-sounding presentation title was clearly written on it.
“Officially, it’s a makeshift facility built to provide educational benefits to mercenaries hired by nobles… a training ground, if you will. With skilled individuals constantly being pulled to the front lines in the ongoing war, and with the kingdom split into several factions even among humans, it was created under the pretext of needing to watch their backs, so to speak.”
“It sounds very legitimate.”
“On the surface, it is. The important part is the list of people who gave up halfway, written on the next page.”
Following Zikmel’s gesture to turn the page, I saw a list of names written quite densely.
“These are all the ones who gave up?”
“Yes. That’s a summarized version with just their names and approximate grades. The original document had much more detailed personal information.”
I lightly skimmed through the names and grades, which were categorized like a report card, and turned to the next page.
This time, it showed a list of successful candidates and their grades.
“…What the hell?”
But the grades of the successful candidates were worse than those of the dropouts.
Moreover, about 10 to 20 percent of them consistently gave up each quarter, as if it were prearranged.
Only those who had owed the top 10 percent of grades gave up.
“You showed me this because the lists of successful candidates and dropouts aren’t reversed, right?”
Zikmel, seeing me look up from the document, answered with a confident smile and a nod.
“You’re spot on. Coincidentally, those on the dropout list formed a mercenary group and are working together. They make money by resolving disputes between nobles… and it turns out they mostly fight among the Noble faction. Sometimes they participate in disputes involving the Royalist faction or unaffiliated nobles, but it’s interesting that they always participate as members of the Noble faction.”
“They’ve got it all figured out. I told you, you shouldn’t get involved with politicians.”
Ignoring Asirye, who was staring at me with an unusually distrustful look in her half-lidded eyes, I quickly addressed Zikmel, who was starting to look puzzled by Asirye’s reaction.
“What’s their level and numbers?”
“There are individuals who can be called executives, and there are rumors that they are Aura users. I couldn’t get specific information on their exact level. The mercenary group averages around 40 people. About 15 of them have been with the group for several years, while the rest are constantly being replaced.”
“And those who are replaced are hired as private soldiers by the Noble faction?”
“You caught on quickly. That’s correct.”
They were probably being absorbed into the ranks of the so-called new Noble faction.
The fact that they were all relatively young suggested that Count Bosha’s rebellion was a very long-term plan.
He wouldn’t want to spend a lot of money raising them only to find them too old to be of use.
“Do you know when the most recent replacement was?”
“Roughly a year ago. Since then, they’ve been hired for three small disputes.”
The numbers were large, but it wasn’t an entirely unfavorable situation.
It meant that not all 40 of them were seasoned veterans.
I also liked that they were mercenaries.
If they had been working as adventurers, I would have had no choice but to leave them alone.
“Does the royal family know about this?”
“Well… it’s the kind of thing that could be overlooked if you weren’t paying attention. Even a kingdom can’t keep track of every single mercenary group. Besides, it’s a small group, not even a hundred strong.”
The minimum size of a kingdom’s army unit was 60 men.
If it fell below that, it was considered to have lost its ability to function in war and was treated as having no military strength.
If the royal family had viewed them with the same mindset as Zikmel, they could have easily missed them.
Even if I caused a ruckus, I could only destroy the mercenary group.
Public authority was needed to crush Count Bosha’s boot camp.
“Ha, I really don’t want to see that old man again. He gives me the creeps.”
“Excuse me? Who are you talking about?”
“Duke Lesrom.”
Waiting until the trial was over and seeking advice from Lord Ekaf was also an option… but my trust in the royal family wasn’t very high due to the incident with Gies.
To put it bluntly, it was about the same as Duke Lesrom.
In this case, it was probably best to examine the cards I could get my hands on right now.
“No, why would you… Never mind. I guess it’s better not to know this time either.”
He’s really gotten smarter.
His ability to know when to butt in and when to stay out was truly artistic.
“Anyway, where are they now?”
“The last confirmed information was that they exited through the south gate of the western gateway city, Riviel. I don’t know where they’re headed, but based on the fact that they exited through the south gate, I was able to narrow down a few possible locations.”
Saying so, Zikmel unfolded a map that, while lacking in detail, accurately marked the locations of cities.
He pointed to the areas marked in red ink.
“But as I mentioned at the beginning, it’s quite a distance. It would take three days even on horseback.”
Naturally, Asirye and I looked for forests first, but unfortunately, there were no connected forests.
Since this was the closest option, it seemed like this would be the last ruckus unless something else came up, but three days was a bit far.
As I was pondering a way to overcome this, Gies flashed through my mind.
“…Wyverns?”
“Yes?”
“How long would it take on a wyvern?”
At my nonchalant question, Zikmel scratched his cheek with a dumbfounded expression and replied.
“A wyvern? It would probably take half a day.”
I couldn’t even say, “He was here, f*cker,” anymore.
God existed.
For real.
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[Eldmia just wants to-MURDERMURDERMURDERMURDERMURDERMURDERMURDER]
When nobody else got you, God always got you
“Bought information from me”? Was that Eldmia speaking for himself? If so, shouldn’t that be “sold information to me” instead? Or was that Zikmel asking first and then responding both? Or am I getting confused for no reason?