Book 2 Chapter 23

Chapter 47

As the gradually brightening dawn broke, the city's watchtowers came into view. The thief, Brienne, arrived first on a low hill, looking down at the city.

"<Redacable>. You came quickly."

"It's smaller than I thought. Is that really the city where the Empire's largest black market is held?"

When Willis, the spearman, asked with curiosity, Brienne snorted.

"The city visible above ground is small. <Redacable>'s true nature is revealed in the underground city. Don't you know?"

"Underground city?"

"An urban area twice the size of the surface is formed beneath the city. The Thieves Guild controls the治安 there."

"Doesn't the illustrious lord know such a thing?"

"He does. He receives tribute money from the Thieves Guild. If that income wasn't so lucrative, why would he just leave something like that alone?"

The Empire's largest black market, huh…

Rain also scanned the entire cityscape with a look of interest. However, the city visible above ground had no distinct features.

"What business does a noble family have in a place that clearly looks so wicked?"

In Rain's mind, those with strange collecting desires were gloomy old men. Hirpien was young and had a bright personality.

Willis, the spearman, chuckled.

"You're young and don't know much. Wealthy women are typically the most enthusiastic about collecting. They can boast about it to other noble ladies too."

"While that's true in most cases, it won't be such a simple matter for that young lady."

Brienne lightly gestured with her chin towards the carriage. Since yesterday, Hirpien had been paying an additional fee to learn the geomungo from Yanar.

Perhaps because she had grown up with music from a young age, she was learning it incredibly quickly, unlike Rain, which was quite enviable.

"The Diall family is a family that grew through trade. There's an interesting rumor circulating about their succession ceremony."

"What is it?"

"When the head of Diall gets old, the children scatter across the world to bring back valuable treasures? The story is that the Diall who brings the treasure of the highest value inherits the family."

Hmm… a meritocracy unique to merchant families, I suppose.

It seemed like a rather good method. To acquire a treasure, one would need considerable resourcefulness, whether it be in speech, connections, or wealth.

Unlike Rain, who nodded in understanding, Willis yawned with boredom.

"What's the point of knowing such information? It's not complicated, is it? We just need to protect that young lady, go back, and collect our money."

Upon arriving at the South Gate of the city, a long queue stretched out in front of the gate.

Most parties had seasoned bodyguards attached to them, and if not adventurers, then mercenaries in chainmail escorted the carriages.

They showed their invitations to the gatekeepers and, at the same time, handed over a few coins. When Rain looked on curiously, Bardwell, the captain of the escort, said:

"To buy and sell goods in the black market, you have to pay a premium to the lord. There's nothing to be surprised about."

"So the lord is in on it too, I guess."

"Why the sudden surprise? Now, everyone gather 'round."

Bardwell's confidant approached with a bundle of parchments and handed one to each of the adventurers and family guards.

"These are the items we absolutely must acquire this time."

What was depicted with excellent skill on the parchment was… a music box.

Its color and features were noted, but the most distinctive feature was the inscription 'To my beloved Brenna' on the bottom of the music box.

Hmm, truly a noble family. Music boxes, as the only musical recording device to emerge with the invention of clocks, were luxury items that contended for rarity and high price.

"The soldiers will move in pairs. If found, one person should keep bargaining to prevent anyone else from buying it, and the other should come to inform the young lady."

Hirpien concluded with a bright smile.

"If the item is confirmed, I don't care about its condition. Any price is fine, just find it."

The adventurers, befitting their role as escorts, were assigned other missions.

"Brienne, you should patrol the surroundings and search for anyone with unusual auras or killing intent."

"Understood."

"Yanar, it will be difficult for you to respond to sudden combat situations, so take a position where you can observe the entire route of our party and be on standby for emergencies."

"Understood."

"Willis and Rain, you two are the young lady's direct bodyguards, along with me. You just need to protect the young lady, no matter what happens."

No matter what happens… At the time, I lightly dismissed those words as a mere cliché. How could I have known that such a thing would actually occur?

* * *

<Redacable>'s underground city was nicknamed the 'Ant Colony'. This was because over a dozen holes on the surface led to the underground city.

However, for VIPs like Hirpien who had invitations, they could descend from the Thieves Guild headquarters in the city center by taking a hoist.

*Kiii-giii-giii-giiing… Clunk.*

The musty, rotten smell unique to sewers… the foul odor that instinctively wrinkled one's brows, amidst which the group dispersed by area.

"Come on, potions you can't even see above ground! Touched by the power of dark magic…"

"Come and see this. A rare species of snake…"

"An ancient cursed spear acquired from Trident Point…"

Inside the Ant Colony, peddlers in suspicious attire enthusiastically vied for customers, each having laid out their mats.

Indeed, there were only rare items that couldn't be seen above ground. There were even items that, just by possessing them, would lead to a passionate date with the 'Children of Gold'.

And beyond that commotion, unfriendly gazes could be felt observing them.

'The Thieves Guild only manages the Ant Colony; it doesn't intervene in disputes that happen outside…'

For example, if someone who looks rich or has bought a desired item is followed and attacked on a dark street, the Guild does not intervene.

However, inside the Ant Colony, it's a different story; if someone tries to start a dispute, the Guild immediately intervenes and, it seems, utterly crushes them.

Willis, the spearman, walked at the front with his spear menacingly slung over his shoulder, while Hirpien and Bardwell were in the safe center, and Rain was at the rear.

"Can I ask you something?"

As Rain lightly scanned the stalls, searching for books about Toreina, Hirpien approached him with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Why did you take this black market escort request?"

"…Why do you want to know?"

"You don't seem to have taken the request for money. Unlike the adventurers, your skin is incredibly smooth. By all appearances, you look like the child of a noble."

She was right.

That was something Rain's life, comfortably lived in a mansion, couldn't disguise. Perhaps Lin, but not him.

"If I'm right, aren't you Rain Ludwig, the top-ranking first-year student of <Delaiten>?"

"…"

"But why would you take on such a mission? You came because there's something you want to get from the black market, right?"

Judging that it wasn't something he particularly needed to hide, Rain nodded.

"Oh~ What is it? What did you come to get? I'm curious!"

"A book about Toreina."

"Toreina, you mean… Ah, that famous priestess?! Why?"

Why, she asks… To answer that question truthfully, he might have to stay up all night.

To say that he was Lin, the Archmage from 300 years ago, and Toreina was the first disciple he ever taught.

But he wasn't obligated to answer that truthfully. A brief silence passed, but he naturally feigned ignorance.

"I'm a mage too, you know. I have a lot of interest in a big shot like Toreina. But these days, I can't find any books about her."

"Hmmmm."

"So what about you? Why did you come here? Because of the family succession ceremony?"

At that, Hirpien's pupils widened slightly in surprise, then she soon giggled and shook her head.

"No, it has nothing to do with the succession ceremony."

"Then what is the item?"

"It's something my grandfather lost when he was captured by pirates a long time ago. But it turned out to be a keepsake from my great-grandmother, who passed away when I was little."

A keepsake, huh…

Speaking of which, what happened to Lin's belongings? His diary came to him, but what about the others? Are they still with his corpse?

"He spent his whole life trying to find it, but he couldn't. Every spring, my grandfather would whistle the melody of that music box, look off into the distance, and cry."

"…"

"My grandfather doesn't have much time left. I came here wanting to make him smile one last time. Does that answer your question?"

Looking at Hirpien's bright smile, a sudden, sad realization came over him.

He knew nothing.

What Lista liked most, what Friede and Kiesa liked… or what food Toreina liked best.

'Because I didn't try to know.'

He had traveled with them for a full five years and hadn't tried to learn more about them. Why? Because he didn't know they would part so suddenly?

"What, what, was that story so touching it made you cry?"

He hadn't thought he was crying, but hot streaks were flowing down his cheeks. Wiping away tears, he shook his head.

"No, it's just really dusty down here in the underground."

"Oh, don't be shy… Oh, look, they sell books over there. Maybe it's there?!"

The place Hirpien pointed to, unlike other peddlers, had a proper stall and a mountain of books piled high.

For a moment, a subtle tremor ran through his heart. Was it the feeling of anticipation?

As he cautiously approached, the owner, with a plump face and a bushy beard, looked up.

"Well, well. What are you looking for, young mage?"

"Do you have any books about Toreina?"

"Toreina, ah, of course! You've come to the right place! I brought three copies, but two have already sold, so only one is left. The one in the best condition!"

Compared to other poorly handled books, the owner brought out a book carefully enshrined in a corner.

『The Life and Achievements of Lin and Friede's Disciple, Toreina, the Ash Priestess.』

Rain swallowed dryly. It was the same book that Karen, the librarian, had brought him at the library. Its condition was also quite good. The problem was the book's price.

"Just give me seven gold coins."

"Seven gold coins? Are you kidding me? Unless it's a first edition, you should name a reasonable price!"

"Haha! I'm even giving you a discount, young man!"

"Seven gold coins is cheap?"

"Yes! These days, the 'Children of Gold' are frantically searching for anything related to Toreina. Just the fact that I sold this in the black market could get me burned at the stake!"

It's that serious? It's becoming more and more incomprehensible. What exactly did Toreina do to warrant such attention now…?

"So I'm selling this by putting my life on the line, you see. If you're not going to buy it, get lost! Shoo! There are plenty of people who will buy it even if you don't."

It was a disaster.

Five coins from hunting the Rat-Spider Queen and two coins received from the Alliance…

If he had brought all of that, it would have been enough, but buying a lord with one coin back then was the cause of the problem. He thought three gold coins would be more than sufficient.

Then, a flash of gold glinted in the corner of his eye. The merchant's lips, reflecting that golden light in his eyes, stretched into a smile.

"Here are seven coins. Please give me that book."

It was… Hirpien. Even while spending an enormous amount, she was simply smiling brightly.

"Of course, of course! Here it is!"

As soon as she received the book from the owner, she quickly flipped through it to check its condition, then nodded.

"No problems. Is this the book you were looking for?"

And just when it seemed she would readily hand it over to Rain… he reached out to grasp it, but a strange wariness arose.

"Why are you…?"

"My grandfather always said I have good luck with people. It has to be true. Ever since I was little, whenever I made a friend, I could smell luck."

"The scent of luck?"

"To be precise, should I call it intuition? There's no way to explain it, but…"

Muttering like that, Hirpien tucked the book into Rain's arms and winked.

"So this is an investment in connections, you see. For some reason, I just feel like if I build a good relationship with you, incredible luck will come my way."

In bewildered joy, Rain tightly clutched 'The Life of a Disciple' in his arms.

A vague intuition, she called it… Hirpien could never have known when she gave him that gift.

That the person she had given a gift of goodwill to was the reincarnation of the Archmage from the Hero's party 300 years ago. That she had just put such a person in her debt.

"…That intuition, it seems to be quite accurate."

* * *

Ant Colony, 11th Sector (穴).

A Thieves Guild member, leaning against a wall damp with sewage, frowned as he inspected passersby.

"What are these two now?"

It was a man and a woman cloaked in dark blue robes. The tall man was expressionless, while the shorter woman kept tapping her foot, as if incredibly fidgety.

"Are they completely out of their minds, to wear such ridiculous outfits? Are they black mages or something? I'm utterly dumbfounded."

If the thief had any understanding of magic, he would have sensed the frantic surge of magic within her body and retreated, but…

The thief, unable to detect any killing intent from magic, shoved her, placing a hand on her shoulder… and at that moment, starting from her hand, her arm, torso, face, and legs swelled grotesquely, then exploded, scattering fresh blood everywhere.

That explosion, transmitted through the blood, caused a dozen other thieves, who were merely standing nearby and had been splattered with blood, to also scatter into bone fragments, brain matter, blood, and flesh.

Amidst that banquet of death, the woman, covered in crimson blood, cackled.

"Heh heh, how did he know?! That I'm a black witch."

"Lady Libeni, approval has not yet been granted."

"Why? This is self-defense. That guy found out who we are, didn't he? Isn't it normal to separate flesh from bone?"

"Oh, you're being unreasonable again."

The Thieves Guild member, who had been staring blankly at the situation, immediately fled, and the passersby waiting for inspection behind him screamed and ran away.

Just then, a raven appeared from somewhere. It wasn't a living raven, but rather magic condensed into the form of a raven, like Lin's Ludien.

As the raven landed on the man's shoulder, its fluttering feathers transformed into dark blue text before his eyes.

"This is from Lady Toreina."

"From Mom?! What is it, what does she say?!"

"She says to do whatever you want."

Suddenly, a chilling, eerie smile spread across Libeni's lips.

And from her palm, a gurgling sound, dark blue liquid seemed to flow out, then quickly formed the shape of a massive scythe.

The moment she swung that huge scythe, which disregarded all terrain, the bodies of those fleeing met the same fate as the thieves.

"Ahahahaha! The smell of blood always makes me feel like I'm going to wet myself! Today, I'll just kill five thousand people lightly! Yes, yes!"