Chapter 76: Carmen Collection
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 76: Carmen Collection
"Hey, are you deaf? I’m talking to you, redhead."
Sachsen ignored him again.
Watching this, Encrid felt a wave of relief that he had brought Sachsen along. What would it have been like if it were Rem?
“Is that bastard talking to me?”
It would have been a miracle if an axe didn't immediately follow those words.
Sachsen, however, simply chose to ignore him. It was a blessing. Of course, the one being ignored was bound to be livid.
"You son of a bitch, I am Polid Lockfried!"
So what?
Sachsen’s eyes said it all.
Fortunately, before things could escalate further, Leona came downstairs. Accompanied by her nanny, Leona offered a bright smile.
"I'm late."
"Late? What the hell is that guard you brought doing—"
"You sent them, didn't you?"
Hmm?
Leona walked over with light, graceful steps, cutting off Polid’s blathering with a sharp question. Polid tilted his head, confused by her meaning.
Leona’s hand sliced through the air.
Slap!
Wow.
Encrid admired her silently. Leona had slapped the man’s cheek without a moment's hesitation. It was a crisp swing and a satisfying strike—so much so that the arrogant bastard was stunned into silence.
With his head still whipped to the side, Polid rolled his eyes to glare at Leona.
"You really did it, you lunatic," Leona’s clear, beautiful voice rang out.
Encrid realized he had to revise the assessment he’d given to Krais. This woman was fierce. At least, she was to everyone else.
Clang, clang, clang!
Several men drew their swords and weapons. A single slap had turned the atmosphere murderous. Encrid didn't draw his weapon yet, but he stepped up behind Leona. Sachsen stood beside him, while the Elf Company Commander silently held his ground.
"Y-you... you crazy bitch! Do you want to die?" Polid finally stammered, clutching his swollen cheek.
"You're the one who's going to die. Where do you think you are, throwing money and men around like that? Did you really think you wouldn't get caught?"
Encrid watched, wondering where this was headed. He couldn't help but find the situation highly entertaining.
In the Border Guard territory, inns often served as meeting places for merchant guilds since no official quarters were built within the military base. Thanks to that, the innkeeping business flourished. That was why they had gathered here.
The innkeeper, who had been watching the hall, widened his eyes. Out of nowhere, a slap had been delivered, and now weapons were drawn. Even he, a man who had seen it all, looked troubled. The owner’s eyes darted around before he quickly made up his mind and turned on his heel toward the kitchen.
He was washing his hands of this. A wise man. He couldn't stop them or intervene anyway. Fortunately, any damage caused here was pre-agreed to be compensated under the name of the Lockfried Merchant Guild. No wonder he could afford to be so relaxed.
As he retreated into the kitchen, he cast a subtle glance toward Encrid.
Nothing too bad will happen, right? It'll be fine, right?
Encrid was somewhat acquainted with the innkeeper, Allen, and gave him a discreet nod.
Leona was not a stupid woman. She wouldn't create a situation that would lead to actual bloodshed here. Despite the grim atmosphere, this commotion would likely be the extent of it.
"Because you're so stupid, the late master didn't leave the guild to you," Leona said.
She seemed completely unconcerned by her opponent's posturing. Her entire demeanor radiated the absolute conviction that they wouldn't dare touch her.
Encrid felt a strange sensation. It was entirely due to the attitude Leona displayed.
Bold.
How should he describe it? It was the talent to completely strip an opponent of their chance to resist or speak.
"Tell me where we are. Right now."
As she gritted her teeth and demanded an answer, Polid, thoroughly intimidated, opened his mouth instinctively.
"B-Border Guard."
"Yes, you idiot, this is the Border Guard. And you dared to hire some back-alley guild of thugs and swindlers here? Even when you knew I was under the protection of the Border Guard Standing Army?"
"...I didn't do that, I mean, I never... and I only found out about the Border Guard escort later..."
He was completely overwhelmed by her momentum. Polid was not only babbling nonsense, but his hands were also trembling violently.
Shring, clack!
At Polid’s pathetic display, the man standing behind him drew his sword about a thumb’s width before snapping it back into its sheath. The sound seemed to snap Polid back to his senses, and he quickly changed his tune.
"I-it wasn't me! Who are you trying to frame?!"
Looking at the situation, the picture was easy to paint. He had probably prepared to deny everything before coming here. Yet, swept up in the atmosphere, he had almost confessed to it all.
"Tch."
Leona clicked her tongue. She dragged a chair back with a harsh scrape and sat down. Crossing her leather-clad legs, she pulled a cigar from her breast pocket and put it to her lips.
"Light."
Her nanny lifted a candlestick and lit it for her.
"Sit. Aren't we going to discuss the succession?"
These were the words of the very woman who had just caused both sides to draw steel. A thick puff of smoke rose from her lips. Polid also dragged his chair back roughly and sat down. After all, who would stand to lose if a fight broke out here? Where did he think the two squads guarding the outside had been dispatched from?
Soon, the two began to converse. It was a battle of wits, trading blows over their preparations for the succession. In other words, it was a continuous stream of jargon that Encrid couldn't understand.
"You want to inherit the guild when you can't even decipher a trade route map? Have you even memorized the guild's secret codes?"
"T-that's what a butler is for! More importantly, I am the legitimate heir! How dare a girl who rolled in from the streets..."
"The late master recognized my right to inherit the guild. You want to overturn that? You claim the right to inherit because you carry his blood, right? Yet you refuse to recognize what the late master officially declared. You have no ability, but you want the guild just because of your lineage? I'm sure the others will readily accept that."
Encrid let the words drift past him. From the way she spoke to how she dominated the room, it was clear Leona had already won.
Is that why he tried assassination as a last-ditch effort?
And there just happened to be a group in the Border Guard willing to take on such a job. Should he call that resourceful? Or just incredibly foolish?
The two bickered for a long while. To Encrid's ears, it sounded as though Leona had sat down purely to mock her opponent.
"Are you even the late master's son? You don't look like him at all. It makes me wonder."
"You bitch, what? What did you say? Are you saying my mother took some other bastard's seed?!"
Polid stammered in sheer rage, his greedy cheeks trembling.
Slam!
He slammed the table, venting his fury, but...
"Whew. So that's how it is? I didn't mean it that way, though."
Exhaling smoke, Leona remained in complete control.
But was this woman always like this? Wasn't she supposed to be modest and quiet? He didn't know. In truth, he had only known her for two days, and they had barely exchanged fifty words. People were complex, after all, and everyone had more than one side.
"You miserable bitch!"
"Watch your mouth, you ugly bastard."
"You bitch!"
The man who had barely held back when his mother was insulted finally snapped at being called ugly. His hand flew to the shortsword at his waist. Seeing this, Encrid quietly gripped the hilt of his sword.
This was a place guarded by the Border Guard. He couldn't just stand by and watch a sword fight break out. One of the reasons the Border Guard territory was so highly valued was that it allowed merchants and nobles alike to settle disputes with their tongues rather than their blades.
Of course, they still used blades and assassination behind the scenes. But drawing a sword right in front of your opponent? That was practically begging for death.
Sachsen stood to his right, and the Elf Company Commander stood a step behind, watching like a spectator. With his hand on his hilt, Encrid brought Polid’s guard into his striking range.
First step to the left.
Draw and strike downward, splitting the crown of his head.
There won't be time to assume a proper stance, so the strike must occur simultaneously with the draw.
The swordsman on Polid’s side, caught within range, reacted as well. He let his arms droop slightly lower.
What kind of swordsmanship does he use?
For a split second, Encrid actually hoped the man would attack. Rationally speaking, it would never happen. Even so, he wished for it.
What kind of blade is it? If he's fast, how fast is he? Faster than Rem's axe? Faster than the half-elf's whistling dagger?
He wanted to experience it. He wanted to face it. He wanted to fight. It was pure competitive spirit. He simply wanted to gauge his own skills. A sudden surge of heat warmed his body.
If he attacks, I cut him down.
A strange tension formed between the two. Caught in the middle, Polid began to break out in a cold sweat. Should he draw his sword here? If he didn't, would he look like a coward? All sorts of thoughts raced through his mind.
Leona looked at him with utter contempt. He should either draw his sword or talk his way out of it. If he couldn't do either, he shouldn't have started it in the first place. As expected, he was someone she would never have associated with if not for the late master's will.
The tense standoff continued, and a heavy silence fell over the inn.
It was then.
Thud.
The sound of the inn door opening echoed. The thick wooden door swung wide, slamming against the wall. Thanks to the person who had pushed the door open so forcefully, Encrid's field of vision widened.
His opponent also diffused his tension. By tacit agreement, both men took half a step back.
Good grief.
He wasn't Rem, yet he had almost drawn his sword in a battle-mad frenzy, completely ignoring the situation. Encrid sighed inwardly and turned his head.
He saw a familiar face. It was Torres of the Border Guard. Behind him followed five others dressed in similar attire. They wore checkered brown leather armor over tunics, draped in chestnut-colored coats adorned with eagle epaulets on the shoulders.
"We are the Royal Border Guard. We have come to arrest the mastermind who commissioned the Azpen spy unit to cause this disturbance."
"Hieek!"
Polid let out a pathetic groan. At that, his guard stepped closer and gripped his shoulder. Encrid wondered about the relationship between the two. It didn't seem like a simple employer-employee relationship.
"Dragging Azpen's dogs into a succession dispute?"
At Torres’s words, Polid’s face turned pale, but Leona remained calm.
Who called the Border Guard?
Encrid watched the situation unfold, pondering the question.
"I will arrest everyone."
The one who reacted to Torres’s words was neither Polid nor Leona.
"Are you planning to detain us without evidence? This man is the future leader of the Lockfried Merchant Guild. Surely you haven't swallowed their poison?"
It was the man behind Polid. A plainly dressed man with brown hair stepped forward. By "poison," he meant a bribe. Torres frowned at the man’s words, then smirked.
"...What a funny son of a bitch."
He openly expressed his displeasure. But the man had a point. Why did large merchant guilds hold meetings and discuss succession issues in the Border Guard? Because the Border Guard Standing Army always maintained neutrality.
It was a given that the Standing Army would intervene if trouble arose within the territory. However, since they had promised to remain neutral in all matters, arresting them here without evidence would easily invite misunderstandings.
Was that his angle?
The opponent had used his head. Torres knew this as well, which was why he couldn't just slice the man's throat on the spot.
A brief silence ensued, tension hanging thick in the air. It was Leona who broke it.
"A bribe? Of course not."
First, she denied the claim.
"Though, of course, someone from our guild might have brought in the Azpen spies," she added immediately after.
"Hmm?"
At Leona’s words, Polid gasped in shock again, but quickly shut his mouth when he noticed the eyes on him. Seeing that, even Encrid almost let out a sigh. Good grief, it was practically screaming "I did it."
"Since we don't know for sure yet, that's why I called them. The Border Guard."
Who called them? Even Encrid was surprised by this. Leona continued.
"I request detention until this matter is cleared up. For both successors. And then we find the evidence."
Leona looked around the room. Her talent for shifting the flow of the conversation with just a few words was remarkable.
"I heard there is a mastermind who escaped. Let's capture him alive and make him confess."
A calculated move. A checkmate. In chess terms, there was nowhere to run. If they caught him and tortured him, would he really be able to hold out? He had heard that the ones captured so far had been taken to the barracks, but none of them knew who the mastermind was. They had all claimed that only their leader knew everything. And that leader was undoubtedly the one who had escaped.
"Very well, Lady Leona. But what if that man never shows up?" The plainly dressed man with brown hair turned his gaze to Leona and asked.
"Then, it won't be a matter for the Border Guard to concern themselves with," Leona replied.
"After that, it will be a matter for the guild to discuss amongst themselves. It would only be proper to return to our home territory to decide the succession and ask the key figures of the guild to judge our qualifications," the brown-haired man concluded with a smile. He had hit the nail on the head.
Once they leave this territory...
Would Leona be able to handle Polid’s escort forces? It didn't seem likely.
"I am a merchant. I do not ask for work without offering compensation. To the person who finds and brings that man to me first, I will give this."
Leona drew a dagger and placed it on the table. It was a stiletto-type dagger with a long, slender blade housed in a black leather sheath.
"A Carmen Collection?"
Someone recognized it. Encrid saw Sachsen take a step forward beside him. A guy who was usually indifferent to almost everything was moving for a single dagger? Of course, it was a weapon well worth the reaction.
Surprising.
Carmen was a famous assassin who operated using weapons crafted with his own hands. Though, in truth, his weapon-crafting skills far surpassed his assassination skills. The weapons he made were called the Carmen Collection.
The weapon she had just produced was one of them. A masterfully crafted dagger said to leave not a single drop of blood on its blade, even after stabbing and withdrawing from a body.
"Hey, why are you giving that away on your own whim?"
"Because this is mine. Given to me by the late master."
Polid protested, but Leona ignored him and gave her final word.
"I will give it to you. Bring him to me."
With this, a bounty had been placed. And Encrid thought things were turning out rather strangely.
I've already ordered him to be captured.
Even as he thought this, Encrid admired Leona’s resourcefulness once again. Calling the Border Guard to buy time and putting up a bounty to get what she wanted—she had created a favorable situation for everyone. Except for that bastard Polid.
In any case, whoever caught him would earn well over hundreds of thousands of Krona. It was enough to make anyone's eyes turn red with greed.
"I will bring him to you."
And surprisingly, there was someone here who readily showed his willingness.
"I will go myself."
It was Sachsen. He wasn't just talking; he looked confident. Encrid looked at Sachsen and nodded. This was the first time Sachsen had taken such an active initiative.
He must really want it.
The thought naturally crossed his mind. It wouldn't be difficult. Who was in charge of the nights and back alleys of the Border Guard? It was the Gilpin Guild. And Krais, the master of that guild, was currently a member of Encrid’s squad.
Furthermore, Encrid had already felt suspicious and ordered the man to be detained. In other words, the prize was already halfway in their hands.