Chapter 107
Chapter 107
Chapter 107
Cult Apophis (2)
Rudian's party didn't sleep outdoors and stayed up all night, reaching Southwood City in the early morning.
Southwood City, the first city in the south, wasn't a place with particularly deep history, but as a logistics hub for the southern region, it was a metropolis that ranked among the top five in the empire by scale.
As such, it was also a place where countless trading companies and guild branches were established like stars.
"There's a branch of our Kepler Trading Company here. It's not that big, but it should be enough to rest our bodies."
"That's not our destination."
"Huh...? Then where are we going?"
Elvin, who naturally thought they would head to the Kepler Trading Company, was dumbfounded by Rudian's words.
"If we're going to rest, we should go somewhere decent."
"Aren't you spending money too recklessly? If you get accustomed to luxury from your age, it becomes troublesome later."
"Why would we spend money? If we visit, they'll naturally treat us well."
The place Rudian visited was the largest building in Southwood City, excluding the lord's castle.
"Ah...!"
Only then could Elvin understand where Rudian had been targeting.
"I had forgotten. What your social status is."
"Even if I'm a puppet president, I'm still a person of power who holds shares."
And right beside him were undoubtedly real people of power.
As soon as they stopped the carriage in front of the target building, security mercenaries immediately surrounded the carriage with menacing expressions.
"What? What business do greenhorn mercenaries like you have coming to the Seoris Union Trading Company?"
Gray frowned at the mercenaries' attitude.
"For a trading company, their customer service is terrible."
"We're newcomers who just registered as mercenaries, so from their perspective, it might be understandable."
The mercenaries seemed to have judged Rudian's party by the D-rank mercenary mark carved on the carriage.
"Acting all senior-like..."
"Don't be too harsh."
Still, wasn't it something that they were at least standing guard properly?
Rudian pacified Gray and threw a gold token to the leading mercenary.
"Call the branch manager. I have something to say."
If it was a gold token symbolizing the head of the Union Trading Company, even hired mercenaries should understand.
However, the mercenary's reaction was far beyond Rudian's expectations.
"Where does a brat like you get off looking for the branch manager who's like the heavens?"
CLANG!
The mercenary glanced at the gold token Rudian threw, then exploded in anger and hurled the token to the ground.
"......"
"......"
At the unexpected reaction, not only Rudian but all his companions were left speechless.
"What? Acting senior-like? How dare D-rank nobodies show such attitude in front of senior-like heavenly figures?"
Not only that guy, but the atmosphere of the surrounding mercenaries was quite menacing.
"No, wait...!"
"Get lost before we break your leg bones!"
"Yawn, what's all this commotion from early morning?"
Just then, a middle-aged employee came out from inside the building, yawning lazily.
The employee seemed to have a decent position, as the mercenary's attitude immediately became friendly and he started pointing at them.
"Ah, brother! These young mercenary punks suddenly came looking for the branch manager...!"
"P-President...?"
"Yes?"
"......"
That employee really seemed to be a person of decent status.
He immediately recognized Rudian's identity just by looking at his face.
First with doubt.
Then with certainty.
The employee prostrated himself on the spot and bowed his head toward Rudian.
"I-I greet the President!"
It was after that when the color drained from the mercenaries' faces.
***
"I-I am Hans, the branch manager of this Southwood branch. It-it's an honor to meet you, President!"
The Southwood branch of Seoris was turned upside down from early morning.
It was natural since the new president who had changed a few months ago suddenly showed up without notice, and among his accompanying party were great nobles including direct descendants of ducal families.
The branch manager, who had been dozing while getting some morning air, immediately dunked his face in a bucket of cold water as soon as he heard the word "president."
Rudian looked at the employee who recognized him and slowly opened his mouth.
The employee stood behind the branch manager, frozen in attention like a newly enlisted soldier.
"The finance manager is quite perceptive. I didn't expect you to know my face even though I haven't toured the provinces since taking office."
"Ha, haha! I once saw your face from a distance."
"Really? I don't remember."
"You probably don't know since I was quietly in a corner during the council of elders meeting!"
Even if he was a branch manager, he wasn't at the level to dine with the elders who were the heads of the Union Trading Company, so it wasn't strange.
"I see."
"That's right!"
Rudian said nothing more and fiddled with the gold token, the symbol of the president, which had scratches here and there.
At that sight, the branch manager's complexion became even paler.
He had also received a report about what the hired mercenaries had done when they confronted Rudian.
'My, my promotion...! My career...!'
At this unprecedented incident he had never anticipated, the branch manager's mind felt like it would fly to Andromeda.
"I-I'm sorry, President."
"For what?"
"My employee education was insufficient..."
The branch manager continued making excuses.
"The-those who were rude to the President are mercenaries we hired additionally this time."
An explanation followed that they were still newcomers so they were assigned to building security first, but were deployed to duty without proper education.
"I'll fire them and thoroughly re-educate all employees..."
"Ah, that's fine."
"Yes...?"
"First, take this, and tell those people to get up."
Rudian threw a small bag to the branch manager, then made the mercenaries who were prostrating in the distance stand up.
Then he said with a relaxed expression:
"Since they might not have known, I'll let it slide this once."
"Gasp! Th-thank you!"
The mercenaries, who wouldn't have had anything to say even if their heads rolled off, not just losing their jobs, were moved by Rudian's generous disposition.
At that sight, the branch manager also breathed a sigh of relief.
"Instead, there's one thing I need you to do."
"Just say anything! I'll stake my life to complete it!"
"Mm, good mindset."
Satisfied with the mercenaries' attitude, he pointed with his finger to the bag he had given to the branch manager.
"That's a magic tool containing lightening and spatial storage magic."
"Yes!"
"Use that to sweep up all the desserts in Southwood City."
"Yes?"
"As high-quality as possible."
He added that they shouldn't worry about the price range since it would be difficult to satisfy Yev's taste otherwise.
The mercenaries rushed out in confusion but determined to carry out Rudian's order.
Watching their retreating figures, the branch manager spoke in a bewildered voice.
"Wh-why desserts suddenly...?"
"There's one glutton among my companions."
Even if it seemed strange to look for snacks as soon as they entered the city, a promise was a promise.
"I-I've prepared warm bath water and meals. You must have accumulated travel fatigue from the long journey, so President, you should also rest comfortably..."
The branch manager, understanding that Rudian's purpose for visiting wasn't inspection but rest, recommended rest to Rudian with a much more relaxed expression.
"Ah, before that..."
Rudian recalled the first floor of the branch, which had impressive vastness.
He pulled out a somewhat discordant scene from that memory and asked the branch manager for the reason.
"There seem to be quite a number of mercenaries positioned within the trading company. Is there a particular reason?"
"Ah! Th-that's..."
"They didn't seem to be customers... They looked like properly employed people."
The mercenaries who had picked a fight earlier were also said to have been 'additionally' hired.
In terms of numbers, it was almost similar to the capital's main branch.
It was definitely strange.
The branch manager hesitated and wavered for a while, then sighed and confessed the truth.
"Recently, the movements within Southwood City haven't been normal, so I strengthened security with my own authority."
"Not normal? Did you do that based on just suspicion?"
"N-no! Actually, it's a somewhat dangerous story but..."
The branch manager drastically lowered his voice.
He whispered in Rudian's ear and revealed shocking information.
"Actually, from long ago, an unidentified strange group covered in black robes has been appearing in the inner castle."
"Strange group?"
"Yes, we also found out about this fact by chance while going into the inner castle to conduct direct business."
He said it was also discovered by coincidence while urgently proceeding with work for night delivery.
"The lord seems to be close to them, but since there was no particular harm coming to us, we just left them alone."
"Now there is, you're saying."
The branch manager nodded.
"Yes, since they started showing themselves regardless of day or night, the atmosphere of Southwood City has been gradually becoming strange."
Especially those guys who were only found in the inner castle have been frequently seen here and there on the streets lately.
"Since there's a lot of floating population in the city, it didn't stand out much, but since they started proselytizing activities on the streets, citizens who fall for it have been appearing."
"......"
"Very few people know the fact that they're related to the lord. General citizens probably see them as simply non-mainstream religious people conducting proselytizing activities."
Cults and non-mainstream are different.
Even if their religious influence is weak, there are plenty of gods classified as good deities.
But would such people have reason to secretly meet with lords?
"It's definitely suspicious."
"Above all, recently the number of adventurers reported missing from the Adventurer's Guild has increased significantly..."
"Missing reports?"
"Only adventurers, not ordinary people, but among those who last renewed their adventurer status here in Southwood, quite a few have gone missing. No bodies have been found yet, so it's still at the rumor stage but..."
This was definitely something to feel a sense of crisis about.
"Not knowing when an incident might break out, I've strengthened defenses as a first measure. I definitely wasn't trying to hide it!"
He said that he planned to observe the situation first, and if he felt signs that the trading company's operations would be hindered, he would immediately request support from the capital.
Rudian listened to all of the branch manager's words and fell into thought.
'Is it time for them to just start their activities?'
Considering Southwood's size, they definitely wouldn't have deployed a small number of people.
'This would be good for a first real battle.'
No matter what, the Pope wouldn't have come personally, and at best, an archbishop-level figure likely came as the leader.
'That level would be an opponent where I can fully gain both alertness and real combat experience.'
"P-President?"
The branch manager, faced with Rudian's wicked (from the branch manager's perspective) smile, suddenly felt an inexplicable chill run up his spine.
"Branch manager, let's make one request."
And that ominous premonition was unfailingly accurate.
***
That night.
Several carriages loaded with goods departed from the Southwood branch of the Seoris Union Trading Company.
Thanks to sneaking out secretly in the late night, almost no one witnessed the carriages except for some drunkards loitering nearby.
The expressions of the party, who had been treated to quality meals, beds, and all kinds of conveniences, were very relaxed.
Though they wrinkled again as soon as they were dragged out like rolling pins in the night by Rudian.
"Just..."
Elvin sighed, looking up at the carriage ceiling.
"Just why do we have to sneak into the lord's castle secretly in the middle of the night?"
"Because there's a cult group there?"
"So why is there a cult group there in the first place..."
"Hasn't Sir Elvin gotten used to Rudian yet?"
Luciella, with a relatively comfortable expression, said while sipping tea.
Gray pointed to the teacup in her hand.
"Where did that teacup come from?"
"I brought it when we left?"
"...You really have thick nerves too."
She had perfectly adapted to Rudian's seemingly eccentric behavior.
Rudian looked around at his companions and said:
"Of course, we don't yet know what kind of relationship the lord and the cult have. What we need to do now is reveal that connection."
"If they are connected..."
"Naturally, we'll have to hold the lord accountable too."
The lord's name was Heidi Southwood.
She was the Countess leading the Southwood family and also one of the most powerful figures in the south.
But unfortunately, among the people here, no one was inferior in power compared to her.
They were all prominent figures from prominent families in the capital.
"That's all well and good, but if we end up taking down a Countess whose guilt is proven, what about the aftermath?"
Gray suddenly tilted his head and expressed doubt.
"Weren't we originally planning to travel while hiding our identities?"
"......"
No one answered that question.