Chapter 248: Fool's Foresight
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 248: Fool's Foresight
“Ah, fuck. How much longer do we have to keep doing this?”
“If you’re gonna bitch, quit gambling, you bastard. You’re only doing this shit because you can’t save a dime.”
Unlike the rest of the Southeast, where beggars on the verge of starvation were piled up everywhere, actual rotting corpses weren't that common.
This was because the Antonio Brotherhood hired people—usually beggars or those desperate for quick cash after losing everything to illegal gambling—to clean up the bodies in exchange for food.
Most people assumed the Antonio Brotherhood maintained a certain level of hygiene in the Southeast simply to keep the minimum number of customers coming in.
After all, wealthy elites looking for a dopamine hit or outsiders hoping to strike it rich would likely turn tail and run if they saw maggots swarming over corpses lining the streets.
After piling the starved corpses onto a massive wooden wagon, the hired cleaners covered them with tattered, worn-out cloths to hide them from view. They sat on the very edge of the wagon, keeping as much distance from the bodies as possible.
“Phew, that’s the last of this sector.”
“Since we get paid per head, shouldn't we just slice up a few of those beggars over there and toss 'em on top?”
“...Are you a genius or what?”
The two men snickered, exchanging pathetic jokes, but there was no real need for that. Their goal was simply to ‘clean until no bodies are visible,’ and even without adding more, there were already plenty.
The horse-drawn wooden wagon rolled along for a while before arriving at the disposal site. Despite being on the outskirts of the Southeast, this place didn't smell particularly bad, and there was even a decent commercial district nearby—an oddity for a body disposal site.
“It’s strange. If it were me, I’d be too disgusted to stay around here.”
“Those folks don't have to look at the bodies, that's why. Besides, there’s barely a smell, right?”
“True enough.”
Rattle...
There was no need to actually unload the bodies from the wagon. They simply unhitched the horses and pushed the wagon by hand, tipping the whole thing into a massive pit.
It was a system designed to minimize any unpleasantness for outsiders who had lost money at the casinos.
“Hey, what the hell is even down there?”
“How should I know? Maybe a giant incinerator?”
“Doesn't feel hot enough for that. Besides, I don't smell anything burning.”
“Then maybe they’re feeding 'em to some monsters.”
They weren't actually that curious. They were the kind of people for whom the only thing that mattered was whether the number of coins in their hands at the end of the day was correct.
“Let’s go. I feel like I stink of death.”
“You always smell like that.”
“Why, you—!”
As the two walked away from the disposal site, engaged in their low-brow banter, a woman slowly approached them. She was a beautiful woman dressed in thin clothing—a rare sight in the Southeast, where eighty percent of the population was male.
“I’d like to ask you something, you fine gentlemen.”
“Oh? Well, hello there, miss. What do you want to know?”
The men’s tone shifted instantly. Just moments ago, they couldn't form a sentence without a curse word, but now they spoke with entirely different voices.
Hoping to impress the smiling woman in the revealing outfit, they answered in voices pitched slightly lower than usual.
“Are you perhaps strong explorers? I’d like to leave the Southeast, and I thought it would be nice to have an escort.”
At a glance, her skin was pale and fair, and her physique looked like she had never held a sword in her life. Considering why such a woman would be in a place like this, she was incredibly suspicious.
However, with a fragile woman asking for help, these two men—who had likely never had a chance with a woman in their lives—were too busy drooling to care about suspicion.
“Ah! Of course! I happen to be a Gold-grade explorer!”
“And, uh, miss? I’m Silver Grade, but this guy’s a ranger. I’m a front-liner, so I’m much better suited for escort duty! Believe me!”
“Listen to this prick. You want an arrow in your knee?”
The two men, who had been commiserating just moments ago, began to bicker over the woman’s request. Perhaps the woman who started it didn't like either of them.
“Mana levels are mediocre. Turn around and step back.”
As she whispered softly toward the bickering men, they stopped dead in their tracks as if they had never been fighting. They turned around and walked straight into the bottomless pit of the disposal site.
‘I have to hurry... even a little faster.’
Mage Ratashia watched the men march toward the abyss without a hint of resistance, then frowned as she recalled her instructions.
“Once his plan is complete...”
* * *
“Ah! It’s Yoo Eon!”
“No, Ravi. That’s a stranger.”
“Huh? No matter how I look at him, that’s Yoo Eon.”
“Ahaha, Sera... It really is me...”
“No. I don't know who you are.”
I had promised to show my face more often, only to disappear for another two weeks. Sera was completely pouting and was now refusing to even acknowledge my existence.
Meeting Sera on the streets of the Northwest felt different. Maybe it was because she wasn't wearing her usual tavern clothes. Having the Lymain family’s touch, her outfit had become quite high-end.
“Papa.”
“Yura, Papa is a bad man. You were only born recently, and you’ve barely seen him, right?”
“Yes.”
“Papa thinks the Labyrinth is more important than his family.”
“Gasp.”
“No... that’s not true... I’m really sorry...”
In the two weeks I hadn't seen her, Yura’s vocabulary had grown significantly. She seemed to follow Sera like a mother now, while Theodora had taken on a role similar to an aunt. It was a shame, but it looked like Sera had claimed my first daughter.
“Sera, I have something important to tell you.”
“Oh, really? I have so many things to say too. What should we do?”
“I’m sorry, Sera. I’ve been really busy lately. And... it’s almost over.”
“‘Almost’? Until when, exactly?”
Sera’s tone was sharp and biting. Compared to the usual gentle Sera, if it had been anyone else, I wouldn't have cared. But because it was her, it hurt my heart.
“Geez, that’s why you should have visited more often. You were mean, Yoo Eon!”
“Ravi, please listen too. This... is a very serious matter.”
“W-what is it? Why are you scaring us...?”
As Ravi grimaced in fear, Sera turned her head away but remained focused on my words.
“...Something big is about to happen in Calax. Please go to Roanmarie for a while. Just think of it as a vacation.”
“What... what does that mean...?”
“I can’t give you the exact details. But... you’ll be safe in Roanmarie. I’ve already contacted the Lymain family, so please. Everyone from the inn, too.”
“W-when? Why is it dangerous...?”
By now, Sera seemed to have sensed something was wrong, and her expression shifted to one of worry.
“I can’t tell you the reason right now... but things are going to get chaotic inside Calax for a while. Just... go with a light heart.”
“What about you, Yoo Eon?”
“I have to stay here.”
“...I’m not going. If you’re not going, I’m not going either.”
I expected this reaction, but hearing it in person made it even harder to figure out how to persuade her.
“I’m sorry, Sera. I have to stay.”
“You said it’s dangerous! Isn't that why you want everyone from the inn to go to Roanmarie?”
“Yes. It won't be for long... just a short while. A very short while.”
“If it’s only a short while, then come with us. Why are you trying to stay behind alone if it’s dangerous?”
“Because it won't work if I’m not here. And... because it’s dangerous because of me.”
“Yoo Eon—”
“Sera. Please.”
I cut off Sera as she softly called my name, taking her hands in mine and pleading with her. By now, a carriage headed for the Gateway should be waiting in front of the lodging provided by the Lymain family.
With so many people, it would cost more than the base fare, but it wasn't like I was short on money. I had asked Theodora to handle the lodging costs, so that wasn't an issue. She had prepared a place for Ravi and me before, after all.
“Yoo Eon...”
“When it’s all over, I’ll tell you everything that happened. One week. It’ll only take one week. Truly.”
“....”
Yura, who had been holding Sera’s right hand tightly, looked back and forth between us before stepping in between to block our path.
“No fighting.”
“Yura...”
She wasn't very tall, but seeing her speak so clearly made me realize what it felt like for a father to watch his daughter grow. I leaned down and scooped Yura up into my arms. She pinched both of my cheeks with her tiny hands.
“Yura, that hurts Papa.”
“Bad Papa.”
“Yeah, I guess I am. I’ll have to take Yura somewhere fun later.”
After saying that, I hugged Yura tightly. She had Horus’s bloodline, but her body was no different from a young human child’s. She had that cozy, baby-powder scent unique to little kids.
“Yura, do you want to go play with Mama?”
“Yes.”
“Sera, did you even teach her polite speech? That’s impressive.”
“...Yeah. Of course. Look whose wife I am.”
“Haha...”
Once I finished persuading Sera, the other people from the inn boarded the carriage to the Gateway without much fuss. Her father and Auntie Marta even seemed excited, saying it had been a long time since they’d been to Roanmarie.
“Aven.”
“Yes, Father-in-law.”
“If you make my daughter a widow, you won't even have a place to be buried. You know that, right?”
“Of course. Please, get on, Father-in-law.”
After Auntie Marta boarded the six-seater carriage, only Roland remained. Seeing him stand there with his arms crossed, he didn't look like an elder at all.
“I’m staying here.”
“...Father-in-law.”
“Oh? You’re looking down on your elders now?”
“No, sir. I just feel reassured.”
“Good. As you should.”
It seemed he had already discussed this with Auntie Marta, as she didn't seem particularly surprised.
“Dad...? You’re not coming...?”
“That’s right. Do I look like the kind of man who’d die easily? I’ll just keep an eye on things here and follow you later.”
“Roland.”
“Yes, Marta.”
Before closing the carriage door, Auntie Marta had one last thing to say to him.
“If you die early, there’s no grave for you either.”
“...I get it already.”
* * *
There were three places Yoo Eon had alerted about the situation. First was the Lymain family. The Golden Glove Syndicate had taken the hint and, without drawing attention, gathered all their employees within Calax and moved them to a safe location.
Second was the Mayerbridge Union. The entire internal staff had been placed on combat standby. Because there were so many people, rumors were already starting to spread through the Northeast.
“When do you expect it to happen?”
“In one week. According to the information I’ve gathered.”
“I see. You heard him, right? Go on, then.”
“I-I’ve been in your debt for so long...”
“Thank you for everything.”
Kanna Belfos and her attendant were released. They hadn't exactly been imprisoned, but they had been waiting for someone from their family to arrive in Calax because they were broke. Yoo Eon gave them some money and sent them on their way. The Southwest wouldn't face major issues, but it would leave a bitter taste in his mouth if anything happened to them.
And finally, this place.
“Sir Dexter.”
“Aven, I expected you to come.”
It was Arthur Dexter, the man who could vaguely perceive future events. As if he had anticipated Yoo Eon’s arrival, he was waiting to greet him on the third floor, having come down from the fourth.
‘How does he only come down to the third floor to meet me?’
“There’s a plan to strike the Southeast in one week.”
“Hmm...”
As expected, Dexter didn't seem particularly pleased by Yoo Eon’s words. The Southwest branch was still a subordinate organization of the Guild Headquarters and a member of the Calax Assembly that managed the Labyrinth City.
Yoo Eon assumed Dexter simply wanted to prevent a major incident from occurring.
“It seems a bit different from the future I saw.”
“...What do you mean?”
However, the reason Arthur Dexter groaned wasn't what Yoo Eon thought.
Arthur Dexter’s ability was inconsistent. Befitting the name ‘Fool’s Foresight,’ there were things he could see and things he couldn't. But among the things he could see with absolute certainty were two things:
Time and location.
That was the reason he was always able to rush to the exact time and place an incident occurred, even if he didn't know exactly what would happen.
“Are you sure they’re planning for a week from now?”
“...Yes, but.”
Arthur Dexter placed a hand on Yoo Eon’s shoulder and spoke.
“No, it’s three hours from now. You probably know better than I do what’s coming. Get ready.”
In three hours, at midnight. The Succubus Queen’s Treasure would be summoned to the surface.