Recruiting a Capable Ally

"...Are you going alone?" The voice drifted over just as I was about to climb over the window frame. Turning around, I saw Franche looking up at me, her index fingers tapping together nervously.

"Of course I must go alone. It might take some time, so I cannot very well bring you along, Lady Franche."

Franche pouted, her shoulders slumping. "Will it take long...?"

"I will return as quickly as possible."

"Alright..."

Leaving behind her lingering, regretful gaze, I leaped from the windowsill and cleared the iron fence. Masking my presence, I moved swiftly through the shadows. As I ran, I tore open the envelope Seldas had handed me.

The envelope contained detailed intelligence on Cazar Uplain. It was impeccably thorough, living up to the reputation of the Empire's greatest information broker. However, one detail caught my eye.

"The tyranny of Count Seirel?"

Was the reason Cazar Uplain only appeared in the mid-game because she had been trapped in the Seirel Count Estate? If I resolved this issue for her and earned her gratitude, recruiting her would be a breeze. A rough plan began to take shape in my mind.

Still, the far southern edge of the Empire... The distance was immense. At this rate, the journey alone would take quite some time.

"Hmm..." Renting a carriage was out of the question. I had no money. That meant I would have to cover this vast distance entirely on my own two feet...

Should I try running with Aura?

Jin Barenberg possessed an S-rank combat rating. He was stronger than almost any other character, standing at the absolute pinnacle of this world. If I channeled my Aura to run, I would easily outpace any carriage. The only concern was whether I would exhaust myself...

"Well." It would probably be fine. As a legendary Sword Master, surely my recovery rate would be exceptionally fast. First, I needed to slip out of the Descartes Duchy. Recklessly tearing up the ground as I sprinted would cause unnecessary complications.

I leaped high into the air, landing lightly on the roof of a nearby building. Bounding from rooftop to rooftop in a straight line made the journey significantly faster. I ran and ran, losing track of time, until the sun finally dipped below the horizon and I cleared the borders of the duchy.

"Whew." Thanks to the active Aura coursing through my body, my legs didn't ache, nor did I feel particularly fatigued. However, the sheer distance left to travel made me sigh. Still, running at the speed of a Sword Master should get me there in no time. Clinging to that hope, I pushed the muscles in my legs to their absolute limit.

My muscles swelled, and the surrounding air turned ice-cold as my Aura flared.

Boom! Web-like cracks shattered the ground beneath me, and my body launched forward like an arrow shot from a bow.

At this speed, I'll be there in a flash. And so, moving at the superhuman velocity of a Sword Master, I sprinted toward the Seirel Count Estate at the southern edge of the Empire.

"That took longer than I thought."

Even with taking proper rests along the way, it had taken me two full days to travel from the Descartes Duchy to this place. It was slower than I had anticipated. Franche would probably be furious, considering I had promised to return quickly.

"..." Well, at least I had arrived at the Seirel Count Estate. Franche would understand once I explained the circumstances.

I unfurled the map Seldas had tucked into the envelope. It was meticulously detailed, marking the location of Cazar Uplain's house, her frequent haunts, and even her daily schedule.

This is actually a bit terrifying.

He didn't lead the underworld's top guild for nothing. With this level of competence, it made sense why he was one of the members of Somire's reverse harem. He was an incredibly obnoxious bastard, but his skills were undeniably top-tier.

"Well, regardless." Time to find Cazar Uplain. I headed straight for her residence. Since ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she was the descendant of a local baron, I expected her to live in a decent house. But that was a naive assumption. When I arrived, I was greeted by nothing but a single, dilapidated shack standing in isolation.

"Does she really live in a place like this?"

"Can I help you?"

"Whoa, holy crap!" I spun around to find a woman tilting her head, staring up at me. Even with my highly honed senses, I hadn't felt her approach at all. She was definitely no ordinary person.

"I am looking for someone named Cazar Uplain. Do you know where I can find them?" The moment Cazar's name left my mouth, the woman's expression turned icy. What was her deal?

"Why are you looking for her?"

"I have an important reason to meet her."

"If you tell me, I can pass along the message for you."

"I'm afraid I can only speak to her directly." The woman hummed, tapping her cheek thoughtfully with her index finger.

"Then let's have a chat."

"About what?"

"Before I introduce you to her, I need to find out what kind of person you are."

"I don't have time for that."

"That's a shame. In that case, I can't help you." What was with this woman? Was she playing games with me?

"It doesn't matter if you won't tell me. I already have all the information I need."

"Information?"

"I can't share the details." I turned to walk away, but she spoke up again.

"You'll never find her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠without my help, you know."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"She isn't someone you can find just by following paper trails."

"..." I narrowed my eyes and glared at her. Should I believe this nonsense? Still, she was lingering right outside Cazar's house, so she had to be connected to her somehow.

"Fine, I'll play along." Searching every location on the map and waiting for the right time would take too long. I decided it would be faster to get an introduction from someone who knew her.

"I'm... Medeia!"

"Alright, Medeia. What is it you want to discuss?"

"Let's go inside first."

"Do you live with Cazar Uplain?"

"You could say that." Was she a servant? I kept my eyes narrowed, scrutinizing Medeia.

"Staring at me with suspicion won't get you anywhere."

"..."

"Just come on in. I won't bite." I nodded and followed her inside.

"..." Calling the interior a pigsty would have been an understatement. Countless books lay open and scattered across the floor, alongside magical research papers and various experimental tools.

"It seems cleaning isn't a priority here."

"I'll just end up taking them out to use again anyway, so why bother cleaning up?"

I questioned Medeia. "I still haven't heard who you are. Are you Cazar Uplain's family, or perhaps a servant?"

"I'm not a servant. You could say I'm family, since we live together."

Living together? Suspicious. Seldas's report explicitly stated she lived alone. There was no way he would miss such a detail. Medeia was hiding something from me.

"So, what is it you want to ask me? I'm short on time. I would like to speak with Cazar Uplain as soon as possible."

Medeia poured tea into a cup and smiled. "My, aren't you impatient? Just answer my questions, and I'll introduce you right away."

When I scowled to make my irritation clear, Medeia merely offered a bright grin. I had no idea what she found so amusing.

"But is this really where Cazar Uplain lives? It hardly looks like the residence of a local baron's descendant." As I frowned and looked around, Medeia answered.

"The tyranny of Count Seirel is severe. Except for the Count himself, everyone in this territory lives in poverty—whether they are nobles or commoners."

Taking a calm sip of her tea, Medeia continued. "Now, for the first question. Why have you come looking for Cazar Uplain?"

"I would prefer to discuss that directly with her."

"Just think of me as Cazar Uplain's representative." Her sudden seriousness gave me a strange sense of déjà vu. Something is off. As I furrowed my brow, she pressed on.

"Don't be so suspicious. I know Cazar better than anyone else." I clicked my tongue. It was highly dubious, but I had no other choice. I pointed to the crest of the Descartes Ducal Family embroidered on my uniform.

"I am a knight from the Descartes Duchy."

"Oh my, a prestigious guest. What brings such a person all the way here?"

"I came because I heard Cazar Uplain is highly proficient in magic."

"And how did you know she was proficient in magic?"

"The duchy employs an exceptional information broker. I have all the necessary intelligence on Cazar Uplain." I lifted my teacup and took a sip.

"Hmm, that's rather unpleasant. Digging into someone's background like that."

"That has nothing to do with you, does it?"

"I suppose so." Medeia giggled. What on earth was she so happy about?

"So, do you intend to take Cazar Uplain back to the duchy?"

"Yes. We will fully cover her housing, living expenses, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠everything else she needs."

"And why go to such lengths?"

"Do I really need to explain that to you?" I glared at her, narrowing my eyes. Medeia only giggled in response.

"Tell me your purpose. I can't blindly send Cazar to a duchy she knows nothing about." I clicked my tongue in annoyance.

"There is someone I want her to teach magic to."

"And who might that be?"

"That is not information I can share with an outsider." Medeia hummed with interest, her lips curving into a smirk.

"But Cazar won't leave this place."

"Why? If she comes to the duchy, she can live in a far better environment and receive complete financial backing."

"She still has unfinished business here."

"Does it have to do with Count Seirel?"

"You're quick on the uptake." So Cazar's goal wasn't simply to escape this territory, but to take action against the tyrannical Count Seirel? I would have known if the game had ever explored her backstory. She was a character with very little presence in the original game. You know the type—the ones who get completely sidelined and fade into the background because they have no weight in the harem. Cazar Uplain was exactly that. Medeia continued speaking.

"If you absolutely must take Cazar with you, there is one condition."

"What is it?"

"Help us stop the tyranny of the Seirel family."

"Do you even know who I am?"

"I can feel it from your energy. You are incredibly—no, incomparably strong."

Could she perceive the realm of a Sword Master? As expected, this woman was no ordinary person.

"Don't be so guarded. My eyes are just a bit more special than most."

"Fine. So, what must be done to stop the Seirel family's tyranny?"

"Assassinate Count Seirel."

"...What?" What kind of absurd proposal was this? Assassinate a Count?

"Unlike his father, the heir to the Seirel family is competent and reasonable. He is a compassionate man who understands the lives of the people here. He would make an excellent lord."

Medeia refilled her empty teacup as she continued. "If Count Seirel dies, his heir will inherit the title, right? Then the tyranny will finally end."

Relying solely on the heir to justify assassinating the Count. This was no simple matter. A Count was the ruler of an entire territory. If he were suddenly murdered, the Empire would undoubtedly launch an investigation.

"I don't understand Cazar. She could easily live a comfortable life on her own, yet she insists on assassinating the Count."

"She is a deeply compassionate person. She isn't the type to abandon the people here just to live comfortably by herself."

This was turning out to be quite troublesome. To think the only way to stop the tyranny was assassination. It wasn't impossible for me, of course. The real issue was the aftermath.

"What will you do if the Empire investigates? And why share such sensitive information with a stranger? What if I report this to Count Seirel?"

Medeia shrugged. "Count Seirel has already fallen out of favor with the imperial court, so they won't conduct a proper investigation. They'll likely perform a perfunctory inquiry and let the heir take over."

She smiled, adding, "Besides, I didn't think someone who came all the way from the Descartes Duchy just to recruit Cazar would want to return empty-handed."

She was reading me better than I expected. Since my original plan was to help Cazar to win her favor anyway, should ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I accept?

"Very well. I accept. Now, let me meet Cazar."

Medeia stood up, her lips curving into a bright smile. "But you already have."

"What?"

"I am Cazar Uplain."