Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Throwing Tempting Bait (2)
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"How can you be so sure?"
"Trade secret."
Elice's face twisted at the curt reply. It wasn't something she'd understand even if he explained anyway.
*The Sword of Summer, Cadenza.*
Cadenza had already descended upon an island in Sud Territory. The one that had frequent volcanic eruptions in the past.
No one had noticed its presence yet, thanks to the warm weather. The southern part of the empire was hot to begin with.
*But an anomaly will occur soon.*
Thanks to Cadenza burning fiercely, the water temperature along the southern coast was staying abnormally high. As a result, the pearls and corals living in the surrounding area were drying up and dying.
*That's when Carlo and Cain's funding will run into problems.*
He planned to infiltrate the market dominated by the Ardante Family at that exact moment.
*How will it feel to get a taste of your own medicine?*
Who knew, but Carlo would probably end up looking for a dentist again. Assuming he even had any teeth left by then.
"…Understood. We'll buy up all the gems until then."
Elice smoothed out her furrowed expression as she spoke.
"Should we secure some jewelers as well? We'll need them to process the gems."
"No need. I have someone in mind."
"Ah, yes. Got it."
As he watched Elice scribble something on the documents, he thought of someone who was probably racing toward the capital right now.
*Wonder how far they've gotten.*
If she'd sent the letter as instructed, he had a feeling they'd arrive soon.
"What about the Gold Star matter?"
"Ah, I have it ready here."
Elice caught on immediately and pulled a pouch from the drawer.
"Jack worked really hard on it."
"That kid's name is Jack?"
"Yes. He's probably still out wandering around with Dexter."
"He's doing well."
He took the pouch and opened it, counting the stones inside.
*One, two, three… twelve.*
Once he'd finished counting and looked up, Elice was watching him with a tense expression.
"…Is it not enough by any chance?"
"Hmm…"
He deliberately paused before slowly exhaling.
"Not bad. Good work."
"Whew."
Elice let out an audible sigh of relief, patting her chest.
"I'm glad you're satisfied."
"You must have gone through a lot."
"It was more Jack who was sweating bullets. He was worried you might be displeased."
"You found more than I expected."
He pulled one stone out of the pouch. He twirled it around, examining it, but still felt nothing special about it.
"May I ask what these are?"
To Elice's anxious question,
"It's what you think it is."
He replied all too casually.
"Pardon?"
"You have a rough idea, don't you? That's exactly it."
"Th-then these are…"
"Shh."
He pressed a finger to his lips and flashed a secretive smile. Elice stammered, at a loss for words.
"My goodness. One of those is worth a fortune already. And twelve of them…"
"Don't think about the price. We're not selling them."
"Pardon?"
He tied the pouch securely and tucked it into his bosom.
"I acquired them for a specific use."
"Oh… But those, in their current state,"
"I know. They're unusable as is. Of course, there's a way."
Elice's lips twitched at his meaningful tone.
"That's a trade secret too, I presume?"
"You know it."
"I figured as much."
Elice grumbled softly before asking.
"Should we keep looking for more?"
"As many as possible. And,"
He gently stroked his quiet belly before adding,
"Find out every location where merchant groups like this one were raided."
"You don't mean…?"
"Yeah."
He rose from his chair with a grin.
"Now that I know the purpose, we might as well clean them all out."
❖ ❖ ❖
On the outskirts of Lubare Territory, near the capital.
"Sob… sob…"
"Please…"
"Spare us…"
People knelt on the dirt ground, sobbing quietly.
The carriage they'd arrived in had long since been smashed. The crates loaded in the back were all pried open and dumped on the ground.
"Take anything of value! All of it!"
Carson, the leader of the Topo Bandit Gang, bellowed. The other bandits hurriedly loaded the spoils onto the horses they'd ridden in on.
A sleazy smile spread across Carson's face as he watched.
"Kekeke. Easy peasy."
Thanks to the weapons and horses supplied by some mysterious man, banditry had become a breeze.
The merchant group carrying gems had hired decent mercenaries. But they couldn't withstand weapons on par with the mercenaries' own, combined with overwhelming numbers.
"Look at all this."
He could envision the golden future of the Topo Bandit Gang. The day he'd quit this bandit life wasn't far off.
"Boss! Everything's loaded!"
At the bandit's report, Carson slowly turned.
Thud.
His footsteps passed by the corpses of the dead mercenaries.
They'd resisted fiercely to the end but ultimately lost their lives. Blood flowing from their bodies soaked the ground.
Carson stood before the captured hostages. A bandit with a sword approached his side.
"What do we do with these?"
Carson appraised the hostages' faces coolly, like one evaluating merchandise. The hostages averted their terrified gazes.
"That one, that one over there. And that one too."
He pointed with his chin. Among them was the leader of the merchant group.
"Throw them in the cage and sell them as slaves."
"N-no! Please!"
"Spare us, I beg you!"
Screams erupted from the hostages. Carson cackled in response.
"Don't worry too much. I'm not caging the women."
Lust glinted dirtily in his eyes.
"But you'll have to come to my room instead. Who's first, hmm?"
The women's faces paled as they grasped his meaning. A bandit standing beside Carson rubbed his hands together eagerly.
"Boss, hehe. You won't hog all the fun, right?"
"You punk! Tch, even cold water has a top and bottom."
"Aw, of course. We'll just figure out the order among ourselves."
Carson propped his chin on his hand, scrutinizing the women. His eyes landed on one particularly pretty young girl.
"-!"
The girl flinched back upon meeting Carson's gaze.
"N-no…"
"Her."
"Yes, boss!"
The bandit saluted and strode toward the girl.
"Don't! Please!"
"Shut up and come here!"
The bandit's rough hand seized the girl's arm.
"Kuhk…"
"Ahh…"
The other hostages swallowed their tears. Their fates were far too cruel.
It was then.
"Hm?"
Carson, who had been leering contentedly at the girl, looked up.
"What's that?"
Something pitch-black caught his eye at the edge of his vision.
"Huh? What's moving so fast?"
The bandit tussling with the girl,
"Hey, hey, look at that."
"You see it too?"
Even the bandits dragging out the other hostages spotted it.
Thud thud thud thud!
The pitch-black thing was closing in at a speed too fast to track.
"Wh-what the hell!"
"Get ready, everyone!"
"It's coming this way!"
After a brief panic, the bandits quickly formed ranks. Years of working together had honed their instincts.
They soon realized it was a person riding a pitch-black horse charging toward them.
But the moment they did,
Boom!
The horse barreled past them at terrifying speed.
"Wh-what was that just now?"
"What hit…"
The bandits, puzzled, scanned their surroundings—and soon found it.
"Hiiiik!"
A bandit whose facial bones were completely caved in, dead.
"Kyaaak!"
The girl he'd been grabbing screamed. She scrambled backward and fell on her butt.
In the meantime, the horse had wheeled around and was charging at the bandits again.
"What are you all doing!"
"Block it!"
"Block it, I said!"
Amid the chaos,
Puk!
One bandit's body was impaled on a sword and launched into the air. The man on horseback had thrust with the full momentum of his charge.
"Guhk…"
The bandit let out a deflating wheeze and died on the spot.
Tap, tap.
The man shook his sword on the ground as if dislodging skewered meat. The meat lump—the bandit's body—splattered onto the dirt.
"…"
An eerie silence fell over the bandits. They couldn't comprehend how two of them had died in an instant.
That incomprehension persisted. Because they all died before they could comprehend anything.
"…"
The hostages huddled together, holding their breath.
"Argh!"
Every time the black-haired man moved, another corpse appeared.
"Kuhuk!"
His movements were so fast the eye couldn't follow. By the time they turned at the screams, all they'd see was a bandit's collapsing body.
"Sp-spare… Guk!"
The man said not a word. He simply performed the necessary task mechanically, like a machine carrying out murder.
The sight inspired awe on one hand and irrational fear on the other. It was akin to the sensation of confronting something inhuman.
"Wh-what do you want!"
With all the bandits dead, only the boss Carson remained.
"Gems? Hostages? Name your price!"
Carson gripped his weapon tightly, forcing his voice to stay loud.
But instinctively, he knew. The reaper's blade was already at his throat.
"…"
The man tilted his head slightly. A darkly alluring smile curved his lips.
Slash!
His sword arced smoothly toward Carson. For a split second, Carson thought he heard a wet thud by his ear.
It was the sound of his own head hitting the ground. With that, Carson's thoughts ceased.
"…"
The hostages stared blankly, hands over their mouths.
"W-we survived."
Someone muttered absently, prompting,
"Did we survive?"
"We're alive, right?"
The hostages whispered to each other.
They were too frightened by the man who'd slaughtered the bandits to celebrate outright. He exuded danger far more than any sense of justice.
"Pruuung."
The pitch-black horse circling him contributed to that vibe. Its gleaming golden eyes were beautiful yet alien.
"Good boy. Well done."
The man treated the horse, far larger than himself, like a puppy. He stroked its neck, and it purred contentedly.
"Wh-what do we do? Are we safe?"
"He killed those bandits, so he must be here to help us, right?"
"Someone talk to him!"
Pushed forward, the merchant leader hesitantly stood.
The man had already sheathed his sword and stood calmly. His quiet gaze no longer seemed poised to kill.
Gulp.
The merchant leader swallowed and approached slowly.
"Thank you. Truly, thank you. You saved our lives."
"…"
"By any chance, are you with a knight order? Or a mercenary band?"
The man offered no reply, merely staring. The leader grew even more cautious not to offend.
"You prefer not to reveal your identity. I understand. How can we ever repay this kindness…"
He expected the man to wave it off humbly.
*Not at all. It was just the right thing to do.*
But.
"That's it?"
"…Pardon?"
The leader could only gape stupidly.
"I saved your lives, and that's all?"
The man's tone was nonchalant, but his voice was captivating, wrapping around the ears.
"N-no, of course not."
The leader felt cold sweat beading on his forehead.
*Why does this feel like dealing with a noble lord?*