Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Gently Scratching the Itch (4)
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A perfectly timed question came up. I grinned and replied.
"For starters, information gathering comes first. If I add what I know to what you have, we'll probably end up with way more intel than we do now."
"Hmm, yes. You're right."
"You know as well as I do that in this business, getting the jump on information faster than everyone else brings massive gains."
Elice nodded slowly in agreement.
"And based on that, we'll need to secure some funding. This rundown tavern will just be a base or a contact point. I plan to move the main operation to a big mansion."
For a moment, the speed of Elice's nodding slowed. She seemed slightly offended that I'd called her tavern rundown.
"I'm sorry, but this place..."
"Ah, I know. You've been building and running it since you were young."
"......"
"And I know your finances are tight because you've been searching for a cure to your illness. Don't worry about that. There is a cure."
"What did you just say...?"
"And to get started, I plan to invest my own capital."
Elice clamped her mouth shut, as if words failed her. Her expression said she didn't know where to even begin objecting.
"......For now,"
She pressed her fingers to her forehead, looking troubled.
"there is no cure for Crudelle disease."
"Not yet, there isn't."
Elice's face clouded over briefly. A faint flicker of hope crossed her features before vanishing quickly.
Elice had contracted Crudelle disease three years ago.
In just three short years, the fresh beauty she once was had aged into the middle-aged woman she was now.
"Let's say that's true for the moment. I don't know what makes you say that."
Elice picked up the thread in a bitter tone. She clearly had no desire to argue the point further with me.
"And seeing as you know that much, your information network must be impressive indeed. You seem to have plenty of capital too."
"Of course. In this capital, no one has more intel than I do."
My confident reply made Elice's expression turn peculiar.
'No way, right?'
That was the face she made.
I could guess who she thought I was, and it nearly made me laugh. To shatter that guess, I continued.
"And that's how we'll get to my ultimate goal."
"What...?"
Elice's eyes lit up with intense curiosity. William behind the counter and Dexter sweeping the floor pretended not to listen, but I could feel their attention on us.
I let the tension build enough to hook them, then spoke slowly.
"I'm going to take down the Mare Guild. And the family behind it, every last one."
"......"
Elice's lips parted in shock.
She stared at me for a long moment, doubting her own ears. Her face, pale with astonishment, turned toward me.
"You're saying you're going after the Sud Family? Did I hear that wrong?"
"No, you heard right."
"Hah......"
Elice covered her mouth and sighed.
"Well? Doesn't that sound exciting?"
I flashed her a grin. Her face twisted in response.
Scrape.
Elice shot up from her seat.
"This is ridiculous. I've wasted my time holding my tongue this long. You have to say something that makes sense."
Her voice was rough, laced with anger and disbelief.
"Consider my proposal never made."
"Oh, really? You won't regret it?"
"I'd only regret accepting it."
Elice turned on her heel sharply.
"Please leave."
As she took a step away, I muttered just loud enough for her to hear.
"Elice Barnes."
She froze in place. She couldn't move, as if struck by lightning.
"......Elice."
William called her name in surprise. His gaze fixed on her face.
"I know why you started this information guild."
I spoke casually while rubbing my fingertips together.
"You want revenge on your family, don't you?"
Elice Barnes. Her true name, hidden her whole life.
She was the product of a one-night fling by Baron Barnes. Abandoned by both mother and father, she had clawed her way to survival alone.
Her singular goal, forged in venomous resolve, was one thing.
To bring down the Barnes Family.
"......You really do know a lot."
Elice turned slowly. Her face was frozen, emotions carved away, only her lips moving.
"Enough to deserve death."
Whoosh!
A hidden blade flew from the counter.
"Hah!"
At the same time, Dexter drew his sword and charged at me.
"Hmm."
I let out a nasal hum and jerked my head aside to dodge the blade. Instead of meeting Dexter head-on, I lunged toward Elice, who stood in front of me.
"Elice!"
Dexter twisted sharply toward me, and William leaped over the counter.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Elice drew a dagger from her thigh sheath. The keenly sharpened blade gleamed, showing it hadn't been neglected.
"Not bad."
Her quick movements and grip on the dagger spoke of practiced skill. She'd likely trained extensively to protect herself.
But.
"No chance."
To me, her actions were laughably slow and predictable—enough to yawn.
"Hiyah!"
I seized her wrist as she thrust at my chest. She twisted her arm a few times, then gritted her teeth when it wouldn't budge.
"Elice!"
Elice ducked low, and Dexter's sword sliced through the space she vacated.
"Oh ho?"
I dodged in the same direction. Then I yanked her wrist hard.
"Urk!"
Off-balance, Elice tumbled to the floor. I struck her hand firmly in the gap.
"Ow!"
Clang!
Her fingers splayed open, and the dagger fell free. I kicked it away with my foot, sending it skidding out of reach.
"Got some moves?"
"What......"
She scowled at my whisper. Instead of explaining, I showed her.
"Urk!"
I wrenched one arm behind her back, then crossed the other behind it as well. I backed up against the wall.
"Grk."
Elice realized her predicament and swallowed a groan. She'd caught on that I was using her as a shield.
"Let go!"
She wrenched her shoulders with all her might.
But I held both her wrists effortlessly with one hand. They didn't budge an inch.
"Ugh......!"
The more she struggled, the more her joints ached. Sweat poured down her forehead like rain.
"You coward!"
Dexter ground his teeth and shouted.
"Let her go now!"
"No thanks?"
I shot back with a smirk.
"Why toss away a perfectly good shield? That'd be stupid."
"Elice!"
Dexter cried out desperately as he approached. Elice twisted sideways to give him a clear shot at me.
"Tsk."
But I hoisted her body up like an object, blocking his path.
"Damn!"
Dexter had to pull his sword back hastily.
"What kind of strength is that?"
He clicked his tongue, staring at my forearm.
It must have seemed odd that my slightly sturdy build—above average but not bulky—could lift and toss around an adult woman so easily.
I shook Elice like a rag doll and laughed.
"Isn't this lese-majeste or something?"
"You bastard!"
Dexter charged again, face flushed with fury.
But with Elice as my shield, he couldn't land a solid hit.
No matter how he angled his dagger, I twisted just right to keep her in front of me.
"Elice!"
Even William joined the fray, long sword in hand from behind the counter.
"Oh, two against one."
A delighted smile tugged at my lips as I muttered. And I meant it—I was having fun.
'It's been ages since I fought people. This is entertaining.'
I'd grown bored fighting nothing but monsters.
Monsters never listened, no matter what I said—just growls and snarls in response.
'Though fighting them was more thrilling.'
Objectively, these guys were no match for monsters. Slower, weaker, and emotional to boot.
'And charging in like this from such childish taunts.'
Still, they were skilled in their own right.
Take Dexter first.
Elice had found him beaten and collapsed in a back alley and saved him. He'd sworn loyalty to her ever since.
I'd guessed from his bluish nails—he used poison. Every weapon he wielded was coated, dangerous even on a graze.
'Getting hurt would be a hassle in all sorts of ways.'
I wasn't sure if Requiem could neutralize poison, but best not to let them draw blood.
Then there was William, playing shopkeeper.
His face still held faded traces of nobility. His footwork and sword swings gave it away.
'He was a knight once.'
Specifically, a knight from Elice's family.
He'd pitied the young Elice and couldn't stand by as she was abandoned alone, despite her loyalty to him.
'Impressive loyalty.'
Having weathered hardships together, they moved in perfect sync.
For instance.
Swish!
Dexter swung horizontally,
Slash!
and William followed vertically, making it hard to evade.
"Hmm!"
Or joint strikes from awkward angles, cornering the foe.
Attacks rained from both sides without respite—no time to draw a weapon. Just dodging for dear life.
'Oh, using your heads, huh.'
They were herding me away from the wall too, controlling my dodges to draw me toward the center of the hall.
Before I knew it, I was standing diagonally in the open center, away from the wall.
Front and back assaults would be tough to evade like this.
"......"
The two exchanged glances, faint smiles on their lips. They thought they were gaining the upper hand.
But they had two insurmountable reasons they could never beat me.
First.
"Urk."
Elice bit her lip to stifle a cry. Her forced joints were starting to ache.
She couldn't move rashly. Her men were swinging carefully to avoid hitting her.
One wrong twitch from her, and their blades might cross and wound each other.
It showed they'd never fought three-way like this, despite practicing duo attacks.
"Hurts a lot, huh?"
I leaped back a large step and said.
"Hang in there. If you can't, just tell your men to back off."
I grinned, half-comforting, half-mocking her. Then I muttered loud enough to be heard.
"So why'd you leave the boss in easy grabbing distance? Wasn't it begging me to take her hostage?"