Even I Think This Is Too Much
The Shika.
One of the continent's top assassin clans, where once marked, death comes within three days.
Among them, the Shika clan composed of bloodline members is particularly hierarchical among assassin organizations. Due to the nature of assassin organizations, most organizations have clear chains of command, but the Shika is even more so.
Even among bloodline members, if the rank is lower, they must unconditionally submit to those above them. Therefore, lower-ranked Shika are treated as almost slaves.
Within the Shika, the Shika Elder Council has the greatest influence. Even the current leaders are chosen by the council, so their will is the Shika's will.
"Then, let's start the meeting."
In a mansion somewhere whose location is unknown even to the top assassins except the leaders, they sit around a long rectangular table — they are the Shika Elder Council itself.
Although they are the head of the assassin organization, they don't often gather. Of course, there's a regular meeting once a month, but most matters are handled at the leaders' discretion.
Moreover, today is not even a regular meeting day. Nevertheless, the fact that they gathered allows one to understand the seriousness of the matter.
"Everyone already knows, but a week has passed since contact was lost with the investigation team sent to the Imperial Capital."
"That means..."
"Hmmm. It's highly likely they were exterminated."
A silence fell among them. Betrayal or some twisted situation was not even considered from the beginning.
It was unrealistic for the top Shika assassins to betray without warning in one go, and if it was just an unpredictable situation, contact wouldn't have been cut.
Therefore, it was the most natural assumption that the investigation team was exterminated.
"As you know, the investigation team was our direct unit under the Elder Council. The one leading them was one of the candidates for the next leader."
In other words, the possibility of information leaking is almost nil. If information had been leaked, it would mean someone from the Elder Council, which is far less realistic than the entire investigation team betraying at once.
Unfounded suspicion would only lead to division within the Elder Council. Therefore, the conclusion was one.
"Has Isaac Mayer really been such a man?"
The investigation team's target was the Empress's husband. The only conclusion they could draw was that Isaac Mayer had exterminated their direct unit.
Although it was an impossible hypothesis, even if the Empress had noticed the Shika's movements, with only her power, it was impossible to exterminate the investigation team without anyone noticing.
Rather, if they had openly mobilized imperial knights to fight, the extermination of the investigation team would have been somewhat understandable, but it wouldn't have been so quiet like this.
"So the only remaining possibility is that Isaac Mayer, the Empress's husband, killed the entire investigation team."
"We made a mistake. If they have Hero-class power, they shouldn't have approached with force."
There was no exact indicator for Hero-class power.
That's because the possessors of power that can't be measured by common sense or adventurer ranks are called Heroes.
In the human nations of this era, there are fewer than five people with Hero-class power. Of course, there are those who hide their power in every era, but even if there are many, it's at most a couple.
The Shika Elder Council decided to add Isaac Mayer's name to the list of such people.
"Originally, there was too little information about the Mayer Kingdom."
"It's unavoidable. That place is an inhuman magic realm that even our Shika assassins can't easily enter."
Because war and battle are daily life, the Mayer Kingdom is extremely sensitive to the smell of blood, even for ordinary commoners.
Even if they change their clothes and act, if it's Shika assassins, they would just reveal their identity.
Moreover, because it's located at the edge of the human nations, the information about the Mayer Kingdom is always lacking due to the distance.
"...Speaking of which, didn't Isaac Mayer come in place of his runaway third brother?"
"That's right. That means the third one is currently not in the Mayer Kingdom."
As long as it's not the Mayer Kingdom, there is no place on the continent that the Shika's reach hasn't touched. No matter where they hide, they can't escape their eyes.
"Good. Then, let's head that way and investigate further."
To know Isaac Mayer, one must know the Mayer Kingdom. So, find the person who knows it best and ask.
The direction wasn't particularly odd.
Direction.
--
The Hounds were terrified.
They don't blink even at ordinary matters and take on all sorts of dirty jobs, sometimes acting as if their emotions are worn out, but they are still humans.
They feel fear when they see something scary.
For example, seeing a professional assassin colleague who usually has a blank face and cynically says things, humming a tune while cleaning the headquarters...
"Scary."
"I'm scared."
"I think I'm going to throw up."
Such reactions would be natural. But the most terrifying scene hasn't appeared yet.
"I'm here."
"Ah, you're here."
Their leader, Haria, greeted the one who returned from the Imperial Palace for a bit due to work. If one looks at the somewhat blunt tone, one might think it's different from usual.
But among the Hounds, who know each other for a day or two, they can sense the mood of their colleague even when they don't want to.
From the moment the leader's footsteps were heard, Haria's mouth corners were about to rise, but to stop that, she forced herself to tremble, and they couldn't miss the trembling.
Also, upon seeing the leader's face, her cheeks slightly flushed, and she tried to speak bluntly, but her voice ended up with some trembling.
If one saw the final blow of her walking in to hug, it would be enough to make one worry.
"People say that if a person suddenly changes, it's when they're about to die."
"If it's Haria now, even the Reaper could be beaten?"
"No objection."
Gilbert's words that even the Grim Reaper couldn't do anything to Haria now, others agreed.
They were all feeling anew that the power of love is great. Isaac, who had finished talking to Haria, approached and handed Gilbert a document from his pocket.
"Here."
"Huh?"
Without saying anything, Isaac suddenly extended it, and Gilbert received it with a bewildered face. He looked at Isaac with a questioning face, but there was no explanation.
Gilbert's hand, which had no choice but to take out the document and read it, soon began to shake greatly. Everyone was curious what kind of document would make the highest-ranking Hound show such intense reaction.
Isaac announced to everyone.
"Although it was applied a long time ago, because the previous leader died before it could be processed, I came to handle it today instead. The wicked magician who caused a great danger to the Imperial Capital three years ago... what's his name? Anyway, recognizing the merit of dealing with the magician, Gilbert is retiring from the Hounds today and is now a free body. Come on, everyone clap."
In the short silence, Isaac's clapping voice that echoed in the headquarters was soon buried in the Hounds' cheers, applause, and whistles.
--
It wasn't unexpected, but it was noisy.
The noise was so loud that it seemed the old headquarters was about to collapse. Still, there was some satisfaction in coming on purpose at evening time.
At this time, the Hounds would all be gathered. I watched my subordinates for a moment, sharing joy and celebration.
Even Coyle, who is the opposite of Gilbert, sincerely congratulated him, and the huge Damus shed tears, and Derigan, who is blunter than Haria, smiled brightly.
Other Hounds also congratulated Gilbert in their own ways. After all, almost no Hounds who have retired while living healthily, so it makes sense.
In the midst of this, Haria quietly approached my side and whispered.
"Leader. Is this the thing that happened today?"
"Yeah."
Haria, who had been a bit upset when I said I would go to the Imperial Palace alone today because I had to follow her everywhere, also rejoiced at Gilbert's retirement and congratulated him.
After the atmosphere somewhat calmed, I continued with additional explanation.
"The submission mark will be removed here tomorrow by the imperial magicians. I'll be there too, so don't worry. And since we're talking, is there any guy who wants to retire?"
The idea of letting hopeful ones retire was something I thought about since I became the leader of the Hounds. Even if they are capable and excellent, I think it's better not to force them if their motivation is low.
For that reason, I wanted to accept other hopeful ones besides Gilbert, but unexpectedly, there were no other people wanting to retire.
"Also, it seems difficult to do other things now."
"More than anything, unlike Gilbert, we don't have any targets that we particularly need to return to or protect."
I think it's good to be a free body, but forcing out those who want to would be foolish.
The retirement commemorative farewell party was scheduled to be held after officially removing the submission mark tomorrow, so I went up to my room.
A short while later.
*Knock knock.*
The sound of knocking on the window, which always comes without fail today, I turned my head, and there was Haria hanging there.
Opening the window, she jumped into the room and hugged me. But the window wasn't locked.
"Why do you always come over the window instead of entering through the door?"
"Because other colleagues would be embarrassed if they saw."
Looking at her blushing face rubbing against my chest, it's cute, but honestly, I don't know Haria's standard for embarrassment.
On the bed, she demands things that surprise me sometimes.
"That's different from this."
"Hmmm. Then, the recent remodeling of my room with a huge sum of money?"
Without me knowing, Haria had remodeled my room in the Hounds headquarters into a room equipped with the latest soundproofing magic tools.
Moreover, because she brought various things every day, it was becoming cozier than the Imperial Palace's rooms.
"That's a necessary act. And money-wise, we can receive necessary expenses from Her Majesty anyway, so there's no problem."
"Does my legal wife permit installing soundproofing facilities in my room?"
"...Well, the content in the expense request is a bit different."
In other words, on the surface, it looks like a mistress who committed adultery with me is using money obtained by deceiving her legal wife to set up an environment for adultery.
...No matter what, this is a bit much.
"So, are you not going to test the equipment today?"
"No. We have to."
The latest soundproofing magic tools are excellent.