Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Epilogue
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Having dealt with the Demonic Human, we left for the Empire in a carriage early in the morning.
You might ask, couldn't we have just slept at the inn and left in the morning after a bit more rest?
I could see why you'd ask, but I despise getting tangled up in troublesome affairs.
Dealing with the Demonic Human was one thing, but the problem was that the one we dealt with was a marquis of the Empire and the lord of his own marquisate.
Normally, we should have been rewarded for taking care of a demon and a Demonic Human, but the thought of being summoned by the Emperor and having to deal with all the etiquette and formalities was so exhausting that we just left quickly.
Still, I couldn't just leave without an explanation, so I left a note briefly describing the situation.
The butler there seemed competent, so I'm sure he'll handle it.
And unless he's an idiot, he should be able to deduce who the culprits were from our disappearance, so we tied up the loose ends neatly.
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-Knock, knock.
"My lord, may I enter?"
Despite the butler's knock, no answer came from within the room.
Usually, a response would have come immediately, so he knocked a few more times.
Sensing something was amiss due to the lack of response, the butler placed his hand on the doorknob.
"Please forgive my impertinence."
When the butler opened the door and entered, his eyes were met with the reek of blood filling the air and someone resembling the marquis, crumpled in a corner of the room.
"......!"
The overall appearance was that of the marquis, but with his murky skin tone and the half-grown horns and wings, he was clearly no longer human.
"What, what is this......"
A note was stuck to the Demonic Human's face.
The butler moved closer to read the contents of the note, which were brief.
[Your Marquis turned traitor.]
In the middle of the note.
[Emptied the vault as overtime pay. Later.]
And at the very bottom.
[Spread a rumor about who killed him, and you'll end up just like him.]
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"Haaah~"
"Sir Luke, are you sure it's alright to have handled things so carelessly?"
"What more should I have done?"
Shouldn't they be grateful I did that much?
We went there on a monster subjugation request, not a quest to save the marquisate, you know?
If it's their own territory, they should be able to solve their own problems. What more do they expect?
This world doesn't even pay for overtime, yet they're so keen on working people to the bone.
If I hadn't emptied the marquis's vault this time, I was planning on breaking into all the residents' houses to collect my overtime pay, just like a certain hero in green.
As I was catching up on lost sleep with a lap pillow, we, who had left the marquisate before dawn, arrived in the Empire just as the sun began to rise.
First, we headed to the Adventurer's Guild to collect our payment.
Since being an adventurer is my main job, I come to the guild often enough, but lately, I've been here almost every day, so it feels like home now.
But for some reason, the Adventurer's Guild was bustling with activity today.
Even more so than when I dealt with that pig who sent assassins after me.
Honestly, I had a guilty conscience about something, but I had just taken care of it this morning, so there's no way a letter could have arrived before we did.
I figured an S-rank adventurer must have finally shown up.
"I'm glad you're safe."
As I approached Adela's counter, she greeted me with 'that line.'
"How did the designated quest go?"
"It's been handled cleanly."
"That's a relief. The client wasn't as strange as you thought, right?"
"No, he was definitely strange. He was squinty-eyed, so I hit him once, and he was being annoying, so I hit him again."
"......"
"I hit him for your share too, Adela. I did good, right?"
"......"
Adela's lips were sealed as if zipped shut.
Hmph. She must be too moved to speak.
I'll put it on your tab. You can repay me slowly later.
I took the stamped request form from my inventory and handed it to Adela.
With this, the designated quest was truly over.
"By the way, why is it so noisy this morning?"
"Ah... something rather big happened."
"Did the Emperor die or something?"
"......That's a statement you could be executed for, for treason against the imperial family. Please be careful."
"What does it matter? Everyone dies eventually."
"I'd rather not be dragged in as an accomplice, so please......"
All humans are mortal.
If the Empire gets invaded later and the Emperor is in danger, I guess I'll have to lend a hand.
Dying isn't a bad thing, is it?
They say death is a luxury, don't they?
I'm just helping him indulge in a little luxury.
"So what's the big deal?"
"The news is that Crown Rodian, the head of the Marquis's family, was found dead this morning, having transformed into a Demonic Human."
"Hoh..."
I definitely killed him this morning. That was fast.
How did the news spread faster than us, who left right after killing him and came by carriage?
"The news travels fast. Do you receptionists have some kind of morning glory magic you can use?"
"No, we have a magical device for urgent communications."
Magical devices, of course.
In a world with no trace of scientific technology, if it weren't for magical devices, they'd be no different from cavemen who could make fire with their hands.
"If you had something so useful, why did you use letters all this time?"
"Because it consumes a lot of mana with each use. It can only be used in major incidents like this one."
Tsk. It would have been nice to have something like a smartphone.
I should have left a comment on that modern fantasy novel next to the first-place one instead.
"So it's absolute chaos right now. This news must have reached His Majesty the Emperor's ears by now."
Well, a marquis is just below a duke.
A noble of that rank betraying humanity—there's no way it would be taken lightly.
I'm glad I only left a note.
If I had stayed any longer, the palace would have sent people to commend me, and it would have been a whole ordeal.
Just imagining it is exhausting.
"But are you just making the information public? It's supposed to be a secret, but it seems like every adventurer here knows about it."
"Haa... that's just how information is. No matter how much you try to conceal it, it's bound to leak from somewhere. Once information is out, it quickly becomes a rumor, and rumors spread uncontrollably fast."
The walls have ears, I guess.
This is why rumors are so scary.
The truth of the matter is secondary; they just spread faster than a plague.
"What's the situation now?"
"The royal court is looking for someone to manage the now-vacant marquisate. The academy is in an uproar, too. The name Rodian has been erased from the Empire, and all the students with the Rodian surname at the academy are taking the blame for everything."
Wow, that bastard had a kid?
Whoever it is, I feel sorry for them.
They were just studying diligently, and now their life is ruined because of their good-for-nothing father.
"The way they're handling this Demonic Human situation is pretty intense."
I thought since he was a marquis, it would end with a demotion to count or confiscation of property.
But they're completely erasing his existence.
"He's a traitor to humanity."
True, once you're branded a traitor, your life is pretty much over.
In a game I played in my past life, when a cat-eared female character betrayed everyone, the way she was treated afterward was insane.
It was a given that she'd get anti-fans, but memes were created, and countless abusive images related to her character were produced.
By now, the marquis's child at the academy has probably been branded 'the traitor's son.'
"Come to think of it... wasn't the place you went to the Rodian Marquisate, Mr. Luke...?"
"Dunno."
-Clap!
Just then, a sound silenced the murmuring Adventurer's Guild and drew everyone's attention at once.
Someone had clapped their hands loudly, and the gazes of all the adventurers in the guild turned towards the source of the sound.
The sound came not from the first floor but from slightly above, and when everyone looked up, a lone man was standing on the stairs.
The man was not a stranger to me.
He had a straight scar over his right eye, and streaks of white in his hair hinted at his age, but contrary to his years, the aura emanating from him was formidable, a world apart from that of an ordinary adventurer.
The identity of this formidable man was Argo, an A-rank adventurer and the Guild Master of the Empire's branch of the Adventurer's Guild.
He was the first person I saw when I first came to join the guild, and I hadn't seen him since.
"It's good to see you all so energetic in the morning, but I'd appreciate it if you'd consider my reputation."
Argo, using the stairs as a platform, smiled faintly.
He was smiling, but in reality, only his lips were curved; his eyes were not smiling at all.
At that, the guild fell silent as if nothing had happened.
"Adela, what's he talking about?"
Not understanding what he meant, I quietly asked Adela.
"For the Empire, the betrayal of a noble who is a cornerstone of the nation is a shameful piece of news. They wouldn't be pleased to have it become gossip, especially among adventurers, who can be unpredictable."
"So?"
"Do you still not understand what that means...?"
"Nope."
"...Haa. The bottom line is, he's telling the adventurers to watch their mouths."
Aha.
Then he should have just said that the higher-ups ordered him to keep everyone's mouths shut. Why beat around the bush?
This is why I chose science over liberal arts.
"Good. I'm glad you all seem to understand."
Argo turned to go back up, but then he said, "Ah," as if remembering something, and turned back around.
"By the way, the academy sent an official request for adventurers to help with their practical training this time. Anyone interested? The required rank is D or higher."
At his words, the guild became dead silent.
"Really, no one? The pay is quite handsome."
Argo asked again, but the adventurers remained quiet.
"Mr. Luke, why is no one willing to go?"
"Because adventurers are oil, and academy students are water."
They were two things that could never mix.
When I first set foot in the Adventurer's Guild, I was picked on just for wearing an academy uniform.
Though I haven't seen that bald guy around lately.
It's obvious they'd get ganged up on by the academy students if they went. Who would want to go, even for a lot of money?
No, it would be better if it were just the students.
Some of the professors are elitist snobs, so they might openly give them a hard time.
Considering the relationship between academy students and adventurers, it was only natural that no one would go.
"I see..."
"We're done here, so let's go get some rest."
The moment I turned to leave.
"You there. In the academy uniform, freeze."
It sounded like he was looking for someone, but it wasn't my problem, so I was just going to leave.
"Luke. Freeze."
If only he hadn't called my name.
After being singled out, I remembered: I was wearing my academy uniform right now, wasn't I?
No wonder everyone was staring at me when he said, "academy uniform, freeze."
"I am not Luke!"
"If you help with this request, I'll use my authority as Guild Master to let you take the B-rank promotion test."
"That's right! I am Luke!"
Abuse of power truly is the best.
Yes, sir. At your service.