Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Inscrutable Man (3)
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After the banquet ended, the annex that Gadum had provided in its entirety for the banquet guests.
There, the afterparty of the now-concluded banquet was about to begin.
Knock knock.
"Morn?"
It was the name of the man who broke the silence that had just begun to settle in the room of a guest who had visited another guest room.
He was the young family head of the Doringham family, maintaining a forced 'friendship' with Gadum to ensure no disruption to his family's business.
"Galuan. How is your rest? Comfortable?"
"...I won't say it's comfortable. Seems like you'd prefer to hear it's uncomfortable."
Galuan was in a similar position to Morn. The moment he saw Morn's face, he understood everything and entered the room, draping his coat over a chair.
"If possible, could we talk for a moment?"
"Of course."
Knock knock.
"Who is it? At this hour."
"Pardon the intrusion, Sir Bellas. It's me."
"Morn? And Galuan too—"
"I was talking with Galuan when your name came up, Sir Bellas. If it's not too much trouble, could you spare a moment?"
"...Ahem. I'm preparing to head out now."
Knock knock.
"Torn? Galuan? And even Sir Bellas... What brings you all together at this hour?"
"I think you have some idea."
"..."
"Would you join us?"
Knock knock.
Knock knock.
Knock knock.
How much time had passed like that?
Half of the high-ranking nobles staying in the annex had gathered in Morn's room.
"Looking at it now, it's an absurdly spacious building. Eight grown men crammed into a single guest room, and it doesn't feel cramped at all."
"Even more astonishing is that this mansion is built solely for entertaining guests and left mostly unused otherwise."
"Yet it's impeccably maintained even so."
"The phrase 'money rotting away' fits perfectly."
"If you strengthen your friendship with Gadum, you could pick up some of that rotting money from the bottom..."
The city nobles exchanged meaningful glances as they conversed.
A subtle tension filled the room.
A moment later.
Sir Bellas, the eldest among the city nobles in the room, spoke on their behalf to Morn, who had convened the gathering.
"So, Morn. Why have you gathered us all here?"
"Respected Sir Bellas. You've already seen who’s here, so I believe you understand the purpose without me explaining."
"Even so, I think I need to hear the purpose straight from you. Especially here, in no one's home but Gadum's mansion, why plan a meeting with impure intentions?"
All eyes in the room turned to the young family head.
He spoke with his characteristically spirited eyes.
"Gadum is shaken. Everyone here knows that."
Morn's words clarified the vague purpose of the meeting.
The city nobles showed dismay despite it aligning with their expectations.
And rightly so—his statement was tantamount to 'abandon Gadum and switch sides.'
They shared a common trait.
Their family power bases lay under Gadum's influence.
If things went wrong, their families' safety could be threatened.
Thus, they showed concern at Morn's words,
and interest in them.
The standard for 'friendship' Gadum demanded of them grew ever higher.
They maintained a suitable distance for now, but who knew when he'd demand 'entertainment' or 'business participation'?
They had no desire whatsoever to join Gadum's repulsive business, distasteful even to speak of.
No matter how much wealth it brought.
As complex gazes crossed, Sir Bellas spoke for them once more.
"Fine. As you say, we've seen Gadum shaken. Recently, he lost a key business partner and collaborator at once. Councilor Ran, who once avoided him desperately, has boldly entered his territory and publicly shamed him. As you say, Gadum is shaken."
"Then—"
But.
Bellas added indifferently.
"So what?"
"Sir Bellas?"
"He still has plenty of businesses and guards left. It'll take a long time for his money to dry up completely, and meanwhile, the councilors will turn a blind eye to his wastefulness. Do you think you can hold out that long?"
"Not alone, no."
"Even if we combine forces, do you think it'll change much?"
"If we combine forces and join Ran, it will change greatly."
"...Ran is a figure worthy of respect. Every citizen of Bondales admires and loves her."
"I agree."
But.
Bellas added the same.
"More than that, the citizens fear Gadum. While Ran invests everything to help the powerless poor and citizens, Gadum invests everything on the other side to exploit the city. Do you think Ran can match Gadum? When even the other councilors take his money?"
"...I thought the same as you, Sir Bellas."
"Then?"
"Until I realized that Ran was behind the disruption of '[Liquor in the Left Hand]' and the barbarians. Ran ruined Gadum's business, stole his people, and still showed up here boldly. That's not something she'd do without solid proof."
"Solid proof..."
The middle-aged city noble's wrinkles deepened.
Bellas recalled the one honorary mage.
"So you're saying we stake our entire futures on that young honorary mage."
"..."
Morn's confident expression clouded with doubt.
"He's impressive, sure. But can you guarantee that with his involvement, Ran is now on equal footing with Gadum?"
He couldn't guarantee it.
How could he?
That a young noble just reaching adulthood had the power to oppose Gadum.
Morn was at a loss for words.
"..."
Bellas had gained the upper hand in the debate, but his expression wasn't bright either.
Deep down, Bellas had hoped Morn could convince him.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the room.
As the city nobles glanced at each other—
Knock knock knock.
"Lord Morn!"
"Lord Bellas, emergency!"
"Mr. Galuan—"
The door suddenly grew noisy.
The guards and servants the city nobles had brought rushed in with urgent news.
"...What? The guards?"
Morn hurriedly drew back the curtain and looked out the window.
"...!"
Fully armed guards were blockading the annex.
No one in, no one out.
"That mad bastard Gadum—"
"Sending guards at us?"
The city nobles were stunned.
They knew Gadum would act if he sensed danger, but this fast and reckless?
"First, let's go check the details."
Morn's group descended to the building's hall by a hair's breadth.
There, they saw other city nobles who had arrived first.
Unlike Morn's group, these were truly close to Gadum.
True friends, in other words, business partners.
Those who accepted his filthy hospitality and willingly joined his dirty business.
"No way! There must be some misunderstanding!"
That was why Morn's group was considerably flustered.
"As I said repeatedly, no exceptions. No one leaves this mansion until dawn and the investigation ends—that was the order."
Gadum's guards blocking the main door refused passage even to these 'close friends.'
"If that's true, I won't stand for it! Move! I need to return to my residence now!"
A city noble pushed forward aggressively.
Shing.
The guard unhesitatingly pointed his sword tip at him.
"Approach further, and I'll subdue you immediately."
"No..."
The 'close friend' froze in place, speechless.
The other 'close friends' were the same.
Morn's group felt a similar bewilderment and stood frozen.
"We received info that a heretic sympathizer might be among tonight's banquet guests."
"...Lady Ran, what do you mean?"
Ran approached them and explained the situation.
"Seems like he plans to make an example."
"An example...?"
"To show what happens if you dare defy him. Under the pretext of investigation, he'll harass us for a while, don't you think?"
How could that be allowed?
Morn's group swallowed the words rising to their throats.
Gadum in crisis was fully capable of it.
"Th-this won't do...! We need to take action, some action..."
The flustered Morn's group looked around.
Their gazes unconsciously followed one man.
Soon, someone muttered blankly.
"Come to think of it, that Rishir fellow—"
Ran smiled wryly and replied.
"I saw his door closed before coming here. Seems he's still inside."
"Holed up in his room in this situation!?"
Sir Bellas cried out in shock, but—
"Well, he must have his reasons."
Hehe.
Ran's meaningful smile overwhelmed them instantly.
"What in the..."
In the current situation, the most precarious position belonged to none other than Ran.
From Gadum's view, the other city nobles could be coerced with fear, but Ran was immune, and he knew it.
Ran knew that too.
Yet how could she be so composed?
"Did you perhaps hear something from Rishir separately?"
"I was just about to. Care to join me?"
"No—"
Not having heard anything yet, and she's this relaxed?
They couldn't comprehend Ran's composure to the end.
Thus, entranced, they followed her.
To Rishir.
To the guest room where he was staying.
"Come in."
Rishir's voice came from beyond the door at the knock.
An infinitely calm voice.
Morn's group followed Ran inside.
"...!"
They unwittingly swallowed.
Moonlight filtered through the window, faintly illuminating the room.
Rishir was on the bed.
Not lying down, but seated in lotus position.
His figure exuded a strange mysticism and intimidation.
'Meditating in the middle of this!?'
Some nobles stared at Rishir, entranced.
Soon.
Rishir fully emerged from his inner world, opened his eyes, and looked straight ahead.
'Damn, scared me. What the hell. Why is everyone crowding in?'
He maintained composure and spoke.
"Everyone here like this—what's going on?"
"What's going on? You didn't hear the commotion!?"
Morn asked exasperatedly, almost shouting.
"Commotion?"
Ah.
Rishir smiled wryly soon after.
'Oh no, Berbandes... Chuya!'
He thought.
The dune prankster had finally caused trouble.
To resolve the situation, he spoke immediately.
"No need to worry too much."
"No need to worry?"
She might have been a dune prankster before, but now she was a proper sand spirit.
Rishir believed whatever problem she caused wouldn't be serious.
'At worst, something like the sandstorm girl's chaotic restaurant raid over food?'
A sandstorm, or sand spirit girl, devouring food.
To those unaware of Berbandes's existence, it would be bewildering enough.
But that was it.
Just a spirit indulging in food.
"Yes. It may look flashy on the surface, but it's nothing major."
"Nothing major? How can you be so sure..."
"I promise to take full responsibility, so please trust me."
"..."
Rishir's response stunned not only Morn's group but Ran as well.
His demeanor conveyed conviction and responsibility, profoundly resolute.
As if he held the entire situation in the palm of his hand.
"It's late today, so let's talk more come morning."
Entranced, they followed Rishir's instructions.
"Lord Gadum. As ordered, the annex is sealed."
"Make sure no one escapes until morning."
"Understood."
Guard Captain Dogal finished his report and left Gadum's room.
Gadum alone in the room.
"..."
He nodded repeatedly.
'Ran, Rishir. What can you do coming at me like this?'
What he'd suffered from them was purely due to carelessness.
If he thoroughly pressured them, they could never escape his control.
Having mobilized the guards to prove his thinking, Gadum regained his leisure.
'Now, moving forward...'
As he organized future plans, he left the study for the bedroom.
His opulent bedroom was lined with display cases everywhere.
As Gadum's signature hobby, the cases held artifacts imbued with sinister power.
Gadum found pleasure in perfectly controlling those dangerous items others couldn't touch.
He sometimes used the artifacts to harm his enemies.
Maintaining the magically sealed artifacts in their cases.
That was how Gadum ended most days.
"..."
A moment later.
After finishing maintenance, Gadum contentedly surveyed his collection before lying on the bed.
While those in the annex tossed sleeplessly from unexpected threats, he rested in this perfectly controlled space.
'Good.'
Thus, feeling his disrupted mind stabilize from the unforeseen intervention of 'Rishir,' Gadum fell asleep.
Confident he could control all future situations as he wished.
Deep into the night, when all slept.
An uninvited guest arrived at Gadum's heavily guarded mansion.
Thick doors. Locks. Sentries.
The intruder passed them indifferently, entering the deepest part: Gadum's bedroom.
Shhh.
A handful of sand.
Slipping through the door crack into the room, it formed shape before a corner display case.
The sand spirit girl stood before the case, raising both hands high.
—I'm gonna eat you!!!
—Better to get eaten obediently!!!
A motion laden with horrific threats.
To human eyes, just an adorably smiling cuteness—
Rattle rattle rattle.
But Gadum's precious collections seemed to disagree.
The display case shook violently.
Soon, having circled the cases, Berbandes approached Gadum.
Her gaze fell on the necklace buried in his thick neck.
—It was you! This smell!
Gadum's thick neck fat quivered faintly.
The girl's hand reached for the necklace.
And a moment later.
The satisfied girl left the room without lingering.
Shhh.
Leaving sand scattered throughout.
The next morning.
As always, Gadum began his day by tending the collection in the display case.
"...!"
The moment he opened it, his face twisted horribly.
Dust coated the items everywhere.
Not only that, faint scratches marred them, as if clawed by something.
Like caught in a sandstorm.
"What the hell is... Huh?"
Gadum touched his neck.
With a rustle—
Sand clinging to his thick neck fell to the floor.
"..."
Gadum paled, looking around.
No signs of intrusion.
Only the results remained.
"Wh-who's there!?"
At his shout, guards burst in.
"What happened!"
"Your night watch—you weren't watching!?"
"What do you mean—we guarded your bedroom all night, as ordered."
"...Hah! Hah—"
Gadum's breath grew ragged.
Remember, I can take your worthless life anytime.
In his mind, a man removed his mask and spoke.
It wasn't they who were under the opponent's control.
It was himself.
"Chuinni! Wake up!"
"Huh?"
A voice waking Rishir from sleep.
And the sight greeting the awakened Rishir.
A sand girl perched lightly on his chest, looking down.
"Chuinni's a sleepyhead!?"
"And Berbandes... Chuya's an early riser?"
"No!!!"
"Huh?"
"Berbandes..."
The girl's body trembled.
Rishir unconsciously clenched with force.
"Chuya!"
"Ow, what a waste."
"Here! For Chuinni!"
Ah~
Berbandes pried her mouth open with both index fingers, and a yellow mineral dropped out.
"..."
A familiar sight.