Chapter 116: Not Our Problem
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 116: Not Our Problem
After the small after-party wound down, I headed to the old geezer’s office so the two of us could have a private drink.
Rune had asked me to sleep with her, but I told her I had things to discuss with the old man.
“When are you coming back?”
“I’m not sure how long the conversation will last.”
“Hmph. I didn’t touch a single drop of alcohol just so I could spend the night with you, Alto.”
“I’m sorry.”
She looked so cute pouting that I gave her a deep kiss, leaving her eyes unfocused and dreamy.
“You have to sleep with me tomorrow. Promise?”
“I promise.”
Having secured my word, Rune headed off to rest with Narupa and Yarismal, her expression still dazed.
Ironically, Macherite—who had been incessantly thanking me—ended up sharing a room with Diane, another person she had a complicated history with.
Diane’s expression wasn’t great as she supported Macherite, who was completely wasted, eyes closed and barely breathing.
“Hang in there.”
When I offered that word of encouragement, Diane’s face brightened instantly as she nodded. She really was like a puppy.
If Resin had been even half as much like you, would things have turned out differently?
Unfortunately, I’m not the type to dwell on things that are already over.
“Old man, let’s get going.”
“Don’t nag me, boy. If you’re in such a rush, the booze will go to your head just as fast.”
Despite his lofty words, he was busy piling all sorts of fruit and cheese onto a large tray.
I watched him for a moment before chiming in.
“Grab some nuts, too.”
“I almost forgot. Good point, Alto.”
Why does it always feel so unpleasant when the old man and I agree on something?
It must be because one of us is definitely a bad person.
And I usually believe that person is the old man.
“Aren’t you bringing the alcohol?”
“Foolish boy. A man always keeps his truly fine liquor in his study.”
Ho, now that’s intriguing.
A 30-year-old whiskey is already exceptional, yet he’s leaving it behind without a second glance?
As someone who enjoys a good drink, I wasn’t complaining.
We crept down the darkened hallway and entered the old man’s office.
Because it was so quiet, the sound of the wooden door opening felt incredibly loud. Since I had nothing to hide, even that piercing creak felt somewhat nostalgic.
“So, what brings you to seek out this old man?”
“I wanted to talk about how the world is turning. While I was at the Magic Tower, I heard something from Liras that I couldn’t just ignore.”
“And what would that be?”
“I heard the Black Rose Movement is breaking out in the Duchy.”
“Ah, so I’ve heard. Apparently, there are occasional voices rising in the Kingdom as well, but they say those are being suppressed effectively. However, the movement in the Duchy seems to be growing quite large.”
“You knew?”
“Information is a vital weapon. Ignorance is a sin.”
“So you knew and just didn’t say anything?”
This was getting on my nerves. It meant he had intentionally withheld information from me.
“Why are you looking at me so crookedly?”
“I heard the one running wild in the Duchy is Krima.”
“One of the party members who betrayed you in Lukart. The priest who slipped into Dakuren around the time Miss Arasen died and managed to escape.”
“That’s the one. I heard she was working at a salon.”
“She’s a persistent one. To survive Lukart, the borderlands, and Dakuren, only to end up in the Duchy… Did that Heavenly King tell you it was her?”
“Something like that. So, you didn’t know Krima was at the center of the Black Rose Movement?”
“It would be stranger if I did. Besides, that movement started right here in Dakuren. Of course, it died down quickly because you personally consoled the souls of the departed and the Young Lady provided direct compensation.”
Let me explain the current state of affairs for the first time in a while.
After the Black Rose Movement, the way men treated women improved slightly.
And I do mean slightly.
The three who used to hang around with Fran seem to be working very hard to improve women’s rights, but for other men, it has mostly stopped at the level of ‘not hitting women recklessly.’
In addition to that, maybe saying “thank you” when a woman brings them money?
Yeah, it’s at a level where you’d ask, “That’s it?”
But the women were surprisingly satisfied with just that.
They seemed moved by the mere fact that bringing home money was no longer taken for granted, but recognized as something to be grateful for.
It’s… a bit pathetic, honestly.
In reality, the instances of men beating women in the streets of Dakuren have decreased significantly, and the women’s expressions have become much brighter.
“Liras said Villen is attached to Krima.”
“Are you certain?”
“Demons can sense each other’s energy, especially the strong ones. That’s why he kept pressuring me, acting like there was no time for negotiations. He was pushing me to go catch Villen immediately.”
“What an idiot.”
“Why? It was actually quite effective.”
“You mean you were swayed by that?”
“It’s not so much that I was swayed, but rather that it’s true we’re short on time. While Liras is just stewing in his own juices inside the Magic Tower, they’re out there inciting social unrest in the Duchy.”
“Yes, you’re right. But that is the Duchy.”
At some point, I realized we had been talking heatedly without even pouring a single drink.
When I gestured with my glass, the old man pulled out a couple of thick books, revealing a bottle of Royal Majesty 40-Year-Old hidden behind them.
“Where did you get the money for that?”
“I got it from the Crown Prince in exchange for organizing a military parade for him.”
“Of all the times to skim off the top, you chose then?”
“What can I say? That was the only time I felt greedy enough to do it.”
Unbelievable.
Still, the alcohol is innocent, so I’ll let it slide.
The aroma alone was on another level. Instead of stinging the nose, it caressed it—a smoky scent mingled with an indefinable fruitiness, proof of its premium quality.
“I can guess what you’re worried about and what you’re pointing out. But that is the territory of the Duchy.”
“Villen is with Krima. That makes it a matter between humans and demons.”
“It is a matter between the humans and demons of the Duchy.”
“Are you doing this on purpose?”
“Then what would you have us do? Do you think the Duchy would welcome us with open arms if we sent Hero-rank adventurers to deal with a demon on their soil?”
“Well, they might hate the interference, but wouldn’t they tolerate it until their headache is dealt with?”
“Well said. And what happens immediately after that headache is gone? While the party is still in the Duchy after killing Villen? Can you guarantee the Duchy won’t turn hostile toward them?”
I couldn’t.
Since he’d scored a point, I decided to take a sip.
Alcohol is alcohol, after all. No matter how fragrant, it leaves a bitter aftertaste once it goes down.
“Just look at the members of your party. The heir to the Great Lord of Hus, the head of the Diberum Group, the youngest executives of the Adventurer Guild headquarters and the Church, and a mere Ranger… though they are all daughters of the Four Heroes. Only daughters, at that. And then there’s you, the No. 1 National Merit Recipient. Aren’t you all a delicious piece of bait and a perfect political tool?”
“Ahem.”
I suppose this kind of insight was what the old geezer was known for during the Final War.
Still, being lectured by him and left speechless made me annoyed. I grabbed the whiskey bottle and poured it generously.
“Hey, you brat! That’s expensive stuff!”
“I know, that’s why I’m doing it.”
“I shouldn’t have brought it out! I’m just filling the belly of this pig!”
“Heh, who told you to be so careless and bring it out?”
“Exactly, Alto.”
“Huh?”
As I sipped the premium liquor, the old man countered with a look of victory.
“Exactly. Someone could say to you: ‘Who told you to crawl in here and slay Villen when no one asked for your help?’”
With that, he snatched the bottle back.
“And they’d say it after they’ve already taken all the ‘fine wine’ out of your hands.”
“Sigh…”
The alcohol was starting to kick in.
“I know you do this because you hate demons. But the slaying of demons must take place within our own fences.”
“This sucks.”
“What can we do? No matter how good our intentions, they will take everything they can get and then demand to know why we set foot in their yard. Just look at Lukart. Think of your party members there. Even after everything you did for them, they got angry and ignored you, only to regret it after the backlash hit. Even that Diane girl.”
“……”
“Levantello and Donovan are also in the Duchy. If there is a formal request for cooperation from the Duchy, you can fight alongside them. But if we barge in on our own, you’ll have to deal with those two along with Villen.”
“Levantello is one thing, but I hate Donovan even more.”
Coming from the same Central Command background as the old man, he was an opponent I found incredibly troublesome to deal with.
“That man uses unorthodox methods as if they were standard.”
“And yet, a brilliant commander who uses standard methods as if they were unorthodox is sitting right in front of you.”
“A commander who tried to whittle down his own soldier count? You don’t seriously expect respect from me, do you?”
“Ahem.”
With that, we had both landed a blow on each other.
“Fine, I get it. I won’t act recklessly. I won’t use my privileges at the Adventurer Guild headquarters to force my way in, either.”
“I’m telling you this because you seem upset that I didn’t share the information, but the Duchy has always treated women as the property and assets of their husbands. The Black Rose Movement is like throwing fuel on that fire. Their slogans are simple: ‘Love us,’ and one other.”
“There’s one more? ‘We are not ATMs’?”
“You don’t even know that?”
“I don’t. Tell me.”
“Ho, I was planning to tease you a bit more before telling you, but since you’re asking so nicely, I’ll show some mercy this once.”
This old man really knows how to get under someone’s skin.
“It’s: ‘Alto Bertrand is the true man and savior.’”
“What?”
Wait, they’re shouting that slogan in the Duchy? A sovereign nation with its own ruler?
Is Krima the problem here, or is it Villen?!
“Yes, I figured you were talking nonsense because you didn’t know the slogan.”
The old man chuckled as he watched me freeze in shock.
“Now then, you brat! Stop thinking useless thoughts and get some rest. You’re only saying such things because your energy is depleted. I knew this would happen, so I’ve already booked tickets for Najune, which is famous for its hot springs. Go and rest with everyone.”
With a refreshed expression, the old man delivered the final blow.
“The eels there are thick and delicious. They say any man who eats them will end up fathering three children.”
He was acting like a grandfather pestering for grandkids.
Irritated, I lunged for the neck of the whiskey bottle.
“Wait! No!”
Gulp, gulp.
“You crazy bastard! I told you it’s expensive! You can’t just chug it like…! Youuuuuuuuuuuu—!!!!!”
And so, we traded one last blow.
Though the old man was the one left whimpering.
Heh.
I won.