Witch Hunt (1)
Nobles and ladies of leisure had always loved nothing more than talking about other people.
Personally, I thought it was a topic nearly every human being enjoyed.
The news that Ito Souta, who had worn the mask of a decent man, had tried to assassinate an innocent civilian in order to cover up his own weakness was more than enough to shake high society to its core.
If the bastard had been some nobody, I doubted it would have caused this much of a stir.
But because he was the type with an easy smile and a good image, a man who had reigned as the idol of the social scene, the backlash would be all the greater.
After my conversation with Cha Heera, I’d spent the whole day calming Jung Hayan down, which was a little frustrating, but the fact remained that I was in a good mood from the rumors I kept hearing.
Just the news that Lee Jihye was already working overtime behind the scenes was enough to put me in an excellent mood.
Of course, I’d been throwing in my own share of poison here and there, but that sort of backstabbing gossip was her specialty.
All right, then. Today I’m going to talk some shit too.
Anyway, the person who had come to see me today was Kasugano Yuno, someone I hadn’t seen in a long time. She was quietly kneeling before me, bowing her head in submission.
“You seem to be in a good mood, Master.”
“Of course. I’ve got less of a hangover than I expected, and moving around isn’t much of a problem either.”
“Th-that means you weren’t in too much pain…?”
“It hurt, but it wasn’t a big deal. I took painkillers in advance, too… though honestly, the sensation of my insides being turned over by mana made them pretty useless. More importantly, what’s the distribution situation?”
“I’ve handled everything exactly as you instructed, Master. The product is already on the market, and sales appear to be good.”
“How good?”
“As of today, net profit has already surpassed 20,000 gold. That figure excludes what was sold through the black market beforehand.”
“Not bad. Considering how short a time it’s been, that’s pretty decent.”
“Yes. There are even more people buying it simply for personal satisfaction… and I expect that number will continue to grow little by little.”
“Not bad at all.”
It was hardly surprising that it sold. Not only had I priced it so that even ordinary people could afford it, but when you considered that it let them forget their real pain for a brief while, it wasn’t all that strange for it to sell in a world as hopeless as this one.
A refined version of the mental treatment potion developed at the Cursed Altar.
The problem lay in the potion’s slight addictiveness.
There wasn’t much of an issue if you consulted with an alchemist, but given that I was the alchemist in question, there was no way anyone else would be able to handle the potion properly.
“It hasn’t been discovered, has it?”
“No, Master. Naturally. The goods being sold on the black market are being laundered through a business I personally own, and the newly formed guild selling the potion is also following the proper procedures. In fact, even among the Yamato Guild members, there are those who are using the potion….”
“Now that’s an interesting piece of news. Anything else from the Yamato Guild?”
“I can’t say for certain, but the mood in the guild seems to have changed a little after Ito Souta came under investigation. They’ve refused to trade with our guild and continue to make contact with other guilds.”
“How are we responding?”
“Our guild is also continuing to seek contact with other guilds. Please don’t worry, Master. Even within Japan, Ito Souta’s reputation is not particularly good right now.”
“Good.”
It was a soothing bit of news after so long.
Not only here, but over there as well, his reputation was sinking. That was a wonderfully happy thing.
Since Yozora, one of the other major guilds, was apparently criticizing him directly, that was probably why the backlash had started. Of course, Yozora’s own reputation wasn’t exactly pristine, partly because of some right-wing idiots, but once everything was over, that would all get sorted out too.
“If anything unusual comes up, keep reporting it.”
“Yes, Master. I’ll keep a close eye on everything.”
“Oh, and is there anything visible?”
“Yes. For now….”
“It’s a useful ability and an inconvenient one.”
“I am sorry. Please, punish me… punish me as you see fit.”
She flopped forward again, but it didn’t feel like the right moment to give her the kind of punishment she wanted.
That was because I could hear Cha Heera’s voice from outside.
“Honey? Didn’t you say you had an appointment with Duchess Katrin?”
“Ah. I’ll be out soon, Noona.”
Her voice sounded just a little irritated.
The environment around me had changed a bit, but the biggest change was my relationship with Cha Heera.
She was acting as though she had completely forgotten the strange behavior she’d shown last time, but these days she was coming over to talk to me far more often than before.
Especially when she was with Kasugano Yuno, she would make it obvious that she was looking for me, probably because she was bothered by the talk that the Yuno of the future would end up bound to me.
She just isn’t showing it.
After all, she was the prideful Mercenary Queen.
I still didn’t know exactly why Cha Heera was sticking to a slightly different attitude than she had before, but I figured there must be some personal reason for it.
Falling for someone wasn’t the sort of thing that could be explained logically in the first place.
Of course, my theory that my presence had grown larger inside her might have just been me getting ahead of myself, but given the circumstances, I thought it was undeniable that I had taken up a somewhat bigger place in her heart than before.
Which is a good thing.
“I’d better be on my way.”
“Yes. Do as you please.”
“I’m always grateful to you.”
Cha Heera was one thing, but I never forgot to keep an eye on Kasugano Yuno either.
Just by slowly running my fingers through her hair, she looked as blissfully happy as Jung Hayan.
Kasugano Yuno really was easy to handle.
In terms of difficulty, she was dead last.
She’d already entrusted me with her body, so there was no need to say anything else.
“You look happy, Master.”
“Oh. It’s not that I was bored being with you. It’s just that I enjoy badmouthing Ito Souta with Duchess Katrin, so don’t mind it. Ah, and keep staying on good terms with the people in the Holy Empire… anyway, let’s meet again next time.”
As I slowly opened the door, I saw Cha Heera looking this way.
For a moment, the way she looked at the shrine maiden felt a little strange.
Kasugano Yuno simply lowered her head and didn’t seem to react much, but perhaps she noticed Cha Heera’s gaze, because she began staring back at her in silence.
“Should we talk for a minute?”
“Ah.”
“You go on with your business. The girls and I have something to talk about. That’s all right, isn’t it, shrine maiden?”
“Yes, of course. I, too, have something to discuss with Lady Cha Heera. I do have some work piled up, but if it is only for a little while, I believe I can make the time.”
“Well, that’s good. Then see you in a bit, honey.”
“…….”
I was a little scared of what they might talk about, but it was only natural that I’d decided it was better not to get involved.
I already had an appointment, and right now, spending time sharing in my own pleasure mattered more than whatever conversation those two were going to have.
I walked out with the imperial knights who had come in place of Victor Hart, who was absent for a moment, and the noble ladies having tea in the garden came into view.
“Ah, Lee Kiyoung.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Duchess Katrin, and Countess Elise. Ah! And Lady Marlin has joined us today as well. It’s been a while for everyone else too.”
“Word got around that we were having tea with you today, so everyone insisted on coming. Are you feeling a little better?”
“To be honest, moving around is still a little uncomfortable, but… how could I pass up the chance to share a conversation with such beautiful ladies? You must have all been terribly shocked by what happened last time, and I’m very grateful you invited me again today.”
“Not at all. We were all so flustered at the time that we’re the ones who should be apologizing for not taking better care of you.”
“It was a situation anyone would have been frightened by. I’m simply grateful you came looking for me separately… thank you so much for inviting me to the gathering.”
“No, we truly enjoy talking with you, Kiyoung.”
As if they didn’t.
I’d never thought of myself as particularly gifted at conversation, but all I had to do was gasp in the right place or clap at the right moment, and these idle ladies would be over the moon.
It wasn’t just the subject matter; I was currently the hottest figure in this royal palace, so simply talking with me gave them a sense of superiority.
And the rumors will spread fast too….
A spiderweb of group communication.
These women were at the center of it, so anything that spread through the palace would do so in an instant.
I enjoyed these tea times, where scandal was the snack and conversation was the drink.
Sure enough, seeing the ladies already chattering away made me smile.
They led the conversation through one topic after another, but in the end every road led back to that bastard.
“Honestly… I didn’t think he was that kind of person, but he seems a little scary.”
“Yes, yes. Exactly. Who would’ve thought he’d do something like that at a social gathering? I still wake up in the middle of the night just thinking about that day.”
“So even Countess Elise feels the same way. I do too. I thought he was someone worth trusting because he seemed to get along so well with the Papal Office, but you really can’t know what’s inside a person.”
“Actually, I heard something….”
“Oh! Lady Marlin, did you hear something?”
“Yes. It’s a somewhat sensitive story, though… I heard it from a friend in the Papal Office. I’m telling you because I trust you all, but please keep it absolutely secret.”
“Of course.”
I’d wager that the story Lady Marlin was telling right now would spread through the entire palace in less than three hours after this gathering ended.
I could be certain it would become a secret everyone knew.
“Ito Souta, he and that… Archpriestess Ariel from the Papal Office….”
“What?!”
“Shh. Lower your voice, Countess Elise.”
“There’s a rumor going around that they’re involved in an improper relationship. Of course, it hasn’t been confirmed exactly, but if you think about how he kept going in and out of the Papal Office in the dead of night, it’s a pretty convincing story….”
“Truth be told, Archpriestess Ariel’s reputation isn’t exactly spotless either. So that’s what she was doing behind that smiling face. No wonder she kept darting in and out of the palace whenever this gathering came around. I thought it was a little strange, but I never imagined it had something to do with Ito Souta….”
“The Papal Office isn’t what it used to be either. Ah, of course, I’m not questioning the hearts of those who serve God, but there are always people doing unsavory things, aren’t there?”
“Actually, this is something I heard from a friend in Celia, but Ito Souta’s reputation in the free city apparently wasn’t very good either.”
“Really?”
“They said he harassed women, bullied the weak, and showed all sorts of unknightly behavior. Since he was the head of a major guild, everyone turned a blind eye, but now that his influence has weakened a little, those criticisms are only now starting to come out.”
“Ah….”
“There are even people calling him the master of the underworld, saying he runs the black market and deals in demi-human slaves….”
“Oh my… how frightening.”
Even without me moving my mouth, the bastard was busy becoming pure garbage at full speed.
Rumors spread that he had a shady relationship with the Papal Office, and before long all sorts of absurd stories would blossom from that seed—stories that even a third-rate scoundrel would blush to hear.
Most of the rumors born here would become truth by the time they reached the rest of the palace, and there was no doubt they’d keep the place buzzing for days.
I, too, had no choice but to join in on the fun.
“Ah, yes. I’ve heard that as well.”
No, I haven’t.
“That he was operating a black market, I mean.”
That one came straight from me.
“Oh… really?”
“Yes. I hear he can get his hands on all sorts of things. From our perspective as free citizens, there are quite a few busybodies who think the Yamato Guild’s growth has been unnatural. I’m not dismissing the accomplishments that guild has achieved, of course, but compared to dungeon conquests and other results, it has grown too large too quickly.”
“My, my….”
“It’s hard to say exactly, but they say he’s been expanding through unsavory means. Ah, of course, I can’t verify the source….”
After today, even the source would become verified.
“I see. The fact that you know about it… does that mean you’re connected to the matter?”
“Yes, but it isn’t the right time to speak of it yet. Even I can’t help being a little cautious in this situation… I’m worried I might be causing unnecessary trouble.”
“Seeing how badly he hurt Lee Kiyoung, I don’t think this is just a rumor that floated out on its own. He must have something to hide, right?”
“Honestly… all that time spent drinking tea and chatting with that man….”
“There isn’t a single person in this world worth trusting, is there? Don’t you think so, Lady Marlin?”
“Yes. Duchess Katrin is absolutely right. I’ll make sure to tell my father as well.”
“So will I.”
“Me too. I’ll definitely tell my husband.”
This was exactly why I couldn’t stop coming here.
If Ito Souta had been sitting in this very place, he would have let out a helpless laugh at the sheer absurdity of it all.
As time passed, direct criticism and outright insults began flying freely as well.
“Filthy trash.”
“Because of people like that, other free citizens end up catching flak too, don’t they? I’m not talking about Kiyoung, of course, but….”
“Not at all. I completely understand how you all feel.”
Understand, hell.
How was I supposed to stop this much fun?
This is fucking hilarious!
Just imagining what rumors I’d spread tomorrow made me feel excited all over again.
Warm sunlight, good tea, and, above all, delicious backbiting.
That’s the real taste of being alive.
This was no different from a drug.