The Deceived, The Deceiver, The Thoughtless 1
At the tail end of the boisterous banquet, the crowd that had packed the hall began to thin. One by one, people slipped away until the once-raucous atmosphere settled into quiet order. Among those still present, a small group also rose from their seats.
“Well then, I suppose I should be on my way. I’ve got a mountain of work waiting for me starting tomorrow!”
“The campaign only just ended… Wouldn’t it be wiser to rest a little longer?”
A colleague’s voice carried a note of concern, but the man simply shook his head.
“I’d like to, but this deal is too important. It could wipe out all the losses we suffered recently in one stroke. That’s why I’m thinking of sending Pompey this time. If she’s away, someone has to handle the remaining work—and that someone is me.”
“Is it really that significant? What kind of merchandise are we talking about…?”
Curiosity and doubt colored the question. The man’s lips curved into a bright smile as he answered.
“Don’t be surprised. Our subordinates managed to capture that dancer.”
“The… the dancer? How did they catch that wretched woman…?”
“The details are confidential. Anyway, since we’ve finally landed such a big fish, it’s only right that Pompey handles the matter personally. Crassus is reliable enough, but he has his careless moments.”
“Ah… true. Crassus does have that flaw. In that case, I’ll clear your schedule for the time being. We’ll take care of things on this end.”
“Good. I’m counting on you.”
With those words, he strode out of the banquet hall at a brisk pace.
‘I should have left earlier. Of all times, Cicero had to corner me for a chat… Haah… Well, nothing to be done about it now. Late is late. I need to get back as quickly as possible and issue orders.’
Time was tight if they wanted to meet the transaction deadline. He hurried into his carriage, and despite the late hour, the vehicle swiftly departed the capital.
‘That aside, I’m a little curious. I wonder how much that proud dancer’s face has fallen.’
The dancer was someone he had once faced as an enemy on the battlefield. The memory still burned in his mind—a mixture of deep humiliation and an unforgettable, precious recollection. She had shattered his belief that he was a warrior second to none. Now that same woman had been captured by his subordinates and reduced to mere merchandise. The thought filled him with more than simple anticipation of profit; a dark, twisted thrill coursed through him.
‘Since things have turned out this way, maybe I’ll have a little fun once Pompey brings her in. As long as the merchandise doesn’t get damaged…’
“Such is the situation, my lord.”
Crassus, now a Plutos, finished his report in a respectful tone. According to him, in two days’ time, someone sent by the Master would arrive. Their purpose was to conduct an on-site inspection while safely transporting Hela to the Empire. Both Arcadia and Hela frowned at how rapidly events were unfolding.
“Two days… We don’t have much time. We won’t even be able to move the demons to a safe location in that window.”
“Indeed. Moreover, their leader Pompey possesses both exceptional strategic acumen and considerable martial prowess. We must not let our guard down.”
“Even so, compared to our forces, they’re hardly a threat. Give the order, Demon King. I will slaughter them all personally alongside the undead.”
Hela spoke with clear fury toward the hunters. Arcadia slowly shook his head.
“No. Killing them here would be a poor choice.”
“What?”
“If it were only the inspectors, dealing with them wouldn’t be difficult. But doing so would make the Master start digging into our affairs in earnest.”
“Hmm…”
Crassus had explained that this fortress was the largest Kerks stronghold within the Demon Kingdom. If word spread that it had been retaken by demons, the Master would never remain idle. Though even Crassus did not know the Master’s true identity, the figure wielded significant influence within the Empire and maintained ties to the Hero Party. Should the truth come to light, they would likely march an army here under the pretext of suppressing a demonic rebellion.
“If that happens, regardless of victory or defeat, the demons we just rescued will be endangered. I refuse to allow any more innocent civilians to suffer.”
“I understand, my lord.”
Hela nodded gravely. She, too, placed the safety of the people above immediate vengeance and set her thirst for revenge aside for now.
“Then what do you intend to do, my lord? No matter what, Pompey will notice something is amiss the moment she sees this place.”
Illusions cast over the Plutos and undead could conceal the people’s appearances to some degree, but once the inspectors began a thorough examination, the deception would crumble. The former hunters turned undead could not hold normal conversations, and while the exterior might pass inspection, the interior remained a battlefield—complete chaos. They might fool the visitors for the first few minutes, but after that, the truth would inevitably surface.
Arcadia, however, already had a plan.
“There’s no need to worry.”
“No?”
“If we simply don’t let them in, that’s the end of it.”
“??”
“What do you mean…”
Both Hela and Crassus looked puzzled. Arcadia smiled quietly and began explaining his plan in detail.
*
A luxurious carriage raced along the road, escorted by heavily armed knights—an entourage befitting royalty or high nobility. Inside sat a woman in her early thirties with blonde hair, green eyes, and a stern expression behind her glasses. Pompey, the Master’s right hand and one of Kerks’ senior executives, was absorbed in the documents she held.
“Honestly… How does Crassus even do his job? There are missing records everywhere.”
Although her primary mission was to retrieve the dancer, Pompey’s attention during this journey had shifted elsewhere. Crassus was suspected of numerous irregularities within Kerks. Evidence of misconduct appeared in many places, yet investigating him had always been difficult because his operations were based deep within the Demon Kingdom. This time, however, Pompey had come prepared. She intended to thoroughly expose the old fox once and for all.
‘We may live off dirty work, but we can’t let our own house become filthy… This is the perfect chance to catch everything we can.’
Just as she finished preparing for a flawless inspection, the carriage came to an abrupt halt.
“Hm? Have we arrived?”
The door remained closed. Pompey opened the window and addressed the knight beside the carriage.
“What’s going on? We haven’t arrived yet, have we?”
“Ah… no, we have arrived. It’s right there, but…”
“But what?”
The knight hesitated, clearly reluctant to continue. When Pompey pressed him, he reluctantly opened the door.
“I… I think you need to see this for yourself. The situation seems to have become complicated.”
“What on earth are you talking about…!”
Irritated by the cryptic remark, Pompey stepped out of the carriage. The moment she saw what lay before her, her expression twisted into a scowl.
Knights clad in resplendent armor stood in formation. At their center fluttered a banner bearing a golden eagle perched upon a set of scales—the imperial tax collectors. Everyone knew their reputation: they ruthlessly extracted taxes from the wealthy and high nobility under the guise of revenue collection.
At this very moment, they had set up camp in front of the fortress and were examining documents apparently taken from inside. And there, surrounded by imperial knights like a criminal, stood Crassus.
Even the most oblivious person would understand what was happening. The very person Pompey had come to audit now stood accused before imperial officials. The words that slipped from her lips were automatic.
“…Damn it all.”