The Maze (2)
"……Looks like we've got a real headache on our hands."
Of all the rotten luck — it seemed we'd gotten tangled up in the department store raid.
I let out a sigh and looked over at Usher and Ney.
Builder Nicholas. And Runaway Train Calvin.
This two-man raiding pair had an almost comically bad matchup against most mages who relied on weapons in a fight.
"Boss. What should we do?"
Sinel, standing beside me, ran her hand along the concrete wall that had sprung up out of nowhere and asked the question.
Even at a glance, the wall looked thick. To get anywhere else, we'd have to break through it — but ordinary force wouldn't even put a crack in the surface. Sinel might be a 4th-circle mage with Haste, but there was only so much raw speed could solve.
"I have no particular intention of doing anything."
"Boss?"
"We're a terrible matchup against them anyway. Best to leave it quietly to the security forces over there."
Having given Sinel my answer, I settled into a nearby chair.
Nicholas, the so-called Builder, could freely raise walls through his magic. Those walls couldn't be pierced by bullets, and even forcing a path through them took serious effort. And even if you somehow got past one, somewhere beyond it Calvin — the Runaway Train — would be waiting. Inside this building, at least, the two of us chasing Nicholas down was simply impossible.
"Is that so. That's a shame."
Sinel seemed to grasp my intent. She gave up on moving and sat down beside me.
We weren't the security forces. There was no need for us to personally throw ourselves at every problem that cropped up. In the original story, the department store raid had been an incident Usher and Ney could handle on their own.
The officers over there, however, seemed to have other ideas.
"……That's all. Requesting support as quickly as possible."
Ney, who had been glancing our way from beside Usher, lowered her radio and started walking straight toward me. Usher, who had been holding her back, followed right behind.
She stopped directly in front of me, looked down, and spoke.
"You there. Dark Merchant."
"What do you want?"
"From the way you were talking, it sounds like you know something about what's going on."
She must have overheard our conversation and put a few pieces together. Information on the department store raid wasn't anything I particularly needed to hide, so Ney catching wind of it was no real problem. If anything, used properly, it looked like a clean opportunity to squeeze some money out of her.
An ordinary security officer's wages wouldn't cover an information fee — but Ney Terdos was a young lady from one of the most prestigious families in the city. If she stretched a little, paying for intel wasn't out of the question.
"Yeah. I know."
"You know I'm with the security forces. I'd appreciate your help resolving this incident."
I snorted at that.
Did she really think a request for cooperation from the security forces was something no one would dare refuse? Considering the standing those forces held in this city, her proposal was almost laughable.
"……You're asking for free?"
My read on her seemed correct. Ney scowled and glared at me. She was the kind of person who had joined the security forces out of a noble sense of duty to protect the city. It was hardly surprising that Ney Terdos's way of thinking couldn't fully process a situation like this.
"People's safety is on the line."
"An information merchant is a profession that stakes even their own life on making money."
"Do you love money that much? Enough that you don't care if other people die?"
"Call me whatever you want. But I have absolutely no intention of moving without compensation."
Of course, even without my information, the two of them could wrap this incident up without any real trouble. They'd just have a miserable time of it along the way.
Ney sighed, shook her head, and her gaze dropped to my open palm.
"Fine. How much."
"Eighty thousand."
"Eighty thousand? Are you joking with me right now?"
The moment she heard the figure, Ney recoiled in shock. Eighty thousand credits — an amount the current Ney could just about manage if she stretched herself. She still hadn't properly grasped what was happening, and she had no idea what kind of information I'd actually hand over. Digging into her own pocket for that was the last thing she wanted.
But I had more than enough cards to persuade her.
I held up eight fingers and smiled at her.
"What's so precious about eighty thousand? Mithril might fall into criminals' hands."
"You……."
"As a free tip — the purpose of this crime is the theft of mithril. You two know better than anyone what mithril is."
"……."
Ney's face darkened at the word. But the one who actually took the bait I'd thrown her way turned out to be someone else entirely.
Usher Hayes.
The protagonist standing behind Ney stepped forward past her.
"Dark Merchant, was it."
"That's right."
"You seem to possess a rather rare type of magic. Probably… something that serves a role similar to knowing the future."
Usher was not some empty-headed tagalong trailing after a young lady. Even in the original work, his instincts had always been unnervingly sharp. He hadn't identified my magic exactly, but the way he questioned the source of my information was more than a little uncomfortable.
I kept my expression carefully neutral and asked him,
"What are you talking about?"
"There's always an order to the information an information merchant acquires. And even among collected intel, priorities exist. Unless you're in league with those people, you seem to possess rather special magic."
"Well. I don't know what you're after, saying that."
"Planning to brush it off, then. Fine. If you don't feel like talking, that's your business. Everyone has their secrets."
With that, Usher turned his gaze to Ney and spoke without hesitation.
"Ney. Buy the information from this guy."
The same man who had been eyeing me with suspicion was now pushing her to purchase my intel. Ney looked thoroughly flustered by the complete reversal.
"Usher……. Isn't it a bit much to speak so freely when it's not your money?"
"If mithril really is here, the ones who'll end up with a headache worth far more than eighty thousand credits are the security forces."
"Ugh……."
"If a problem arises, I'll take responsibility."
"……Fine. I'll give you eighty thousand."
Under Usher's persuasion, Ney had no choice but to nod. She trusted him deeply. A short word of advice from Usher was more effective than any ordinary argument.
Thanks to him I was about to pocket eighty thousand credits — but receiving help from someone who clearly suspected me left an awkward taste I couldn't quite shake.
"So. Can you pay now?"
"Not right this second. I'll pay once we're back. Just cooperate first."
"I suppose a security officer wouldn't stiff me on payment. I'll trust you for now."
Given Ney's personality, she wouldn't skip out on the bill. With confirmation on the money secured, all that remained was to hand over the information.
Tap. Tap.
I drummed my fingers against the bag beside me, sorting through my thoughts. What to say. How much to say.
After a moment of composing myself, I looked at Ney and opened my mouth.
"Then I'll give you the information. One of them is a 5th-circle Strength user. The so-called Runaway Train——"
"No. Dark Merchant. You guide us yourself."
Usher cut me off before I could finish. Rather than hearing a briefing on the enemy, he wanted me to lead them in person.
"You're telling me to fight myself?"
"Weren't you also doing bounty hunting on the side? I don't see the problem. Live up to the value of eighty thousand credits."
"I have no intention of throwing my life in along with eighty thousand credits."
"……I'll handle those two. Just guide us."
Usher's presence was indispensable for taking them down anyway. If he was willing to take the front line himself, there was nothing particularly bad about tagging along. It was also safer than the alternative of running into Calvin without them nearby. If anything, having me — the one who already knew the details — accompany them instead of Ney might even cut the time short.
Decision made, I clicked my tongue and stood up.
"And how exactly are we getting past this wall? Planning to peel it apart with Blink?"
"Why would I do something that inefficient? You and I just need to cross over it."
"What?"
"At my level, the number of people I can bring along is limited to one. Just you following is enough."
In War City, Usher had crossed with Ney, so I hadn't known — but apparently Blink could only carry a single passenger. If only one person could come, the choice was already made. Crossing that wall with Sinel was completely out of the question.
"Fine. We'll do it that way. Sinel."
"Yes, Boss."
"Stay here and keep an eye on that young lady."
"Huh?"
I handed her the bag I'd been carrying. Sinel blinked at it, then nodded and hugged it carefully to her chest.
Usher, for his part, approached Ney to settle his own business. He stopped directly in front of her, pointed a finger at the muffler wrapped around his neck, and said,
"Ney. Release the restraints."
"Got it. You want them fully released?"
"That guy said he's 5th-circle. That would be better."
"Code E172. In the name of Special Supervisor Ney Terdos, I request Stage 4 restraint release."
Authority confirmed. Approved.
This temporary measure will remain in effect for 3 hours.
Hiss. Clank.
With the grind of metal, dense mana whipped through the air in every direction. The restraint device that had suppressed a surveillance target's magic output all the way down to the 1st circle lost its hold.
The 5th-circle mage, Usher Hayes, had reclaimed his true power.