Chapter 46

(Third Person)

…….

………….

That night.

Somewhere within the city walls.

In the darkness, away from prying eyes.

Three figures clad in pitch-black robes stood, avoiding the moonlight.

"Any luck?"

"He's still the same. Beyond redemption."

"Then shall we proceed?"

"We lack the pieces."

"…What about the plan to bring in that thing?"

"It's not going well."

A splash of water echoed. It seemed they were by the water. A makeshift dock, cobbled together from scraps and debris, held a boat that looked like it could sink at any moment.

This was a makeshift dock built by the slum dwellers. No one else was around in this late-night darkness, where even the ground was invisible.

"It's not a bad deal for that thing. The cause is just enough."

"The person doesn't think so."

"…Is there a risk of the plan leaking?"

"That's not a concern. The ideology is the same as ours."

"Then why not act?"

"…We are receiving funding."

"I understand that, but there are other sources of funding. What we need is enough popularity to push the cause."

"Perhaps you should do it yourself?"

"I have no intention of doing so. I am genuinely concerned about the future of this country."

"It's a difficult situation… but I understand your stance. No one would stand with you even if you took the lead."

"That's right. That's why we need that thing."

"Yes, we need it. No matter what."

"＜Red Lock＞…Cherina Veriello…We need her cooperation by any means necessary."

The shadows swayed.

The three shadows melted into the darkness, leaving no trace of their presence.

――――

…….

………….

That same night.

In a corner of the Piratus Royal Castle, three more figures stood.

"Damn it! I told you Cherina would be ours with this plan!"

The king, as fat as a pig, sitting on a dais, threw a silver wine glass at the man bowing before him. The man's face, which would have been handsome, was unfortunately obscured by layers of fat.

"…I apologize. I did not expect her to have anticipated our plan and hidden the potatoes…"

The man who answered was Brow Soar, a former merchant who had been forcibly appointed as the Special Minister by King Piratus II. He was in charge of economic and fiscal policies. He was the one who had declared Cherina Veriello as the only success of Piratus. Brow Soar had worked closely with Chancellor Geno Bor, and they had executed this plan with meticulous care.

The existence of both a minister and a chancellor in the same government was a peculiarity of this country, but it was a system that had to be accepted.

Chancellor Geno Bor had intended to curb the king's whims, and Minister Brow Soar had planned to use Cherina, as a minister or even as a wife, to control the king's extravagance.

The plan had been executed with great caution. For months, they had placed lookouts in all the warehouses of the Veriello Trading Company and secured an informant within the company (by dubious means). They had monitored all the cargo coming in and out of the port, confirming that the company had no potatoes. Both Brow and Geno were confident in their plan. Cherina's reaction when they presented the forged documents had confirmed their victory.

However, an unfamiliar foreigner had appeared. He was likely the person Cherina had met the previous day, but that wasn't the main issue. The problem was that he had introduced himself as a consultant for the Veriello Trading Company and produced potatoes that should not have existed.

The previous day's meeting was probably a ruse. This man had somehow learned of Brow and Geno's plan and secretly sold the potatoes. The information might have leaked from the company's informant. The potatoes were of excellent quality and freshness, and he could have sold them at a high price or used them to curry favor with the Veriello Trading Company. The mystery was how he had brought them into the monitored warehouses, but he likely used an item bag and made multiple trips under the cover of darkness. Brow concluded this was the case.

There were multiple things to investigate: where the information had leaked from, where the potatoes had come from, who the man was, how to placate the king, and how to protect himself. The more he thought about it, the more his head ached. It was like the country's economy itself.

No, the commercial policies he had proposed had worked remarkably well. And just when things were going well, this pig of a king… His Majesty had ruined everything.

The conditions for handing Cherina over to the king included partial tax cuts, large-scale wheat purchases, and a promise to curb the king's extravagance. This made the current situation even worse.

The silver wine glass that rolled in front of Brow. The king had no idea how many loaves of bread could be made from the red wine spilling from it.

"You are no longer reliable! I will take command myself!"

King Piratus II stood up and called out loudly for the deputy general.

"Did you call for me?"

"Yes. Bring Cherina here."

"Cherina, you mean?"

A thin, un-military-like man raised one eyebrow skillfully.

"Yes, bring her before me."

"…I see. Then I will have the slum dwellers kidnap her."

"What? Will she be harmed if we leave it to the lowly ones?"

"It depends on how much money we give them. They will do as we say for money."

"I see. Then I leave it to you. If you fail… you know the consequences, right?"

"Of course. I will take my leave."

The deputy general immediately left the room.

"Regarding your punishment…"

The two men held their breath.

"I will overlook it if the deputy general brings Cherina. I am a merciful king."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

It seemed their necks were still attached. Brow left the room and instructed his loyal shadows to gather information on the foreigner who had attached himself to Cherina. The skilled shadows quickly compiled information on a man named Akira.

However, the information was unbelievable. He had appeared in the city one day, accompanied by the Wandering Hammer. While not well-known in the western small countries, he was a wandering blacksmith and inventor. His blacksmithing skills were top-notch, and he was also known for his incredible strength, having single-handedly defeated twenty fully armed cavalry. There were even rumors that he could adjust aetheric devices, making him a unique individual even among the dexterous dwarves.

The fact that he was with such a person was a mystery. He had ingratiated himself with the Veriello Trading Company the day after entering the country and quickly became a consultant. The company was reportedly working on a highly confidential project, which Akira had brought with him. The details of the project were concerning, but the priority was to investigate the man.

Furthermore, he had a strong connection to the church, and it was confirmed that the church (the poor church) was covering all his expenses. The church could not be pressured, but it was clear that they were taking good care of Akira.

It made no sense at all. Moreover, the kidnapping attempt led by the deputy general had failed, as expected. The situation was becoming increasingly eerie. One thing was certain: this man was dangerous. That was enough to know.

Brow immediately decided to have him assassinated using his shadows. However, his four skilled shadows never returned.

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