Chapter 89

"Transaction?"

Taken aback by the sudden proposal, Rio could not let his guard down, given that he could not read the other party's intentions. Last time, the other side had given up, but this time, with a purpose, they would not let him off. If his gaze was fixed on the arrow, it would be difficult to escape. There was nothing to do but observe their move. Rio's thoughts were probably transparent. Konrads quickly got to the point.

"I request your cooperation in the extermination of the evil spirit, Nightstalker. If the extermination is successful, I will give you its head."

While probing the underlying meaning of Konrads' words, Rio cautiously spoke.

"We are planning to leave the town. There's little reason for us to get involved in such a dangerous matter."

As adventurers, gaining fame from the Nightstalker extermination would be beneficial, but Rio and his companions had no desire for fame, and being too conspicuous would even be a disadvantage. It would be more solid to inform other guilds about the town's situation and request reinforcements to deal with the Nightstalker. Konrads laughed through his nose at Rio's refusal.

"Wasn't the man earlier the deputy branch manager of the Adventurers' Guild, Muzé? If he uses the power he has now, he can issue a warrant for you as spies of the Hornedra Familia. You won't be able to join the Adventurers' Guild even if you leave this town."

"…Is that why you came at this timing?"

"Hah, don't flatter yourself. I was just investigating the reason for their suspicious movements."

As Konrads pointed out, Muzé could indeed issue a warrant for Rio and Shiraha for some reason. Rio noticed that he could finally avert his gaze from the arrow and glanced at Shiraha. If the White Mask's target was Shiraha, it would be natural for them to mobilize adventurers to secure her. If they didn't undermine Muzé's authority, Shiraha would be in danger. Perhaps moved by Rio's struggle, the woman with the bow offered help.

"Let's use our people infiltrated in the guild to create a platform where you can speak. However, I cannot guarantee the persuasiveness of your statements."

"You mean we should use the Nightstalker's head as collateral?"

The head of the famous evil spirit, Nightstalker, would be a significant contribution to the Adventurers' Guild, and Rio's group's influence would increase. After considering this, Rio shook his head.

"No. No one knows what the Nightstalker looks like. Even if we show the head, no one can judge its authenticity."

Evil spirits are unique species fundamentally different from existing creatures. There is only one individual in the world, and they do not reproduce. Apes, Telerops, and Brakuls are exceptions. Without being able to prove that the corpse is the Nightstalker, Rio's group's influence would not change. If a third party witnessed the battle with the Nightstalker, it would be different, but if they cooperated with the Hornedra Familia, there would be no third party. Moreover, if a third party witnessed the battle, the theory that they were spies of the Hornedra Familia would gain credibility.

"I cannot cooperate."

When Rio firmly refused again, Konrads glared at him with a stern face.

"Then, I will also offer the ownership of the evil weapon, Nightstalker."

As an evil spirit, the Nightstalker would produce an evil weapon upon its defeat. The evil weapon Nightstalker, which houses a unique magic, would be sufficient proof of the extermination. However, the evil weapon is a valuable item and can even be a weapon. It would be something the Hornedra Familia would want to obtain. The conditions were too good, and Rio became more cautious.

"There's no benefit for you. I can only think that you will break the promise after the extermination."

"Of course."

Konrads showed understanding of Rio's words and continued.

"You may not understand, but what we need to deal with now is not the White Mask but the Nightstalker. Moreover, the sooner we can exterminate it, the better."

"Because this town is the base?"

"Exactly. If the knights are dispatched under the pretext of the Nightstalker extermination, there will be no choice but a full-scale war. We must avoid this at all costs. Besides, we don't want to attract the interest of a more troublesome person. The town will be destroyed."

From Konrads' bitter expression and tone, it didn't seem like he was lying. However, he was a senior member of an underground organization, and it was impossible to easily see through his lies. Rio mulled over Konrads' words and pointed out.

"There's no guarantee that you won't break the promise."

"Being cautious is good. To put it bluntly, we don't need the evil weapon that can be a spark."

"What do you mean by a spark?"

"The Nightstalker's unique magic is probably the ability to conceal its own form at night. If an underground organization has such an evil weapon, other underground organizations, wary of assassination, will mobilize all their forces to crush it."

"Wow..."

This town, San Ankh Mayu, is a place where various underground organizations are densely packed. If other underground organizations also join the conflict, San Ankh Mayu could be destroyed, even though the conflict between the Hornedra Familia and the White Mask is already on the verge of dysfunction. However, if Rio and his companions cooperate, the Hornedra Familia can use them and the Adventurers' Guild to prove that they do not have the evil weapon Nightstalker.

"I feel it would be dangerous if we had such a thing."

"There's no need to honestly keep it. Sell it to a noble through the guild. What you want is influence, not the evil weapon, right?"

Their interests aligned. Even after careful consideration, he couldn't find any flaws. Konrads looked at Rio and Shiraha and spoke.

"So, what's your answer?"

Rio asked Shiraha with his eyes. Shiraha nodded slightly.

"If there's no other way, we have no choice."

"I think it will be reckless, though?"

"Escaping from this town would also be reckless when considering the future. Besides, they seem to have a plan, so we should choose the option with a higher chance of success."

"Hmm..."

From a realistic perspective, Shiraha's opinion seemed correct. However, Rio fundamentally could not trust the criminal organization, the Hornedra Familia. Despite his concerns, Rio decided to give in and glared at Konrads.

"We will cooperate. However, I don't trust you. If there are any suspicious movements, the cooperation will end immediately."

"You're being bold against us. Is it because of your youth or stubbornness? Well, I don't dislike it."

Konrads laughed quietly and turned his back to Rio and his companions.

"I want to finish this before dawn. Let's move while we talk."