Chapter 34

The dark organization is on the move.

The one who diligently gathered this information was 'Hawk Eye.' He summoned 'The Reaper,' whom he thought would become a cash cow, to his usual tavern. Wearing his usual mask that covers his eyes and nose, he looked quite suspicious. He looked so suspicious that he might be stopped by a security guard if he walked down the main street.

"So, what do you think? I'll sell you the information for two million magi."

"That's too expensive. My funds aren't infinite, you know. I'm supporting someone, you know."

"Hey, hey, I'm the one being supported!"

They rented a private room in the usual tavern, and Shu used a soundproofing spell. Since the room was already soundproof, they could be as noisy as they wanted.

"I made it easier for you to investigate by killing five paladins. You're making a profit by selling the dark organization's information, right? Tell me for free."

"You're being too domineering..."

"Then, I'll treat you to drinks today, so tell me."

"...I'll drink the most expensive ones."

"Deal."

The expensive alcohol has a high alcohol content, so they can't drink much. Since they are doing dangerous work, 'Hawk Eye' won't get drunk either.

In other words, Shu wins.

"So, which organization is moving?"

"Red Claw, Demon Lotus, and Fire Grass."

"All of them?"

"All of them."

"Seems like all the organizations are being framed by the paladins."

'Hawk Eye' took a sip of the alcohol, rolled it around his tongue, and then swallowed it. After that, he spoke again.

"The incident began with the assassination of four paladins at once."

"That was me."

"It was you, Shu."

"That's right. 'The Reaper' started it. The suspicious death of a paladin makes the citizens distrustful. The church can't allow this. To regain trust, they decided to carry out a large-scale monster hunt."

Iris understood this the most. She was a former paladin and had experience being manipulated to maintain the church's reputation.

She thought this was part of the same scheme.

"Luckily, a nest of poison dragons was found near Alta. They live in groups."

"Poison dragons, huh?"

"They are mid-level monsters of the sky dragon type. They fly and use poison, so be careful."

"You know a lot. Well, even though they are mid-level, they are dragons, so they are perfect for a demonstration."

"Indeed..."

Shu was impressed, but this was just the introduction. The main topic was different.

"By the way, the Republic of Elise has intense disputes among its senators. They use dark organizations to increase their own benefits or eliminate obstacles. For example, they might receive bribes in exchange for favoring a specific dark organization. I'm sure 'The Reaper' knows this well."

"I've taken assassination requests."

"Yes. Therefore, some senators dislike the church and paladins who crack down on dark organizations. This time, such senators commissioned Fire Grass to attack and assassinate the paladins who are carrying out a large-scale monster hunt."

"Red Claw and Fire Grass have many magic knights. Why Fire Grass?"

"Their former boss was killed by paladins. They probably saw this as a chance to avenge him."

Fire Grass, a well-known large dark organization, had its former boss killed by paladins. Many of its members harbored grudges against paladins. It was easy to imagine them accepting the request without hesitation.

"Then, this information was leaked to Red Claw."

"Leaked?"

"Yes. The church deliberately leaked it to Red Claw. Red Claw and Fire Grass are dark organizations that specialize in assassinations and eliminations. They have similar territories and probably see each other as obstacles. What do you think will happen if Red Claw gets this information?"

"They'll interfere to reduce Fire Grass's strength and kill the paladins."

"Yes, that's right."

It was a simple prediction, even for the naive Shu.

However, the situation doesn't end there.

"Here's another piece of information. The church leaked these details to Demon Lotus. About Fire Grass planning to attack the paladins and Red Claw planning to interfere."

"So, Demon Lotus will also?"

"Yes. This time, they will try to eliminate the forces of the paladins, Fire Grass, and Red Claw all at once."

"Complicated..."

Shu sipped his drink and organized his thoughts.

If he believed 'Hawk Eye,' the large dark organizations were about to be wiped out. The paladins would use the poison dragon hunt as a lure to draw out the main forces of the three dark organizations, and then the church would strike all at once.

The information said the church would remain in the city, but that was a lie.

They had methods to conceal their presence, so they were likely hiding and waiting in ambush. Or they might use another method, but Shu didn't know.

However, there was something he couldn't understand.

"Are the dark organizations unaware of the church's plan? If 'Hawk Eye' noticed, it's possible other organizations did too."

"That's my fault."

"Yours?"

"Yes. I manipulated the information a bit to make sure the church's plan would work. I'm not just good at gathering information; I'm also skilled at manipulating it."

'Hawk Eye' spoke with a hint of pride.

However, if that was true, he was a terrifying opponent. Shu didn't know how many subordinates or connections 'Hawk Eye' had, but he was manipulating information freely against large dark organizations. He was someone Shu didn't want as an enemy.

Therefore, Shu asked,

"What's the purpose of such manipulation?"

"Officially, to eliminate large dark organizations that could become enemies of the Black Cats. But honestly—"

He paused, licked his lips, and then continued with a creepy smile.

"—honestly, it's because it's fun. Making stronger people dance to my tune."

"Creepy hobby."

"Completely the face of a villain."

"It's my choice. You have no right to complain, especially someone who kills paladins quickly just because they're in the way."

Unable to retort, Shu took a drink. It was a weak, cheap drink, so it didn't even serve as a distraction.

Instead, he turned to Iris and spoke.

"This one is important to me. Other lives don't matter to me."

"Ah, is that a confession? I'm always welcome."

"Whether they're paladins or farmers, they are equal before me."

"Huh? Ignoring me?"

"Someone who plays with death on a whim. That's 'The Reaper,' right?"

"Shu? Ignoring me is cruel."

Iris interjected, but Shu's words resonated with 'Hawk Eye.' They each had their own identity based on their codenames. There was no room for complaints. The Black Cats were a collective of ten individuals, each with their own identity.

'Hawk Eye' smiled and touched his mask with his left hand.

"So, 'The Reaper,' what will you do with this information?"

"Hmm..."

"To be honest, I'd love to see a battle between an S-rank paladin and 'The Reaper.'"

"You'll have to pay for the show."

"I'll pay. How about ten million magi?"

"Eh? Really?"

"Absolutely, no lies."

Shu wavered a bit.

He meant it as a joke, but ten million magi was tempting.

Iris also asked,

"Will you take it?"

"It's a tough decision. Ten million is tempting."

After some thought, Shu answered.

"A million in cash. The rest in gold bars."

"Sure. I'll prepare it by tomorrow. Please come and collect it."

"Fast."

"Speed is essential in everything."

'Hawk Eye' seemed pleased under his mask.

◆◆◆

The next day, after Shu received a million magi and nine million magi worth of gold bars from 'Hawk Eye,' the paladins were holding a meeting in the back of the cathedral.

The Sealed Paladins, as well as the paladins of the Alta Cathedral, were gathered. Of course, the bishops and priests were also present.

"Here is the information gathered by the deputy leader of the Sealed Paladins."

Selster, who was also chairing the meeting, spoke. Everyone looked at the distributed documents.

"The deputy leader has skillfully manipulated the information. It's going exactly as planned."

"No, I still have much to learn. This is my duty."

In the Sealed Paladins, Selster, as the leader, symbolized the power, while the deputy leader managed the paladins effectively. For the operation, the deputy leader had arranged everything from planning to preparation.

Despite his modest tone, he was highly competent.

"We will be the bait and head to the poison dragon hunt. We plan to destroy the poison dragon nest, but I won't be there. Saint Paladin Selster Altrain is supposed to remain in Alta. The details are—"

Selster planned to join the battlefield using a certain method. When Fire Grass attacked the paladins, Red Claw attacked Fire Grass, and Demon Lotus attacked all three, he would cast a barrier. This was the original plan.

However, the deputy leader raised his hand before Selster finished.

"What is it, deputy leader?"

"Actually, we have new information and need to slightly change the plan."

"New information?"

Selster didn't know about this. It must have been obtained very recently. The other paladins, bishops, and priests were also surprised.

In the tense atmosphere, the deputy leader stood up and began to explain.

"The Black Cats' 'The Reaper' is coming. To take down the leader."

The meeting room erupted in noise. 'The Reaper' was an unknown assassin of the Black Cats. They had changed many times, and new 'Reapers' appeared even if the previous ones were captured or killed. Some speculated that there was an organization that trained 'Reapers,' but it remained a mystery.

An assassin targeting an S-rank paladin was shocking.

However, the deputy leader wasn't done.

"But this is a great opportunity. After investigation, 'The Reaper' of the Black Cats is Shu, the Dark King Arclight! Furthermore, the witch Iris, who was supposed to be executed, is with him."

This was a shocking revelation.

First, Shu was the prime suspect in the murder of five paladins. The church also suspected that Shu was the Dark King Arclight.

It was unclear how the information was obtained, but the deputy leader's words shocked everyone.

A new king's monster and a witch who betrayed the church.

They realized this was a chance to eliminate both.

"Great information, deputy leader. Well done."

"This is just the basics."

"Don't be too modest. Everyone thinks so, right?"

"You're right, deputy leader."

"The deputy leader of the Sealed Paladins... incredible."

"Terrifying information-gathering ability."

Despite his modesty, the deputy leader was praised by everyone, including Selster.

They then included 'The Reaper' and the witch in the list of targets and revised their plan.