Chapter 59 : Chapter 59
Chapter 59. What, How, and Why
“Haak! Haak! Haak!”
Nigues was breathing raggedly.
All of us, including me, watched him impassively.
“Would you care to explain?”
I stood before Nigues as he caught his breath.
“Hoo.”
Nigues slowly breathed and looked up at me.
There was no specific action. But a strange tension was felt, as if we were glaring at each other while grabbing each other by the collar.
“What should I explain?”
Nigues asked, straightening his back.
“Everything. From what you’re trying to do to why you lied about being 2nd Circle.”
“……How did you know I wasn’t 2nd Circle?”
“Because I have eyes.”
This is why you can't deal with mages. Did he think that if he performed such magic and insisted he was 2nd Circle, I would say, ‘Yes! That’s right!’? Tsk, tsk.
“You weren’t 2nd Circle?”
Piontek asked with surprised eyes.
Sigh, this is why mages act like that.
“I-if you’re h-higher than 2-2nd Circle, w-why do you need us?”
This time, Odekerkh asked.
Following that, Adellian frowned and said, ‘If you’re 3rd Circle, can’t you do it alone? We’ll just be a hindrance if we go…’
‘She didn’t ask if he was planning to use us as shields.’
Although she didn’t say it out loud, it seemed she was thinking that way, judging by the look of discomfort filling her face.
“If I go to where the Moonlight Festival is held, I can’t use any of my power.”
Nigues opened his mouth cautiously.
“Pardon? You’re 3rd Circle.”
Piontek reacted as if he couldn’t understand.
I felt the same way. A 3rd Circle human being unable to use their power. Don't tell me, is he one of those strange types who uses drugs to gain temporary power? But he didn't show any strange symptoms for that. To achieve the 3rd Circle, one must have a considerable level of both body and mind. For someone who doesn’t, to use the power of the 3rd Circle with something like drugs is the same as saying they are burning the source of their own life.
‘If it was because of drugs, he would have already vomited blood and been lying on the ground.’
In that case, there was only one answer.
“It means there’s someone who can absorb or blow away water.”
It also meant we had to move with a monster of at least 3rd Circle as an enemy.
“……Yes.”
Nigues said, lowering his head.
How ironic. The things I hoped weren't true always turned out to be, as if by promise.
“Is there someone stronger at the Moonlight Festival? Is it someone who swore an oath to Terion?”
Adellian, flustered, poured out words uncharacteristically.
“No. It’s Ignia.”
“Evaporation.”
Michelle chimed in.
“Yes, that’s right. If I use it, he evaporates it immediately. Hmm… I am 3rd Circle, but I’m closer to 2nd Circle. The opponent is definitely 3rd Circle.”
“What’s that guy’s name?”
I asked, wondering if it was the Amirios clan. Because if the blood of Amirios flows in him, even if he is 3rd Circle, he would be weaker than that.
“Carlos Perchi. Those around him call him the Gwanju.”
There was nothing to lean on.
While I was frowning and sighing, Adellian, with a dark expression, looked directly at Nigues.
Her will to obtain even trivial information, as the risk was high, was evident.
“Why do they call him the Gwanju?”
“Because he is the person who oversees the Moonlight Festival.”
A guy named Gwanju is strong and neutralizes Nigues’s power. So he wants us to step in and fight for him.
I understood. The guys in the Black Market were all criminals, so there would have been no one to ask for help. And when he was frustrated, we caught his eye. So he desperately asked for help.
Haa, damn it.
‘I can’t run away from a 3rd Circle mage either.’
I found out what a 3rd Circle mage is trying to do, and I’m going to run away right in front of him? That’s no different from begging to be killed. Rushing in to subdue him together is the same. Of course, using a Saga could bring a different result. But that was a last resort.
“You’re going to ruin an event hosted by someone stronger than you? Why?”
First, I needed to know exactly what Nigues was trying to do. If his actions were wrong, I would use a Saga.
“I have to save my wife and daughter.”
“Where are your wife and daughter? What do they have to do with the Moonlight Festival?”
“……They will be auctioned off.”
I guess I have to help.
“Your wife and daughter are being auctioned off?”
Adellian asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Piontek and Michelle also had expressions of disbelief.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Is that guy, the Gwanju, targeting you?”
“No. It seems he sees my daughter and wife as good merchandise.”
I thought about asking if they were being sold as sex slaves, but I didn't say it out loud. But didn't he say the Moonlight Festival was a special event? They could be sold at a regular slave market, but they're being sold at a special event? Are their looks that outstanding?
“They are not being sold as sex slaves.”
3rd Circle mages were all quick-witted.
“Then why are they being dragged away and sold?”
“……”
“Don’t you want help? If you hide so much, what can we trust to move together?”
The guys preparing for the Moonlight Festival must have set up guards to protect the merchandise. It would be good to avoid combat, but it would probably be difficult. At that time, we would have to entrust our backs to each other. For that, trust was important.
“That’s right. How can we help if you’re hiding so much? To be blunt, we don’t even know what you’re thinking. You could be planning to sell us at the auction.”
Piontek said, watching Nigues’s expression. That kid, being a knight-aspirant, had a lot of guts. It wasn't easy to say aggressive words with a 3rd Circle mage right in front of him.
“That will never happen. I am not that kind of person.”
“So how can we trust someone who hides so much? And it’s a matter of helping save someone, so we should at least know what kind of person that is before we help. Right?”
All of us, including me, sent a strong gaze towards Nigues.
Nigues bit his lip and kept thinking about something. And he carefully observed each and every one of us.
“……I understand.”
Nigues, who had taken a deep breath, opened his mouth as if he had decided something.
“My wife and daughter have regenerative abilities.”
“Huh?”
I couldn’t help but let out a sound of bewilderment. What was so special about being able to use healing magic after pledging to the God of Healing?
“You were trying to hide that?”
Adellian also seemed bewildered.
“It’s very different from what you are thinking. My wife and daughter do not have mana circles. They haven’t sworn an oath to Sanatio either.”
At Nigues’s words, I frowned. A memory from long ago suddenly came to mind.
-There is a report that the number of missing persons has recently increased. It seems to require confirmation.
It was what Alfred had said when he came to me when I was exhausted from the battle with Fruchiland. Since he never made reports unrelated to the war, I had found it strange.
-There is a rumor that people are being used as experimental subjects, what will you do about it?
It was a rumor that an experiment was being conducted to make people use magic without using mana. At that time, I had ordered Alfred to handle it himself. The immediate task was to make Fruchiland surrender.
And so, the matter was forgotten. Alfred had also reported that he had handled it well. But why was it suddenly coming to mind now?
“N-not just being sick. A p-part of the b-body. E-even if a p-part is missing, c-can it be r-recovered?”
Odekerkh, who had been quiet until now, asked with a flushed face.
Nigues’s eyes widened to more than twice their size.
“How did you know?”
“Ah, ah, that Gwanju? Th-that p-person’s name, p-please say it again.”
“Carlos Perchi. Do you happen to know him?”
“……”
Instead of answering, Odekerkh remained silent, clenching his fists with his jaw tightened.
His jaw muscles bulged. His eyes were bloodshot, and he exuded an atmosphere as if he was about to do something at any moment.
“Odekerkh?”
Piontek, surprised by Odekerkh’s reaction, called him cautiously. I was quite surprised too. It was the first time I had seen Odekerkh so angry.
“What’s wrong?”
I asked carefully.
“I-I remembered. Th-the guy who killed my b-brother. P-Perchi. That’s right. It’s him. Not Carlos, but Nicolai. B-back then, it was Nicolai Perchi.”
“You’re sure it’s not someone else?”
“Karl Nicolai Perchi.”
Nigues added.
I looked at him.
“His middle name is Nicolai. He probably abandoned that middle name by now. That’s why I only said Carlos Perchi… That gentleman seems to have some story.”
I had thought there was a bad connection between Odekerkh and the Black Market. But it seemed the extent of that connection was quite dark and deep.
‘In that case, I’ll have to do my best, not just ‘moderately’.’
To win people over, you have to show your ability to sway their hearts, and then capture those swayed hearts.
“Then now, shall we hear the specific and amazing plan for mayhem?”
I thrust my face in front of Nigues and gestured for him to spill what he was thinking.
But… an awkwardness spread across this man Nigues’s face.
“Quickly, the plan.”
I strained my eyes, pressuring him to spill what was in his head.
“A…… frontal assault…… ha, ha, ha.”
So that bastard was just causing trouble without any plan.
The throbbing in my head must be just my imagination.
***
On a night where raindrops were starting to fall one by one, Perchi was reviewing documents next to a candle. The documents listed the items that would be up for auction at the upcoming Moonlight Festival.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Come in.”
Perchi, having granted entry, took off his glasses and stared at the door.
A man with a stiff face entered Perchi’s office.
“So, what happened? Did you find them?”
“W-well, that’s…”
The man was trembling, breaking out in a cold sweat.
“Enough. That’s just the extent of your abilities. It’s my fault for expecting more. What’s the extent of the damage?”
“All 73 are dead.”
“All of them? Not a single survivor?”
“……Yes, that’s right.”
Hearing the answer, Perchi let out a long sigh and leaned deep into his chair. He closed his eyes and scratched his forehead. A damp wind blew in through the open window. The candle flickered. Perchi’s shadow also swayed erratically. The curtain covering the window, and the carpet near the window, were soaked by the blowing raindrops.
“I gathered what I thought were useful guys, but there isn't a single decent one.”
“I-I’m sorry!”
“No. It was my fault for not seeing people properly in the first place. Banish all the families of the dead. They are of no use anywhere. It’s also fine to sell them at a reasonable price.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“How is the warehouse security?”
“We have doubled the number of guards.”
“Doubled. Will that be enough?”
“I… think it will be fine.”
Perchi, who was stroking his forehead, stared at the man without saying anything.
Silence continued. The tense man looked at Perchi with eyes full of fear. He swallowed dryly and prayed earnestly that nothing would happen.
“Is that the best you can do?”
Perchi asked.
“W-we couldn't increase the personnel beyond that. There were also complaints about manpower issues in other places… and… that’s how it is.”
“You’re doing a proper job. What did you say you did before?”
“In the province. Yes, in the province, I handled administrative work…”
“I remember. You said you were the district mayor. That you managed the area where our Black Market is located.”
“Th-that’s right.”
“You must know the geography better than anyone else. Right?”
“Probably, I think that’s probably the case.”
The man who spoke continued to breathe raggedly.
Perchi closed his eyes for a moment and scratched his cheek.
It was a leisurely and calm action. But the tension became even sharper.
“In your opinion, which part of the warehouse seems like a weak point?”
The man who was asked the question repeatedly moistened his dry lips and contemplated an appropriate answer. He decided to emphasize that there were no security problems. He had to. Because of what he had said before.
“……I don’t see any weaknesses. Since the number of guards has doubled, there are no holes at all.”
“Is that so.”
Perchi sighed and stood up, walking to the window. As he walked, the wet curtain and carpet dried up completely. The cup that had water in it also dried up as if it had never been wet.
Even the plants lost their vitality and shriveled up.
“Since you have eyes too, you should be able to see over there.”
Perchi pointed to where the warehouse was.
“I can see it, but…”
The man, who couldn’t see anything unusual, trailed off, sweating profusely.
“You can see it, but you can’t see it.”
“I’m sorry!”
Perchi placed his hand on the man’s eyes. Then he contemplated something.
“Withdraw all the security forces.”
Perchi said, removing his hand.
The area around the man’s eyes was flushed red.
“I-if we withdraw all the forces, what about the merchandise…”
The man thought that a heavy punishment would fall upon him due to his choice.
“Go to the Hobiyukyeong and tell them. That an unwelcome guest has arrived.”
“A-are you really going to awaken the Hobiyukyeong…”
Perchi cut off his words by glaring at the man.
“Move quickly.”
At Perchi’s words, the man ran out.
Perchi clicked his tongue and turned his gaze to where the warehouse was. There, rain was pouring down with an intensity incomparable to anywhere else.