Chapter 206 : Chapter 206
Chapter 206. The Culprit is Inside Here (2)
Davit Stinger’s alias was the Imperial Hound.
It was truly an alias that had no intention of hiding his affiliation with the Empire.
According to the information gathered by the Dice Shop employees, he only engaged in minimal social activities and had almost no one he associated with privately.
Considering everyone came to the party with a companion, but he came to the House of the Undead alone without one, it could be said to be accurate information.
‘To think such a person would attend a party.’
Radel, wearing the rabbit mask, thought it was fascinating.
He already knew about Edward contacting the follower candidates because he had heard about it last time.
Even for Edward, who had the trait of being ‘well-connected in social circles,’ gathering followers wouldn't have been easy.
He must have repeated the process of contacting nobles who didn't support any royal yet or those maintaining neutrality to sound out their intentions several times.
There were those who contacted Edward first, but Edward wasn't naive enough to accept everyone who approached.
Edward was also the successor of a great noble family.
He possessed at least enough discernment to filter out useful people.
Edward thoroughly selected people who would be helpful to Radel and drew up a list.
The words Edward said while giving the list came to mind.
‘Actually, there are also those who didn't give a definite answer. Perhaps they intend to see you personally and judge, Prince.’
‘Is that so? Who is it?’
Radel heard about Davit Stinger for the first time then.
The person holding the position of 2nd Vice Minister of the Administration, called the real power of the Empire.
A person who didn't stay close to any royal, let alone politics.
Davit Stinger was a figure fished up by Edward’s efforts.
‘He is definitely interested in you, Prince. He will come to Marcellent.’
‘How are you sure?’
‘Well. Shall I call it a feeling as the Prince’s follower?’
As Edward said, he appeared at the Dice Shop.
Davit, who carefully watched Radel working, even came to the House of the Undead party.
He thought he might not come this far, though.
‘Shall I watch a bit more?’
Rabbit Mask gladly accepted Davit’s proposal.
They decided to inspect all the guests' belongings.
There, as Davit said, Rabbit Mask’s belongings were also included.
“Just a moment.”
Rabbit Mask took out a space expansion pouch from his bosom.
And he pulled out all sorts of items from the pouch.
Magic power recovery potion, health recovery potion, antidote potion, jerky, cup, portable magic stove, various alchemy ingredients, fork and knife.......
“What on earth are the fork and knife for?”
The Knight Commander, who was looking at Rabbit Mask’s belongings, asked.
Potions were one thing, but he couldn't understand that cutlery set.
“Ah, sometimes there is poison on the cutlery. It is surprisingly useful.”
The Knight Commander clicked his tongue inwardly seeing Radel speak nonchalantly.
Did that mean he had crossed the line of death in his own way?
The Commander of the Meteor Shower Knights, Beck Ardan, scanned Rabbit Mask beyond his mask.
His gaze lingered on Radel’s hands.
Hands that had held a sword.
It didn't seem like he swung it roughly.......
When the Vice Commander brought information that the 8th Prince was gathering followers, he wasn't very keen.
Causing trouble was a daily occurrence for them, and if they lacked money, they just had to earn it.
Beck Ardan was a free spirit.
Serving under someone else and swinging a sword wasn't something that suited his temperament.
Groveling just because the client said so for money was also quite annoying.
It became worse when he didn't like the client.
Since the Knight Commander Beck was like that, there was no need to speak about the rest of the knight order members.
They were also free spirits.
Whenever there was a problem and he went to check, it was all because of those guys' temperaments!
Vice Commander Serge, who grabbed the back of his neck every time, couldn't endure it anymore and made a decision.
Going on like this, the Meteor Shower Knights will run out of work and inevitably go under.
Since we obtained information that the 8th Prince is secretly gathering followers, let’s go and at least knock on the door.
‘Are you suggesting we crawl under a royal now?’
When Beck threw a tantrum, Serge silently threw a ledger at him.
It was the debt ledger of the Meteor Shower Knights.
THUCK!
‘If you hate catering to clients’ whims that much, isn't this better? If you can't even bow your head to one royal, then quit the knight order!’
Those were correct words.
It was true that there were many mercenary origins in the Meteor Shower Knights, so the work people brought to them was mostly rough and difficult work.
Furthermore, as rumors spread that the Meteor Shower Knights had nasty personalities, decent clients and decent jobs gradually stopped coming.
Truly a vicious cycle.
Thinking about the future of the knight order, they had to find a new way out here.
Beck thought while looking at Rabbit Mask.
8th Prince, huh.
The feeling isn't that bad, but.......
“Even after checking everyone’s belongings, the brooch didn't come out.”
The Countess spoke with a voice full of worry.
Then the Imperial Hound offered another opinion.
“This time, how about we take turns stating what we were doing when the brooch disappeared? Then we might get a hint about the culprit.”
It was a decent idea.
People sat around the round table and started stating one by one.
“I was holding a champagne glass at that time. I remember raising the glass high above my head in excitement.”
“I was absorbed in Rabbit Mask’s words. Because the story of clearing the Undead Dungeon was truly interesting.”
However, wasn't there one person saying something suspicious to anyone’s eyes?
“Me? My sole suddenly got itchy at that time, so I bent my waist. To scratch it secretly, you see. In the meantime, the brooch disappeared, tsk. But that brooch was truly magnificent. How exquisitely the diamond was cut....... Anyone would covet such a brooch.”
It was Balban, the Dwarf who introduced himself with the alias Iron Arm.
He, who was listing praises about the brooch as if possessed, noticed the changed atmosphere.
It was too quiet.
Looking around, everyone was looking at him suspiciously.
The Owner of the Flower Garden opened his mouth with a reluctant expression.
“Iron Arm...... Don't tell me, you?”
“N, no! It’s not me!”
Balban jumped and defended himself.
“Just now, that was as a Dwarf, a, artisan! Right, it was pure admiration as an artisan!”
Then the Countess shook her head and said.
“But it was too sincere.”
“By any chance, did you pretend to scratch your sole and pick up the brooch that fell on the floor or something?”
The Vice Commander also asked with a gaze filled with suspicion.
Cold sweat flowed down Balban’s back.
“T, that can't be. There is no way I would do such a beggarly thing!”
At this rate, he was in danger of being framed as the culprit without a doubt.
Seizing the moment he was flustered, the Imperial Hound began his attack.
“Come to think of it, aren't you the Guild Master of the Empire’s only Dwarf blacksmith guild, the Iron Anvil Guild?”
“What? How did you......?”
Balban opened his mouth in surprise at his identity being figured out at once.
However, the Imperial Hound answered in a calm tone as if it were nothing.
“That much can be known quickly. Not only are there few Dwarves residing in the Empire, but your alias is Iron Arm. The alias of the companion who came with you is Warrior of the Iron Anvil.”
Was it too blacksmith-like?
Balban smacked his lips for no reason out of awkwardness.
“So what about it?”
“I tried guessing the reason why you would covet the diamond brooch. I know for sure that you are behind on taxes you have to pay to the Empire.”
For Davit, who worked in the Empire’s Administration, grasping the current status of a guild made up only of Dwarves was natural.
Balban’s face turned red with shame.
“Are you saying I stole the brooch because of those measly taxes? I can pay that much quickly!”
“Haven't you been behind for half a year already? When are you going to pay? With what means?”
“I have already received orders!”
Balban shouted loudly from behind his mask.
It was true that he had received orders.
If only he could deliver the goods as scheduled, paying back those measly overdue taxes was no big deal.
There was just one small problem.
“Ahem, ahem....... It’s just that I don't have the money for materials.......”
At Balban’s dejected words, the surroundings became quiet again.
However, this time, someone who felt a sense of kinship with the Dwarves spoke up abruptly.
It was the Meteor Shower Knight Commander, Beck.
“Why is the atmosphere like this! Is having no money a sin? Huh?”
He was also in the same boat of having no money.
To be framed as a thief just because he lacked some money.
At the Knight Commander’s words, the Dwarves’ faces brightened, and they immediately chimed in.
“Of course not!”
“Framing someone as a thief because they have no money is a narrow-minded act! We lack money, are we people who lack pride!”
The Knight Commander also nodded and added his words.
“Indeed, indeed. If we stole other people’s things because we lacked money, our knight order would have become filthy rich already.”
“I am the same. If I made and sold imitations or such because I lacked money, our guild would also be sitting on a pile of money.”
Thanks to that, Radel could hear about their vivid hardships of living.
Stories about almost eating dirt because they had no money, stories about barely scraping by hunting monsters, stories about going out to the Imperial labor market at dawn and competing fiercely just to get daily labor work, etc.
Although every time the Knight Commander chattered excitedly, the Vice Commander’s hands seemed to tremble somehow.......
‘My follower candidates have no money.’
It was when Radel was grasping the reality of his follower candidates.
Balban, who had become a bit triumphant, pointed at the Owner of the Flower Garden and said.
“Come to think of it, Owner of the Flower Garden! You are also very suspicious. Not leaning against the wall throughout the party. What were you observing so much?”
At the gaze mixed with suspicion asking if he wasn't aiming for the timing to steal the brooch, the Owner of the Flower Garden, Roud Frencia, smirked.
Although the Owner of the Flower Garden was wearing a splendid mask, Iron Arm, Balban, could tell.
That guy was truly hiding something.
That guy had been bothering him since earlier.
Slender body. That hateful attitude pretending to be elegant somehow.
He smelled like something Dwarves instinctively hated.
‘Just like those guys with long ears.’
However, the Owner of the Flower Garden spoke shamelessly.
“I originally like observing people. Since that is my hobby.”
Oh.......
It was a unique hobby enough to be counted among the ones Radel had heard of.
Balban also seemed to think so, as he had a slightly disgusted expression.
Radel thought inwardly.
‘My follower candidates are quite unique.’
Inviting the follower candidates to the party seemed like a good thing.
If not for a place like this, how would he know they had such peculiar hobbies?
The Owner of the Flower Garden, who had a meaningless smile, attacked the Imperial Hound this time.
“In my opinion, you are also very suspicious. Imperial Hound.”
“Me?”
“Starting from your alias, it is unusual. Imperial Hound....... You must definitely have a deep connection with the Empire. Didn't you come to this party with some other purpose?”
Radel was slightly surprised by his question.
‘They are asking the questions I should be asking among themselves.’
It would be better to just stay still here, right?