「Chapter 026」
Translator: Silver
I smacked my lips as the nostalgia faded, and all that was left was the sweet aftertaste.
We hadn’t decided on an inn for the night, so I thought about looking for one, but I was allowed to stay in the VIP room on the guild’s top floor.
As expected of SS-rank treatment. However, the 【Pig’s Room】 sign on the door wasn’t allowed to be there.
The following day, I wake up comfortably on a high-quality bed that I hadn’t seen in a long time.
“The food and beds are great, but getting used to it can be a hassle later……”
I have to find an inn today.
When I was dressed and left the room, Rue was in the middle of sleepily drying her hair.
She was still weak in the morning, and it seems like we wouldn’t be able to explore the city until around noon.
While Rue was putting herself together, I decided to look at the available request in the meantime.
After making my way to the first floor, I started browsing the request board.
Whatever the reason, probably out of some sense of romance, Oink hadn’t replaced the analog system.
……Certainly, the game era had a similar bulletin board-like interface, so was this influenced by it?
“Oh, there’s quite the number of requests.”
Unlike in other cities, there were many jobs inside the city, and there were a couple volunteer requests mixed in.
But, my targets were the subjugation request.
Now, give me more abilities.
“Subjugation Subjugation…… sometimes it good to search for them yourself.”
Usually, there would be a bulk order for me waiting at the receptionist’s desk.
However, various kinds of subjugation requests were posted, and some weren’t related to monsters.
『Exterminate the thieves that infest slums and return with the leader’s head.』
『Capture or dispose of escaped slaves.』
『Track and subdue the Nice Killer.』
Oh, there was slavery here?
Although I was a little intrigued, this wasn’t a carefree trip, and my morals couldn’t afford to buy.
……However, would I gain abilities by killing more people?
It was a dangerous line of thought, but if I came across a strong human, like that liberator Ren, who was endowed with powerー.
“What? I haven’t fallen that low yet.”
A little while later, Rue came down from the top floor.
Apparently, the only people who go upstairs were those going to the restaurant or members of significant adventuring “clans” using the second floor’s meeting room.
Therefore, coming downstairs early in the morning would draw attention.
Of course, I caught a couple strange looks, but a flood of gazes landed on Rue.
“Kai-kun, wait a moment. What should we do today?”
There were several audible tongue-clicks and sighs after Rue called out to me.
I know how you feel.
“I was thinking of taking on a little subjugation request. Well, we won’t be staying here too long, so I’m looking for a light on.”
“Hmm……then, should I fashionable and go sightseeing? I can also pick up a request or two during our stay.”
“I suppose that’s alright. Well, let’s decide on an inn first, then I have to go to a meeting about my request.
“Wow, it’s rare for subjugation request to have a pre-mission meeting. Then, I’ll check out the castle today.”
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
We were able to find an inn relatively quickly.
Guild buildings were usually surrounded by inns, but a small village-sized portion of the capital been set aside for the lodging industry.
This time, we picked a simple inn that wasn’t too expensive.
I was getting too used to luxury.
“I’m heading back to the guild.”
“Okay. Then, I’ll hang around and buy you some souvenirs.”
“Please don’t cause any trouble, okay?”
“Okay, okay, don’t worry about me.”
With a heavy heart, I left for my meeting.
After all, my opponent was a bloodthirsty murderer.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
After accepting the request from the guild, I was led to a briefing in the meeting room.
Besides me, a guild employee, a knight, and the man in charge of the city guard were in the room.
“This is Kaivon-sama, the one who took the request this time.”
“Hello, nice to meet you.”
“Thank you for your cooperation. I’m Hawke, the chief of the Metropolitan Garrison. First off, I want you to understand that this request is at risk of being revoked if you’re deemed unsatisfactory.”
There was a hit of vigilance and determination in Hawke’s deep voice.
His short gray hair and sharp eyes give me the impression of a seasoned detective.
“No problem, details.”
“Hmm…… despite your young age, you seem confident in your abilities.”
“Rest assured, Hawke-dono. It’s no exaggeration to say that Kaivon-sama is the President’s right hand.”
“Oh, Oink-dono’s?”
Oink was brought up here.
The moment her name was spoken, Hawke became momentarily surprised before his expression relaxed.
What a fantastic pig-chan.
“In that case…… let’s get right to it. The serial killer, Nice, has been spotted in the noble district of the city. There’s been no progress in the investigation.”
“Also, his latest victims were two adventurers that crossed his path two weeks ago. We almost caught him, but he somehow managed to slip away at the last second……”
“I see. Fortunately, security is stricter in the upper-class district, and most of the aristocrat residents also employ their own guards. There haven’t been any new victims since. But the information was leaked to the aristocrats, and some of them are kicking up a fuss. Even if we can’t kill the bastard, they want us to drive him out of the noble district.”
“That’s a rather selfish request. They’re willing to make sacrifices out of the less fortunate.”
Were they trying to put a lid on something fishy, or did they just not want to look at unpleasant realities?
It seems the nobles were prioritizing passing the buck to someone else.
I don’t know how I feel about that, but this wasn’t a pleasant story to hear.
“Just as we prepared to launch a search of the noble district, but our latest information says the bastard is hiding in the commercial district. So, as an adventurer, I want you to investigate the noble district, Kaivon-dono.”
“Even if it’s called an investigation, I’m an amateur except in the field of combat.”
“……To be honest, your role is to be a decoy.”
“I see. The last victims were adventurers, but was it the same for the previous victims?”
To a certain extent, everything was starting to come together.
I’ve recently heard a piece of information that might be relevant here.
“Hmm, before the investigation begins, please provide me with a list of aristocrats and merchants known to hate adventurers. Given priority to those who frequently travel.”
“……Do you know what the things you are suggesting implies?”
“It’s a reasonable precaution considering the victims and the place he escaped to.”
If I was wrong, we’d take things from there.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
Because it’d take some time to narrow down the suspects, I decided to explore the city with Hawke.
I wanted to familiarize myself with the layout in case of an emergency.
“The capital can be divided into three layers. The lower level is populated by the farmers who own farmland outside the city.”
“By the way, this only viable piece of farmland in the area. Long ago, liberators from the neighboring country took measures to ensure crop growth around the capital.”
“I see.”
Had that person been a farmer back in Japan?
There’s no such thing as overnight soil enrichment and you needed a certain degree of knowledge to complete that task.
“The middle district, in which the guild is located, acts as the central hub of commerce and trade. As you can expect, adventures, knights, and traveling businessmen are the main occupants there.”
I was instinctively interested in this vast and segregated city.
Was that a large city in Japan that was clearly separated from this one?
Well, it might be easier to maintain class division with smaller social networks.
“Finally, in addition to housing the capital’s nobility, the noble district contains the larger merchant associations and luxury stores. Needless to say, the royal palace lies at the center of the city and is surrounded by another moat.”
“Can I enter the palace?”
“Certain knights and aristocrats that received a summons are allowed to enter. When the royal family hosts ceremonies and large parities, larger crowds will be let in. Beside those occasions, only people with the rank of count or higher can freely enter the palace.”
So I could go in whenever I pleased? I was a Duke, after all.
Before I knew it, we arrived at the noble district.
The buildings showed visible signs of improvement, and the road beneath our feet changes from simple stones to beautifully carved and inlaid cobblestone.
We hadn’t reached the residential area yet, but the cityscape was already leaps and bounds above the other districts.
“As you mentioned earlier, there is a possibility that the killer has a collaborator, someone with the power to easily hide such a person. However, if that’s the case, then it’d escalate the scale of this incident.”
“In that case, the jurisdiction will be shifted to another party, and this case may encompass the entire noble district.”
“This saves time then. In the worst-case situation, the investigation will become difficult, and we’ll have to solve it as soon as possible. Therefore, we require a decoy. We can’t guarantee your safety, but you’ll be handsomely compensated. I’m sorry, but please help us.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about me. As I said before, when it comes to combat, I have nothing to fear from the run-of-the-mill murderer.”
“……You know that carelessness is gonna get you killed one of these days?”
How do you kill a man that could recover 540 HP per second?
Actually, I did an experiment a little while ago, and a group of ten monsters couldn’t even damage me, much less trigger my regeneration.
Typically, you’d die if your entire body was bitten by sharp fangs, right? I didn’t know what kind of weapon the murderer used, but I doubt they could deliver a stronger blow than a group of monsters.
“By the way, there was a merchant association owner who arrived in the capital the other day, right?”
“You’re quite knowledgeable. The Kapur Association is a prestigious company that acquires ingredients for the royal family. Hmm, while the leader certainly hates adventures, he’s clear. He just came back to town yesterday .”
“That’s right. I just remember a strange rumor I heard from someone on good terms with him.”
I wonder if I could find a good excuse for him to lose his position.
After that, we performed a quick sweep of the entire district before returning to the guild.
「Chapter 026」
Translator: Silver
I smacked my lips as the nostalgia faded, and all that was left was the sweet aftertaste.
We hadn’t decided on an inn for the night, so I thought about looking for one, but I was allowed to stay in the VIP room on the guild’s top floor.
As expected of SS-rank treatment. However, the 【Pig’s Room】 sign on the door wasn’t allowed to be there.
The following day, I wake up comfortably on a high-quality bed that I hadn’t seen in a long time.
“The food and beds are great, but getting used to it can be a hassle later……”
I have to find an inn today.
When I was dressed and left the room, Rue was in the middle of sleepily drying her hair.
She was still weak in the morning, and it seems like we wouldn’t be able to explore the city until around noon.
While Rue was putting herself together, I decided to look at the available request in the meantime.
After making my way to the first floor, I started browsing the request board.
Whatever the reason, probably out of some sense of romance, Oink hadn’t replaced the analog system.
……Certainly, the game era had a similar bulletin board-like interface, so was this influenced by it?
“Oh, there’s quite the number of requests.”
Unlike in other cities, there were many jobs inside the city, and there were a couple volunteer requests mixed in.
But, my targets were the subjugation request.
Now, give me more abilities.
“Subjugation Subjugation…… sometimes it good to search for them yourself.”
Usually, there would be a bulk order for me waiting at the receptionist’s desk.
However, various kinds of subjugation requests were posted, and some weren’t related to monsters.
『Exterminate the thieves that infest slums and return with the leader’s head.』
『Capture or dispose of escaped slaves.』
『Track and subdue the Nice Killer.』
Oh, there was slavery here?
Although I was a little intrigued, this wasn’t a carefree trip, and my morals couldn’t afford to buy.
……However, would I gain abilities by killing more people?
It was a dangerous line of thought, but if I came across a strong human, like that liberator Ren, who was endowed with powerー.
“What? I haven’t fallen that low yet.”
A little while later, Rue came down from the top floor.
Apparently, the only people who go upstairs were those going to the restaurant or members of significant adventuring “clans” using the second floor’s meeting room.
Therefore, coming downstairs early in the morning would draw attention.
Of course, I caught a couple strange looks, but a flood of gazes landed on Rue.
“Kai-kun, wait a moment. What should we do today?”
There were several audible tongue-clicks and sighs after Rue called out to me.
I know how you feel.
“I was thinking of taking on a little subjugation request. Well, we won’t be staying here too long, so I’m looking for a light on.”
“Hmm……then, should I fashionable and go sightseeing? I can also pick up a request or two during our stay.”
“I suppose that’s alright. Well, let’s decide on an inn first, then I have to go to a meeting about my request.
“Wow, it’s rare for subjugation request to have a pre-mission meeting. Then, I’ll check out the castle today.”
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
We were able to find an inn relatively quickly.
Guild buildings were usually surrounded by inns, but a small village-sized portion of the capital been set aside for the lodging industry.
This time, we picked a simple inn that wasn’t too expensive.
I was getting too used to luxury.
“I’m heading back to the guild.”
“Okay. Then, I’ll hang around and buy you some souvenirs.”
“Please don’t cause any trouble, okay?”
“Okay, okay, don’t worry about me.”
With a heavy heart, I left for my meeting.
After all, my opponent was a bloodthirsty murderer.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
After accepting the request from the guild, I was led to a briefing in the meeting room.
Besides me, a guild employee, a knight, and the man in charge of the city guard were in the room.
“This is Kaivon-sama, the one who took the request this time.”
“Hello, nice to meet you.”
“Thank you for your cooperation. I’m Hawke, the chief of the Metropolitan Garrison. First off, I want you to understand that this request is at risk of being revoked if you’re deemed unsatisfactory.”
There was a hit of vigilance and determination in Hawke’s deep voice.
His short gray hair and sharp eyes give me the impression of a seasoned detective.
“No problem, details.”
“Hmm…… despite your young age, you seem confident in your abilities.”
“Rest assured, Hawke-dono. It’s no exaggeration to say that Kaivon-sama is the President’s right hand.”
“Oh, Oink-dono’s?”
Oink was brought up here.
The moment her name was spoken, Hawke became momentarily surprised before his expression relaxed.
What a fantastic pig-chan.
“In that case…… let’s get right to it. The serial killer, Nice, has been spotted in the noble district of the city. There’s been no progress in the investigation.”
“Also, his latest victims were two adventurers that crossed his path two weeks ago. We almost caught him, but he somehow managed to slip away at the last second……”
“I see. Fortunately, security is stricter in the upper-class district, and most of the aristocrat residents also employ their own guards. There haven’t been any new victims since. But the information was leaked to the aristocrats, and some of them are kicking up a fuss. Even if we can’t kill the bastard, they want us to drive him out of the noble district.”
“That’s a rather selfish request. They’re willing to make sacrifices out of the less fortunate.”
Were they trying to put a lid on something fishy, or did they just not want to look at unpleasant realities?
It seems the nobles were prioritizing passing the buck to someone else.
I don’t know how I feel about that, but this wasn’t a pleasant story to hear.
“Just as we prepared to launch a search of the noble district, but our latest information says the bastard is hiding in the commercial district. So, as an adventurer, I want you to investigate the noble district, Kaivon-dono.”
“Even if it’s called an investigation, I’m an amateur except in the field of combat.”
“……To be honest, your role is to be a decoy.”
“I see. The last victims were adventurers, but was it the same for the previous victims?”
To a certain extent, everything was starting to come together.
I’ve recently heard a piece of information that might be relevant here.
“Hmm, before the investigation begins, please provide me with a list of aristocrats and merchants known to hate adventurers. Given priority to those who frequently travel.”
“……Do you know what the things you are suggesting implies?”
“It’s a reasonable precaution considering the victims and the place he escaped to.”
If I was wrong, we’d take things from there.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
Because it’d take some time to narrow down the suspects, I decided to explore the city with Hawke.
I wanted to familiarize myself with the layout in case of an emergency.
“The capital can be divided into three layers. The lower level is populated by the farmers who own farmland outside the city.”
“By the way, this only viable piece of farmland in the area. Long ago, liberators from the neighboring country took measures to ensure crop growth around the capital.”
“I see.”
Had that person been a farmer back in Japan?
There’s no such thing as overnight soil enrichment and you needed a certain degree of knowledge to complete that task.
“The middle district, in which the guild is located, acts as the central hub of commerce and trade. As you can expect, adventures, knights, and traveling businessmen are the main occupants there.”
I was instinctively interested in this vast and segregated city.
Was that a large city in Japan that was clearly separated from this one?
Well, it might be easier to maintain class division with smaller social networks.
“Finally, in addition to housing the capital’s nobility, the noble district contains the larger merchant associations and luxury stores. Needless to say, the royal palace lies at the center of the city and is surrounded by another moat.”
“Can I enter the palace?”
“Certain knights and aristocrats that received a summons are allowed to enter. When the royal family hosts ceremonies and large parities, larger crowds will be let in. Beside those occasions, only people with the rank of count or higher can freely enter the palace.”
So I could go in whenever I pleased? I was a Duke, after all.
Before I knew it, we arrived at the noble district.
The buildings showed visible signs of improvement, and the road beneath our feet changes from simple stones to beautifully carved and inlaid cobblestone.
We hadn’t reached the residential area yet, but the cityscape was already leaps and bounds above the other districts.
“As you mentioned earlier, there is a possibility that the killer has a collaborator, someone with the power to easily hide such a person. However, if that’s the case, then it’d escalate the scale of this incident.”
“In that case, the jurisdiction will be shifted to another party, and this case may encompass the entire noble district.”
“This saves time then. In the worst-case situation, the investigation will become difficult, and we’ll have to solve it as soon as possible. Therefore, we require a decoy. We can’t guarantee your safety, but you’ll be handsomely compensated. I’m sorry, but please help us.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about me. As I said before, when it comes to combat, I have nothing to fear from the run-of-the-mill murderer.”
“……You know that carelessness is gonna get you killed one of these days?”
How do you kill a man that could recover 540 HP per second?
Actually, I did an experiment a little while ago, and a group of ten monsters couldn’t even damage me, much less trigger my regeneration.
Typically, you’d die if your entire body was bitten by sharp fangs, right? I didn’t know what kind of weapon the murderer used, but I doubt they could deliver a stronger blow than a group of monsters.
“By the way, there was a merchant association owner who arrived in the capital the other day, right?”
“You’re quite knowledgeable. The Kapur Association is a prestigious company that acquires ingredients for the royal family. Hmm, while the leader certainly hates adventures, he’s clear. He just came back to town yesterday .”
“That’s right. I just remember a strange rumor I heard from someone on good terms with him.”
I wonder if I could find a good excuse for him to lose his position.
After that, we performed a quick sweep of the entire district before returning to the guild.
