Yuron asked me to assassinate Lakan and Haval. He claimed that if those two disappeared, Pesengwigel would become a much more peaceful place.
Honestly, I was skeptical about how much difference it would make to cut out those two.
If it was an organization that depended entirely on one leader like Abandon, it would be one thing, but in Bagest or the Guild, killing the boss would only let the second-in-command take over the position.
If the second-in-command lacks the ability or skill of their predecessor, it might weaken the Guild, as it did with the Guild… but still, how much would it really change?
Well, I suppose Yuron would know that better than I do.
Maybe he believes he can handle the second-in-command of those two organizations just fine or something like that.
Anyhow, I didn’t need to care that much.
While Yuron would continue to live here, I was planning to find the sneakily escaped Ashel and leave this city right away.
“So, how about it? It’s not a bad story for you, right?”
Yuron smiled sweetly and urged me again.
“If those two organizations fall into chaos, Shadow of the Eagle will find it easier to take root… We also won’t interfere in your business as long as Shadow of the Eagle doesn’t cross the line. Of course, we plan to pay you separately.”
If I simply took care of this request, it meant Shadow of the Eagle would set up a branch in Pesengwigel and engage in assassination work without interference.
The warning to stay within limits probably meant not to harm the Guild or the residents they protect.
Indeed, it was a proposal that offered benefits even as Shadow of the Eagle’s shadow.
No, given my previous expulsion when trying to establish a branch, it was more than just a good opportunity; it was something I desperately wanted.
If I were a regular member of Shadow of the Eagle, it would have been a proposal I would accept without hesitation.
But I’m not a regular member.
Even if Shadow of the Eagle grows richer and more prosperous, it doesn’t benefit me, so I don’t necessarily need to do something good for the organization.
Of course, if Shadow of the Eagle could set up a branch here again, I could perhaps smooth over the incident I caused, so it would be somewhat beneficial… but…
‘Hmm… It’s going to be a lot of trouble. There’s a chance things could get even messier. Is it worth enduring all that trouble just to create an excuse?’
The more I weighed the pros and cons, the more ambiguous the situation got.
In the end, I gave Yuron an unclear response, saying I need about a day to think it over.
“A day to think…? I’ll give you a day.”
Yuron pondered for a moment, lightly massaging his jaw, then nodded as if he understood.
“A day?”
“Yes. If it drags on too long, we might miss our chance, so more than one day is difficult. I’ll send someone your way tomorrow night, and I hope you can give me a definite answer then.”
“Miss our chance…? You seem to have some plans, huh?”
I thought he would leave the timing, location, and methods of assassination entirely up to me, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.
It seemed Yuron had already laid out when they should be assassinated.
‘So he’s got the plan set, all he needs is someone to carry it out…?’
Whether that plan has realistic chances or is just a fanciful delusion, I’d have to listen to find out…
At least it would be better than me plotting and executing something myself.
To be honest, I was just a figurehead in an assassination organization without any real knowledge of the assassination business.
The very first plan that came to my mind when hearing to assassinate Lakan and Haval was the simple and brutal method of sneaking in at night, killing them, and getting out.
With that in mind, Yuron would certainly be the more skilled one for such matters.
While he might not be taking action himself, I’d heard he has considerable experience secretly assassinating those who obstructed the Guild.
“Well… It’s hard to reveal everything right now. You probably already know why, so I ask for your understanding. Ah, of course, if you accept right away…”
Naturally, Yuron didn’t fully divulge the plan to me. That was confidential, and he wanted me to accept the request first before sharing it.
Respecting his caution, I didn’t press for more details.
It felt like I’d have to wash my hair twenty times to get an answer, and the water here seemed dirty enough to get sick from if I drank it.
◆◆
Yuron left, saying he’d let me think it over.
Bagest took their leave as promised, but given their nature, they probably didn’t clean up properly. At least today, they’d be incredibly busy.
Dan Furb was dead, and Lakan was gone, so they seemed to be planning to tidy up the slums in this opportunity.
They would arrest or eliminate the irredeemable criminal scum and provide minimum aid to the dying poor.
I didn’t want to get involved, whether it was to boost their reputation or expand the Guild’s territory. I just wished them well and parted ways.
Anyway, at last, I could return to Daniel’s mansion where Friede was waiting for me.
“How much is this?”
“Fifteen silver… no, just ten will do.”
On the way, I stopped by a tailor to buy a new cloak that the thieving girl Ashel had stolen, and at the weapon shop, I got a new scabbard for my broken sword.
I couldn’t quite understand why the shopkeeper had drastically reduced the prices without any haggling… until I finally saw my reflection in the shop’s price.
‘…Wow, I really took a bath in blood.’
Abandon, Bagest, even Lakan… I had been through an uninterrupted series of battles, and it turned out I was soaked in blood.
I had become so used to this state that I hadn’t even realized it until I saw it for myself.
…I felt a little bad for the shopkeepers.
Seeing my unusually pale face, they must’ve thought I was sick, but really, it was my presence that was making their hearts race.
Imagine a guy in dirty armor, covered in blood, bursting through the store door with a sword in one hand—no wonder they’d be scared.
It wouldn’t have been odd for them to scream that a robber came or to plead for their lives, offering all they had.
If the Guild had been patrolling this place like usual instead of in the slums, they might have stopped me every time they saw me.
When I get back, I’ll definitely need to wash up.
I draped the cloak over me and pulled up the hood to cover my blood-soaked body, making my way towards Daniel’s mansion, oddly bustling with activity possibly due to the recent events.
I was contemplating whether to accept Yuron’s assassination request and how to find and persuade the escaped Ashel again.
‘Oh, wait, does that girl she was taking care of live around here? Maybe she’ll come looking for me on her own?’
Thinking it through, it didn’t seem necessary for me to actively search for Ashel. If I just waited quietly, she’d likely come to me.
…Somehow, it felt like I had taken a hostage unintentionally. I could only hope she wouldn’t misunderstand.
‘Uh… but she probably already does, huh?’
Now that I thought about it, the reason Ashel was so furious earlier was probably due to that misunderstanding.
She might have interpreted my statement about protecting and treating her younger sister as me having taken her sister hostage, or something along those lines.
That’s why she had screamed and fainted in rage. Now it made sense.
Just like how words that sound like compliments to one can sound like mockery to another, the same words can be received differently depending on who is listening.
Since Ashel had lived a life close to crime ever since leaving her hometown, she probably thought of rescue as abduction when I said I was protecting her sister.
‘Well then… if she comes back, it won’t be a peaceful return. She’ll likely think we’re kidnappers.’
Will she try to ambush me if I intentionally reveal a vulnerability?
If I show an opening, as if to fish, I might be able to meet her again sooner and more easily than I think.
Sure, the misunderstanding might deepen… but well, I can handle it through conversation after capturing her.
If I could have the girl who is close to her with us, we could face each other, and it would be clear to her that I saved her sister, so she wouldn’t hold any grudges.
Yeah, that could work.
◆◆
Seeing Ashel again was the worst.
Well, I mean for her, not me.
“…Why is she here?”
Finally back at the mansion.
What awaited me there was a little girl sleeping soundly on the sofa in the reception room and a wolf-eared beastfolk tied up next to the bathtub wearing only her underwear.
Ashel was bound tightly, with her head hung so low that she looked like she was passed out, her hands completely tied up.
“Mom! It smells! Delicious smell!”
“Hilde! You’re back safely! I was worried since it got so late!”
Eleadra was poking Ashel’s cheek with interest, while Friede was filling the bathtub with water.
“Filling the water was unnecessary. Well, I can use it for a bath anyway…?”
…It didn’t seem to be for bathing, though.
“Uh… yeah, I did come back safely… but why is she here?”
“Oh, do you know her?”
“Um… kind of?”
I nodded with a reluctant face. While it was one-sided on my side, she was still an acquaintance after all.
“When she was sneaking in, Eleadra found her and captured her… so we were going to interrogate her since she had Hilde’s cloak.”
…By using the water from the tub, right?
Yeah, water indeed knows the answer. I didn’t expect Friede to understand that truth, though.
“I thought she was a thief, but she turned out to be someone Hilde knows… so should I let her go then?”
Friede looked between me and Ashel with an uneasy expression, wondering if she had committed a huge rudeness to my friend.
“…No, let’s leave her for now. We have some misunderstandings. Once she wakes up, she’s going to kick up a fuss, so it’s better to keep her tied for now.”
I let out a small sigh as I patted Friede’s head, then turned to gaze down at the unconscious Ashel.
So, she was trying to sneak in based on the clue of my cloak to rescue her sister, but ended up getting caught by Eleadra and was subdued.
And if I hadn’t arrived just a little earlier, her face would’ve been submerged in that water.
Then, she probably would have cursed at me in frustration and ended up being beaten to death by Friede out of anger.
I didn’t know whether to call this pitiable or pathetic. It was so absurd it was hard to even find words to express it.
