Chapter 105 - <12>
The warehouse where the drugs were stored was located in a corner of the warehouse district, silent and still.
It was the middle of the night, so the quiet was to be expected. No one would have business in a place like this at such an hour.
Having reached the warehouse, Edward and his three companions were ushered inside by a military police infiltrator and hid themselves amidst a great deal of cargo.
According to Kenny, several others were also hiding inside, one of whom was Altman.
He'd said the other military policemen were keeping watch on the original ship and the alleyways, but he didn't know the precise details of their deployment.
Ritz's group, who must have arrived at the warehouse from the opposite direction, seemed to have entered through a door directly opposite the one the four of them had used, but they hadn't seen it with their own eyes.
The warehouse was that large and cluttered with a massive amount of cargo.
"So we wait until dawn."
Lef said in a relaxed tone.
"That's right. It's a long watch, but it can't be helped."
The long wait would be tiring, but there was no room for complaints in a situation like this. Edward's group had forced their way in; they were, in a sense, pests.
Franz looked somewhat restless, peering out at the warehouse interior from behind the cargo. He wouldn't last if he was this tense from the start.
"Franz, you can get some sleep if you like."
The words, half concern and half teasing, were met with a small, silent shake of Franz's head. A refusal, it seemed.
Edward, too, to pass the time, surveyed the warehouse interior from behind the cargo. Neither side of the drug transaction had appeared yet.
It seemed their plan was to gather here near dawn and use an early morning ship to transport the drugs through another port without arousing suspicion.
Glancing around, Edward quickly confirmed the warehouse's layout.
The warehouse, which had a considerable floor area, had one large steel door facing the road and another similar one on the sea side. In addition, there was one door on each of the walls facing the narrow passages between warehouses, making a total of four entrances.
There were windows, but they were near the triangular peak of the ceiling and were shaped to fit the corners; it would be impossible for a person to enter or exit through them.
Guards stood outside every door, but two of them were military policemen.
Edward's group was currently behind cargo near the wall, close to the steel door on the road side. The fact that a space just big enough for people to enter had been cleared out beforehand was likely a thoughtful gesture from the military police.
And on the exact diagonal opposite, near the sea-side steel door, Ritz, Anna, and Gordon should be positioned.
From this arrangement, Altman and his subordinates were probably on the other diagonal. With people placed in these four locations, escape would be impossible.
However, a brawl inside this warehouse would be troublesome. The area without cargo was extremely narrow, and it was clear that this battle could very well be fought not just on one plane, but three-dimensionally.
In other words, attacking from atop the cargo was infinitely more advantageous than being on the ground.
But the drawback was that the stability and hardness of the cargo serving as footholds couldn't be known without stepping on them. If a wooden box were to break and trap one's foot while facing an enemy with throwing weapons, it could be fatal.
Moreover, if an enemy hid in a corner of the cargo from an unseen angle, it would be difficult to find them from above alone.
The biggest problem in terms of fighting strength was Franz. Since almost all the cargo stacked here was in wooden boxes, the situations in which he could use his fire spirits were limited.
His specialty, the Fireball, was out of the question, and his other technique, the Flame Arrow, would also require certain restrictions if used in this warehouse full of combustibles.
Now, what should we do…
As Edward mulled this over, habitually stroking his chin, he suddenly found it amusing.
He remembered that there was no point in thinking up a detailed strategy. Edward was not the commander on site. In a sense, he was just a bystander.
The one who should be thinking about tactics was the platoon leader, Altman, not him. As a guest, Edward was free to rampage as he pleased.
He found it amusing to think that on the other side of the warehouse, his former partner was likely thinking the same thing. Ritz, too, was a bystander, not a commander.
No, it was more likely that he was already aware of that and was making various calculations to move to his own advantage.
He was a man accustomed to working in small groups. On top of that, he had been a mercenary for a long time. He was probably used to this kind of situation.
Or perhaps… with Gordon present, but still in the dim light with Anna, he wouldn't have the luxury to think about much else?
From Edward's perspective, Ritz's attitude was far more honest than his words.
He seemed to be desperately trying not to let on in front of Anna, but that wouldn't fool Edward.
Even when they split into two groups on the way to the warehouse, he had given various reasons, but to Edward, it sounded like nothing more than, I'll protect Anna, so I'm taking her with me.
Thinking about it made a chuckle escape his lips.
"Is something the matter, Edward?"
Lef, with his sharp ears, asked with a curious expression.
"No, just laughing at a memory."
"…About what?"
Even Franz showed interest, turning towards him. Kenny, whether he was listening or not, remained motionless, staring outside through a gap in the cargo.
"About Ritz. I was just thinking what an interesting fellow he's become."
"Interesting?"
Completely baffled, Franz furrowed his brow while keeping his expression neutral.
"He is. In front of Anna, Ritz's mask will surely crumble."
"…Ah."
Franz muttered, as if in understanding. Lef, who lived in the same house but hadn't spent much time with Ritz, seemed not to understand and remained tilting his head.
"Watching Ritz get flustered like that reminds me of the old days. He used to be a man who was always in a tizzy about something."
"I can't imagine it…"
Franz said, his brow still furrowed as it had been for a while. That was only natural, as Franz had only known the Ritz of the past few months.
Today's Ritz had neatly tucked that part of himself away into his past. In its place, he wore an astonishing composure and brazenness that looked perfect to anyone's eyes.
Edward suddenly recalled the Ritz of the old days.
Lacking common sense, barely able to read or write, but in contrast, glib-tongued, with unusually good intuition, and a sharp ability to read people's emotions… that was the kind of man Ritz was when they first met.
And yet, Ritz had been almost defenselessly attached to Edward.
Edward always felt reassured by Ritz's absolute trust and beaming smiles, but he also worried about him.
Ritz was cheerful, yet he had a somewhat brooding side, and while he acted carefree, he sometimes seemed to keep a distance from the real world. He possessed a kind of indescribable imbalance.
During the attempted assassination of the king, that brooding part of him had resurfaced, and he'd nearly died. Patricia and he had been terribly worried, but he seemed much calmer now.
Edward knew full well that this was all thanks to a single girl named Anna.
By being with Anna, the artificial mask Ritz had worn for the thirty-five years they were apart was cracking and crumbling.
Edward didn't know what had happened during those thirty-five years of separation. But surely, the mask Ritz wore would peel away, and soon he would reclaim the self he had been when he was with Edward.
And perhaps one day, Anna would be able to step into the darkness within Ritz that even Edward, who had been with him back then, could not.
For Edward, who had long understood Ritz's personality and anguish, the presence of Anna with her sincere and hopeful eyes was invaluable.
And he understood that the existence of Anna Myers had become more important to Ritz than even he imagined.
From Ritz's surprisingly changed stability and the way he treated Anna, his best friend Edward noticed immediately. For Ritz, Anna was the second woman he had become serious about. And he cared for her incomparably more than the first.
The first was a one-sided love, so if things went well, Anna might become the one and only woman for Ritz.
While teasing Ritz, he had been trying to gauge just how serious he was, and his judgment had not been wrong.
When he realized this, Edward made a decision. He wanted to watch over this somewhat precarious and fragile best friend, and the girl to whom he should be entrusted.
Above all, she possessed a long lifespan, able to stay with Ritz even after Edward had died. He didn't know exactly how long, but it would be far longer than a human's.
Ritz, who felt extreme loneliness at the thought of all his comrades dying, absolutely needed someone by his side.
If he said that to him, he would deny it. He'd say it was easier to be alone. Certainly, living completely alone and dying without any hesitation was one way to live.
But Edward, Patricia, and Shasta did not wish for such a reckless death for their old friend.
Immediately after the attempted assassination of the king, Ritz, who had been unconscious, had no idea how much the sight of him submerged in a sea of blood had shaken his old comrades and the people currently around him.
When he recovered, Patricia let out a sigh of relief and then only muttered, "Still the same old fool," and said no more.
Even the great Shasta, right after the near-death Ritz returned to work, had stormed into Ritz's office and shouted, "Who would be happy to see you die like that! For once, try using that decorative head on your shoulders!"
On the receiving end of that, Ritz had been flustered and had apologized profusely to Shasta.
Edward had deliberately said nothing to Ritz. He had felt it was enough that Anna had apparently said something to him instead.
In the end, perhaps Edward just wanted to eliminate any lingering regrets for himself, as he would grow old and die in the future.
From Ritz's perspective, this would be complete meddling, but he hoped he would accept the modest meddling of a man in his twilight years.
If he were to say that out loud to him, he would be sent back to the country without a second thought. If Ritz wanted to, he could use brute force to send Edward back to the Yuresla Kingdom.
But the reason he didn't was because he believed Edward's journey was a "free, wandering journey, liberated from the shackles of the state."
Ritz was the only person who knew that Edward's dream was not really to be king, but to travel the world.
In fact, it was true that he wanted to travel, so Ritz would likely never notice. And there was one other person he was concerned about: this boy, Franz.
"What is it?"
Franz noticed his gaze and looked up.
"Just thinking."
In the not-so-distant future, this boy would likely become one of the pillars supporting the country.
His indifference and expressionlessness were just him suppressing himself. It was already clear that he was a man overflowing with a sense of responsibility and justice, more so than Ritz, who would choose his comrades over the state or its people.
He had heard about the conflict with his father, but that stemmed from a direct sense of justice, an inability to forgive his father's corruption and the web of interests surrounding it.
It was also amusing that he himself didn't see it that way, instead framing it as a personal dislike for his father so intense that he never wanted to see him again.
While saying it was none of his business what others did, he agonized over the future of the country, including Greig.
And yet, he still earnestly claimed things like he didn't want to get involved with others because it was a hassle. To Edward, those words could only be taken as a joke.
His true nature was as fierce as the fire spirits he wielded. And yet, he didn't even realize he possessed such a passionate side.
And Franz, like Ritz, did not like to be ordered around. He would only listen to advice from those he acknowledged. That would be a problem when it came to managing people.
As a former king, he wanted to see for himself what would become of the boy named Franz.
These were two travel objectives he couldn't tell the other three, so he intended to keep them hidden until they returned to the Royal Capital.
"Edward-san?"
Thinking Edward's silence was strange, Franz quietly called out his unaccustomed name.
"It's nothing."
He glanced up at the window near the ceiling. It would still be a while before it grew light.
"Let's rest a bit. We should have time for that."
Edward replied and closed his eyes. It would be wiser to rest like this until things started.
He sensed Franz, who was next to him, let out a small sigh and hug his knees. For now, they had no choice but to sleep and wait.
It was the same for Ritz, who was by the opposite door.
Ritz, positioned near the steel door on the sea side, held his greatsword in his arms and had been resting with his eyes closed for some time. It was his policy not to waste energy.
Nearly two hours had passed since they had snuck into the warehouse. The spot they were in was a place where numerous wooden boxes were stacked, allowing one to climb up them like stairs—a perfect spot for reconnaissance and action.
Ritz was sitting on the lowest of these stair-like boxes.
If it were just him and Anna, he wouldn't have been able to sit so quietly, as a bored Anna would have been clinging to him. But with the sacrificial lamb of Gordon present, he could afford to be relaxed.
Ever since she heard there were no enemies, Anna had been whispering various questions to Gordon.
They ranged from what kind of incidents inspectors were involved in and how, to the cooking hobby that Gordon's superior, Major Kenny Fort, had recently taken up.
"Kenny-san is studying cooking from a book? Wow."
He could hear Anna's impressed voice.
It wasn't the kind of conversation one would expect to hear on the scene of an operation to annihilate a drug syndicate, but Anna's tone, utterly devoid of tension, was pleasantly carefree.
So carefree, in fact, that it almost made him forget their current situation.
Suddenly, the sound of many people talking reached his ears. It wasn't from inside the building, but clearly from outside.
"Anna, quiet a minute."
He propped himself on one knee, listened intently once more, then slowly stood up and peered over the stacked wooden boxes.
Sensing the movement, he looked to his side and saw Gordon looking at the door with a similar gaze. As expected of an inspector; despite having been dealing with Anna until now, his switch was instantaneous.
He looked at the door facing the sea nearby, but the sound didn't seem to be coming from there.
That meant it must be the unseen door on the road side.
Crouching down again, he pressed his back against a wooden box to sense for movement when Anna quietly approached.
"Are they here?"
She whispered, and he answered softly.
"Yeah. And quite a few of them."
"I see…"
Just as Anna replied with a somewhat tense expression, the large, sliding steel door on the road side was pulled open with a heavy, grinding sound.
In the cold, pre-dawn air, the sound of the heavy door echoed loudly. Through the door, which was opened about a third of the way, several men entered.
Unfortunately, from this position, he couldn't get an accurate count.
The military police were probably in a position with a clear view and had a precise count. Thinking about that made being in what was essentially the spectator's gallery a bit frustrating.
But they were on a mission, while he was just here for the spectacle. He couldn't complain. For now, as long as he could get a good brawl in, that was enough.
After all, the last time he had swung this greatsword in earnest was several months ago.
Borrowing the royal family's underground training grounds for combat practice with Greig, Joe's training, and Edward's pastime—using his sword in ways far removed from actual combat—was not nearly enough to satisfy him.
Honestly, he couldn't help but hope the enemy was strong. If they were too weak, it would be pointless.
"Your Excellency, please stick to the procedure."
Gordon, who had already come to his side, whispered.
"I know."
Ritz gave a wry smile, realizing Gordon had sensed his eagerness. It seemed he was really looking forward to this.
As for the procedure, there was only one rule. Do nothing until Altman said, "Military Police! You're under arrest!"
The idea was that in the meantime, the military police would covertly observe and confirm the drug transaction scene, trying to listen in on what organizations were involved and how the sales were conducted.
In other words, after Altman said that, it meant he could beat the criminals to a pulp, preferably keeping them alive for capture, but making sure they couldn't fight back.
That was Ritz's personal interpretation, anyway.
The men's voices were hard to make out inside the brick-walled, cargo-filled warehouse, but he could just about catch them. He pressed his ear to a gap in the cargo and picked up their words.
"Alright, this is the genuine article, the last of the drug known as 'Moonlight Cherry Blossom.' 'Fraid this is all that's left. Ain't no one left who knows how to make it."
A man with a gravelly voice said. The voice was unfamiliar. But since he was the one selling the drugs, there was no doubt this was the man who had loaded the drugs onto the ship Ritz and the others had taken.
"Then it's no good for business."
A slightly high-pitched male voice spat back in reply. From the subtle nuances of his speech, it was clear this man was not from Yuresla.
In other words, he was from this country, Luciana.
"Depends on how you use it, you can still make a profit. Sellin' it for a high price as a drug ain't the only way to do business. Use your head."
The man with the gravelly voice replied calmly. A smile crept onto his lips. This man's speech was rough, but he didn't seem to be stupid.
Indeed, even Ritz could think of a couple of money-making schemes using this drug. A man like this wouldn't be accompanied by pushover guards. The thought made his body ache with anticipation.
Meanwhile, the men's conversation continued.
"You could try to research it and make the same stuff yourself. If you succeed, you'd have a huge market. But by then, 'Moonlight Cherry Blossom' will probably already be cracked down on."
"Then there's no profit in it."
A man with a low voice spat out. It seemed there were several groups of buyers.
"You think so? If it were me, I'd use this to make a quick buck. Whoops, from here on out it's a trade secret. The rest is up to whoever buys this to figure out."
While emphasizing the risks, he hinted at the potential for considerable profit depending on its use. It was a much more effective sales pitch than simply trying to force it on them.
"…I want to know the effects of the drug."
The high-pitched voice said.
"A single pill acts as a fatigue restorative. Plus, it has a muscle-enhancing effect. Comes with the bonus of not feeling pain."
"That's good. It seems it could be used as a medicine, no?"
A young, frivolous male voice replied. The man with the gravelly voice answered as if in contempt.
"Sure, a pill a day is no problem, but the effect wears off in less than a week. Then you can't help but take two. But if you take three, you'll without exception end up delirious with hallucinations. For a medicine, it's a pretty carefree substance."
The man with the gravelly voice said in a carefree tone. He probably didn't know that the undiluted form of this drug was a terrifying thing that turned people into monsters.
But Ritz, knowing that, had taken two pills of that drug before. He'd had no other choice at the time, and he didn't regret it.
He didn't, but he couldn't help but remember how his old and new comrades had thoroughly chewed him out for it afterward.
"It's not carefree at all."
Anna, who had come up beside him without him noticing, whispered.
"Guess not."
"You're not allowed to take it again, okay?"
He turned his eyes to Anna, who had spoken with a worried voice. She was sitting on the floor, looking straight up at his face.
Anna's worry was understandable. After all, Ritz had lost his sense of pain and nearly died because of this drug. And it was Anna who had saved him.
"Like hell I would, you idiot."
He said in a whisper, but contrary to his words, he stroked Anna's head with the intention of promising he would never do it again. Anna's hair had been braided during her free time.
"Okay."
Anna smiled in relief. He understood that Ritz nearly dying had been a major issue for her as well.
He was still needed by Anna. For as long as he was needed, he would have to make an effort not to die.
In the meantime, the negotiations had progressed and finally seemed to have concluded. When Ritz listened to the men's conversation again, he could tell they had moved on to negotiating the price.
"How much?"
"The currency of the Luciana Kingdom Federation won't do."
"I know. I'll pay in the common currency of the Eneonea Continent."
"One bottle contains thirty pills. Twenty of those make a bag. One bag is one hundred Giltz."
A stir went through the men at the gravelly-voiced man's words.
"You said it can't be manufactured anymore, right? Sixty!"
"No good. One hundred. I won't budge on this."
After some haggling, the gravelly-voiced man spoke in a tone that suggested he was the one giving in.
"Alright, alright. Eighty will do."
With that, the deal seemed to be struck. The sound of gold coins being piled up in bags and being weighed mixed with the men's voices.
If this was the wholesale price, one could only imagine what the street price would be. There were probably still a large number of people in Sears seeking this drug.
Even just selling it would yield a considerable profit. It would likely be several tens of times the original price.
After a while, the money counting finished, and he sensed them starting to distribute the goods. It was about time for their turn. He re-tied the sheath of the greatsword he had been holding to ensure it wouldn't come loose.
Altman's wish to avoid killing them if possible coincided with Anna's group's wish of 'don't kill them,' so this was unavoidable.
Besides, even if he wanted to rampage, it wasn't that he wanted to cut down his enemies.
"Anna, it's almost time."
He said without looking at Anna, focusing on the enemy. Anna replied in a tense voice.
"What should I do?"
"The moment Altman announces himself, the enemy will be thrown into chaos. Fuel that chaos. Climb the wooden boxes and drop a Water Sphere from above right into the middle of them."
"Okay!"
"And hide as soon as you do."
"Got it. What about you, Ritz?"
"I'll charge right into the center of the confusion."
That seemed to be the most effective, and fun, option.
"Your Excellency, please don't overdo it."
Gordon warned, but he knew the difference between what he could and couldn't do. He was doing it because he could.
"I'll be fine."
Just as he answered with full confidence, a low, powerful voice echoed out.