Chapter 184 - 8
Contrary to expectations, the day after the encounter with Kuchiba passed without incident. Ritz sat listlessly at the counter of Qiuzi’s pub, poking at his appetizer.
The black eggs, a local delicacy called fermented century eggs, spun around, deftly dodging his chopsticks. Eventually, a century egg rolled right off the plate. Just like society and me, Ritz thought vaguely as he picked it up and tossed it into his mouth.
He knew he was a hopeless case, drinking at this hour before the sun had even fully set, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
He had told Edward and Franz everything Kuchiba had said the night before. Since Anna had been there, she would surely recount the meeting with Kuchiba through her own words, but her explanations tended to be colored by her subjective kindness. He had wanted to state the objective facts, plainly and simply.
Both of them had seemed momentarily speechless, as it was all quite unexpected, but Edward recovered quickly and offered Ritz a smile. “Shouldn’t you be glad?” he’d said. “One mystery about your origins and about Kuchiba has been cleared up.” Looked at a certain way, he was right.
Even if Ritz was the child of a high priest from Zeum, nothing had changed. Ritz was Ritz, and he would probably have no issue fighting against Zeum as a mercenary, just as he always had. The only thing was that the fact of his being an outsider in every respect remained in his heart like a lingering sediment.
Not of the Clan of Light, not of the Clan of Darkness, and certainly not human.
He was a half-measure in every way. A failure, just as Kuchiba had said.
“Ow.”
Something rapped him on the head. He looked up to see a beer bottle. Apparently, that’s what he’d been hit with. Raising his gaze a little higher, he saw black hair and sharp, dark eyes.
“What was that for, Qiuzi?”
“Because you’re moping around.”
“What’s it to you? Just leave me alone.”
“Oh, my, what a greeting. In my establishment, no less. A gloomy face like that is bad for business. Right, Luan?”
“...Haha.”
Luan, who had been suddenly dragged into the conversation, gave a troubled laugh. The young man was too good-natured to play along with banter. But it was that very straightforwardness that made him so well-liked by the mercenaries in this entertainment district.
“Something happened, didn’t it?”
“Yeah, well.”
When he tried to brush it off, Qiuzi leaned in close.
“That’s not a ‘yeah, well’ kind of face. It’s the most complicated expression I’ve ever seen on you in all the time I’ve known you.”
“You think?”
“I know. The you I knew back then would never have let his feelings show so openly in front of people.”
“...You’re right…”
Thinking back, that was true. He had always kept a certain distance from the people he associated with, careful not to close the psychological gap more than necessary. If he formed bonds like the ones he had with Edward and his companions again, he’d be trapped by their weight, unable to move. He was afraid he’d cling to them again.
He had met and parted with Qiuzi during that period when he kept the most distance. So, she probably only had an impression of a cold Ritz. The Ritz with an expression very much like Kuchiba’s.
“Are you okay?”
Qiuzi’s dark eyes clouded with worry. Black hair, black eyes. The women of this country were Ritz’s favorite type. The Tarnien Republic, a nation where, despite the difference in build, there were many people who resembled him. And Suien, the city of mercenaries. Ritz knew very well that this was where he stood out the least.
Just like old times, he gently pulled Qiuzi’s body closer, kissing her long, dark hair as he whispered in her ear.
“I’m fine. Fine enough to do this, at least.”
“...Honestly, you’re pushing yourself.”
As his fingers traced her soft curves, Qiuzi let him, sighing in exasperation before pinching his ear.
“Owowowowow…”
“Save that for your one and only.”
“Can’t.”
“Pathetic man.”
“...Sorry about that.”
“I never expected you to be this kind of guy.”
Qiuzi tapped Ritz’s cheek as if exasperated. But the next moment, she shoved him with all her might. Caught off guard by the attack from Qiuzi—who, being trained in martial arts, packed a considerable punch—Ritz tumbled off his stool.
“The hell, Qiuzi! What was that for?”
He rubbed his lower back as he got up, then froze at the sight before him. There stood Anna, Edward, and Franz.
Anna stood at the front, frozen in place, while Franz, behind her, was scowling fiercely. Edward had a hand to his forehead, letting out a sigh. They saw me at the worst possible moment, he thought, but in the next instant, he felt like it didn't matter anymore. He let out a great sigh, scratched his head, and sat back down on the stool with a thud.
Whatever Anna saw now, it wouldn’t bring back the trust or warmth. Building trust was difficult, but destroying it took only a moment. And once broken, it could never be rebuilt the same way again.
From Anna’s continued distance even after Kuchiba had left, Ritz had come to the complete realization that she had given up on him.
Yes, Kuchiba was right. Anna was a cut above him as a person. It had been a miracle that she had supported such a useless guy in the first place.
Without confirming or denying what happened with Qiuzi, Ritz once again started poking at his appetizer with his chopsticks and began to drink. If she wants to misunderstand, let her, he thought. In the end, Anna was a flower on a high peak. No matter how much he struggled, she would never care for him again.
“Ah, um, welcome, Anna. We got some good fish in today.”
It was Luan, who had been cooking behind the counter with a wry smile, who nervously tried to smooth things over. Ritz listened for Anna’s voice as if it were someone else’s affair, wondering how she would react, when an unexpectedly cheerful tone reached his ears.
“Wow, that’s amazing! Can I really have some?”
He paused for a moment at the unexpectedly bright voice, but then popped a century egg into his mouth. A delicate conversation continued behind him and on the other side of the counter.
“Y-yeah. Of course. It’s a big one, so Franz-kun and Edward-san, please have some too. That’s all right, isn’t it, Madam?”
“It’s fine. Anna’s always helping me clean the boarding house, after all.”
Qiuzi played along with Luan.
“Ed-san, Franz, let’s eat. We have to eat properly, or we’ll be in trouble if something happens.”
Her words pointedly left out Ritz’s name. Of course, he thought with a strange sense of detachment. He opened the beer bottle Qiuzi had used to hit him earlier. As he drank the strangely lukewarm beer, he ordered another appetizer from Luan, and a distilled spirit came with it. A considerate man.
Listening to Anna eating cheerfully and Edward responding to her, Ritz sank into his own thoughts.
If he parted ways with them here, it would be difficult for them to reach Zeum’s holy land. Ritz himself had already lost any desire to go. He was keenly aware that no matter how far he went, he would always be an outsider. He felt no need to confirm it further and solidify his position as one.
But even if she had given up on him, he didn't want to see Anna in danger. Selfish or not, he didn’t want her to get hurt, and he certainly didn’t want her to be unhappy. He wanted her to smile and be happy, so if she wasn’t giving up, he should probably accompany her to the holy land to learn the truth.
Besides, he couldn't just leave Edward and Franz at the edge of the continent like this. He should probably head to Zeum's holy land and stick with them as a guard until they met Orphe. If he thought of himself as a mercenary hired by them, it wouldn’t be so bad.
Suddenly, someone slammed their hand on the counter where he was resting his chin. He slowly looked up to see Franz.
“Yo. What’s up?”
“This.”
Looking closely, Franz hadn’t slammed the counter, but had slammed something onto the counter. It was a folded piece of paper.
“What’s this?”
“I gave some thought to what you said before.”
With that, Franz fell silent, glaring at him. Ritz pulled out the paper from under Franz’s hand. As he slowly unfolded it, he saw it was covered in Franz’s messy handwriting, which had improved slightly.
Ritz’s eyes widened at the words written at the very top. It read: Intercontinental Network Business Plan.
“You…”
“You said you wanted a job the two of you could do together, so you could live with Anna.”
“…”
“In Roshozu. I doubt you’ve forgotten.”
There was no way his voice couldn’t be heard in the small pub. Ritz could sense Anna react slightly, but he kept his mouth shut. Living with Anna was nothing but a pipe dream now, so he couldn’t say anything. But Franz continued, paying it no mind.
“In Suien, I learned that Luan-san faces discrimination. And in Tashkur, mixed-blood children had no place. I asked His Majesty, and he said that friction between humans and non-humans is a problem that has been repeated countless times since before recorded history.”
After saying all that in one breath, Franz picked up Ritz’s glass of distilled liquor, took a sip to wet his throat, and spoke again.
“For example, in Luciana, beastkin work as migrant laborers. I thought humans and beastkin lived together in harmony, but His Majesty said that wasn’t entirely true. The beastkin primarily work dangerous jobs that humans won’t do. I’d thought it was natural since they boast incredible physical abilities, but I learned for the first time that there are no other options available to them. I thought that if there were more options, the demi-human races might spread further throughout this world.”
Having said his piece, Franz stared intently at Ritz.
“I wasn’t asked by you to look for anything. I was just bothered by what you said offhandedly. So this might be meddling, but this is my answer. If you want to put that plan into action in the future, I’ll help you. I can probably only be active for another forty years. I can’t wait any longer than that.”
As he looked up at Franz, who stood there defiantly after his rapid-fire speech, Ritz saw an expression in his blue eyes that he had seen somewhere before. It was the same look Edward got when he was worried about Ritz’s future and lectured him with concern.
He remembered what Edward had said to him before.
Come and show your face to us, who will die before you. You're not the only one who needs memories.
“...Well then.”
Franz left him with that one word and was about to return to his seat when Ritz called out to him.
“What?”
“Thanks. I’ll think about it.”
“Yeah.”
Edward had told him that even an outsider like him had a place. That time alone wasn’t what separated people. Perhaps his life was still worth living for a while longer. At least until Franz and Anna passed from this world.
With a sigh, Ritz picked up the bottle of distilled liquor, poured it into his glass, and took a drink.
Just then, the pub door was violently thrown open. A young man, an aspiring mercenary and one of the boarders, burst in, out of breath. He was a freckled youth with dark brown hair and tanned skin, a hint of childishness still on his face. He wasn't from Tarnien. Qiuzi’s boarding house had many foreigners.
The young man searched for someone, and when he found Qiuzi, he shouted.
“Madam! It’s terrible! There’s a riot, a riot has broken out!”
“A riot?”
At the alarming words, Qiuzi’s shapely eyebrows furrowed.
“The residents of Suien have started a Soukai Clan hunt!”
“What did you say?!”
“They’re taking the Soukai Clan hostage to demand the handover of the pearls!”
“That’s insane… That’s no different from a kidnapping.”
“Yes. But right now, everyone’s so hot-headed, they’re not thinking straight!”
Edward murmured under his breath.
“Why so suddenly…?”
“It seems they were having a meeting at the Commercial Guild to discuss how to break the deadlock in the pearl trade, but for some reason, it turned into a riot to capture the Soukai Clan!”
Ritz stared intently at the surprisingly well-informed young man.
“Are you from this city?”
“No, I’m from Sarnia.”
“Then how do you know so much about what’s going on?”
When asked, the young man stared straight back at Ritz.
“I may be an aspiring mercenary, but I refuse to hunt people who’ve done nothing wrong, no matter how much they pay me. I was hired for the Soukai Clan hunt, but I don’t want to do a job I find distasteful. Does that make me a failure as a mercenary, Alster-san?”
There was no doubt in his straightforward gaze.
“Being a mercenary is a job where you get paid to kill people. But you’re freer than the military, where you have to kill people you don’t like for money. You get it, don’t you?”
“Yes, sir!”
Ritz asked the seemingly pleased young man.
“Have most of the Soukai Clan been captured already?”
“Yes. They said there was almost no resistance. One of the guys from the boarding house was caught too.”
“So you rushed over here… which means their next target is Luan, right?”
“That’s right.”
Behind the counter, Luan trembled slightly. To be made a sacrifice for the pearl trade just for being one of the Soukai Clan was incredibly unlucky. But Ritz had no intention of losing a cook who made such good food over something like this.
“Were there still mercenaries?”
“Yes. About ten of them. But they’re all young. All the veterans turned it down…”
“I see.”
The veterans knew that getting involved in a sudden outburst that couldn't be sustained for long would yield no financial compensation. In other words, the riot would be over quickly.
“Well then, guess we’ll teach those youngsters a painful lesson. Qiuzi, what are you going to do?”
Qiuzi, who had been impatiently tapping her heel inside the pub, shot a sharp look at Ritz. It was the same battle-ready expression she had on the battlefield.
“I can’t forgive them for laying a hand on one of my boarders, and now they’re trying to come after my cook.”
With that, Qiuzi kicked off her high heels. She was a martial artist. Barefoot was far better for fighting.
“All right. Let’s give these mercenaries a veteran’s baptism by fire.”
His arms tingled at the prospect of a fight after so long. He knew it was just a brawl, but it was better than being stuck in this suffocating environment.
“Ed, what’s your plan?”
“With two veteran mercenaries present, I doubt there is a role for me. This old soldier will at least ensure the townspeople do not get injured. Anna, Franz.”
“Yes!”
The two of them stood up as their names were called.
“Anna, if the mercenaries are defeated and the townspeople go berserk, cast a Water Sphere to create distance between both sides to prevent injuries. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Anna, who hated the act of hurting people more than anything, nodded with a smile.
“Next, Franz. Once they’re separated, shoot a Flame Arrow between them to forbid them from advancing.”
“Understood.”
“A spirit user…”
The young man muttered in awe as he watched the two take their orders.
“I knew Anna-chan was no ordinary person~”
For some reason, Ritz felt irritated and smacked him on the back of the head.
“Wh-what was that for?”
“Don’t go getting distracted by a woman. You’re no veteran.”
“Yes, sir.”
Perhaps sensing Ritz’s subtle displeasure, the young man ducked his head.
“Qiuzi, and you…”
“It’s Suneel.”
“...Let’s go, Suneel.”
“Yes, sir!”
As he threw open the door, Anna called out to his back hesitantly.
“Ritz.”
“What?”
He asked without turning around. Anna spoke with determination.
“Don’t kill them, okay?”
“...I know that.”
At his words, Qiuzi and Suneel stared at him, looking taken aback. Explaining was a hassle, but staying silent was also strange. So he spat out his reply to Anna.
“I’m not merciless enough to beat a bunch of rookie chicks to a pulp.”
“...Okay.”
He could hear Anna still sounding worried. It seemed she had no trust in him whatsoever. But he wasn’t in the mood to reassure her right now. A sense of despair, that nothing he said would make a difference, seemed to have taken firm root inside him.
Silently pushing open the pub door, he stepped out into the faint twilight of the early evening, where a slightly cool sea breeze was blowing. Even in summer, the nights in this city were a little chilly.
Usually, around this time, people who had finished a day’s work would be looking for a pub for a relaxing drink and conversation to soothe their fatigue, but this backstreet, an entertainment district, was strangely quiet.
“It’s quiet,”
Suneel, seemingly sensing the strange atmosphere, lowered his voice as he looked around.
“The calm before the storm.”
“A storm… huh…”
Qiuzi said with a sigh as she tied up her long skirt to make it easier to move.
“This wind feels wrong. Just like that time…”
Ritz remained silent at the dark undertone. He had heard from Touo about her life after they had parted ways fifteen years ago. She had since married and been widowed by a man who was a chef.
From that point on, her life had slowly begun to change. That was also why she continued to run the boarding house and the pub.
Qiuzi tied up her black hair, which was dancing in the wind, with a single ribbon she held in her mouth. She was a year or two over forty, but she was as beautiful as ever, unchanged from the old days.
“I didn’t want to fight over this again.”
Ritz pretended not to hear her lonely whisper. Qiuzi’s story was not something to be heard in such a frivolous atmosphere.
“Alster-san! Madam!”
Suneel pointed with a high-pitched voice. At the head of a group of several armed men, dozens of people were coming toward them, shouting at the top of their lungs like a raging wave.
“Let them know inside. They’re here.”
“Yes, sir!”
Suneel’s voice trembled slightly. He was probably at the peak of his nervousness, this being his first time. Thinking about it, Anna and Franz might be more accustomed to this.
As the people came to surround the pub, they noticed Ritz and Qiuzi standing in front of it and stopped. It was only natural, seeing a large man leaning on his greatsword like a cane and Qiuzi in a battle stance, her well-shaped white thighs exposed.
As the townspeople stopped a few meters away, the young mercenaries stepped forward. Ritz smiled faintly at the look in their eyes. Their expressions, full of self-esteem, burned with the youth of those who had yet to know defeat, and with ambition.
Half of the rookies who came to the battlefield for the first time self-destructed because of this pride. In that case, he would destroy that pride right here, for the sake of their survival.
“What are you chicks doing here?”
When he said that with a smile, the young men glared at Ritz, clearly offended. They were all confident in their skills and had gathered in Suien, the city of mercenaries. They would never consider defeat from the outset. Besides, from his appearance, Ritz wasn't much different from those chicks.
He could have announced his name and threatened them, but he had decided to break their pride, so he refrained.
As Ritz slowly shouldered his greatsword, Qiuzi beside him leisurely crossed her arms and looked around at the entire group, asking in her clear, husky voice.
“What business do you have with my pub?”
Though not loud, her voice carried well, and a man stepped forward from the crowd of townspeople. His face was familiar. It was the man who had been assaulting Luan when Ritz reunited with Qiuzi.
“I told you you’d have a bad time if you hired a member of the Soukai Clan. Now’s that time. Send Luan out.”
“...And if I say no?”
“You don't have that right! This is a decision by the Commercial Guild!”
“A kidnapping, you mean?”
“A kidnapping?”
The large man’s face twisted in irritation, but Qiuzi just stared at him.
“Taking a hostage to get your hands on pearls. What else would you call it but a kidnapping?”
“What?”
“Since when did this city become a den of criminals?”
“Y-you… It’ll be just like with Leydin! Are you okay with that?!”
At the man’s desperate words, Qiuzi turned to face him squarely.
“You don’t even have the right to say his name.”
Leydin… the name of Qiuzi’s deceased husband. Her husband had been of the Soukai Clan.
Ritz took a step forward, cutting between the large man and Qiuzi, who were about to exchange more foolish words. It was painful to watch Qiuzi get hurt any further.
“Bringing up a woman’s past to justify a crime is something only a man with no guts would do.”
When he said that mockingly, the large man turned his gaze this way and took a step back upon seeing Ritz’s weapon. Even if he didn’t know who Ritz was, most people would back down at the sight of this greatsword. But they had brought mercenaries.
“Don’t come crying to me later. We’ve got mercenaries on our side. You should have just handed over the Soukai Clan member when you had the chance…”
“Sorry, but I don’t plan on crying.”
“D-damn it, there’s only two of them! Let’s take them down and get the Soukai Clan member!”
The man shouted and hid behind the young men. Those who could talk so easily about people’s deaths, knowing that some would be hurt, were the ones who valued human life the least. They could sacrifice others so readily because they wouldn’t be fighting themselves. He wouldn’t want to be used by someone like that, no matter how high the pay.
“Shall we, Qiuzi?”
“As you wish, Captain.”
“Alright.”
Ritz smiled at Suneel, who had come out behind them.
“This is a demonstration. Watch closely.”
“Yes, sir.”
“When things are wrapping up, call Anna and Franz immediately. Until then, you’re on guard duty.”
“Understood!”
Ignoring Suneel, who was looking at him with an expectant gaze and flushed cheeks in front of the door, Ritz and Qiuzi took a step forward. For Ritz, it was a familiar situation, but there was no guarantee that Qiuzi, who had been away from active duty, still had her instincts.
Keeping a slight eye on Qiuzi, Ritz looked around at the mercenaries in front of him. They were all young. Their weapons and armor were new, with almost no scratches. This would be over in a flash.
“Two minutes… maybe?”
When he muttered that, Qiuzi retorted with a dissatisfied tone.
“Oh, you think my skills have gotten rusty? Don’t underestimate me. One minute.”
“Heh… then I’ll leave your side to you.”
“Understood.”
As they slowly stood back-to-back before the mercenaries who were moving to surround them, Ritz readied his greatsword. He could feel Qiuzi behind him taking a martial arts stance.
“...One minute, you said?”
“Yes.”
“Well then, shall we begin?”
As he muttered that, Qiuzi's presence, which he had felt at his back, suddenly vanished. The next moment, he heard Qiuzi's battle cry and the heavy sound of something being sent flying.
“Not bad.”
While muttering to himself, Ritz closed in on the men in front of him. The flustered men swung their swords wildly. They must have thought they could win if it was two against one.
But a combination with absolutely no coordination was nothing to worry about. The same was true no matter how many there were.
He blocked two swords simultaneously with his greatsword, which he held up like a shield. A high-pitched metallic sound rang out, and the two swords stopped moving.
Ritz gave a wry smile at the not-so-heavy swords of the men, who were trying to push through with brute force, their faces contorted with desperation.
These mercenaries were truly rookies among rookies.
The men, unaccustomed to battle, hesitated for a moment, unsure of their next move from their too-close positions. At this rate, they were just getting in each other’s way.
“Your teamwork is nonexistent. You’ll die for nothing, you know?”
When he said that with a smile, he simultaneously knocked away the swords of the slightly faltering men. The men probably didn’t even know what had happened.
He delivered a thrusting blow to the armor of the men, who were staring in stunned silence at their own swords spinning through the air. He had held back somewhat, but the thrust was still quite heavy.
The men were sent flying with groans of pain.
“...Did I overdo it?”
The crowd let out something close to a scream at the sight of the two men lying collapsed a few meters from the muttering Ritz. But he paid them no mind and struck the base of the next man’s sword with his greatsword. Even though he hadn’t put much force into it, the man let out a cry close to a scream from the impact that traveled through his hand, and the sword slipped from his grasp.
After kicking the sword toward Suneel, he silenced the man who was charging at him recklessly in a panic with a single kick.
Three left.
“H-hee…”
As he calmly stared them down, the men’s sword-wielding hands trembled. Utterly pathetic.
“Sorry, rookies. It wouldn’t be fair if only three of you got away unscathed, would it?”
Shouldering his greatsword and tapping his own shoulder, Ritz slowly readied his weapon.
“Oh, it's almost been a minute.”
“What?!”
“It wouldn’t look cool for me as the boss if I took longer than her, would it?”
As he said that, he leaped into the center of the three men. He intimidated the panicking trio with a single swing of his greatsword. A single roundhouse kick sent the cowering men to the ground.
“Learn to brawl before you learn to sword fight. On the battlefield, you can’t survive with just by-the-book swordplay.”
He looked over at the rookies cowering together with a smile, then turned his gaze toward Qiuzi. There, collapsed and incapacitated, lay a group of men. In front of them stood Qiuzi, adjusting the hem of the skirt she had tied up.
“See, Captain? It only took a minute.”
“Yeah.”
When he turned to Suneel, Edward had opened the door and was poking his head out. It seemed he was checking to make sure the townspeople’s riot wasn’t about to start. It was probably to be expected, after so overwhelmingly taking down ten mercenaries.
Ritz called out leisurely to the mercenaries collapsed on the ground.
“Knowing your opponent’s strength is part of learning, chicks. If you think you’re no match, run. It’s the only way to survive.”
In front of the men who were backing away in fear, Suneel puffed out his chest proudly.
“That was very educational!”
“Yup.”
Just when he thought it was over, the large man who had been standing in front of the crowd let out a scream-like shout.
“No matter how strong a mercenary is, they can’t lay a hand on us ordinary citizens! Hunt the Soukai Clan!”
The crowd fell silent. But from within the crowd, a particularly loud and clear voice rose up.
“That’s right, without pearls, this city is finished! We won’t let the Soukai Clan have their way!”
That voice spread through the crowd like a ripple, eroding the expressions of fear on people’s faces. When that voice faded into the darkness, the people suddenly changed. As if the fear from before had never existed, angry shouts erupted.
“That’s right! The pearls!”
“Capture the Soukai Clan!”
“Protect our city!”
What started as a small swell became a large one. This was the worst kind of atmosphere. Moreover, the crowd, as if possessed, knew no bounds. Normally, they would have backed down after seeing the previous display, but the populace was acting strangely.
At this rate, they would be overrun, and Luan would be taken away. The crowd slowly, steadily advanced toward Ritz and Qiuzi. From the abnormal look in their eyes, he knew instinctively it was Kuchiba.
He had said he would start a war. There was a high probability that the suppression of the Soukai Clan would develop into an ethnic conflict with them. If that was the case, this riot had to succeed for his plans to work.
“Damn it, where are you…”
In the darkness, there was no way to find Kuchiba in his dark attire. At this rate, it would truly become a riot. Clicking his tongue, Ritz looked behind him. Edward caught his gaze and nodded.
“O Water Spirit, who governs tranquility and healing, lend me your strength.”
A soft, resonant voice spoke. It was Anna. Anna crossed her hands, held high above her head. As she slowly opened them, countless water spheres were born. A technique she had developed in Roshozu.
“Water Sphere, stop everyone’s feet!”
Countless drops of water burst at the feet of the approaching crowd, sending up splashes. After a moment of confusion, the people advanced further.
“Water Sphere!”
She repeated it several times, but the crowd’s advance did not stop. This was the country of the Water Spirit; the people were probably used to water.
“Move, Anna.”
Franz appeared, pushing Anna aside, with fireballs formed in both palms.
“Go, Flame Arrow!”
The flame arrows flew to the feet of the crowd and exploded. The crowd, which had been advancing as if in a fever, came to their senses. Fire awakens a fundamental human fear.
“There’s a Fire Spirit user!”
Confusion spread through the crowd, and the abnormal state of excitement from before faded away. A fundamental sense of fear had broken the simple suggestion Kuchiba had cast. But with the crowd now stopped, it was Franz who was at a loss.
“...And then?”
Edward answered with a wry smile.
“We’ll get Luan out through the back door.”
“Oh.”
Just as Ritz was wondering if they could escape in this city, he heard the sound of horses’ hooves from behind. Soon, a dozen warhorses and soldiers came into view. He felt a sense of relief at the sight.
“Touo…”
“I’ve heard everything. Disperse immediately.”
At Touo’s words, the crowd stirred.
“That doesn’t solve anything!”
“What about the pearls?!”
Their shouts were all more or less the same. That without pearls, this country, this city would be finished, that they needed the pearls. Touo looked down at the populace and opened his mouth.
“I have heard your opinions. The Tarnien Army agrees with them. Therefore… I will take custody of the Soukai Clan.”
The murmuring stopped at once.
“Is that acceptable?”
“Well, if the army is going to get involved…”
The large man said regretfully and looked this way. He probably thought he could vent his frustrations by capturing them himself. But this was still a relief. Both Ritz and Qiuzi knew that Touo could be trusted.
“We will continue the pearl negotiations. We will of course need the help of the Commercial Guild. But leave this matter to us.”
“But you’re on the side of that pub owner, Qiuzi! We can’t trust you.”
Amidst the populace that was on the verge of being convinced, that large man raised his voice.
“There’s no guarantee you’ll negotiate properly! In that case, we’ll capture the Soukai Clan with our own hands and negotiate. That’s the surest way. Right, everyone!”
At the large man’s words, the majority of the populace shouted in response. At this rate, they would get nowhere.
Just as Ritz thought that and sighed, someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind. He turned to see Edward standing there with a smile playing on his lips.
“Ritz, this is our chance.”
“Ed?”
Edward whispered in a voice no one else could hear.
“Getting involved in the army’s negotiations… is one option, wouldn’t you say?”
“I see. So Your Majesty will draw his treasured sword.”
“Even a treasured sword will rust if left undrawn.”
“...You just like the commotion, don’t you?”
“Don’t lump me in with you.”
As he shrugged, Edward’s expression suddenly changed.
“I’m taking Franz and Anna, but you stay behind.”
“...Why?”
“The riot will likely end with this. But that man might try to settle a personal grudge with Qiuzi. We’ll be safe for now within the military compound, but this pub and the boarding house will need to be guarded.”
He was right. If this ended now, that man wouldn’t be happy. Ritz sighed as he watched the large man bickering with the army at the head of the crowd. Right now, only the large man was making a fuss, but even if this riot ended, there was no telling what might happen. He had no idea what Kuchiba was thinking.
“Understood. So, what’s the plan?”
“Let’s see. How about we try one of your favorite bluffs?”
With that, Edward stepped forward. His braids swayed with his steps. Anna must have been braiding them as usual. It was an abnormal sight compared to the Edward from his Crown Prince days that Ritz knew so well, but lately, he felt he had gotten used to this abnormality.
“Franz, Anna.”
He beckoned to the two of them with a whisper.
“Looks like Ed plans to go to the military port. Just go with him quietly.”
“...Why?”
“He’s planning to stick his nose into the talks between the Soukai Clan and the army.”
“His Majesty…”
“I see~”
Franz winced as if his head hurt, while Anna nodded with strange understanding.
“You never know what might happen, so you two go with him. He is an old man, after all.”
Even though he said it in a whisper, Edward glanced back slightly. What terrifyingly sharp hearing. But this was no time to worry about that. Edward had stepped between the crowd and the army. Franz and Anna hurriedly followed.
“What do you want, old man?”
At the sudden appearance of a braided old man, the most out-of-place person in a scene of chaos and angry shouts, everyone except the large man fell silent. But in the next moment, this slightly odd old man transformed.
“I am one who is investigating the matter of the pearls as a special envoy of the Yuresla Kingdom. I had believed that your country and ours were engaged in friendly trade, but if that trade is built upon such criminal exploitation, it will have a profound impact on our dealings with your country. What say you to that?”
Everyone fell silent at his clear, firm, and majestic voice. As expected of the former king known as the Hero King, his presence was overwhelming.
“So, did you really come to investigate that, old man?”
While inwardly trembling before Edward, who exuded a mysterious but incredible presence, the large man put on a face as if he wasn't being pushed back. But Edward was merciless.
“To address a special envoy of our greatest trading partner as ‘old man’ is quite the consideration.”
Stared at with cold eyes while being offered a gentle smile, the large man stumbled back a few steps. Trying to challenge Edward was a few hundred years too early. Even Ritz, who had lived for a hundred and fifty years, was no match for him.
“Ah, Edward-san, was it?”
Touo called out hesitantly.
“That is correct. You are having a hard time, Touo-dono.”
“No, I mean, is it true, that?”
“That I am a special envoy, you mean? It is true.”
Touo looked at Ritz in confusion, and Ritz nodded. If Edward said he was a special envoy, he was a special envoy. That was the kind of position he held.
“Touo, this man is none other than His Majesty, Grand Duke Edward Baldia of the Yuresla Kingdom.”
“E-Edward Baldia, you say?!”
“Oh, you knew of me?”
“But… you are… that…”
The large man looked up at Touo, who was so shocked he was at a loss for words.
“Who’s that?”
“You fool! He’s the former king of the Yuresla Kingdom!”
The shock of those words completely silenced the place.
“Touo-dono, my apologies. As I was investigating incognito, my formal greetings were delayed.”
“N-no, I am most humbled…”
Well, well, Ritz thought. Edward would skillfully use this situation to secure himself a seat at the negotiating table with the Soukai Clan. Even if Tarnien told him it was a matter between nations, he was the kind of man who would get involved through some means or another.
“H-hey, Ritz.”
Qiuzi tapped Ritz, flustered.
“Ow, what is it?”
“Is it true?”
“About Ed?”
“Yes! I’ve been terribly rude!”
“It’s fine, he’s my best friend.”
When he said that nonchalantly, Qiuzi looked extremely suspicious for a moment, then shrugged as if giving up.
“...You’re the one I understand the least, Ritz.”
“You think?”
“I do. I can’t read you at all.”
While they were having this exchange, things progressed smoothly. Before they knew it, Edward, Franz, and Anna were set to accompany Luan to the military port, and it had been decided that a meeting would be held between the army and the Commercial Guild, with representatives from the people. As expected of Edward, he was a skilled operator.
“That concludes this matter. We will contact you through the Commercial Guild at a later date, so please wait. Understood?”
Touo’s words, having recovered from his shock, settled everything. The people, in awe of the appearance of a great figure and with a faint sense of relief that they had not committed a crime, dispersed and returned home in small groups.
A few dozen minutes later, peace had returned to the area outside the pub. Leaving behind a few warhorses and a few people, the soldiers also disappeared into the city.
“Madam.”
When he looked, Luan was standing there. He had quickly packed his belongings.
“Luan…”
“I’m sorry for the trouble, Madam.”
“Don’t be a fool! I’m the one who’s sorry. I couldn’t even protect one of my employees.”
Qiuzi’s well-featured face twisted in frustration. Luan smiled as if to comfort her.
“I’ll be fine. There is no reason I should be scorned just for being of the Soukai Clan. Besides, if all my comrades have been captured, then I wish to be with them as well.”
Though soft and warm, there was a hint of sadness in Luan’s eyes. It was clear that he was hurt by the irreconcilable differences and discrimination between the Soukai Clan and humans. But Luan seemed to be filled with an unshakable resolve.
“In order to live in this city, we and the humans needed to clash head-on someday. That time has come. We will not run away. Let’s go, Touo-san.”
Luan obediently mounted one of Touo’s subordinate’s horses.
“Qiuzi. Sorry, but I’m taking Luan into custody. Not as a criminal, but as a guest. I won’t let those guys from the capital take control of our military port so easily.”
“...Touo.”
“Don’t worry, Qiuzi. I’m on your side. Also, will you be coming, Your Grace… Duke Baldia?”
Looking extremely uncomfortable, Touo prompted Edward. Having treated him as a normal companion of Ritz until now, his mind was probably in a state of utter chaos, even if he appeared calm on the surface. But Edward himself nodded as if it were a matter of course.
“Indeed. Then I shall impose upon you. Anna, Franz.”
“Yes.”
“Then I leave the fort in your hands, Ritz.”
“Yup.”
After watching Touo and the others leave into the twilight of the night and disappear from sight, Ritz turned back to Suneel, who was standing there dumbfounded.
“What are you standing there gawking for? Go back to the boarding house and decide the order for the all-night watch.”
“Huh?”
“You idiot. Those big guys might come back to this pub or the boarding house for revenge. I’m leaving the boarding house to you guys.”
“Yes, sir!”
Apparently pleased to be ordered by Ritz, a famous mercenary captain, Suneel ran toward the entrance of the boarding house behind the pub as if leaping. It gave him a headache to think about what kind of impact this incident and his acquaintance with him would have on his future mercenary life.
Sighing, he scratched his head and turned back to Qiuzi. He purposefully clapped the shoulder of the dejected-looking Qiuzi with a cheerful tone.
“Come on, let’s go back to the pub and have another drink. I’m a bit of a cook myself, you know?”
“...You’re right.”
After watching her return to the pub with heavy steps instead of her usual brisk ones, Ritz looked up at the roofs of the houses. There were no figures on the roofs, and the starry sky stretched out as usual.
A peaceful and quiet night, just like any other.
But somewhere in this city, Kuchiba was lurking, instigating the riot. And yet, Ritz couldn’t even see his form, which was probably laughing derisively at them.
“Damn it…”
Dominated by a sense of defeat, Ritz passed through the pub’s door.