Chapter 25 - <5>
The next morning, Ritz forcefully pushed open the door of the Green Forest Inn. The heavy, single-plank door slammed against the wall with a shriek.
Sorry about that, it’s probably expensive, Ritz thought, but he let out a ridiculously loud bellow, as if to make it echo through the just-awakening town.
"I can't do this with you guys anymore! I'm sick of babysitting!"
As he spat out the words, Franz, who was standing near the exit, glared at him with an emotionless, cold gaze. Then, in an utterly deadpan voice, he hurled sharp words at Ritz.
"We can manage without you, Ritz. Do as you please."
"Oh yeah, is that so?!"
Ritz, trying to look furious, kicked the door of the Green Forest Inn with all his might and stepped outside with his luggage.
That should do it. If I make it this dramatic, the enemy should be easy to bait. After all, they're not seasoned soldiers or skilled mercenaries, just ordinary people.
The season was already autumn. Ritz walked through the somewhat chilly streets of Faldina, maintaining an angry expression and choosing his path at random. Radiating anger from his entire body, he strode through the sparsely populated town, disturbing the clear, cold morning air.
He had no particular destination. Until someone found him and spoke to him, there was nothing for him to do. In the unlikely event that no one came looking, he could eat breakfast at a food stall or browse the shops without arousing suspicion.
Ritz wandered the town, partly as a form of reconnaissance. It had been quite a long time since he'd last come to Faldina. While the smaller shops had changed, the main streets were largely the same. Even if the shops changed, the buildings didn't, so he wouldn't get lost.
It was only after leaving the inn that Ritz, who had been walking aimlessly, noticed a presence following him.
Hooked one, he thought to himself, pleased they had appeared sooner than expected, but he didn't look back. If he turned to check, he risked alerting them and scaring them off.
That would be a problem. He needed them to lead him to one of the bosses, without fail.
There was an order to things. He would lead his pursuer into a quiet back alley and then have a nice chat.
Listening closely to the footsteps, he heard three distinct sets. That meant there were three people tailing him.
His ears, which were a bit better than others' due to their length, confirmed the number of followers. Ritz, feigning nonchalance, turned into a back alley. By weaving through these narrow streets, he was sure to find the perfect spot to question the men behind him.
But the opportunity presented itself surprisingly quickly and anticlimactically. The first alley he turned into was, by some stroke of luck, a dead end. Ritz hadn't expected a dead end to appear so conveniently and was honestly at a loss for words.
This kind of thing rarely happened. It must have been thanks to Hellebore wishing him good luck.
He could tell that the men following him had stopped upon seeing the dead end. He sensed them whispering, trying to figure out what to do.
He couldn't let them get away now. It was time to make the first move.
Ritz called out to the men behind him, feigning a casual tone.
"Hey, you've got business with me, right? Don't go running off now."
Once the men fell silent, Ritz turned around. As expected, they looked like perfectly ordinary townsfolk. Their expressions were somewhat stiff, perhaps out of fear of him.
"What's wrong? Don't just stand there, come on over. As ticked off as I am, I'm not gonna just start swinging at you."
When he spoke in a light tone, the men huddled together and whispered for a moment before one of them stepped forward and slowly approached. He then addressed Ritz, sizing him up from below.
"You just left your companions, right?"
Hook, line, and sinker, Ritz thought with an inward smirk, but of course, he didn't let it show.
"What's it to ya? You were watchin'?"
He glared at the men with the most disgruntled expression he could muster, and they flinched again. Given his height and the greatsword on his back, it was unlikely any normal townsman wouldn't be intimidated. But this would give him an advantage when pressuring them later.
However, the townsmen became overly frightened and clammed up. This wouldn't get them anywhere.
Ritz plopped down on the ground and looked up at them. This should lessen some of the intimidation. Sure enough, the men looked relieved and drew a little closer.
"I've got a good business proposition for you. Won't you hear me out?"
"Business proposition? If it's really profitable, I might listen."
The mention of a business proposition suggested this might be the rich guy's side.
If the plan goes well and I can fleece them for some cash, that'd be lucky, he thought. If he told Anna, she’d probably scold him for being a criminal, but the more travel money, the better.
While Ritz was thinking this, the men seemed to interpret it in their own favorable way.
"You'll listen? That's great."
The relieved men finally began to talk.
"There's a woman in this town who's hoarding a treasure. We want you to take it from her. We'll split it with you. Of course, you'll get your share. Not only that, just for helping us, we'll pay you a handsome reward."
Just as he thought, it was the rich man, Azaroth Rusan's side. There was no point in talking until he met the big boss.
"I can't trust you guys alone. I'm the type who won't talk business until I see the face of the guy putting up the money."
He expected them to hesitate or refuse, but the man nodded readily.
"Of course, that's understandable. Come with us, we'll take you to Rusan."
With that, the men gestured for Ritz to follow and started walking. Alright, first contact successful on my end.
I wonder if Franz is doing okay?
He wasn't very good at theatrical things. That was his only worry, but from this point on, there was absolutely no way for him to check on Franz.
All Ritz could do now was maintain his scowl and pray in his heart, Please don't screw this up.
Led by the men, he was brought to a grand mansion in what seemed to be the town's upscale residential district. The man guiding him was familiar with the gatekeeper, and they were let inside without a hitch.
He was made to wait for a while in a massive reception room, with no attendants present. Careless, he thought, but he had no desire to take advantage of it and pilfer anything. After all, there was nothing in this room that appealed to him.
Ritz sank into the expensive sofa that gave way more than necessary and surveyed the room. As expected of a rich man, the decorations were dazzlingly gorgeous. He recalled that Franz's father had similar taste.
Why did all rich people have the same sense of style?
Expensive vases, expensive glassware, an expensive chandelier, and an expensive carpet. And expensive furniture. It was all so obviously pricey that it made him sigh. For Ritz, who didn't care for decorations, it was a rather uncomfortable space.
Well, a greedy man who coveted even others' treasures despite his wealth was unlikely to be a man of refined taste, with a simple, neat home where casually placed items were of high quality.
At any rate, this room was the first one guests were shown. If the goal was to overwhelm guests with these expensive items and show off one's power, then this dazzlingly gaudy room was probably fit for its purpose.
If he was the type who wanted to show off this much wealth, he could probably demand a hefty price. That way, he might be able to earn a little more pocket money before heading to the sea. That would be nice. After all, a guardian with two minors to look after was always worried about finances.
Eventually, the door opened without any warning.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, guest!"
The man who entered was like a manju bun, his skin stretched taut and shiny. If you pushed him over, he'd probably roll quite impressively.
"Hey, heard you had a proposition for me."
When Ritz spoke nonchalantly, the man grinned happily. He didn't seem like a bad person, but he did seem selfish. He had probably never encountered a problem in his life that money couldn't solve. He likely didn't even realize he was being incredibly greedy.
While Ritz was observing the man, the stout fellow sat down across from him with a grunt.
"I am Azaroth Rusan. The wealthiest man in town."
A broad smile spread across his shiny, greasy face, and the man offered a hand to Ritz. He must have believed that nothing could stand in his way.
This was an easy type to handle. But Franz, with his naked contempt for merchants and the wealthy, probably couldn't have dealt with this man.
Ritz didn't take the offered hand, instead averting his gaze to seem bored. It wasn't a good move to appear too eager right now. The best approach was to make the other party take the bait.
"I'm Ritz Alster. A mercenary. I wander from place to place."
"From place to place? Oho, oho."
Rusan was genuinely impressed, but with that perpetually light tone of his, Franz would surely have gotten angry, thinking he was being mocked.
"Yeah, just had a little falling out with my partner. Well, he was just a rookie brat, so it's no big deal."
Ritz deliberately left a pause to make it easy for Rusan to ask, and Rusan took the bait.
"Hoh~. So you're not hired by anyone right now?"
"Of course not. If I was, would I be messing around here?"
Hearing Ritz's answer, Rusan beamed. His eyes were about to disappear into the flesh of his face.
"I came here 'cause I heard you had a good deal. If it's a lie, I'm outta here. Gotta find a new employer, after all."
When Ritz said this with a yawn, looking utterly bored, Rusan panicked. In this situation, the only other employer he could think of was his rival, Siglet.
"Wait, it's a really good deal!"
"Really?"
When he asked with a dubious expression, Rusan nodded frantically.
"It's true. It's a really good deal."
He decided to stop feigning doubt. He needed to get hired for the plan to work, so he softened his attitude here.
"I guess I'll believe you."
"That's great!"
"Then let's talk business. What do you want to hire me for?"
In the empty reception room, Rusan deliberately lowered his voice.
"It's simple. I want you to go into a certain cave and take a treasure."
"Hey, hey, are you telling me to go cave exploring? You gotta be kidding me, that's a pain. That's a job for adventurers."
Taking on a completely dismissive attitude, Ritz's reaction made Rusan hastily add on.
"No, no, it's a small cave. It really is. But there's someone guarding it, which is the problem."
"Someone guarding it?"
Rusan nodded.
"One woman and a nasty landowner. We can't get the treasure unless we deal with those two."
Rusan had made it seem like Mrs. Sabatieri and the landowner Siglet were accomplices.
While it wasn't the truth, it was convenient. It would be much easier to act if Ritz pretended to believe Siglet was also an enemy.
Franz was on the other side. To buy time by pretending to fight, it would be better for Ritz to act as if he believed Siglet's side was the enemy.
"Heh, so I just have to beat up that guy. Oh, and just so you know, I have a rule: I don't lay a hand on women and children. Sorry, but if you tell me to take out the woman too, I'm dropping this job."
"Of course, of course. You just need to defeat that bastard Siglet."
From Rusan's perspective, just getting rid of Siglet seemed to be a huge help. If his rival for the treasure was gone, this town would be his domain.
The deal was set.
"So, how much are you paying? I won't take it if it's cheap."
At those words, Rusan held up five fingers.
"Five Giltz? That's pocket change. Can't you do a little better? You're rich, aren't you?"
"Hmm, then this much!"
"Seven Giltz, huh? Can't you squeeze out a little more? I was planning on heading to the capital for some fun after I finish this job."
The person he sent the letter to via Heath would probably try desperately to persuade him to return, but Ritz was confident he could talk his way out of it and escape. The only person in the world he couldn't beat was supposed to never show up.
"Hngggghhh… alright, this much!"
The number Rusan threw out, as if making a bold decision, was eight Giltz.
"A little more!"
"Then—then I'll go all out, ten on the dot!"
From Ritz's experience as a mercenary captain, it was too cheap, but if he pushed too hard and Rusan backed out, he'd have to renegotiate, which would weaken his position. Since he wasn't really in need of money, it seemed best to leave it at that.
"Alright. I'm broke right now, so that'll do. Half upfront so you don't back out later."
Rusan jiggled his belly in satisfaction and clapped his hands loudly. A man who appeared to be a butler immediately rushed in.
"Please prepare a room and five Giltz for this gentleman immediately."
"As you wish, sir."
The butler's hair was gone from his forehead to the crown of his head, with only the sides remaining. He must have lost it from the stress of constantly listening to this man's selfish demands. Ritz felt sorry for him.
My condolences, Ritz thought to himself as he stood up. Unaware that he was being pitied, the butler politely gestured for Ritz to exit the room.
As he was leaving the room, Ritz turned to Rusan as if he'd just remembered something.
"I don't know how you found out about me, but you must know about my former partner, right? He might be looking for an employer somewhere too."
Watching Rusan's expression change out of the corner of his eye, Ritz left the reception room.
Now, after Rusan learned that Franz had been hired by the enemy, the second part of the plan would have to begin.
For now, Ritz headed to the room assigned to him.
The room he was shown to seemed to be a guest room, but it was neat and tidy with few unnecessary decorations.
Of course, the carpets and furniture were all expensive, but at least there were no gaudy vases or glassware.
However, in their place was a basket filled with lots of fruit and sweets. Thinking it was a decoration, he reached out and found that it was fresh and real.
Apparently, he could eat it whenever he wanted.
"I see, this is the kind of life that gives you that kind of body."
He popped a small fruit into his mouth with a look of understanding.
"Delicious!"
He tossed his luggage onto a large chest and threw his whole body onto the bed. The bed was wide enough for three people or more, and it was fluffy, made of down feathers.
"Woooah, this is luxury!"
With nothing to do until the plan started moving, Ritz decided to enjoy this luxurious lifestyle without reservation.
A little while earlier.
In the Green Forest Inn, just after Ritz had left, Franz slammed the door shut, turned to face the inside of the inn, and sighed. There stood Anna, Lira, and Net, smiling.
"Franz, your delivery was a little flat, but it was great!"
Anna greeted him with a round of applause. Was it just his imagination, or had he been doing nothing but this kind of thing since he started traveling with Ritz and the others? Was his final destination swindler?
"I told you I'm not suited for this kind of role…"
As he muttered, Anna smiled, walked over to him, and whispered in his ear.
"It'd be scary if Ritz really thought he was babysitting, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah."
Franz glared lightly at Anna, who had spoken in a cheerful tone. Why did Anna have to lack any sense of tension?
But Anna seemed to have her own thoughts on the matter.
"Franz, you're making a super scary face."
"Eh?"
"Like this."
Anna suddenly furrowed her brow. Franz was confused at first, then understood. It seemed Anna was trying to ease his extreme tension.
He casually touched his own forehead and found, just as Anna had said, an incredibly deep wrinkle there. This was definitely too tense.
If he were to ask whose fault it was that he had such an expression, she would probably just tilt her head and say, 'Whose fault?' It all started because Anna accepted Heath's request, but she had surely forgotten that by now.
He would probably be plagued by Ritz's carelessness and Anna's lack of delicacy as long as he continued to travel with them. Not that Franz had any idea what to do about it.
For now, he decided to leave his face as it was. Until this tension eased, there was no way to get rid of the wrinkle between his brows.
"Franz, you won't last if you're so tense. It's okay, it's okay."
Anna had said that several times now, but the one in a difficult position wasn't Anna, it was Franz.
Maintaining a sense of tension while waiting without doing anything was quite taxing on the nerves. He hadn't realized that just waiting could be this tiring.
But Anna seemed completely oblivious to such things. For a while now, she had been restlessly going back and forth between Franz and Lira, consulting with them about something.
Eventually, it seemed they had come to a decision, and Anna came over to Franz with a smile.
"I'm going shopping with Lira!"
It was completely out of the blue.
"Eh? Now?"
"Yup."
"Really, now?"
Franz couldn't help but ask again, but Anna didn't seem to be joking. In her hand, despite it being morning, was a lamp.
"Don't tell me, that?"
At Franz's question, Anna nodded once.
"Yup, it's the 'contingency plan' Ritz was talking about. We should probably take Sara-chan, right?"
In fact, Anna had been entrusted with another task. While they were all having breakfast, Ritz had suddenly suggested a 'contingency plan'.
If Anna and Lira were in a situation where they couldn't deliver a message to the two of them, they would prepare an alternative messenger.
And the chosen third messenger was Sara, the Salamander.
But Sara could still only speak phrases of up to two characters (?). 'Good morning' was 'oha-kee', 'happy' was 'ure-kee'. If there was someone who could interpret, it might work, but as it was, she was completely unfit to be a messenger.
So, Sara was to act more like a carrier Salamander than a messenger.
But there was a problem with that too. If you wrote a message for Sara-chan on paper and had her carry it, it would burn up and be completely useless. So, for Sara to successfully carry out her duty, they needed non-flammable paper, or a tube whose contents wouldn't burn.
They didn't know if such a thing existed, but Ritz had said they should at least check that weapon shop, which had a selection 'as varied as the Royal Capital, even if the quantity is small'. Of course, that role fell to Anna, not Ritz and Franz, who would likely be under surveillance.
But that was just a contingency. There was no need to execute it right now.
And yet, Anna's insistence on going now was well beyond Franz's comprehension.
"Why don't you go after the negotiations are done?"
In contrast to Franz's placating tone, Anna's answer was firm and clear.
"Because just waiting is boring!"
"Boring…"
He certainly understood the pain of just waiting. But if they didn't wait when they were supposed to, wouldn't it throw off the entire plan? Anna said to the dumbfounded Franz with a very serious face.
"Besides, I probably won't have a part to play even if I'm here."
"…"
He was at a loss for words. It was true that there was nothing she could be asked to do. On the contrary, if she were in the same room, she might say something careless and further complicate the situation.
Even Franz understood that much, but it was still too sudden. Did she have no intention of helping Franz, who was about to be turned into a swindler by Ritz?
Having decided that the speechless Franz had agreed, Anna continued with a smile.
"My foster father used to say it's better to get things done when you have free time so you can relax later."
Anna had not a shred of doubt. Franz had never met Anna's foster father, but at times like this, he wanted to lodge a complaint with Anna's guardian. Why hadn't he taught her that what you do depends on the time and place? He wished Anna would consider the situation for once.
What they were about to do was a little different from farm work or preparing for cooking.
But once Anna got like this, she was stubborn. Once she decided to go, there was no other option. Franz knew that all too well.
If Ritz were here, he would skillfully talk her into putting it off, but unfortunately, Ritz wasn't here, and Franz didn't have the means to talk Anna around.
"Well then, good luck, Franz!"
"Wait a minute."
"We're off, Papa!"
"Anna, wait…"
The door slammed shut with a heavy thud just before his outstretched hand could reach her.
"Is she serious…"
To the murmuring Franz, Net spoke in a voice just as heavy as the door, if not more so.
"Franz-kun, it looks like it's up to the two of us to handle this."
"I'm sorry to trouble you."
Honestly, Ritz and Anna were both too selfish. The one left behind to deal with the mess was always Franz.
Anger welled up within him, but she was already gone, so there was nothing he could do. In the first place, it wasn't in Franz's nature to yell emotionally.
After standing motionless for a while, lost in thought, Franz let out a small sigh and resigned himself. Perhaps his current expression was just right for someone who had just had a falling out with a companion.
It wasn't as if Anna had planned it that way, but it was a rather infuriating thought.
No matter the situation, what needed to be done wouldn't change, and since he couldn't do anything without acting, he braced himself. Resignation is key for a person.
In contrast to Franz, the one restlessly pacing around was Net, who had been watching the mirror he'd set up since morning.
It was Franz's role to get hired, and there was no need for him to be nervous, but perhaps his nerves were frayed by this unprecedented situation.
According to Lira, it was Net who hadn't slept well and had been pacing around since early morning, more so than the actual participants. He might look tough, but perhaps he was very delicate, contrary to his appearance.
Franz felt sorry for him in his heart, but he couldn't think of any appropriate words and ended up holding his tongue. To be honest, he didn't know what to say to Net, who was likely even more confused than he was.
That strangely silent atmosphere was suddenly broken by a single word from Net.
"H-He's here, Franz-kun."
Franz calmly gave instructions to Net, who had spoken in a strained voice.
"Net-san, they'll notice if you're agitated. Please stay calm in the kitchen."
"R-Right? Geez, I'm getting nervous thinking it's just the two of us."
Despite saying so, Net obediently retreated to the kitchen.
Now, the match would be a one-on-one between Franz and whoever wanted to hire him.
"I can't mess this up…"
Speaking to himself, Franz took a deep breath.
"Alright."
Just as he uttered the word of resolve, there was a knock on the entrance door.
"Net, it's me."
Before Net could answer in a flurry, the man pushed the door open. He was a well-dressed, somewhat lanky man, followed by several attendants.
"Well, well, Neset-san, what can I do for you?"
Neset Siglet. The landowner. The man and his attendants entered without permission and found seats.
"I came on business with a guest staying here… oh, are you alone?"
Siglet's eyes turned to Franz. It seemed he hadn't yet heard that Ritz and Franz had parted ways after a fight.
"…Is my being alone inconvenient for you in some way?"
Siglet flinched slightly at the emotionless tone and cold gaze.
"No, it's not a problem, but… Net, what happened to the other, bigger fellow?"
Asked by Siglet, Net glanced at Franz as if asking for permission to speak. Franz nodded silently.
"Actually, this guest's companion had a falling out with him and stormed off. We have no idea where he is."
"A falling out?"
Siglet looked at Franz suspiciously. Franz just stared back at Siglet in silence.
"Hmm, I see. That's a shame."
To Siglet, who was moving the conversation along on his own, Franz tossed out a single word.
"A shame?"
He was met with a piercing gaze and a cold smile from Siglet. As expected of a man capable of splitting the town in two, he wouldn't be easy to deal with. Franz, whose experience with human relationships was close to nil, had no idea if he stood a chance.
"I had a job I wanted to ask of you two."
"You two? Do you think I'm inferior to him?"
Perhaps thinking it would be troublesome if Franz ran off too, Siglet put on a friendly expression. But a fake smile was meaningless to Franz. Due to his upbringing, he was adept at seeing the malice behind a person's expression.
"I have a favor to ask of you. I want a certain woman to hand over a treasure to me. But she won't agree. So I want you to come with me to the discussion… do you understand what I mean?"
Franz nodded with a grimace.
"You want me to threaten her?"
Without answering, Siglet touched his pointed chin and stroked it lightly, a smirk twisting his lips.
This man couldn't be fooled so easily. Franz's hand, clenched into a fist, was already slick with cold sweat, though he couldn't tell if the other man noticed.
It would have been better if Ritz had gotten this side, he thought, but it was too late for that now. All he could do was his best.
"What's the pay?"
Siglet, mistakenly thinking that the mostly expressionless Franz had agreed, let out an arrogant smile.
From his opponent's composure, anxiety welled up in Franz's chest. From now on, Franz had to delay the negotiations by saying he needed to prepare while continuing to stay at this inn.
A cold sweat trickled down his back. How many times had he felt this anxiety?
If Ritz's entire plan had been seen through, what on earth should he do? If that happened, Franz would be completely out of moves.
"Well then, you…"
"Franz."
"Franz, I must have you come to my mansion. It's rather inconvenient here."
Here it comes. Franz answered calmly.
"I have my own reasons. I'm staying here."
But Siglet, as if he knew this would happen, just raised an eyebrow slightly and didn't back down.
"You made a rather unpleasant face when I proposed this just now, didn't you?"
"…"
He noticed. As Franz remained silent, Siglet pressed on.
"Perhaps you know the situation in this town. And you intend to weigh my offer against that man's… is that not so?"
Siglet's face twisted ugly. It seemed his suspicions weren't what Franz had thought. He simply seemed to harbor considerable animosity towards his rival. In that case, it would be wiser to remain silent than to open his mouth carelessly.
Silence is golden. It's common sense in business.
Franz continued to stay silent. Siglet continued to speak his own assumptions.
"You should abandon such calculating thoughts. Now that the other one is gone, I am determined to hire you. The other one will surely go to that man's side. To the side of that money-grubber who thinks he can roll people over with gold coins."
So that's what the other guy is like. Then he must be like Franz's father. Was it good that I got this man, or not?… As he sighed with mixed feelings, Siglet misunderstood again.
"Don't even think about running away. I won't let you."
Net, who had been listening silently in the back, couldn't hold back any longer and interjected.
"Neset-san, don't be rude to my guest. The customer wants to stay here, so that should be fine!"
But Siglet just glanced at Net and sneered.
"Will your profits decrease, Net?"
"That's not the issue!"
Laughing at the half-irritated Net, Siglet turned to Franz.
"I will guarantee your weapons, armor, tools, and all your living expenses. There's no need to stay here, is there?"
It was clear he wouldn't listen to anything now. In the first place, Franz couldn't think of any excuse to stay at the inn. The problem was asking Franz to negotiate in the first place.
Unable to think of anything, Franz made a final gamble.
"You don't trust me?"
He hadn't thought the word 'trust' would come out of his own mouth, but Franz thought that's what Ritz would say to shut him up. But that was probably something that could only be accomplished by that Ritz, with his personality, eloquence, and the intimidating presence he projected.
As expected, Siglet didn't back down and instead sneered at him.
"Trust? I'll trust you after you've done the job."
Franz received those words with a sense of despair. He was well and truly cornered.
"…What is your answer? Now that you've heard the details of the request, I have no intention of letting you go either way."
With that, the match was likely decided. Franz sighed at Net, who had turned pale and seemed on the verge of panic. It might have been manageable if he were a better talker, but for Franz, who found even normal human relationships tedious, the burden was too heavy.
For the most part, he had only started to seriously interact with people very recently. There was no way he would have acquired any negotiation skills.
His previous dealings with the merchant had gone well, but that was due to Ritz's meticulous planning. This was the first time all the decision-making had been left up to him.
"Understood. Give me a little time. I'll prepare. Net-san, please help me."
Without looking back, Franz went up the stairs in front of the watching Siglet.
There were two entrances to this inn. If he really wanted to run, now was the time, but doing so would cause the plan to collapse from its foundation. He couldn't do that. When he turned around, Net, who was following him, looked rather pale as well.
Returning to the room he was staying in, Franz let out a big sigh and looked back at Net.
"It was no use."
"No, Franz-kun, you did your best."
Net's words were meant to console him, but Franz could only sigh heavily.
He wanted to throw everything aside, fall onto the bed, and sleep, but he was no longer in a situation that allowed for that.
"Net-san, when Anna gets back, please tell her what happened."
"Franz-kun…"
It was really a problem that Anna wasn't here at a time like this. That's why he told her not to go. But he was also the one who couldn't stop her. If Franz couldn't stop Anna, there was no way he could persuade Siglet. He could only sigh and resign himself to the difference in experience.
"Net-san, I can't move either now. Tell Anna that it's her turn to work hard from now on."
This was a jab at Anna for not being there when it mattered: 'Since I got caught, you have to work for my share too.'
There was no point unless he said it to Anna, but even if he did, he didn't think she would understand.
With sluggish movements, he packed his belongings. Finally, with all his luggage in hand, Franz shook his head as if to shake something off and looked at Net.
Net was frozen, looking troubled. He seemed genuinely worried about Franz and Ritz, who had only stayed at the inn for one night. They had ended up causing trouble just by coincidentally staying at this inn.
"I'm sorry to trouble you."
That was all he could say to him.
In his heart, he felt a great anger towards Ritz and Anna for the holes in their plan, and a small sense of apology for his own inadequacy. He gazed out the window.
He could see the Faldina Garrison barracks. He might have caused trouble for Hellebore too. Stroking the rapier at his waist once, Franz took a deep breath as if to steel himself.
"I'll leave the rest to you."
Leaving behind the bewilderedly nodding Net, Franz descended the stairs without looking back.
For the first time for Franz, a harsh battle in which no one would likely throw him a lifeline had begun.
The mansion he was taken to by Siglet and his attendants was, as expected, a grand residence on a small hill. For a moment, Franz was struck by a complex emotion he couldn't identify as nostalgia or disgust.
The grand house was subtly similar to his family home. On top of that, his position was similar to when he was taken to his family home in Faldina. No freedom, and his own will was not respected. In this, nothing had changed from the Franz before he went to Orphe.
Even if he was told he could go wherever he liked within the grounds, he was constantly being watched, so there was nothing he could do.
In the end, the only freedom granted to Franz was to pace around the room he was left alone in, swallowing his irritation and anger at himself.
The room he was in was spacious, with few decorations, but each piece of furniture was incredibly ornate. The carved pictures were all based on the myths of this world and were beautiful. Moreover, those carvings were completely untarnished by dust.
Even from this one detail, it was clear that Siglet was a very meticulous and neurotic person.
Looking up at the pattern of subdued colors painted on the bed's canopy, Franz collapsed onto the bed. The bed softly enveloped him.
"Haa…"
A sigh escaped him. This room was of the same rank as Franz's room in Saradio before he went to Orphe. This meant that the man held a corresponding amount of power in this town.
Looking at the room alone, it seemed he was being treated very well, but there was a guard in front of his room. Siglet had called him an attendant. He was told to ask the man if he wanted anything, but in short, that was nothing more than telling Franz not to leave the room.
"Haa…"
A sigh escaped. Franz, who had been brought to this house as if being dragged, had just spent an unpleasant time being stared at by the sneering Siglet.
"I will give you as much money as you want. But it will all be a success fee. You might take the money I give you first and run to Rusan's place, after all."
Siglet was a terribly suspicious man. Franz was also said to be suspicious, but compared to him, he was so straightforward it was almost touching.
But this was no time for such cynical thoughts. Franz had tried one last act of resistance to get out of this mansion. He had protested that the inn was more convenient, but in the end, Siglet wouldn't listen.
Franz, who had no good negotiation skills, was at a loss, his options exhausted.
"I will provide anything you need. Do not hesitate to ask."
Franz had thought long and hard about what to say and had tried to negotiate, but with Siglet's single sentence, the conversation was over. From then on, Franz had been in this room, in a state of confinement, so to speak.
If things continued like this, the worst-case scenario was possible. If he was forced to fight Ritz, it wouldn't end well.
What should he do to end this in a way that would satisfy both his employer and the other's employer?
With nothing to do and only time to think, Franz suddenly found himself thinking about how to seriously fight and win against Ritz.
Ritz was a swordsman, and he was a spirit user. Was there some chance of victory there?
Of course not. The other was a battle-hardened mercenary, and he was a novice adventurer who could barely walk.
But, if he put his mind to it as a spirit user….
"What am I thinking?"
He tried to dismiss the foolish thought with a mumble, but he found himself becoming interested in his own mental game.
"I'm bored anyway."
Lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling, Franz began to delve into tactics to pass the time.
In the first place, it was because of Ritz's plan that he was in this mess. It should be fine to get revenge, or rather, counterattack, at least in his mind.
He got up and pulled out some paper from his luggage. From a variety of methods, he wrote down several ways to use the Fire Spirit to increase his combat power.
But, at this point, he still hadn't realized that he would actually end up using it against Ritz. The gears of fate begin to turn in the most unexpected places, in the most unexpected ways.
But for now, those gears remained silent.