Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: "So This is My Hideout, Is It!"
Gokigenyou. I am Violia Nico Fortesia.
I am currently in the midst of a criminal group.
The muscle wolf Doran Parc. The skeleton man Giovan Bastorin. The drug addict Chesta Trapetta.
It seems I shall be spending my time with these three from now on, doing monster subjugation, robbery, theft, and assassination!
And what I am looking forward to is that these people take nobles as their prey!
In other words! If I am here! I might be able to achieve my revenge as well!
I have been very lucky! I intend to move forward positively with assassination or whatever else comes my way!
So, we have returned to Elsemarin. Yes. Elsemarin.
"To think it would be Elsemarin..."
I never thought I would return to the town where I was caught the very next day.
"I think it's safer than other towns, though. After all, our battle maniacs and the young lady killed them all."
"Now that you mention it, that is true."
But well, it is as he says.
Almost all the soldiers who had come to Elsemarin went outside the town to escort me to the royal capital, and they were killed by us there. In other words, Elsemarin is currently wide open.
"Even so, it's daytime. Violia, you stand out. Let's get back quickly."
I am technically a wanted person, am I not? It does not seem like descriptions of my face are circulating yet, but it would be best to be careful.
After all, I took off my helmet right in the middle of the Guild while being denounced by soldiers! Ah, I get angry just thinking about it! Oh, but I trampled that soldier to death with a horse. I feel refreshed just thinking about it!
"True. The young lady is beautiful. Well, she'd stand out."
"I shall not be modest."
It is true that my appearance stands out somewhat. I take pride in having a reasonably good appearance, you know.
"Keep your hood pulled down tight."
I do not think I would be the only one standing out in this group, but just in case, I shall keep my hood pulled down tight.
"To think there was an entrance in a place like this."
"Naturally, keep this to yourself."
"I know that. I do not wish to die either."
The entrance to their headquarters was in a quite unusual place.
...Elsemarin is a port town. Waterways are drawn so that goods can be transported within the town even without carriages. It means goods are moved from the port to various parts of the town using the waterways and small boats.
And one of those waterways. Passing through the main town from the port, there is a waterway at the border with the noble district.
Under a bridge spanning that waterway... a door was hidden.
"Even if it is hidden by magic, it is surprisingly well-concealed, is it not?"
I could tell that illusion magic was fixed there. But that magic was only of a level where one could easily find the door if they were looking for it. Someone more skilled in magic than I might find it by chance.
...Yes. Nobles usually have a talent for magic. With such a door at the border of the noble district, how has it not been found?
"Well, young lady. Noble lords don't do something as unrefined as peeking under a bridge. And unrefined people don't go out of their way to snitch."
"Ah... now that you mention it, that is true."
When nobles pass through here, well, it is by carriage. Usually. Those people do not know the meaning of walking.
And well... if someone were using this waterway, they likely would not be able to use magic, and they would not think there was a door in a place like this, so they would not find it.
Even if someone did find this door, they would be the type who 'does not snitch.' I see, I understand now.
Proceeding through the door under the bridge, it was naturally an underground passage.
"Apparently, it was originally a passage established for waterway management. It's been a long time since it was used, though."
"It stopped being used? Why is that?"
"Because the people from the back alleys went wild, making management difficult."
"Thanks to that, we were able to get our hands on a convenient passage. We gotta thank our predecessors."
Well, it seems evil is flourishing in every age. Anyone who says 'evil has never flourished in this world' is definitely overlooking many things.
The underground passage just continued on without any change. I would likely get lost if I did not remember the number of intersecting paths or the number of pillars.
"Hey, are there no landmarks in this path?"
"None."
"If I had to say, maybe stains on the wall? The color of the bricks?"
That is insane! Well, fine! I shall remember it through sheer willpower!
Proceeding through the underground path, passing through a place that was clearly a dug-out side hole, and passing through a place where the waterway managers likely used to live.
And then, I finally arrived!
"Here it is."
...At first glance, it was just a wall. There was no sign of magic at all.
And for good reason. It was... a simple mechanical revolving door that used no magic at all, and was therefore harder to find!
With a pounding heart, I passed through that door and...
There, I found a room that was dim and small... yet somehow nostalgic.
"Now then... welcome to our base."
"Welcome, young lady."
Without any particular hesitation, yet with a firm will, by my own choice... I stepped into the room.
"Tea or liquor, which do you want?"
"Either is fine. Please do not trouble yourself."
"Young lady, you shouldn't say that to Doran. There's a guy right there who got served distilled liquor and keeled over."
Where Giovan was pointing, Chesta had already curled up on the sofa and started sleeping. This man had not said a single word since he woke up this morning, but is he alright...? I am not accustomed to handling drug addicts. I do not know what to do. Well, if there is anything to be done, it would be punching him, throwing him, or cutting him up. Ohohohohoho.
"Doran, you know that, right?"
"I know. It was a joke."
Doran gave a low laugh as he headed toward what appeared to be the kitchen.
...Well, whether it is liquor or poison that comes, I do not particularly care.
"Now then, young lady. How do you like our base?"
Offered a sofa, I also took a seat. Chesta was curled up sleeping about two seats away from me, but I shall not mind that anymore. If I mind it, I lose.
"Let's see... so this is my hideout, is it? It is not bad."
The things in the room were a sofa and a low table. And a few tables and chairs. There were cups and pots on the shelf, but the tableware looked like a mismatched collection. Conversely, the lamp hanging from the ceiling was an antique magic stone glass one, and quite a good piece.
There were pens and paper on the bureau. There was a board on the wall with several memos pinned to it. By the way, the things pinning the memos were not just pins but also knives, showing quite a bit of personality. It also showed a lack of refinement.
...That was the state of the room. I could see doors over there, so there must be other rooms...
"I am curious, do you all live here?"
If anything, that is what I should be concerned about.
If everyone were living here, would it not be quite cramped?
"It's not impossible to live here, and we do pack in occasionally. But I mostly sleep at that shop the young lady visited many times. Doran lives somewhere else. Chesta is... probably the one who stays at the base the most among us?"
I somehow feel that Chesta sleeps in a trash heap in a back alley. It is just a feeling, though.
"...However, well, we'll be kicking Chesta out for a while. Since the young lady has to stay here."
Ah, I am relieved.
That is right. I have to stay in this base for a while, or rather... I must lead a life where I do not go above ground as much as possible. In that case... I would hate to live with these dangerous fellows! As a young maiden!
"Now then, sorry to be so sudden, but let's talk about the mission."
Eventually, Doran returned with tea.
I accepted the cup and drank the contents without any particular caution.
...Doran and Giovan were both staring at me as I drank the tea, but well, I do not mind. I do not care what is in it, and I do not think anything was put in it. If I can show trust with this much, it is a small price to pay.
"...About this mission."
Seeing that I drank the tea without hesitation, Doran smiled slightly and immediately produced a paper on the low table.
"It's killing and stealing."
Looking at the paper, I could grasp the general idea. I see.
"Recently, a certain noble made a request to us but is refusing to pay. We'll be applying sanctions, partly as an example."
The summary was as Doran explained.
Reading the information on the paper more closely, I could see things like 'a certain noble requested the assassination of a merchant he owed money to, but then skipped out on the payment.' What a pathetic noble.
"Sanctions... in other words, you mean to kill him?"
"Exactly."
How crisp and clear. I do not dislike it.
"At that time, I intend to take whatever valuables are in the mansion as we please. As compensation for the payment."
"Well, that is only natural."
Nobles also frequently borrow the power of those from the underworld. For example, to obtain cursed items. Or to assassinate political rivals.
I do not question the right or wrong of nobles borrowing the hands of the underworld. However, if there is one thing I can say for certain, it is 'if you borrow a dangerous hand, you should release that hand cleanly.' If you clumsily stingy on the payment, you will end up settling the account with your life.
"The targets are the head of House Castane and his three wives. They're currently staying at a villa in the west of the Elsemarin noble district. Apparently, they're returning to their mansion in the royal capital tomorrow. We strike tonight."
"That is sudden."
"Because your rescue came in suddenly. Originally, the day before yesterday was the day for the strike."
Ah, come to think of it, that was the case. But the ones at fault are the soldiers and the Pin-Hane Girl.
"We'll let the servants escape. We need witnesses to testify that 'the master was killed.' But if necessary, you can kill them. After searching the mansion, we'll set it on fire."
"Yes! Yes! I shall do that! I can use fire magic! It is enough for a fire starter! I shall do it! I can do it! I shall burn it!"
"...Young lady, you're quite spirited."
When someone mentions arson, it makes one want to commit arson! If anything, I would like to burn down every single noble mansion in Elsemarin and the royal capital!
"Then I'll leave that to you. ...This time, the three of us—me, Chesta, and Violia—will go. Lucky you, Giovan."
"Yeah, yeah. Truly lucky. Even though I'm a non-combatant..."
"We're short-handed for killing, searching, and setting fires. I'd like to take you along this time too if possible, but..."
"Give me a break. I'm not moving an inch."
...If he is not a combatant, then what is Giovan's role? He certainly does not look suited for exercise, and he looks weak.
"...That's the gist of it. Violia. Have you grasped it?"
"Yes. I shall follow you to the location, go on a rampage, take appropriate valuables, and set the fire. Then I shall follow you back. Is that correct?"
"That's it. The goal is fifteen minutes from infiltration. Kill, take, set fire, and withdraw within fifteen minutes. Got it?"
That is quite a high difficulty. But if there are three combatants, killing four amateurs, taking valuables, and setting a fire is entirely possible.
...Or rather, Doran has judged that it is possible.
In other words, these people possess that much skill.
I have already seen that Doran has monstrous strength. As for Chesta... I do not know anything other than that he is a drug addict, but at least Doran seems to value Chesta's combat ability highly.
At the very least, they originally intended to carry out the operation with Giovan, who claims to be a non-combatant, so originally Doran and Chesta alone were supposed to kill four people.
...I see.
"I am starting to feel excited!"
A difficult mission. Strong allies (party). And a battlefield where I can go on a rampage.
It is the best!
"...I see. You're quite suited for this world too."
Doran made a complicated face for a moment... but well, whatever. I also have my own thoughts on the matter.
"If you're having fun, that's the best. ...Now, a present from me to such a young lady."
...And my excitement did not stop there.
"Here. This is yours, right?"
What Giovan brought out with a wink was...!
"This...! It is my bag!"
It was my Spatial Bag, which had been snatched by the Pin-Hane Girl!
"H-How did you get this?"
"Someone came to sell it. And there was a wyvern hide inside the bag, but it was a beautiful piece without a single scratch... well, I figured it was the young lady's work. When I talked a bit with the girl who came to sell it, she blabbered everything away in high spirits. Thanks to that, we made it in time for the young lady's crisis."
Ah... I see, the Pin-Hane Girl went to Giovan's shop to sell my bag. It was a blessing in disguise!
"How is it? Are you happy?"
"Yes, very!"
Looking at Giovan, who was smiling with narrowed eyes, I feel like I have taken a liking to this skeleton man for the first time!
"A bow is fine for your weapon, right? You can use what we have if you like."
"That would be helpful. Also, might I have one knife?"
"I don't mind. I'll show you to the armory later. Take whatever you want to use."
And Doran is quite generous! Mmm, it is the best!
Blessed with supplies! Blessed with comrades! The best! It is the best!
"Ah, I am looking forward to it! I wonder if it will be night soon!"
I cannot wait to go on a rampage! My blood is boiling!
I feel like this job was my true calling! Though the job has not even started yet! Ohohohohoho!