Chapter 44 - Episode 15: It Has Been a While, You Scoundrels
Gokigenyou. I am Violia Nico Fortesia.
I am currently frolicking with the baby dragons while speaking of my next plan.
That is... the splitting of Elsemarin!
A plan where a faction centered around the Guild and a faction of 'villains' clash and split. That is the scheme!
"Split? You mean like a slime multiplying?"
"I feel like 'like a slime' is a bit different. But in the sense that it 'divides into two,' it might be similar to how a slime increases its numbers."
The overview of the Elsemarin Split is as follows.
First, when the Guild pays the black gold coin, the Guild Master will say something like, 'A faction rebelling against the Royal Family has seceded from the Guild. Thanks to that, the current Guild has become an organization very friendly toward the Royal Family, but those who seceded might be up to something.'
And then, as if to fulfill that foreshadowing, the box of black gold coins will be seized. By doing this, the soldiers will clearly recognize the existence of an 'anti-Royal, anti-Guild faction.'
...Ultimately, the box of black gold coins will be delivered to the Royal Family, where it will await being pried open. Around that time... we will spread information like, 'A rebellion has occurred in Elsemarin; the pro-Royal faction led by the Guild is clashing with a group of villains from the anti-Royal faction.'
I intend to actually have them fight to some extent. I'll leave some traces of battle in the streets.
...However, once that is over, they will disband. The anti-Royal faction will be pushed back by the pro-Royal faction, imprisoned or driven away, and the matter will be settled.
"In short, it is a play. We will have them recognize that 'the new Elsemarin led by the Guild Master is a dog that faithfully wags its tail for the Royal Family,' while simultaneously creating the impression that the anti-Royal faction has been kicked out of Elsemarin."
"And in the process, we can claim that the one who stole the black gold coins and 'swapped them for counterfeits' was someone from the anti-Royal faction."
"Exactly. There's no way they could tell if the counterfeit money was counterfeit from the very beginning anyway. As long as it isn't seen through by the soldiers' eyes, it's fine."
By creating a 'visible enemy,' we make it so they cannot imagine that the 'true enemy' is lurking underground and working hand-in-hand with their 'allies.' That is the purpose of this play.
"...That's fine, but do we have enough actors? It wouldn't be wise for you to appear in public."
"Yes... I do feel like we are slightly lacking in actors. Doran is one thing, but I'd like to keep Keeb in reserve for now..."
If Keeb is available, he can play the role of 'someone unrelated to Violia Nico Fortesia,' which is a great help. As we saw with the escape from the execution platform, having a comrade whose face isn't known is very useful.
Therefore, it is not a very good idea to keep reusing the five people in this hideout. If possible, I would like to acquire new personnel.
...However, if you ask whether we can recruit personnel for such a purpose, naturally, it is impossible.
Of course, that is... if the Guild weren't already working with villains!
"In that case, I shall have the Guild Master find some suitable adventurers!"
"Ah, right. The Guild is already on our side. Then there's no problem."
We can just hire some fellows who are already halfway into the back alleys to cause a ruckus and then flee. We have the funds to hire them.
Well... I don't know how many of them will gather, so that is a bit of an uncertainty. It would be nice if there were other ways to gather talent... but I suppose I shouldn't expect too much. Given the nature of the job.
Well, we shall manage the actors somehow. If we put on a large-scale play here, information from the Royal Family will start coming in steadily through the Elsemarin Guild. Thus, Elsemarin will become my town, possessing both a public face and a hidden one!
While Giovan was making the counterfeit money, Doran seems to have gone out to look for collaborators using his own connections.
Chesta has started frolicking with the baby dragons with a wine bottle in hand. ...If only he had left at least one as an egg, but as soon as the second one turned out to be female, Chesta put them all in the fire at once. I shall not forget this egg-related grudge...
"I think I'll join in too. It sounds fun."
"Then I shall have you imprisoned."
Since Chesta's face isn't as well-known as mine, I think it would be fine to give him the role of a brawler in this situation.
"Imprisoned? I'm not like Doran, so I'm not confident I can escape on my own, you know?"
"...Well, if you had the same specs as that muscular wolf, you probably wouldn't have become a junkie."
"Haha, you've got a point there."
Chesta is cackling, but does he not realize that 'the Elsemarin prison is under the jurisdiction of the Elsemarin guards, not the Royal Family, and is actually under the Guild's jurisdiction, so he can practically escape whenever he wants'? Well, it doesn't matter.
"...By the way, Doran, why were you even in the Royal Capital's underground dungeon?"
Hearing Chesta talk about escaping and such made me curious about that.
...Yes. I had been curious. All this time.
When I first went to prison, Doran escaped with me. Because of that connection, I am here now.
...But why was he imprisoned in the first place?
I am curious about the charges, but even more than that... I am curious about 'how he managed to make such a blunder as to get caught.'
With his abilities, he should have been able to kick down a few soldiers and leave, or punch through a wall and leave, if he really wanted to.
"Eh? Ah... I don't know the details either, and besides, it's not my place to say, is it?"
"You have such a surprisingly proper sense of boundaries at times like this..."
However, Chesta seems hesitant to speak. Well, I don't intend to force it out of him.
"If you want to know, why don't you just ask him? He'll probably tell you."
Oh, is that so. Well... I shall try asking him at a suitable time. Though I feel a bit bad asking out of mere curiosity.
Now then.
After waiting and chatting with Chesta for a while, Giovan returned. Apparently, he secured a promise from a master counterfeiter to do a thorough job. He also ordered a small box with an incredibly annoying lock. With this, the props are all set.
"As for the Guild, they've already contacted the Capital saying they'll 'pay the one black gold coin.' The date for the handover is set for the day after tomorrow, so I asked them to have it ready by then."
"The props are taken care of. Now for the actors..."
...It would be nice if we could get some people through the Guild's connections who are willing to cause a ruckus, but ideally, I would like to use people who are truly villains...
However, there are enemies in these back alleys as well. There are still those who don't look kindly upon our success. Right now, the difference in strength is obvious, so they remain silent, but if I were to call for cooperation carelessly, it would likely result in being stabbed in the back at a critical moment.
Hmm, I wonder if there are any convenient villains who would listen to what I say, or rather, who would listen if I flashed a bit of gold—in short, some pathetic day-to-day crooks...
Ah.
...And so, I went out that very night. Just in case, I took Chesta with me. Though I feel like it wasn't necessary.
"Where are we headed? This way is the mountains."
"We are heading for the mountains. It is only natural that we are moving toward the mountains."
Yes. My destination is the mountains.
It is in the mountains that the perfect personnel I require can be found!
"I have returned! It has been a while, you scoundrels!"
"B-Boss!?"
Yes, exactly!
Bandits are fools, so there is little worry of betrayal; they live day-to-day, so they can be lured with gold and food; and above all, they will listen to someone who has shown them overwhelming power!
Aren't these fellows just the perfect personnel?
"And so, from today, you are no longer bandits, but thugs of the Elsemarin back alleys."
"T-That's too much, Boss!"
"The story's too sudden, I don't get it!"
...For now, I went to the hideout of the bandits I was with for a time and tried talking to them about how 'if you cause a bit of a ruckus in Elsemarin and pretend to be imprisoned, I will give you a good life,' but they are in a state of 'not really understanding.' As expected of bandits. I shouldn't expect much from their brains. Of course, that is exactly why they are easy to use.
"In short, I am saying that if you follow me, I will give you a better life. Not this mountain living, but I will let you live in a proper mansion. I will even pay you well, you know?"
"I see! Then I'll follow the Boss!"
"You decided way too fast, man..."
There are some who decided instantly, but as expected, it's impossible to get an answer from everyone right away.
...Yes. Well, I knew that. If these bandit-types were excellent at decision-making, they wouldn't be being bandits in a place like this.
Therefore.
"Then I shall go talk to other bandits. I won't have enough personnel with just you lot anyway. Tell me the locations of every other bandit hideout around here. If you don't tell me, consider your lives forfeit. The mad dog standing next to me can kill you quite easily, you know?"
"W-We get it! Fine, we have no intention of going against you!"
Oh. It seems I can find out the locations of the other bandits without even having to set Chesta on them. This is a good thing.
...Now then.
"Then you lot should think hard and come to a conclusion. Whether you cooperate with me or not is entirely your choice."
I said that... and swung the Spatial Bag for living things that I had prepared in advance.
"However, you do not have the freedom of your persons!"
"Phew. I have harvested them all."
"Hahaha. I see—you just kidnapped every single one of them, huh?"
This is the fastest way! Since they'll benefit from cooperating with me anyway, there shouldn't be any problem even if I just take them back like this! Ohohohohoho!