Chapter 80

“It’s been a while, Mark.”

“A while? We just saw each other yesterday. Is your work going smoothly?”

“Smoothly enough. It seems those guys are making their move tonight, so I’m going to hitch a ride on their momentum and finish the job all at once.”

I replied casually, but for some reason, Mark responded with a wry smile.

“You’re as incredible as ever, Sir Ryu. You only arrived yesterday, and you’re already wrapping things up.”

“It’s going easily thanks to some unexpected collaborators. This girl and her comrades are the ones helping me.”

“This young child?”

“I’m not a child. I’m nineteen.”

Mark’s eyes widened slightly at her words, but he immediately returned to his usual merchant’s smile.

“My apologies. I am Mark.”

“I’m Alice. Sir Mark, what is your relationship with Sir Ryu?”

“We were business partners for a time.”

Alice and Mark spoke while exchanging a handshake.

For someone who claimed to be bad at social skills, Alice was holding a conversation just fine.

“Is Sir Ryu planning another outrageous operation?”

“Yes, I’m thinking of crushing an Underground Guild this time.”

“…Perhaps you should reconsider? Those types are incredibly persistent.”

“It’ll be fine. I’m going to make them go extinct.”

“…When you say it, Sir Ryu, it sounds so plausible that it’s terrifying.”

Mark spoke with a look of exasperation, though he sounded somewhat expectant.

“Sir Mark, please tell him firmly! Tell him to stop!”

“It’s no use. Sir Ryu is stubborn; no matter how much you say, it won’t change his mind.”

“Eh? Am I really that stubborn?”

““Yes, you are.””

“…I apologize.”

I found myself apologizing instinctively.

Sure, I’d made some reckless demands of everyone, but I helped out back then too, so maybe a little bit…

“So, which Underground Guild are you planning to dismantle?”

“A place called the ‘Black Fang Wolves.’ Do you know anything about them, Mark?”

“The Black Fangs? That makes sense. That guild primarily specializes in poaching.”

“…Um, Sir Mark, who exactly are you? You seem very well-informed about the underworld.”

“Mark is a merchant. I figured merchants would know a bit about the darker side of things, right?”

I whispered back to Alice, but was that not the norm?

“No, I was just curious. I see, if he’s a merchant, that explains it.”

She said it in a way that felt like she was hung up on something.

Mark wasn’t a bad person, though.

“Anyway, Mark, it’s going to be dangerous this time, so you should probably stay away from me for a bit.”

“It seems so. Sir Ryu, please call on me again when it’s time for business.”

With that, Mark headed off somewhere.

Well, we’ve finished eating, so shall we set the plan?

“Alice, if you’re done, let’s head to the inn for the strategy meeting.”

“Yes, yes. I’ll relay the details to my comrades on my end.”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you.”

Now then, I need to get ready myself.

Back at the inn, while consulting with Alice, the rough flow of the plan was decided: while I went on a rampage at the Underground Guild, Alice’s comrades would rescue the spirits and the elves.

I was acting as a total decoy, but I accepted it, figuring it couldn’t be helped if the safety of the elves and spirits was the top priority.

It seemed that the mansions of the nobles who had illegally obtained the spirits were usually guarded by the Underground Guild.

However, since the guild members would be out poaching tonight, the nobles were hiring regular knights to guard their estates instead. As long as Alice’s group didn’t get into a direct fight, they should be fine.

They couldn’t win a head-on battle, but if they moved stealthily, they could liberate them without being caught.

I told her that my companions were guarding the group heading toward the elven village, so there wouldn’t be any issues there.

When I said that, Alice winced for some reason and muttered, “Sir Ryu’s companions…” but it probably wasn’t a problem.

Alice asked if I should perform any sabotage since the groups moved at midnight, but I turned her down.

Ril and the others had said it was unnecessary.

The only unexpected part was that the so-called “Underground Guild Alliance” turned out to be a massive gathering of about five hundred men. Thanks to that, I’d ended up having to dismantle each guild one by one. It was a pain, but it couldn’t be helped.

While we were discussing such things, midnight had already arrived.

I had borrowed a hooded cloak from Alice’s comrades and was standing coolly atop a residential roof.

“This really sets the mood. Standing on a roof on a moonless night…”

“Put me down! Put me down, please!”

“Don’t make a scene. Someone might notice us.”

I currently had Alice slung over my shoulder while we waited.

“What do you mean ‘sets the mood’!? Non-combatants don’t usually come to places like this!”

“They don’t? I had this image of melting into the dark of night…”

I was slightly shocked.

I’d really built up an image in my head—a cool assassin silhouetted against the moonlight.

“Maybe the Captain is the only one who could pull this off…”

“Wait, there’s actually someone who can!?”

“Probably. The Captain is in charge of intelligence gathering and assassination for the Hero.”

“…Just how many people are in the Hero’s party anyway?”

I was genuinely curious, but the only companion of Thea’s I knew much about was the old man who came up in conversation often.

The Knight Commander guy, if I recalled correctly.

“Um, the core members are the Hero, the Sage, the Knight Commander, and the Priest—that’s four. But depending on the situation, the Captain or the Mage Corps Commander join in, so in total… ten?”

“Including the Hero? And why did you say that like it’s a question?”

“Yes, including her. It’s just that there are all sorts of people who fight, like a Dwarven blacksmith or a Bandit Boss.”

“Hey now, you’ve got a criminal mixed in there!”

“It’s fine. Even if you call him a bandit, he was just a guy hunting for treasure.”

Is that okay, then? I hope he wasn’t a grave robber or something.

“…They’re moving.”

At Alice’s words, I shifted my gaze toward the forest.

Sure enough, a large number of people were entering the woods.

“Well then, let’s make our move too. Alice, hang on tight.”

“I would much rather say: please don’t let go of me!”

“I won’t. Alright, here we go.”

As I leaped down from the roof, Alice let out a scream, and the operation officially began.