Chapter 126 – Welcome
The Smugglers' canyon, located at the border with the northern Midros autonomous territory of the Kingdom.
The deeper one went inside, the narrower the path became, and at the end, there was a small crevice carved into the cliff.
A smuggler holding a torch led the guests into the crevice.
When Verden, cloaked in Invisibility, followed after them, a wide cavern appeared.
Rock pillars connected by rope bridges, and beside them was a sheer cliff.
He glanced down, and saw smugglers busily moving about.
'So there was a space like this inside the cliff.'
The faint current of air meant there was another passage besides the entrance, most likely used to cross between the borders.
He trailed after the guests, and arrived deep beneath the canyon.
From one of the passages splitting off into several directions, a man wearing brown leather gloves appeared with armed smugglers.
'That must be the smuggler, Padreld.'
He certainly looked different from the other smugglers.
In any case, if he followed the smuggler, he could naturally complete Cland's request.
Verden waited quietly above their heads for the right moment.
***
Padreld welcomed them.
"You've arrived earlier than expected, guests, you must have been in quite a hurry?"
The master of the Smugglers' canyon smiled faintly.
Among the guests, a one-eyed man stepped forward.
"Where are they?"
"Of course I've captured them, but their resistance was fierce, three of my men died, and five were injured. So, as compensation, I kept Holoden's belongings and carriage for myself, I trust that won't be a problem?"
The atmosphere instantly turned cold.
A man named Kedian, armed with a double-edged sword, glared.
"That wasn't part of the deal."
"I never promised I wouldn't touch them either."
"...Are you trying to play word games with me?"
"Word games?"
Padreld tightened his gloves.
The leather clung snugly to his hands.
"I sold information on their location and their lives, not the ownership of their possessions. So I could keep it all and it wouldn't matter, but out of professional courtesy, I refrained from touching Merald's things."
"...."
"Well, think of it as a concession. But instead of being thankful.... How strange, I really don't understand."
Padreld tilted his head.
The smugglers at his side narrowed their eyes, tension sharp as if blades were about to be drawn, several guests swallowed nervously.
"I'll ask again, the valuable Ore Detector you're looking for, I've taken it, is that acceptable?"
There was no objection.
"Good, then let's proceed, I'm busy these days with the many clients seeking illegal immigration."
The one-eyed man, Kedian, and the other guests followed Padreld into a cave.
In the middle of the wall stood a rusted iron door, creaaak, he unlocked it, pulled the handle, and the stench of blood assaulted their noses.
Padreld tossed a torch inside.
In its light appeared two bloodied, bound figures.
Merald, knight of Baron Napold.
Holoden, an executive of the Twilight Merchant Guild.
They were utterly ruined.
Their faces swollen and bruised, black-red blood dripped from their mouths, chains bound to the wall crushed down on their wrists and ankles.
Padreld jerked his chin.
A smuggler grabbed Merald's hair and lifted his head.
"Dark circles down to your chin, seems your bedding was rather uncomfortable?"
"You… you son of a b…."
Merald spat.
But he had no strength, the spit missed entirely and fell on his own trousers.
Snickers and mocking laughter echoed through the chamber.
At the noise, Holoden, who had fainted, weakly raised his head, murderous gazes turned on him.
Holoden groaned, forcing out his voice.
"Y… you smuggler… selling out your clients? If you do that, your business won't last…!"
"Oh my, even in such a state you worry about me."
Padreld shrugged.
"Well, that's true, who would seek a smuggler with no trust who sells out his clients? But surely, as an underworld knight you may not know, yet as a guild executive you should understand the reason?"
The Union, in short, was an invasive species.
A predator that overturned the underground ecosystem built within the Kingdom.
Careful, thorough expansion of power drove out guild after guild until their signs disappeared.
And there were even more who fell.
Hatred had grown, but since the Union's power was too strong, no one dared to act.
But not anymore.
With the sudden raid of the Marquisate Esperanza and the exposure of Count Plishr's corruption, the balance had been overturned.
The Union and nobles connected to it belonged to the Third Prince's faction.
His rivals, the Second and First Princes, also joined in pressuring the Union heavily.
Of course, that didn't mean ordinary individuals could resist the Union, but those who fled, desperate to survive, weren't protected by anyone.
No one would stop them, nor defend them.
Padreld pointed with both index fingers at the two captives.
"Holoden, executive of the Twilight Merchant Guild. And Merald, knight of Baron Napold. Both of you are now fugitives, so I should call you former executive, former knight. In any case, for those reasons, you are exceptions."
He turned his head toward the guests.
"Then, do as you please, I'll just watch."
"You didn't touch Merald's belongings, right?"
"I only confiscated his sword."
"Truly?"
"Do I need to repeat myself?"
No reply.
As Padreld and his smugglers stepped aside, Kedian approached Holoden.
"Good to see you like this, Holoden, I still remember when you had my head under your boot not long ago. Back then you seemed so big, but now, you're just a plump merchant."
"Ke, Kedian… wait…."
A fist struck his abdomen.
Clang, the chains rattled as Holoden's head drooped forward, Kedian pressed down on his knee.
"So this is how it feels, excellent."
"Gggghhhk…!"
A groan of pain.
Holoden gasped and screamed.
"Spare me… spare me…! I'll give you as much money as you want, please!"
"You ran from the Guild, and you dare speak of money."
Kedian signaled with his eyes.
The guests—those who bore grudges against the Union or Holoden, and those who came just for amusement—surrounded Holoden.
Merciless violence.
Already stripped bare by Padreld, with nothing left but his body, there was no one to grant mercy to Holoden.
After a while, a corpse was completed, its body burst open, bones shattered to pieces.
Next was Merald's turn.
The one-eyed man, holding twin daggers, bared his fangs.
"It's been a while, Merald. For a knight, you've always been pathetic, then and now."
"You bastard…."
"Seeing my face jogs your memory? Five years ago, you gouged it out just because you were annoyed."
He pointed to his tightly shut left eye.
"Anyway, I heard a rumor lately, that some knight stole his baron's heirloom and ran away."
"..."
"Hah, as expected of one from the underworld, can't even keep his hands off the master he served."
The one-eyed man spun his dagger around and around.
"So where is that necklace, Merald?"
"You worthless insect who can't even fight alone…!"
Merald's curses did nothing to upset him.
After all, it was already decided who would die here.
"I wonder how long you'll last."
An interrogation closer to torture followed.
Before long, Merald's lips opened, and the one-eyed man found the necklace hidden in his bosom.
"Magnificent…!"
A blue gleam reflected in his eyes.
With this alone, he could hold wealth in the hundreds of millions.
Of course, there were obstacles.
Kedian, and the rest of the guests.
'Padreld and his smugglers won't interfere… if I just deal with them, I can have it whole.'
So he thought, as he reached out his hand.
"…?"
Suddenly, the necklace floated up and moved swiftly.
His eyes followed, and he saw someone in a light green robe holding it in hand.
***
This was the deepest part of the canyon.
A place so enclosed, with smugglers everywhere, that an intruder entering was impossible. That was why everyone was so shocked.
Verden released his Invisibility.
He gazed over the necklace he now held.
'So this is the heirloom.'
The Blue Diamond Necklace.
On the golden chain, the baron's name was engraved.
A genuine piece.
With this, one-third of the request was accomplished.
'And the rest, Padreld has.'
He had overheard everything.
Verden fixed his eyes on Padreld.
"Where are Holoden's belongings?"
At his calm question, silence fell.
Suddenly appear, and demand what?
An utterly absurd situation, and even Padreld's long-held composure was stiffening.
The one-eyed man, robbed of the necklace before his eyes, scratched his forehead with his dagger hilt, veins bulging.
"Forget belongings, that necklace right now…."
"W, wait."
Kedian cut him off.
His face twisted with alarm, strangely similar to Padreld's own reaction.
The others, including the one-eyed man, wore puzzled looks.
"The light green robe, that staff… could it be…."
Padreld finished the words for him.
"Asher?"
Asher.
A name recently rising.
Rumors, none of them ordinary, and the very man who drew Calia in. The creation of this very situation owed much to his direct or indirect influence.
"Asher? Who's that?"
"Never heard the name."
Indeed, not everyone knew yet.
Only those sensitive to information might have heard. Amid the murmurs, Padreld spoke.
"An honor to meet you, Asher. I've heard many rumors. But what business do you have, entering my canyon uninvited?"
"I am searching for something."
"Something, you say…."
Padreld stroked his chin.
The baron's necklace in his possession, Holoden's belongings being sought… no doubt it was the Ore Detector.
At that intersection, there was only one man.
'The black merchant.'
Disaster.
That he had gotten the information…!
'Damn those information brokers of Gray.'
As if they had a hundred ears each.
He had been careful, but how had word reached them?
'What should I do?'
Should he kill this intruder, or cooperate?
If the rumors were true… attacking recklessly could be a mistake. While he wrestled with the thought, the guests acted.
"Damn it, Asher or whoever, what's he to just take the necklace, huh?"
"Screw that, just kill him and take it. He's no guest, and he snuck in behind the smuggler's back."
Though spoken aloud, Padreld said nothing, tacit permission.
Some drew swords and axes, others roused their magic.
Even the one-eyed man raised his daggers, though uneasy, he couldn't let the necklace slip away.
Thus, all except Kedian revealed greedy killing intent and rushed Verden.
'Seven total.'
Magic gathered in his hand.
A streak of blue current flashed, then instantly turned red.
Heat surged, wrapping the space.
The second- and third-tier Mages forming spells widened their eyes.
"T, thundflame?!"
A composite spell.
Even a skilled Mage would need minutes of calculation, and a brilliant mind still dozens of seconds.
And this was a high-level composite of lightning and flame, both fourth-tier magics.
Yet he had formed it in only a few seconds.
They had to run.
The instinct struck, and they moved at once—too late.
Lightning crashed into the ground.
Red thunderbolts burst out in all directions, incinerating foes. No time even for death screams.
They were no real experts to begin with, unable even to resist, they turned to ash.
Of course, Verden precisely controlled the range of Thundflame.
As a result, the survivors were only Padreld and his smugglers, and Kedian.
Just one spell.
But enough to seize this place.
"..."
Padreld bit the inside of his cheek.
To have his deal disrupted by some intruder, and in his own home be threatened with death.
It was humiliation.
Clenching his fists, Padreld stepped forward.
To move unfazed even after seeing such magic?
Kedian and the smugglers, watching his back in awe, were struck with admiration.
Padreld calmly brushed the ashes from his clothes.
He met Verden's gaze, then deeply bowed.
"Welcome, to my canyon, Asher."
If an intruder was a nuisance, then welcoming him would suffice.
Padreld smiled broadly, and received his new guest.