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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: In Commemoration of Becoming Companions - 3
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As we walked through the territory, crowds of people gathered around us.
"What's going on? That's Gray."
"He's tied up. Did he do something wrong? I haven't seen him around for the past week."
"No way. Gray's so kind."
"Who are those guys?"
Gray must have succeeded quite well at laundering his identity, as the crowd's faces were filled with surprise and concern.
One man even blocked our path and asked.
"Excuse me, but why are you dragging Gray like that?"
Gray had his gag back on at this point, so he could only mumble "mmph mmph" to express his injustice.
I answered calmly.
"He committed a serious crime."
"No way. Who are you people anyway? Are you from the inspectorate?"
"We're just mercenaries who took a commission to investigate."
"Mercenaries?"
"Yes. Maide Mohan."
"Maide... I've heard that name somewhere. Oh?"
The man's face and those around him soon changed.
They whispered among themselves.
"Maide. The Unyielding Sword Emperor."
"That weirdo mercenary wandering the continent?"
"They say even scouring every mercenary guild, there are only ten special-grade mercenaries like him."
"But he's still just a mercenary. What authority do mercenaries have to investigate?"
"If it's a commission... Still, it's hard to do it so openly like that."
That last whisper hit the nail on the head.
The man seemed to think the same and asked me.
"No matter how much you're Maide... ahem, Lord Maide, it's strange to drag an innocent person like this."
"I told you he's guilty."
"No way. Gray has helped so many people in our territory. Who commissioned you anyway?"
I answered in a gentle voice.
"It was Viscount Frank de Levan."
"..."
"Anything else to say?"
"N-No. Sorry for the intrusion."
No one else blocked our path once I named the lord who ruled this territory.
Good. Now the rumors about me will start spreading.
It's excellent fertilizer.
By the time we wrap this up completely, it'll bear the fruit called 'reputation.'
Trail spouted nonsense.
[Excellent. There's nothing more to teach.]
Of course, I never actually received any commission from the lord.
But I headed to Viscount Frank's residence with complete confidence.
Uninvited guests don't get the door opened for them.
Naturally, we were stopped by the guards.
"Halt. What are you lot doing?"
"We'd like to see the lord."
"What? Pfft. These types come around once every few years. Hey, you think just anyone can see the lord? Cocky young punk."
Neril clenched and unclenched her fists with an irritated expression.
I lightly struck Gray's back.
Thwack.
"Guh."
The guard frowned and said.
"Who's that guy? Huh? Looks like Gray?"
"That's right."
"You... What right do you have to bind this man!"
"You know him well, I see."
"Gray supplies the tableware for this residence. He's a long-time trading partner. Release him now!"
The guards surrounded us with menacing looks.
Before they could get serious, I spoke first.
"I wouldn't know about it being a long partnership, but it sure wasn't a good one."
"What?"
"Didn't the lord recently lose a treasured item?"
They froze, poised to lunge.
I rummaged through my luggage and pulled out the jewel box I'd found in the basement.
I shook it lightly and said.
"This came from that man's tool shop."
"...!"
"Wise men like you would know that no long-time partner would easily steal the lord's treasure."
"Th-That means?"
"Yes. There's an accomplice inside. And I know exactly who it is. So..."
I licked my lips with my tongue.
"Let me meet the lord alone."
After the guards made a fuss, thirty minutes later.
Neril, I, and the still-bound Gray were granted a private audience with the lord.
Viscount Frank opened his mouth with a stern expression.
"A special-grade mercenary?"
"Yes. Please forgive my sudden request for this meeting. The matter is quite serious."
"Hmm. A special-grade mercenary could probably take the knights' captain position right away. Considering the information you brought and your skills, I'll forgive you."
Neril snickered, as if to say, "And what if you don't?"
Fortunately, Viscount Frank didn't notice.
"Now tell me everything. How did you find this jewel box?"
I began spinning my prepared tale just as planned.
"First, let me explain the circumstances. Gray is close to Tobian Feton, the head butler of this residence. Long ago, Tobian's only daughter was kidnapped by thugs, and Gray was the one who found her and reported it."
"I remember that story."
Well, it was Gray's own staged play.
One of Gray's Blood Letters victims was named Tobian Feton.
Gray had his underlings kidnap the daughter to build a connection with the head butler.
Too much hassle to explain that part.
"It started as a good relationship, but Gray gradually seduced Tobian."
"..."
"There are plenty of expensive items in the residence, but from the lord's perspective, they're just trinkets that wouldn't matter if lost. He offered to sell them to me through special channels at a high price."
"..."
"It began with teacups and ornaments, but his greed grew. Eventually."
I trailed off and nodded toward the jewel box in the lord's hand.
Their greed had bloated so much it spilled out, and the two had joined hands to touch the lord's heirloom.
The lord's face turned somber upon learning the full story.
"That bastard Tobian..."
"Tobian committed a grave crime, but it was Gray who first put the idea into his mouth."
"Hmm."
"Here, I have a proposal."
The viscount's expression hardened.
He leaned back in his chair and growled lowly.
"You're not mistaken about something, are you?"
"Pardon?"
"Of course, I acknowledge your great contribution here. But it's only enough merit for a suitable reward and to leave. Not enough to dare make proposals to me."
Crunch.
Huh? Did I hear veins popping somewhere?
I glanced sideways at Neril's forehead.
'She's holding back well. She's grown compared to seven years from now, Neril.'
[That's a very contradictory sentence.]
'Time's flow is scary. To kill that temper.'
[That's why it flowed backward, not forward.]
Anyway.
I slowly opened my mouth.
"I want a public trial for Gray. His crimes aren't just this one."
"You insolent fool. I said no proposals."
"Here, I've summarized it. Care to take a look?"
I tossed the book onto the table casually.
It was a notebook compiling all of Gray's secrets I'd seen through the Eye of Omniscience over the two days waiting for Neril.
Trail muttered.
[It's a book filled with all my passion and effort. Sigh, I could only do it back then because I was young. Can't do it twice.]
'It was a few days ago.'
In any case, Viscount Frank surprisingly didn't shout immediately.
He was stunned by the densely packed list of crimes just before he could.
Stroking his goatee, he slowly examined the notebook.
Raping the neighbor's daughter and selling her off.
Setting a fire disguised as an accident to eliminate a rival tool shop.
Poisoning the neighbor's well to sell his shop's herbs at high prices, and so on.
Of course, I didn't write about him killing the Enerica family's grave keeper, but even without that, it was full of repugnant evils.
"I-Is this truly real? One man committed all these atrocities?"
Gray just hung his head, his face one of total resignation.
I answered for him.
"There are many vicious people in the world who make you wonder if they're the Demon King reborn. Gray was particularly excessive, of course."
"..."
"With this, wouldn't it be good to hold a public trial and inform the territory's people of his evils? You'll be the lord who uncovered a criminal no one noticed, with your keen insight."
Tempted, the viscount swallowed hard.
I continued.
"But as a reward for uncovering this, just add my name a little."
"Hmm?"
"It's nothing big. Make it seem like I tipped you off that Gray was suspicious. You can take credit for bringing it all to light clearly. It's a good deal for both of us, isn't it?"
"Ha. A deal. Why make a deal? I could just say I uncovered it all from start to finish."
"I figured you'd say that."
I let out a light sigh and said to Trail.
'Time to deploy.'
[Eh?]
'Reveal the lord's secret. I want to see the secret between Aria Emel and the lord.'
Aria Emel was at the very top of the lord's Blood Letters.
Trail seemed to like the "deploy" phrasing and quickly used his ability.
And the viscount's secret we learned was...
Cut.
The image cut off, and I opened my mouth.
"If it's too difficult, no choice. I'll have to go to Todman."
"Todman who... Gasp!"
"For some reason, a former residence maid named Aria is raising him now. But he's still your son, Viscount. He should have that much influence."
The viscount's face turned ashen.
Neril, grasping the situation, glanced at me with a look of wonder.
A few seconds later.
The viscount, barely calming his pounding heart, spoke.
"You bastard. If you breathe a word of this anywhere..."
"If you can't trust me, trust my reputation. To rise to special-grade mercenary, I've seen all sorts of things in countless territories. Honestly, your matter is so minor it's not even worth mentioning."
"..."
"And don't think of mobilizing soldiers needlessly. You yourself said a special-grade mercenary could be knights' captain."
So don't try to grab me harshly for no reason.
The viscount nodded gravely.
"Then you'll grant my request?"
"Yes."
"Thank you. Oh, and one more additional thing."
"Your requests keep piling up?"
"It's nothing major. Just don't execute Gray. He can't avoid life imprisonment, of course."
"Why not?"
I glanced sideways at Neril.
Her mouth hung wide open.
"Because someone's already claimed him ahead of time."
One week later.
A public trial was held in the territory.
The quick decision was largely thanks to Tobian, the head butler.
Thinking he couldn't die alone, he readily admitted Gray was his accomplice.
The furious lord unleashed his full forces to dig up Gray's remaining crimes, and within a week, all his deeds were laid bare in broad daylight.
Rumors of Gray being dragged bound by me a week ago had already spread throughout the territory.
On top of that, with the public trial, it drew an immense crowd.
'Brings back memories.'
Of the public execution in the territory where I used to live.
It was an execution, not a trial back then, but the overall setup and number of spectators were enough to evoke those memories.
"Gray Palm. The charges against you are as follows. First, conspiring with the head butler to steal the lord's heirloom. Second, raping and selling off Taylor Kchen's daughter, Aria Kchen..."
"You bastard! Where's my daughter!"
Someone shot to their feet during the trial.
The judge didn't bother calming him.
Whispers rose around.
"Poor Taylor. What to do."
"I never imagined Gray... no, that bastard was such a demon."
"In the end, Maide caught him properly. You know the rumor? Maide dragging Gray like a dog."
"I doubted it then, but he really caught that monster on the lord's commission."
"No. I heard he proactively suggested it to the lord first."
"Wow. I thought he was just a mercenary good with a sword."
"Skilled and such a great character. If he comes to my weapon shop, I'll do it for free."
Roughly like that.
I could hear it. Hear it.
The sound of my reputation rising.
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