Chapter 436: Military Strength
「But if we pieced together the information, we could make a guess. Probably no more than a hundred」
「How do you know?」
「That is――」
The Thieves' Guild has apparently identified several mercenary groups that were hired by Marquis Ashtner in the last few years and are supposed to have been wiped out.
「It's not often that a mercenary group is wiped out. This country hasn't had a major war in years. So where are all the mercenaries that were wiped out?」
Until now, He was suspected with rituals involving human sacrifice and the like. However, today's commotion in the noble district brought to light the fact that a corps was controlled by a pseudo fanatic sword. Moreover, it seems that the members of the mercenary corps who were treated as annihilated were mixed among the brainwashed soldiers who attacked the soldiers' camp and destroyed themselves.
I'm sure of it. The Thieves' Guild is aware that there are more than 80 people in their ranks. If we add the missing adventurers to that number, we can expect about a hundred people.
「Be careful. It's going to be pretty hard to rescue Master Gallus; you know?」
「Why would you give me that information?」
The Thieves Guild is not on the side of justice, and I don't understand why they would go out of their way to support Fran and Count Bailleys. I'm not saying this was a bad thing, but isn't there an option to join forces with Marquis Ashtner and suck the sweet juice out of it?
「Well, we can't afford to lose this royal capital. the Thieves' Guild has been protecting and nurturing the dark side of the city, just as the Adventurers' Guild has been protecting and nurturing the dungeons as hunting grounds. Just as the adventurer's guild protects and utilizes dungeons as hunting grounds」
Over a long period of time, the thieves must have established their own rules and created a place for themselves among the nobility and ordinary citizens.
As Pink said earlier, dungeons and magical places for the adventurer's guild. For the blacksmith guild, it's workshops and mines. And the royal capital is for the thieves' guild.
「If we lose this place, we can't move to another city. There are already indigenous people there, you know. No, it won't really matter for the top brass. But what about the people underneath? Pickpockets, burglars. Whores and male prostitutes. Many of them would have no choice but to become debt slaves」
I don't know how many members there are in the royal capital, but I do know that it's impossible for everyone to get a new job.
「I've always been a little suspicious, but Marquis Ashtner these days are completely crazy. I don't even think they can negotiate. That's no good」
「No good?」
「I'm sure he was ambitious to begin with, but……In the last few years I can't help but think he's gone crazy. There is a chance that the royal capital could become a sea of fire」
In other words, Marquis Ashtner are unlikely to be their business partners, who seems to be out of control, and wanted him to leave as soon as possible before their precious royal capital becomes a battlefield.
「No, some fighting will have to be done now. But now, it can't be limited to just the noble district anymore」
As expected of the Thieves' Guild, they are formidable.
Apparently, the Thieves' Guild had been following Fran's movements in order to teach her about Gallus. They were planning to make contact with her at some point. In other words, even if they hadn't been contacted by Face (1), they would have approached Fran as soon as possible. In the process, they also recognized Marquis Ashtner abnormality.
「We may not be able to move our forces openly, but we can support you in other ways. We're not looking for a reward. Let's have a joint front. What do you think?」
『Fran, she isn't lying. I don't trust them completely, but I think we can cooperate』
「Nn. I'll tell the count」
「You don't have much time, do you? I'll send one of my men to bring thee info to the Count, okay?」
「Understood」
A small, elderly man with a smooth head arrived in about five minutes. His eyebrows, beard and moustache were long and white.
With his staff and robes, he must be a magician. But with his bent back, he didn't look like he could fight. Well, that's only from his appearance.
Even before I appraise him, I could sense the magic within him, and Fran and I were both ready for any fight. We would react to this old man's attack at any time and maintain a good distance to counterattack.
It wasn't just the strength of his magic. From the old man, I could sense the kind of intensity that is peculiar to the strong. To put it bluntly, he might be the strongest person I've ever met in royal capital. We can't underestimate the Thieves' Guild.
「Huh? You can understand my abilities at first glance? As expected of the nicknamed ones isn't it? You're not like the rest of them」
He hit the floor with the cane in his hand and mumbled something. He seems to be a dour old man. His eyes, which sometimes peek out from under his white eyebrows, are sharp, and he doesn't seem like a very nice old man.
「Strongest person in the Thieves' Guild」
「Eihwaz」 (2)
He is 73 years old, and because of that, his strength and agility stats are low, but he is a very high-level magician, with level 3 storm magic, level 2 ocean magic, level 6 ice and snow magic, and level 5 death poison magic (3). He even uses earth magic and auxiliary magic. No, wait. Eihwaz? That sounds familiar. Fran seemed to remember it too.
「Friends of Diaz?」
「You know Diaz?」
「Nn. know both Fermus and Gamudo too」
「I see. I'm Eihwaz, the Dragon Binder. I've been in a party with them for a while」
When she asked him about his past friends, he didn't even smile. Maybe they don't get along with each other, or maybe that's just the way he is. At any rate, he has been wearing a scowl ever since he appeared.
「And a weird secret society」
「A secret society? Oh, you mean the magician guild?」
「Nn. They were annoying」
「I'm sorry about that. But I've already left. I'm sure they're doing whatever they want with it now. Well, I'm not interested anymore」
『Fran, he's not lying』
Apparently, he's the type of person who doesn't care about anything except what he's interested in. I want to shout him to properly clean up his mess!
「Why a former A rank adventurer in the thieves' guild?」
「That old man was originally a thieves hunter」
It seems that he had appeared in the capital a few years ago and had been attacking the members of the Thieves' Guild and taking them away. And the reason for this was for human experimentation.
「I used to buy crime slaves, but that's expensive and I can't always buy them. But I can't just use innocent people as test subjects. Then it hit me. That's right, let's hunt the thieves」
It's a disaster of the worst kind for the thieves. But for the general public, it's a blessing. And yet, the reason why I don't respect him at all is probably because he is acting completely to satisfy his own needs.
「I used to hunt the thieves around for a while」
However, the number of thieves gradually began to decrease. It seems that this was the result of information circulating among the thieves that it was dangerous to work in the Kingdom of Kranzel because Eihwaz was hunting them down too much.
After that, Eihwaz came to the conclusion that there were thieves in the city, not bandits or pirates. It seems that he started to target the members of the Thieves' Guild. But the Thieves' Guild didn't happy about that.
As a result, they negotiate with Eihwaz and hire him as a guard for the Thieves' Guild in exchange for offering him a crime slave and traitor.
「All I have to do is defeat the occasional enemy and I can get as many lab rats as I want. It's an easy job」
Fran is frowning. She must have felt uncomfortable with Eihwaz. No, it's impossible to be nice to this guy.
「Oh, and just so you know, I didn't kill the test subjects. I just take a little peek of their inside, and then I let them go after they've recovered properly. Well, I do sell off the crime slaves again. Would you like to know what kind of experiments I do?」
「…Not really」
We are in a hurry right now. Besides, Fran doesn't really seem to be interested. Eihwaz frowns in frustration as Fran shows no interest at him.
「Hmph」
「Haah. He's a difficult old man to deal with, but he's a good fighter」
「…The enemy has the ability to counteract and block magic」
「What? Is that true?」
「Nn」
「Kukukuh. very interesting」
「No, Eihwaz. No matter how strong you are, wouldn't it be dangerous if you can't use magic are you?」
Pink asked that question, but it didn't stop Eihwaz from laughing. The advice she had given him had only aroused the old man's curiosity.
「Kukukuh. I don't care. If it kills me, it's because I'm weak. I was more interested in the sword. It may help me in my research」
I was worried about whether this old man would be useful with his magic blocked, but his motivation seemed to be at its maximum.
「Eihwazorth. Don't overdo it, okay?」
「I'll take care of it. Well, it depends on the other party. Kukukuh」
When he smiled like that, Eihwazorth's face was distorted with lust, and he had the expression of an evil person. He was no more trustworthy than the Thieves' Guild.
Note"
There are a few old stuffs being bring back here, to maintain naming consistency of the translation, please refer me any inconsistency with their respective tl group.
(1) Changed Faize name to Face
(2) エイワース Eiwa-su - Before: Ainsworth. On Previous TL : Aiwass, From anon-kun's suggestion : Eihwaz. Thanks to Sarrink and Anon-kun UwU
(3) 死毒魔術 Shidoku Majutsu