34: The Night Visit of the Traitor
“Why did you come back before me? That’s weird.”
“The world is full of strange and wonderful things. That ‘claywood’ from the other day was pretty weird too, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, but that’s not the point!”
I laughed at his reaction and took a sip of wine.
“But seriously. How did you get back? Or rather, when did you get back?”
“At least before yesterday.”
I gave an ambiguous answer to Iliel’s question, which was full of doubt.
The day I received my reward, I was released from the Earl’s mansion and sent to the front of the inn. I immediately ran with all my might to the fortress city of Garland. I arrived when the night was getting late. I was a little late, but I easily overtook Neil and the others.
From there, I spent a day or two lazing around the mansion, and the next day I ran around to replenish my dwindling funds and level up. The next day, I was looking at the requests at the brokerage when Neil caught me.
At that time, I was told to hang out with him at night, so I had no choice but to hang out with the drunken beastman (Neil) and his party.
“Jasper, did you focus on training your physical strength? No, but then that would contradict what happened last time…”
“Yeah. It would make more sense if you said speed, but then there’s also strength…”
“This guy can use magic (color) pretty well. It’s not fair. Damn, I should have eaten more when he was paying last time.”
“Weren’t you completely drunk?”
The tense atmosphere from last time must have disappeared at the final celebration. There was no trace of the heaviness that had been there when the subjugation request came in.
“So, what are you guys going to do now, Neil? Are you going to go your separate ways again and pretend to be a fixed party?”
“Oh, no, for a while we’re going to dive into the dungeon as a group of four and earn money with materials.”
“I’m a little tired this time.”
“Yeah. We just got back.”
Even the two serious-looking girls were giving off a relaxed vibe.
That situation must have been really tough.
After that, we continued to chat about trivial things for a while, but then I suddenly noticed Neil’s beast ears and decided to ask him about it as part of the conversation.
“Speaking of which, do you know a clan called Sagara?”
“Sagara?”
Neil raised an eyebrow and made a truly puzzled face.
“No, I’ve never heard of it.”
“I see.”
“Do you guys know?”
Neil asked, but all three of them shook their heads.
“Is there something about that clan?”
“No, an acquaintance of mine is looking for that clan. I remembered that he asked me if I knew anything about it.”
“Huh.”
Neil took a sip of his ale as he said this, and he didn’t seem to be very interested in the conversation. It was a bit unusual to see him like this. Normally, he would have expanded on the topic from there. Maybe the conversation was too abrupt.
“Well, it’s not like I’m seriously looking for them or anything.”
“Hmm. Well, if I remember, I’ll ask my acquaintances.”
“Oh, thanks.”
“What are their characteristics?”
“Well?”
“Well, you…”
Neil smiled wryly, as if he couldn’t believe it. There was nothing he could do if he didn’t know.
However, I did have some additional information that I had received after first hearing about Sagara from Jarnar.
“If you know anything, it’s that they’re a beastman race, and that there’s a clan of them in this country.”
Apparently, the Sagara clan was a clan of a village that was made up entirely of beastmen.
Beastmen are generally known for their superior physical abilities and often specialize in something, so it makes sense that they would be suitable as Urajin. That’s why I was actually convinced when I heard that they were a clan of only beastmen.
Neil looked at me with a strange expression when I said this. The other three did the same.
“Is something wrong?”
“What?”
“No, I don’t know the details, but I know the race and location.”
“Well, that’s about all he knows. So I don’t know the details either.”
“Your friend is a strange one.”
“No doubt about it.”
I get more food. I’ve been hungry again since I defeated that ‘Claywood’ earlier. Maybe there is a connection between the amount of food I eat and my soul rank (level). But it only seems to happen after my soul rank increases, so maybe a rapid increase in soul rank isn’t good.
“By the way, Jas, where are you staying tonight?”
“Hmm?”
Speaking of which, I’ve been staying in this city without a place to stay. I’ve been explaining that I’m staying at an inn on a whim, and then at a different place.
“Anywhere is fine?”
“Then let’s stay in the same place. I still have a room available anyway.”
“Okay.”
I was actually planning to sleep in the mansion’s fluffy bed, but that’s fine. I’ve been going out a lot lately, so I’ve gotten used to sleeping soundly even without the mansion’s bed.
We finished our meal with a laugh, and I followed Neal to the inn.
Was it because I had been hunting all day, or was it because I had enjoyed talking with Neal and the others? I collapsed into bed and fell asleep right away.
*
I open my eyes.
From Noble mtl dot com
In my field of vision, I see a figure dressed in black. It is wearing a hood and has its face covered with a cloth, and it is straddling me, holding a knife to my neck. The figure’s eyes, which are looking down at me, are as cold as moonlight.
“Who are you?”
“Shut up. Answer only my questions.”
I shut my mouth as requested and use [Mana Read]. There are reactions from what must be their companions around the inn, and there are several people in this room as well. It was a mistake not to have [Mana Read] react if Someone approached me before I went to bed.
I look at the figure’s face without any particular sign of panic. Then I raise one eyebrow slightly, as if to prompt it to speak. I already know who this person is with [Mana Read]. I just don’t know why they’ re here.
“Who are you?”
“Jasper. Adventurer (Adbel).”
“Where did you hear about Sagara?”
Ah, I see.
I was able to guess a lot from those words. Neal, you did a good job.
But in retrospect, that’s right. All four of that group (party) were beastmen, and their names had something in common. The visual record of Neal that I saw earlier was similar. There were plenty of things that seemed like it once I noticed it.
But who would have thought they would be so close?
“I have an acquaintance. He was looking for you guys.”
The knife is pressed harder. It must be because I said that you guys are definitely Sagara.
“Who is he?”
“I can’t say. If I say it, I’ll be killed.”
“If you don’t say it, you’ll die here anyway.”
“Then I’d rather be killed here. Do you know? If you go against the powerful, it’s not just you who will suffer, but your family and friends as well.”
Despite my clear refusal, the knife does not move.
They still can’t kill me, I guess. They must be dying to know the identity of the person who is looking for them. Especially since they are said to be powerful, they must be scared out of their wits.
“…How did you meet that powerful person?”
“…”
I don’t answer. I know that if there are words that they want to draw out, they have no choice but to speak further if I say nothing.
“Why are you looking for Sagara?”
“I want your power.”
“…Sagala’s power?”
“The powerful desire excellent Uraits. Isn’t that normal?”
This isn’t a lie. That’s exactly what I want.
“Why Sagala?”
“They don’t have any Uraits. They want their own Uraits. And right now, you don’t have a master and you desire protection. Am I wrong?”
The bonds between members of a Urait clan are so strong that normal people can’t understand them. They spend many years together, living as if they share the same fate.
And when it comes to members of a Urait clan who share a secret that can’t be revealed, they might as well be one and the same.
After the Sagala clan was attacked by the Duke Zalud’s army (my grandfather), the survivors fled to this country. In order to survive in this country, they need to earn a living, but not all of them are able to work. need to earn money and take care of those who can’t.
But if a large number of them live together in the same place, it will be conspicuous, and the same goes for forming a guild and pretending to be adventurers while staying together.
If they spend many years blending in with the townspeople, they might be able to live as normal people rather than Uraits, but this is very difficult.
Just as a knight can’t quit being a knight, an adventurer or soldier can’t quit being one, and a merchant or commoner can’t change the job they’ve inherited, it’s impossible to quickly change the way of life that has has been passed down for many years as ‘Sagala’.
Furthermore, there’s the possibility that they will be targeted by the powerful before they have spent many years. Uraits who don’t belong to any group are like an adventurer’s guild from another country to this country.
our country’s ‘guilds’, ‘guilds’ in other countries are not affiliated with the country and are ‘adventurer’s guilds’ where non-governmental figures gather adventurers. From our country’s perspective, it’s unthinkable that such an armed group would be allowed to exist Unlike .
An unaffiliated group with special powers is extremely dangerous. The moment their existence is discovered, they will be hunted down and destroyed with full force.
In other words, that’s what Sagala is.
That’s why Uraits who move in groups rather than as individuals seek employers with power. As long as they are under their protection, they are guaranteed a certain level of safety.
In fact, the Sagala clan is currently running away without belonging to any group. On top of that, the powerful who know about Sagala are looking for them. They must be filled with anxiety and fear.
“…”
The woman in front of me–she must be a woman from the sound of her voice–is unable to move the knife in her hand. The others in the room show no sign of moving either.
“You guys must have a reason for not fleeing to a foreign country and staying in this hostile country. It’s like hiding a tree in a forest, but you didn’t want to provoke the powerful or the Uraits who claim territory there by crossing over to another country with the many survivors, did you?
That’s why you’re still hiding in this country. You probably took advantage of the chaos during the battle to hide here.”
“…”
“We know that you’re still alive. Whether I’m killed by you here, or whether I give your information to the powerful, or whether I pretend not to know, it’s obvious what will happen to you. That’s too bad.”
There was no response.
To be honest, I was thinking that Sagala was enough for me. It was a complete whim that I asked Neal about Sagala, and I didn’t think that Sagala would become my subordinate in the first place.
Besides, as I put it into words, I realized that there are as many disadvantages to having Sagala as a subordinate as there are advantages.
“I’m getting sleepy, so can you kill me or go somewhere and do it quickly? I’m sleepy.”
As I said this, I knew that I wouldn’t be killed. I always have [Five-Colored Room (San-Ku-Room)] deployed. Unless they’re a hero-class powerhouse, it’s impossible to break through that barrier .
Even if I’m forced to drink poison, I can immediately detoxify it with [Malignant Reduction (Return Jade)]. I created this so that it can be used as an active skill, but it’s basically a passive skill. Even if I’ m sleeping, it will continue to detoxify me.
“If Sagala joins that person’s subordinates, will they be able to escape from the hands of the other powerful?”
Don’t be ridiculous. I’m great for not saying that out loud.
“I don’t know. After all, you’re the ones who escaped from the country’s subjugation. If word of this reaches His Majesty the King or the nobles around him, they will definitely interfere.”
Don’t underestimate the incompetent crown prince. If it’s known that he has Uraits as his subordinates, the court nobles will definitely come flying with their knights. What are you doing? If you’re not careful, you could be promoted from house arrest to imprisonment.
Even so, it’s unlikely that he will be punished immediately.
“However, even if word of this reaches His Majesty the King, it’s certain that even His Majesty the King won’t be able to lay a hand on him.”
The blood of the king’s beloved queen’s son and the grandson of the head of the most powerful ducal family in the country is no joke. In the first place, someone born of the king’s blood is not someone who can be treated so lightly.
“Is that true?”
“That’s for sure. But to be honest, that person has half given up on making you his subordinates.”
“Why?”
“It’s easy. Because I’m close to the Duke of Zarud’s family, the ones who directly destroyed your village.”
“――”
I could tell that the woman’s body stiffened.
Even though she could endure being in the country of her sworn enemy, kneeling to someone related to the person who destroyed her village would surely be the last straw.
That’s why I thought it was impossible when I heard the story from Jarnar.
“Well, that’s why he told me to find the location of Sagara, but he was half-giving up. That’s why I wasn’t really looking for it. Are you okay now?”
With that, I closed my eyes. I was completely ready to sleep. I left the women there and fell asleep. I told you to look for it, but you don’t have to come anymore.
*
The next morning, I woke up as usual, alive and well. I didn’t seem to have been taken away or poisoned, so I must have gone back obediently.
As I went downstairs to eat, Neal showed up with an innocent look on his face.
“Hey, you look sleepy.”
I wanted to say it was your fault.
“I had a weird dream, so I didn’t sleep well. I went to bed late too.”
“Oh, what was it?”
“I was riding a horse with a really beautiful girl, and she was holding a knife to me. I didn’t know if I was lucky or unlucky.”
“hahahahaha, that’s a weird dream.”
Saying that, Neal started eating the food that had been brought to him with his usual expression. Looking at his face, I was impressed by how truly superior the Urarito are.