To Deprive a Deprived Person-Chapter 249: Third day

TDADP chapter 249: Third day

「Welcome! Look at this freshly baked bread! They all look good, aren't they?」

「On hot days like today, you have to sweat with hot soup! Now, a cup is 100 Madoka, one sheet is one copper coin!」

「If you come to the royal capital, it doesn't make sense if you don't eat this! Royal capital's specialty, ice cream! Cool your body with cold sweets!」

The time is at noon. The stalls lined up on the streets where many people come and go, among which the street vendors dealing with food and drink are at their peak. Even so, they tried to earn more and more and loudly call out to the passersby.

「You shouldn't get any closer than this」

Lawrence's man, who had been following Yuu since the first day, grabs his partner's shoulder and pays attention.

「Ah? What are you scared of? Even now, from nobles of Counts and Viscounts, to merchants and adventurers, I have followed a great number of people. Was there anyone who noticed my tail in that way? Far from noticing, they've never even been so wary」

「Listen to me because it's okay」

「I heard that hundreds of people were killed on the first day. There are 300 of them because it's just Ponte. You say only one person has killed so many? Then if you know it's dangerous, you should run away, as soon as you are noticed. Well, from the first day on, you're that ga――tsk. That kid, goes all the way into that narrow shop. He was staying in a high-class inn, so he could eat there. Hey, what would we do? Do we go into the store as well? There may be some people connected to that kid」

「Not good!」

The man who made a loud voice while he was following was apologized to his companion.

「I'm sorry. But I'm against entering the store. Don't look like that. I usually go in a store pretending to be a customer, but this time I definitely won't do it」

「You´re strange since a while ago. What――uoo. What your arm」

Looking at the man's arm that grabs his shoulder, the other man got goosebumps.

「Is this it? I've been in this state ever since I started following that kid. Ah, yeah. It's the case of Ponte you mentioned earlier. The number of corpses found is 63」

The man thought, 「Even so」. Still, 63 people were killed and it was convincing that the people above were always watching.

「Sixty-three craps were killed――wait. What was found?」

「Yes. There are 63 corpses found, the rest are missing. I don't know the exact number. I'm telling you, at the beginning there were 10 people. Do you want to know what happened to the other people? The one who was confident and approached like you are now......disappeared. Two people really disappeared. So the other guys who thought they had run away to see the devastation of Ponte approached in the same way and disappeared again. In a blink of an eye, the rest were three, including me. Ha, hahaa....... The other two noticed the same as me. No, this is a warning. It's okay to wander around, but you will be killed if you get too close and approach. From the beginning, that kid noticed! What do you think happened to the other two? Ah......I don't want to remember. I woke up at the time of change, I'm next to them......ku, kubii, gaa」

「H, Hey. Calm down」

The hand of the man who tries to appease is shaken off.

「I'm telling you to report it one by one, threatening that Satou emanating employee of the inn where the kid is staying. And yet, and yet! We still don't know the whereabouts of the three women and two stupid servants! I'm confident if I'm following him! No, I was....... But it's the third day today, shit! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! I'm gonna make a line of sight!! I guess I´m overlooked by him!! Do you know if I'm just worn out of nerves? Can I tell you something good? The guys above know this is probably going to happen, and they're letting us follow him」

「That's......stupid」

From the first day, the man who followed Yuu from the start of the day said that the man on the other side of the line made no words and never said that he should go into the store. And he only watched the doorway of the store where Yuu entered, from a barely visible distance.

「Welcome. Unfortunately, as you can see, the counter seats are not vacant. It's bad, but it's okay if it's a table seat, but it's okay, but is that okay?」

「Ah, that's fine」

An employee guides Yuu through the narrow space to the innermost table.

「Sorry. But I need to ask you to share the table」

「What. Now, when I'm going to eat my meal. Well, it's a small shop, so it can't be helped」

「Hehe. Excuse me. I'm going to have to partition it with the table next to it」

「Really now!」

「Uhehe. Sincerely apologize」

The man, who used a four-person table alone, acknowledges the employee's laughter with a small sigh.

「Boss, it's been a long time. I call myself Maos here」

When the employee partitions the room, the man straightens his seated posture and bows to Yuu.

「Don't call me boss. Didn't you hear from Einal?」

「This is rude. I have been infiltrating the royal capital for a long time, so I'm not familiar with the circumstances. First of all, please be assured that all employees, including customers, in this shop are Alcom people」

「What happened to the investigation?」

「Yes. Bos――, thanks to Satou-san's flashy rampage, both Lawrence and the Berne Company were in a hurry as if their bottoms were on fire」

Perhaps he was talking indiscriminately, but Maos's words were so full of joy that he couldn't hide it.

「Ah. I'm sorry during the report. I now live in Kamar, but I used to live in the royal capital in the past. My parents were merchants, but it's a small shop. It's a common story in the royal capital, that when you get into trouble with the Berne Company you will get in trouble with Lawrence´s men」

Maos laughed at himself. As if he can't forgive himself in the past.

「It's off the mark. Once again, thanks to Satou-san, there has been a big move in Lawrence and the Berne Company. The armory that we didn't know until now and the hideout that collects items that can't be seen on the table, etc. However, of course, the entrance of the hideout is strictly protected and the location of the safe where treasures and gold are collected is limited to some executives of Lawrence. The rumors seem to know only a few people, known as safe keepers, and we're looking for who the safe keepers are, but still no clue」

Saying sorry, Maos moisturizes his throat with the water in the cup.

「As Satou-san knows, Lawrence has twenty-four branches in the royal capital alone, and forty branches in other cities. The headquarter is very well protected, so I'd like to check it out from the branches, but if we move too much, they'll notice the existence of this place――」

「Then there are twenty-five. Ah, and since Ponte´s branch has been crushed, the branch is headquartered at twenty-three and the rest is twenty-four」

「Yes, there are twenty-four branches in the royal capital――――ha?」

Maos´s expression becomes a stupid look from the too ridiculous story.

「Don't worry. Regular contact between the headquarter and branch offices in other cities is once a month. Because of the barrier that the great sage has set up in the royal capital, they have to go outside until they get in touch. You can't even use a magic tool, even a homing pigeon. By the next regular contact, everything is over」

Maos couldn't say he wasn't worried about that.

「Wh, When?」

「Hmm? Yesterday and the night before yesterday. Don't you think I'm working a little too much?」

It takes three days by horse-drawn carriage to the city closest to the royal capital. How did he crush Lawrence's branch in just two days and 16 other branches? Even Maos, who knows how awesome Yuu is, thinks it's unbelievable.

「It's a true story, right?」

「Why am I lying? Ah, if Alcom is going to enter the city where Lawrence's branch was, it's all right」

「N, No. That's not the kind of story」

「To tell you the truth, I did it myself, so I won't give you the money they had accumulated」

「No No! Of course that isn't! There's no idiot in Alcom who's trying to take Satou-san's stuff」

Maos denies, by waving both hands in a panic. If you're going to buy Yuu's wrath by doing this, what kind of reprimand from Alcom people――that's still fine. It is not a metaphor but your neck will roll if it is done poorly.

「Then, let's talk about the safe keepers you mentioned before. There were some in Lawrence´s branch that I crushed. I'll send them to your hideout later, so use them however you like」

「Uh, it wasn't a rumor, it was real......but would they betray?」

Not only did he find out that there was a safe keepers who was about to give up looking in the middle, but Maos was surprised and stunned that Yuu had already secured them.

「By the way, they were were saying that no torture would break them」

「That's right. It's the first condition for those who are entrusted with the safekeeping of an organization like us. If it's a big organization like Lawrence, I don't think anyone would talk」

「Is that so? When I went to see Torcher this morning, everyone was crying and saying, "Please help me"」

Maos who didn't know who Torcher was, understood that Lawrence's safe keepers would be cooperative in just a few days.

「Don't worry, it's all done three nights later. You just need to guide the hideout and carry the money」

After that, Yuu and Maos hold a detailed meeting, before Yuu leaves the store.

「Hey, he came out」

「You don't have to tell me――calm down」

「That stupid!? Certainly from the store――」

「They're persistent guys」

Yuu muttered behind lawrence's men who were watching the shop.

「Wh......When......」

「I warned you, didn't I? I'll kill you」

Like the frogs stared at by snakes, the men couldn't move. And even after Yuu disappeared, the men could only stay there for a while.

--------------------------------

One of the most popular places in the royal capital, Tencassi, for the wealthy people is the sixth district, Dalarante. Because in the sixth district, there is the Auction Hall, Sazatears, which is the number one in Rem continent. Originally it was an amphitheater, but it was the beginning when a civil clerk directly appealed to Udon´s King about a hundred years ago that he hated the bloody stadium, so it was demolished. A hemispherical roof covered the ceiling of the amphitheater where you could look up to the sky, therefore it was converted into a huge auction hall. Its size is so large that it can be seen from the neighboring area and it is one of the tourist attractions in the royal capital. However, even commoners cant enter. This facility is available only to those of the privileged class.

「Satou-sama, I've been waiting for you」

A fat man with a fine beard, the director of Sazatears, respects Yuu and respectfully bows to him. Currently, Yuu is in a room just before the two treasure warehouses, where the general party is not permitted to enter. However, the director said that Yuu is welcomed, so the surroundings were a noisy atmosphere. There are no windows in the room. It is a special specification that combines magic and alchemy with multiple metals up to the surrounding walls, ceiling and floor. In this room are the guards and disciplines who control high-level magic.

「Please forgive me for this. I think it's still not enough because it's just a thing」

「A introduction is good, so can I put it out?」

Not only the director, but also the people around him were nervous about the words.

「Please wait a moment」

The director repeats deep breathing several times to relieve his tension.

「Satou-sama, please」

Yu takes it out of the item pouch, which is the cause of the director's nervousness. The silver horns, which are more than two meters long, give off a dense and dreadful magic power as if they were still resisting. Even so, the magic power has stunned even the barrier masters who have sealed many objects in Sazatears over the years.

「What are you doing? Hurry up and keep this magic flow down in a barrier」

In response to the director's words, the barrier masters set up a barrier all at once.

「Guu....... What a magic!」

「Calm down! It's not the first time we've dealt with the horns of a dragon! Remember the time when we suppressed the horns of a thunder dragon or a flower dragon!」

「Well, that's what you say. This......I don't know what to do with such a huge magic......gugii!!」

It was not possible to suppress the magic which overflowed from the horns of an ancient dragon still though they were barrier masters that the director prepared by estimating a lot. And, the masters send eyes to the director as help is requested.

「This was such a thing. Satou-sama, apparently my idea wasn't good」

「Do you have to continue 『Appraisal』 more to finish it?」

「Yes. I forgot that it's such a great gem. No, it's needless to say that this ancient dragon's horn is 『Appraisal』. Everyone knows that it's real――」

「It's okay, just give me an 『Appraisal』 as soon as possible」

Those with high-level 『Appraisal』skill and similar unique skills will carefully appraise the Horn of a Ancient Dragon while maintaining a safe distance.

「Director, there's no doubt about it. This......are the horns of an ancient dragon, the legendary ancient dragon Magranals!」

「Although I was informed by Satou-sama in advance, if you look at the legend again, you'll be excited about it」

「D, Director! No more on our own」

The horns of the ancient dragon Magranals brought by Yuu are still the smallest ones and is further sealed by Yuu and Russ. If they still can't control it, Yuu looks at the director as to what to do.

「It's an embarrassing story, but is it okay for you to put it away? By the day of the auction, we will make sure to have personnel ready」

The director thought so from the bottom of his heart not the word of the upper side. This is because in the history of Sazatears, which has been going on for hundreds of years, even though the seller asked them to keep the item, they never said that they couldn't keep it because they couldn't handle it.

「All right」

When Yuu puts the horns of the ancient dragon into the item pouch, the barrier masters who are near their limit are relieved and wonder why Yuu is able to put such items into his item pouch without incident.

「I heard that you couldn't sell a timeless item pouch, I didn't know about」

After successfully confirming the horns of the ancient dragon Magranals, the relieved director stroked his chest and wiped his sweat with a handkerchief.

「If I couldn't see the horns of a ancient dragon in stead, my head was fired because of the responsibility issue」

The director is not kidding. The biggest feature of the auction held by Sazatears this time is an timeless item pouch and it was being advertised to other countries without telling what was being exhibited. However, that is the same for Yuu as well, using merchants such as Mago to disseminate information to other countries.

「However, did anyone sell the timeless item pouch? No, it is not a grudge, of course. Considering the winning bid at the auction and the commission paid to my Sazatears, it would be natural to sell it if there was a more attractive presentation. How much would it be sold if it is the timeless item pouch? No, I as the director of Sazatears for many years cant imagine」

「It was robbed」

「Uh, it was robbed!? Who? Because the criminal has an idea?」

Sazatears director was so surprised that he didn't even realize he had dropped his handkerchief.

「Director knows that person very well」

「I, I know that......person? No way......」

「Balue Voly Nox」

It might have been predicted to some extent by being told that he knew himself. Even when Yuu announced the name of Balue, the director was more discouraged than surprised.

「That's......again....... It's deplorable, to be a heavyweight of the Udon kingdom」

「Don't you think I'm lying?」

「Finance Minister Balue is a good customer of Sazatears auction, but I know more than anyone that he can get whatever he wants with any hand. I wish I could help you somehow Satou-sama――」

「No, I don't want you to do that. I want you to keep silent that I sell the horns of an ancient dragon at the auction」

「That's natural」

The director, who heard that the timeless item pouch had been robbed, acknowledges Yuu's request as a matter of course. It is a big problem if the ancient dragon's horns are stolen. After all, this auction is a large-scale event that is held only once a year and not only the aristocrats of Udon Kingdom, but also other royal families and aristocrats are already rushing to the royal capital. The item at the center of the auction has been stolen, so it can't be done without listing. Be sure to have them listed at the auction. Because you have to succeed.

「Are all the people except the director fine with it?」

Yuu overlooks the room and glances at the people prepared by the director.

「Don't worry. They can't leave Sazatears until the auction is held. Of course, the same goes for me. And we are not allowed to leak the seller's information with contract magic. It is also higher than the contract magic that is put on the receptionist of the Adventurers Guild. If you break the contract by any risk, you will lose your life」

「Is there a possibility that Finance minister's hands will reach here?」

「Don't worry about that either. Sazatears is an auction hall under His Majesty's control. No matter how Finance Minister Balue is, he can't do anything about it」

After completing some confirmations, Yuu receives a booklet that includes the rules of the auction and information and leaves Sazatears. Then, as if he was waiting for it, a well-dressed elderly man sitting on a bench stood up and approached Yuu. Immediately behind were two men following him to protect the old man.

「Nice to meet you. My name is William Bona Papal. I am still the head of the Papal family」

Elderly man――William said so, reached out to Yuu and asked for a handshake.