Chapter 279 : Perpetri

"Heok... heok..."

"You crazy bastard... you really did it?"

We arrived.

In Perpetri, the capital of the Hilden Kingdom.

"Heok... heok..."

Next to me was Sir Lyle, who was on all fours on the street, panting, without any sense of shame.

I kicked his butt.

"Look at you, panting after just this much, after slacking off so much. You must have neglected your training. For a knight to be on his knees. Aren't you ashamed?"

Only Shushuruta and I were fine.

The rest of them, exhausted from holding on for dear life so as not to fall, were lying next to the debauched knight, panting for breath.

"Ugh... completely crazy."

"Heok... does it make sense to cover that distance in just two days?"

Passersby on the street muttered and passed by.

"Tsk, tsk... I'm embarrassed for you. Don't go around saying you're from the Sherwood Mercenary Corps. At this rate, when will you ever defeat the Hero of Light?"

Lyle glared at me.

"What nonsense? Why would I defeat the Hero of Light?"

"Wasn't that it?"

"No."

"Regret."

"You, were you planning to mess with the Hero of Light too?"

I shrugged.

"Well, since we're here, it would be nice to see his face too, right? Aren't you curious what he looks like? If I get the chance, I'd like to hold his sword once."

"...You crazy bastard."

Lyle shook his head from side to side.

Neyman stood up unsteadily and said.

"S-so, the guide service is over, right? Can we go?"

"Ahem, what a sad thing to say. What about on the way back? Are you saying you'll throw away our friendship like an old shoe?"

"You can just go back the way you came."

"Is now the same as later? On the way back, we'll be returning with a white guest, so won't there be various variables?"

"What variables?"

"For example, someone might be chasing us, or blocking our way. There are many possibilities."

Neyman's expression darkened.

"...You son of a bitch. You came here with the intention of taking the Saint of Pure White from the beginning! Were you serious?"

"What, did you hear my words as bullshit? I'll say it again, I'm a man who doesn't utter a single lie. I'm as sincere as they come."

Daryl hastily chimed in.

"Shh! The holy knights will hear!"

Neyman quickly looked around, then looked at me with calm eyes.

"I'm not doubting your skills, but this situation is different."

"What's so different?"

"To attack the Hilden Kingdom is to make the entire Hope Cult an enemy. It's not just limited to the Hilden Kingdom."

"Hmm."

"It seems you've forgotten, but the Hilden Kingdom is not an independent nation like the Blake Kingdom or the Maia Kingdom. It's part of a larger organization. Do you know where the Hilden Kingdom belongs?"

"Of course, the Hilden Kingdom must be one of the vassal states of the Holy Empire of Hilka."

"Are you planning to make the entire empire an enemy?"

I just grinned without a word.

Neyman's expression hardened.

"...You crazy bastard."

"That's not for you to worry about. I'll take care of it, so don't worry."

"How can I not worry?"

"Alright, so our loyal friends who don't take our contract lightly, go and find an inn and rest. From now on, we have things to do on our own. I'll call you when we're going back."

Neyman let out a deep sigh and was about to move, but then he stopped and looked back.

"...What if we just run away?"

I shrugged.

"What can we do? It's not like we can watch you all day. It's something we can't stop."

"R-really?"

The two mercenaries' faces brightened a little.

"However."

"...However?"

"Sherwood never forgets a grudge."

"You don't... forget?"

I grinned and continued.

"We chase them to the ends of hell."

"..."

Neyman and Daryl, whose faces had turned black, walked down the street with their shoulders slumped.

Lyle, who was leaning against a building, looked up at me.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean? From now on, we have to find out where Siri is. Isn't that why the cat burglar is running around on her feet?"

Shushuruta, as soon as she arrived in Perpetri, the capital of the Hilden Kingdom, had looked at the guys who had collapsed and had already left to gather information.

Lyle shook his head from side to side.

"...They're monsters. How can they be so energetic after running so much?"

"Get up. Let's go and eat while Shushuruta is working hard."

Lyle sighed and stood up.

We walked the streets of the capital of the holy kingdom, where Hope, the 'God of Midday', looked down.

As if to show that they served the God of Light, all the buildings were white.

It was dazzling.

I knew the secret of this city.

I knew that somewhere below this, there was a hideous place called the underground fighting arena.

Was that why?

To me, this holy city felt very hypocritical and unsettling.

At a glance, it had a majestic feeling, but to me, it felt more suffocating.

Since everything was unified in white, it felt like you would get into big trouble if you dared to voice a different opinion.

[It feels more unsettling than holy.]

It seemed the Heavenly Demon had a similar impression to me.

I walked the white-washed streets and recalled what Neyman had said.

—Are you planning to make the entire empire an enemy?

Of course.

Of course.

To bring back Siri, to make the entire empire an enemy.

That was nothing.

It was really nothing.

When Big Sister first brought that girl.

I avoided Siri.

Because her snow-white hair reminded me of someone.

But Siri persistently followed me.

I don't know why.

Was it because I was relatively closer in age?

Or had she found something familiar in me?

—Ah, Big Brother Ashuban! Where are you going?

—...You don't need to know.

I continued to avoid Siri.

And Siri, as if she were not tired, continued to follow me.

When I avoided her, she would wait for me in the alley.

—Ah, I found you!

—...Ugh.

—Where are you going? Are you running an errand? I'll go with you!

—Tsk.

I ran to get away from her.

Siri didn't give up and ran after me with her short legs.

—Hey, let's go together! I won't be a bother! Together... kyaang.

Thump!

When I looked back, Siri had fallen hard.

—...

She was motionless for a moment after falling...

When she slowly raised her head, her face was covered in tears.

—Hwaaaang!

I was flustered and approached her.

—Why, why are you crying? Are you hurt badly?

Then.

Squeeze.

—Huh?

As if she had never cried, Siri was looking up at me with her white eyes full of tears and a bashful smile.

—...I caught you.

I still can't forget those white eyes from that time.

Because it was as if winter was contained in them.

Thump.

Someone hit my shoulder.

"Why are you so quiet? I asked you what you think of this place."

Lyle was pointing at a restaurant.

"It's decent. Let's go in."

"Where's your mind?"

"It's nothing. I was just thinking of Siri since we're here."

"...Right."

We went into the restaurant and ordered some food.

As we were eating, Shushuruta naturally joined us.

I called the waiter and ordered one more serving, and then asked.

"How is it, any harvest?"

Shushuruta nodded.

"It seems the underground fighting arena is real."

"Hmm."

"But, it's a bit complicated."

"What is?"

Shushuruta's explanation continued.

"Do you know what the Temple of Light specializes in?"

Lyle answered.

"I heard they're good at healing."

Shushuruta nodded.

"That's right. And it's quite expensive. So most people don't use it. So they can't sell many potions. In the first place, there's almost no reason to get hurt enough to go to the temple."

Since there were no magical beasts loitering around like in Maia, it was natural.

"Since they can't sell many potions, they can't earn much for operating expenses. So here's the problem. What do you have to do to secure operating expenses?"

A quiz all of a sudden?

I looked at Lyle for a moment.

"Lower the price?"

"Find a side job?"

"Export to foreign countries?"

The last one was the Heavenly Demon's opinion.

Shushuruta shook her head.

"The method the cult chose was none of the three."

"Then?"

"If people don't buy potions because they don't get hurt, then you just have to create situations where they get hurt."

"...!"

"Is that a method...?"

Shushuruta explained.

"They open an underground fighting arena and offer a huge prize. All sorts of people come from all over after hearing the rumors. Of course, the royal family denies it as a false rumor, but everyone knows it's just a cover-up. They probably bribed the papacy too. Seeing as there's no particular action being taken."

"Hmm."

"There's only one rule in the tournament. Don't kill. Because if you kill, you can't get the treatment fee."

"...In a way, that's genius."

To not kill because it's not profitable.

On the surface, it was altruistic, but on the inside, it was thoroughly selfish.

"So when someone gets injured in the fighting arena, they're treated immediately. Of course, there's no right to refuse. And so, they create a debt without giving them a chance to refuse."

"Hmm."

"Since most of them came to win the prize money, most of them are not rich. So they can't pay back the debt and become slaves who will do anything they're told. I hear that a considerable number of them are dragged into the war with the demons?"

If that was really the case, I thought there was no reason for the cult to refuse.

They could secure soldiers and earn money.

It was a win-win situation.

"Probably, that kid named Johan who sent the letter has a family member who went through that."

I said with my arms crossed.

"So, that underground fighting arena is run by the Hilden Kingdom?"

"On the surface, probably not. They're either running it directly from behind, or they have a close relationship with the tournament organizers. They're either in charge of the operation and sharing the profits. Ah, and by the way, the participation fee is also quite expensive."

"...Genius."

When it came to making money, I thought there was no better business than this.

Participation fees, treatment fees, and even gambling.

"And, as a result of my investigation... the number of winners did not exceed five."

"It seems the tournament is not held often."

"No, that's not it. It means they took turns winning."

"Hmm?"

I tilted my head for a moment, and then a ominous premonition crossed my mind.

"...Don't tell me."

Shushuruta slowly nodded, confirming that my premonition was correct.

"It seems the prize money that was offered as the winning prize never flowed out, but was collected back by the cult. The powerful holy knights of the cult must be participating in the tournament with their faces covered. And there's a high probability that the cult even gave them a blessing."

"..."

This was a trap.

A trap to lure people with the bait of prize money and then drop them into the abyss.

The prize money was never theirs in the first place.

This was a rigged game from the beginning.

"You crazy..."

I was at a loss for words.

[Heh... he's no ordinary strategist.]

Even the Heavenly Demon was impressed.

The opponent I would be facing this time was an extraordinary strategist.

And one whose head worked well in a bad way.

(End of Chapter)