「……Is this enough?」


  The leader of the thugs asked after they had put all their weapons and money onto the floor.

  As expected, there were no spears, which Rei had wanted. There were mostly knives as well as a few one handed axes and long swords. If he just sold all the weapons, he would earn a reasonable amount. If he sold them. And……


  「Heh~, I didn’t expect this.」


  Rei murmured to himself as he checked the contents of the cloth pouch the leader had taken out from his chest. After all, there were several gold coins in the pouch. It wasn’t an amount of money a typical city thug would have. Rei understood how they had gotten it and he spoke to the leader with a thin smile.

  「There was quite the reward for this……pity for you. Next time, you should consider the difference in strength between you and your opponent.」


  「……」


  The thugs kept their silence at Rei’s words.

  Looking at them, he directed them to the door with his chin.

  「Leave. If this happens again next time, if that happens……well, I’ll enjoy it then.」


  As Rei told them with a smile on his face, the thugs didn’t say a word……no, rather, they left the inn without being able to say anything.

  Rei guessed that a few of them still had a certain amount of money hidden away at their chest, but he decided that it was still his top priority for them to get out of sight as soon as possible without causing anymore issues.

  After the thugs had left, Rei put all the coins into the pouch containing the gold coins and turned towards Lana and the merchants.

  「Sorry for the inconvenience.」


  「No, don’t worry about it. Since you’re staying in my inn, you are my customer.」


  「Well, as expected of the proprietress of the Dusk Wheat! A mother for all of us!」


  In response to the voices from the armed merchants, Lana turned towards them with her cheeks slightly red.

  「You all, don’t go about doing such dangerous things! The reputation of Dusk Wheat would be disgraced if my customers are injured!」


  「Ah, sorry, sorry. But this inn is an important place for us……we can’t let things be if people barge in rudely.」


  「Seriously, all of you. As punishment for you all this time, you’ll be eating Fang Boar stew for breakfast tomorrow.」


  Despite saying that, she didn’t feel bad after hearing that her accommodation was considered an important place. Lana said that with a smile on her face.

  At the words, Fang Boar stew, the merchants cheered. Rei spoke to the merchants.

  「Sorry for pouring cold water on your party.」


  「Don’t worry about it kid. We did this on our own decision.」


  Yusla, as the man was called by his friends, smacked Rei on the shoulder as he laughed.

  With a wry smile on his face, Rei threw a bag containing gold, silver and copper coins he had taken from the thugs to Lana.

  「Rei?」


  「As an apology for disturbing your part, I’ll pay for today’s food and drink. I’ll put this down as a deposit. If it’s not enough, please tell me later.」


  『OHHHHHHHHHHhhhhh!』


  At Rei’s words that he would treat them, the armed merchants and adventurers in the dining area all cheered.

  「Kid, you’re small but very generous!」


  Yusla laughed heartily at the word treat. Though Yusla didn’t mean bad, Rei still thought his expression looked a little angry.

  In the meantime, one person from the armed merchants came over to Rei.

  At first glance, he looked to be in his forties and about 170cm tall, not much difference from Rei. He had an approachable smile on his face.

  However, his eyes were different. It was different to the residents of the city, his gaze was deep and felt like he could see through you. With that look, Rei could guess who he was. He was the man who led the armed merchants.

  「We’ll accept your treat tonight. I would like to thank you on behalf of my group.」


  He gave a quick bow as he held out his hand.

  「Sorry for the late greeting. I’m Vettman, I lead the convoy of these people around the frontier.」


  Rei replied as he shook hands.

  「I’m Rei. An adventurer. Don’t worry about me treating you. I got you rolled up in my problems and killed your partying mood. Consider it as making it up to you.」


  As Rei grasped Vettman’s hand, he couldn’t imagine that it was the hand of a merchant. It was a hand that had calluses from holding and training with weapons. He would have believed it if he had said they were adventurers or mercenaries who carried things between towns.

  As Rei looked at Vettman in admiration, on the contrary, Vettman was slightly at loss as he looked at Rei.

  Before he knew it, the large Death Scythe Rei had been swinging had disappeared, there were also no calluses on his hands from grasping weapons in his hand. However, the attack Rei had demonstrated in front of the thugs earlier was similar to that of sword wielded by a first class warrior.

  As Rei’s body was produced by Zepairu, it’s recovery and healing ability was much greater than ordinary people. For that reason, even if Rei used the Death Scythe, proof of training, such as calluses would not form. For that reason, right now, Rei’s hands were still had a softness which would not be expected of a fighter, but of course, this was impossible for Vettman to realise.

  「What’s wrong?」


  Noticing his state, Rei asked, but Vettman immediately shook his head as if it were nothing. As expected of the person who led a group of armed merchants, his face didn’t show any expression at Rei’s question.

  「It’s nothing. By the way, I want to ask, that big scythe just before……」


  「Ah. Well, I think you can guess, but I have an item box.」


  「What……indeed I had considered it, as expected. No, this is the first time I’ve seen a real item box. I’ve heard about extremely small pseudo item boxes being used……but this is the first time I’ve seen a real item box.」


  Speaking in admiration, Vettman turned his eyes towards the dining area.

  While watching Vettman, he recalled the pseudo item box Elena had used in the dungeon when Vettman mentioned it.

  「If you don’t mind, why don’t you join us? You did treat us, Rei-san, by all means come over.」


  「Ah, no, I’m sorry. I have some people waiting in my room. In addition……」


  Rei turned to look at the inn door.

  With that, Vettman understood what Rei wanted to say. He gave a small nod.

  「I see. So the people earlier were your guests. Please wait a moment.」


  Saying that, Vettman went to the dining area and came back in less than a minute. There were two small barrels of liquor in his hands.

  「This is a small thanks, please have this. I don’t know whether it will suit your taste but it is my favourite liquor.」


  「……I see. I will accept it gratefully.」


  Rei didn’t like liquor that much, but there was Brazos back in his room, who had boasted that his blood was made from liquor. As there wasn’t enough wine to drink, Rei gratefully accepted it.

  「We’re planning to stay at this inn for about a month, so let’s have another drink if the opportunity comes up.」


  Saying that, Vettman gave another bow and headed back to the dining area with the armed merchants.

  The armed merchants, adventurers and mercenaries casually thanked Rei for paying for the food and drink for the night before following Vettman back to the dining area.

  Lastly, the only people left were Rei and Lana, the proprietress of the inn.

  「Sorry for the disturbance.」


  「No, don’t worry about it. I’m accustomed to doing business with adventurers and mercenaries. I’ll be returning to the dining area. Because Rei-san has generously paid for their party, I will make some dishes I don’t usually make with my husband and let them go all out.」


  Like a plucky mother, Lana headed back to the dining area with a smile.

  After seeing her leave, Rei stored the knives, long swords and one handed axes on the floor into the Misty Ring before returning to his room.

  「Hey, how was it on the first floor? It seems they weren’t easy to deal with.」


  When Rei entered the room, Freon called out. The room didn’t seem to have undergone any changes. Rei shook his head with a smile as it seemed that the disturbance on the first floor had not been a diversion.

  「The people on the first floor were street thugs. I guess they weren’t a diversion?」


  「Ah. Nothing much happened over here……uh, what’s with the barrels?」


  「I got it from merchants staying at the inn.」


  「……How did it end up like this?」


  Although Freon muttered that, Brazos sniffed the contents of the barrel.

  「There’s liquor in the barrels. In addition, from the rich fragrance, it’s of substantial quality. ……Rei, if I remember correctly, you can’t drink that much right? If so, don’t you think it’s a useless treasure even if you have such a superior liquor……」


  Brazos’ eyes seemed to be nailed to the barrels as he gave a small sigh and put the barrels on the floor.

  「Don’t look at it so desperately. I planned to give it to you from the start.」


  「Mmmm, as expected of you Rei. You know how to respect your elders unlike a certain female adventurer.」


  「……Hey, may I ask who that female adventurer is?」


  Disregarding Freon’s glare, Brazos opened a barrel promptly and poured himself a cup of liquor. A rich fragrance unique to aged liquor wafted around the room.

  「This is, it’s definitely of high quality. Several silver coins……no, if you’re unlucky, you might even need several gold coins to get it.」


  Brazos murmured unintentionally as he enjoyed the fragrance.

  While looking enviously at Brazos, Murt spoke up.

  「So, can I continue talking? About the matter of Galahat-san’s situation……」


  「Ahh, that reminds me. If even you are being targeted by the people hired by Azoth Firm, isn’t it also dangerous for Galahat?」


  「Of course. That’s why he’s hiding in a place that only Galahat-san and I know of. It would be fine if he recovered back to his prime state, but his injuries have yet to heal. He can’t just move about violently.」


  「……Well then, wouldn’t it be better just to stay hidden at your hideout and lay low for a while?」


  At Murt’s words, Rei asked. If he had just hidden at his hideout, the disturbance this time might not have happened……


  「That would be too slow.」


  Murt replied in frustration.

  「Slow?」


  「Ah. I said a little about it at Pamidor’s smithy, but Galahat-san gave me some brief instructions, to take over Azoth Firm. Even though Azoth Firm is a collective group, there are naturally various factions inside.」


  (This was also a measure to protect Bolton from you.)

  Murt thought to himself. Of course, he did not say that out loud.

  「Well, that’s true. As long as there are three people in the world, factions will form.」


  「Well, I guess. So, about the factions……naturally, it’s not about the current faction in power. The people in the main faction stick close Bolton to get the sweet deals from him. I hate that sort of underhanded behaviour. Then there are some people who are trying to work honestly for the city of Gilm.」


  「……Are there?」


  At Murt’s words, Freon asked involuntarily.

  Murt, who was hired by Azoth Firm himself, knew more than enough about Azoth Firm’s reputation as he nodded with a bitter smile.

  「For now, there is. Naturally, there are overwhelmingly fewer of them compared to the main faction.」


  「However, I’ve lived in Gilm for a long time……but I do not recall ever hearing about such people. There’s only ever been bad rumours.」


  Brazos muttered as he savoured the liquor he had gotten from Rei.

  Murt stared at him drinking the delicious liquor enviously for a few seconds before shaking his head and continuing to talk.

  「That’s right. Think carefully. If there are people getting sweet deals, won’t there be people trying to stop them?　But the suppression……wass a bit overpowering, the result was that they were treated coldly and given trivial jobs.」


  「……Then, even if Galahat instructed you to do so, how can you even attempt to take over Azoth Firm?」


  「As Rei said, that is the case if you think about it normally……but not everyone who is a part of Azoth Firm is on Bolton’s side. No, the people close to him are likely only his close associates or people like them. In the end, the organisation is made up of good, ordinary merchants. ……Otherwise, would Azoth Firm, with a man as greedy as Bolton, be able to operate peacefully so far? Of course, because Bolton has a knack for skillfully coercing people, he’s not completely incompetent……」


  It just ended up backfiring this time with Rei, as Murt continued.

  「In that case, I guess there must be people who have been crying out against Bolton’s tyranny up until now.」


  「I can’t deny that. Actually, I have also seen such people several times after being hired by Azoth Firm.」


  Murt gave a sigh as he said that.