[Side story] Two-arm scale (3)
“Here’s the pay. “I have enough change.”
“Thank you! You’re so big! Get better! May you be blessed~”
Commercial city Oldeck.
The scenery of this port city, spread out along the coastal area at the western end of the empire, is reminiscent of the Age of Exploration. Looking at the row of sailing ships lined up along the wooden pier on the coast, it feels like the era of the sea has truly arrived.
And the appearance of the large commercial stores lined up along the golden sand near the beach gives off a different kind of grandeur than the Hwangdo or Seongdo.
If you want to make money, go to All Deck.
That simple and clear one-sentence proposition has never been denied since the founding of the empire.
[ Oh, indeed… This is the center of logistics and distribution that humans talk about… Your liveliness is not normal, Master Ed! Just looking at this fire candle mug will make you feel excited! ]
“There is nothing good about being too excited. “Because the goal is not to be noticed.”
[That’s right. It’s been a while since I’ve been helping the master by myself, and it reminds me of the time I spent on Aken Island. Wow, I lived really hard back then, but like now, I had to support the master on my own. ]
The fluid mug followed suit, flapping its wings, and started talking about old times alone.
[When I was a low-ranking spirit, I would work all night like the workers here and then go in the morning to receive a new schedule. At the time, I was going through such a hard time that I blamed the world, but in hindsight, I realized that it was all just flesh and blood. They say that hard work is worth it, but it seems that everyone gains strength and settles down in that way through hard work. So, Master Ed… I am truly fortunate to have Master Ed here. If I had to tell you about the hardships I went through before serving Master Ed… I would have to start from the moment I had just risen from the status of a corporeal spirit… What was my motto at that time… ]
Now, I feel it again. It may seem like a strange thing, but mugs have a lot to say.
What is so touching is why he is sitting on my shoulder and continuing his tirade, shedding tears of emotion.
I pulled my robe hat tighter and made my way through the crowds through Oldeck’s market street. While listening to Mug’s pointless explanation, I tried to gauge the meaning of the letter from Rienna.
Chief Secretary Rienna is the best confidant who is completely loyal to Lortel Cacheln, no matter what anyone says.
The fact that she, who rarely appeared in front of others, bothered to write a letter on Lortel’s behalf meant that there was a high possibility that something had actually happened to Lortel’s life. This is because Lortel does most of the important work himself. Moreover, I would never entrust someone to send me a letter.
In any case, the period in which I can move without any schedule pressure is too short. Since I couldn’t come to the site and check it now, I grabbed a carriage myself and arrived at Old Deck after driving for three days.
The information power of merchants should not be underestimated. There is nothing good about the story that Ed Ross Taylor personally visited Alldeck. Therefore, for now, I moved around hiding my identity, wearing my robe tightly.
I continued crossing the market street that continued along the stone floor, then turned a few times and entered the alley.
After going inside for a while, leaving Mug’s chattering behind, a dark-looking tavern came into view.
A wooden mug full of beer was rattling around a small signboard. Seeing that it was noisy inside, it seemed like it was open for business.
As I opened the door and went in, I could see at a glance the inside of the bar, which was filled with rough-and-tumble workers. For a moment, all eyes were on me, but everyone soon paid no attention and started talking again.
– ‘A small bar that can be found by going into the second alley from Old Deck’s Central Market Street 3-ga and then turning three times. The company name is Song of the Waves.’
– ‘Please sit alone in the innermost seat as much as possible, order a draft beer and two handfuls of peanuts, and stay still with your robe hat on.’
The method of contact is quite secretive.
I did as I was told and went to a corner seat, ordered a draft beer and two handfuls of peanuts, and sat quietly.
I sat quietly like that for about 10 minutes, but no one spoke to me. In a noisy bar, I seemed strangely alone, sitting alone and drinking beer.
After sitting like that for another 10 minutes…
“Would you like to go on a date, handsome master over there?”
A woman at the bar started talking to me as if she was trying to do business. A red-haired woman wearing a fancy dress looked at me with an alluring gaze and then spoke again.
“To come to a bar alone in broad daylight like this, sit in the innermost seat, order two handfuls of peanuts and a draft beer, and sit alone for over 10 minutes… seems a bit pathetic.”
A tone that seems to emphasize my current situation. This woman’s signal to talk about the exact conditions of the meeting is a signal.
I nodded and said.
“Okay, let’s go out together. “I’ll pay the bill and come back.”
“Oh, you speak so well. Shall we link arms~?”
The bar girl, who smiled skillfully, wrapped her arms around me in such a seductive manner and walked out of the bar.
It was a common sight on the floor of a corner bar like this, so the workers inside the bar didn’t seem to care and were absorbed in their stories.
After leaving the street with the woman, I walked with my arms crossed for a while. Then the woman put her lips to his ear and whispered.
“There are a lot of eyes watching, so you will blend in with the crowd a few times. “I will walk towards the 2nd Market Street as much as possible, in the most crowded direction, and if there are no signs of being followed, I will leave as far as possible.”
“okay.”
I had to walk along the road for almost 30 minutes. I spent some time going back and forth between Old Deck’s lively market and checking out the commercial buildings. The sight of famous commercial buildings whose names everyone knew stretching out along the street was indeed quite magnificent.
After wandering around the streets for a while until I was sure I wasn’t being followed, the woman finally took me by the arm and dragged me into a dark alley nearby.
After turning the corner a few more times, I was able to push through the gap between the buildings with no one passing by.
“It was rude, Master Ed.”
“No, don’t worry. By the way, your expression has changed quite a bit…”
The red-haired woman removed the disguise tools from her face and dusted them off.
That face… the face I often saw in the office of the assistant manager of the Sylvania branch of the Elte Company.
It was Lienna Clemson, Lortel Kecheln’s chief secretary.
“I… I’m not used to this… I have to do it if I need to…” The
sly bar girl was gone, and she was back in the same indecisive secretary form I saw back then.
Rienna Clemson was the only confidant who took Lortel’s side during the Elte Company takeover operation led by Dune Grex.
With that, he completely entered Lortel’s power and became in fact her right-hand man.
Although my indecisive and timid temperament still remains, seeing him so skillfully drag me to a deserted place makes me feel refreshed in handling the work itself.
“I was acting like a bar girl who didn’t fit in… I was sweating so much that my makeup almost came off…” “
So let’s get straight to the point. “Why did you send such a strange letter?”
“…”
Lienna didn’t bother to look around once more, then tied her hair back and took out her glasses and put them on.
After that, I slowly lowered my voice and spoke.
“Lord Lortel was struck by a curse prepared by Slog Keldlux.”
“…what?”
I spoke with narrowed eyebrows.
“You used such violent means?”
“Whether or not it’s violent… Actually, it’s a bit ambiguous… I have to look at it… But if you ask me, yes… it’s violent…”
“I don’t think Lortel will be easily affected by such an overt act of terrorism. Lortel is as good a suspect as Slog, and his magic skills are better than most wizards.”
“that’s right. But… the situation is a bit special…”
“No, no matter how special the situation is… do you really think you can usurp the position of leader in such a reckless way…?”
I heard that Slog Keldlux looks like a sincere and considerate merchant, but inside he is a sinister human being who is raising hundreds of serpents.
This kind of reckless approach does not fit well with the human image of being a slog. On the contrary, it looks like it is ripe for a backlash.
“When you say curse magic, what kind of curse is it? Even if it is a spell that causes instant death, such as blocking breathing or stopping blood flow, it probably won’t work…”
“Yes… In the first place, Assistant Manager Hoeju’s health is not immediately bad… However, he was incapacitated…”
“Then… Is it a suppression curse?”
“Well… it’s similar…”
Secretary Rienna seemed to be at a loss as to how to explain it, so she spoke vaguely.
“It will be easier to understand if you meet the owner of the company in person…”
*
After that, we had to go through the market streets for a while longer.
The scene we were about to see was a top secret even within the Elte Company, and the importance of it was repeatedly explained throughout the trip.
It was worth it. The fact that an important person like Lortel has been neutralized is enough to cause confusion.
Meanwhile, Lienna added the story. At this point, I am the only person who can safely take Deputy Lortel out of this Old Deck without any compensation and protect him well.
From what I heard, Lortel always talked about me to Secretary Rienna whenever he got the chance. I don’t know how deep the story went, but he said that if he was truly cornered and in danger, this person would definitely give him a hand without any compensation…
That is correct.
I am confident that Lortel will definitely help me if I fall into crisis.
So it is natural to guarantee the opposite as well.
A two-arm scale must always remain level.
Since I received something, I just give this and that.
“We have to turn around and go underground from here.”
“Going underground again? “It’s already the third time.”
“It’s necessary.”
After going in and out of the tangled back roads and into the sewer several times, I arrived at the back door of the dingy brick building.
Lienna quietly knocked a couple of times and spoke lines that sounded like an unknown foreign language to the person on the other side of the door. It seemed like it was a password.
After delivering the password, the back door of the old brick building slowly opened. Inside is a dark counter. There was a sturdy man sitting in one corner. Looking at the pattern on the cloak, he was a merchant belonging to the Elte Company.
He bowed his head and greeted Chief Secretary Lienna, then bowed his head to me as well.
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
To that extent, he refrained from showing any politeness and made a movement that seemed to be leading me inside.
Senior Secretary Lienna raised his arm to block the man’s movements and gave orders simply by tilting his head and turning his gaze backwards. I will personally guide you, so please keep guarding the entrance.
The man nodded and closed the door. Rienna led me into the dark hallway.
“It’s an abandoned inn that used to be renovated and is being used secretly. Deputy Hoeju is in the innermost room.”
“Yeah… I wonder if it’s something to hide so deep in.”
After reaching the door of the last room, Secretary Rienna turned her head again and asked me to please.
“It’s a duty of confidentiality. If I say more, it’ll only hurt my mouth. But… don’t… be too embarrassed…”
“Embarrassed…?”
“Well… no, let’s go in first.”
After saying that, Secretary Rienna opened the door.
The scene inside the room was quite brutal.
As it is an abandoned inn that is no longer in business, it is full of old and shabby wooden furniture here and there. A scene in a dark room with no lights on. At the round table in the middle… a familiar girl with auburn hair was sitting with her back to me.
Lortel Kecheln. Anyone could see that it was the back of that colossus. However, I feel a strange sense of discomfort…
“Assistant Manager Hoeju.”
The moment Secretary Rienna entered, calling Lortel like that, Lortel turned his head.
The fact that I felt a momentary sense of discomfort at that lively gesture… did this mean that my intuition was still alive?
“Lienna!”
Lortel jumped off the chair with an angry expression, ran to the door as if showing off, and fell into Rienna’s arms.
It’s so lively that it feels unnatural.
“…”
While I was at a loss for words, Lortel spoke in tears.
“I did as Lienna said, I didn’t go anywhere and just sat still! I was so bored, but Rienna said she would compliment me, so I endured it! As I read the journal diligently, I was also chewing on my memories! Umm~ I couldn’t think of anything…”
“Yes… Assistant Manager Hoeju… you did a good job…”
“Yes! ruler! “Can you pat me on the head?!”
Saying that, he took Lienna’s hand and placed it on his head, humming happily and smiling.
Something… hasn’t your kidneys shrunk a bit? Just when the thought occurred to me… Secretary Rienna spoke.
“Here… he… this person… is Master Ed Rosstaylor…”
“Ah hehe!”
Lortel was startled and quickly hid behind Secretary Rienna’s back, sticking out his head.
She looks up at me nervously, looking like a shy girl, and speaks in a sound that makes a mosquito crawl.
“Ugh… the master… that was written in that diary… I didn’t know… that I would actually see him… so suddenly…” “
Come on, Assistant Manager Hoeju. “It’s not polite to hide behind me like this.”
“Oh, um, wait a minute…
Yeah, I don’t like it…” No matter how you look at her shy and shy appearance, it doesn’t fit her age group.
I stared at Rienna for a moment with a stiff face.
“…”
Is this a new hidden camera? Even if I tried to escape from reality… there was no point…
but… I still had to hear a clear explanation.
“…His height hasn’t decreased as much as expected, but what’s really important is his mental age… As you can see…”
Rienna finished her sentence with difficulty.
“This… that’s how… it happened…” “
…”
“…….”
“……..”
I waited for a moment . I froze, then walked backwards to the center of the room, took out a wooden chair, and sat down.
He just rested his chin and swept his hand around his mouth. I had no choice but to sit there for a while, looking so distressed.
The reason I was sobbing and breaking out into a cold sweat was because I definitely didn’t expect a situation like this.
“Why, why is everyone silent…? I’m so scared…”
Lortel was trembling, holding Rienna’s collar tightly and burying his head in her back.
Sadly, for a while, the only sound that filled the room was the sound of the clothes rubbing against each other.
