How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 99

99. Greed and Schemes Move in the Night (11)

“When our people went out to check, they said Mr. Aileen was collapsed there,” Lowell said, with a sigh, as he explained what happened when he found me after hearing I had woken up.

“Since someone recognized Mr. Aileen, they immediately moved him to our shelter.”

“……Haha. I owe you my life.”

“Well? Even when we moved you, Mr. Aileen’s injuries had already begun to heal, and there was nothing else we could do.”

My serious wounds were healing on their own because I had learned the regenerative ability.

Even so, if they hadn’t moved me, I don’t know what would have happened.

Someone else might have found me.

“Even so, I owe you my life. Really.”

I readily expressed my gratitude again.

Lowell also bowed politely.

“We are also in a position to express our gratitude. More than anything, it would have been difficult if Mr. Aileen disappeared right now.”

“Well, I hope it continues to be difficult in the future. By the way, where is this? It doesn’t look like Pelpuk.”

“It’s Kusel. It’s a village about six days away from Pelpuk.”

“Six days…… Huh? Come to think of it, how many days have I been out for?”

I thought it was just a day or two, but it wasn’t?

“It’s been about nine days today.”

“I was out for nine days…….”

I’m already dizzy thinking about what would have happened if they hadn’t picked me up.

“A lot has happened in the meantime. Frankly, I wish I could just lie down and sleep for nine days next time.”

A sudden attack and massacre.

Lowell took the surviving members of the Merchant Guild and fled, so the damage to Pileros was less than expected, but other places were said to be severely affected.

When I asked, he explained that too.

“There are no survivors at the Kalon Merchant Guild branch, including the branch manager.”

“I guess so. I saw that too.”

“In addition, similar tragedies have occurred in several other merchant guilds.”

“Maybe… well… I’m not sure, but I must have gotten unlucky and got caught up in it.”

I might have been caught while digging into the Kalon Merchant Guild.

“What about the response? What did the lord say about this?”

“That’s another problem… The lord seems to be claiming it was the work of bandits. …It’s truly regrettable, but that’s all there is to it.”

Of course, since it had come to this, those who witnessed the commotion, and the families and acquaintances of the victims, demanded an explanation from the lord about the tragedy.

In that regard, the lord was firm.

Bandits infiltrated the city and caused the tragedy.

He did not budge from that claim at all.

‘He must have taken a bribe. He must have enjoyed it very much.’

I sighed.

It’s a relief that the damage here is relatively small.

I can’t help everyone.

I should be relieved for now.

“…….”

Lowell probably noticed that he didn’t ask for the details.

There’s no point in asking, and even if I told him the truth, it would only cause trouble.

‘Since the powerful are colluding with each other, there’s a limit to what I can do, and I don’t want to get involved in detail.’

It’s annoying, but it’s not worth it to attack right now.

I’ll make them pay the price someday.

Anyway, that lord will be abandoned in a similar way.

Those who abandon easily will be abandoned in the same way someday.

That is the law of this world.

Evil does not perish because someone punishes it. It destroys itself.

“The problem is what happens next… We can’t just keep hiding like this forever.”

“I think if we’re careful for a few days, the rest will be fine,” I said to Lowell, who was worried.

“……Won’t the people who did this be busy with other things soon? They won’t have the time to bother with a branch manager and so on.”

Marquis Celond will soon start a war with the Duchy as planned.

This incident won’t affect that schedule.

Conversely, it would be a problem if it did.

Anyway, the territory war itself is a story that should proceed as in the original work.

And Marquis Celond will lose his life due to his self-inflicted downfall, according to the original development.

Then hooray.

‘What bothers me is that damn Aura Master Krowld. That tin can.’

I went back and checked the messages that the status window had notified me of over the past nine days.

…….

Acquisition of influence points due to the battle with those guys.

Some increase in stats due to that experience.

As I was quickly checking the harvest, I realized something important.

There was a separate fact to be notified.

What does this mean?

‘Huh? That tin can Krowld, does that mean he didn’t die?’

Come to think of it, there was no message saying that I had killed anyone.

Only points were generated due to my actions.

‘That tin can, he didn’t die.’

I thought that might be the case, but he really flew hundreds of meters, broke the pier, and was thrown into the sea, and he still didn’t die.

……Wow, is that human?

‘Well, it seems like he’s returned to his home country. Anyway, he’s going to die fighting in the war later.’

When I think about it, it might be better not to kill him.

Krowld originally has his role.

If he dies, the original story might be twisted.

‘Well, the fight with him was a win for me.’

The guys involved after that will be taking the train to the afterlife on their own, so if I hold out until then, there will be no future troubles.

Please, our protagonist!

Please defeat the villains.

I prayed slightly.

‘……It was tough, but I survived, so that’s enough.’

At least I don’t regret what I went through.

In addition, the evolution to an intermediate spirit was achieved earlier than expected, using the sense of crisis as a catalyst, so I didn’t just lose out.

As expected, a crisis makes people stronger.

You become stronger when you become desperate.

That’s not happy at all.

In fact, I don’t want to experience any crises.

‘Even so, there’s still a need to get stronger… The pursuit of power is endless.’

I realized that I might have been complacent because I had gained a little power recently.

‘Krowld was the ‘weakest’ Aura Master in the world, right?’

What if it wasn’t him, the last seat, but the next strongest Aura Master in the 7th seat who came?

‘I would have died immediately.’

It’s terrifying just to imagine.

What if the same situation happens again?

Could I beat him with the way I am now?

‘I can’t guarantee it right now.’

The victory now was achieved somehow through his carelessness, the right situation, and a miracle.

It’s impossible a second time.

It became an opportunity to realize the need to build strength even more desperately.

At least to avoid this kind of hardship when I meet an enemy of the same level in the future.

Luck may not continue.

And if I ever meet him again, I must defeat him then.

Let’s get stronger.

However, one thing bothers me.

His remarks.

A statement implying what triggered this attack.

‘What was so offensive? The Marquis and… that person?’

The Marquis must be referring to Celond.

Who is that person after that?

‘The only mastermind in Volume 4 is the Third Prince of the Empire? Did he order the massacre?’

But that’s all I know.

It is a factor that is difficult to guess even though I know the original work.

Even if I know the result, it is difficult to know the detailed motives of the person in question.

* * *

Imperial border, Marquis Celond’s territory.

“Duke Celond, I always appreciate your hard work. Hehehe. Yes, I know it well. I know it so well.”

Marquis Celond couldn’t tell whether he was being praised or mocked.

In front of him, who was embarrassed and couldn’t make eye contact, a young man with white hair savored the scent of the tea and continued.

“I know that Duke Celond always follows my instructions well.”

“……I, I am honored, Your Highness Avil.”

The Third Prince of the Empire, Avil Rupalette Gelunaos.

The royal family member stared only at the tea water that he had not even touched and said.

“I want to applaud Duke Celond’s refreshing decision to destroy a city in another country just to silence someone.”

“I… I am honored.”

‘No, wasn’t it Your Highness who ordered it!’ The Marquis barely swallowed the words and fidgeted.

Of course, he didn’t directly order, ‘Do it!’

However, the Third Prince certainly showed his displeasure, and that was as good as an order.

In fact, he doesn’t blame the Marquis’s actions themselves.

Clearly, he must have understood the meaning correctly.

The problem is always the result.

“And the results you produce exceed my imagination.”

The Marquis’s shoulders flinched.

“To think that there would only be one person who survived after carrying out the mission. I was truly impressed when I heard that news. Is that it? The fewer people who know about the tragedy, the better? You’re such a cruel friend. You’re so ruthless, throwing everything away.”

“…….”

There’s no way that could be true.

Marquis Celond had to tremble.

It’s clear mockery.

Only one person returned after carrying out the mission: Krowld.

He should have been horrified to see that he was injured to the point where it wouldn’t be strange if he died at any moment.

What on earth happened?

That Aura Master was defeated? The last seat of the Empire’s Eight Swords [elite knights]?

It’s an unbelievable thing.

“Yes. So I’m curious to know who defeated the last seat of the Empire’s Eight Swords. I came all the way here to hear that. Won’t you tell me?”

“……Sir Krowld has not yet recovered. It will take more time to inquire about the details.”

“Oh, well, I can’t help it. I’ll leave it to the healers I brought. They’ll be able to recover him in time.”

When the Prince said he would put in the healers he was directly taking with him, Marquis Celond bowed his head sincerely.

“Th, thank you, Your Highness Avil…….”

“What, you guys will have to achieve great results soon. I can help you that much.”

The Third Prince put down his teacup with a subtle smile.

He still doesn’t touch the tea water.

When the Marquis saw that the tea had cooled and tried to order the maid to pour a new one, the Prince just shook his head.

“Hehe. Don’t you know? I don’t drink anything outside. I don’t eat anything.”

I heard rumors.

No one in the Imperial Palace has ever seen Avil eat or drink anything.

Of course, I think it’s an exaggerated rumor.

Maybe he’s wary of poisoning.

It’s understandable.

“……Even so. It’s a matter of etiquette…….”

“That’s enough. Stop it. I don’t like unnecessary things.”

The Third Prince threw the teacup back casually as if he didn’t care.

Clang!

Only the sound of the teacup breaking echoes.

It was like saying, ‘I don’t need to pour tea anymore, right?’

The Marquis couldn’t say anything more because of his reckless attitude.

“Come to think of it, the one who sank Duke Kdel’s ship was also a magician who had reached a very high level.”

“Yes. Then maybe…… the one who defeated Sir Krowld. Is it him?”

“That makes sense. Come to think of it, I heard that one of the talents from the White Tower [a mage organization] was released into the world and was wandering around in the Selbas Kingdom. What’s his name…… Hmm. I don’t know, I don’t know. I’m not interested.”

It’s natural that the Prince doesn’t know.

The White Tower has no connection with the Empire.

The place connected to the Empire is the Red Tower.

The problem is that the relationship between the Red Tower and the White Tower is the worst.

So it’s natural that news of the White Tower’s talent doesn’t reach the Empire.

Rather, how does the Prince know the situation in the Selbas Kingdom to that extent?

The Marquis was impressed by that point.

“Even if it’s not him, it’s not impossible. Recently, there was also someone who was said to have defeated a vampire in one night. They also have a lot of talent. I’m jealous.”

“……Who is that? More than that, I have never heard of such information…….”

“That’s enough. I don’t know the name. I just heard it occasionally.”

The Marquis didn’t ask anymore.

He knows that the Prince’s information source route is abnormal even in his opinion, so he knows that there’s no point in asking.

When I think about it, I was also bothered by the fact that he expressed displeasure with the new products of the Pileros Merchant Guild.

Then what was the Third Prince wary of?

“Oh? Duke Celond, are you curious about the reason?”

The Third Prince smiled as if he had noticed Marquis Celond’s thoughts.

“Ah, no…… that’s not it.”

“That’s enough. There’s nothing more cruel than giving someone a job without telling them the details.”

The Prince gestured to the guard he was taking with him, as if he had a whim.

He soon brought a piece of parchment with something written on it.