How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 185

185. Turning the Tables (6)

Buying supplies went smoothly, just as I’d expected.

It wasn’t a famine, so food supplies were plentiful. More importantly, any merchant would welcome a customer spending a lot of money.

The merchants and residents greeted me with beaming smiles.

“Here, take this too!”

“How often do we get a customer like you? Here’s a little extra!”

They were so generous with the freebies that I didn’t have to worry about starving for a while.

“See? I told you money could buy anything.”

“…I suppose so.”

Using Space Control [a magical ability to manipulate objects in space], I sent the massive amount of goods I’d purchased flying towards the tower, boasting to Dires, who had followed me to keep watch.

See? Money is the best!

Dires, on the other hand, wore a slightly complicated expression.

“…Indeed, we could never have managed this on our own.”

“Well, it can’t be helped. It’s not your fault.”

Firstly, they didn’t have that much money to begin with, but more importantly, they couldn’t make the deals themselves.

Naturally, the residents didn’t know their circumstances.

There was no particular malice.

But they stood out just by their appearance.

Beastmen, of course, and even Dires, an Elf, were more conspicuous than ordinary humans.

Although they were hiding their appearances under hoods, they weren’t suspected because I was with them.

Besides, they were already wanted.

But I was just an ordinary human, so no one would suspect me.

At least, not for the time being.

“We can only do this once or twice more. Before long, it will be difficult for me to enter the city as well.”

I wasn’t suspected yet for defeating the soldiers who kidnapped me, but I figured it was only a matter of time before suspicion fell on me.

“So, we should buy as much as we can while we still can.”

Not just food.

We should also buy various supplies and herbs.

I didn’t mind getting some suspicious looks.

“Next, let’s go get some herbs. Elder Elmelrot asked me to buy some on the way, didn’t he?”

“Y-yes… let’s do that…”

Dires dazedly started to follow me, looking flustered.

It was hard to believe he was the same man who had doubted whether it was the right choice to accept my help, looking at me with skeptical eyes.

* * *

The next problem was the mercenaries who kept pouring in.

They were a pain in the neck.

“This morning, a group of mercenaries was snooping around the tower, trying to assess its condition.”

I immediately gathered everyone and started discussing how to deal with them.

“I think it’s quite troublesome to leave the mercenaries who are flocking here because of the lord’s request unattended. Don’t you agree?”

Shouldn’t we take some measures?

I suggested, but everyone’s reaction was lukewarm.

“…They don’t know anything. In fact, Aileon, you came along without knowing anything, didn’t you?”

“That’s true, but it’s honestly annoying that mercenaries are flocking here for the reward.”

“Annoying, is it?”

“Yes. Very annoying.”

I continued.

“So far, only B-rank and occasionally A-rank mercenaries have come, but stronger mercenaries might come after hearing the rumors.”

Maybe someone stronger than me would come.

“…That would be troublesome.”

“I’ve heard there are some real monsters among the mercenaries?”

“Wouldn’t that be terrible?”

Everyone’s faces turned ashen.

They must have imagined what I said.

“Then, how about appealing to the Mercenary Guild?”

One of the beastmen cautiously offered his opinion.

To tell the Mercenary Guild everything.

“That’s not a good idea.”

“I wouldn’t recommend it.”

However, I slowly shook my head, and the alchemist Elmelrot also looked reluctant.

It’s not that I’m denying everything.

At least, the Mercenary Guild isn’t a group that readily commits evil deeds.

“The problem is the people connected to the lord behind the scenes.”

“Behind the scenes?”

“That lord probably didn’t orchestrate everything.”

I couldn’t reveal everything, but I just said that there were suspicious people behind the lord.

Of course, I was sure of it.

In the original story, the Continental Integration Society [a shadowy organization with nefarious goals] was definitely involved in their annihilation.

“I see. It’s true that the lord is suspicious.”

Elmelrot also easily agreed, as if he had something in mind.

“There’s a possibility that troublesome intervention might occur before it’s even conveyed to the guild, or during the process.”

The Continental Integration Society was about to execute their plan, so they wouldn’t leave any factors of instability unattended.

They might even attack us first.

Then I couldn’t guarantee that I could protect them completely.

“That can’t be.”

A beastman youth with drooping dog ears looked troubled.

His name was Jillon. He was one of the guys who fought me on the first day I came here. He was riding the weapon Elmelrot made, wasn’t he?

“Aileon, does that mean we have to leave them alone like this?”

“No. We don’t have to.”

I quietly said that there was a way.

“We can make the mercenaries give up the request and retreat on their own.”

“…How do we do that?”

“It’s simple.”

I grinned and suggested.

“Mercenaries will run away as soon as the job isn’t worth the cost.”

And the way to make them come to that conclusion is very simple.

“If they feel a real threat to their lives, they’ll run away on their own.”

Of course, I had a plan in mind.

I knew their way of thinking well.

Because I’m a similar type.

The heart of a petty person is known by another petty person.

* * *

As I secretly went in and out of the city using teleportation to check the atmosphere, it seemed that the mercenaries who had been hired again were starting to volunteer for the exploration of the ruins tower.

I soon received information that the newly hired mercenaries were forming a search party and departing again.

Damn it.

They won’t give up.

That’s why I’m going to drive a wedge in this opportunity.

“…Aileon, they’re here.”

As I was hiding and waiting, Dires silently jumped down and told me that the mercenaries hired were coming.

“Are you sure?”

“There’s no mistaking it. …More than anything, they brought soldiers and knights with them. There’s no doubt.”

Now that I think about it, I wondered if the reason why the lord’s forces accompanied them was to monitor them and silence them if necessary.

If I had revealed their identities on the spot, they would have tried to kill us right away.

It wouldn’t have been a threat to me, but the situation would have become more troublesome.

“Well, everyone else, please be careful not to come near as it’s dangerous.”

When I asked, Dires nodded silently and disappeared somewhere.

He was going to join those who were watching nearby just in case.

‘Then, shall we start right away…’

I’m going to drive the mercenaries away so that they can’t even come near the ruins tower.

But I have no intention of killing them.

Most of them are people who don’t know anything.

Not everyone is good, and even if they know the truth, there will be guys who will side with the lord.

‘People aren’t just righteous.’

Sadly, most of them will stick to the lord if they raise the reward a little.

However, it’s too much to kill them just because there’s a possibility.

“Then let’s start.”

I signaled and drew up spirit power.

“Fluorite, Salamander. I need you to suffer a little.”

What I needed for the plan was Fluorite’s shadow and Salamander’s flame.

With just these two things, I’m going to drive away the mercenaries and make sure they’re reluctant to take on this request.

“Let’s start!”

When I signaled, the two spirits raised their power and began to release it as if answering.

The shadow gathered by Fluorite becomes enlarged and swells up, taking shape to almost half the size of the tower.

“Make the shape as grotesque as possible~.”

While making numerous tentacles, the shape is made more grotesque as I instructed.

From a distance, it would look like an unidentified monster.

And.

The verdant flames spewed by Salamander cling to the shadow and wrap around it.

The firepower isn’t too strong, so it’s okay.

“Living things instinctively avoid fire.”

Moreover, the green flames will look even more ominous.

“Well, I think this is enough.”

I confidently tilted my head and looked at the homemade monster I had created.

If someone who doesn’t know anything sees it, it might look like a monster with its whole body burning by inflating the shadow as much as possible and covering it with fire.

It’s like something crawled up from the bottom of hell.

That’s important.

“Well~ then, shall we go play a prank~.”

Of course, not a bad prank, but a truly righteous prank.

It’s okay. I won’t kill you~.

What if you get hurt or broken somewhere?

Later, I’ll secretly leave a special Aileon potion comprehensive gift set in front of your accommodation.

More than anything, it’s all their responsibility for not being able to judge the truth of the request for those who make a living by doing mercenary work.

I chuckled and snapped my fingers.

* * *

Whether the mercenaries will continue to accept the ruins tower exploration request or not.

When they were worried about that.

The lord of this place made a decision.

That is to raise the reward significantly.

He would give 25 gold coins if he achieved the request and brought some results.

Originally, due to a conflict of opinions, the guild side agreed to adjust the reward that the lord had to pay in consideration of his face.

However, the lord immediately raised the reward amount.

As if he had no intention of giving up the ruins tower exploration itself.

He showed that obsession.

That was more than enough to hold the mercenaries back.

The reward was too good to hesitate about the danger.

It’s suspicious, but what about it. Wouldn’t it be okay to just eat gold coins and get out with moderate results?

Naturally, the mercenaries were mesmerized by the gold coins, and rather, those who were returning began to appear.

Even if it wasn’t as good as before, quite a few people accepted the request.

Accordingly, a new exploration team was formed again.

And they headed to the ruins tower again.

Just without knowing anything.

“…If you think about it, wasn’t the fuss about being dangerous a fuss?”

Someone suddenly said that while heading towards the tower.

The person who made that statement was B-rank mercenary Pullit [a mid-level mercenary].

And the C-rank rookie mercenary [a low-level, inexperienced mercenary] who was walking right next to him asks back as if he was puzzled.

“Yes? What is a fuss?”

“Didn’t there used to be a mercenary who made a fuss about this request being dangerous a while ago?”

“…I don’t know very well.”

He didn’t try to avoid answering, but he really didn’t know.

Because the new mercenary hasn’t been here for a few days.

But I heard rumors.

There was a controversy over whether the request was more difficult than the regulations.

In the end, there was a commotion such as applying for the deliberation to the guild headquarters.

Pullit snorted as if laughing at what happened at that time.

“Well, thanks to that, the request fee went up and the troublesome cowards decreased, so it’s a cheer.”

Thanks to the commotion, there are mercenaries who left to save their bodies, but on the contrary, there are those who shine their eyes, saying it’s an opportunity.

Most of those who remain so far are those people.

Moreover, since the reward has been raised, those who left must look foolish in their eyes.

“Anyway, this means our share has increased. More than anything, the reward has increased. Very good! Isn’t it?”

Other mercenaries don’t openly pretend to agree, but they just shrug their shoulders appropriately and pretend to agree.

“Puhuhuhuhup! Let’s make a proper hit and make those cowards feel sick!”

Pullit, who had instigated once, made eye contact with the knight who turned around and listened to his remarks.

There are no special words between each other, but Pullit’s and the knight’s eyes remain entangled for a few seconds.

It’s a gaze mixed with strange opinions.

In fact, Pullit received a small reward from the knight before departure and received a request.

Please instigate other mercenaries while departing.

The previous commotion was a fuss made by cowards who were nothing.

Please create that atmosphere.

Of course, only rookies fall for petty words.

The rest just ignore it because they don’t want to argue.

However, these people are not silent because they have no place to believe in.

There are two A-rank mercenaries in this exploration team.

Even if the concerns of those who gave up the request are true, this number of people can solve it sufficiently.

Shaking off the anxiety, the mercenaries headed to the ruins tower.

It will arrive in just a few more hours of marching.

“Then take a rest at the destination where you arrive…”

That’s what A-rank mercenary Silrun, who was in charge of the leader of this request, said as he was about to move forward.

Suddenly the sky darkened.

A large shadow formed around it as if clouds were covering the sky.

The mercenaries were puzzled and reflexively raised their heads upwards.

And they all lost their words.

There’s something there.