How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 89

89. Let’s Learn Magic (12)

Marquis Celond began to speak with a slightly ambiguous tone.

“I’ve heard that the Pilleros Merchant Guild, which is active in the Selvas Kingdom, supplied some of its new potions to the Duchy.”

“…Ah, that’s what you mean.”

Sol’s voice lowered slightly.

This meant that they, too, had detected the movement regarding the supply of the potion itself.

“Not obtaining it is a mistake of the Kalluon Merchant Guild… but it’s not like we have no responsibility either.”

“No, I’m not blaming you for that. I just want to confirm: that guild isn’t under Duke Rupel’s protection, is it?”

They had already confirmed the information that the guild was not backed by any nobles from the Selvas Kingdom, but they needed to hear a direct confirmation, just to be sure.

“As you know, if it were within our jurisdiction, we wouldn’t have shown you such a result.”

This meant that providing the potion to the Duchy was solely their own decision and coincidence, and had nothing to do with this meeting.

Sol made that clear.

“Or, I can pass the word to my master. He will surely take care of anything that bothers you.”

“No. There’s no need for that. Doing so would put a great burden on Duke Rupel.”

More than anything, he didn’t want to create debts by causing unnecessary trouble beyond the transaction.

“I’m asking just in case. If that place happens to be within Duke Rupel’s reach, I don’t want to cause any unnecessary damage.”

“…Ah, that’s what you mean.”

Understanding the meaning, Sol paused for a moment and then replied briefly.

“I understand. The Pilleros Merchant Guild is definitely not within our reach. My master will guarantee that.”

They would never be involved with that potion.

It was as if he had received an indirect answer through Sol.

That answer was enough.

Marquis Celond twisted his lips as if he wanted to say that.

“That’s enough.”

* * *

After reconfirming the assurances regarding future transactions, Sol left.

They didn’t know how he had come all the way here.

Just in case, they had people watch him, but his trail seemed to disappear as soon as he left the territory.

He probably had some suspicious skills.

Well, it didn’t matter.

Right now, they should focus on what they had to do rather than some unknown guy.

“Your Excellency, what was that question you asked him just now?” Krold asked the Marquis, recalling the earlier conversation.

“Hmm? Are you talking about the Pilleros Merchant Guild?”

“Yes. Why did you ask for that confirmation?”

“What do you think it is? You probably already know, don’t you?”

“…”

He wasn’t asking that question because he really didn’t understand.

It was a confirmation.

Rather, he wanted to hear it directly because he had somewhat anticipated his lord’s intentions.

“…Are you going to take care of them?”

“I thought it would be safer that way.”

“Come to think of it,” Krold continued, “I heard a story that a ship transporting that potion was attacked by an Imperial ship but failed.”

“It was disguised as pirates, but in reality, it was orchestrated by someone in the Empire.”

“Could it be that you ordered that as well, Your Excellency?”

“I didn’t use our people. There was a somewhat impulsive young man, so I incited him appropriately.”

“Count Kdel, I presume. But for his knights to fail…”

“I didn’t expect it either. Putting aside that young man’s mistakes… that’s why we might have to eliminate them.”

If they were only concerned about the potion, they might have ignored the Pilleros Merchant Guild.

Or, they might have taken action only against the individual who provided it, worrying about the possible repercussions.

“What is your true intention?” Krold pressed.

“…These are the products that those guys have recently put out with investments,” the Marquis said, opening a drawer inside his desk and placing a few items on top.

“…What’s this?”

“These are their new products.”

“Are those things relevant?”

He knew that merchants put out strange things to collect gold.

Was that anything new?

But the Marquis gestured as if that was the case.

“It’s separate from the Duchy’s affairs. The Third Prince is bothered by it.”

“The Third Prince, you say?”

“It seems that the person who puts out these things is from the Selvas Kingdom. I don’t know who he is, but he said that he might become a nuisance in the future. That’s all.”

Then there was nothing else to say.

Krold closed his mouth.

“…And about that Kdel brat’s ship, did you hear why it failed?”

“No, I haven’t heard.”

“An attack by high-circle magic. A single blow at that. It sank the ship in an instant.”

“…!”

Even he couldn’t help but stiffen at that information.

“…Is it really a merchant guild that Duke Rupel isn’t involved with?”

“Perhaps they hired a single guard with money.”

In any case, they thoroughly denied any involvement.

Then it didn’t matter.

“A merchant guild that hires that kind of talent, a place with knowledge of potions, and someone with the brains to put out new products… It’s unsettling to leave them alone. That’s what the Prince has decided.”

“I understand. Then what? Are you going to take care of the Pilleros Merchant Guild leader right away? Or…”

“No. It would be difficult to deal with the guild leader or the founder right now. The risk is too great.”

“…”

“Ah, I’m not talking about your skills. I’m talking about our position. If I go that far, I’ll be frowned upon by the Imperial Family.”

There was no need to increase the number of enemies right away.

Cutting off a part of their claws is enough.

“It seems that everything originated from the Felpuk branch manager of the Pilleros Merchant Guild—these things, including that potion. It was all done by him and that person from the Selvas Kingdom.”

“Hmm, I see.”

The scope of the sword to be aimed has narrowed.

The meaning is to clean up the Felpuk branch and the things involved with it.

“Anyway, you need to go to Felpuk again for the final transaction. Understand?”

“…I will clean everything up there. I will uproot anything that catches my eye, even a little bit.”

It’s nothing new.

And it’s a simple task.

“One night will be enough.”

It’s a common prejudice that knights only engage in honorable battles.

Rather, knights often wield their swords in places they can’t reveal to others.

The Marquis, seeing Kroll’s attitude of accepting without question or complaint, looked slightly abashed this time.

“I’m sorry to trouble you. Originally, I wouldn’t want to use a talent like you for such a transaction.”

This much is sincere.

There’s no reason to send a cherished knight directly for a mere goods transaction.

The only reason he’s being sent is because it’s dangerous.

Because he doesn’t trust the Selvas Kingdom side that cooperated, he has no choice but to send the most powerful vassal to prepare.

If he supervises with his own eyes, they won’t dare to play tricks.

“You must be busy.”

Above all, he is also responsible for preparing for the upcoming war.

If he were to be involved in everything, it would be quite the heavy labor.

However, Kroll humbly shakes his head.

“It doesn’t matter… Especially if there are those who might become obstacles to the empire’s well-being in the future. That would be a valid reason to go.”

There are no complaints.

“Is that so? Then I’ll leave it to you.”

The Marquis nodded in satisfaction and lowered his voice slightly to give a clear order.

“…Deal with all those involved in the Pilleros Merchant Guild’s Felpuk branch. Including that potion brat, leave no room for any instability.”

At the order, Kroll simply nodded heavily once.

“I will make sure to personally sever their heads.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

He immediately began to move without hesitation.

For the desires they want.

99. Greed and Schemes Move at Night (1)

The location of the Kalluon Merchant Guild’s building had been investigated in advance, so it wasn’t difficult to find.

I went straight there, crossing between the roofs of the buildings using Blink [a teleportation spell or ability].

‘Bouncing around, like some kind of phantom thief…’

Originally, there was no need to move this urgently, but it can’t be helped.

‘Arrived~’

Landing on the building opposite the Kalluon Merchant Guild, I hid while crouching and examined the target.

Since it’s already late, there probably aren’t many people active in the building.

Faint lights move, probably due to the people carrying lamps.

The workers on duty are probably active on the first floor, and the branch manager’s office is on the third floor?

‘For now, there’s no business on the first and second floors… Then, what I should aim for first is the third floor.’

Usually, the manager of such a group makes their residence in a high place.

I focused only on the lit third floor and immediately used Blink to move.

As soon as I entered, I saw the face of a man gaping and frozen, facing this way.

He must be the branch manager of the Kalluon Merchant Guild.

“Oh? You’re here just in time. That’s great, that’s great. It would have been a hassle to wake you up if you were sleeping.”

“You, you! I don’t know who you are, but how dare you here……”

He tried to make a loud noise to announce the presence of the intruder, but.

“Noise is a problem. Be quiet.”

As I simply waved my finger lightly and chanted the spell, mana took shape and spread out, causing a specific phenomenon.

First Circle Magic, Silence [a spell that negates sound].

As the wave subsided, the sound decreased rapidly.

“……! ……!! ……!”

He grabbed his neck and kept screaming when his voice suddenly stopped coming out properly.

But his voice won’t come out properly.

The stack of ledgers piled on the desk fell due to his struggling, but only the dust accumulated on the floor quietly scattered.

It’s the noise effect of Silence.

‘It’s useful.’

As expected, magic has many uses once you learn it.

Only then did the branch manager of the Kalluon Merchant Guild realize that I was not a simple intruder, and his face was filled with terror.

‘But judging from his reaction, that guy doesn’t seem to know my face itself?’

He’s just afraid of an unidentified intruder, not surprised to recognize me, Eilon.

To think you commissioned an assassination guild and couldn’t recognize me… I’m a little disappointed.

I remembered it.

‘I’m tempted to torment you, but that old man isn’t the problem right now…’

Let’s not forget what I have to do.

The reason I came to find him was for investigation.

‘But let’s just get hit once. Just once.’

I took out my sword and struck his temple with the flat of the blade.

He rolled away as he was hit, crashing into the bookshelf and knocking it down, but because of the noise effect, there was no sound, so it was somewhat funny.

‘It’s like watching a silent movie comedy.’

He screams, but only a squeaky, tiny voice can be heard.

I chuckled and summoned a magic chain with the magic of the magic sword.

The chain extending from the blade wrapped around him and hung him appropriately from the ceiling.

‘You just wait there for a moment.’

I kicked him once more to make him stay still, and then turned my gaze to the desk.

The punishment will be given after the business is over.

Before that, I need to know the current situation.

I need to know who the enemies are to decide whether to respond or not.

‘…Hmm? Letters?’

Looking at it, there are several letters placed in one corner of the desk.

Some were sent from other branches, so they were considered trivial, but among them, I found parchment with a clearly different texture.

I paid attention to the wax seal stamped on the envelope.

‘It looks like a family crest from somewhere?’

Due to the limitations of the original work’s description, I can’t recognize such crests at once.

Still, I was concerned, so I quickly scanned the contents of the letter….

‘Tch.’

I immediately searched the bookshelf and violently took out and checked several ledgers with specific dates.

‘I only need to check the ledger records within the past few months since I came here.’

I’m not interested in other transaction details.

I only need to see the dates when the Empire’s ships came in and out.

I roughly know the dates the ships left, so it’s not difficult to find.

‘…There it is.’

As expected, there is a record of transactions with those guys.