How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 90

90. Greed for 100 and Schemes Move at Night (2)

Of course, the ledger recorded them as ‘food,’ or lumber and herbs, not monsters, but it was just a cover anyway, so I ignored it.

‘The name of the trading partner?’

The name listed in the trade ledger was someone’s alias.

I looked at the name of the receiver on the Empire’s side, but I didn’t recognize it.

Probably a pseudonym.

They wouldn’t trade under their real name unless they were crazy.

‘Then, who sent it?’

I focused on the name of the supplier who traded the monsters.

‘Peniles… Ah, is that him?’

I remembered.

It was definitely another alias used by Duke Rupel, one of the villains in the original story, when he was pulling strings behind the scenes.

This was revealed in Volume 6, so it was stored in my memory.

“……This bastard, he’s not going to live long.”

I sighed, looking at the Kalion Merchant Guild branch manager still hanging ridiculously.

According to Duke Rupel’s *modus operandi* [method of operating], anyone related to this name in the original story didn’t live long.

‘Okay. That idiot isn’t the problem right now.’

I tossed the ledger I had finished reading roughly onto the floor.

It’s dangerous.

If the two villains were colluding for a deal, I could easily imagine what would happen here afterward.

Their methods were described several times in the original story, and similar incidents occurred.

‘Once I’m sure, I need countermeasures…….’

Whether it’s evacuation or confrontation, I need to think of a way.

That’s when I, having made up my mind, was about to begin a full-scale interrogation and a repayment for the past rudeness to the Kalion Merchant Guild branch manager.

Pshew!

Something pierced the window and lodged in the branch manager’s forehead.

He spat blood and died with his eyes rolled back.

“Ugh!”

Sniping from outside!

As soon as I realized it, I immediately cast Space Fixation towards the window to block any additional snipes.

Papat Papat!

I saw arrows bouncing off the Space Fixation wall.

“Where the hell?!”

Activating Mana Visualization and Infrared Detection in conjunction.

I searched for the attackers.

As a result, I saw several blue and red afterimages moving far away outside.

Their movements are extraordinary.

Unlike me, they’re purely using their leg strength to move around.

Also, I could see faint traces of mana entangled in the arrow stuck in the branch manager’s corpse.

‘They coated the fired arrow with Aura…….’

I know how difficult that technique is.

Even coating a sword with Aura is quite tricky if you’re not skilled.

But to coat a weapon that leaves your hand and flies through the air with it?

You can’t even attempt it unless you’re at least an upper-level Expert.

If that’s possible… and with a large number of people?

I made that assumption and felt a chill down my spine.

‘Damn it…… Did they already come to silence me?’

I was sure.

The snipers now must be knights sent by Marquis Selond of the Empire.

The purpose must be to silence me.

They wouldn’t want to leave anyone alive who knows that they purchased monsters via the Selvas Kingdom.

It doesn’t matter whether they’re tight-lipped or not.

The surest way to make someone tight-lipped is to get rid of their mouth.

‘So, they were planning to erase the traces after the deal was done…….’

Nothing new.

It’s common to use and discard someone for the sake of secrecy.

‘Especially since the Kalion Merchant Guild would naturally know it was a monster during the transportation process.’

If that information reached the Duchy’s ears before the war broke out, they would try to prepare countermeasures, so they’re trying to cut off the tail like this.

A typical case of using and discarding.

‘Tch, what else would villains do?’

Despicable, despicable.

Thinking that far, I wondered if I could get out of this place first.

The branch manager died like this.

I wanted to torment him and squeeze him dry a little more, but…….

‘It’s his own fault, so there’s no need to mourn him.’

Choosing the wrong trading partner and being destroyed is ultimately his responsibility.

More than anything, my fate is in danger right now, so I can’t pity him.

Unfortunately, the presence of the snipers seemed to be watching this way.

It’s difficult to discern every detail, but it was clear they would do something as soon as they recognized me.

“Of course!”

Having come this far, there’s no way they’d let it go quietly!

“Undine! Gnome!”

I summoned two spirits and simultaneously reached into the subspace, taking out what I had put in there just in case.

Defensive materials I brought just in case.

“Make fine sand and water, now! Quickly!”

While the two spirits hastily repeated my orders, creating sand and water, I tore open the leather sack I had taken out of the subspace and dumped the contents as if throwing them away.

What spilled out was white lime.

“Mix it all together!”

-Okay!

-Mix it!

The spirits hurriedly mixed water, sand, and lime, repeating my orders.

They manipulated the resulting substance with their abilities, creating a wall.

‘Instant cement wall!’

The ratio is ingrained in my instincts from mixing it endlessly during my military service in reality, so there’s nothing difficult about it.

Plus, it’s cement imbued with my special spirit power.

The operability and defense are beyond ordinary cement!

It’s cement in name only, but it’s stronger than an ordinary steel wall!

Papat Papat Papat Papat!

The arrows that flew in as soon as I completed it and used it as cover dug into the cement wall.

The arrows penetrated almost halfway.

‘The strength should be different from ordinary cement, though?!’

The sharpness and maintenance of the opponent’s Aura are extraordinary.

‘I’m glad I brought this…….’

Inside, even if I use Gnome’s power, I can only summon ordinary soil, sand, and rocks, and there’s a limit to their strength.

Still, soil is harder than sand. And rock is harder than soil.

I changed my thinking from there.

Wouldn’t it be better to create even stronger cement and use it as cover by manipulating it with the power of the spirits?

And the effect is indeed good.

‘I can block it for about a minute with this.’

Using the spirit-made cement wall as cover, I pondered how to counterattack.

‘What to do…… I guess those guys aren’t the only ones who came.’

If there’s a sniper team, there must be an assault team too.

Would it be possible to shake them off?

I thought about it for a moment, and it seemed not too difficult if I gave it my all.

In fact, I don’t feel genuinely threatened.

I can respond if I’m determined.

But it’s someone else’s problem.

There’s no reason for me to fight.

The only reason I’m hesitating is one thing.

‘The problem is, will it end if I avoid it?’

It bothers me.

The idea of annihilating the merchants here for the sake of secrecy is unpleasant, but it makes enough sense.

But will they end it with just this place?

‘In the first place, Cruse’s warning also bothered me.’

The ship that tried to attack the Pileros Merchant Guild’s ship during the potion transport must have been sent by the Empire.

If so, there’s a high possibility that the current operation won’t end with just the Kalion Merchant Guild.

‘Rather, killing all these guys would make it look like a random crime…….’

That’s what I would do.

I could just catch a few bandits and blame them.

If the cleanup of the Kalion Merchant Guild is over, the next target is likely to be the Pileros Merchant Guild branch that trades with me.

There was also an additional problem that bothered me.

‘Actually, no matter where I look in the original story’s memories, there’s no mention of the Pileros Merchant Guild…….’

However, looking at the distribution structure here, it was strange.

The Pileros Merchant Guild is definitely a group that can be called a large merchant guild.

Even if it’s not number one, that’s still great enough.

‘Isn’t it strange that such a merchant guild isn’t properly mentioned in the main story?’

Then there’s only one reason.

‘It either doesn’t exist at that point in the original story…… or it’s weakened for some reason.’

There’s a possibility that this attack is the trigger.

If so, the result of this attack could turn their arrows towards me as well.

‘……Haa, this is sickening.’

I thought I had gotten used to being resented or targeted for ridiculous reasons.

I feel like crying because this situation has happened again.

‘But I can’t avoid it.’

It’s a point in time when a line of income is being established for me.

If I lose this place or run away, it will be difficult to get another chance.

‘Then I have to fight to protect it.’

I defeat the opponent to protect my interests.

That’s not just their way of thinking or choice.

It’s a method that I can also take.

‘If it doesn’t work out, that’s something to think about then…….’

Having come this far and witnessed it, it’s ridiculous to quietly slip away.

Let’s fight.

Having made up my mind, I first thought about the list of people I needed to get rid of in my head.

In the meantime, new sounds of slaughter were heard even from the lower floor.

“Y-You guys are what! Uwaaaaaaagh!”

“Kuaaaaaaaagh!”

“Tell them quickly! Call the soldiers, anyone!”

Screams and those screams turn into death throes.

Damn it! There are guys who broke in separately too.

‘First, I have to avoid encountering them indoors.’

I’m not confident in fighting nimble knights in a narrow space like indoors.

‘Should I get out first…….’

I turned my gaze to the window.

The guys shooting arrows from outside are the most annoying.

If it becomes a melee, they might snipe in between.

‘When fighting, you have to deal with the archers first.’

I had Gnome cut the cement wall I was using as cover in half and throw it to the side.

Thud!

A loud noise rang out, and the attacks pouring in from outside focused and shattered the cement wall.

Their sensing ability is quite sharp.

But thanks to that, a gap was created.

‘Okay!’

As long as the attacks are pouring in, they have no choice but to focus on that direction!

I immediately used Teleport to move inside the building next to where they were located.

But there’s no room to relax.

It seems the snipers have already sensed something strange and are looking around.

They must have sensed something.

‘……As expected, trained knights are the most troublesome to deal with.’

I need to take care of them quickly.

‘First, I’ll take care of them one by one for sure.’

Don’t try to catch two rabbits at once.

You have to finish them off one by one for sure.

Muttering that basic principle in my heart, I activated my power.

Creating rocks with Gnome’s power, and.

‘Gravity Control.’

I applied an anti-gravity field that resisted the current weight, directing it upwards.

‘Fire.’

Kwaang!

The rock soared as if bouncing off, piercing the ceiling and surely knocking away one of the knights located above it.

“……What?! Kkeuaaaaaaagh!”

Hit.

I used Teleport to move above the flying knight and immediately prepared for the next attack.

“Okay, one down for now.”

I can’t gauge the enemy’s defensive abilities yet, so let’s hit them as hard as possible.

Creating a rock again, this time I applied a proper gravity field to accelerate it and drop it down.

The impact, several dozen times the original weight, covered the guy.

“Keueok!”

With a death throe and the sound of something breaking, he was buried under the rock I threw, collapsing part of the building’s ceiling and walls.

He’s either dead right away, or he can’t move even if he’s alive.

‘……Is this the strength of their Aura?’

Compared to the Expert-level masters I’ve faced so far, they’re tough, but there’s nothing I can’t defeat with my current power.

While I was contemplating that fact, the remaining knights reacted and acted.

“You! Where!”

“Dare to kill Zess! I won’t forgive you!”

They gritted their teeth, seeing the end of their comrade, and rushed towards me.

It’s a terrifying murderous intent.

‘It’ll be difficult to get rid of them easily this time.’

Moreover, it’s troublesome if they even cooperate.

Then I’ll break that cooperation first.

I chanted a spell and activated magic.

“Mind Chaos.”

A 2-circle mental interference magic.

The effect isn’t that great.

At best, it only interferes with the opponent’s mind and makes their head noisy.

According to Cruse, it feels like someone is constantly making the sound of filing iron in your head.

It’s truly terrible.

“Keuek! Ears! Even if I cover my ears, there’s a strange sound!”

“Do you think such tricks will work!”

They gritted their teeth and endured as if resisting my magic, but their movements became clumsy.

Good. My power works on them too.

It’s proof that there’s no need to be afraid of knights unconditionally.

‘……Probably, since they’re Marquis Selond’s subordinates, there won’t be any enemies I can’t handle except for one.’

Thinking of the most threatening knight, I immediately switched to attack.

I have to get rid of them quickly.

The effect of this magic only lasts for about 30 seconds at best.

Besides, they won’t be fooled twice.

The disadvantage of mental interference is that once you’re hit, you temporarily develop resistance, so the more you repeat it, the lower the success rate.

I’ll deal with them before that.