The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 47

47.

As the dawn gradually brightened, the city’s watchtower came into view. Brienne, the thief, arrived first on a low hill, gazing down at the city.

“Leda Cable. You’re here quickly.”

“It’s smaller than I imagined. Is this city really home to the Empire’s largest black market?” asked Willis, the spearman, with a hint of amazement. Brienne scoffed.

“The city above ground is just a facade. Leda Cable’s true nature is revealed in the underground city. Didn’t you know?”

“Underground city?”

“There’s an urban area formed underground that’s twice the size of the one above. The Thieves’ Guild controls security down there.”

“Doesn’t the esteemed lord know about that?”

“Of course, he knows. He receives protection money from the Thieves’ Guild. The income is so lucrative, why would he interfere?”

The Empire’s largest black market, huh… Rain also scanned the cityscape with interest. However, the city above ground seemed unremarkable.

“What business does a prestigious family have in such an obviously wicked place?” Rain wondered. In his mind, those with strange collecting habits were usually shady old men. Hirpien, however, was young and had a bright personality.

Willis, the spearman, chuckled. “You’re young and naive. Rich women are often the most avid collectors. They like to show off to other families’ daughters.”

“That’s often true, but it’s not that simple with that young lady,” Brienne said, gesturing subtly towards the carriage. Hirpien had been taking gayageum [a traditional Korean zither] lessons from Yanar since yesterday for an additional fee.

Perhaps because she had grown up with music, she was learning quickly, unlike Rain, which was quite enviable.

“The Dialle family’s wealth grew through trade. There’s an interesting rumor circulating about their family’s succession ceremony.”

“What is it?”

“When the head of Dialle gets old, the children scatter around the world to bring back valuable treasures. The Dialle who brings back the most valuable treasure inherits the family.”

Hmm… A meritocracy unique to merchant families, huh? It seemed like a pretty good system. To acquire treasures, one would need the skills to match, whether it be eloquence, connections, or wealth.

Unlike Rain, who nodded in agreement, Willis yawned, seemingly bored.

“What’s the point of knowing all that? It’s not complicated, is it? We just have to protect that young lady, return, and get paid.”

When they arrived at the city’s south gate, a long line had already formed. Most groups had seasoned bodyguards; if they weren’t adventurers, mercenaries in chainmail were escorting the carriages.

They showed invitations to the gatekeepers and also handed over some money. Rain looked on with curiosity, and Bardwell, the guard captain, explained, “You have to pay a fee to the lord to buy and sell goods in the black market. Nothing to be surprised about.”

“The lord is in on it too, huh?”

“What else is new? Everyone, gather around,” Bardwell said. His henchman approached with a bundle of parchment, handing one to each of the adventurers and family guards.

“This is the item we must obtain this time.”

Painted on the parchment with excellent skill was… a music box.

The colors and features were noted, but the most distinctive feature was the inscription on the bottom: ‘To my beloved Brenna’.

Hmm, truly a prestigious family. The music box was the only musical recording device that emerged with the invention of the clock, making it a luxury item that was both expensive and rare.

“The soldiers will move in pairs. If you find it, one person will continue to negotiate to prevent anyone else from buying it, and the other will come to inform the young lady.”

Hirpien smiled and concluded, “If the item is confirmed, I don’t care what condition it’s in. I don’t care how much it costs, just find it.”

The adventurers were assigned other tasks befitting their roles as bodyguards.

“Brienne, I want you to patrol the area and look for anyone with strange intentions or murderous intent.”

“Got it.”

“Yanar, it’ll be difficult for you to respond to sudden combat situations, so take a position where you can monitor the entire route of the group and stand by for emergencies.”

“Understood.”

“Willis and Rain, you two are the young lady’s direct bodyguards along with me. No matter what happens, you must protect the young lady.”

No matter what happens… At the time, I lightly dismissed those words as a cliché. How could I have known that such a thing would happen?

* * *

Leda Cable’s underground city was nicknamed the Ant Cave. This was because there were a dozen holes in the ground that led to the underground city.

However, VIPs who received invitations like Hirpien could descend by taking a hoist from the Thieves’ Guild headquarters in the center of the city.

Clatter, clatter… Clang.

In the stench of sewage and rot… the party scattered in different directions, amidst the foul odor that made one’s brow furrow.

─Come on, potions you can’t even find outside! With the power of black magic…

─Take a look at this. A rare species of snake…

─An ancient cursed spear obtained from Trident Point…

Inside the Ant Cave, merchants in suspicious attire were enthusiastically soliciting customers, each with their own mat spread out.

Certainly, there were only rare items that could not be seen above ground. There were also items that, just by possessing them, would lead to passionate dates with the ‘Golden Children’ [term for wealthy, influential people].

And beyond that commotion, I could also feel unfriendly gazes looking this way.

‘The Thieves’ Guild only manages the Ant Cave and does not interfere in disputes that occur outside…’ or so they say.

For example, even if you followed someone who looked rich or bought an item you wanted and ambushed them on a dark road, the guild would not intervene.

However, things were different inside the Ant Cave. If you tried to cause a dispute, the guild would immediately intervene and beat you to a pulp.

Willis, the spearman, walked at the front with his spear menacingly slung over his shoulder, Hirpien and Bardwell were in the safe center, and Rain was at the rear.

“Can I ask you something?”

While lightly browsing the stalls and looking for a book about Toureina, Hirpien put her hands behind her back and spoke.

“Why did you take on this escort request for the black market?”

“…Why do you want to know?”

“It doesn’t seem like you took on the request for money. Unlike the adventurers, your skin is incredibly smooth. No matter how I look at it, you seem like a nobleman’s son.”

That was correct.

That was a part of Rain’s life that had been comfortable in the mansion that could not be disguised. Maybe Lynn could.

“If I’m right, you seem to be that Rain Ludwig, the top freshman of this year’s Dellaiten [presumably a prestigious academy or school]?”

“…!”

“But why did you take on this mission? You came here to find something to buy in the black market, right?”

Judging that there was no need to hide it, I nodded.

“Oh~ What is it? What did you come to find? I’m curious.”

“A book about Toureina.”

“Toureina… Ah, that famous shaman?! Why?”

Why… To answer that question sincerely, I might have to stay up all night.

That I am Lynn, the archmage of 300 years ago, and Toureina was the first disciple I ever taught.

But I had no obligation to answer that sincerely. A moment of silence passed, but I naturally feigned ignorance.

“I’m a mage too. I’m very interested in big shots like Toureina. But I can’t find any books these days.”

“Heeeuuum.”

“So, what about you? Why did you come here? Because of the family’s succession ceremony?”

Then Hirpien widened her eyes slightly as if surprised, and then smiled and shook her head.

“No, it has nothing to do with the succession ceremony.”

“Then what is that item?”

“It’s an item that my grandfather lost when he was captured by pirates a long time ago. But it was a memento of my great-grandmother who passed away when I was a child.”

A memento, huh…

Come to think of it, what happened to Lynn’s belongings? The diary came to me, but what about the others? Are they still with the corpse?

“He spent his whole life trying to get it back, but he couldn’t find it. In the spring, my grandfather would whistle the melody of that music box while looking into the distance and crying.”

“……”

“Now my grandfather doesn’t have long to live. I came here with the hope of making him smile at least at the end. Does that answer your question a bit?”

Looking at Hirpien’s bright smile, a sudden, sad realization came to me.

I don’t know anything.

What Rista likes the most, what Frida and Keyes like… and what food Toureina likes the most.

‘Because I didn’t try to find out.’

I didn’t try to learn more about those guys while traveling together for five years. Why? Because I didn’t know we would part so suddenly?

“What, what, was this such a touching story that you’re crying?”

I didn’t think I was crying, but a stream of hot water was flowing down my cheek. I wiped away the tears and shook my head.

“No, it’s because there’s too much dust underground.”

“Hey, don’t be shy… Oh, they’re selling books over there. Maybe it’s there?!”

The place Hirpien pointed to, unlike the other merchants, had a stall and had a mountain of books piled up.

For a moment, a slight tremor occurred in my heart. Is this the emotion of anticipation?

As I cautiously approached, the owner with a plump face and a thick beard raised his head.

“Well, well. What are you looking for, young wizard?”

“Do you have a book about Toureina?”

“Toureina, ah, of course! You’ve come to the right place! I brought three copies, but two have already been sold, so I only have one left. The one in the best condition!”

Compared to the other books that were not well-treated, the owner brought a book that was carefully kept in the corner.

『The Life and Achievements of Lynn and Frida’s Disciple, the Shaman of Cigarette Ash, Toureina.』

I swallowed hard. It was the book that the librarian Karen had brought me in the library. The condition was also quite good. The problem was the price of the book.

“Just give me seven gold coins.”

“Seven gold coins? Are you kidding me? Unless it’s a first edition, you have to offer a reasonable price!”

“Hehe! I’m giving you a cheap price, young man!”

“Seven gold coins is cheap?”

“Yes! These days, the ‘Golden Children’ are looking for anything related to Toureina with their eyes wide open. If it’s known that I sold this in the black market, I’ll be burned at the stake!”

Is that so? It’s getting more and more incomprehensible. What exactly did Toureina do to come to this…

“So, I’m selling this at the risk of my life. If you’re not going to buy it, get out of here! Shoo! There are plenty of people who will buy it even if it’s not you.”

It was a disaster.

The reward of five coins for hunting the Rat-Spider Queen and the reward of two coins received from the Alliance…

If I had brought all of that, it would have been enough, but buying the lord with one coin at that time was the root of the problem. I thought three gold coins would be enough.

At that time, gold flashed in the corner of my vision. The merchant’s mouth, where that gold was reflected in his eyes, was torn into a smile.

“Here are seven coins. Give me that book.”

That was… Hirpien. Even while spending a huge amount of money, she was just smiling.

“Of course, of course! Here it is!”

As soon as she received the book from the owner, she flipped through the book to check its condition and nodded.

“No problem. Is this the book you were looking for?”

And just when I thought she was going to hand it over to Rain willingly… I reached out to grab it, but I felt a strange sense of wariness.

“Why are you doing this…?”

“My grandfather said that I have good luck with people. It can’t be helped. Since I was young, I could smell the scent of luck whenever I met someone.”

“The scent of luck?”

“To be exact, should I call it intuition? I don’t know how to explain it, but…”

Muttering like that, Hirpien handed the book to Rain and winked.

“This is an investment in connections. For some reason, if I make a good relationship with you, it feels like tremendous luck will come.”

In a daze of joy, Rain held the ‘Life of the Disciple’ tightly in her arms.

Just a vague intuition… Hirpien would never have known while giving that gift of goodwill.

That the person she was giving a gift of goodwill to was the reincarnation of the Archmage of the Hero Party 300 years ago. That she had indebted such a human being.

“…That intuition seems to be really accurate.”

* * *

Ant Cave, 11th Hole.

A member of the Thieves’ Guild, leaning against a wall damp with sewage and checking passersby, frowned.

“What are these guys again?”

It was a pair of men and women wearing dark blue robes. The tall man was expressionless, and the short woman was constantly shaking her feet as if she was very agitated.

“Are these guys openly crazy? Why are they wearing those kinds of clothes? Are you black mages or something? I’m so dumbfounded.”

If the thief had an understanding of magic, he would have sensed the magic power wriggling madly in her body right now and stepped back…

The thief, who did not sense the murderous intent of the magic power, put his hand on her shoulder as if pushing her away… and at that moment, starting from his hand, his arm, upper body, face, and legs swelled up and exploded, scattering blood in all directions.

The explosion was transmitted through the blood, and a dozen thieves who were standing next to him and were splattered with blood also scattered into bone fragments, brain matter, blood, and flesh.

In that feast of death, the woman, covered in red blood, chuckled.

“Wow, how did you know?! That I’m a Black Witch.”

“Lady Libeni, it hasn’t been approved yet.”

“Why? This is self-defense. That guy found out who we are? Separating flesh from bone is normal, right?”

“Oh dear, you’re being stubborn again.”

A member of the Thieves’ Guild, who had been blankly watching the situation, ran away, and the passersby who had been waiting for the inspection screamed and ran away.

At that moment, a crow appeared from somewhere. It was not a living crow, but a magic power condensed in the form of a crow. Like Lynn’s Rudien.

As the crow landed on the man’s shoulder, the scattering feathers turned into dark blue strings of letters before his eyes.

“It’s from Lady Toureina.”

“From Mom?! What is it, what does she say?!”

“She says to do whatever you want.”

Instantly, a chilling, creepy smile appeared on Libeni’s lips.

And from her palm, a dark blue liquid seemed to flow out, and soon formed the shape of a huge scythe.

The moment she wielded that huge scythe that ignored all terrain, the bodies of those who were running away met the same fate as the thieves.

“Ahahahahaha! The smell of blood is so good, I think I’m going to cum every time I smell it! I’m just going to kill 5,000 people lightly today! Uh-huh!”