「My name is Keuken, I am Theorem-sama’s subordinate.」

The woman named Keuken bowed her head deeply towards Daska.

She had already taken off her rain soaked cloak before meeting with Daska and was currently wearing clothes that focused on giving her freedom of movement.

From the outside she didn’t seem nervous, but Keuken instinctively sensed unfathomable strength from Daska and Elk, whow as standing guard beside Daska. Sensing that, she made a note in her mind to complain to Theorem when she returned.

Daska nodded and spoke up, unaware of Keuken’s thoughts.

「Yes, I heard that someone bearing a dagger with this mark would be sent a liaison.」

Passing the dagger to a nearby knight, the knight knight then handed it over to Keuken.

Keuken stored the dagger away and bowed her head again before speaking.

「Thank you very much. So, to make things quick……」

「It’s fine, you’ve brought a message. What is it?」

「First of all. Theorem-sama is currently expanding his military strength with the cooperation of Her Highness Vihera. Of course, if the other factions find out that the Third Prince’s faction is doing something like this, it will become troublesome in many ways, so we are trying to avoid detection.」

「I’ve heard about that. Vihera-dono’s popularity is quite high, isn’t it?」

「Yes. Thanks to her, we are gradually gathering strength. ……The number of people is increasing slowly because the main requirement is that they have to be trustworthy.」

「I see.」

Elk frowned slightly when Theorem’s name was mentioned, but he quickly erased it from his expression and nodded at Keuken’s words.

After the duel on the Selemus Plains, Elk understood Theorem’s position and had even come round to it in some ways, but even so, it wasn’t something he could come to terms to immediately.

As his wife……or rather, as a long time companion who had walked alongside Elk for many years, Min noticed this with her intuition and gently stroked his back to calm him down.

Keuken was completely oblivious to all of this as she continued speaking.

「As for the next matter, to be honest, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I was dispatched this time primarily to inform you of this.」

「Hou? That’s quite bold……what is the information?」

「Within the Bestir Empire, there’s an organisation known as Requiem’s Toll. They undertake shady tasks including assassination, kidnapping, incitement, and other dark matters within the Bestir Empire. Of course, there are other organisations like them, but Requiem’s Toll is particularly skilled in this work.」

Keuken’s words caused Elk to frown again.

As someone with a straightforward personality, he really disliked organisations that did things underhandedly.

Of course, as a high ranked A rank adventurer, he knew it was a necessary evil.

Keuken continued speaking about Requiem’s Toll, although unaware of Elk’s thoughts.

「In addition, Requiem’s Toll also places great importance on obligations as an underworld organisation, it is said they repay favours with favours and betrayal with betrayal. A noble who tried to deal with them met with an end so terrible I would rather avoid putting it into words.」

「An underground organisation with a sense of duty? ……Well, I don’t know if they do have a sense of duty or not, but I believe we may have already had contact with them.」

Hearing Daska’s words, Keuken bowed apologetically.

「Yes, I heard it in the town I stopped by on the way to this village.」

「What, no need to worry about it. Our escort didn’t take any particular injuries. The wounds they took were minor and they should recover in a few days.」

「Thank you very much.」

As she saw Keuken bow her head again, Min spoke up, as if thinking or something.

「Keuken, was it? How much do you know about Requiem’s Toll?」

「Unfortunately, we don’t have much details……it is an underworld organisation after all, so information about them is hard to dig up.」

「Is that so. ……By the way, do you know of anyone who can control a person to fight without fighting themselves? And, someone who had the ability to paralyze a person’s sense of pain, making them significantly more powerful than normal.」

Keuken thought over Min’s words for a few seconds before speaking as if thinking of something.

「From your description, they are probably puppeteers. However, we don’t know much about the details on their methods. After all, the people used by them don’t die but are put into a coma instead. ……Because of such techniques, they rarely show themselves, giving them the name puppeteers.」

「Puppeteers, huh? It certainly does match what we faced.」

Rhodes seemed to recall the previous night’s battle as he muttered in disgust.

Rhodes had been guarding the stairs alongside the knights and among the intruders who had tried to go up, some seemed to have lost their sense of pain.

Because there hadn’t been many of them, he had worked together with the knights to crush their limbs, incapacitating them. However, those people had also ended up in comas, just like the ones Rei and Set had defeated.

「The ones targeting us are quite troublesome. Are they being supported by nobles from the Bestir Empire?」

Keuken nodded in response to Daska’s question with a look of disgust.

「Yes. But, although they are nobles, they don’t occupy important positions.」

「I thought as much. In the first place, it was the Empire’s upper echelons that invited me here in the first place. I didn’t think they would send assassin’s after me just because they didn’t like me. But, that means……」

Daska thought for a moment before showing a satisfied expression.

He didn’t really have to think to know why they were attacked.

In fact, the reason had been reported by Rhodes, Rei, and the knights.

「Those whose family members and friends died in the war.」

「Yes. Especially in the last war, many soldiers, knights, and nobles died. Of course, among them were heirs, fiancees, and friends.」

「……That being said, it’s war, isn’t it? I don’t what to say to you, since you’re from the Bestir Empire, but it was the Empire that attacked us first. We just intercepted them.」

「I’m in no position to say anything regarding that. ……Regardless, there is no doubt there are people who hold a grudge against Margrave Rowlocks and Crimson, which is why they’ve hired the people they have.」

Even Keuken didn’t want to have to deal with something like this.

It was only natural. Her usual position would have been to work alongside Theorem and Vihera to rescue the Third Prince.

She might have just been a messenger this time, but regular reports would normally have been made by someone lower ranking than her. However, since the organisation behind Requiem’s Toll had made a move, Keuken had no choice but to deliver the message herself.

「One last thing. I would like you to be careful.」

The gazes of those present gathered on Keuken, who spoke with great seriousness.

Daska, Margrave Rowlocks, as well as Elk and Min of the A rank party Axe of the Thunder God.

Under the gazes of such people, Keuken continued speaking without hesitation.

If anyone had previously seen her looking at Set, they would have doubted their eyes now.

「Requiem’s Toll is famous as an organisation within the Bestir Empire. As such an organisation, it isn’t possible to contact them on a whim. In other words, it is normally impossible to give them a request.」

「But, the ones who attacked us in the last town were from Requiem’s Toll, weren’t they?」

What are you trying to say? Keuken nodded as she replied to Rhodes’ implied question.

「Yes, from what I’ve heard……especially considering the way the people in comas acted, there is no doubt it was the work of Requiem’s Toll. In other words……」

「I see. So there is a possibility that someone is pulling the strings, since they accepted a request from someone they normally wouldn’t take requests from.」

「It’s just as Margrave Rowlocks said. That’s part of the reason for the delay in delivering this information. When we first heard that Requiem’s Toll had been dragged in, we had thought it was false information, considering the names of the people who hired them. However, the information held too many specifics, so we investigated further. As a result, we were able to corroborate it and I was sent here.」

Hearing those words, Daska frowned.

He didn’t feel bad for Keuken, but he felt bad that someone was pulling the strings in the background.

「That’s troublesome. ……You don’t know who’s behind them yet?」

「I’m sorry, Theorem-sama is doing everything can……but the number of people in the Third Prince’s faction is very small……」

The ever popular Vihera was trying to do something about their faction’s numbers.

However, it was clear that there was no way for them to do anything immediately and that the bitter struggle would continue for some time.

「……Well, that’s fine I guess? Rei’s original role was to draw the Empire’s attention. Considering that, I don’t know what the mastermind behind all this is planning, but they’ve succeeded in drawing all the attention to us.」

Elk spoke up as if to clear away the depressing atmosphere.

「Besides, if we know that someone is behind the scenes, then we can do something about it. Especially Rei. I can picture him closing his jaws around someone walking into his trap.」

Everyone nodded at his words convinced, probably because they knew Rei well enough.

For some reason, Keuken nodded in agreement as well, possibily because she had seen Set, Rei’s tamed monster, up close.

「I’ve heard about him from Her Highness Vihera and Theorem-sama, but Crimson……no Rei-san, is he that amazing?」

「If you’re asking if he’s amazing or not, he’s definitely amazing. ……Hm? You’re one of Theorem’s subordinates, so you must have participated in the war, no? In that case, didn’t you see the fire tornado?」

Keuken shook her head with a bitter smile at Daska’s question.

「Unfortunately, I didn’t participate in the Spring War. I was away from the unit during that time due to orders from Theorem-sama.」

「I see. Well, I know there’s a lot going on, so I shouldn’t ask you what you’ve been doing.」

「Yes, it would be a great help if you could do that. As for me, I would like to see that fire tornado that I’ve only heard about. Although, as you can imagine, I can’t exactly ask to see it casually.」

「That is to be expected. Even so, Rei became famous because of that. Especially here in the Bestir Empire, his name is just as well known as in the Mireana Kingdom, if not more. That fire tornado has become synonymous with the name Crimson.」

Daska muttered as he recalled what he had seen on the battlefield.

Daska had known that Rei was a skilled fighter from the time he killed the Orc King.

However, he hadn’t expected Rei to possess this level of ability.

At the same time, it was a good thing for Daska that Rei continued to betray his expectations.

Hearing Daska’s words, Keuken could imagine a tornado of fire engulfing, burning, and trampling people, despite having never seen the actual scene herself.

It must have been because of Daska’s words that she was able to visualise it in her mind.

「……Well, that aside. We’ve gotten off topic. Let’s get back to discussing Requiem’s Toll. Do you think they’ll set up more things on the way to the Imperial Capital?」

「Honestly, I don’t know. However, if the motive of the ones who gave the request to Requiem’s Toll is revenge, then it’s quite possible. It goes without saying that’s why I’m here. I’m sorry about that.」

「No, no need to apologise. By the way, what are you plans from here, Keuken? Will you stay the night here and return to Theorem in the morning?」

「Yes, I would like to do that if possible. Leaving immediately in this rain is……」

「I understand. I’ll tell the village chief to prepare a room. There is an inn, but considering your background, it would be better to stay with us.」

Keuken bowed towards Daska and ended up staying the night at the village chief’s house that night before parting ways with Daska the next morning.

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