Chapter 353: Information Gathering
“Once Dean finishes his work, we’re going sightseeing in Es.”
“Right. You’re coming along, right?”
In Kanum’s House, the usual card game room.
Right now, the butler and Retze are engaged in a chess-like game. Dinoss and I were playing too, but we wrapped up early. That’s because neither of us takes too long to think.
While munching on snacks, Dinoss and I are chatting. We each have a bag of potato chips, crunching away. In contrast, the two deep in thought over the game board occasionally sip their wine.
I hadn’t seen Dean around lately, and it turns out he’s been seriously working. He hasn’t even come back in the last couple of days.
Once he returns, it’s vacation time! Instead of a brothel, it seems we’ve settled on a trip to Es with Kanum’s hometown as our destination, guided by Haulon.
“I’m in. I also want to go to a place where we can get cinnamon.”
“Where’s that?”
“That’s what I want to find out.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Cinnamon could be found on a cliff or perhaps at the source of the Es River—though I think it’s just a cinnamon tree.
“I also want a sturdy rope, but is the ship’s stern rope the strongest?”
“A rope? If it’s thread, then the ‘Queen’s Spinner,’ a spider demon beast, is probably stronger, right?”
“Where does it appear?”
“On the second highest peak of Kokuzan.”
“I’ll think about it when it gets warmer.”
It’s freezing! North!
“What about twisting the cord for the Silent Meteor Hammer?”
The butler joins the conversation while moving a piece.
“Silent Meteor Hammer?”
“It’s a weapon swung with a weight attached. Usually, chains are common, but when it’s silent, the cord is made from the threads of Iragram, which are stronger than iron chains and make no sound.”
Retze says, looking at the board with a serious expression.
“You know a lot about hidden weapons.”
The butler chuckles softly.
“Is it really a hidden weapon?!”
“Cat’s footsteps, a woman’s beard, a rock’s roots, a bear’s tendons, a fish’s breath, a bird’s saliva…”
Retze advances a piece while saying this.
“What?”
“It’s said to be a cord made by the gods for the Earth Folk.”
“Oh, you mean the Earth Folk? Women can have beards too.”
I don’t really understand the other meanings, though.
“No, it’s about things that have been used as materials and are now gone, okay? Don’t come to weird conclusions!?”
“Eh! Daifuku definitely doesn’t make a sound… The rock’s roots refer to large rocks, and bear tendons are just normal. The koi seem to breathe like they’re gasping for air when fed, and birds have saliva too, right?”
Birds that eat dry food should have salivary glands. Sea birds don’t develop them much, do they?
“Nishiki…?”
“There are colorful koi.”
I respond to Retze, who looks puzzled. The koi here have large, uneven scales, so if you picture them like Japanese koi, it feels a bit off…
“Why do you want such things anyway? Are you planning to tie something up?”
Retze, please forget about Kikkou Shibari.
Whenever I see Retze or Dean teaching other adventurers how to tie knots, I feel a bit uncomfortable.
“I was thinking of making it a toy for Rishu. The stern rope breaks too easily.”
“Pfft!”
Dinoss bursts out laughing next to me.
In the midst of coughing from laughing, he accidentally puts his hand on the game board, ruining the game.
“Well, that’s bound to break…”
The butler smiles with a subtle expression.
“I’ll ask the Earth Folk if they can make it, and if not, I’ll check out Kokuzan. Thanks.”
I express my gratitude.
“Well, neither of those is something you can just casually talk about or go to, you know?”
Dinoss covers his mouth, clearing his throat softly. Did he get a potato chip stuck somewhere?
We’re supposed to have a banquet with the Earth Folk tomorrow afternoon, and since they’re cold-sensitive and tone-deaf, they’re usually around. It seems the finishing touches took about half a day longer than expected.
“By the way, do you know a merchant named Lady Rosa? I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere.”
It’s definitely not the name of a heroine from a musical.
“Is she the one in charge of fundraising for Rosa’s Group?”
The butler asks in return.
Now that I think about it, there was someone like that. I must have heard the name because Rosa was involved.
“Is there really someone in charge of fundraising?”
“Not for the adventurer party, but for the reconstruction of her homeland. There seem to be several people operating, some openly gathering funds while others do so cleverly without revealing their purpose. Among them, Lady Rosa is rumored to be the sister of the girl who operates in the commercial island of Naruadeid.”
“I heard she was a cousin who was made to be Rosa’s decoy when they were young.”
The butler and Retze explain. Ah, so she’s using Rosa’s name because she was a decoy?
“How can they gather information from such a distant place like Naruadeid?”
“If it’s just information, it’s quick to gather. I wouldn’t know what their faces look like if asked. It’s safer to collect from a distance. There are many people involved, and you can do it anonymously.”
“These two are acting like it’s no big deal, but the moment they get close with a purpose that might involve the Hero, they start gathering information actively, you know?”
Dinoss spills the beans.
Both of them averted their eyes slightly!
“Still, I think it’s impressive how they gather and compile information.”
I really do.
Thanks to that, I’m saved. Before tomorrow’s banquet, I should warn Soleil not to get too close unnecessarily.