Chapter 504: Has the Mystery Been Solved?
“A good parent turns a blind eye to the secret base,” Dinoss said, his eyes focused on the Gratin he was mixing with cheese.
Dad!?
“Kids have a knack for building them in the worst possible places,” Retze remarked, poking at his salad.
Mom!?
No, wait, big brother!?
“The area beyond the sea is out of bounds…” The Butler wore a gentle smile.
Butler!?
—No, the Butler was indeed the Butler.
“…” Haulon stood frozen.
What should I do? Should I just act like it’s all part of the plan that I’ve been found out?
“It’s you, isn’t it…” Karn uncrossed his arms and rubbed his forehead with one hand.
That forehead looks easy to grab, and his hand is big enough to fit just right.
“Even with an assassin in between, the image of a relaxed island…” Haulon sighed deeply, looking down.
“What’s going on?”
“Gene, did you build a secret base somewhere?” Chris and Dean wore puzzled expressions.
That’s fine. I think that’s a normal reaction. After all, it’s over the mountains and across the sea, right? Haulon has probably been there, and the Butler and Dinoss seem like they would have too, but why does Retze know so much about it when he’s never been there?
Could he actually have the skill of Clairvoyance? Or is he just listening to all the information the Butler gathers…? Is Retze a cozy armchair detective? A detective who deduces cases based only on the information provided without ever visiting the scene? An old man in the corner? A waiter for the Black Widow Spider Society?
“Fine, I’ll pretend I don’t know either. Honestly, it’s so deflating to think the mastermind is a cat…” Haulon buried his head in his hands.
“Ugh. The atmosphere is too tense to ask.”
“So, does that mean we shouldn’t pursue it as adults?”
“Are we supposed to figure it out on our own?” Dean and Chris whispered among themselves.
Thank you. But something feels off!? Just because they’re not outright saying it, it’s clear they know!
“Oh, speaking of cats. If you don’t like the island’s trading company, should we have a chat with the brown one in between? I hear he’s quite a famous cat, so he might be trustworthy.”
I’ll negotiate with Captain Cat to have Mail Wheat delivered to Karn and Haulon. Since there’s a contract, I’ll need to hand it over to Soleil’s trading company first, which is a bit of a hassle.
“…” Haulon looked up, half-lidded eyes fixed on me.
“Oh, sorry. I’ve been calling him Captain Cat in my head, so I misspoke. It’s Captain Goat.”
Mr. Goat.
If I heard Captain Kidd here, I’d be sure it would sound like Captain Kid Goat.
“Isn’t he quite famous?” Dinoss set down his cup and looked over.
Ah, so Dinoss has probably been to Naruadeid. I mean, his house is in the mountains of the Talia Peninsula, so he must have passed through. He took a risky route over the mountains to get to Kanum, but it seems he was active here in Kanum before. It makes sense that he would stop by on his way to Talia.
“From the Land of Mail to Naruadeid, it’s Captain Goat who’s transporting the Mail Wheat…?”
“Yes.”
Haulon’s quick understanding was a relief.
“Make sure to introduce me to both of them. I’ll decide after that.”
“Yes, yes.”
Thank you for considering it positively.
“So, what about the transport on the Es River?”
Even though it’s a large river, there are shallow spots and small drops along the way that we need to avoid. Captain Cat’s big ship wouldn’t manage that.
On the other hand, the riverboat could probably make it to Naruadeid if it tried hard enough. The sea between Naruadeid and Es is large but calm since it’s an inland sea. However, riverboats are small, and it’s inefficient to navigate the ocean.
“I have my eye on a couple of cargo ships, but right now, I don’t have the budget or manpower to buy them out, so I plan to request normal transport.” Haulon said.
“Understood. So when are we going to see Captain Goat? I think he’s still in Mail for repairs, but if he sets off, we’ll have to wait until he arrives in Naruadeid.”
Since there’s a contract, even if I teleport onto a ship that’s already sailing through the strait, I can’t disclose that to outsiders, so I feel safe, but I also sense that my cheeks might be in for some rough treatment later.
“I’m fine with tomorrow. What about Retze’s schedule?”
“Hey, don’t just casually include me in the headcount.”
Retze pulled his cup away from his mouth, half-lidded eyes directed at Haulon.
Looks like I’m being relied upon!