Chapter 230: The Rebirth of the Assassins’ Guild
“Y-Your Lordship! Why are you bowing your head? It’s these ruffians who are being rude!”
“Silence.”
As I stood there dumbfounded, Ero-jii began to protest, froth flying from his mouth. However, the Marquis dismissed him without a hint of concern and turned his back, continuing his words.
“I had commanded you not to speak a single word. I will not allow you to further disgrace yourself.”
“W-What are you saying?! They are adventurers who know nothing of etiquette!”
Well, it’s true that they lack manners.
“…Hmph. Do you truly believe this man is just an adventurer?”
“An adventurer is an adventurer, isn’t he?”
Under the Marquis’s pressure, Ero-jii’s bravado began to wane. Perhaps he was starting to realize that he had made a grave mistake. It felt a bit late for that.
“Hmph. If you insist on speaking so boldly, I shall enlighten you.”
“Huh?”
“He is an S Rank Adventurer, the owner of this inn, and a developer of the recently popular Magic Flask. Moreover, I have recently learned that he has also developed a device called a Refrigerator, which can cool and preserve food. I would very much like to have one in my mansion. Ah, and I have been enjoying games like Reversi and Shogi as well. It is truly remarkable that he has accomplished all this at such a young age! And mayonnaise is my absolute favorite—”
The Marquis’s monologue seemed endless. With each compliment he bestowed upon us, Ero-jii’s complexion grew increasingly pale. I could barely suppress a dry laugh escaping my lips.
“…So, do you understand now?”
I glared at Ero-jii, exerting an undeniable pressure.
“Y-Yes…”
Ero-jii, looking as if the world had come to an end, appeared to be struggling to breathe.
“Now that you understand, leave this room. You are dismissed and need not return. Go wherever you please.”
“W-What?! Y-Your Lordship—”
I pointed directly at the door, gesturing for him to leave quickly.
“I-I won’t forgive you! Y-Your Lordship—wha—?!”
As Ero-jii lunged forward in desperation, the Marquis, unable to contain himself any longer, sent him flying with a punch. Ero-jii soared through the air and landed soundlessly on the plush carpeted floor. If Ivan had been here, he would have burst out laughing. Thank goodness he wasn’t. The Marquis was impressively bold.
“Rydel, throw this man out of the inn.”
The Marquis turned his gaze toward Rydel, the bodyguard, who seemed hesitant to leave his charge alone with unfamiliar adventurers.
“Hmph. You alone cannot defeat those two. Do not concern yourself.”
“…Understood.”
With that, Rydel hoisted Ero-jii over his shoulder and exited the room.
“I apologize for the unpleasant display.”
“Oh, no, please don’t worry about it.”
It almost felt like a farce. It seemed that Ero-jii had been invited to join us without the Marquis being fully informed about us. If that was the case, it made no sense for him to complain to us. Moreover, if the Marquis had intended to dismiss Ero-jii from the start, we had merely been used as a convenient excuse. Still, it was somewhat satisfying to see Ero-jii get fired right in front of me.
“Now, how about this? Could we prioritize selling a Refrigerator to my household?”
“Ah, that should be no problem. I will convey that to the Rashiyu Trading Company.”
However, I felt that the Marquis could simply request it directly from the trading company without needing us as intermediaries. Perhaps maintaining a connection with us was his true objective this time. After exchanging a few more inconsequential pleasantries, my meeting with Marquis Delphirius came to an end.
“Sigh… I’m feeling a bit worn out…”
“I had nothing to say, but somehow… it feels exhausting.”
Once back in my room at the inn, I sank deeply into the sofa.
“Haha, you must be tired. Why not have some tea and take a breather?”
Elvirinos prepared tea and snacks for us.
“Ah, thanks.”
Having a muscle-bound Elvirinos serve me tea felt oddly out of place. Yet, surprisingly, it was quite delicious.
“If it bothers you that much, why not have the newly reborn ‘Hinomaru’ investigate?”
“But isn’t that in the neighboring country?”
Hinomaru is the name of the newly reformed Assassins’ Guild. They have requested to be known as an Information Guild rather than an Assassins’ Guild. With the Guild Master and more than half of the executives gone, they can no longer operate as they once did. Since they had no name before, they decided to give themselves one now. From now on, they will not take on assassination contracts, focusing instead on information gathering, which they claim to excel at. Well, I made the rough decision and left everything else to Mesaria-san.
“Hmm? The border doesn’t matter much. While it may take time to relay information, they likely have branches in major cities.”
“Huh?”
“If you want, you could even have them investigate the current situation in the Arclight Kingdom.”
“…That’s surprisingly impressive.”
I had merely brushed off the sparks that had fallen upon me, but it felt like things were escalating beyond my control. Just how deep do their roots extend…? At this rate, they might even discover that we are the Summoned Heroes of the Kingdom. Well, I suppose that doesn’t matter.
“Then perhaps I should ask them to conduct various investigations.”