Hell Mode: Volume 11, page 14
Nothing is certain yet, the Summoner thought. But since the contest is tomorrow, there’s a chance that Ignomasu sold off the seeds using an undisclosed route—one that’s not totally legal—and didn’t record it in the ledger. Maybe he distributed them to provinces or nations under the empire that didn’t have friendly ties with Prostia, or maybe he sold them to some noble to make money. Maybe the crystal seeds were sold to a merchant outside Patlanta.
The massive crystal flower that sealed the sea monster served as the foundation for the imperial capital. Every year, on a certain day, the flower expelled a massive number of crystal seeds—around ten thousand or so. If any of these seeds ended up buried beneath the sands of the ocean floor, they could turn into light that would illuminate the depths of the sea. They could even grow into crystal flowers that possessed some sort of repellent power that chased away monsters.
If people collected the seeds and brought them to an exchange post run by the empire, they could be exchanged for one gold coin apiece. The empire would then take them and sell them to magic shops, encouraging the shops to charge around a hundred gold per seed, from which taxes would be collected. Last year, around three thousand of the precious seeds had been delivered to the empire, but the ledger officially listed only a hundred. The smaller number matched the number sold to magic shops.
Allen suspected that Ignomasu was fudging the numbers and pegged the emperor for an idiot. Ignomasu was not the calculating type and generally had shortsighted plans; it was difficult for the Summoner to predict his actions in the long term.
“Could be...” Pelomas muttered. “I’m not certain yet, though. This ledger was probably written by the official in charge of the warehouse, so I think I’ll go ask him a few questions.”
As Pelomas shut the ledger, Allen checked the time using a magic tool around his wrist.
“Got it,” he replied. “I’ll head to the Rank S dungeon for a bit. Thanks to you, we managed to get our hands on a few earrings, and I wanna give them to my friends.”
“Sounds good to me. If my hunch is wrong, I’ll cut this investigation short and head back. Should I return to Luke and the others?”
“Right. Yeah, it might take me a while, so I’ll cast Mimic on you before I head out.”
A Fish A, a massive octopus, suddenly appeared in the room, shocking Pelomas.
“Lord Allen, you want to extend the effect of Mimic, I presume?” it asked.
“Yep,” Allen replied with a nod.
The Fish A covered Pelomas with ink to cast Mimic on him. He was always surprised, as the Summoner sometimes did not always explain what was going on. Nevertheless, he quietly allowed himself to get sprayed with the ink while Allen used Potherb and then teleported away. He was likely off to cast Mimic on Cecil, Luke, and the rest of his party before heading for the Rank S dungeon. And so, the merchant went on his merry way toward the office where the officials were stationed.
Over the past month, while working in the palace, Pelomas had become close with an official who also worked there. He assumed the merfolk was in his office, the largest one among them, but when he went to check, the official was not there.
The merchant spoke to the guards at the entrance of the office and learned that the official was off at a meeting. Thus, Pelomas walked on in search of this meeting room. Several moments later, he spotted the official he was looking for cleaning up after the meeting, which had just finished.
“I’ll help,” he offered.
The official looked up and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“Don’t you remember me? I’m Peloniki,” Pelomas said.
“Huh? Ah, right, so you are,” the official replied, finally recognizing the merchant while returning the desks to their original locations. “Thanks. I could really use the extra hands.”
“Was this meeting about the Songstress Contest tomorrow?” Pelomas asked.
“Yeah,” the official replied. “It’s all hands on deck when it comes to this contest, so we all have to pitch in. It’ll be a busy night for us.”
“I can imagine. It’s not as bad as the stuff above water, though.”
When Pelomas had started his Whaling Company, he had been busy running around to collect magic stones for Allen while also managing hotels. The merchant sighed when he recalled his days of toiling away, desperate to earn the approval of the wealthy Chester, the owner of Ratash’s largest inn.
“Hmm? Oh yeah, you’re the subordinate of that ambassador from Crevelle. The one trying to earn the favor of that general—the new emperor, rather,” the official recalled.
“That’s me. My boss is seriously impulsive. He never really looks at things in the long term...”
Pelomas flashed a genuinely weary-looking frown, his acting supported by his Negotiate skill.
“Yes, I can see that,” the official said. “Didn’t he claim that he could earn ten million gold in three months? So? How’s it going? Think you can make all that dough?”
“Oh, I don’t...” Pelomas muttered.
“What? C’mon, it’ll just be between you and me.”
Pelomas grew suspicious at the official’s eagerness to gather information. He did not hesitate to voice his concerns.
“Y-You guys...aren’t placing bets on the outcome, are you?”
“Wait, you know about that? Yeah, we’re all placing bets on whether you guys’ll make it or not. Oh, and just to be clear, mine’s on you guys making good on your word.”
Pelomas knew right away that the official was lying. His numerous years as a merchant allowed him to keenly observe a person’s thoughts and read their mannerisms. Allen, playing the role of Alec, the former ambassador of Crevelle, had made a bold claim to Ignomasu that he could make the money. The Summoner knew through Fish D that many officials were betting on the outcome of that declaration.
Allen and Pelomas could not have predicted that people would gamble on their claims, of course, but the latter knew that this was the perfect opportunity to manipulate a person and steer negotiations in his favor. If he was lucky, he could obtain some information as well, so he decided that he would leak some intel to the official.
“So? C’mon, just tell me,” the official egged.
“W-Well, truth be told, it’s not looking good...” Pelomas replied with a look of panic.
The official grinned and placed an arm around Pelomas’s shoulder. “Yeah? Gee, then you must be in a tough spot, huh?”
“Yeah... And I’m sure the stress is getting to Sir Alec as well. He keeps taking it out on me...” Pelomas looked as though he was about to burst into tears.
“I see...” The official nodded, looking sympathetic. “Hey, have you thought about switching sides? Why don’t you leave that bastard Alec and join us?”
“Huh? I-I can do that?”
“Sure you can. The reason guys like us, who served the previous emperor, are still here is because we earned the approval of Emperor Ignomasu. I don’t think this is a secret anymore, but you know how he became the emperor, right? We were faced with two choices: get killed, or, at best, get chased out of the palace. And yet, we took neither route, which is why we’re here today.”
Pelomas was a bit surprised to hear that. People like Ignomasu, who rose to power after a successful coup, were generally cautious of those who would follow in their footsteps—of others whose thoughts turned toward rebellion. It was normal for successful usurpers to place only people they trusted close to them, but those who swore obedience to Ignomasu had been allowed to stay. The new emperor likely wanted seasoned officials around him so that he could host the Songstress Contest without issue, but even so, old officials being allowed to serve the new leader was certainly not the norm.
“Is... Is Emperor Ignomasu a kind man?” Pelomas asked.
“I’m not sure if ‘kind’ is the right word for him,” the official replied. “But when he was a general, he was the kind of guy who gave vague orders and didn’t sweat the small stuff. I guess you could call him the laid-back type.”
Allen had told Pelomas that Ignomasu was a Spear King, a four-star Talent. The emperor likely took pride in his fighting prowess and had managed to become a captain. Perhaps his experience in that role had made him more forgiving.
“I see... Then if you don’t mind, I’d like to take you up on your kind offer and ask you something,” Pelomas started.
“Oh? Made up your mind already?” the official asked.
“So, um, will you keep this a secret, just between us?”
“Sure. Is it about your boss?”
“Yes... Truth be told, Sir Alec claims that crystal seeds can be sold for a pretty coin above the water, so he believes that if he gets a few, he can find a path to making that ten million gold.”
“Ooh, I see,” the official replied with a smug nod. Pelomas had found his chance.
“So if I can just borrow a few seeds for a short while... I promise I won’t cause any trouble. I just want to borrow a few, and I’ll return them in no time.”
The official sadly shook his head. “Sorry, bud, but I can’t help you there.”
“Ah, of course. Yeah, I guess that’s a bit much to ask...”
“A bit, yeah. I wanna help you if I can. I really do. I’m the one in charge of the palace treasury and warehouses, and I organize the ledgers too. But that’s exactly why I know that I can’t help you out.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“We don’t have any crystal seeds. Not a single one.”
“What? Does that ever happen? Are you just trying to make sure that you can win the bet when my boss and I can’t make the money?”
“Y-You moron! I told you that I’m betting on you guys! I think you’ll win!”
“Right, right... But seriously? There isn’t a single crystal seed within the palace?”
“Yeah... There should’ve been three thousand of ’em, but they all vanished overnight. I’m the one who made note of the numbers the day before, so I’m certain that they all just went poof. I know nothing, mind you. And I reported the incident to my superior immediately, but, well...the culprit was never found. There was no trace of them. Do you know why that might be?”
“Wait, you mean...”
“Yeah, I think you’ve got it. After a while, we were told by the higher-ups to not investigate the matter further. The order came directly from the chancellor.”
“I don’t believe it...” Pelomas acted pensive, but he had already seen the ledger and knew of the fraud that had been committed. “They were stored in the east warehouse, correct?”
“Yup. The chancellor’s there as we speak to keep tabs on this year’s seeds, but I reckon those ones will vanish overnight too. I’m the one in charge of them until then, though.”
Pelomas parted ways with the official and walked down the hall before finally deciding to head for the warehouse. The entrance was not even guarded, and the door to the room was unlocked. When Pelomas stepped inside, he first checked the walls and surfaces, wondering if there were any secret doors or halls. However, he found nothing suspicious, so he proceeded to inspect the floor. Just then, he heard the door to the room creak open. He instinctively hid behind one of the shelves, held his breath, and listened when the footsteps on the floorboards stopped.
“Ah, Lord Kyubel! Thank you for coming all this way!” an elderly voice greeted.
“Hey there, Shinorom,” another, higher-pitched voice replied. “I came here to change our teleport destination for tomorrow. The Holy Beast Stone is ready, I trust?”
Pelomas’s heart almost stopped when he heard the elderly voice utter Kyubel’s name. Allen had mentioned that there was a Greater Demonic Deity by that name, and if this was truly him, the Demon Lord Army had already infiltrated the underwater city. In fact, in the worst case, the demon might even discover Pelomas here.
“But of course,” the elderly voice belonging to the man called Shinorom replied. “I’ve currently got it in my research room to do some final adjustments. It will activate with its full effects by tomorrow’s resurrection ritual.”
“I’m counting on you,” Kyubel replied. “I’ll tell the Demon Lord that things are going well. Failure will not be an option tomorrow. You best know that.”
“I do. As you surmised, the crystal seeds are managed by Water Goddess Aqua. We cannot process them into Holy Beast Stones, and there’s now an extra step in the process where I require the permission from the manager herself.”
Pelomas drew in a sharp breath upon learning who had stolen all three thousand crystal seeds. He had to tell Allen about it, and quickly, which meant he had to leave the warehouse somehow. He silenced his thudding heart as he tried to wait things out, hoping that the two demons would leave.
“You heard that, little eavesdropper?” Kyubel called out.
It took less than a moment for Pelomas to realize that the Greater Demonic Deity was referring to him. His heart pounded faster than ever, and he began to shudder. If he were found here, he would be killed.
“Huh? Who’s there?” the elderly voice asked.
Pelomas was petrified. He did not know what to do. He glided through the shelves he was hiding behind and tried to head for the warehouse door, but his legs refused to move because he was so afraid; he could neither walk nor swim his way out. He knew he looked pathetic, but there was nothing else he could do. He barely managed to kick the ground and swim forward before kicking the ground again to continue propelling himself ahead. When he spotted the entrance to the warehouse, he reached out to leave, but he was stopped just before he could escape.
“Caught you!” a high-pitched voice whispered in his ear.
“Huh?!” Pelomas whirled around and saw that he was face-to-face with the grinning mask of a jester. The sight terrified him. “Aaaaahhh!”
The merchant failed to notice that the owner of the mask had grabbed him by the collar. He flailed his limbs, but try as he might, he failed to move another inch.
“Unlucky official,” Kyubel remarked. “But now that you’ve seen me, I can’t really let you leave here alive, can I?”
He opened his other hand and tried to grab Pelomas’s head when the elderly Demonic Deity called out.
“Wait! That would be a waste, I fear!” Shinorom cried. “Please, Lord Kyubel! Please hold your attack!”
The elderly merfolk stepped between Kyubel and Pelomas without giving the merchant the time to process the situation. Shinorom took a pair of glasses out of his pocket and scrutinized Pelomas’s face. The boy could only visibly shrink with fear when the man’s eyes suddenly widened behind the spectacles.
“Libra!” Shinorom cried excitedly. “This boy’s got Libra!”
“Huh... So this kid’s got a Talent, does he?” Kyubel replied as he turned toward the elderly merfolk. “The last human who had that became a Merchant King who restored a nation, if memory serves.”
“Please, Lord Kyubel! Please let me have this merfolk!”
“Director Shinorom, please don’t make a fuss. Do you want to use him for some kind of experiment?”
Pelomas once again quivered with fear, terrified of becoming an experimental subject, while Shinorom nodded furiously.
“Precisely! I would love to have him! Please!” Shinorom begged. “I won’t have a chance like this again!”
“Is his Talent that rare?” Kyubel asked. “Hmm... Well, okay. But prioritize perfecting the Holy Beast Stone first.”
Kyubel gave a weary sigh and violently threw Pelomas into the hands of an eager Shinorom, who looked like a kid on his birthday.
“Thank you! I’m so glad I’ve been working hard!”
The elderly man screeched with joy. Pelomas, meanwhile, was unable to hide his surprise. A moment later, he was transported from the dimly lit warehouse to a dingy, stone hall. Before he even realized that he had been teleported, he found himself carried off by the elderly merfolk.
“P-Please let go! I promise I won’t tell anyone about this!” the merchant cried. He tried to wriggle away, but Shinorom was far stronger than he looked, and he squeezed the boy tightly.
“Oho ho ho, you think I’ll let your precious Libra skill wriggle out of my grasp so easily?” Shinorom replied. “You can curse no one but yourself for foolishly being in that warehouse for whatever reason you had. No, perhaps you should curse the deity who blessed you with Libra. If you didn’t possess such a rare and wonderful Talent, you would’ve been killed back there.”
Pelomas froze, and a cold sweat ran down his back. He could do nothing but helplessly stay in place while Shinorom walked into the stone structure and descended a flight of stairs. Pelomas noticed that this place was not underwater, which meant that he was no longer in Prostia. Still, the air was unfamiliar and filled with strange scents. The atmosphere was extremely unusual and foreign to him, which served as a terrifying reminder that he was away from home. Shinorom walked along the end of the long hallway and reached a door guarded by two demons.
“Welcome back, Lord Shinorom,” one said. “Um, where did you get that human?”
Shinorom grinned back. “A reward bestowed upon me by Lord Kyubel. I’m so excited to experiment on him after tomorrow’s ritual ends!”
“Shall we chain him up?”
“No need. Aside from his rare skill, he’s an ordinary merfolk. Open the prison cell. I obtained new power thanks to my research, and I won’t accept any mistakes.”
“Yes, sir!”
The demon opened the door, and Pelomas stiffened when he spotted a mithril gate inside. He realized that this was a well-guarded prison that trapped those with skills inside. As Shinorom had mentioned, Pelomas did not have fighting skills like his friends did, and in fact, he disliked fighting. Because of that, he had no idea how to act during times like these.
He could not see a way to escape, and he turned pale with despair as Shinorom marched him inside and tossed him into the open cell. Pelomas was stunned, but the pain from hitting the floor forced him to get up when the gate closed. With the boy safely locked up, Shinorom turned his back to the cell, then strolled away with one of the demon guards.
“Oh, I’m so busy!” he whined. “If I don’t have everything ready for tomorrow, I won’t be able to play with my new toy.”
