Let This Grieving Soul Retire! Volume 8, page 5
Yet these two had decided to go after the Thousand Tricks, under the impression they were aware of what they were getting themselves into. The Golden was a hunter; she would never pull out now that she had concocted a plan and tested the waters. She had even enlisted troops to help her.
She folded her arms and glared at her partner, but he argued his point, shaking all the while. “Y-You’re right. We hadn’t expected that t-to work. B-But it’s just not just that he’s strong. He took my custom explosive and threw it at Gark. He’s d-definitely got a few screws loose!”
The Golden maintained her silent glare.
“H-He also used monsters to capture our troops! How are two people as w-weak as us supposed to kill someone even less sane than we are?!”
The place was silent. Nobody spoke, not the black-clad proprietor, not any of the other patrons. However, the Pacifist had hit the nail on the head.
One advantage assassins had was that they knew from the start they were doing something wrong. Therefore, the Golden had no need to be picky about her methods. As long as the target was someone upstanding, she would have the upper hand, no matter how powerful they may have been.
But what if the target was someone equally pragmatic?
“H-He fights on our level! Our level! He w-wasn’t scared! Of the monsters! Any ordinary person wouldn’t even think of using m-monsters! D-Do you realize what he’s g-going to do? What we can’t! Our friends and f-families are going to be k-killed and hanged as an example! They’re not afraid to get their hands dirty.”
The Golden looked conflicted. “I don’t have any friends. Besides you. My family bit the dust long ago.”
“W-Well I do.” The Pacifist rocked the table as he got up on unsteady feet and waved his arms around. The temperature in the room seemed to drop as he began to yell passionately. “L-Look! Almost everyone who came here with the same confidence as us has already f-fled! I heard the Association is afraid that Grieving Souls might go overboard!”
“Sucks, doesn’t it?”
No denying it, things couldn’t get much worse. The Golden had no trouble understanding the fear in her partner’s eyes. Grieving Souls belonged to the Explorers’ Association, but it was the Association that was afraid of what the party might do. If information like that started going around, of course most assassins would want to get out of dodge.
If even Grieving Souls’s allies were afraid, then how could their enemies not be? For anyone who valued their life, this man was a genuine fiend not worth pursuing, no matter how much money was up for grabs.
The Golden and the Pacifist were both willing to team up with other assassins if the situation called for it, but all their potential accomplices had fled. By firing the first shots, they had made themselves enemies of Grieving Souls. Withdrawing under such circumstances would normally be incredibly dangerous, but this time, it might be the safer option.
Neither the arrow nor the bomb had had any effect, and it was possible that poison wouldn’t fare any better. Most of all, it was rare for the sharp-witted Pacifist to put his foot down like this. They had done so much, but so far it was all for nothing. Frustrated, the Golden couldn’t help but sigh.
She clicked her tongue. “Sure looks bad giving up on a target we had set our sights on, but if you insist, then that’s that, I guess. With that settled, let’s pack our bags and get out of this land.”
“Yeah. Hunting fiends isn’t what we do.”
The Thousand Tricks could probably tell that their first attack was just to test for weaknesses and was waiting for the follow-up. Even the preterhuman artificer wouldn’t expect them to immediately flee after making such an obvious preliminary strike.
But just as this crossed the Golden’s mind, the entire shop trembled. She heard the sound of something hitting the metal door. The proprietor sprang up, and the other patrons also braced themselves. The Pacifist went pale as he groaned and pressed his back against the wall.
The air shook. Again and again, they heard the heavy thud of something slamming against the door. It was a sturdy door, but nobody had anticipated someone making a head-on assault on a den of assassins. But more than that, this place was supposedly known to only a handful of people. Where had the leak occurred? The Golden looked at the proprietor, but he shook his head.
There was yelling on the other side of the door. It was a young woman, she sounded desperate. “I won’t let you turn Master into a criminal!”
Was she by herself? Was she part of Grieving Souls? Could they handle her if she were alone? They should be able to handle a single hunter. These questions were just the Golden’s attempt at escapism, an act disrupted by an uncouth male voice.
“We know you’re in here! Give up, we’ve got fifty people and then some! We’re not gonna hang you from the gates or make an example of you!”
“Ryu-ryuu-ryu-ryu-ryuuu!”
Fifty?! It couldn’t be that many. That would be insane. Only large clans had that many people. For a moment, she thought it was a bluff, but she could confidently detect dozens of presences beyond that door. No, there was more than that. That man had said “fifty people and then some.” In other words, they had more than just people. And judging by the other voices she had heard... The Golden felt a chill down her spine. Nobody here was even armed for combat. They wouldn’t stand a chance.
“There’s a back entrance,” the proprietor said before disappearing behind the counter.
The door contorted, its hinges grinding. They were brute-forcing it, and it wouldn’t be long before they succeeded.
“Let’s get the hell out of here!” the Golden cried and grabbed the Pacifist’s arm. They went behind the counter, and at nearly the exact same moment, the heavy door was flung open.
***
The imperial capital of Zebrudia was a grand city, even when compared to the municipalities of neighboring nations. Nestled in a corner not far from the city’s center was a shop. It was two stories, the top serving as a living space. Its endearing exterior made it fit right in with the other buildings, not far off the main thoroughfare.
Though it was indeed a shop, it hadn’t actually started selling anything yet. There was nothing written on the sign outside, and looking in from the outside, the interior appeared mostly empty. Perhaps it would be a little longer before it was open for business.
This was a shop run by Foxes. Or rather, former Foxes, who were now on the run from the organization. Sora had spent the last week or so thrilled by the splendor of the imperial capital; the rumors hadn’t done it justice.
Now she was on the second floor, reading the newspaper that had just arrived. “Oh?! Galf! Galf! Please, take a look at this!”
Hearing her voice, Galf Shenfelder, a former top-level member of Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox, came up from the first floor, where he had been getting the place ready. “Hm? Ahhh. Saw that coming,” he replied in a weary voice.
It had been over ten days since circumstances had brought them to the imperial capital. They hadn’t encountered any pursuers from the organization. Their current building had no connection to the organization and had been obtained with the aid of the Thousand Tricks. What’s more, the aftermath of the Supreme Warrior Festival left the organization without the resources to spare on people like Galf and Sora. These two wouldn’t be found easily.
Galf was always gathering information, so he had a decent grasp of the organization’s current status. It seemed the events at the tournament had inflicted a severe wound on Fox, and the infighting between bosses was heating up. Even if Galf and Sora had stuck with the organization, nothing good would have come of it. Like Galf, Sora was a loyal person, but cutting ties was their only option. All she could do was be grateful that the fox god’s blessings had kept her safe thus far.
A massive city like the imperial capital was unlike anything the lifelong priestess had ever seen. There was one incredible sight after another. Kreat had also kept her eyes darting from one thing to another, but back then, she was on a mission. Now she had no directive. She had much more freedom than she knew what to do with. She was so idle that in the end, she decided to make fried tofu.
The article in the newspaper was about the attack on the Thousand Tricks, the False Fox that had brought them to this city. The preterhuman artifice he had displayed in Kreat had washed away everything Sora had worked for, and it seemed he got up to the same business in the imperial capital.
“He picked a fight with the organization, so of course they sent people after him,” Galf said. “It doesn’t sound like they sent someone who was directly part of the organization, but I hear there’s a hefty bounty in the underworld. Back when I was a Fox, we would’ve gone further than this, but I guess the organization did just take a heavy blow. Honestly, what’s that man’s deal?”
As he had gone from a candidate for the top brass only to become a traitor just as quickly, Sora couldn’t blame him for sounding bitter. She was in a similar position, having gone from priestess to turncoat.
But the past was the past. They had been brought to the imperial capital and given a helping hand. Depending on your perspective, you could argue they had simply changed who was looking out for them. Not to mention, the Thousand Tricks was the acquaintance of the progeny of the true fox god.
Sora cleared her throat and half-closed her eyes. “Galf,” she said, thinking back on past events. “The holy fox mandates that we do something about this bounty.”
“Like hell a god would say that, you moron!”
“I’m a Holy Fox Maiden, my word is the word of my god. Do you doubt the word of my god?”
“What even is this god of yours? I’ve never heard of a Maiden like you! I knew I should’ve requested a different one!”
As a Maiden, Sora walked a path ordained by the transcendental fox god she worshipped. While it was true that she could make errors on extremely rare occasions, those, too, were the god’s will. She had come to this conclusion because she couldn’t live her life believing anything else.
“Can you do something about this?” she said with a cough.
Galf gave her that same look of subtle but total confidence he always had. “I’m a White Fox, y’know? I have the mask to prove it. I just don’t wear it because it gets in the way.”
Sora cleared her throat and said in a voice carrying divine weight, “Then, if you would. I have no desire to lose our protection.”
“You’re not half bad, Sora.”
“With Krai’s blessing, I’ve received money from Sitri and am making inarizushi in dedication to the fox god. She’s also considering establishing chain locations.”
“But we’re doing all the work...”
Shoulders slumped, Galf headed outside. Somehow, he hadn’t gotten rusty. Sora was sure the bounty would disappear soon enough. With a sigh, she looked out the window to the cloudless sky and offered a prayer.
O Holy Fox, please watch over me. I’m doing my best to make fried tofu.
***
“What are you doing?! Goodness, it’s eleven o’clock, yet you’re still in bed!”
“Mrmm?”
Tranquility is always shattered abruptly. My awakening was accompanied by fierce shaking. Being jostled about, I was left with no choice but to stick my head out from the covers. Through my blurry vision, I could see Lucia’s dour face. I couldn’t think of anyone else who might try to wake me like this.
She had always had fine features, but had recently started to look even more attractive, making her foul moods even more intimidating. We had been siblings for a long time now, and back home, it had been her job to wake me.
Though she used to go about it more gently.
Oh, that’s right. Today, it’s Lucia’s turn to guard me.
“One more hour...” I said.
“Augh! Why are you such a sloth?!”
“It’s not like I’ve got anything to be doing.”
“Really now?! N-Never mind that. Here, look at this! Look!”
The covers were ripped away, and a newspaper was slammed down next to my pillow. Why was she hard on her older brother when she was so cordial to everyone else?
What in the world happened to the girl who used to follow me?
“Look, I also brought you breakfast, even though it’s the middle of the day!”
Surrendering, I moved my head just slightly, opened my eyes just slightly, and looked at the newspaper. What I saw was something startling to read just after waking up. I snapped my eyes shut and rolled over. I didn’t know anything. I was ignorant and unaware, I told myself.
“Good night.”
“Brother! Don’t go back to sleep! Get up!”
Lucia grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me from side to side. Shaking was one of the few types of attacks against which Safety Rings weren’t effective.
As my eyes rolled about, I decided I may as well offer an excuse. “I might be their clan master, but I’m not their parent.”
“Actually read it! It says they attacked on your orders!”
Covering the front page was an article titled “Major Clan First Steps Behind Attack in Decaying District.” Apparently, a bunch of our clan members had gotten together and attacked some places in the decaying district. The article included a photo of a decrepit townscape falling apart.
“I didn’t tell them to do anything like that.”
“Nonetheless, it says they were retaliating for the attack on our clan house!”
“What a mess. I thought I told them they didn’t need to do that.”
Since when were these guys the loyal type? Or is this a matter of pride?
Lucia leaned over my bed, slid her arms past my sides, then forced me up. So I had my clan members to blame for this rude awakening.
“Why’d they go to the decaying district in the first place?” I asked.
“About that. Siddy let it slip to T that she knew a place where the assassins might be. She said it was a special place, one unknown to regular people.”
Sitri was very...thoughtful and hardworking. She usually listened to me. It was probably just that revealing the location of potential assassins didn’t count as “doing anything” in her book. She was also pretty ticked about what had happened to the lounge.
“But the decaying district is mostly derelict buildings anyway,” I said. “I’m sure a little chaos won’t—”
“I heard five buildings were destroyed. The Troglodytes ran rampant! All because of you!”
That sure sounded like them. If they had constructed that hot spring palace in Suls in a matter of hours, they were probably just as good at demolition. What a bunch of maniacs. If they kept this up, people would get the wrong idea about our clan. Our party already had a pretty bad reputation. What would happen if the clan did too?
Somebody, stop these Cave People.
“I’m done with Fox,” I said. “The empire said they’re working on it and there’s nothing more I can do. I’m sure this bounty will get taken down soon enough, just like they always do.”
Give me a break. Did I not say to watch and see what happens?
It wasn’t that I cared if they went off and caused a bunch of mayhem; I just didn’t want it to become my problem. What a thing to wake up to.
Lucia flashed me a suspicious look before placing some neatly folded clothes next to me. “Here, brothe—leader, a change of clothes. Look, the press hasn’t wasted time converging on us. Eva’s dealing with them, but she’s got a busy schedule.”
“Right, thanks. I don’t have time for the press, though. I haven’t even eaten.”
I had finally gotten back to the imperial capital and decided not to go outside, yet here I was, bombarded with one thing after another.
“I’ve also brought you something to eat.”
“I’m in your eternal debt.”
“I’ll be your guard today, so don’t worry.”
“That’s, uh, reassuring. Hmm.”
I didn’t want to think about what might happen if I had the press on me while having Luke or Liz as a guard. Sitri was a bit more rational, but she had a tendency to say things better kept to herself. Hence, my reassurance that Lucia would be with me. Too bad that reassurance didn’t make me any more enthusiastic about talking to the press.
Then I had a great idea. I reached out and grabbed the black stone on my nightstand. It was a Sounding Stone, the Relic that Gark had handed me the other day. I had my doubts, but I felt like it wasn’t a coincidence that he had given me this right before the attack.
I took a deep breath and braced myself. Then I used my hotline to Franz.
***
Within the imperial castle was the safest place in all of Zebrudia, a room fortified against every known means of espionage. Gathered there were the most powerful people in the empire. There was the supreme commander of the imperial army, the head of the Arcane Institute, the chief of the intelligence agency, the old nobles known as the swords of the empire, and more.
Alongside this grand amalgamation was the emperor’s right hand, the man entrusted with leading the effort to hunt down Fox—the captain of the Zero Order, the emperor’s personal guard, Franz Argman.
Their foe was a major organization whose outline still eluded them. Fox’s numbers and might were a cut above other organizations. Information here had to be handled with utmost caution. Franz Argman was of a respected bloodline and had proven his loyalty with Tears of Truth, a Relic feared not only by the other nations but also by members of the imperial administration. He was perfect for spearheading this effort.
The operation was proceeding smoothly, in part thanks to the preparations they had already made. They were wrangling a budget together, and coordination with other nations was going well. Nobody was willing to oppose Rodrick Atolm Zebrudia, not with that vicious glint in his eyes.
After the incident at the Supreme Warrior Festival and the emperor’s declaration against Fox, several people had disappeared from Zebrudia. The investigations weren’t over yet, but they were most likely Foxes. There were people who had been trusted for years, people of prolific status, people who had held important positions. The devious fangs of Fox had sunk unbelievably deep, and it sounded like the neighboring nations hadn’t been spared either.
