“Do I have any reason to believe you?”
The cold tone stood in stark contrast to the familiar voice from before, and Jun clicked his tongue inwardly.
So, he knows we’re the ones in need here.
The count had the power to resolve this situation swiftly.
As planned, he could publicly crush the suspected Arobatty Merchant Guild and use it as an example of the imperial family’s authority.
If that happened, Jun and Chloe would be left completely stranded.
This won’t be easy.
He couldn’t help but feel Chloe’s absence keenly.
Jun had come alone to the Founder City.
Chloe had stayed behind in the Black Forest to manage the aftermath.
So, persuading the count fell entirely on Jun.
How could he sway this stubborn count?
To resolve this crisis, I’ll need the count’s help.
But there was no need to bow down either. The count was a man whose loyalty to the imperial family surpassed anyone’s.
In other words, he had no intention of handling this matter lightly.
That was Jun’s only way to break through.
“Unfortunately, there’s no evidence. Only that I faced a mage who used fire magic.”
If Jun’s circle level had been much higher than it was now, or if he had gained just a bit more insight into the [Mana Body], the situation would have been simpler.
He could have simply summoned a mage from the Volcatornic Magic Tower under the count’s name and asked them to compare and analyze the traces of magical power left at the scene.
Unfortunately, Jun hadn’t yet reached that level of skill.
At least the edge of the sixth circle, ideally the seventh circle. That’s the level needed for such a feat.
So, Jun now had to use his own silver tongue to persuade the count to act.
“But there is plenty of circumstantial evidence.”
“Circumstantial, you say…”
“Hasn’t the Volcatornic Magic Tower maintained a consistently good relationship with the Arobatty Merchant Guild?”
“Isn’t that, in fact, what’s strange? The Arobatty Merchant Guild and the Volcatornic Magic Tower have maintained friendly relations for decades, yet now, amid this incident, the Arobatty Guild is under suspicion. The Volcatornic Magic Tower has no reason to act in such a way.”
This was the biggest obstacle in the current situation.
The Volcatornic Magic Tower had no apparent reason to abandon its friendly relations and act against the Arobatty Guild.
If that ever turned out to be true, the Volcatornic Magic Tower would crumble in an instant.
Even the Mages Association wouldn’t protect them from an incident that disgraced the imperial family.
Not only that. No group that had ever betrayed a merchant guild had avoided bankruptcy.
In the end, money was crucial to operating a Magic Tower, and most of that money typically came from the merchant guilds.
And so, if they could just reveal the true culprit behind this incident, things would become incomparably easier.
And Jun had the most decisive evidence of all.
If I reveal that I possess the [Mana Body].
The count also understood the depths of mages’ curiosity and greed well.
If it became known that Jun possessed the [Mana Body], a constitution that had existed only in legends among mages, it would justify the Volcatornic Magic Tower breaking a decades-long alliance.
But I can’t reveal that.
The Count might seem like Jun’s strongest ally for now, but only because Jun was still of use to him.
But if the imperial family learned of Jun’s abilities?
Would they still leave Jun alone?
They’d likely classify me as a top-level threat. They might even see me as a potential source of disruption and decide to eliminate me altogether.
So, this was something he could never reveal.
Then, besides that, what justification could they have for making a move?
Jun spoke up.
“Indeed, under normal reasoning, they wouldn’t act in such a way.”
“Hmm? Are you saying the Volcatornic Magic Tower isn’t thinking rationally?”
Of course. People who tried to harvest hearts like they were digging up potatoes couldn’t be in their right minds.
But that wasn’t why he said those words.
“I suspect that the Volcatornic Magic Tower is currently involved with the Heavenly Church.”
“Hmm?”
The Count had also been informed that the Heavenly Church’s forces had been present at the scene where the Gillen Merchant Guild collapsed.
However, that alone didn’t prove any connection to the Volcatornic Magic Tower.
After all, there was no evidence that the Volcatornic Magic Tower had taken action in this incident.
For now, it was only circumstantial.
“Your Excellency, have you heard about our mercenary unit’s recent activities?”
“I have. I understand that you discovered another hidden dungeon recently? I also heard that it led to an increase in the Magic Towers participating in this auction. Are you suggesting this is related?”
“No, if that were the case, we would have suspected more diverse Magic Towers. If you recall our report from that time, our mercenary unit, along with bounty hunters of the Blackguard, fought members of the Heavenly Church.”
“Yes, I heard. But what does that have to do with the Volcatornic Magic Tower?”
“I’m suggesting that we reconsider the essence of this situation.”
What if this wasn’t about undermining the auction hosted by the Gillen Merchant Guild, but rather a deeply personal act of revenge sparked by the Heavenly Church? Doesn’t that make more sense?
“That’s ridiculous!! Risking the future of a Magic Tower over something so petty?”
“Count, people are not as rational as you might think. They don’t always assign value to every act, nor live solely by cost-benefit calculations.”
“Don’t try to sway me with words like that. I’m starting to get angry.”
Indeed, the count’s expression was growing colder by the moment. To him, every second held a value greater than gold.
There was no reason for him to listen to Jun’s ridiculous and baseless claims.
But Jun still had one last card to play.
“Above all, the Volcatonic Magic Tower didn’t act purely out of religious motives.”
“…….”
“The Zenkhar Magic Tower. Shylock, one of the few tower masters known by the title of ‘King’ has appeared. At the Black Forest Fortress.”
The Count’s eyes sparkled as if his fading interest had finally been revived.
***
Before leaving the Black Forest Fortress for the Founder City.
Jun headed to the usual sewer to meet Shylock.
But, as if by some magic…
“Ack!”
The entrance to the sewers that was once open was now completely blocked by a wall.
What in the world was going on?
Irritated, Jun wiped the grime and mold off his forehead roughly.
“What’s this? Where did it go?”
What could possibly have happened?
Did Shylock leave already?
Jun quietly listened to the breeze around him.
Whiiish…
He could hear the sound of wind. It wasn’t spreading through the sewers but came from beyond the wall.
It was faint, almost inaudible without concentration, but there was definitely space on the other side of the wall.
Crash!
He cast a small [Iron Fist] and broke through the wall, which revealed Shylock’s former quarters.
Yet, Shylock was nowhere to be seen. In his place, only a note and a single ring remained.
—An unavoidable situation has forced me to leave. If fate allows our paths to cross again, we shall meet.
—To the main point, if you’ve come here, there must be a reason.
—The flow of the stars seems to want this ring left here. I’ll leave it behind, so make good use of it.
—But remember, I’m not giving it to you. It’s mine. Take good care of it.
P.S. If you ever need my name, feel free to use it.
The note that bore a grimy thumbprint held these words.
Though he felt utterly at a loss at the time, in the end, he had gained what he was looking for.
***
“…This is indeed Shylock’s letter.”
Could he truly still be alive?
Count Mordenain realized things were about to become significantly more complicated.
“Do you know of him?”
“Of course. Fifteen years ago, I saw him with my own eyes.”
He then revealed the necklace hanging around his neck.
“My father commissioned this necklace directly from him. I was there when he handed it over.”
He rummaged through a drawer full of documents and finally pulled out an elegant piece of paper.
Its age was clear to see. This was likely a certificate authenticating an artifact.
“The thumbprint… it’s the same. So, he really is alive, Enchantment King, Shylock…”
Momentarily lost in memories, he began to think.
He wasn’t certain how Jun came to know Shylock, but Shylock’s disappearance had been the very incident that had enraged the Emperor fifteen years ago.
If Shylock was truly involved in this incident … He couldn’t back down any longer because it was just suspicion.
Still, as a count, he found it hard to act hastily.
“Unlike the Arobatty Merchant Guild, a Magic Tower is not something a man like me can interfere with so easily.”
“Because of the Mage Association?”
“Yes, the moment I make a move, the Association will respond aggressively.”
Since mages rarely engage with the outside world, they are deeply connected to one another.
And so, if the survival of a Magic Tower was at stake, they would rush in like madmen to stop any threat.
Of course, if a count bearing the name of the imperial family were involved, the situation might be different…
“As it stands, I have to consider even the worst-case scenario.”
The count, likewise, was not in a position to act lightly.
If Jun’s assumptions were to miss the mark, it would bring disgrace upon the imperial name.
“I’ll bring the evidence, your excellence. In return, please create an environment where I can move freely.”
“An environment?”
“Secretly… arrange a meeting with the head of the Arobatty Merchant Guild.”
***
The saying “a bolt from the blue” could not be more accurate when it came to the Arobatty Merchant Guild.
“Damn it! Gillen, why the hell did that golden pig make a move on his own?!”
And with good reason. He was under suspicion by none other than Count Mordenain Albert, who held power over Blackout’s affairs large and small.
And not just any family either. The Mordenain family had been serving the imperial family since the time of the first Emperor.
In other words, it was a pure-blooded noble family.
The count would never act on a whim, and when he did, it was as if a bloodstorm was guaranteed to follow.
This was a fact borne out by their history.
The problem now was that his eyes were firmly fixed on the Arobatty Merchant Guild.
“What… what on earth should I do…?”
Adolf, the guild master of the Arobatty Merchant Guild, was on the verge of losing his mind.
He was furious and seething with indignation, but the trouble was, he wasn’t entirely clean himself.
According to Adolf’s plan, he intended to act once the auction concluded smoothly and the count’s reputation had taken a hit.
Since he handled a significant portion of the potion trade, he planned to borrow the reputation of other merchant guilds and the Volkatronic Magic Tower to completely shut down Gillen Merchant Guild’s ambitions.
Letters on the matter had already been exchanged multiple times.
The circumstances alone were damning enough.
Even if he hadn’t yet executed the plan, just having such intentions would hardly spare him from the count’s wrath.
At worst, the guild might lose its head, and at best, it would lose an arm.
“Still no word from Volkatronic?!”
“Other than that they’re not involved, there’s been no response!”
“Those damned bastards!”
Other guilds had already caught wind of the situation and were beginning to back away.
They had no desire to risk getting entangled.
Amidst all this, a sliver of hope emerged.
“A-A meeting? He wants a meeting?!”
A letter had arrived from the count, instructing him to come directly if he had any defense to offer.
This meant he had to go and prove his innocence, one way or another.
If I fail to do so…
At the very least, he had to prepare for significant losses. For example, he might have to cough up damages equal to the anticipated losses caused by the arrival of Gillen Merchant Guild to prove his innocence.
Would giving up a wrist be enough…?
The amount would likely mean tearing down one of Arobatty Guild’s pillars.
It pained him to no end, but Arobatty had no other choice.
“Prepare the carriage!”
With swift strides, he descended from the second floor to the first and entered the Founder City.
It had been so long since he’d broken a sweat like this that he couldn’t even remember the last time.
Under normal circumstances, he would’ve taken more care with his appearance, but right now, perhaps this disheveled look suited him better.
It was humiliating, but the power of the imperial family was enough to shake the foundation of his entire life.
“Oh, dear Sir Adolf. You’ve come all this way with such effort. You seem to have sweated quite a bit.”
Fortunately, the count’s expression didn’t seem particularly displeased. He almost let out a sigh of relief.
Get a grip! This isn’t just any tiger’s den—it’s the Black Tiger’s den!
There was no telling what enormous suspicion might be hidden behind that smooth expression.
Without daring even to wipe his sweat, Adolf opened his mouth.
“My apologies for appearing before you in such a state.”
“No need. After all, the finest merchants are those who go out and work with their own feet, aren’t they? Seeing you like this truly puts me at ease.”
“Thank you…”
“Still, the smell of sweat is a bit much, so do freshen up a bit.”
“……”
Finally, after quickly tidying himself up, he was able to sit down before the count.
However, there was an unfamiliar man sitting in the reception room.
He hadn’t noticed him earlier, but the man had been there the whole time.
“You have a very honest face.”
“M-My apologies.”
“What? I’m not such a rigid noble, am I?”
Yet he’s got me by the throat.
But he couldn’t reveal such thoughts outwardly. Carefully, he asked Jun,
“May I ask how you came to be here?”
“I’ve come as a representative of the Gillen Merchant Guild.”
“……!”
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