Ch.77Return to the Beginning (2)

So many people have left, but it’s unbelievable that they haven’t returned with supplies yet.

Maybe they discovered locally available food sources in the south, but I’m not sure…

Could they have entered a forbidden area and vanished?

But thinking back to my in-game experience, that doesn’t seem likely.

When you reach the edge of the map, you just get pushed back with a warning to return.

Perhaps the expedition members are now stuck at a wall, fighting a meaningless battle to move forward.

If that’s the case, it would be fortunate, but…

What about all the other individual adventurers who headed south?

After the rumors spread, over a thousand adventurers have passed through our city to venture south.

In real life, a thousand people might not be a significant number, but this world is different.

Having nearly a thousand people travel long distances for a specific purpose is truly unprecedented.

Surely some of them would return if anything went wrong, so how is it that not even one has come back?

With Blanchard gone too, there’s no way to contact them, and I’m worried.

However, separate from that issue, the Starting Village is enjoying tremendous prosperity.

We’re already producing all kinds of resources through potions and luck, and now adventurers are flocking here from all over the empire.

People who’ve come all this way for a journey into uncharted territory with no guarantees aren’t hesitant about spending money.

The population is growing, money is circulating, and amazing rumors about our city continue to spread.

If the southern exploration craze continues, our city might keep getting promoted.

That is, if Odelin City doesn’t interfere.

“Committee member! The mayor has summoned you!”

A city hall employee shouted from below the watchtower.

When I went to city hall, Bellamy, Liberone, and Adelheid were gathered in the mayor’s office.

Everyone’s expression was extremely serious, suggesting something had happened.

“Ah, Mr. Jack…”

Bellamy greeted me when she saw me.

Bellamy hasn’t been doing well again lately.

Rather than depression, it seems to be due to the pressure from the city’s rapid growth.

“What’s the matter?”

“We have a problem. Over here.”

Adelheid pointed to an empty chair.

As I sat down, Bellamy slowly began to speak.

“Odelin City… has blocked the road…”

“What? Blocked?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. They’ve blocked the road leading to our city.”

Adelheid pointed to a map on the table.

Our city was at the bottom. Above it were several villages, and then Odelin City.

What Adelheid was pointing to was the road directly below Odelin City. A large X mark was drawn there.

“They’ve blocked this? Why on earth? They have nothing to lose either.”

Odelin City has also been benefiting properly from the southern exploration boom.

Odelin City is the last city travelers pass through before reaching our city.

The villages in between are too busy with their own survival to be places for travelers to stop.

So many adventurers resupply at Odelin City and then travel the two-day distance to our city.

What reason could they have for blocking adventurers? Could they be trying to hinder our city’s growth?

“That’s probably the reason…”

Bellamy spoke up.

“When we were a village, we were under Odelin City’s administrative control… So we paid a small tax to Odelin City… Of course, since our village’s production wasn’t much, the amount wasn’t large, but… Now…”

“Since we’re the same city rank, we no longer pay taxes. We’ve been administratively separated.”

“That’s right… And if our city surpasses Odelin City from here…”

“All the other villages under Odelin City’s administrative control would be incorporated into our city. Perhaps even Odelin City itself could end up that way.”

So that was the reason. If so, I can understand why they would make such an extreme choice as blocking the road.

But they have no justification? Well, justifications can always be manufactured.

“We sent a reconnaissance team to check, and they’ve mobilized the guard to set up a checkpoint for full-scale control.”

“Even the guard? They’re insane.”

“That’s not all. We’ve also received intelligence that they’re installing iron chains across the river to block the waterway trade route.”

I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at Adelheid’s words.

If they put up iron chains, ships won’t be able to pass through, and in the worst case, their hulls could be destroyed, causing them to sink.

These bastards have completely lost their minds.

I should have looked into this when that deputy mayor came and caused trouble last time.

This is a problem. The king is currently absent, and to file a complaint at the royal palace, we’d have to pass through this blocked road.

Our city will have to resolve this on its own.

But the question is, how do we resolve it…

Sending troops directly to crush them would escalate matters, but it doesn’t seem like dialogue will work since they appear determined.

Hmm, this is troublesome.

“Should we send Miyumi to handle it? She specializes in assassination.”

“No. Miyumi is now an official member of the guard. If she gets caught, it would truly be the end.”

“Then what about me going? I’m not a city resident.”

When Liberone interjected, I shook my head.

“You’re even worse. The repercussions would be too great if a Holy Knight acted on behalf of a specific city.”

“Then what do we do? There doesn’t seem to be any solution besides using force.”

“We need to think…”

Adelheid folded her arms and closed her mouth, while Liberone looked at me with no particular expression.

Searching through my knowledge of the original work yields nothing.

Of course there’s nothing. This is outside of gameplay.

At that moment, Bellamy cautiously raised her hand.

“Mr. Jack… I’m not sure if you remember, but…”

“Remember what?”

“When we accepted the Zilke Republic refugees… there was a woman who said she was a former assassin…”

“Ah? Yes, there was. She looked very ominous.”

“What about using her…? Since she’s an assassin with no official status, perhaps…”

“Hmm…”

“And remember that Shadow Coat we salvaged from Mestopin’s Junkyard… If she wears that… the chances of getting caught would be significantly reduced…”

Ah, right! The Shadow Coat!

We took it from a monster we encountered while rescuing the Zilke Republic refugees in spring.

I had forgotten about it after storing it in the warehouse, but Bellamy remembered it well.

This is quite a good suggestion. Though not for assassination.

That would be the absolute worst case scenario. It should never happen unless Odelin City declares war on us.

“Good. Do you still have that person’s information? Let’s implement this immediately.”

* * * * *

The woman was working on a fishing boat.

When we were making the list of artisans back then, she said her specialty was assassination, but what use would our city have for an assassination specialist?

So after looking for various jobs, she eventually ended up on a fishing boat.

Her name is Eshna. Extremely assassin-like.

“So… you were an agent of the Republic’s Security Department?”

“Yes.”

Eshna’s voice was as cold as it was back then.

“Any proof?”

“None.”

“Do the other Republic expatriates know about you?”

“They don’t.”

“It would be stranger if they knew about an agent. Then how can we know that you were an assassination specialist… I see. You are an assassin.”

I swallowed hard and stepped back a little as a dagger appeared at my throat.

I had no idea where or how it had appeared.

“I want to assign you a job. You’ll be compensated.”

“What is it?”

“The mayor of Odelin City…”

“Three hundred gold coins.”

“What did you say?”

I was startled by the outrageous amount Eshna named.

“Assassination starts at one hundred fifty gold coins. For a high-ranking official like a mayor, three hundred coins is the appropriate rate.”

“No, it’s not assassination…”

After I explained my plan to Eshna, she adjusted the amount.

“Thirty gold coins.”

“That’s reasonable. Can you do it?”

“I can.”

Eshna took the Shadow Coat I gave her and stood up.

“The blockade will be lifted in three days.”

With those words, Eshna left the room.

* * * * *

The mayor of Odelin City is a horse enthusiast.

Not in the sense of mounting horses, but he really loves horseback riding.

The mayor’s stable houses several rare breed horses that are uncommon even in the empire, with twenty staff members just to manage them.

For a mayor of a city in a frontier kingdom, this could be considered excessive luxury.

Today, after returning from an exhilarating ride, the mayor receives a pleasing report from his deputy mayor.

It was that they had stopped fifty adventurers trying to reach the Starting Village.

Recently, due to the senility of an old man named Hans Wunder in the Starting Village, adventurers have been flocking there from everywhere.

A city thrives on population, and transient population also has a significant impact.

At this rate, Odelin City would become merely a waypoint to the Starting Village.

So the mayor of Odelin City blocked the road completely, citing various reasons like road maintenance and monster appearances.

Since the roads near Odelin City belong to the city, even the kingdom would find it difficult to force them open.

Exploration of the south? Nonsense.

It’s just a temporary trend, so if they keep the road blocked for about another week, the flow of adventurers will surely stop.

After entering his office, the mayor signed the accumulated documents, handled various tasks, and then went to bed.

And the next morning.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!”

The mayor screamed with all his might when he saw what was placed at the foot of his bed.

The severed head of the prized horse he had ridden yesterday was staining the bed sheets red.