rioshko (2)
182
Around the time the sun had almost set and the whole area had turned dark.
Returning to the inn, Rei’s party had rented the entire floor and gathered in one room.
Ray sat down in a chair and rested, then half-opened her eyes.
I could feel the popularity from the open window.
It was Bang who returned from a mission alone.
He opened his mouth as he unlocked the cover-up that Bang had developed as an artifact.
“As you said, I’ve been tracking Lasker… Immediately after contacting us, we headed to the Riosko Mercenary Guild Headquarters.”
‘Lasker’ was the name of a mercenary who offered to introduce Rey to the guide who accompanied Ult.
Ray didn’t trust Lasker as he was, so he had a bang attached.
“Who did you contact there?”
“It seems that you have contacted the guild leader.”
“Didn’t you hear the conversation?”
“The defense was more meticulous than expected.”
“Well…”
If you were the guild leader of the Rioshko Mercenary Guild, you should have seen that all the people in power in this area had connections.
It was impossible to infer anything from simply contacting the guild leader.
‘Shall we first meet the guide who said that he was accompanied by Ult and then judge…’
While Ray was thinking about it, Bang opened his mouth.
“Leon.”
“Do you have more to report?”
“It’s not, but… Given the current circumstances, wouldn’t it be most likely that Hope died alone in the Forbidden Forest?”
“Is Hope the guest?”
“Yes, I think so.”
Jet, who was listening to their conversation, helped.
“The Forbidden Forest is a dangerous place. You may have been attacked by a monster while entering the depths without a companion, or you may have lost your life by falling into a trap because of the hatred of the mercenaries. In that case… honestly, it would be difficult to find any traces.”
Hearing the two of them, Ray smiled a little.
Bang and Jet’s argument was reasonable in its own way.
If he went missing while wandering around the forbidden forest alone, most people would think that the missing person was eaten by a monster.
But that was a claim he could make because he didn’t know Ult’s skills.
‘I must have been attacked by a monster or something.’
Ult was strong.
He wasn’t the type to only fight ignorantly.
Even if I searched all the mercenaries in this area, I couldn’t find anyone more experienced than Ult.
Moreover, Ult was armed with all kinds of artifacts obtained from labyrinths across the continent.
Among them, the most important artifact was the legacy that Valerius left behind.
Rey was clearly aware of Ult’s strength through Seria’s statement, so he did not agree with Bang and Jet’s argument.
Ult was by no means a person who could be attacked by monsters or mercenaries.
‘Even if the entire knights of any level come, if it’s Ultra, you’ll be able to run away from it.’
However, Ult disappeared, and the news was still cut off.
It meant that there was something around here that could kill Ult or hold Ult.
In the worst case, Rei was even imagining the appearance of a being comparable to a high-ranking demon.
‘There’s nothing strange about demon worshipers or high-ranking demons working on a revamp in a demonized land where access is blocked.’
At a time when malice flourished across the continent.
There was no way those who had turned around would have left the space with a ‘forbidden forest’ environment.
For this reason, the Forbidden Forest was a dangerous space that Rei could never be vigilant about.
‘…But there’s no need to be too scared.’
If Rey had come here alone, she would have been much more cared for than she is now.
But now, Luna was by Ray’s side.
It was an unbelievable story, but Luna was now beyond the level of any high-ranking wizard.
With Luna’s assistant, Rey was confident that even if she encountered an Eridanus-class demon, she would tear the opponent apart.
Whik!
While Rey was contemplating, the sound of the wind was heard again.
Someone passed through the open window and landed on the floor.
Rey, who opened the soundproof barrier again, looked back at the man with a rough impression and asked.
“Are you Buzzel?”
“Yes… no, yes.”
Buzzel shook her head awkwardly.
Rey looked at the man named Buzzle.
Somehow the face was familiar, but when I looked back carefully, it was a mercenary I had glanced at at the Wyvern’s nest in the evening.
“Were you together with the mercenaries in the Wyvern’s nest earlier? They belonged to the intelligence service.”
“Uh huh… No. There seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“misunderstanding?”
“Hey, I don’t belong there. We deal with each other when we need it… we do things like that.”
“Oh, it was a local collaborator.”
It meant that it wasn’t the spy squad that the Empire had trained and dispatched, but the collaborators that the spies had recruited from the field.
Rey only now knew the exact identity of the collaborator, as he had only told Comet how to summon his collaborator in Rioshco.
Ray motioned for Buzzle to sit down and fumbled through his pockets.
“If it’s a local collaborator, you can’t do it bare-faced. If you cooperate faithfully on this matter, the case will be very good.”
Rei laid out the kingdom silver coins on the table.
Even though Buzzle was burdened, he grabbed the silver coin and put it in his pocket.
“What did you call me for?”
“How’s the behavior of the mercenaries in the Wyvern’s nest?”
“What do you mean…”
“Since you’ve been talking about Hope having expensive artifacts, there must have been quite a few people with different thoughts.”
“…!”
It was only then that Buzzle realized that the ‘expensive artifact’ that Rey had been talking about was some kind of bait.
Ult actually had a lot of valuable artifacts, but Buzzle couldn’t figure it out.
Rey urged Buzzle.
“Do not keep rolling your head and answer the questions asked. Do you really need to make the atmosphere harsh?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Uh… There were quite a few of the mercenaries who gathered to discuss how to find Hope.”
“I don’t mind ignoring those who talk openly. If anyone really knows Hope’s whereabouts, they’ll move secretly. If there are people with suspicious behavior, track them down and report them.”
Buzzel looked into Rey’s eyes and murmured.
“Ma, wizard, I can’t find all the suspicious mercenaries alone.”
“I know. I’ve ordered the intelligence service to send more people here, so people will come to help you soon. Until then, let’s work with this guy here.”
Bang walked out of the darkness and closed the distance with Buzzel.
Buzzel’s eyes were wide open, while Bang opened up the artifact’s hiding place.
As it is an expensive artifact used by the Royal Guard class, its performance was excellent.
Buzzel couldn’t keep her mouth shut as she watched Bang disappear like a ghost in front of her eyes.
Rey snapped her fingers at Buzzle, who was losing her mind.
right!
“This matter is quite important. If we cooperate well, I will take care of you to your satisfaction. But…”
The core and circle around Rey’s heart rotated simultaneously.
The cold air with great power engulfed the surroundings, causing mana to fluctuate.
Buzzel’s complexion turned white at the strange pressure he felt for the first time in his life.
Ray looked straight at Buzzle and warned.
“If you hit the back of the head, I’ll tear your limbs apart.”
“…well, that won’t happen.”
“Yeah, let’s do it.”
Rey relaxed his expression and patted Buzzel on the shoulder.
*
dawn the next day.
Bang, Buzzle, and an additional spy squad moved to monitor and track the mercenaries showing suspicious movements.
Rey and Luna and Jet headed to the Wyvern’s nest to meet the guide.
Just take either way. That was Ray’s idea.
When they almost arrived at the Wyvern’s nest, Lasker, the mercenary whom we talked to yesterday, met Rey’s party.
The entrance to the Wyvern’s nest was open because the main gate had not been repaired yet.
This time, Rey, who entered the Wyvern’s nest without the guard’s restraint, ordered bread and ate it.
As Ray was muttering that the bread didn’t taste as bad as expected, Lasker, who had gone out, came back.
“This is my friend.”
Rey looked up and saw the guide Lasker had introduced him to.
As a guide, I thought he would be old, but at best he looked like a young man in his twenties.
Rey blinked suspiciously, and Lasker hurriedly added an explanation.
“This friend is a native of this place. He has been roaming the forest since he was a child, so he knows geography well.”
“…I want to talk just the two of us, so please move away.”
“all right.”
Lasker withdrew immediately.
Ray looked at the young man named the guide and asked.
“What’s your name?”
“It’s called come.”
“Come and sit down.”
When Olda sat down, Ray asked, handed him a basket of bread.
“When did you meet Hope?”
“Uh… it’s been a few months. Actually, we haven’t been together for a long time. He likes to move around alone.”
“If you have any information that might help find Hope, please let me know.”
Rei again picked up the kingdom silver coin and bounced it forward.
Allda took the silver coins and continued with a smile.
“Honestly… he didn’t look like a fugitive. He seemed interested in the ruins, but most of the lesser-explored ruins are located deep in the forest. So, my guidance was limited. The same was true of the other guides.”
“I can’t even guide you to the depths of the forest, so why did Hope hire you as a guide?”
“Because I’m very picky about the terrain outside the forest. I’m well aware of where monsters live and things like that. I’m also well aware of rumors.”
“rumor?”
“There are rumors like that if you go deep into the forest in any direction, there is a large temple, there is an entrance to the labyrinth, etc. A long time ago, there was a city where people lived in that forest. Maybe that’s why there are so many rumors.”
“Is this a credible rumor?”
“Hahaha… Everyone thinks it’s a rumor, but Hope seems to be quite interested.”
“…”
Ultya must have shown great interest in labyrinths and artifacts.
He must have wandered through the forest without realizing that his life was precious.
Ray pondered for a moment and then changed the question.
“If you gave directions, I’m sure you know which path Hope used mainly to enter the depths of the forest.”
“yes that’s right.”
“Explain.”
When Rey unfolded an inaccurate map of the forest, Olda expressed his displeasure.
“I’m not good at looking at maps. I have to go and explain the terrain by myself.”
It wasn’t strange.
There was no way Olda, an orphan, could have learned the way by looking at the map, so it was said that in the end, she risked her life after chasing mercenaries and learned it by eye.
“…”
Rey tapped her finger on the table and scanned Allda from top to bottom.
His powers were manifested, and veins burst out of Rey’s eyes.
Rey, who felt a slight headache, rubbed his eyes for a moment and was silent.
“…Okay, okay. Let’s go on our own. Please guide us on the main routes Hope has taken. Along the way, tell us about the rumors that Hope was interested in.”
“Does that mean that the wizard will hire me as a guide…?”
Rey picked up another silver coin and bounced it forward.
Allda smiled and took the silver coin.
Rey stood up immediately, as he had to wander through the forest while the sun was rising.
“I’m leaving right away.”
Rey’s face as he said that looked calm to anyone who could see it.
Ray wasn’t bad at this.
The worst thing for Rey was for those who were suspicious to hide.
However, it was really convenient for Ray to come forward and do his best work like this.
If you step on the man who performed the trick in reverse order and climb up, something will come out .
