Chapter 242 |
“What that guy requested was information about himself.”
That was the information they’d finally gotten out of him after all that bargaining. The information dealer crouched down, knees folded, gripping the pole he’d firmly driven into the ground.
“What information specifically?”
“Exactly what I said. The Demon Knight bought every piece of information there was about the person named ‘Demon Knight.’ His movements, his actions, and all speculations and questions about his identity.”
“…Why would he buy that?”
“You think people buying information explain their specific reasons?”
Deathbringer furrowed his brows deeply at the information dealer’s sarcastic remarks. Was he actually dodging this question after all they went through? Or did he really not know? Both possibilities crossed his mind.
“Ah… Now I get it.”
But then Meister, seemingly knowing something, spoke up. Both the broker and Deathbringer stared at him, surprised—“What are you looking at?”—which earned them some harsh words.
“You seriously know?”
“Maybe. Let’s continue, or is that all?”
“You only wanted to know what the Demon Knight bought, right? Then that’s all.”
…Honestly, Deathbringer kind of wanted to grab Meister by his collar and shake him until he spat out what he was hiding, but now wasn’t the time. Delaying the conversation he planned to have with Meister, he turned to kick the information dealer’s knee with the toe of his boot.
“There’s something you didn’t tell us, right?”
“I swear, I really don’t know why he bought this information!”
“I’m not talking about that.”
Deathbringer nodded as he stabbed the broker with a stick.
“Information on the Demon Knight is well within my level of access. So why did you refuse to tell me?”
Not only did he have access to it, but he was also well within his right to know who bought what information. It was part of a Deathbringer’s exclusive authority to monitor and track down certain people to execute based on that information.
So why did the information dealer try so hard to hide it from him? Even though he knew it would make him seem incredibly suspicious?
“…Shit, fine. Fine! It’s because I never reported this request to the Information Guild, okay?!”
“…If the guild ever found out, you’d have been in quite some trouble.”
Even if the information itself was fairly low-level, selling it without the guild’s approval was a major rule violation. Only then did the Deathbringer understand this guy’s choices.
“Can you guys take such under-the-table deals?”
“Well, yeah. If you’re caught, though, you’ll get your head chopped off.”
“Hmm. Why take the risk, then?”
“…It’s not like it was my decision. He’s the one who requested secrecy. It was a risky job, but he paid quite a sum. Besides, just listen to the request itself. The guy was buying information about himself, right? That’s the cleanest request you could ask for.”
When selling someone else’s secrets, there was naturally a chance that said person would hold a grudge and come after you. Also, the guild would drop you like a hot potato if you got in trouble selling information behind their backs.
“I usually don’t mess with these types of requests either. I just did it because it seemed harmless enough.”
“Hmm.”
“I’m serious. Do you have any idea how many guys I’ve seen get killed after taking these kinds of side requests?”
He’d seen far too many die like that. That’s why he normally played it safe.
However, since the Demon Knight was just buying his own information, he accepted it because he thought it wouldn’t cause much trouble.
“And besides, he’s… the Demon Knight, you know?”
Of course, the Demon Knight had previously brought in major profits for the Information Guild as well. Since he was the broker in charge, he’d also benefited quite a lot.
Rather than out of goodwill, this guy had benefited enough from the Demon Knight that he wanted to do him a small favor.
“He’s someone fighting Demons on the front lines, so how could I help him? That’s why I did it for him. It also wasn’t like he was buying someone else’s information. He just wanted to know stuff about himself, so I thought that would be fair enough, okay?”
But how could he say that out loud? So the information broker shamelessly covered up the truth, and to most who heard him, that excuse also seemed good enough. “There’s no way an Information Guild dealer is that soft-hearted.” Certain people still eyed him with suspicion, but they just let it slide.
“So you really don’t know why he bought it?”
“I don’t.”
“I think you do, though.”
“Damn it, this is why I hate dealing with coworkers. None of them ever listen!”
The information broker grumbled before lowering his voice as if trying to set the mood.
“Anyway… just keep your promise. I told you guys partly because I didn’t want to die, but I also want to keep my promise to my client as best I can, at least.”
“If that promise was to keep it a secret from everyone, doesn’t that mean you already broke it?”
“True, but it’s not like the Temple or the entire Information Guild found out.”
If the Temple or the guild got their hands on this information, how many would know the truth? Ten, twenty?
“I just figured it would be better to tell the two of you and cover it up than have it spread to either of those groups. The lesser of two evils and all that.”
Moreover, the Temple and the guild weren’t exactly friendly toward the Demon Knight, but these two were different. The broker believed this was the best choice he could make.
“…Why protect him?”
“Huh?”
“You should’ve probably heard by now that he has a Demon inside of his body and that he escaped to avoid execution.”
Still, it seemed not everyone understood his logic.
It certainly was a bit strange. After all, the guild made its money by selling others’ secrets, and if someone appeared to be a danger, they would subtly leak information to direct things in a certain way. If it were some of the other branch leaders… they might’ve already sold out the Demon Knight to the Temple.
“Well… because he’s my client?”
However, the truth wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. He felt some pity for the Demon Knight… An adventurer who’d been hunting Demons like a beast, even with no memory of who he was. That was why he kept everything about him hidden with the excuse of him being a client.
“You’re not going to nag me for that, are you?”
Above all, it wasn’t like these guys were saints either, seeing them sneak around behind the Temple and the Magic Tower’s backs. They had no right to criticize him.
“Not at all.”
“Then are we done here? Can I go now?”
“You broke the confidentiality clause, so you’re paying the penalty fee.”
“What?”
“You probably charged extra, calling it hazard pay, right? Give it. I’ll return it to Mister.”
“Damn it…”
Deathbringer shamelessly extended his hand, and the information dealer could only groan as he reluctantly rummaged through his coat. Not long after, he pulled out a small pouch.
“This might be for the best. Just thinking about how to deal with this was already troublesome enough.”
Thud. Some sort of claw rolled out of it.
“Are you serious? He paid you with this?”
“If you’ve got complaints, take it up with the guy who gave it to me. Even I was surprised when he said he’d pay with that!”
The information broker snapped, gritting his teeth.
“I was going to exchange it for cash in Bemurchen, but then the whole damn city collapsed…”
Apparently, what this guy was most annoyed about was that all his effort walking here had become pointless, though they couldn’t be sure whether that frustration was genuine or just an act.
“Anyway, we’re done now, right? Can I go?”
“As if.”
“Ah, what now?”
“Sell me the same information the Demon Knight bought.”
“Are you a stalker?”
“Shut up. Are you selling it or not?”
“For the love of… Urgh.”
But there wasn’t much more to squeeze out of this guy now. Deathbringer decided to wrap things up by purchasing the data the Demon Knight had bought.
In principle, nothing disallowed this from happening—anyone could buy information on the Demon Knight as long as they were willing to pay—so he felt he was well within his rights here. Even if… he felt a little bad for the Demon Knight, but that didn’t matter now.
“You want me to recompile all that stuff I already burned…?”
“It doesn’t need to stay secret now. All the other factions, especially the Temple, will be buying it anyway.”
Now that the Demon Knight had escaped, several factions would want that information, so there was no real point in being discreet. Everyone would end up knowing it eventually, anyway.
“I guess that’s true… Haah. But it’ll take some time.”
“How much time?”
“A month?”
“That’s too long… Can’t you just give me what you remember for now?”
“Do I look like I’m smart enough memory to remember all that stuff??”
“You’ve climbed the ladder pretty well, so you can’t be that dumb.”
“Damn it. Fine, pay me more then.”
And so, the deal was concluded successfully. It cost a bit, but Deathbringer was able to quickly obtain what information the dealer could remember. The full package would follow later.
“Damn it, let’s never meet again. You know things will get really troublesome if the Temple finds out we talked, right? Keep that damn inquisitor off my back, got it?”
“You too.”
“I got it already, so just get lost.”
With no more reason to hold him here, Deathbringer and Meister let him go. They didn’t worry too much about him talking since he’d only stab himself in the foot if he did.
All that was left was to silence those who’d potentially witnessed them here and spread some misinformation.
* * *
* * *
“So, do you know? Why Mister bought that information?”
“Yeah. Don’t you?”
“…No. So tell me?”
“Hmm, I don’t want to.”
“Are you serious right now?”
“Sorry, but I really am serious. I have no reason to tell you.”
However, to fulfill his task, yet another compromise had to be made. Deathbringer couldn’t help but look blankly at Meister as if he’d been betrayed.
“Wait, why…?”
“Why? I only managed to piece things together because of something I happened to hear from the Demon Knight himself. And that’s not something I can talk about so lightly. That’s why I’m not telling you.”
“…”
“Right, you should’ve just made yourself trustworthy enough for him to confide in you, you know?”
The problem was, yeah, Meister had a point he couldn’t refute.
For those not in the business of buying and selling information, it was normal not to spread other people’s secrets. It was Deathbringer’s fault for having never gotten close enough to him for him to share these kinds of things.
“Still, I…”
“On another note, I’ve been curious about something for some time, but why do you follow the Demon Knight?”
On the other hand, Meister had his own questions.
Of course, judging from how the Demon Knight spoke and acted, he didn’t seem like the type to value those around him. So why did he follow someone like that so fervently? Why did he admire him so much?
“Why would you care so much about someone who doesn’t even care about you?”
There was probably nothing more worthless and painful than waiting for an answer that would never come.
Even with those unsaid words lingering, Deathbringer’s hardened face didn’t crack.
“…What about you then?”
After a long silence, he could only bring up the kind of retort you’d make when you had nothing else to say.
“Me? I got involved because I thought their treatment of the Demon Knight was unfair?”
However, Meister could answer that question with plenty of confidence. That was Deathbringer’s miscalculation.
“Of course, since he ran away, there’s no longer any point in talking about unfair treatment, so I’m not defending him anymore. I’d just be accused of being a heretic myself, after all.”
“Then why did you come all the way here to seek out this informant?”
“I was curious. Honestly, aren’t we all? When something you thought would never change suddenly does, anyone would get curious.”
Meister’s mindset of coming here was more like that of a gossip-chaser. Rather than being on the Demon Knight’s side, he was simply curious about why he’d changed, so he went to look for the reason.
So, there was nothing that would come after. He’d no longer move for the Demon Knight. All he’d do as a fellow person was protect his privacy.
“…”
Realizing that, Deathbringer bit his lip again. 『Did we fail?』 The memory of a certain someone who’d seemed so unshakable asking this question flashed before his eyes. 『Can I truly not help him?』 The sight of that stubborn, unyielding woman breaking down without a word. 『If salvation for him exists only in the form of death, then I.』 It was the moment the light fell.
“…Then, what about me?”
Should he really give up?
Just because that foolish, soft-hearted woman had crumbled, did that mean he also had to give up?
“Do you really need a reason to follow someone?”
Deathbringer suddenly recalled the candies that had once ended up in his possession. They were so precious to him that he still hadn’t eaten them all, always carrying them around.
At the time he’d received them, they had been too sweet for him.
“If I had to explain, I could tell you plenty of things: because I have something to apologize to him for; because he doesn’t deserve to suffer like this; because he…”
Because… they were so very sweet.
So he wanted to share them with the Demon Knight as well. That was all.
“But is that really the kind of answer you were hoping for? Is it not enough to say it just ended up like this?”
That truly was all there was.
“No.”
Meister finally lowered his eyelids.
“It could be like that. Yeah, it could be.”
His purple eyes seemed distant for a moment, as if he were recalling something from long ago. His brown lashes fluttered open again.
“But… what are you going to do from now? Are you going to chase after him? You’re traveling with the Hero, right?”
“…I don’t know. I didn’t join this journey to follow the Hero anyway.”
“So you have no plan.”
Meister shrugged at Deathbringer’s words. “I still can’t tell you, though.” What he added next completely sapped Deathbringer’s strength.
“Instead, unless your head’s just a pot for your hair, you should be able to figure it out with some hints.”
“…What?”
“The reason people buy something is because they don’t have it.”
He’d been disappointed too soon, though. He blinked at Meister’s hint.
They buy something because they don’t have it. And what the Demon Knight bought was his own information. So the Demon Knight…?
“Ah, right. You can also take back the thing the Demon Knight gave me.”
“…What Mister gave you?”
“I had to show the Temple something, so it couldn’t be helped.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I mean… Urgh. Do I have to spoon-feed you everything?”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re smart, but do you have to lord it over people like that?” Deathbringer pursed his lips but eventually managed to get a proper explanation out of him. Fortunately, it wasn’t like the Demon Knight had given Meister something of special value.
It really had just been something “that couldn’t be helped.”
“This is…”
However, when Deathbringer looked at what the Demon Knight had entrusted to Meister, it appeared to be a handmade string bracelet a child might have made for someone as a gift.
Deathbringer couldn’t help but wonder, “Was it really because it couldn’t be helped?” when he looked at what he held in his palm.
…Was that bracelet still hanging on his wrist?
“…The Mountain Lord is moving.”
However, before Deathbringer could organize his thoughts, Meister opened his mouth, focusing on a far-off sight. With rumbling sounds, the gigantic body of the Mountain Lord began to move in the falling rain.
Its long, white body began to sway as if dancing in the heavy downpour.
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