86. back east (6)

“How was the tour of the estate?”

It was a morning like any other. For Marion, it was the beginning of a rewarding daily life, and for Irina Agon, it was a normal but special morning. Marion smiled slightly as she peeled the apple.

“It was great. Merchants sold a lot of interesting things, and seeing the noisy estate puts my mind at ease.”

With Marion’s soft expression, Countess Irina’s expression softened as if ice melted. Waking up early in the morning has now turned into a routine of waiting for something to be expected rather than a chore.

“Didn’t there be a commotion because of the merchants and the adventurers who came along?”

“The guards were keeping an eye on them, and above all, the worried adventurers seemed to be well controlled.”

Perhaps there was an adventurer who held the center tight, but the adventurers who ran to escort them from the capital were quietly guarding the caravan or wandering around the busy streets of the territory. There could have been a clash with the guards or local adventurers in Murat, but as far as Marion knew, that didn’t happen.

“It is unexpected.”

The countess, who had assumed such a collision to some extent, blinked as if she was really surprised.

“Still, I’m glad you’re getting along calmly and without conflict. There are a lot of people with rough tempers, so I thought it would be difficult to fight each other.”

Click.

The teacup was placed on the tray. The Count’s breakfast was also quickly prepared and put on the plate. Marion gave a puzzled look at the Countess, who seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to prepare breakfast today. Perhaps feeling Marion’s gaze, Mrs. Irina let out a small cough.

“Today, I’m going to go down to the manor and inspect whether the merchants are delivering the items they ordered. I’m sorry I unavoidably rushed to prepare breakfast.”

“No, no! I wonder if the work has been delayed because of me… .”

The countess laughed and shook her head.

“at all. There is no reason to rush in the first place, so why are you busy preparing? I also think it’s much better to make breakfast while talking slowly.”

Hmm.

Mrs. Irina cleared her throat again. As if to say something, Marion stopped and focused on his wife.

“So, why don’t you go down to the manor with me today?”

As if not thinking of the Countess’ proposal, Marion widened her eyes.

“With my wife… .”

“I won’t be bored. In fact, I even suggested that the baroness go with me, but she stubbornly refused. She asked me to take you instead.”

It’s like a shield. said the Countess with a mischievous smile.

“I think it would hurt a little if you were rejected as well as the baroness.”

It also amused the Countess to watch Marion fidget. Since he was still struggling with himself, he didn’t show the composure to respond to jokes like this, but it was nice to see his cuteness in his innocent reaction.

“I will not refuse… .”

“Then, would you like to go down with me?”

As the countess intended, Marion nodded obediently. Screaming for joy inwardly, Mrs. Irina placed the finished breakfasts on the cart one by one and put the lid on. The wife, holding the handle of the cart, called the servants.

“I will make breakfast and get ready to go out, so help Marion get ready. Is the wagon ready?”

“Of course, ma’am.”

The servants bowed their heads and dragged Marion halfway to the dressing room. Marion’s transparent, blue eyes were filled with question marks, and before the question even came out of her mouth, she was sitting on a chair in front of the dressing table and combing her hair.

“I always feel that, you have really nice hair, lady. I really envy you.”

“… I feel like I’ve been tricked. Is it an illusion?”

To Marion’s self-talk, the lady-in-waiting answered without changing her face.

“Madam has a knack for sometimes getting others caught up in the unknown. It must be because of his excellent speech.”

The answer of the accomplice who got caught up in the unknown is too shameless.

Marion tried to answer that, but ended up resolutely pulling her hair and licking her lips at the comb.

“By all means, I hope you have a nice outing this time, young lady.”

Yep.

Seeing the maid’s smiling face reflected in the mirror, Marion froze and replied.

—

“They disappeared for a week and pretended they wouldn’t show up until they left.”

A restaurant near the caravan. Pierre held a glass full of beer in one hand and glared at the adventurer across from him with a bewildered expression. Even today, the adventurer wearing a black hood shamelessly–it’s only natural that he looks so since his face isn’t visible–disregarded Pierre’s words while rattling his fork.

“What is it that reappears after a day?”

“There is only a little time left.”

Is it an excuse or is it really like that? Pierre gulped down his beer while imagining the unknown adventurer’s expression in his head.

“So, are you done with what you were trying to do?”

Pierre asked, as if hinting at it, but Maxim smiled and dismissed the question in an easy-to-understand manner.

“no. And even if it’s done, I’m not going to just say, ‘Yeah, I’m done.’”

“I knew. I just asked. That’s right. this bastard.”

Pierre responded coldly to the reply that came back. Maxim gave a nasty shrug, and a tendon shot through Pierre’s forehead.

“That one? Did you find everything you were looking for?”

Pierre frowned. An employee who was passing nearby let out a small scream and walked away at that threatening impression.

“Sh*t, you don’t even tell me where you are and what you do, do I have to teach you everything about my every move?”

Maxim answered in a calm tone, regardless of whether Pierre was angry or not.

“If you don’t want to cooperate, don’t tell me. Of course, it has nothing to do with me.”

A thick sinew was etched on Pierre’s forehead again. Tendons etched with anger soon turned into wrinkles of resignation, leaving scars on the fraying head.

“Yeah, if I get angry, I’m the only one who loses. sibural. It’s my fault for rushing to take on this mission. It’s my fault for rolling up my sleeves and saying there are suspicious people.”

Gibbering, Pierre glared at the beer glass in his hand as if to vent his anger, then drank it all at once.

Tung.

Queue.

As the empty beer glass was placed on the table, Pierre let out a burp and sigh. Deciding to change the subject, Pierre rolled his eyes to make sure there were no listening ears around.

“There are no eyes watching us or ears listening secretly.”

And even that attempt was stopped by the nasty adventurer of the hood, and he could not stand it and, with a ghastly sound, crushed the handle of the beer mug.

“Sifal, you’re not some kind of ghost.”

“Continue talking. It’s okay to say it in peace. Rather, they won’t even try to come near you.”

You don’t want to stand out by doing useless things.

Maxim added, rolling his eyes around him. Pierre brushed away the wood shavings from his hands and started talking.

“To begin with, it wasn’t that difficult to narrow down the candidates. As I told you, the standard I had already established was solid. but.”

“but?”

Tsk, Pierre clicked his tongue.

“The problem is that there were a lot more adventurers than we thought. It’s unlikely that all 15 adventurers infiltrated with the intention of interfering with this mission. It would be fair to assume that the side trying to sabotage us sent a similar mix of non-espionage figures.”

“What if they are all spies?”

To Maxim’s question, Pierre firmly shook his head.

“It can’t be. No matter how great a hindrance it is, the number of people needed for sabotage cannot exceed five pennies of the total number of people. If you think about it more than that, it’s too conspicuous. There can be confusion in information sharing, and the tail is long, so the possibility of being caught increases.”

“You seem to know me quite well.”

“It hasn’t been long since I ate adventurer jjambab, but it’s not like I haven’t been on an unofficial mission. Rather, I can say that I have been through quite a lot.”

Pierre grumbled.

“So you know very well that things outside of common sense happen more often than you think. It’ll be annoying, but I mean.”

“Are you considering the possibility that all fifteen of them are spies?”

“That means we cannot completely rule out that possibility. It’s better to think of all possibilities and move.”

“Do you even know what they are after?”

At Maxim’s question, Pierre fell silent.

“That is the biggest problem right now. I can’t quite figure out what the mixed people want. He didn’t do anything, and he didn’t move in haste. I don’t know where they’re plotting out of sight, but damn, I’m thinking that maybe this deal isn’t what those mixed-in guys are targeting.”

Maxim’s eyes narrowed under the hood.

If the spies Pierre was talking about were planted by Beninga, what were they aiming for?

Suddenly, the king’s words, ‘the east that Benning can’t reach’, came to mind.

“… I’ll have to make sure to do a personnel check.”

Maxim said. Pierre raised his eyebrows and asked what he was talking about.

“Their purpose is not to ruin this journey, but it seems correct to think that they have business here, to the east.”

“In Murana no man’s land? What kind of chubby guy has business there and infiltrates people?”

“Okay.”

Maxim gave an ambiguous answer and looked at the glass. The foam in the beer had almost subsided, leaving only black liquid in the glass.

“If their purpose is really to be here in the eastern land, isn’t it something I should be concerned about? It’s up to you, who seem to have some ulterior motives here, to manage.”

“No, you should care too. If you don’t want to be dumped by the things that those guys who don’t know what they’re going to do.”

Pierre asked sarcastically, but he ended up taking a shot. That being said, having spies run into some kind of accident in the east would have a far greater disruptive effect than directly ruining the deal.

“What the f*ck.”

Pierre cursed. Maxim watched Pierre’s reaction, silently lost in thought, then emptied the beer in front of him and stood up. Pierre’s gaze followed Maxim as he rose from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“watch.”

“… I’d rather go with you.”

It wouldn’t hurt to ask for help with these things. Maxim nodded as he watched Pierre rise from his seat after him.

—

This is your chance.

The two spies of Beninga, who were walking down the street, thought so. Marion Bordain was out with the wife of Count Agon. They mingled very secretly with the crowd, unnoticed by their escort, and were eavesdropping on the conversation between Marion and Irina Agon.

Irina said, turning to Marion and her escort, who were listening to the merchant’s conversation. A look of sorry for making you wait spread across his face.

“I need to stay over here because I have to keep looking at the deal, Marion. Would you like to leave me for a while and go with Yvon?”

When the name of the female knight was called, she lowered her eyebrows as if in trouble.

“But, madam… .”

“it’s okay. I’ll only be around here for a while, so what’s the danger? I feel sorry for Marion who has to wait patiently for what I do.”

Marion sighed and shook her head.

“No, it’s fine, ma’am.”

A faint blush ran across Marion’s face. Seeing Marion like that, Irina insisted in a stern voice.

“The content of the conversation behind the scenes is also related to the family situation, so it’s because I can’t tell you all the stories. So, Yvon?”

“Yes, madam.”

“Take care of Marion. Don’t be apart from my side for a moment, let’s walk together. Got it? He guides you well.”

The escort knight, Yvon sighed.

“I will take your order.”

Marion had no choice but to back down at Irina’s determined attitude. Even if he said it so sternly, the request he gave to Yvon was obviously made only with Marion in mind.

“Then let’s go, lady. Are there any places you would like to visit?”

“market… I want to go that way.”

“All right. I will guide you.”

Yvon took Marion’s hand and led her on the road, and Irina smiled again and waved at Marion. Marion turned her head anxiously to Irina, then focused on Yvon’s guidance.

“… Are you okay?”

At Marion’s question, Yvon, who was walking down the street, smiled bitterly.

“There is a part of her that is quite stubborn. If you speak so firmly, I have no choice but to follow you.”

“My wife… .”

As Marion’s words raised her concerns, Yvon shrugged.

“Rather than the madam, it is better to keep a young lady by her side who will be wandering in an unknown area. He never breaks his promise, so he’s probably really working nearby.”

In the alley leading to the market, people enter as one body like water being sucked into a drain. Marion gently closed her eyes as she watched the crowd come and go.

“miss?”

concerned, Yvon asked. Marion smiled faintly and replied.

“it’s okay. I can’t get used to being in a place with so many people.”

Yvon wrapped Marion’s arm around her. The arm wasn’t that thick, but the knight’s strength was enough to firmly support Marion.

“Shall we go back?”

“No, I’ll look around for a bit and then go.”

It was only after Marion shook her head, as if she was okay, that Yvon moved slowly. There were fewer crowds than at the entrance to the market. Marion looked around at the many specialties that can only be found in Murat with her eyes shining. Yvon was pointing his finger at items Marion was interested in and explaining them one by one.

“That is an apple only grown in the East. Yellow-skinned apples are a specialty only in Murat, so I know they are quite popular within the royal capital.”

Fall is also the season.

To Marion, who was buying an apple and biting it off, Yvon added and explained.

thud.

Marion, who was passing through the market again, bumped into someone and stumbled. The apple in Marion’s hand rolled helplessly on the stone floor of the market.

“what? Where do you wear your eyes?”

A man who seemed to be an adventurer or a handyman, spouting harsh words, glared at Yvon and Marion. Yvon’s eyes grew cold.

“Are there two young ladies who seem to be out there wandering around in a place like this? It’s fun.”

A fishy smile appeared on the handyman’s face. Yvon gritted his teeth.

“You don’t know why that lady is covering her face with a mask? Are you going to the prom? Well, the other half looks good enough to look at. By the way, ladies.”

The housekeeper lowered his head and smirked. Yvon slowly raised his life. If you say one more word, I’ll tear that muzzle to the tip of your ear.

“Don’t hang out in a place like this, why don’t we move somewhere and talk?”

A couple more handyman appeared behind Marion and Yvon. Marion’s face hardened, and Yvon’s expression rotted. Even without a sword, they can break limbs in the blink of an eye.

“I… .”

awesome

“uh?”

Right before Yvon left the water, a sound was heard.

“this.”

Kuck.

Pudeuk.

The sound of bones cracking. Marion doubted her ears for a moment.

In the next moment, the space was filled with a terrible life. The shadow of the handyman was off the ground. When I raised my head, the handyman, who had been talking rudely, was hanging limp in the air like a rag doll.

“Are you out of your mind?”

A low, cold voice came like the north wind.

Marion raised her head and faced the black-eyed adventurer wearing a black hood that she had met from afar.