106-100 mastermind and perpetrator

As soon as we started to move to the delegates' meeting place, I was approached.

"Can you go ahead for a minute?

Galva-san said and then disappeared.

"Quite the recluse Nya.

Keti was assessing that behind me, but I made it a priority to talk to Gurugar-san.

A bear as usual........Grugar-san had a presence that reminded me of a black bear from my previous life's memory.

That Gruger-san was looking at me while smiling. Apparently, he wanted to talk about honey.

I wasn't expecting you to be on friendly terms with the Hatchis. Honey is not something that comes along very often. So when they gave me honey, I wondered if that might be the case. I thought so, but it's a hard species to meet normally.

'No - my meeting with them was a fluke. And I was trying to make Yenis a better place to live... and all I've done is fail.

''Of course. Because no matter how much you become a dragon slayer, this country is corrupt now. Do you know why Brother Galba left Yenis?

'No, Olga-san has only told me that she used to be called a prodigy.

'You're not represented, you're made to do everything, and if you fail, you're held accountable for it. It was just that kind of routine. So when I registered as an adventurer, we both left Yenis.

Mr. Galba says he's giving up.

Has this country always been like this?

'The wrinkles of it have tormented Luciel over time, yes, brother Galba regretted it.

I've been wanting to travel a lot lately....

When I was working for a company in my previous life, work outside of my field of expertise I would just go get a contract, put it in the order date and construction instructions, and let the engineering department take care of the rest.

But now I have to take responsibility for everything, it's like being the CEO of a small business.

It's like being the president of a small or medium-sized company, where you have to take responsibility for everything.

''This time it's the elders' fault for trudging through the active labyrinth and turning Luciel into a dragon slayer, not the representatives who tried to pretend the corruption in this country didn't happen. Luciel has been elevated this time.

The elder?

The Elders are here I had never heard of any such thing.

Besides, it was supposedly Lord Jasuan who spread the dragon slayers.

Seeing my questioning expression, Grugar-san explains simply.

''The representatives of the Council of the Eight Tribes are all young, right? The oldest is around forty years old. Why is that? The Presbyterian Council it's because the old men, the chiefs of the various clans, are calling the shots.

Well I've never heard of such a thing?

Each clan has elders who decide on the representatives above the representatives. The delegates are usually unable to stand up to the elders.

...?

''There are only eight races in the Council of Eight Tribes, remember? Besides, I believe the old man of the dragon race has a blessing, so the dragon race can't resist.

.........So there's still a lot I don't know about Yenis.

'The last few months have been good...'

When I said this, Gruger grabbed me by the shoulders and whispered to me about this case.

The elders didn't like the fact that we gave the slums a facelift and favored the half-breeds and the homeless, so we came up with a plan. So they hatched this plan.

''........That's all it took to cause an explosion like that?''

''Ah. I'm sure we'll find out the details later, but it seems that with the building collapsing and Luciel not coming out, it was decided to put the blame on the Healer's Guild as well, for goodness sake.

''........Where does Galva-san pick up such confidential information from? In the first place, haven't you two been staying for quite some time?

I arrived here in Yenis three days ago.

How did you not find out?

It was my brother Galba who was there.

So, when you get to the meeting place, do you have a role for me to play?

'None. Luciel gave Yenis, who had been a goose chase, a new wind in her sails. Even if you're interrupted, you've proceeded to make Yenis a good environment, so a little bit of fun won't hurt.

While talking about this, we reached the representative's meeting place and found the half-beastmen surrounded by a coalition of beastmen, led by the tiger beastmen.

When I saw that, I was about to run when Gruger-san grabbed me by the shoulders.

''Don't worry. No one was hurt, right? I've already sent a request to the guys in the Adventurer's Guild.

If you looked closely, you could see that there was an armed unit between the half-beastmen and the beastmen, and they had built a barricade to prevent the half-beastmen from attacking them.

Inside that barricade, there were even the figures of Lord Jasuang and Lord Gaius.

''What do you mean?''

A little closer and you'll see.

As he approached as he said, there were a dozen or so old beastmen of various races bound with ropes and their mouths covered with cloth, and a dozen or so beastmen.

''Sorry to keep you waiting. Luciel is safe too. Luciel, these guys are the source of what I was talking about earlier.

As soon as Mr. Gruger announced that so that everyone around them could hear, there was a general commotion.　

The old beasties were wooing and roaring, but the beasties who were caught together were quiet.

''Thank you, Luciel-sama, for saving Dorstar-san. This one also did its job well, just as the two people that Luciel-sama adores told us to do.

'What? Is the Kefin squad injured?

Yeah, no.

I was about to ask Gurugar-san about this when this time Jasuan-dono and Jaius-dono called out to me.

''It's as good as it gets. I thought that Luciel-sama, who is receiving the dragon's strong blessing, couldn't die so easily.''

'When you asked me to spread the word and instigate an agitation that Master Luciel was dead, I was a bit frightened, but it worked, as there was no other time like this when all the elders, who are usually more cautious than anyone else and rarely appear in public, could be in one place.

They gave me a look of relief, and then their eyes sharpened as they looked down at the old men.

I was already unable to keep up with the situation.

Gruger, who couldn't see that, began to explain to me in a way that I could understand, little by little.

'We actually used the adventurers when we were planning this mission. I told them it was our last chance to rebuild this Yenis.

''What about ... the planned school site, the former slums, and the Healer's Guild that was attacked?''

We'll have a few injuries, but it was the best thing we could have done.

Too?

I can pretty much understand what they were trying to do with this operation.

But maybe I'm naive, but I don't agree with the plan to hurt people.

I don't think so. I was quite surprised by the explosion. If it's true, I was talking to brother Galba yesterday about going to see Luciel before this happened.

I'm relieved to hear that.

As expected, I would have despised the two of them if they had deliberately caused an explosion like that.

Then I heard a light voice.

''Hey, sorry to keep you waiting. I almost got away from you because you used a strange technique.''

Garba-san held the raccoon beastman on his shoulders, and a man tied with ropes was held at his side.

Then the air that had been buzzing earlier changed, and silence dominated the place.

And that person looks like the person I rescued earlier in the day dressed like... a human race?

Don't you think that's terrible? I haven't seen you in a long time and you fainted just by looking at my face... so we're the ones who carried out this sabotage.

What?

How do you know who did it?

All of you half-beastmen will recognize this face, won't you?

Mr. Galva lowered Lord Walrabis to the ground and turned him so that he could see the face of the man bound by the ropes he held at his side.

''Nah... isn't that Hattori?''

That's what Kefin exclaimed.

Is that Hattori, that Hattori who was supposed to have died in the labyrinth?

Didn't you say he was dead?

It wasn't Keffin who answered my question, but Mr. Galva.

'It seems he's been doing a lot of work behind the scenes. Not here, but in the Illimassia Empire.

That person owes Yenis a debt of gratitude, doesn't he?

It's like that originally. I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world. I'm not sure I've ever seen such a thing.

Hmmm. Betrayal is a ninja's usual method. What's wrong with moving to a place where I have a high opinion of my abilities.......that is.

I feel like a foreigner who learned some wrong ninja knowledge.............but this is the reincarnation.

'Sorry to wake you up, but you already have no use for your abilities. Crime slaves can also block out all of your abilities.

'It can't be that way.... I can't get through the rope... that I can't, that I can't.

Hattie, why did you betray us?

Mr. Druster, who played the role of the face, slipped out of the half-beast circle and asked Hattori.

'I am grateful to you for picking me up, that I am. But I have a duty as God's chosen one.'

God? Are you saying that the Lord God, Freya, was descending? Worldly ramblings. You have no such title, do you?

I was saved by God when I lost my life........that I was chosen by God to live a low life forever. I was chosen by God to live a lowly life forever, that I couldn't feel sorry for God.

........I guess he's a complete reincarnation.

Let's leave the God thing out of this one for now, since it has nothing to do with this one... the question is what you think of the attempted murder point.

'I'm sure Mr. Dorchester and the others knew they were working in there. A dozen of them would have died if we hadn't rescued them. How do you feel about that?

Hattori replies, glaring at me.

'It's all your fault, that it is. Since you captured the spies from the Empire one after another, I have run into financial difficulties and had to take this job, that I had to take it.

Here, Galva, who is holding Hattori, turns his cold eyes to Hattori and speaks up.

''Yeah. It's a complete shift of responsibility. I'm going to have you tortured for a while now and you're going to tell me all kinds of information, so let's just pass out. Luciel, give him object X.

Uh, oh, yes. I'm home.

I take the keg and cup out of the magic bag and pour the object X.

I'm a reincarnated person, and ninjas are the ones who endure, so I guess I can drink it. That was what I feared. When Garba-san ordered, Hutri drank out of Object X, and just before he finished it, he turned white and blew bubbles.

'Luciel... you're very good at giving them undiluted fluids.

Mr. Gruger was pulling back, but I had no idea what he was talking about.

Then Garba-san's speech began here.

'It's been a long time, ladies and gentlemen, if you don't know me, it's nice to meet you, I'm the son of Glauga, the elder of the wolf-beast tribe lying there.

I have always hated this Yenis.

When I was 15 years old, I used to accompany my father to the House of Representatives in Yenis.

What I saw there was a gathering in the name of a representative council, where each tribe kept pulling each other's leg. It was not the kind of place to discuss proper policy.

If they proposed something and failed, they would place all the blame on the tribe and if they succeeded, they would claim only their rights.

This was a bad practice that had been going on since the days of his grandfather, who had smashed the Healer's Guild by blaming everything on the wise men and kicking them out without thinking of a decent policy.

The only reason the spices in the field are available today is because the wise men harvested seeds from all over the world, taught them how to grow them, and developed sales channels so that they could be sold in many countries.

By no means was this a decision made by the Council of Representatives of Yenis.

Mr. Galba really knew the Council of Representatives.

'Brother Galba spoke of three policies when he was young. Two of them were successful and one was beaten to a pulp. Can you believe it? That beaten third eye was an elder it was going to be crushed by the council of chiefs.

'There's a difference between the Council of Representatives and the Council of Chiefs?

Yeah. As I told you, each chieftain decides who will represent the tribe for two years.

I didn't know that either.

Of course.

Even as we were whispering, Galba's speech continued.

'How did Luciel-sama, the healer there, come to be feted as the chief of Yenis? It was a way to hide the injustice of those that were represented.

It has been investigated that Shazza of the Tiger Beastman tribe conspired with Glohara, the former deputy guildmaster of the Medicine Master's Guild, to sell off information about the country to other countries, pocketed a large amount of money, and used the money to bribe the elders to become their representatives.

Other than that, Lilliard, the representative of the rabbit-beast people, falsely reported and tried to cover up trivial things such as pocketing the floating wages by installing Luciel-sama, who was known as an S-class healer and dragon slayer, as the head of the group.

And originally, the chiefs thought that Luciel-sama could do nothing and that his term as chief of Yenis would end.

However, he was not normal.

First of all, he cleaned up that dirty, smelly slum.

He couldn't choose where he was born, and as a result of treating even the half-beastmen without discrimination, they had never committed a crime.

Next, they are going to invest their private money to build a school so that the next generation can flourish so that the future of Yenis will be brighter.

It also turns out that today's destruction of the healing special zone was set up by half-beastmen and to trap them by saying that it was Luciel-sama who built the healing special zone.

People of Yenis, is this good enough for you? Are the beastmen a despicable race of ingrates? If not, then let's rebuild Yenis together.

It turns out that Mr. Galva is trying to flatten out all of his bad habits this time around.

But still, the fact that there was a buzz when they talked about building a school means that some people still didn't know about this story.

I'm pretty shocked about that.

I whisper to Gruger-san.

'Does it make my back itch to be saddled with Garba-san?

Well, that's what speeches are for, isn't it?

'I was wondering, do you think it would work better if Galva-san became the chief?

It's only temporary...

'And yet, is the Adventurer's Guild of Meratni okay?

Yeah. Brod told me to help him out for a while.

I can only thank my mentor for that.

Go tell him yourself when you're done with your term.

Yes.

I really can't thank Master Brod for sending them both to me.

They really do take good care of you, don't they?

Lionel spoke up to him.

'Yeah. He has always helped me when I was in Meratni and again this time. I'll speak respectfully to Lionel as soon as I release him from slavery, though?

Kakka. I like it just the way it is.

Huh, well, just think about it.

Lionel just laughed.

Mr. Galva continued in his speech, declaring emphatically.

'Normally I cannot judge them.

I hereby declare that I am the chief of the werewolf tribe and that I will take over the chieftainship of the werewolf tribe and invoke my coercive powers under the authority of the chieftain.

Then the area begins to buzz.

The Chief's name is assaulted? Enforcement authority? I came up with something I didn't understand the content of, so I honestly asked Gulgar-san a question.

'Is it easy to assault the chieftain that Garba-san just declared? And what's the mandatory power?

Mr. Grugar paused for a moment before he began.

'First of all, the chief's accession, but only in the event of the chief's death or the commission of a crime that would lead to his enslavement, and only after his election will there be a discussion within the tribe and the accession be made.

''...There's no one who can object to Galba-san, so you were able to directly assassinate the chieftain...''

Gruger replied with a grin at my statement.

Yeah. There's no one here in Yenis who can argue with Brother Galba to his face. And then there's the compulsory power...

Mr. Grugar told me that the coercive power comes with a risk.

The coercive power was a right that could only be used by the chief, and if he used it, the elected representative would lose his right to speak for the next ten years.

In addition, since Yenis is a democratic country, the possibility of the law being passed is extremely low if no rootwork has been done to the beastman clans even if the forceful power is invoked.

I was worried and continued to ask questions to Mr. Gruger.

''Will it be passed this time?

''This time, all the chiefs of each race have committed acts that make them criminal slaves. That's why, as of now, there is only one chieftain, Galba brother. And if a new chief is chosen, the power of force will be restored, so there's no risk to us this time.

When I finished questioning Mr. Gruger and turned to Galva, he began to announce the details of his compulsory rights.

'Well, I'm going to go off too. I'll make a dish with it and you can lend me some.

Mr. Gruger said and walked over to Mr. Galba as he took the barrel of object X from me.

With the two of us together, the pressure seemed to double.

''All the elders of the eight races who were the source of this event will be executed and all of their properties will be confiscated.

As for the current representatives, if all of them are dismissed at once, there is a possibility that the economy will collapse. Therefore, there will be a period of preparation for the succession process and handover.

If he is innocent after the investigation, he will not be made a slave, but all his private property will be confiscated.

If you are black, of course, you will be enslaved and sentenced to cultivation for the rest of your life.

'Next, the man who caused this explosion, after all the interrogations have been completed, will have the former slum representatives decide whether he should be executed or enslaved.

As for Walrabis, we know that he was also manipulated by that man this time, but he will be made a slave.

'Finally, this time many of them rioted, all of them would normally be criminal slaves, but Master Luciel asked for a pardon.

Therefore, I grant pardon by drinking the food Gurgar has prepared and the wise man's drink. Everyone has an equal right to choose.

By the way, don't worry, there is no escape. Everyone will be on the same terms.

'I'm Gulgar, in charge of the food. Let us celebrate the birth of the new Jennis by eating and drinking heavenly food and an unparalleled wise man's drink that will linger forever.

Mr. Gulgar exclaimed happily.

As I watched, I wondered if Mr. Galva's punishment this time would be harsh.

Or is this appropriate? I've been asking myself that for a long time.

I don't want people to think I'm a jerk for punishing people so harshly... was I just being defensive?

If only there was a place like a prison or a courtroom I realized I was afraid to judge people myself.

I was confused by the many emotions I was feeling, and I heard screaming and crying from everywhere.

Many of them were not cries from drinking Object X, but rather anger at Galba for trying to end the curtain by executing each of the chiefs.

Some of them were harsh words, such as murdering their parents. But Mr. Galba never reversed his decision.

It means that Mr. Galba and Mr. Gulgar will judge his father.

I decided to ask him to add one more thing.

"The execution date will be decided at a later date, is that correct?

Then Mr. Galva looked surprised and nodded.

'This time you have committed a crime that cannot be forgiven. From now on, your souls will return to heaven and your bodies to earth. Do penance until the day your final execution takes place.

I added as much.

"Then each of the elders and their cronies will be reduced to criminal slaves until the date of their execution.

This is how the elders are pulled by the adventurers? Chief? As I looked at the group, I decided to pray that this Yenis would be as normal as possible.

And I, who didn't even know who was judging who in this warped country and who had the authority to do so, was horrified by how much of a dangerous position I was in, being manipulated by information from above.