Chapter 262: Those who are cornered

TDADP chapter 262: Those who are cornered

Many wine bottles were scattered on the table and on the floor. Whether the maids clean up or not, the next time they come to clean the room, it's a mess.

"Puhaaa...... I'm not going to report it quickly. This~incompetence~"

A strong liquor smell drifts from Balue´s mouth. Balue who isn't drinking so much has started to drink a large amount of alcohol as if he had changed after the medal ceremony. And food is decreasing as if it is inversely proportional to alcohol intake and Balue´s body, which was obese, is getting thinner and weaker day by day.

The vassals begin to report terrifyingly so as not to upset Balue as much as possible.

"Satou has been reported to have been seen in 『Devil's Prison』. Perhaps he is exploring the labyrinth with others"

"The soldiers sent to Comer, but they seem to have been wiped out, probably by Muss's freeloaders"

"The whereabouts of the disappeared François and Lord Peterlit are still unknown. Perhaps François has returned to Jardarlk. Regarding Lord Peterlit, there is no evidence of a return to the territory――hii!?"

The glass thrown by Balue shatters at the feet of his vassals.

"Probably, always～always say the same thing! Still, those who serve my Nox family for generations!"

When Balue reaches out, a maid hurries to hand over a replacement glass and pour wine.

"Ngunguu! Haaa～....... If you know he´s in the labyrinth, send thugs right away! The top priority is to kill Satou, you know without saying!!"

"『Devil's Prison』 is an A-rank labyrinth and even an average adventurer can't even reach the middle layer. Now that we have the horn of an ancient dragon, Satou should search at least the 74th layer. I think it is possible"

"How many adventurers have returned from Comer!"

"Among the adventurers who have returned, there are countless people who can explore the lower layers of the 『Devil's Prison』. It is extremely difficult to find Satou while defeating a mighty monster in a vast labyrinth and assassinate him. It's not about the work of a devil and the adventurer who came back from Comer seems to have suffered a sore hand over there and will be useless for a while"

"So what are we going to do!"

Balue slams the glass of wine on the floor. Shards of broken glass scatter and red stains spread on the carpet.

"May I have permission to speak?"

The man who put his hand on his chest and asked for permission to speak was one of the lowest-ranked vassals who served Balue.

"What? If you have any good ideas, please tell me"

"Nameless King, but――"

"I wouldn't call such a vulgar person a king!!"

"Is it a statement that you know who is the reason why Balue-sama is facing this kind of thing!!"

"Shut up!!"

When Balue screams, the vassals bow their heads and shut up.

"Continue"

"Thank you. Nameless King, he's returned to Comer several times while exploring 『Devil's Prison』"

"If you think about what you're going to say, do something stupid"

"How does he explore the labyrinth and return to the distant Comer?"

The vassals, who were talking, break into the conversation even though they are in the middle of the conversation.

"Did you forget that Nameless King is the user of 『Space-Time Magic』?"

The vassals around him shut up as if they remembered the words.

"In fact, I was able to make contact with Nameless King twice in Comer"

"What!? Th, That wouldn't be true"

"Yes, I'm not lying. I hired an outsider and tried to contact him so as not to inspire Nameless King. If we do our best, it is possible to meet. And it will be four days before King Nameless returns to Comer the next time"

"F, Four days......later......?"

Where there was no clue, Balue smiled as if he had found a ray of light.

"So if we hire a well-crafted assassin now

"A higher-ranked adventurer than that――"

"Before that, it's better to kidnap the servants in Satou's mansion――"

The vassals begin to talk about how to assassinate Yuu.

"Be quiet!!"

Surprised by the voice, everyone stared at the lower rank man.

"Are you still talking about that during this period! The faction has collapsed, many aristocrats have been executed and where have the private soldiers and mercenaries gone? There is no such thing as Lawrence! The adventurers which are under Balue are useless and the ungrateful ones saw the situation as unfavorable and left without saying anything. It's not about life. It depends on the existence of the Nox family, a prestigious aristocrat family who has served the Udon Kingdom for generations!! Balue-sama, do you remember how much the compensation was today?"

"30......300 billion"

He probably doesn't want to remember the humiliating sights of the Adventurer's Guild. Balue mutters while stagnating words.

"To be exact, it is 434,397,738,368 Madoka. Four days later, about 550 billion Madoka will be transferred to the Adventurer's Guild by noon. I have to go. Where is that money?"

"Th, There's still more in the treasury――"

"No! Did you forget the contents of the pledge? Payment of compensation is cash only. You paid a lot of cash in the last auction and deposited it in the treasury and guilds and the cash you have already paid out is 600 billion. Do you sell the works of art and expensive magic tools that Balue-sama has? There is not too much time to convert it into cash. And even if you get cash, your life will be slightly extended. If you prepare now and force yourself, you will be able to arrive at Comer by noon four days later, paying compensation in each town or village. Balue-sama, make your decision. This is your last opportunity"

While the vassals are stunned, Balue holds his head and thinks. And――

"Get ready for Comer right away"

To those words, the vassal who truly thinks about Balue.

"We are already preparing"

That was the answer.

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The information that Finance Minister Balue was dismissed was initially laid down with a gag order to avoid confusion. Rumors were spread by the executed aristocratic families and clans and were already known not only to the royal capital but also to other countries. The people of the royal capital, who were initially skeptical, spread rumors by word just because they knew that Lawrence´s people had disappeared in one day. Then, the horrifying retaliation began for those who had come to do whatever they wanted, with the good news that the Finance Minister and the aristocrats of his faction were behind him. Farmers and merchants who had been beaten up for crops and commodities stopped trading with the Bern Company all at once. Of course there was a long-standing grudge, but they were afraid to be known to be dealing with Bern Company more than that. Someone who works at the Bern Company on a daily basis died somewhere in the royal capital. People looking for revenge opportunities stuck around the store owned by the Bern Company, and gradually the Bern Company's people couldn't go out of the store even during the day.

"Isn't it possible to contact Balue-sama?"

"Well, his servants reply, you can't see him right now"

"What should I do!? What is the chairman doing at such times!"

Like the other stores, the Bern Company Fifth store was withdrawn to the store for fear of attack. In such a situation, no customers would come and the well-managed store was ruined and exposed to a tragic appearance.

"Gu, Gurdem-sama, what should we do?"

"Calm down. Now is the time to endure"

In addition, the skillful escorts who are proud of the Bern Company were also afraid and they disappeared before someone knew it. From the outside, they hear an angry message, 「Come out!」. Each time, the merchants shook their bodies.

"Hooho, it looks like you're in trouble"

"Who is it!?"

The outside of the store suddenly became quiet and when the people of the Bern Company tried to see what was going on, an old man with a large number of men stood inside the store.

"Y, You! How did you get into the store without someone's permission in the first place!! You thief!"

"Hooho, thief is a terrible word. Ah, I broke the door here"

"You are......Mago Piet"

Gurdem, who was hiding behind the wall and looking at the old man, muttered at the familiar appearance.

"Oya? Isn't this Gurdem-sama, who is in charge of Bern Company´s fifth store? It's an honor to remember an old man like me"

"Are you here to negotiate?"

Gurdem-sama wasnt entrusted with the store of Bern Company at a young age by date. He had an immediate idea of ​​who caused the fall of Finance Minister Balue. It is easy to imagine that the purpose of Mago, who teamed up with Yuu, is to take revenge on the Bern Company. If so, was it the right of the store to appear here, or did he come to ridicule?

"Negotiation? Hooho, this is strange"

"What's wrong?"

"Negotiation is only possible if the forces are in conflict with each other to some extent or if the other party can present what they want. Can I present what I want to you now?"

"Rude!!"

"Let me tell you!"

"At the edge of a third-rate merchant who ran away from the royal capital with a tail!"

No matter what the people of the Bern Company say, Mago's expression does not eliminate the margin. On the contrary, he was happily chatting with the men behind him.

"By the way, I can't see the escorts you're proud of. Do you want to know where they are?"

As Mago claps his hands, the men line up square boxes one after another in front of Gurdem.

"Please, don't you want to know where the escorts are?"

"Open it"

A suspicious employee of the Bern Company is ordered by Gurdem to open it.

"Hyaa!?"

"Wh, What the hell......!!"

"It's not what people do. It's the work of devils!!"

The contents of the box were human heads. All of the faces were familiar to those of the Bern Company――the ones of the escort men.

"Hooho, the devil's work is often a breakthrough. Gurdem-san, you seem to have noticed me right away, but do you have any idea of ​​the people behind me?"

Even if Mago said so, there were only people who were not familiar with Gurdem.

"They are originally merchants. They are the merchants you crushed with the help of Finance Minister Balue and Lawrence´s people because they refused to cooperate with the Bern Company or because they were competitors. And sometimes you´re not tired of it, you force them to sign an unfair contract and even their families are enslaved and sold off. Which mouth calls a person a devil? I helped those who were here. How many merchants were still enslaved and who didn't even know if their families were dead or missing?"

Gurdem can see why the men behind Mago stare at himself with extraordinary eyes and the people of the Bern Company freeze their spines in fear.

"Hooho, the Bern Company is over. The other stores were happy to accept this proposal"

"Proposal......?"

"Yes. They chose to throw everything away and leave the royal capital. It doesn't matter which one you choose"

One person, one of them and the people of the Bern Company break their knees and sob. They have no choice.

"I......I see. I accept your proposal"

"Then, please take off your clothes"

"What are you talking about......?"

"You don't need clothes for beasts covered with human skin. Walk naked and on all fours like a beast and leave the royal capital"

The men behind Mago begin to curse the people of the Bern Company all at once. No one could resist the power. From this day, many watched the people of the Bern Company leave the royal capital, walking naked and like beasts on all fours. But no one has mercy for them. There was no one to protect the Bern Company, which had used power and violence in the royal capital to do whatever they liked.

"Hooho. Now, this is the end of the bloody revenge. From now on, please help my store in the royal capital"

The men who finished their revenge wept at Mago's words.