Volume 20 - CH 2

The black market auctions were rigged by the "match-fixing" system.

It's a system where they raise the bidding price as high as they can among their friends, and then sell it to a sucker to buy it.

It seems that Serina came here because she really believed that a certain Kirakaneski said that she could buy it at a discount, but that information is probably wrong too. Maybe Kirakaneski is one of them (a guru).

「Hey, don't lie.」

「You're the one who's lying!」 「That's right, that's right!」

If it comes down to a water fight like this, the one with the greater number wins, and if the organizer wields the rules and makes Serina leave, we have no chance.

――I can't help it, though It's not my style.

「Everyone, silence! I am the king of this country, Alec!」

「Wha, K-King!? Eehhh?」

The organizer and some of his friends were surprised, but now the tables are turned.

「There was fraud in this auction. Therefore, the transaction is nullified, and the organizer and his associates will be interrogated in the soldier's quarters. Understood?」

「D-Damn it!」

The organizer panicked and tried to escape, but Meena somersaulted in front of him and stood in his way.

「It's a royal order, you know? Where do you think you're going?」

「Eeekkk!」

It seems that he has given up after seeing the sword on his neck.

「Alec, get the rope out.」

Serina said as she thrust her sword at the other companions.

「Oh, yeah. Tying up a man is no fun at all, but oh well. 【Turtle shell bondage!】」

「Eeekk!」 「Nuoooh!?」

It's all over now.

「Oi, organizer, give me the Yuri Shunga and I'll lend you a hand. Tell me where it is.」

Kaede says in a whispering voice, but ......

「O-over there」

「Alright.」

「Hey, Kaede. What are you going to do with her?」

「You're an idiot, Serina. This is evidence. I'm confiscating it. All right, take her away.」

「Wha?! That's not what you said!」

「That's my line. I was going to pay you a decent amount of money, but you went off doing anything unnecesary ...... Oh, I knew it was a bad quality comic, damn it.」

Kaede clicked her tongue, but it was definitely a distraction.

If this had been a normal auction, she would have felt satisfied that she had won, even if the price was not worth it.

「Serina, we're going to interrogate Kirakaneski and a certain David as well.」

「Yeah, I don't blame you. But they might be victims, so be polite about it, okay?」

「Well, that's all well and good, but there's no way they can be bought cheaply using this method, and I'm pretty sure they're cherry-picked.」

「Phew, I bet you're right. Sutema, huh. ......」 

Serina mumbles in disappointment.

Sutema is an abbreviation for "Stealth Marketing," in which industry people (cherry-pickers) who have been secretly contracted to do a job deceive consumers into believing that they have nothing to do with the product.

If they were confident about their products, they wouldn't have to do such things, but they do it because their products are garbage.

「Now then, let's go home.」

「Yes, master. Ah, I forgot something! Excuse me!」

Meena said, but not to me, to another customer. That cheeky, pale regent head slowly turned around to look at me.

「What?」

「This is yours, isn't it? You left it on the chair.」

「Ohhhh, thank you for that. I've been forgetting a lot of things lately. I got careless.」

「No, no. It's important to take your medication.」

「Oh, yeah, you're right.」

The man suddenly became suspicious, his eyes scurrying, and he began to sweat. If he had a cold, don't go out to an auction like this, just stay home and sleep.

It would not be good if he collapsed on the way home, so I gave him an 【Appraisal】 of his condition, just in case.

【Name】 Marchy.

【Age】 63

【Level】 33

【Class】 Villager

【Race】 Human.

【Gender】 Male

【H P】 81/342

【M P】 4/322

【Status:】 Junkie

【Description】

Former retainer. Former singer.

Used to be active.

I thought it was a cold, but it turns out he's a drug addict.

「This is confiscated. Take a high potion instead.」

I took the medicine away from him, and took out a high potion from the [item storage] and gave it to the man.

「T-Thank you, Your Majesty. I really want to quit this kind of medicine, but ...... I can't help it whenever it's there.」

You're an addict after all.

「Kino! You're in and out of this place again!」

「Sumi-chan ...... this has nothing to do with you.」

I wonder if the other customer nearby, the burly woman called him Kino, was also looking for drugs.

「Of course this has something to do with me too! We used to party together!　We're still legendary as the sparkling duo from "White Free Light". Even if we weren't, we're still friends. Have you forgotten the vow we made in the dungeon? We said we'd join the same big clan together.」

「When were you talking about? We've been retired adventurers for years.」

「I don't care! It doesn't matter. You can always follow your dreams if you don't give up. Now, let's go home and train together in sword fighting!」

「You're stupid. ...... Well, I just wanted to get some exercise, so if you insist, I'll go with you for a bit.」

If he had good friends like that, he could get out of his addict, but I guess it's tough to get out of addiction alone.

「Serina, I'll leave those guys to you.」

「Yeah. Now, we're going to the soldiers' quarters, so walk quickly!」

I leave the rest to her, and take Meena outside.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

「Darling, I think I know where "Madamada" is coming from.」

Saki came to my bedroom and reported to me.

「Hooh」

The drug that was sold at the auction the other day, as a result of the [Appraisal], it was found to be a dangerous drug.

According to the laws of Vernia, it is illegal to sell poisonous substances without permission.

If we don't eradicate illegal drugs that are traded at high prices, they will gradually spread among the people, and criminal organizations will gain power and become dangerous.

We don't need drugs that ruin our lives and make us unhappy, even if they give us temporary pleasure.

And I'm not going to tolerate criminal organizations that bring them into the world.

「It's the Gilan Empire」

「Murgh...... that place, huh」

But when I heard the name, I couldn't help but groan. If it's a domestic criminal organization or production area, I can just order Knight Captain Lancelot to take care of it, but if it's outside the country, and it's a big country, it's not going to happen.

「What should we do? If you want, why don't you try a war?」

Saki suggested casually.

「No, it's better to prepare for it, but it's better to avoid war. Whether we win or lose, there will be too many deaths.」

「I guess so. So, we'll just be adventurers and get in there and go on a special mission, right?」

「Yeah, that's right. It's been a while since I've run an clan.」

「Deal! Then let's head for the Gilan Empire!」

We can ask other adventurers to help us, but we're definitely the strongest adventuring party.

Then it would be better to have a party of S-rank adventurers go out there.

The Black Cat of the Wind is on the move.