Volume 22 - CH 21

I confirmed with my skill, 【Eyes In the Back】, that the man behind me was an assassin-looking man wearing a black robe over leather armor with a hood that covered his mouth, but he had a big crooked nose and sharp eyes.

A pickpocket or a mugger would not have done such a thing, and this guy seemed to be the Plagued Thoroi

「How far do you want me to walk?」

I ask the man behind me.

「No questions allowed. Shut up and turn right at the next alley.」

He's got a lot of orders, but I decide to turn a blind eye and follow his intruction to get some information.

「Next turn left.」

I made a couple of turns in the alley and looked around behind us, apparently worried about being followed.

「Don't worry, Thoroi, I'm on my own.」

「I told you to shut up. Open that door and get inside.」

I opened a poorly made door in a back alley and walked in to find a small, empty room. It was dusty, as if it was not usually used.

「That dark-eyed, dark-haired, unsympathetic face, a middle-aged man of great skill, and a fearless demeanor: ...... It can't be, are you King of Vernia, Alec?」

Thoroi said as he closed the door and glared at me, but if he could see through me without appraisal skills, he has great skill.

「Yes, but how did you know?」

「I had just heard yesterday that the King of Vernia was missing from the rumor mill. But what happened to your friends? You're supposed to be leading an S-ranked clan called the Black Cat of the Wind, aren't you?」

「Yeah. I'm sure they're on their way here right now. There's a bit of a situation. But if you're an informant, why don't you take my order? As for the money, here, I've got it.」

I pulled out a bag of gold coins and showed them to Thoroi.

「You don't understand, King of Vernia. Informants can bring useful information to someone, but they can also bring disadvantages to someone else. You can't keep doing this kind of business without ensuring your own safety.」

「I see, that's why you were worried about the tail. But wouldn't it be dangerous if I were an assassin myself?」

「You're too big a man to be an assassin. Besides, I have the rare skill of detecting deadly energy―― Tsk, I talked too much. You just used the 【Talking】, didn't you?」

Thoroi brought out a long needle from his pocket, but it seems to be his weapon of choice.

「Don't be so uptight. If you suddenly slash at me and I can't get any information, it'll be a double trouble for me too. I'm sure you'd rather take the money and go about your normal business than have me tie you up and torture you for a job.」

「............ Hmph. What information are you seeking?」

「There must be a second trial on this island, the one described in the grimoire "Poetry of Welgilius". I'm looking for it.」

「The "Poetry of Welgilius" you say......? I see, I heard there was a hero who defeated Big Brother at Cape Marei, was that you?」

「Well, yes.」

「How did you manage to defeat that monster? Hmph. ......, King of the Vernia, I'm going to have to raise the rates.」

「What?」

「Ten thousand gold coins. I'll tell you what the second test is.」

「You know, you're supposed to charge me a hundred gold coins at most. It's not every day that someone can afford to pay such a fee. At most, the king.」

When I said that, I remembered that I was the king. Oh dear.

「――One hundred. You'll lose. Thoroi.」

「Ten thousand. No bargaining.」

Damn. ...... It's not that I can't pay, but I don't like it. I don't like the fact that I'm the only one who got the extra price. Moreover, Thoroi must have seen through the fact that I was in a rather tight spot. The price was set based on the fact that he saw through me.

As they say, he's a greedy man.

「Got it. Then, this is all right」

I gave up haggling and pulled out a whole bag of gold coins from my pocket. I know the number, but it's exactly 10,000.

「...... I'm sure you could have found it eventually if you'd looked for it yourself, but I'm not sure you'd pay that much for the information.」

「If you need it. But right now, I need time. I want to go help my people right now, if I can. So I'm not buying information, I'm buying time. So, Thoroi, if you're going to give me nothing but lousy information, you're going to have to pay me back.」

「Don't worry, King of the Vernia. I've already got an idea. The trial will probably require you to defeat the tragic prince in the deepest part of Daedalus' labyrinth. I'm sure that's what it says in the Poetry of Welgilius.」

「Have you ever read that grimoire?」

「I've never seen it in person. But who is it, my king, that you have before you? An informant, yes. A very good one, at that. I trade information for money. There's not a thing in the world I don't know.」

Thoroi grumbled with a straight face.

「Hmph, that's a boring bluff. But ...... no, not now.」

Why are the things written in "The Poertry of Welgilius" my fate and my trials? I was still curious about that, but I didn't need to solve that riddle. The head of the academy showed me, so I'll try it. That was enough.

「I see. But, King, if that is the second trial, then there must be hardships beyond hell waiting for you. It is said that once you enter the Daedalus's Labyrinth, no one can leave. If you want to turn back, now is the time to do it.」

「Hah, don't underestimate me, Thoroi. I'm the guy who cleared the "Labyrinth of No Return" in Grandsword. I'm not afraid of any dungeon.」

「...... that is fine. The royal palace regularly sends out quests to carry offerings to the prince. You should go to the castle.」

「Hmm? I didn't see anything about that on the guild board.」

「The Adventurers' Guild is not involved. No, it's better to say that they're refusing. The survival rate for that thing is zero so far.」

「Hooh」

As expected, the guild wouldn't post a request form for a request with a 0% return rate.

After asking Thoroi about the details, I headed to the castle on this island.