Episode 333
"Yes. It's me."
The moment I admitted it in a calm voice, Thomas stared at me through the mask. Then he raised his black-gloved hands and touched the mask.
"Deputy Director?"
Ignoring his subordinates' agitation, Thomas removed his mask. The face beneath it was exceptionally stern, his build lean, his skin marked with scars. Though small in stature, he radiated ruthless severity and a strange, intimidating aura. It was different from the aura that came with reaching a certain realm. If I had to describe it, it would be the kind of aura a person developed naturally through a hard life.
"It is an honor to meet the famous Golden Fairy," Thomas said.
The heroes murmured among themselves. From their reactions, I wasn't the only one who noticed that his tone had softened slightly. In fact, it was an unexpected development. A man who gave off such a ruthless impression was showing me goodwill.
Thomas continued, "I heard that the chief was indebted to the Iron-Blooded Lord a few times in his youth. Personally, I was also impressed by the recent operation to recapture Ymir's corpse. I heard that you and Corrupted played particularly active roles. As usual, Corrupted took on the dirty work to maintain order in the north and ensure the safety of the people."
This caught me off guard. Snowville Village, Corrupted's home, wasn't too far from the Utgard Camp, but I hadn't expected them to monitor Corrupted's activities so closely.
Thomas went on, "There are many church members in the prison, but this incident has created an opportunity. Church members are usually immune to most torture, threats, or persuasion. However, when they learned that the Golden Horn's carefully planned operation had failed so spectacularly, they seemed to give in to despair. Thanks to that, I was able to identify several church bases in the north. It's a big harvest."
"I see."
In other words, there were deeper reasons behind his goodwill. My role in the Ymir's corpse operation was probably secondary to the relationship with the Iron-Blooded Lord and Corrupted's steadily built reputation. After all, other heroes had also participated, yet Thomas showed them little regard.
Still, I had no intention of overstepping just because he treated me favorably. I briefly considered who among my acquaintances shared a similar personality with the man in front of me, and one name came to mind.
Maybe I should think of this as dealing with a younger Kayan. Perhaps even he had mellowed with age. In his youth, he would have likely been stricter than Thomas.
I coughed and met Thomas' gaze. "I am also honored to meet the deputy director of Utgard. Now, let's get back to the main topic and discuss the church member prisoners," I said.
"We'll take only half."
"Deputy Director?"
The guards murmured at Thomas' words, but he silenced them with a sharp look before continuing, "Please understand that this is the most we can concede. It is impossible for you to escort all the prisoners to the Hero Society. I don't know how many church members remain in this vast snowfield.
"We need to divide the church members in half to distract them. In return, I will leave the selection of prisoners to you."
The heroes' expressions brightened considerably.
If we could select the church members, the situation would change completely. We could extract all the key figures who appeared to possess important information.
Isn't he offering more than expected? Giving us the valuable ones and taking only the useless ones is no different from handing us all the profit. I glanced at the Utgard guards. Aside from Thomas, they didn't seem particularly agitated. Perhaps they are used to this sort of arrangement.
If so, it was a bit bittersweet.
Zach stepped forward as our representative and agreed. "I would appreciate it if you did so."
I glanced at him and saw that the wrinkles on his face had eased.
Did I pull things off again? I couldn't help but admire my persuasive ability for resolving the conflict so quickly.
***
The dispute between the Hero Society and Utgard ended more amicably than expected, but my business wasn't over yet.
I approached Thomas just as he was about to leave.
He noticed me coming and turned his head. "Do you still have something to discuss?"
"I have a few questions."
"Speak."
Time was short, so I got straight to the point. "Are there any suspicious movements inside the camp?"
"Suspicious movements?" Thomas echoed.
"For example, signs of a riot."
They were all wearing masks, yet I could feel their piercing glares. The air turned cold.
That reaction made sense. My question was no different from warning the guards in charge of prisoners that a riot was brewing in their camp. Anyone would take offense. In fact, the young people standing next to Thomas started to breathe more heavily.
Thomas spoke after a pause. "First, explain what you mean by asking this."
"I heard from the priest inside Ymir's corpse that the church members are planning to seize the Utgard Camp." That was the excuse I prepared.
"Where is that priest?" Thomas asked.
"She is dead," I answered.
Therefore, there was no way to verify the claim, though it would happen sooner or later.
Thomas was masked again, so I couldn't read his expression. After a long silence, he spoke in a steady voice. "I understand your concern. We will remain vigilant."
It was a measured response, but unfortunately, it wasn't the answer I wanted. It was obvious that the disaster from my past hadn't been caused by poor security or carelessness on the camp's part.
"How exactly will you remain vigilant? Will you add more guards? Will you investigate the prisoners who are already detained again? I heard that the Utgard Camp was built by renovating an old fortress. Are there any flaws that could allow an enemy to break in?" I pressed.
Thomas' voice hardened. "Stop, stop. Golden Fairy, it has been over 200 years since Utgard was founded. We began by locking up criminals in an abandoned fortress and assigning a few talented people to manage them. In the early days, prisoners were even made to oversee other prisoners. Is that what concerns you?
"We have never received much support from the empire. We have carried out our duty in silence despite constant ridicule and criticism. I know that the stigma against us still persists across the empire. Utgard has its own methods. Outsiders have no right to meddle. We didn't collapse even in the darkest of times. Don't insult us any further."
Then will it collapse this year? I was frustrated, but I kept my mouth shut. If I said it, I would create an irreparable rift. The longer we spoke, the more I found myself developing a liking for their rigidity.
"Then let's do this. Later, I will go to Utgard in disguise. Please imprison me as a prisoner," I suggested.
"That's an unreasonable demand. Utgard doesn't imprison the innocent," Thomas claimed flatly.
"Then what about serving as a guard?" I pressed.
"No. I have no intention of increasing the number of guards at this time," he replied.
Is there anyone in the world more stubborn than him? I really felt like I was talking to a wall.
Damn Utgard... It operated under its own system, so I couldn't meddle any further. The influence of the Badnikers, my status and achievements as a hero, or financial means wouldn't work here.
I was feeling frustrated, but I also understood that people like that were the reason that Utgard had maintained its reputation.
"Okay, that's fine. Then I'll give you the name of one prisoner. Please be especially wary of him. That should be acceptable, right?" I said.
"Who is it?" Thomas asked.
"Gustav."
Gustav was the culprit behind the riot at Utgard Camp. In other words, he was a priest of the church. Yet he was better known by a far more prominent title. He wielded the greatest influence among the countless criminal organizations in the west and was known throughout the underworld as the Big Boss.
Focusing their attention on him should make things easier. That didn't mean I could leave everything to them. I still needed to figure out a way to infiltrate the prison.
As I considered this, Thomas unexpectedly said, "Gustav isn't in Utgard at the moment."
"What now?" I blurted.
"Altua," Thomas called.
Altua told me, "Gustav Tobrik, the Big Boss of the Ulkah Family. Five years ago, a joint operation by the imperial family and the Hero Society succeeded in capturing him. Many called for his execution due to his notoriety. However, he was ultimately escorted to Utgard."
"If someone like him were executed, the balance of power in Ulkah would collapse. Tens or even hundreds of organizations would spark a war to become the next Big Boss, so it was unavoidable." Thomas paused, then looked at me again. "It may be surprising, but Gustav has been an exemplary prisoner. We were concerned at first, but he hasn't caused a single incident in the past five years. Of course, that doesn't mean we've been careless. This time, several criminals from the west were imprisoned as new arrivals. The chief believed that he might use them to create chaos in Utgard. So, as a precaution, he quietly gave Gustav a choice earlier this year."
"Choice?" I repeated.
"That's right. A choice to move to another facility."
"What other facility?" I pressed.
"The labor camp in the southern desert of the empire," Thomas replied.
The southern desert and a labor camp... The moment I combined these two facts, a name surfaced in my mind. "The Rahild Labor Camp."
***
I parted ways with Thomas and the other Utgard guards. They no longer reprimanded me for my somewhat rude behavior. They even said that if I visited Utgard as a guest, they would give me a tour. It was a precious opportunity, so I saw no reason to refuse.
"This makes things a bit more complicated." I was troubled for a moment. I had the feeling that the likelihood of a catastrophe in Utgard had dropped significantly. Gustav's absence, along with the heavy losses the Golden Horn faction suffered, meant that the church members would probably keep a low profile in the north for the time being. Even so, I couldn't be completely certain.
"What about Seren and Evan?" I muttered.
I was supposed to reunite with them in about four months at the Utgard Camp. In fact, I knew Seren's whereabouts, so that posed no real issue. She was also in the southern desert, so she would likely join me along the way.
The problem was Evan Helvin. I had no idea where he was or what he was doing.
After pondering for a while, I called Mir over.
"What are you going to do from now on?" I asked.
"Me?" Mir shook her head. "I don't know. What about you, Luan?"
"I have something to take care of, so I'll probably need to stop by my house for a while."
"Will you be back soon?" she asked.
"Maybe. Or it may take a bit longer."
Mir narrowed her eyes. "I would like to work near the north for now. I think it's better not to leave this land until I can at least fully handle this hammer."
Her gaze shifted to Mjolnir on her back.
I nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. Then you will stop by Corrupted later, right?"
"Of course!"
"Alright. Then inform the boss for me," I instructed. "And there's one more thing I'd like to ask."
"What is it?"
"Do you remember Evan Helvin? He was a classmate at the training camp. If you see him in the north..."
Mir, who had been listening absentmindedly, snapped to attention and pulled out a notebook to write things down. "Yes, yes! I will definitely tell him!"
I finished saying goodbye to Mir and then noticed that the sun was already setting. I had not done much, yet I had spent more time with the Utgard guards than expected.
I was almost done with my work in the north, so I went to bed early.
The next day, Kayan arrived at Frostwolf Village, just as I expected.
"Long time no see, future family head. My apologies, but I think you should return to the main house immediately," Kayan said.
"What's going on?"
"That..."
Kayan explained the situation, and I listened as if hearing it for the first time. Then, I said casually, "So my father's condition is critical right now?"
"Ah, yes." Kayan looked at me with mild surprise.
"Why do you look like that?" I asked, puzzled.
"It is the first time I've heard you call the family head that," Kayan replied.
I waved it off. "It isn't a big deal. I have called him Father a few times."
"Is that so?" Kayan asked skeptically.
"Yes."
Perhaps?
"In any case, I understand the situation. It works out well. I think it's time to show you my extensive connections," I said.
"What do you mean?"
"Wait a minute. There's someone here who can help." Then I brought Verita over.
Kayan asked, "Are you a priest of the Seventy-Two Churches?"
"That's right," she answered.
Kayan studied Verita's smiling face, his expression slightly stiff. He seemed unsure whether it was appropriate to reveal matters concerning the Badniker family, especially the top-secret news of the Iron-Blooded Lord's critical condition.
"Don't worry. She is trustworthy."
"Really?"
It wouldn't have been possible with anyone else, but Kayan was one of the few I confidently considered my own, along with Arjan.
Eventually, Kayan nodded and continued, "I understand your intentions, but even Great Master Junian in the main house was helpless."
"I'm not underestimating Great Master Junian, but it would be a mistake to treat her as an ordinary priest. She is a professional among professionals, someone who hunts priests on the front lines," I reasoned.
"If it's the front lines... is she an inquisitor?"
"Correct."
Kayan looked at Verita again, this time with new understanding. "Dyed hair, a black uniform, and a fearsome mace. Could it be...?"
"Sorry for the late introduction. My name is Razbet," Verita said.
"The Bloody Mace..." Kayan exclaimed.
This was one of the advantages of being famous.
Kayan, who had been slightly skeptical, now nodded with clear conviction. "Indeed, if it is Sister Razbet's divine power, there may be a different diagnosis."
"That's right."
Kayan's expression turned troubled. "There is just one problem. I only have a two-person scroll."
"Yes, that's right." I looked at Kayan with a slightly apologetic expression. "Indeed, it only allows two people."
Kayan froze in place.