Kuro no Senki (LN)

Late January 433 of the Imperial Calendar - What's 'Not Yet, It's All Right', Bullshit! and McQueen runs poisoned in his chest.

The streets are idle.

It's not until after the evening that Twelfth Street begins to enliven.

I don't feel strange.

It's weirder if the pleasure streets are busy from midday.

At least McQueen feels that way.

Shit, shit, why, if I had to see this! I was just serious about my job! and moved his legs desperately.

McQueen is a member of the Nicole group.

The main task is to collect Shoba money from street whores who take customers in Nicole's territory.

Some people don't want to pay for shova, but in that case, they flicker the knife.

If you pay for shova, that's fine, but still, when you don't pay, use a knife.

Of course, when I use a knife, I choose the person.

Indicates that this one is serious if you are the owner of the amount of instrumentation you are likely to earn.

Kill the unlikely street whore.

Kill in front of you, or show the body you've thoroughly destroyed.

Still, if you seem reluctant, you'll have to kill them, but after degrees, you'll be judged incompetent who can't even collect the shova bill, or an abnormal person who enjoys murder.

So McQueen is acting after considering his surrounding reactions, but newcomers don't get that.

You just don't know how to use violence, or even the guy trying to get a street whore to work in a group of whorehouses.

They don't think I can't stay in a whorehouse anymore because of the trouble.

The composition of the Nicole group has continued to increase since the completion of the temple.

But there's a handful of people who can earn their own food support, no, it's a pick.

It is used to feed incompetent newcomers whose own earnings.

Thinking about it makes me look stupid to work.

That said, there's no reason to skip work.

I was serious about my job, but the Beast Guard found me.

I was just told I was fine today. I was drained of my liver.

I've been shocked twice by the bribery.

I had no choice but to escape, but the guards came after me.

Fuck that, I'm not trying to catch you.

I don't know how much armor you're wearing, but if you're a beastman's physical ability, you should be able to catch up easily, but you're just coming after me at a certain distance.

Have you given up? and look behind his back over his shoulder.

Then there were the beasts in armor.

I felt like I had no heart or more people.

You're kidding me, I swear to my heart, I'll definitely run you off.

I know all about the twelfth block to the back alley.

Beasts...... The XIII Kingsguard Knights just arrived in Imperial City yesterday and don't know about the XII block.

All right, I'm gonna run you into that alley, and McQueen kicked the earth forcefully.

That's when the Black Leopard Beastman came out of the alley he was trying to escape into.

Stop in a hurry.

I guess that shouldn't have happened.

Unsurprisingly, it became a feather that wore a buttcake.

I tried to pull out the knife, but it was quicker for the beast man to stick his spear tip to McQueen's throat.

"Okay! I'm not running anymore!

McQueen raised his hands to show that he was unwilling to resist.

An animal man coming from behind pulls McQueen down to the ground and ties his wrist up.

'This is Edge, we've secured our goal' (Grl)

Black Leopard Beast Man...... they say Edge...... spoke to the back of his hand.

'This is Edge, we've secured our goal' (Grl)

"Target secured!

When Edge's voice was heard from a communications magic item, the stuffing... upstairs in the stuffing, to be exact... the elf woman in the... repeated the communication.

The elf woman sits at one of the desks on the tripartite wall.

Magic items for maps and communications are located on the desk.

In the central table is a table with a map of the twelfth block spread out.

Communications Command Office… Currently, the second floor of the stuffing station is responsible for receiving reports from security personnel and issuing instructions.

There is a five-member system with one commander, three communications officers and one auxiliary.

Except for the commander, however, the members switch from one hour to another.

Chrono shifted his men into three groups to provide security on a 24-hour system, but it is burdensome to work without a break on a boulder.

So we split the group into four teams and decided to take charge of security and stuffing on an alternating basis.

Chrono stands near the door and observes carefully what is going on in the communications command room.

Looks like it's working so far.

Looking at the center of the room, Layla stared at the map spread over the table with no heart or a tense face.

On the map is one red pawn and three black pawns.

The red pawn shows the killer in pursuit, while the black pawn shows the security team.

"Oh, not Leila, Captain Hundred, we've got a target."

"Okay. Please move the pawn from the map."

Leila gave pale instructions, the auxiliary Snow reported.

"I'll move the pawn"

Snow moved the red pawn that was on the map out of the map.

"Leila, how's the new security method?

"... I tried swimming one criminal to test it, but there was no problem"

When Chrono asked, Leila answered in a few moments.

"Do you feel that for now?

"Yes, I think it's more important than me how the other two feel"

I see, and Chrono nodded.

Leila from Teito makes up for the deficiencies in the Communications Command Office with her knowledge and experience, but neither does Shilo and Hyiro, who are not from Teito.

"Dear Chrono, may I?

"Have you ever made a new magic item for communication?

Yes, and Layla nodded small.

The communication magic items in the Communications Command Office were made by Eryl.

It's cheaper than buying through the Pics Chamber of Commerce, but it costs a lot.

"Uh-huh, don't worry, I didn't make it for use in Teito, I just made it for testing operations in Teito"

"To be introduced into the territory of the Marquis of Elakis and the Count of Cado,?

"There's that, too."

Chrono smiled bitterly.

Of course, I intend to use it in my own territory if I get good results in Imperial Capital......

"Excuse me. I beg your pardon for asking such questions."

"No, I think that's a natural question."

I guess Leila decided it wasn't what she was going to talk about here.

The experiment has just begun.

First we have to figure out how useful the Communications Command Office is.

"But, well, I'm glad the communications command room worked. That's what I did when I built super long distance communication magic items, but I'm nervous about doing new things."

Chrono stroked his chest down.

"So, for once, why don't they go back to the mansion?

"Leila, give me your ear"

When Chrono invited her, Leila turned softly to her ear.

"... do I look so sleepy?

"Yes, very"

Leila left Chrono to answer concisely.

I took over in the midnight morning rush to the chief guard of the twelfth block to meet Count Pisce's request.

He looked annoying, but even if he only gave up the jar without taking over, he'd have trouble.

The guards reacted similarly.

I thought I was sorry when I saw a guard with a pale face on a boulder, but to meet Count Pisce's request.

I have no choice.

"... what about Leila?

"I'm fine"

To reassure Chrono, Leila narrows her eyes as she smiles.

"Call me as soon as something happens. Oh, is the communication magic item I always use out of range? If you're out of range, run the preaching...... and then the paperwork! Don't forget the paperwork."

"Okay."

Leila leaked a sneak laugh.

A week later - the communications command room was functioning without major trouble.

Thanks to Leila's proposal to divide the twelfth block into three blocks in order to prevent security bias, or no criminal has escaped at the moment.

I cannot be optimistic given that half of my men are beasts or that Shilo and Hylo spared no effort to grasp the geography of the Empire.

Together, the Knights of the Thirteenth Kingsguard provided security smoothly and seriously.

If there is a problem......,

"Unbelievable! Corner, I can't believe you're releasing a captured criminal!

"Arrests are under the jurisdiction of the Military Service and then the Promissory Service, so there's no choice."

When Chrono roughed up his voice and said, Rio said in a sigh.

"It's the third time, the third time! That McQueen got him!

Every time I caught him, he was released. Restoring security is another dream of a dream.

Besides, even if I climbed the castle and protested to the paperwork bureau, it wouldn't work with me.

"Chrono, could you tone your voice down a little more? Though I try not to hear my voice."

Rio only sideways for a moment... to see the nobles who climbed the castle to see Alfort.

It would be the opposite of unnatural to look like you're calling out loud but you can't hear.

Chrono feels good about wanting to argue.

"Why, are you releasing me?

"Originally, it's not a big sin. If you pay the fine, that's it."

Rio flaunted his shoulder with great admiration.

Apparently, the Kepheus Empire does not have the idea of cutting off the sources of funding for criminal organizations.

Maybe he thinks if something goes wrong, he should just put the army in.

"What if I can't pay the fine?

"You're forced to work in a mine or something. Well, it sounds like a lot of cases of death by the dawn of prison."

"You don't have to pay the fine."

My life ends just because I can't stand hunger and steal bread.

"... 'Oh, ruthless'"

"That sounds good."

Rio laughed cously.

"And what about solving it with money?

"Bad laws become law."

"You don't know if Rio weighs in or doesn't."

"What do you mean?

Rio tilted his neck adorably.

"If you're going to be punished according to the bad laws, you're abusing them."

"Chrono, killing someone in a duel isn't a sin, is it? Although there was too much power difference and it became a one-sided development."

"... what about my youngest?

"Oh, I didn't say I killed him just because I said I was the beast's bait."

Rio smiled nicely, but his eyes aren't laughing.

"What about the real place?

"Is Chrono a cat?

You want to die? I felt like I was told.

"... Um, Mr. Rio? For once, am I not Mr. Rio's lover?

"I miss my girlfriend because she prioritizes her work, don't I?

"Yes, let me make some time"

Again, Rio seems to be a private priority.

Well, otherwise you wouldn't leave your job alone for more than ten months.

"Let's get back to it, but what about the guards? As it is, it's like pumping water in a barrel out of the bottom."

"You're paying a fine, so I'll keep catching them until they make a sound."

Thorough fight, Krono clenched his fist.

A week later - the cafeteria at Crawford Mansion,

"I couldn't."

Chrono rammed onto the table.

"I don't know why you said that all of a sudden."

"The captured criminals will be released from the next to the next, so when compared to the criminal organization, we have the wings to make noise."

"... oh, I get it."

Chrono explained, his adoptive father, sitting in the opposite seat, opened for a while before saying:

"Is there any solution?

"Wouldn't it be nice to rave until the mastermind comes out?

My adoptive father said as a matter of course.

"I'm talking about when I was younger, and I've been targeted for my life. I was paying back an assassin from one end, and the curtain came out. And then... when they licked me during the civil unrest, I repeatedly tied up the right guy, and I got to the curtain."

"... that's a novel solution"

Right, my adoptive father nodded satisfactorily.

No, you can't.

Wrong person to talk to.

"What about those people?

"If you were after your life, I killed you because I didn't know why. The man who licked it died on the battlefield."

"If you died on the battlefield, did you also hit the flow arrow?

"Oh, all I can say is bad luck."

When Chrono asked terribly, his adoptive father said in a low voice.

It's unlikely that it was an accident because you're smiling.

"Um, well, if you were after your life, you were trying to hit me, weren't you?

"You didn't hit me with your hands or shit for people's lives. He betrays you once, he betrays you twice, and once he's after your life, he sees the time and he's after your life."

Apparently, the word tolerance isn't in my adoptive father's dictionary.

I don't know if I'm going to push this far, but I'm reminded of my raw temperature, which I said was a total antiwar.

"Sir, it sounds like you're offering, but I was wondering if the times were different when your husband was younger"

When did it come?

Myra placed incense tea before Chrono and his adoptive father.

"It's not about us, it's about Dad."

"Master Chrono, am I still young?

Myra said it all the time as Chrono tilted the cup.

"Even when times change, humans don't change, do they?

"Excuse me, sss! We have a visitor!

Johnny came into the dining room when his adoptive father had a cynical grin.

Myra put her hand on Johnny's shoulder.

"Sir, this is the time."

"What are you talking about, sss?

Johnny doesn't seem to understand the situation.

My adoptive father stared at Johnny and sighed deeply.

"... times"

"Yes, it's time"

My adoptive father and Myra squeaked smugly.

I don't know, Johnny seems to be embodying a new era.

"Yes, the times are... duh no!

"I threw it aggressively, sss."

Johnny said it looked like it smelled.

At the end of his gaze... a young man dressed in white military uniform sat in a seat where no one had sat until earlier.

He pinches the dagger with his index finger and middle finger.

Apparently, the young man caught the dagger Johnny threw.

He only looks like a late teenager, but he seems to have the skill the Kingsguard deserves.

"Are you a ghost trying to kill people all of a sudden?"

"Entering someone else's house without permission is with an empty nest. Complaining is a misguided mess."

The young man put his dagger on the table and stared at Johnny with his blamed eyes.

But Johnny said it back plainly.

"... you're so brave."

"Mr. Claude, it's been a while."

The young man said in a tone that was like dealing with an old friend.

"Dad, do you know him?

"Oh, during the civil unrest. This guy tried to assassinate Ramal's guy. I managed to get rid of it because of the four of us... no, maybe you missed it."

With a full-season father or Myra? and Chrono stared at the youth.

"How old are you?

"I think we're over fifty."

Phew, Chrono nodded.

"You're not surprised, are you?

"Well, nothing surprising."

Myra is over sixty, and the clergyman is older.

"I broke my hip about the story, and I'm sorry. Please continue."

"What do you care?"

The young man coughed up with Cohon.

"... Mr. Claude underestimates himself. Mr. Claude was really strong then. If we'd stayed together, I'd have been the one who lost."

"Glad to hear it. You wanted to settle this?

"You can't beat me now, Mr. Claude. Don't you realize that yourself?

"Want to give it a try?

When my adoptive father had a fierce grin, I heard a footsteps called butterflies.

"Holy shit! You're not in here on your own!

Lord of Footsteps...... Verna waved her fist down as much as she wanted as she walked over to the youth.

"Ouch!

"What hurts! You bastard!"

Verna poked the youth over and over again.

"... times"

My adoptive father shrugged with distant eyes.

"... I folded into the Marquis Elakis and had a consultation with him."

The assassins, who crossed more than one another with their adoptive fathers in full season, said as they sat on the dining room floor.

Verna is looking down at the youth in a harsh way.

"I am Nage Hih, head of the Sixth Kingsguard Knights..."

"Commander of the Kingsguard Knights?

Youth...... Nege was interrupted by Verna and could not be named until the end.

"Is that it? Didn't I tell you?

"I didn't say it! When I first met you, you said you were a training center instructor, and your name is Ash Kilmer. You've been going through it before!

"That's a lie."

"I know!

Verna screamed.

"What are you doing today?

"As soon as I heard Marquis Elakis was unhappy with the response of the Promissory Office, I asked him to cooperate."

When Chrono asked, Nege said flat...... in one unmotivated tone right now.

"No, I'd like to avoid any trouble, but my men... oh, I'm not from the Sixth Kingsguard Knights. My men and their children from the Arm of Death era."

"Wait a minute! You, you said the 'Arm of Death' was gone!

"It's just fragmented and we can't work together anymore. My Arm of Death is alive and well."

"Wow, that's annoying!

When Nege explained, Verna shook her fist with a blurb.

"Anyway, my men are motivated to work... is this a time too"

Nege shrugged smudgingly.

My adoptive father and Myra look sinister.

"I'm glad you're working with me, but what's in it for you guys?

"According to a report from a subordinate, it appears that an official of the Promissory Bureau is accepting bribes from a criminal organization."

I see, and Chrono nodded.

You should be released as soon as you get caught by reason.

I doubt you're paying a fine for this.

"If there were no more officials involved in corruption, the post would be empty, wouldn't it?

"... I mean, he wants me to take on a resentful role to avoid trouble?

"That's what I mean in short. The Marquis Elakis will do well and we will get a vacant post. Of course, I want to be with you forever."

What do you think? and Nege looked up at Chrono.

"Write a brush, please"

"... Yes?

"So please write me a brush. In the name of you and your men."

"Um, I think we should interact with these things verbally?

"I don't like it. Write me a brush."

Chrono overtook Nege's suggestion.

I'm not talking about my adoptive father earlier, but there's no way I can believe a human being who tries to fall for the good of others.

"... may I consult with my men?

"Go ahead."

Nage sighed deeply and stood up.

"By the way, what is your real aim?

"I thought I'd make sure whatever happens next. I wonder what you're talking about using your men for your own ends."

Nage smiled bitterly.

"Is that a purpose?

"I wanted to know. I wonder why a man with death in his sight could have a grin of relief."

I'm sure that person wanted death.

Freedom from suffering... so positioned, death will be salvation.

But Nege didn't even know that.

Perhaps because he has been purely cultured as an assassin.

"Now, if you'll excuse me"

"See you, Master Chrono."

Nege lowered his head gently and Verna raised her hand gently, leaving the dining room.

A few days later, Chrono was confronted by officials from the Scriptures Bureau in a reception room at the Haunted Mansion.

Officials...... According to the material deposited from Nege, he seems to be in management... is pale in the face and stares at the paper on the table.

It's a copy of the paperwork I took at the jar and the paperwork stored at the paperwork office.

"What do you want? Money?"

"I'm not having trouble with the money. That's fine. Well, I thought about charging you, but I can feel free to send someone who's worked for the Empire for decades to the execution bench, and don't have any trouble getting yourself killed like the former Marquis Elakis."

Chrono leaned against the back of the couch.

Officials are busy moving their eyes.

I know you're figuring out a way to get through this place, but there's no such thing.

"If you quit your job, you can protect your life and honor, right?

……

Officials are silent.

I'm dripping my head and biting my lips off.

"I guess my family gets annoyed, too."

"... ok"

The official said in a low voice like he had pushed to death.

"It's quick and helpful"

"... do you mind if I go home now?

"Yes, fine"

Officials got up and left the reception room early enough.

Chrono looked up to heaven and sighed.

"… is an easy job to recommend to officials involved in corruption to resign"

Work is going well.

Naturally.

No human being chooses the former by being compelled to choose between losing all of his life, honor, and money, or resigning to protect them.

If so, you don't have to bother roughing things up.

"... he said he'd get a vacant post"

Just because someone who was in that position is gone doesn't mean Nege's people can take that position.

I'd say you're in a position where you can aim for a vacant post.

The current state of the empire, in which former members of the assassination group are lurking, is also appalling, but it is also appalling that they thought it was worth using.

"Was it sooner?

Chrono sighed again.