Legend

If we were to enter Viscount Gail's hall, Seto would naturally not be able to enter.

Still, the guards had nothing to be afraid of against Seto, so Ray keeps Seto and enters the building.

The maid guided me to the reception room, not the clerk's office, as she did in Dusker...

The moment I saw Ray entering the room, the man sitting on the couch stood up with a happy grin.

Near such a man, there is also the figure of an escort and a thinker.

I guess this isn't something like being wary of Ray, it's simply the usual thing.

If you look at yourself and look at the guard who's been bowing his head small, that's how much Ray could have predicted.

"Hey, Ray. Nice of you to come."

Late twenties to thirties.

If I think of it as a nobleman, should I say that it is not a time when I am too young, or when I am old...

A little thicker, but still not enough to interfere with the movement.

Such a man greeted Ray with a full smile.

There is no doubt that this person is Viscount Gail, and Ray bows his head.

Excuse me for taking the time.

"I don't mind. Thanks to Ray, in the war against the Bestian Empire, none of the damage was done. You are more than a benefactor. [M]... Sit down."

Ray, prompted by Gail to sit on the couch, quickly takes a single letter out of the mistering.

Unlike the letter of introduction from Dusker, which I gave to the guards earlier, it is a letter with detailed information on this one case.

"It's from Master Dusker."

"Uhm."

Having received the letter, Gail quickly takes the letter out of the envelope and begins reading it.

As Ray sees the sight, a maid who has guided Ray to this reception room earlier prepares tea and puts it in front of Ray.

And a token, the maid leaves the room.

A glance at Gail reading the letter, Ray drinks tea.

The escorts didn't say anything in particular, and the reception room was filled with silence.

That's how a little time goes by...... eventually when Gail finishes reading the letter, he exhales.

A sigh that can only be described as bitter.

"Right.... imitate that. I don't know what you've been thinking and reaching for the guilm... no, I know exactly, but I don't want to convince you."

Just because there is a back shield called the aristocracy, even imitating it so that you can get your hands on the guilds, if you say whether the back shield helps or not, you probably won't.

For the aristocrats, the Real Duct is not something they want to protect until they are clearly hostile to the neutrals.

Of course for those among the aristocrats who have up to excessive pride in their own blood muscles, some would argue that they need to defend the Real Duct even by bumping into each other from the front with the neutrals.

But such imitation would benefit the intact Kings.

If the Duke of Keller would accept that it would happen, he probably wouldn't.

"... So, this letter says Ray left it to Count Lerduct to retaliate, but what are you going to do?

"I'm thinking about it somehow. I just thought I'd get some info around here."

"I see. The letter also said you wanted me to give you information.... Okay, what do you want to hear?

"Specifically, it would be helpful if you could tell me where the property is in Count Lerduct territory… especially if you could tell me what the magic items are like"

Hearing the word magic item, Gail nods so much that it becomes.

Ray's hobby of collecting magic items isn't that widespread, but it's information that's not strange to know if you're familiar with it a little bit.

If so, there's no way Gail, who belongs to the Neutralists, doesn't know that.

And Ray's questioning for this kind of information was obvious as to what it was aimed at.

Some magic items also have lights and spark magic items that are normally sold in stores, and that's what only a few of them exist in the world, like the mysteries Ray has.

And it was obviously the latter that Ray was currently asking.

"I guess the first thing you can think of when you say where... is Count Lerduct's mansion. Somewhere in the mansion, unfortunately, I don't know."

The answer was not half as expected for Ray.

In the first place, neutrals and aristocrats have been hostile for a long time.

More than that, it would be weird to know where the Real Duct is hiding the treasure in the mansion.

... although it may mean that the Real Duct side will aim and spread the information of the lies.

"Then you need to sneak in first,"

"Uh... Ray. Let me give you some advice, but there's plenty of chance that there's only a magic item that's not worth the effort to get there, right?

Lerduct is by no means a high ranking among the aristocrats.

That can be seen even by Gail, whose territory is adjacent to each other.

I don't even want to eat cold meals... but I guess I only have a lot of other strength, etc.

That's why I have to lean my neck if Ray asks me if I have the kind of magic items I want.

Of course, for a normal adventurer, there will be numerous magic items that want anything.

But in Ray's case, he basically craves a magic item that he can actually use.

I don't want magic items that can only be decorative.

Still, in this case, the acceptance of the magic item was to the extent that I wish I could, so Ray nodded back at Gail's words.

"Right. That's possible. But this time, you're here. Whatever it is, the loss of magic items can be a huge damage to the other side."

"Uh... well, that's..."

Ningro, the secret magic items stolen from me were of no particular interest to those who stole them.

When I found out that was the case, there would be damage caused by the theft of a magic item, but more than that, there would be a mental shock to the Real Duct.

(I think if you imitate that, Ray will just resent you... but in Ray's case, you have the power to just bounce back fine no matter what they do)

How much power Ray has makes it seem enough in the war against the Bestian Empire.

That's more than just having the power to cross an army against each other, there's nothing you can do about Ray in the Real Duct, which doesn't have that much presence among the aristocrats.

(And...)

Gail is sometimes a neutral, and he also understands that Ray was quite active in the civil unrest of the Bestian Empire.

It is not only active in the war, but also in the civil unrest that ensued in the Bestian Empire, besides which it has made various requests to raise its name.

That's why it's obvious to everyone that an adventurer with an alias has as much strength as he deserves.

(If you think about it, even if Count Lerduct uses all the power he can to challenge Ray, all he sees is a future to lose. most of all... then it would be a huge disturbance, I'm sure)

Even if a nobleman challenges a single adventurer to fight with all the power he can use... then if it were to fail miserably, it would definitely be a huge commotion for the nobleman and for the adventurer.

For the aristocracy, it is not strange to think that our honor has been defiled, and for the adventurer, it is not strange to think that the aristocracy has used its position to oppress the adventurer.

I know there are a lot of circumstances to be exact, but if you look only at the superficial part, it's natural that many people think so.

And if further escalates, what eventually happens is a confrontation between nobles and adventurers... if you do poorly, it could mean civil unrest, or even the Adventurer's Guild could pull a hand from the entire kingdom of Mireana.

I don't know if it's really going to be that big of a deal, but there's a good chance it's going to be.

"Ray, please don't be too flashy."

"Huh? Oh, yes"

I guess I somehow understand that Ray himself wasn't so thoughtful about it, but if he still did too much, it would be a lot of unsavory things.

Nodding back at Gail's words.

"So, for information on Count Lerduct's territory..."

"Yeah, first of all, I don't know if you know, but the taxes on Count Lerduct territory are very high"

"I know that. Because the father of the person who accidentally helped him on his way here was a native of Count Lerduct."

"Well, that's rare..."

"I guess."

If we ever become adventurers and see with that eye a place other than where we live, we'll know that our lives have never been a blessing.

Not to mention that in Viscount Gail territory, next to Count Lerduct territory, the tax rate is low… but still not high.

Our lives and lives in territories ruled by other nobles.

If you're the one who saw both of them, it's not a strange story to want to get out of that life.

Many did not want to abandon the land where they were born and raised, but many did not have that much attachment to becoming adventurers.

As a result, people were dwindling from Count Realdact territory, albeit slightly.

And what can I do to earn the same amount of income even if people are down... that's raising the tax rate.

Because the tax rate, which was originally high, is higher than that, it seems that the lives of the inhabitants of Count Lerduct are best served only by living.

"I think with a little lower taxes, there's a chance that people will get more too.... the hostility from the other side is tremendous because those who flee it will be chosen as the place to head."

A sigh of fatigue seeps out, and Gail grins powerlessly.

Being unilaterally hostile to the Real Duct, even though it's not my fault, still results in mental fatigue.

(Not to mention that Viscount Gail is by no means the kind to feel comfortable with as far as this is concerned.... No, it's either a good type of person)

Ray opens his mouth again as he sees Gail looking tired in front of him.

"Is there anything else you might need in Count Realdact territory?

"Hmm, right.... I hear there are several mines in Count Lerduct territory."

"Mine, is it"

Mines, depending on their reserves, bring great wealth.

On the contrary, it would even be possible to aim for a higher title depending on the ore being buried.

Not to mention, if that's a rare ore like flame ore, I don't even have to think about it.

"That mine, it would help if you could make it unusable, wouldn't you?

Sari, and.

The words I told him as if they were nothing, make Ray realize so, no matter how popular the person sitting in front of him seemed to be, he was noble.

"I don't think that's a suggestion that came out of the mouth of someone who was worried about the lives of the other people."

"Right, I sympathize with the lives of the people over there. But that's why I want to avoid that the force of Count Lerduct is badly reinforced."

An aristocrat who is hostile to himself reinforces his force with ore excavated from the mine or gold sold it.

That would also mean obtaining more powerful weapons and protective equipment, as well as hiring stronger mercenaries and adventurers with gold.

I don't worry about the neighbors, but that's why I can't risk my territory.

That was a natural course of action as a nobleman.

"Mine, is it? Do you have any idea where it is exactly?

"No, I only know the general location. It's hard to get information inside."

"I guess."

Because he is a hostile opponent, Ray also nods at Gail, who tells him that he can be suspicious of various things to enter Count Lerduct territory from Viscount Gail territory.

"I don't know, can you?

"... I think the mine is doing pretty massive excavation work, so if you look from the sky, you can figure it out. Besides, I'm still talking about having the brother of someone who has fled Count Lerduct's territory, as I said earlier, so if I can get some information from you..."

To Ray's words, Gail gives a relief look… and then exchanges the information each has for about an hour.

What Ray particularly wanted to know was information about the city of Hazlouis, where Jazz's brother Dostrite lived, but fortunately this one was readily available.