To Be a Power in the Shadows!

In a tent lit by lamps, Goldo Kinplated was drinking alone.

The aptitude test was over and the sun had already set.

Outside there is a feast for the newcomers. Don't even know it's going to be my last supper......

"... that's good"

Containing amber liquid in his mouth, Gordo exhaled.

What he is drinking is a liquor called 'whiskey', a new product that is currently very popular in alleys.

It is a product put in full by the Mitsugoshi Chamber of Commerce, which has grown even further by adding the Federation of Great Chambers of Commerce to its umbrella. There have been rumours among the informants since before their launch, and the discerning Gordo was also interested.

But Gordo is a slave. I am not free to buy expensive liquor.

On his behalf, who had given up half the time, the Lord, Tulpicano, made me say something to gold and bought it, but Tulpicano took a sip of whiskey and threw it up. Looks like he had too many degrees.

That's why Gordo was fortunate enough to get the extra whiskey.

Gordo's rating for Tulpicano is the lowest, but he's the only one who's rated me for buying this whiskey. That golden bald pig wouldn't know that the alley has a premiere and is traded for more than ten times the fixed price.

Gordo took out one resume over a glass of whiskey. There is a history of one boy written there.

"Sid Cagheno. You're from the Kingdom of Midgal..."

When I crossed swords with him in the daytime aptitude test, Goldeau felt somewhere like a pre-sight.

The test itself ended in seconds. Gordo rolled the barbed side and settled it.

He should have been a normal boy, with nothing to see anywhere.

But something was caught in the goldo. Gordo is good at discerning his opponents' strengths. Only once in the past has he failed to discern the opponent by his insight......

"... I remember"

"What do you remember?

That's when my partner Quinton came into the tent.

"Is the feast over outside?

"No, not yet... but I don't want to remember the faces of those guys dying tomorrow"

"Right..."

The two faces were sinking somewhere.

"So, what do you remember?

"Oh, it's about this boy"

Gordo gave Sid's resume to Quinton.

"Sid Cagheno...... what's wrong with this guy?

"When I fought in the daytime aptitude test, I had a sense of vision."

"What was he like?

"He's a brunette, brunette, mediocre boy. The exam was over in a flash."

"Uh, could it be the guy who fell flashy?

"That's right. Remember that?

"Oh, come and sell it to me at the feast earlier. I can't help but remember. What happened to that Sid?

"It's visionary. I remembered if I felt like I had fought somewhere and thought about it. That's... similar to what I felt when I fought Jimina Seinen"

"Jimina."

Quinton's eyes sharpened.

"Once, I was the only one who didn't see my strength. I still remember that day. The first day Evergreen Golden Dragon lost..."

And Gordo shook his head sideways.

"But it must be my fault. There couldn't be more than a few guys like Jimina, and it was just a flash of vision."

"Well, you will. Jimina can't be in here like this. That man... is something else. That defeat still reminds me..."

"Our gear's gone crazy since we lost to him."

"- Huh! I couldn't recognize him. I didn't want to admit it! I can't move on without taking him down!!

"I agree. But Jimina's actually like that shadow."

"Apparently."

"You can't shadow."

"... you can't shadow"

It's what overwhelmed those two Beatrix and Iris. I could easily imagine that we had not seen a direct battle but we would never win it together.

"Life is tough..."

"Right..."

The two sighed without either of them.

"So, what's the plan?"

Goldo asked Quinton.

"The number of new appointments is 100. About five guys who might be able to use it."

"Those five are going to slavery when the plan is over. And the rest?"

"I can't use the rest. Throw away the pawn as planned."

"Really... no change to the plan?

"Oh. Tulpicano is going to do it. Sure, it's risky, but if his story's true, it's worth it. If we succeed, we can liberate ourselves."

"So you night attacked the castle of the lord who betrayed the Kings..."

"Oh. It's Count Ragitta. Apparently, the Count took an enormous treasure when he betrayed the Kings. The Kings are on their way to recapture, but there is a distance from the king's capital. It'll take a while. While Count Ragitta is caught off guard, we attack at night and take the treasure and flee the country. We can't do this unless we're in a war."

"It's a tulpicano-like, down-to-earth way. But it's still too risky. There will be 500 regular soldiers over there, albeit small castles. There's only 100 of us."

"That's why we attack at night and use abandoned pawns. All you have to do is take out the treasure while the abandoned pawn is raging. You don't have to win."

"But... all abandoned pawns will die"

"I know. But we're slaves, we'll have to obey! This is the only way to be free."

Quinton slapped his voice absurdly at his desk.

"Sorry...... I said something extra. We just obey. Finish the operation, you're free, and that's it."

Gordo sighed like he'd given up.

Some sinking silence flowed between them. I don't like the hustle and bustle of the banquet outside, but I can hear it.

"Life, it just doesn't work. I believed I could do better..."

"... right"

"Hey, Quinton. What are you gonna do when you're released?

"I don't know what to do... I don't have any money and I'm going to make it again in the arena."

"Right...... I'm going back to the country. Go back to the country and open the dojo"

"Dojo? You?

Quinton stared at the side of Gordo.

"It's time I saw reality and my limitations. This still came all the way to the top. I believed that if we didn't lose, we could one day stand to the top. But I couldn't..."

"Gordo... so you, to never lose..."

Gordo lay his eyes down and laughed lonely.

"I still have things left of me like that. It's this eye - the ability to spot the other person's abilities. I think this is all there is to it. Now I'm going to raise people with these eyes. Discover and guide the talent of the doorman. That's not bad, is it?

"Oh, that's not bad..."

Quinton laughed softly.

"One day, I'll raise you an apprentice beyond that shadow. I entrust my dreams to my disciples that I could not fulfill. So... that, Quinton. Why don't you come with me?

Gordo scratched his cheek in the light.

"Hmm......"

Quinton laughed.

"Give me booze."

Gordo poured amber whiskey into a nearly drunk cup and handed it to Quinton. Quinton drinks it up all at once......

"... go-ho, go-ho!

[incomprehensible]

"It's a strong drink... I've never seen anything like it."

"Whiskey is booze. It seems like a new way to make everything like distillation. You're good."

Quinton stuck out the cup silently.

Gordo poured a whiskey there, and Quinton slowly, now, drank and groaned to roll with his tongue.

"... Ugh"

"It's expensive."

"Then... you don't have to work for booze."

"... right"

"Dojo... I can't believe I'm in a position to teach people."

"Funny."

The tent with the two of them was lit late.