Chapter 91

Chapter 91: The Black Scarf

The Black Scarf

— Short and intense. Threatening, but without a single ounce of fear.

Isabella expressed her discontent.

The way the text went straight to the point and concluded immediately, combined with the actions written in red letters… everything conveyed that impression at first glance.

Perhaps that was why Ferda saw it in a different way.

— For it to be considered a threat, don’t you think they have a bit too much nerve?

If their intention had been to hang around here to extort a few coppers, they wouldn’t have used the phrase “we will see each other soon” at the end.

Furthermore, the other party was the Black Scarf.

Being the largest secret intelligence organization on the continent, they must have already had a general idea of what kind of person Ferda was.

“That’s why I’m curious.”

He was trying to decipher whether that “we will see each other soon” would turn out to be beneficial for the Grand Duke’s domain.

— Administrator. Is there a flagpole in Hestia?

— We plan to install one soon.

— Erect that pole today and tie the scarf halfway up. That will be our response.

Isabella erected the pole in the middle of Hestia village just as Ferda indicated, and fastened the scarf at half-mast.

The surrounding area was nothing more than the Lonely Mountain and a dense forest.

She wondered if people who were not nearby would even notice something tied halfway up the pole.

However, a few hours later, a group of six riders dressed in black robes and mounted on jet-black steeds presented themselves at Valdrova Castle.

At first glance they looked like the secret envoys of some kingdom, but those who knew in advance what it was about immediately recognized their identity.

Ruri went down to identify them and delivered her report.

— Ferda-nim, they say those who responded to the call are down at the castle.

— Tell them to only let the representative pass.

Dealing with a secret organization required caution.

The one who entered Valdrova Castle with the credentials of a representative was a slender woman.

Sky-blue eyes, ash-gray hair, and dark skin.

The woman, who appeared to have been raised in the southern region, greeted politely.

— It is a pleasure to meet you, Regent-nim. This servant’s name is Garnet Swallow.

As she spoke, sharp teeth could be glimpsed through her parted lips.

“A dark elf?”

Her beauty was dazzling, but her expression possessed a ferocity capable of making anyone shudder.

On the other hand, her rounded ears gave away that she was a beauty raised in the southern region.

Ferda asked her:

— Will you tell me then the reason why you threatened me and had the audacity to come look for me?

Garnet tilted her head.

— Threat? Absurd. How could creatures who live in the sewers like us threaten the representative of the Grand Duke, the Husband of the Dragon?

— Then you will have to explain the content of that letter.

— The writing in red is provocative, but it is nothing more than a stale custom of the organization. If I caused you concern, I apologize a thousand times. However, if this servant truly harbored the intention to threaten you, there would be no reason whatsoever to reveal myself in this manner.

It was a reasonable point.

Garnet placed the bag she was carrying on the table.

— This is the first gift that this servant delivers to you as representative of the Black Scarf.

He lightly inspected the object to check if it concealed any trick, such as an explosive magic circle.

There were no traces of magical manipulation.

Ferda finished the inspection and opened the bag that had been handed to him.

What was inside were documents.

— Please read them. They will surely be to your liking.

At her insistence, Ferda quickly skimmed the contents.

There was a reason why Garnet claimed he would like them.

Indeed, they contained exactly what Ferda needed at this moment.

“Everything about Tilda Pascal.”

It was a detailed document about the plans she had devised to become the owner of the Pascal Company, casting aside Merkat, Stefan, and Herman.

From the organizational chart of the instigators that Tilda Pascal had planted, to plans that foresaw even a Plan C.

The content was so meticulous that it made the information Merkat and Stefan were trying to unearth look like a mere joke.

“The accuracy is something I will check later, but…”

Ferda did not doubt it.

It was a message from the Black Scarf, the largest secret intelligence organization.

They would not make the stupidity of delivering false information and spitting in their own face.

Even so, it was mandatory to ask this.

— What is the reason for giving me this information?

The Black Scarf, which had rejected imperial recruitment on multiple occasions, had taken the first step.

Ferda needed to know the motive.

Garnet replied:

— It is not a simple delivery, but something closer to mediation.

— Mediation?

— That is right. Tilda Pascal was a target we had set our eyes on for a long time. The first client has been tracking and investigating her for four years.

Now everything made sense.

The reason so much information had accumulated was because they had been investigating her over a long period.

And the reason they suddenly showed up to deliver Tilda Pascal’s information as a gift was the client’s intention.

— A truly impressive person. Tracked her and stuck to her for nearly four years to extract information… Do you know the tremendous feats she achieved in those four years?

Garnet spoke as if astonished.

— She won over most of the people in the mansion and poisoned her own father-in-law into a vegetative state.

— Without killing him?

— She intended to rewrite the will.

— She was trying to keep the assets through deceit.

— Exactly. It is the first time I have seen a woman with such greed seated in the place where her conscience should be.

It was not so surprising to Ferda.

In reality, the Tilda Pascal that Ferda remembered was the owner of the Dandolo Company.

After the death of the Head of the Family, she quickly proceeded with the wedding, and a few months later the next Head of the Family also passed away.

The only one who inherited the Dandolo Company without having blood ties was Tilda.

That was how she managed to stand on equal footing with Merkat as the next owner of the Pascal Company.

Reading the materials, he could feel it clearly.

How much that woman yearned for the Pascal Company.

— Do you know why that woman can get away unscathed even after committing such atrocities?

— I don’t know.

In truth, he wasn’t that interested either.

— As a result of tying all the loose ends, the conclusion is that Philias is behind this.

Then the story changed again.

Philias, the so-called root of all witches.

Most forcefully cross the Red Circle driven by resentment, and that resentment is almost always directed toward men.

But Tilda Pascal was not a witch.

If she were, he would have noticed.

— That means she made a Garden Contract.

The Garden Contract.

A pact that allows a woman who could not awaken as a witch to wield their powers.

A woman harboring malice no less than that of a witch makes a pact with one of them and acts as her representative.

However, the number of cases is extremely rare, and since an awakened Red Circle cannot be seen either, it is not easy to detect.

— Did you also identify whom she made the Contract Magic with?

— We cannot be certain, but the most likely is Yor Philias.

The Witch of Poison and Snakes, Yor Philias.

She was also skilled in Illusion Magic, and judging by the charisma and organizational cohesion Tilda Pascal demonstrated, it was considered quite possible.

— So…

Ferda tossed the documents back into the bag with disdain and asked:

— I get the information and the client gets their revenge, so it is a mutual benefit for both parties, is it not?

— How could it be that simple? This information is strictly a gift. And if you accept this deal, you will gain two benefits.

Garnet extended her index finger.

— First, as I said before, the job can be finished quickly.

Then she extended her middle finger.

— Second, through this opportunity, you will be able to take possession of the Dandolo Company.

Ferda wondered for a moment if he had misheard, as the second condition was unprecedented.

— Take possession of the Dandolo Company?

— That is right.

— Us?

— Not you all.

Garnet politely pointed at Ferda and said:

— It can fall entirely into the hands of Regent Ferda Valdrova.

The Pascal Company was the largest enterprise in the Empire.

The second largest was precisely the Dandolo Company.

“If those two companies merge…”

It was an offer so colossal that it would not be an exaggeration to say they would swallow half the Empire.

Precisely because it was so large, it was not easy to believe.

Even the words of the Black Scarf, who lived and fed on trust, felt like lies.

— How could you come to possess the Dandolo Company?

— It is difficult to explain in detail without having closed an agreement yet. But everything is related to Tilda Pascal. Both Henri Dandolo and Rico Dandolo.

Henri Dandolo was already famous for being a naive person.

Regardless of that personality, his business sense was outstanding and he contributed enormously to stabilizing his father’s aggressive expansion.

“If Henri stabilizes the company…”

Tilda would bare her envenomed fangs and bite Henri’s neck.

“A truly heartbreaking man.”

But he felt no pity for him.

If his life was saved from a fate that should have ended in death, that was already something to be grateful for.

— If she falls, the Dandolo House will also lose credibility, and the Dandolo Company will not want to be dominated by the Dandolo House.

— Aren’t you overlooking the client’s greed?

— The Black Scarf guarantees it. If this condition is not met, we will intervene as Enforcers.

The Black Scarf was an organization with a deep history; they maintained trust at all costs.

If the other party did not comply, seizing and bringing what was agreed upon by force was their business.

Given that they said he could devour the company, there was no way Ferda would refuse.

While such a sweet and large cake rolled toward him, he pondered it several more times.

He analyzed whether this matter could truly conclude without setbacks.

The Black Scarf was reliable, but he knew absolutely nothing about what kind of human that client was.

Once the deal with the Black Scarf was finalized, couldn’t that client stab him in the back?

To deduce who that opponent was, Ferda decided to ask a few more questions.

— What is it that you need then?

— On this occasion, there are also two things I would like to propose.

— You really do like double proposals.

— As the conversation progressed, there was no choice but for it to end up this way.

— Go ahead.

— First, I would like you to lend us manpower.

— What kind of manpower?

— To find the catalyst for Yor Philias’s contract.

For a Garden Contract to be formally established, a catalyst is required.

Ironically, the easier that catalyst is to destroy and the more conspicuous it turns out to be, the stronger its power becomes.

If it was a poison that filled the mansion with her own people and paralyzed the owner of the Dandolo Company, it was undoubtedly a conspicuous object and easy to destroy.

— That woman’s catalyst must be inside the house. We do not know the exact location, but we need an expert who can pinpoint that place.

— And it seems you already know that expert.

Garnet nodded.

— That is right. I would like to borrow the strength of Jed Swallow, who should now be called Sir Jed.

At that moment, he was only known as a simple rogue far removed from direct thievery.

If they had witnessed his feats in Halim, they would have only understood that his movements were at the level of an acrobat or above.

“But the fact that Jed has a talent for theft shouldn’t be known yet.”

As expected of the Black Scarf.

Their intelligence network was so vast that it left anyone speechless, and their deductions were also outstanding.

Worthy of an intelligence organization that the Empire itself would covet.

Ferda finished organizing his thoughts and gave his response.

— I will lend him to you. The second?

— I would like you to turn Tilda Pascal into an idiot.

— An idiot?

— It means sparing her life, but turning her body into a prison for her soul.

— So you want to leave her in a state where she is alive, but not living.

That client was undoubtedly someone who desired revenge.

For him, who had executed terrible revenges thousands of times, turning someone into an idiot was a cruel act that could be counted on one’s fingers.

“Who could be desiring such revenge?”

Given Tilda Pascal’s bad reputation, it could be anyone.

But connecting the threads of the story, the most likely candidate was a single person.

“Rico Dandolo.”

Overall, he was the firmest candidate.

He would certainly prefer handing it over to someone else rather than allowing the business he built to be stolen by a daughter-in-law who was trash.

“Thinking about it, for them to make such a request means…”

The Black Scarf was proposing it because they believed Ferda could do it.

Then, what did they see in Ferda to believe it was possible?

— What specific method do you want from me?

She subtly shifted her eyes and looked at the young woman standing diagonally beside Ferda.

— Dragon Fear.

It was Ruri.

— I have heard that ordinary Dragonkin cannot manifest Dragon Fear. However, they say Dragonkin sufficiently trained to approach Dragons can use some Authorities.

Her eyes rested again on Ruri.

— And I know that the maid standing there is an exceptional creature capable of using Dragon Fear. I want that Dragon Fear.

It was then that he understood.

Handing over the Dandolo Company, such a massive enterprise, to Ferda required such power.

Garnet did not just need the strength of the Master Thief, but also the power of the Dragon.

— Ha.

Ferda let out a laugh as if he were stunned.

— A truly arrogant and insolent request.

Ferda lowered his voice.

The atmosphere followed suit, turning freezing cold.

Garnet’s Adam’s apple moved sharply.

It was as if she were walking a tightrope in the middle of a raging typhoon.

A single misstep and she would fall into the abyss, so she spoke with extreme caution.

— This servant also knows she is overstepping. That is why I present the condition of delivering the Dandolo Company, and I thought it was a condition that would more than compensate the Domain of Grand Duke Valdrova.

— Ridiculous. Do you think the scale balances in this deal?

Ferda asked with coldness and anger.

— Do you think you can borrow the power of a Dragon with human treasures? Do you think it can be bought with that miserable money?

— It is possible.

— ?

— ?

Ruri, who had stood like a folding screen, intervened.

Ferda glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

After exchanging glances for a few seconds, he said to Garnet:

— She says it is possible.

— Uh… really?

— Regardless, she is not my servant. Since she herself said she will do it, so it shall be done.

Being an unexpected moment, Garnet could not hide her bewilderment.

Even so, she bowed her head toward Ruri.

— Thank you for your cooperation. It could not be better that the servant of Great Valdrova grants a request that is no different from a tantrum.

— You must keep the promise.

— Of course. We are not so arrogant as to play with Immortals.

With Ruri’s cooperation confirmed, Garnet exhaled a sigh of relief.

— Since there seem to be no major issues with the deal, I will proceed as prepared. Please read the contract and give your approval.

The paperwork was reviewed directly by Isabella, who was standing beside him.

She thoroughly checked that there were no traps, handed it back to Ferda, and the contract was established.

Ruri’s power would be borrowed later, and…

— What about Sir Jed?

She answered leisurely, as if she had already foreseen it.

— According to intelligence, he should arrive soon. Since the Regent-nim has permitted it, I will speak directly with Sir Jed.

— I doubt it will go well.

— There is nothing to worry about. Sir Jed and I already know each other.

One of Ferda’s eyebrows arched.

— You know each other?

— We worked together in a mercenary corps called Swallow. We did so for three years, so it is quite a deep relationship.

— Swallow…

Jed Swallow.

Garnet Swallow.

Only now did he notice the coincidence between the two.

“There was a reason she knew about Jed.”

Due to their closeness, she knew Jed well.

Shortly after, a frivolous racket was heard coming from the hallway.

The sound grew closer until finally arriving in front of the Audience Hall.

— Regent-nim, I have returned.

Jed, who had gone to train, returned with great enthusiasm.

— I have successfully finished the dispatch training, armed with the cavalry, Jed Swallow enters with pride!

— Good work.

— Ah, there was a visitor. The visitor is…

The two stood staring at each other for a long time.

Jed, who had claimed to be armed with cavalry pride, turned pale the moment he saw that face.

— Eurk! Tooth-puller!

He shuddered as if he had seen a ghost and immediately covered his face with his helmet.

Garnet rose from her seat and approached him.

— Jed.

— …Who are you? I’m not Jed, I’m Malcolm, from Pitch Hill.

— Stop making those weird nasal noises. I already know you are a knight of this place.

— …Really, miss, no. I don’t know who you are. I’m Malcolm. I’m a birdbrain. I don’t know numbers and I can’t tell left from right.

— Haa…

Garnet let out a long sigh.

She kicked him in the shin with all her might.

In vulgar terms, she fractured the joint.

Pwaak!

A sound loud enough to echo through the entire Audience Hall.

Jed jumped as high as the thunderous noise.

Even so, he didn’t forget to cover his face with the helmet.

— Keup! Seup! Seup! Seup!

— Cowardly piece of shit bastard! Follow me! You’ve been sold to me!

— Euaahk! What is this nonsense?! Regent-nim?! What is this?! Regent-nim?!

Garnet dragged him by the ear while Jed demanded an explanation.

However, the last thing reflected in Jed’s eyes was the figure of Ferda waving his hand to see them off.

What finally crossed the castle gates were six black horses and one brown horse.

Jed rode atop the brown horse.

And Penelope sat behind him.

She, who had also been sold along with him, was shouting something loudly, but went quiet as soon as they entered the forest.

— Mm?

Ruri, who had been watching the scene, spoke.

— Why?

— All the horses left, but one person is missing.

— Didn’t Jed and Penelope leave?

— I know that too. One of the black ones is missing.

Ruri sensed something strange and immediately began searching for that person.

The search did not take long.

Because a man wearing a robe inside out was standing awkwardly below the castle, waiting for the representative.

On that man’s chest was kindly written:

— Second gift.

She removed the black wrapping as if unpacking a birthday present.

And she could understand why a human was the second gift.

— Mmph! Mmph! Mmmph!

It was Frank Fontaine.

The man who had disappeared during the raid.

And perhaps the man who could testify in this situation.

When she removed the gag from his mouth, he shouted like this:

— I, I will confess! I’ll tell everything, so please just spare my life!