Chapter 92

Chapter 92: Praise

Praise

Frank Fontaine, having been received as a second gift by pure chance, spilled everything he knew.

Listening to the story, Ferda and Isabella realized a fact.

— So giving us the Dandolo Company means she was going to give us what Tilda had prepared.

It had been a bit baffling that they would acquire and hand over the largest merchant company in the Empire.

The scheme emerged as Frank Fontaine poured out his testimony.

— If I collaborated, they promised me a position as a headquarters executive in the Dandolo Company in a few years! In exchange for hiring and managing assassins.

— He did a foolish thing.

He thought a merchant would at least meticulously calculate profits and losses and not do something like this.

Suddenly, something Stefan had said came to mind.

That Frank Fontaine’s lack of advancement was solely due to his lack of ability.

And that incompetence was sharply revealed in this rebellion as well.

Even so, he didn’t blindly believe that Frank Fontaine wasn’t a complete fool.

He was half a fool, and half clever.

Frank Fontaine had taken the lead, but a document stating that the general manager of that dirty plan was someone else was in his possession.

The checkbox confirming that all funds were provided bore the seal of Henri Dandolo.

Tilda had prepared to frame the Dandolo Company for everything in the worst-case scenario.

And Ferda could use this document as well.

— So when the Black Scarf delivers the Dandolo Company, you’re saying we will use this document.

— Do you think it will be enough?

— It is possible to bring down the credibility of the Dandolo family, but taking over the commercial entity is still impossible.

Regardless, thanks to that document and testimony, Ferda’s work became easier.

Tilda Pascal does what Tilda Pascal does.

Henri Dandolo falls as Henri Dandolo falls.

“Is Rico Dandolo really the client?”

When it was merely about protecting the business and the son from a trash daughter-in-law, he was the probable candidate.

But at the point where he gave this document to Ferda, it meant he would let his son fall from the business, and it was safe to say he would save the business.

He wondered if that was a choice a father would make.

— I don’t know how he would give the company to someone who is practically a third party like you, Lord Ferda, but the backlash will be quite fierce.

— There is nothing to worry about on that front.

Ferda had Magic Engineering, the most attractive element.

With many investors drooling, if he presented himself to the Dandolo Company, they would welcome a new administrator.

— Even so, an appropriate way to take over doesn’t come to mind at all.

— From an administrator’s point of view, would it be better to give up even now?

— It helps the finances, so how could I give up? I will investigate more about the acquisition and prepare in advance.

— Do that.

Isabella pushed up her glasses with a finger and smiled.

Since she frequently complained about finances, this proposal was a cause for celebration.

In the midst of a situation where everyone should be happy, Ferda cast a glance at Ruri and asked.

— More than that, how are you?

— What do you mean?

Ruri was, as always, professional and blunt.

— Cooperating with a human’s plan. You don’t seem like someone who would enjoy that, but are you really okay with it?

Ruri replied.

— I have pride as a Dragonkin, but I am not a fool. What reason would there be to risk my pride on something like this?

— Is that so?

— Above all, if there is resentment, it should be directed toward you, Master.

Ruri sighed and grumbled.

— Unlike other dragons, you didn’t hoard treasures and lived as a slacker, so a situation arose where we had to bring in this kind of finances. So even this useless servant has to move, right?

— You have a lot accumulated against your master.

— Do you have any complaints?

— No.

Even if she speaks ill of her master, she moves for her master—how could that not be admirable?

— I’m just grateful that you are giving it your all.

Ferda extended his hand toward her head.

Seeing that hand, Ruri was startled and lowered her head slightly.

— Lord Regent.

Just before his hand touched her head,

Isabella’s voice cut in between.

— Why are you doing that?

— Are you perhaps trying to touch Lady Ruri’s head right now?

— That is correct, but?

— Why would you do such a thing?

Isabella’s voice turned fierce.

Faced with the unexpected emotional reaction, Ferda responded for now.

— They say this is effective when praising a child.

— That is the way to praise a minor, but in that case, it is an action you must not do to Lady Ruri.

— Is that so?

— I…

— Don’t tell me you have forgotten that Dragonkin have great pride?

Hearing that, it made sense, so Ferda nodded.

Isabella continued her argument.

— Above all, Lady Ruri is your senior many times over, Lord Regent. Although she possesses an appearance that seems to boast an immortal purity like a young unfading flower, you must not overlook that she is an adult.

— Is that so?

Although flowery rhetoric full of ulterior motives was attached, Isabella’s words had merit.

Ferda turned his gaze toward Ruri and asked with his eyes.

— That is correct.

Ruri nodded.

— I have lived hundreds of years longer than Lord Ferda, do you think I would like that kind of praise?

Ruri seemed to agree with the logical argument, but disgust was written on her face deep down.

However, Ferda thought it was resentment over seeing her pride curtailed.

— I’m sorry. My method of praise seems to have been the wrong one, so I won’t pat you on the head—.

— That is not it.

The one who cut in as if waiting was Isabella.

— There is a method.

— A method?

— As I said, it is the method of praise where an elder praises a younger one. Is that not so?

— Correct.

Isabella pushed up her glasses and said.

— Then wouldn’t it work if an elder among the same Dragonkin praises the younger one?

— …?

— …?

Ruri and Ferda wondered what nonsense this was.

Isabella adjusted her glasses and said.

— That is to say, I, the elder, will praise Lady Ruri.

— Huh?

— …Jah?

Ferda raised a question mark again, and Ruri’s face crumpled.

Both wondered if this was some kind of joke.

— What did you just say?

— To say it again, I will praise Lady Ruri by patting her on the head.

Isabella’s glasses glinted.

She was more serious than anyone.

Isabella takes a step forward.

Ruri takes a step back and reflexively takes a defensive stance.

— Don’t come any closer.

— There is no need to be embarrassed. As your superior, I.

Her fingers twitched.

— I will praise you like crazy.

Finger movements so flexible it is hard to believe she only handles paperwork and magic.

Like tentacles crawling upward from the bottom of the abyss, they wriggled.

Putting on a face that said she had already had enough, Ruri fled from that place as if running away.

— Ah.

Isabella stares blankly at the vacancy disappearing like the wind.

Shortly after, she returned rigid and professional.

Ferda spoke.

— It doesn’t seem like a good idea after all.

— …It seems so.

Isabella genuinely regretted it.

— —

Black Scarf Headquarters.

In reality, there was no such thing as a headquarters.

For secrecy, the headquarters moved once every three months, and even the lowest members did not know where they were going until the moving day, moving that secretly.

The place they currently used as headquarters was inside a hill in eastern Serdes.

It was once used as a hideout by drug manufacturers and smugglers before being raided, and now the Black Scarf used it as a hideout.

Bringing outsiders to such a secret place was rare.

And even when bringing an outsider, it was rare for them to receive murderous intent.

In that sense, Jed Swallow was the first person in the Black Scarf’s organizational history.

— Jed Swallow. I’ve only seen you in drawings, but is this the first time I see your actual dog face? Huh?

— Haha, look at this guy’s smooth skin.

Men with hands the size of pot lids groping Jed’s body.

Jed’s entire body tensed as he let out an awkward laugh.

— Haha, could you guys not grab my face like that? It looks like this, but I take care of it incredibly strictly…

— Oh? Then let’s check your backside? There’s a guy here who likes men, and if he sees your backside—.

— It’s just a face, it’s not going to wear out from being touched. Go ahead and touch all you want. Haha!

Realizing he had talked too much, Jed quickly brushed it off.

Jed laughed while lamenting his life.

“Why do I have to come all the way here and put up with this shit…”

He hated Garnet for dragging him here.

But as expected, he hated Ferda more for selling him out.

“Is that money really such a big deal? Is a knight’s title really such a big deal?”

He thought deeply, then answered himself.

“It damn well is a big deal, you son of a bitch.”

Jed had no choice but to smile obediently.

— Boss, I have a question.

— What?

— Why are you bastards so desperate to devour this guy?

— Huh? Didn’t you hear?

Then the man smirked mischievously and tapped the crown of Jed’s head repeatedly.

— This guy violated our young lady. Don’t you know that famous story?

— Oh? I think I heard a story like that, was it this guy?

— Yeah, it’s him.

— Oh… Daring, daring to touch our young lady…

When even that innocent man tried to burn with fighting spirit, Jed waved his hands and yelled.

— Wait a minute! That violation part is a bit exaggerated!

— Let’s hear it, bastard.

— That day we finished a rough mission, both of us were exhausted, and we were comforting each other. So a man and a woman in a room, the atmosphere isn’t bad, thinking it would be rude if the man backed out here…

— So did you take responsibility like a man?

— T-that… If only I had known this was a family of perverts…

— Did you take responsibility or not?

— …I ran away.

— Then what’s the difference from a violation, pretty-faced gigolo.

The hands grabbing his face turned rough.

Those hands held Jed tightly.

— Haha, what, what are you doing, bosses?

— We don’t need many big brothers. Just one line on the face. Carve it, repent, and marry our young lady.

— Ahaha! Put that sword away?! I don’t like these kinds of jokes?!

— What is a joke to you is reality to us. Boys, hold him tight.

— What are you all doing?

A woman’s raspy voice was heard among the men who smelled of sweat.

— Oh, the Boss is here. We were just about to do the initiation.

— He isn’t even our member, what initiation? And isn’t that something you do with a dagger?

— Come on, we have to work in a “fam”ilial environment, don’t we?

Jed sent a ‘save me’ signal with his eyes.

Garnet sighed and shooed them all away.

— Cut the useless shit and everyone withdraw. Whatever the case, Jed is the Regent’s knight.

— Tch, know that you’re lucky.

— I’ll check your backside next time.

At Garnet’s order, everyone withdrew.

Jed, trembling like a gazelle surrounded by beasts, looked at Garnet and said.

— Thanks for saving me.

Garnet slapped Jed across the cheek.

Smap!

— Ouch! Why, why?

— Valdrova Castle, a strike for the stupidity you did.

— Well deserved. Other than that, no hard feelings?

— None right now. I hold a grudge against you, but not enough to ruin the job.

— What? No woman says that after having experienced me…

— …Do you want to explode?

— I’m sorry. Speak.

Because of so many years of not seeing each other, a lot of emotion remained between the two.

They could have gotten straight to the point, but decided to share the stories they couldn’t before.

— You shamelessly carry the surname Swallow.

— You too, Tooth-seeker.

— Don’t use that nickname.

— Why, it brings back old memories, feels nice.

— Didn’t they break your nose and you still used it on me a lot?

— They broke my nose and I still used it quite a bit on you.

Jed smiled skillfully.

Seeing that face, she growled like a rabid bitch.

— Don’t smile like that. Airheaded bastards might like it, but it pisses me off.

— Yup.

Jed immediately erased the smile.

Garnet took a deep breath and spoke with a cold voice.

— I need your help for this job.

— Specifically what kind of help?

— Infiltrate and find an object.

Jed waved his hands casually and said.

— Infiltrate? What power do I have to do that? I can’t.

— You are suited for this job.

— Under what arguments?

— Comprehensive judgment of recent events and from when you did mercenary work.

— When I did mercenary work, what did I do? Didn’t I do jack shit?

While Jed tried to deny it to the end, Garnet sighed and said.

— Do you remember the battle at Palestine Castle?

— I know. It was a bitch.

— All of us were caught, but only you were not. Everyone thought you fled, but you secretly snuck into that castle and got us out.

— That time, I got lucky.

— That kind of luck happened seven times. Nobody else noticed, but I know. That you moved without anyone knowing and saved us.

— You are overestimating me way too much…

In reality, Jed himself was not aware of it.

Rather than an infiltration, he thought it was simply what he had to do for his comrades, and given that he had to move secretly, he just felt that was how things were.

He didn’t think it was something to make a big deal out of.

As he continued refusing to play along, Garnet decided to pull out her last resort.

— Do you want me to bring up that you are the last descendant of the Red-Eyed Tribe?

Jed’s face hardened.

— I don’t want to make things uncomfortable with this, but right now I—.

— That information.

— What?

— Who else knows it?

Jed asked with a bloodthirsty face, unlike before.

Garnet received his emotion and replied.

— Only me.

— If you are thinking of covering for me, don’t. Old feelings or not, I can’t let this slide.

Garnet frowned and grew angry.

— Stupid bastard. Who do you think managed your information until now? I directly control the information about you.

— My information?

— Do you think you hide it well yourself? You live like a pretty-faced gigolo and think you are somehow hiding it? You stupid bastard. You would be dead by now without my help. Do you know that? Everyone would find you out, capture you alive, and exhibit you like a zoo monkey!

While Garnet huffed, Jed scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.

— R-really? I thought you hated me enough to kill me all this time.

— Why would I try to kill you? Whatever the case, you are a comrade with whom I shared life and death.

— Oh.

— Of course those bastards are trying to kill you.

— Uh…

Jed smiled, but his face was pale and cold sweat dripped down.

Garnet clicked her tongue seeing that pathetic scene.

— So specifically what is the job?

— Infiltrate the mansion and find the medium of the Garden Contract.

— Garden Contract… I’ll pass on getting on the bad side of a witch.

— Your name has been on the target list several times anyway, what does it matter?

— Has it?

— Are you a fool, or pretending to be one?

Garnet looked at him as if he were pathetic, then returned to business.

— We think the other party made a contract with Yor Philias. I judge that you are suited for this job, what do you think?

— The best judgment there is.

For the Red-Eyed Tribe called Mage Killers, magic users are easy.

If it were a real witch it might be a headache, but the opponent is just a villainess imitating her.

— Then show me the blueprints of the places I need to infiltrate.

Garnet placed a thick stack of documents before Jed.

An image formed in Jed’s head.

Blueprints and locations of identified objects.

Through them, he accurately pinpointed the locations with the objects to steal and weighed the operation in his head.

Finally, the outline became clear, and Jed looked back at Garnet.

— But you know something.

— What.

— This job doesn’t have to be completely an infiltration, right?

— What do you mean?

— That is to say, can I do something a bit shameful?

Garnet put on a fed-up expression.

— …Are you going to seduce Tilda Pascal?

— No, why would I do that troublesome shit?

— Because that’s the kind of shit you do.

— Hahaha, wow. You know me, but at the same time you don’t know me.

Jed grinned from ear to ear.

— Shit like this, you have to make a huge noisy scene to solve it.