Chapter 34: The Guildmaster's Intentions


TL: Scaramochi


***


Back in the town, the town is busy.


The guards guarding the gate asked me about the situation, and I turned the exiles over to them. They also confiscated a long sword without blade.


We were escorted back to the government office.


While being questioned in turn, I lost a lot of blood and my complexion turned white.


I was given permission to go to the temple for treatment first, and headed there with unsteady legs.


I fell asleep during the treatment and found myself eye to eye with the middle-aged female priestess who treated me.


The priestess, with a benevolent expression on her face, modestly said nothing, but glanced at the slightly distorted name stitching on my underwear.


I thanked her and quickly put on my leather armor.


It was badly stained with blood, but I couldn't afford the luxury.


I returned to the guard station and explained the incident in the mountains.


It was a simple and straightforward process, as I was dealing with exiles. 



As I was leaving the government office to finally go home, Jonathan called out to us.


He told me that the guildmaster wanted to see me.


I wanted she give me a break, but we all headed for her now.


While the three of them and a dog were being served tea and other necessities in a room by the counter, I headed upstairs to the guildmaster's room.


I knocked and entered, and Summard indicated with her hand that I should sit on the sofa.


"You've looked so gaunt in just one day, haven't you?"


"I must have been a bit relaxed. I'm a little sore."


"The problem is that the number of exiles is increasing. You might get a request about that. Well, let's talk about that another day. Oh yeah, I've been busy too. Because of someone else."


Summard comes over with a piece of paper in her hand.


I pop it in my lap.


It says that an interrogation has revealed that Harris, a scout living in Norn, had nothing to do with the use of the fake gold coins.


In the lower right corner was the signature of Marc Gabueira and the seal of the family crest.


"Now you are at ease, aren't you?"


I rub my face with both hands.


"About this, you know. I just can't help but feel afraid of a nasty reaction when I think I've seriously offended the Knight Commander."


"Oh?　That's unexpected."


"I'm just a simple thief. If they find the fake gold coins planted in my house while I'm away, I'll be severely punished. Besides, I don't have to go through all that trouble, I can just find the fake gold coins they brought while I'm searching the house."


"On that point, the document that was just issued by the Knight Commander will be your shield."


"This piece of paper?"


"Yes. It will protect you strongly, at least as far as the counterfeit money are concerned. If you were a counterfeiter, the Order of the Rough Eagle would be a fool for not seeing it coming. So it becomes a matter of prestige for the kingdom."


"Heh."


My face relaxes.


"Well, I hope you're not too overconfident. It's not like I'm completely exempt. Besides, if you betray my trust, you won't just get away with it."


"......Roger. But then again, there's also the personal feelings of the Knight Commander, isn't there?"


"Well, Commander Marc won't be in his current position for very long."


"What do you mean?"


"I mean exactly what it means."


"I don't understand. He's not admitting that he ordered his men to plant fake gold coins in my house, isn't he?"


"That's right. It is ostensible that a knight tried to break into your house on his own, got caught in a trap, and when he was unable to move, I secured him."


"That's not going to be a big problem then......"


"It will. Yes, It will. He was too pushy."


Summard speaks slowly, as if to remind me.


"He lambasted the Adventurers' Guild. If he wanted to get a noose out of the guild officials, he needed to confer with me beforehand. He didn't do that. That kind of lack of courtesy won't keep him in his position for long."


"I see."


I rack my tired brain.


This line meant that Samad could exert more influence over the line than the Commander of the Order of the Rough Eagle, who has a considerable say in the matter.


It was unthinkable for the authority of a branch chief of a single guild.


Why leak it in a way I could understand?


The questions were endless, but I remained silent.


Summard looked at me with satisfaction.


"Are you wondering why? For now, I like Tiana. Let's just say that."


I'm caught by the sensation of gastric juices refluxing in my throat.


Give me a break, please.


A humble thief is not strong enough to compete with a guildmaster.


I felt a thirst in my throat, and I wanted a drink from the bottom of my heart.


"Well, the rest is up to the poor abandoned knight."


"What about Commander Marc?"


"He doesn't want anything to do with it."


"I'm sorry to hear that. So, what's the punishment?"


"That's what I was hoping to discuss with you."


"Me?"


"Since you're the victim, the charges will vary quite a bit depending on your intentions. As it is, you're looking at breaking and entering, destruction of property, and embezzlement of public property, and at the very least, you're looking at a stiff sentence of exile to Sitre Island."


Sitre Island is an isolated island in the sea north of the kingdom.


It has a modest area, but is surrounded by sheer cliffs and swirling violent currents.


The entire island has been turned into a prison for incarcerating criminals.


It is a harsh place for a former knight to be thrown in.


If their identities were discovered, they would unfortunately never set foot on mainland soil again.


"Well, the embezzlement of public property means that he planted the fake gold coins, but I've talked to Marc about not doing that. Zoe and the others will get a minor punishment for negligence in possession, but we're not going to tell him about it. I'm not going to tell him, though."


I look at him, reluctant.


"I know you don't agree with this as the person who almost got the blame for the crime, but I'm going to have to put up with that. Well, you're not entirely innocent either, are you?"


"Well, if it's decided. There's no point in me objecting to it."


"Thank you for being so quick to understand. It's called anticipating Marc's tricks and being able to keep your mouth shut when you should. It's true what they say about smart thief being tricky."


This old guildmaster is more troublesome, but I shoved the line into my throat and headed underground to meet the captured knight.



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