Chapter 52 (1/2)
Translator(s): s.h.i.+mizuA, DC Editor: Merp TLC: N/A
30
Black Maria's Fourth Squad
”Count Garland was in the east district for Manhunt a short time ago.”
The urban eastern district's townscape was spread out, in contrast to the elegant western district of the capital. s.h.i.+zuru, along with Maria and Ludmilla, walked quietly through the high-cla.s.s residential and rows of luxury stores, commonly called the 'n.o.ble District.'
”Those who received beatings, those who were killed in opposition, and those whose wives and daughters were kidnapped. The client this time, were the victims or their relatives who put their money into a joint request.”
They talked about the details of the request in their conversation. Also, while it wasn't that common, it was a story that would be found immediately if one searched for it.
The eastern district had bad public order and many of the residents also had low social status. Therefore, sometimes one could see some n.o.bles come there to 'release some stress.'
The guards couldn't easily control it since the other party was a n.o.ble. In the first place, the eastern district looked like a place where outlaws and the ostracized gather. There were many clauses that were blatantly overlooked.
”Well, even if that's the case, 50 gold coins is a lot of money. While it's true that we request at least that much to deal with a n.o.ble, it's not an amount that could be gathered by a dozen of people from the eastern district.”
In short, Count Garland had already gone overboard and didn't only do those acts. When s.h.i.+zuru put it that way, Ludmilla smacked her lips quietly.
”… That man could do those things without batting an eye after all.”
Ludmilla sighed as she slightly fastened her rifle case strap. A thick color of scorn and hatred floated in her usually listless eyes.
s.h.i.+zuru smiled bitterly at her figure who was chomping at the ice cream in her hand. Compared to Mary, who was holding his hand beside him while happily licking her ice cream, it was so different.
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”So s.h.i.+zuru. Are we coming here today is to do an investigation on the target or what?”
Ludmilla asked while licking and wiping her fingertips after she finished her ice cream.
Looking casually at their surroundings, there were a lot of guards, as expected from the place where the rich gathered. Here and there, they could see the guard members who were armed with swords and guns.
While the degree of the public order was worse in the eastern district, with such thorough monitoring here, their work would definitely be harder with just that alone. They absolutely couldn't brazenly do it like Casca, who the other day fearlessly marched to the targets' bases and gathering place the other day, brutally rampaging until her fist was smeared with their blood, and then came back slightly drunk after drinking a lot in her way back. Even Ludmilla understood that careful preparation was necessary.
However, s.h.i.+zuru smiled with a troubled face and shook his head.
”Ah, hm, no. That's also important, but today is for a different matter. There is someplace I have to visit before we do our work here.”
”… Some place that you have to visit?”
Ludmilla dubiously looked at s.h.i.+zuru who said that while wiping Mary's mouth with a handkerchief. Then he put Mary on his shoulder and sighed again.
”You will know when you arrive. To be honest, if possible… I don't want to go there if I don't have to.”
”… So even you have something that makes you think like that huh.”
Ludmilla said that out of surprise.
Somehow Ludmilla thought that s.h.i.+zuru was a man that was optimistic towards anything. Even killing someone too, if there wasn't any work involved, he wouldn't kill anyone. She had never seen his emotions like losing his temper nor loathing someone; only smiles, wide smiles, and sometimes wry smiles, that appeared on his face.
After all, he was the one who could accept Casca, the woman who was the personification of arrogance and selfishness. She thought that he was the type who had nothing he couldn't deal with.
”Ahaha… Even I have one or two things I refrain from doing, you know? Even a deviant is still a human ―― For example, like being killed.”
”… Hah?”
”Well. Since we are behind schedule for the carriage, let's hurry up a bit. I have told them that I'll come today by the messenger crow, so it's not good to be late. We really might be killed.”
He jokingly said that while smiling. However, just before that, she felt that his body temperature was wavering, revealing the true nature of his words.
”Wa-wait a sec…! You, where the heck you gonna bring me!?”
”Ah right, I need to buy something for a souvenir/present. I wonder if a cake is okay; don't you think so, Mary?”
”Yup, mother. I, like cake.”
”Listen to me…!”
s.h.i.+zuru just walked ahead of her while giving the high-spirited Mary a ride on his shoulders. As if to shake off her indescribable anxiety, Ludmilla hurriedly followed him.
A young looking man and a group of guards who were pa.s.sing by were smiling when they looked at s.h.i.+zuru's group of three. Though how they were looked at them with their eyes, only the people themselves knew.
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After getting onto a stagecoach, s.h.i.+zuru and the others arrived at their destination, the western part of the Royal Capital's Western District. At the side of the outer wall that separated the Royal Capital from the outside for several kilometers, the three stepped down from the stagecoach that matches the atmosphere of the western district. Even though it was just a stagecoach, the formality differed from that of the eastern district.
”Thanks for the transit, we have arrived. Sorry, to be honest, we could have arrived right away if I had managed to borrow a Pegasus. It seems they have been frightened by me since I was dyed by Lady's scent.”
”I, like it this way. Walking with mother, buying an ice cream, it's fun.”
”My head hurts… Certainly, they would be frightened by a superior beast's scent… Sigh.”
Contrary to Mary who was in a good mood, Ludmilla, who felt sick after rocking in the carriage, replied lethargically while holding her forehead with a groan. It took about three hours to reach the edge of the western district from their hideout in the eastern district. Considering the size of the Royal capital it was quite fast, but they needed to transit over several carriages, so it was indeed tiring.
”Well, compared the eastern district there are fewer pickpockets and molesters here. Even the carriage is safe.”
”That comparison parameter is weird though…”
Ludmilla's tone was 30% more senseless than usual. She wondered where her madness-like vigor from yesterday had gone, although anyone would become like that if they were dragged along for 3 hours without knowing their destination.
”… So? Where is our destination?”
”Where? It's right in front of you.”
s.h.i.+zuru pointed to their destination along with those words. A neat mansion stood there.
It was a three-story brick mansion, which considerably huge. At least, it didn't stand out in the n.o.ble's district where the wealthy/rich lives.
”… Here?”
”Yup. Here is the Black Maria fourth squad's base.”
The fourth squad. Ludmilla's eyes twitched from the name of the squad that she had longed to be a.s.signed to.
”If we want to do some work in the western district, we have to talk with this area supervisor first or we can't do it.”
The fourth squad was in charge of the Western District—this was their turf. Once again, for starters, they had to request some kind of a.s.sistance from them, so it was only natural to give a proper greeting. Because nothing good came from having a hostile relations.h.i.+p with your relatives.
”Then let's go inside. You don't have to be on your guard since the squad captain here is a good person, unlike Casca.”
s.h.i.+zuru walked to the mansion's entranceway while saying lines that definitely would give him a bone fracture along with joint dislocation if it were heard by Casca
”Oh right. There is a fixed procedure if we want to visit each squad's hideout.”
First, four times. Then, shortly afterward: twice, once, then five times. Lastly, there is not a bell, rather, a knocker is installed; beat it thrice.
”――Welcome. The lock is open.”
A moment after they used the knocker, a woman's voice could be heard muttering from the other side of the door. s.h.i.+zuru's eyebrows frowned slightly when he heard that.
”……Hah. It can't be helped.”
In a tone that sounded like it had resigned itself, he let out a deep sigh. Before Ludmilla and Mary could ask for his intentions, s.h.i.+zuru placed his hand on the doork.n.o.b and opened the door.
There was――
”―― Bonjour. Now, shall we die together?”
Clad in a bright-red dress, there was a lean woman who had worn a mask that covered the left half of her face. Held in her arms was a scythe which exceeded her own height that was raised overhead.
The woman did not hesitate to point her blade. She swung it towards s.h.i.+zuru.
”ah…”
s.h.i.+zuru looked up at the scythe approaching with weight and momentum. While calmly comprehending, he knew it was impossible to avoid it.
Reasonable. He was able to understand any martial arts that there were; his physical ability was low in this world. He didn't have the speed to prevent or avoid a weapon swung by a person that exceed a master.