"So it's information you want."
Rei nodded from where he sat on the sofa.
"Yeah. Do you know what kind of situation I'm in right now?"
"I do. Though I can't claim to know everything."
Zoraku rubbed his short ears—short for a Half-Elf, at least, compared to a full Elf—as he replied.
"I see. I'd like to hear whatever you can tell me about it."
"Since you came recommended by Marina-san, I don't mind. But unfortunately, we haven't been able to pin down that sense of unease you're most curious about. What I can tell you is what kind of people are targeting you. Is that enough?"
"Yeah."
Rei nodded at Zoraku's words, though he couldn't entirely hide his disappointment. Or rather, in this case, he didn't even try.
The truth was, while Rei had come to the Black Dog hideout partly to learn about the organizations targeting him, his bigger motivation was dealing with the sense of unease that had plagued him since arriving in Gilm.
Being told right off the bat that there was no information about the true nature of that unease was a bitter pill to swallow.
Still, having any information at all about those targeting him was undeniably a help.
If I crush the organizations coming after me, the source of this unease will probably have to make a move. And when it does, even if I don't know how they're creating this feeling, I'll at least be able to deal with them directly. Ideally, it'd turn out to be a Magic Item.
For Rei, who collected Magic Items as a hobby, one that could suppress its target's ability to detect killing intent by instilling a sense of unease would be an incredibly useful acquisition. Something like that would be enormously effective in combat.
"I imagine you've already noticed, Rei, but the organizations after you aren't just one. There are several."
"Figured as much. For a single organization, there was too much variety in the assassination attempts."
Someone had tried to stab him in the back with a dagger. Someone else had used poisoned Fruit Water. Another had broken character and attacked openly from the front. And then there were methods involving controlling people—though it was unclear whether through Hypnosis or Brainwashing.
With that many different types of assassins targeting him in a single day, there was no way it was the work of one organization.
The most telling evidence was the difference between the Black Garb members and Daub. They clearly seemed to belong to separate organizations. There was a chance they were part of the same group but simply harbored rivalry or hostility toward each other, but from Rei's perspective, they felt like entirely different factions.
"Glad you already understood that. They are different organizations, but they share one thing in common: every one of them expanded into Gilm after spring."
"After spring?"
At Rei's skeptical look, Zoraku nodded.
"Yeah. I don't know if you're aware of this... no, judging by your reaction, you aren't. Gilm started its Expansion Construction in spring, right? That brought a lot of people to the city, and among them were Underground Organizations looking to make a move on Gilm."
Zoraku went on to explain the current state of Gilm's underworld.
Most of those organizations had been wiped out, forced to withdraw, or otherwise disappeared from the city. But some had survived through luck or sheer strength.
Setting aside those that already had ties to existing underworld groups, a few organizations had survived on their own. And those organizations, for various reasons, were apparently trying to make a name for themselves by killing Rei—a renowned Alias Holder and Adventurer.
"So that's why they're after me?"
"That's right. Though there are also reports that some of them were actually hired by someone to kill you. That said, we haven't been able to confirm it. It could just be a rumor."
"If people like that really exist, I could just crush them directly. But I can't exactly go doing that when there's a chance it's all baseless rumor."
For Rei, being a Noble was no shield. If someone had made an enemy of him, he wouldn't hesitate to bring his full power to bear and destroy them. But at the same time, he couldn't go around doing something like that without evidence, based on suspicion alone.
"True. Then for now, why not strike at the organizations themselves? They'd never expect someone to charge in alone."
It was a reasonable course of action if the targets had been organizations long established in Gilm. At the same time, for groups that had only recently arrived, even if they'd heard of Rei, many would assume he wouldn't actually do something so reckless. Seeing is believing, as they say.
"Yeah. That's probably the best approach. So, will you tell me what you know about these organizations?"
"Sure. Though this is only what Black Dog currently knows—there may be others. Normally, this kind of information would cost Gold Coins... no, several Platinum Coins."
But with an introduction from Marina-san, that wasn't going to happen, he added briefly.
Because the introduction came from Marina, his benefactor, Zoraku couldn't exactly turn Rei away. Marina had likely known that when she sent him here.
"Sorry about that."
"Hmph. Let's get one thing straight—this isn't because of you. I'm sharing this information because of Marina-san's letter. Don't mistake that."
"I know. I don't think otherwise, so don't worry about it."
Rei knew exactly how Zoraku felt about Marina, which was why he didn't press the matter any further. Marina had no shortage of admirers, and Zoraku was, in a sense, one of them. Though in his case, it wasn't romantic interest so much as the kind of devotion one might feel toward a sister or mother.
"Fine, then. How is Marina-san doing, by the way?"
"I met her before coming here today. She was her usual self—using Spirit Magic to heal patients. Most of them were grateful to her."
"Good."
Zoraku nodded with evident satisfaction. For him, seeing Marina appreciated was clearly a source of genuine pleasure.
"So, that aside—what about the hideouts of the organizations targeting me?"
"We don't have all of them. Black Dog has a decent reputation, but we're not that strong."
"Yeah, I suppose not."
Rei had been in and out of the Slum District countless times and had clashed with its Underground Organizations more than once. If Black Dog had been that prominent, he would have heard the name before. Of course, the fact that Black Dog was well-liked by the Slum District's residents also played a part—many of them likely hadn't wanted to share information about the group with someone who had repeatedly fought with Underground Organizations. If anything, the goodwill of the Slum District's residents was probably Black Dog's greatest asset.
"If you're fine with what we have, I'll tell you. Just don't die. Though maybe I don't need to worry about that."
The warning wasn't out of concern for Rei's safety. It was purely so Marina, who cared about him, wouldn't grieve.
"Understood. Leave it to me. Unless something extraordinary comes up, I... actually, I suppose this situation already qualifies as extraordinary."
There was a sense of unease concealing the enemy's killing intent. Heading into a fight against organizations targeting his life without knowing what was causing it was nothing short of suicidal.
But given Rei's personality, stopping now was not an option. If there was a trap, he would walk right into it willingly—and then tear it apart with his teeth. That was the mindset with which he answered Zoraku.
On the surface, it was suicidal behavior. Zoraku wouldn't have been wrong to call it outright foolish.
But Rei was someone with the power to pull off exactly that kind of foolish move. Being an Alias Holder meant possessing that level of ability, and Zoraku knew it.
"All right. I'll have a guide brought in."
"No need. Just tell me where they are."
Rei's tone made clear he didn't want dead weight, but Zoraku simply scoffed.
"Hmph. The Slum District is a maze. On top of that, the paths change all the time. Someone who doesn't know the area would just get lost."
"Now that you mention it... I can't argue with that."
Thinking back on the route he'd taken to reach the Black Dog hideout, the complexity of the Slum District's layout was undeniable.
"Right? So just accept the guide we set up. Marina-san asked me to, after all."
That last line revealed the real reason for his consideration. Rei already knew that, so he didn't press the point.
"But if they're guiding me, they could get caught in the crossfire. Given that, I think they'd be better off staying behind."
"Don't worry. They're not strong by any means, certainly not compared to you, but they can defend themselves well enough. I'll tell them to wait outside the building while you fight."
"That works, I guess. If they can hold their own, there's no risk of them being taken hostage."
Rei had no way of knowing exactly how the enemy might act. These were multiple organizations that had released waves of Assassins into the city in broad daylight. They would do whatever it took to kill him, and taking hostages would be well within their playbook. But if the guide could defend themselves and Zoraku was willing to vouch for them, Rei could accept the arrangement. His own lack of confidence in navigating unfamiliar corners of the Slum District using only a map or secondhand directions was also a significant factor.
"Wait here. I'll have Kaonora arrange one."
Zoraku left the room.
Left alone, Rei glanced around, but nothing in the room caught his interest. A cup of tea or something similar would have at least given him something to do while waiting, but no such luck.
Deciding that idle waiting was dull, Rei pulled some chilled Fruit Water from his Misty Ring. Its balanced blend of sweetness and acidity, with just a hint of fruit pulp, was more than enough to satisfy his palate.
"Yeah, this is good."
"...You're drinking something that looks delicious."
Zoraku returned with Kaonora, looking mildly exasperated.
"Isn't it? It's quite good."
"I can't believe you can drink Fruit Water after nearly being poisoned with it."
Zoraku's tone carried clear disbelief. The fact that his words referenced the Assassin who had targeted both Rei and Set spoke to just how extensive Black Dog's information network was.
"This is something I bought and stored beforehand. No chance of poison."
"An Item Box, huh. With something like that, you wouldn't even need to work as an Adventurer."
Looking at the Misty Ring Rei displayed, Zoraku shook his head in disbelief. With one of the rarely confirmed Item Boxes, there were countless ways to make money. And since time was stopped inside... selling the Gamelion meat currently stored there, which could only be obtained in winter, would fetch a substantial sum all on its own.
"All things considered, being an Adventurer suits me best. I've got other things to do, too."
Keeping his collection of Magic Stones to himself, Rei left it at that.