The following day, a compelling conversation unfolded at the Marquis Ignat Manor in Eupeheim.
Ulysses had naturally reached the same conclusion as Radius; in fact, he had moved even faster to investigate the existence of a Dispel User. His search had led him to a specific merchant company.
The Dispel User in question had joined that company five years ago and was known as a diligent worker. However, immediately following the recent string of thefts, he had fled the Imperial Capital and vanished.
As if to say "I told you so," various parties, including the Knights, had been scouring the region for him, but—
"Edgar, the results," Ulysses prompted.
They were in Ulysses’s office within the Marquis Ignat Manor.
Edgar bowed with a sharp "Yes, sir," and addressed Radius. "The man fled the Imperial Capital. He was located in a region two days away by magic ship."
"He 'was' located there? Meaning he is no longer there?" Radius asked.
"Correct, Your Highness."
"Then where did he run? Knowing you, I assume you’ve already figured that out as well."
"Regarding that..." The gentleman in the tailcoat glanced at his master.
Receiving a nod of approval, Edgar continued. "The man is currently being held in the basement of this manor."
Ulysses had moved in secret and captured the man before the Knights could even catch a scent. Even as the merchant company had delayed their report to protect their own interests, Ulysses had acted as though the bureaucracy was beneath his concern.
"Well. You caught him already?"
"Of course. We have already conducted several interrogations to confirm the circumstances of the theft and the list of stolen items. By my master's command, we have also verified that the recovered items match those reported missing."
It was only to be expected. Ulysses had already investigated most of the leads Radius had predicted and, unexpectedly, had already secured the key figure.
Radius found himself impressed by Ulysses, who had accomplished this so effortlessly without ever showing his hand.
"I am truly glad to have you as an ally."
"Haha! I shall take that as a compliment. And for the record, I intended to report this to you today regardless. It was never my intention to hide it."
"I’m sure. So, did you learn the motive for the thefts?"
"Money. It seems a certain individual offered him a deal, and he provided extensive assistance for that reason. As for that individual, we believe they were a member of the bandit gang."
"He caused an incident of that magnitude just for gold?"
"I will leave it to the Imperial Law to decide how to handle such foolish shortsightedness," Ulysses replied. "What we should focus on is the objective of the one who proposed the deal. Edgar, the documents for His Highness."
"At once."
As Edgar handed over the prepared files, Radius’s sharp mind quickly pieced the information together. "There is a common thread among the stolen documents."
Ulysses nodded. "The technical specifications for the magic tools installed in the Imperial Capital and Erendil. That is the commonality."
The documents were limited to those handled by merchant companies and individual magic tool craftsmen. When the information was cross-referenced, it became clear that the targets were almost exclusively the blueprints for devices installed throughout the cities.
"Are they looking for gaps in security?"
"I cannot say for certain. But it is a possibility we must account for."
"And the documents themselves?"
"The Dispel User does not have them. He was not involved in the actual physical theft; he was merely hired for his specialized skill."
Furthermore, the man was nearly killed once the job was done. From the bandits' perspective, that was standard procedure. To ensure no information leaked, it was far more natural to eliminate a pawn once their purpose was served.
The man had received a large down payment. According to his testimony, he sensed the danger when he went to collect the remainder of the fee and fled.
"I will praise his survival instinct, at least. But he deserves no sympathy."
"Then, shall I leave the rest to you?" Ulysses asked.
"Very well. I will arrange for his transfer to the Imperial Capital Prison. As for what follows... first, I want to confirm if the Demon King Cult is involved."
"I agree. That investigation will be the next stage."
Once they reached a consensus on the first matter, they moved to the next. The conversation paused briefly as Edgar served tea.
After a few minutes of respite, the discussion resumed, and Ulysses’s demeanor shifted. "By the way," he said, wearing a smile that hid a monstrous, crushing pressure.
Radius did not flinch, answering with total composure. "What is it?"
"I wish to hear Your Highness’s thoughts. Assuming the Demon King Cult is indeed involved, what do you intend to do?"
"That is obvious. Capture every last one of them and extract every bit of information they have."
"No, no. I am not asking for such a mundane answer. Is that not simply a given?"
"Then what are you asking?"
Both men set their cups down simultaneously. The distinct clink of porcelain echoed through the silent room.
"Do you truly believe that merely reacting to them is enough?" Ulysses, the Strong-Armed Marquis, finally voiced his true meaning.
Radius instantly grasped the intent behind the malicious inquiry. "You ask a pointed question."
"My apologies. However, it is a matter of great importance to me. I have yet to judge how much Your Highness’s fangs have been sharpened."
"That is a foolish question. I am the Third Prince." Radius stood up. "I intend to take the initiative and strike first."
He spoke with a voice that carried a heavy, commanding weight. It was the exact answer Ulysses had been hoping for.
"Once the cult's involvement is confirmed... I have your word?"
"I am the descendant of the Lion King. If there are fools who bare their fangs at me, I shall shatter them. I will crush the very dens where those beasts gather. I have no intention of forgiving anyone who makes an enemy of Leomel."
Radius gripped the doorknob and continued as he stepped toward the exit. "Ulysses, I intend to repay the debt from the Baldur Mountains."
With those final words, he left Ulysses’s office.
Edgar departed to see Radius to the gate, leaving Ulysses alone. He laughed softly. He was already certain that the Demon King Cult was behind the bandit gang. Though the evidence so far didn't strictly prove it, his instincts—his intuition—told him it was true.
The following day, a notice reached the Ashton Manor stating that Ren’s request had been officially completed. Radius had sent word to the guild almost immediately after returning to the capital.
The news left Ren completely stunned.
Was that really all it took? he wondered. Still, if the client judged the job finished and the guild agreed, there was nothing more to say.
The Arnevelde Company must have found a major lead on their own, he thought.
He was pleased that the bandit situation was moving toward a resolution. His guild rank had also been successfully promoted; he was now D-rank.
Leaving the guild, Ren squinted against the bright sunlight. He decided to return to the manor to drop off his gear, then take Io out for some hunting.
A few dozen minutes outside Erendil lay a sprawling, lush plain. The snow had recently melted, and new life was finally beginning to bud.
The plain was a lively area frequented by peddlers and adventurers. Being about an hour’s ride from Erendil, it was a popular spot for breaks. There were even simple outdoor stalls roasting meat and vegetables for travelers, filling the air with a savory aroma.
However, when Ren arrived, he felt an immediate sense of unease.
The usual cheerful atmosphere had been replaced by a lingering tension. While the peddlers were still open, groups of adventurers stood with their arms crossed in deep discussion, and the merchant guards were huddling together.
Ren, who had returned to the manor and was now mounted on Io, rode toward them.
"There’s an Earth Magic User out there."
"No doubt about it. It’s those bandits again."
Catching those words, Ren dismounted and moved closer to the group. "Are there any casualties?"
"A few guards from some merchant company. It’s a mess... one of them had his leg trapped by surging stone and soil. The bone was crushed to splinters."
"He needs to be taken to Erendil immediately—"
"That’s being handled, but we need to evacuate the area. Those criminals don't show mercy."
"I know. We’ve requested aid from nearby adventurers and are warning everyone on the main road and the rookies out in the fields."
Ren processed the information carefully. The bandit gang that left no trail for so long... why would they act so brazenly now?
Until now, their caution had been their defining trait. This change was sudden. Approaching the men, Ren spoke to them as a fellow adventurer, asking for the location and details of the attack.
"It was just a few dozen minutes ago. A caravan traveling a backroad off the main highway was hit."
The attackers were a group of three. The caravan had managed to escape thanks to their hired adventurers. They weren't unscathed—several had sustained significant injuries—but they had avoided a total slaughter. Apparently, some people who happened to be nearby had also stepped in to help.
"Is there any definitive proof it was the bandit gang?" Ren asked.
"Not exactly, but given everything that's been happening, who else could it be?"
"Exactly. Brigands only show up around here once every decade or so. For someone to pull this kind of stunt now..."
Ren nodded in agreement, though he wished he had more to go on. He felt it was dangerous to assume it was the bandits without more evidence, and he frowned as he considered other possibilities.
"Thank you. I’ll keep a sharp lookout."
He thanked them and stepped away from the crowd. He scanned the surrounding terrain, considering where he should investigate, and climbed back onto Io.
He let Io walk for a few paces, but just as he was about to urge her into a run, a voice called out.
"You there."
A man stood nearby. He was tall and dressed in a clean white shirt; though lean, he was clearly well-muscled. He was standing near a leather tent, surrounded by several other men who shared his disciplined bearing. Ren could tell immediately that they were veteran swordsmen.
"Yes?" Ren stopped Io and looked down at the man from his saddle.
"I believe you heard that it’s dangerous out here. I can't overlook you heading deeper into the fields when you should be returning to town."
"I appreciate the concern, but... who are you?"
"My apologies. I am a swordsman of the Arnevelde Company. As are my companions."
The Arnevelde Company? Ren thought. He seemed to have an odd string of luck with them lately. Regardless, he felt he should introduce himself.
"I’m Ren Ashton. Why is your group out here?"
"We are here for specific reasons. But more importantly, you should return to town. It’s too dangerous; you’ll only get hurt."
"Well... that is a possibility, but..."
Ren had absolutely no intention of going back. A feeling had already taken root in his heart—a mixture of duty and a quiet, growing anger. He wouldn't go so far as to claim he would protect everyone, but he couldn't simply ignore the incident he had just heard about.
Before the threat reaches those I must protect, I will do what I can.
The words echoed in his mind. The fact that this happened so close to Erendil was a concern. If it was the bandit gang, their sudden change in behavior was suspicious. Regardless, Ren was determined to protect his home. With the attackers having appeared so recently, he didn't want to waste a second.
Thinking of the guard who had been crippled, he felt a drive to eliminate the threat. It was only natural. Given the path Ren had walked until now, there was no way he could turn a blind eye to a threat right in front of him.
"Thank you for the warning," Ren said, preparing to ride past the man. "And thank you for the notice that the request was completed. It helped me raise my guild rank, so I’m grateful."
The man’s expression suddenly shifted to one of pure shock. "You say you accepted a request from us?"
"Yes. Just a few days ago."
The man started to say something, then cut himself off. "Wait here."
He hurried into the leather tent and emerged a moment later. "Our lord says he has questions for you regarding what you just said."
"I... see."
"Lord" was a heavy title. Ren assumed an executive of the Arnevelde Company must be inside. Reluctantly, he dismounted, took Io’s reins, and approached the tent.