Chapter 177

Adventurers Guild

The Adventurers Guild was near the castle.

In the first place, the Ashtaroth town had been built around the castle. The other guilds were also built in similar locations.

We went to the counter in the Adventurers Guild and I asked to see the Guild Master.

The pretty guild worker acted immediately.

“Still, why are the receptionists always so attractive?”

I asked Eve. “I do not know.” She answered. Eve was a walking database, so if she didn’t know, then no one knew. But when I said this, Robin laughed.

“While you may know a lot about strategy, Demon King, you are below average when it comes to the heart of a maiden.”

I asked him what he meant. He said that only a fool would compliment a woman in front of another woman.

I see. He did have a point. But I said that I wasn’t worried about Eve in that regard. ‘You are so young,’ he said with a chuckle.

Well, it was true, since I was practically a newborn. The receptionist returned shortly after.

We were then led to the room where the Guild Master was waiting. It was a drawing room filled with fancy furnishings. And we sat down on some comfortable chairs.

It almost made me want to doze right off, but I shook myself out of it and greeted the Guild Master who approached us.

Apparently, the Guild master was a famous Adventurer a long time ago, and there was certainly an impressive aura around him. Even now, he seemed like he could defeat ten orcs with one hand.

My thoughts turned out to be accurate, as the receptionist whispered to me,

“The boss could return to his old work if he wanted. He keeps in shape by swinging his sword a hundred times and jogging ten kilometers in the morning.”

I told her that I was amazed, and she poured us some tea.

The four of us sipped our tea at the same time, and then the Guild Master spoke.

“Now, what could Demon King Ashtaroth, ruler of this town, want with me?”

“I’m honored that you are aware of my name.”

“You are being modest. There is no one here who does not know you. They are proud that you are called the king of strategy.”

I doubted that he was lying.

The Guild Master’s gaze was honest, and there wasn’t a cloud of doubt.

Realizing that there was no need to negotiate with this man, I made myself plain.

“This morning, a horse was killed behind one of my post offices. I believe it’s the work of someone who is against the system. Do you have any idea who it could be?”

“It sounds like you are accusing the Adventurers Guild.”

“To be precise, you are one of the suspects.”

“You don't mince words. Indeed, we have our own postal system, but delivering mail is work for F-Rankers. There are some in the guild who think we should get rid of the entire thing. No one wants to do work for F-Rankers.”

“So you are innocent.”

“At least, my subordinates and I are not to blame. If the culprit is from the guild, they will be judged harshly by our own rules.”

He sounded very firm. And he didn’t look like someone who would lie or scheme.

He was someone who I could trust. Thinking this, I decided to apologize and ask for his advice.

“I will apologize for suspecting you on a different day. However, I want to solve this case before the culprit escapes. Will you help me?”

“Of course. You have helped make this town a more comfortable place to live in, Demon King Ashta. As a citizen, I shall cooperate with you.”

In that case, can you tell me about the warriors in this town who can wield a Japanese sword?”

“So their subordinate uses a Japanese sword, eh? And if it’s someone not from our guild, then it must be Toshizou Hijikata.”

“Excluding him.”

“Then that leaves a mercenary called Mifune, who works at the Merchants Guild, and Miki from the Assassins Guild.”

“Those are strange names.”

“They came from an island country to the east.”

“I see. From that country.”

In that case, it made sense. But which one was it? Well, there was no point in thinking about it now, as it would not become clear.

It would be better to visit them directly. And so I said my farewells to the Guild Master.

He got up and shook my hand.

With a firm shake, he promised to not let me down.

“If we find something, I’ll send my men to go and inform you. I pray that this is solved swiftly.”

“Thank you.”

I said, and then we left the Adventurers Guild behind us.

Next, we went to the Merchants Guild. But if the Adventurers Guild was a cool Spring breeze, then the Merchants Guild was the wind of a humid Summer. Like the hot winds of Kyoto.

One of the reasons for this was due to the master of the Merchants Guild, a man named Marx, who was huge and heavy.

Even as we met, he was eating fried potatoes with lard and mayonnaise.

The oily skin and sharp eyes. He looked like someone who had sampled every pleasure that this world had to offer.

Eve took one look at him and muttered,

‘Guilty.’

But while he may have looked like a classical villain, the law must be fair, and I would not judge someone for merely looking suspicious. And so I started to question him.

Master Rukaku of the Merchants Guild leered at Eve as he said,

“What a wonderful secretary you have, Demon King. I am filled with envy that you have someone so beautiful to share your bed with every day.”

The sleazy assumption made Eve furious.

What insolence! She shouted.

“The Demon King is not like that! You are a filthy coward who dares to try and characterize the Demon King, when you are lacking in knowledge! I shall drive my sword into your body.”

Eve was about to take out her short sword, but I frantically stopped her.

Once her temper had calmed, I turned to Rukaku.

“I heard that you have a man called Mifune working for you.”

“That is true. He came from a country called Hourai, that is far to the east of this continent.”

“An easterner.”

Rukaku nodded.

“I would like to meet his man. Can you arrange it?”

“I cannot.”

“Why not?”

“Because he has returned to his homeland. No one can see him now.”

“When did he leave?”

“Early this morning.”

“That is too convenient.”

Eve shouted. But Rukaku wasn’t phased by such things.

“And so you can never see him. In any case, I am a very busy man. Can I ask you to leave now?”

At the same time, his secretary brought him some tea over rice, which was an eastern dish. It annoyed me greatly.

It was a custom from the country of Japan. When serving it to a guest, you were asking them to leave.

Eve was burning with rage, and I had to hold her back. But in my mind, I had found the culprit.

My instincts told me that this pig in front of me was the one who killed the horse and was antagonizing me.

However, if I killed him just because he made me angry, I would be no better than him.

As the leader of a country, I couldn’t move so lightly.

And so I decided to work carefully and show him something that he wouldn’t forget.

I muttered this to Eve, and she smiled happily.