Chapter 23
The Rom Caravan.
It was a group he had completely forgotten about after experiencing the incident before.
The caravan's scale was decently large.
It couldn't be said to be the largest in Serigel, but it was among the top five.
'Senior member Malcolm. At that time, he definitely seemed to not know anything.'
Reinhardt stared intently at the man before him.
The man he had seen before was definitely a person who begged for his life with an expression of utter injustice.
He had acted as if he knew nothing, and was the most proactive in resolving the situation.
“I heard that thanks to you, Sir Knight, the security in Serigel has greatly improved. Recently, you even found a wicked warlock, didn't you?”
“I asked what you are doing. There will not be a next time.”
Reinhardt was still holding his sword.
With the intention of cutting him down immediately if he showed even the slightest suspicious movement.
But Malcolm was not intimidated.
His attitude was completely different from when he had seen him before.
“We were discussing a business matter. Weren't we? Ikron.”
Reinhardt's gaze shifted to the man beside him. He too cautiously lifted his robe, revealing his face.
“Of course, it was business talk. Sir Knight, we have committed no crime. The content was something that couldn't leak outside, so we unintentionally appeared suspicious.”
The man called Ikron had a hooked nose. There was a large wart next to his nose.
Reinhardt narrowed his brows and stared intently at him. Ikron's eyes were trembling anxiously.
'Very suspicious.'
Unlike the caravan member Malcolm, he didn't seem accustomed to managing his expression.
He was an opponent who needed guidance.
Perhaps there might be no need to drag him all the way to the guards.
“Bbit! Bbiit!”
Beside Ikron, a clearly annoyed Bitdori was growling, its short fists spinning.
'Hmm.'
Reinhardt looked at Malcolm again.
He was still composed. He was even smiling with a hint of leisure.
It was too different from when he had seen him before.
In the first place, considering Reinhardt's status and the current situation, wasn't it normal for him to be busy groveling?
'Why is this bastard acting so cocky? Does he have something to believe in?'
But that couldn't be.
The current Reinhardt was as good as invincible. Especially here in Serigel.
Then, suddenly.
Reinhardt found a suspicious trace on Malcolm's face.
Very dark circles.
And slightly, but bluish lips.
'This reaction, could it be…'
Reinhardt snapped his head around.
He could find faint but similar symptoms on Ikron's face as well.
'They're addicted to demonic energy.'
Only then did the pieces fit together.
The fact that Bitdori was angry right now also made sense. It had detected the power used by warlocks from Malcolm and Ikron.
“Malcolm. What is the content of the business?”
“I'm sorry, but it's a caravan secret…”
“The content of the business?”
“It's difficult to say. I'm sorry, Sir Knight.”
“The content?”
“If you visit our caravan soon… Aack!”
Thwack.
A heavy fist accurately struck Malcolm's face.
A righteous knight does not exchange long words with a villain. That too was one of the new principles Reinhardt had established.
[You have committed an injustice!]
[If the target of violence is innocent, the effect of [Justice] will be reduced.]
A message appeared, but it didn't matter.
Malcolm definitely had something to hide.
“If you run and get caught, I'll beat you until you're unconscious. Keep that in mind.”
Reinhardt warned the hook-nosed Ikron. He nodded his head rapidly with a very flustered look.
[You have committed an injustice!]
[If the target of threats is innocent, the effect of [Justice] will be reduced.]
This time, too, it was the same.
Reinhardt left Ikron alone and strode toward Malcolm.
“Why are you doing this! Sir Reinhardt! No matter how much of a knight you are, even the caravan's secrets… Aaaack! Ack! P-please let go of this! Sir Knight!”
Reinhardt grabbed Malcolm by the hair and dragged him. He dropped him as if throwing him into a corner, then looked down with cold eyes.
“The content of the business?”
“Keok!”
“The content?”
“I can't tell you, euk, eok! Keoheok!”
Simultaneously with the question, Reinhardt repeatedly struck Malcolm with his fist.
Malcolm didn't even have a chance to open his mouth properly.
Since he was struck at the same time as the question, all he could do was make sounds like eok, eok.
Then Malcolm went limp.
Only then did Reinhardt let go of the hand that had been gripping his collar. Malcolm's body slid down and fell with a thud.
“Bbit! Bbit!”
Bitdori seemed to like Reinhardt's actions.
It was certain, seeing it wave its arms around as if cheering him on from the side.
However, the hook-nosed Ikron did not have a good expression.
“I'll ask again. If the answer I want doesn't come out.”
Swoosh.
Leaving the unconscious Malcolm behind, Reinhardt turned around.
Ikron's expression turned literally pale.
“I'll tell you! I'll tell you! Everything!”
Seeing him frantically wave his hands and back away, it seemed the persuasion had worked properly.
“Begin.”
“We are…”
“Ah, and.”
To the man who was opening his mouth with a tearful face, Reinhardt left a word of warning.
“The answer I want is already decided. Be aware of that fact.”
“Yes?”
“Begin.”
“But…”
Swoosh.
Reinhardt naturally pointed to the unconscious Malcolm with his right hand. Yet, he did not take his eyes off Ikron.
“Begin.”
This time, too, the persuasion was effective.
With a darkened complexion, Ikron began his story.
***
The caravans of this world mainly make profits by traveling between cities.
It was a structure like a kind of city trade.
Naturally, the members of a caravan of a certain size had wide connections, and they had learned the skill of dealing with people through experience.
As a result, they not only bought and sold goods but also acted as messengers delivering news, or sometimes did personal favors for someone.
Like, since it's hard to get something here, please get it for me if you happen to visit a certain city.
'There weren't just normal requests. Sometimes there were requests to find a person, and of course, there were cases where they were asked to deliver something dishonorable.'
The Rom Caravan from before was like that.
They had engaged in a trade of transporting slaves to the Gamudan Kingdom, and of course, the content was different from what was reported to the higher-ups.
“We were trying to connect with the higher-ups to reduce taxes. Since our caravan has no connection with Serigel, we were trying to approach them using the Rom Caravan…”
“You wanted to reduce taxes. The name of your caravan?”
“It's the Miller Caravan.”
“Home base.”
“The city of Lockfort. Located to the left of Tristan County… I-it's true! It's really true!”
When Reinhardt slightly raised his fist, Ikron turned pale and frantically waved his hands.
A sincere sense of injustice was felt on his face, but Reinhardt shook his head.
“That's not the answer I want.”
“Ye-yes? But I told you everything as you asked!”
“The goods you were trying to bring in?”
“Yes, le-leather. Lockfort produces high-quality leather…”
“Leather, you say.”
“Yes, that's right. Leather.”
“The supplier?”
“Yes?”
“I asked for the name of the person who sells leather to your caravan.”
The answer didn't come out right away.
As soon as he saw his eyes rolling around, Reinhardt swung his fist.
“Ah, tha- aack! Ack!”
With a sound like a leather sack bursting, Ikron tumbled to the floor.
Climbing on top of him, Reinhardt continued to swing his fists with a blank expression.
But this time, he stopped before the opponent lost consciousness.
“Keok, keuuuk.”
“What are you looking for?”
“That, I don't know what you mean…”
“Think carefully before you answer. If the answer I want doesn't come out, you won't even be given the chance to stand trial.”
Only then did Ikron shut his mouth. Reinhardt mercifully gave him enough time to think.
“I'll ask again. What are you looking for in Serigel?”
Ikron still had a conflicted look in his eyes.
But from the moment he showed this reaction, it was impossible to pretend he didn't know.
“……If I tell you.”
Gulp. Swallowing his saliva, he continued.
“Will you let me go?”
“A very impertinent question.”
Reinhardt said so and kicked Ikron's abdomen with a thump. Ikron coughed and curled his body up like a shrimp.
Thud.
Taking a step closer, Reinhardt looked down at him with cold eyes and said.
“Listen well. There are no negotiations with your kind. But if you confess obediently, I will let you stand trial. If you get out by bribing the higher-ups or whatever, that will be your capability. Understood?”
“Understood. I will tell you everything.”
“It seems the answer I want will finally come out this time. Begin.”
Ikron groaned and corrected his posture. Reinhardt watched silently with his arms crossed.
“There is a caravan that wants to set up a new base in Serigel. They said it's fine to bribe here and there, just to secure a spot.”
“Is there a means to surely make a profit?”
“I don't know. Ah, no! I really don't know! They didn't tell me! I didn't ask either!”
“Continue.”
“Yes, so…”
Ikron calmed his startled heart and continued speaking.
“They offered an unusually large amount of money. The amount they gave me, and the money for working in Serigel, I mean the money to be spread around to the higher-ups and lower-downs.”
“So the story about trying to connect with the higher-ups was also true to some extent.”
“That's right, Sir Knight.”
“So you were ultimately committing an illegal act. Am I right?”
“Yes, you are right.”
“Good.”
[Injustice has been detected.]
*You, being righteous, have preemptively blocked an act not permitted under imperial law.
*The effect of [Justice] will not be reduced.
*Interrogate the opponent. Completely block their attempt.
For now, the urgent fire had been put out. It meant that his [Justice] stat would not be reduced, anyway.
Since Reinhardt's mood was satisfied, Ikron also had a somewhat relaxed expression.
“Let's continue. So? The ones who entrusted the job to you are suspicious?”
“That's right. Lock…”
“No, you don't need to explain that far. Absolutely do not talk about matters outside of Serigel. Absolutely.”
The Miller Caravan of Lockfort.
It was an extremely suspicious group. They were probably related to warlocks with a high probability.
Therefore, Reinhardt blocked any mention of them.
“Let's change the question to be a bit more direct. Your role is to lay the groundwork so that a caravan can be established here. Is that right?”
“That is correct.”
“Any other requests? For example, to find something.”
Reinhardt trailed off and narrowed his eyes.
He created an atmosphere that he would use violence at any time if he saw a hint of a lie.
“There was such a request too. They said it was some kind of jewel, but I didn't hear the details. But they said I would know it when I saw it.”
“You'd know it when you saw it?”
“Yes. They said it wasn't an ordinary jewel. They also said it was crimson, and that something like fog flows out around it.”
A crimson-colored jewel.
Something shimmering like fog envelops its surroundings.
Just from the description, Reinhardt realized what it was.
'A sealing stone.'
Sealing stone.
It was a type of ore that contained immense demonic energy.
In the game's setting, it was also an item where an ancient being had sealed the power of a demon, or something like that.
Naturally, it was an energy source that demons or warlocks would try to get their hands on and devour by any means necessary.
'Its existence is not properly known yet. To the point where not a single demon has properly descended.'
If the man in front of him knew its identity, he wouldn't be answering with such an ambiguous expression.
In the first place, the talk about a caravan was ultimately with the intention of entering Serigel and finding the sealing stone themselves.
“The answer I wanted has finally come out. Follow me. Bring that guy too.”
Reinhardt gestured to the fallen Malcolm with his chin. Ikron hurriedly got up from his seat with a hopeful expression.
“Wh-where are we going?”
“You should think before you ask.”
Saying so, Reinhardt tapped the hilt of his sword.
Ikron silently picked up Malcolm and followed behind Reinhardt.
They were on their way to the Serigel Guard.