Volume 4 Chapter 19 The Great Villain Of The World, Knowing The Secrets Of Toukaku
For a while, there was silence.
Both I and Heki Nei-san were waiting for Ri Kai-san to speak.
Eventually──
"...Because you came, I decided to cut ties with the bandits."
Ri Kai-san said this while looking at me, his voice strained.
"Because you came, His Royal Highness the King's younger brother's attention turned to Toukaku. In that situation, there's no way I could be involved with bandits."
...Ah, I see.
I came to Toukaku with Tanshi-san, who is Ryougen-kun's subordinate.
Moreover, Ryougen-kun even sent workers to start renovations on the place.
So, Ri Kai-san judged that 'Ryougen-kun's attention turned to Toukaku.'
He thought it was a good opportunity to cut ties with the bandits.
"Wait a moment, Ri Kai-dono."
Heki Nei-san pressed Ri Kai-san.
"After he were assigned to this place, he learned about your connections with the bandits. And then you decided to cut ties with them, is that correct?"
"...That's right."
Ri Kai-san nodded.
"Kou Tenhou found the suspicious person after he met me. But then they came to threaten me. 'Keep giving me information like before. If not, I will kill you and reveal everything,' they said."
In Toukaku town, there was a personnel change a little while ago.
Chou Shoukatsu was dismissed, and Ri Kai-san was assigned as his replacement.
So, the bandits probably came to check things out.
They wanted to see if they would continue their usual connections.
Otherwise, they would threaten to kill Ri Kai-san and expose everything.
"Now, I will ask Ri Kai-sama."
I clasped my hands and asked.
"Please tell me what the connection with the bandits is and who created it."
"...I can't say... If I do, my family...!"
Ri Kai-san held his head in his hands.
I already knew the answer without being told.
It's just that Ri Kai-san probably can't say it out loud.
The ones connected with the suspicious people were the Chou Family.
The Chou Family was in charge of Toukaku's defense before Ri Kai-san.
And Ri Kai-san is also a subordinate of the Chou Family.
So, he can't say it.
If he did, he would probably face retaliation.
"I will inform Ri Kai-sama."
I said while looking at Ri Kai-san.
"Ri Kai-sama is afraid of the Chou Family's revenge, and I understand that. So, how about consulting His Royal Highness the King's younger brother..."
"His Royal Highness the King's younger brother, huh... but..."
"His Royal Highness the King's younger brother is also close to His Royal Highness Rouen. His Royal Highness is a generous person. If we explain the situation, I believe they will protect Ri Kai-sama."
I clasped my hands and said.
Ri Kai-san looked at me with a surprised expression.
"In the northern lands, something happened. Kei Koshou-sama, a subordinate of the Chou Family, couldn't stop the strategist Haku Kan and went out to battle. After that, Kei Koshou-sama and their subordinates fell into the enemy's trap and got injured."
I continued to explain.
"His Royal Highness Rouen forgave Kei Koshou-sama. They understood that Kei Koshou-sama couldn't go against Haku Kan, who is a subordinate of the Chou Family. Haku Kan was punished, but Kei Koshou-sama is still working as a close aide to His Royal Highness Rouen."
This is something I learned later.
I was surprised to meet Kei Koshou-san in Hokurin.
That person had become a soldier directly under Crown Prince Rouen.
Crown Prince Rouen has probably changed.
I think that person will listen to me properly now.
"...Is that really true?"
"I swear on the honor of the Kou family."
I clasped my hands again and continued talking.
"Ri Kai-sama has just been assigned to Toukaku. You have only had one encounter with a suspicious person. And if there are circumstances that made Ri Kai-sama unable to oppose the Chou Family, His Royal Highness Rouen should understand."
"...Ah."
"Please tell me, Ri Kai-sama. What has been happening in Toukaku?"
"...Understood."
Ri Kai-san slumped his shoulders and nodded.
Then, he began to talk about what had been happening in Toukaku until now.
The captain of the defense in Toukaku had been Chou Shoukatsu.
He had been negotiating with a suspicious group──a mysterious armed group──and had made certain agreements.
One: The armed group would not attack Toukaku.
Two: In exchange, they would be informed of the patrol schedule of the soldiers in the surrounding town.
Three: To make it easier for the armed group to contact Chou Shoukatsu, he would also share the security situation of Toukaku's soldiers.
──That was the arrangement.
The trigger was when Chou Shoukatsu struggled against an armed group that attacked the merchant convoy.
They were unpredictable.
They appeared silently, attacked people, and stole valuables.
They jumped into the soldiers' pockets and injured them. Witnesses were killed.
When reinforcements arrived, they quickly escaped.
The fact that such people were lurking around Toukaku made Chou Shoukatsu anxious.
The Chou Family is related to Crown Prince Rouen.
Their failures could affect his reputation.
If the town protected by the Chou Family was attacked by armed groups, the rumor that "Crown Prince Rouen is the Cursed Crown Prince" would spread.
Chou Shoukatsu seemed to think that way.
Another reason was that Chou Shoukatsu was very aware of Ryougen-kun.
Chou Shoukatsu admired Ryougen-kun.
He wanted to gather guests like that person and use them for the country's strength──specifically, for Crown Prince Rouen's private army.
So, he tried to tame the armed forces.
...No, that's just too reckless.
To think of using armed forces as pawns... what are the Chou Family members thinking?
Ryougen-kun can gather many guests because he has great character.
That person is a top-notch politician and loves talented people.
So that's why many people gather around him, and Ryougen-kun himself values his guests, making sure to help them use their talents.
When I asked him, he even sent workers to Toukaku as part of that effort.
Normal people can't do what Ryougen-kun does.
But... it seems Chou Shoukatsu didn't think that way.
He probably believed he had charisma.
He thought he could control an armed group and turn them into his private army.
So he contacted the armed group and made a deal to not attack Toukaku and the trade caravans coming from Toukaku.
In return, he provided them with information.
He shared details about Toukaku's soldiers and the surrounding towns with that armed group.
That was probably the worst choice he could make.
Once you make a deal with an armed group, you can't back out.
Well, that makes sense. It's an illegal deal after all.
If that gets exposed, he would definitely lose his position.
And that's not all. It would become a scandal for Crown Prince Rouen's family.
Plus, the armed group could reveal that information at any time.
Just hinting at it could let them gain benefits.
When Chou Shoukatsu was removed from his position as Toukaku's captain of the defense, he panicked.
He begged the high officials to make Ri Kai-san, a subordinate of the Chou Family, the next captain of the defense.
And it seems that Ri Kai-san was instructed to continue the relationship with the armed group as before.
The suspicious person entered Toukaku to gather information for the handover.
They were trying to get new soldier information from Ri Kai-san.
However, Ri Kai-san did not give any information.
Ri Kai-san had just started his position. Plus, Ryougen-kun was beginning to take an interest in Toukaku.
They judged that it was dangerous to share information in that situation.
The suspicious person... didn't seem convinced, but for now, they backed off.
After that, when they tried to escape from Toukaku, I ended up fighting them.
"...There's something I don't understand."
Heki Nei-san had been glaring at Ri Kai-san the whole time.
He looked like they were holding back his anger.
Still, he didn't raise his voice because he understood that the series of events wasn't Ri Kai-san's fault.
"If there was an agreement not to attack the merchant group leaving Toukaku, then why were my sister and her husband killed?"
"...I don't know."
Ri Kai-san shook his head.
With a pale face... yet, he didn't look away from Heki Nei-san.
It was as if he thought it was only natural to be cut down.
"The opponent is a bandit and an armed group. They might not keep their promises perfectly. They could have found Heki Nei's relatives when they were in need of money. Heki Nei's relatives might have been carrying something valuable to them. In any case... I don't know. I'm sorry."
"Did the Chou Family report about my sister and her husband to the central authority...?"
Heki Nei-san's question was met with silence from Ri Kai-san.
He probably thought there was no need to put it into words.
What Chou Shoukatsu was looking for was the reputation that 'Toukaku is safe.'
The incident involving Heki Nei-san's sister and her husband contradicts that reputation.
Maybe no one has reported the incident to anyone.
"...I thought being appointed as captain of the defense was just a promotion. It's plain, but I thought my hard work was finally recognized."
Ri Kai-san covered his face and let out a groan.
"I never expected things would turn out like this. I feel bad for you, Heki Nei. But your family's deaths happened before I took office. I can't say I'm completely innocent, but... I couldn't do anything... I'm sorry."
"I understand, Ri Kai-dono."
Heki Nei-san sighed.
Then, gritting his teeth, he said,
"So, my enemy is connected to the Chou Family. Without knowing it, I've been working under Chou Shoukatsu for many years. How foolish!"
"I'm sorry... Heki Nei. I'm sorry."
"I have a question for Ri Kai-sama."
Seeing their conversation pause, I spoke up.
"Does the armed group connected to the Chou Family have a name?"
"Yes. A suspicious person told me. They call themselves 'Hidden Five Gods'."
"'Hidden Five Gods,' huh?"
This confirms it.
The martial arts used by the suspicious person are related to Master Gyoun.
I can't just leave them alone.
Their connection with the Chou Family might have been the reason why the game Kou Tenhou burned Toukaku.
We need to expose the Chou Family's wrongdoings and stop the 'Under Five Gods.'
"Ri Kai-sama. Can you testify in front of His Royal Highness Rouen?"
"...Yeah. But if the Chou Family finds out──"
"I'll handle that. We might need the help of His Royal Highness the King's younger brother."
Anyway, I need to contact Ryougen-kun.
If it's Ryougen-kun, he should be able to arrange a meeting between Ri Kai-san and Crown Prince Rouen.
Using the Seirei pigeon, I can contact him without the Chou Family knowing.
As I was thinking about this──
'Neigh, neigh.'
Sakugetsu, who was nearby, snorted.
It stretched its long neck and looked up at the sky.
Following its gaze, I looked up... and saw a white pigeon flying.
It's a Seirei pigeon.
When the pigeon spotted me, it flew straight down.
I stretched out my arm, and the pigeon landed there. It cooed and rubbed its head against me.
"You're back already. Good job."
'Coo coo'
"Hm? Is there a reply? This is──."
I opened the letter tied to the pigeon's leg.
There were 2 letters. One was from Seirei.
It said that my letter had been delivered to Ryougen-kun's mansion and included an update on recent events.
And I also received a reply from Ryougen-kun.
Satisfied, I opened the second letter. What was written there was──
"His Royal Highness Rouen is said to be coming here."
──I told Ri Kai-san and Heki Nei-san about the contents of the letter.
"As guards, my 2 masters will also accompany him. They want to take the situation in Toukaku seriously and conduct an investigation. The captain of the defense and the vice captain are to come under the command of His Royal Highness Rouen. Also, this information should only be shared with the captain of the defense and Kou Tenhou's direct subordinates."
Master Raikou is coming to investigate the 'Fake Five Gods,' now known as the 'Hidden Five Gods.'
Shuu-sensei will be her supervisor and healer.
Crown Prince Rouen's visit is to let everyone know that the investigation is an official matter of the country.
And... probably to prevent the Chou Family from interfering.
That's why he's coming incognito, so only a few people know.
"...That's amazing. Crown Prince Rouen is."
That person knows what needs to be done.
Once Crown Prince Rouen ascends the throne, this country might follow a completely different history than in the game.
As I read the letter, I was thinking about such things.
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