"At this time of day, I can hardly see people."

　muttered Ray, leaving the slum and heading down the main street towards the aristocracy.
　It's already close to 10 p.m.It's almost late at night for the inhabitants of this city.Naturally, the entertainment district, including the bar, was coming to an end.
　As the party progressed through it, the figures already seen around them showed drunkards sleeping by the roadside and walking with their lovers overnight, but the number was much smaller than that of the Gala pigeon's hideout.

"But can I sleep on the street drunk because it's almost late autumn? Good cold.or you'll freeze to death?"

　muttered Murt, turning his eyes to a man who seemed to be an adventurous man, holding a barrel in his arms, and making a loud noise on the street.

"Well, there are quite a few good-natured people out there.And... you know."

　Next to him--or rather to describe him as standing in a position to protect the injured Gala pigeon--and beyond his gaze was a group of several men who were heading towards the sleeping man.

"What about that?"

　They don't look like adventurers, but they don't look like ordinary residents either.Ray looks at these people and asks Gala pigeon.

"They are guild-men.I look around at night like that when it's deep, and protect the drunks."
"...is the guild doing that?"
"Yes, because this town of Gilm is a frontier.Because there are so many dangers, adventurers are indispensable.and yet, if we were drunk and slept outside or frozen to death, the number of adventurers in the guild would decrease.And..."

　Gala pigeon seeing off the drunkard who was taken by guild staff with some pity on his face.
　Shake your head slightly and open your mouth again.

"Of course, it's not free to be protected like that.You could freeze to death at this time of year.The drunkard will be asked a good sum of money tomorrow morning."
"... you're pretty steady, aren't you?"

　Ray looks small and surprised to hear that he is collecting what could be called a protection fee.
　Next to Ray, you may or may not know what's going on... Seto was walking on guard against the enemy's attack while checking the surroundings.

"or the guild will help you if you don't, and everyone will fall asleep drunk on the street.It can't be helped if you say it can't be helped."

　This protection, by the way, is a considerable sum of the guild's income, but I didn't know Gara pigeon until then.
　He walked on looking at the situation, and after passing through the main street, he saw the aristocratic quarter.

"Come to think of it, what are the adventurers who end up on the side of Galahat? They said there were at least five of them."

　Brasso asks Multo with a shaking hammer on his shoulder.

"That's a tour of the Azzot trade, to keep the Volunteers under control,"
"Huh? Wasn't that done by those who cooperated with Gala pigeons?"
"Of course it is, but there is no possibility that all the adventurers employed by the Azot Chamber of Commerce are sent to the Bornter estate, perhaps a few of them are sent to protect their executives.I have Mr. Garahato on the guard of the officers who are cooperating with me so that's what I'm asking him to do.""Well, that's true, but..."

　Fluorocarbons, listening to them, muttered as if something had been caught between their back teeth.

"Is there any problem?"
"Well, with all the information I know about Bornter, I'm sure you're a subordinate, but you're surrounding me after all, aren't you? Even if you're a subordinate, you'll protect others at the expense of your own safety."

　Fluorocarbons smile bitterly at the words of Fluorocarbons, which are taken for granted in a sense.Multo, who had been talking to him until now, also smiled bitterly.

"It's very likely, indeed, given his character.However, the butler who has served his older brother's house for generations is smart accordingly.Although the possibility is small, there is a good chance that he will persuade his older brother to send a bodyguard to his entourage.My supporters are already few.You can't be too careful about safety... ...when Ray is on our side, he's good enough."

　He says so much, and turns his eyes to Seto, who is walking slowly beside Ray.
　The combination of the lion, the king of beasts, and the eagle, the king of birds of prey, gives the impression of a high-ranking monster.

"And when you have Gryphon's set, you can say no push."
"Well, no ordinary adventurer would like to be hostile to Gryphon,"

　CFCs muttering deeply.
　In addition, Seto is very popular in the town of Gilmoo, and if the people in the town knew that he had to fight against Seto, it would be a poor thing in many ways.

(First of all, there is a high possibility that the residents of food stalls will not be able to sell their products, and so will other merchants.As for the arms dealers, they may be sold under the influence of the Azot trade, but if Galahat drags Bornter out of the chair to-night, they will be lost.Even if you live in a city where you don't do business, of course you'll be hostile to Seto... or, if you think you're annoyed, you'll be looked at coldly.)

　As long as you live in the city of Gilm, you have to be involved with others.They are guilds, lodgings, restaurants, and shops.And it would be hard to live in the city of Gilm if everyone looked at me coldly every time or spoke behind my back as a coward who harassed the popular people in the city.If you have a thick nerve that doesn't care about other people's eyes at all, you might be able to do something about it, but there are not many people who have that kind of nerve.Then you'll have to go out of this city naturally.
　Or, you may sincerely apologize to Ray and Sett... but not many people have the courage or guts to speak to Ray and Sett even once.

(In the end, when Ray sided with Galla pigeon, the other side was kind of stuck.)

　Fluorocarbons thought so privately, and prayed to the unlucky adventurers who had fought against Ray for at least less injuries.
　In this way, each of them went down the street in silence, and eventually reached the entrance to the aristocratic quarter.
　It was already late at night, and there were several adventurers employed as patrols in the aristocratic quarter.

"Stop! From here is the aristocratic quarter.What do you want at this late hour, Mr. Galla pigeon?"

　The adventurer, who had called out to him alarmingly, immediately lowered his axe to the ground as soon as he knew that he had called out to him.
　Gala pigeon approaches these adventurers with a smile.As he was injured or not fully recovered, he moved slowly, but he did not seem to be uneasy about his steps.

"You've had a hard time going around.What's going on in the aristocracy?"
"Not so far,"

　The man holding the axe shakes his head slightly at Galahat's question, and the man holding the long sword next to it opens his mouth to remember something.

"Now that you mention it, it seems that there are some adventurers employed by the Azot Chamber of Commerce in Mr. Bornter's house, but have you heard anything?"
"Hush,"

　Fluorocarbons clapping their tongues when they hear the adventurer's words.Fortunately, the sound was so small that even adventurers could not hear it.(Are they attracting adventurers after all?It's only natural that... if possible, it would have been better if they had less power.

　While Fluorocarbons muttered so inwardly, the conversation between Gala pigeon and the adventurers continued.

"Yes, I've heard about it.There's a bit of trouble with the Azot trade.That's why I think.That's the relationship behind me, too.You know, have you heard of an adventurer with a Gryphon?"

　Along with Gala pigeon's words, Seto, who had been hiding behind Rey and disappeared from the scene, suddenly stretches the eagle's head.

"Oops!"

　The adventurer was surprised to see the Gryphon so suddenly that he tried to lift the axe he had in his hand, but Gala pigeon stopped him.

"Come on, don't do it.as I have said, Seto the Gryphon and Ray the Rank D adventurer.You've heard a rumor, haven't you?"
"... come to think of it, I remember hearing it."

　Gala pigeon's words reminded him of the adventurer with the Gryphon.With a stubby face, he looks at Ray wearing a dragon robe.

"Is the bald Ray the rumored one?" he said, "I'm sure he's got a reliable figure, as you've heard.I hear you're pretty strong for that.Well, good. If you know Gala pigeon, there's no problem.You may go by."

　The other adventurers, too, have no particular confidence in Gala pigeons, and instead leave the way and pass through them.
　and, far enough from the watchful adventurers, Ray cast a dumbfounded glance at the Galahat.

"Well, don't you think you're going to be so out of your mouth?"

　But Gala pigeon takes Ray's dumbfounded gaze for granted.

"Really? At least I don't remember telling a lie.It is true that the adventurers are gathered in your brother's house because of the Azot trade dispute, and it is true that the Lays are involved in the dispute, though it is true that they have not simply told the whole story."
"That's enough if you talk that much."
"... Ray, remember.When you become a high-ranking adventurer, you sometimes need to smoke your partner into a falsehood."Well, as far as Ray is concerned, he doesn't seem to mind telling lies."
"Well, I don't think he's such a good boy.Indeed, if he had been a good boy, he would have done it to some degree of peace with Bornter."

　Ray returns with a grin.It could not have been more convincing than this, since it would have been a family disturbance in Azot.

"Well, as I expected, or as I expected.It seems that quite a few adventurers are gathered in Bornter's house."
"Excuse me, Mr. Gala pigeon.My movements were known to them.

　Mult bowed to Gala pigeon at Ray's remark as if he had recovered his mind.
　But Gara pigeon put his hand on Multo's shoulder and shook his head from side to side, saying that he did not care.

"Don't worry, it's just this movement, no matter how you do it.I couldn't have carried it to the end without my brother's knowledge.It just happened to be your movements that they knew."
"... I'll definitely protect Mr. Gara pigeon."
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it."

　and as he walked along the streets of the aristocracy, he saw a mansion lit by a great deal of lights, though it was still deep at night.

"It's quite gorgeous, or what should I say?"

　Fluorocarbons muttered as they gazed at the house, but Galahato opened his mouth with a wry smile."I don't usually turn on the lights that far.They're probably wary of us today."
"Oh, I see. Come to think of it that way.Most of the men who had been chasing Murt have been killed, or they attacked Sett in the Wheat-tei at dusk, and killed him, so beware."
"Or rather,As Fluorocarbons said, there are probably less than 40 soldiers on the other side, and nearly 10 of them have already been killed.In other words, there should be only about thirty people left in the calculations. Is it because of your imagination that there seem to be so many figures?"

　murmured Brasso as he gazed at the gradually approaching mansion of Bornter.Indeed, there were well over thirty figures in the garden of the house.and considering the presence of some bodyguards in the house, they could tell that it was quite different from what they had heard before from Murt and Gala pigeons.

"Perhaps he's raked up the gangsters who came to the Wheat-tei at dusk.I don't know if it will be a pure force, but the more people there are, the more intimidating they are."

　muttered Ray, approaching the door of Bornter's house, guarded by the adventurers.