It is probably because I am still bound by the sins of the past that I visit the gardens of Selende Castle whenever I feel like it.
　This is a wonderful garden, manicured by artisans, where many royals were assassinated and blood was shed in the past. That's why in the beauty of the flowers that bloom here, I feel as if a madness that should never be expressed is hidden.

"Oh, Brother Nufusa. It's rare to see you out and about, isn't it?
"Yumiess and Chisanthe. Ummies and Chisanthe, you're both a little careless to be talking to each other without guards.

　Both of them are members of a royal family trapped in the history of Serendipity, and they must feel a certain attraction to this place. But I hope they don't use this place as a place for secret meetings.

"Da-ha-ha! If you're a guard, you've got to be hiding. If Umies attacked me with his hands, all I had to do was strike him back.
"Is that all you have to say to make me feel better? You may not have the most elegant laugh, but you don't have to worry so much about it because you have an unquestionable eye for profit and loss.

　I'm sure that Yumyess has her own guards nearby. I won't complain as long as you don't destroy the garden.

"I hear there's been an attempt on the lives of the people of Yggra and their friends. I heard the perpetrators either committed suicide or were paid off and no real information was released.
"Oh, Brother Nuhussa, you're so quick, aren't you? Or is it Brother Chisanthe?
"It's you, isn't it, Yumiess? Dah-hah!

　The two of you look so white, but from the looks of it, I'd say you're both black. The assassination with the poisoned knife and the kidnapping of Yugra's fellow star people were thought up by different people. Different planners.

"If you don't know, that's fine. But remember your position as citizens of Serendia. There's a limit to what you can handle.
"Oh? I'm very interested in your limits, Brother Nufusa.
Da-ha-ha! That's what I'm wondering too. After all, Brother Nuhussa can even fake the number of his dead!

　History has shown us that we are justified in killing each other, but we have not publicly acknowledged it. If we kill the people of the planet Yugra, the one who will bear the responsibility will be the prince who failed to inherit the throne.
　The one who will be cut off is the one who has low priority to the heir to the throne. The losers will be forced to bear all the disadvantages and will be buried as the cornerstone of this country's history.

"And yet, aren't you healthy, Yugra's planet? I'm sure you're not the only one.
"He defeated the 'True Eye' Rithyal Xentri with his wits, with the Demon Lord and other powerful men. From his point of view, we are nothing more than the children of a country's lord, dahaha!

　If we only consider simple strength, the power of the people of Yugra's planet will never be inferior to the total power of this country. However, the true value of an individual's valor can only be demonstrated in a place like a battlefield.
　The individual is swallowed by the group, and the group changes direction according to the will of its top. The greed-mongers here have been made to understand this system and are skilled in manipulating it.
　They have no regard for humanity, no respect for human life, no respect for human rights. And yet, they keep themselves pure and hold public opinion in their hands. What we have here is a monster called man. They look like people, they call themselves people, they live like people, they are people.

...... What's the point of coming here to relax if you can't breathe? I think I'll go to bed now.
"Oh no! I'm sure he hasn't slept for days. He hasn't slept in days, has he?
"Da-ha-ha! Most people sleep every day. By all means, I hope you get some rest!

　Whose fault is it that I can't do that? No, it's your own fault too. You go to sleep and wake up to find that someone you care about is dead. You will have to blame yourself for sleeping so peacefully.
　I have to do what I can now, as much as I can, for as long as I can. That's what I should do as a sinner.

　I'm sorry.

　How is it that a man who appears to be so ineffectual to everyone else is adored by powerful men like Ilias and Wolfe? I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to see it firsthand. But I was reminded that the technology is too old to even understand.

That's him, isn't it?

　He staked out a bit in front of the trading post, and after spotting a particular person, he made contact with him. At first, the man looked suspicious, but as he talked with him, he gradually began to pour out information about the inside of the building.
　The man was in a position to know what was going on inside the building, but he was dissatisfied with the treatment he was receiving. The man was in a position to know what was going on inside the building, but was dissatisfied with his treatment.
　He accurately identified the man's position and his dissatisfaction, and gave him effective advice that the man could understand. There must be information there that cannot be known by just looking through the man, but she speaks as if she knows everything.

Lastly, take this.

　He took out a piece of parchment and handed it to the man. The man read it, said he understood, and left with a satisfied look on his face.

"What was that?
A purchase order for some supplies. It's a little lower than the market price, but it's in a price range where the other side can accept a discount without any problem by purchasing a certain number of items. It's just to make it look like he's getting a discount in this conversation.
"So you're assuming that other people are monitoring your contact with the man at .......

　If the man returns without any business dealings, the reports of those who have been monitoring him will raise suspicions of an inside man. It may not be possible to eliminate all of them, but it is still a certain amount of risk management.

I'm going to make a few more offers in the same manner. I'm aiming for those who are absolutely loyal to the mercantile side, but are willing to accept our offer.
"To convince the other side of what we're doing. But it's great that you can figure that out.
"People in an organization always have roles. It's not that hard to figure out who's where if you have a general idea of the big picture. Even if everyone is loyal to the organization, there will always be differences in loyalty as long as there are individual differences. That difference will affect the relationship, and it will be a starting point that can be shaken.



　In politics, business, religion, and all other organizations, the roles of people in the same position are different. In fact, it is more often the case that because they hold the same position, they are conscious of the other person and feel superior or inferior.
　His powers of observation, which allow him to pick up such elements just by looking at the people who come and go from the trading post, must be one of the abnormal ones. I felt as if I could understand what kind of work he was doing before he appeared in this world.

"But if you're this aggressive with the merchants, you're going to get noticed anyway, aren't you?
"That's the purpose. I'll leave it to others to gather information to use the merchants I've spotted. All I have to do is get their attention.
"Oh, I see.

　Now that he has started to act directly, all the watchers will be aware of his movements. This would make it easier for those who were being watched to move. This would be the stage for those who excel in covert action, such as Ecdysium and Mikus, to show their true colors.

That's about all we can do on the trading post side. Ilias, any movement on the surveillance side?
"No problem. We're still on the noble side. Are you on your way?
No, I've left that to Duvraeus. Unlike the merchants, the nobles are few in number, so it's not so difficult to understand their relationships with each other.

　He doesn't just observe them and act on that understanding. He is able to classify those who are in a position as a race and determine a general policy based on empirical evidence.
　He is, after all, a kind of craftsman. He is familiar with the tendencies of human beings, can divide them into detailed categories by observation, and uses their behavior to produce results. This is a skill that cannot be imitated by those who are strong only by their strength, no wonder they are trusted so much.

It's no wonder they are so trustworthy. "So, are we going home now? It's going to take a little longer for dinner, so why don't we take a little detour?
That's not a bad idea, but ...... I found someone who might be a little more fun.

　Ilias and Wulfe were the only ones who could find him in the crowd of people walking around the city, and he moved with a steady gait. Ilias and Wolfe, while tilting their heads at his actions, followed him without neglecting to keep an eye on their surroundings.

...... This is going to be tricky, I'm sorry to hear that.

　There were signs of assassins. The number of assassins was about five, as far as I could tell, and Ilias and the others might have found about ten. As soon as the girls noticed such a presence, they immediately became more alert so as not to give them an opportunity to take advantage of them.
　In the case of me, when I was guarding Master Hilmera, I always made sure that people around me could sense my presence, but in the case of these girls, they were confidently checking me out. It would be difficult to even know when to set the trap.
　He himself is observant enough to prevent the assassination of an unaware child. The princes may have ordered him to kill him, but if he's not careful, it'll be more difficult than assassinating another prince.
　But this is a good thing. If they want to kill him, who is so heavily guarded, then the people who set the trap must be very skilled. Not pawns to be manipulated for money, but moves to change the game that the princes are preserving. So the target I should be aiming for is moving.

Are you really coming ......?
You said you'd cook me dinner last time. I have to keep my word!

　He's involved with a rather dull adult male. He's probably from the Yumiess faction, like Toppala said the other day. If you look at the shape of his mind, you can see a unique core not found in ordinary people. This is a tendency often seen in agents who blend into society and gather information, but their core is not that strong. As a pawn, they are at the bottom of the pyramid and are disposable to princes.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.
"Yes, that's Mursht! You're from the Umayyads, aren't you? Nice to meet you!
Hi, there. ......

　The other factions of the princes are trying to stay away from Master Hilmera so that they won't be suspected of plotting to turn her. So, the only people who are watching her are those who have sworn absolute loyalty to the princes.
　That's why this man wants to avoid getting involved with me, the direct guard of Master Hilmera, if at all possible. This feeling is very easily seen in his expression.
　Ah, so that's why he's letting this man in. It's easy to read, and yet he's opening his heart to this incompetent agent.

"How about some morsels? It's not every day you get the chance to eat a common man's food, is it?
"Wait, that's ......?

　I'm not sure what to make of this. The expression he shows is much softer than the previous merchants. I'm conscious of my behavior to make him like me, but I guess this guy does so unconsciously. Yeah, I'm a little jealous.

Haha, I'm not that bad either. I'm not that bad of a person either. If I get close to him, that's the only way he'll notice me. It's not like I'm going to let my pranks get in the way of him living peacefully in this country.
"Well, that's too bad.

　He looks disappointed, but I'm sure that's not all he's thinking about. I'm sure he can see through my current state of mind and even understands that I'm wavering. He's a little mean, but if I think of that as his personality, this unpleasant feeling will be much easier to bear.

"So, you're not going to make any more moves today, and you're going to go home after you've eaten at the man's house?
"Yes. I'd like to bring at least some food from the base, so that's what I'll do considering the time.
Then I'll leave you alone. I'd like to have dinner with you alone if I can. ...... Is that too difficult? Well, maybe the three of us, huh?

　Whenever I approach him, there's always Ilias or Wolfe. It's not a big problem, because as long as I'm aware of him, I can't even see him, but there are still times when I feel like I'm in the way.
　It's nice, I'm very contented now. I've never experienced such an emotional turmoil over the person I love before. I should enjoy this frustration to the fullest for now.

"...... Well...

　After leaving him, I walked to the back alley. I don't have any business here, but I'm sure I won't be seen in this place. After looking around a few times, I opened the lid of a nearby wooden box and looked inside.


　There are some cheap tools used by the people who live in this house, and a silver coin is placed in one of them.

I put a silver coin in it. "That's it, let's go home.

　He closes the lid and leaves the alleyway. He then enters the next alleyway, draws his sword, and jumps to the roof of the house. Moving along the roof, I looked into the alleyway where the box of silver coins was and found .......
　The person who had been watching my movements today was looking into the crate. Nearby, I could also see the person who was watching him.
　Even though it's not important and I don't care about surveillance, it's a bit complicated to have this level of personnel assigned to me.
　He throws his sword at the one in the back and falls from the roof. The man who noticed the sudden shadow looked up at me, and I smiled at him and slammed my knee with all my weight into his face.
　It's not possible for a single neck to take the weight of an adult falling from a rooftop, and you can feel the indescribable sensation of the man's skull as it slammed into the ground.

This one ...... is stuck right in the throat.

　Carry the two bodies to the back of the alley and roll them into the shade. In this position, they could be found as early as today, or as late as a few days, depending on the smell.
　There was one more watcher, but that person seemed to have already fled the scene. He's probably one of Prince Nufusa's men. He doesn't leave any stone unturned. But now that we've eliminated Prince Chisanthe and Princess Yumice's surveillance, we're good to go.

Now, let's get to work.