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Secret Forbidden Spell – Part 01

A short man with a hood pulled over his eyes walked through the back alleys of the royal capital. He was in the slums, far from the royal castle, where homeless people sat with empty eyes between houses.

Rats scurried in the gutters, and the stench of garbage drifted through the air. The man entered a house with no signboard. It was dim inside, filled with purple haze. It was a small tavern with only two tables and four stools at the counter.

There was a person sitting at one of the tables and another at the counter, both casting piercing gazes at the man. Disregarding their stares, the man took a seat on one of the stools at the counter and removed his hood.

“Ah, it’s you. Long time no see,” said the middle-aged barkeeper.

“It’s been more than ten years since I last came here.”

Realizing that the man—Unken, master of Pond’s Adventurers’ Guild—was an acquaintance of the owner, the fierce gazes from the other patrons faded away, and the customer at the counter moved to a table. The tavern owner handed Unken a chipped glass containing distilled liquor. Unken downed it in one gulp.

“Phew. It’s still as strong as I remembered.”

“Not many can drink it casually without choking. Still a heavy drinker, I see.”

“I have some questions. Are you still in that line of work?”

“Yeah,” the barkeeper—an information broker—replied. “But I can’t provide as good information as before.”

“What happened? Lost your edge?”

“No, it’s not that. Even a third-rate information broker can gather intel these days. That’s how lax the security is in the capital right now.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Someone from your place came. They couldn’t believe how easy it was to get information.”

Unken’s eyebrows twitched. “Did a Man Gnome come?”

“Yeah. From the Empire.”

“Ah, from there. So, what’s happening at the palace?”

“There’s probably hardly anything you don’t know. Nobles nowadays are all idiots. All their shady schemes have been exposed. Oh, there is one thing. There’s someone in the palace buying prohibited drugs.”

“Like narcotics?”

“Yeah, and the dangerous kind. It not only provides pleasure but also clouds judgment and weakens the body. It’s like a slow-acting poison.”

“Who’s buying it?”

“Surely you already know. Do I have to say it myself?”

“…I see. Sounds like their schemes have been exposed, all right. I have an idea of who this idiot might be.”

“Such sharp intuition. The guildmaster here could learn a thing or two from you.”

Unken was intrigued by his choice of words. “Is something happening at the capital’s guild?”

“As you know, ever since the guildmaster started getting influenced by nobles, things have gone downhill. But the citizens have no choice but to rely on the guild, so he just keeps on getting cocky. Lately, they’ve been gathering a bunch of musclebrains to loan out to the palace.”

“I see.”

“I’m telling you this because of your job. Apparently, they’re mobilizing the C-Rank Rejects.”

Unken’s expression turned grim. The term “C-Rank Rejects” made his blood boil.

Adventurers had ranks, and ascending to Rank B or higher was no easy feat. This was because the guild considered Rank B and above to be important posts, and getting promoted from Rank C to B wasn’t as simple as just being strong or achieving significant accomplishments.

Mental aspects and demeanor were also highly valued, and although not publicly disclosed, background checks were conducted. The guild looked into where the adventurer was born and raised, their family background, among others.

Those who stumbled over these obstacles were known as the C-Rank Rejects. Despite being considered successful among Rank C adventurers, they were unable to progress to Rank B. Moreover, the guild itself refused to disclose the reasons behind their decision.

For instance, engaging in petty crimes or having connections with unsavory individuals indicated an issue with their character. These adventurers were referred to as C-Rank Rejects, and their characters became even more twisted.

“What are they plotting gathering these rejects?” Unken asked.

“That I don’t know. I think you might have a better idea than me.”

“…”

“Is that all you want to know?”

“Yeah. Actually, there’s one more thing. How is Count Morgstadt’s assassination being handled?”

Unken had two reasons for coming here. One was the case of Jillarte, daughter of the former leader of the Confederacy of Einbiest, who was unjustly imprisoned by the king. The king from before would never have given such a hasty order, so Unken suspected that there must be a deeper reason behind it. However, upon hearing about the current situation, everything became clear. Drugs were impairing the king’s judgment.

The other reason was more of an extra. Freya had told him that there was something suspicious about the adventurer Hikaru. Freya suspected Hikaru of being involved in the disappearance of Count Morgstadt’s daughter, and she sought Unken’s advice. Unken had never considered that possibility, so he decided to look into it while he was in the capital.

“Count Morgstadt’s assassination? I thought that case was open-and-shut with the daughter’s arrest.”

The guildmaster was more perplexed than the tavern owner.

“Well, the daughter was arrested and transferred to the capital,” Unken said. “Don’t you know what happened afterward?”

“Nope. Right now, everyone is talking about the Fire Drakon Catastrophe. Why are you looking into the case?”

“Because it happened right in our backyard.”

“I see. Must’ve been rough.”

“Thanks for the help.”

Unken placed a noticeable amount of money on the counter, covering both the cost of the drink and the information. He stood up and pulled his hood low over his eyes.

“By the way, sir, do you have any intention of meeting with your fellow countryman?”

“What do you mean?”

“They said they wanted to meet you.”

Unken furrowed his brow. I already quit. What does an imperial spy want with me?

He thought it might be worth meeting them. He wanted to know how the empire viewed the kingdom, which was under threat from a Fire Drakon.

After arranging the meeting, Unken left the tavern.

---

Lavia and Paula arrived in the capital late the previous night, but they were to leave immediately today for the Duchy of Nightblaze.

Carriages bound for the Duchy of Nightblaze departed multiple times a day, and they chartered one for themselves. It cost 15,000 gilans, a hefty sum, but they were willing to splurge to ensure their privacy and avoid being eavesdropped by other passengers in a shared carriage.

“I’ve heard about it before. House Nightblaze is known for being the most independent among the three major ducal families. There are rumors that even if the Kingdom of Ponsonia were to collapse, the Duchy of Nightblaze would still prosper.”

Lavia, being the daughter of a Count, had knowledge about noble matters. Though she had led a sheltered life, her father, Count Morgstadt, had a wide network of connections, and information reached her through the servants’ gossip.

Roland had no recollection of such information, either because his father, Viscount Zaracia, never mentioned it, or Roland himself wasn’t interested due to his obsession with research. It was likely the latter. Most of his correspondence with a girl his age revolved around his magical research.

“Sorry for the sudden decision,” Hikaru apologized.

“I don’t mind,” Lavia replied.

“Me neither,” Paula said. “It feels like we’re going on a trip. Oh, and, I’m covering my own expenses, okay?”

“This was my decision, so don’t worry about it.”

“But I do worry! I mean, we booked a whole carriage… and it’s quite luxurious! The cushions are so soft!”

Sharp, Hikaru thought. The more he couldn’t mention how much it cost.

“Was it around 7,000 gilans?” Paula asked.

“…”

“O-Or maybe 8,000… Wait, 10,000?! That much?!”

“…”

“I’m curious! I’m from the sticks, so I’m frugal.”

“Forget about that,” Lavia interjected. “We understand the princess’s situation, but why did you decide to help her?”

“Why…?”

Hikaru had told them about last night, including Roland. He explained to Paula that Roland was a friend.

“Hikaru, be honest.”

“Y-Yes, Ma’am.”

“…Is the princess pretty?”

“Huh?” Hikaru was taken by surprise.

Paula gasped. “D-Don’t tell me, you’re making a move on the princess, too?! Oh no, if you make the princess the queen and set her free, you will become a savior!” Her imagination ran wild.

“Listen, Lavia. The princess is indeed pretty. And I mean very pretty.”

“I knew it.” Lavia looked like a wife who caught her husband in the act of cheating.

Hikaru chuckled. “But in my eyes, you’re much prettier.”

“…What?”

“You’re much more important to me. So you don’t have to worry about such things.”

“Wh-What? Huh?”

Blushing, Lavia covered her face with both hands and shook her head from side to side. Her long hair brushed against Hikaru’s shoulder, which he found adorable.

Paula was staring at them.

“Wh-What is it?” Hikaru asked.

“I wish I was Lavia. It’s so uncomfortable watching a couple flirting in a closed space.”

Hikaru let out a dry laugh. He found himself enduring Paula’s stare for a while.