Year 141_Keireki Era_Summer/02
The negotiations with the Liaison Council did not go well.
Iserina had been running around tirelessly to gather allies for the liberation of Luluciette, but when it came to the Liaison Council of Imuze, the issue wasn’t so much her persuasive skills as it was the council’s inherent reluctance.
The Liaison Council was rooted in the belief that they wanted no part in the messy disputes between Magic Guilds.
The Imuze branch of the Magic Guild, being part of the Liaison Council, held significant influence over it. If the branch were to loudly advocate for cooperation with Biumode’s Magic Guild, it would inevitably create friction, especially if guilds within the council voiced support for anti-Biumode factions.
That said, within the Imuze Magic Guild, the more radical members of the mainstream faction had recently abandoned their plans to merge with Biumode, effectively preventing the union for now.
Their decision to abandon the merger was due to the fact that the mage leading the charge had lost his position and influence after the mass exodus of members became an issue in other branches.
However, Biumode’s Magic Guild was still gathering forces and maintaining its cooperative stance with Count Biumode.
While the negotiations ended in failure, it wasn’t a complete loss.
A high-ranking member of the Liaison Council secretly informed Iserina that Count Biumode was planning to leave Luluciette.
This individual had originally been sent to the Liaison Council by Biumode’s Magic Guild, so the source of the information was likely reliable.
Moreover, this person had a history of significant conflict with Biumode, so there was no reason to doubt their sincerity.
(Still, this information alone isn’t enough… Since I couldn’t bring the Imuze Liaison Council to our side, I should go to Biumode myself to make up for the lack of support for Luluciette…)
Honestly, the thought of going back to Count Biumode’s territory makes my hands tremble. The rejection I feel is so strong it feels like my blood is freezing.
Iserina looked out the window of the now-empty room where the Liaison Council members had just left.
(Vi… This life was saved by you. I won’t waste it recklessly. But please, allow me to take this risk and step into dangerous territory.)
She silently spoke to the adventurer boy who was no longer with her.
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Yo.
It’s me, the guy who carelessly died in a way so typical of a bandit that it’s almost impressive.
This time, I’m back to my usual self!
And I’ve got my bandit brothers around me!
As for where we are now, our base is near a city called Pensik.
It’s not a walled city, nor is it where the count resides.
It’s a satellite city of Luluciette, built primarily for commerce since Luluciette itself had reached its developmental limits.
That’s right! In other words, trade is booming here!
And what does that mean?
Exactly! Bandits are booming too!
And what does that lead to?
You guessed it! A decline in public order!
And what does that result in?
A bandit gathering festival, of course!
Thanks to the conflict between Luluciette and Biumode, there are a significant number of bandits who’ve come here for work.
And I’m one of them.
So, no one in this bandit group really knows how large our forces are.
But at the very least, we have enough strength to easily take over a village.
This time, my body is in its late teens.
Nothing particularly special, but youth itself is a weapon.
Older bandits might have more accumulated knowledge and information, but their sluggish movements are a fatal flaw…
Looking around, everyone’s doing their own thing.
Some are lying around, others are fighting, some are obsessively catching insects to roast, one’s sniffing his boots, and another is sharpening his weapons.
I, at least, am not engaging in any of that. Instead, I’m sitting on an empty crate that the bandits had looted earlier.
There are plenty of other crates around, but they’re all empty now.
Judging by the printing on the crate, it originally contained beer. The day they stole it must have been quite the celebration.
I thought there was nothing particularly noteworthy about this group, but there was one exception.
There was someone else who, like me, was observing the surroundings.
Dressed like a bandit, but there was something off about her. The others didn’t seem to notice, though.
Eventually, she turned her gaze toward me and approached with a friendly smile.
Her deep blue hair and large eyes stood out.
Female bandits aren’t exactly rare, but what caught my attention was that, unlike the typical filthy appearance of most bandits, she had a refined beauty about her.
“Hey, kid. Mind if I sit here?”
Also… she didn’t smell sour.
The dirt on her face didn’t look like grime or sweat, but more like charcoal smudges.
There’s something strange about this woman.
Having died “a million times,” as I proudly claim, my experience tells me that associating with her might significantly increase my chances of dying.
But so what?
Normally, I die from random stray arrows or getting caught up in other bandits’ squabbles without any warning.
If I’m going to die, I’d rather it be spectacular.
Plus, having some ups and downs makes it easier to choose whether to live or die. That’s something my heart, soul, or maybe some other organ has learned from all my deaths.
“Sure, go ahead.”
I grabbed a nearby empty crate and placed it next to me.
I brushed it off with my hand, though my hands aren’t exactly clean, so it might have just gotten dirtier.
“Thanks. You’re quite the gentleman.”
“Thanks.”
Maybe I shouldn’t have done anything too noticeable for her sake.
I glanced around, but no one seemed to pay her any attention.
Weird.
You’d think bandits would be the first to approach her. At best, they’d just talk to her.
At worst, it could escalate into a fight among themselves.
Bandits are tragic creatures.
“So, you’re a bandit too?”
“Yeah, as you can see.”
“A kid bandit, huh…”
“Is that rare?”
“Not exactly rare, but… more like sad, I guess.”
What a strange bandit woman.
“From the way you talk, you’re a drifter? I came here for work, or rather, ended up here after some stuff happened.”
“Yeah, that’s right. My name is…”
This feeling.
I’ve done this before too.
She’s trying to come up with a name on the spot.
“My name is Lulu. And you?”
… This woman was looking in the direction of Luluciette earlier…
Well, I’m using a fake name too, so I can’t really judge.
From the crate I’m using as a chair, the label says “Beer,” “Bil”… hmm.
“Bil… no, Vil. Vilgram.”
A lazy naming choice, just adding to my previous name?
Well, whatever.
Vilgram sounds grand and cool. A bandit in appearance, but a noble at heart, or something like that.
What do you think about this chapter?
