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Walking to the garden in the Serende Castle when I want to think is most likely because I am still tied up by my past sins. 

This wonderful garden that’s being maintained by artisans has had the blood of many assassinated royal family members flow in it. 

That’s why I feel like there’s madness hidden within the beauty of the flowers that bloom here.

“Oh my, Nuphsa-niisan. It is rare to see you walking outside.” 

“Yumis and Chisante, huh. Chatting without bodyguards around is pretty careless of you both.” (Nuphsa)

These two are also members of the royal family that have been imprisoned by the history of Serende. 

They must be drawn to this place in their own way. 

But I would like you to stop using this place I utilize to submerge myself in my thoughts as a place to perform your secret meetings. 

“Dahaha! I obviously have bodyguards hidden. If Yumis tries to attack me with her own hands, I will simply beat her up instead.” (Chisante)

“Can you only say things that displease me? Even if there’s no grace in your way of laughing, I don’t doubt your ability to discern advantages, so there’s no need to worry about it that much, right?” (Yumis)

Yumis must have bodyguards nearby too. 

I won’t complain as long as they don’t make a mess of the garden. 

“It seems like the life of the resident of Yugura’s planet and his comrades were targeted. One of the culprits took his own life, and the others were simply moved by money, so they apparently couldn’t get any decent information though.” (Nuphsa)

“Oh my, you move fast, Nuphsa-niisama. Or maybe it was Chisante-niisama?” (Yumis)

“It was probably you, Yumis. Dahaha!” (Chisante)

The two of them are being shameless here, but judging by how things are going, it should be safe to assume both are guilty. 

Assassinating with a poisoned knife and trying to kidnap the comrade of the resident of Yugura’s planet are two different ways of thinking. They were most likely methods that were thought by different people. 

“It is fine if you don’t know. But don’t forget your position in Serende. There’s a limit to how much I can deal with after all.” (Nuphsa)

“Oh my? I myself am very interested in your limit, Nuphsa-niisama.” (Yumis)

“Dahaha! I was also curious about that. He can even fake the number of deaths after all!” (Chisante)

It is known in history that we kill each other, but it is not like we admit it in public. 

Even if the resident of Yugura’s planet were to be killed, the ones who will be shouldering the responsibility would be the siblings who didn’t manage to take the throne. 

The one that will be cut off then will be the person with the lowest priority. The loser will be made to shoulder all types of liabilities, and will be buried in the history of this country as a foundation stone. 

“That said, the resident of Yugura’s planet is diligent, isn’t he? He is still investigating our surroundings despite having suffered such obstructions.” (Yumis)

“He defeated the Eyes of Truth, Ritial Zentry, with the Demon Lords and his powerful allies. For him, we are simply children of a nation’s ruler. Dahaha!” (Chisante)

If we were to consider just their plain fighting power -the power that the resident of Yugura’s planet holds- it would by no means fall behind that of the full military force of this country. 

But the military prowess of an individual can only show its true brilliance in a place like a battlefield. 

The individual is swallowed by the army, and the army changes direction depending on their top. 

The people that are like the avatars of greed understand how that works to a sickening degree. They excel in manipulation. 

Don’t spare a thought about ethics, don’t care about lives, and don’t respect their rights; however, they show themselves as pure, and take the public opinion in their grasp by hoisting this. 

The ones here are monsters in the skin of people. 

Have the shape of people, call themselves one, live like one, but are inhumane. 

“…I came here to take a breather, but I am suffocating. Let’s just sleep for today.” (Nuphsa)

“Oh my~, that Nuphsa-niisan is going to rest as soon as the sun goes down?! I am sure you haven’t slept for several days.” (Yumis)

“Dahaha! Normal people sleep everyday after all. You should learn to rest more, Nuphsa-niisan. I would definitely prefer you resting!” (Chisante)

Whose fault do you think it is? No, it is partly my fault. 

Someone important could be dead the moment I go to sleep and wake up. I can’t help but blame myself for sleeping without a care.

I have to do what I can as much as possible, and as long as possible. 

That’s what I should do as a sinner. 

◇◇

Just how did this man, who anyone would only see as weak, manage to get so many powerhouses like Ilias and Wolfe obey him? 

Getting the chance to see that personally was something I was extremely grateful for. 

But I was made to realize that you can’t even begin to process a technique that’s beyond your understanding. 

“…It must be that man.” 

He was on the lookout in front of the firm for a while, and after catching sight of a specific individual, he made contact with him. 

He made a dubious look at first, but he steadily began to leak information about the firm the more he spoke to him. 

Despite him being in a position that knows about the inside workings of the firm, he felt displeasure towards the treatment he is given. 

That’s when that man began to put ideas in his head and shake his heart. 

The position that man is in, his displeasures, he saw through them with precision while giving effective advice that he could agree on. 

Even though there was information that he shouldn’t have been able to just see through, he spoke as if he knew everything about him. 

“Lastly, I ask this of you.” 

He took out a single parchment and gave it to the man. 

The man read it and nodded with a satisfied expression as if saying he got it, and left. 

“What was that just now?” 

“An order for some random materials. It is slightly cheaper than the market price, but it was an amount that was enough for them to give a discount on their side. The exchange just now was in order to show that their side agrees to the discount.” 

“…You made contact with that man with the assumption that the others are observing, huh.” 

If the man were to return without making any business deal, the ones observing would have suspicions that he is a spy. 

It won’t clear the suspicions completely, but that would still fix up the risks to a certain degree. 

“I will make the same offer to a few more people. My aim is people who have absolute loyalty towards their company while accepting my business offer.” 

“Is it in order to convince the other side about what you are doing? But it is impressive that you can see through those fronts.” 

“The people in organizations always have roles. If you have a general grasp of the whole structure, it isn’t that difficult to tell who is where. Even if everyone has pledged loyalty to the organization, there will always be differences in their loyalty as long as there’s individuality. Those differences will affect their interpersonal relationships, and will become a breaking point in order to shake them.” 

Politics, commerce, religion; even if there’s a person with the same standing in a variety of organizations, their role is different. 

On the contrary, it is exactly because they have the same workplace that they would often be conscious of the other people and feel superiority or inferiority. 

His observation skills that can tell such factors just by watching the people coming and going from the company building would enter the category of abnormal. 

I can kind of tell what kind of job he had before appearing in this world now. 

“But if you make contact with the merchants in such a proactive fashion, you would end up drawing eyes anyways, right?” 

“That’s the objective. I will be leaving the information gathering of the merchants that will have their eyes drawn to the others. I will simply be gathering their eyes.” 

“Aah, I see.” 

The ones observing us will all be concentrating their attention on him now that he has begun acting himself. 

That will make it easier for the others to move. 

Meaning that people like Ekdoik and Mix, who excel in stealth, will be able to show their true strength. 

“That about does it for the work on the companies. Ilias, what’s the movement of the ones observing us?” 

“No issues. Now all that’s left are the nobles. Are you planning on heading there now?” (Ilias)

“No, I have left the preparations to Dyuvuleori. Nobles are few in number compared to the merchants, so it is not that difficult to get a grasp of the relationship between each other.” 

He is not only acting by observing and comprehending them. He can divide them by the type of people they are and their standing, and create a general course of action through experience. 

He really is kind of like an artist. 

He is versed in the trends of the creatures called people, can categorize them in detail with observation, and creates results by taking action. 

Technique that people who are solely strong physically wouldn’t be able to imitate in a lifetime.

I can understand how trusted he is from this. 

“Well then, guess we should return for today? It seems like it will take a bit more for dinner, so how about taking a bit of a detour?” (Ilias)

“That’s not a bad idea, but…I found someone who might be fun.” 

It seems like he found someone within the crowd of people, and moved with no hesitation. 

Ilias and Wolfe tilted their heads at that action of his, but followed after him without lowering their guards on the surroundings. 

“…This is going to be trouble. My condolences.” 

There’s the presence of assassins. 

There’s around 5 from what I could feel. Ilias and Wolfe have probably found around 10. 

They noticed these presences, immediately showed caution, and made it so that they don’t have any openings to take advantage of. 

As for me, I always make sure the surroundings can feel my presence when I am guarding Hilmera-sama, but in the case of these girls, they are keeping them at bay while absolutely sure of their presence. 

This would make it difficult to even aim for an assassination. 

The man himself has observation skills that allow him to avoid even the assassination attempt of a child that’s unaware. 

They may have been ordered by the royal family to kill him, but this might be even harder than trying to kill royalty. 

But this is convenient. 

If they are going to aim for his life when the defense is this tight, it means that the ones attempting it are quite skilled.

They are not pawns that are being controlled with just money. It is a move the royal family has been saving that can change the state of affairs. 

It means the target I am aiming for will be moving. 

“You really came…?” 

“You told me before that you would make us a meal, right? You have to keep your promises!” 

He is talking to an adult man that seems pretty untidy. 

He is most likely the guy called Toppara that’s in the faction of Yumis. 

Judging from the shape of his heart, I can see a peculiar core that you can’t find in your common person. 

It is a trend I see often in spies that blend into society to gather information, but that core isn’t that strong. 

In terms of a pawn, he would be just above the bottom. The type that is disposable for the royal family. 

“That’s true, but…wait, could it be that the one there is Murshto-sama?!” (Toppara)

“Yeah, it is that Murshto! You are of the Yumis Faction, right?! Nice to meet you!” (Murshto)

“N-Nice to meet you…” (Toppara) 

I try to not get involved with the surroundings of Hilmera-sama to avoid having the other siblings suspect we are plotting to make their subordinates switch sides. 

That’s why all the ones who are keeping an eye on Hilmera-sama are people on the upper ranks and have pledged absolute loyalty to the respective member of the royal family. 

That’s why getting involved with me, a direct bodyguard Hilmera-sama, is something that this man would prefer to avoid. 

That feeling of his was shown vividly in his face. 

Aah, that’s why that man opened up to him, huh. This incompetent spy who is easy to read. 

“How about you, Murshto? There’s rarely any chance to eat the cooking of a commoner old man, right?” 

“Wa, that’s a bit…” (Toppara)

His expression is awfully soft compared to the time when he was interacting with the merchants. 

It doesn’t feel that much different from the one he shows to me. 

I am consciously trying to act in a way that would make him like me, but this man must have managed to do so unconsciously. 

Yeah, I am a bit jealous.

“Ahaha, I am not that evil. The closer I get, the more the eyes of Yumis-sama will be drawn. Getting in the way of his peace just to tease him is just…” (Murshto)

“I see. That’s a shame.” 

He is making a disappointed face, but he most likely isn’t only thinking that. 

I am sure he has seen through my thoughts, and has even noticed that they are shaken. 

It is a bit evil, but I can relax quite a bit by thinking this is a part of him. 

“Are you going to be going back home without doing much after you finish eating here?” (Murshto)

“Let’s see… I would like to bring back groceries to the base at least, so considering the time, that would be the case, yeah.” 

“Then, I will be taking my leave here. I would like to have a meal with just the two of us if possible, but…that would be difficult, huh. Oh well, I don’t mind it being with 3 people at least, okay?” (Murshto)

If I get close to him, there will always be Ilias and Wolfe as well. 

They don’t even enter my vision when I am concentrating on him, so there’s not much of an issue, but there are times when I would feel they are a hindrance. 

It is so nice. I am currently feeling very fulfilled. 

I haven’t experienced having my heart shaken this much from a person I love after all. 

I have to enjoy this vexation to the fullest too. 

“…Now then…” (Murshto)

I walk to an alleyway after separating from him. 

I don’t have business in a place like this, but there should be no eyes of other people in a place like this. 

I look around a few times before I open the lid of a wooden box nearby and check inside it. 

There are cheap tools that are most likely used by the people in this house, and put a single silver coin in it. 

“That’s good enough. Let’s go back.” 

I close the lid and leave the alleyway. 

I then enter the neighboring alleyway, draw my sword, and jump onto the roof of the house. 

I move through the roofs, and then peek at the alleyway where the box I put the silver coin in is… There they are. 

The person that was observing my actions is checking the inside of the wooden box. 

I could also see someone observing this person nearby. 

I may have a low priority and they may not be that interested in what I do all day, but I am a bit conflicted that they have only put people of this level on me. 

I throw my sword at the person deeper in, and jump off the roof.

The man lifted his head after noticing a sudden shadow, so I answered with a smile while smashing his face with my knee that has all of my weight on it. 

There’s no way the neck of someone would be able to take on the whole weight of an adult dropping down, so the man was smashed to the ground just like that and I could feel a hard to describe sensation from his cranium. 

“As for the other one… Yup, it pierced through his throat just as aimed.” (Murshto)

I carry the two corpses deep inside the alleyway and put some random stuff to hide them. 

In this position, they will be found today at the soonest, or a few days at the latest from the smell of it. 

There was also one more person keeping an eye on me, but it seems like they have already run away from here. 

Most likely a subordinate of Prince Nuphsa. 

That person is very careful despite everything said. 

But I managed to get rid of the surveillance from Prince Chisante and Princess Yumis, so this should be enough. 

“Now then, let’s do my best at my job~.” (Murshto)

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