<h4>Chapter 146</h4>


    Murt exined in Rei’s room. Rei spoke up after listening.


    「So, what are you going to do? In the first ce, from what I understand, the people who support Ghat are all doing trivial jobs, how will you gather them?」


    「Well, simply speaking, we will use force. Originally, it would have been best to slowly sound out the people working in Azoth Firm to gradually expand Ghat’s support. Even among people who were sent to trivial duties, there are few people in Azoth Firm who don’t know the rtion between Bolton and Ghat-san as they are aware of the internal circumstances.」


    「But, then. As far as I’ve heard from your story, hasn’t Ghat always been an adventurer?」


    Moving his cup away from his mouth, Brazos unexpectedly asked.


    Murt nodded at this question.


    「Ah, that is so. If that wasn’t the case, it wouldn’t have been possible for him to rise to rank B in the first ce.」


    「In that case, if Ghat became the president of Azoth Firm……would he be able to manage the business properly?」


    「……I see, now that you say it, that is true. Ghat has certainly never been involved in the management of thepany since he was born. Even if he overcame Bolton and took over Azoth Firm, would he be able to manage the business properly……」


    Freon nodded at Brazos’ words. Bolton had been the one running Azoth Firm until now. However, Ghat, who would take charge after, was an adventurer and not a merchant. Naturally, he had no experience running apany like Azoth Firm at all.


    Although he was a talented person at the frontier, would he be able to control Azoth Firm, which handled the weapons sales in Gilm and numerous other cities. Freon had doubts but Murt nodded that there were no problems.


    「Ghat-san is definitely not a merchant. However, since he had been hired by Azoth Firm since he became an adventurer, he knows a lot more about the workings of Azoth Firm than the merchants around here. Besides, as the president, Ghat-san would only be the representative of Azoth Firm unlike how Bolton is. Decision making would be carried out by the group of merchants that support him.」


    (A kind of democratic system it seems. ……I hope it won’t end up as a mob ruling.)


    Rei thought about Murt’s words and the Japanese politicians where he used to live. No, rather, the politicians who worked for their own personal gain. Turning tail to another country to bring yourself benefits rather than for the interests of their country, there was no choice but to watch out for those who only looked for their own personal gain.


    He quickly shook off such thoughts from his mind. Because this was no longer Japan that he was in.


    「Well, anyhow, even if Ghat takes over Azoth Firm, I guess Gilm won’t fall into confusion?」


    When Rei asked Murt, he shook his head as if to shake off the idea.


    「Ah. Of course there will be some disorder, but it should be kept to a minimum. Anyhow, any employee that doesn’t support that bastard, Bolton, has been sent off to trivial duties. However, most of them stayed because they believed that Azoth Firm would eventually screw up somewhere. They should be enough.」


    「Then, it might be better to head for the hideout where Ghat is right now.」


    At Rei’s musing, everyone in the room looked at him.


    Among them, Freon spoke up as the representative.


    「Why? I understand that we have to hurry, but it’s night already. Do you mind if we head over tomorrow? No, rather, the thieves that Bolton has employed would be better at night activities.」


    「You don’t need to worry about them. For example, even if they gathered a group of people to push into this inn just now, Azoth Firm is probably trying their numbers now. Even now they might be hiring mobs. If we wait until tomorrow to take action, won’t the difference in power between Bolton and Ghat increase? Even if most of the force the other side has are thugs like the ones from before, their power is in numbers. If you consider that, it’s better to move fast. ……Murt, you were talking about Ghat taking down Bolton with force, but how big a fighting force do you actually have?」


    「Among the adventurers hired by Azoth Firm, the ones helped by Ghat, the ones that like Ghat-san’s character……30% if we looked at it optimistically. At worst, 10%.」


    「In other words, we can only count on 10%. What is the specific number of people?」


    「It’s about 5 people.」


    Rei was unexpectedly surprised at Murts words.


    5 people were about 10%, with some simple math, it meant the number of adventurers hired by Azoth Firm was close to 50.


    「I knew that Azoth Firm was a big business, but to hire that many adventurers……that was truly unexpected.」


    Like Rei, Brazos was also surprised.


    「The other 20% in an optimistic situation, can we consider them to be neutral?」


    「Well, I guess. There were various circumstances where we had no choice but to cooperate with Bolton’s people, but I felt that they were friendly to Ghat-san.」


    「Hmm, if we can’t count on them, it would be better to not include them in our potential force. More than that, it might be better to move as soon as possible if that in the difference inbat forces. Losing in numbers, we won’t win if we lose in speed as well. Speaking of winning……」


    Freon nced at Rei.


    Judging from his ability during the Harpy subjugation request, Rei never fit into the D rank category. Considering he was followed by the Griffon Set, an A rank monster, his overall strength was about as good as an A rank adventurer.


    And above all, this uproar happened because of Rei. Given that, he would probably disy his power.


    「Rei is definitely going to get caught in the uproar this time……I mean, considering what happened at Pamidor’s smithy, you’re already fully involved. If that’s the case, it would be best to gather our fighting forces to go against Azoth Firm. Naturally, that includes me and Brazos.」


    After all, they had received a request with Rei and formed a party. Even if they didn’t want to, they would still inevitably be dragged into the matter. Besides, they would be doing something about the disreputable Azoth Firm and improve the atmosphere in Gilm a bit.


    「Because of that, we should quickly head over to where Ghat is hiding. It’s a game of time from now on. If we move fast enough, Azoth Firm shouldn’t have their forces gathered yet.」


    Standing up while talking, Freon pulled Murts arm to help him out of the bed.


    「Ah, Ahh. I understand……」


    Nodding as he was pulled up, Rei handed over the halberd and leather armour that he had stored into the Misty Ring.


    「Here, if we go now, you should at least have your equipment. It looks okay now, but after joining with Ghat, there will definitely be fighting.」


    「This is, my……ah, I see. You did have an item box, Rei.」


    「Such an idiot, had you forgotten already? In the first ce, all this uproar happened because Bolton was greedy for this.」


    Rei looked at him in amazement. As if to escape from Rei’s gaze, Murt started to put on his leather armour.


    While watching the two of them, Brazos stood up after gulping down onest cup of liquor. Even if it was a small barrel he still hadn’t be drunk from drinking that much, was it because he was a dwarf or because he was Brazos.


    「So, where’s the hideout Ghat is staying in?」


    「It’s a small cabin in a backstreet. Because it’s quite old, no one ever goes there, I don’t believe they’ve found it.」


    Murt answered Freon’s question as he put on his leather armour and looked puzzled at Rei who was frowning after hearing his reply.


    「What’s wrong?」


    「No, Ghat is hiding in an isted old cabin?」


    「Ah. At least that’s what it looks like. Inside, there’s enough preserved food hidden inside to live for a few days, there are also various ways to buy things.」


    「……Ah, I understand.」


    At Murt’s words, Freon nodded in understanding.


    「In other words, Rei is worried if there really aren’t any people whoe near the cabin.」


    「Ah. It looks old……or rather, since it looks worn down, not many people want toe over. However, there is a possibility that orphans or slum inhabitants will go over. There is also the possibility the information will eventually get to Azoth Firm that way.」


    You could say that the governor of Gilm, Daska, was a good governor. But there were still slums. No, rather, because Gilm was a frontier city, most of their expenses had to be in defense and the development of other areas had to be postponed.


    「……I see. I definitely can’t say it’s impossible.」


    「Ahh, I think that it will probably be okay. Ghat-san has done a lot of work to help the people in the slums. He has a lot of trust from them.」


    Finishing putting on his leather armour, Murt replied as he looked over his halberd. Freon shrugged her shoulders at his words.


    「Whether they’re an orphan or a slum inhabitant, they do all they can to live for another day. Whether such people will hold a priority on gold or trust……well, of course, there will still be some who hold trust as more important, still, there will many more people who would fall and take the money.」


    「……It seems we need to hurry then.」


    Saying that, Rei opened the door. After that, Freon and Brazos went out, followed by Murt after he was ready.


    As they went down the stairs, they eventually heard the lively voices from the dining area.


    「I wanted to drink a bit more.」


    Brazos looked towards the dining area enviously, but was immediately struck on the head by Freon’s sheathed long sword.


    「You already opened a barrel in Rei’s room, is that not enough! Seriously, this is why this Dwarf……」


    「That hurts!　Freon, can’t you be more reasonable? Every time you hit, you hit my head. At the very least, use you hand. Even though it’s in its sheath, is there anyone who would hit someone with a sword?」


    Although Brazosined while holding his head, Freon gave a snort.


    「If I hit a stone with my bare hands, my delicate hands would be hurt.」


    「Keh, what delicate hands. A person with delicate hands can’t be a warrior.」


    It was already a familiar scene to Rei, but Murt was worried as this was the first time he had seen it.


    「Hey, Rei. Even though we’re heading right into the center of the uproar, is it fine to let them argue?」


    Murt quietly asked Rei. Rei put on the hood of his Dragon Robe without any particr expression as he nodded that there wasn’t a problem.


    「I haven’t known them for long, but that’s normal for both of them. It would be better than them being tense and slow.」


    「No, but. To have an internal fight now……」


    「As I said before, they’re not really fighting, that’s just how they get along. You don’t need to mind it.」


    「……If Rei says so then it’s fine, but is it really okay?」


    「Ah, they’re both C rank adventurers. They have reasonable strength and skill.」


    While talking like that, they left the stairs as they arrived on the first floor of the inn and headed for the exit.


    「Oh, are you going out?」


    Seeing the 4 of them leave, Lana came out of the dining area to ask.


    Seeing they were all armed, it was clear that they were heading out for dangerous business, but her tone was still normal.


    「Ah. To the person who sent to thugs over earlier.」


    「Is that so? Then, please take care of yourselves.」


    Giving a quick bow to Lana, the 4 of them left the inn.


    They could hear the livelyughter and cheers from the party going on in the dining area that Rei was treating as they left the Dusk Wheat.


    Only Brazos kept looking back towards the dining area in envy.