Chapter 10
Ah.
I turned my head toward the pub entrance and asked,
“So, that’s what you say?”
There was no one there.
Just as confusion appeared on the bartender’s face, the quiet door slowly opened—
and someone new stepped in.
They moved silently, like a shadow, wearing a long robe from head to toe.
“What is the Buried Rat?”
Because the one who entered…
was the assassin who had now taken on a new life as a butler.
Judging by the look of it, the robe he was wearing seemed to be made from an old blackout curtain.
Considering his profession, it was a very believable guess.
The butler-assassin answered my question calmly.
“It’s an information guild that expanded rapidly during and after the Magic War. Large, dangerous, and ruthless—they’ll use any means to achieve their goals.”
There wasn’t a hint of doubt in his voice.
I nodded.
This was exactly the role I wanted him to play.
Before coming to the pub, I had gone to find him.
Like a former assassin, he noticed my presence immediately and came out through the back door.
“What brings you here? It’s not the day we agreed on.”
“You said you were looking for a way to survive.”
“And?”
“Let’s find it together.”
He looked at me suspiciously.
“Why should I?”
“Because I need to find something too.”
“What?”
“A way to live.”
To gain cooperation, you have to show your hand first.
I told him I needed information to find something important—and briefly explained my plan.
At the word information, he became interested.
Of course he did.
As someone being hunted by an assassin guild, it was crucial for him to gain control over Midwintry.
If we started by taking over the Merchant Guild and gradually expanded influence, it would benefit both of us.
“Not a bad proposal… Fine. But we should adjust the plan regarding this Merchant Guild.”
“How?”
“If what you said is true, they’re too organized and expanding too quickly for mere street thugs. That usually means they have backing. Acting recklessly could get us killed.”
He wanted to investigate their backing first.
Depending on who was behind them, it might be wiser not to interfere.
But I thought differently.
Simple reason.
If this continued, that old woman selling potatoes would disappear.
Good thing I promised we’d withdraw if the backing was serious.
Though…
I didn’t expect it to be a major guild.
“Buried Rat? I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s an underground guild. Ordinary people wouldn’t know.”
“Ordinary people?”
Right. I’m an ordinary person now.
The butler-assassin frowned slightly, as if realizing something was off.
“…Well, not always. The Buried Rat has roots across all thirteen former Magic Alliance nations, centered around the Pen Rota Empire. Even their guild master’s identity is unknown. They don’t leave traces.”
As he spoke, he looked at the bartender suspiciously.
“But I doubt they’d associate with low-level trash like this.”
At that, the bartender hurriedly searched a drawer—
and pulled out a golden coin.
“No! We really are under the protection of the Buried Rat! Look—this is our guild coin!”
A guild coin was proof of affiliation or cooperation with a guild.
The butler-assassin examined it closely, then nodded.
“It’s real.”
“See? You’re making a mistake! This man clearly knows how dangerous the Buried Rat is—”
I snatched the coin from him.
“It’s real? Then it’s mine now.”
The bartender gritted his teeth.
“You’re either fearless or insane! Didn’t you hear me? If word gets out that we were attacked—”
“That only happens if you talk.”
I tapped his lips with the coin.
“Be smart. Ever heard the saying ‘neighbors are closer than relatives’? No? Then how about ‘the law is far, but fists are close’? The Buried Rat’s law is far. My fist is close. Your lives depend on my mood.”
The room fell silent.
The butler-assassin, who had been thinking deeply, finally spoke.
“If the enemy is the Buried Rat, this is too dangerous. The rumors about them retaliating double aren’t exaggerated. Information guilds grow on trust and money. Even a place like this is still a branch. It’s better not to touch it.”
He clearly wanted to step away.
Understandable.
But I needed him.
Someone like him—experienced—was perfect to lead a new Merchant Guild.
Information and assassination go hand in hand.
After all, assassins don’t just kill—
they gather information.
“More dangerous than your master?”
“They’re different. My master is an individual. The Buried Rat is like a small nation.”
“Then don’t get caught.”
I pulled out a small glass vial and tossed it to him.
“This is…”
“The Merciful Bite. The suicide pill I took from you.”
“I didn’t expect you to keep it.”
“It’s valuable. Wouldn’t throw it away. Though the most valuable thing you have—”
I tapped my ear.
“—is that oath-binding magic tool.”
He still had the magic item used to enforce soul-binding oaths.
With that, we could silence them permanently.
His expression grew serious.
Meanwhile, I looked each of the guild members in the eyes.
“If someone gets in the way, use the Merciful Bite. If you don’t trust them, just kill them all. Maybe the Buried Rat will notice—but what will they do? Clean up corpses?”
Go ahead. Tell them.
If you do—you die too.
Silently. Instantly.
The bartender’s confidence vanished.
“…You can talk quite a lot, huh?”
“First time I noticed too.”
I waited for the butler-assassin’s decision.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long.
“…Fine. I’ll handle this side. But I have a condition.”
“Go on.”
“I operate my way. You interfere only when I allow it. Agreed?”
Perfect.
Less work for me.
Instead of answering, I tossed him the guild coin.
“Then let’s begin the first task of our new Merchant Guild.”
“Task? …The item you mentioned?”
I nodded.
“We need to find Dian Ket’s relic hidden in Midwintry.”
“…You mean the city legend? The ‘eye’?”
“Exactly.”
For a moment, his expression changed.
If I wasn’t mistaken, he looked troubled.
As if he knew something.
I stepped closer and whispered,
“Why?”
After staring at the ground for a moment, he met my eyes and answered:
“It might be a coincidence… but if I’m right—”
“…my master is looking for it too.”
