Sebas didn’t miss the treacherous look in the scrubby man’s eyes, as if he was still trying to find another excuse to delay the group even further. But he pretended not to realise Zach’s foul intentions and kept his face indifferent.
He also wanted to hide the fact that Zach had fallen for his trap.
“So, when do we leave?”
“About that, it should be around two or three hours? If we leave any later than that the streets will be completely engulfed in darkness, so three hours would be the limit.”
The man’s eyes once again showed that detestable calculating look, and Sebas again tried his best pretending not to realize. Zach then licked his lips a of couple times before speaking:
“Heheh, then we shouldn’t have any problems.”
“Very well, could you please immediately start making preparations for us to leave?”
Sebas looked at Zach’s retreating back. He then waved his hand as if to disperse an unpleasant air around him, feeling as if something filthy had stuck onto him.
Without showing any visible expression on his face, Sebas suppressed his urge to sigh.
To be honest, Sebas couldn’t find it in himself to like such a base and vulgar character like Zach at all. Demiurge, Shalltear and some of the others might be able to treat someone like him like a toy for their personal amusement, but Sebas didn’t even want to get close to that kind of person.
There were some common viewpoints within the Great Tomb of Nazarick: ‘Those who don’t belong to Nazarick are inferior’ and ‘Apart from a few exceptions, humans and demi-humans should be annihilated for being an inferior race’. Sebas on the other hand shared the same opinion as his creator, ‘Those who cannot save the weak shouldn’t claim to be strong’, but after having met such a despicable human like Zach, he started to think that maybe the shared viewpoint of Nazarick wasn’t so wrong after all.
“Ahh, humans were supposed to be more splendid than this…”
Sebas lifted his hand to stroke his well-trimmed beard in order to take his mind off the matter and pondered about on how to continue their current operation.
The operation is going quite smoothly, but perhaps I should still monitor him to make sure.
While Sebas was considering how to proceed with the direction of the operation, he noticed a man walking toward him.
“Having to leave at this hour must be rather difficult for you…”
The man that spoke with Sebas was between forty and fifty years old, clean shaven and his black hair was streaked with many strands of white hair. Perhaps due to his old age and extravagant eating habits, there was a big belly on his stomach.
He was dressed tastefully, his clothes elegant enough for a man in a high position.
“If it isn’t Bardo-san?”
Sebas nodded slightly as to greet him, but the man hurriedly tries to stop such gesture:
“Ah, no need to be so courteous.”
His name was Bardo Lovely and he was a well-known food merchant controlling a considerable amount of the food trade within this city. Sebas wasn’t sure why this man had come over to talk with him.
This walled city held an important strategic importance for war. As someone controlling a considerable amount of the food trade, Bardo was one of the most influential merchants in the city.
When an army numbers in the tens of thousands of people, the logistics involved with transporting provisions and rations takes quite a lot of time and effort. The Kingdom’s strategy was to march its army there with minimum supplies and provide the army’s need in this city. Which meant this city wasn’t quite like the other commercial, cities since merchants dealing with food or weapons held quite a large amount of influence and authority inside this town.
Someone with such authority within the walled city of Re-Lantier shouldn’t be talking to Sebas just because they both happened to eat at the same restaurant. He should have an ulterior motive for trying to converse with him.
However, this was also one of Sebas’ goals.
“Sebas-san, that man is no good.”
“Is that so?”
While speaking with Bardo, Sebas changed his expression for the first time since the whole incident began. He revealed a courteous smile because he understood exactly who the merchant was speaking of.
“That guy is known as untrustworthy and dishonest, I cannot understand why Sebas-san is hiring a guy like him.”
Sebas quickly thought this over to find the best reply for this situation.
He couldn’t reveal the reason they had hired Zach to Bardo. If Sebas told him he hired Zach because he didn’t knew of his character, his evaluation might be lowered and his judgment could be questioned.
Though we’re certainly leaving this city soon, I should still avoid the possibility of Bardo lowering his evaluation of me. In the near future, there may be the possibility that we will have to use him.
“Maybe you’re right, but no one introduced himself as shamelessly as he did. Though his character might be flawed as a whole, ojou-sama quite appreciates his enthusiasm.”
Bardo showed a troubled bitter smile. His evaluation of her was probably lowered by another notch.
It was for their goal that he had asked her to play this role, so it couldn’t be helped. He felt quite bad that she had to play such a spoiled character.
“I overstepped myself, I hope you can forgive my remark. Maybe it’s better to hint and advise this to your lady?”
“Perhaps you’re right. But considering the help and support milady’s father had given me, I just cannot bring myself to…”
“Though loyalty is very important too…”
Bardo muttered a sentence, but the subsequent words could not be heard clearly.
“Would you like for me to recommend you some trustworthy men?”
“No need to be so considerate, Bardo-san.”
Though his tone was gentle, he firmly rejected of his proposal. Detecting the iron will under his statement, Bardo tried another approach.
“Is that so? I still think it would be better if proper bodyguards were to follow along. The road to capital is far. Unlike the Baharuth Empire, the Kingdom of Re-Estize's roads aren't very safe. I could help you to find some trustworthy mercenaries.”
Safety of the road is being maintained by the nobles of the area, and they charge a toll fee for people traveling their roads. It’s one of many rights of the nobles, but it’s only a means for them to collect revenue. Many parts of the roads weren’t maintained nor properly patrolled, with many gaps in security. Therefore, it was common for travelers to be assaulted by bandits or mercenaries that have turned to banditry.
In order to solve this problem, under the efforts of the “Golden Princess,” the soldiers under the king’s direct control started patrolling the roads. But due to their small numbers, there weren’t any notable differences. The number of the patrolling troops was also small due to the constant meddling of the nobles who were scared of their rights being infringed.
Since it became like this, the country itself didn’t really have the power to maintain the order and security of the roads.