Rebuilding a Kingdom - Chapter 37, Chapter 38, Chapter 39 (Patreon)

The Black Ravens in Conflict with the Spider
As I was planning to head to the ruins tonight, Prime Minister Sylberg suggested assigning a bodyguard.

I politely declined the offer because having a bodyguard would be a nuisance while wandering around the city at night.
Besides, if I go to the ruins and consult Orlan, I'm sure she'll help me out.

Late that night, as I opened the door to sneak out of the castle, Sister Emilia was standing in the hallway for some reason.

Why is her intuition always so sharp?

"I knew you were up to something sneaky again, trying to sneak out of the castle. I won't allow it."

"Uh... This time, I got permission from Big brother Roland..."

"If that's the case, you should have told me sooner. If there's no risk of getting into trouble, I'll go with you."

Ah, I figured this would happen as soon as I saw Sister Emilia. I don’t even feel like resisting anymore.

Sister Emilia and I slipped through a hole in the outer wall of the castle and ran into the city.

We explored each alley behind the famous restaurant until we found Mr. Kernel leaning against the wall of an alley, drinking from a small barrel of liquor.

The two of us waved and ran over to Mr. Kernel. We sat in the alley and rejoiced at our reunion.

Then I asked Mr. Kernel if he could gather information for me again.

Mr. Kernel’s face turned serious and he squinted his eyes.

"Has something troublesome happened?"

"Yeah, it seems that a magician from the Elfast Magic Kingdom has escaped and is hiding in the Capital. I really need to contact and protect this magician. I can pay you for your help, including for the last time, so can I ask for your help?"

"I’m helping you because I want to. I don't need any payment. It’s enough if you visit me from time to time."

Then we decided to move to a different location and headed to the ruins.

When we entered the room, we found Orlan wrapped in a blanket and sound asleep on the bed.
Mr. Kernel pulled off her blanket and woke her up.

"Ian is here. Wake up."

"Sleep is important."

Orlan opened her eyes slightly, glanced at us, then changed her position to go back to sleep.
I took out a red-yellow bottle from my cloak for her.

"I brought something you love today, Orlan."

"Something I love?"

Orlan sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes, and stared at the bottle. As soon as she realized what I had brought, she quickly snatched the bottle from my hand.

"Honey."

She muttered and started licking the honey from her finger after opening the bottle.

I explained to Orlan about the magician escaping from the Elfast Magic Kingdom.
As I spoke, her honey-licking stopped, and she turned her expressionless face towards me.

"A person with messy black hair. Was being chased by someone. Took them to the Black Raven hideout."

"That doesn’t explain anything. Use clearer words to explain."

Ah, here we go again. Sister Emilia and Orlan started arguing.

Why does Sister Emilia always break character when Orlan is involved?
And Orlan, please stop provoking her.

Since this was a usual occurrence, I ignored them and tried to make sense of what Orlan had said.
She must have helped someone in the city and took them somewhere.

I asked Orlan.

"What are the Black Ravens?"

"Thieves' Guild? Assassins' Guild? It's an organization that's hostile to the Spider."

So, Black Ravens are a rival organization to Spider.

As I pondered, Mr. Kernel grinned.

"Black Ravens is an unusual group. They steal and kill, but only target those who have made money through shady means. They're an organization that lurks in the shadows of the Kingdom and frequently clashes with the Spider."

I see, it seems similar to a band of righteous thieves from my memories of Japan in my previous life.

If that's the case, there might be some room for negotiation.

Even though we still don't know if the person Orlan helped is the magician, meeting with Black Ravens might give us some leads.

After consulting with Mr. Kernel, we decided to make contact with the Black Ravens organization.

The four of us left the ruins and headed into the city.

Guided by Mr. Kernel, we walked through the alleys until we found that the Black Ravens hideout was surprisingly located on the main street.
Despite it being the middle of the night, a large group of rough-looking men were hanging around in front of the building.

Mr. Kernel smiled and raised one hand in greeting to them.

"Hey there!"

"Oh, it's Uncle Kernel!"

The gathered men straightened up and bowed their heads repeatedly upon recognizing Mr. Kernel.
They then split into two groups, creating a path to the entrance for us.

Smiling, Mr. Kernel walked down the path and entered the building.

"Tell Boss Cynus that Kernel is here."

Wait a minute.
Judging by this reception, could it be that Mr. Kernel knows Black Ravens personally?

///////////////

The Black Ravens Hideout
When Mr. Kernel spoke to the man at the entrance, he bowed deeply and went down the hallway.
After a while, the man returned with a sharp-looking handsome man.

This must be Boss Cynus, I thought.

Boss Cynus squinted his eyes and smiled, spreading his arms wide.

"It's rare for Uncle Kernel to show his face here. This place is like your home, so feel free to come and go as you please. You can even live here if you want."

"I'm already retired."

"Don't say that, come on in."

Boss Cynus smiled brightly and extended his hand, inviting Mr. Kernel into the room.

I had thought this place would be scarier, considering it's an organization that handles theft and assassination.
But what's with this homey atmosphere?

Not fully understanding the situation, SIster Emilia, Orlan, and I followed Mr. Kernel into the room.
Before us was a wide room with tatami mats.

I've never seen tatami mats in the Kingdom before.

According to ancient literature in this world, reincarnated people with memories of Japan, like me, occasionally appear.
In the age of myths, an ancient country used summoning magic to bring Japanese boys and girls, who then fought as heroes against the Demon King.

It's a fairy tale for children, so I don't know how much of it is true.

I had wondered if there might be tatami mats somewhere, but I didn't expect to see them within the Kingdom.

We took off our leather shoes, sat cross-legged on the tatami, and took our seats.
Boss Cynus looked at Sister Emilia and me, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Uncle, who are these two? I don't recognize their faces around here."

"Oh, these two are my friends. This is Ian and Emilia. I brought them here to introduce them."

"I see... If they're Uncle Kernel's friends, I can't ignore them. Since you brought them here, it's not just an introduction, is it?"

The previously friendly atmosphere changed abruptly, and he looked at us with an icy gaze.

The intense killing intent was overwhelming.

I hesitated a bit, but Mr. Kernel, sitting next to me, slapped me on the back, saying, "Go ahead, speak up."
Thanks to that, I shook off the intimidation and addressed Boss Cynus.

"We're looking for a magician who escaped from the Elfast Magic Kingdom. Orlan mentioned that she helped an unidentified person and brought them here. We'd like to meet that person."

"Oh... Orlan said that... So, what will you do if this person is the mage you're looking for?"

"We want to protect them."

After listening to my explanation, Boss Cynus put his hand on his chin.

"He was being chased by assassins. I suspect that both domestic and foreign assassin guilds are involved. If you protect him, you never know when assassins might attack. Do you have the confidence to defend him in such a situation?"

So, the Elfast Magic Kingdom chose to kill the escaped magician rather than bring him back.

Boss Cynus probably doubted our identities and resolve.

I quietly took out a dagger engraved with the Royal family crest from my pocket and placed it on the tatami.
Seeing the crest, Boss Cynus nodded deeply.

"I thought you were just some noble brats, but I didn't expect such big shots. Uncle, did you know who they were?"

"I didn't. I'm not interested in such things. Ian is Ian, and Emilia is Emilia. That doesn't change the fact that they are my friends."

"You must know what kind of organization this is. The Royal Castle, or rather the Royal family, is our greatest enemy."

Boss Cynus stood up on his knees, threateningly.

I hadn't expected a peaceful negotiation since deciding to visit the Black Ravens hideout, but I didn't think we'd be this disliked.

Sister Emilia, sitting next to me, placed both hands on the tatami and stared at Boss Cynus.

"As you say, we are the Royal family. But we have no intention of fighting the Black Ravens."

"The Black Ravens steals and kills the rich and the nobility. To the Royal Castle, we are a gang of villains."

"If you say that, the Royal Castle also starts wars and kills many enemy soldiers. What we do is worse than the Black Ravens."

"You have an interesting perspective. No wonder Uncle Kernel likes you. Alright, I'll at least listen to what you have to say."

Listening to Sister Emilia, Boss Cynus calmed down and sat back down on the tatami.

I was struggling to figure out how to calm Boss Cynus down, but thanks to Sister Emilia, we were saved.

///////////////

Girl Magician
I gathered my courage and stared into Boss Cynus's eyes.

"We have no intention of destroying the Black Ravens. If possible, we would like to establish a cooperative relationship with you."

"Oh... the Royal Castle and the Black Ravens... what brought this on?"

"Recently, we learned about the existence of the Spider. We can't allow the Kingdom to be ravaged by such evil. But the Royal Caslte can't reach the Kingdom's dark side. That's why we want to cooperate with the Black Ravens, who oppose the Spider. This is my personal wish."

"So, you want the Black Ravens to manage the Kingdom's dark side to drive out the Spider? It sounds like you're asking us to become the palace's lapdogs."

"That's not it. I heard a bit about the Black Ravens from Mr. Kernel. You only target the wealthy and nobles who exploit the common people. That's why we want to cooperate. But if you were expand into human trafficking or drug trade, the Royal Castle will certainly crack down on you, too."

"Interesting. Both brother and sister share similar traits. Fine, we won't join hands with the Royal Castle, but we will form a cooperative relationship with you two. I'll let you meet them Follow me."

Saying this, Boss Cynus stood up and left the room.
Sister Emilia and I exchanged delighted looks and hurried after him.

When Boss Cynus pulled a handle on a pillar, there was a grinding sound as the wall moved, revealing a staircase leading down.

Sister Emilia and I followed Boss Cynus down the stairs.

Mr. Kernel and Orlan didn't follow us, probably resting in the room.

We walked down a long hallway in the basement and opened the door at the end to find a girl with black hair tied in a single bundle sitting there.

I had expected someone with messy black hair, a reclusive researcher-type man, but it was a girl.

Boss Cynus called out to the girl with black hair.

"Get out. These people want to take you in."

"Is it the Elfast Magic Kingdom?"

"No. It's the Royals of Critonia Kingdom. In the castle, you'll be less likely to be targeted by assassins. Get moving."

"No! I don't want to leave your side, Lord Cynus."

The girl with black hair blushed and looked at Boss Cynus with moist eyes.
Ah... from that expression, she might have a crush on the boss...

Though Boss Cynus has a sharp look, he's quite a handsome guy, and the dangerous vibe adds to his appeal.
It's understandable that the girl would fall for him.

Without caring about the girl's feelings, Boss Cynus pulled her black hair.

"Your ride is here, get out."

"Ouch, ouch! If you're so rough, it'll become a habit!"

Boss Cynus dragged the girl out of the room and forcibly carried her down the hallway.
When we reached a room, he roughly tossed her onto the tatami mats.

The girl, lying on the tatami, had a dreamy expression on her face.

"... I love that roughness."

While watching this scene in bewilderment, Sister Emilia approached the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you the magician from the Elfast Magic Kingdom? If so, we've come to take you. I'm a member of Critonia’s Royal family. We will protect you."

"No! In the Kingdom of Critonia, I'll just be locked up and forced to research magic circles all the time. I hate that life. I want to shop in the city and travel to various towns, and I want to experience a passionate romance."

The girl declared firmly, her eyes wide and her fists clenched.
Sister Emilia nodded vigorously in agreement.

"I understand. For a young woman, love is essential. A life without love is like food without spices or seasonings."

"You understand me. That's why I don't want to leave Boss Cynus."

"I see. I also don't want to leave Ian's side."

The two girls seemed to hit it off and shook hands firmly.
Sister Emilia then returned to my side.

"Her will is strong. It's impossible to persuade her."

Listening to their conversation, it seemed there wasn't any attempt at persuasion at all!

Boss Cynus, who had plopped down cross-legged on the tatami, pointed at the girl.

"If you don't go with them to the palace, you'll never see me again."

"With utmost respect, I will accompany you!"

Her attitude changed dramatically, and she straightened her posture, pressing her head to the tatami.

To think her behavior could change so drastically with just a word from the boss.
The power of a girl in love is incredible!

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