Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 338: The Mastermind’s True Identity
　Tauro, Ragune, and Ankh sat at the counter of the Salt Lake Pavilion, eating while they listened to the salt producers around them.
“The mayor still isn’t doing anything!”
“He has no intention of doing anything!”
“What about the adventurers?”
“I heard one team has been fighting those damned crabs near the salt lake recently.”
“Is that true?”
“I’ve only watched from a distance, but it looks as though the Adventurers’ Guild has finally begun acting. Still, it’s only one team.”
　Tauro reacted slightly. They were talking about Black-Gold Wings. At least the people of Caxart seemed to recognize that their efforts were helping.
“The mayor is the real problem. His predecessor was capable, but this young one is useless. He does nothing except line his own pockets.”
“Don’t say that so loudly. Still… are the rumors true?”
“They are. I know an accounting official at the mayor’s office. He complained about it while he was drunk.”
“Seriously? If the mayor is both incompetent and embezzling public money, Caxart is finished. Shouldn’t somebody appeal directly to the lord?”
“Who’s going to travel all the way to Graunewald without proof? The count’s officials would dismiss an ordinary worker at the gate.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that our lives are collapsing. Unless the monsters around the lake are exterminated, we can’t restart salt production.”
“I know. But now that I think about it, the outbreak began soon after people inside the mayor’s office discovered the embezzlement.”
“What terrible timing. An incompetent, greedy mayor and a monster outbreak at the same time – this city couldn’t have suffered a worse combination.”
　The salt producers agreed and emptied their cups. Judging from the pace at which they were drinking, many would still feel the effects the following morning.
“The mayor is embezzling money?” Ankh whispered. “We need to tell Count Graunewald, Leader.”
“The embezzlement was discovered, and then the monsters appeared…” Tauro murmured, too absorbed in thought to answer him directly.
“Tauro,” Ragune said, “are Flaming Crabs native to this region? If they normally lived in the salt lake, wouldn’t Caxart have more adventurers in the D-rank band who knew how to subjugate them?”
“…You’re right. I completely overlooked that. A city this safe shouldn’t suddenly be overrun by unfamiliar D-minus monsters. What if someone brought Flaming Crabs here and deliberately bred them in the lake?”
“Who would benefit?” Ankh asked. “The entire city has suffered enormous losses. It would make more sense for an outsider to be responsible.”
“Normally, yes. But if an outsider caused the outbreak, why has Caxart’s mayor refused to deploy the territorial soldiers or stop the baiting?”
“That’s true… He should be doing everything possible to protect the city.”
“What if he released the monsters because he was afraid the embezzlement would be discovered?”
“How would a monster outbreak conceal stolen money?”
“Salt provides most of Caxart’s tax revenue. If the lake became unusable, the mayor could report that tax payments to Count Graunewald had fallen because production stopped. He could blame the missing revenue on the Flaming Crabs instead of his embezzlement.”
“That would destroy the source of the money he was stealing,” Ankh objected. “The damage would be far greater than the amount he could keep. Would anyone truly be that foolish?”
“From everything we’ve heard, Baronet Colon may be exactly that foolish.”
“…I can’t deny it. If your theory is correct, the mayor himself is the mastermind behind this disturbance. That would explain why the administration has done so little.”
“The branch’s veteran C-plus team is also closely tied to him,” Tauro continued. “They may have enough influence to keep the local adventurers away from the lake. Someone connected to the mayor could also be interfering with the requests for assistance sent to other branches.”
“I understand now,” Ragune said. “Then Black-Gold Wings arrived unexpectedly, began exterminating the monsters in earnest, and discovered the bait. Their attempt to deceive Count Graunewald is approaching its limit. The soldiers were sent to watch us because the mayor considers us an obstacle.”
“Which means his favored C-plus team should appear soon and try to drive us out,” Ankh said with a grin.
“Most likely. They may begin with threats.”
“Then we defeat them,” Ragune proposed immediately.
“Fighting between adventurers is forbidden,” Ankh reminded her. “They’ll probably tell us to leave Caxart. If we refuse, they’ll send local thugs to attack us. If we injure the thugs, the territorial soldiers can arrest us for assaulting townspeople. It’s a common setup.”
“Then we’ll be arrested no matter what we do!”
“Only if we follow the route they prepared for us,” Tauro said with a faint smile. “Before they can destroy it, we need proof of the embezzlement and of whoever is obstructing the guild. I have an idea.”