Kays Translations

Chapter 246: A Fateful Partner

“First of all, I would like to thank you. I owe you my life, Tauro-dono. Thank you very much.”

Count Daredar bowed deeply to Tauro, an adventurer.

Normally, one would thank a man with words or a letter, but not with a bow.

This is because of his position as a nobleman.

But Count Daredar ignored this.

“Please raise your head, Count Daredar. If you are referring to the assassination attempt, it was just a coincidence, as I said.”

Tauro quickly replied.

“…...No, but it did in fact save my life. And I'm sorry it's taken me this long to thank you."

“No, that’s one aspect I refused.”

“I was also the one who was rude to Tauro-dono because my subordinate suspected you of being a member of the assassination guild. I was surprised when I received the report later. I was also suspicious of the assassination attempt and avoided people, so I apologize for being behind the curve. I was told that the interrogator was able to extract information smoothly thanks to the curse that Tauro-dono placed on the assassin so that the assassin’s sorcerer would not be able to commit suicide. Thanks to that, it led to the “Assassination Guild Branch Eradication Operation,” which is a great achievement. Thank you very much.”

"I did return the curse, but that's just a coincidence. It's just an afterthought, so there is no need to thank me.”

Tauro replied, inwardly wondering if that was why he was able to extract information from the assassin.

“No, no, I was told that it was Tauro-dono and his men who obtained classified information and saved the lives of adventurers in our elite unit this time as well. For that, too, as a lord, I am grateful."

Count Daredar bowed his head again.

This time, lightly.

He seemed to have learned that Tauro would not like it if he bowed too deeply.

“I give credit to my team for that. Everyone did a great job.”

I decided to accept the Count's gratitude on that point.

“The leader of the A-rank team, “Golden Mane”, praised you as a good team. I know you’ve all already received your rewards, but as your lord and master, I’d like to give this to you."

Count Daredar  said so and had his men bring a tray with money on it.

“To you, Tauro-dono, who has been at the center of this series of successes, I give three platinum coins, and to everyone else, I give one platinum coin each.”

“What a surprise. My goodness, you’re so generous! Ha-ha-ha!”

Ankh laughed and accepted his reward without hesitation.

Everyone followed his example and accepted their rewards.

Tauro took only one piece and put the rest back in the tray held by the count’s subordinates.

"The reward should be the same as everyone else's."

When Tauro answered so, Count Dareder nodded his head, perhaps thinking that forcing it was not a good idea, and had his subordinates lower the rest.

“ I have called Mr. Tauro here not only to thank him for his help, but also to express my gratitude for the confidential information he has given us, which has revealed a great deal about the flow of money in the assassination guilds. As a result of my close examination of the classified information, I found that there is a story or a connection that is not entirely unrelated to Tauro-dono. ...... In fact, we were following the money flow of a certain aristocratic faction, and we realized that some of the flow corresponded to the confidential information of the assassination guild."

“Wait a minute, Count. It's probably not a good idea to talk about it with us."

Tauro realized that Count Daredar was about to talk about something risqué and stopped him.

“It is true that this is a very bad thing to talk about. But since you have obtained this information and since we have a history together, I thought it would be a good idea for you to hear it.......won't you listen?"

Count Daredar looked into Tauro’s eyes and fell silent.

“…Everyone, leave the room unless you want to hear this story.”

Aeris and the others don't move even the slightest, they seem to be fully willing to listen.

"...Then please continue."

Tauro, with everyone's agreement, urged Count Daredar to speak.

“…Tauro-dono and Aeris-san, you probably know, but I belong to the Prime Minister’s faction. It is the largest faction among nobles, and recently it has surpassed even the royal family. And now, the Prime Minister’s faction is in conflict with the Marquis of Halagoura’s faction, and the rift between the two is deepening. The Marquis of Halagoura is the largest and most powerful faction of the nobility, recently surpassing even the royal family. We were concerned about this faction and were investigating the flow of money behind the scenes. Currently, the Marquis of Halagoura faction is believed to be moving a large and disturbing amount of money: the Marquis of Halagoura, the leader of the faction; Count Ayanshi, a leading figure; and Viscount Saissi, who has made a fortune from mithril ore but has been quiet until recently.”

Tauro reacts with a twitch.

It is true that they have a history with me.

Count Daredar continues.

“…Especially after the recent movement of large sums of money around Viscount Saissi, several suspicious deaths began to occur among the nobles in our ranks. We knew right away that it was assassination guild-related, but we didn’t know who was behind it. So we were on the lookout for Viscount Saissi, who had begun to spread money around in a flamboyant way, but we were having a hard time catching his tail.”

“…In there, is this the confidential document?”

"Yes, the assassin's guild dealt with an important goldmine, so it seems they investigated it on their own. Most of the confidential documents themselves were encrypted, but the numbers correspond to the flow of some of Viscount Saissi’s money.”

"In other words,Does this mean that Viscount Saissi is involved in the series of suspicious deaths of aristocrats from the Prime Minister’s faction?

“Yes. we believe so. We believe that the fact that Tauro-dono also obtained the confidential documents this time is a very fateful coincidence."

Tauro had a deep connection with the assassination guild, but Tauro never thought that Viscount Saissi would also be involved in the guild. (TN: For those who have forgotten, Viscount Saissi is the ruler of the town,Tauro first became an adventurer).

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