Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 247: One Silver Coin
Tauro’s meeting with Count Dareder continued.
“At the end of one recovered document, someone added a line in ordinary, unencrypted writing,” the count explained. “It contained your name, a number, and an X. We’ve been investigating what the X signifies. Our current conclusion is that it marks an assassination assignment as completed.”
“Have you ever been targeted by assassins, Tauro? If not, the entry might refer to a different person or have another meaning.”
Count Dareder’s entire interpretation depended on Tauro’s answer. Without confirmation of an attempt on his life, the apparently matching codes and payment figures might still be coincidence.
“Yes. I reported a recent assassination attempt to the Adventurers’ Guild. The Assassins’ Guild probably believes it succeeded, although Salk escaped during the attack on their stronghold and may eventually tell them otherwise.”
“I see. Then our reading is probably correct.”
Count Dareder hesitated.
“There’s one strange point. The payment recorded beside your name is far too small for a normal assassination contract.”
“How small?”
“One silver coin.”
The amount wouldn’t even cover the Guild’s expenses.
“At first, that entry made me question whether the entire document was genuine,” Count Dareder said. “But the confirmed attempt on your life explains the inconsistency. The Assassins’ Guild must have had another reason to accept the task for a token fee.”
“The handwritten note containing your name, the amount, and the completion mark nearly undermined the credibility of the encrypted records. I don’t mean that your life lacks value; the problem was that the figure made no commercial sense.”
Tauro understood the distinction, although learning that his assassination had been priced at one silver coin still wounded his pride.
He considered the likely explanation.
While negotiating a much larger agreement with Viscount Saissi, the Assassins’ Guild may have offered to eliminate one additional person as a bonus or gesture of service. Saissi had named Tauro, and the Guild—already angered by Tauro’s repeated interference—had eagerly accepted.
The scale and preparation of the death trap made that possibility difficult to dismiss.
“Have you deciphered the encrypted sections?” Tauro asked.
“Not yet. My people are working day and night, and I don’t expect the code to hold forever, but the work is still in its early stages.”
Count Dareder leaned forward.
“Once the enemy learns that you survived, they may target you again. For the moment, I advise you to disappear somewhere no one would think to search.”
“I’ll consider it.”
If the danger concerned only Tauro, he might have ignored it. The trap at the Children’s Village had nearly killed his companions as well. He had to treat the threat seriously.
“You saved my life,” Count Dareder said. “I’ll use every resource available to help you. Ask whatever you require.”
He granted Tauro and Black-Gold Wings free access to the castle and promised support anywhere within the Dareder territory.
Tauro tried to refuse, but the count wouldn’t yield.
An attendant gave him a small identification tag bearing the Dareder family crest. In an emergency, Tauro could show it to the official responsible for any town or village in the territory and request assistance in the count’s name.
With that, Count Dareder’s named request—and the meeting—came to an end.
The carriage returned Black-Gold Wings to their inn. Aeris and Ragune then joined Tauro and Ankh in the men’s room to discuss their next move.
“What are you going to do, Tauro?” Aeris asked. “I think we should leave Dansas until the situation settles. Do you have somewhere safe in mind?”
“There’s one possibility, but first I need to know what the rest of you intend to do.”
“Us?” Ankh replied. “I have no objection to continuing under you, Leader.”
“I became your companion and your friend,” Ragune said. “You’re not planning to dissolve the team immediately after our blood pact, are you? Kill me…!”
Her familiar outburst came sharply, but this time it struck directly at the idea Tauro had been considering: leaving the team temporarily and hiding alone.
“Were you planning to separate from us and disappear by yourself?” Aeris asked, reading his hesitation.
“Not exactly. The place I have in mind is somewhere all of you know, and I should be able to contact you easily.”
Tauro began to explain the refuge he believed lay beyond the Assassins’ Guild’s reach.