Chapter 191

Chapter 191

***

It was a quiet and peaceful village. Next to it was a small lake. It looked exactly suitable to sow a small garden and raise sheep or cows in the field.

It didn't look good for a large population to live, but if a small number of people lived satisfied with what they had it was a village where one could make a living tolerably.

The village was exactly the new Benzinen village, which even the locals of the Esk region didn't know well. It was a foundation of life rebuilt with construction materials collected from the ruins.

Rickart stayed in that village for a while. He sent a letter written to Lehman to the Master's Federation through a Benzinen Brotherhood person, and from the Federation they made them send it again on horseback to where Lehman was, that was.

Whether it would properly be delivered, or whether he would respond positively even if it was delivered was an unknown.

But there wasn't a law saying to just suck on fingers until a reply came either.

Rickart devised countermeasures in his own way. But that countermeasure was something the Benzinen Brotherhood couldn't even imagine.

"Since it has come to this let's openly reveal ourselves."

"......What do you mean?"

Kalla who was trimming vegetables with a dagger looked back at Rickart and asked. Perhaps because some trust had formed now, although it was informal speech his tone became a little polite compared to before.

"Are you trembling with anxiety that Papa will hide, or are you afraid that Papa will pounce? I'm saying since we decided to kill him let's do it openly. If so some reaction will definitely come out, and we just have to trace it back."

"......To do that our numbers are too few."

"Why are the numbers few. We just have to do it one by one at a time. For now we will find out Papa's lackeys and grab and grill them all."

"How?"

If they knew that why would they live like this. However, although Rickart didn't study much his brain was extraordinary. He just didn't flaunt it himself, but in strategy and tactics he was truly a genius who defied comparison.

And that genius nature was always underlaid with the ability to understand and read people's minds.

"From what I saw quietly observing the people of the Esk region, they seem to betray as if eating meals. When do you think a person betrays? It is precisely when the side offering loyalty is unreliable and the enemy is more trustworthy. Everyone knows about Papa's existence but they are hushing it up. Because they hate touching it pointlessly and suffering terrible things. Then the answer is one. We just have to show that the bastard called Papa and his lackeys don't have rat poison (jack shit), and we are more trustworthy."

Rickart's words were light but they were words piercing the essence. But that was a method of fighting a full-scale fight or battle rather than a secretive revenge.

"......"

"It would be good to establish a Federation branch. Since your people hate outsiders anyway, how about you Kalla take charge and run it? Master's Federation, Esk Branch, Benzinen Guild? Office? Anyway, saying let's drive the situation in such a manner. We execute bastards kidnapping and abducting boys in the name of the Federation, the signboard is good too."

The great thing about Rickart was that if placed in a frustrating situation he could overturn the board itself. It was saying let's openly oppress and Hunt him, rather than quietly tracing Papa without being caught.

"......Wouldn't just waiting be better? The reply from the High Vampire, that is."

"You cannot win a fight opening your mouth waiting for persimmons to fall under a persimmon tree. I respect all the ways you live or handle and treat matters, but if the purpose is clear you must use various means."

Kalla wasn't opposing Rickart's opinion or anything like that, it was just closer to not feeling like it because it was a method they hadn't done before.

No, even while not feeling like it on the one hand he also had the thought that he wanted to did it. Why it was he couldn't know. Whether it was the sense of trust felt from the person Rickart himself, or because of the charisma radiating from his strength.

Killing Papa and Dunkel was also killing them, but Rickart was trying to put the Esk region under the Master's Federation's jurisdiction at this opportunity. Of course as it was an era with distinct regional colors, respecting their customs or ways of life as much as possible.

To forcibly incorporate such regions ultimately they had to commit acts like massacring and burning, but the Master's Federation didn't need to did that. Because it was a type of private organization, not a territory or a nation.

Of course it would be saying some coercion and things heterogeneous to the locals would unfold though.

"I will take responsibility and beat Papa to death. Consider it a method for that."

Once Rickart decided, his executing power pushing forward was like a chariot. He was somewhat obstinate, but he had never failed doing it like this.

More than anything since the Benzinen Brotherhood had no clear solution they had no choice but to follow Rickart.

"By the way what is the relationship between that kid Belynn and you Kalla?"

Whether they reconciled or what, Belynn and Roy were stuck together correctly squatting by the lake looking down at something.

As Rickart looked at the boy and girl far away, Kalla also briefly stopped trimming vegetables and looked at the two kids.

"She is my daughter."

"Shouldn't she wear some shoes?"

"Not only Benzinen but several villages do not put shoes on from when they are young. Because if they wear shoes later the sound of walking becomes exceptionally grating on the ears, and then naturally they learn the method of moving without sound."

"What kind of neighborhood where all the people are raised as assassins."

"Because they have no strength I wonder if they didn't choose such a method."

"What do you mean?"

"We have received invasions from powerful enemies since olden times. The Duke of Lineburg family is our longtime enemy and also owner. All they do is come when they are about to be forgotten and kill and burn everything. Of course it is not like that now. Do you think it just became like that? It's all because our ancestors gave up their lives and assassinated the commanders. Dying is not feared. Failing to kill is feared. That is the Esk people, Eska, and Benzinen."

For reference the Esk region was also a territory belonging to a certain Lord. Merely, because the resistance had been so fierce since the past they just left it alone. It wasn't that autonomy was guaranteed, but they had protected it themselves.

In the world there were various regions, and people of various temperaments fitting those regions lived. The people of the Esk region were ones seemingly insidious on the outside but harboring hot flames on the inside.

Rickart who was an outsider finally got a glimpse of their true aspects.

However at the end of the chain of revenge and revenge, grudge and grudge, what remained was ultimately the pure companionship of a boy and girl.

Maybe killing Papa wasn't a simple assassination or execution but another resistance. Telling them not to touch the kids.

"Goodness, you really don't understand the words, that."

Rickart said with a frowned impression at a place where the shade of a huge tree hung over. He seemingly tried to speak like a thug on purpose, but it didn't really suit him.

Kalla and Roy, Belynn, and several other people were watching from behind with looks of what on earth was he doing.

"Hey, old folks. You might not have heard of it in this kind of rural corner, but there isn't a person among the people of the Empire who doesn't know. The Master's Federation, Council of Six. There are no bastards who didn't fall to ruin getting on our bad side. Iron Arm Randel also died by my hands, and the 2nd Prince also ran away being afraid of us. But you think we cannot handle one small-fry-like vampire? Huh?"

Grandfathers and grandmothers looking like they had no strength whatsoever were gathered in one place listening to Rickart's words. Mutely blinking their eyes they truly looked like they didn't know anything.

There was a reason why Rickart called the old people from several villages and was doing this right now. Because the characteristic of people living in one region for a long time was quickly noticing minute changes or heterogeneous things.

Since regarding Papa only an extremely few figures knew information, they were starting the work at least like this for now.

"You heard the rumor that Raphael the boss of Diabol Eska died right? I killed that bastard. Because he was Papa's lackey. Now that he decided to follow a vampire is that a human? He's not a human. He gave up being a human. Isn't that right? So if you old folks know anything spit it out quickly."

Rickart continued to speak exactly as if intimidating. But since it wasn't his true feelings it had been entirely awkward since earlier.

"Are there no people whose grandson or son went missing? You truly don't have such experience? I clearly say this, but shutting your mouth regarding Papa is no different from being that bastard's underling. Do you know what I mean?"

Rickart continued to press, but the old people didn't show signs of speaking. That was bound to be so, because the Esk people kept their mouths shut thoroughly to the extent of it being called almost a religious commandment.

And not to say otherwise, what if they handed over information to Rickart and suffered harm from Papa? Trusting what should they give information to Rickart?

However no matter how much they were Esk people, humans were humans, and not all people live with the exact same emotions. One old man looked around his surroundings slowly then spoke calmly.

"30 years ago, my youngest son went missing. I gave up on finding him long ago. However my rotting and crumbling heart has not completely healed. I do not have many days left to live now. It does not matter whether Papa comes and slices off my nose or fillets my entire body. What matters is whether you truly have the capability to avenge me."

That damn revenge. They seemed like people crazy for revenge. The currency of the Esk region was revenge.

To the old man's words asking if he had the capability to avenge him, Rickart abruptly kicked the tree next to him hard with his foot.

Thereupon a thump sound was heard and the huge tree shuddered, then deep blue leaves fell rustling down rustling.

In an instant Rickart bent his knees slightly lowering his posture and brought his hand to the sword at his waist. And, no one saw the sword being drawn. All that was seen were flashing streaks of light.

Presently the fresh leaves fell rustle, but they were all precisely split in two. The sword was entered in the scabbard.

"Ooooo!"

Only then did the indifferent old people open their eyes wide and let out exclamations. Presently applause poured out. Kalla and Belynn also applauded naturally without realizing it themselves.

CLAP-CLAP-CLAP-CLAP-CLAP-CLAP.

This seemed exactly like behaving cutely in front of old people, anyway Rickart waited for the applause to die down then said.

"If it is this much it wouldn't lack in picking a vampire's neck right?"

"Were you a magician?"

It couldn't help but look like that in the old man's eyes. Because they didn't even see the sword being drawn, nor did they see it entering back.

"It's not that."

"In my whole life this is the first time seeing such sword wielding. Whether it's Federation or Council of Six I don't know, and I will bet on that sword wielding. There's a pig slaughterer in Komet village. The name is Einmetz. That bastard is Papa's lackey. He is the one in charge of corpse disposal."

The old man very simply taught him extremely valuable information. And that wasn't all. Other old people also taught him one by one.

"Helga who just does embroidery at home every day too. She is the role of observing people's movements out the window. If there's a beautiful boy catching her eye she informs him."

"The middle contact point is Molin. Age is 10 this year. She took charge as the contact point because she's ugly."

Valuable information poured out like autumn leaves from the mouths of the old people just like the leaves falling just now. Knowing all this like this, why had they been keeping their mouths shut all this time.

Of course that was because speaking wouldn't solve the problem.

And just like Rickart's words, the stream of information was always bound to flow towards the more reliable side. Since it wasn't that they kept silence because they liked Papa.

The Benzinen Brotherhood people organized the pieces of information the old people spat out one by one.

Rickart approached Kalla and said.

"Perhaps the matter could be solved easily. If we trace back wouldn't it be quickly?"

But right then an affectionate, and regrettable name flowed out from a certain old man's mouth.

"Dunkel. He's a bastard who even kidnaps, lures, abducts, monitors, tracks escapees, and assassinates boys. I heard he was from Benzinen."

That old man stared intently at Kalla. He was saying isn't he from the same village as you. Thereupon Kalla calmly shook his head.

"Not anymore."

Rickart didn't say any words. He merely quietly recalled the past days related to Dunkel, which wasn't even memories or anything.

Presently shaking off distracting thoughts, he only thought of this, I will definitely catch him and beat him to death.