Chapter 31 Cleanup
{TL: By Creed}
"Fate, are you okay!?"
After about ten minutes, Sofia rushed over.
She wasn't alone; there were adventurers and people who seemed like guards with her.
"Are you injured? Did you get poisoned? Any emotional damage?"
"Um... I'm okay. Don't worry too much."
"Really? Nothing at all? You're not pushing yourself too hard?"
She's overprotective.
But, she's worrying about me to that extent...
In a way, I find that genuinely heartwarming.
"By the way..."
Sofia glanced briefly at Sigurd lying on the ground.
With a gaze as if she's looking at trash, very cold.
"You didn't kill him?"
"No."
"He did something that even if he were killed, he couldn't complain about... well, he seems unlikely to reflect, so he might complain. Also, even if you had killed him, considering the charges, I don't think Fate would be held accountable, right?"
"I can't say I have no resentment."
Being enslaved.
Five years of being treated as someone's plaything.
I still can't forgive that.
But...
"I don't want to fall to the same level as Sigurd."
"..."
"I want to be myself... I still don't really understand what that means. Also, even a person like him, if he were to disappear, there might be someone who would be sad. Thinking about that, it was impossible."
"I see... Fate, you're kind."
"It might just be spineless."
"No. Your feelings, Fate, are kindness. Being able to think about someone else... that's a very important thing. People might call it naive. However, I am prouder of Fate's kindness than anyone else."
In affirmation of my decision and actions, Sofia smiled warmly.
――――――――――
"Adventurer's Guild.
Guildmaster's room.
"Well, well... this is troublesome."
Aizen sighed and placed the investigation report on the desk.
The contents of the report were about the incident caused by Sigurd and others.
They tried to frame Fate for a crime, resulting in the murder of three unrelated individuals. Not only that, but they also attempted to assassinate a lord.
Furthermore, digging into the past records...
Though fragmentary, evidence surfaced suggesting that Fate had been forcibly enslaved.
"Murder, attempted murder of a lord, forced slavery... the death penalty is certain. Even if they were extremely lucky, they couldn't escape becoming forced labor slaves. In the end, it's quite ironic that they, too, might become slaves. Despite overlooking the incident with Stuart, even covering it up."
Oh well... Aizen sighed again.
Then, he rubbed his forehead as if a headache was bothering him.
"Sigurd and the others... I didn't expect them to go berserk like this. If it's come to this, there's no way to clean up the mess... only to cut them loose."
Aizen's face twisted as he said this.
Filled with various malice, carefully simmered...
His face resembled that of a demon.
"Really... I won't be able to move freely for a while. I'll have to find a convenient pawn to use all over again."
Tantantan, Aizen irritably tapped his desk with his fingertip.
Listening to that rhythm, he contemplated.
Sigurd and the others were good pawns.
Despite being troublemakers, they had become obedient after forming a certain contract. They understood that by following Aizen's orders, they could gain benefits. They faithfully executed orders.
The orders Aizen gave to Sigurd and the others were often things that couldn't be done openly.
Threats and interference against opposing forces.
Or elimination.
In return, their ranks were elevated.
Originally possessing only C-rank strength, thanks to Aizen's support, they had risen to A-rank.
However, recently, things had gone too far, so he punished them to keep them in check...
That led to a rebellion.
A failure.
"Stuart would still be the best."
Talented.
Moreover, if used wisely, the Sword Saint would follow. The best pawn.
That's why, at some point, Aizen stopped supporting Sigurd and the others and sided with him.
"Well, I'll think about it later. I'm aware that I'm doing various wrong things, but if I don't do this, the Adventurer's Guild won't change."
Discrimination was happening as a matter of course, the guild's philosophy of supporting adventurers was nearly forgotten, and it had become all about seeking money. Those clinging to vested interests had corrupted the guild in this way.
That's why, even if it required a hardline approach, reform had to be achieved.
It was impossible to accomplish that through proper means.
That's why Aizen used Sigurd and the others, committed wrongdoings, and created sacrifices to execute what he believed was right.
"Yes... it's all for the sake of justice."
"For that, have you sacrificed Fate? And again, as in the case of Sigurd and the others, are you trying to conveniently use us as their replacement?"
"What!?"
Suddenly, a voice was heard from nowhere.
Aizen frantically looked around the room, but no one was there.
"I see. I understand your thoughts too. The depths of the current Adventurer's Guild are quite rotten. Bold actions are necessary to remove the pus. It requires treatment accompanied by pain. I understand this. However..."
From nowhere, Sofia appeared.
A slight, dropping sound, as if something light fell.
Hearing that, Aizen understood the mechanism.
"Sofia Ascart... I see! You used the invisibility tool I gave to Sigurd and the others!"
"Yes, correct."
"But... why here?"
"Are you seriously asking that? When Fate took the test, Sigurd and the others did various tricks, didn't they? Well, Fate overcame everything on his own, so I didn't do anything. But... you're different. You should have noticed, but you did nothing. You let Sigurd and the others do as they pleased. In this regard, it was clear that you were connected behind the scenes."
"Why are you so sure? Isn't there a possibility that I didn't notice Sigurd and the others' tricks?"
"Three times of testing, and you overlooked everything? Are you that incompetent?"
"..."
"Besides, if you think about it carefully, you support Sigurd and the others too much. You only give orders that benefit them to the guild staff. So, I was convinced that there was a connection. You were using them for various things, weren't you? Do you plan to become not just the guildmaster of this city but a member of the upper echelons of the adventurer association in the future?"
"...Yeah, that's right."
Aizen clenched his fist tightly.
Then, he spoke forcefully.
"I certainly got involved in wrongdoing this time. I used Sigurd and the others. But all of that was for the sake of justice! In the depths of the Adventurer's Guild, things like what I did happen every day as if it's normal. Can you forgive such things? No, it's unforgivable! Therefore, I must climb to the top and bring about reform!!!"
His actions were not wrong.
Aizen asserted this, fixing a straight gaze on Sofia.
In response to that gaze...
Sofia sighed as if it were irrelevant.
"Please, do as you like."
"What?"
"Certainly, the current guild is in a delicate situation. Corruption has progressed to some extent. If an adventurer like me feels that way, then as the guildmaster, you must feel an even greater sense of crisis. If you want to reform it, please feel free to do so. I have no intention of stopping you."
"Weren't you here to capture me...?"
"I haven't said a word about such things."
Sofia coldly laughed,
"I just came to give you a advice."
TL Note: Aizen was a bad guy.....
Of course he was. The idiot trio had to have a backer to have the balls to do some of the things they did. Not to mention weren't smart enough to come up with they're own ideas. So stupid.
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