Chapter 126.
Milpia compared the two maps carefully.
"The territory distribution chart is too dense compared to half a year ago. There are no buffer zones between the demons’ territories. At this point, the territories of the demons will inevitably overlap. Attached at the end is the analysis report indicating that this could not have happened naturally."
Big Mama read the last page of the report and handed the bundle of documents back to Milpia as she said, "Clearly, it seems like they are losing their territory and being pushed out by something."
"I agree."
Milpia gulped down tea to wet her throat, the tea cooling down during the conversation. The reason why Milpia was so busy these days was because of her work regarding the demon’s territory.
"There have been further reports that Doomstone Blade, the chief of the Crow Tribe, may be in the demon’s territory."
"Doomstone?" Big Mama looked at Milpia with an interested expression.
"We haven’t confirmed the information yet. We are just considering it as a possibility."
Big Mama nodded at Milpia’s report. "What is this based on?"
"Please look at this report first."
After receiving the report from Milpia, Big Mama read the report with attentive eyes. "This is classified information about the imperial army."
Milpia nodded at Big Mama. "Yes, it is. Recently, one of the four great madosas, Mirpa Ainsmall, was reported to be in the demon’s territory. It says a man named Gawain Blade came with Mirpa Ainsmall as a porter. However, given that his surname is Blade, he is considered to be part of the Crow Tribe chief’s direct lineage.”
As Big Mama turned the pages of the report, Milpia continued. "And here’s information about the two men’s food supply and demand. Even at a glance, the quantity of food does not fit only two people. Given the supply and demand, this implies that they ate a majority of their enormous food stockpile in a short amount of time, so it does not make sense."
"So there is likely more than two people?"
Milpia nodded at Big Mama’s question. "Yes, it seems so. Of course, it may not be the chief, but there really isn’t a reason to hide their activity unless Doomstone Blade is there."
If dozens of Crows were visiting the Empire or other countries, it would be worth hiding. But the demon’s territory was no man’s land. As such, there was no reason for the Crows to conceal their activity in the demon’s territory unless they were a unit of a few hundred people. This was even more valid considering that the Crow Tribe often roamed the demon’s territory to trade with the Empire and the Republic.
"I see. It certainly makes sense since Doomstone Blade’s departure from Olympus will put some countries in a semi-state of war,” Big Mama said.
"It’s understandable to thoroughly conceal the information considering it could trigger a war if something were to go wrong.”
Big Mama agreed with Milpia. "That’s right. This information has not been confirmed yet, but please set it at the highest level of information confidentiality."
Milpia nodded as she received the report from Big Mama. "I will do that."
Top secret information was only accessible to the head of the Big Mama Intelligence Agency, Big Mama, and three executives. One of these executives was Milpia, the director of the information agency headquarters charged with overseeing all the information in the Empire.
In short, it was classified as information that was absolutely not allowed to be sold. Doomstone’s departure belonged to the category of such dangerous information.
Milpia left a top-secret seal and her signature on the front page of the report and sealed it five times with magic.
"Do some more investigation into the demon’s territory."
When Big Mama sighed and ordered, Milpia bowed her head. "Yes, I’ll give a report as soon as the cause is found."
Big Mama spoke while putting away the finished plate of refreshments. "Then, since we are done with the urgent work, shall we go get some fresh air?"
"...Yes? "Milpia was flustered by Big Mama’s sudden suggestion, and she continued, “But there’s still work left.”
“That’s okay. You can just do it tomorrow.” Big Mama happily smiled and took out a colorful butterfly mask and a swan mask with a white feather from the drawer.
Milpia couldn’t bear to refuse Big Mama’s happy smile and prepared to go out.
* * *
The clock’s bell rang out, indicating that it was 8 p.m.
Organ put down the document he was holding and asked, "You have to be on night duty alone tomorrow. Will you be okay?"
"Yes. Well, I’ve learned everything I have to do, so I don’t think there will be any problems."
Night duty work just required me to be familiar with the emergency manual in case of any incidents occurring. First, check the number of pistols and muskets assigned to civil servants, then check the gunpowder and lead bullet stores.
After 9:30 p.m., force the adventurers who are drinking and chatting in the restaurants to leave. Then I would do a roll call of the adventurers who were staying the night. The roll call was only a procedure to check who had which room number.
At 10 p.m., all lights are to be turned off, and the request forms for the next day will be organized and posted on the request board. By this time, a small number of guild workers who stay and work overtime will be returning home, so I had to see them off and lock the door.
Afterward, by 11 p.m., if all the work for the next day was completed, the entrance properly locked, and the security magic activated, then the night duty work would be finished. Then you could just sleep in the night duty room.
The next morning, wake up at around 7 a.m. to release the security magic and grab some breakfast. Around 8:30 a.m., put on the uniform and do a morning roll call of adventurers who stayed the night, then prepare to receive visiting adventurers. The only problem was that the mattress in the night duty room was not very good, so it was uncomfortable.
Let’s buy a luxury mattress to put in my pocket space later so I can use it for night duty. While I’m at it, should I put in some scented candles that supposedly help you sleep well?
Organ nodded when I recited the series of things to do on night duty. "There’s no more to learn if you already know that much."
"I’ve learned everything as well."
Organ sighed at Flam. "It’s not a good custom. No, it might as well be a bad habit, but it will be an experience. Although, I can’t guarantee it will be a good experience."
As soon as he finished talking with a bitter smile, scarily enough, the door by the counter opened, and Rosellis came in and asked, "Are you ready?"
"This is a restricted area for adventurers."
Rosellis ignored Organ’s nagging and continued, "I know. That’s why I didn’t go in.”
Indeed, Rosellis was just outside the door. I shrugged at Rosellis’s question. "Well, I need to know where we are going to get ready."
Rosellis replied with a mischievous smile. "Ahahaha, it won’t be fun if I tell you. You’ll find out when you get there. If you have a bank book where you keep your paycheck, you can bring that with you."
Rosellis held up a bank book that showed certifications of deposits. The bank book was basically no different from one in my previous life.
"Miss Rosellis!"
When Organ called Rosellis in surprise, Rosellis burst into laughter. "Ah, you took it with you last time and donated your salary to your ‘rich’ neighbors, right?”
Organ’s face became bright red as if he heard a dark history when Rosellis mocked him. "Who, who said that!”
Rosellis laughed mischievously at the stuttering Organ. “Of course, it was Mr. Dane Walker.”
“Mr. Dane Walker!” Organ ran over to the window and yelled in anger. It was as if he was yelling, "Did you have to take it all!”
Rosellis laughed even more at Organ’s yelling. Again, Dane Walker, the target of the anger, was currently out of the capital completing a request. Fiona said before that he probably wouldn’t be back for another 15 days.
Yet, just where was she trying to take us that we would need our bank books? Only about 100 silver coins were recorded in my bank book anyways.
Because my bank records were likely known by the Prime Minister, I couldn’t use my original ID card. But because it wasn’t inconvenient, I just kept my money in my pocket space.
Come to think of it, many of those platinum coins had been used. Magic items and materials were expensive, so it ended up costing a lot of money to make the dragon tooth soldiers.
Rosellis laughed and threw clothing at Flam and me. "Wear it. It’s a bit awkward to go in uniform."
Rosellis had thrown quite a nice-looking suit at us. However, looking at the clothing’s manufacturing, it didn’t seem very expensive. Flam and I went into the night duty room and changed our clothes. The cheap suit fit me well as if it was a custom-tailored suit.
It seemed like the suit would be comfortable even if I moved violently. I wondered for a moment how Rosellis knew my size so perfectly. Seeing that Flam’s suit also fit just right, I remembered that I had provided my clothing size before I was given my uniform.
"Oh, it fits perfectly." Flam moved his giant body around to see how it felt.
"Leave your uniform and come pick it up tomorrow. It’ll be cumbersome to carry stuff in your hands."
We folded and put our uniforms neatly to one side of the night duty room before following Rosellis for a long time.
"Isn’t it okay to tell us now? Where are we going?”
Rosellis stopped walking and replied with a roguish smile, "We’re here."
Rosellis pointed at an entrance to a basement. The splendidly decorated entrance was marked with a sign that read ’Royal Casino’ in shining letters made of magic. Only then did I understand what Organ meant by saying it was a bad habit.
So Organ came here and lost all the money from his bank book. Thinking back to Rosellis and Organ’s conversation, Organ appeared to have really lost a lot and was still being teased for it. Organ probably trembles now when he thinks about gambling.
"Mmm, what kind of place is this Royal Casino?" Flam looked at Rosellis and me as if he still didn’t know what it was.
“You don’t know what a casino is?”
"You don’t know about casinos?”
Rosellis and I looked at Flam with astonishment. My god, he doesn’t even know what a casino is.
"Is it something I need to know?"
I forced a laugh and shook my head at Flam. "No, it’s better not to know. Organ said so too. It’s a bad place."
"I don’t know what it is, but wouldn’t it be better not to go in if it’s a bad place?"
As Flam’s expression became serious, Rosellis and I simultaneously grabbed both of his arms.
"Oh ho, where do you think you’re going?"
“That’s right. As long as you don’t get addicted.”
Flam freaked out at my words. "You can get addicted here?! Isn’t it dangerous?"
I clasped Flam’s arm as he tried to escape. "It’s not dangerous. If it was a really dangerous place, would it be out in the open like this in the capital?”
Rosellis agreed with me, "Yeah. Though it looks like this, this casino is legal and officially recognized by the Empire."
According to rumors, this was probably the place where the Prime Minister laundered money after extorting the nobles of illegal slush funds. Of course, if the Prime Minister had really tried to launder money, there was no way rumors would have spread.
"Come on, let’s go in."
It was June of last year when I briefly played in a casino set up on a train coming to the capital. At that time, I wasn’t too close with Lisbon and Alice yet, so I couldn’t play properly.
A casino, by the way, was quite an interesting custom.
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