Chapter 342: Neil Andersen
Ryo was beaming as he came out of ‘Cafe Royale’.
It’s only natural.
The cafe he entered to ask for directions served surprisingly delicious cakes.
He thanked his good fortune.
((This is also the result of daily deeds.))
((Hah?))
The king, who was connected with ‘Soul Resonance’, seemed dissatisfied for some reason, but Ryo ignored him.
The address he was given was on the other side of the road from ‘Cafe Royale’.
A slightly large ordinary house.
Ryo didn’t know, but the cost of land in that neighborhood was quite high, so people who owned houses around there were, to put it bluntly, rich.
“Excuse me, I wish to deliver a letter to Mr. Neil Andersen, a magician.”
Ryo knocked on the door and showed the letter he had been entrusted to someone who appeared to be a maid.
“I’m sorry. Master is out right now…”
The maid answered apologetically.
“Ah… the client told me to hand it directly to the person in question…”
Ryo explained the situation properly.
If he suddenly says that he will wait until he returns, it would be terrible if the person only comes back after a few days…
“I think Master will be home soon. Please wait inside.”
“Pardon me then.”
It didn’t seem like it would take long.
Captain Bangan and Vice Captain Amalia monitored Ryo from the same place as when he was in the cafe.
It was the same for the other people watching them…
Twenty minutes later.
“I’m back. I heard someone is here to see me?”
“Welcome back, Master. There is a person who has a letter to hand directly to Master.”
While listening to the maid’s voice behind him, the man opened the door and entered the reception room where Ryo was waiting.
He was nearly two meters tall, but he looked slender.
Gray hair trimmed short, a hook nose, and a monocle over his left eye.
He gave the impression of being high-strung and scary.
Ryo stood up and greeted him.
“My name is Ryo. I have been entrusted with your letter.”
After saying that, Ryo handed over the letter.
“Hm”
The magician Neil Andersen said, took the letter and looked at the sender.
“Cardinal Sacharias?”
He opened the letter and read.
“Hmm… why now?”
Ryo could hear him mutter that.
“If you wish to reply, I can deliver it back?”
Ryo asked.
Hugh told him that he didn’t know if he needed to deliver a reply or not.
“No, it’s fine. It’s a letter to headhunt me. I’ve declined dozens of times until now and there had not been letters recently… why at this timing?”
Neil Andersen suddenly looked at Ryo in front of him.
“Did you say… Ryo? You’re not a member of the church, are you? Why were you entrusted with this letter?”
“Yes… I am actually a member of a delegation from the Central Countries…”
He explained briefly.
“I see…..”
Neil Andersen commented and sat down in a chair.
He urged Ryo to take a seat and continued.
“Are those people outside with you?”
“No… two of them have been monitoring me since I crossed the border, so they must be from the intelligence agency of this country. But their numbers suddenly increased today so I’m a bit lost as to why.”
“Hmm. If you’re aware of that much, then there’s no need for my input. Probably, the person who gave you this letter isn’t aiming for me, but you, Ryo-dono.”
“Eh……”
Hugh said something similar too. He thought there might be something fishy.
“I don’t really understand the situation in this country, so I would like to ask… If a member of the mission from the Central Countries dies in the Republic… would there be a big problem?”
Ryo decided to ask directly.
For some reason, the magician in front of him seemed to be familiar with various matters at the national level…
It appeared that the cardinal had tried to poach him many times.
“Let me see…”
Neil Andersen thought for a moment before continuing.
“Currently, this Republic is about to go to war with its western neighbor, the United Kingdom of Stachen.”
“What…”
“Well, the Republic is often embroiled in wars, so it’s a common thing… but this time it seems it will be a little tougher. I can’t really reveal the reason why it will be tough, but there is a possibility the Republic will lose. The United Kingdom of Stachen is a military superpower, so it’s also tough in terms of pure military power ratio. This time, it will be obvious. At the same time, it is very likely that other countries, or rather, the church, will intervene.”
“The church?”
“Yes. The church’s intervention means that the Van De Vie Theocracy Army will intervene.”
“But… the Van De Vie Theocracy doesn’t border this Republic, right?”
Ryo answered with a map of the Western Countries in mind.
“Yes, but it doesn’t matter. All countries except the Republic are under the control of the Church. They can pass through the countries as they please.”
“I see…”
“For hundreds of years, this Republic has been a thorn in the side of the Church… This time, it’s a golden opportunity to destroy it. They will send their troops even at this critical time when they are receiving ambassadors from the Central Countries. Probably the Golem Corps.”
“Golem Corps!”
Ryou unintentionally raises his voice in excitement.
Neil Andersen looked at him suspiciously.
“Ah, excuse me. I have an interest in golems…”
“Oh. You… From the way you look, you’re a magician, aren’t you? Do you also like alchemy?”
“Yes. I’m still a novice, but… I love it.”
Ryo laughed when he said that.
Neil Andersen looked at that dazzling smile.
It was as if he was looking at the passion that he once had but ultimately lost, for the first time in a long time…
“I hear that the peak of alchemy is very high. Do your best.”
“Yes, thank you!”
“Oops, that’s right, moving back to the topic. Frankly speaking, if you died, the Theocracy that accepted the missions from the Central Countries would have a reason to react and intervene.”
“Hah…”
“Well, they will probably intervene even if you don’t die… The only difference is whether or not they have an extra cause.”
“I don’t want to die for something like that…”
At Neil Andersen’s excessive explanation, Ryo shook his head slightly and sighed.
He didn’t want to die… it’s too much to be killed to be an additional cause…
“Apart from the two observers, are the other observers here to kill me?”
“No… from what I’ve seen, well, felt, it seems like the main purpose is to kill the two members of the Secret Services… If they get the chance, they’ll kill you too.”
At this time, Ryo learned for the first time that the Republic’s intelligence agency was called the Secret Services.
After a few more exchanges, Ryo left Neil Andersen’s place.
“I didn’t expect him to visit Neil Andersen…”
“Is he also an alchemist?”
Captain Bangan and Vice Captain Amalia saw Ryo enter Neil Andersen’s house and consult with him.
After that, he started to say something toward a small box that could fit in the palm of his hand.
Sometimes he would put it to his ear and listen.
It seemed to be a tool for communication.
“I have reported to the headquarters. We’re to continue to observe the Duke of Rondo.”
“As for the replacement personnel…”
“None.”
Captain Bangan replied with a sigh.
Likewise, Vice Captain Amalia sighed.
“Also, he said something that bothered me. It seems that communication with Lusher Squad has been cut off.”
“Huh? Lusher Squad… they were watching someone related to the church, right?”
“Yes, the cardinal who entered the country five days ago. Cardinal Sacharias.”
“I wonder if the church personnel have started to move…”
“No idea…”
While they were talking about such things, Ryo came out of Neil Andersen’s house.
((Abel. If it was you, where would you attack?))
((Huh? Why all of a sudden?))
(Abel was an experienced adventurer, so you attacked both criminals and innocents a lot, didn’t you? What kinds of places are easy to launch an attack?))
((Yeah, I feel like you said something reaaaly absurd. Well, thinking about it normally, it would be a less crowded place. Besides, it’s better at night than during the day, right?))
((No, at night, I plan to take an open-air bath, eat delicious dinner, and sleep comfortably in a fluffy bed.))
((Well, I thought Ryo would say something like that…))
While exchanging such conversations through ‘Soul Resonance’, Ryo left the city and gradually walked toward the outskirts of town.
As far as he could search with Passive Sonar, the two members of the Secret Services and the six people chasing them followed him the entire way…
“Somewhere like this, I guess.”
After saying that, he stopped and looked back.
And shouted.
“The two people from the Secret Services, your lives are being targeted.”
“!”
The surprise of the two people was conveyed.
They wouldn’t have thought that they would be noticed… but they never would have thought that their lives would be targeted either.
Ping. Ping.
From the bush where the two were hiding, sounds of something hard deflecting throwing knives could be heard.
In a panic, the two of them came out of the bush.
“Both of you, this way!”
Ryo shouted.
Without thinking much, the two of them ran.
Throwing knives flew from behind them.
Ping. Ping.
The same sound as before.
An invisible wall of ice repelled the throwing knives.
They must have realized that they could not defeat them with long-distance attacks.
Six attackers appeared.
TLN: Neil Andersen is the author of the three alchemy books Ryo read as a beginner.
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