Raising Paladins

Episode 17. Parrot and colossus (4)

“ha ha ha! So, what did I say? If this body comes out, everything will be solved! ha ha ha!”

Devaldo, who was holding a glass of wine, laughed heartily.

Looking at it, Hanson thought.

‘It’s definitely advantageous.’

It is said that the troublemaker at the temple was entrusted with escorting the fruit transport.

Where did the temple have the manpower to escort such a large-scale ascending trip?

Fifteen people, including Daryls, were caught, but they couldn’t escort them this time.

‘You will never be able to pass the guard post I installed!’

The road from the outskirts of Meirium to Tournoble.

Hanson set up guard posts in the middle of the road and deployed his men.

I made sure to keep dry branches and rabbit droppings there at all times.

If something happens, light a fire right away so that other guard posts can be notified.

It was a countermeasure to prevent attacks from other villages targeting Hanson’s gang.

To get to Tournoble, we had to pass through several of those posts.

But what kind of shame did the Daryls who betrayed the gang pass through there?

It was clear that they would not be able to go on this ascend.

‘In the end, Carl is going to escort him alone… … .’

What are you thinking?

If you ride alone, it takes only one day to Tournoble.

But with the fruit convoy, it’s at least two days long.

In addition, there are rare sections where bandits and looters often appear.

But you’re going out alone to escort it?

Even for Hanson, who has never lost a fight, that’s impossible.

‘Are you just crazy? I’ve only been lucky so far?’

The only situation I can think of is that.

At that time, De Baldo, who was drinking, said.

“Captain Hanson, what are you thinking?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t worry, he does! How can he escort that big uphill? They’ll probably be robbed by magicians or scavengers. I’ll be glad if I come back with a life saved. hahahahaha!”

“… … So what about merchants? If a looter appears, the guild will also have to sacrifice a lot, right?”

“Isn’t that something that can’t be helped? It’s a big peddler, so I’m going to lose a lot, but if I get what the temple promised, I’ll more than make up for it.”

“A promise from the temple?”

Oops.

Devaldo hurriedly managed his expression.

In fact, Devaldo had only conveyed the word that the temple would be in charge of transporting the fruit tomorrow.

Even writing a knife and papers, the promised deal was not open to the mouth.

What if Hanson finds out the details?

They may try to rob you of your gains.

That was an absolute no-no.

‘All farmland and buildings are occupied by me!’

DeValdo and Hanson sit across from each other and drink, but are wary of each other!

Debaldo, who quickly wiped his mouth, said.

“Ha ha, I must have been a bit drunk. The words are in vain.”

“… … .”

“Don’t worry too much and have another drink. If you’re really worried, can’t Captain Hanson also attach a few escorts?”

“I… … May I say something, brother?”

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Josephson, who had been quiet and downcast until now.

He said cautiously, his face swollen from being hit by the knife.

“you?”

Hanson was still angry with Josephson.

After taking ten of his subordinates, they were all taken away like idiots.

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Josephson, noticing Hanson’s expression, spoke quickly.

“older brother! I have a really good idea!”

“Let’s have a listen. Captain Hanson.”

He even goes to Debaldo to help.

Hanson nodded reluctantly.

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Josephson laughed at this time.

“Even though Daryl and the children were arrested, there were still close to 20 children left. There are also three or four guard posts guarding each street corner. I think that Carl will go out alone as an escort. I heard that he is a terrible delusion, and he has too much faith in his own abilities.”

“so?”

“Anyway, it’s winter soon, so isn’t it the last fruit peddler? If the bandits or raiders find out that we’re not escorting them, they’ll definitely attack us going up. That’s when we go!”

“we?”

“yes! I pack up the remaining children and secretly follow the peddler, and when the bandit attacks and the knife falls, I go out and defeat them. Then the merchants will believe that they are safe only with Hanson’s gang, so they can receive more convoy money in the future. The sword is naturally taken care of by the bandits.”

“Um… … .”

Hanson nodded.

After all, Josephson is a guy who has better hair than fighting.

The strategy he came up with this time was quite useful.

‘If you do well, you will be able to remove the headache and build trust in the merchants. Also, I can bring the children who are being held in the temple.’

A plan that will get you three benefits at once if you succeed.

Devaldo, who was listening, said with great joy.

“I think Josephson’s idea is very good! So, can’t we protect the fruit vendors too? It’s only natural to kill a guy named Carl.”

Of course, Devaldo’s intentions were different.

‘Heh… … If that happens, he will disappear, leaving only a scarecrow in the temple! Besides, the contract I wrote on paper is still valid!’

If the temple fails to escort the fruit peddler, all farmland and buildings will be handed over to Devaldo!

That was the content of the contract.

What if Carl fails as Josephsson planned and Hanson’s gang succeeds in transporting the fruit?

Then, ‘Fruit Transport’ is a success, but ‘Temple’s Escort’ is a failure.

Now that the documents have been filled out, all the farmland and buildings of the temple that failed to escort are yours!

In addition, the fruit transportation was completed safely, so there is no need to be reprimanded by the merchants.

Devaldo plans to welcome it with open arms.

“Thinking back, what a plan! It’s because I don’t see the loss, but I get a lot of gain! ha ha ha!”

Hanson, who was listening to Devaldo’s words, quietly lifted the bottle.

Then he filled the cup in front of Joseph’s hand and filled it with wine.

“thank you! older brother!”

Hanson’s act of forgiving the mistake he made last time!

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Josephson sighed in relief, thinking that he was alive now.

“It’s your plan, so take responsibility yourself. You won’t fail this time, will you?”

“No, of course! I will make sure to get rid of that sword and make the ascension a success!”

“okay. If you succeed this time… … .”

gulp!

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Josephson swallowed.

“I will recognize you as the second person in the gang.”

“older brother!”

Impressed, Joseph’s eyes lit up as if he were about to shed tears.

“Don’t get excited. We haven’t even started planning yet.”

“Yes, brother! I will make sure to succeed!”

“Let’s have a drink.”

Hanson held out his glass, and Devaldo and Josephson bumped into each other.

‘Remove that madman and make Meirium completely my territory!’

‘The temple’s buildings and farmland will all be mine, ha ha ha!’

‘If I succeed this time, I will finally be the second person. Then look at the opportunity… … !’

Three people with the same alcohol but different desires.

They laughed and drank their cups.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether their wish will come true.

***

“I have a question for you, servant.”

“Yes, knight!”

Carlos’ room neatly organized.

Daryl stood there, breaking out in a cold sweat.

‘It’s not enough that I called in the middle of the night, I’m alone… … .’

Could it be that you have made some mistake?

Have you spoken rudely to Carl or Tira today?

Or is it sloppy dressing and poor hygiene?

All sorts of thoughts cluttered Daryl’s head.

Right now tomorrow morning, I have to practice that fearsome swordsmanship again.

But since I couldn’t sleep, I really felt like dying.

“Did you say you were the second person in the gang?”

“yep!”

“That’s why I called. I need to know about Devaldo’s relationship with that Hanson.”

“ah… … .”

Daryl finds out why he was called.

He let out a small sigh of relief.

“Tell me what you know. About the two of you.”

“If it’s Devaldo… … .”

Daryl thought for a moment before continuing.

“You mean Devaldo, the head of the Merchant Guild, right? That fat merchant with a cheeky parrot.”

“right. Go on.”

“He is the one who handed over most of the convoy tickets to Hanson and took part of the profits from it. He is like a leech.”

Daryl’s expression was not very good.

“He’s the one who has the mayor behind him, and I understand that if the gang escorts the fruit and gives some of the profits to Devaldo, Devaldo will pass on some of the profits to the mayor again.”

“So, you’re a broker who gets caught in the middle and benefits?”

“You saw it right away. Devaldo is not a native of Meirium, and nobody likes him because he sucks the blood of the merchants as well as the gang. When the merchants heard his name, they ran to the stream and washed their ears, so they said everything.”

A doubt popped into Carl’s head as he listened.

A frontier city like Meirium is a place where the solidarity between the indigenous people is great.

But a foreigner becoming the head of a merchant guild?

Of course, if you are good at business and have a knack for swaying people, that might be the case.

However, the devaldo I saw today seemed quite far from that.

Something smelled fishy.

“How did you become the head of the Merchant Guild when you’re not even a native? A town like this wouldn’t easily give up a high position to a stranger, right?”

Daryl nodded.

“Of course it is. But as I said, we have the market behind us. Baron Astell appeared about 10 years ago and drove out the Marquis, who was the mayor at the time, and became the current mayor, and Devaldo also came to Meirium with Baron Astell. The mayor gave Devaldo all kinds of rights, and within a few years he had taken control of the fruit market and the entire transportation business. To put it simply, he is Baron Astel’s pawn.”

“Um… … .”

Cal’s face was deeply pensive.

‘This city is rotten to the very roots!’

Hanson’s gang forcibly collects money from merchants.

Devaldo, the head of the Merchants Association, connects the Hanson gang with the powerful.

And a man named Baron Astell at the top of this food chain.

It must be because of those three groups that the lives of the citizens of Meirium are barren.

“The mayor is a very influential person. We haven’t seen it in person, and only Hanson-hyung is alone from time to time, but seeing that Hanson-hyung comes back with a lot of fear, it seems that there is something great about it.”

“okay?”

“yes. I bring most of the protection money I collect from the market to the baron once a month. But every time, Hanson’s face was not good. Although I brought a lot of crones and brought back something like a small box.”

“casket? What else is that?”

“I don’t know the details either. However, at first glance, it seems that there was something glowing yellow in it.”

“Is it golden?”

“I don’t think that was the case. It was yellow and round… … I don’t know the details either. Hanson hyung-nim never showed the details to anyone else. Even me.”

A flash flashed in Carl’s eyes.

‘A yellow, round, shiny thing?’

There is one thing that comes to mind right now.

There is no way it will remain intact in the yard where even the divine tree has withered.

‘Meirium’s Golden Apple… … If I had just one of them, things would be so much easier in the future!’

Carl shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts.