How to Live as a Swordmaster of the Enemy Nation

Pigeon

Some time later, Gregory arrived not at the detention center where Radian was being held, but in the neighboring city of Vatinochan.

Why come to this city when Radian was locked up elsewhere?

Gregory had asserted that he would make Radian a scapegoat, but from the start, he had intended to save him.

However, there was only about a month left until the trial. According to the law of Blandi, once the judge reads the verdict, the sentence is confirmed.

Looking ahead to Radian's trial, Gregory wondered if the judges might themselves have been bribed. He judged that, in the span of a month, he could persuade Radian's family and identify the weaknesses of any bribed judges or forces lurking behind them.

Assuming, anyway, that the judges had been bought, there was nothing Gregory could do at the courthouse. If he meddled there for no reason, it would only advertise that Gregory was backing Radian.

'Hoo...'

Before crossing the giant stone bridge toward Vatinochan, Gregory took a rough breath and surveyed the scenery around him.

The river flowing through the center of the city and the surrounding mountains created a picturesque atmosphere.

Vatinochan, the city of water.

It was a name that had existed since ancient times, even throughout Gregory's previous life.

In Gregory's eyes, the scenery looked beautiful.

'Someday, I'd like to come here to live peacefully as a farmer.'

Although he thought so, he was moving busier than anyone. Time to protect Radian's family was running ever shorter.

Soon, Gregory made his way toward Vatinochan's plaza. Stalls spread around the square, bustling with people, made Gregory hesitate for a while and observe his surroundings. Eventually, he slipped away into a secluded alley.

He did so to meet a broker whom he had made use of frequently, even in his previous life.

A narrow alley where barely one person could fit—normally, places this deserted would be piled with thick dust.

But since the entrance was spotless, Gregory was sure a broker would be there.

Gradually, the face of the broker came into view.

Seeing a familiar face he had often seen in his past life was, inwardly, pleasant, but he could not show that joy.

In contrast, the broker showed disapproval at the arrival of a customer. Everything here could be bought and sold for a high price, but the person entering looked just too suspicious.

Gregory's special clothing, chosen to hide his identity, only confused the broker further.

"This isn't a place just anybody can enter..."

"......"

Seeing his reaction, Gregory faintly sensed that the broker was on guard. He figured that if he tried to explain unnecessarily, the man would only try to stab him.

Since Gregory waited quietly without saying anything, the broker decided there must be an important purpose for his visit. Otherwise, he would've shown his hostility already.

"Seems you came to the right place, pigeon."

The out-of-place word "pigeon" was a password. Knowing it well, Gregory answered right away.

"Kaaak, kaaak."

The broker showed a meaningful smile. His suspicion became certainty.

"How did a young man like you come all the way here?"

Soon after, the broker and Gregory began negotiating.

A large box and two shabby chairs. Since it was just a matter of commissioning a request, that was more than enough.

Gregory pushed a gold bar toward him. The value of that gold bar was about equal to all the wages Gregory had earned serving in the knight order so far.

The broker's eyes went wide at the sight of the gold bar. He tensed at the thought of what request someone would make for that much money all at once—it would surely be a tough one.

"I want to buy information."

The broker looked at Gregory, secretly pleased that he had caught a pushover. He did have information on par with that value, but it was the kind of deep, dark knowledge an ordinary young man could never know.

He grasped the gold bar and pulled it toward himself.

Then pretended to deliberate behind squinting eyes.

"Well... I have plenty of information at this price. What is it you wan—"

Gregory already guessed that the broker was trying to scam him.

Having seen countless times in his previous life how obsessed the man was with money, there was no way he could not know.

"Are you kidding? Does this gold bar look like mere pocket change to you?"

"Ugh."

Gregory grabbed the broker's arm tightly and stopped him from taking the gold bar. The broker, caught off-guard by the unexpected turn, slumped forward and banged his head on the box.

Bang—!

An ordinary person might panic, but Gregory was unflinching.

Swish—!

Gregory dodged the flying dagger in an instant. The real reason the broker bent over was to grab a hidden dagger by his feet. Had Gregory not known him in detail, it could have ended badly, perhaps a fatal surprise attack.

"Tsk tsk. You shouldn't wave a knife at a customer."

Gregory quickly kicked at his wrist, pinning the broker's hand with his foot.

Wracked with pain, the broker groaned harshly and glared at Gregory.

"Grrrr... Can't you let go?"

"I don't think I can. How do I know you won't swing again?"

Although Gregory felt sorry inside—having been close to this man in his previous life—he knew the memories remained only with him now. Showing mercy to someone who took assassination requests and sold information for coin was a fool's way to get killed.

"Aagh, fine. Just, let go for a second. I promise not to attack again."

Gregory knew he might resist but released his arm to gain his trust.

Sure enough, the moment he was free, the broker quickly picked up his fallen dagger and got to his feet.

"For someone so suspicious, you're pretty foolish."

Spitting, he readied the dagger again, flicking it rapidly as he swung at Gregory.

Gregory gave a hollow laugh, as if expecting this all along.

"Foolish? Me? You're the one who's cowardly and petty."

The broker tried again to kill Gregory, but, completely outmatched, was subdued in no time.

Only then did the broken spirit in the broker show, and he started responding obediently to Gregory's questions.

All Gregory wanted was to buy information, so he tied up the broker and interrogated him.

"Zenop, tell me everything you know about Stria group."

The broker, called Zenop, began to wonder about Gregory's identity, but that was all it was—a question. He couldn't solve the mystery of how this stranger knew his name.

'How does he know my name? Who the hell is this guy?'

Having already failed with two assassination attempts, Zenop had no choice but to answer obediently until he could regain an advantage.

"What would make you threaten me so...?"

To his question, Gregory calmly explained Radian's predicament.

"So... you know what you must do now, right?"

Gregory lowered his head threateningly.

Zenop was a quick-witted man, so he immediately began strategizing. He realized that if he deceived Gregory now, it might cost him his life.

So, he was able to confirm both who had bribed the people behind Radian's trial, and whether there was a force called Stria group acting behind them.

"Fine, then. Tell me the names of those bribed high nobles."

"There's no way I'd know their identities—"

Gregory shot Zenop a chilling glare.

"So, you're saying you don't know?"

"... How much do you really know?"

With that, Zenop, exasperated, spilled everything he knew about Stria group.

Zenop, who was obsessed with money, and Stria group were two of a kind, but Zenop hated Stria group.

The reason was simple: he didn't want to turn over the money he earned to some organization.

Which made some sense, in a way. If you want to increase your assets, you can't stay restricted by a group.

Zenop handed over all the information he knew. At first, he was wary when Gregory started asking about Stria group, but when he heard Gregory despised them, Zenop agreed to cooperate.

"That's all I know."

And then, as if he hadn't learned, he reached again for the gold bar.

With ease, Gregory brushed off Zenop's hand and pocketed the gold bar in his special clothing.

"......"

Silence fell for a moment.

Zenop looked up at Gregory slowly and thought,

'Guess I got played for a sucker this time...'

With a satisfied look, Gregory nodded once.

"Seems the plan is set. It was a good deal. Let's meet again."

"You'll be back? No need for that...."

Gregory, after all, aimed to dismantle Stria group, so he didn't really dislike Zenop.

But with the life sucked out of him completely, Zenop fervently hoped Gregory would never return.