Chapter 67 - The Entire Guild

Krais looked for the most efficient way to profit from the unfolding situation. 'They call it a thieves' guild, but...' Look closely, and it was no different from a business. They could collect protection fees, cut out operations like pickpocketing, and put only the worthwhile parts to use. Above all, Krais already had a business in mind that he could build on the thieves' guild. This was Border Guard, a place famous for its strict policing. Normally, a criminal guild would have struggled to make a living here. But not this one. The Gilfin Guild had done very well for itself. He did not know exactly what they had done, but it would have taken more than ordinary business sense. Just look at the warming hides. Those things cost a fortune, yet they had found more than ten of them. There were over a hundred thousand Krona in coins and several bills of exchange, too. Some IOUs had turned up as well, though those would probably be hard to put to use. Combining his plans with the businesses already here... 'There's no way I'll lose money.' Krona was at stake. Krais assessed and accepted the situation with wisdom worthy of a sage. "You want me to become a thief?" At Encrid's question, Krais studied his Squad Leader for a moment. He had said his dream was to become a knight. That he wanted to reach greater heights. He would need Krona for proper training and quality equipment. Knights themselves made money through war. They were not called "experts in slaughter" for nothing. "There's no need to think of it as a bad thing. Gilfin's gang is finished. If we simply leave, how long will it take another thieves' guild to move in?" Krais's mind raced, blood pumping through his brain as it worked. Having seen what sort of man Gilfin was, he knew this was a golden opportunity. "A month at most." He was right. Encrid nodded reflexively. "So warm!" Off to one side, Rem exclaimed as he donned a coat made of warming hide. "What did you expect? Cold?" Ragna sniped at him. Encrid glanced over, but Krais's voice soon drew him back. It was calm, yet held a peculiar, hidden fervor. "Instead, Gilfin seems like a decent fellow. We leave him here and make this a thieves' guild that doesn't kill people or steal their belongings." It sounded plausible. Very tempting, in fact. Uphold one's honor as a knight? Even that took Krona. Encrid knew how the world worked. Of course, once someone possessed a knight's strength, Krona would come rolling in on its own. There were even warriors with knight-level skills who would do anything for money. More importantly, Encrid believed a knight's honor lay in following his own heart. Nothing about Krais's proposal troubled him. Seen in a positive light, it could actually do some good. 'If it makes people's lives easier...' Then fewer children would cry. Parents would have fewer worries as they raised their children. As in any city, there were people struggling to get by. This might bring them a little comfort. He had originally meant only to squeeze some winter fuel out of the place, but if this was a chance to help people, there was no reason not to take it. "Sounds good, doesn't it?"

"It does." "I'll give you a fair share of the profits, Squad Leader. In return, keep the other squad members off my back." Encrid had wondered why Krais was making this pitch to him. It was because of Rem and the others. The moment Krais announced that he was taking the guild for himself, they would not let him get away with it. "What's in it for you?" Suddenly, he was curious. Was owning a thieves' guild worth paying a cut for? How could Krais know how much it would actually earn? "Information." Once again, Encrid marveled at Krais's cleverness. Information meant money. Even trivial news from the city could fetch good Krona in the unit. Just find out the flower seller's name and hobbies, for example, and soldiers would line up to buy it. There would be other ways to use it, too. "You get it right away. That's why I like you, Squad Leader." Krais held out his fist. Encrid extended his own and bumped it. With that, a promise was made and a deal struck. Encrid would receive Krona and keep his men in line. Krais would get the guild. When Encrid returned to the fireplace, Jaxon spoke first.

"I have no objections. Krais can have it." ... Scary bastard. His hearing really was sharp. They must have been at least ten paces away while talking. "Gilfin, dispose of the bodies. Then sort through the survivors for anyone who kills without a second thought, anyone who's seriously harmed the weak, and anyone who will cause trouble later. I'll take them to prison." Leaving them here did not mean leaving things as they were. "Hmm. Sounds like I'll have to hand a few over." "And from now on, this fellow is your guild leader. That means you can all stay here. Oh, and if you leave to start another guild, we'll be seeing each other again." "I haven't got the nerve for that." Gilfin rubbed his bare, sandy expanse of scalp, perhaps out of habit.

"But, soldier, sir..." he went on. "What is it?"

"Well, I think we really ought to disband. If we stay here, I think we'll all die." All die? Why? Encrid asked with his eyes. After some hesitation, Gilfin gave him a rough account of what had been going on. Most of them probably hadn't known, but the dead guild leader had been taking Aspen's money to do jobs for them. A contractor, not a spy. "Someone comes regularly to check on the guild. If it weren't for him, we'd have replaced the leader long ago." However mild he looked, and however much he cared for his people, Gilfin still belonged to a thieves' guild. An ordinary man would not have reached his position. The problem was this visitor. "There'll probably be hell to pay when he finds that bastard missing. We were already planning to sell the mansion for whatever we could get and all disappear." "How many come?"

"Just one. But..."

"But?"

"He's a Frog." The heart-phobic lot. One of the warrior races, with strength far surpassing that of humans. Encrid had been kicked by a Frog himself. It had even landed him in the Medical Barracks. "A Frog comes here?"

"Yes." What should he do about this? And why would a Frog be supervising a thieves' guild in some border city? They said that any Frog who ventured out onto the continent was one who had earned recognition. In other words, a fighter whose skills had already been proven to some extent. By Naurilia's soldier grading system, they would be special-grade at the very least. "What exactly is this place?"

"Only that dead bastard knew the details. One thing's certain: every time the Frog came, he left us Krona for operating expenses." He gave them money instead of collecting it? No, seriously, what was going on? Encrid could not begin to guess why. "That's strange." Krais was equally baffled. That went without saying for the rest of them. So what now?

"We're taking the guild." Nothing had changed, especially since they still had time. What came later could be considered later. Or they could disband the guild and give it up when the time came. And so they decided to take over the entire guild. Gilfin had no particular objections. He considered himself lucky just to be alive. Encrid thought that, though these thieves were all agreeing now, they might cause trouble later. Would a gang like this really keep doing as they were told? Of course, that was a question of Krais's ability now. He had volunteered, so Encrid would leave it to him. "I'm taking these." Jaxon pocketed a few rings and pieces of jewelry, perhaps as gifts for women. Rem took a warming coat and hides to use as bedding, then went to see what was in the strongbox. Ragna looked over the guild's collection of swords and pronounced them all rubbish. After that, he showed little interest in the wealth. Audin was the same. "It is said that fixing one's gaze on riches blinds the eyes." He simply prayed. He did, however, oblige Encrid's request. "The strongbox, please."

"Of course, brother." It had belonged to the dead guild leader. A chain was wound around it several times, secured by a sturdy padlock. Audin stood before it and took the padlock in his hand. CRRUNCH. What followed was a strongman's act. He crushed the padlock in his bare hand. Was that even possible? "Well, look at that. You muscle-bound bastard, you've got some strength," Rem said admiringly. With the padlock broken, what use was the chain? A job that would normally have required a long session with a hacksaw was finished in an instant. Such was the power of a squad member who opened locked doors by knocking. Encrid was curious about the contents, too, and strode over. "Going to open it yourself?" Rem asked him.

"Might as well." It was pure curiosity. As he approached the strongbox, Encrid asked,

"So when does this Frog come?" Gilfin came alongside him and answered,

"When the first season begins. He said he comes once at the start of the four seasons, and once in the third season." Once in spring, once in autumn. Then they still had time. Encrid nodded and stood before the strongbox. What was inside? He was curious. He caught the handle with his fingertips and lifted. CREEEAK. Rusty metal grated together, as though the hinges had never been oiled. CLUNK. The strongbox opened. Its heavy lid tipped back and struck the body of the box. The sound echoed faintly, over and over, in Encrid's ears. CLUUNK. CLUUUUNK. CLUUUUUUNK. He could neither see nor touch it. Yet he distinctly felt something enveloping his body. He felt cut off from the world, utterly alone. Everyone around him suddenly vanished from sight. He tried to blink, but his body would not obey. 'Hm?' He tried to open his mouth. Even that was impossible. "Well? Anything good in there?" Rem's voice rang out suddenly. Only then did Encrid return to normal. He blinked and tried opening his mouth. Nothing was wrong. "Wasn't something a little strange just now?"

"You've always been a little strange, Squad Leader. I know that better than anyone." No one else seemed to have felt anything. Letting Rem's nonsense wash over him, Encrid decided he must have imagined it. "I'll look now." He gave his head an unnecessary shake and looked inside the box. It held a suit of leather armor that covered the torso. "What's this?" Encrid asked Gilfin.

"I don't know. Only that the dead bastard treasured it." When he lifted it out, it did not seem like an ordinary piece of equipment. He pressed hard with a finger and felt it spring back. "Looks like some valuable leather. You take it, Squad Leader. Keep your belly free of holes."

"It looks quite good." At Rem's suggestion, Krais examined the armor. He had an eye for such things. Encrid took it for now. For someone who lived by the blade, fine armor was worth several times more than a fine weapon. "I'll keep this." No one objected. He packed it away, and they agreed to leave the remaining business to Krais. "Think they've finished clearing the snow by now?" Rem piped up again. Encrid considered how much time had passed and looked out the window. The accumulated snow had yet to melt. If they returned now, they might end up sweeping snow all night. There was nothing to debate. Encrid murmured a decision that united the squad's wishes.

"Our mission ends tomorrow morning." By tomorrow morning, there would certainly be no snow left for them to clear. "Sounds good. Looks like we've still got plenty to do here." Rem agreed as he settled down before the fireplace. For the moment, he could not have been more docile. And understandably so: wrapped in the warmth of the hides and the fire, he was contemplating the meaning of happiness. "True. Still plenty to do." Ragna settled on the other side of the fireplace. "Indeed. There is a purpose here: to spread the word of God." Audin added his assent. "Then I'll return tomorrow morning." Jaxon went so far as to ask to go off on his own. At times like these, there was no room for disagreement. They worked together perfectly. If only they were always like this. Encrid had found himself thinking that again and again throughout this operation. "Squad Leader." Krais called to Encrid and discreetly raised a thumb. It was the highest praise.

* * *

"Reporting the return of all squad members under my command. We located and wiped out the thieves' guild." At Encrid's report, the Company Commander glanced up, bundled in a thick coat. They were in the training ground reserved for officers. Even with fires burning in two torch stands, the day was still cold. Standing on earth frozen as hard as stone, the Company Commander asked,

"Wiped out?" Did she know something? Was that why she was asking? Encrid answered evenly. "Yes, wiped out. We sorted out those who belonged in prison and sent them there. We killed the others who resisted."

"I see." The Company Commander rolled her shoulders as she spoke, as though warming up. Did she really know something? Even so, he could hardly volunteer that Krais had swallowed the guild whole. "You brought the wealth from their headquarters back to the unit."

"Yes." Apart from a few warming hides and pieces of jewelry, they had handed everything over to the unit. Naturally. It was incidental profit from a military operation. It rightfully belonged to the unit. Turning a blind eye to a little discreet skimming was customary, too. "Well done." Fortunately, the Company Commander did not pry further. Instead, she met Encrid's blue eyes with her jewel-green ones and made an offer. "A round?"

"... What do you mean?"

"Wouldn't you like to face a Fairy's sword?"

"You mean sparring?"

"I hear you never refuse." A Fairy's sword was light, yet sharp. So went the common assessment. Encrid had faced Fairy swords a few times himself. Meeting Fairies was hardly unusual in a mercenary's life. But his skills had been abysmal then. Their keen senses rendered the Valen Mercenary Sword Technique useless; he would have been embarrassed to claim he had put up a proper fight. "Yes." A sparring match. It promised to be valuable experience. A thought had occurred to him lately. 'The more I fight, the more I gain.' Encrid knew how woeful his talent was. The more experience he had, the better. All of it came into its own when he faced a repeating today. Of course, he would not have refused even without that reason. That was simply the sort of man he was. "I'd be happy to."

"I like your spirit. Come at me." The Fairy Company Commander drew her sword. SHING. A Nidle, the sword of the Fairies. They would be sparring with live blades. Encrid drew his own sword. SHING. Longsword and Nidle crossed, meeting once. TING. Both stepped back two paces at the same time. Encrid was cautious. He remembered collapsing at a single gesture from the Fairy Company Commander. That had been in the Medical Barracks. How far had he come since then? He did not know. He was about to find out.