C145
“Hmph, they are just thugs. Don't worry and just wait for us to come back."
Jis confessed what he knew. He didn't want to scare them who were leaving to save his sibling, but he couldn't bear the guilt of his conscience if he sent them as is.
"They showed up out of nowhere and took over the island in three months. They're not a simple organization. According to one of Falkoa's direct subordinates, they were known as the Parrot Bandits before they came to the island."
"Parrot Thieves?"
Shirone's eyes widened. Amy was also lost in her thoughts, as if it was unexpected this time.
The Parrot Bandits were the band of thieves that a man named Lucas, who had stormed the school with Arcane, belonged to.
Amy had watched Lucas's martial arts. As the effect of Abyss Nova faded, she remembered that he was a strong enemy who could not be helped even with Iruki and Nade's pincer attack.
If it hadn't been for Sienna's sudden intrusion, the situation where all the students would be safe would not have been possible.
In any case, knowing their identity did not change the situation. It was crucial to leave as soon as possible, as an innocent girl's life was at stake.
"It's okay. We've even fought and won against the vice-leader of the Parrot Bandits."
Jis swallowed his tears and gritted his teeth.
"Thanks. For doing so much for a guy like me."
So far, the nobles Jis met didn't even treat the gang in the back alley as human beings.
Perhaps it was natural. Why would they, monopolizing the world's wealth and fame, pay attention to a person from the dark?
But these people were different. They were willing to fight for him, who had only schemed to deceive others with shallow words.
“This grace… How should I really pay you back?"
Embarrassed by Jis' continued gratitude, Amy put her hand on her waist and sighed.
"Enough. In a way, you saved me. Rather, it is we who have been helped.”
"But such a dangerous task..."
“There is no need to complicate things. It's not like we don't know each other now. Plus, you even asked like a man, so we're doing this."
Jis looked at Amy with an absurd expression.
How could the words "being manly" fit in this situation? Shouldn't it be the other way around?
"Tsk, if you're pitying me, just quit it. Manly, my foot. What kind of man would beg so disgracefully? I've got no pride left."
"What are you talking about? You threw away your pride to ask for your sibling back."
"Well, that's true, but..."
Amy smiled and lightly pushed Jis' forehead.
"That's what it means to be a man, you idiot."
As Amy left those words and walked away, Jis almost broke down in tears. But he felt he had to hold back. It was because he thought that if he cried already, he would pour cold water on their resolve.
Rian patted Jis on the shoulder and followed Amy.
"Don't worry. You saved my friend, so I'll be sure to save your sister too.”
Tess added.
“Instead, you should give them a proper tour when they come back. I will definitely get what we've earned for our effort."
Shirone turned to Jis in front of the door and said.
"Trust us. We'll definitely bring your sister back safely."
In the end, Jis couldn't hold back his tears. Without caring about his wound wrapped in a bandage, he ran to the door and shouted at Shirone and the others as they moved away.
"Be careful! You really have to be careful! I won't forgive you if you don't come back safely!"
Shirone and the others did not look back. But their rapidly quickening footsteps were a more definite response than a hundred words.
------------------------
Shirone and his party rented four horses in the western commercial district. It was Tess' opinion that if they were chasing in a wagon with poor mobility, they would not be able to make it in time.
Although they boasted to Jis, the actual situation was unfavorable.
Above all, the identity of the Freeman Organization, which they learned belatedly, made their heart heavy.
The vice-captain of the Parrot Bandits, Lucas, was a B-Class criminal.
The number of criminals is not only a measure of the seriousness of the crime, but also an estimate of their power.
Even a serial killer who has been disturbing the city would not be confined to the western prison Inferno if they are not a strong but mentally ill person.
Shirone had a hunch that he was involved in something quite serious.
There was certainly something strange. After the Arcane incident, he heard that the leader of the Parrot Bandits is a A-Class criminal and is currently wanted.
Then, who is this Freeman of the Freeman Organization that they currently have to fight?
"Amy, are you really sure it's the Parrot Bandits Guild? Don't you feel something is a little off?"
"I thought the same thing. How could a wanted organization set up a base in a tourist spot? The pursuit of the Parrot Bandits Guild must have intensified after the Arcane incident."
Tess, who had been riding a horse to Amy's right, intervened in their conversation.
"It's not the Parrot Bandits Guild."
"Huh? Do you know something?"
“The name Parrot Bandits might have been changed when they crossed over to the Kingdom of Tormia. Their original name is Parrot Mercenary Band."
"Mercenary band? They were mercenaries? Then, what about Lucas?"
"I don't know about that. But I do know how they became a bandit guild."
"How so?"
Shirone asked immediately. But Tess was afraid to tell him.
In terms of content, it was a common story. However, in this situation where they had to fight fiercely in the future, she thought that information about them could break Shirone's fighting spirit.
Tess, if you know something, tell us."
When even Amy couldn't hold back her curiosity and asked for it, Tess couldn't help but start explaining.
"There was a quite controversial incident related to the Parrot Mercenary Band on the continent. Do you guys know about the Vase Incident that happened in the Kingdom of Iron seven years ago?"
"Ah? I know that. I learned about it at school."
What Shirone knew was this. At the meeting of nobles in the Kingdom of Iron, an Upper Chamber noble named Valtes, announced that he would give his prized vase to anyone who proves to be more courageous than himself.
Then, a Lower Chamber noble named Moose challenged. What he did was throw the prize vase against the wall.
On the surface, it looked like an affair between drunken nobles, but a closer look revealed the political conflict that had been festering for a long time.
"The noble system in Iron is bicameral. The Upper Chamber conveys the King's will, and the Lower Chamber represents the common people. Thanks to that, Kingdom of Iron has become a rich country, but the conflict between nobles is severe.”
Including commoners in politics weakens the authority of the nobles. But as the number of commoners with autonomy increased, the wealth of the nation was bound to grow strong.
"The power of the Upper Chamber comes from authority and that of the Lower Chamber comes from taxes. In the end, the conflict between the two factions was inevitable. When Moose, a nobleman of the Lower Chamber, acted arrogantly, Valtes' stomach boiled. It may have been brushed off at that time, but resentment remained."
"But what does that have to do with the Parrot Bandits, no, the Parrot Mercenary Band?”
"An outbreak of plague occurred, and three months later, a civil war broke out in Moose's territory. An unknown army invaded. From here, it's information I heard through intelligence that it was Valtes who instigated the civil war, hiring mercenaries instead of soldiers to attack Moose."
"Then could it be that the mercenaries involved were...?"
"That's right. They are the Parrot mercenaries. Of course, many mercenary groups participated, but the Parrot mercenaries showed overwhelming power and broke through Moose's defenses. However, just as they were about to break through the resistance, Valtes' soldiers suddenly came from the rear and attacked the mercenary group by surprise.”
Shirone was able to guess the situation at the time.
Hire mercenaries to attack the enemy, then use private soldiers to attack the mercenaries. In that way, victory and innocence could be obtained at the same time.
“Valtes had no intention of executing Moose from the beginning. Because the power of the Lower Chamber, which is supported by the commoners, is stronger than expected. I guess they just wanted to give them a good scare. So, from the beginning, the mercenaries were just expendable pawns. Let them raid the territory and punish them again, a perfect strategy.”
"But if it ends like that, would the Lower Chamber nobles just keep silent?"
"Of course, they wouldn't, but they couldn't show it on the surface. After all, the Upper Chamber are nobles who are protected by the King. There must have been some kind of agreement. The fact that Moose hasn't brought up the incident for the past seven years means that they must have received some compensation from Valtes."
After hearing that, Rian furrowed his brow in displeasure.
"So the mercenaries were the only ones left out in the cold? I can't understand the thoughts of politicians. It's against chivalry."
“It is natural to think so. But I've encountered far more disturbing intelligence in my family. The world does not always go as we think."
Everyone was silent at Tess' words. They must one day advance to a place where the great power of the world operates. The Plague Incident was not his business, but it was not someone else's business either.
“Whatever it was, they was abandoned. The mercenaries who attacked Moose's territory were all executed under the pretext of treason, and the Parrot Mercenary Band was naturally disbanded.”
Amy then asked.
"But they survived in the end, didn't they? That's why they must have sought refuge in the Kingdom of Tormia."
"That's right. The mercenary band was destroyed, but a small number of capable people managed to escape the battlefield. From here on out, it's conjecture, but wouldn't it have been difficult for those branded as rebels to maintain a mercenary group? That’s why they fell into bandits and eventually flowed into the island when they were accused of being criminals.”
Tess' reasoning was reasonable, but Shirone felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Above all, for them to maintain the name "Parrot" while fleeing from the charge of treason, they would have needed substantial resources and power, and an exceptionally capable leader.
"It could just be a coincidence with the name, right? In fact, there are countless guilds in the world and the name "Parrot" isn't particularly rare."
Tess hesitated to answer. The situation she had been worried about had finally arrived.
"Shirone, do you remember the woman you talked about last time?"
"Huh? Old Sis Marsha?”
After rescuing Amy from Royal Palace, while having a late-night snack, Shirone briefly talked about Marsha.
Of course, he didn't go into detail about everything.
More than anything, he intended to take the story of how she almost suffered a terrible fate at the hands of her foster father to the grave.
“When I heard what Jis had to say, I thought it was just a speculation. But there's a reason why that's not possible. The name of the leader who led the Parrot Mercenary Band at that time came to mind."
"The leader's name? Isn't it Freeman?"
"Claire Marsha. That's the leader's name."
When Tess finally confessed, Shirone's expression went blank. The image of Marsha, who had been kind to him like an older sister, and the leader of the mercenary band, Marsha, were not merging properly in his mind.
"At first, I thought they were just two people with the same name. But when I heard she was raised by mercenaries, I wondered. Then, after listening to Jiss, I was convinced. The ones who rule this island are the remnants of the A-class mercenaries who were betrayed in the Kingdom of Iron seven years ago."
“It can’t be. How could Old Sis Marsha...? I explained back then. She's not the type of person to do bad things like this."
"Really?"
Tess glared at Shirone with intense gaze. She was different from usual. It was the eyes of a spy who could see through a person's mind.
“You really think so? About the Marsha you're thinking of."
Shirone bit his lip. He actually knew. No matter how much he wanted to trust her, his insight was already questioning everything.
"I'm sorry. You're probably right. It seems... just like that."
When he examined it one by one, all the circumstances lined up. He could now understand her reaction when she talked about the collusion between the nobles and criminals.
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Tags:
Infinite Mage (Novel)
