Water dripped from hair dyed a reddish hue.
In the heart of Nine Holder. It was necessary disguise to move undetected in this place where Daria's eyes surrounded everywhere like a spider web, but the red hair reflected in the mirror felt very awkward.
'I hate this......'
Though he had dyed it out of necessity, there was no helping that he disliked it. Cyrus, who had picked up the wet hair with his fingertips, let out a sigh.
If everything ended quickly, this kind of dyeing wouldn't be necessary either.
Since the incident in Sterling, Daria seemed to be concentrating all her attention on this side. Clearly she would have many things to do in the original world too, but the underwater work to dominate Osdern had gained speed.
The work itself was a method he knew well. Since the timing had changed, there were slight errors, but the important framework remained the same. Still, even those small errors made him anxious. He knew he lacked the ability to control those errors himself.
Cyrus, leaning against the sofa in the middle of the hotel room that lacked any sense of life, flipped through the materials he had received from the information broker.
Since it had become difficult to approach information brokers within Nine Holder, he had been obtaining information by detouring through small cities where Daria's information network didn't reach at this time. This too would soon become difficult.
Looking at the current magic tool workshops and factories in Nine Holder, the proportion of dealings with hunters different from before had increased. In leather workshops, the usage of ordinary leather had decreased. The list included a large number of workshops whose names he knew. They were workshops that specialized in magic tool production in the future too. It seemed they had quickly embraced new things here as well.
The distribution of monster byproducts was generally mediated through legal hunters, but there was a high probability of poachers or thugs from Alter District behind them. Money laundering wouldn't be difficult. However, that would make tracking difficult, but since Esperanza had confirmed it with her own eyes, the prediction would be correct.
And the people who had bought new magic tools from them....... Cyrus's eyes scanned their personal information and purchase purposes.
For nobles' self-defense and showing off purposes—this wasn't a big problem for now. The more this came down below, the more it would become the picture Daria wanted.
For factory owners' cost reduction purposes. This was a big problem right now. And there seemed to be those who wanted to use them instead of weapons.
It was something he had experienced once before. Rather than empathizing with each case, he should utilize it.
However, he still couldn't get a sense of how to utilize this information. It would be better to pass the information to Avondale.
"Did you find out anything else?"
Strong wind scattered his hair messily. Esperanza, who had jumped over the railing, opened the window and entered, then sat down on the opposite sofa.
Cyrus slowly raised his head. A humorless cheek and bright eyes entered his field of vision. He wasn't surprised. He answered as if addressing someone who had been sitting there continuously.
"Nothing."
Esperanza was also composed as if she hadn't thought the other party would be surprised. It was a face where the hostility shown when they first reunited had somewhat faded.
Esperanza, who had received the information Cyrus handed over, roughly shoved it into her inventory without even reading it and opened her mouth.
"In the end, there are two things. Complete the spacetime machine, or steal the Golden Claw from Daria. Then everything will be over."
Straight to the point without preamble. Cyrus listened quietly.
"The spacetime machine isn't our jurisdiction, but we have to somehow try stealing the Golden Claw from Daria. To do that, we need to meet her first."
"Daria won't meet us willingly."
Even right now, she was in a state of appearing and disappearing freely, fully utilizing the Golden Claw and Havenly's information network. From Daria's perspective, if she could just avoid this side and achieve her goals, that would be comfortable.
"So we talked about it among ourselves—what if we bring in Prime Minister Tempton?"
There was a reason she had come without prior notice. Cyrus smiled bitterly. Now there was no reason or trust for them to meet without business between them. There wasn't even a brief greeting.
"I don't know him well, but I remember he tried to interfere as little as possible with this matter. But at this point in time, we might be able to gain cooperation. If we can persuade him, there would be no better ally."
If Cider Claiborne was the best ally they could gain in Osdern regarding this matter, then Prime Minister Tempton would be next. Daria would have done the same if she could have persuaded those two first.
"Persuasion won't be easy."
"Probably not."
"Don't you know any weaknesses or something?"
Cyrus blinked. He thought he had misheard.
"Weaknesses...... you mean? Well."
"You've known the Prime Minister for several years. You must know more than us, right?"
"Politically, he's a person with no gaps, and almost nothing is known about his personal life. He's the second son of Marquis Rocksford, but he's almost completely cut ties with that side. He's not without weaknesses, but they wouldn't be significant enough to help with this kind of matter."
"If we do something unnecessary, we might end up getting stabbed in the back instead. Ah, speaking of personal matters, I remember something. I think you said he had some relationship with the Queen. That's why he doesn't do things disadvantageous to the Queen?"
Only after hearing those words did Cyrus belatedly nod. It wasn't wrong. When Daria and Cyrus first made contact with the royal family, it was already a relationship that had long ended.
The Queen feared Tempton, and Tempton showed moves that accommodated the Queen's convenience as much as possible. Even so.......
"This much should be fine."
Cyrus, who had searched through his mind for a while, eventually brought up an appropriate example.
"About two years ago, when passing the luxury tax law, he simultaneously exposed royal corruption to cover up the news."
Ah, so he only looks out for her when he has the leisure.
To that extent, it seemed like it would be fine. Anyway, even if Daria had problems, it wouldn't endanger the Queen. If that were the case, the Queen wouldn't have tried to kill Daria.
"But even if we succeed in persuading the Prime Minister, I don't know how much help it will be in finding Daria."
"Information or whatever, it would be better than ours."
Esperanza still couldn't understand what Cider was thinking in trying to contact the Prime Minister. But in the current situation where they couldn't obtain proper information, if they could rely on the Prime Minister's information network, that alone would be sufficient help.
"That's true, but......."
Cyrus still frowned as if something didn't sit right with him. Esperanza stood up before Cyrus could ask for details.
"That's settled then. Come to Avondale mansion tomorrow."
"For blood collection?"
"Yeah. He specifically asked for you to come. Even though I'll be there too."
When she grumbled discontentedly, Cyrus smiled bitterly. For Cider Claiborne, it would be the opposite. With him there, there was no need to unnecessarily hurt Esperanza. He had nothing to say about being treated that way.
"Don't forget to enter without being noticed."
"Don't worry."
Once business was finished, Esperanza left without looking back. Cyrus, left alone in the large room, belatedly let out a long breath.
Was it since Sterling? Esperanza didn't get angry or despise him like before. Even hostility had faded. Her attitude was so matter-of-fact, like when they were still comrades, that for a very brief moment, he had the illusion that they had returned to those times.
'That can't be.'
However, that didn't mean she forgave him. There was no way she could forgive him.
He belatedly realized that his limbs had stiffened. Cyrus forced himself to get up.
Seeing today's Esperanza, he could tell. Even if both of them returned safely, he would never be able to meet Esperanza again. Even if there were only two people in the entire world who had memories of this place.
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
An office where bright light entered. A yellow-furred cat stretched. The owner of the armchair the cat had claimed sat on an uncomfortable stool, flipping through papers.
On the silver tray placed within arm's reach, letters were piled up. Even after selecting only those sent by parties worth reading, the tray was full to overflowing.
The man tapped the middle of the letter pile to spread them out. Then he selected several that caught his eye by sender name. The rest would all be handled at Secretary Hammerton's level.
"Avondale?"
After brief consideration, the letter the man picked up first was from Count Avondale.
Considering only the sender's influence, it felt lacking compared to other letters. But the man didn't deliberate further.
The content was concise. He didn't seem to intend to elaborate on detailed stories. It was an attitude he liked. Arrogant and prudent.
If it were someone else, he would have used such a letter that didn't even properly state its business as kindling, but there would be a reason why Cider Claiborne, who generally avoided him, would specifically request a meeting.
"Secretary Hammerton, I'll be meeting Lord Avondale in the first week of next month, so please clear the schedule."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Unlike his superior, the secretary who was sitting properly at his desk doing his own work answered.
"And......."
"Is there more to prepare?"
"Please check all buildings purchased under His Majesty's borrowed-name accounts within Nine Holder by then."
The secretary's mouth fell open.
"Pardon?"
"It will be urgent, but please try to grasp everything if possible."
Though the secretary rarely questioned instructions, this time he had no choice but to ask. The Prime Minister had recently tracked the Queen's personal slush funds too. The fact that the Prime Minister's political standing was not as good as previous years due to the pirate incident was also concerning. The royal family was a good card to use at times like this.
"Are you perhaps planning to publicize moral issues of the royal family?"
"No."
"Ah, I see."
As a secretary, he couldn't think of other places to use such information, but he didn't probe further. He knew well that such taciturnity was what had brought him to this position.
Raymond Tempton put down the letter.
'I didn't want to interfere.'
He detested things that couldn't be helped by human power. For instance, being born into a position with limitations. Disasters where monsters suddenly pop out from thin air.
Such things couldn't be helped. They could only be dealt with within human limits.
But suddenly a letter from Cider Claiborne. It seemed he could no longer pretend not to know.
Then he'd better do well.