Covered in a robe from head to toe, Hess returned to the village under cover of night.
He made his way to the inn by moving from one blind spot untouched by moonlight to the next.
'A request to investigate Henrik.... Coming from mere innkeepers, no less.'
Background-check commissions were relatively inexpensive, but if the Dark Order took the job, the client had to pay several times the market rate.
'It seems the gold coins I paid the inn were helpful after all.'
The "Henrik" who had been appearing lately had not yet been caught in the Dark Order's information network.
That was because the famed adventurer Henrik was already believed to be dead within the Dark Order.
The Henrik named in the commission would have appeared to be nothing more than a namesake. Even if it had been a murder commission rather than a background check, they would have accepted it.
'Even so, the Dark Order is such an open secret that even an ordinary villager can hire them. They're far too conspicuous.'
The inn, which had been lively only moments ago, was silent with every light extinguished.
Hess carefully removed a window at the back of the inn with magic and slipped inside.
Then he headed straight for the counter on the first floor.
The owners' bedroom was on the third floor, but there was something he needed to check first.
'I definitely saw them put it in here.... There it is.'
It was the contract they had drawn up when he had agreed to take sole responsibility for Lloyd's care.
It was the document Margaret had written while trembling after Henrik smashed every window in the second-floor corridor.
'Just as I thought. It's the handwriting I saw.'
Hess placed the commission form he had brought from the hideout beside it and compared their handwriting.
'Ben didn't write the commission form. Margaret did.'
The contract for Lloyd's care also bore Margaret's and Ben's signatures, but Ben's signature on the commission form had entirely different handwriting.
Once the situation was clear, Hess immediately began climbing the stairs.
When he reached the second-floor corridor,
"I can smell Hess. What brings you here?"
Lucy was watching Hess as though he had come out to greet him.
"You really are nocturnal, aren't you? Is Lloyd sleeping well?"
"Once that kid falls asleep, he doesn't wake up."
"I came in as quietly as I could, but you're like a ghost of a demon."
"You came in throwing mana around in the middle of the night. How could I pretend not to notice?"
I'm still a little clumsy at controlling mana.
"I came to see Margaret."
"Hm? If you kill that human, who's going to cook?"
"I'm not going to kill her."
With a mischievous expression, Lucy climbed the stairs to the third floor.
"I can come watch, right? I'll hide well so those humans don't see me."
Even if Hess told him not to follow, he would come anyway.
"Hide well."
Lucy nimbly darted ahead at a rapid pace. Even so, he did not make the slightest sound.
In contrast, Hess raised his heels and moved slowly to be as quiet as possible.
Before long, the two arrived at the door to the owners' bedroom on the third floor.
'There's no need to use any particularly impressive magic to subdue them. The name Dark Order is the greatest means of subduing anyone.'
Hess grasped the doorknob and looked down at Lucy.
"...You look like you're excited about something."
"Is it that obvious? I was thinking it would be more fun to travel with Hess than Henrik."
From a demon's point of view, that was understandable enough.
"It's hard to deny that."
"I'll have to stay in the human world for a while anyway. If I have to, wouldn't it be better to enjoy myself before I go?"
Then again... Lucy was bound to him now, but this was not truly a serious crisis for Lucy.
Whether Hess fulfilled his wish or died, Lucy would someday become free.
And just because he disliked Lucy, Hess could not take advantage of his present weakness and harm him. That would breach the contract. A dreadful price would follow.
'To him, this situation is nothing more than spending some time in the human world before returning home.'
Had he decided to relax while he could? Just like Lucifer.
"Anything interesting that happens with Hess is a secret from Lloyd, understood?"
"Could I even tell him in the first place with nothing but 'meow, meow'?"
Hess snorted softly and opened the bedroom door.
Margaret occupied most of the large bed, and she had completely monopolized the blanket.
Ben, crumpled up beside her, looked as though he had been scolded by his mother and fallen asleep while sniffling.
"Ahem."
Hess cleared his throat.
"...?"
Ben was the first to sense his presence.
"The Dark Order."
"G-gasp."
Ben quickly sat up and vigorously shook Margaret awake.
"...Mmm, why are you being so annoying?"
"Wake up! Honey, wake up!"
"What is it? Just tell me...."
"T-the Dark Order!"
At those words, Margaret immediately sat bolt upright as well.
"Gasp!"
"W...what is this about?"
Ben's question made it clear that he had no idea what was going on. But at the words "the Dark Order," Margaret had already guessed why Hess was there.
"D-did you come with a counteroffer? The Dark Order isn't supposed to do that, is it?!"
Of course, the Dark Order did not do such a thing.
If a commission's target had money, a guild could approach that target and urge them to hire the guild in turn to eliminate the original client.
'It's a vicious method of bleeding money from both sides.'
Naturally, the Dark Order did not do such a thing. If a commission's target was likely to cause problems, they did not accept the job in the first place.
That trust was what had made the Dark Order what it was today.
"How could that be? We don't make counteroffers."
"Then why in the world....?"
Margaret did not seem to intend to explain herself. Did she still not think she had been caught?
"Margaret, I came to see you. I'll give you a chance to explain yourself."
Hess would not drag this out. Margaret's personality was foul, but she was not stupid.
"Well, that's... I asked Ben to...."
"I believe you have mistaken the person you're looking for. I commissioned it."
It was Ben who shut Margaret's barely opened mouth.
'Hm? What is this man talking about all of a sudden?'
"I commissioned it. Margaret... is better at writing, so I merely asked her to ghostwrite it. It was nothing important."
Ben was more perceptive than he looked.
'Margaret's mention of a counteroffer was enough to tell him that she would be suspected of commissioning it.'
The Dark Order rarely visited a client unless it was to negotiate contract terms.
In particular, it never arrived in a threatening manner. There were no counteroffers, after all.
Yet if the Dark Order had infiltrated their home at midnight and appeared before them like this, there was only one reason: there was a problem with the commission's contents.
'And most of those problems arise when someone dares to try to deceive the Dark Order, like now.'
Ben knew Margaret better than anyone. During the usual commissioning process, he must have guessed that she would use him as a shield.
In truth, there would have been no problem if Margaret had commissioned it in her own name.
'But Margaret is a coward.'
She must have found the very thought of putting her name on the Dark Order's client list unsettling.
And since it was a simple commission, she must have thought that they would never investigate the client's identity.
Her expectation was correct. If Hess had not discovered it, the commission would have gone ahead as it was.
"Ben, did you really commission it?"
"I did."
The answer was crisp. His eyes did not waver.
If Hess had not obtained proof, it was a clean enough reaction to make him withhold judgment.
Without a word, Margaret gripped Ben's arm and hid half her face behind his back.
"I'll ask one last time in the name of the Dark Order. Did you really commission it?"
"I did. Margaret, tell him. Say that I made you write it."
Ben's expression remained firm.
'...His hands are trembling slightly. He can't hide it completely. Still, even this much is quite remarkable.'
Hess recalled the usual carefree Ben.
There was also the time Ben had done Squat-off in the kitchen, gotten beaten by Margaret, fallen over and spilled the plates waiting to be served, then gotten beaten again.
'At another guild, impersonating a client's name would not be all that important. Some places even accept anonymous commissions. All that matters is making money. But the Dark Order is different.'
Trust was the most important thing in a Dark Order contract.
"Sob...."
Tears the size of chicken droppings began to spill from Margaret's eyes.
Hess had entered expecting that Margaret would sob her eyes out. But when he saw her expression, he could not help but be a little surprised.
'...These aren't tears of fear.'
What Hess had imagined was her opening her eyes wide and letting a single tear trickle down her face.
But now the corners of her eyes were deeply drooped, and tears poured out like a waterfall.
Margaret's hands were clutching Ben's arm so tightly that the blood could no longer circulate.
'She feels sorry for him.'
Hmph. Ridiculous as it was, they were still a married couple.
Margaret had definitely forged it. But if they insisted on that story, there was nothing more to say.
There was someone who said they had asked for it to be ghostwritten, and someone else who said she had ghostwritten it. Hess had no conclusive proof beyond that.
'If this was not secretly impersonating someone else, but merely a married couple ghostwriting with each other's consent, then even the Dark Order could do no more than issue a warning.'
And apart from that, there was no serious problem with the commission's contents.
'Of course, Margaret has not yet gone along with Ben's plan....'
It was only a matter of time. In the end, she would go along with it. That was the only way out.
'She's simply too sorry to say so outright right away.'
In any case, Hess could not simply let this pass. He needed to give them a warning and make sure they never did this again.
"All right. Frankly, it's hard to believe, but for now, I have no proof that can refute that explanation, so I'll withdraw."
"Thank you for believing us."
"It's only that there is no proof. If evidence ever turns up, I'll question you again then."
"Understood."
Ben tried not to lose his composure to the very end.
He was small and could not completely hide Margaret behind him.
But to Hess, Ben looked larger than ever.
"However, even if what you say is true, having someone ghostwrite a commission form is not something we can simply overlook. This matter will remain on record."
"On record... you say?"
Unease was evident in Ben's voice.
Everyone wanted to avoid being left in the Dark Order's records for a negative reason. A criminal record would almost be preferable.
"Yes. Whether you commission us again someday or become a target of a commission, that record will work very much against you."
"...I'll keep that in mind."
"Then that is settled. Normally, we would send you the result of the commission in a confidential document, but since I have come in person, I will deliver it verbally."
Ben waited for Hess's words with bated breath. He had read the situation quickly, but there was no way he could know the commission's contents yet.
"The request for a background check on Henrik...."
For the first time, Ben's expression twitched slightly. Margaret's gaze dropped to the floor.
"According to your commission form, Henrik suddenly appeared in the village, has been spending large sums of money, and has engaged in suspicious behavior, such as bringing in a beggar and keeping him as a long-term lodger...."
In truth, anyone would find that suspicious.
"You requested a background check because you thought he might be involved in crime and feared that he would cause harm to your inn."
"Yes, that's right."
As though hypnotized, Ben answered as though he truly believed it had been his own doing.
'Margaret simply disliked both Lloyd and me.'
Henrik looked far too suspicious. Margaret must have thought that if the Dark Order dug into him, they would surely find something. Then she could report him and drive him out.
If that happened, she would not have to give back the gold coins she had received in advance for Lloyd's care. It was a calculation that would kill two birds with one stone.
"Henrik is a man who has lived a clean life. He is a nobleman from an influential family, and he is currently traveling while concealing his identity."
Of course, this was not a truthful explanation of "Henrik." But for a mere innkeeper, it was probably the most appropriate explanation.
"Henrik has talent, but he often helped people whose circumstances were unfortunate and who could not pursue their dreams. The beggar staying here can be understood for the same reason."
And he might as well prevent any future trouble as well.
"Finally, Henrik's family sponsors the Dark Order. You understand what that means, don't you?"
There was no shortage of powers that wanted to sponsor the Dark Order.
Since the Dark Order usually did not accept commissions targeting its sponsors, they wanted to take out insurance.
But the Dark Order did not form ties with just anyone because they gave it money.
They only formed relationships with those whom it would be troublesome to make enemies of.
'That does not simply mean those with great strength. Great figures everyone admires, respected families. Those are the people who are truly troublesome.'
Ben quietly nodded.
"I see. I'm glad he isn't a dangerous person."
Margaret still said nothing. Clearly, not adding anything was the best thing she could do.
"This concludes the contract."
"Thank you."
Just as Hess turned around to leave after saying what he had to say, he noticed that Margaret and Ben had been holding hands for some time.
"...I heard this inn does the best cooking in these parts."
"Ha ha, is that so? If the Dark Order says so, then it must be true!"
Ben had returned to his usual self. Hess watched him for a moment, then said,
"Next time, we might meet with me as a guest. Of course, you would not recognize me."
With that, he left.
As Hess headed downstairs, Lucy, whose presence he had forgotten, tagged along.
"Judging by how they went back, it seems Margaret really was at fault. You're less strict than I thought, Hess."
"There simply wasn't any proof."
"It's obvious to anyone who looks."
"That's the difference between demons and us. We don't force the issue without solid physical evidence. This is the trust the Dark Order shows."
"Even though Margaret was the first to break that trust?"
"Trust isn't a single thread that connects people. Each person holds it whole within their own heart."
As Lucy returned to Lloyd's room, he turned Hess's words over in his mind. Still, he could not accept them.
To Lucy, trust was no more and no less than a justification for beating someone senseless when it was broken.
But without realizing it, he began to feel some respect for the way Hess had settled the matter without bloodshed.
That was something Lucy could never do.
Yet it was Hess, rather than Lucy, who felt uncomfortable after that conversation.
'One day, I will have to reveal before Lloyd that Henrik was the mastermind. It is something Lloyd must go through to reach the ending.'
Henrik's betrayal would ultimately be for Lloyd's sake. Once darkened, Lloyd would grow at a rapid pace.
'It is a future I have known from the beginning. Put these stray thoughts aside.'
Hess disappeared once more into the deep darkness of the forest.