Chapter 217

“What was that?”
“That’s what it is in the Appenzeller.”
In response to Ming Hu’s question, Mas suddenly flinched and stopped speaking, then looked at Ming Hu with a troubled expression.
“…?”
Ming Hu was puzzled by Mas’s reaction. He suddenly didn’t understand why she was reacting the way she was.
‘You can’t be… You think he’s an Arpen?
Mas considered himself a Baron of Veron. He could certainly consider himself a Baron of Appen.
“Don’t worry, I’m not even an Appen author.”
“Hehe, okay.”
As expected, Masu wondered if Minghu was an Apen self-made man. He was thinking to himself. At Ming Hu’s words, Mas opened his mouth to speak.
“According to my research… Viscount Appen has been sending assassins to Baron Magnus on a regular basis.”
“…What? Why?”
“I think that’s what they did to absorb Baron Magnus from Viscount Appen.”
“Absorption? Viscount Appen to Baron Magnus?”
Mas nodded at Ming Hu’s words and continued.
“Yes, Viscount Appen is absorbing Baron Magnus and seeking promotion to Count. He’s done this before, from Baron to Viscount. I’m sure.”
“Assassination…
This was good information that I hadn’t thought of.
“This can’t be the end.
Sending an assassin wouldn’t be the end of it; there had to be something else up his sleeve.
“Anyway, having learned that Viscount Appen is sending assassins, Baron Magnus, or rather, Baron Veron, is using it against them and preparing to start a turf war to absorb Viscount Appen. In other words, the two houses are now trying to absorb each other… and sooner or later, there will be a turf war, led by Baron Veron.”
Ming Hu nodded at Marth’s words. To be honest, it didn’t matter to him whether Viscount Appen and Baron Magnus were fighting a turf war or not. What mattered to Ming Hu was information and evidence of their corruption.
‘Well. I think Baron Magnus can go.
Based on the information I had gotten from Marth, it seemed that I would have to go to the Baron’s chambers to get evidence. No, given that the children had disappeared after entering the Baron’s room, and that the Baron’s clothes were stained with blood, there had to be evidence somewhere in there.
‘Viscount Appen is…’
Information was scarce, except that he had sent assassins to take over the barony, and that he had sent assassins to take over other houses before.
Sigh
Ming Hu looked at Mars, and then smiled wryly.
“…?”
Mas looked at Ming Hu with a puzzled expression as he smiled at her, then opened his mouth to speak, his eyes uneasy.
“Why are you…?”
“Can I do you a favor?”
Marth somehow breathed a sigh of relief at Ming Hu’s words. Then he smiled and replied.
“Hehe, sure, I’ll wear it.”
“May I have a look at the information on Viscount Appen that Baron Veron commissioned?”
“Oh, sure, I’ll put it on, just give me a minute!”
Marth nodded in approval, stood up, walked over to his desk, and opened a drawer. After teasing his hand for a moment, he walked back over to Ming Hu. In his hand, he held two scrolls.
“Here it is.”
Ming Hu took the scrolls from Marth and began to read. The first scroll contained the information that Marth had told him: an assassin was being sent from Viscount Appen to Baron Magnus. Ming Hu put the first scroll down and picked up the second to read.
“…Hmm.
Ming Hu frowned slightly as he read the scroll. It wasn’t because the information was unpleasant to read. Instead, the second scroll contained information about Viscount Appen’s medical history, finances, and taxes.
Sigh
Ming Hu put down his scroll and looked at Mars.
“I’d like to make a request.”
“Referral… .”
“Yes”
Nodding, Ming Hu saw the puzzled look on Mas’s face and continued.
“I’d like you to do some more research on Viscount Appen.”
“What information are you referring to…”
Marth trailed off and looked at Ming Hu.
“You said you sent an assassin from Viscount Appen to Baron Magnus?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Rumors about which guild was commissioned, and other rumors.”
“I already know the guild you commissioned, but the rumors…”
“Covering someone’s back… overpaying taxes, things like that.”
“Oh, I see.”
Mas nodded in understanding at Ming Hu’s words. When Mas nodded, Ming Hu continued.
“Which guild did you say you commissioned?”
“Oh, it’s an assassin’s guild called Black Nails.”
“…What, black nails?”
At Mas’s words, Ming Hu couldn’t help but feel a little flustered.
“Yes, we don’t know the exact location, but it’s generally believed to be headquartered in the capital nexus.”
“…”
Ming Hu was unable to say anything. In response to Ming Hu’s reaction, Mas opened his mouth to speak.
“Let’s get the location, too.”
“Oh, no, you don’t need to research the Assassin’s Guild. I only need you to investigate Viscount Appen.”
Sobered by Mas’s words, Ming Hu looked at Mas and said.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
Ming Hu opened his inventory to pay for the commission.
“Yes?”
He looked surprised, but the corners of his mouth were curled into a faint smile. Seeing that smile, Ming Hu smiled back and opened his mouth to speak.
“You know, for what I asked for.”
“Ha-ha-ha, hold on a second!”
Marth smiled broadly and ran back to his desk. Arriving at his desk, he grabbed a scroll and an abacus from his desk. He looked at the scroll and began to bounce the abacus. His expression darkened slightly as he bounced the abacus.
“…?”
Ming Hu shook his head at the darkened expression on Mas’s face. Mas stopped bouncing the abacus, put it down, and approached Ming Hu. As he approached, Ming Hu asked how much the commission would cost.
“How much?”
“It’s…”
But Mas did not have an easy answer. Ming Hu frowned slightly at Mas’s response, and said, “I’m sorry.
“How much?”
Ming Hu frowned, and Mas opened his mouth to speak carefully.
“That… You’ll have to give me 150 gold.”
At Mas’s words, Ming Hu took 150 gold from his inventory and handed it to Mas.
“Here.”
“…Huh?”
But Mas didn’t take the gold from Ming Hu right away. He looked at Ming Hu, a little surprised.
“No answer?”
“Oh, no, no, no, I’ll do my best to find out everything I can about Viscount Appen’s servants!”
At Ming Hu’s words, Marth quickly accepted the gold and exclaimed, “I’m so happy.” Then a message popped up.
[You have asked for Mas, the head of the Asren branch of the Thieves’ Guild Boros].
[Mas accepted the request].
From the message, it looked like Mas wouldn’t have to worry about running off with the money. Relieved, Ming Hu looked away from the message to see Mas grinning broadly.
“How long will it take?”
“Give me five days, and I’m sure I’ll have enough information to satisfy you.”
Mas smiled at Myung-Hoo’s question.
“Okay, I’ll be back then.”
“Yay!”
Ming Hu’s business here was done, and he rose from his seat. It was time.
Boom!
“Are you all right, Master!”
The door opened violently and someone walked in.
“Mabron, you asshole, what do you think you’re doing!”
It was Mabron, the man at the counter, who entered the room. Marth pondered Mabron’s words, gauging Ming Hu’s reaction.
“Master, don’t worry, he’s here!”
“He…? Huh! He’s here?”
Marth exclaimed in surprise at Mabrun’s words, then frowned and continued, “I’m sorry.
“No, but it’s not what you think it is!”
“…Yes?”
Mabrun looked at him like he didn’t know what he was talking about.
Jumbled
As he listened to their conversation, Ming Hu turned toward the door at the sound of footsteps. It seemed to be the one Mas and Mabron had spoken of.
“What happened?”
He came through the door into the room and said.
“…Huh?”
When Ming Hu saw him, he couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed, for he knew this was the man that Mas and Mabron had spoken of, the man that Ming Hu knew.
“…Huh?”
He looked at Ming Hu in astonishment, and then said, “It was the same with him.
“Minghu, what brings you here…?”
“I need to ask you a favor for a quest, Soma…?”
It was none other than Soma. Ming Hu looked at Soma, still puzzled.
“Oh, I see. I’m here for a quest, too.”
As Ming Hu and Soma talked, Mas and Mabrun looked at each other alternately with expressions that said they didn’t understand the situation.
“How did you do with the request?”
“Okay. I’m going to go now.”
“I see. If you ever have any problems with your referrals, just reach out to me and I’ll help you out, haha.”
“Oh, yeah. Haha.”
At Soma’s words, Ming Hu replied with an awkward smile and looked at Mas.
“Then I’ll be back here in five days.”
“Yay!”
Mas nodded in response, and Myung Hu turned on his heel, bowed slightly to Soma, and walked out. Outside, Myung Hu walked to Baron Magnus, thinking to himself.
‘Appen Jazzer… Black Nails… What does it matter…’