Chapter 43. I Was Had.

The Guild Master insisted on the nickname ‘Green Snake’ until the very end.

What was infuriating was that the other people also readily accepted the nickname.

Seeing the snake skull-shaped helmet, everyone seemed to be in agreement, so although it was frustrating, I had no choice but to accept it.

“‘Bloodstained’ Pol and ‘Green Snake’ Ben, eh.”

The guard at the Imperial Capital’s gate scanned me and Pol.

His gaze stopped, as expected, on my helmet.

I had even deliberately painted the helmet green, so the name ‘Green Snake’ couldn’t have been more fitting.

“Mercenaries, I tell you. They do all sorts of things to stand out. Pass.”

It’s frustrating.

But I shouldn't argue.

The fact that I can't is what's sad.

“……Thank you.”

I bit my lip and entered the Imperial Capital.

I swear, if only I wasn't a wanted man, I would have come on strong.

But what could I do?

I had to resent Luke, who had stabbed the emperor to death.

“So this is the Imperial Capital. Hooooaaah.”

Pol looked around as if he were overcome with emotion.

Whether you looked at him from the front, the back, or upside down, he was the very picture of a country bumpkin.

“A fly is going to get in your mouth. We’ll be staying in the Imperial Capital for a while anyway, so do your sightseeing later.”

I slapped Pol on the back.

This was not the time to relax.

I could feel sinister gazes from the surroundings.

There weren’t many preys as attractive to swindlers as a naive young man who had just come up from the countryside, so the local swindlers must all be eyeing him.

‘I have to be careful.’

If you get caught by the wrong person, it won't just end with your pockets being emptied.

You could be tied into an unfair contract, sold as a slave, get addicted to drugs without knowing it, and in some cases, you could become an accomplice to various crimes before you knew it.

The most dangerous creature to a human is another human.

This place, with so many people, was dangerous for that reason alone.

“Y-yes, sir! I'm coming!”

Pol hastily followed behind me.

I felt like the number of eyes on us had increased.

Pol’s every action was luring the swindlers.

‘Is it better to sort things out and then move?’

At this rate, troublesome things would surely follow one after another.

But beating up a few guys wouldn't be enough.

Just like in Dejong, they were the type to only come to their senses after they were dead.

The problem was that the Imperial Capital, being the heart of the Empire, was serious about maintaining public order to a degree that was incomparable to other regions.

In Dejong, I could get away with openly killing those outside the law, but here, a thorough investigation would surely follow.

If my identity were to be revealed in the process, I wouldn't be able to handle it.

And if I refused to cooperate with the investigation, it would blow up into an even bigger problem.

I had come to the Imperial Capital to meet the Sword Saint, but that didn't mean I intended to meet him by getting the cell next to his.

“Tsk.”

It seemed that it was dangerous for me to get my hands dirty directly.

If only I had built up some fame, those guys wouldn't be able to touch me so easily.

To have a name that was recognized in the Imperial Capital, I had to be at least a 2nd rank mercenary, so that was a distant prospect for now.

‘I’ll have to ask for a way to prove that I’m a disciple of the Sword Saint.’

Just like how poisonous creatures are covered in flashy colors.

If there was something like a congressman’s gold badge, I’d want to wear it.

Most guys would stay away on their own, and if some guys with swollen livers tried to pull something, cleaning up the mess would be simple.

‘Just with the title of a disciple of the Sword Saint, I should be able to avoid most investigations.’

Public power is always weak in front of power.

This is especially true in a pre-modern political structure.

Messing with the higher-ups is a reckless act, as you could lose your position and your life.

Furthermore, this extended to people who had connections with the higher-ups.

There's a reason for the saying that it's better to be a servant in a nobleman's house.

Well, the higher-ups to whom such titles don't apply are even more dangerous, but.

It was meaningful just to avoid troublesome things.

‘The Sword Saint seems to have some things he wants me to do, so. It should be fine to ask for this much.’

My work would be more effective if it was easier for me to move around.

I didn't even think he would refuse.

The part to consider was rather what kind of item would be good.

Something that was moderately eye-catching but not cumbersome.

Thump.

As I was walking and thinking, I lightly bumped into a child coming from the front.

“I’m sorry.”

The child bowed his head lightly and disappeared into the crowd.

“Brother! Are you alright?”

“Huh?”

“That kid just now, I had a bad feeling about him-”

As soon as I heard Pol’s words, I felt the hair on my head stand on end.

‘You had a bad feeling about the guy who just bumped into me?’

One word immediately came to mind.

Pickpocket.

The pickpocketing method of deliberately colliding with someone was famous.

Don’t tell me I was had by such a classic method?

I hastily checked inside my clothes.

There was good news and bad news.

The good news was, my money pouch was fine.

The bad news was-

“That son of a bitch took the crystal……!?”

That something far more important had been stolen.

* * *

“Easy, so easy.”

The boy who had bumped into Ben moved to a deserted back alley.

In his hand was the pouch that Ben had been holding so dearly.

‘I wish country bumpkins like that would come every day.’

The man who had been wearing a ridiculous green snake head helmet.

It was obvious at a glance that he had just crawled up from some remote countryside.

People who were fumbling with the changed environment had their concentration scattered and wouldn't even notice their pockets being picked.

In addition to that, since they usually came to the Imperial Capital with big dreams, they often brought with them every penny they had.

Easy to target and loaded.

It was no exaggeration to call them walking treasure chests.

The one who got to them first was the owner, so there was competition even among the pickpockets.

‘I should leave the Imperial Capital once I’ve saved up some money.’

After the emperor’s death, it had become much harder to live as a pickpocket.

There were many other reasons, but the guards were in an uproar, saying they were looking for the emperor’s killer.

For several weeks, the guards would push their way into every alley, saying it was a search, whenever they were about to forget.

In the process, they couldn’t catch the emperor’s killer, and only the petty criminals were being swept away.

‘Those guard bastards only bully the easy targets. I can’t live like this anymore.’

In the boy’s eyes, the search for the emperor’s killer was just an excuse.

Logically, what reason would the person who killed the emperor have to remain in the Imperial Capital?

The guards were also in a shaky position because they were responsible for letting Luke Ivers escape.

They were trying to prove their worth by catching even petty criminals.

In the process, only the innocent pickpockets and minor swindlers were suffering.

In any case, even in this difficult situation, the boy was steadfastly continuing his pickpocketing.

It was partly because this was the only skill he had learned, and partly because he was captivated by the thrill of checking his loot.

If he stole a pouch easily, he thanked his luck, and if he stole a pouch with difficulty, he felt a sense of accomplishment.

Except for when he had gone through a lot of trouble and there were only a few coins, it was a wonderful profession that always came with a sense of achievement.

“Now, let’s see how much is in here.”

The boy chuckled and shook the pouch.

If there were coins in it, there should have been a jingling sound, but there was no sound at all.

“……?”

It was strange.

It felt like a single lump.

‘Is there a gold nugget in here?’

Considering the pouch owner’s appearance, it was unlikely.

But there was always a sense of dreams and hopes before checking the loot.

The boy carefully opened the pouch and put his hand inside.

The boy’s expression became strange at the angular feeling at his fingertips.

He couldn't even begin to guess what it was.

It was the same even after he took out the contents of the pouch and checked.

“What is this……?”

It was an object he had never seen before in his life.

The translucent crystal shone even in the dark alley.

‘A gem?’

It certainly looked like a very precious item.

The boy’s expression was half-smiling, half-frowning.

He didn't know what kind of gem it was, but a gem of this size would probably fetch a considerable price.

But disposing of gems was a hassle.

It was an item sensitive to its origin, so there were few places that would accept it, and since it was clearly obtained through dishonest means, it was difficult to get a fair price.

Even if he succeeded in selling it, there was a high possibility of being traced.

An item that could be a life-changing jackpot, or a pit that could end his life.

“Hrmm.”

But giving up this gem was out of the question.

If he had intended to live a safe life, he wouldn't be living as a pickpocket.

This was, a chance.

A chance to turn his rock-bottom life around.

The boy decided to take the gem to a fence he knew.

Thump. Thump.

Mistaking the pulse he felt from the crystal for his own-

* * *

“Damn it. Where the hell did he go?”

I searched the surroundings thoroughly to catch the pickpocket, but in the end, I couldn’t find him.

“Pol. Do you feel anything?”

“Not at all. I’m not sure.”

Ugh.

Pol’s intuition was not an ability that could be used just because it was needed.

Good or bad.

Since there were only two options, it was of little use in a vague case like this.

“It’s a relief that it’s not a dangerous feeling, though.”

The crystal of the Arachne Queen.

After being used as a flail, it had gone half-crazy, so I had just kept it in my pouch.

Considering it had been quiet for a few days, it probably wouldn't cause any problems right away, but since it was an item directly related to a powerful monster, I couldn't rest easy.

If the Arachne Queen were to regain her strength…….

‘There are pros and cons to there being a lot of people.’

Since the Imperial Capital was teeming with people, the moment the Arachne Queen went on a rampage, there would be numerous casualties, but the cleanup would also surely be fast.

Still, it was best to retrieve it before a problem occurred.

Of course, there shouldn't be any innocent victims.

I have such a proper civic consciousness, you see.

“Phew. It can't be helped. Let’s go to that alley.”

“Hut! Did you find a clue?”

“No. Not really. It just seems I’ll have to try a different method.”

An unfamiliar neighborhood where I didn’t know the way.

The area the two of us could search was limited.

Mindlessly running around was not the only answer.

I entered the alley and chose a less crowded path to move.

Deeper and deeper.

Since I didn’t know the way, I naturally reached a dead end quickly.

“Brother? There’s no way out here.”

I know.

Of course I know.

That’s why I came here.

“Damn it- we’re lost-! This is a big problem!”

I shouted in a loud voice.

It wasn’t directed at Pol.

It was a message to the punks who must have been following me, telling them it was okay to come out.

“Ah, are you outsiders?”

“Looks like you’re lost?”

The stupid guys crawled out without a shred of suspicion.

“…….”

Pol immediately gripped his sword.

I calmly pressed down on Pol’s hand.

At least, not now.

“Haha. Are you guys residents of this place?”

I spoke to our friends in a friendly manner.

“Of course.”

“Do we look like country bumpkins like you?”

They were friends who smiled a lot.

The fact that they were so relaxed even after seeing me and Pol armed meant that they were confident in their own brawling skills.

“Good. Good.”

This world already had a slight tendency to resolve things with force rather than law, but the back alleys were closer to the wild.

In the sense that there was a sort of food chain.

Even the pickpockets who made a living by picking the pockets of ordinary people were prey to the delinquents who brandished their fists.

If you were strong at fighting, you didn’t become a pickpocket.

What’s more, unlike ordinary people, they couldn’t ask for help from the authorities.

A guaranteed meal.

It was only natural for the delinquents to know about the precious pickpockets in their territory.

“I’m looking for a pickpocket, so I’d like your cooperation.”

Sreung-!

And what preys on the delinquents, is a force stronger than them.

They were bound to become meek lambs in front of a fist.

Even if the Imperial Capital’s guards were serious about public order, they probably wouldn’t get involved in every single brawl between back-alley delinquents.

“What’s this bastard saying!”

“You will, cooperate, won’t you?”

So, as long as I don’t kill them, it won’t be a problem.

As long as I don’t kill them.

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