The Devil's Whisper

The assassins were dealt with far more easily than I expected. There was no need even to wait for Shio and the others to join us... Perhaps because of that, Jigoro and Genjuro looked a little dissatisfied, as though the battle had lacked substance. I wonder what sort of opponent is aboard the black ship, if those four are apparently having such a hard time. It has me extremely curious.

Thanks to leaving the battle to Jigoro and the others, I was able to thoroughly inspect the inside of this ship that could turn transparent. Apparently, there was a magic device shaped like a pedestal with a crystal ball embedded in it at the bottom of the ship. Supplying it with mana activated the device, making the entire ship transparent. This was the result of using 【Appraisal】 on it.

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Concealment Ruby Pedestal　Quality: Good　Rarity: T (Treasure-class)

A magic item whose core is an object made by crystallizing the blood of a Jungle Camouflage Lizard.

The cords extending from the pedestal are also part of the magic item, and objects connected to it can be made transparent when mana is passed through them.

Although the object becomes invisible, it cannot pass through other objects like a ghost, so caution is necessary.

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Apparently, this is an item that can be made from materials harvested from a Jungle Camouflage Lizard, presumably a monster resembling a chameleon. Its high rarity means it probably cannot be made easily, but if it could be reduced in size, a garment that could render its wearer invisible might be possible, like the tengu's cloak of concealment from old folktales. I absolutely have to take this ship home!

The ship was important, but even more interesting things turned up when Nenashi and I examined it. We found three incredibly precise portraits that could easily be mistaken for photographs of the men believed to be the pirates' leaders, a large quantity of oil and gunpowder apparently intended to burn this base to the ground, orders written in code, and even one of the assassins' diaries.

Having Nenashi there was an enormous help during the search. He extended vines in every direction and swept through every last gap. It stirred up quite a bit of dust, but thanks to that, we found the orders that had fallen into a gap and the hidden diary. He humbly claimed that Ruby would have found them in a much more stylish manner.

There was no way I could decipher the coded message, but it was clear evidence that the pirates had been targeted by dangerous people who used such things to communicate. And the diary's contents... Heh-heh-heh! This should prove useful in the negotiations to come!

"They were weaker than I expected, bro... Not much of a challenge."

"Unless they were dealing with renowned warriors or swordsmen, I suppose they would not send such exceptional assassins after mere ruffians with a little skill. However, being able to dispatch that many at once is proof that the organization has abundant personnel. If we underestimate the organization, it will catch us off guard."

When we disembarked from the ship, Jigoro was sitting atop a heap of assassins sprawled over one another. Genjuro replied while idly rolling a dagger presumably taken from one of the assassins across his palm.

I envied the nerve that let the two of them relax as though they were at home while surrounded by people who could hardly be called allies. Look at Eiji. He was not even holding a weapon, yet he never took his eyes off the pirates, who were openly wary of us. That is the sensible response.

"Don't be so wary, pirates. We aren't exactly your allies, but we aren't your enemies, either. Surely the fact that we just saved you proves that much?"

Once the search was over, it was time for the long-awaited negotiations. Floating with Nenashi on my back, once again disguised as wings, I spoke in a gentle tone meant to reassure them and urged them to lower their guard. A few of the pirates responded with bewildered gestures.

However, most of the pirates remained on guard. No one would immediately trust a group of monsters who looked so suspicious. And humankind had come to fear me for a variety of reasons, making matters worse.

Perhaps even these roughnecks could not overcome their fear, because none of them took the initiative to speak. We could not get anywhere like this, and continuing this pointless staring contest was tiring. Perhaps I should provoke them a little first.

"Not even a reply, huh? You gather together, huddle up, and do nothing but bare your fangs... I had no idea 'pirate' meant 'coward.'"

"What did you say!?"

"Grrrrrr?"

"Eek!?"

The pirates fell for my provocation exactly as hoped. Nearly all of them raised their brows and reached for the weapons at their waists. However, they did not come toward us. That was because Cal came up beside me and rubbed its head against me affectionately.

Cal was the one who had carried out the most shocking slaughter before the pirates. Attacking Cal, which had swallowed headfirst an opponent they themselves had been utterly powerless against, would have been reckless. The fighting spirit that had swelled within them deflated in an instant.

I stroked Cal while pondering what to do. Thanks to Cal, the pirates had gone quiet again. Unless they said something—an insult would have been perfectly fine—I could not begin the negotiations! Hmm... What should I do?

"Who is your leader? Why don't we have a little talk?"

"...I am."

The one who stepped forward was the black-bearded pirate who had so impressed Nenashi. Perhaps from excitement, I could feel Nenashi, clinging to my back, wriggling. Hey, stop squirming! It gives me the creeps!

Desperately suppressing the sensation racing through my bones, I looked down at the pirate who had stepped forward and gave him a broad nod. I was facing a fierce-looking man with an overgrown scruffy beard—the sort of man I would have been careful not to make eye contact with in real life. But in the game, I was overwhelmingly stronger than he was. There was no reason for me to be intimidated.

"My name is Izaam. And you?"

"I'm James Austin, the eldest son of the 'Austin Gang.' That mage over there is my second brother, Richard, and the huge guy sleeping over there is my third brother, Edward."

"The eldest has a face more befitting the name Edward, if you ask me..."

Hey, Nenashi! Don't say incomprehensible things in a voice only I can hear! Besides, the sort of face you claim would suit the name Edward was never preserved in photographs or anything, was it? And saying that someone's name does not match his image was unbelievably rude. If James had heard him, he might have gotten angry.

The mage was the handsome man who had been directing the battle, while the sleeping one was the huge man who had fought several assassins. I had already guessed as much from the battle, but the portraits confirmed that these men were definitely the pirates' officers. I took the portraits from inside my coat and conspicuously compared them again and again. Then I dropped the paper bearing them onto the ground where James and the others could see it.

"This was aboard their ship. It seems they were after you... Do you have any idea why?"

"Hah! We're pirates, you know? Getting hated comes with the territory. I've got enough enemies to fill a warehouse!"

James spat out those words in a way befitting a pirate. Did he mean that, despite making his living through plunder, he did not remember every person he had attacked? Oh, now that was a truly villainous line!

Then I would give him a hint. I tucked the orders into the diary I had recovered from the ship and tossed the bundle at James's feet. James glared at me warily as he picked it up, then opened it and skimmed through it. His face grew redder and redder.

"Those bastards betrayed us! I'll kill them!"

"Big brother!? What does it say!?"

"Read it!"

As Richard read the diary thrust into his hands, his expression grew increasingly grim. That was probably because it gave him a clear picture of what kind of person its owner had been.

I read it as well. The diary mostly recorded what emotions its assassin owner had felt during his jobs and how each job had turned out, along with occasional lengthy complaints about his superiors. Apparently, he had enjoyed killing, because the diary was filled with remarks about how much fun and excitement he had experienced. It was an utterly vile diary.

However, the final section was what mattered now. It described in meticulous detail the assassination of the pirates and the task of completely burning away every trace of it from the island. The diary ended with the twisted desire, 'I want to see as soon as possible the expressions on the faces of those who do the taking when they become the ones being taken from—and burned alive.'

"As you can see from this diary, they are professionals in their field. An organization capable of preparing this many assassins wants you dead. Did you pick a fight with the wrong people?"

"No! We didn't pick a fight with anybody! We were hired!"

James then launched into a breathless account of what they had done. I already knew their circumstances from Konrad, but I made sure to react as though I were hearing them for the first time. That performance was quite important.

"I see... I understand your circumstances. So, what do you say? Don't you want to teach the organization that tricked you a lesson?"

The pirates' reactions to my proposal split into two groups. One was fear. This was the organization that had nearly wiped them out in a single night. Even rough men like them could not help being afraid when I hinted that they should fight it.

However, the fearful ones were in the minority. The majority reacted with wild elation. If they had retained their reason, they would have immediately rejected my suspicious proposal. But the fear of death had passed, and their anger at having their comrades killed had caused their violent impulses to explode.

Perhaps James and Richard were exceptions who had retained their reason, because they looked bitterly at their subordinates as they were swept up in the mood. I understood how they felt, but I was more than happy to ride this wave of excitement.

"Actually, this organization has been causing us trouble as well. We received information that they were about to carry out an operation in great haste, which is why we are here. You can get your revenge, and we will have fewer enemies. I don't think either side would lose anything."

"That's a mighty convenient story. Sure, in this business, once someone looks down on you, you're finished. But you're telling us to take on an opponent we can't beat even in a fair fight, by ourselves?"

"You have a point, James. But what if we supported you?"

"Huh...? A...floating ship!?"

I pointed into the sky with my staff. There, Shiratsuki slowly descended from the sky above the island, floating in the darkness of night. As I watched James and the others stand dumbfounded, I grinned beneath my mask.