Chapter 78: 78 Manor Tour, A Clue to Kahlum?!

As the afternoon deepened.

After a long time, I visited the Hero Candidates at the Lord’s Manor. Of course, there was somewhere I stopped by before that.

I went to the chicken restaurant I had visited before and ordered a large quantity of chicken, alcohol, and drinks.

The owner revealed his pearly white teeth.

"Oh my god, what a customer! You’re not going to cancel this, right? Really?"

"Just deliver it well. Here’s the money."

"Kyah! I can’t resist a bulk order like this! Guys, get ready!"

"Yeah!"

Burly, muscular, bald men wearing identical uniforms gathered from who knows where.

Hmm, are those the people who will deliver the chicken?

Anyway, I headed to the Lord’s Manor. It should be about time for their tough training to end soon.

It felt like a long time since I’d been here too. I recalled my time as a Hero Candidate.

"Training while sweating, building camaraderie. It was good."

Although that time wasn’t long, they were guys whose desire to become splendid Heroes was genuine.

I considered these guys at least my peers.

"Guard Captain, hello?"

"Oh... you’re Lucian Vane?!"

"Huh? Lucian’s here?!"

The Guard Captain and all the Hero Candidates turned to look at me.

The number seemed quite small, as if some had quit during that time.

"At most, just over 10 people. Where’s Zara?"

In the end, this was reality. Many people aspired to be Heroes, but some gave up due to lack of talent or circumstances.

I knew how miserable such situations were. Because I had been like that too.

"But...."

Alpa, however, was the same as before. He was lording it over a Hero Candidate next to him.

"Wannabe, your voice is too quiet. If you keep this up, you’ll have to get disciplined by the Guard Captain!"

"P-please, Alpa...!"

Sigh, I should save him. That piece of human trash.

As I approached, Alpa picked a fight on his own accord.

"Look who it is? Aren’t you a hard guy to see?"

"Your way of speaking is still the same."

He scanned me and sneered.

"You said you became a real Hero, but you haven’t left on an adventure, and you haven’t done anything. Do you even have companions? Haven’t you just become a mediocre Hero? What’s the difference between you and these wannabes, anyway?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I’ll be leaving on an adventure soon, and I’ll do my job even if you don’t say so. And I’m going on an adventure with peerless beauties, but do you even have a female friend, let alone companions?"

"Wha..what?!"

"Do you even know any women? Oh, not your mom."

"Puh-huh-huh!"

"Hahaha..."

"Holy shit! That was brutal!"

At my words, the Hero Candidates nearby burst into laughter all at once.

Alpa looked around and trembled. Soon, he gnashed his teeth and left.

Moron. Why do you keep picking fights when you won’t even get your money’s worth?

Sometime, I should go find that bastard’s mom. I should put my stamp on her.

"Why are you leaving? Delicious things are coming soon."

"Delicious things, you say?"

The Guard Captain asked, wondering what it was. But heavy footsteps were heard approaching us.

They’re here. The chicken!

"Guys, I’m treating today. Eat and drink to your heart’s content! Today is chicken day!"

I shouted, raising my fist to the sky. At the same time, the chicken restaurant staff were bringing the chickens in a polite posture.

The Guard Captain hurriedly made space. I felt a little bad.

"Woah, really? Thank you!"

"Lucian, you’re the best."

"Alpa is a total pushover compared to Lucian."

"Look at the chicken smell, it’s killer, haa-eung!"

The Hero Candidates were delighted, seeing the chicken, drinks, and beer filling the space. I said to them,

"Even though our statuses have diverged, I still think we’re the same people. I won’t forget my peers. Now, since you’ve trained hard, eat and drink!"

"Thank you so much! I’ll eat well!"

"As expected, Lucian is the best!"

"Oot, oot-hoooooo!"

Receiving everyone’s encouragement and cheers, the enjoyable time began.

We spent a long time chatting and having fun. While we were busy eating and drinking, Zara was nowhere to be seen in the end.

"Where’s Zara?"

At my question, one of the candidates shook his head.

"Don’t you know? Lady Zara is also soon to become a formal Hero."

"Hero, really?"

"Yeah. She’ll probably come tomorrow after taking down a baby wyvern."

Tomorrow, of all days. That’s a shame.

I’m planning to leave today. Because I have something to do with the Goddess.

I nodded and ate and drank. The feast of crispy skin and juicy meat, followed by the fantastic harmony of cool beer, was exquisite.

After eating and drinking and unwinding like that, I quietly got up. I left the spot first.

Just in case, I walked around the domain, checking for suspicious people. Because it was possible that followers of Those Who Recite Sins Cult might have infiltrated.

But not a single one was seen.

"Fiora Ravenscoft, she’s truly resourceful."

To make the domain this comfortable. She’s a wonderful woman, truly.

Passing through an alley and coming out onto the street, I looked to one side.

"Sometime, should I have the Debauched Hero Foundation office built there?"

I thought for a moment, then shook my head.

"Anyway, can it just be done inside the ring? Hmm, I don’t know."

I didn’t drink much beer, but my head wasn’t working well.

As expected, I’m terrible at this kind of thing. I should ask Fiora or my aunt for advice later.

As I kept walking, I ended up at Dinora’s house. As I scratched my head and was about to turn back, I heard signs of people inside. And it was a man’s voice.

"A man’s voice? Not just one person?"

As I approached the door, I flinched as I was about to draw my sword.

"Why bother?"

I shrugged and went inside. Three dark-looking men had a fire lit.

If a fire breaks out like that, they’ll be fucked.

"Kiddo, what are you?"

"Isn’t he that? A Hero."

"Such a cute guy? Even if it’s a remote domain, they’re doing all sorts of crazy shit."

The men all stood up. I asked their business.

"What are you guys? Why are you here?"

"Us? Detectives."

"Affiliation?"

"Why should we tell you?"

It was obvious where they were from, actually.

"Obviously, you’re from Those Who Recite Sins Cult. You fucking vermin bastards."

When I sneered, the men were surprised. They were excessively muscular for detectives.

What, are they combat detectives or something?

"Huh, a young bastard being insolent...!"

"Why did you come here? The homeowner here already repaid all her debts, didn’t she?"

"Repayment, my ass. No matter how I think about it, it’s strange. Suddenly repaying debts? But then the Pastor also disappeared. We came often to investigate, but the homeowner wasn’t seen?"

Evacuating Dinora was the right answer. These hyena-like bastards.

"Oh, really? It wasn’t you who took her?"

"Bullshit! Where did this bitch go? You know, kid?"

"Why should I tell you?"

I immediately countered. The men exchanged glances, then laughed disgustingly.

"Only if we cut off your limbs will you talk."

They lunged. Of course, dealing with them wasn’t difficult.

These guys were vermin who couldn’t even reach Runner Mid-stage, at most.

With such skills, it was laughable for them to call themselves detectives or whatever.

Thump, crack! Splat!

I knocked them all down in close combat. Then, I drew my sword and killed all but one.

Deliberately stabbing them cruelly.

[You defeated an enemy!]

[You gained 3000 Collector Points (CP)!]

[You defeated an enemy!]

[You gained 3000 Collector Points (CP)!]

I wondered if these guys weren’t even weaker than goblins.

The last remaining man trembled, his bald head shining.

"Huh, gasp! What kind of kid...."

"You know, don’t you? That I’m a Hero."

"D-damn it! Save me, please save me!"

"Is your life worth begging for like that? Anyway... you know, right?"

"W-what?"

"Kahlum."

One word was enough. The reason these bastards specifically came here might be because the debt was suddenly repaid and the pastor disappeared.

It would also be because that pastor had Kahlum. What if even a little bit of such a mysterious thing flowed elsewhere?

From these guys’ perspective, it would be a loss.

The man’s expression changed in an instant. I sneered, watching him.

"Your cult leader is already dead. What are you relying on to act so cocky?"

"Our Cult Leader? So the rumors were true...!"

I deliberately showed him the necklace. His two eyes widened.

"Your information is fast, isn’t it? Let me ask one thing. Kahlum, where do you get it from? Who distributes it?"

Lord Weaverpool clearly said so. That a greater power was distributing Kahlum. That it originated from that guy.

Then I had to find the source.

"I-I can’t say!"

I shrugged. I reached out and grabbed the man’s right hand.

Specifically, only his middle finger. I grabbed it and immediately broke it.

"Kkeuaaaak!"

The man struggled to shake off my hand and wailed. But I didn’t let go.

"Fine, don’t speak. I can enjoy myself as much as you don’t speak. Next is your index finger?"

I grabbed his index finger. The man desperately shook his head.

"I-I really don’t know, honestly!"

Aish, no way. One more finger coming up.

Slash.

"Kkeuheuaaaak! I really don’t know!"

"Bullshit."

"Uh-heo, heo-heuk, b-but...."

"But what?"

"O-our Cardinal... Cardinal might know...."

I laughed. For a cult, they have a Cardinal?

"Cardinal, my ass. He’s probably some pastor bastard who’s fucked a lot of female followers. What’s his name?"

"Zames... He’s a deeply faithful person, no less than the Cult Leader...."

"J? Or Z? What a fucking shitty name. Where is that bastard?"

"W-well...."

This bastard was hesitating again. He should have learned that hesitation brings pain.

I reminded him again. I broke his pinky finger.

Crack!

"Kkehaaaak! Ahh, heoh, t-the capital! He’s in the capital!"

"In the capital? Is he well-known?"

Besides this, I asked a few more things. What Zames looked like, where he usually went.

I was able to hear all the necessary answers. To catch a guy like this, I’m lucky.

Then a familiar name came up.

"...Heo-heuk, he often goes to lecture at the Expeditionary Society of Legion Academy."

"Alright, you worked hard. Sleep well."

"Huh?"

Swooosh.

I drew my sword and killed him in one swift motion. I can’t leave trash like this alive.

[You defeated an enemy!]

[You gained 3000 Collector Points (CP)!]

As I got up from my spot, I tilted my head. Expeditionary Society. I feel like I’ve heard that word somewhere. What was it?

"Expeditionary Society? Where did I hear that name? Were they important guys in the story? No."

I thought for a moment, then Alpa, who had picked a fight with me earlier, came to mind.

Ah, that’s right. That.

Alpa’s strange way of speaking was due to the influence of the Expeditionary Society, wasn’t it?

"Then the academy that bastard studied abroad at is called Legion Academy?"

And the Expeditionary Society must be some kind of organization existing within that academy.

I couldn’t help but laugh. It’s not like a parent-teacher association, is it?

"This... if I go to the capital, it’ll get quite interesting, won’t it? I’ll have to check if those bastards there also speak like Alpa, like idiots."

Licking my lips, I left Dinora’s house. I gradually loosened my body.

"But first, the Goddess."

After a long time, I wanted to enjoy myself with the Goddess. And I have something to tell her.

"Kihihing!"

I summoned Lynn and got on. Galloping at high speed, I began to leave the Ravenscoft domain.