The Strongest Gun Magus: I Cast Bullet!-Chapter 91: Plans Within Plans

Reynard smiled at Marien uneasily.

"Yeah, about that... You should go, but I guess I’m stuck here for a while longer. Since I started this entire thing with saving the mayor, I might as well finish it. You can... Well, do whatever you want, even beat up these Nigredo magi from the Order of Snow, if you like."

Marien glanced at the people Reynard gestured at and scoffed.

"They aren’t worth even this much of my attention! Since they found out about the attack, both groups of idiots have been throwing accusations at each other—just as always. I got bored with it immediately... Their only saving grace was not pointing any accusations at me. At least they know who is their better."

Reynard’s smile grew wider.

"It was nice of you to watch that they don’t start any trouble with the guards, anyway. They have been through a lot of shit today, as it is. If any more spells get thrown around, they might start a revolt."

Marien nodded.

"Anyway, what is that business you must do here? I am in this with you, don’t you dare to doubt it! Hmph. Just, if this grows too boring, you will have to come up with a way to entertain me!"

"Ha-ha... Of course, my princess." Reynard bowed. "Now let’s ditch these clowns and come speak with the guard captain."

***

Next noon, Reynard was told by the guard captain that the mayor wanted to see him and Marien.

"Finally!" Reynard stood up from his seat. "I hope that it’s to pay me every gold coin you have promised on his behalf. Would be my best-paid sixteen hours of doing nothing."

"I should have required more payment. My time is precious," grumbled Marien, standing up from the seat opposite him.

They have spent the last several hours in the mayor’s sitting room, re-reading their spellbooks and discussing spellcraft. Although the topic had infinite depth, talking for several hours straight was still tiresome.

The bodyguard job Reynard and Marien had agreed to was as uneventful so far as Reynard suspected it would be.

But each of them was going to earn five hundred gold per day of guarding the mayor’s rest. For that, Reynard and Marien were offered guest rooms in the mansion.

At this time, the broken windows were covered with large tarps, the blood and glass on the floor cleaned, and the Day of Freedom decorations partially removed. Compared to the previous day, the mansion felt almost empty.

There was no sign of Amelia. Reynard really wanted to speak with her through the Repeating Bird, but also wasn’t sure what he was going to ask. He was also afraid of being overheard by a servant.

For the same reasons, he still didn’t have time to talk about things with Marien...

Together with the guard captain, Reynard and Marien walked into the mayor’s room. Like the last time Reynard had seen the aging man, Mayor Matiliy was on his bed in bandages, with a physician standing near. He was half-sitting with his back propped on pillows.

His face was pale, but his gaze was clear, and his voice was energetic.

"My saviors! Welcome... Gerolf had already told me about how you had fought against the intruders." Matiliy nodded toward the guard captain, who silently saluted. "It was really fortuitous that you got the invitations to my Day of Freedom party."

"You didn’t send them?" Reynard asked out of curiosity.

"Of course not," the mayor scoffed. "There were over two hundred guests on the list. Most of them were picked by my secretary, and some of them were sold off from a small auction. This helps with the funding. I assumed you got yours from one of them... Well, it doesn’t matter. Fortuitous, indeed! You will be paid a thousand gold coins each for guarding me this night and for saving me yesterday. And of course, you will get the diamond replacement for your artifact. He passed me your request."

Marien nodded in satisfaction and folded her hands over her chest.

"As it all should be. But do you know who attacked you? Why?"

The mayor looked at the guard captain, who just shrugged. The motion was awkward thanks to the pauldrons of his steel armor.

"Clearly, one of the Orders of Winter or Snow decided that they didn’t want my master to be the mayor anymore. They could have sent their own people or mercenaries... At this point, any magus in the city can be a suspect!" The man paused. "Except for you two, since you fought the intruders."

"It doesn’t actually matter who attacked us!" the mayor exclaimed, almost sitting up. Then he gasped in pain and fell back to his pillows. "They... They have both declared war... On Darland!"

The physician fussed around the mayor, only to be shooed away. After a breath, Matiliy continued:

"The orders knew that I wanted them gone, that’s why they attacked. But now it’s clear to everyone in the city what tyrants they are. Darland is going to unite and bring its freedom back—again! It will be a rebellion. When it starts, and it is starting already, my life will be in much more danger than it is now. Knowing this, will you still work as my bodyguards?"

Reynard blinked.

Amelia’s plan—from getting them invitations to this event—clicked in his head. There were only two unclear things: whether she planned the entire thing a while ago, or adjusted her plot on the go, and whether Amelia expected the mayor to actually survive.

If she was cunning enough—and Reynard didn’t doubt her—then the mayor’s life likely didn’t matter.

But she surely was behind the attack, directly or indirectly. By using the mayor as a martyr, Amelia had sparked the rebellion she was planning... And by making sure Reynard and Marien were there, she protected them from the anger directed at all other magi.

Of course, Reynard knew that the Order of Winter would think that they were traitors if he and Marien got involved in a rebellion.

But...

"A rebellion?" Marien asked in shock and excitement. "You will fight the orders? HOW will you fight the orders? Without magi?!"