Chapter 145: The ‘Parrot’ (3)
Ix7“Ha, they’re just thugs anyway. Don’t worry and just wait for us to return.”vYoW
0S83bblZis shared what he knew. He didn’t want to scare them off, but he couldn’t bear the guilt if he let them go without warning.T94V
kli5z6“They appeared out of nowhere and took over the island in just three months. They’re not just any organization. From what I heard from one of Falcoa’s direct subordinates, they were called the Parrot Thieves’ Guild before coming to this island.”lOdNbIU
MGY5“The Parrot Thieves’ Guild?”taxkUWn
KxXShirone’s eyes widened. Amy also seemed surprised by this revelation.WdC
tnW9eThe Parrot Thieves’ Guild was the same band that Lucas, who had stormed the school with Arcane, belonged to.0H1R
VBs1tAmy had witnessed Lucas’s prowess. Memories resurfaced of him, unfazed by the combined attacks of Yiruki and Nade, thanks to the effect of Abyss Nova wearing off.THJHX
p4NMJ57Had it not been for Siena’s unexpected intervention, it would have been impossible for all the students to remain unharmed.xGdK7x0
bCsRegardless of their identity, the situation remained unchanged. With an innocent girl’s life at stake, it was crucial to leave as soon as possible.aJa
wyqL3h“It’s okay. We’ve even fought and won against the vice leader of the Parrot Thieves’ Guild.”fYK5
44kMcJ1Zis bit his lip, holding back tears.gQCvg3
vW5VA“Thank you. To go to such lengths for someone like me…”4wFkT
JZ3WJjeThe nobles Zis had encountered until now never considered back-alley scum as humans.maAFp
m8QzktPerhaps it was to be expected. Why would those who monopolize the world’s wealth and fame pay any attention to the denizens of the dark?cha
PIj5VlABut these people were different. They were willing to fight for him, someone they could have easily taken advantage of with mere words.2NFSuV
q2Aq“How can I ever repay this kindness…”VYGK
Fy4rwQWAs Zis continued to express his gratitude, Amy, slightly embarrassed, placed her hands on her hips and sighed.j7ufzeg
HTsL“Enough already. If you think about it, you saved me. If anything, we’re the ones who should be thanking you.”dVbv
kWtZ7G“But to go to such lengths for something so dangerous…”F9x
ITH1“No need to overthink it. We’re not strangers anymore. And since you’ve manfully asked for help, we’re obliged to respond.”TdWlMP
neEqoZis looked at Amy with a baffled expression.oiZlZ5N
AKwiRHow could his actions be considered manly in this situation? If anything, shouldn’t it be the opposite?7HSZum
R3y“Stop it, I don’t need your pity. Manly? What man would beg so abjectly? My pride is completely shattered.”AASuec
V0Eg“What are you talking about? You set aside your pride to ask for help for your sister.”zrrY
BC8Hcn“Well, yes, but…”zS8
UwwWAmy smiled and gently pushed Zis’s forehead.Yjfho
Bl2eCD“That’s exactly what makes you a real man, you fool.”PfHeQ
r9vZHAs Amy walked away, leaving those words behind, Zis felt a lump in his throat and tears threatened to spill, but he felt he needed to hold back, not wanting to dampen their resolve.tz4SEpI
5CyKRian patted Zis on the shoulder and followed Amy.DFW
u72Qyx“Don’t worry. Since you saved my friend, we’ll definitely save your sister.”pPn6h
dcIVTess added,GW0
mIxLnRz“But when we return, you owe us a proper tour. We’ll make sure to collect our dues for the hard work.”oL7DN
Ok5MOZShirone turned back to Zis at the door and said,QgmZd
nZd“Trust us. We’ll bring your sister back safely.”adz
8s9PbZPUnable to hold back any longer, Zis burst into tears. Ignoring his bandaged wounds, he ran to the door and shouted after Shirone’s departing figures.ntOy8R
V3bt“Be careful! Really, you must be careful! I won’t forgive you if you don’t come back safely!”tFjp
NhbVShirone’s group didn’t look back, but their quickening pace was a more potent response than any words could convey.ZUte6
xeCjuMG* * *AwhEi
IS89bShirone’s group rented four horses from the western commercial district. Tess had argued that chasing in a slow-moving carriage would make it impossible to keep up with the time.4fl
z4mlDDespite the bold promises to Zis, the actual situation was grim.csE
1ofydThe revelation of the Freeman organization’s true identity weighed heavily on their minds.ZdQem
rSus3uLucas, a member of the Parrot Thieves’ Guild, was a B-class criminal.RmGz9r
B3WHyCriminals’ classifications aren’t just based on the severity of their crimes but also on their combat abilities.dVTM
RNuOHEven a serial killer causing chaos in the city wouldn’t be confined in the western prison, Inferno, if they were a mentally unstable individual without significant physical strength.BQy4e1
MVyPmeShirone sensed they were entangled in a serious matter.M0MqG
gdhCjqxSomething had definitely been off. After the Arcane incident, the Parrot Thieves’ Guild’s leader was said to be an A-class criminal currently on the run.LptWD4y
yOHhSo who were they up against now, if not Freeman, the leader of the organization they were about to confront?ytPcr
sYwd“Amy, are you sure it’s the Parrot Thieves’ Guild? Doesn’t something feel off?”0dif
cy1wMMH“I had the same thought. How could a wanted organization set up base in a tourist destination? Especially since the pursuit of the Parrot Thieves’ Guild would have intensified after the Arcane incident.”Lf9IDC
KIwQITess, riding alongside them, joined the conversation.N13i
vZGrrAV“It’s not the Parrot Thieves’ Guild.”M6TQ
ENlaL“Huh? Do you know something?”9lG8
g9Cb6K“It’s likely that ‘Parrot Thieves’ Guild’ is just the name they adopted after crossing into the Thormia Kingdom. Their original name was the Parrot Mercenary Band.”SKhWF
w0Ij“Mercenary Band? They were mercenaries? Then Lucas too?”tWbI
MKikOGl“I can’t be certain about him, but I do know how they ended up becoming a band of thieves.”rcyx
xYCxX“Why is that?”iZT
GfhbShirone asked immediately, but Tess was hesitant to share.g572G4
xe71LXIn essence, it was a common tale, yet she feared that revealing information about their adversaries could demoralize Shirone in the face of the upcoming fierce battle.4xegu
Bfr“Tess, if you know something, please share.”VhRZqgX
R3cUrged by Amy’s curiosity, Tess reluctantly began to explain.nNkm
WvA“There was a significant incident related to the Parrot Mercenary Band on the continent about seven years ago. Have you heard of the Flower Vase Incident in the Iron Kingdom?”5CBWb
Dp61T“Oh? I know about it. We learned about it in school.”xfmj3g
kP3OShirone recounted what he knew. At a noble gathering in the Iron Kingdom, a senatorial noble named Baltes declared that he would give his cherished vase to anyone who could prove they were braver than him.s8Vf
7UrA commoner noble named Moos took up the challenge. His method was to throw the vase, which was the prize, against the wall.NIN
fIKnEOn the surface, it seemed like a trivial incident among drunk nobles, but digging deeper revealed a long-festering political conflict.mMbF
f1Lqiq“The Iron Kingdom’s noble system is bicameral. The Senate conveys the king’s will, and the House represents the commoners. While this made Iron a wealthy kingdom, it also led to severe conflicts among the nobles.”x0p1
cHezK5Involving commoners in politics weakens the authority of the nobles. However, as the number of empowered commoners increases, the nation’s wealth grows exponentially.Ipm
q5ktzQ“The Senate’s power comes from authority, and the House’s power from taxes. Ultimately, a conflict between the two factions was inevitable. When Moos, a commoner noble, acted arrogantly, Baltes was seething. Although the situation was brushed off at the time, the resentment likely lingered.”1QArO2
d8oqf“But how does that relate to the Parrot Thieves’ Guild, or the Parrot Mercenary Band?”N31
uK6tUT5“Three months after the vase incident, a civil war erupted in Moos’s territory. An unidentified army invaded. From intelligence reports, the instigator of the civil war was Baltes. He hired mercenaries instead of his soldiers to attack Moos.”zMlmh
Dcd3VYZ“So, could it be that among those mercenaries…”zyY
gTHM8qB“Exactly. They were part of the Parrot Mercenary Band. Although many mercenary bands participated, the Parrot Mercenary Band demonstrated overwhelming power and breached Moos’s defenses. However, just as they were about to break into the inner city, Baltes’s soldiers suddenly poured in from the rear, ambushing the mercenaries.”9voaF8A
5eT3RexShirone could imagine the situation at the time.YrtBMq
2Z8GHire mercenaries to attack the enemy and then use your soldiers to attack the mercenaries. This strategy allowed one to claim both victory and innocence.1wP
YgO“From the start, Baltes never intended to annihilate Moos. The power of the House, backed by the commoners, was stronger than anticipated. He just wanted to teach Moos a lesson. The mercenaries were disposable from the beginning. Attack the territory with them, then eliminate them, a perfect plan.”8Ofd
naFQlol“But wouldn’t the commoner nobles not just stand by after that?”dKsZ
CLUG“Of course, but they couldn’t make it public. After all, the Senate is composed of nobles under the king’s protection. There must have been some agreement. The fact that Moos hasn’t mentioned the incident even after seven years suggests he received some compensation from Baltes.”3XsAA
ERC8Fr5Rian frowned, clearly displeased.sFN
arXIjcf“So the mercenaries were the only ones abandoned? I can’t understand the thinking of politicians. It goes against the code of chivalry.”Cmynhe1
Xhp71xL“It’s natural to feel that way. But I’ve been exposed to far worse intelligence within my family. The world doesn’t always operate according to our beliefs.”YL0vLe
TSDGT6Everyone fell silent at Tess’s words. They knew that someday they would have to step into the world where colossal forces were at play. The Flower Vase Incident wasn’t their affair, but it wasn’t entirely unrelated either.bYexZ
OwR816“Regardless, they were abandoned. The mercenaries who attacked Moos’s territory were all executed under the guise of treason, and naturally, the Parrot Mercenary Band disbanded.”HQVRrp
VwEAmy spoke up.ejB2E
1kNDu6U“But they survived in the end. That’s why they must have sought asylum in the Thormia Kingdom.”ewkCiGx
0fx9T9“Right. The mercenary band disbanded, but a few skilled members escaped the battlefield. It’s conjecture from here, but perhaps it was difficult for those branded as traitors to maintain a mercenary band? So they degenerated into a band of thieves and eventually, being labeled as criminals, they drifted to this island.”XNSyMW
ilPEvATess’s reasoning was sound, but Shirone felt uneasy.4nSJhWC
ojLtAbove all, for those fleeing under the charge of national treason to maintain the name “Parrot,” they would need considerable capital, power, and an exceptionally capable leader.456
s8R“Maybe it’s just a coincidence in name? After all, there are numerous guilds in the world, and ‘Parrot’ isn’t an uncommon name.”043l
Ap4Tess hesitated to respond. The situation she had feared was unfolding.UlkU9S
fL43Q“Shirone, remember the girl you mentioned last time?”hCn
Yhi“Huh? Marsha?Cwl
aBroPlAfter rescuing Amy from the palace and eating late-night snacks, Shirone had briefly mentioned Marsha.F2GK4NV
XzoFYqkOf course, he hadn’t divulged every detail.yQSg1
B6xEspecially the story of how he was nearly harmed by his foster father was something he intended to take to his grave.W9wPsYW
p3p“I thought it was speculation when I heard Zis’s words, but there’s a reason it can’t be. The name of the mercenary band’s leader at that time came to mind.”T8j8
gkSq“The leader’s name? Not Freeman?”TZSL
qut“Clay Marsha. That was the leader’s name.”ZeI
4U1As Tess finally revealed this, Shirone’s expression turned blank. The kind Marsha, like an older sister to him, and the mercenary band’s leader Marsha didn’t align in his mind.3bVN
I2oe“I initially thought it was a coincidence but the story of being raised by mercenaries made me wonder. Then, hearing Zis’s words, I became certain. The ones ruling this island are the remnants of the A-class mercenary band betrayed seven years ago in the Iron Kingdom.”MPpWdy
kEVL5r“That’s impossible. How could miss Marsha…? I explained before. She’s not the kind to do such bad things.”qzs
MI0Rf“Is that really what you think? The Marsha you’re thinking of.”l4p
fkTBTess glared at Shirone with an intense look, different from her usual self. It was the gaze of an intelligence agent, piercing through a person’s psyche.S7B
U68“Are you really thinking that? About the Marsha you know.”Q7j
dDQNShirone bit his lip. Deep down, he knew. Despite his desire to trust her, his intuition had already begun to doubt everything.TlM
2E0“I’m sorry. You must be right. It seems likely…”QqfcHg
xWHGMFNPiece by piece, everything fell into place. The reaction she had when discussing the collusion between nobles and criminals, smirking with sarcasm, now made sense.ughKF
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!