The Duke’s Madness

The moment Furis fell, the wizard immediately cast a spell.

But Arthur’s trigger came first.

bang-!

With a gunshot, the wizard with a hole in his forehead fell backwards.

After confirming the wizard’s death, Arthur turned his head.

Murmurs the dying Furis.

“I was thinking about you. Did you steal my lineage?”

“yes.”

At the answer, Furis burst out laughing.

“… I’ve met a lot of people on this floor, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen someone steal someone’s bloodline.”

Furis, who had stopped laughing, said while forcing the blurred focus.

“Are you going to the battlefield like this?”

“yes. This request is not to kill you, but to protect the building.”

“… Many of our children are going to die.”

“If I don’t attack first, I have no intention of killing either.”

Furis’ eyes shine for an instant.

At that incident, Arthur’s eyebrows went up.

‘what? Could it be that he still has enough energy?’

Worries ceased to be concerns.

Instead of getting up, Furis took the necklace off his neck and handed it to Arthur.

“If you show me, I will back off. If you don’t back down, I’ll tell you it’s my will.”

“… .”

“They say that this floor is all about money, but there is no need to kill needlessly, right? is not it?”

Arthur ponders the question.

Furis, who noticed the conflict, quickly continued the explanation.

“In addition, this necklace will be useful in many ways. It has a cognitive impairment spell on it.”

“… Cognitive impairment magic?”

“Simply put, it blurs the structure and shape of your face. To the point where I couldn’t recognize anyone, no matter how close I was.”

Arthur’s eyes widened in admiration.

‘oh···. If it’s true, it’s a really useful thing?’

It was Arthur who always wore a mask that did not suit him, fearing that he would be found out as the heir to the ducal family.

However, if Furis’ words were true, such trouble would be saved in the future.

‘Hmm… Not bad, assuming it’s true. Complete the quest with ease and obtain artifacts.’

Arthur nodded along with his thoughts.

“All right. Mr. Furis. As you said, I will give you a will by showing you the necklace. Give up the request and leave.”

“okay···. If they still don’t back down, just kill them. If someone jumps at you because of hasty affection, he will die soon anyway.”

With the answer, Furis’ breath gradually subsided.

death is approaching

In fact, if it wasn’t for the state of strengthening the body, it should have stopped breathing long ago.

‘no. Even if the body is strengthened, it is a wound that should have died.’

Is that why?

Arthur suddenly became curious.

Why did Furis say that even though death was right around the corner, others.

Does that even concern the gang?

Thugs gathered for money.

Aren’t they just a fighting gang?

Arthur, who was worried, eventually couldn’t stand it and asked a question.

“Hey Mr. Furis? Can I ask you a question?”

“… sun.”

“No matter how much you are the leader of a gang, is there a reason you want to protect them even to the point of dying?”

At the question, Furis’ gaze slowly turned to Arthur.

“… It’s natural.”

“… ?”

“No matter how much the relationship is made of money, we ate and slept together… You can keep this level of loyalty.”

Arthur shuts up.

And Furis slowly closed her eyes.

“I don’t know if that’s why I die like this…”

With the last will, Furis’s breath is cut off.

Arthur, watching the death, murmured quietly.

“Mr. Furis is not a gangster. Mr. Boris was the real gangster.”

With these words, Arthur put his cloak over Furis’ corpse and stood up.

At that moment, dawn dawned.

Sometime in the morning, the morning has arrived.

After confirming that, Arthur turned around.

It seemed that the time had come to end the long, long battle.

* * *

Arthur headed straight to the battlefield.

Fortunately, the Titan Gang was somehow holding out against the Giant Gang.

‘They say that 90% of the strength of the Giant Gang is 90% of Furis, but it’s true.’

An excellent commander and warrior.

It was no exaggeration to say that his vacancy accounted for half of the Giant Gang’s power.

So the battle was sluggish, and in the meantime, Arthur’s appearance was enough to completely break the morale of the Giant Gang.

“… The captain is dead?”

“yes.”

“And you saw us and told us to leave?”

“I said it was a will.”

The vice-captain of the Giant Gang burst into laughter.

After that, I looked at the necklace in Arthur’s hand for a while and asked.

“Hey you. What is your name?”

“Dawn.”

“Remember it. I have no intention of revenge, but you better watch your back.”

With these words, the Giant gang retreated neatly as Furis said.

Arthur, who watched the scene, shrugged his shoulders.

In the meantime, La Borde, who became the new captain of the Titan Gang, approached.

“… You kept your promise.”

With these words, La Borde put a cigarette in his mouth, not hiding his tired expression.

“To be honest, I thought I was going to leave it as is.”

“Then the request failed, right?”

“This request may fail. There was a traitor, and the enemy power that was not in the information appeared.”

Arthur shrugged again.

La Borde, who was looking at it, burst out laughing.

“Thank you. To be honest, I thought I was dead, but he appeared like a hero like this.”

“me too. To be honest, I thought the entire Titan gang was going to die, including Mr. La Borde.”

La Borde blinks.

And he said with a laugh.

“Isn’t that a very honest answer?”

“uh···. is that so? sorry.”

“It’s okay, take it as a joke.”

Are you serious?

But I didn’t bother to open my mouth.

In the meantime, realizing that the battle is over, the Titan gang cheers.

At that time, while watching the situation, La Borde opened his mouth again.

“I don’t think you’ll be curious, but our ex-captain must have really betrayed you.”

“Boris?”

“okay. That damn f*ck to eat. He got into a huge amount of debt through gambling, so he tried to eat a lot with this request. I’ve been suspicious of your recent movements, but I never thought you’d hit me in the back like this.”

Arthur nodded.

It was so commonplace that I was not surprised.

In the meantime, La Borde finished the explanation and handed me his business card.

“If you’re not meeting for money, I’ll repay this favor someday. what···. I don’t know if our help will be useful.”

When Arthur accepted the business card, La Borde turned around and left the scene.

Although they were comrades in the same night, they never said goodbye.

However, Arthur didn’t care.

Because that was a gang.

Furis was a very peculiar person.

“by the way···. Resentment and grace have arisen. It’s a rare thing.”

Arthur burst out laughing with a murmur.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t that unusual.

Today’s friends can become tomorrow’s enemies on this floor.

Conversely, today’s enemy can also become a friend.

That’s why it’s a place where you can’t measure the future, and if you survive, you can get a big reward.

‘It’s also a fun place. Arcane.’

Arthur raises his head with a thought.

At the same time, the rising sun swallowed up the surrounding darkness.

After confirming that, Arthur turned around.

It’s time to go back home

* * *

late afternoon.

After recovering from the fatigue of the night before, Arthur visited ＜Manners Make a Man＞.

“Hello, how are you?”

At the greeting, Willett turns around instead of answering.

Still cold, Arthur shrugged and followed.

Unlike the last time I visited, the pub located in the basement was empty.

Is it because of that?

Willett did not go into the office across from him, but approached the stand bar and offered Arthur a seat.

“Would you like some alcohol?”

“no.”

“… That’s a solid answer. What about cocktails?”

“Not even that.”

“Then what do you want?”

“Do you have milk?”

“… .”

“If you don’t have milk, it’s okay to give them water.”

Willett shook his head with an exasperated expression.

And as Arthur requested, he handed over the milk.

The moment Arthur takes the glass and drinks half of the milk in the glass, Willett pulls out something.

It was a gold coin.

“The reward for this quest is a total of 6 gold. However, the Titan who requested the request said that they would increase your reward by 4 gold.”

“… .”

“But it doesn’t make sense to let them go through such a damn thing and get 4 gold. I compromised to split the half of the 30 gold that you were supposed to receive, 13 gold after deducting the relay fee. In the end, I calculated it for you, so do you have any complaints?”

Arthur shook his head.

“No, I am satisfied.”

“… I don’t want to interfere, but the money issue is sensitive, so it’s better to talk about it now.”

“no. I am really satisfied.”

Willett shuts up.

And after looking at Arthur for a while, he handed over the pouch containing 13 gold.

“Tell me if you want to exchange money. Instead, I have to give you 1 more gold.”

“hmm···. I will ask you later.”

“okay···. What did you do? There was a variable, but it was resolved well.”

“yes. I never dreamed that the gang leader would betray me.”

“That’s what fight gangs are all about. There is no such thing as faith or trust, and the people who move only for money. That’s why combat gangs are called ephemera.”

Willett continues his explanation, pouring vodka.

“So it’s not particularly surprising… Why didn’t you give up the request?”

“yes?”

“Things have gone wrong, you are asking why did you stay until the end and confront the Giants?”

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

It was because he did not know that Willet would ask such a question.

However, I soon came to my senses and thought about it.

I didn’t know if I could close the distance with Willett with this question.

‘If you say you stayed because of your lineage… can’t you? Then what should I answer… .’

Thoughtful, Arthur remembered his conversation with La Borde.

Dunn.

A mercenary named Dunn.

Can you promise the name of the mercenary?

After thinking about it, Arthur appropriately adapted the words and solved them.

“If I run away from the spot, the value of my name will drop.”

“… what?”

“If you can’t complete the request, the value of your name will drop. That’s not what I want.”

Willett’s eyes widened slightly.

At the obvious change in emotion, Arthur smiled inwardly.

“… That’s an abstract, rational answer. Did you really stay because of that?”

“yes.”

“… Your answer doesn’t sound like an answer.”

“uh···. I am serious.”

“okay. Well, assuming that’s the truth, it’s a good thing you got the job done on the spot anyway.”

Willett explains.

“Rumors have spread all over the world that you stayed behind to complete the commission while the gang leader betrayed you.”

“… .”

“Also, killing Furis from the Giant Gang. Killing a 3rd circle gang leader with bloodline abilities is noteworthy. It means that the value of your name has gone up.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

“Then a better request will come in.”

“yes. Also, the rating will go up. Then you can get a better reward.”

“I’ll ask for the next quest to be a good one.”

“I was able to get a good request this time too. It’s because you refused. So why a gang…”

Willett shuts up.

And hastily changed the topic.

“Are you going to work right away?”

“no. I’m going to take a little break.”

“Good idea. It’s not good to stand out too suddenly. Take care of yourself.”

With these words, Willett stood up, and Arthur also stood up.

After that, it was time for Arthur and Willett, who had returned to the tailor shop, to go back to their respective places.

“Are you old?”

“Speak.”

“Can I buy you a suit?”

Willett snaps his fingers.

“It is expensive.”

“… .”

“If you spend all the money you received this time, you will be able to get just one suit.”

At these words, Arthur handed over the reward he had just received without hesitation.

“Can you fit me a suit?”

“… Are you serious?”

“Yes, I am serious.”

Willett was at a loss for words in response.

To burn the reward obtained at the end of that fierce battle with just one suit?

‘Sure, my suit is worth it, but… What the hell is this guy?’

It was the time when Willet looked at Arthur with his thoughts.

Looking around at the suit from ＜Manners Make a Man＞, Arthur remembered his appointment for lunch tomorrow.

‘Mayor Arcane. You’ll need a new suit to go see the highest man in the city, right?’