I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 87 Gains and Losses
Seeing the agitated paladin, DuPont advised, "Since the adventurers didn't pursue the matter, it's enough. Otherwise, those who plotted against you might take advantage of the situation, and things could get even worse than before."

"This isn't about taking advantage of the situation; it's a very serious matter!"

Deva grew increasingly angry as she spoke: "Just lying on the ground and crying is enough to extort money. I'm afraid many people will follow suit with this risk-free business. I must catch this person and severely punish her for extortion. Otherwise, others will follow her example, and the reputation of Beer Town will be ruined. The influence might even spread to other places. Who knows how many people might die if they encounter someone with a bad temper? Just thinking about the sins that would result makes me feel suffocated. This kind of evil trend must not be allowed to continue!"

“What you said makes some sense, but the person who committed the crime is an elderly woman whose life is very fragile. If she is arrested and frightened, and something bad happens to her, who will take responsibility?”

The paladin girl shook her head and said in an unquestionable manner, "A sin is a sin, and it will not be forgiven because of the sinner's age. Even if an ignorant child commits an evil deed, their parents must bear the consequences. Whether I am a paladin or a deputy captain of a guard, I have the right to stop such evil deeds and to enforce justice and the law to the end. Otherwise, it will only be trampled on by more people and eventually become a joke that everyone will laugh at."

“But if you pursue this further, it might anger a lot of people. Those who are trying to trap you would probably be happy to see you do that.” DuPont sighed. “It’s a very irrational thing to do, especially since you’re an outsider. Nobody will speak up for you.”

"Hmph, so what if I lose my job? It's no big deal!"

After the paladin girl finished speaking, she went to arrest the person. The empty private room was left with only DuPont and two meals. DuPont stared at the still open door for a long time without saying a word.

Having finally escaped one hurdle, if they step in and ease the tension, they might be able to deter the masterminds behind the scenes, and the masterminds will then control these people and make them obedient, thus achieving a satisfactory outcome.

As a result, this silly girl insisted on digging a hole for herself; she really wasn't afraid of trouble.

Sigh, isn't my thinking a bit too insect-like? I'm clearly the one from civilized society.
DuPont put down his cutlery and tidied up his clothes.

Sometimes, you really have to deliver a heavy blow.

"Bartender, call your boss over. I have some questions for you."

The bartender was clearly not good at lying, and was filled with fear of DuPont, bowing his head and saying, "Your Excellency, our boss is not here."

“Tell him that if he doesn’t want to go to jail before dark, he’d better get in here in three minutes.”

The bartender hurriedly left, and less than two minutes later, a fat man with a beer belly came back. When he saw DuPont, he bowed somewhat awkwardly and said with an smirk, "Sir, are you not satisfied with the food or drinks? If you feel it's not to your liking, I can give you a free meal. Consider it on me."

"Alright, stop fooling around with me. I don't need that money, and I hope you're not an idiot." DuPont looked at the other person: "What's the name of that guy on the second floor across from the bar today? What's his job? Where does he live?"

The tavern owner, sweating profusely, placed a round money bag on the table and smiled obsequiously: "Sir, how would I know that man's name? I wasn't even in the lobby just now. I have no idea what happened. You can't wrong an innocent person."

DuPont grabbed his staff and slammed it directly into the boss's round belly. Instantly, the boss let out a bloodcurdling scream and collapsed to the ground. Uneasy whispers immediately filled the tavern.

Several burly men opened the door and took a step back upon seeing their boss kneeling on the ground. They looked at the eerie figure standing there, dressed in a black robe whose face was obscured, only to see him impatiently curse, "This is none of your business, get lost!"

The fear of death was clearly far greater than the loyalty that 3 gold coins a month could buy. The bartender and all the waiters in the tavern closed the door and left. DuPont kicked him again, making him convulse. DuPont poured the remaining third of the drink on his face, his face cold: "The life of a mortal like you is not worth even a minute of my time. What is that person's name? What is his position? I don't want to hear any more answers that I don't want to hear."

The tavern owner's tears and snot mingled together as he huddled in a ball: "No, no, they'll come after me."

"They're causing you trouble? Do you think they'd kill you?" DuPont sneered and sent a message: "It's almost summer now, and the hot weather can easily cause fires. I think tonight's weather might be just right for something to happen. What do you think?"

“He’s Richard, the second sheriff of the guard.” The shopkeeper said the man’s name, his voice trembling. “He told me to let him know if the new captain came in for dinner. That’s all I know, I really don’t know anything.” “What about the men on horseback?”

Upon hearing this, the boss's face immediately turned pale with fear, but seeing that DuPont was about to raise his staff again, he quickly whispered, "There aren't many people in the city who own horses. They're either guards or those prominent figures. How could I possibly talk to them? Asking me is pointless!"

Is there such a relationship?

DuPont was somewhat surprised, but seeing his boss's trembling body, he figured he couldn't be lying to himself: "Get out of here. Be more careful next time. Not everyone is someone you can afford to mess with!"

The tavern owner scrambled away, while DuPont fell into deep thought.

Whitestone Town has a small population, so the owner of a luxurious tavern must have connections and wouldn't be unfamiliar with the town's dignitaries.

Since the other party dared to mention the sheriff's name, they were obviously not afraid of offending the guards. So why would they hide it from those few horsemen?

Who is there that he absolutely cannot offend?

There are some, for example...
noble.

But is it necessary for nobles to get involved in such matters?

The identity of a guard is intimidating to ordinary people, but it is just troublesome for professionals, and to nobles, it is just a lackey.

While they might not care about them completely, in many cases they are not as worthy of attention as the household servants.

However, Deva's situation is clearly somewhat special. Both the paladin and her valuable magical items prove that she has a strong backing, and it won't be easy to control her.

Could it be that there are some hidden underground transactions in this city, and they're worried that this rough-around-the-edges paladin might cause them trouble?
Or, to put it simply, he was attracted to her beauty and devised a trap to gain both power and profit?
Thinking of this, DuPont couldn't help but shake his head.

Although Deva is quite capable, her experience and knowledge are too shallow. It's hard to say whether the church is too careless or her family is too inattentive, not worrying at all that this girl might be taken advantage of.

DuPont weighed the money bag on the table and pocketed it.

It looks full, but it's actually full of silver coins, worth only 30 gold in total.

However, this is much more lucrative than copying exam papers, and it's worry-free and effortless, requiring no brainpower whatsoever.

Leaving the tavern, DuPont glanced around but didn't spot any obvious informants, then quickly left.

Deva hasn't been here long, so this group might not be able to devise any clever traps, and she might still have room to take advantage of the situation.

Hopefully, this fool won't act too impulsively; it wouldn't look good if things escalated.

(End of this chapter)