Witch Hunter Rhapsody

"I only recently started doing business here and will be staying for quite some time. So our cooperation will last at least a long time, and if we get along very well, we can cooperate for even longer."

"So, what exactly do you want us to do? If we're merchants, it should be something like providing protection, right?"

Vitas spoke up; he didn't want to listen to any more nonsense.

"Oh, no, that's not it."

Declan had the prepared dishes brought up.

"I'm in the wizarding business."

"A wizard's business? That must cost a lot of money."

Merchants who do business with wizards mostly sell them spellcasting materials, spellbooks, or magical items.

Among them, spellcasting materials are the most numerous, and the purpose of the mercenary knights is mostly to obtain some difficult-to-obtain biological materials.

This meant we had to venture deep into the forest.

Even the former Knights of Sin would have to think twice before Vitas made a move.

"I must say, the Flying Eagle Knights may not be able to meet your needs. You should choose some more powerful individuals as your employees."

"you……"

Helena silenced Leon with a look, and Vitas looked at Declan and said quite seriously.

"I don't want anyone to die over this trivial matter. You'd better make it clear what you need."

Declan also revealed a playful smile.

"He seems to be a decent guy. I wouldn't feel at ease if he wasn't prepared and vigilant about the dangers he might face."

He said.

"I need Guros, can you bring him?"

Guros is a beast that lives in the dense forests of the Duchy of Vilan. It resembles a giant but has four legs and six arms, and its body is covered with sturdy scales. It appears frequently in folk tales.

Vitas had never seen one before and had no clear concept of the threat posed by this monster.

He looked at Helena and Leon.

"Are there any of these around Ortham City?"

The latter two shook their heads, indicating that they were not entirely sure.

"Yes, that's what the wizard I contacted told me. He's certain that such a monster exists in this forest, and as more wizards arrive, this matter will gradually spread throughout the wizarding community. I seized this opportunity to contact him."

In other words, the city of Ortham still possesses materials that wizards value highly.

Vitas wondered if this was a chance to get closer to his enemy, and he felt he should find an opportunity to talk to Maximus.

"If that's the case, I think we can give it a try first. Gurosmon is not a social animal, so as long as we prepare in advance, it shouldn't be too difficult."

Leon was still talking, and Vitas was somewhat envious of Leon's confidence and fearlessness.

"Your first half is correct, but I can't agree with the second half. Declan, I can do things for you, but you have to tell me the general location of those things first. I need to do some scouting."

"OK!"

Vitas asked again.

"You're really comfortable letting me know this kind of information? It's a valuable resource for both you and the wizard behind you, isn't it?"

"Haha, you don't need to worry about that, I have my own way of doing it."

Tsk, probably some kind of punishment or something. Mercenaries like them have always been the weaker party.

"So, it's a pleasure working with you?"

Vitas gestured for Helena to shake his hand, and Helena quickly complied.

"It's a pleasure working with you."

……

"Hey, Helena, aren't we trusting Vitas a little too much?"

On the way back, Leon finally voiced his opinion.

"I don't know why you trust Vitas so much... Don't make me use any harsher words... The Flying Eagle Knights are our life's work, and this situation doesn't look good."

"Leon, do you remember the humiliation we suffered last time? We tried our best, didn't we? We could have become an excellent knight order, but we were rejected for such a ridiculous reason."

Helena said earnestly.

"Mr. Vitalius is indeed a gentleman, even Declan says so. I know you're still worried, but could you please give him a little more time?"

Leon didn't know how to put it, but Vitas did exhibit some strange traits, or rather, a wealth of experience. Perhaps he could choose to listen to Helena.

Of course, Vitas is a pretty impressive guy; you can make people want to talk to him just by looking at him.

However, no matter what, he didn't like seeing Helena and Vitas interacting so frequently.

If Helena had been colder to Vitas, Leon wouldn't have been so angry with him.

……

Vitas finished his workday, and after his meeting with Declan, the latter handed him a small bag.

"A small gift for you, my friend. I hope we can work together more in the future."

Vitas knew that Declan had figured out he wasn't a long-term member of the Flying Eagle Knights, and the silver coins in his bag were enough to show his generosity.

However, we cannot simply trust him.

Vitas never figured out who this guy was. It wasn’t uncommon for merchants to do business with wizards, but he didn’t have the cunning air of a typical merchant.

Merchants who are not cunning are beings that have never existed since the creation of the world.

Vitas returned to his residence, where the couple was still sweeping downstairs. The woman told Vitas, "Sir, there's been a crow cawing on the roof all day. I'll have someone come and chase it away tomorrow. Please forgive us."

"It's alright, I won't hold a grudge against humans because of animals."

Thank you very much.

Vitas walked back to his room. The raven had already flown to the window. Vitas reluctantly opened the window and let the raven fly in.

"Gah gah gah, Vitas, Vitas, my knight Vitas, how have you been lately? How's the investigation I gave you going?"

Maximus demanded that Vitas find out why Viya was being valued so much, and he suggested that the investigation should focus on the new wizard named Raymond.

Vitas really didn't know how to start the conversation.

Should I tell Maximus that I've already killed Raymond?

Moreover, he killed Raymond, who was a disciple of Nexus, escalating the situation once again, but he still couldn't find out why Viya was important.

This is really hard to say.

"There's been no progress, but there are some rumors circulating. I don't know if you'd like to hear them."

Tell me about it.

"They say Viya has obtained your academic secrets."

"Academic secrets? Hahaha, she was exiled by my teacher back then because of her research interests... Oh, you shouldn't know this, but it's really funny to say that."

"So that's all? You actually expected me to get this kind of news? Shouldn't you be trying to get closer to your investigators? Speaking of which, haven't Drak's investigators arrived yet?"

The crow's tone became strange.

"Guess what? Who knows if my teacher's investigators have arrived yet? Don't worry about that, hehe."

It's likely that the investigators and Maximus are in cahoots. Vitas probably believes that assassinating Via was a consensus among a significant portion of Draco's disciples, with Maximus simply being the executor.

"Alright, by the way, do you have a big demand for Guros?"

"Gross? You mean that kind of giant monster? That's huge."

Maximus then began to speak at length.

"The blood of the Guros is bright enough for drawing most ordinary spell arrays, making it an excellent substitute for synthetic pigments for low- to mid-level mages. Its fur and bones can be used to make magical items, and its internal organs, once dried, can be used as ritual ornaments. Few beasts are as versatile as the Guros. Therefore, those who engage in the Guros breeding business are invariably wealthy merchants or high-ranking wizards, and wild Guros are the targets of wizards' pursuit. Why are you asking this?"

"There are more wizards lately, and the name has appeared in the market. I'm just mentioning it."

Maximus's raven flapped its wings.

"I have no problem with you having a side hustle, but you'd better be available whenever I need you."

"So, can you give me a well-paying job right now?"

Vitas makes no secret of his strong desire for money.

"Then go investigate which outside wizards are currently in the city! Give me a name and some evidence, and I'll give you half a gold coin!"

The crows cawed and flew away from Vitas's residence.