Cave King – 275

Chapter 275 – Very Skilled!?

---

“Please come this way.”

Alva invited us to the drawing room and gestured for us to sit down on the sofa in the center. 

There was nothing strange about the room. There were fancy furnishings, but no places for assassins to be hiding. Had there been a teleportation device, I would have been suspicious, but there were no magic devices here that I could detect.

Alva did seem to be glancing out of the window. So perhaps he knew about Rish and the guard.

On the other hand, I could sense that the teleportation device was still underground. Of course, it hadn’t been half a day since the fortress fell. Perhaps they could not move in time.

I sat down on the sofa while Rienna and Fule stood behind me.

The male employee then entered with a tray and placed the tea and sweets on the table. He was smiling pleasantly and did not look like someone who would be involved with bandits.

Once he left, Alva sat down as well.

“Lord Heal, thank you for visiting us today.”
“Do you know the reason that I came?”
“You desire weapons and armor. However, as I told you before, we only sell weapons that are suitable for soldiers.”

Alva was unnaturally calm.

But how long could he stay like that? I decided to shake him up a little.

“Oh, like the armor and weapons you sent to Nostor?”

“What do you mean?”

“Berido told me everything. He is your subordinate, isn’t he?”
“Berido…I have never heard the name before. He must be trying to frame me. However, if you are in doubt, you must question the other employees. No, question the whole town if you must. Neither I nor my employees have ever gone close to that mountain.”
“Well, what if you had a convenient way to send things without going close to the mountain?”
“I don’t know what you mean…”

Alva’s expression darkened a little.

“…In short. I know that you’ve been using a device underground to send supplies to the fortress in Nostor. You did this while selling weapons and armor to the guards.”

Alva froze for a moment and then burst into laughter.

“Ahahahaha! …Oh, how funny! I have been doing business for many years in many lands, but I have never heard anything so ridiculous! In the first place…such a device does not…”
“In that case, shall we go to the basement together and check?”
“…Pl-please wait…”

Alva became frantic when I stood up.

Berido had talked. And we knew about the device’s location… He must have realized that he could not continue to make excuses.

“…I know about you, Your Highness. And you must know about our company.”
“What of it?”

“I do not mean to brag, but we can offer immense amounts of gold. Besides, we have royals and nobles on our side already.”

“I see. A bribe. And a threat.”

“No! You are exaggerating!”

“Alva. Threats do not work on me. I will make a report of the device to the king. I am sure you know what that will lead to?”

Alva chuckled.

“You do not know when to back down… I beg your pardon, but I know of your reputation. The most useless prince.”

“Yes, my reputation is far from good. But now that I have taken the Nostor fortress, perhaps people will listen to me? Besides, people will be very interested in hearing about this device.”

I said, and then glanced in the direction of the basement.

Alva turned pale.

“How….how did you find out? Even if Berido said…why did he even say…”

They could get away by just insisting they used the tunnel. They must have agreed on it in advance.

However, I had seen the device being used.

Still, the negotiations would go better if I kept such things vague.

“You don’t need to know the specifics. I only came here to negotiate.”

Alva gulped and looked at me.

“…I will listen.”

“No matter how this all ends, you will certainly face the rope.”

“Yes…”

“But perhaps I can spare your life. If you cooperate.”

“Cooperate…with money?”
“I have money. You saw my carriage.”
“My apologies…it was foolish. Then…what?”

“It’s quite simple. You have such a device. In that case, you must have other rare items.”

A teleportation device. You could use such a thing to assassin kings. Alva would know how valuable it was.

But he shook his head.

“…Oh, I just found it amongst some antiques. I have nothing else like it.”

“No. That is not yours.”
“What makes you say that?”

“Would you really do something so dangerous as this? If it was merely to make a little extra money? There are many other ways to make a profit.”

Alva was silent at that.

“The device does not belong to you. Someone let you borrow it, in order to put their own plan into action. Is that correct?”
“Heh… Hahaha!”

Alva suddenly laughed loudly.

“Oh, I am so sorry for calling you a useless prince. …So, what do you want me to do now?”

“Tell me who gave you the device. If they could spare such a thing, they must have other artifacts of great value.”

“I see… You want other devices. But why, Your Highness?”

“What is it to you? There is nothing you could do anyway. The only thing you should be thinking about is your choice between life in prison or immediate death.”
“Will you guarantee my safety while I am a prisoner?”

“I promise. You will be allowed to live in a remote place to the north. Everyone will think you are dead. Of course, if your information is false, then you are as good as dead.”

Alva was deep in thought.

And then he finally spoke.

“…Well, there is nothing worth more than life. However, I would want to live with my family, who remained in the royal capital.”
“It depends on your answer.”
“Hm…that is troubling.”
“Troubling?”

Alva smiled bitterly.

“What happens…if I do not have much information? And if it is something rather obvious?”

“You are saying the culprit is someone I can easily guess? For instance, the company president?”

“I do not know about that… Surely you know that I am not aware of what the heads of the company are doing?”

It was possible that he was trying to delay the investigation. However, both Berido and Alva had been careful to not leave any evidence. So it was likely that the person who contacted Alva had also not left any.

“You will have to cooperate if you wish to live with your family. Also, we will question your employees. If it becomes clear that you are lying… Well, you know.”

“It is easy to imagine. And so I promise to tell the truth.”

“Good. Now, speak honestly. You gave you the device and made the orders for this plan?”

Alva nodded and spoke without hesitation.

“Is was Mr. Bisto, the president of the Arubal Company. He gave me the orders in great detail. And I obeyed and ordered Berido.”

There was no reason for Alva to lie at this point.

And so it was likely true that Bisto had given the orders.

Still, these were all merchants. As I said before, there were other, better ways to make money.

In other words, it seemed likely that Bisto was being used as well.

And that person might have received orders from someone else.

How many people would we have to go through?

And the true culprit will have plenty of time to act.

I remained silent, and so Alva continued.

“…I do not know why the president thought of doing such a thing. It is clearly against the law. It could be the end of our company. Why would he take such a risk… I do not have an answer for that question.”

Alva paused and then continued.

“It does not seem like the kind of thing he would do. As you said, Your Highness. It does not fit the path of a merchant.”

So Alva also believed that there was someone else behind it.

“To be honest, I was against it from the very beginning. I did not become a merchant in order to act like a bandit and take lives. However…in the end…many lives were lost.”

Alva frowned sadly, full of regret.

“I do not know if it will be enough in terms of atonement… But would Your Highness allow me to participate in the investigation in finding out who was behind the company president?”

“You think it will be faster than me questioning him directly?”

“Please consider it, Your Highness. He is one of the richest men in the kingdom. More powerful than most noble. The only kind of person who could control him is…”

“Someone very powerful.”

Alva nodded.

“Indeed. There must have been a lot of care when making the request to the president. It is likely that catching the president will not lead to finding out the true culprit.”

“But you can find them?”

“Yes. Even if the fortress has fallen, if the device is safe, and I am still in control, the culprit will likely not give up the plan. And so they will contact the president in some form. Or if I ask the president, he may be able to make contact himself.”
“I see.”

I couldn’t help but nod.

It was as if he could read my mind. That was a merchant for you. With a few words, they could figure out what you wanted.

That being said, it was too dangerous to accept Alva’s proposal completely.

“What do you think, Your Highness?”

“Indeed.”

There were two ways I could handle this.

One was to follow his suggestion and allow Alva to find out who was behind this. However, it was possible that he would betray us.

The other was that I could make myself known and wait for them to make contact with us. I could make Alva’s arrest public, or have Alva let them know that we discovered the device. They would either try to retrieve the device or send assassins.

However, this method would give them too much time to prepare. 

“I will be reporting to you plans and progress immediately. You can even have someone keep an eye on me. Please, allow me to do this, Your Highness.”

Alva continued, as if reading my mind.

He did seem quite capable. After all, he had put this plan into action and kept it a secret for over a year.

But he also knew it was against the law. He was someone willing to do that for money.

On the other hand, just paying him would not be a guarantee of his loyalty either. We could take hostages, but that might not work as well.

In other words, there were too many  uncertainties with him. He definitely had more knowledge and experience than me. And he had a way with words…

It seemed likely that he would pretend to cooperate and do something else.

Of course, we could not lose in a fight right now. But he might use some tricks…

Besides, there was a safer way.

I shook my head.

“I don’t think so.”
“I see… It is unfortunate.”

“Aye. Still, I do want information. About Bisto and the company. Even if it is something small, you will tell me everything. Remember, your treatment as a prisoner depends on it.”
“I understand. In that case…”
“No, not here. We can continue this conversation at the guard headquarters. Tell your men that you are going out.”
“Hmm? Uh, of course.”

And so we left the company and took Alva to the guard headquarters.

As he walked normally and was not bound, no one would think that he had been arrested.

Even Rish and the guards looked at us oddly, and did not do anything.

Alva was puzzled but went along calmly, even when being put into the dungeon.

His cell was locked and the rest of us gathered in a room on the top floor.

Rienna asked.

“You didn’t show him as a criminal…do you mean to return him to the company?”

“I do. Alva is going to find out who is behind this.”

I answered. Rienna and Fule looked confused.

“Huh? But you just turned down his offer?”

“Yes. I won’t be using the real Alva. A different one will be sent… Number 15.”

I said, and the butler-looking man, Number 15, opened the door and entered.

“You called me, Lord Heal.”
“I want you to be there when we question Alva.”

“As you wish… But why me?”

“Would you understand… If I said I wanted you to study the way he talks and moves?”

Rienna and Fule muttered, ‘Ahh…’

“I see… That will be quite the role to play.”

“Well, you could say that it’s a role only a golem could play. What do you say?”

Golems could change their appearances and voices so perfectly. And so with enough knowledge, he should be able to turn into Alva.

“…I understand. I shall succeed with this role.”

Number 15 bowed his head.

And so I took Number 15 and went down to interrogate Alva.

Next Chapter