“Their main purpose was to spread the disease and recover the sphere. As it is a rare artifact, they did not want to lose it after using it once. However, they did not expect to find Range village in such a state.”
“Indeed?”
“When they arrived, no one was sick. As it was the village where the disease first started to spread from, it is only natural to assume that the people there would be sick and weak.”
In fact, it had been the case at first. It was just their timing that was off.
But had the villagers still been sick when they came with the orcs, then they would not have been able to fight back… Everything would have gone according to their plan, and we would have all been killed.
“Thanks to Mr. Takumi, the disease had stopped spreading… But the merchants still wanted to retrieve the sphere, and so they released the orcs.”
“Judging by what Isabelle told you, it must be very expensive. And I’m sure there are many ways one could use it for ill.”
I didn’t know how much it was worth exactly, but it was definitely a rare treasure.
They would have wanted to retrieve it at any cost.
“Now, as for why they placed it in Range village in the first place…”
This was the most important part.
I believed that they were connected to the store, and by spreading the illness, they wanted to sell medicine and raise their profits.
“The merchants’ purpose was to spread the illness through Range village and recover the valuable magic tool.”
“And what was the reason?”
“The reason…they say that it was on Count Barsler’s order.”
Count Barsler… The nobleman who ruled the neighboring lands.
So it was by his order after all.
“But we don’t know what the Count was thinking when making the order…”
“Even the merchants don’t know?”
“They were just following orders. I even used Leo to threaten them, but they would not change their story. …I believe that they’re telling the truth.”
It seemed like a typical thing for a villain to do. They were just disposable pawns who knew nothing…
However, it also seemed rather lazy to send such clueless people to retrieve something as valuable as the glass sphere.
“Why would the count do such a thing…”
“I cannot say… However, we already know that he does not feel kindly towards His Grace. …He has made that quite plain now.”
As Ms. Claire narrowed her eyes and muttered, Sebastian answered her.
Sebastian was right. It was quite evident now that he saw the duke as a great enemy.
It wasn’t just the spreading of a disease, but an attempt to crush an entire village… This was no mere game.
“…Mr. Takumi. Please calm yourself. I can see it on your face, you know?”