Chapter 38: Casting the Net (Part 2)
"You're worried about retaliation?" Ian understood immediately.
"Yes, of course we are. Among those you're hunting are sellsword knights. If it's open battle, sellswords fighting knights is acceptable. But what you want us to do is capture specific targets—that's kidnapping!
Kidnapping a knight without just cause is a provocation to the entire nobility. If we capture the wrong man and you release him, he might not dare retaliate against you, but we won't escape. Once he reports his experience to his lord, even if I survive by becoming your squire, the sellswords under my command will face disaster."
"So you want to silence everyone we capture by mistake?" Ian's eye twitched as he read the message in Dennet's gaze.
"You understand perfectly, Ser Lucien." Dennet quickly lowered his head.
"No, absolutely not." Ian shook his head reflexively.
"Of course, of course, ser. You're an anointed knight, a servant of the Father Above. Slaughtering innocents has nothing to do with you. We acted on our own initiative."
"Enough!" Ian cut Dennet off. This wasn't the outcome he wanted.
If he were only hunting players, he'd have no qualms.
But what about ordinary travelers?
Ian could imagine how many people the sellswords would mistakenly capture after casting this wide net.
Kill them all? He shook his head. That wasn't what he wanted.
Perhaps there was room to improve the plan?
He immediately dismissed the idea.
He realized Dennet was describing an unavoidable problem.
Without question, if he didn't allow sellswords to silence those they mistakenly captured, no sellswords would serve him.
Sellswords fight for coin, but they won't die for it.
Therefore, silencing all captured individuals was a necessary condition of this plan—an indispensable requirement.
"I'll only take the ones I want," Ian said finally, exhaling slowly. "If you capture the wrong person, that's your affair. How you handle it has nothing to do with me."
Ian couldn't think of a better solution. He didn't want to kill innocent people, but he wouldn't abandon his hunting plan out of squeamishness either.
He'd try to minimize innocent casualties whenever possible, but if that proved impossible, he wouldn't pretend to be noble about it.
In the later stages of player conflicts, tens of thousands would die. Compared to that, these casualties were negligible.
"Yes, ser," Dennet nodded quickly, understanding Ser Lucien had tacitly approved his request.
"Now for the second group," Ian looked at Erik again. "You and the rest of Spike's men will be under my direct command, stationed at the inn.
After our target enters, he may begin probing others' identities. These are the individuals you need to watch carefully. Of course, I'll remain in the common room most of the time to personally identify targets. Also," Ian suddenly had an idea,
"Choose a presentable man from your company, and we'll equip him with gear matching exactly what the sellsword knight I'm hunting wears. Then let him sit alone at a table drinking in the common room.
If anyone approaches to test him, send word to the kitchen through Masha, and she'll put a sleeping draught in that person's wine."
"What's that?" Masha looked confused.
"Something to make people sleep."
"What?"
"Something that makes people lose consciousness."
"Seven hells! How would I have such a thing?" Masha shrieked.
"..." Blame it on me reading too many wuxia novels? Ian pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then you must have something to give him the runs, yes?"
"I don't have that either. But I know there's a certain mushroom in the woods behind the hill that makes people weak and even hallucinate after eating it."
Red cap, white stem, eat it and you're dead?
"Then use that. Just make him lose his strength so others can take him away quietly. And if someone chooses to attack our bait directly, the other sellswords will use the excuse of subduing him to bring the attacker to me without arousing other guests' suspicions."
"So we all have assignments. Who will help you pursue the Blackfyre treasure? Are you summoning family reinforcements?" Dennet sounded disappointed. If that happened, they'd have no chance at the treasure.
"Have you seen any evidence of this Blackfyre treasure? Any proof it exists? How can I summon family aid?" Ian demanded imperiously, trying to cover his inability to request help.
"I'm intrigued by this supposed Blackfyre treasure, but that pales beside my mission. Do you understand?"
"I apologize, ser. I meant no offense to your judgment." Dennet, ever submissive, apologized as soon as he noticed Ian's displeasure.
This made Ian wonder what had broken this young Dornishman's spirit. After all, the proud Dornish hadn't bent to Aegon the Conqueror's dragons—they'd even used a scorpion bolt to strike Meraxes, Queen Rhaenys's dragon, from the sky.
"Grayson and Dennet, each of you select one of your men to accompany Kevan to the nearest castle to purchase necessary equipment to rearm both companies—armor, weapons, and horses." Ian had initially wanted Kevan to buy him a suit of plate, but he'd temporarily abandoned the idea, realizing custom-fitted would be best.
"Until they return, we'll postpone securing the Kingsroad and focus solely on the inn." After all, that's where the real opportunities lie. "Dennet, you and Erik make arrangements now. And help Masha clean up the common room as soon as possible."
"Yes, ser." Dennet accepted his orders and departed.
"Now for the Blackfyre treasure, Ser Grayson. Tell me everything you know."
"Honestly, I know very little, as I wasn't working directly with Captain Morgan. He stationed me here at the Crossroads Inn, pretending to be independent of the Blackwing company, to lure outsiders interested in the Blackfyre treasure into hiring me so I could serve as his eyes," Ser Grayson explained.
"Did Blackwing tell you why he came to this inn yesterday?"
"He never told me. We have no public connection, so we deliberately kept our distance. I think his adopted son Dorian should know something. But Dorian's probably consumed with vengeance for Blackwing right now, so he likely won't accept your hire."
"So why would I need to hire him? If we want him to talk, we obviously have better methods, don't we?"
"I don't understand your meaning."
"If we're going to investigate Blackwing's death and avenge him, wouldn't Dorian naturally share all his information with us?"
Grayson's eyes widened slightly in understanding. "You mean to pose as allies seeking justice for his adopted father?"
"Exactly. We approach Dorian not as employers, but as fellow seekers of vengeance. We tell him we witnessed suspicious activity, that we have resources to hunt the killer, that we share his desire for justice." Ian smiled coldly. "Grief makes people trusting. He'll want to believe we're sincere."
"And once he's shared what he knows?"
"Then we decide whether pursuing this treasure is worth our time. If it is, we continue the partnership. If not..." Ian shrugged. "We part ways amicably."
"You've a talent for deception, ser," Grayson said, though whether it was admiration or wariness in his tone wasn't clear.
"I prefer to call it 'strategic flexibility,'" Ian replied. "Now, let's go speak with this Dorian. And Grayson? Let me do the talking. Your job is to look appropriately vengeful and say nothing unless I prompt you."
"As you command."
As they prepared to descend to the common room, Ian couldn't help but reflect on how easily the lies came now. How naturally he manipulated people's emotions for his own ends.
When did I become this person? he wondered briefly.
But the thought passed quickly, buried under the weight of necessity and survival.
There were players to hunt, mysteries to solve, and advantages to press. Moral qualms were a luxury he couldn't afford.
Not anymore.
(End of Chapter)
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