"What are you saying?" Akeno asked.
"You mean..." Kinuko frowned.
"...they haven't demanded ransom?"
Benjamin nodded.
"Not a single Nex."
"...That's strange," Boros muttered.
Kinuko folded her arms.
"Isn't the whole point of kidnapping to demand money from the victims' families?"
"It usually is," Jake replied.
"They've been kidnapping people for months now..."
"...yet they've never once contacted anyone to demand payment."
Benjamin leaned forward.
"I've had my suspicions for a while."
He clasped his hands together.
"And at this point..."
"...I'm fairly certain I know what they're doing with the people they've taken."
Boros met his gaze.
"And what's that?"
Benjamin took a slow breath.
"A few months ago..."
"Tunisik was one of the most prosperous towns in the Western Cardinal."
"We never needed to import food."
"We only exported it."
He paused.
"You'd think our farmers would all be swimming in cash."
He shook his head.
"But that's not how things work here."
"Most people in Tunisik don't care much for luxury."
"So instead of hoarding money..."
"...they invested almost everything they earned."
"They bought more farmland."
"Expanded into the surrounding forests."
"And poured the rest back into the next harvest."
He spread his hands.
"So while many of them are wealthy..."
"...their wealth exists almost entirely in assets."
"Not cash."
Benjamin's expression darkened.
"Now that crime has spread throughout Tunisik..."
"...the value of those lands has plummeted."
"No one wants to buy property in a town plagued by kidnappings."
"So even if the farmers wanted to sell..."
"...they'd struggle to find buyers."
Boros frowned.
"...Where are you going with this?"
Jake answered instead.
"What Benjamin's trying to say is simple."
He folded his arms.
"The person leading the S-Rank Killers likely realized there wasn't much money to be made from ransom demands."
"So they found another way to profit."
Akeno narrowed her eyes.
"...Which is?"
Jake's face grew grim.
"They're selling the victims."
A heavy silence filled the room.
"...Selling them to who?" Akeno asked quietly.
Jake looked her straight in the eye.
"...Cannibals."
"C-Cannibals?" Kinuko stammered.
Benjamin gave a slow nod.
"Yes."
Boros folded his arms.
"If that's true..."
"...then there's a good chance we won't be able to save the victims."
Benjamin lowered his gaze.
"If we're being realistic..."
"...you're right."
He clenched his fist.
"But that doesn't mean we can allow this to continue."
Kinuko frowned.
"Who are these cannibals?"
"And why hasn't anyone stopped them?"
Benjamin sighed.
"Whether they're actually cannibals depends on who you ask."
"Many people simply refer to them that way."
He paused before continuing.
"The Demi-Humans of the Northern Cardinal are known to consume human flesh."
'The Northern Cardinal...'
Boros frowned inwardly.
'Everything always seems to lead back there.'
Akeno tilted her head.
"So some people don't consider them cannibals..."
"...because they aren't fully human?"
"Exactly."
Benjamin nodded.
"But they possess human traits."
"They think like us."
"They speak like us."
"And they even share a portion of our DNA."
His expression hardened.
"So as far as I'm concerned..."
"...they're cannibals."
Jake spoke up.
"As for why nobody has dealt with them..."
"...it's because of the Talons."
Kinuko nodded slowly.
"I figured."
Akeno stared at the floor.
"...Why would humans sell their own kind just so they can be eaten?"
No one answered immediately.
Benjamin finally broke the silence.
"Because people can be cruel."
"Truly good people..."
"...are rare."
He looked toward the trio.
"That's why we Adventurers take our oath."
"We risk our lives to protect innocent people."
"So they can live peacefully."
His fists tightened.
"But..."
"...we failed the people of Tunisik."
He slowly rose to his feet.
"And that's why..."
"...we're going to put an end to this."
The room fell silent.
Benjamin walked back to his desk and picked up a small card.
"We'll go over the full operation tomorrow morning."
"You've only just arrived."
"You should get some rest first."
He held the card out.
"This is a Sylva Guardians Guild card."
"We issue them to visiting Adventurers."
"Take it to any inn in town."
"They'll recognize it immediately."
"Your room, meals, and every other expense will be covered by us."
Kinuko accepted it with a polite smile.
"Thank you."
Benjamin grinned.
"Don't be modest either. Order whatever you want. They'll give you the best rooms available."
"Get some food. Get some sleep. And be back here tomorrow morning."
"We'll walk you through our entire plan."
Boros nodded.
"Understood."
"We'll see you tomorrow."
He turned toward the door.
Akeno and Kinuko followed behind him.
The office door clicked shut.
Silence settled over the room.
Benjamin sank back into his chair.
"What about Spike?"
Jake, who had been staring out the window, answered without turning around.
"I've already contacted him."
"He should arrive tonight."
Benjamin nodded.
"Good."
"With you..."
"...me..."
"...Spike..."
"...our remaining forces..."
"...and the White Tigers..."
"...we should finally have enough to deal with this."
Jake remained silent for a moment.
Still gazing out the window, he finally spoke.
"...Do you really think this plan will work?"
Benjamin closed his eyes.
"It has to."
A pause lingered in the room.
"...It has to."
...........
There weren't many people out on the streets, but after asking a few passersby for directions, they eventually found the place they were looking for.
The inn stood only a short distance from the Sylva Guardians Guild Headquarters.
The trio stepped inside the large building.
The lobby was spacious and warmly lit, with polished wooden floors and neatly arranged furniture giving the place a welcoming atmosphere.
They made their way to the reception desk.
"Welcome," the receptionist greeted them with a bright smile.
"Hello," Kinuko replied.
She took out the Guild card Benjamin had given them and placed it on the counter.
The receptionist picked it up.
The moment she recognized the emblem on the card, her smile widened.
"Ah, you're guests of the Sylva Guardians."
"Welcome to Tunisik."
"Thank you," Kinuko said politely.
"I'll take you to one of our finest suites."
She stepped out from behind the counter and led them toward the staircase.
The trio followed behind her.
As they climbed the stairs, she glanced back at them.
"Would you prefer separate rooms?"
"No," Boros answered immediately.
"We'll stay together."
"Very well, sir."
Boros looked ahead as they continued walking.
"If those kidnappers decide to make a move during the night, I'd rather not have any of us isolated."
"It's safer if we stay in the same room."
Akeno and Kinuko silently agreed.
After reaching the top floor, the receptionist guided them to one of the rooms at the very end of the hallway.
She unlocked the door and stepped aside.
Inside was a spacious suite, clean and elegantly furnished.
The bed was neatly made, a comfortable sitting area occupied one corner of the room, and large windows overlooked the quiet streets of Tunisik.
The receptionist handed the key to Kinuko.
"This will be your room."
"If you need anything at all, simply ring the reception desk."
"We'll be happy to assist you."
"I hope you enjoy your stay."
Akeno raised a hand.
"Some food would be nice."
"Of course."
The receptionist smiled.
"Is there anything specific you'd like?"
"The best meal you've got," Boros answered as he walked into the room.
"Right away, sir."
She gave a small bow before quietly leaving.
The trio entered the suite, and the door clicked shut behind them.
Akeno and Kinuko settled onto the bed.
Boros dropped onto the couch with a sigh.
"These S-Rank Killers are a real pain in the ass."
"Seriously," Kinuko agreed.
"Kidnapping innocent people and selling them to cannibals..."
She shook her head.
"...that's beyond disgusting."
Boros rested an arm across the back of the couch.
"We're going to help the Sylva Guardians put an end to this."
He looked toward the window.
"That's why we're here."