My Glasses Will Be Able to Conquer the Whole World, I Suppose

Chapter 193 – Glasses Boy Sharing a Sense of Crisis

Those two have become quite familiar with the orphanage, especially Florentine.

When I brought up the topic, Chace nodded emphatically.

“Yeah, you’re right. It felt like nobody else paid any mind to it so I thought it was just me. They’ve gotten so used to it, it’s kind of scary.”

Well, revealing our quest for the Bryne Tower is certainly a delicate matter. Making it known that we are searching for it might not be the wisest choice, given the potential consequences.

However, they have become excessively accustomed.

Rumors about the tower named Bryne have circulated throughout the city, yet it is treated as some kind of “secret organization.”

Likely, only those in power truly comprehend that it is a tower or a significant location.

“Chace, did you get this information from Tatsunami?”

“Strictly speaking, he said, ‘I don’t know, but I might know someone who knows. Ask the head of the orphanage.'”

Ah, I see. That old man. Did he pass the information along to the other old man?

A very large old man occupies the director’s chair at the orphanage.

During my short stays as Eil, I made sure to greet him properly and ask for permission when I stayed a little longer. He promptly accepted.

“Sure, go ahead.”

However,I think he might be an assassin. An incredibly strong one.

He’s likely not directly connected to the Tower of Bryne. Instead, he might be one of the assassins retained by the Nastiala Kingdom, retired and residing here. Additionally, he could serve as the gatekeeper of the Tower of Bryne.

He projects a laid-back image, indulging in hobbies such as enjoying alcohol, snacking, and gardening. Nevertheless, there’s no doubt he’s strong.

In this town, there are almost no formal legal procedures, so technically, they become “individuals who have settled here independently.”

It’s amazing when you calmly consider the absence of legal structure. Even without it, things seem to work surprisingly well.

The rulers, those individuals, might be doing something extraordinary and challenging beyond my imagination.

Anyway…

“So, what about Cherry and Florentine? Do they know anything?”

“I made sure I could answer them anytime, but they’ve never asked me. Not a word about the Tower of Bryne.”

I see.

Well, as I mentioned earlier, openly searching for it is a bit tricky. Directly asking… Well, we know the situation, so it’s fine to ask me or Chace.

Even though I just arrived yesterday, Chace should have known about it even before that.

Because we both know that we’re searching for the Tower of Bryne.

“What about Hydra? Has she heard anything?”

She shakes her head while inspecting her face in the hand mirror, her appearance slightly altered due to makeup. I only did the basics, but it’s well done if I say so myself. Well, it usually suits me because the foundation is good.

“I haven’t been questioned about it, not even by the director. But Cherry isn’t that oblivious. I believe she might be aware. In fact, it would be strange if she wasn’t.”

Certainly, Cherry exudes an indifferent aura, but surprisingly, she’s an amazing person who can handle anything. She’s just a bit vulnerable when it comes to modes of transportation like carriages.

… On the other hand, strange, isn’t it?

“It’s indeed strange not to have any doubts.”

Chace, Hydra, and the old friends of Lisse seen at the hunting festival.

They frequently travel between the Tower of Bryne and the orphanage, visiting the children, going shopping, staying overnight – to the extent that they are acknowledged in the vicinity as “individuals who might be residing in the orphanage.”

Due to the frequent movement of outsiders in the slums, instances of someone residing there unnoticed are not uncommon.

Initially, Krozheit residents approach strangers with caution. However, if they spot a familiar face from the neighborhood, the initial vigilance tends to ease.

Upon my initial arrival, I was scrutinized, but now I don’t draw much attention.

Hence, the potential assassin trainees who frequently come and go are regarded as “individuals who might be residing in the orphanage without anyone noticing.”

The issue here is…

“There’s no way the residents wouldn’t find it suspicious that someone is living here.”

Despite the presence of people around, Cherry resides in this orphanage.

However, someone is entering and leaving without attracting attention.

They are inside the orphanage without passing through the front gate.

Chace is part of this group.

If they aren’t troubled by this, they must be remarkably unaware. Even without explicitly linking it to the Tower of Bryne, they should perceive something unusual, a sense that “something is off.”

Firstly, the trainees who come and go are consistently very strong.

I don’t think they are completely unaware of their strength.

“Hasn’t the possibility of talking about the Tower of Bryne from our side been ruled out already? I’m just here as a representative of the tower, so I can’t initiate the conversation, but you guys can, right?”

Hydra makes a valid point as she gazes into her hand mirror.

Certainly, the approach to searching for the Tower of Bryne is free

If that’s the case, there shouldn’t be any issue with us proactively offering information. There are no explicit restrictions or constraints on that.

“Hmm… I sense it’s not something I should do.”

It seems Chace feels that way based on emotion or intuition, not just rationality.

I understand.

If that were allowed, it would defeat the purpose of scattering the starting points. Additionally, exploring without allies brings about new encounters and discoveries.

I’ve met people, and Chace has as well. Undoubtedly, there have been new discoveries.

Cherry and Florentine, they’ve had varied interactions, undoubtedly meeting someone and uncovering something in the orphanage or the slums.

“So Chace doesn’t want to tell them, huh?  Then what about you, Eil? Can’t you just speak up?”

Right… ah, that’s correct.

I suppose I can tell these two.

Since we’ve already reached the Tower of Bryne, it doesn’t matter anymore.

“I’ve been assigned a task by Sorichika.”

“Huh? A task? … Were there tasks?”

No, it’s just me.

In straightforward terms, it’s a challenge, I won’t allow them to easily locate the Tower of Bryne because I’ll find it quickly. There are three tasks, but two of them pose challenges.

One is “No bows” because…

Let’s set aside the story that concerns only me.

“So, there are rules like ‘No teaming up with allies’ and ‘The last of the five must reach the Tower of Bryne.’ Because of these, it might be challenging for me to freely share information.”

“They assigned you that task? I did notice you’re without a bow, though.”

Ah, true. I left the bow and arrows with Sorichika. …It’s been a while since I wielded a bow. I hope my skills haven’t rusted.

“No teaming up with allies and the last of… huh? You haven’t teamed up?”

Well, strictly speaking, no.

But when I consider the purpose of the task, I interpret it a bit differently.

“Why forbid teaming up with allies? That’s the question, right?”

Hydra is sharp, even while looking at herself in the mirror.

“If you break it down, it means ‘Don’t cooperate. Don’t express opinions, don’t provide information, don’t assist in terms of supplies.’ However, it still provides a sense of psychological stability by being there. So, it seems like the prohibition on teaming up is a genuine restriction.”

…Ah.

Indeed, that’s right.

I realized it when she pointed it out.

Being alone makes me calm and reassured, but it seems different for others.

I’ve been basing it on my own perspective, and I forgot about that.

It’s a matter of feeling uneasy when alone versus feeling secure even if you’re told to do nothing when surrounded by friends.

Hydra is impressive.

Assassin trainees from a different place than us must be quite observant. She’s not gazing into the hand mirror without a reason.

“But, even though I can’t express it well, it seems to me that Eil has entered a certain phase by choosing to come here.”

“A phase?”

“It’s probably about time for everyone to gather. The time to go to the Tower of Bryne must have come. It feels like the days spent in Krozheit have come to a conclusion. Well, that’s just my perception of it…”

“… I think Eil might be feeling the same way. But, I understand why Eil decided to consult with us. … The sense of crisis that they might remain as they are if we don’t do something, I feel that too.”