After choosing to leave, they regretted it.

Chapter 70 Prisoner’s Dilemma

According to the previous plan, Aize briefly inspected the defense line around the palace.

The overall situation is good, and the instructions issued previously have been well implemented.

Apart from some minor disciplinary issues caused by the soldiers' excessive fatigue and tension, there was nothing worth mentioning.

After a simple tidy up, Aize completed some work with Hecate as planned, and then returned to the study to start arranging the guild.

What needs to be done is actually very simple. It is nothing more than calling the high-level officials of the Kingdom Guild one by one, separately and independently for questioning.

The people who need to be talked to are the core figures of the Kingdom Guild’s senior management, including the heads of various departments, the president, etc., a total of eleven people.

Progress was quite rapid, and the conversations with seven of them were completed quickly.

"next."

Following Aize's shout, the eighth person walked into the study and sat opposite his desk.

Unlike the capable impression given by most guild members, the one in front of him had a greasy face, a fat head and big ears. He looked neither like an adventurer, and was completely different from the refugees outside.

Boris, treasurer of the Kingdom Guild.

Unlike other senior executives, he was born into a wealthy family as a businessman rather than an adventurer. He achieved his current position through investments and shareholdings, so his style and personality are different from others.

As he sat down, Alicia, dressed as a maid, closed the study door.

This officially marked the beginning of the conversation.

"It's been a long time since we last met, Mr. Boris. I think the last time we met was at a banquet at the palace."

Aize doesn't like and even hates the social activities of the nobles from the bottom of his heart.

But once he joins, he won't waste the opportunity.

The information obtained was firmly engraved in my mind for future use.

Boris nodded respectfully with a disgustingly flattering smile:

"Yes, the legendary hero, Lord Aize, actually remembered me. I am truly honored~"

As he said this, the fat on his face was shaking.

Although the guild's top leaders have their own shelters and independent supply reserves within the safe area, so they don't have to squeeze into shacks or go hungry, they are still too well-fed.

They are all good enough to be marketed.

Aize glanced at the other person, hid his disgust deep in his heart, and put on a kind smile.

asked:

"Mr. Boris, as far as I know, before this incident, the guild leaders actually had the opportunity to evacuate the capital. Why didn't you leave?"

"Even Lord Aize, who had nothing to do with this matter, braved the hardships and dangers and traveled all the way to the capital to clean up the situation. As an Adventurer's Guild, we must prioritize the safety of the people."

As he said these words, the flattering smile on Boris's face doubled.

The nausea level increases exponentially.

"Even now, there are still hundreds of guild adventurers fighting alongside the Knights and Guards at various points along the defense line. Even if it's just to provide them with support, we have to stay, right?"

It was all high-sounding nonsense, and he even didn't forget to flatter Aize.

The problem was that Aize had heard the same speech seven times in the past few hours.

Every guild leader who was questioned independently gave the same explanation.

Aize curled his lips, lowered his head and flipped through the notebook on the table.

"The same thing was said by several people before you."

"Of course! This is the duty of our Adventurer's Guild, and it's also our creed and mission! It's natural that they would say the same thing, nothing strange about it."

As he spoke, he even subconsciously straightened his chest out of an inexplicable sense of honor.

I don’t know if it’s because his acting is so good, or he was so immersed in the role that he even fooled himself.

It's all disgusting anyway.

Aize snorted coldly.

"Is it duty? Or is it collusion?"

“This is a decision we made together after discussion!”

Isn’t that what collusion means?

These guys were convinced that Aize had no evidence, so they believed that if everyone on their side stuck to a fixed statement, they would be able to get away with it.

Therefore, simply conducting separate interrogations does not make much sense.

But it doesn’t matter, today, Aize came prepared.

"So, you're saying that the guild is completely clueless about why the capital has become what it is now?"

"Of course, of course. If we knew, how could we keep it from you and Her Highness the Princess?"

Boris, who thought he had gotten away with it, had a smug smile mixed with some uncontrollable contempt.

Brave?

What hero?

That's it?

Just a little brat in name only.

I don't know where such a great reputation comes from.

Then, he watched as Aize opened the locked drawer, took out another notebook, placed it in front of him, and began to flip through it quickly.

"That's all for now regarding the capital. I have a few more things to ask you."

Aize said so, and the smile on his face disappeared at this moment.

"what's up?"

"Well, let me see... First of all, about three months ago, the guild headquarters purchased a batch of antidotes for spider-type monsters, but there was serious cutting corners on the quality of this batch of potions. Do you have any comments on this?"

Boris's smile froze on his face for a moment, and his mind went blank.

The topic changed so quickly that it took him several seconds to react.

Then he opened his mouth and squeezed out a word:

"……what?"

"Also, last month, the compensation for deceased adventurers didn't correspond to the actual number of adventurers who died, and the relevant payment records were completely lost. It seems like someone is falsifying the accounts and collecting the salary without paying. What are your thoughts on this?"

"I……"

The development of the situation was so unexpected that Boris had no idea how to react.

He could only stammer and keep taking out his handkerchief to wipe his forehead.

"Also, starting three months ago, five times now, the adventurer teams sent to support the Empire have brought far more supplies than the missions require, and even used them all. I mean, are they really using all of it? Aren't they taking this opportunity to smuggle something?"

"Also, half a year ago..."

"That time a year ago..."

……

……

……

One thing after another, Aize spoke eloquently and endlessly.

Although these things have nothing to do with the current situation in the royal capital, they are all acts of corruption led by Boris.

As Aize continued his narration, Boris, who had just been smug, quickly became more unhappy.

Not only did he become visibly uneasy, but his entire handkerchief was soaked with cold sweat.

He actually doesn't care about the crimes themselves.

It seems like no one in the guild's upper echelons has a clean record.

If you use these to punish yourself, members of other guilds will immediately jump out to object.

After all, they don't want to leave a precedent that could be used against them at any time and dig a hole for themselves.

So there is no need to worry about being punished.

The real serious question is, how did this guy know all this?

It's impossible that he found out from that pile of documents that are almost waste paper, right?

Impossible, absolutely impossible!

The valuable records in there have long been destroyed or tampered with.

Therefore, the first and only possibility that Boris thought of was that there was a traitor among the top leaders of the guild.

It must be someone I talked to before who violated the rules of collusion and told Aize these things!

right! That must be it!

If that's the case, could it be that even the capital's affairs have been leaked?

It's really possible.

But who was the one who leaked the secret?

Hansen? Lynn? Or Brown?

It seems both are possible!

After all, these guys have a very bad relationship with me on weekdays, and who knows if they want to take this opportunity to bite me.

As Boris was lost in thought, his expression became increasingly worse.

Looking at his reaction, Aize secretly laughed.

How did you know these things?

Of course, he found it from the pile of documents that the guild sent to him to annoy him.

Before delivering the items, the guild will remove all the content that they consider dangerous and shameful.

But even if there is no direct evidence, what then?

A horizontal comparison of fragmentary intelligence can reveal far more valuable content than the guild's top leaders imagined.

For example, the antidote was made with shoddy materials.

Judging from the time of purchase and the records of adventurers' injuries and poisoning during that period, it is not difficult to draw a conclusion.

The rest is pretty much the same.

Through his abilities, Aize discovered a lot of shameful things that were certain to happen.

There is even more without actual evidence.

He is suspected of numerous crimes including corruption, abuse of power, smuggling, etc.

Of course, Aize also knew that it was impossible to threaten the guild's top leaders with these crimes themselves.

It will definitely turn into a drama of "Who in the audience is suing me?"

Therefore, he planned to use these handles to put the guild's top leaders into a maximum prisoner's dilemma.

So, he chose Boris.

Boris, who was born into a business family and later became a shareholder, had a bad relationship with the other guild leaders who were adventurers, and there were many conflicts.

Just add a little fuel and you can have fun watching it immediately.

And this is indeed the case.

Seeing the originally calm Boris in a mess, Aize secretly laughed.

Then suddenly, the notebook closed with a snap.

The other person who was thinking about it was frightened and shuddered.

"Is what I just said true?"