I Became a Slave to the Man I Abandoned Novel (Completed) - Chapter 120

There were two ways to get information. The first was to contact a member of an information guild connected to the family. However, this wasn’t an option as the Rainerio family lost its ties with their information guild during their downfall. Even if they had access, the information would likely reach the Emperor and the Duke.

The second method was to find individual informants hidden throughout the Empire. There was a significant difference between individual informants and information guilds. An informant, as the name suggests, operates on a personal level. They might track down a cheating husband or uncover that someone defaulting on a loan is secretly hoarding money. While investigating a person is possible, it’s limited to individual efforts and not a professional, large-scale operation.

In contrast, information guilds are experts in gathering intelligence. They are organized groups, often disguised as regular merchants, and would frequently infiltrate noble households by placing their own people as servants.

For Launder, the latter, a well-connected individual informant, was what he needed. The challenge, however, was that his own abilities could only lead him to individual informants, not full-fledged guilds.

‘Still, it’s not entirely impossible,’ he thought.

Larger individual informants often had a guild backing them. The bigger the informant, the more likely they were to have access to highly confidential information. Finding a substantial informant was Esterion’s task for the day.

“Hmm.”

Esterion left the mansion and headed towards a secluded alley, not forgetting to pull his robe low.

Working among commoners often meant hearing things he didn’t want to. Like a wife running away, or someone getting swindled out of money they lent. Or, conversely, hearing about someone who had been working normally yesterday suddenly disappearing after embezzling money.

And each time, a particular person would be mentioned. Not by their real name, but by a pseudonym: ‘Field Mouse’. Esterion wasn’t sure where such a name came from, but it didn’t sound particularly pleasant.

Esterion racked his brain, recalling the alley that was always mentioned in these whispers: Alley 365-3. The problem was he’d always dismissed these stories, so he didn’t know the exact spot within the alley.

So, Launder intentionally loitered around the area, aiming to look suspicious. He had heard that informants, given their profession, couldn’t ignore anything conspicuous in their territory. It wasn’t precise, but he figured it was better than doing nothing.

‘I can’t go back empty-handed to His Grace…’

Launder thought, venturing deeper into the alley. It was a dark alley, where sunlight barely reached.

Despite it being the kind of place vagrants would settle, there was nothing in this alley. Esterion found it strange.

Time passed.

Esterion didn’t leave the vicinity. He stopped by a restaurant in the alley for a meal and idled in a pub.

He wandered through the alleyways to smoke cheap cigarettes. Yet, unusually, no one seemed to come or go. Launder lit a cheap cigarette, exhaled smoke, and took a few steps further into the dark alley. And then:

Thud.

Something cold was pressed against his neck. Esterion knew what it was and quickly raised both hands.

“Purpose?” the other party asked. Esterion answered without hesitation:

“Information.”

“To sell?”

“To buy.”

“Hmm.”

The unknown man, with a knife still at Esterion’s neck, rummaged through his pockets. He pulled out the identification tag Esterion carried. It vaguely stated his family origin and where he worked.

“Rainerio family, huh…”

The informant seemed to let out a faint chuckle. He put the identification tag back into Esterion’s pocket and asked in a low voice, “Do you have any information to sell?”

“…Hmm.”

He recalled the hint Nox had given him before he left:

‘The information guild will try to buy my information. Sell it then.’ ‘Pardon?’ ‘Spread false rumors about you and me as if they’re true.’ ‘Is that allowed?’ ‘It would be good to drive a nail into the nobles, too.’ ‘What do you wish for?’ ‘If I tell you, would you understand?’ ‘I suppose not.’

Nox said with a faint smile.

‘People trying to curry favor with you will also increase. Try to enjoy it a bit.’ ‘…I don’t think I’ll enjoy it much, Your Grace.’ ‘How boring.’

To foresee even this. Esterion nodded.

“I do.”

“Then.”

The knife at his neck was withdrawn. Slowly, he turned around to see that the other person was also wearing a deep hood.

“Follow me.”

And so, Launder successfully made contact with someone who might be an informant or an information guild member. He wasn’t sure if it counted as a success, but he had, at least, grasped a thread. The unknown man was surprisingly thin and gangly. Following him, Launder was surprised to find they weren’t heading into a narrow, dark alley but a brighter main street. They then confidently entered an antique shop.

“Second floor.”

A short old woman was sitting in the antique shop. At the mention of the second floor, she clicked her tongue and pointed to a small storage room door on the left. The informant entered the storage room and pulled down a handle attached to the ceiling.

Clunk, creak.

Stairs descended. “Oh,” Esterion murmured, mildly impressed, as he climbed to the second floor. Upstairs, there was a worn reception room, suitably set up to receive guests.

“This doesn’t seem to be your base,” Esterion observed, quickly assessing the situation.

The informant laughed and replied, “Of course not. What do I trust you with? We’ll conduct future transactions here.”

Esterion nodded. The hooded man still hadn’t removed his hood. Esterion debated whether to remove his own hood but decided to keep it on. Of course, the other party had already recognized his identity from his ID tag, but he didn’t feel like showing his face.

“So, Duke Rainerio’s consort, Mr. Esterion Launder?”

Damn it.

Esterion removed his robe, but the informant, still cloaked up to his nose, merely offered a faint smile, his gaunt cheek briefly revealed by the movement.

“For someone who knows nothing, you found a pretty good place,” the informant remarked.

“Are you complimenting yourself?” Esterion asked.

“No, it’s genuinely not bad,” the man replied, sitting casually on the reception room sofa with his legs crossed. Esterion Launder, regardless of his opinion of the man, remained silent for now. The informant, unconcerned, introduced himself.

“Call me Field Mouse.”

“Ah.” Esterion finally realized that the person he had been conversing with was the famous Field Mouse.

“So, the person who finds runaway wives and recovers embezzled money is…”

“Tsk, that’s just side income,” Field Mouse interjected defensively. Esterion was curious about the extent of this ‘Field Mouse’s’ abilities. While his identity had been completely exposed, he might as well test the waters.

“I need information on Duke Via’s mansion.”

“Duke Via’s mansion, huh? That’s a bit difficult.”

“Difficult?” Esterion Launder’s expression turned serious, and Field Mouse quickly added, “Difficult, not impossible.”

“How many days do you need? The payment isn’t an issue.”

“I’ll take payment once I deliver solid information.”

“Alright,” Esterion said, rising as if their business was concluded, but Field Mouse gestured for him to sit back down. Esterion let out a soft “Tsk” and resumed his seat. He didn’t demand information about Rainerio, but he’s shrewdly securing his own payment.

“Do you have any questions?” Esterion asked pointedly. Field Mouse waved his hand and said, “By the way, are you in need of a suitable servant?”

“…”

Esterion furrowed his brow at the sudden question. Field Mouse chuckled, forming a circle with his fingers. “If you add more money, I can get you a good one. Duke Rainerio is struggling without enough hands in his mansion, isn’t he?”

At his impudent question, Launder was certain. This bastard has connections. If he didn’t, there’d be no way he’d know that. Launder crossed his arms, maintaining a posture of listening rather than immediately agreeing.

“Why do you think that? Do you have a reason to be confident reason?”

Field Mouse replied, “I have a little bird planted in the Rainerio family.”

“What?” Launder’s eyes widened.

***

A Spy in the Household

Esterion left the antique shop after Field Mouse told him they would meet again at the same time next week. He made a mental note of where to find him. As he returned to the mansion, he recalled what Field Mouse had told him:

“When the Via family filled the Rainerio mansion with staff, I subtly placed a maid there, just in case.”

How am I supposed to convey this? Esterion returned to the mansion with a troubled expression and immediately headed toward Nox. The servants’ gazes overtly followed him, their raw curiosity palpable about where he had been.

‘It’s a good thing I got off in the plaza earlier,’ he thought. It was truly fortunate that the coachman hadn’t followed him.