An Experience To Remember

A group of men swiftly surrounded Carpal in the event the unknown man shot the candidate Willus. I backed off so that they could protect their benefactor while having my attention glued on the fast and normal scene.

'So, who is it from you two…' Contemplating inwardly, I glanced at the two other candidates who were having a straight face watching the scene.

Like Carpal, they are encircled with their men to protect themselves from a surprise attack in the shadows.

"Clear the way!" 

The same officer from the registrar shouted with a firm voice in the chaotic crowd. Half of the crowd was running away while half stayed, watching the scene unfolding in their eyes. 

Some journalists who were only here to inform the candidates had their job instincts taken over them as they wrote about this.

"We should leave. Where did you park your car?"

"No, I walked on foot."

Giving him an indifferent look, I stated, "I have a carriage parked right after the Governor's Street. Enter there and we'll leave right away."

Like the rest of the candidates who were also leaving, we followed suit. Leaving the mansion's gate, I gave one last look on the entrance pathway and saw Willus's men trying to punch the unknown man but being defended by the officers.

After getting through the tough crowd, Carpal's men were expecting attacks from their sides. I leisurely lagged behind, doing it on purpose to sense the surroundings to see if I happened to feel a weird presence trying to lunge forward. 

"There."

The driver who was nervously waiting in the carriage was sweating, and his expression brightened once he saw me.

"Get inside."

Carpal tensely thanked his men and entered. I came right after, closed the door, and convinced Carpal to tell the location to carriage driver to the location he wanted to go.

"To Lefta Street. The third city after this. There's a famous inn there due to its rates to its people. That place."

As Carpal set out the direction with a shaky voice, I quietly leaned my back while watching his shaking hands.

No matter how I looked at it, he was struck-shaken about the sudden death of his competitor.

"Did you do it?"

"What!?" Carpal shrieked to the proclamation, "I would not! If the person is too evil, I might've ordered but Willus… he's a decent person."

"Not after you heard the unknown man's public statement though."

"Yeah…"

Crossing my hand, my thoughts wandered around while saying, "So you didn't do it and also aren't the type of person who vomit if a person dies on his front. Why are you so shaken then?"

Carpal smiled weakly as he wiped some of the blood that happened to land on his face, "It's because it's my very first time seeing the killing up to my front. I was always on the side, watching it or ordering my men to do the deed but seeing it up front… made me realize how scary a person's death is."

Checking the time of my pocket watch, I continued, "Beware. There will be attempts from both parties from this moment They might not realize you at the start, but they will do their research."

"I know that… You don't need to educate me, geez." Carpal rubbed his hands onto his knees as he expressed solemnly, "The only people who will benefit from a candidate's death are obviously his enemies in the governor position. What do you think?"

"There should be no other reason unless the unknown man just did all of this, coincidentally, in the time Willus was registering."

"Poor guy."

Opening the window of the carriage to see the situation outside, I'm being more proactive about his movement.

"What will you do?"

"Going to search more of my enemies' background, obviously. I might've to send some of my men at the underworld in here to do the job. I have an advantage since I know both of them."

"Great start."

The carriage soon stopped the moment the driver announced our arrival on the city and street we were in.

"I bought this inn, by the way. It is secured and full of my men from my business and from the underworld. It is near to our main branch too."

"You'll be staying here?"

"Yeah, I'm planning on campaigning tomorrow, but I have to relax my mind for a bit and ready for the upcoming days. You don't want your governor to appear weak, don't you?"

Nodding my head, I replied, "It's your decision. Shouldn't be long, no?"

"Yeah."

Carpal opened the door of the carriage and sighed, "Just what an experience to remember doing politics."

He glanced at my direction and added, "Wanna come inside? My group will be coming here after finishing their business."

"No, I have a business to attend to at the administration branch. The payment for the damages of my vehicles is due today, you see." I paused, "Then, I'll give you the best vehicle that I have to ensure that you aren't going to get in trouble once you are campaigning."

Closing the carriage's door, and tapping it to signal the driver to move, Carpal replied heartfully, "How many times do I have to thank you?"

The carriage began moving and I saw Carpal giving a wave in the side mirror. Giving out the location for the driver right after, I relaxed my back and closed my eyes.

…

Looking at the three wagons which are full of gold for the damages done to my vehicles all across the continent while the gravitational hole event was happening, I nodded curtly.

"My men will guard you while the goods are being transported."

The branch manager who goes by the name Harold, whom I met already during my visit to the Administration branch, spoke calmly with a painful expression on his face.

It seemed losing this much money was too much but as per the order given by no other than Cayenne, and since they used my company, they have to give the payment.

Nothing's free after all.

"Nice doing business with you, Sergeant Major Harold."

 "You too, Sergeant Major. Now that I think about it. It's funny, isn't it? We have the same ranking name but our titles came from different organizations."

Forming a frown, I sighed, "Is my cover being blown out? How did you even know I have the title."

"I have a close connection with ma'am Cayenne, you see. She's friendly and a leader to us." Harold paused, "And she respected you such as us who are stationed on this nation. Your deeds on the war might've been private because you intend to but we respected you."

He paused while chuckling, "That's why whatever you did at the banquet really didn't matter. Some even try to say that you have a distaste for medals since you also rejected receiving one too."

Giving him an indifferent look, I replied, "So, how many are being aware?"

"Well, higher-ranking officers knew it but they don't even care. Some might even not know what you did since the result only matters." Harold spoke calmly while rummaging through his pocket, "And Ma'am Cayenne asked me to deliver you something."

"Her again…"

Harold looked at my reaction and laughed, stretching out a single envelope from his hand, "Hahaha! What the hell? It sounded like you hated being near her. A very different from others who would die just to get a sniff of her."

Frowning a bit slightly upon hearing Harold's wording, I put the envelope in my pocket and indicated, "Will there be no trouble while moving these wagons onto my place? "

"Obviously. The guards will appear to be drivers while three men are inside in each wagon dressed as workers." Harold clarified with a deep tone as he coughed, "They'll be moving in the streets and cities with fewer people. And these are my men; battle-tested, skilled, and qualified."

"Then there should be no problem." 

Looking at my pocket watch, I looked at Harold and was about to take my leave when he suddenly raised a proposition out of nowhere.

"One bar of gold per month with definite support from this Administration branch. If a problem is involved with your transportation business, my men will handle it."

"…"

"To top it this offer, we'll give you safe passageways in this city that will be convenient for your public and private vehicles with my word on it. The other branch of Administration in this nation can't do anything with it since I have a higher ranking than them unless the headquarters sends a rank higher than me, that is."

Arranging my attire, with my actions just making way to pick the revolver around my holster faster, I questioned.

"Cayenne's orders?"

"No. My idea." Harold clarified, "I know. Very sudden and random but we will keep losing men at this point. I've proposed this idea to the headquarters which was regrettably declined. I've also offered the same thing to the other businessmen who had the same business as you."

"Losing men?"

Harold nodded as he explained, "Not only do we have to watch out for Fiends but also the people itself. Yes, there are thousands of people applying for us every week, and soldiers after the war decided to come at us, but we are also the enemy.

"We were usually stolen, fought off, and got in cahoots with the larger people than us but we choose to stay. At least, that's what I intend to do," Harold grew solemn, "Unlike people who have incredible powers from the Techniques and Origin Power, we mundane humans get sacrificed.

"Hence, I decided that acquiring a means of transportation would be very helpful to us. It saves us time to venture. Unlike using horses which could only carry a single person. A vehicle will be enough to store a squad. In this way, we can stop losing men who only go on missions alone. Most didn't come back and even veterans got killed due to how strange the world had become."

Harold, who was wearing normal attire, with his disheveled hair fluttering through the air, continued with strong conviction in his voice.

"Money can buy people but not their lives once they're gone."