Cardboard Houses Do Not Tear

29 – Poor, Poor Reasoning (Revised Lehu…)

Before going back to the prianian squad leader, I moved towards a nearby rock.

After taking out four pieces of cloth, I first checked to see if there were any differences.

The oil cloth was all the same, as if it were a ready-made product.

If you drop it on the floor, it’s hard to tell who’s who.

But thanks to putting them on different fingers beforehand, I was able to tell whose fabric it was.

But the essence was the same.

One piece of cloth with a nail in it, three pieces of cloth with a nail in it.

I first unfolded the cloth blunder gave me.

Then he spat out swear words.

“f*ck.”

The nails were corroded. The ominous premonition began to turn into reality.

But I couldn’t do anything with this alone.

I had to look a little further to find out.

There have been cases where the real culprit came out after catching a live person and hanging him.

Before that, I looked around for a while.

I couldn’t feel the presence of people, probably because there was no place to pitch a tent among the moss-covered boulders that even covered my torso.

It was a very suitable place to work with a stinky smell.

So I picked up a large leaf and placed it on a large rock in front of me.

After that, I carefully picked up the nail that was lying between the cloth.

There were some stains underneath.

It was a trace of the corroded iron powder melted like sugar.

Next, I checked the condition of the nails.

It was rusted as if it was tied with a string in the middle of the pier and exposed to the sea breeze 365 days a year.

The corrosion was so severe that metal powder rustled out even when rubbed even a little hard with a glove.

I picked up a wide stone, put a nail on the leaf, and gently scratched it.

A nail whose cross section was exposed stopped corrosion after a while, leaving only the core inside.

The common caustic sold at the alchemy guild does not corrode completely, but stops corrosion while leaving a core of a certain thickness.

A while ago, the metal parts of the wagon were exactly like this.

That’s why it was certain. This is for commercial use.

‘It’s the same kind as the one I used.’

Buy and cheap goods that are difficult to trace to buyers.

I don’t know who did this sh*t, and I don’t even know why.

But the guy who committed the sabotage didn’t seem to have used this drug much.

Corrosion on the wagon wheel joints was something that could be easily dealt with.

For example, if I were to sabotage this troupe with caustic, I would have applied it very thinly to the iron nail that connects the horse and carriage.

Ordinary wagons will run happily, and the results that can be expressed concisely as the medicinal effect is fully infused will not be so concise.

Let’s get away from the bloody story and go back to the main topic.

When you mix the fact that the corroded part is a wheel joint with the hypothesis that this is sabotage, it means one thing.

A beginner using caustics for the first time.

So now it was time to use the oiled cloth.

I picked up the iron-dusted leaves and prepared to sprinkle them on the cloth.

I don’t know if the caustic is iron, but it’s a method that uses a strange principle that iron powder dissolves in an instant like sugar in hot water. It was a method I often used.

The way to tell them apart was simple.

If iron powder is sprinkled on the cloth and it only gets a little wet and stays there, it’s an ordinary oil cloth.

Otherwise, if it melts in an instant and leaves only small rust stains, then the cloth is stained with caustic.

The information I want to get while using this method is simple.

If all three pieces of iron powder melt, he’s trying to disturb me.

If it melts only in the clothes of a few people, that guy is the culprit.

First, I sprinkled some iron powder on Lily’s cloth.

In an instant, the iron powder melted away.

‘Blander, Lily.’

Next, I sprinkled iron powder on Betty’s fabric.

The iron powder was half melted in Betty’s cloth.

‘Blander, Lily, Betty.’

I poured a little more, but it just created a mountain of iron powder.

And the last time I tried sprinkling iron powder on the fabric of the prianian squad leader, it melted less than Betty’s.

That’s to the extent that the undissolved powder remained on the cloth almost intact.

‘It’s strange. It usually melts completely, or it just gets wet with oil.’

No matter how little medicine is used, in my experience, this amount can dissolve enough.

I sprinkled a lot of iron powder on the blender cloth again just in case, but there was no reaction.

After thinking for a while, a guess came to mind.

Perhaps the caustic has expired.

The reason why alchemy is called a type of magic is because, like a prepaid PC room, medicine loses its effect like a knife after a limited time.

But all four cloths were melted into the iron powder, so now all I can come up with is poor reasoning.

First. That he was quick enough in our route to stop the carriage only after entering the mountain, and that he was good at allocating time so that the drug would go undetected later.

Second. All the cloths in front of me were stained with caustic, as it seemed that the iron powder reacted to them little by little, but the medicinal effect disappeared almost at the same time.

The last third. By not giving me the oil-soaked cloth, I even knew that I wasn’t prepared for in his plan. In other words, he is like the Joker.

Absolutely, I didn’t say that because I didn’t get the cloth.

Let’s narrow this down a bit.

-It looks like there is no oiled cloth. I have another one so you can take it.

At least one person in an occupation who does not use this oil-stained cloth because he already has a cloth in his hand.

For example, swordsmen.

Archers don’t clean their arrowheads well, so they put them in a lower priority, but at least they can’t be completely ruled out.

In other words, even if you have a cloth like this, you don’t need it.

You can tell by the fact that even when I hit the ginpai, he didn’t even scream that he hadn’t seen the oily cloth.

And he’s an expert who pretended to be a beginner,

-The staff at the top gave it to me. They said that they give a cloth soaked in oil in the sense of asking well, just like the ascending is being oiled.

It is said that they are closely related to the guild. To the extent that even getting close to an oil-stained cloth would not cause any suspicion.

That would be at least a leader, or a friend who seems to have good social skills.

I can’t come up with a person who overlaps both at the same time. Most likely there is an accomplice.

In addition, the prianian squad leader was excluded as a suspect.

For the medicinal effect to end at this point, she should have gone to the guild yesterday, but she didn’t go to the guild yesterday and stayed with the mercenaries all day.

And.

“I have to apologize to the prianian squad leader.”

Apart from her speculation, now I have to go ahead and apologize to her for doubting her.

“Sorry.”

“Yes?”

As soon as I met her, I first parked her Gran clause and then honestly revealed the reason why I went with her cloth.

“Sorry for the doubt.”

Since I didn’t want to be hit by the 4 drones of crossbow bolts named regret, exhaustion, revenge, and Yuyeol later, I was prepared to be slapped on the cheek for a long time.

Even if it were me, it was a problem that wouldn’t have ended with a flirtation, and it would have been better to confess in advance.

The hell training given by Hwaran made it possible for Granjeol willingly.

So I revealed what I reasoned even in the opposite free state from the ground.

The threat of corrosion was found in the wheel, and corrosive was found as a result of the inspection, so all four people picked up the cloth and inspected it separately.

“So, you did everything for my own safety, right?”

“Ne.”

“…Let me see.”

“Golden breath.”

Fortunately, the prianian squad leader passed quietly.

“This method is often used in the North. During the Yeongji War, I also used it while sabotaging the opponent’s mercenary items.”

Standing upright on the ground again, I explained while rubbing my reddened forehead.

“Isn’t it common to use caustic agents?”

“It is a problem because it is a method of mixing caustic agent with oil-soaked cloth. The smell of corrosive is buried in it.”

“A while ago, Lily and Betty said they often worked with mercenaries.”

‘Southern mercenaries and Koreans who do not wage war use the northern style.’

“I see.”

“Only one thing, Lily could see that the bow was not her main weapon.”

“Why?”

“A chafing mark on the fabric of the left arm.”

She was pretty sharp.

“Isn’t that possible with a change in tension?”

“It is an error to say that an archer who goes up to the gold level has a trembling bow. The adventurer’s guild isn’t that easy.”

Prianian Squad Leader said while stirring the bonfire with branches.

“And at least how often an archer coming to work suddenly changes tension.”

“Insufficient killing power?”

“It could be.”

“I noticed her dagger.”

“Guiding, or removing traps.”

“If I had to classify them, would they be thieves?”

If it’s a thief, it won’t matter if you carry caustic.

She said with a grin.

“Where did such a person come from?”

I also told them with a smile.

“My mother.”

“…I hope to see you later.”

“…Me too.”

The atmosphere became gloomy for no reason. f*ck.

While I kept staring at the bonfire, the forest started to get dark.

And.

“Oh, warm.”

“It’s nice that the ground here is dry. Nice to meet you, Captain Prianian and Mr. Ghouse.”

Clues came through the darkness.

It was a good opportunity.

“Good night. But I can’t see Lily and Perun?”

“Ah. I am on guard.”

That’s how Betty answered, having built up an intimacy equal to two fruit plates.

“The sentry must be a youth project.”

Muttered Sten, rubbing her side coldly.

A sullen-looking warrior and a lively archer.

A couple that doesn’t suit each other.

“As expected, expenses are important. There are many seats. But you’ll need some rent.”

With that said, Sten pulled out a bottle from his waistband.

“Tada.”

The form he took out with a smile while already drunk reminded me of Gilford.

“Come on, I won’t charge for alcohol, so one drink at a time…”

“Wait.”

I laughed and stopped him as he tried to tilt the bottle towards the prianian squad leader.

Because she was looking at me disapprovingly.

“Alcohol is good, but shouldn’t you stay vigil?”

Even so, when I slightly winked at the prianian squad leader and asked him to pay attention, he understood right away.

“Eh. That, having a drink and sleeping in front of a campfire is a real adventure.”

“Then I’ll just go over my mouth.”

While Sten grumbled as he closed the cap on the bottle, he put down the basket Betty was carrying.

It was the bread and cheese I gave you earlier.

“I’m not drunk with this, so it’s okay, right?”

“You are intoxicated by the atmosphere. Mr. Betty. Thank you.”

Then Sten quietly intervened.

“That. Aren’t you overjoyed that a woman is giving it to you, G-House?”

“You would also be happy if the leader of the prianian squad gave you a piece of bread- ugh.”

“Why but? Hmm.”

For Sten’s question, the prianian squad leader answered instead.

“It’s nothing, Mr. Sten.”

Oops, that’s a f*cking side.

***

Sten’s tongue became soft the moment the alcohol was added.

Therefore, there was only one thing he needed, and that was the ability to blow a bottle while ignoring the glances of the prianian squad leader.

Now, he was standing alone by the campfire, telling the story of his adventures.

“So that’s it. When I went to Germanium, I saw something strange there. As soon as-“

One more sip.

“Right.”

Pair.

I couldn’t listen to Sten’s standing talk show for over an hour again, so I clapped my eyes and focused my attention.

“Now, by the way. There was an incident where the wagon broke down today.”

“You mean the one that Blender made to buy a horseback burinake?”

“That’s right, the horse moved so much that I couldn’t tell if the horse was on top of Mr. Blander or if Mr. Blender was on it.”

“That’s interesting. I’ll be sure to tell the blender later.”

Sten was busy giggling, while Betty focused on my words.

And the prianian squad leader was just a squad leader.

Tok, talk.

Her eyes turned slightly to mine.

I quickly gave a hand signal.

The hand signal hidden by the bonfire made it possible for the adventurers to have an unknown conversation.

‘Cooperation.’

‘Please.’

After hearing the answer, I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

“By the way.”

Everyone’s eyes were focused.

“Isn’t something strange?”