the usual time and place to shiver with cold, called night desert
　On top of it, the Rays were walking.
　Leading the pack is Seto, who is chasing the smell of assassins.
　Next to it is Ray, followed by Zaroust and Narusus.

"And where do you think we'll move?"

　As he walked on the sand, Zarroost asked, and Ray's answer was to shake his head slightly.

"You don't even know where the hideout is over there, so it's hard to predict it. Rather than that... why do you think Daridra and Auguste, who are the targets of the assassination, are in Gorsuch, and why did they set up an hideout outside Gorsuch?"
"Well, it's usually easier to build a hideout in a gosh." We can respond immediately to Augusto's movements."

　As Zarroost says, if you want to take action, you would normally build an agit on the side of the target August or Gorsuch where Dharidra lives.
　This time, however, outside the city... there is a hideout far from being trampled down into the road.
　I couldn't help but think funny.

(If there is a possibility...is it because if there is an hideout in the gosh, it is convenient but easy to find?)

　Ray thinks, even though he feels uncomfortable with the sand that fills his feet as he walks.

(But do you have to be concerned about the ease of being found in a temporary hideout? That's all you have to do when you're about to find it. Setting up an out-of-town hideout is definitely a bigger disadvantage.)

　The fact that there is an out-of-town hideout means you have to get into the city whenever you do something.
　It was certain that they would stand out as long as they had to go through the formalities at the front gate each time after time.
　It may not be so hard for an assassin who can change his skin and disguise himself as a different person.
　But there's nothing absolute about anything, and it's conceivable that if something happens, the secrets around it will be revealed.

(The reason why I'm building a hideout outside the city... Huh? It's that inconvenient, isn't it?

　Ray was thinking while walking in the desert, but suddenly he was caught up in his own thoughts and stopped.
　Then naturally Seto, who was walking beside Ray, stops, and Narcus and Zaroust, who were walking behind him, stop as well.

"What's the matter with your sudden pause?"

　a slightly grumpy Zarroost's remark
　It's only natural that you get sullen because you're walking in extreme cold air with only starlight and moonlight around you.
　But Ray ignores Zarroost's voice behind him and thinks about where he got caught up in his thoughts.
　Zarroost tries to speak again after his words are ignored, but Narcus stops it.
　It must have been interesting to see what Ray was thinking here because he knew the power of an adventurer.
　At the same time, it is also true that Narcus felt something about Ray's appearance.
　Then, after a minute or so, Ray opens his mouth.

"Why, isn't it strange? Why do we need to build a hideout outside the city in such a dangerous place, even if we were to assassinate Augusto or Daridra.
"So, as I said earlier, it's about secrecy, isn't it? I've heard that the assassin Ray's face can be replaced and disguised as a different person. Isn't it to keep that secret?"
"I guess. Even if you can disguise yourself as someone else, you can't imitate your gestures and behavior, so if you meet someone you know casually, you'll probably be able to know your identity from there."

　Zarroost agrees with Narcus's opinion.
　But Ray shakes his head in agreement with the remark.

"I thought of the possibility. But Gorsuch is such a big city. If you hide for the purpose of assassination, there are plenty of places to hide."
"But, by any chance, there's something like... you mean you should think about it and be careful, right?

　Narcus nods silently to Zaroust's words.
　In the face of these two, Ray opens his mouth so that no one can hear him, even though it's such a night desert.

"What I'm going to say may sound incredibly absurd. But if it really was just as I expected, it might be bad in many ways. I want you to be aware of that."

　Ray's tone of speech was not very, if not very, joking.
　Seeing Ray's face, as two adventurers, there is nothing for him but to listen in silence.
　Zarroost and Narcus are superior to Ray in terms of their work in Ghosh.
　But purely as an adventurer... or given his track record, Zarroost and Narcus are nowhere near Ray's feet.
　That's why they thought it'd be better to listen to Ray's words...they must have thought they had to listen.
　Ray opens his mouth to the two men who are willing to listen in silence.
　What did you come up with, including the discomfort in your mind?
　... in this situation, if Ray were to be heard, it would be incredible.

"The hideout we are going to now. It's almost certain that it's out of town, as far as Seth goes. Then why is it in such a place? Is it the same reason as I told you earlier? ... I don't think so."

　Zarroost and Narcus swallow what Ray said.
　Ray continues to explain to them.

"To avoid being found...what if the place had been set aside for that, not just a temporary hideout to kill the target that you had in mind...what if it was your home?"
'No way,'

　Ray's words overlap with theirs.
　His expression expressed deep disbelief at Ray's story.
　If two people deny his opinion immediately, Ray won't resist it... on the contrary, he understands how it feels.
　It's not very much, but unbelievable, that there's an assassin's home right next to the city of Gorsuch.
　I didn't know about it at all until now.

"No, but... Gorsuch is one of the largest cities in the country of Sollein, and I have heard and seen many incidents in which assassins seem to have been involved. But I've never seen anyone skinning his face like that before."

　Zarroost says so almost reflexively.
　In fact, it's not wrong.
　Born and raised in Gorsuch, he has been an adventurer for quite a long time, and it's no wonder he's called a veteran.
　That's Zarroost, but if there's an assassin who's peeling the skin off his face, he'll never forget it once he'll never forget it.
　Narcus has not been in Ghosh for as long as Zarroost, but he has been employed by Elema, the most influential of Ghosh, to guard its president, Dhalidra.
　But I had never heard of an assassin who, like Zarroost, would peel the skin off his face.

"Oh, I thought about it, too. In fact, he seemed genuinely surprised when he told the story. But...."

　Once paused, Ray quietly looks around.
　as if there were assassins there eavesdropping on their stories.
　...and of course, while doing so, Ray has absolute faith in his partner, Seto.
　I've heard that they couldn't see those who shot arrows when they attacked Dalidra, but I believed that Seto could find someone who had disappeared by some means.
　Therefore, this is like a pose.
　He is reportedly wary of having such a place where he appears to be the home of the assassins.

"If the assassins had a base in this neighborhood... do you think they would cause trouble under their feet? And they are not ordinary assassins." They're the kind of assassins that skin off their faces, though I don't think they'll risk knowing their identities."

　While saying so, I also predict that there will probably be no activity in Gorsuch.
　However, in that case, we should make careful preparations to ensure that our identity is never known.

"…I see. Do you refrain from working in Gorsuch because you understand their uniqueness? If you say so, I'm not convinced, but... what do you think?"Ray's explanation may have found some compelling elements. Narcus nods and asks Zarroost, still unconvincing.
　Zarroost can only growl at Narcus's question.
　I know Ray's explanation makes some sense.
　But... as someone who was born and raised in Gorsuch, I didn't want to admit that there was an assassin's home nearby.

"I can only say that there is a possibility... Fortunately for them, and unfortunately for us, the lord of Gorsuch is a man who is far from capable."
"Huh? Wait. ...I understand that Ruebrandt is like that, but what about the former lord? Like his father or grandfather...

　When Ray says so, Zaroust's actions gently distract his gaze.
　The deed made Ray understand the general point.

"I mean, he's been like that for generations."
"...oh. Fortunately, most of the lords' families are not superior, but they are not inferior. As far as I know, I don't hear of the lord's tyranny and exploitation of the inhabitants of Gorsuch."
"I have heard that from Mr. Dallidra, too. But it's not particularly good... I've heard it's because if you do that in this gosh, the city itself could soon be destroyed."

　I see, Ray says with conviction at what they say.
　This city is the largest in the country of Sollein, but it's certainly not wealthy because it's in the desert.
　If so, I understood that if we do something like plunder or exploitation here, we will soon run short of goods and perish.

"Thinking about that, perhaps the lord's family is the lord of this Gorsuch."
"And they didn't exploit it, but they didn't realize that they had a group of assassins nearby."
"That's not... it hasn't really been decided yet, has it?"

　That's what Zarroost replies to Ray's words.
　But Zarroost himself cannot say that there is no possibility of an assassin group nearby, given what Ray has said so far.

"That's clear about what's going on with Sett. -- Cet, can I ask you?"
"Gruly!"

　Until now, Seto had been silently watching out for others while listening to Ray's story, but when he choked at Ray's words, he led them through the desert.
　Following the smell, Seto followed it, Ray beside it, and Zarroost and Narcus thought of what Ray had said earlier, and were wary of the surroundings.
　It's been almost an hour since I left Gorsuch.
　It's not a short time to think of the time you've been talking in the middle of the conversation.

(Well, no matter how close you are to Gorsuch, you can't really make it close to Gorsuch... just beside Gorsuch.)

　Ray suddenly wondered if there was an assassin's hideout next to Gorsuch, but in the case of Gorsuch, who is not always a good guard, it's no wonder he missed it.

(I suppose he built his base in this neighborhood in anticipation of that... that Liubrand and his cronies are completely despised.)

　Still, Ray thinks it was lucky for Liubrand that they didn't have much work in Gorsuch to hide their identity even a little.
　...though that's only Ray's idea, and only his prediction.
　and yet, as they were moving through the desert at night...

"Slurrurling.

　Suddenly, Seto shrieks sharply.

"Did you find it?"

　Ray thought so for a moment, but there was nothing particularly architectural in the view of Seto... only a desert at night.