Ch.319The Fortress of Water (1)

The Fortress of Water is the most prosperous city on Beryan02.

Originally built as a defensive base for Beryan02 during the Empire’s golden age, the Fortress of Water was never dismantled even after that era ended. This was because it had accumulated tremendous wealth and infrastructure while functioning as the planet’s center.

Currently, 30% of the entire planet’s profits come from the Fortress of Water. It’s a fortress in name only, having become one of the Empire’s representative metropolises beyond Beryan02. Thanks to this, numerous spaceships still visit the Fortress of Water today.

With diverse visitors coming and going, the place had many shops as old as its long history. Some had been operating for at least decades, while others had been run for generations.

Of course, despite their age, they didn’t feel old due to continuous maintenance. The buildings next to the artificially engineered waterfall were the same. Each was constructed hundreds of years ago, yet still retained its beauty.

Like the waterfall that had been flowing water unchanged for hundreds of years, the residents inside the buildings had also spent a long time there. Heinrie, a Cult who primarily dealt in information, general merchandise sales, and warehouse rentals, was one such case.

He had been operating his shop in the building near the waterfall for 100 years already. He had served countless customers during that long time.

But he could boldly declare:

He had never welcomed such a strange customer as today.

“…You said a Coldblood slave?”

“Yes. Everyone told me to come here when information is needed.”

Sitting at the counter before him was a Volf with a peculiar appearance. The Volf had a white raptor head and impressive amber eyes, wearing a Megacorp-made enhancement suit.

While Volfs with bird heads are rare, they’re not unheard of. Wearing an illegally modified high-grade enhancement suit is also a common sight here. Some Cults even dress their slaves in such clothes.

“And I need a large warehouse to store goods for a few days. I have many organisms to store, so the size…”

The object of Heinrie’s unease wasn’t the Volf stating his business in front of him.

All his senses were focused on the being behind the Volf.

The female Cult who was looking around the shop.

With goat horns on her head, she appeared to be an ordinary Cult, but she was actually a Knowledge Manager. The Cult’s Eye emblem, symbol of Knowledge Managers, hung on her shoulder.

He had seen Knowledge Managers many times, so it wasn’t particularly awkward. But Heinrie couldn’t shake off the uncomfortable feeling.

Having met various types of customers for a long time, he could tell whether someone was a criminal or dangerous just by looking at them.

From his perspective, this woman seemed ordinary. Both her appearance and behavior were natural.

That was the problem.

‘She clearly seems normal, so why do I feel so anxious?’

While his reason told him there was no problem, his instinct was warning him. That he should leave this place immediately.

‘Plus, this smell…’

A strange odor he had never smelled before wafted under his nose.

At first, he thought it came from the Volf. Volfs often have distinctive body odors due to their fur.

But looking again, he realized it wasn’t. The smell was coming from that woman browsing the displayed merchandise.

‘I need to get rid of them quickly.’

“I understand what you’re saying. As for the warehouse, I happen to have something that meets your requirements, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“And the Coldblood?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you with that part. I don’t deal in slaves.”

When he said it was difficult, the Knowledge Manager’s gaze turned toward him.

Just meeting her eyes made cold sweat run down his back. Heinrie hurriedly continued.

“But! I know someone who deals in Coldblood slaves. If you go there and mention my name, you’ll be able to trade smoothly.”

“Where is that shop?”

“If you go east from here, you’ll find a building with an inverted triangular structure.”

The Volf seemed satisfied with his answer, but the Cult woman wasn’t. She slowly approached him.

“The, the price can probably be reduced if you mention my name. And for the warehouse rental, the warehouse can also be rented more cheaply if you state your desired price! So…”

The Cult woman, now closer than the Volf, raised her hand, making him flinch.

“I’ll pay with this instead.”

“……”

What the strange woman placed on the counter was a mineral fragment about the size of an index finger. Heinrie, who almost fell backward, barely composed himself and picked up the mineral.

“…Moon silver. Small in size, but quite high in purity.”

“Will this be enough for the warehouse rental?”

“No problem.”

The woman nodded with satisfaction and stepped back. Instead, the Volf she brought came to the forefront again.

The contract was smoothly concluded.

Now all that remained was for the suspicious customers to leave the shop.

‘Once this deal is done, I’m getting out of here.’

Recently, there had been an unfortunate incident where the city was sealed off. With such strange customers on top of that, he no longer wanted to stay here.

He should leave Beryan02, perhaps take a vacation. As he was thinking this, the Cult woman who was about to leave the shop suddenly stopped. She turned around and approached the counter.

‘Da, damn it! What now?’

Just as he was about to feel relieved, the bizarre customer returned, causing his heart rate to skyrocket.

“What, what is it?”

The Cult silently approached and picked up a small package displayed in front of the counter.

“I’ll buy this too.”

“That, that’s for those who are inexperienced with psychic power. It’s not something a Knowledge Manager would use.”

“It’s not for me, I want to give it as a gift to a friend.”

It’s not often that a Cult would give a comprehensive program kit for teaching psychic power as a gift.

Of course, Heinrie wasn’t at all curious about the other’s intentions and purpose.

“Just take it.”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course! And that one next to it, that one has good reviews too, so take it.”

Only after receiving several items as extras did the customers with the bizarre atmosphere finally leave the shop.

“What’s that?”

“A gift for No. 26. I’ll handle the next part, so go ahead.”

“Will you be okay?”

“I’ll also check the security level of this place…”

As the voices heard from outside the shop faded away, he quickly tidied up the shop.

“…Let’s go on a trip.”

He had been here for 100 years. Taking a short break wouldn’t be bad.

After organizing the shop in an instant, Heinrie moved to the airport as if fleeing.

‘Ah, before I go, just in case…’

While moving to the airship, Heinrie sent a message to his business associate whom he had referred, warning them to be careful.

His associate had experience dealing with dangerous clients like this many times. Upon receiving the message, they would handle it well.

Believing that, he left the Fortress of Water.

“Huh?”

Robetz, a slave trader with considerable recognition in the Fortress of Water, widened her eyes as she looked at her terminal.

‘Why would Heinrie…?’

On the screen of the small terminal was a brief message from her business associate. It warned that suspicious individuals would be visiting, so be cautious.

“The atmosphere has been unsettled lately. Tell the guards to be more vigilant than usual.”

“Yes, Robetz.”

She called the security guards and prepared them. As a shop specializing exclusively in slaves, they had considerable surveillance personnel. With this many armed personnel, there shouldn’t be a major problem even if suspicious individuals came.

Robetz’s shop operated in an atmosphere more stringent than usual.

But the suspicious customers Heinrie mentioned didn’t come. The only clients she received were regular customers she had dealt with before.

‘He said suspicious people would come, but what happened?’

She had conducted business with Heinrie several times. She knew he wasn’t the type to send such messages as a joke, even though he didn’t particularly approve of slave trading.

Despite her trust, no strange Cult customers appeared until the shop closed.

‘Still, just in case.’

As the day’s sun set and the night’s sun rose, Robetz called her secretary.

“Someone might try to break into the shop.”

“Are they trying to free the slaves?”

“I don’t know yet. Double the defenses at the slave pens.”

“Understood.”

“And if there’s even the slightest danger, notify the fortress authorities immediately. They’ll come to protect us.”

“I’ll inform the security guards.”

After entrusting the rear to her secretary, Robetz headed to the parking lot where her personal airship was located.

The open parking lot was filled with a dark red light. Due to the night sun, the waterfall flowing near the building looked like a river of wine instead of water. It would be a marvelous sight to those who weren’t Cults, but to her, it was just familiar.

Under the red night she always saw, she walked across the parking lot.

‘Huh?’

When she was not far from her personal airship, she smelled something inexplicable. A strange odor faintly permeating the air. It seemed similar to the metallic smell of freshly spilled blood, and also gave the impression of airship fuel.

‘Where is this disgusting smell coming from?’

While wondering if there was a problem with one of the parked airships, her sight caught a stranger.

A woman was standing at the end of the parking lot. She couldn’t see clearly due to the distance, but judging by the protrusion on her head, she was a Cult.

‘What is this?’

It was just a woman standing there with nothing special about her, but Robetz felt a strange pressure.

She had a strong feeling that this being wasn’t a Cult.

“Do you have business here?”

Robetz shouted, but the other didn’t answer. The Cult with the strange atmosphere maintained her silence and just stared at her. Feeling the other’s gaze, her spine tingled.

This person must be the suspicious customer Heinrie mentioned. With trembling hands, she took out her terminal.

“Excuse me.”

“?!”

As she was struggling to call security, an ordinary voice reached her ears. Looking up, she saw the Cult with the strange atmosphere raising her hand and calling her.

“How do I get to Robetz’s shop?”

“…Enter the building and go to the 42nd floor.”

She didn’t mention that she was Robetz. After pointing at the building with her finger, she hurriedly moved to her airship.

Just as she was about to board the airship with quick steps.

She heard the other’s voice from behind.

“Don’t you know about Robetz?”

“……”

She didn’t answer and quickly closed the door. Then she sent a message to her secretary.

Saying there was a suspicious person here, so send security guards immediately.

Without checking the reply from her secretary, she started the airship right away. She felt like that being might climb onto the airship if she stayed.

Just as the airship was about to rise from the parking lot, the hull shook slightly.

“Eek?!”

Had her ominous premonition come true? Trembling, she checked the external camera.

Nothing was visible on the camera screen. It only showed the exterior wall of the airship with its luxurious decorations.

Only after checking dozens more times did she finally compose herself and launch the airship.

Through the camera of the high-flying airship, she could see numerous Cults appearing in the parking lot. They were security guards who had received orders from her secretary. They began to search the parking lot thoroughly.

“Phew.”

Whatever the identity of the other party, it would be impossible to escape the parking lot with so many guards.

After sending a message to her secretary to report the investigation results, Robetz set her airship’s destination to her private residence.

‘I’ll need a drink when I get back.’

Lying in a hot bath with a sip of fine wine would easily calm her startled mind.

Whether aware of its owner’s fear or not, Robetz’s airship simply pushed through the red curtain that had descended upon the city.