episode_0008

-Clank -Clank

A clunky sound of someone moving their steps echoed through the street.

A woman wearing plate armor.

Kali Flonens had sent the knights under her command back to the Imperial Palace and was wandering the streets alone.

“Philanthropist……what the hell are you?”

A suspicious guy who appeared on this damned street a while ago.

He was the man who reported Dorn, wanted by the Empire, and other criminals to the White Wing Knights without killing them.

Recently, two leaders who dared to act like kings on this street died.

Although what is publicly known is that it was caused by one woman named Mirnan and a spearman named Flambus… the truth is different.

‘The flow and trajectory of mana are identical.’

The same wounds found on the dead.

Scars remained as if a very thin needle had rotated and pierced the center of the forehead.

If it were just one or two, perhaps not, but with such wounds being found in all recent incidents and everyone giving identical testimonies, it was impossible not to know.

“Haa….”

Kali looked up at the sky for a moment and let out a deep sigh.

Her pure white breath lingered for a moment, then scattered and immediately changed into a part of the world.

Where her breath disappeared, a cluster of stars followed, brilliantly illuminating the dark night sky.

Kali, who had been gazing at the sight lost in thought for a moment, sighed once more.

“Sun of the Empire. Why have you abandoned this street?”

Even on a street like this, light shines equally.

Starlight, moonlight, sunlight brilliantly illuminate the darkness.

But the Sun of the Empire declared it would not shine its light here.

Did the scars of war still remain, forcing this place to be abandoned?

Or has the brilliance and resolve from when the Emperor became Emperor faded?

“Children live here too.”

Even within the dark side where light does not shine, young lives bloom.

However, if they do not receive the warmth and brilliance of light, they are bound to eventually fail to bloom.

Occasionally, there are those who bloom even amidst adversity, but they are very few, and one cannot expect them to bloom properly.

Just looking at Dorn’s case shows this.

The sight of countless children who died, taxidermied in wax.

Although policies to protect those who have not yet reached adulthood are being implemented, this street was an exception.

The order not to even set foot here unless a report comes in was utterly incomprehensible to her.

-Clench!

In her indignant heart, Kali clenched her fist.

If she made up her mind to clean this place up……it would be more than possible.

To be able to confront injustice, to be able to realize justice.

She had trained, and trained again.

If she received the order to clear away the trash piled up here, she would immediately summon the knights and charge.

Even if she might lose her life, she would smile and gladly throw herself into it.

However, my liege, to whom I have sworn eternal loyalty and must serve.

The Emperor did not grant it.

“…….”

Just as she was sinking into the feeling of powerlessness, unable to do anything despite having the strength-

-Shiver!

An unpleasant yet terrible energy swept past.

Kali, who was figuring out the nature of that energy for a moment, gnashed her teeth.

-Gnashing sound

“A devil worshipper has crept in.”

Kali, whose anger hadn’t yet faded after facing Dorn, quickly moved her steps.

Her steps were directed towards a small building on this street.

That place was where Edith had collapsed and was still asleep, it was Owen’s dwelling.

***

Mirnan, who had been venting her irritation for a long time, gave in of her own accord and sat back down.

Including myself, there were a total of four people in the meeting room.

Oliver and his guard, Mirnan and I.

The guard quickly tidied up the messy meeting room and stood behind Oliver.

For now, being an accompanying person, I had intended to go behind Mirnan, but Oliver, who saw me, gestured to the spot where Krock had left and spoke.

“Owen. Please take a seat.”

“Oh? Isn’t that a seat only for the leaders?”

“Haha, you know it all, don’t you?”

Well, even if I were to sit in the seat Krock was in, it seems no one would raise an objection. Not Mirnan, nor Oliver.

-Thud

The chair I sat on according to Oliver’s words was softer than expected.

To be this soft, it must have cost quite a lot of money.

Laughter naturally came out of admiration.

“The cushioning is really good. I might get one later too. Hehe.”

“If you tell me your dwelling, I’ll send you the same thing.”

“He likes it, apparently.”

Mirnan, who understood the relationship between Oliver and me, rested her chin in her hand and looked at me disapprovingly.

But it’s because it’s really soft.

Perhaps because I often deceive Mirnan, I had nothing to say.

As I sat there like that, Oliver opened his mouth.

“You know how this meeting came about, don’t you?”

“Well… isn’t this a place where several people gathered to badmouth me? Krock must have roughly caught on, after all.”

“That’s the superficial reason. However-”

This meeting itself was likely Krock’s attempt to do something about me, but Oliver seems to have expected the situation to turn out like this.

What Oliver expected from me, and what I expected from Oliver.

Oliver started the conversation first.

“[Fox’s Den] after, you were quiet, but you caused some incidents recently.”

“Oh, you’ve already grasped that much, your information network is wide.”

“Haha, let’s put such trivial talk aside for now-”

-Slide

Oliver handed me a piece of paper, sitting opposite him.

A document containing a promise to keep the agreement made with Oliver in the past.

Seeing that he brought something like this, it seems he thought I would come here.

Even if I hadn’t come, he likely intended to deliver it through Mirnan, whom he had met frequently recently.

Oliver opened his mouth in a more serious voice than usual.

“Then, are we proceeding now?”

“That’s right. It’s the matter you’ve been so eagerly anticipating, isn’t it, Mr. Oliver?”

Among those in this meeting room, the person who has spent the longest time here is Oliver.

From his childhood nurturing dreams until now, with white hair starting to show, Oliver has not left this place.

His hometown where he was born and raised.

The affection he feels for this place is probably greater than anyone else on this street.

That’s why, the matter he has desired and waited for the most.

“Making the Outer Street legitimate. Let’s begin. Haha.”

“…Finally.”

There’s a reason why Oliver’s attitude towards Mirnan is particularly gentle.

Although she seized the leader position with my help, she killed the previous leader of Fox’s Den and rooted out the drug business.

To Oliver, who desired legitimization, how commendable must she have seemed?

Because Mirnan completed one of the things necessary for legitimization.

Although Bolivas still distributes drugs, they are ultimately a minor organization.

You can see them as a place that can be sufficiently dismantled with just Oliver’s power.

‘Oliver helped Mirnan a lot.’

In fact, Mirnan working as an unlicensed doctor in the back alleys doesn’t really bring in any income.

Although her mouth is rough and she gets very annoyed, she was working as a doctor without pay.

However, the reason why Fox’s Den, led by her, could still be maintained.

That was supported by Oliver’s funding.

On the surface, he is often called an old man crazy about money, but that is all for the sake of this street.

Only with money does power arise, and based on that power, influence can be exerted.

A simple but certain cause and effect.

It was also a part that showed how sincere he was about this street.

“During that time, I have provided jobs and lives for many people. At least in the area I oversee, you can no longer find vagrants, thugs, or brothels.”

“In my area too, there are no guys trading drugs, except for those Bolivas bastards.”

The sight of them doing their best in their respective positions.

Mirnan was taking the initiative for legitimization even without knowing Oliver’s plan.

Although not for the sake of this street, it can also be said to be because of her belief that people should live like people.

A smile naturally formed at the satisfactory answers.

“Hmm, good! Then there’s only one job left.”

The organizations exercising influence on this street are Oliver’s Bank and Krock’s Jackals.

Bank, with few members but each possessing outstanding skill.

Jackals, whose members’ fighting power is mediocre, but are overwhelmingly large in number.

The reason why they couldn’t interfere with the Jackals’ actions until now can be seen as due to their influence spread throughout the area.

The reason Oliver proceeded with this meeting despite knowing that.

Looking at Oliver with a smile to hear his answer, he spoke with a satisfied expression.

“After everything is finished, I have thought of a way to absorb the organization. My funding sources are connected to several nobles, you see.”

“Haha. As expected, Oliver thinks even of follow-up measures?”

“That’s why I mediated earlier.”

In fact, I could have killed Krock easily right there, but Oliver mediated.

Because if Krock were to die, the Jackals’ members who heard the news would run wild, and it is obvious that this street, which Oliver loves, would be ruined even more than it is now.

I was once again able to see how much Oliver loved this place.

When we first met, he glared at me as if to kill me, hostilely-

Now, hostility cannot be found in his expression no matter how hard one looks.

There is only a gaze full of goodwill towards me.

Sometimes it feels burdensome, but since I was the one who caused it, I guess I have to accept it.

“……So this is how it ends up.”

Mirnan, listening to my conversation with Oliver, sighed as if she had intuited something.

Even if unlicensed, a doctor is a doctor.

Mirnan definitely knew what awaited at the end of the conflict. But she didn’t stop it.

-Slide

I stood up from my seat and looked at Mirnan and Oliver, alternating between the two.

Since they had expressed their opinions, they seemed to be waiting for my answer now.

“Oliver.”

“Yes.”

“I would be grateful if you would take care of the Jackals’ members two days from now. And, Mirnan?”

“…Speak.”

“I ask that you take care of the injured. Well, I expect you’ll do it well on your own anyway. Hehe.”

“……What are you going to do?

“Me?”

The answer is decided.

Shorter and more resolute than usual.

And he said it precisely.

“I will bring Krock’s head.”