episode_0119

After hearing about the kingdom’s plan to clean up the crime in the kingdom through his father, Dorian left the house with an angry expression on his face.

His father was a high-ranking official of the country. His brother received all the support without hesitation, living up to the expectations of such a father.

On the other hand, he was nothing but a discarded child.

It was a vague connection that linked him as a child and a rich man’s name.

There was never an option to regain his father’s attention and love by working harder than his brother.

From the start, that was an impossible choice.

So Dorian led a reckless life, defying his father and his expectations.

The angrier his father got, the more strange satisfaction Dorian felt.

It was a feeling of revenge against his father, who discriminated against him and his brother.

As he roamed the dark alleys of the underground, that satisfaction grew even more.

But now the kingdom planned to sweep away both the slums and the dark alleys of the underground.

Dorian could not be satisfied with just wandering around ordinary entertainment districts.

Above all, what he could not bear was that his father’s influence was strongly felt in the kingdom’s plan to clean up the dark alleys.

In this kingdom’s plan, Dorian felt a sense of humiliation, as if his father was taking away and destroying a cherished toy.

A feeling of defeat, humiliation, and a strong desire to make his father pay back intertwined and tormented Dorian.

But his father made a fatal mistake.

He had told Dorian about the kingdom’s plan in advance.

Letting the kingdom’s cleanup plan proceed smoothly and erase the slums and dark alleys of the Piffnell was admitting defeat.

He would not let the situation flow as his father wanted.

“I need to meet Lotus right now. It’s urgent.”

With that thought in mind, Dorian returned to the underground.

He sneaked into his father’s room in the early morning and stole the documents related to the kingdom’s cleanup operation.

Adrian, who was in the position of the country’s high-ranking official, naturally received all the important plans of this operation.

Lotus was, as always, in the slave market.

With the vast wealth coming out of this huge slave market, he had acquired the greatest power in the dark alleys.

He owned quite a few things here, such as the gambling den, the potion business, and the brothel.

If he informed Lotus of the kingdom’s plan in advance, he would come up with some countermeasures.

If the kingdom’s operation failed, Dorian could once again make his father pay.

His father would lose, and Dorian would win.

“What is it? I told you to give up on the lost slave fee.”

Lotus said with an openly unfriendly expression.

Dorian was a customer who spent quite a lot of money in the slave market, but Lotus was subtly ignoring him.

It was a well-known fact that he, as the son of a high-ranking official, was living like a wastrel, overshadowed by his older brother.

“I didn’t come here today because of that.”

“Then?”

Lotus felt that Dorian’s mood was slightly different from usual and asked.

Dorian handed over the stolen documents from his father’s room to Lotus.

“You should be grateful to me.”

“What is this?”

“You’ll see when you look.”

Dorian smiled as he waited for Lotus to examine the documents.

Although he was angry that Lotus did not return the money, it was better to help this side if he could defeat his father.

He would make his father lose and make the underground king, Lotus, indebted to him, while subtly ignoring him.

Dorian was self-congratulatory, thinking that this was truly killing two birds with one stone.

“This is….”

Lotus examined the documents that Dorian had handed over with a serious expression.

A few days later, the kingdom planned to blockade the slums and underground with the kingdom’s troops, and clean them up by deploying knights and troops inside.

“How about that? If it weren’t for me, everyone here would be dead.”

“What… It’s an interesting development, but.”

Lotus’s reaction was surprisingly calm.

Dorian became excited and said, “Since I practically saved everyone in the underground waterway, how about I return the 3,000 gold slave fee?”

“Well, that might be difficult.”

“What did you say?”

“Clearly, this is important information. Thanks to it, I can also handle the situation appropriately.”

“Then you should reward me accordingly for bringing that to you.”

As the situation didn’t go as planned, Dorian spoke in an irritated voice.

But Lotus suddenly smiled and changed his attitude.

“Dorian, do you know why I’m called the ‘King of the Underground’?”

“What… Why are you suddenly smiling like that?”

“I appreciate your words. However, the information is already in my hands. Since I already know the contents, there’s no reason for me to thank you. You didn’t make a deal; you brought me the information as you pleased, right? And do you know what? If the kingdom has made such a decision… I no longer need to be cautious around the higher-ups.”

“What? What are you talking about… Ugh!”

Lotus drew a dagger from his waist and swiftly stabbed Dorian in the abdomen.

“The kingdom has been considering causing trouble in this underground waterway. Did you think I wouldn’t prepare for it? Thanks for sharing the detailed plan. But now, you are no longer needed.”

“Ugh… Ugh… You son of a…!”

“Does it hurt? It will. Don’t worry, I avoided the vital spot. Oh, but I forgot to mention that my dagger is poisoned. I should have just stabbed your vital spot for a quick death. You’re the son of a noble in this country, right? It seems like your father was heavily involved in planning to clean up this place.”

“I… I understand now. If you get scammed here, it’s the scammer’s fault. Learn from it on your last journey.”

Dorian’s strength gradually faded.

Lotus twisted the hand holding the dagger while looking at the weakening Dorian.

“This is why rich kids like you are no good.”

“…”

Dorian felt his vision blur and the excruciating pain spreading throughout his body.

Although the poison spreading through his body made dying a better option, he couldn’t make a sound.

Helpless, he slowly died in front of Lotus, who was mocking him.

* * *

“Wow! Who is this person! A goddess! Goddess Stellania! We don’t know the name!”

“Um… Who is this noisy person…?”

As I was preparing to leave the house to meet Piphnelo, Marial came and caused a commotion.

Goddess Stellania looked at me with a troubled expression, asking for help.

“Please stop bothering the goddess. Please.”

Saint Selena tried to stop Marial.

But Marial’s immense curiosity had already sparked, and she was observing everything around Stellania.

Even though she knew the other person was a real goddess, her attitude was truly that of a curious monster.

But I didn’t feel the need to stop Marial.

Stellania has nothing to do right now anyway.

Wouldn’t it be less boring and more enjoyable to play with Marial?

Surprisingly, they might get along well.

“Is the goddess really immortal? What’s the relationship with the goddesses served in the Seven Churches! Can she use magic?! Can I touch her a little? Oh!”

“Um, please show some respect to the goddess…”

“I’m the genius magic researcher Marial! An inspiration just struck me! The goddess is said to have lost her power! Then, why don’t we research together how to regain the goddess’s power!”

Saint Selena’s small protest was completely drowned out by Marial’s immense and myopic enthusiasm.

The goddess Stellania took a step back in surprise from Mariel’s bewildered expression.

“What on earth… who is this strange human….”

Even a goddess seemed taken aback by Mariel’s personality.

Mariel, who even managed to astonish the goddess, was truly remarkable.

It was a good decision to bring them together.

In fact, one could argue that the goddess Stellania was just as responsible for many of the problems in this world.

Watching Mariel’s quick wit was somewhat refreshing and entertaining.

“I have some business in the capital, so I’ll be away from home for a while. Please look after the goddess until I return, Mariel.”

“Um… the goddess is already under my care….”

The saint Selena responded with a puzzled expression to my words.

In truth, she was right.

I just wanted to see Stellania being bossed around by Mariel.

Well, Mariel may seem like that, but she’s not a bad person.

And being cooped up at home receiving the saint’s care every day was too boring.

“Attaching the magician Mariel to the goddess Stellania was a rare but very wise and correct choice for Yunoa.”

Having finished my preparations and about to leave the house, suddenly a narration came on.

There was no particular reason for attaching Mariel to Stellania, so why was I being praised like this?

Was there some unexpected synergy going on?

The narration fell silent.

Considering the way the narration had treated Stellania so far, maybe it just wanted to tease her a little like me.

Let’s not think too much beyond that, lest the irritable narration gets upset and says something.

Anyway, leaving the raging Mariel, the bewildered Selena, and the goddess at home, I set out.

Feeling a bit relieved before the big event, I had already planned to move Algot and the demons from the demon shelter to Mariel’s mansion.

All that was left was to do my best to ensure the plan went smoothly without any major hiccups.