Chapter 270
Chapter 270
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
Zeke came straight to the Southern Continent by ship from the Southern Archipelago.
After disembarking at Golpa Port in the Cusco Kingdom territory, Zeke headed straight for the lawless zone.
The border region connecting the Southern and Central Continents was truly a world of outlaws.
Among them, Black Market City was a place where all kinds of outlaws flowed in regardless of whether they were from the North, South, Central, or even the Eastern Continent.
As a result, things that were difficult to obtain in the outside world gathered there, and the largest black market was formed within the lawless zone.
Zeke was now heading to Black Market City, the center of that black market.
This was the same place he had entered to help Carus escape before, only to be attacked and flee to Ishtar's territory.
Like before, Zeke arrived at the entrance of the fenced lawless zone and approached the guard post.
Men with rough faces were aiming crossbows at Zeke from all directions.
Among them, a man chewing on a toothpick approached Zeke.
He showed the token he had received in advance from Simon. The man who came forward checked Zeke's token and spat out the toothpick he was chewing on.
"You say you came with Vito gang's introduction? How do you know them?"
Zeke calmly gave his prepared answer.
"We became acquainted while I was helping with smuggling work in Golpa."
At those words, the man made a tsk-tsk sound as if something was stuck in his teeth and said.
"Ha, Golpa? I heard these days if you get caught smuggling there, your wrist gets destroyed since it became Cusco Kingdom territory?"
Zeke nodded at the man's words as if he understood well.
"That's why civil servants like me have to make a living. If you want to bring anything into Golpa, let me know. I'll connect you with the right people."
In the Southern Continent, corrupt officials were as common as stones rolling on the street.
Perhaps because of this, the man seemed to lower his guard at Zeke's words.
Although he had heard the newly rebuilt Cusco Kingdom was different, he seemed to think that since people lived there, there would naturally be corrupt officials and civil servants.
For the man, it was rather difficult to imagine the existence of an honest civil servant.
The man looked at Zeke, nodded, and gestured to the personnel behind him.
Then those guarding the guard post opened the fence.
Zeke quietly entered the lawless zone.
He entered the small village where he had briefly stayed before to help Carus escape.
When he went up to find his room after entering the pre-designated inn, a black figure suddenly appeared before him.
"It's been a while, Boss."
Shadia, the first disciple of The Mountain Elder, appeared before Zeke.
It was a different face from when he had seen her before.
Zeke spoke to Shadia.
"How is the situation in the Southern Continent?"
At his question, Shadia opened her mouth.
"Though it's not apparent on the surface, the cultists are extending their reach mainly to small villages with limited external interactions."
"Do you think they have a connection with Abyss?"
"While it's difficult to be certain, circumstances according to the investigated materials suggest so."
As Zeke had expected, the Abyss traces remaining in the coffee-producing regions of the Central Continent's south and the cult groups in the Southern Continent were connected.
'The Abyss bastards can be seen as the string connecting the Empire, Jiemens, and Abel. If we catch them, it's possible to turn the situation around by linking all three together.'
Zeke thought about the connection between dark magic and the reason why the Southern Continent's cultists were bringing quite a number of children to Black Market City.
'Dark magic requires sacrifices. Among sacrifices, young children are the best. If those bastards are connected with the Abyss, there's a high possibility they're making contracts with demons by sacrificing children.'
This meant that if they could find out where the children taken from the South went, they could strike at the Abyss's core.
Zeke asked Shadia.
"Is there a way to find out where the children go from Black Market City?"
At those words, Shadia nodded.
"I know someone who would know this business well."
"Who would that be?"
"The Guild Master of the Thieves Guild."
Zeke was surprised at Shadia's words.
"Are you saying the Thieves Guild's Guild Master is in Black Market City?"
"There's no better place for thieves to hide than here."
Zeke nodded at Shadia's words.
'Well, that makes sense. After all, any items stolen by the Thieves Guild that are difficult to dispose of in the Central Continent would all flow in this direction.'
Zeke rose from his seat.
"No time to waste. Let's go meet them right now."
* * *
The history of the Thieves Guild was long and deep.
The Thieves Guild was even older than the long-traditional Nostra Family.
Because whenever a certain number of people gathered, there was bound to be at least one thief among them.
Coveting and stealing others' belongings was close to instinct.
Such thieves lived hiding in the shadows of cities, communicating in their own language and creating their own rules. This was because they realized it was how they could survive longer.
The Guild Master of the Thieves Guild is commonly called the 'King of Thieves'.
The Thieves Guild only deals with stealing items and making profit by selling stolen goods.
The guild's first rule was that if one accepts a murder request, they would be permanently expelled from the Thieves Guild.
Because of this, Thieves Guild members had their own pride in being gentlemanly, and they greatly disliked being treated the same as lawless people who acted without discretion.
The man who was the head of such a Thieves Guild and called the King of Thieves.
Ankel Lombardi was a man with immense pride as a thief.
He was a typical Imperial southern man who left his shirt buttons open to expose his thick chest hair and treated his well-groomed beard like his life.
Wearing jeweled rings on all ten fingers, Ankel intently gazed at Shadia sitting before him with his fingers interlocked.
"To think I would get to see the one called the Desert Flower in person. I truly cannot contain my surprise."
As he moved his hand behind and stroked his ear, suddenly a red rose appeared in his hand.
Ankel continued speaking while offering the rose to Shadia.
"Shadia, though it pales in comparison to your beauty, I offer this red rose filled with my passion."
Shadia expressionlessly took the rose Ankel offered, placed it on the table, and turned her gaze to the side.
Ankel, who had been gazing deeply at such a Shadia, followed her gaze to look at Zeke and furrowed his brow.
"So, who exactly are you who came with the Desert Flower?"
Zeke had changed his face using a shape-shifting cloak.
He spoke while looking at Ankel.
"I want to know where the children brought from the Southern Continent go."
At Zeke's words, Ankel's eyebrows twitched.
Soon he turned his head toward Shadia and spoke sweetly.
"Señorita. Instead of this, how about we go out for a fine meal? There's a place that serves excellent veal that you can't taste anywhere else, and the cooking is absolutely perfect. I have some very fine wine, and if we spend a pleasant evening there together..."
Suddenly Shadia took out a dagger and stabbed the rose Ankel had given her.
The dagger was deeply embedded in the solid table at once, with only the handle visible.
Then Ankel waved his hand and said.
"Señorita! I meant it with good intentions. Don't be angry! A beautiful person is art in itself. We are people who deal with art! We respect art!"
Then Zeke, who was beside them, opened his mouth.
"How interesting."
At Zeke's words, Ankel looked at him with another disapproving expression and asked.
"What is?"
"I'm saying it's interesting to see a Red Knight playing thief and spouting nonsense."
At Zeke's words, Ankel's eyes suddenly changed.
Though Ankel seemed endlessly frivolous judging by his words and actions, he was the King of Thieves and the Guild Master of the Thieves Guild.
However, most people were fooled by Ankel's light exterior and failed to recognize his true abilities. And that was also Ankel's method.
But the man from the Central Continent before him seemed to have noticed his abilities at once.
'The man brought by the Desert Flower. Indeed, he seems no ordinary fellow.'
Zeke looked at Ankel and said.
"Originally I was just going to take the information, but I've changed my mind."
He took off the shape-shifting cloak he was wearing. Then Zeke's original appearance appeared.
Suddenly Ankel's expression distorted.
The moment he saw Zeke's face, he had realized who he was.
He hurriedly gestured to those standing behind him.
After his subordinates who received the gesture went outside, only Ankel, Zeke, and Shadia remained in the room.
Zeke spoke while looking at Ankel.
"It seems you know who I am."
Ankel swallowed and said.
"Zeke Draker, direct descendant of the Draker family and pureblood awakener. The continent's youngest Red rank promoter and Knight of the Sea, et cetera, et cetera."
"Good, you know well."
Zeke said to Ankel.
"I'd like to make a formal request."
To those words, Ankel responded in a low voice.
"You're making a request as Zeke Draker?"
"That's right. Does the Thieves Guild not accept requests from Draker?"
Ankel slowly leaned forward and spoke.
"Not particularly... but sorry, I think we'll have to this time. I don't want to get caught up in complicated matters and see blood needlessly."
"Complicated matters. You mean the Draker successor issue?"
At Zeke's words, Ankel closed his mouth.
The Draker family that controlled the Central Continent.
Zeke Draker, right in front of him, was one of the successor candidates to inherit that family.
If information leaked that he had joined hands with Zeke Draker, he didn't know what kind of retaliation would come from other factions.
Maintaining neutrality no matter what.
That was the Thieves Guild's second rule.
Zeke looked at Ankel and shook his head.
"I know what you're thinking, but this has nothing to do with the successor succession."
"That doesn't matter. Anyway, the moment we accept your request, regardless of its purpose, the other factions won't see it that way."
"Are you worried about retaliation from Abel's side against the Thieves Guild?"
When Abel was mentioned, Ankel closed his mouth again.
The reason the Thieves Guild had maintained their lineage for so long was because they were always careful.
Zeke smiled and said to Ankel.
"Good, I like you even more. Shadia, show him the documents."
Shadia handed the documents she brought to Ankel.
"What is this?"
"The contents of what I want to request."
Ankel quickly skimmed through the report's contents.
His expression gradually changed as he read the contents within.
"This..."
"These are circumstantial evidences that those bastards are capturing children to use as sacrifices for dark magic. And those dark magicians are connected to the Empire, Jiemens, and Abel Draker's side."
Ankel glared at Zeke after hearing his words and said.
"Then this is even more related to Abel Draker's side."
"In the end, yes."
Ankel closed his eyes in contemplation, then shook his head and slowly rose from his seat.
"...Leave. I won't accept the request."
Then Zeke looked at Ankel and said.
"The Thieves Guild's third rule. Never deal in children."
At Zeke's words, Ankel's eyes wavered.
He continued speaking while looking at Ankel.
"The Thieves Guild only moves goods, not people. Especially not children. Isn't that right?"
"...How do you know the guild's rules?"
"That's not important. What's important is that if we don't stop these bastards, more children will be sacrificed."
Most Thieves Guild members are orphans.
There were many cases where they were abandoned by their parents for various reasons - due to war, poverty, or no particular reason - and ended up wandering until they had to steal to survive.
The Thieves Guild accepts children with nimble hands among such children as guild members.
And they use part of the stolen money to buy bread for children on the streets.
Because of this, at least in cities where the Thieves Guild exists, there were no children dying of hunger on the streets.
Ankel too was an orphan who had wandered the back alleys of the Imperial southern cities.
Zeke looked at Ankel and said.
"I ask for your help to stop them."
Ankel stared at Zeke's eyes filled with firm determination.
After contemplating for a while, he trembled slightly with a sigh. Then he slowly opened his mouth.
"The salt mine."
Ankel met Zeke's eyes and said.
"They took the children to the salt mine."