Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Family Ties Among Us - 1
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After a refreshing bath, I headed out of the mansion.
This outing included Ellis, but not because I harbored any hidden feelings for her.
'Can't leave her alone.'
If I left her by herself in the mansion, she'd probably stick my face on something and practice weird stuff. No way was I letting that happen.
Of course, I'd already made it crystal clear: no more practicing climaxes.
-The climax practice you mentioned last time? I don't need to do it anymore.
What did that response even mean? Had she already finished her training?
I'd meant to keep her from turning into a criminally perverse deviant, not mold her into a sexually perverse one.
Whatever. My conclusion was that trying to fix someone that drastically was just too damn hard.
We walked through the territory in silence for a while.
Drug addicts collapsed here and there on the streets, people looking utterly lifeless. Wonderfentanyl Territory was still a hopeless mess.
"This is bad."
"Yeah. It's really bad."
Why was she chiming in like she was so proud of it? I gave her a steady look, and she hurriedly added,
"Sorry. It's bad because of me. I'll reflect on it."
"Good. Do that."
"Yes, Master."
As we walked on, scanning the area, Ellis broke the silence this time.
"By the way, I handled everything just as you ordered. Prepaid the gold, and I let Wonderland know we've prepared five times the drugs."
"What'd they say?"
"They praised my quick thinking. Said they might come pick it up sooner than planned."
The part about coming sooner than planned rubbed me the wrong way. And right then, dull crashing sounds hammered our ears.
Crunch!
Crack! Smack!
Something was breaking, and people were swarming toward the noise. We naturally joined the crowd.
Pushing past onlookers until we reached the front, I muttered without thinking,
"Thugs?"
More than ten burly men were demolishing a building like wild animals. It looked familiar once I took a closer look—Dodo's variety store.
"P-P-Please, don't do this! Please...!"
"Get lost?"
Smack!
"Agh!"
Dodo clutched her struck face with both hands and pitifully crumpled to the ground.
I let out a hollow chuckle and glanced at Ellis beside me.
Before I could say a word, she frantically waved her hands side to side.
"No, no! Master, this wasn't my doing!"
"Yeah, sure."
The men wore Wonderland's black robes. Being inside Wonderfentanyl Territory, they weren't even bothering to hide their identity.
"Find out what's going on."
"Me?"
Smack!
"Tohee!"
I kicked Ellis's rear hard enough to send her flying toward the men.
Suddenly, the lord of Wonderfentanyl Territory appeared, rubbing her butt.
The thugs' eyes snapped to her in an instant.
"What timing. We were just about to come find you."
One of them recognized Ellis and doffed his robe, revealing glossy mint-green hair and a sharp nose.
Her youthful face still held a girlish innocence, with a petite build. Ellis tilted her head.
"...Sea Turtle?"
Ellis was right. That was Sea Turtle—Tyr.
Code name: Sea Turtle.
She had a genius-level talent for designing and building structures. That's what got her promoted to Blackjack.
Come to think of it, she'd built the Shadows' quarters too. The memory surfaced unexpectedly.
"That's me. Sea Turtle."
"Lady of Revelry Ellis from Wonderfentanyl~ What's up around here?"
"You're one of us in Wonderland now. Came to build a branch here in the territory."
"Uh... then what's that?"
Ellis pointed at Dodo's variety store with her index finger. It was completely trashed.
"Oh, that?"
Sea Turtle smirked, curling her lip.
"Cheshire Cat won't set foot anywhere without a branch. And this spot's perfect for one. Oh, and Ellis, there's something you really need to know..."
"What is it?"
Sea Turtle prodded Dodo's back with her foot as she lay collapsed.
"Found out while smashing it: this one's pretending to run a variety store, but she's actually been taking care of drug addicts. How'd you not know about this? You slacking on territory management?"
"Uh..."
Ellis glanced back and forth between me and Sea Turtle, unsure how to respond.
Sea Turtle continued,
"We've basically managed the territory for you... Family's got bonds, right? We'll do it cheap. Instead of five times the drugs, make it seven."
"You gone mad, you little turtle bastard?"
Sea Turtle's eyes went wide. Of course, that line hadn't come from Ellis.
"Who said that?"
No answer. She kicked a fallen wooden plank with all her might.
"Whoever said it, come out! If not, I'll kill every last one of these bastards here!"
How exactly did she plan to do that? Strip away her architectural talent, and Sea Turtle had nothing.
With over ten Wonderland underlings around, she must've felt like the world was hers.
In the end, I spoke up.
"Hey, Miss Sea Turtle. Shut up and go carry some bricks."
The mint-haired girl's eyes rolled back in fury. Sure, she had a girlish figure, but that was it.
"Which bastard was that?! Who just said that?!"
"Me."
If I didn't step in soon, the bystanders might get caught in the crossfire. I strode right up to her face.
Sea Turtle eyed me up and down like I'd crawled out of some freak show. Three times over. Then, looking up at me, she asked,
"Who the hell are you?"
"Florian."
Ellis let out a weird hngh from behind, but I ignored it.
"And Florian is what?"
"Ellis's fiancé."
"Fiancé?"
Sea Turtle looked back and forth between Ellis and me with a shocked expression.
"...So what if you're Ellis's fiancé? That doesn't give you the right to act like this in front of me."
"Why not? I'm the real lord of this territory now. How Wonderfentanyl acts and what attitude it takes—that's all up to me."
"So you're defying Wonderland?"
"Yep."
My curt reply froze the air in an instant.
"Got a death wish?"
"Always do. Ready to kill too."
Sea Turtle spat on the ground at my words. Then she beckoned one of her Wonderland underlings over.
"You handle him. Smash his head to mush, and stamp a clover mark on the body."
"Yes, Sea Turtle."
A hulking brute stepped forward, while Sea Turtle and the others stood like posts, forming a ring.
The territory folk watched from beyond that line.
Actually, the thugs were subtly pressuring them so they had to watch.
Just like that, a makeshift arena formed. Sea Turtle glanced around and declared,
"You're all gonna keep living in Wonderfentanyl Territory, so watch with your own eyes what happens if you don't obey Wonderland."
As the giant before me drew a hand axe, I casually crossed my arms.
That threw them off instead.
"What the hell you doing?"
"I'm ready to fight. You come here."
We stood at opposite ends of the impromptu arena, far enough that words carried but melee weapons wouldn't.
"What..."
The guy snorted in disbelief.
"Cut the pathetic bluffing and attack first. I'll even let you have first strike."
I didn't care what he said.
Instead, I turned to look at Dodo.
Her pale face bore a nasty purple bruise from the hit.
"Dodo."
"Y-Y-Yes?"
"You like running the variety store? If we're rebuilding, should I make it one again?"
"S-S-Suddenly?"
"No time. Trust me and be honest."
"I-I..."
Dodo hesitated.
She sneaked a glance at the crowd, then squeezed her eyes shut and shouted,
"A cl-cl-clinic! Even a tiny one! I want to take care of the patients!"
"Three-story clinic. Sound good?"
"J-Just thinking about it makes me happy..."
Paang—!
The bullet's whistle cut the air.
Drawing the gun, pulling the trigger, blood spurting from the giant's forehead—it all happened at once.
Thud. He collapsed with a pathetic sound.
Only then did Sea Turtle and the Wonderland goons' faces go slack.
"Hey, Turtle."
I spun Trivi's barrel toward Sea Turtle's forehead.
"Don't Wonderland family have bonds?"
Bang! Paang!
I put extra holes in the foreheads of two goons charging in. The rest finally halted, taking stock.
-Isn't that... the Witch's Curse?
-Nah, that's Ermetilene.
The goons whispered toward Sea Turtle.
I tossed a line at Sea Turtle, who was sweating bullets.
"We'll take it cheap. Rebuild it as a three-story clinic."