Chapter 55
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 55
After a moment of consideration, Rebecca accepted my terms.
“Fine. I accept.”
And just like that, I had secured a new pipeline into the underworld—the ultimate source for acquiring artifacts.
Of course, I wouldn't be able to obtain high-grade items until Lize advanced her class to Special Merchant. For now, she was merely an Appraiser.
But if she gained experience through continuous trades under Panopticon and eventually became a Special Merchant, I would be able to acquire some truly exceptional artifacts through her. It would take time, so I just had to be patient until then.
By the time I returned to Union, it was well past midnight.
The lights in the Student Council President's office were still burning bright. Just as I suspected, Ciel was waiting for me. I could have sworn I told her to head home; she was far too diligent, even for a weekend.
Seeing my exhausted expression, Ciel bowed her head slightly.
“You’re back late.”
“Yeah. I was delayed scouting a new source of funding.”
My trip to the underworld had several objectives, and establishing a source of capital was high on the list. Since things had gone well with Rebecca, I could call the venture a success.
“I see. Was it a fruitful trip?”
At Ciel’s question, I shrugged as I set down my bag.
“There’s no immediate profit. But I’ve made a solid investment, so it will definitely pay off in the long run.”
Lize was essentially the goose that laid the golden eggs. If I fed her well and let her grow, she would bring massive rewards. Moreover, I had established a connection with Rebecca and struck a deal, so there was nothing but profit on the horizon.
However, at my mention of no immediate gains, Ciel gave me a look that clearly said, 'Of course you didn't.'
“...I’m sure that’s the case.”
What a reaction, especially after all the trouble I’d gone through. I couldn’t just let that slide.
Ciel seems to be expecting I bought something for her while I was out. I can use this.
I placed my bag on the table and spoke nonchalantly.
“Ah, I forgot. I didn't get any donuts. Sorry if you were looking forward to them.”
Illeph’s donut shop was a famous spot at the academy. You couldn’t just get them whenever you wanted. Last time, I had barely managed to secure the last set by leveraging Roen’s infamy. Besides, they didn’t even sell them this late at night.
Hearing there were no donuts, Ciel prepared to leave without a second thought.
“...I’ll be taking my leave, then. Please get some rest.”
Just as she gathered her documents and turned toward the door—
“Instead.”
Thud.
I pulled a box of delectable-looking macarons from my bag and placed it on the table.
The underground city was a cultural melting pot where culinary traditions from across the continent coexisted. There was plenty of unique food there that was hard to find in Union. This was a macaron set I had picked up from Panopticon’s western branch—a variety entirely different from what was sold in Union’s downtown area.
“How about these?”
As I presented the colorful assortment, a glint appeared in Ciel’s eyes.
“Did a new dessert shop open nearby? Where did you get these…?”
With a hint of playful revenge, I teased, “You’re better off not knowing.”
In the reception room of Panopticon’s western branch.
After the boy and girl had departed, Alfredo finished his tasks and returned to Rebecca to report.
“My Lady, Miss Lize has been provided with a safe house and an escort. We will proceed with her businesses, including the magic tool enterprise, step by step.”
“Good, well done. But she’s the one from the list, right?”
At Rebecca’s question, Alfredo gave a slight nod.
“Yes. Miss Lize was designated as an A-rank recruitment target. She was living in Red Hound territory, and they had their eyes on her, which made recruitment tricky. However, since she came to us on her own, the justification is now on our side.”
There was no way Panopticon wouldn’t know about a talent the Red Hounds were coveting. They hadn't known she possessed the Eye of Replication, but they knew she had great potential since a rival faction was hunting her, so they had placed her on the A-rank recruitment list.
Forcibly taking her would have risked a conflict between factions, but since she had sought them out herself, it was no longer an issue.
“Tsk. How much longer do we have to walk on eggshells around those bastards?”
“We’ll have to wait until Big Brother, who is currently ill, passes away and the succession dispute is settled. Until then, things are bound to be unsettled.”
While Panopticon was currently the dominant power in the underworld, its reach didn’t extend to every corner of the underground city. Beneath the Meteor Archipelago—a collection of countless islands—lay a vast network of caves spreading out like an ant colony. Many regional factions were still lurking in various underground bases, waiting for an opportunity, and the Red Hounds were one of them.
They were even part of a resistance coalition currently formed to oppose Panopticon. They were a thorn in Rebecca's side; she wanted to wipe them out this instant.
“Whatever. If they try to lay a hand on her, crush them.”
“Understood. However, My Lady, do you have any idea who that boy was?”
Alfredo mentioned the boy who had so boldly entered their domain. Rebecca stared blankly at the ceiling, chewing on an unlit cigarette before shaking her head.
“No idea. Said his name was Roen. Judging by his fair skin and hands, he wasn't born underground. His face looked young, too, so he probably drifted in from Union. What about you, old man? Any ideas?”
At Rebecca’s question, Alfredo spoke cautiously.
“I have someone in mind. My Lady, are you familiar with the Ducal House of Devalis?”
“Yeah, they’re that insanely strong family that rules the western front. Ah. Come to think of it, the name of their good-for-nothing bastard son was Roen. Don’t tell me he’s that guy?”
“...I believe that is likely the case. The information about his appearance matches.”
Alfredo handled most of the affairs at Panopticon’s western branch, so he was well-informed. Naturally, he was familiar with the faces of influential royals and nobles. The boy’s appearance was strikingly similar to the Roen that Alfredo knew of. A photograph with a similar impression had even been published in a newspaper from Union.
“Hmm. He didn’t seem like a good-for-nothing, though—even if he was arrogant. And he was handsome. Just my type.”
“...”
What in the world does being handsome have to do with anything?
Alfredo swallowed his silent complaint and raised his remaining concerns.
“However, there are a few things that don’t add up if that boy is indeed the 'good-for-nothing' Roen.”
First, if he were the man from the rumors, he never would have had the guts to come all the way to the western branch. He was known as a born coward, a villain who only bullied the weak. Yet, he had shown the audacity to infiltrate this place alone, risking his life. The combat skills and spirit he displayed today were hard to reconcile with the infamous Roen.
In any case, if what he saw today wasn't an illusion, the rumors and information about Roen needed some serious revision.
Could it be that the information from the Union Daily was true?
Alfredo recalled the headline article about Roen in the Union Daily. He had doubted the veracity of the information, as it was a newspaper published by a student-run club, but now he had no choice but to believe it.
Alfredo cleared his thoughts and spoke.
“I will contact Gretel to confirm the facts. If he is indeed that Roen, he would have entered the underworld from Union through Traum Street 9. As the gatekeeper, she should know something.”
“Yeah, do that. But if he’s a duke’s son, things get a little complicated.”
“?”
“I can’t just kidnap him. What a waste. Tsk.”
“...”
Alfredo could only let out a quiet sigh as he looked at his impulsive lady.
“You fucking idiots!”
Crash—!
Along with the enraged man’s shout, a glass ashtray shattered against the floor. This was the hideout of the Red Hounds, one of the most violent gangs in the underworld.
“Was it that hard to bring one orphan girl from the slave market? Huh?!”
A large man with a cast on his wrist prostrated himself before the furious boss, his head bowed low.
“I-I’m sorry. A combat mage interfered while we were handling it.”
“A mage?”
“Y-Yes! He was even skilled in close combat and used strange artifacts. I think information about the girl must have been leaked.”
At the subordinate's report, the boss suppressed his anger and sat back down.
“...What about the girl’s shop?”
“I looked into it, and she’s already moved. It seems Panopticon made a move.”
“So she fell into their hands in the end.”
The man slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair and muttered quietly.
“The Eye of Replication... If Panopticon themselves made a move, it must be the real deal.”
“Yes. We tortured the information out of her master, so it’s certain. With her, we can duplicate any valuable item.”
“Good. If that’s the case, she’s worth taking a risk to acquire. Hey.”
At the man’s gesture, a woman approached and bowed.
“Yes, Boss.”
“Contact Gulados. I hear he’s already at war with the Panopticon bastards in the Durhen district, right? We’ll need to borrow his strength. And...”
He pondered for a moment, his eyes glinting in the darkness.
“Contact that person on the continent as well.”
The next day.
I dragged my exhausted body toward Eredor’s Hall of Truth after finishing my morning training.
I had returned from the underworld late at night, and the backlash from the Strength Enhancement Stone and Haste magic I used yesterday was making my whole body ache. It was the natural price to pay for engaging in physical combat with this pathetic body, but I still couldn’t get used to this awful muscle soreness.
Thank goodness there was no swordsmanship class today.
As I entered the lecture hall, Bell spotted me from a distance and waved. I raised a hand weakly in return and sat in my usual seat at the back. I hung my bag on the hook, took out my textbook, and opened it to today’s lesson to review.
Ugh, my eyes hurt.
Perhaps because I hadn’t been sleeping well lately, my eyes felt heavy, and a dull ache throbbed in my head. I was staring blankly at the textbook with bloodshot eyes, waiting for class to begin.
Screech—.
The chair next to me, which was always empty, was pulled back, and someone sat down.
“...”
The person who sat beside me took out a textbook and placed it on the desk, as if they intended to take the class right here with me. I glared silently at the uninvited guest.
Yuliana Evalanche.
She, who always sat in the very front row with Beatrice, had deliberately chosen the seat next to me.
With a look of pure displeasure, I asked her, “...What are you plotting now?”