Obvious, But That's Why She's the Protagonist
After entering the room, the Saintess didn't say much of anything. She simply took a quiet seat where I gestured for her to sit.
"..."
I'd deliberately spoken in an arrogant, smug tone, but she didn't seem particularly bothered.
No, rather—Ariel was just staring at me calmly, while only the priest who appeared to be her guard behind her glared daggers at me.
Hoo.
Ignoring that guard's gaze, I examined Ariel and let out a low murmur of admiration in my mind.
Now that's what you'd call a romance-fantasy protagonist.
That was my first thought when I laid eyes on Ariel.
Of course, it was still just a hypothesis, but she was attractive enough to make the idea feel natural.
Lush white hair that lived up to her title of the Pure White Saintess.
Naturally drawn downward by that sacred mane, my eyes fell on a face so beautiful the word slipped out on its own.
Damn, second time I've been wowed by a face like this.
The first was when I saw an elf for the first time in the underworld.
Honestly, less awe at her looks and more wonder at encountering an elf for the first time.
The only one whose beauty matched hers might be Mist, standing dutifully behind me.
Of course, our first meeting was so suspicious I hadn't had a chance to admire her appearance.
I get why guys would flock to her.
What was a romance fantasy novel, anyway?
Reverse harem, as far as I knew—tons of guys fawning over the female protagonist.
I'd never read one myself, so maybe I was seeing it through colored glasses, but that's what I'd heard.
And in that sense, even if it was just a hunch, calling Ariel the protagonist made perfect sense.
Her pure white hair and looks that confidently claimed the top spot among all the beauties I'd seen.
Even in a nun's habit with zero skin showing, her curves were prominent enough to captivate any man.
Stare.
If I hadn't felt Mist's gaze boring into my back from behind, I might've kept staring blankly.
"Alright. Everyone's here, so shall we get started?"
Standing there like that, it felt like her stare was about to burn a hole through me.
"Yeah, let's."
Breck, head of the Nostra Family's Imperial Capital branch, sighed as he crossed his arms and leaned back into the sofa.
"Why am I even here..."
Lena, a member of the Nebla Duke Family's execution unit [White Shadow].
She scowled, looking like she had no idea why she was here representing [White Shadow].
But her eyes were darting around the room, so half of it was probably an act.
"..."
Ariel, Saintess of the Church of Light that worshipped the God of Light Luminus.
She lifted the black tea offered by Breck's secretary and watched me quietly as I spoke.
"And finally me, making four in total."
Maybe because each of us represented a major organization, there was this intimidating aura we couldn't shake.
But the reason we'd gathered was for an alliance—for cooperation.
"We gathered to eradicate Miraz, right? So let's set aside personal feelings and have a proper discussion."
Honestly, this was aimed at the Saintess—or rather, the Church.
Breck and I had already sorted things out.
Even if the Saintess had approached us first for cooperation, had her subordinates really agreed too?
It was natural to have doubts.
Allying with someone who couldn't control their own people would just lead to endless noise.
"..."
At my words, the Saintess's guard's eyes began to blaze.
But that was it. The fire didn't spread to any further action.
Hoo?
Seeing that, I smiled faintly and looked at the Saintess.
With her title as Saintess and my preconception that she might be a romance-fantasy protagonist (though unconfirmed), I'd assumed she didn't fully control her subordinates.
You know how it is— the boss stays quiet, but the underlings go off: How dare you! Do you know where you are?!
But there was no sign of that.
No, rather—he got heated but looked to the Saintess and held back.
She's got them under control just fine?
I'd noticed it myself, so there was no way Breck, the Nostra Family's Imperial Capital branch head who dealt in information, missed it.
I turned to look at him; his face stayed neutral, but he uncrossed his arms and glanced her way.
My role was done.
Just stirring the pot, testing their intentions.
I was merely a bastard of the Nebla Duke Family, after all.
In serious talks like this, the Nostra branch head and the Church's Saintess should take the lead. I couldn't steer it.
Frankly, it was a hassle.
"So, shall we exchange the info we've gathered?"
"Yes, let's."
With Breck's words as the signal, he and the Saintess began swapping information.
Breck handled the detailed drug info, suppliers, and dealer identities.
Ariel had more on addict reactions and the drug's effects on humans.
Ariel shared what her Church had uncovered first.
"From the addicts' reactions, we're treating it as a synthetic drug. Side effects post-ingestion include tremors, vomiting, delirium, muscle rigidity, and severe indigestion. Those are the hallmarks of Miraz."
"Indigestion?"
Breck took the report on Miraz from Ariel and muttered without thinking.
"Yes. Classic side effects of drugs like [Aspen], [Ferta], and [Heroin]. Plus about five more we suspect, all mixed together."
Ariel frowned briefly as she continued.
"Mixing drugs can cancel out side effects."
Well, less "cancel" and more "you end up with a half-assed low-grade mess without proper knowledge."
I'd never touched the stuff myself, but living in the underworld, you'd pick up that much from eavesdropping.
"But Miraz is different. It amplifies both the side effects and the addictiveness."
And there was a reason they leaned into those brutal side effects.
"That way, people crave more of the drug."
Ironic, right?
You suffer hell from the drug, but to numb the pain, you need more drug.
I watched Ariel grimace as she said it.
She worried for the addicts more than anyone—fitting for her role as Saintess.
"So we believe the culprit is an alchemist."
Impressive.
I admired her anew, in a different way this time.
The Church probably hadn't secured actual Miraz samples when they investigated.
The Nostra Family had only gotten theirs by moving fast.
The drug hadn't circulated long, and in small quantities.
Yet the Church had gleaned this much from addicts alone—damn close to the truth.
"Heh..."
I glanced at Lena; she was watching the Saintess with clear fascination.
Different from how we'd ID'd the culprit with her ability.
Pure experience from treating countless patients and addicts.
Seemed to pique her interest.
"Impressive."
Breck murmured his admiration for the Church.
"Then we'll share what we found."
Breck handed over what Lena's ability had revealed: the drug's true nature and culprit info.
Ariel read it over and gave a wry smile.
"This... haa. You've figured out everything?"
"Yeah... but this wasn't us. [White Shadow] over there used their ability."
At Breck's words, Ariel's gaze fixed on Lena, who sat quietly.
Her eyes widened slightly in shock, betraying how huge it was.
"I see..."
"Frankly, we're the shocked ones. We needed an ability, but your Church got this far without one. That's the real impressive part."
"Hee hee. Thanks for the consolation. But shall we move on? If you've gone that far, you've probably got more."
Breck nodded curtly at Ariel's words, pulled a paper from his pocket, and passed copies around.
The info was sparse—terse summary.
But packed with key details.
"We got this by pressuring the Mage Tower. [Name: Heros][Mage Rank: Red]. Notably skilled in both magic and alchemy."
At the end of the info:
[Trait: Can't curb his curiosity; quite impulsive.]
As Breck finished, Lena—here as [White Shadow]'s rep—raised her hand to speak.
"Ah, we've narrowed it down to a workshop we suspect belongs to this Heros."
"Hm? Already?"
It'd only been about a day since we ID'd the culprit.
Yet they'd pinpointed a suspect location already.
Lena nodded lightly at my question, grinning like a kid.
"Yep! [White Shadow] has been scouring the entire Imperial Capital since this drug mess started."
She pulled a map of the Imperial Capital from her bag as she spoke.
Shops, terrain, roads—all meticulously marked.
"Pinpoint suspects first, combine with the culprit's traits I uncovered, and the answer pops out easy."
Worthily the Duke's execution squad. Their efficiency was clean to the point of scary.
Meaning, before asking me, [White Shadow] had already ID'd candidate hideouts.
They just needed precise culprit info to narrow the suspect zones.
"Damn... you guys are something else."
Reminded me why the Nebla Duke Family ruled the underworld.
"Hee hee, thanks! Anyway, check here."
Lena pointed to four spots on the map.
A salon in the nobles' district.
A hotel near the central fountain, popular with commoners.
A lounge bar where merchants swapped intel.
And a slum loan shark building.
"These four are our suspects for the culprit's workshop in this drug incident."
As Lena finished, everyone—including me—pored over their maps, deep in thought.
We couldn't raid them one by one.
They might all link to the mage's workshop; word could spread.
And we wouldn't be sharing info like this if we planned to take it slow.
"Alright. How about we each take one and raid at a set time?"
Perfect numbers.
No one objected to my suggestion.
"Point to your pick. If overlap, we adjust."
I extended my index finger.
The other three tacitly agreed, raising theirs.
"Point to your choice."
...
"Nostra Family takes the slums."
"Our Church of Light will handle the hotel by the central fountain."
"[White Shadow] chooses the nobles' salon."
No overlaps—smooth as silk.
I chuckled softly, pointed to my spot, and wrapped it up.
"Then I'll take the merchants' lounge bar."
But not right now, obviously.
This was the Imperial Capital.
We had to notify the Empire first.
Would take some time, no doubt.
"Raids assigned. Once preps are done and permits come through, we move."
I'd somehow ended up leading, but no one minded.
Lena had been oddly deferential to me from the start.
Breck already knew my power, so whatever.
Surprisingly, even Ariel didn't bat an eye at me stepping up.
"..."
I found it intriguing but let good be good, clapped to end the meeting.
"Ah, Saintess? Mind a quick word?"
As my words closed the meeting, the others prepped to head out.
In that moment, I deliberately called back the Saintess, who was chatting with her priest on the way out.
"What about?"
"Nothing big. Just satisfying my curiosity."
Yeah, truly just that—a minor itch.
"Why prioritize saving the addicts first?"
When the Church first poked around and slowed the drug case, I'd pegged them as incompetent.
Once I hypothesized the Saintess as the protagonist, it made vague sense.
But meeting her, she exceeded expectations a bit.
Yeah—in a word, exceptional.
So I wondered: why had someone like her gone the roundabout way?
Ariel met my questioning gaze with clear eyes.
"Because that's the path that saves more lives."
Her voice was utterly serene, as if stating the obvious.
"Does saving lives need a reason?"
"Ha..."
I let out an involuntary sigh.
As expected.
And I was convinced.
She was truly the protagonist.