Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Survivors (1)
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Startled, Kratos shoved the egg into his inventory.
That had caught him off guard. Why would it suddenly start absorbing his Spiritual Power? What kind of egg was this?
Besides, this wasn't a safe place. Wasting time here and running into an enemy would be a pain. This was something to examine in a secure location.
“Let’s see, I think that’s everything.”
Looting really was the best. Who knew the side income would be this sweet?
He’d even found a strange egg. The security had been so lax, which must have meant they had something they trusted completely.
Of course, who would be crazy enough to just smash through the ceiling of an underground vault?
He placed an Arsène Lupin card in the welt pocket of the still-dazed bank manager before heading back to the surface.
Having a house in a secluded area was truly a blessing. Even after he’d stomped a hole in the basement floor, the surroundings remained quiet.
Just in case, he did a quick sweep of the house, but as expected, there was nothing else of note.
The villa did seem more like a meeting place than a residence, though. Most of the rooms were divided into reception areas and waiting rooms.
It must have been used as a meeting spot for shady characters.
The door opened, and with a single swirl of his cloak, Kratos became a completely different person.
An ordinary face, the kind you could see anywhere. And ordinary clothes to match.
Kratos blended seamlessly into the crowd.
As if such a person had never been there to begin with.
***
“Oh, no, no…”
The bank manager stared at the empty underground vault, tears streaming down his face.
A man over fifty weeping uncontrollably wasn't a pleasant sight.
But what could he do? His life was on the line, and the tears just flowed.
He was a dead man.
This villa’s underground vault wasn't just for storing his own personal treasures.
It was a place for entertaining powerful figures and exchanging bribes.
The money in the vault? It didn't matter if it was gone. He could just replenish it from the bank.
But the documents in the vault… that was a bit of a problem. Since he was the only one who could enter the underground space, he had kept his personal secret ledgers there.
Who could have possibly imagined that someone would break through the thick ceiling from above!
But it had happened. Not through the heavily secured entrance, but by smashing through the building's floor!
However, there was an even bigger problem that made all the others seem insignificant.
“The egg. That egg! Not the egg!”
That egg was a tribute. A tribute to be presented directly to His Majesty, the Emperor!
The bank manager frantically checked the safe where the egg had been kept, but it, too, was empty.
“What… what the hell are these guys doing! Can’t even stand guard properly!”
Considering how much time, money, and effort it had taken to acquire it, he absolutely had to find that egg.
This wasn't even something he was offering to a noble. It was an item entrusted to him directly by a central noble, who was just waiting for the right moment to present it to the Emperor.
He had to get it back. No matter what. If he could just retrieve it before *he* found out, he might be able to save his own life.
His life, at least.
“Find it, now! Unleash the men and find it, no matter what! And bring those lawless bastards to me and make them kneel! You useless sacks of crap!”
The bank manager screamed at the top of his lungs at the mercenaries who had finally regained consciousness and rushed over.
He had to find that egg. Whatever it took!
***
“What in the world is this? An egg. A suspicious one, at that, kept so preciously in a vault?”
On the train to his second destination, the capital.
Kratos sat in a seat at the very back of the last car, where there were few people, and carefully took out the egg.
As he held it, the Spiritual Power in his body began to circulate again, seeping into the egg.
It was an egg, so there was clearly some kind of life form inside.
Surely, there wasn't an inanimate object or a machine inside an egg. But he had no idea what kind of creature it could be.
He had seen many things since coming here, but he had never seen an egg like this.
It was the size of an ostrich egg, but its color was a grayish hue, much like the color of Spiritual Power.
Spiritual Power flowed ceaselessly into the egg, but the egg showed no change whatsoever.
Not even the slightest twitch.
“How long is this thing going to keep absorbing? It’s not an unfertilized egg, is it?”
The fact that his Spiritual Power was reacting to it suggested otherwise.
Well, I guess I’ll have to keep feeding it. Something’s bound to happen if I keep it up.
As he was continuously infusing the egg with Spiritual Power…
*Screeeech—*
“What’s going on?”
“We haven’t arrived yet, have we?”
The train, which had nearly reached the capital, suddenly shuddered to a halt. The passengers began to murmur, rising from their seats to look out the windows.
“It’s the Grammaton!”
“Hey, get away from the window!”
Of the many departments within the Central Intelligence Bureau, the Grammaton was responsible for counter-espionage.
True to their position and duties, they were a considerable source of fear for the populace. It had even gotten to the point where parents would tell their crying children that the Grammaton men would come and get them.
Not even a tiger, but the Grammaton.
“Is it because of the martial law?”
“Damn terrorists.”
*Ahem*, that would be me. I am that very terrorist who blew up the Imperial Palace.
“But they used to conduct inspections at the station. Why suddenly outside the capital…?”
“I know. It’s making me nervous.”
Amidst the passengers' murmuring, he sighed and put the egg back into his inventory.
News of the Rubeck bank manager incident must have spread within the day. That’s why security in the capital had been tightened even more than before. After all, he had openly left Lupin’s card behind.
Libria, Rubeck, and now the Imperial Palace bombing. The Empire had lost face three times already.
The palace bombing, in particular, was enough to make people wonder if the Empire’s power was not what it used to be.
Using a secret passage that could only be used once.
It was the result of one stroke of luck after another, but who cared about the process? The result was what mattered.
“Everyone, please cooperate with the inspection. Please remain seated and have your tickets and identification ready.”
Kratos also took out his White Mercenary Corps tag and settled into his seat.
The name Da Vinci was undoubtedly on their watchlist by now.
After all, the villa had been robbed because they were trying to steal Da Vinci’s money.
“Identification and ticket.”
A Grammaton soldier extended his hand and gestured impatiently.
“White Mercenary Corps? What’s your purpose for visiting the capital?”
The Grammaton soldier tilted his head as he looked at Kratos’s mercenary tag.
His reaction was strange. It shouldn't be that unusual for a mercenary to visit the capital.
The way he singled out the White Mercenary Corps was also odd. It meant the Central Intelligence Bureau was definitely keeping a close watch on the mercenary corps in connection with the recent desert incident.
“Yes. Kratos, of the White Mercenary Corps. I’m here to stop by the capital liaison office and meet an acquaintance.”
“The liaison office, you say. The situation in the capital is chaotic right now, so refrain from any unnecessary activities.”
“Understood.”
Just as you’d expect from the Central Intelligence Bureau, their tone was quite condescending.
Seeing no issues with the mercenary tag, the soldier, though still suspicious, waved him through.
Unless the ID was forged or there was something wrong with it, there was no reason to deny him entry.
After that, with no other notable incidents, the Grammaton agents began to disembark from the train one by one. Just before leaving, they issued a warning to the passengers.
“Please be mindful of your conduct in the capital. Also, be aware that impromptu inspections may occur within the city as well.”
That was less of a statement and more of a threat. After they left, he opened his ears wide.
“There were no suspicious individuals. No one was carrying an ‘egg’ either. We detected no subspace pockets or artifact signatures.”
“Yes. We’ve confirmed that as well.”
Right. It was definitely because of the ‘egg.’ That was why they were inspecting the train outside the capital. This was likely happening simultaneously across the entire Empire, not just here.
But what in the world was this egg that it warranted such a reaction?
For them to be this concerned, it had to be something important.
***
After the Grammaton left, a collective sigh of relief filled the train as it slowly picked up speed and entered the capital.
In the distance, the Imperial Palace, a grotesque sight, was under heavy repair. The lower section had been blown away, causing the spire to tilt, and the impact had spread beyond the palace walls.
It struck me anew what a monumental thing I had done.
Upon arriving in the capital, the unpleasant feeling was even more pronounced than during my first, clueless visit, making me frown instinctively.
The ring of Spiritual Power writhed as if it would leap out at any moment.
I knew for certain now.
That unsettling squirming was the faint demonic energy that permeated the entire capital, and I was extremely sensitive to it.
My plan for this trip to the capital was to achieve my objectives as quietly as possible, without causing any trouble.
First, to confirm the survival of Haveron and Hattie Shaw.
And second, to gather information.
“What a mess. A complete mess.”
As I slowly walked the streets, things I hadn't seen or felt before came into view.
Soldiers were stationed on every street corner, exuding a menacing aura. Judging by the reactions of my Spiritual Power, there were definitely Grammaton agents among the civilians.
As I moved deeper into the city, I saw the dead expressions on people's faces, the slum-like streets, and the clear division of districts based on wealth.
What in the world are you doing, Shiv Grewele?
After a lap around the capital, I arrived at an inn affiliated with the White Mercenary Corps, where I found a surprising number of mercenaries.
So many mercenaries in the capital, where there wasn't much work to be found. This was something worth looking into.
Mercenaries were, by nature, beings who followed the scent of money.
“Heard a rumor that the Rubeck Central Bank manager got robbed recently. They’re saying it was Arsène Lupin.”
“Did a ghost from the past come back to life or something? Wasn’t he a legend? That Arsène Lupin. He must be over sixty by now.”
“Word is, it’s his successor. Resuming the family business.”
“Since when is thievery a family business?”
“The White Mercenary boys completely took Ashar. The other corps were making a huge fuss about wanting Ashar for themselves. They look like fools now.”
My enhanced hearing picked up the mercenaries' whispers.
It seemed the news of solving the Ashar problem had already spread far and wide.
Rumors are best when they spread. The White Mercenary Corps I created isn't number one? I can't stand for that.
The mercenary corps itself needed to grow. That would give me more cards to play.
“One week.”
“White Mercenary Corps? Head up to room 301.”
The moment Kratos entered the inn room, he changed his appearance. He needed a different look to evade the eyes watching the capital. Kratos had to remain a mercenary.
He took on the appearance of a rough mercenary. A face full of scars, a beard. He covered his face with a short hood.
He jumped from the window to the wall of the opposite building and landed in an alley. He was going to find the first survivor, Haveron.
The farthest edge of the capital. The slum closest to the city walls. The records said it was now called District 13.
It was the outermost district of the capital, and at the same time, a place where those with nowhere else to go gathered.
The moment I entered, an indescribable stench made me wrinkle my nose. Separated by just a shallow stream, the atmosphere was unbelievably different.
And what was with this Spiritual Power? It was like a demonic energy alarm, going absolutely crazy.
What in the world was this District 13?
“Spare a coin.”
“Sir, spare a coin.”
On a muddy path where unidentifiable lumps were mixed together, people clad in rags were begging.
The houses were all falling apart. They had filled the gaps with mud and broken bricks they must have scrounged from somewhere.
Next to them, emaciated children, nothing but skin and bones, ran around with an innocent look on their faces.
But as I approached, not only the children but everyone in the slum hardened their expressions, their wariness palpable.
Some adults wrapped their arms around their children, hurrying to hide them inside.
Yes, that was to be expected. I was a stranger of unknown origin. Though their警戒心 seemed a bit extreme.
“It should be around here. It’s so complicated.”
The innermost part of District 13, as described in the documents. The most dilapidated and remote area.
The deeper I went into the district, the more houses I saw that were riddled with holes and on the verge of collapse, and the condition of the people seemed several times worse. At this rate, one could catch a disease they didn't even have.
A place where not a single person seemed whole. And within it, a small, isolated dwelling.
A small tent, barely large enough for one person to lie down in. Not even a house.
That was where Haveron was living. No, where he was forced to live.
The man who had played such a significant role in building the Empire. The talent I had personally recommended for his abilities.
So miserably. Just how far could a person be brought down?
“Fuck… this, this is too much.”