The Queen of the Back Alleys
I stepped outside and headed straight for the stables, where I untied a horse and mounted it.
“Hiiiiiiigh!”
“Easy, easy. Calm down.”
Luckily, even the infamous scoundrel Kael seemed to have learned proper horsemanship. I had no trouble riding at all.
“Let’s see…”
The person I was about to meet could be described, in a single phrase, as the embodiment of plausibility in a romance fantasy novel.
Anyone who’s read a few ropan stories knows what I mean. There’s even a running joke: “It’s a ropan, so of course it works.” While the emotional arcs and character relationships are often explored in depth, the world-building and logical setup tend to be glossed over or conveniently simplified.
And in every such story, there is always one character who magically patches up all those gaping plot holes.
For example, when the narrative declares, “An incredibly powerful monster has appeared in the north!” the response is usually something like, “Yeah, but our knight commander is the strongest in the world, so one-shot, ez.”
The person I was going to see belonged to exactly that category.
In this novel, which blended elements of territorial management and political intrigue, she was the universal key that punched holes through every economic and logistical barrier only to fill them again perfectly. You could call her the queen of the back alleys.
I didn’t know much about her identity or past, since the novel never delved into them in detail. But one thing was certain: the original Kael had relied on her services like a man possessed.
As long as you brought money, she could make almost anything happen. Honestly, the irredeemable trash that was Kael couldn’t possibly have possessed any remarkable political insight or business acumen. The story’s intrigue simply progressed by him throwing around the Grand Duchy’s fortune and casually ordering her, “Take care of this~ Go buy that~” — and everything would magically resolve itself.
So I intended to make very good use of that convenient setting.
“Still, judging by the novel’s description… this should be the place.”
After galloping through the biting northern night wind for quite some time, I arrived at the very edge of the slums on the outskirts of the territory.
Between crumbling buildings stood a particularly gloomy and unpleasant old tavern. Even the signboard was missing. In front of its entrance, two burly guards with clearly shady vibes stood with their arms crossed, glaring fiercely.
I dismounted, pulled my hood low over my face, and approached. One of them immediately stepped forward to block my path.
“Hey. This isn’t a place just anyone can enter. If you took a wrong turn, get lost before you lose your head.”
His voice was rough and thick. But I wasn’t flustered.
Drawing on the original story’s knowledge, I gave the exact response they were waiting for.
“The moon is rather dark tonight.”
The guard’s eyebrows twitched. He uncrossed his arms, stepped closer, and whispered.
“Because it’s covered by black clouds.”
I smiled faintly and delivered the final passphrase.
“There are no shadows behind the clouds.”
At my words, the guard’s menacing eyes softened instantly. He turned and opened the old wooden door.
Creak.
“Go on in, sir.”
Beyond the dark entrance, the sour stench of alcohol and the acrid smell of smoke hit me all at once.
I adjusted my collar once and stepped into the darkness without hesitation.
Now it was time to meet this novel’s cheat key.
Creak.
The old wooden door closed behind me.
A distinctive incense scent stung my nose. The dimly lit interior was thick with hazy smoke.
“You gave the correct passphrase, so you’re not an unwelcome guest… but this is our first meeting, isn’t it?”
The voice was languid and sticky.
Beyond the thick smoke, I saw her.
Black hair, just like mine. She gave off a decadent, hedonistic aura, yet her eyes held a sharp, venomous glint. A thin black silk gown slipped dangerously off one pale shoulder. She took the pipe from her lips, then gave me a seductive, coy smile.
“Still, I think I know who you are. That handsome face and the sheer audacity to crawl all the way here.”
She grinned as she looked at my face beneath the hood.
“Aren’t you the Empire’s hottest topic these days — His Highness the Eighth Prince?”
As expected of her. She recognized me instantly.
Moreover, she showed zero intimidation despite standing before a member of the imperial family. Instead, she looked me up and down with open curiosity, as if she had discovered a fascinating new toy.
Since I was here to negotiate, acting like a maniac would only work against me. I removed my hood, strode forward, and dropped heavily into the chair across from her, crossing my legs.
“That’s right. And you’re Viola of the Black Moon.”
When her name came out of my mouth so precisely, Viola’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“Oh my. Did you do some background research?”
“Think whatever you like.”
“Hmm.”
She slowly looked me over again.
“More importantly, you feel completely different from the rumors about our prince. Or is it just me~?”
She smiled slyly as she lightly adjusted the front of her gown.
I casually ignored her playful provocation.
“Is investigating suckers part of your job here?”
“You’re so cold. I was just curious and asked. Don’t be like that~”
Viola exhaled a puff of smoke from her pipe and leaned forward slightly.
I stared straight into her eyes.
“I heard that as long as you get paid, you can do anything except the impossible. Is that true?”
“Of course. For us, money is practically religion.”
Viola rested her chin on her hand and stared at me intently.
“But here’s the thing. Other random customers are one thing, but if it’s a request from His Highness the Prince, the risk I have to take goes up quite a bit. And judging by the look of things, it seems we’ll be seeing a lot of each other from now on. So how about you answer just one of my questions?”
“What is it?”
Viola’s eyes narrowed.
“Why did Your Highness come to me in your ‘true form’?”
“……”
“The Empire’s greatest piece of trash. An irredeemable wastrel. That’s your official title, isn’t it? Yet the man sitting in front of me doesn’t look like an idiot at all.”
She smiled sweetly and added,
“Is it really okay to show me such a secret side? I might get blinded by money and stab you in the back spectacularly, you know?”
I thought for a moment, then let out a small chuckle.
“No. You won’t.”
“Oh? And what makes you so sure?”
I shifted the direction of my crossed legs and answered.
“For people like you, what matters more than money is, paradoxically, trust.”
“……”
“Let’s say you did betray me and sold my secret. You might get a small reward from the imperial family or the Grand Duchy. But then what? The moment word spreads that you sold out a client’s confidential information, your business ends that very day.”
I leaned back in my chair and looked her straight in the eye.
“No matter how much of a piece of trash I may be, I’m still a client who paid you. Who would entrust their life to a back-alley informant who stabs their paying customers in the back? Right?”
Noticing her expression subtly harden, I drove the point home.
“Besides, given the nature of your business, your own back is just as dirty, so you can’t exactly report me to the imperial family. That leaves the Grand Duchy as the best option, but do you really think that noble Grand Duchess would look kindly on illegal operators like you? Instead of a reward, you’d be dragged straight to the execution block.”
I smirked.
“In conclusion, unless you’re an idiot, you wouldn’t destroy your entire business for pocket change. And working with me will fatten your wallet far more in the long run.”
When I finished speaking, silence fell over the room for a moment.
“……Hoo.”
Her gaze had changed.
The previously languid, bored eyes now sparkled with curiosity and interest toward me.
“Well, well. It seems I completely misunderstood you.”
Viola stubbed out her pipe in the ashtray and leaned forward.
“So, what brings our prince — who was hiding his claws so well — to this shabby little rat hole? Rare narcotics? Or are you looking to purchase a pretty slave to play with in bed?”
She snorted and continued.
“But what can you do? To secretly enjoy the level of entertainment Your Highness desires, you’ll need quite a lot of money. Our prince who was chased off to the north with empty pockets… I wonder if there’s enough in there to even get us moving…”
Thud.
Before she could finish, I pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper from my pocket and tossed it onto the table.
“Will this be enough?”
“…………”
Viola, who had been provocatively toying with me just moments ago, froze completely.
“One hundred thousand gold…? And it even bears the official seal of the Grand Duchy…”
Viola carefully picked up the note with both hands, disbelief written across her face, and tilted it this way and that under the faint candlelight.
“Hah… Your Highness. What exactly is this? Did you rob the Grand Duchy’s vault? Or did you hold a knife to the Grand Duchess’s throat and threaten her?”
“You don’t need to know. Just do exactly as I say.”
“……Ha!”
Viola let out a dumbfounded laugh.
The look in her eyes, which had regarded me as an interesting loser only seconds ago, instantly transformed into the sharp gaze of a business partner facing a major client.
“Very well. We’ll provide you with full V.I.P. treatment.”
Viola tucked the note carefully into her bosom and leaned across the table.
“So, what do you plan to do with this enormous sum? Just say the word. Anything is possible except the impossible.”
“I’m going to buy a large quantity of luxury goods. The most extravagant and utterly useless high-end luxury items available in the southern part of the Empire.”
Viola tilted her head.
Then she made a slightly disappointed face.
“Your Highness. I feel a little guilty saying this, but for something like luxury goods, you could simply order them through an official merchant guild under the Grand Duchy’s name. Is there any reason to go through brokers like us and pay such a high commission?”
“Because I’m going to hide food inside those crates.”
“……What?”
Viola’s eyes widened.
“Mobilize all your connections and link up with the southern smuggling guilds. Scrape together as much wheat, potatoes, dried meat, and firewood as you can — all large-scale relief supplies.”
I tapped my fingers on the table as I continued.
“The luxury goods are just the shell. Use every last coin of these 100,000 gold. Fill the wagons to the brim with food — not a single gold left over.”
“……”
Viola stared blankly for a moment, then pressed her fingers to her temple.
“Now that you mention it… I heard that a few days ago, the capital’s checkpoints began a full-scale crackdown on large grain shipments… Don’t tell me.”
Viola rubbed her arms as if getting goosebumps and looked at me.
As expected of a cheat key — her instincts were sharp.
I stood up as if I had no time to waste and asked,
“Will you do it or not?”
Viola let out a sigh and shook her head.
Then she grinned.
“Alright. I like it, Your Highness. I’ll give you a special discount on the commission.”
She fluttered the hem of her black silk gown and gracefully extended her hand.
“Becoming a supporting actor in such an entertaining play isn’t bad at all. Deal sealed, Your Imperial Fraud.”
“Your titles for me keep changing.”
I clicked my tongue and took her pale hand.
It was soft, yet carried the firm resilience of someone who had survived the back alleys.
Viola immediately gave me a rough outline of the schedule. She said it would take roughly ten days to make contact with the southern merchants, manipulate the ledgers, disguise the cargo, and bring it up north.
“Understood. I’ll contact you again when the wagons arrive.”
I pulled my hood back up and turned to leave.
Still, the more I thought about it, the more curious I became.
How on earth had the original Kael met this woman?
The novel had only mentioned that Kael frequently used the back alleys. It never explained how he first came into contact with Viola.
The author might reveal it later, but I had only read up to the chapter where Giselle died before being possessed.
I paused with my hand on the doorknob and glanced back, looking Viola up and down.
Don’t tell me they slept together?
It was certainly plausible.
Every time this guy Kael washed, he would flinch at the sight of his own lower half.
Viola, noticing my gaze, let out a small laugh.
“Oh my. No matter how much I love money, I don’t sell my body.”
“……”
I cleared my throat awkwardly.
“Stop talking nonsense and prepare the goods quickly.”
I hurriedly opened the old wooden door and left.
The first button had been fastened.
Now I had secured a steady supply of food to keep the people of the territory alive.
All that remained was to carry out this grand fraud without the people of the Grand Duchy finding out.
