Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Major Cleanup (2)
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The Sedian faction was the largest organization in Hermel's underground economy.
The massive gambling den they operated, "Honeybee's Nest," was packed today as always with customers chasing one big score.
"Boss."
"What is it?"
Sedian was in the middle of checking the ledgers after arriving for work.
"Those new holy knights seem to have shown up at our casino."
"What? An attack?!"
"No, no. They're just gambling."
"Gambling?"
"Yeah, and... it looks like they're losing a pretty hefty sum."
"...."
Holy knights had come to the casino and were losing money?
Sedian shot up from his seat upon hearing the unexpected news.
"I'll check it out myself. Where are they?"
"They're at the card tables."
Sedian hurried out of his office.
Looking around the casino floor, he spotted the holy knights he'd heard rumors about, seated at a table.
"Ugh, lost again."
"Lieselotte, try to do better."
"You're one to talk, Edwin—you're flat broke yourself."
"More coins, please!"
He could tell just from watching for a moment.
They kept losing due to reckless bets.
It was obvious they were greenhorns unfamiliar with gambling.
The youngest-looking one especially seemed to be losing big.
'Idiot. Betting that recklessly.'
He got the picture.
These young masters, unaccustomed to such entertainments, had come for a lark and were now hemorrhaging cash.
'Guess they're not here to cause trouble.'
Sedian let out a sigh of relief.
He already knew the Garen faction had been wiped out overnight.
It was hard to believe, but multiple testimonies confirmed these young knights had displayed phenomenal swordsmanship.
If they were targeting the Sedian faction, a lot of blood would flow.
'It'd be possible to kill them without a trace... but they seem to be the Aleyas main family's youngest, and it feels like we shouldn't touch them recklessly.'
If the newly appointed knight captain got assassinated, the Aleyas family wouldn't sit idly by.
Sedian wanted to handle things peacefully if possible.
'What to do? Treat them well and win some favor?'
Offer bribes and flattery to build a good relationship.
That was the easiest way.
But the Streng administrator had lost his life while entertaining the knight captain.
Considering that, bribes or flattery might not work on them.
'Yeah, they're young, might be stubborn out of some sense of justice. In that case...'
Sedian decided on the next easiest method.
Truth be told, it suited him better.
'Grab their weakness and blackmail them.'
Having made up his mind, Sedian signaled the dealer handling the knights.
It was the same trick they used to strip suckers to the bone—lure them into a trap and bury them in debt.
'Naive rookies who don't know the ways of the world... Let's see how you like it.'
They were holy knights, after all.
They wouldn't throw tantrums over unpaid gambling debts.
Imagining the rookies whining and signing promissory notes, Sedian smirked.
* * *
"I win."
"Huh?"
The dealer stared at my hand like his soul had left his body.
"How...?"
"Why? Is this hand not supposed to come up here?"
"No, it's not that..."
"I win, right?"
When I said that to the frozen dealer, Lieselotte peeked over from the next table.
"Wow, Sir Sion. You just won big."
"Yeah, I was this close to going bust here."
"You turned it into a huge haul instead. This place must be hurting bad."
"You won big just now too."
"But compared to what we've lost so far, it's peanuts."
For reference, Edwin was still down big and looked pretty glum...
"So, are you gonna give me my coins or what?"
"Ah, s-sorry. One moment..."
The reason I won so big was simple.
I'd pulled a hand-switch sleight of hand.
A trick I'd learned from a Dialogue Church guy back in the day who specialized in gambling scams.
No dealer scraping by fleecing amateur gamblers would see through it.
'Sedian, I wonder about you.'
I turned my gaze, pretending to yawn.
I could see Sedian, secretly watching from hiding, scowling fiercely.
He looked pissed that things weren't going his way.
"Well, we've made a pile of money. Time to head out?"
"Yeah, pockets full—let's grab something tasty."
"Um... I think I've lost all my pay from before..."
As I got up to leave with relieved-looking Lieselotte and desperate-looking Edwin.
Sedian blocked my path with several of his men.
"Greetings, Knight Captain Sion Aleyas."
"What do you want?"
"You've honored our establishment with your presence, so I wanted to at least say hello. We have a VIP room inside for special guests. Allow me to guide you."
"We finished our business here and were just about to get some food."
"Of course we'd prepare a meal. We'll serve you with utmost care."
"Utmost care, huh..."
"Yes, with all sincerity."
Sedian flashed a knowing smile, like he was sending a signal.
Reading his intent, I spoke up.
"Lieselotte, Edwin. You two go ahead."
"Got it."
"Yeah."
After confirming they'd left the casino, I turned to Sedian.
"So, where to?"
"This way, please."
With his polite guidance, I headed deeper into the casino.
* * *
'Damn it, what the hell is this guy?'
Sedian ground his teeth.
The plan had failed completely.
Even with a veteran dealer unleashing every trick in the book, by the time he snapped to, they'd fallen into the trap instead.
The final hand, with the pot massively inflated, had cost them an entire day's take.
'He must've cheated somehow, but how? Fooling not just the dealers but my eyes too...'
The kid was no ordinary punk.
He looked green, but handled himself like a seasoned gambler who'd seen it all.
'A veteran gambler disguised with some weird magic?'
He was even imagining that—the situation was that baffling.
'Anyway, have to try something else.'
Looking at Sion seated in the VIP private room, Sedian forced a smile.
A spread of gourmet dishes lay before Sion now. Only top-shelf liquor too.
But all laced with colorless, odorless drugs. Consume enough, and your mind fogs, body goes limp.
'You won't know what hit you soon.'
It delivered intense pleasure and was highly addictive... perfect for corrupting someone.
Sedian had ruined many with this drug before. They all submitted and became his slaves.
'Eats it without a care. Stupid bastard...'
Sion was leisurely eating away.
Soon, his strength would drain, leaving him slumped.
"But is this all?"
"Yes?"
"You're not calling me here just to feed me, are you?"
"Ah..."
Earlier, Sion had sent his men away first.
That meant he wanted something special, just for him.
Money? Or a woman?
"I don't like old folks."
"Ah, I'll prepare one right away!"
Sedian instantly grasped what Sion wanted.
Young kid, already chasing skirts.
"You got ones younger than me?"
"Of course!"
"I see."
Then Sion let out a long sigh.
He set down his fork, leaned back on the sofa.
"Is something wrong? Not to your liking...?"
"No, just getting full."
"Ah, I see."
"Looks like too much food left. Why don't you join me?"
"No, I... "
He had no desire to touch the drugged food.
'But why's he still fine?'
The effects should be kicking in by now.
Yet Sion looked perfectly normal.
"Why are you staring?"
"It's nothing..."
"No drug effect, huh?"
"...?!"
"I can circulate my mana to neutralize this much. Gets easy once you're used to it."
"You son of a...!"
Sedian spat curses and tried to stand.
But the liquor bottle Sion hurled hit his forehead first.
* * *
"Argh!"
Crash!
The bottle shattered, soaking Sedian's face.
"Ptoo! Ptoo!"
He must've realized the liquor was drugged too—spitting it out frantically.
Meanwhile, I'd grabbed another bottle.
"Hey, Sedian."
"...?!"
Crack!
A different sound this time.
I'd infused mana as I smashed the bottle over him.
"Ughhh..."
Sedian crawled on the floor, covered in blood.
Gazing down at his pathetic form, I spoke.
"So, how exactly do you use kids younger than me? Huh?"
"You... bastard..."
He cursed, but shut up when I grabbed another bottle.
"One question."
"W-What...?"
"How many kids did you hand over to the Dialogue Church through Galuan?"
"...!"
Realizing I knew everything, Sedian trembled.
"Can't answer?"
"I-I don't remember exactly. More than twenty, probably..."
"That's a lot."
Crack!
Another bottle shattered, and Sedian passed out.
I dragged his limp, bloody body out of the VIP room by the collar.
"B-Boss!"
"What the hell did this guy do?!"
As I emerged, his men surrounded me.
But none dared rush in.
I had Sedian's throat in a vise grip.
"Y-You... you're making a mistake..."
One glared at me and spoke.
"You think stirring things up like this will change Hermel?"
"..."
"Taking down big shots like our boss won't change a thing. It'll just make more chaos. And you don't have the manpower to lock us all up!"
He had a point.
I couldn't possibly arrest them all one by one—let alone the Hermel administration lacking the capacity to hold and punish that many.
"Don't worry. I'll outsource it."
"Out... source?"
"Yeah, no need for me to handle every little thing."
That was when it happened.
The casino doors exploded inward as a gang of burly men stormed in.
At the front stood a hulking man with thick eyebrows.
"M-Mordic?"
"Why are the Mordic faction...!"
The Mordic faction, one of Hermel's three great powers.
Born from the butchers' guild, they barged in flaunting their brute strength.