The Territory's Shadow: The Sinbadu Gang
A woman at the general store was talking about the Sinbadu Gang, a group that had recently begun exerting influence from the territory's underbelly while avoiding the family's notice. No, it was Lorett Aldebaran, the daughter of the merchant guild leader who had become one of the protagonist's greatest allies in the original story. For some reason, she was running a general store here.
It was different from what I remembered, but my instincts told me this was an opportunity. A chance I could milk for all it was worth!
Whatever's going on, I should listen to her story here. Help her out!
I listened carefully. The main point of her tale was the devastation of the local economy caused by the gang. Shadows existed everywhere, sure, but I never expected them to be here in this territory.
"It probably started after the lord announced the refugee preference policy. The number of refugees kept growing, and then this Croze tribesman suddenly formed a gang and began operating."
A Croze tribesman, of all things. Born as a battle race, they weren't the type you could underestimate.
Curious, I asked, "It doesn't seem like something that happened overnight…?"
"No. They must have been preparing steadily from the bottom. At first they just swaggered around like street thugs, but before long they were threatening the surrounding businesses and collecting protection fees."
"Hah, are these guys fucking insane?"
"And if we respond with force, the gang's boss is a refugee, so we'd be the ones punished instead."
The refugee preference policy had brought far more harm than good. In the original story, the protagonist had openly criticized it later. Accept refugees, give them homes, hand out subsidies. And if they got into a fistfight, even if they weren't disabled, the refugee side was automatically ruled the victim. At this point, only a noble could properly deal with scum like this. Why had anyone created such a policy?
This is really bad.
While I was being treated like an idiot in the family, the territory had been rotting from the inside. Then something occurred to me. Winz seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"Then why haven't you reported this to the lord?"
"We have! Dozens of times a day. But there's been no response at all. Maybe he's abandoned us…"
Something felt off. How could the lord, the master of the territory, not know? Then one name came to mind. Miranda.
"…It's obviously Miranda's doing."
"Lady Miranda?"
"Given everything she's done, it fits perfectly, doesn't it? She hates commoners, obsesses over noble dignity, and ignores anything troublesome."
"That's true."
"She's probably been intercepting every petition meant for Father. That bitch. Fuck."
The curse slipped out naturally. No one else but Miranda held the position to pull something like this off. It was ridiculous that an outsider by marriage wielded this much power.
Lorett's face crumpled. "What are we supposed to do now…?"
It felt like she was voicing the anxiety of every merchant in the area, and beyond that, the entire territory itself.
Then the door burst open with a loud creak. A group of people stormed in, radiating a dangerous aura. What now?
Lorett recognized them. "Huh? Butcher uncle! Wait, even the blacksmith Wilt?"
"We heard some noble was throwing their weight around. Where are they? Are you okay?"
They were talking about me. Lorett quickly shook her head. "No, no! She was actually listening to my story and helping!"
"Eh, really…?"
The misunderstanding seemed to clear as people glanced at me curiously. Then it hit me.
The situation is perfect. This is the ideal chance to clean up my image. I'd be an idiot to waste it.
Clearing my throat, I stepped forward in front of everyone. It was my turn to act.
"Everyone, I am Queen Wednesday, the eldest daughter of the Wednesday family."
Whispers rippled through the crowd, exactly the reactions I had expected.
"So it's that idiot waste of a noble…"
"Shh, watch your mouth!"
"What does it matter? Other nobles say we can ignore her."
"Still, she's an idiot. We're commoners!"
They hushed each other while stealing glances at me. How bitter. But that would change soon. This shitty image of mine.
I shook my head. "No. I want to approach you all as fellow human beings. I may or may not become the family head one day, but as a noble I want to fulfill my duty to you."
A bald man who had been listening raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How?"
"If I'm doing something wrong, tell me straight. If there's something I need to fix, let me know. I understand how pathetic I've been within the family."
Now came the important part. I hardened my expression and poured emotion into my voice.
"But there's a reason for that!"
"What reason?"
I smiled with satisfaction. "It's all to correct things like what's happening today."
The crowd looked stunned. They clearly hadn't expected this.
"What…?"
Time to unleash the wind-style mouth technique. "The reason I've lived like an idiot in the family is to hide my strength. If I'd lived as a normal noble, I might have become even more arrogant and seen you all as insects. That's just how the noble world works."
People nodded. I wasn't going to deny it either. Environment shapes people. Anyone who rises high eventually becomes arrogant. Just like how someone who used to be the same rank as you suddenly gets promoted and starts treating you differently. It was a common story.
"But I didn't do that. Thanks to it, my image hit rock bottom, but that's fine. Because it meant the family didn't watch me too closely, so I could come out like this."
"But you couldn't maintain your noble dignity, could you?"
"Why would I need that?"
I threw the question back. What good was noble dignity? Did it save lives? Did it save the world? I thought of the kind of play commoners would like. This was probably it.
"Nobles and commoners are all the same people. Commoners become the territory's workforce, and nobles protect those commoners. That's the natural order."
I pointed toward the castle where our family mansion stood. Even now, that grand fortress was rotting from within.
"But look! Some nobles in the family are so corrupt they're even blocking petitions meant for the lord. Does that make any sense?!"
People nodded one after another. Learning that the lord hadn't changed his mind seemed to give them a flicker of hope and relief. It showed just how highly they had regarded the family head. He really was a good person, aside from his disastrous policies.
"Haaang… Young lady, you're so cool♥"
Winz suddenly twisted her body and stared at me with sticky eyes. I flinched at the sight of her flushed, sweaty face and heavy breathing. What the hell was wrong with this woman? She was terrifying.
I barely managed to continue. "You don't have to worry anymore. I'm here now! As a noble, I will protect you. Thank you for enduring until now!"
I even bowed my head. The dozen or so people listening murmured in admiration. Some even clapped. Reactions were still mixed.
"Now that's what a noble should be like, heh."
"But why the sudden change? Did she go crazy from the heat?"
"People were already calling her a madwoman. Didn't she turn her cousin into an idiot or something? Geez."
"Hey, believe her a little. She even bowed her head!"
I didn't care what they said. I was going to show them. Prove it to them.
I'll do what other nobles couldn't or wouldn't do!
This would complete my image cleaning. Lorett approached me with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry, Lady Queen. We all thought the territory ended up like this because of you. So you had a plan all along…!"
"I'll find a way to bring down the Sinbadu Gang. Please endure just a little longer!"
The merchants each spoke up.
"Well… we'll give it a shot."
"We're counting on you…"
"But why are her eyes so clear?"
"Lady Queen, don't push yourself too hard!"
After responding to each one, I left the general store. Winz immediately clung to my side, giggling as she wrapped her arms around my right arm. Jiggle.
That overwhelming volume really was… ahem.
"Hehe, you were really amazing just now, you know? I think I fell for you…!"
"You think so? Nah, it was nothing."
"But how are you going to solve this? You're famous in a different way, so your face is already known. If you try to investigate, other nobles or gang members might stop you."
She was right. My face was already too well-known. I couldn't just march in like Assassin Creed, wipe them out, and call it an assassination. If I was going to do this, I needed a "variable."
If I could create that variable, my personal abilities would handle the rest. Why? Because I had the Origin Divine Art.
The power that seizes superiority in all things and brings victory—the Origin Divine Art.
I turned to Winz, who looked worried. "Let's take it step by step. First, they said they were targeting the commercial district, right?"
"Yes!"
"Then let's find out which places they're hitting and which industries they're focusing on!"
"Hehe, sounds good!"
With Winz bouncing along brightly, we left the area. Now, how should I crush them?
***
"Huk, huk, ugh…!"
"Old man, does it hurt? You should've sold when I told you to, you fucking bastard."
Creak. Creak.
Inside a dark secret room, the only movement came from a single iron lamp hanging from chains. Between the flickering light, two contrasting figures were visible. A man with bronze skin, a solid build, a half-shaved head, and red eyes that glowed yellow in the candlelight. Sinbadu Arabiaka, boss of the Sinbadu Gang.
Across from him was a middle-aged man tied up and covered in blood. He had lost too much already.
"Hey, do you know who I am?"
"S-Sinbadu…"
"It's Sinbadu, sir! You filthy commoner."
Thud. Crack! Sinbadu kicked him. The man tied to the chair toppled backward. Sinbadu laughed at the sight.
"Kuhuhu, what a joke, you piece of shit."
"P-Please, ugh…"
"Huh? I already sent word through the kids. Hand over that tiny bakery. Why are you being so stubborn?"
"Huu, p-please spare me. Sob, I have a wife and daughters. How will I make money without the bakery?"
The middle-aged man was begging for his life from someone younger than him. Yet all that showed on his face was desperation, not humiliation.
"Oh, really? Thanks for the info. You're free now, old man."
"Y-Yes…?"
"From life."
Whoosh. Crack! Splat!
Sinbadu delivered a soccer kick to the face of the fallen man. His face caved in and shattered, brain matter splattering everywhere. No one nearby reacted. Sinbadu gave orders to his subordinates.
"You know where this old man's house is?"
"Yes!"
"Go there and bring the women. We should use everything we can. Hooah!"
"Understood!"
With a loud reply, the subordinates left the room. Alone now, Sinbadu spat on the corpse, his face showing no trace of guilt.
"It's almost time. I'll devour the entire territory and build a country for refugees with this place as the base!"
He clenched his fist. His dream was grand, but…
"A country where only my words are law, hehe."
In the gloomy secret room, an even gloomier laughter began to echo.