Chapter 34: I Should Be Careful From Now On (4)
“Hmph. To refuse a woman’s invitation for a drink, you’re not very manly.”
“I have things to do.”
That night, after dinner, I received an invitation from Daisy for a drink. Since I had asked Daisy about the secret passage and changed rooms to make it easier to go out, I had to tell her in person.
“Work at night? What kind of work? Come to think of it, Ibi-unni seemed quite upset today.”
“Huh? Still?”
“I don’t know about anything else, but she turned her head whenever you were mentioned. What did you do?”
I started scratching my cheek and looking up at a corner of the ceiling. First of all (?), Aila was also a woman, and I couldn’t easily talk about playing a prank – no, it was sexual harassment – in front of a woman.
“Well, you see……”
“Sigh, awkward. It can’t be helped. Then I’ll take Ibi-unni with me today. Can I borrow her?”
“I don’t mind, but……why are you asking me?”
“Hmph. Well……”
Looking at Aila narrowing her eyes and scoffing, I felt a great sense of anxiety creeping up on me. However, since it was getting late, I didn’t ask any further questions and went out of the castle through the secret passage.
“So you just came?”
“Keep your voice down. Yes.”
“Hey, by any chance, is this Ibi person……someone who becomes a bit more open when she drinks, or gets very shy, or is fun to tease……you know, the kind of woman with a lot of traditional values and cute charms?”
I looked at Jay with admiring eyes. What the hell did this guy used to do?
“Very detailed, and you got it all right. How did you know?”
“As expected. She reminded me of a woman I used to date. That kind of woman tends to be very shy, but it completely changes sometimes. The woman I dated was also very charming and passionate in bed. Hehehe……”
“Ah, is that so, playboy.”
“Playboy?! Call me the messenger of love! A nice guy like me has a duty to make half the world happy.”
“Half?”
“Half of the world is women, boss. Hehe.”
Jay laughed very cheesily.
I momentarily realized that this blond guy was a narcissist with a stallion attribute. There was a guy like that in the Empire’s 3rd Knight Order before I died. How should I put it, he was the kind of guy who made you feel both pathetic and envious as a man.
“Ah, right. So what about that thing you were talking about earlier?”
“Well, it’s nothing special. It’s just that women like that, if they’re weak to alcohol, they’ll vent their frustrations as they drink. I guess you’re still young, boss, but lamenting while drinking is a traditional way of getting drunk. Kekeke.”
Suddenly, the back of my head throbbed.
Aila, was that the meaning of your laughter?!
Right now, the princess would be drinking rum and Aila would be drinking brandy in the Royal Family’s Exclusive Shelter’s warehouse, diligently getting Levidian drunk. I can imagine it vividly without even seeing it. Argh!
Jay patted my shoulder with a gentle smile.
“Don’t think too much about it. Well, all close female friends share secrets anyway. You know, men’s friendship is about keeping secrets, and women’s friendship is about sharing secrets. Come on, you don’t even know this. I should be the boss when it comes to dating. Kkekeuk!”
For a moment, I thought about melting this blond butter-man, but it was too obvious that it was my fault. The situation is already too late, let’s focus on what we can do now.
While we were chatting in the back alley, Old Man walked over with a few of his subordinates.
“Preparations are complete. Master, your orders.”
“Ah, good. Everyone be careful not to get caught, and handle the matter as quickly as possible. With this one thing, we can make all seven forces falter at once.”
“And that……what was it? The reckless Baron……?”
“Baron Makean.”
“Oh, right. And make Baron Makean’s heart skip a beat?”
It’s a characteristic of Jay, but he’s bad at remembering people’s names. Without Old Man, he wouldn’t even remember the names of his subordinates.
I chuckled and shook my head.
“No. I don’t intend to do that.”
“Huh? Then why are we going today? Wasn’t the purpose of today to keep Baron Makion a little busy?”
“It’s Baron Makean.”
“Anyway, that Baron……”
Jay tilted his head, and I smiled, showing my teeth.
“Make his heart skip a beat? Keep him busy? That’s not enough. We need to give him nightmares.”
At my words, Jay picked his nose with his thumb and gave a mischievous smile. He gave me a thumbs up and said.
“As expected of the boss! I like it!”
Baron Makean. I have no personal grudge against him, but I should repay him for mobilizing the thugs last time, shouldn’t I? In addition to that, I need to intimidate the anti-empire nobles a bit.
I pulled up my mask and said.
“Let’s begin.”
“Alright! Let’s do it!”
Jay excitedly raised his thumb and waved it as a signal.
Baron Makean is a member of an organization called the ‘Merchant of All Things.’
They buy anything and sell anything. In addition, human rights, morals, and conscience are also included in the product list.
They are a group that thoroughly aims for ‘money’ only, with hair growing so thick on their conscience that they could weave a blanket if they shaved it all off.
Today is the day when the most dangerous, dirty, and expensive goods are traded.
Drugs and weapons.
The Azot Kingdom does not allow ordinary people to carry weapons with blades longer than 40 centimeters. However, violent organizations easily use blades over 1 meter long. Without a permit.
Today’s task is to raid such a black market scene.
“Speed and accuracy are our lifeblood! Charge!”
“Uwaaa!”
Shouting something like a transportation company’s slogan, dozens of gangsters charged all at once. The gangsters who had been cowering due to their lack of power despite being hostile to the seven major organizations of Ast exploded tonight.
“The target is Baron Makean! Capture him alive!”
Jay shouted orders to the excited men as he ran.
Anyway, Baron Makean dies in about four years when he unilaterally attacks the Merchant of All Things. I checked the records when some of the supplies he had hidden were found in Kinchedin.
Isn’t four years a bit long? I’ll shorten it.
“W, What’s this?!”
“We’re under attack!”
A five-story building standing tall in the slums. The people guarding the building were clearly flustered as they confronted the gangsters who were surrounding and attacking it all at once.
From behind, Old Man put his hand on his chest and bowed his head.
“It’s going smoothly.”
“Good work, Old Man.”
This is all thanks to Old Man.
It’s amazing how he figured out the date and location of the deal and tied up the seven organizations for a while with false information that they would be attacked elsewhere. And the sense to gather small organizations and make them attack all at once.
Honestly, with this much, he could run a huge organization, but I don’t know why he’s content being Jay’s advisor.
“The secret passages?”
“Confirmed. Five houses 200 meters away.”
“Amazing. How did you get that information?”
“It’s nothing special.”
He said, bowing his head slightly. No matter how I look at him, he’s a mysterious person. In addition, it makes me wonder if I can completely bring this person into my sphere of influence.
Let’s think about that later. I have three years.
“Did you send people to the secret passages?”
“Not yet.”
“What’s the number of available personnel excluding those currently deployed, and the number of people guarding the secret passages?”
“We have 30 men left, and it’s been confirmed that there are two people at each secret passage. However, they might have increased the number today because it’s a trading day.”
If we divide the men into five places, that’s six each. And if they increased the number compared to usual, since it’s a secret passage, they couldn’t have increased it that much. Even if it’s doubled, it’s six. Enough.
“Send them separately. Completely block the secret passages. Make sure they can’t come out for at least one night.”
“Bury them?”
“The method doesn’t matter. Just make sure the damage to the surroundings is minimized. Tell them they don’t have to risk their lives, but there’s no need for that. No one can escape. Take care of it before the security forces arrive.”
“Yes, Master. An excellent judgment.”
Today, I’m the boss of the underworld. I’ve given quite a few orders to kill people while going through the war anyway.
As I told Ronen Trigger before, I’m tired of war.
“I’ll go check the situation. I’ll leave the outside to you.”
“Yes, Master.”
Old Man bowed politely, and I drew my sword and entered the noisy building.
Hoo━ Ha━.
Under the mask, my breath scatters with a familiar sound.
My chest fills with tension.
“Chaat! Hup! Hiya! Eolsshigu?!”
The tension screamed and died.
Jay was fighting five enemies alone, not losing his composure, jokes, or laughter. With daggers in both hands, his whole body twisted, causing all the weapons aimed at him to change their trajectory.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Then came a dazzling flurry of kicks. All five men, hit squarely in their vital points, collapsed at once.
Thump! Thump!
Then he ran a hand through his hair and grinned. After striking a pose that seemed to ooze oil, he shouted to his subordinates.
“Now! My boys! Charge!”
“Waaa-!”
The subordinates, whose morale had been boosted, charged up the stairs with swords and iron bars. Jay watched them and then frowned at me.
“Huh? Why are you standing there? Aren’t you going? You look like the boss, but you’re going to slack off? It won’t do you any good to be like that kid. But somehow your face looks familiar?”
“It’s me, you idiot.”
“Eek?! Boss!”
I sighed and went up the stairs.
Except for his talkativeness, he’s so strong that I wonder if I could take him down even if three of me attacked him. Perhaps if there were five Jays, it wouldn’t be difficult to face Levidian.
Both Old Man and Jay are so good that it’s hard to understand why they’ll only become famous five years later. They’re too good for the back alleys.
“What’s the situation?”
“As you can see, we’ve secured up to the third floor. There’s a mage at the entrance to the fourth floor, so it’s a bit difficult to go up. Old Man said the deal is on the fourth floor, but there’s no sign of them running away yet.”
“When do you think you’d run away?”
“Well, let me see……Since their last resort seems to be the mage, I think they’ll run through the secret passage as soon as he dies. Honestly, it’s only natural for dozens of gangsters to be scared of a single mage, so it’s reliable. Tsk. It would be nice if we had a mage too……”
Jay said with a bitter expression, crossing his arms.
Almost every large organization has a mage.
Even if their skills are mediocre, they’re crazy bastards who know how to torment people relentlessly, so they’re the ones who prove the common sense that ‘all mages are crazy’ as their top priority.
“A mage, huh. We might be able to get one soon, so don’t think about not having one now. And bring two hooks and ropes each. And two crossbows.”
“Eh? A mage? Where?”
Jay widened his eyes and bent down. Meeting his gaze, I put my hands on my hips and sighed.
“What did I say?”
“You said you’d get me a mage.”
“And then?”
“Two hooks, ropes, and crossbows each.”
“Carry out.”
“Tsk. That’s sneaky.”
Jay grumbled and approached the subordinates who were clearing the passage.
According to the principle of first come, first served, as soon as I return to the Empire, I intend to procure a mage from the association.
The time when they’ll become useful is at least two years later, but talent should be sought ten years in advance. The mage who becomes one of the eight strongest in the continent before I die is probably currently training as a disciple of some old-fashioned mage.
Jay, Old Man, Joey, Levidian.
These are the people I’ve brought into my sphere of influence so far. But it’s still not enough. With this, I can only form one organization.
I need to make it as large as possible, as elite as possible, and with as strong a bond as possible.
To completely change the history I know in the future and make it a history I can control. To do that, I need to compete with those who have gone against time besides me.
I need to have as much as possible.
“I brought them.”
“Focus all remaining subordinates on the 4th-floor passage. Attack with moderate enthusiasm.”
“Moderate enthusiasm?”
“You know the feeling. Just do it. Give the order and follow me.”
“Eh? Where are we going?”
Taking the hooks and ropes from the bewildered Jay, I smiled and pointed upwards with my finger. Jay’s eyes stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment, then his finger also pointed upwards.
“There?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“I’m serious.”
“Oh my God! Just the two of us?”
“It’ll be fun, right? Do it if I tell you to.”
I frowned and glared at him, and Jay, who was blankly looking back and forth between me and the ceiling, made a dumbfounded expression and burst out laughing. It was a laugh that came out because it was so absurd.
“Ha, haha. I knew it from the first time you came……”
“You knew it?”
“You’re a really crazy kid. But……”
“But?”
He put away his daggers and rolled up his sleeves. Revealing his forearms covered in small scars, Jay filled his blue eyes with enthusiasm and wore an expression of ecstatic joy.
“You’re crazy, but you’re crazy in a hot way! Haha! I like it! You’re confident! Let’s go crazy together today! Hahaha!”
Looking at Jay, who was expressing an almost insane joy at the almost reckless charge, I beckoned him with my finger.
“Tsk tsk. Jay, you seem to be misunderstanding something……”
“Huh?”
“We’re not going to go crazy, we’re going to make them go crazy. Got it?”
I winked.
A moment later, Jay and I burst into explosive laughter.
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