𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎𝟖: 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏)
It could have been mistaken for a ghost town.
Once home to over half a million people, it appears that Galangran now has less than thirty thousand residents.
This information was gleaned from the inn where I stayed last night.
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After the royal castle burned down, those with their wits about them quickly packed up and left the city.
Apparently, this was the smartest thing to do.
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Without even a month passing, Galangran became a cauldron of chaos.
Those who escaped at this time could only carry the bare minimum with them.
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“I guess there must have been some looting, too.”
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If you stand in what used to be a major street and look around, most of the shops on both sides have their windows and doors smashed.
This is clearly not the result of a natural disaster.
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“I wonder if there’s still anything left!”
“There’s no way there is, everything worthwhile has been taken.”
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Salieri chastised Asuka, who was full of enthusiasm to go treasure hunting.
The suicide of the foolish King Morrison was a result of his own actions, but the fallout affected the most vulnerable.
More accurately, when a country falls into ruin, it is these people who suffer the most.
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“What are we going to do now, Mother Nel? There’s not a soul to gather information from.”
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Lifting the brim of her hat, Miliaria scanned the surroundings.
The city gate was left open, there were no gatekeepers, and there were no people in the city.
The impression of a ghost town was just right.
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“It’s like this during the day. Just like the slums of Gaillia.”
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The one who answered was Meg.
With a bitter expression.
Since she was from a thieves’ guild, she knows the most about the backstreets in the team.
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Whether they’re a gang of thieves or just punks, such groups are basically nocturnal, it seems.
They start waking up after dusk and sleep when the sun rises.
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“I don’t understand. Isn’t it a waste of oil for the lamps? If they’re lurking in the night city to reap profits, that’s one thing, but what are they doing at night in a city where no one is around?”
“You’ll see when night comes.”
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With that said, Meg pointed to an inn that seemed to still be in business.
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After the owner fled, the shady little man using the high-end inn arbitrarily offered a sum that was several times the going rate.
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“I see. Then I’ll kill you and take up residence myself.”
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I stared at the man with cold eyes, reaching for my beloved sword, Flame Cut, exuding a clear killing intent.
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“Eeek!”
“Lionel, please calm down.”
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Miliaria gently tapped my arm and stepped forward.
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“Being greedy isn’t admirable. It shortens your life.”
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Saying this, she placed a few silver coins in front of the man, who was now sweating profusely.
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“I’ll pay a little more than the market rate. You’ll have to be content with that.”
“You’re too kind.”
“It’s fine. It must be hard to do business in a place like this.”
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With movements as mechanical as an automaton, the man handed over the key to Miliaria, who responded with a smile.
A witch’s grin that combined both coldness and kindness.
And finally, I spared him a last glance as we headed for the large room.
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In the man’s eyes, only fear remained.
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Of course, the attitudes of Miliaria and I were just a ruse.
If we paid his initial asking price at a place like this, we’d just be seen as easy marks, no doubt about it. There would undoubtedly be robbers breaking into our room at night.
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While it would be easy to fend them off, there wouldn’t be any benefit in doing so.
So, we decided to give off the impression of being troublesome people right from the start.
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I’m a lawless rogue who doesn’t think twice about killing. The others are the same, but at least Miliaria is a somewhat reasonable person.
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One person being difficult while another plays the role of the mediator is a tactic often used by special forces teams for intelligence gathering, as Salieri has said.
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That’s how we manipulate their psychology.
Somehow, you felt as if you were being saved by Miliaria.
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With this, the man will feel indebted to Miliaria and won’t think about inciting thieves against us.
It’s a negotiation technique that’s anything but noble.
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“Next time, I want to play the mediator!”
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As soon as we entered the room, Asuka started to assert herself.
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This is a method we use quite a bit in dangerous places, but Asuka and Salieri have never played the part of the mediator.
The former can’t hide her emotions, and the latter is just too laid-back.
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Salieri’s sleepy eyes might be deemed dangerous by some seasoned hands, but to an amateur, they just look zoned out. Her presence is far too lackluster.
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“Won’t you burst into laughter halfway through, Asuka? And you can’t call out ‘Mom’, okay?”
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Miliaria laughed as she took off her hat and started to unwind from her journey.
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“I’ll be fine!”
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She was full of energy, but that doesn’t suit a mediator.
They need to have a certain chilling forcefulness.
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Like Meisha, who can smile sweetly while smashing a mace onto someone’s head, or like Meg, who whispers eerily into your ear, “You understand the value of this gold, right?”
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Asuka, for better or worse, doesn’t have a deceptive side to her.
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“Well then, Meg. You said we’d know when night comes.”
“Yes. We’ll probably witness a rather uninteresting spectacle.”
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The former thief spat out her words dismissively.
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