“Are you saying we should build a connection?”
To uncover the truth behind the rapidly increasing trade of non-human slaves in the underground city, Adam needed to venture deeper.
So when Adam asked about the need for a connection to the lower floors, Shane shook his head.
“Is there really a need to build one? When a spot opens up, we can just take it then.”
“…Is that even possible?”
“Hasn’t it already happened before?”
“Hmm…”
Adam understood Shane’s point and nodded heavily.
There were indeed some precedents. One example was the black magic group, which once ruled the underground city. They had been one of the Five Families that controlled the fifth floor.
They mainly oversaw the black market, but 38 years ago, they were destroyed in the Empire’s black mage elimination campaign.
When the family that governed the black market disappeared, the vacant position was eventually taken by another family after a long and fierce struggle.
“But didn’t the Five Families become the Four Families? They’re extremely exclusive now.”
Just like Adam pointed out, just because one family disappeared didn’t mean it was easy to claim their position.
And of course, eliminating even a single family was no simple task in itself.
“Not necessarily. After Count Salier’s death, didn’t a new rising power take control of the slave trade?”
“That’s true, but…”
Count Salier had once dominated the non-human slave trade. He was the one who had kidnapped Dilaila and met his end at Shane’s hands. Though he never made it into the Five Families that controlled the fifth floor, he was still considered a major figure on the fourth floor.
“So how do you plan to deal with a family? They show incredible unity when facing external threats.”
“There’s no need to use external forces. Just make them fight among themselves.”
“…Are you aiming for internal conflict?”
That seemed like a more plausible approach.
After all, the underground city was built on the convergence of personal interests. However, the families were also well aware of how a single moment of internal conflict could drastically shift the power dynamics. Because of that, they took great care to maintain strict boundaries in this regard.
Adam brought up that point.
“Adam, in this world, there’s nothing that money can’t solve.”
“Huh?”
“If something can’t be done with money, it’s not because it’s impossible. It’s just because there wasn’t enough money.”
“….…?”
Just how much money was Shane planning to invest in this?
No matter how powerful money was, could the power dynamics of the underground city really be swayed by it alone?
Adam couldn’t help but view Shane’s words with skepticism.
Contrary to the common misconceptions from the outside, the underground city wasn’t a place that ran solely on violence.
In fact, much of the violence was restrained, and people were careful to follow certain unspoken rules.
This meant that the people of the underground city had the sense to calculate the immediate gain from using violence and the future benefits of holding back.
Could such people really be swayed by a large sum of money alone?
“I told you before. It’s not because there isn’t enough money. If something can make you lord over countless others just by possessing it, how tempting do you think it would be?”
“Is there really such an item…?”
“Of course. Especially something the four families would go crazy for.”
What could that item possibly be to warrant this reaction?
Adam watched as Shane pulled out a single, worn book from his clothes.
“Spread the rumor quietly. Tell them that the chaos left behind by that dead man has appeared.”
***
Count Salier, who once kidnapped Dilaila and was killed by Shane, wasn’t quite on the level to join the Four Families.
That didn’t mean his influence was small.
He had been one of the top figures on the fourth floor, and the intelligence network he commanded was by no means weak.
In fact, it could be said that he was just a step below the Four Families of the fifth floor.
The fact that he had risen to such a position, even as a high-ranking noble of the Empire, spoke to how skilled Count Salier was.
“It’s already been two years since that bastard died…”
One of the Four Families on the fifth floor.
Commonly known as the “Gold Mine”.
Under the name of the family that ran the arena and gambling den, Eldorat, the master of Gold Mine, recalled the name of a noble who had once made the Four Families uneasy.
The problem had been that, in his efforts to conceal his identity, he hadn’t even kept proper guards around him. But it was precisely that caution that meant the Four Families didn’t know who Count Salier truly was even at the moment of his death.
Regardless, his death sparked fierce competition in the underground city over the remaining profits and power.
“I thought he was just going to die quietly and disappear.”
Eldorat, who had roamed the underground city for over 30 years, had seen countless figures rise to fame and vanish in this place.
But there were few who had risen as rapidly as Count Salier.
“So, his ledger has surfaced… has it?”
The ledger of Count Salier who once held complete authority over the trade of non-human slaves has been brought to light.
More accurately, rumors of it had begun spreading through the underground city.
“Elliot, what do you think?”
When Eldorat asked his subordinate who had followed him for the past 30 years, the man responded with a prepared answer.
“It seems to be a deliberately spread rumor.”
After investigating the source, it appeared that the rumors were circulating mainly among the informants.
“Informants, huh. Rats?”
The “Sewer Rats”, another family like Eldorat’s Gold Mine, held a place among the Four Families.
They mainly handled information dealing and contract killings.
“It doesn’t seem that way. There’s a report that even the Sewer Rats are trying to find out the source of the rumors.”
“So that’s how it is… I’m curious who would play such an amusing prank.”
The enslavement of other races had been declared illegal in most nations, starting with the Empire.
Nevertheless, the reason why interest in non-human slaves never fully waned was due to a primal instinct in people.
To humans who lacked magic, other races were an object of fear, and violence directed toward them sometimes provided a thrill akin to a drug.
Not everyone had such tendencies, but those with a strong sense of sadism often displayed such traits.
The current emperor believed this human sadism was a reflection of the ancient fear humanity once had, which led him to strictly prohibit it under imperial law.
And now, the idea of Count Salier’s ledger being involved in this…
“They’ve created a rumor that was bound to be caught. On top of that, they’re quite skilled, don’t you think?”
The content of the rumor was one thing, but spreading it so discreetly took no ordinary level of skill.
In the underground city, at least, it was the Four Families that enjoyed power that rivaled even that of the emperor.
Even though Gold Mine’s information network wasn’t quite on the level of the Sewer Rats, it was still formidable, yet they hadn’t been able to trace the source of the rumor.
Moreover, judging by the atmosphere, it seemed that the Sewer Rats were in a similar situation.
“This is all because of my own shortcomings.”
“Oh, come on, I’m not blaming you, Elliot. It just means the opponent isn’t easy.”
Eldorat chuckled softly before continuing.
“It doesn’t matter if we don’t know the source, but we should at least be able to guess their objective.”
“There’s a high chance their goal is to stir up internal conflict.”
“As expected. But what are the chances they have another goal?”
“We can’t rule out the possibility that money is their aim. Judging by their pattern of behavior, that actually seems more likely. However…”
“If money was their goal, they wouldn’t be trying to sell it. And considering how widespread the rumor is, it suggests they know this underground city’s atmosphere quite well.”
“…You’re right.”
After all, the one thing that could grab the attention of both Gold Mine and the Sewer Rats, two of the Four Families, was Count Salier’s ledger.
It’s safe to assume the other two families are interested as well.
Just the names listed in that ledger could be worth a fortune, and the countless ways to use it for profit would be staggering.
Selling it off immediately would certainly bring in a large sum of money, but using it strategically could generate even greater wealth or lead to a rise in status.
But could it be that these people lack the guts or capability to use it to its full potential, which is why they’re doing this?
Neither Eldorat nor his subordinate Elliot believed that was the case.
“They’re no ordinary petty thieves. After all, they killed one of the Judgments.”
Though Count Salier himself wasn’t particularly strong, the knight guarding him had mastered a signature skill.
Considering the skill of the knight who had been killed, it seemed clear that their opponent had known Count Salier’s identity and had sought him out deliberately.
“This is getting interesting. Things are about to get very interesting, wouldn’t you agree, Elliot?”
“It seems there’s going to be a large shift in the underworld, just as you anticipated, Master.”
“Indeed. Something big is definitely coming.”
With rumors like these spreading through the underground city, it was only natural that the Four Families would take notice.
And soon, these rumors began to spread beyond the city.
***
“Is that true?”
“…It’s still just a rumor, but from what I hear, even the four families in the underground city are showing great interest.”
“Then we can assume it’s almost certain.”
Samuel let out a low grunt.
How much had they lost due to Count Salier’s death?
Since Salier was someone Samuel had carefully prepared, the damage was huge.
“Count Salier… if you were going to die, you should’ve done so quietly. Tsk.”
The fact that even Salier’s child had died felt like a waste to Samuel.
If the child had survived, they could have been held accountable for the sins the father couldn’t bear.
But what could be done? The dead were already gone.
“If the rumors turn out to be true, we must secure it at all costs.”
Although all evidence proving the relationship between Count Salier and Samuel had been destroyed, most of the names listed in the transaction ledger were Samuel’s subordinates.
For those subordinates to have such a critical weakness exposed was akin to Samuel himself being bound hand and foot.
Moreover, with the recent mistake in Arunvida, attention had already shifted significantly toward the twin princesses.
Thanks to a swift response, he hadn’t fallen behind the two princesses yet, but he couldn’t afford any more mistakes.
“How much progress has been made on the Great Mezaiya Forest matter?”
“It’s now stable, for the most part.”
“Good. Then divert all personnel from there to the underground city. Remember, no matter what, we must secure Count Salier’s ledger.”
“…I will engrave it in my bones.”
“Good. And if things start to get complicated…”
“……”
“Release the wild dogs.”
“…Understood.”
At Samuel’s words, his subordinate flinched briefly but soon nodded in agreement.
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