Because the imperial palace exists, it’s a central hub where resources from all regions converge.
In the Manhett Empire, the central region is the most prosperous.
However, like all regions except the most barren north,
Where there’s bright light, shadows are bound to exist.
“Not as much as the west, but this place is not to be underestimated either.”
“Isn’t it the capital?”
Streets overflowing with trash and foul smells.
A place where vagrants and outlaws loiter, known as the dark district.
Camilla, wearing a robe, glared at me fiercely.
“Don’t tell me you’re planning to visit the thieves’ guild.”
“You’re exactly right.”
Truly a crime expert.
Her profiling on thieves is spot on.
The birth of the dark district was not a good phenomenon, either aesthetically or socially.
But from a player’s perspective, it was a necessary evil.
Assassinations, theft requests, the black market,
Among them, the most important was information gathering.
Buying mundane and trivial information from underworld figures or lowly servants,
To things that are only mentioned in legends and seem exaggerated at first hearing.
The thieves’ guild dealt with all information.
‘Sometimes, there were really valuable pieces among them.’
For instance, relics that everyone would covet.
“Relying on the power of the thieves’ guild. Instead of arresting them and maintaining public order, it’s a disgrace to nobility.”
“You worry too much.”
Camilla’s reprimand made Elizabeth cover her mouth with her hand.
A laugh of mockery, attempting to hide it out of politeness.
But the words that flowed were filled with sharply honed contempt.
“Nobles don’t use the thieves’ guild? It’s a loss not to use that information. It’s openly used by any noble family, so don’t say strange things, Lady Roberk.”
Camilla didn’t answer, just hid her cold face inside her robe.
“…Do they, have information on who killed my mother?”
“Well, they do.”
My nonchalant answer made Camilla’s eyebrows slightly raise.
But I wasn’t in a situation to care about her feelings.
Despite being covered by a robe, the luxurious clothing couldn’t be hidden.
Eyes were pouring towards us, walking around the dark district without a knight escort.
Moist and calculative.
Desire rolling in their pupils, all waiting for an opportunity.
And that first start was.
– Thump!
The young children.
Due to their youth, they grabbed the wrist of the one most faithful to their desires.
Eyes brimming with venom in their thin bodies.
“Ouch!”
“Your handiwork is poor. Do you know who these people are to attempt pickpocketing?”
In the dark district, there are two types of treatment for nobles.
Either a pushover or a monster.
So, seizing the initiative was most important.
“Ladies, what shall we do? Shall we cut off his wrist?”
Smiling at the unspecified many who were watching us with dim eyes and lifted corners of their mouths.
Those who met our gaze hid behind buildings, below walls, and behind trees.
“Enough. Let go. Did you think I came all this way to see blood?”
Fortunately, a partner who responds well instead of someone frozen answered.
And surprisingly, it was not Elizabeth but Camilla.
With a look of disdain as if looking at something inferior.
“As you command.”
“Eek!”
“Kid. Be careful who you mess with. Or else…”
Before I even finished my sentence,
The pickpocket had run far away.
“Can’t even see his feet.”
“…Did you have to go that far?”
“You don’t know. A place rife with desire is bound to be chaotic. It needs order to quell it.”
– Tuck, tuck.
Shaking off the dust on my hand that grabbed the boy’s wrist.
“Be it violence or law.”
“It’s strange to hear a demon say that. Are you aware?”
“We mostly resolve things through the former.”
I extended my hand to Camilla.
The hand I had just cleaned off a bit.
“No time to dawdle. Let’s quickly find the thieves’ guild.”
“Right. Now that we’ve come this far, there’s no turning back.”
Grip.
A strong pressure was felt from the hand I held.
Instead of the previous contempt, eyes filled with the will towards a goal looked pretty good.
“Ah, Lady Elizabeth, it’s time you come to your senses too.”
“Wh-who’s not in their right mind? I’m perfectly fine!”
It was unexpected.
Wasn’t it Elizabeth who had more experience with the dark district?
Just from what she was saying earlier…
‘Come to think of it, she seems to have been glancing my way since some point.’
Because she always turned her head away when I looked at her, I couldn’t even ask why.
“…Hey. Are we there yet?”
She seemed eager to leave this place as soon as possible, although she understood the necessity.
Camilla looked quite uncomfortable.
“…Tch. To think I came here not to arrest but to collude.”
No, it was my mistake.
She had a look of eagerness to clean up this place.
“We’re almost there.”
A sign swaying, seemingly about to fall.
Camilla’s eyebrows drew a line at the sight of the rundown tavern.
“Suspicious.”
“Is that so?”
“There’s not a single guard.”
Of course, like any other lowly street, cheap taverns with such appearances are abundant.
But how could there be no minimum defense?
Especially in a street overflowing with vagrants aiming for liquor.
“Truly befitting of a promising noble from the west.”
I nodded in admiration.
However, to sharply catch that detail just by looking was like her, known for her analysis.
“Everyone, prepare for a quick fight.”
“…Hmph. It’s criminal behavior, but that’s the best they can do.”
Leaving her, who showed motivation for the first time, behind, we entered the building.
-Creak.
The corridor made strange noises as soon as we stepped on it, showing how long it had been since it was last repaired.
At the end, a bartender was preparing drinks.
“You seem like important guests, what can I do for you?”
Sitting in front of the bartender, I placed my order.
“Vodka martini, shaken, not stirred.”
A famous quote from a well-known movie, more obscure here than anywhere.
Here, it was a code used to meet with the thieves’ guild.
Personally, I think the game director took the easy way out with the dialogue, but the bartender, after briefly scanning my wrist and clothes, frowned.
“Tch. Another bunch of nobles who’ve heard rumors. You look so young, just leave. There’s no trivial information for you…”
His words were cut off before he could finish.
-Bang!
Suddenly, his face met the shelf full of liquor.
“What’s going on?!”
“Why did the bartender…!”
“Surely no one touched him? Was it magic?”
Nearby drinkers.
No, members of the thieves’ guild, all stood up from their seats.
I dusted off my hands that had been resting on the bar and frowned.
“I don’t understand why you insist on being so standoffish with guests. Haven’t you been properly trained by your boss?”
My sarcasm was aimed at the now unconscious bartender.
-Clang!
As expected, countless weapons were drawn and pointed at me and my companions.
Camilla, who had approached, murmured in surprise.
“Oh. Unexpected. I thought they’d negotiate.”
“You don’t understand. Taking the initiative is essential.”
“…As always, I’m unsure what sudden action you’ll take.”
In response, we all drew our weapons.
“The men use magic!”
“Take down the dangerous ones later! Aim for the women first!”
“Judging by the attire, that’s a servant boy. If we catch the lady he’s serving, he’ll become docile.”
They seemed to be planning to take hostages to threaten us.
What they misunderstood was that these ladies were not merely flowers in a greenhouse.
A sleek line arose from within Camilla’s embrace.
“How many thugs like you do you think I’ve faced?”
-Swish!
Originally, a whip is not a lethal weapon.
It’s terribly inefficient for taking lives, as it only tears the flesh and inflicts pain, not death.
However, that’s only when aura isn’t used.
“Aaagh!”
A man attempting to capture her was flung into the air.
The whip wrapped around his ankle and then hurled its caught prey far away.
Crash-
“Basic self-defense is a nobility’s virtue. Come on, if you dare, come in.”
A scorpion raising its tail in threat.
It was clear even just by looking.
If caught, you’d die.
Their ferocious momentum made them hesitate, and they changed their target.
To the lady with pink hair.
Elizabeth tilted her head in confusion as the thugs looked her way.
Her hair, soft as cotton candy, swayed.
“You thought I’d be easy prey?”
-Whoosh.
In response to her mana, flames sprouted above the staff.
“No way, she’s a wizard too!”
“Get away! Argh!”
“It’s hot! Water!”
It didn’t take long for everyone to suffer from burns, both big and small.
Even more, Elizabeth skillfully blocked the retreat path,
And amidst it all, she prevented the building from catching fire.
Her delicate magic control was visible.
“Really, such actions are unthinkable in the North. To dare raise a sword against nobility. Isn’t that right?”
“The same goes for Evildon. It’s utterly audacious for someone so weak.”
– Squirm, squirm.
My shadow took on the form of a human.
A woman in a monochrome maid’s outfit with fluttering blond hair revealed herself.
Behind, the sound of Camilla swallowing a breath was heard.
“That vampire from back then….”
– Click, clack.
As if the original trio wasn’t enough to handle,
The arrival of this new person froze them in their tracks.
In the silence created by the tension, only the sound of the bartender’s blood dripping onto the floor resonated clearly.
The reason she was summoned was simple.
‘When it’s possible to exploit the power of Bathory, we should milk it for all it’s worth.’
No matter how many demons rush at her, unable to overcome the swordsmanship,
And even if a few pitiful nobles challenge Luciana to a duel all at once, they would be trampled miserably.
The value of a strong player above a certain level in this game is indescribable.
And that applied to the vampire nobility of the Evildon Empire, Bathory.
“Don’t be scared! It’s just a trick, after all..”
The head of someone trying to encourage the others was smashed into the ground.
Just like the bartender before, unable to withstand the heavy air.
Soon, a line of red embroidered the floor along with a strong smell of blood.
“How shall we deal with this?”
A voice as indifferent and cruel as if looking down on ants.
Goosebumps involuntarily rose on my forearms.
‘It’s a good thing we’re on the same side. Friend or foe, She’s the only one who could freeze everyone in their tracks.’
“Haha. Deal with it? What scary words you’re saying. We’re customers here.”
Standing beside her, I casually threw a lifeline to the hesitating thieves’ guild members.
“It seems you’ve tested enough. We’ve proven we’re no amateur noble, so please take on the request.”
“Stop bothering with the assassin’s guild or the mercenary guild, it’s tiresome and unnecessary. Let’s just take what we both want. Here, this is an advance payment.”
– Clink.
A hefty bag fell in front of the hesitating ones, accompanied by the sound of heavy metal.
“Wait, is this gold?”
“…This is a huge catch.”
The payment.
More than enough was included in the information fee for using the thieves’ guild, including a generous tip.
“What is your request?”
Finally, one of them spoke up.
A scar straight across the right eye.
At a glance, he appeared to be the most senior among them, a middle-aged man.
“Someone who can converse has appeared. I will speak to the chief about the details.”
“You wish to see the chief? …If it’s a common request, you can just leave it to us.”
He’s not getting it.
– Whoosh.
With my gesture, Bathory too raised her magic.
– Boom!
Right next to the foot.
The old floorboards were shattered into pieces by telekinesis, making him sweat.
“Quickly. The ladies behind you are getting bored, aren’t they?”
“I’m sorry, but it’s impossible to meet the chief.”
With eyes tightly shut, a determined will was shown.
Glancing away even for a moment would result in a cut nose and a numb back of the head, unusual for the loyalty seen in thieves’ guilds.
I clicked my tongue.
‘After all, even in the game, the chief of the Central Thieves Guild was highly respected.’
Despite the overtly displeased demeanor, the middle-aged man who seemed to be the chief’s close aide continued to keep silent.
But that didn’t change what I wanted.
I smiled slightly and nodded.
“There’s no helping it.”
“Thank you for understanding…”
“I’ve even brought a cure for Hanhyeol disease, but it’s a pity. I’ll have to use another region’s thieves’ guild.”
Hanhyeol disease.
An incurable disease that prevents mana from circulating properly within the body.
In martial arts terms, it might be comparable to the Blocked Qi Meridians.
Although it’s a rare disease and thus mostly useless information to most.
“Wait a moment, please!”
“Hm? Have you changed your mind?”
The information they needed the most.
And also information that only I knew in this world.
“Please follow me. The chief wants to see you.”
The scarred man turned and gestured with his hand.
They should have done this from the beginning.
And then it hit me.
‘That woman, I think she even had a fan club in real life.’
Though it was through a computer screen.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen ‘that’ face.
In popularity polls, she was always in the top five.
A beautiful appearance, and the nickname ‘Black Pearl,’ derived from her long, flowing black hair.
It was time to meet the real power behind that thieves’ guild.
Cliche Novel 