– I see there are proper insects in this sewer-like city as well! There’s no unnecessary embellishment, nor do they reveal themselves! This feels like a tribute offered with sincere intent! Jueinni, I believe this should suffice for acceptance!
“In this package, there was such deep meaning?”
– On a separate note, this is infuriating. How dare they just leave something here without proper greetings. Regardless of their intentions, it leaves an impression of sheer insolence that cannot be dismissed. So, Jueinni, please decide the punishment after examining the contents.
“… Not sure if you find this admirable or irritating. And why is punishment already a foregone conclusion?”
– This is how underlings ought to be dealt with!
“What do you think would happen if I treated you the same way?”
– That you are dedicating such emotion towards me…! This Dhangealion feels immense joy just imagining it!
“What do I do with you.”
Rishe felt an unexpected sense of sympathy towards the Demon Followers.
Even the demon he personally followed left an impression of having a terrible personality, so how much worse must it be for the followers openly treated as underlings by demons?
Anyhow.
Rishe hesitated momentarily, wondering, “Could it be something sent by Gadam?”
Unable to resist his curiosity, he untied the package.
Inside the bundle were several notebooks with extensive wear and tear.
– How dare you!
Dhangealion roared furiously. The silvery-white energy within the crystal orb violently fluctuated.
“Just a scare. What’s the problem now?”
– Those! They are not grimoires!
“That’s what I thought too. They do seem like that to me.”
– If not, then they are nothing but shabby, poorly maintained trash!
“That’s a bit extreme.”
– Books are vessels that carry the treasure of knowledge! How can they appear so vulgar on the outside – there’s no point even looking at the contents!
“That is extreme, but you do have a point.”
– If only you would issue an order, I, Dhangealion, will immediately burn this trash and curse the fate of the insect who gave it as a gift!
“Although you do have a point, it’s too extreme. Categorizing them as junk without examining the content is unnecessary. Even this—”
Rishe took out the swordsmanship manual given to him by Rodan.
It wasn’t as worn-out as the books from the bundle but could still be described better as an old notebook rather than an ancient text.
It was just like this sometimes.
Books with appearances as common junk could actually hold immense value.
Why should treasures always reside in boxes encrusted with jewels and gold-plated?
“Great treasures often deliberately hide without displaying their brilliance.”
– Jueinnni! Open your eyes!!! That junk is also trash!
“What do you mean? Clanar, look at what he’s saying. He called the swordsmanship manual written by your disciple trash?”
<I won't deny it. That guy’s sword isn't proper at all. And for the record, he isn't my disciple.>
“The trash isn’t the swordsmanship manual but this set.”
Rishe had hoped the master swordsman would clarify the value within Rodan’s swordsmanship manual to him, but as that expectation was betrayed, he finally took the initiative to enlighten Dhangealion himself.
“Dhangealion, you don’t know, right? If you mention ‘Rodan’s Swordsmanship Manual’ to any swordsmen, they would go crazy and rush towards it.”
– That’s why it’s trash! In which part of this world does moving one’s body require learning?
“No… it’s not just moving—”
– Swordsmanship is the way of beasts!
“…Clanar. Are you going to let him say such things?”
<No matter how much you decorate it with fancy words, the essence is about practicing and studying the best ways to kill people. It's a far better description than honor or whatnot.>
“Should I learn the sword from someone like that?”
– My wise Jueinni, you should approach the magic that explores the truths of the world. In that sense, today, you must absolutely forsake those weapons and dedicate yourself to magic practice!
“…Understood.”
– Jueinni!
“Your point is well taken that ignoring you is the right thing to do.”
How could this lengthy story be just preliminary work for “Kyuingkyuing, let’s play with me today?”
As Rishe started reading the notebooks, he gave Dhangealion appropriate ignorance.
– Jueinni!!! This cannot go on! To tarnish your noble intellect with such trash!
“?!”
Soon, a look of confusion crossed Rishe’s face.
The contents of the book were completely unexpected.
Mysterious sequences of numbers.
And combinations of meaningful words.
“Left Hand with Wine? Where have I heard this before?”
Rishe thought for a moment.
“Ahhh.”
Rishe nodded slowly.
He remembered. ‘Left Hand with Wine’ was probably the name of the biggest tavern at the back alley pleasure district.
From what Rishe knew, Bondales was not a city influenced strongly by the teachings of the church.
It was clearly legal to provide friendly and enthusiastic drinking companions in exchange for money at the taverns.
As far as Rishe knew, [Left Hand with Wine] was a legitimate business pursuing only ‘legal activities.’
But—
‘Could this be the accounts of that place?’
In the books presumed to be the accounts of that [Left Hand with Wine], there were some writings differentiating them from ordinary ledgers.
[Gorek, the second son of the Halromia family, visited around 7 PM on the 17th with his acquaintances (Haran, the third daughter of the Volkan family, and Karutzi, the second son of the Lonse family) and stayed for about four hours…]During what appeared to be a short stay in the area, a detailed record had been kept of the visit.
Upon closer inspection, the document detailed impressions of the visitors on the day of the visit.
It also listed the guards and attendants accompanying the visitors that day.
At first glance, it appeared to be a meticulous record of the visit by the main figures.
However, the excessive detail devoted to the visitors created a strange sense of unease.
It felt as though malintent laced the air.
After much deliberation, Rishe decided to share the book’s contents with Clanar.
“What is this?”
“It seems to resemble the ledger of a certain tavern located in this city.”
“Why are you showing me this?”
“I thought you might make sense of it.”
“How does this concern me?”
“There’s a distinct scent of illegality and crime about it.”
Riske remained silent, processing this.
“So… why are you bringing this illegal and criminal matter to me?”
Clanar’s expression twisted within the inner world, yet she complied and examined the book’s contents thoroughly.
Although this script was unfamiliar to her, her shared consciousness with Rishe enabled her to decipher it effortlessly.
“This… this isn’t a regular ledger. It’s a secret one.”
“A secret ledger?”
“Yes. It records disreputable business operations, things that can’t be disclosed publicly.”
Clanar explained the special format and rules governing secret ledgers to Rishe.
“Ah…”
With this insight, Rishe could now extract even more information from the ledger.
“Why document such illicit activities? Isn’t it counterproductive, making it easier for others to uncover hidden crimes?”
“While it might seem foolish from your perspective, it has its reasoning. This is evidence. While it incriminates the owner, it incriminates those entangled with him as well.”
“Ah…?”
“Even without knowing the specifics, if this ledger’s contents were made public, Golek, one of those mentioned, would end up in as much trouble as the owner.”
“Ah… so this serves as a tool for blackmail as well as a safety net—keeping ill-gotten friendships strong through undesirable means—?”
Rishe perused the secret ledger with newfound insight. He recognized some of the houses, groups, or individuals mentioned in its pages.
“Gerhen, that man’s name—why does it appear here? Taking a liking to the male slave attending to the customers at the shop… Oh…”
He had memorized the names of the power players in Bondales for a wisely lived life.
According to the ledger, services provided by [Left Hand with Wine] clearly stepped outside the bounds of legality.
Property and alcohol.
And friendly, proactive drinking companions.
Somehow, that could be understandable to a degree.
But—
“Drugs… hired violence… illegal human trafficking… This book’s more perilous than most forbidden tomes.”
Rishe murmured, his expression pale.
[Left Hand with Wine] was, in reality, a spawning ground for all manner of illegal activities and corruption. Many of Bondales’ power brokers were its customers.
The moment the ledger’s contents were leaked, Bondales would be thrown into an uproar.
Rishe chuckled faintly as he closed the book.
“Why?”
He muttered to himself.
Why had such an extraordinary thing fallen into his hands? Why had some unknown person delivered this to him?
Had he not been aligned with anyone, this whole matter would have brought him considerable headaches.
However—
“Maybe I should consult with Lan.”
He was under the protection of someone who would take all his worries and leave him with only the joys of a righteous deed.
Councilor Lan was a person of integrity, one vouched for by Master Meltas. Rishe placed unwavering trust in her to use this ledger for the right purpose.
—Do not trust humans so easily!
“Lan is trustworthy.”
—But, that woman isn’t exactly devoid of possessions compared to Gadam!
“By the way, do you understand the meaning of trust?”
Ah.
Rishe seemed to have remembered something, looking toward the Blue Lotus.
“Clanar! As usual, your expertise is impressive! Where else could I possibly gain such information if not from you? Thank you!”
—Damn it! If only I had known Czunni could be delighted this way… I never imagined I’d envy a lifeless object like you, weapon! If I had been just an insignificant criminal like you, I could have brought Czunni joy!
Both genuinely admired Clanar with no hint of sarcasm.
Clanar, however, was uncertain if she should be pleased.
*
Early that morning.
Councilor Lan met with three prominent figures.
She was listening to them recount the incident between Gadam’s agent and Rishe.
“An upper-level spirit core…”
Though not deeply versed in magic, she was aware of the treasure’s immense value.
It was a prize that could captivate not only the heart of a mage but an entire Mage Tower.
Yet, Rishe—the young mage—had declined such a prize.
“Why…?”
Councilor Lan felt a mixture of guilt and embarrassment knowing she couldn’t offer Rishe conditions better than Gadam’s. This heightened her astonishment at his choice.
“Lan.”
The three figures answered Lan’s question on behalf of Rishe.
“Because…”“So, I believe without a shadow of a doubt that it is the right choice.”
“…!”
Lan’s expression was filled with the emotion she was currently feeling.
The three great figures reacted as though they fully understood Lan’s reaction, mirroring her expression.
Soon after, they glanced silently at one another for a long while and slowly nodded.
Recalling a certain young man, they resolved:
Absolutely, they would ensure that this young mage would never doubt his pure and noble will.
A meeting to that end began.
Not long after, Lan mentioned the name of a certain barbarian shaman.
“Will that one, Cadogen, also cast his spell on Rishe?”
Shakan’s expression grew serious.
“We might be able to counter it if we bring in a shaman from our tribe. But by then, it could be too late.”“What do we do then?”“How about we go and stop him ourselves? We have a valid reason, after all. That fellow used his spell on us. To think, he dared to steal another’s karma without consent. In the north, that merits a sword.”“But, my lord, this is the city of the civilized.”“Malad, what point are you trying to make?”“I respect and try to understand you, my lord. But most city dwellers aren’t like that. If foreigners like us cause a commotion in the city for reasons of sorcery, do you think it would end well?”“…”
Shakan bit his lips.
It was not just that which concerned them.
Cadogen was Lagan’s sister, and Lagan was the overseer of the pleasure quarter, including the establishment [Left Hand with Wine]. He commanded a force comparable to a mercenary band and had many “friends” inside Bondales.
“To touch their shaman, we’d have to be ready for war…”“And in that war, Bondales would fully support them.”
They realized once again how enormous the corruption was that they were standing against.The injustice of the entire city aligning against them.
But they couldn’t give up.
Hadn’t they already sworn it?
To protect the will of this young mage.
“Whatever the cost, we won’t let them harm Rishe.”
Shakan’s words were met with agreement from the others.
Thus, the four great figures reaffirmed their resolve concerning this young one.
— Lady Lan, Lord Rishe has arrived.
The butler’s voice reached them through a knock at the door.
They all rose from their seats and greeted Rishe warmly.
“Ah? You’re all here. Did I interrupt anything?”
No!
Each of them denied it in their own way.
‘Looks upset?’
Their reactions were so intense that Rishe, taken aback, could only nod slowly, thinking, “Ah, I see.”
‘I should wrap this up and leave quickly.’
Rishe immediately pulled out the prepared items and addressed Lady Lan.
“Actually, I wanted to give you something—”
“To me?”
Lady Lan pointed at herself in surprise. She was an unwavering legislator who refused all bribes and gifts, yet, there was no hesitation in accepting presents from this youth. In fact, anticipation sparkled in her eyes.
Her gaze fell upon the shabby book in Rishe’s hands.
“…”
Lady Lan couldn’t help but let out a wry smile. That book, prepared by Rishe as a gift, suited this individual so perfectly.
‘This is the cutest bribe I’ve ever seen.’
What exactly did this young mage’s gift to the legislator contain?
“Why is that?”
Lady Lan asked in anticipation, lowering herself as if to match the level of a child.
“The secret ledger of the [Left Hand with Wine].”
“…”
Lady Lan’s expression turned severe, and she nearly choked.
Why would you—
The three great figures also shared the same shock.
Just then:
“Lady Lan!!!”
One of Lady Lan’s aides hurried over with urgent news—wild barbarian mercenaries under Gadam, responsible for the pleasure quarter, had fled overnight.
“…”
They were already glancing at Rishe.
“What’s the matter?”
The young mage, seeming to know nothing, played dumb.
‘Could it be…that he went alone last night…and…’
To single-handedly eliminate the gang that controlled the back alleys?
And without causing any commotion?
It was not an easy feat even for the elite troops under their banner.
Hence, they strenuously denied this unrealistic possibility.
“Oh, by the way, someone unknown gave this to me as a gift. I have nothing to do with that incident.”
It was hard to believe.
