Chapter 180 : Chapter 180

Chapter 180 : Ellen's Gang (2)

The second day after leaving Grimlok and camping out for a night.

Noser started grumbling again.

“Ah, so we end up going after all, Brakenport. I thought I would never have reason to go there before retiring.”

Brakenport was considered the most dangerous region even within the notoriously infamous southern part of the Kingdom.

They said it was a place where lawlessness and the survival of the fittest ran rampant.

In other words, a land outside the system where the Kingdom’s order did not reach, and where swords and fists were the law.

Noser wasn’t venting his fatigue for no reason.

“To face a group of heinous vagrants right after dealing with crazy mages. This must be wrong somehow.”

I listened to his complaints in silence.

It was overwhelming enough just organizing the events at Grimlok by myself.

“To be honest, I am looking forward to it. Somehow, I feel like it will match my constitution quite well.”

Bolero revealed his healthy teeth.

Seeing that smile, the back of my neck felt chilly for some reason.

‘Bolero, this guy, the density of his mana…… has become even thicker.’

It seemed he was gradually turning into a monster as he overcame several life-or-death crises.

The trials that failed to kill him were eventually making him stronger.

Whether he knew that or not, Noser let out a deep sigh.

“Haa― To think I would miss the Imperial Capital.”

How long had we traveled?

The old castle walls hanging over the distant horizon revealed themselves.

It was the panoramic view of Brakenport.

I stopped walking.

The two looked at me questioningly.

I brought up the words I had been keeping inside.

“Sir Noser, would it be alright if I proposed a strategy first?”

First, I told the two of them everything about the full story of Grimlok that I had learned through Manuan’s diary.

What kind of people the Homunculus were, the circumstances of how they became entangled with Dayron, the story of how grotesque creatures and machine dolls came to infest Grimlok, and finally, even Panika’s true identity.

Fortunately…… I was able to gloss over it naturally without having to specifically mention the Phantom Demon.

“I have wanted to ask since last time. Bihen, why are you so passionate about another country’s affairs?”

Noser grumbled quietly.

Saying that if I had poured that sincerity into the Empire, I would have secured a high position by now.

I stared at him.

“Are you doubting me right now, Sir Noser?”

“I do not know about others, but I am different, Bihen Benkou.”

The air flowing between the three of us turned cold in an instant.

Noser pressed his own chest hard with his thumb.

“I am the Left Camp Leader of the Imperial Capital Knight Order, and also the head of all Sharon Faction knights in the Kingdom.”

“I never said you weren’t.”

“……That is true. A, anyway. As the sword and shield of His Majesty the King, I am saying I have a duty to keep an eye on you until the end. Bihen Benkou, you have been deeply involved in the Kingdom’s major and minor affairs from Conwell up until now. And you achieved unbelievable results. To put it bluntly, if you were a spy for the Imperial Family, wouldn’t we be completely helpless?”

Well, that is true. Bolero also silently stroked his mustache as if he understood Noser’s position.

“Of course, I do not think that. I have been asking since the topic came up. Why do you go to such lengths?”

How should I answer him?

I know the fact that the Imperial Army, having crossed the sea, will ruthlessly trample this land in the not-too-distant future, and that the root of that war stems from the ten-thousand-year plot of the Imperial Family and ancient demons, and feeling responsible for that, the duty I must perform as a warrior of the Empire is…….

‘Long, boring, and pedantic.’

Above all, I couldn’t exactly recite this lengthy story to a knight belonging to the Imperial Capital and a Solari Martial Priest of all people.

I thought for a moment and answered.

“Because this is Chivalry.”

I pulled my chin in firmly.

Beside me, Bolero clapped his hands. He had an expression of admiration.

“Indeed, Brother Bihen.”

“…….”

Noser, who looked back and forth between me and Bolero, nodded roughly with a reluctant expression.

“……Forget it, speak. What kind of strategy is necessary.”

Fortunately, I passed it well.

I answered immediately.

“Let’s not suppress Brakenport by force, but win the guys over if possible.”

As soon as they heard it, the two crumpled their brows deeply.

“Win them over? Those guys? Is there a need to go the difficult way when it would end simply if we swept them away in one go?”

“I also agree with Sir Noser’s opinion, Brother. There are undeniably humans in this world who cannot be rehabilitated. The place where such humans are gathered is exactly that of Brakenport.”

“If that was possible in the first place, that lawless zone wouldn’t have been created. They are guys whom common sense does not work on. By what means do you mean to win them over?”

I knew they would be like this, which is why I stepped up to propose a strategy unlike me.

The thing I must do in Brakenport is clear.

‘I must find traces of the Phantom Demon.’

According to Manuan’s reminiscence, Rosaria, who became a moon, was moved to Brakenport and enshrined on an altar, scheduled to be fused with the Phantom Demon.

Although it is said that the machine heart was destroyed and all moons and Automata were annihilated, since the Phantom Demon’s hand had touched her, Rosaria would not have disappeared obediently.

In other words, there is a high possibility that traces of the Phantom Demon remain heavily in Brakenport.

‘I need to gather as many clues about the Phantom Demon as possible. It would be best if I could meet the bastard in person, though.’

In reality, if it were the three of us right now, it wouldn’t even take half a day to burn Brakenport to the ground.

‘I have to stall for time somehow.’

I looked at the old castle walls of Brakenport.

Befitting the threshold of a lawless zone, traces of crumbling hairline cracks stood out here and there even from a distance.

“There are many dens of such ruffians in the Empire too. Large and small bandit strongholds and water pirate bases are spread all over the territory.”

The two tilted their heads simultaneously.

It seemed they were momentarily confused because I used the Imperial language.

“I know well because I have fought them to the point of sickness. Those types of guys have a uselessly persistent corner like weeds. It means no matter how much you stomp on them, they squirm and come back to life again.”

They nodded as if accepting it.

They had no choice.

I said those types, but those guys or these two guys were eventually the same.

Well, me too.

“We must make them submit genuinely. That is the only way to rule them for a long time without trouble later.”

“Hmm. So how do you intend to do that?”

The two’s eyes shone. I smiled to look as kind as possible to those two.

“We will become the bosses of those guys.”

The two only blinked their eyes and glanced at each other.

It seemed they were momentarily speechless at the unexpected declaration.

After a brief silence, Noser opened his mouth.

“……Are you saying let’s become a second Dayron?”

“No. Not just in name, but reigning as real bosses.”

“So how? Surely it isn’t a simple idea like taking control using the pretext that we defeated Dayron? That is nothing but a way to provoke those guys.”

Of course. If the mobs of Brakenport happen to be on the side that follows Dayron, it would be like throwing a spark that makes them unite.

The opposite is also a problem.

Either way, Dayron must have been a shackle that suppressed Brakenport just by existing.

Since that shackle is gone, it is as obvious as seeing a fire that the guys who have been suppressed all this time will run wild like unbridled colts.

‘Just like how all sorts of rabble infested Easton due to the absence of Zephyros.’

It is dangerous one way or another.

In other words, Dayron’s death is a huge variable where the gains and losses are hard to predict.

A card I don’t need to go out of my way to play.

“Submission is done by the head, but loyalty is done by the heart.”

“……What does that mean?”

“Overwhelming power is good too, but to draw out sustainable loyalty, empathy and understanding are needed. Should I call it ruffian sensibility?”

The two’s brows crumpled simultaneously.

A reaction asking what kind of bullshit I was spouting.

I understand.

Since I am the same.

While trying to squeeze out sophistry somehow, my gaze, which was lingering on the Heavenly Demon at my waist, moved to Bolero inadvertently.

……Right, this is it.

“From now on, we are the Empire’s Black Way here to take over Brakenport, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”

***

“Ah! We’re fucked!”

Tiaro shouted abruptly. Ellen and McRay, who were walking ahead, turned around.

“What’s wrong? Are you crazy?”

“Did you not see Alkabang’s expression earlier? If he finds out we snuck out, he definitely won’t stay still! We really might get beaten to death this time you knooow―!”

Entering and leaving Brakenport is not a difficult task for Ellen’s gang.

The problem was that there was no way Alkabang wouldn’t know that fact.

“It’s always like this! Just commit to it first and then somehow it will work out! Because we are like this, there’s no progress you knooow―!”

Tiaro grabbed his hair with both hands and flapped around like a crazy person.

McRay shook his head and sighed quietly.

“When we come out, he always takes the lead to come out, yet he always grumbles like that.”

“Of course! Because at the moment of going out, I’m excited so I can’t see anything! My reason, which is the size of rat shit anyway, completely disappears!”

McRay muttered while turning away.

Something to be proud of.

Ellen spoke in a gentle tone.

“Don’t worry, Tiaro. This time, we just have to kidnap a really proper tourist.”

“Where are there people around here! I heard the people of Tarnholt are all beggars too.”

“It will work out somehow. A VIP will appear.”

“Ha― Fuck.”

The three moved to a place where outsiders were likely to appear. All three had familiar footsteps.

“But you know, Ellen.”

“What.”

“Why are you so obsessed with that tourism business?”

Tiaro added as if this was his chance.

“It’s not like you can only see the sea in Brakenport― Ha. Am I right? There are so many things we can do besides that, so why of all things……”

“What is there? Then you say it.”

At Ellen’s question, Tiaro thought for a long while and spoke.

“Slave trade? Our kidnapping skills are the best in Brakenport…….”

Tiaro stopped speaking and snapped his fingers repeatedly.

“……Whore procurement business! People are saying they are tired of the women on the Abandoned Port Street these days. We get new faces from the outside. Ellen, with your mug, the girls outside will also lose their minds and go heh-heh― and follow you around, right. If our kidnapping skills are added to that, this is totally― alive.”

Then McRay shouted abruptly.

“Fuck! I’m not doing it! I had a younger sister when I was little.”

“……Ah, right. That was so. Sorry.”

“Tiaro, you think a little before you blabber. Ellen had two. Younger sisters.”

Tiaro clamped his lips shut tight. His philtrum lengthened.

Ellen shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s okay, Tiaro. Well, I don’t even remember their faces now.”

“Tsk. Still, honestly sorry about this time. Well, anyway―”

Tiaro’s voice sank.

“……Why does it have to be the tourism business?”

McRay also subtly focused. Because he was also curious just the same.

Countless factions infested Brakenport.

Among them, only the groups that were allocated even a small district on the ‘Abandoned Port Street’ were recognized as an official faction, that is, a ‘Family’.

The bosses of each family decided on and operated their own means of making money, and it was an unwritten rule to offer a portion of those profits to the ruler of the port.

And once every year, anyone who was a boss of a family was given the qualification to challenge the position of ‘Ruler of the Port’. Conversely, demoting a faction with poor profits from the Family was solely the share of the Ruler of the Port.

The boss of the faction that was most recently promoted to a Family was called a ‘Rookie’, and that was Ellen right now.

So even for Tiaro and McRay, who were members of the Family, the success or failure of the business was a problem directly connected to their own lifelines.

“It’s something I’ve thought about for a very long time. That if I became a Family someday, I would definitely do business with this.”

Tiaro sighed quietly.

Ellen was a guy who definitely saw things through to the end once he decided.

Even more so, if it was an intention he had harbored for a long time, saying let’s quit wouldn’t work even a bit.

“They say the seaside scenery in Brakenport is the best in the Kingdom. The color of the seawater, the amount of sunlight falling, the strength of the waves, the weather, etcetera, they say the small parts that humans can’t even touch are perfect as if really crafted on purpose.”

“Who says such crap?”

“Old Man Luke.”

Tiaro scrubbed his face roughly. Fuck, that Old Man Luke again.

“I want to check if it’s real.”

“Everything is good, but I think there is no need to verify curiosity with business, I……”

Tiaro made a whining sound with a face like he was about to cry. Ellen roughly hugged Tiaro’s neck.

“Think carefully, Tiaro. If Old Man Luke’s words are right, then the words that I have talent in the sword also become true. Am I wrong?”

“……Old Man Luke said such things to you too? That you have talent in the sword?”

“He did. Even when he briefly regained his right mind a while ago, he said so.”

“……Was it indeed his right mind?”

“I’m telling you it’s right. Anyway, if I have talent in the sword, someone like Alkabang is not even a problem. Don’t you think so?”

Tiaro shut his eyes tight. Just where did it start to go wrong.

Ah―

“If only Old Man Luke hadn’t said wind-up words to you back then about having the head to become a knight or whatever…….”

“Uh, hey hey! Over there!”

Just then, McRay urgently poked the two with his elbow.

At the place where the three people’s gazes headed, three sturdy men were standing.

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