Volume 3 Chapter 46: Banned【Assassination Organization Arc】

The royal capital is a place bathed in brilliant light.
It is the most prosperous, most populous, and best organized city in the kingdom.

There is also the noble council—a body regarded as the core of the nation—making this city the true center of the realm.
Where the light shines so brightly, the shadows it casts grow deeper.

Where there are many people, disparities inevitably arise.
A prime example is the slums.

In the back alleys just off the glittering main streets, one can see people with bowed heads or sitting on the ground.
They are those positioned at the lower levels of this royal capital.

Unable to work and without any protection, they live each day purely out of inertia.
In their desperate struggle to survive, even fights over meager food supplies sometimes turn deadly.

Murder, looting, theft, intimidation.
Every conceivable crime takes place, and with it, death.

In these areas, the security forces rarely intervene.
Even if they did, there would be no benefit to the nation since these people pay no taxes.

Thus, what is known as a lawless zone is formed.
Such areas become the perfect hiding places for those with dark intentions.

Even in the slums of the royal capital, these individuals gather—and many groups are formed.
This underworld, composed of such shady figures and secret organizations, came to be known as the underworld society.

“Did you hear about the major change on the surface?”

Those who control this underworld had gathered.
It is no different for powerful ruling factions—whether on the surface or in the shadows—to meet and collude.

When titanic forces clash, the impact is immeasurable.
For the sake of each other, and for society and order, such meetings occur in every world.

“Yeah, that Kelphine has fallen, right?”
“One of the four great nobles has been crushed. Who would have expected that?”

Their conversation naturally centered on the downfall of Kelphine.
The collapse of one of the four great noble houses sent shockwaves not only through surface society but also through the underworld.

“Who did it? Could it have been one of the other four great nobles?”
“It seems they lent a hand, but the ringleader was none other than a local noble.”
“Not even a court noble?”

The noble council, notorious for its constant probing and power struggles, would have understood if Kelphine had been toppled from within.
Yet the one who actually accomplished it was a completely external force.
A local noble—one who should never have even set foot in the noble council—pulled it off, and that is truly astonishing.

“So, what’s the point of all this?”
“You idiots. Are you planning to live in the underworld forever?”
“What?”

A dangerous, tense atmosphere filled the air.
Although the meeting was meant to avoid a major clash, minor skirmishes were frequent.

In the underworld, the struggle for survival is even more fierce.
Even a careless word could turn the place into a sea of blood, and tension ran high.

“Sure, living is fine, but if we expand our influence further, we can draw in more money and manpower. The scale of operations on the surface far exceeds that of the underworld.”
“…You’re not actually planning on stepping into the light, are you?”

A woman cast a dubious look.
It is true that everything on the surface is far grander than in the underworld.

If you want to make money, it would be better to operate above ground.
But having lived in the underworld all your life, you don’t even know how to survive in surface society.

“There’s no way we can thrive on the surface. Even if we don’t go there, we can force the surface types to yield in the underworld.”
“If it’s just a half-hearted opponent, it means nothing. We’d be crushed by the four great nobles.”
“And those four great nobles have no need to ally with us either. They have their own forces and intelligence networks.”

True to their underworld ways, they intend to force surface people—through threats—to follow their orders.
It is easy to say, but matters won’t progress that smoothly.

It is possible to create a puppet.
They have enough violence at their disposal for that.

However, if that puppet isn’t competent, even controlling it won’t yield any benefit.
Even if one is created, if it acts too boldly, it will be crushed by the four great nobles—the true dons of the surface.

Yet they cannot simply sell themselves to the four great nobles.
The nobles already have their own pool of personnel capable of handling the kind of underworld work we undertake.
Teaming up with us, who bear our own dark reputations, would only expose them and bring greater disadvantages.

So then, what kind of person is fit to be our puppet?

“Someone who has considerable influence on the surface yet doesn’t have as solid a foundation as the four great nobles.”
“Such a convenient person…”
“There is—someone who has just recently come into being.”

All eyes turned toward him.
The man grinned savagely.

“Balor Apophis. Let’s make him our puppet.”

◆

“Achoo, achoo!!”

A magnificent sneeze burst forth.
It’s been a long time since I had one this impressive.

They say the reason I’m sneezing is that someone’s been spreading rumors about me.
Heh, because I’m handsome.

I’m sure all the ladies in the royal capital are buzzing about it.
After all, I am handsome.

Geez, what a nuisance.
I’m only interested in women who can support me and manage their estates.

I’m sorry.

“…But all the tea got on me?”

When I turned toward that voice, I found Nanashi inexplicably drenched all over.
Her black hair was tied up in a bun and she was wearing a long apron dress—she looked every bit the perfect maid.

Well, her eyes were so jet black they seemed to absorb all the light, oozing a certain eerie aura.
But why is she wet?

Ah, perhaps it’s because I was drinking tea right up until my sneeze.
Teehepero.

“Consider it a reward. Be happy.”
“I’m not Ashvin or Izun, you know? Go die.”
“Hold on a sec. Hand-to-hand combat is a bad idea.”

Nanashi lunged at me.
“You little— I’m the master!”

Unlike Ashvin, Nanashi is rather frail.
She’s small and won’t be able to overpower anyone with ease.

That said, I’m pretty weak myself.
After all, I’m a hybrid who never lifts a weight.

So when we end up grappling, we surprisingly put up a pretty good fight.
It’s tough.

…By the way, do Ashvin and Izun really enjoy getting tea sprayed all over their faces?
That’s pretty damn dangerous, isn’t it…?

“Hey, long time no see… what are you doing?”

While I was still mulling that over amid our tussle, the door creaked open.
In walked Artemis.

Her black hair cascaded in waves instead of being tied up like Nanashi’s.
She’s a delinquent maid.

Attached to her head were animal ears that bobbed about.
Her golden eyes sparkled with curiosity.

The way her tail swayed about made it clear she was extremely intrigued.
Why is she here, anyway?

“Uh… maybe I’m practicing self-defense?”

She offered an excuse that was painfully weak.
When a master and his maid are grappling, what does self-defense practice even mean?

“I was being attacked by the master. For the sake of this plump, irresistibly sexy maid…”
“Are you hallucinating or something?”

I almost started to tear up.
Plump? Sexy?

What on earth in Nanashi has those qualities?
Maybe she’s on some dangerous drugs.

This is a firing offense, isn’t it…?

“By the way, what’s up, Artemis? It’s rare to see you so active.”
“Are you saying that Myaa is always slacking off, nya?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh… you agreed so easily… And from the employer, too… Fired, huh?”

No way. I won’t fire you.
I’ve grown rather fond of Artemis, even with her tendency to slack off.

People with personalities like that tend to draw criticism and become elusive.
But if she keeps slacking off, I simply won’t tolerate it.

Only I can afford to slack off indefinitely—
because someone has to work in my stead.

“To avoid getting fired, you need to work, nya.”
“Work?”
“A message from those tanned breasts, nya.”

Breasts?
Nanashi is off the list.

I immediately ruled out the maid who was grappling as a candidate.
Tanned, you say… That must be Ashvin.

“Ouch! Stop scratching me!”

Nanashi suddenly dug her nails into my hand.
This girl… she’s pinching so hard it’s drawing blood…!

What kind of maid assaults her master?

“Can I say it, nya?”
“Yeah.”

After I decided on a three-month salary cut for Nanashi, I awaited Artemis’s words.
She looked at me, smiled sweetly, and said:

“Please don’t come back for a while, nya.”