Mr. Deabolica, the doctor has requested a meeting. He also sent an envelope earlier.
Deabolica's fingers, which were working on paperwork, paused for a moment when he heard his subordinate's report.
But he immediately resumed writing and gave orders without looking up.
"Permission granted. Summarize."
"I... I demand an explanation for yesterday's commotion."
The doctor's letter continues:
The head of the family has invited me to stay in this rural area, and it is extremely regrettable that such an uneducated commoner has encroached on my duties. What's more, it is said that this commoner is under the command of Lord Deabolica. Unless I am given a sufficient explanation, I will assume that Lord Deabolica has rebellious intentions and will not hesitate to negotiate directly with the head of the family.
Furthermore, according to rumors, the outcast claimed to be an angel. I believe this is a very serious religious matter. I have a friend in the royal capital who is religious and a member of the Holy National Church, and I would love to discuss this with him.
Based on the above, we request payment of compensation.
"Damn swindler!"
Deabolica lost his temper and dropped his pen on the desk; ink flew out of the tip and stained the document black, but he ignored it and slammed his fist on it.
What do you want with your charlatan duties when you've never cured a single patient? If my mother hadn't hired you, I would have kicked you out of this town long ago! And now you even threaten me, you filthy trash...!
Deabolica roared, blue veins protruding from his forehead to his jaw.
Deabolica had always detested the doctor in question. He was an incompetent failure who only excelled at flattering the powerful and looking after his own well-being, imposing false treatments on others. When she was a child and fell ill with a cold, the doctor prescribed emetics and an enema, assuring her that this would expel the toxins from her body. Since then, she had flatly refused to be treated by him again. The combination of malnutrition and illness left Deabolica on the verge of death. Of course,
most of those who call themselves doctors in the Naropa region are of the same caliber, so replacing him with another would make no difference.
That doctor, who loved money more than his patients' health, had probably made that threat thinking that she, who ran the adventurers' guild, would be able to squeeze a lot of money out of him.
However, Deabolica has no money at the moment.
When she explained the whole story to her mother, the feudal lord, she said, "Yuji, the cause of this incident, was about to be turned into a political prisoner. The true nature of the angel's miracle, which is so often talked about, is the cure of various ailments. He is a talented alchemist, and we must keep him alive. As proof of this, Yuuji has been administering cures he has invented with alchemy to the citizens, earning 50 gold coins as medical fees, and has offered to donate the entire amount as compensation for this incident."
That's a big lie.
Yuuji was not an alchemist, and he had only earned 1,500 silver coins or 15 gold coins. The remaining 35 came from secret funds that Deabolica had been desperately saving behind the head of the family's back. It was a heartbreaking blow to Deabolica. But 15 gold coins were nowhere near enough to move his mother, and Deabolica had to make up the difference.
There is nothing that money cannot buy, not even life.
Since she had already bribed the lady, it would be fine for the doctor to make false accusations, but it would be a pity if religious figures in the capital helped him. In nine out of ten cases, it was almost certain that the doctor was bluffing, but in the remaining case, it would be a pity if the lady knew.
This is because the Great Vrishab Empire experienced great internal turmoil several decades ago, triggered by a religious conflict, with civil wars breaking out, the parliament expelling the king, members of parliament destroying each other and causing more civil wars, and the situation spiraled out of control, leading to the king who was supposed to have been expelled abdicating and being asked to return: an extremely chaotic period of turmoil.
Currently, the country enjoys a certain degree of stability under the King's rule, but as a result, religious matters have become very sensitive. It is impossible for a disruptive element who proclaims himself an angel and incites the people to plan a coup d'état to go unnoticed.
Yuuji had not proclaimed himself an angel, he had simply been consecrated, so the lord showed little mercy. The people had become too excited after being manipulated by a con artist, and Deabolica was going to put him under observation.
The fact that this city was a fortified city in the countryside meant that the feudal lord's family could easily control information, which benefited them. If this had been a large city with many people coming and going, it would have been impossible to deceive the religious figures. And so, Yuji's head was hanging by a thread, or at least...
(...Wouldn't it be easier to just erase him after all...?)
Deabolica rested his head on the desk, going over the same questions that had been popping up over and over again since yesterday.
Without a doubt, he is a unique and valuable being in this world. Being able to cure any illness with a simple wave of his hand is truly the reincarnation of an angel. He said that he hadn't cured her, but only eliminated the symptoms, and that complete recovery would take some time, but his ability to cure illnesses is incomparable to that of that shoddy doctor.
The problem is that he is a real human being. He is also a troublemaker, a weirdo with no empathy whatsoever. He is a naive idiot, but sometimes his mind is so quick that it is impossible to predict his actions. He is an unusual boy with a kind appearance, slim and muscular, with a sex appeal that makes the members of the guild compete to make him their husband, which is senseless ferocity. Well, it's 90% Deabolica's fault for inciting them.
Let me explain!
The three most important sexual attractions of Vrishavian women are their exotic black hair, their slim and muscular build, and their kindness. (According to the Great Census of the Vrishavian Empire)
Just as normal men admire blonde beauties, Vrishavian women, tired of seeing blonde and red hair, adore jet black! Even in another world, the grass is always greener!
And since they have a strong desire to reproduce, it's really attractive to see their kind expressions and culinary skills, as if they want to love and raise your child! Just as a loser otaku would say, "You are my wife," a Vrishavian woman will say, "I will make you my whore.
Yuuji, who possesses all three elements, is like a saint with shiny blonde hair, a sculpted body, and a simple personality in our world: like most fantasy, the ideal man!
He has flaws, such as being naive and stupid, but in the eyes of a virgin-obsessed idiot monkey, this is interpreted favorably as an innocent boy who can be molded to his liking as much as he wants. It's just like how men in our world welcome a pretty, sexy, simple, and kind girl, even if she's a little dumb! In fact, there's even a demand for naive girls, like, "I can train them to suit my preferences, hehehe!"≫
By the way, Deabolica finds Yuuji very attractive, but she has no desire to sleep with him. She doesn't want to make a fool of herself and become related to a troublemaker, and fame and power are much more valuable to Deabolica than sexual love.
If he had no personality and was just a machine that healed according to my orders, I wouldn't have worried so much. Ah, I wonder if there's any way to force him to do what I want. Is there any way to erase his personality with poison, magic, or something like that?
...The moment she thought that way, Deabolica was undoubtedly an evil person.
If she can't bend him to her will, she has no choice but to try to maintain control or get rid of him. She had just begged the head of the family to spare his life, but burying him was the easiest solution.
Furthermore, there was no way to turn Yuuji's abilities into money. The doctors were strict about their territory and couldn't stand the idea of him being used as the leader of another coup, so they could no longer use his abilities in this city. They had thought of a way to make money, but they didn't have the necessary contacts to put it into practice.
Deabolica's position was simply that of the third daughter of the lord of a local city. Within the territory, she could behave like a princess, but to other nobles, she was just the third daughter without a title, and not even the heiress. She didn't have a significant presence. Rural aristocrat
And for a young woman from the rural aristocracy, Yuji's presence was too much for her. Of course, she would never admit it even if someone pointed it out to her, but the fact that she unconsciously thought about eliminating Yuji showed the limits of her ability.
In any case, Deabolica is under pressure from the doctor's threats and needs to find the money quickly. He must be prepared to take risks he would not normally take. And the one who will give him this opportunity to make money is Yuji. Although there is currently no way to convert his money into cash, Yuji's ability is a huge gold mine that could generate infinite wealth.
He faces two choices: eliminate Yuji and ensure his own safety, or swallow the deadly poison that is Yuji and use him as a tool to achieve his ambitions.
(Kill him or let him live...)
As Deabolica thought distractedly about this, he looked down at his desk and the door to his office suddenly opened. Wes opened the door and looked inside.
Diabólica, there's a client. Please see to him immediately.
Clients? If you're a client who arrives without an appointment, just turn him away. I'm busy cleaning up after yesterday's incident.
"Unfortunately."
"Ah, that's fine. I'm sorry, but I'll just come in."
Wes bowed in response to his visitor's words and opened his office door wide to let him in.
The man who entered was an elderly man. He wore a finely tailored tailcoat, a top hat, and carried a cane. He wore formal attire that would make any man anywhere proud, and his face, which must have been over 60 years old, exuded a deep dignity.
"Old Goldon..."
"Excuse my sudden visit, ma'am. Please forgive this rudeness as a favor for dismissing yesterday's meeting."
He was what Yuji called a "slum grandpa."
However, his appearance was completely different from the worn-out loungewear he wore yesterday. Not only his clothes, but also his piercing gaze full of vitality seemed like a completely different person from the exhausted old man who yesterday seemed as weak as rotten wood.
However, Deabolica knows that the figure in front of him is more like him.
Old Goldon, a great man who lurks in the slums.
He is the king of the poor, controlling the slums of several cities, providing food, shelter, and security to those who have nowhere to go, while also making huge profits from trafficking and smuggling weapons and drugs.
Although smuggling and illicit trafficking are crimes, many nobles could not manage their businesses or maintain public order without them. Therefore, their existence is ignored as a necessary evil, and they are called "Dark Guilds" or "Thieves' Guilds."
Goldon's predecessor was a nobleman known for his skill despite being a man. However, when many nobles were overthrown in a coup d'état known as the Glorious Revolution twelve years ago, he also lost his territory and became a free man.
However, he did not lose heart and achieved success in the underworld, and it is said that he now has more wealth than he did as a nobleman.
A few years ago, he suffered a leg injury and stopped appearing in public. It was said that he had lost the energy and vitality he once had. Deabolica had only seen him in person once, and at that time considered him a "broken man" with the look of an old, sallow dog...
(What is all this? What a look he has! Is this the old man who was ill until yesterday?)
Goldon stroked his long, well-groomed beard as he watched Deabolica intently. He seemed to have the gaze of an experienced art collector, appreciating it from all angles. Feeling uncomfortable, Deabolica forced a friendly smile.
My goodness, Mr. Goldon! You seem to be feeling much better today. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know. I'm sure it's been a while since you've been out in the sun, but it must be hard for you.
A rough translation of Deabolika's words would be: "Don't let a criminal who lives in the shadows come to visit the guild. What if he suspects you?" This is the typical sarcastic comment of a great nobleman from Vrishab.
Well, my leg is much better now. I owe it all to that angel in your guild. I came today to express my gratitude. I didn't expect this to happen.
Goldon's gaze became as sharp as an unsheathed sword.
"You're not thinking that because it got out of control we should pretend it never happened, are you?"
"..."
Deabolica's hair stood on end instantly. Even though it was already autumn, she felt cold sweat slowly running down her sides.
"No way. He's a capable person. Getting rid of him would be..."
If that's the case, I hope so; it's just an old man's concern. Well, I heard a rumor that the head of the family received 50 gold coins as compensation from his daughter. That's about three times what he earned in medical expenses, so where did that money come from? If that's what made him decide not to keep him under his control, then it's a minor problem... I thought.
Goldon had a kind smile befitting his age, but Deabolica felt as if he were being cornered.
What kind of rumors are you talking about, old man? How could a secret conversation between his mother become a rumor? This old man knew everything. He even knew that Deabolica would be unable to deal with Yuuji, and was already considering eliminating him.
I have endured many hardships in life. Of course, losing my fortune and being denied honor was painful. But what I found most unbearable was society's coldness toward those who had been expelled from their former status. Everyone was cruel to me and my daughters; we had nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep, and sometimes we waited outside the city, shivering with cold, for dawn to break. Over time, we began to gather others who had lost their homes and give them food, but our hearts always returned to that dark and cold night.
The old man closed his eyes and spoke at length.
Only him. Only he treated us like human beings. Our hearts have finally been able to welcome the dawn. We, the outcasts, will never forget the kindness we have received. If we were to forget even that kindness, we would lose our human pride and stray from the path. We know this, which is why we cling to kindness. To live as people, we must respect our fellow human beings. He reminded us of this.
Goldon's eyes widened and he spoke in a stronger tone.
If you dare to harm such a benefactor out of your pettiness... we will not hesitate to take revenge. No matter what it takes, we will take revenge on every last one of you.
"Ha... ha ha ha. It's just a hypothesis, isn't it?"
Goldon nodded slightly as Deabolica's clothes were soaked with cold sweat.
"Of course. But you know this is no joke, right?"
This was before Old Goldon came to this city and lost the use of his legs.
His beloved granddaughter, whom he had chosen as his successor for the next generation, fell ill with a fever.
However, the doctor employed by the family rejected repeated requests from Goldon, a slum dweller, and the granddaughter died without receiving any medical treatment.
Two days later, the doctor's body was discovered in a pigsty, his body covered with countless marks from iron nails and his fingers and toes licked by goats.
The young Deabolica at the time had no idea what had happened between his mother and Goldon, but he had been told never to anger the old man.
Now that he has grown up, Deabolica is about to confront the reason for this.
Don't worry, I have no intention of resorting to violence. However, as for the boxes we sell to this city... we have received repeated requests from other cities to increase the volume of transactions. I am thinking about what to do. Perhaps it is time to reconsider the volume of transactions.
"Wait a minute. I told you I have no intention of hurting Yuji. The reason for the reduction in trade volume is..."
"What? It's just something I think. Just like what you're doing to him, right?"
"Ingredient..."
The "box" is a keyword and refers to the cargo being smuggled.
Deabólica was involved in smuggling through a dark guild. With the flexible private army of the Adventurers' Guild, smuggling was a very easy way to make money.
The hole in the castle wall that the slum children used to hunt horned rabbits was not made by them. It was a route prepared by Deabolica for the dark and adventurer guilds to transport goods. The children simply stumbled upon the hole.
Of course, this was kept from her mother. If it were discovered, even the daughter would face severe punishment. After all, she didn't know that she was smuggling customs duties that should have been hers. However, it was also true that the city prospered thanks to this smuggling.
Merchant guilds handle official imports and exports between cities, but dark guilds that have influence in many cities offer a wider selection of goods than merchant guilds: food, weapons, medicine, magical items, and even prohibited goods such as drugs.
If the Dark Guild restricted the volume of trade, the damage it would cause to Deabolica would not only be the inability to accumulate wealth. The amount of goods circulating in the city would decrease, hindering commercial activity. If the feudal lord became suspicious and investigated, this would lead to the downfall of Deabolica.
It would be easy for Goldon to end Deabolica's fate without resorting to violence.
"What does the old man want me to do...?"
Don't worry. Reevaluating the volume of operations means that there is a possibility of increasing it. If you are generous enough to agree to our modest request, we will fully support your ambitions.
"Ambitions?"
Deabolica's heart skipped a beat.
No, it's okay. I'm sure you've never talked about your secret ambitions. People still think you're just accumulating money for your own benefit.
I have old friends here. I have connections not only with many municipal governments, but also with titled nobles. Even with people close to the king.
"...Do you want me to use Yuji to get close to them?"
There are many sick people, regardless of their social status. They would be willing to pay any amount of money to be free from the pain of illness... I'm sure they would be grateful. Then you could win favor with the nobles of the central government.
Goldon leaned forward and looked Deabolica in the eye.
You want to enter the political world, don't you? As the third daughter of a provincial lord, you don't want to disappear into anonymity. You don't just want to remain the leader of the adventurers' guild. You want to make a name for yourself and leave your mark on history. Isn't that your ambition, Deabolica?
Why would I have to do that? Deabolica swallowed hard.
I've never told anyone. Even my mother and sisters probably just think I aspire to become the successor to this territory.
No way! I don't need this rural territory. I want to aspire to more. I have inexhaustible talent, and the only place I can make use of it is the Central Council. Realizing that the old man had guessed his ambition, Deabolica clenched his fist.
Goldon's expression softened, and he took on the gentle, kind look of an old man.
"Well, at my age, I understand. I've seen eyes burning with ambition like yours many times. I had those eyes too.
"...What do you want in return?"
As long as he's safe, that's enough for me. That's right... Then, as proof that he's safe, I'd like to invite him to my house once a month and treat him well. Many people in the slums would also like to meet him. I'm sure everyone would be happy.
Deabolica snorted in response to Goldon's words.
"Any hospitality you can offer will suffice. You're gathering those who can't see a doctor and having Yuji treat them, right?"
We'll limit the number of people to about ten, and only those with serious illnesses. If that person seems tired, we'll respect their condition.
Deabolica, sensing weakness in Goldon's words, suddenly flashes a bold smile.
"After all, you are a noble. What happened to the speech you gave yesterday in front of everyone?"
If you want to move many people, you have to use skillful means. Besides, the feelings I expressed in that speech were my own.
"Well, all right. It will give us peace of mind if we can see your true face a little better. Let's settle this with that agreement."
"Thank you for your generosity."
Goldon chuckled as he bowed deeply to Deabolica.
If you want others to do what you want, it's best to take the initiative and choose the only option available. And if it costs nothing, there's no need. I'll bow as much as you want, even to a young woman who thinks she's a genius.
That's how he motivates people, even when he was a marquis despite being a man, when he was demoted and reduced to commoner status, and even now that he has returned to power as the head of a criminal organization.
Even a talented young woman, full of ambition, is nothing more than an immature child in the face of cunning tactics honed over decades.
Goldon was also well aware of Deabolica's tendency to belittle others if they showed the slightest weakness. Although her character was somewhat questionable, Goldon believed that her talent as a guide for Yuji was more than enough.
What was unexpected was that Deabolica was short on money for reasons Goldon still did not know, and that her bad habit of belittling others had gone too far.
At the time, Goldon could not have imagined that this meeting would later lead to a situation that almost turned the city into a sea of blood.