«All satisfaction, or what is commonly called happiness, is really and essentially negative.»
- Arthur Schopenhauer
Arc 2: Galleon City
The sun rose over Galleon City, the place known as the city of criminals and gangs. Galleon is considered the second-largest city in terms of both size and population, following the royal capital; therefore, it encompasses all social classes.
The northern part of the city was a neighborhood teeming with middle and upper-class residents, filled with merchants who came from various parts of the country with different goods to sell in that prosperous area. However, it was also crawling with thieves due to the police's negligence in their duties.
As for the southern part, it was divided into two sections: the first being the "Dark Quarters," which teemed with criminals, gangs, and the poor. The other section was the "Abandoned Zone"—as the name suggests, it was full of old, deserted buildings where no one lived, located at the southern borders and clinging to a massive mountain.
A clear river called the "Cloud River" flowed through the center of the city, so named because it reflected the image of the sky, which remained filled with clouds throughout the year. Although autumn was nearly over, the sky was clear, with only a few clouds that had slipped into the sky during the night.
***
In the northern region of the city, specifically in the prosperous market area where the shouts of merchants advertising their goods could be heard from miles away, stood an old tavern at the edge of the road. Tucked behind crowded merchant carts, the tavern was built in a classic wooden style that usually repelled customers.
Even though the sun had reached a great height in the sky, the interior of the tavern was extremely dark; the sunlight could barely seep inside to reveal what was within.
"Damn them!!"
A bloated, fat man sat at a worn-out table, a glass of red wine in his hand. He had only a few strands of hair on his rounded head, and signs of lethargy were prominent on his face. A response to his curse soon followed.
"Don't say that. In the end, that jewel stolen from you was stolen in the first place, which makes you safe for now."
The speaker was the tavern owner, whose features were not clearly visible due to the pitch darkness. He stood before the fat man, holding an empty glass and wiping it with a white towel. The fat man finished all the wine in his glass, slammed it hard against the table, and said:
"Don't say that, you bastard. There are rumors saying that Detective Farlock has taken this case."
In such major crimes—like jewel theft or the assassination of important figures or politicians, unlike the villagers who didn't even have a police station in their village—recourse would be made to the police and detectives.
Nevertheless, criminals never stopped their crimes, but fear and anxiety would shroud them upon hearing the name of the mysterious detective, "Farlock." He was the most famous detective in the world, having solved most of the cases he took on the moment he arrived. However, he remained human, and humans are by nature imperfect; there were a few cases too difficult for him to solve or that he could never crack.
The tavern owner laughed softly, then replied sarcastically.
"So, you are being hunted by a high-level detective and you're still here drinking? Truly, alcohol is a problem that leads to terrible addiction and ridiculous stupidity."
The fat man lowered his head slowly, prepared to deliver an affecting speech about drinking, but the sound of rapid footsteps cut off his thoughts. A man with long, messy black hair and vacant eyes entered the tavern. He wore a white robe decorated with a badge resembling a bare skull.
It was Shader—the person who had been embedded with the slave traders before parting ways with them and heading toward the city. Shader stepped forward with the same frozen expression. As he approached the tavern owner, the shape of his vacant eyes changed, returning to life along with a faint smile on his face.
"One bottle, as usual."
Without any delay or reply, the tavern owner moved into the darkness and pulled out a bottle filled with an orange-colored juice; it wasn't even wine or liquor. The owner tossed the bottle toward Shader, who caught it without even shifting his gaze.
"Is it okay to walk around the city in an outfit like this?"
Shader hid the bottle under his robe and shook his head directly, saying:
"No one will be able to see me. You know how talented I am at stealth..."
As soon as he finished speaking, he retraced his steps outside with light, quick strides. Throughout this brief conversation, the fat man was trying to restrain himself from screaming. It was true he was a thief, but he was at least not a member of the "Royal Skull" gang, which was famous for its heinous acts and crimes and had imposed its control for many years. This gang was what made Galleon City more dangerous than ever before.
***
Atop one of the towering buildings overlooking the vast city, a person leaned on his back, staring at the clear blue sky. It was Koji, the young man who had robbed "Scorpion," Sota's employer. His features showed sadness and anxiety, as well as fear, as if he were waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, a faint voice appeared behind him.
"Hey, Koji."
Koji jumped from his spot in terror. Once he raised his head to see the speaker, he relaxed slightly.
"You scared me, Shader!"
Shader was standing before Koji, carrying the bottle of juice he had taken from the tavern earlier. Koji quickly stepped forward and snatched it from his hand, saying:
"You took about two weeks on that mission of yours."
"It was a truly exhausting mission..."
Both were from the same gang, the Royal Skull gang, but the difference lay in their ranks. In that dominant gang, there were two primary ranks: the lower rank consisted of thieves whose sole goal was to steal and bring a certain amount of money to the headquarters on a specific day. Those in the higher rank were the ones who carried out specific missions and were distinguished by their bright white robes.
Like Shader and Yamikage.
"So, how are things?"
Shader asked, but he did not expect Koji's features to turn to anger.
"That bastard Yamikage... since he brought that sword to the headquarters, he has become a conceited person. He kills and insults whomever he wishes, and no one speaks a word to him."
Shader gave Koji a faint smile and turned to leave, saying:
"Then you should prepare yourself so you don't get killed by his hand or someone else's. I believe today is Delivery Day, so get yourself ready."
Koji's frown deepened more and more. This day, called "Delivery Day," was considered one of the worst days he spent in his life.