A new month had begun, and the rumor spread perfectly.
Inside the mansion, a small group had gathered. Norax leaned against the wall, observing quietly.
Celstia appeared beside him, walking with a man who looked completely ordinary—thanks to his disguise.
The man bowed deeply.
"Honored to meet you personally, sir," he said.
Celstia smiled, nodding proudly.
"Master, as you instructed, this group is the best choice. They're capable and suited for the work," she said.
Norax turned his gaze toward the man, analyzing him carefully.
"Good job, Celstia, thanks for work" he said, his voice calm but approving.
The man straightened, waiting for Norax's next words, clearly aware he was under scrutiny.
Norax's eyes flicked between Celstia and the man.
though his mind was already calculating how to deploy them.
Norax looked at the man for a long moment. Then he sighed.
"Celstia, you can go now," he said.
Celstia nodded once.
"Yes, Master."
She turned and left the room, the door closing softly behind her.
The silence became heavy.
Norax pushed himself off the wall and faced the man properly.
"Listen carefully," Norax said. "The first task I'm going to give you is… painful and a little bit problematic task so if no one wants to do it I can't force okay"
The man stiffened.
"If you don't want it, you can reject it now, and i will search for someone celstia chose so before i say anything i want to know about your decision " Norax continued calmly.
The man clenched his fist, then looked up.
"Sir, it's fine," he said firmly. "Me and my team are Blue Crescent member. We trust your judgment. After you lead us from that gutter to here right now so please don't say that sir "
Norax studied his eyes. No hesitation. No fear.
"I see, thanks for your all support" Norax said.
He reached into his coat and pulled out a folded map, placing it on the table.
The man stepped closer.
Six locations were marked in red. Bars, warehouses, and back-alley buildings.
Norax tapped the map once.
"These are hangout places of a red society, members have usual stay and enjoy" he said.
The man frowned slightly but stayed silent.
"I want you to pick fights with them," Norax continued. "Real fights like the old underworld before the peace agreement"
The man's eyes widened just a little.
"But—"
Norax raised a finger.
"Listen until the end."
The man swallowed and nodded.
"You will fight on both sides," Norax said. "But make sure our side gets injured more than theirs "
The man looked confused now. Worried.
"…On purpose?" he asked carefully.
"Yes," Norax replied without emotion.
The man opened his mouth, then closed it again. He chose not to question.
Norax added, "I'll take care of all medical bills. Compensation too and if things go south i will take full responsibility"
That eased the man slightly.
Then Norax's voice hardened.
"One more thing," he said. "No matter what happens—do not hit first."
The man straightened and placed his fist over his chest.
"Understood," he said.
Norax turned his gaze back to the map.
"Let the rumors grow on their own."he says slowly
The man looked at Norax.
"Sir… may I ask one final thing?"
Norax met his gaze.
"Sure. If I'm able to answer, I will."
The man nodded slowly.
"The rumor is spreading across the whole underworld right now…" he said. "Is it true that the Red Society tried to kill you? Because in the underworld people are worried about you in our area my little sister was also"
He paused.
"We don't know the truth. We don't even know where the rumor started. That's why I was curious and also the attack' on the opening ceremony was shocked for other"
Norax looked at him in silence for a moment.
Then he spoke clearly.
"Yes, it's true and i have proof also for that" Norax said.
The man's eyes widened.
"So At the opening ceremony, the attack that happened," Norax continued, "was sent by the Red Society."
The man froze. His body stiffened, and his breath shook.
So it was real.how dare they attack on our saviour he thought
A few seconds later, he straightened his back and stood proudly.
"Thank you for answering my question, sir," he said firmly. "I will do as you said and complete the task no matter what happened you can count on us "
Norax nodded.
"Good," he said. "You have one week so do slowly so they don't suspect you"
He then added calmly,
"And if possible, use the rumor itself to pick the fights i bet those thugs also piss off because of the rumour. "
The man listened carefully.
Norax said, his voice turning cold, "make sure no one dies. On both sides this is not war if those guys do too much retreat"
The man placed his fist over his chest once more.
"Yes, sir."
After the man left, the room became quiet.
Norax leaned back slightly and sighed.
he thought.
The plan was already moving. Rumors, small fights, injured people, fear spreading little by little. Nothing fatal. Just enough to shake things.
He lowered his gaze.
"But what choice do I have?" Norax say
<@Applepie's task echoed in his mind.
— Take control of the underworld in six months>
Six months
That meant he couldn't hesitate. He couldn't be soft i
"I need to do everything, so less people hurt" Norax said quietly to himself.
No one knew about the future he wrote and the effect of the decision on fate of the world he created>
They would only see chaos slowly rising.
Norax closed his eyes for a moment.
Then he opened them, calm and cold.
Next day in underworld, deep in the underworld, one of the Red Society's bars was lively as usual.
Dim lights hung from the ceiling. The smell of alcohol and sweat mixed together. Rough voices echoed everywhere.
Several underworld people were sitting around wooden tables, laughing loudly. Red Society members leaned against the walls, arms crossed, red marks on their collars showing their affiliation.
"This place never changes," one man scoffed, lifting his glass.
A moment later, the door opened.
A group of unfamiliar people walked in. Their clothes were simple, nothing flashy. They didn't look strong at first glance.
One of the Red Society members glanced over and frowned.
"Oi. This is Red Society territory,who the heck are you" he said coldly.
The man at the front of the group stopped. He raised both hands slowly.
"Relax. We're just here to drink, I hear there is good liquor brother" he said.
The Red Society member laughed.
"Drink? In our bar? With that beggar looks"
People around started watching. The atmosphere became heavy.
Another Red Society member stood up, pushing his chair back.
"Didn't you hear him? Get out before something bad happens. You beggars "
The man from the group smiled faintly.
"We don't want trouble. And we are from blue Crescent don't worry we have good money"
But as they moved toward an empty table, one of the Red Society members "accidentally" bumped into them, spilling alcohol onto the floor.
"Watch where you're going," he said, clicking his tongue.
The man from the group clenched his fist, then relaxed it.
"We'll pay for the drink," he said quietly.
That calm response only made the Red Society members laugh.
"What a joke."
"Are they scared? Well they are blue Crescent that' kid was leader for them"
Then someone shoved him from behind.
The table fell. Glass shattered.
The bar went silent for half a second—
And then fists started flying.
"Hey! They started it! From bar" someone shouted.
Chairs broke. Bottles crashed.
The unfamiliar group defended themselves, but they held back. They took more hits than they gave. Blood soon stained the floor.
"Bastards! Go and cry to your little boss" a Red Society member yelled, kicking one of them down.
Even so, no one drew a weapon. No one aimed to kill.
By the time the noctis guards arrived, the group was badly injured, while the Red Society members only had minor wounds.
People whispered among themselves.
"Did you hear? Those guys fight"
"Red Society beat them badly. I saw them"
"They say those guys were connected to Norax…"
The rumor began to spread—quietly, but fast.
The same kind of trouble started appearing in other places or day of the underworld.
At a gambling den near the Black Alley.
Dice rolled on the table. Coins clinked. The air was thick with smoke.
A small group entered, calm and quiet. They placed coins on the table and joined the game.
A Red Society man narrowed his eyes.
"New faces?"
One of them nodded.
"Just passing through. From here "
They lost on purpose. Again and again.
Someone laughed loudly.
"These idiots don't know how to gamble."
When one of them stood up to leave, a chair was kicked into his leg.chair hit red society man "sorry" he say and try to leave but the red society man grab his shoulder
"Leaving already? After hit me with chair "
They didn't strike first. Argument start
But punches came anyway.
By the end, the floor was stained red. The group was carried out half-conscious.
People whispered.
"Red Society again."
"They're getting violent lately. Are they forgot peace agreement"
Near the harbor district, inside a cheap tavern.
Sailors drank loudly.
The group entered and ordered food. They sat quietly in the corner and talking about rumour
A Red Society member threw a knife onto their table.
"Wrong place, you what are you talking about our gang didn't do anything" he said.
One of the group slowly pushed the knife back.
"We don't want trouble. Sir"
That answer annoyed them.
A punch landed. Then another.
The group defended, but never chased. Never countered hard.
When it ended, they were bleeding, while Red Society men stood tall.
Someone muttered,
"They really are hunting Norax's people why didn't they fighting back."
"shut up they hear you and we all know Norax was man of patience "
In a small warehouse district bar.
Same story.
Cold stares.
Mocking words.
A shove.
The group endured it all.
By nightfall, rumors flooded the streets.
"Red Society attacked again those. Are they fine "
"They're targeting those just Blue Crescent. Member was come here to enjoy the time i think the rumour was right about red society"
"They don't fear consequences what the garron steeljaw doing. I think he also part of this violence"
Far away, inside his office, Norax read the reports quietly.
No smile.
No anger.
Just calm eyes.
The noise has started.
He leaned back slightly.
"Good, public opinion change cesltia told me they were good actor but i didn't expect the one week is really enough for that" he muttered.
The underworld was beginning to move.
Meanwhile, the next wave moved with words before fists.
Inside a narrow bar near the Gray Market.
The group entered slowly. They didn't hide their voices this time.
One of them spoke casually, loud enough for nearby tables.
"Did you hear? Red Society tried to assassinate Lord Norax during the opening ceremony of that shop."
Another sighed.
"Yeah. Failed badly, but now they're cleaning traces."
Glasses paused mid-air.
A Red Society man at the counter twitched.
"Watch your mouth."
The group turned calmly.
"We're just repeating what everyone is saying."
Another member added,
"They say Red Society started attacking Blue Crescent members first. This day"
Chairs scraped.
"So you're calling us murderers?"
"No," the man replied slowly.
"Just saying… everyone already believes it."
That sentence lit the fuse.
A bottle flew.
The group didn't move first.
The Red Society charged.
At a street food alley in the Lower Ring.
Same method.
One of the group laughed lightly.
"Funny how Red Society acts innocent now."
Then violence.
The rumor was repeated again.
Calm voices.
Soft smiles.
Of normal residence of underworld
"Red Society struck first."
"They tried to kill Norax."
"They're scared now, that's why they attack. What crazy people"
Each time, Red Society reacted the same way.
On the the group of blue Crescent
Anger before reason.
Fists before words.
By the end of the week, the underworld had its conclusion.
Red Society was aggressive.
Red Society attacked first.
Red Society was out of control.
Inside Blue Crescent Mansion, Norax listened to the final report.
He closed his eyes briefly.
"The board is set, those people is really doing better job even some people find suspicious no one believe that" he said calmly.
And the underworld believed it blue Crescent was victim red society was criminal who broke peace agreement in underworld