The butler takes his revenge
The Libra Trading Company's headquarters was situated on a prime spot facing the main street of the royal capital. Deitrich and his companions were escorted to the top floor of the building, where they found themselves in the reception room. It was in this room that they met with Selpan, the head of the trading company. This building was a hub for people from various backgrounds, including merchants dealing in goods from all over, as well as nobles seeking unique items, whether they were from the kingdom or beyond.
"I'm really grateful. We had trouble finding these items locally. The Libra Trading Company is well-known as the best in the kingdom."
"No, no, it's our job to provide what our customers want, so this is quite normal for us."
While Luke, the central figure in this situation, carried on with negotiations, Dietrich, one of his subordinates, observed the scene and examined the items on the table out of the corner of his eye.
The items on display were all rare magical tools available exclusively in the Empire. However, every single one of them was commonly found among civilians. To be honest, Dietrich could easily acquire these items without relying on such a trading company.
Their visit's real purpose wasn't the items themselves; it was to lure out the man sitting across from them. It seemed their plan was working well. The company's president, Selpan, seemed to regard them as esteemed clients, and the negotiations with Luke were progressing smoothly.
The reason they resorted to such an extravagant display of expensive goods was because they had recently received a report from their homeland. It mentioned that the Empire's chief magical engineer had clandestine connections to this trading company. As the chief magical engineer, he possessed extensive information, from the construction to the weaknesses of the Empire's military magical tools. If the secrets he held were exposed or leaked, it could disrupt the military balance between the two nations. Hence, Dietrich had to undertake this investigation in person.
(Dealing with him can be quite a challenge.)
Dietrich couldn't help but wear a wry smile as he considered the situation, which included his subordinate.
He was undoubtedly a brilliant inventor of numerous magical tools, but it could be said that his genius came with a flaw—he would stop at nothing to achieve his inventions.
That's why Dietrich, who recognized his talent, had provided him with the best possible environment and even secured his position as the Empire's chief magical engineer. Given all this, it was rather perplexing that he would seek connections with foreign trading companies.
However, to be honest, Dietrich wasn't as concerned about the current situation as his homeland seemed to be. While it was true that the inventor was unscrupulous in his methods, there was no environment beyond the Empire where he could conduct research on magical tools at the same level.
What concerned Dietrich more was the reason behind allowing him to go so far.
"What's the demand like for magical tools in this country?"
"Well, thanks to that, magical tools for common folks have been selling really well. Items like magic-powered lamps are consistently selling out every time we restock."
Even now, as Luke engages in friendly conversation, he subtly seeks information.
Since the long-standing hostilities have improved and both countries have started engaging in diplomatic exchanges, the Kingdom has been supplying resources like food. In return, the Empire has offered its advanced magical technology.
However, even though there are many magic users in the Kingdom, not all citizens can enjoy the benefits of this technology. In regions with fewer magic users, there is a significant demand for user-friendly magical tools.
"Do nobles buy these?"
"Well, that's a bit challenging. While magical tools are undoubtedly convenient, they aren't necessary for many magic-capable nobles who already have numerous subordinates with magical abilities, and they themselves are skilled knights or mages. Besides, I shouldn't say this too loudly, but particularly high-ranking nobles tend to have a strong aversion to magical tools."
However, this mainly concerns commoners. As Selpan pointed out, for nobles who already have their own magical abilities, magical tools are merely alternatives they don't require. Additionally, considering that magical tools were initially created as instruments for assassinating Kingdom nobles, such reactions are understandable.
"Oh, really... But my friend's butler had them, though?"
He recalled his friend's butler, a man with black hair. Despite serving a noble family, this butler had an unusually large collection of magical tools. Upon reflection, it seemed odd for a commoner butler to be so heavily armed.
"Your friend, you say..."
Those words casually uttered caught Selpan's attention, who had been conversing with Luke moments ago.
While he kept a polite smile on his face, Deterich's keen observation noticed a hint of unease in Selpan's demeanor.
In aristocratic society, where the use of magical tools was quite limited, he likely had a good idea of whom Deterich was referring to.
Yet, this reaction was somewhat unexpected.
Deterich acknowledged Crow's exceptional skills as a servant in the noble household. However, he couldn't understand why the man before him reacted so strongly. Was there something about him that Deterich was still unaware of?
"Could it be that..."
"Chairman, there's something urgent I must inform you about!"
Just as Selpan was about to speak, a man who appeared to be one of his subordinates rushed into the room.
"What's all this commotion? We are in the middle of important negotiations!"
"Nevertheless, Chairman, you insisted that this matter takes precedence above all else."
"...What did you say? Please, go ahead and report."
"In that case..."
"...!?"
Deitrich and his group were discreetly informed by a subordinate that something significant had occurred, as seen from the surprised look on Selpan's face.
"I'm sorry, but there's an urgent matter that requires my immediate attention. I have to leave now, and my subordinates will handle it."
"This is absurd!"
Selpan swiftly gave instructions, confirming their suspicions, and then stood up, bowing to Deitrich's group. It was clear that this was a situation they couldn't ignore.
Luke was visibly angry, while Selpan looked genuinely flustered.
"Don't worry. We've received the merchandise, so we'll take our leave."
"We apologize for the inconvenience. We hope to see you again. Let me escort you to the exit."
It seemed like a troublesome situation had arisen.
Recognizing this, Deitrich calmed Luke's anger and left the company quietly. Selpan's relieved expression as they left was quite memorable.
"Luke, can you investigate what's happening?"
Once outside the company's building, Deitrich dropped his mild smile and adopted a more serious, calculating look as he asked his subordinate.
"Are you still curious?"
"Of course. It's the famous Libra Trading Company, the best in the kingdom. If its chairman prioritizes something over important clients, it's only natural to be concerned, right?"
In response to his master, Luke, who had stopped pretending to be angry, calmly responded. While appreciating the presence of his capable subordinate who understood his intentions, Deitrich's thoughts were focused on the apparent issue currently unfolding.
The Libra Trading Company, which held significant influence even over nobility and royalty, and its chairman, Selpan, prioritizing something above all else had piqued his interest. It was impossible not to be curious.
—This is just a hunch, but it's bound to become interesting.
"Very well, I'll make the arrangements."
"I'll count on you."
As Luke gave a nod and began communicating with their other subordinates, Deitrich smiled with anticipation by his side.
◇◆◇◆
During that time, in the headquarters of the Hive, one of the three major organizations ruling over the slums, members were bustling about, preparing for an operation.
"How are the preparations going?"
"Yes, we've completed the formation of the third unit, and the fourth and fifth units are in their final adjustments. Regarding supplies, we are gradually deploying them, including the magical tools provided by Ouroboros. Everything should be ready within about two hours."
"I see, let's hurry as much as possible. We need to finish this quickly before they catch wind of our movements."
"Understood."
Regina, the boss of the Hive, gave instructions from her office while inquiring about the situation with her secretary by her side.
The criminal organization responsible for kidnapping women with magical powers and causing a commotion in the capital had been tracked down by Ouroboros, led by Selpan, another of the three major organizations in the slums, to a hideout. Upon receiving this information, the Hive and Ouroboros initiated a joint operation. With the support of resources and information from Ouroboros, the Hive was tasked with eliminating the target as an active combat unit. They were currently in the midst of preparing for this operation.
"......Yes, understood. Mother, we have an urgent message from surveillance."
While discussing this, the crystal used for communication in the room reacted and signaled an incoming message.
"Damn it... Give it to me. It's me, is there a problem?"
"Sis, there's something strange happening near their hideout."
As Regina received the crystal from her secretary, the image of a disheveled man appeared on it.
The surveillance man promptly reported, but his expression showed signs of bewilderment.
"Strange... What's happening here?"
"Alright, I'm showing it now; please assess the situation."
"...Maids?"
The man holding the crystal either pointed it at the target or briefly rotated the image, revealing the subjects. Due to the distance from their surveillance point on the rooftop, it was a bit challenging to distinguish, but there were unmistakably girls in maid outfits disembarking from several carriages in a dimly lit alley.
"Damn it, have the nobles already taken action? This is troublesome... Or rather, why maids? Shouldn't they have sent knights or something more conventional?"
While these girls were an unusual presence in the slums, their affiliation was rather apparent because of it. Most likely, some noble family affected by the recent events had dispatched them for retaliation.
It wasn't clear why they had chosen maids for this mission, but regardless...
"We should act before they steal all the credit over there."
Regina understood the situation, despite the girls probably having their reasons. Her organization had also suffered significant losses. To save face, they couldn't just stand idly by.
To avoid a situation where they would simply watch the credit being taken away, Regina was determined to act. However, intervening too rashly in a conflict with a noble family could also pose problems.
Regina was torn, but then she froze upon seeing one maid with gray hair on the crystal display.
"Is that... Number One?"
There was no mistake; it was the girl who had once served her. She hadn't changed a bit in the five years since Regina last saw her. Regina couldn't help but feel like she was seeing a hallucination, but the image on the crystal was undoubtedly the girl she had once considered her right-hand woman.
"Whaaaat!?"
Regina recognized a person who had just stepped down from the carriage following her, causing her to quickly stand up by overturning her chair.
He was a rare sight in this country - a black-haired butler. The maids accompanying him immediately showed their deference, indicating that he held authority.
Standing beside him was a girl with ash-gray hair.
With all these factors in place, anyone who had lived in the slums ten years ago would recognize him.
As Regina closely examined the image, trying to confirm his identity, their eyes met through the crystal, and the image abruptly disappeared.
"Damn it! That guy Selpan! He knew about this all along and kept quiet!"
Regina angrily threw aside the non-functioning crystal.
She remembered her previous conversation with Selpan. If the organization had strong ties to the noble society, they would have quickly learned about the black-haired butler.
No information had ever reached the slums until now, suggesting that he might have controlled the information himself.
"Get those who can move right away!"
"Uh, Mother? But we're not fully prepared yet..."
"We can't afford to waste time! We need to act urgently. I'm going too!"
The secretary was perplexed by her mother's sudden anger, but there was no time for explanations.
Regina firmly grabbed her collar and kicked down the door as she left the headquarters behind.
◇◆◇◆
"Sir Crow, we've caught the person who was watching this area. What should we do?"
As I stepped out of the carriage, Eins dragged a man who had fainted from her shadow.
He looked like an ordinary slum resident in dirty clothes, but if she said so, it must be true.
"Are they with our enemies?"
"No, probably from a different group. The original target seemed similar to us."
"Then, let him go. Just focus on our main target."
"Got it."
Following my orders, Eins tossed the man's body to the side of the alley.
It seems that our enemies have issues with other than us too. It's better to deal with them before they become a problem.
"Is that your hideout over there?"
"Yes, yess... no mistake about it."
"Good, you know what to do next?"
"......"
The leader of the attackers we brought along confirmed the enemy hideout's location. As planned, I gave him a push, and the two of us headed toward the building.
"Hey, isn't that...?"
"Oh, I just got back."
In front of the building, two men who seemed like security guards were standing. They noticed us approaching and the leader among them raised his hand to speak.
"Where have you been all this time?"
"We have a report about that. Can you arrange a meeting with the boss?"
"And who's the guy behind you?"
"Oh, he's a client who wants to make a deal with us."
The leader of the assault team appeared to hold some authority within the organization, making negotiations with the security team surprisingly smooth. Their guard was down, and if we could meet their boss like this, it would save us trouble.
"By the way, where did the others go?"
"Well..."
However, things didn't go smoothly. When asked about his companions, the man hesitated and stuttered, raising suspicion among the security personnel once again.
"Bastard... you sold us out!"
"No, it's not like that! I didn't betray you, please believe me!"
The group's leader desperately tried to explain to the armed security guards that he hadn't betrayed them, but it seemed pointless at this point.
"The boss will make that call. Now, you in the back, stay quiet... What the!?"
"I didn't expect much from the start, but just knowing the big boss is here is enough."
"You! Argh!"
I pulled out a knife and approached one of the guards, swiftly ending him by cutting his throat. The other guard, who had rushed in angrily after witnessing his comrade's death, was taken out with a magical projectile shot from behind me, which instantly killed him.
With the possibility that someone inside might have heard the commotion, there was no room for tricks or deception anymore.
We had to go in head-on and wipe them out.
"Great job, we're done here."
"Heh, heh... Does this mean I'm in the clear? Well then, I'll be on my way..."
Before leaving, I turned my gaze to the group's leader, the last one standing. Despite seeing his comrades killed and losing his composure, he wore a relieved expression upon hearing my words as he walked away.
"Where... where are you going?"
That's why I intervened.
"Huh...?"
"Your job isn't finished yet, right?"
To make it crystal clear to the bewildered man, who seemed clueless, I held a knife to him. Finally, he understood his situation, and his face turned pale.
"Hey! You said we're done here just now!"
"Yes, you're no longer needed."
"W-Wait! My bad! I'll be your subordinate! I can be useful in many ways! Please..."
Whether he realized I was serious or not, the man started desperately begging for his life.
Even though I witnessed this pathetic display, my anger remained unaffected.
Yes, just having this guy alive was unpleasant to me.
"There's no way I would spare the fool who threatened Milady with a blade, right?"
"Eeek..."
To quell my anger, I had to reject everything about this man who dared to harm Milady and deal with him without mercy.
No, just this guy's death won't suffice.
I need to eliminate everyone who posed a threat to Milady.
"Uwaaaah!"
"Tch..."
"Guuah!?"
The man, perhaps realizing he had no way out, charged at me, screaming.
Taking advantage of his exposed vulnerability, I delivered a frustrated kick to his abdomen, sending him flying. I crashed through the door, entering the enemy's hideout.
Inside, it appeared that some men were having a drinking session, and they stared wide-eyed in surprise as I burst in.
"Explode."
"Aaaahhh!"
Before the enemies could react, I raised my hand and uttered the key phrase.
The magical tool implanted in the man's body, following my command, activated and triggered the inscribed spell.
Energy surged from within the man in an instant, and with a deafening roar, it blew apart the entire ground floor of the building.
"Good job."
As the dust from the explosion was scattered by a gust of wind, my protective barrier, which had shielded me from the blast, dissolved into a shimmering glow of magic.
Entering the building's entrance, there were no signs of movement.
However, I could still hear hurried footsteps coming from other floors.
Having confirmed this, I curled my lips into a smile and turned to my waiting subordinates.
"Here's the order──
──Annihilate, destroy, and ravage until there's nothing left."
"""Yes, understood."""
With that command, the maids began their actions, and I followed by taking a slow step forward.
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