Chapter 47

Chapter 47

The snow that had been falling incessantly until yesterday seemed like a lie as today was a bright and sunny day.

After a long time, I visited the northern district where the accumulated pristine white snow and weathered building exteriors harmonized, exuding a fairly antique atmosphere.

It might be because all the messy appearances like filth are completely covered, but it looks more like an old countryside village than a slum.

A woman clearing the snow in front of her house, a man breaking off the elongated icicles, and kids happily running around the snowfield, falling down and laughing brightly then running again.

It’s an extremely peaceful scene.

The capital’s slums are getting through winter thanks to the palace’s relief measures and the sect’s charitable activities.

Comparatively, the situation here is better than in other fiefs, and therefore there is little of the despair, resignation, or lamentation that might be found among the residents.

For now, the urgent fire has been put out…

But this is only a temporary solution. Once the situation stabilizes, we need to explore ways to address the issues of the northern district.

Actually, if the palace’s top talents pool their brains together, it would be an issue they could quickly resolve.

There must be a few solutions, but the reason no one is taking action directly is probably because they don’t really care.

Since it won’t immediately cause harm to them and it’s not a problem that can be solved in the short term.

‘This is troublesome.’

For hygiene management, there is a need to clean up the northern district once. Otherwise, if an epidemic breaks out accidentally, there won’t be a worse disaster.

Trying to organize my unnecessarily complicated mind, I shook my head and moved forward again.

The wide avenue connecting the inner wall to the northern gate is free of snow due to the constant commotion of people going about their business.

Considering the usual flow of people to and from the northern district, it is quite an unusual phenomenon. The reason why the snow on the avenue is so neatly cleared away is evident.

“Over there! To the left! A bit more to the left!”

“Move that carefully! If there’s so much as a scratch on it, the heavens themselves will punish you!”

In the middle of the tilted plaza located in the center of the northern district, despite the cold winter, people in rolled-up sleeves were bustling about moving materials.

“Take this while you work.”

“Ah! Thank you, priest!”

“My body feels warm. Is there a blessing hidden in this?”

The cheerful exchange between construction workers and clerics.

Beyond them was the towering bell tower with the Bright Sect’s insignia, and sacred relics were carefully being moved according to the priests’ instructions.

‘This is almost complete.’

The reason for my visit to this place today is the repositioning of relics in the northern district.

Sacred relics and buildings of the sect are installed in each region of the capital to prevent the emergence of monstrous creatures.

However, this northern area was destroyed due to the aftermath of a lower-class gang fight before I came to the capital.

In a rush, the sect initiated consecrations to create new relics, and I heard they were completed while I was traveling the country.

Today is the day the completed relics are redistributed in the northern district.

I am here, representing Iris, to boost the morale at the site.

Some might think sending someone lower in rank could suffice, but a personal visit was necessary.

This was inevitable because the Bright Sect’s own Saint was personally coming to the site for the final prayer to dedicate the repositioned relics.

Since the top saint is coming, at least I need to show up as well.

“Your Highness, it’s been a while since your appointment ceremony. Have you been well?”

“Thanks to your blessings, I have been doing well.”

“Ho ho. That’s good. It must be because the Sun God has been gently guiding your journey, isn’t it?”

The harmonious blend of vibrant pink hair and a gentle, smiling gaze fills my heart with warmth.

Her irresistible charm, accentuated by her elegant cleric’s attire, makes her seem like the embodiment of kindness.

Saint Myna, the Bright Sect’s Saint, grinned as she inscribed a sign of blessing.

Her mere existence radiates an aura of a saint. Laborers and guards who passed by couldn’t help but stop and stare at her face.

Though everyone seems captivated by Myna, I am not deceived by her appearance.

This is a well-kept secret, but the saint is the highest-ranking official enduring an overwhelming amount of work, and Myna is someone with the mental fortitude to survive such conditions.

The gentle image of the saint we see before us is fake.

Her true self is a heavy drinker with prominent dark circles under her eyes, a fact only known to her closest Paladin and Cardinal.

The reason I know is due to the content of the original novel.

She probably hides the dark circles with makeup. Right now, she’s likely cursing inside her head at some broken relic.

And as proof, the skin of Saint Myna is whiter than snow, and a subtle trace of alcohol could be detected on her nose.

“Saint, the placement of the relics has been completed.”

“Oh, already?”

“You need to finish the prayer and move quickly.”

My gaze met the stone-like eyes from beneath the white helmet.

The Paladin of the Bright Sect—wasn’t his name Albricht?

Myna nodded and smiled gently.

“I wanted to have more conversation, but I need to go do my work.”

“Official duties come first, don’t you think? I also have some things to see to, so I’ll visit the sect later.”

She finished speaking, inscribing the sign of blessing, and looked at me with a gaze that seemed surprised.

Myna examined me with her pink eyes before responding to the Paladin’s urging and quickly retreated.

“…This is exhausting.”

Dealing with the saint of the Bright Sect was a bit awkward.

Not only is it difficult to understand her seemingly amiable pink-haired nature, but the bigger factor is that she is someone I cannot influence.

In this world where divine powers are rare, the Saint is the only one who can perform miracles as a proxy of God.

It’s not preferable to have long conversations with her.

Somewhere deep down, I feel that she might reveal a prophecy, claiming to have understood everything.

Afterward, while watching the bustling people, faces of high-ranking individuals started appearing.

I exchanged brief introductions and formal courtesies comfortably, and when I waved them off with a gesture indicating there’s no need for assistance, most of them finished their greetings and withdrew.

For quite a long time, I exchanged pleasantries with faces I did not recognize.

As the quiet atmosphere returned following Myna’s prayers, the last person arrived.

“Order to the empire. I greet His Imperial Highness, the Grand Duke.”

“It’s been a while. Inspector Aria. Your guards have worked hard.”

“Thank you for the encouraging words. We are merely carrying out our duties.”

A woman with navy uniforms and a sword.

Just looking at her made one feel refreshed—her short blue hair and blue eyes were as ever.

The captain of the Third Guard Division responsible for securing this sacred relic placement site.

Inspector Aria, with whom I needed to meet today, is the final piece in our hunt for Bradden.

“Inspector Aria.”

“Yes. Would you like to instruct something?”

“Is your evening free?”

“Um…?”

Aria’s stoic expression broke.

She scrutinized me with a puzzled look, and the guards who trailed behind her glanced at us in bewilderment.

‘Why is she reacting like this?’

An offer for dinner or an evening out resulted in a strange response.

Amid the guards observing us, they soon began clapping softly, and proportionally, Aria’s ears turned crimson.

“Oh.”

Ah.

It seems she interpreted it as an invitation for a hot night.

I unintentionally shortened my statement because I had so much to think about, leading to this.

Finally, Aria, as if making some resolve, hardened her expression and began speaking.

“Ah, understood. I’ll prepare well…”

“Hmm! That was not what I meant. Since I received help during the selection, I wanted to thank you properly over a meal.”

“Ah, oh…Yes, you mean…dinner…”

The misunderstanding seems cleared up.

Aria’s face turned red as if it might explode at any moment.

—

*

The act of questionable practices extends beyond Bradden alone, but the reason for targeting Norman Bradden this time is not without reason.

Most of the businesses in the empire require a great deal of labor. Agriculture, livestock farming, fishing, logging, mining, and construction, etc.

These sectors, which form the backbone of the nation’s strength, inherently require human or livestock labor. But the workforce of the state is limited.

We compensate for the shortfall by dispatching the individuals who commit grave crimes and are sentenced to hard labor. We also reach our limits by posting public notices and extracting commoners from fiefs.

However, upon reviewing various documents that finally reach the Audience Chamber, the supply of labor was surprisingly stable.

Where were these much-needed laborers coming from?

The answer was close at hand.

Slaves.

Among them, people who become slaves not by committing crimes and being sentenced, but illegally.

According to the laws of the Altain Empire, only those who have been convicted of grave crimes and had their legal status revoked through official procedures are considered legal slaves.

All other forms of slavery are illegal.

Practicing illegal slavery impacts the availability of labor, a crucial resource, and thus is strictly governed by national law. Altain was a country where human trafficking was wholly prohibited.

The problem was that while it was strictly outlawed, the practice of trafficking was still rampant.

It appears they were aware that it was illegal, so there were no slave merchants operating openly in the daylight. However, underground slave markets protected by nobility or vested interests still operated freely.

Well, people were treated as slaves for reasons other than just labor demand, of course.

Nonetheless, the crucial point is:

There are smugglers who capture people, slave traders who sell them, and there are nobles backing them up behind the scenes.

Norman didn’t directly operate a slave market.

If he did, the moment he got caught, another noble would tear him apart.

But that doesn’t mean he’s completely unrelated. And even if he wasn’t, finding a relation would suffice.

Though, with various intricate connections involved, it won’t be easy to brand Norman as the ringleader and handle the situation easily.

If news spreads that Norman, one of the core figures of the Eastern Sect, has been executed by my hands, the head of the faction, Kiersen Lucanov, and other nobles will likely rise to defend him.

Therefore, to set a trap that makes it impossible for the nobles to protect Norman and have him personally come forward to deliver his own head.

The trap starts by digging into Arias, who manages the checkpoint at the Northern Gate.

“It’s not difficult. Inspector Aria.”

I exchanged a glance with her trembling blue eyes.

“An opportunity has come for you. An opportunity to rise to higher places.”

Inside the dining room of a mansion I borrowed for a bit from Lord Chamel.

The exquisite food placed on the dining table had nearly been depleted, and after sharing a relaxed conversation in a soft atmosphere, I presented my request to Aria.

If you want to survive, betray.

I know everything.

“I…I…”

The expression of Aria, who maintained calmness throughout the meal, was now shattered.

With her trembling fingertips held gently, she bowed her head.

If you contemplate where in the capital the most crimes occur quietly and which is the easiest place to enter, you will think of the Northern Gate.

The Northern Gate Police Station turns a blind eye to crime.

If this checkpoint of the capital has a hole, security for the nearby areas suffers subtle gaps.

For an entire security department to remain corrupted long-term requires the guidance of certain leading individuals, likely those at a high rank.

The individual connected to nobility who completely controls the Northern Gate and conceals all the truths is none other than the head of this police station.

The Northern Gate Chief is a bureaucrat under the Foreign Palace but belongs to the same faction as the Eastern Sect.

And the one who positioned the Chief in that role is Norman Bradden.

Living life in complete integrity isn’t an easy task.

Small transgressions occur frequently, and covering up incidents while pretending nothing happened was commonplace. If it remains uncovered, then crime or no crime, it didn’t exist.

However, if discovered, one will have to pay the price.

Inspector Aria, as an insider whistleblower, will overturn the Northern Gate Police Station and become a hero who protects the capital’s security and eradicates corruption. Because that’s what I will make happen.

She will not reject my offer.

Aria, who harbors ambitions for power, must seize the opportunity extended by one of the highest powers, the Grand Duke.

And I softly spoke to Aria with her head bowed.

“Consider it carefully, Inspector Aria.”

Climbing the ranks as a commoner to become an inspector is indeed an incredible feat.

Do you think you could ascend further to become a Security Officer and then perhaps even a Chief of Security?

Surely, the Chief of Security would have promised you a future.

But would he truly promote you to Chief of Security and do everything in his power to bring you into the Foreign Palace?

Arthur Bradden, a noble’s heir, keeps arriving.

Arthur Bradden, who held a rank as an inspector, would eventually become a Security Officer, and would look down on you from above.

But I am different.

I am at a rank that cannot be compared with the likes of a mere Chief of Security—work with me.

Betray him. Stab the backs of those who pretend to be your comrades who ignore the crime. Then, I will send you to higher places.

“Are you not curious about the life of a noble? If you wish, you may obtain it.”

With that statement, I quietly observed her short blue hair.

A short yet long moment passed, and finally, she raised her head and spoke.