Chapter 174 - A Flame Cast In
"Then, what happened?" I asked Jallens, who had just taken a seat across from me in the lounge. He didn't come here for small talk, so I wanted to get the business over with as quickly as possible.
Honestly, I would have preferred if Siegrune and Frederica were here, but they were busy and couldn’t make it. I settled for having Frederica's secretary join us, and Jallens began to speak.
"It’s just idle chatter, I think, but I’ve heard a rather unsettling rumor," he said. Despite the casual mention of a rumor, Jallens looked genuinely troubled. The secretary and I exchanged glances, and she prompted him to continue.
"What kind of rumor?"
"...The Kikyo emblem on the cloak is quite noticeable. The rumor is that a woman wearing such a cloak was seen with a man who had an eye tattoo."
Hmm, I see. A rumor about one of our members being seen with a member of the Legisamo Cartel. Interesting, very interesting.
"Wait a moment. Who said this?"
The secretary remained calm, even with such shocking news. She’s a capable woman, having been with us for a long time. I can rely on her.
"At this point, it’s still a rumor, but I’ve confirmed the source. It seems the Gandrault Gang is spreading this tale around."
Those guys really know how to cause trouble. Let me think this through.
Is it possible that a Kikyo Society member is involved with the Legisamo Cartel? It’s unlikely, but not impossible. We still have spies within our ranks, and they might be intentionally contacting the enemy. However, the McDallian Family, especially Ortlinde and the others, wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen without a fight. Their track record of dealing with traitors and spies is impeccable, making this rumor seem dubious.
If not, then perhaps it’s a false flag operation. Someone impersonating one of our members to frame us. After all, with the convenience of disguise magic tools, it’s not hard to mimic a member’s appearance. The Kikyo emblem on the cloak can be easily replicated with a cheap knockoff. The eye tattoo could be painted on to impersonate the Legisamo Cartel.
But usually, organizations that care about their reputation don’t resort to such tactics. There are unwritten rules in the underworld, just like in war. However, the current situation in Exembra isn’t normal. There might be those who would do anything to gain an advantage, even if it means breaking these unwritten rules.
In reality, impersonating someone is quite simple. A faction of the McDallian Family, the meticulous and ruthless Gandrault Gang, or even the Legisamo Cartel, who don’t care about reputation, could be behind this.
Considering the circumstances, I can confidently deny these ridiculous rumors about the Kikyo Society. However, whether others will believe me is another matter. Especially those who are looking for an enemy.
"How widespread is the rumor, and how many believe it? In any case, it’s best to deny it quickly."
"Understood. I’ll take immediate action."
The secretary got to work immediately.
"Still, it seems the Gandrault Gang is deliberately spreading this rumor. I doubt many people or organizations will take it seriously..."
"I hope so. Thank you for letting me know so quickly."
Jallens, with his quick action, has earned his position on the council. He left soon after, and things started moving.
It was the twilight hour, that time when the sun hasn’t fully set but the night is creeping in. The cityscape from the rooftop is quite serene on a clear day, but not today. An urgent report came in: Sixth Avenue was under attack.
"The McDallian Family is on the move."
In the chaotic office, the secretary maintained her calm and gathered the information.
"Situation?"
"Concentrated attacks on our various strongholds on Sixth Avenue, including the Branch, The Princess’s Shelter Inn, Elegance Balloon, and Epic Junebel. The battle team and Security Bureau have managed to keep the damage to a minimum, but the enemy’s numbers are overwhelming."
Damn, they’re using sheer numbers to attack a wide area. I had anticipated this after hearing the rumor from Jallens. It’s good we were prepared with a defensive stance.
"Additional information!"
The secretary received another report and quickly read through it.
"President, it appears that in addition to Sixth Avenue, attacks are also being launched against non-Kikyo Society establishments in our territory. There have also been confirmed attacks on patrolling battle team members. The McDallian Family seems to be serious."
Attacks on non-Kikyo Society establishments mean attacks on ordinary citizens' businesses. No such reports from Sixth Avenue, though. And not just establishments, but direct attacks on our members. The battle team members can handle themselves, and I’m not worried about Frederica and April, who should be with Siegrune and the others.
"Serious, you say. A full-scale war against us is understandable, but something feels off."
"I agree. It seems disjointed and haphazard."
Right, that’s it. Despite their seriousness, their strategy is flawed. On one hand, attacks on our establishments; on the other, attacks on ordinary shops; and then direct attacks on our members. The latter seems almost pointless. The McDallian Family has numbers, but individually, our members are far more powerful. Even with a numerical advantage, they’re getting crushed by our counterattacks. I thought they understood the difference in combat strength. They should have focused on a single point, setting a trap to lure us in.
Their methods are scattered, and their understanding seems naive.
And one more thing—no action against this Headquarters is suspicious.
"Perhaps the succession dispute is influencing their actions."
"Yes, that makes sense. It explains the lack of coordination."
The McDallian Family is attacking in fragmented factions. The lack of unity is the cause. It’s a poor strategy against a powerful organization like ours. While it’s foolish to hope for the enemy to be incompetent, their blatant incompetence is confusing. It almost makes me suspect a trap. Should we attack their base, or wait and see?
At this stage, we don’t have enough hands to attack. The battle team is scattered defending our territory. It would be reckless to storm their base with just me and the Headquarters staff. They are one of the Five Great Families, after all. If necessary, I could do it alone, but there’s no need to act rashly. The enemy will be countered soon enough, and the battle team will be free to act.
"Should we mobilize the standby members?"
"At least until Siegrune and the others return, we’ll wait and see. If Intelligence Bureau members need to go out, they should avoid doing so alone and be cautious. Consolidate and report incoming information."
"Understood."
The secretary, despite the chaos, is handling the situation with the skill I expect from Frederica’s secretary. She’s going through another report, but she’s capable of managing this.
Still, the office is in disarray. The front door is almost always open, with Intelligence Bureau and messenger battle team members coming and going. The Secretariat is also dealing with rescue requests and complaints from the residents, and even delivery people showing up with mail and packages. It’s a busy time, but it’s their job.
Wait, something’s not right.
Each faction is attacking differently. I realized that earlier. If they’re attacking our entire territory, they must be targeting the Headquarters too. How are they going to attack, and when?
"Ugh, busy as it is, a snack delivery? Heavy! Who sent such a large one? It’s in the way, just put it over there!"
"Calm down. We’ll take a break soon. It’s nice to have something sweet then, right?"
"Everyone’s short on sleep. A snack break would help with stress and fatigue."
I could hear the casual conversation from somewhere far away.
Suddenly, my eyes caught a large, casually placed snack box.
Immediately, I sensed a surge of immense magical energy. A chill ran down my spine as an ominous feeling gripped me.
"Everyone, get down!"
I shouted, my voice half-strangled, but it was better than nothing.
In the frozen moment, my mind accelerated, and time seemed to slow to a crawl.
My Active Armor deployed automatically, but it was specialized for pinpoint defense and couldn’t protect us from the overwhelming force.
Desperation fueled my will to survive.
But it was too late. No matter how much I struggled, some things are beyond my control. Miracles don’t happen.
A new spell, meant to protect my comrades, failed to activate in time.
Many of the Secretariat members, untrained for combat, were caught off guard. Only a few managed to take defensive actions.
The intense light and shockwave pierced through the gaps in my Active Armor, sending me flying.
I was slammed into the wall, the impact crushing my body. My lungs were compressed, and I couldn’t breathe.
The heat was intense, burning my skin. Without the protection of my cloak, my body was defenseless.
I couldn’t see, and the sounds were muffled, as if my eardrums had burst.
Strangely, I didn’t feel pain or heat. Instead, I felt a coldness.
Fear washed over me.
A primal, indescribable fear made me want to scream, but I couldn’t make a sound. Only a growing sense of frustration filled me.
Confusion. This was intense disarray.
Something happened, and I couldn’t do anything about it.
Despite being the strongest, I couldn’t do anything.
I wasn’t strong enough, my thinking wasn’t sharp enough, and I was tired. But I shouldn’t have been complacent. Noticing such a massive magical surge at the last second was abnormal. I was tricked.
No, the reasons don’t matter. It’s too late to fix it.
The fear of losing everything.
The fear of dying.
The fear I thought I was prepared for.
I wanted to assess the situation, but my body wouldn’t respond. My limbs felt heavy, and my breathing was labored. My thoughts were foggy.
Holding onto an unprecedented fear, I was lost in the darkness.
If this continues, I will die.