Chapter 256 - The Northern Neighbor and the Fallen East
Josephine sipped her hot tea, nodding slightly as she brought up unsettling news during this serene afternoon.
"Donditch's organization is involved with the old Retnark organization, it seems. The reason is unclear, but it's not exactly surprising that there's a connection."
The northern neighbor was an inward-looking nation, one that could be ignored as long as they didn't provoke us.
"Politically, that hasn't changed, I think. But beyond politics, there are countless guilds and chambers that have ties with other countries, and of course, underground organizations have connections in many directions."
Our Kikyo Society has a territory in the eastern border of Donditch, and we maintain a material exchange with the Margrave and the Rose Madder Mercenary Corps. However, our relationship with Donditch is limited to this. These transactions are secret and don't exist officially, and we don't do anything to incur the displeasure of the underworld, at least not intentionally.
"Still, you never know how everything is connected. There are always patterns that are hard to imagine."
"About the northern neighbor, Donditch. Josephine-san, this sounds important. Should we urgently convene the executive board?"
"That's a good idea, but it's not an emergency. Before the board meeting, let's have everyone read the report that just arrived. Let's start with the Boid Gang's progress. Here, take a look."
So, no need to panic, huh?
She picked up the letter on the table and scanned its contents.
It seems to be a report from an Intelligence Bureau agent, summarizing the Fifth Combat Unit's battle and its results.
"...Impressive, Paula. It's settled already? But I didn't expect this development. What should we do?"
The primary goal of the Fifth Combat Unit was to raid the Boid Gang's stronghold in Boigle and destroy the numerous bombs they possessed. They were also tasked with investigating the reasons behind the planned attack on the championship.
According to the report, Paula arrived in Boigle and immediately stormed the Boid Gang's headquarters, decapitating the gang leader without any hesitation. The details are omitted, but it's said that the Fifth Combat Unit's terrifying combat prowess and determination turned the enemy's mansion into a gruesome ruin. The Boid Gang's leaders, witnessing this ruthless group, were so terrified that they surrendered immediately, without any resistance.
This surrender was more than just a capitulation; it was submission. The presence of high-ranking Boid Gang members was enough to completely bring them under our control.
The interrogation went smoothly, and the Intelligence Bureau successfully extracted not only the locations of all known hideouts and the hidden bombs but also the identities of those who created them. This is where the connection to Donditch's organization was discovered.
The Boid Gang's motives were purely financial, with no political entanglements or grudges.
What was unexpected was how swiftly the Fifth Combat Unit brought the Boid Gang to submission. Submission, in this context, means becoming subordinates.
"That's not bad, right? We'll need more information on the old Retnark, and having an organization like this will be a big help to the Intelligence Bureau. The Boid Gang is a collection of small organizations, so I expect the larger structure to collapse quickly. However, the core groups can be kept under control. I would like Paula to continue investigating other organizations and nearby towns to see if there are any other groups involved."
Indeed, controlling the headquarters doesn't automatically bring the smaller organizations into line. Since Paula and her team are outsiders, only those who directly engaged with them would likely follow.
In a lawless world, the logic of power is most effective. In a world where survival depends on following the strongest, it's natural for the Fifth Combat Unit, which demonstrated overwhelming strength, to be obeyed. In such a harsh world, decisions are quick, and hesitation means not surviving.
From an outside perspective, this might seem too smooth and hard to believe, but Paula and her team are well aware of this. Considering the future, it's clear who would be advantageous to ally with. As long as they think about it, the answer will be evident.
It's pointless to expect the Boid Gang to think too far ahead, but the situation in Retnark can't remain chaotic indefinitely. They should be able to imagine that having a connection with us isn't a bad thing.
"Let Paula and her team settle in there for a while. With more pawns, our work will be smoother. What about Donditch's organization?"
"Yes, next is this. It's a summary of the information obtained from the Boid Gang's leaders and our speculations about their motives. While we don't have a direct information network in Donditch, I believe this speculation is not far off."
"Hmm, let me see."
She took the report and read through it.
The information from the Boid Gang's leaders revealed the name of the organization they believed to be the mastermind: the Ljungberg Family, an illegal organization. It's a kindred spirit to our Kikyo Society.
The Ljungberg Family is a major organization that controls Tanbury, a city in western Donditch, and the crucial detail is that this city has an underground arena. An illegal facility, known as an underground or back alley arena.
Donditch has no official arena, but there is one underground.
Tanbury, in southern western Donditch, is close to the Kingdom of Brenark's border, and the journey to Exembra is not difficult.
For the Ljungberg Family, the Exembra Arena is a business rival.
Unlike the cheap underground arena, the Exembra Arena invites famous fighters from around the world and is known for its flashy and entertaining events. While still in planning, it's a situation that the business rivals cannot ignore.
Official and underground arenas can coexist, but only if they are in the same city.
If the Exembra Arena becomes successful and profitable, the benefits will not extend to neighboring countries. Instead, they will lose customers.
The Clad Family and Anastasia Union haven't yet established an underground arena, but the information is spreading.
This is a very unwelcome situation for the Ljungberg Family, leading them to plot the arena's downfall, spreading rumors of fixed matches and bomb threats.
"I see. A simple and clear structure. Frederica and Valeria, take a look."
She passed the report to the two, and Josephine, after munching on a tea snack, said,
"It's a simple speculation, but I believe it's mostly accurate. Initially, they were not very cautious, but the Exembra Arena's grand scale and aggressive marketing, along with rumors of an underground arena, likely made them anxious."
"So they used the lawless elements from the old Retnark to carry out their plan."
"Yes, but they're afraid to directly challenge the Kikyo Society or Exembra, so they're using indirect means. From this, I believe that once the pawns are eliminated, they will be quiet for a while."
The Boid Gang, one of their pawns, is now under our control. The question is whether there are more.
Since this is a conflict of interests, it's reasonable to assume there are no deeper plots. Politically, Donditch is inward-looking, so the likelihood of elaborate schemes is low.
"From what I hear, they don't seem like formidable opponents. The most straightforward approach would be to crush the Ljungberg Family, but unlike the collapsed Retnark, we can't go wild in Donditch. If we attack, it could escalate into a diplomatic issue, and the Kingdom of Brenark might be forced to take action against the Kikyo Society. Even with Rosmerta's connections, it's unlikely the government would protect an underground organization. That would be the worst-case scenario."
"True. The Boid Gang had an unusually large amount of equipment for their size. It's unlikely the Ljungberg Family funded other groups besides the Boid Gang. As a precaution, I'll have Paula and Graylease investigate for similar cases, but I doubt we'll find any. Without their pawns, the Ljungberg Family has no real options. I think they can be left alone."
I agree with Josephine's assessment.
The championship is approaching, and it's best to avoid unnecessary distractions.
"Right. We'll keep a close watch, and have Paula and the Fifth Combat Unit maintain a presence in Boigle to deter any trouble. Also, we'll send someone to Tanbury to monitor any unusual activities. If there's time, I'll pay them a visit and make the necessary preparations."
"That sounds good. We'll start preparing accordingly."
It's a challenge that we can take on when the right time comes. For now, let's focus on the immediate tasks.
Valeria smiled at our enthusiasm, while Frederica looked exasperated.
As the days passed, the autumn deepened, and the intense summer sun became a distant memory.
The Fifth Combat Unit's presence in Boigle deterred any unnecessary conflicts, and the Exembra Championship remained unaffected.
Our priority is the upcoming championship, and the current situation shows that our efforts are paying off.
The spy we sent to Tanbury is gathering and monitoring information about the Ljungberg Family. They are unaware that the Boid Gang has come under our control, and they haven't even realized their plan failed.
Once the championship begins, they will realize what happened and might consider retaliation. However, attacking through Donditch and the Kingdom of Brenark to reach the old Retnark is impractical. If they decide to hire other organizations or assassins, we can consider supporting the Boid Gang as our pawns, should they still exist.
As I ponder these things, the day is drawing to a close.
And tomorrow is the day.
"Yukari-dono, it's finally here. I'm surprised that man agreed to participate. It was quite a topic at the meeting."
"I didn't expect him to jump at the chance, but he's reliable. If I weren't involved, I would have challenged him myself."
Siegrune and Gradena entered the office, slightly tipsy from the commercial guild's meeting.
"Welcome back. You might find it troublesome, but you can't defy the boss's orders."
"True. If it's Rosmerta-sama's command, there's no arguing."
"Flannel is a hero to the people of Brenark. His presence alone will significantly boost the championship's popularity."
Indeed, the Exembra Championship will be enhanced by the hero's appearance.
As Gradena mentioned, Flannel is a hero in the Kingdom of Brenark. The revival of the kingdom, devastated by the Arrogant King's tyranny, was largely due to Countess Rosmerta, the former Countess Oversta, and the Crimson Knights, her private army. Flannel, as the leader of the Crimson Knights, is a living legend, and his fame is unmatched in the kingdom.
Although the legendary knight's private army was later absorbed into the kingdom's regular military, he chose to return to Rosmerta's private forces. His reputation remains untarnished.
While we know the behind-the-scenes details, recognizing the need for heroes for the country's stability, we have no complaints. We certainly won't claim that our activities in the underworld are more valuable.
"Exactly. We need to make it as spectacular as possible. Rosmerta understands this well."
"While it might seem a bit unfair to treat him as a spectacle, we have high hopes for him."
The Exembra Championship aims to be a memorable event from the start. The hero's participation will ensure its success.
The benefits of the championship will extend beyond the organizers, benefiting the wider community. Rosmerta was enthusiastic about Flannel's participation.
Thus, Flannel will participate in an exhibition match right before the championship to test the facilities and prepare the staff.
A grand opening event is crucial, and an exhibition match is necessary to ensure everything runs smoothly.
The day of the exhibition match will have limited general admission, with a focus on guilds and chambers. This will prevent overcrowding and allow for a more controlled environment. The main event will be more challenging, with more attendees and unforeseen issues, but this will help prepare everyone.
The exhibition match will also serve as a test for magical devices and other operational aspects.
In addition to the promotional value, the exhibition match has practical purposes.
With that, our focus shifts to the arena.
The next chapter, "The Arena Comes Alive," continues the story.
Incidentally, the first mention of the "arena" was in Chapter 84, "Adult Matters," which was posted on January 7, 2018. It's been over three years since then, and it's quite astonishing how long it's taken.