kscans

Chapter 327 - The Circumstances of the Anastasia Union

I stopped by the Anastasia Union headquarters on a whim in the middle of the day.

The Leader, who faced me across the table, had a serious expression.

I asked bluntly about the bookie killings and thought it might be a chance to get a foothold in Berliza. But it seems to be a complicated situation.

Still, I guess I’m drawn to troublesome matters.

I’m a bit excited to hear the intricate story from the Leader.

But why would he tell me, an outsider, about his complicated situation?

"Do you understand why, despite my position as Leader, I’ve been in Exembra rather than Berliza for so long?"

He suddenly asked me a question.

"I don’t know. I’ve only heard rumors about some internal strife when you went to Berliza a while back."

Rumors are just rumors, and outsiders wouldn’t know the truth.

Besides, the Kikyo Society had no business with what was happening in Berliza.

"Internal strife, you could say. But you’re not entirely wrong."

"I can imagine that your position in Exembra and the internal strife are related... There must be some complicated reasons behind it."

"Indeed. To put it simply, I became the Leader of the Anastasia Union while being in this city."

The Leader is not just the head of the Exembra branch but the top of the entire Anastasia Union.

It’s unusual that the Leader isn’t based in the headquarters in Berliza. I had always thought it was because Exembra is a city where criminals thrive and is economically booming, so the Leader was overseeing it on the ground. Our Intelligence Bureau might have investigated, but if they didn’t report anything, it probably wasn’t a significant issue or they didn’t have enough information. Or maybe I just forgot.

Anyway, it’s odd that he’s not based in the headquarters, despite becoming the Leader while in this city.

I encourage him to continue his story.

"In the Anastasia Union, the strongest person becomes the Leader, a tradition passed down through generations. I became the Leader based on this tradition."

"So, you were the second-in-command at the time, and you became the Leader because something happened to the top person?"

"That’s right. Do you know the history of the Anastasia Union?"

The Anastasia Union is a famous martial organization. There are many related books, and I remember browsing some at the library.

From what I recall, the leader of the founding generation has been succeeded by his descendants.

"Ah, I read a bit about it. But you said the strongest person becomes the Leader, so it’s not a hereditary position, right?"

"The direct descendants were often the Leaders because they were the strongest. It wasn’t a matter of bloodline."

I see. It’s about strength, not bloodline. And that’s why...

"So, you’re not from the direct bloodline, right?"

"That’s correct. Until the previous Leader, it was a direct bloodline, but with me, it changed."

"Well, if the strongest person becomes the Leader, you didn’t ask to be the Leader, did you?"

"I wasn’t supposed to be the Leader. The previous Leader had a promising son, and we were waiting for him to grow up—"

But the problem was the son that the aging previous Leader had later in life.

This son, coming from an elite lineage, showed exceptional talent in combat from a young age. As he grew, he also developed a significant ambition. His unparalleled talent and the attention he received from his peers set him apart.

His growing ego eventually led him to challenge the previous Leader in a duel and accidentally kill him.

"But since he defeated the Leader, he claimed the position for himself. It’s quite straightforward, and I don’t mind that."

However, the story doesn’t end there.

The previous Leader, in his old age, was far from his prime and was no longer the strongest in the organization. The second-in-command, the strongest at the time, was the first in Anastasia Union’s history to become a potential Leader from outside the direct bloodline.

He should have taken over long ago, but he didn’t. The reason was that they were waiting for the son to grow into a strong candidate. The previous Leader and the next-in-line Leader chose to wait.

Thus, the current Leader, who didn’t seek the position, decided to leave Berliza for Exembra, strengthening his own position.

Of course, the son, who killed the previous Leader, was still inexperienced and far from the strongest. He couldn’t even hold a place among the top members. Therefore, the position of Leader fell to the current Leader, whether he wanted it or not.

Naturally, the inexperienced and foolish son, who later grew stronger, caused internal strife. This was likely the trouble the Leader faced when he returned to Berliza a while back. At the time, there were also conflicts with the Medek-Legisamo Empire, so the situation was complex.

"What exactly happened during the internal strife, I won’t say. But I demonstrated the difference in strength to the son and told him to train for a while. Then I returned to Exembra. At the time, the Five Families system in Exembra was collapsing, and the Anastasia Union was in a bad state. It was necessary for the Leader to return to stabilize things."

The complicated situation is a result of the history of a long-established major organization. The Leader has his hands full.

I now understand the situation, but the question is why he’s telling me this.

"I’m willing to step down as Leader if a new strongest person emerges, but it’s not that simple. The headquarters is now divided into the current Leader’s faction and the next-in-line Leader’s faction. I don’t recognize factions."

"So, there are people supporting the previous Leader’s son. What a mess... You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?"

"If I were to behave like a proper Leader at the headquarters, this situation wouldn’t have arisen. Because of a promise to the previous Leader, I’ve only been temporarily holding the position of Leader. Given this attitude, it’s understandable that there are movements to replace me sooner."

That makes sense. If the top person is absent from the headquarters with no plans to return, it wouldn’t be good for the organization.

"For you, the headquarters is like a half-enemy territory. So, what’s the point of telling me this?"

It’s more than just a personal story. I want to know why he’s telling me this.

"You probably guessed it already, but the bookies were sent by the opposing faction."

"To create friction between us and the Clad Family, making you too busy to deal with the headquarters? Or perhaps they hoped to start a conflict here, leading to your death? It’s a boring strategy, but I see. So, it was an internal issue. No wonder you dealt with it quickly."

"Indeed. My position is weak enough that such people are being sent. That’s why I have a request of you."

"So, this is your main request. Alright, I’ll listen."

What kind of request could it be?

"I need you to guard my sister."

"Huh? Why?"

Caught off guard by the unexpected request, I gave a rather dumb response.

"Don’t you have enough capable fighters to protect her? Is it that dangerous here in Exembra? Oh, right, there was that assassin."

"We’ll deal with that one later. My sister needs to go to Berliza. I need you to guard her while she’s there."

"Huh?"

"Understand why? It’s not a simple trip. She’s going to study at a prestigious school. It’s an obligation of the Anastasia Union’s high-ranking families to send their daughters to a specific school in Berliza, where they can cultivate the necessary graces to interact with nobility and gain their trust through education."

"Ah, I see."

The Anastasia Union, being a martial organization, also handles important security tasks in Berliza.

Protecting noble women requires female guards, and it’s a responsibility of the daughters of high-ranking Anastasia Union families. Naturally, this applies to his sister as well.

"My sister is popular with men. Unfortunately, she’s been targeted."

I thought it was just a casual conversation, but it turned out to be something serious.

"You mean, she’s been targeted by that idiotic son?"

"Yes, but it’s one-sided. While I believe he could grow into a better person, my sister dislikes him."

"If it’s a matter of love, things could get messy. And there’s also the possibility that the opposing faction might try to use her. Of course, it’s natural for her to dislike someone who killed his own father in a fit of arrogance. I see, so you need solid protection."

A crazy, delusional guy might act on impulse. Given that he killed the previous Leader, he must have been quite strong, even by the standards of a major martial organization. Considering his growth since then, he’s likely very powerful now.

Moreover, if his faction is involved, a few guards might not be enough. Some might act on their own to curry favor with the future leader.

Additionally, it wouldn’t be wise to kill a troublemaker who’s still a potential future leader and his followers. That’s why you need guards who can subdue or repel him without killing him.

"But don’t you have people from your faction at the headquarters? Why come to us?"

"The school is a girls’ school. Men aren’t allowed, and there aren’t enough female fighters to guard her."

"Then wouldn’t the same apply to the stalker?"

"Do you think he would care? He’d break in if he wanted to."

True, a crazy stalker wouldn’t follow the rules.

So, you’d want capable female guards around. We have plenty of qualified members. Even at the level of Anastasia Union’s top officials, we have fighters who can handle the job.

"But how can you bring guards into a school? The school, being for noble daughters, should have tight security, right?"

"The security is handled by the Anastasia Union, but it’s not reliable."

So, the opposing faction is involved in the security. They wouldn’t be able to protect her effectively.

"I could go to Berliza, but I’m not sure what’s going on now. At least until he calms down, I think it’s better if I don’t return."

"I understand the situation, but how are you going to protect her in the school? Outsiders aren’t allowed, right?"

"You just need to blend in."

"What do you mean?"

"I’d like you to pretend to be a student. And one of you can be a teacher."

Members like Valeria, who look similar to the sister, would pass as her classmates. We could send a few from the top officials or their assistants.

I’m already intrigued by this interesting request. A prestigious school for noble ladies in Berliza? Sounds like a thrilling adventure!

Of course, I wouldn’t fit in as a student, but...

"How many people do you need?"

"I’d like at least three capable fighters, preferably five."

We can manage five. If we recruit members from the Combat Unit and the Security Bureau, we’d likely have more than enough volunteers. We also have some basic education for dealing with nobility, so even if it’s not perfect, it’s better than nothing.

"How long will it be? It might be tough if it’s too long."

"It won’t be short, but it won’t be too long either. We’d like to leave in about fifteen days and stay until late autumn."

"From summer to autumn? That seems unusual, but is it normal?"

"The school year typically runs from spring to late autumn, but it’s not strictly bound by these dates for foreign students. Given their status and wealth, they can enroll from abroad. It’s not an uncommon arrangement."

"I see. That makes sense."

Including travel time, it would be about five hundred days. It’s not a short period, but it’s manageable if we can return by winter.

Ideally, I wanted to avoid bold moves until the war ends, but it’s almost over, so it might be fine.

"My sister is a friend of ours. If she’s in danger, we’d like to protect her. However, we can’t do it for free."

"Of course, I’ll provide appropriate compensation. Do you have any specific requests?"

"Then I’d like a territory in Berliza."

"Alright. I can arrange that within my authority, but don’t expect too much."

This guy! He accepted my unreasonable request so easily!

I thought he’d refuse and then lower his demands to meet mine. I only wanted a small base, and asking for a territory seemed too much. But he accepted it so readily...

He must have anticipated this outcome.

My plans were to get a small base, and if he refused, I’d lower my demands. But he accepted it outright...

I’ve been outsmarted. This was clearly a calculated move.

Still, this might be more troublesome than I imagined.