Chapter 343 - The Eye of the Storm Begins its Rough Rotation
I need to figure out how the Bluecoats will react to my movements while I have this tracker on. If they change their course based on my actions, I’ll have to ditch the tracker soon, or it’ll make it hard to move freely. I can’t afford to stir up trouble while the Bluecoats know exactly where I am, and constantly taking the ring on and off is a hassle. It’s a bit scary, too.
But if the Bluecoats haven’t picked up on it, I might as well get a bit more aggressive.
I want to cause chaos and observe the reactions. Right now, I have no idea how the different factions are connected, so shaking things up is necessary.
The Student Council, made up of the children of the elite, the Bluecoats, the curly-haired Edith Ribbonstrat, and her gang. Then there are the two factions of Anastasia Union.
Which factions are working together, and which are enemies? Or are they just pretending to be connected when they’re not?
By taking action, I should be able to see some patterns.
Even if I cause a bit of a ruckus, as long as it doesn’t lead back to me, it’s fine. Let’s go all out and make a mess. If no one’s following me, I’ll cause a bit of trouble and relieve some stress.
"Layla, can you give me a hand? By the way, why are you in the city?"
"I was gathering supplies. I’m done, so I can help you."
She must have visited stores where stolen goods are sold at rock-bottom prices or where illegal items are traded. She’s using the information I gathered during my night patrols.
"Then head to the square. I’ll meet you on the rooftop. No one’s watching you, right?"
"Yes, I don’t think anyone is monitoring me."
"Got it. But I have a tracker on me, so I can’t completely avoid surveillance. They might follow me to you."
"What do you want to do if that happens?"
"Playing with them might be fun. We’ll see. I’ll be there soon, so hide your face just in case."
I scanned the area for any signs of pursuit and sprinted through an empty alley.
I still don’t know how to uncover the truth about tonight’s events. It would be great if I could find the idiots who attacked me tomorrow, but that’s probably too much to hope for. I doubt they have any valuable information anyway.
So, I’ll stir things up and see what happens. If I cause enough chaos, I might uncover something unexpected.
"The Headmistress, there’s no change in the Bluecoats’ movements. I don’t sense any trackers either."
Layla’s report coincided with my arrival at the rooftop where she was waiting.
"No one’s following us. Maybe we can relax a bit."
"They might have thought that if they pursued us too aggressively, they’d expose the tracker."
"Maybe. They could be planning something else, or they might just be bored. Either way, there’s no point in being scared. Let’s move on. We’ll make the night even more lively."
"What do you need me to do?"
We’ll worry about the details later. Let’s just get started.
"You know there are a few gangs in the city, right?"
"I’ve heard a bit about them."
"That’s enough. The two biggest gangs are Jienko Nigi and Kudanseer. I’m going to provoke them. I was planning to gather more information first, but Edith Ribbonstrat is probably connected to Jienko Nigi."
"The noble’s daughter? That’s interesting."
"If Jienko Nigi has connections like that, Kudanseer probably has someone backing them too. I’ll shake them up from the bottom."
"Should we capture someone and interrogate them?"
"That’s a good idea, but tonight, let’s just cause chaos and see what happens. If we interrogate, we need to find a safe place."
"Then it’s a casual raid."
By observing the aftermath of a big disturbance, we should be able to learn something. There’s no way no one will react.
"I’ll raid Jienko Nigi, and Layla, you take Kudanseer. The location is—"
The information I got from a restaurant came in handy. They don’t seem to be hiding their base, so it wouldn’t have been hard to find if I looked.
"Just a light provocation, no killing. We don’t want to cripple them. Just mess with them a bit."
"Got it. I’ll also steal some drugs and money while I’m at it."
"Sounds good. Finish quickly and meet back here. Including travel time, fifteen minutes should be enough, right?"
"Understood. I’ll get started."
Layla, wearing a Skull Mask, moved out. I thought for a moment and left the tracker-equipped ring behind before heading to Jienko Nigi’s hideout.
The Bluecoats are moving southwest, but the rest of the city is quiet as usual.
Young people are enjoying their freedom, and on the surface, everything seems peaceful.
I stayed away from the bright, busy streets and moved quickly through the shadows, arriving at my destination in no time.
Jienko Nigi’s hideout is at the edge of the busiest part of town. It’s a two-story building that looks like a game room or pool hall.
The front is busy, but the back isn’t. I entered through the back door, which had no guard, no lock, and no traps. They don’t expect an attack, and despite their illegal activities, they’re quite careless. Typical amateurs.
There are a decent number of people on the first floor, and they seem to be having a good time. The place looks pretty popular.
The second floor, based on the vibe, seems to be an office or something, not a customer area. I headed up the stairs, thinking that’s where they might store drugs.
I barged in, and if anyone tried to talk, I knocked them out before they could. The layout is simple, and there aren’t many people upstairs, so searching won’t take long.
I silently knocked out anyone who got in my way and ransacked the rooms. I felt like a proper thief, opening closets and drawers, and scattering their contents.
I quickly ransacked a small room and then entered the main one.
The surprised gang members got a punch as a greeting. They drugged my drink before, so this is just a small payback.
I immediately found what I was looking for. There’s a large safe at waist height. It’s not a combination or key lock but a magic authentication lock. Without prior information, it would be tough to open, even for me. I could break it, but I don’t want to reveal that ability to these amateurs. I’ll try to open it normally.
Magic authentication can use biological readings or tools. I’ll have to see which one it is.
With no time to waste, I grabbed a nearby gang member and sat him in front of the safe.
"Open it. One word, and I kill one person."
I played the part of a thief, thoroughly intimidating them. There’s no need to hold back with these guys.
The young man, genuinely scared by my intensity, shook his head. Silence or not, it’s the same if he doesn’t comply.
"Who do you want me to kill? You choose."
"N-no, that’s not it! I can’t open it."
According to the crying young man, only the leader and the accountant can authenticate the magic lock. That makes sense. The safe can’t be opened by just anyone. The people who can open it aren’t here right now.
Damn, guess I’ll have to force it.
I increased the output of my Physical Enhancement Magic. A surge of power coursed through my body, allowing me to perform an unreasonable feat of strength.
I grabbed the heavy safe, ripped it from its floor mount, and hoisted it onto my shoulder. It probably weighs at least five hundred kilograms. Not many people can do this, even with magic. The gang members, who were already on the ground, watched in terror.
Let them imagine who attacked them and seek help from their patrons.
The setup is complete. I’ll leave with the heavy load. Knocking out nearly ten people and stealing the safe should cause quite a commotion. I’m looking forward to seeing how they react.
I kicked a guy in the hallway, sending him flying. Bad luck for him.
I managed to escape the hideout, but carrying such a heavy load in stealth mode is tough. Moving the safe is pointless, so I climbed to the roof of a nearby building and set it down.
With magic, I can easily manipulate any metal object. I opened a large hole in the safe, regardless of the magic lock.
Inside were a large duffel bag, hundreds of gold coins, and a stack of documents.
I opened the bag and found several blocks of what was clearly drugs. A substantial amount.
I transferred the gold and documents into the bag. The empty safe was useless. I sealed the hole and returned it. I threw it from the roof back to Jienko Nigi’s hideout, not waiting to see the result.
When I returned to the meeting point, Layla was already there.
The bulging bag at her feet told me everything.
"Fast work. I had some trouble with the safe."
"I was lucky. I arrived just as they were collecting money and distributing drugs. I just had to gather what was spread out."
"Heh, what a disaster for them. Well, if they’re going to react, they should do it soon."
We watched the gang hideouts for a few minutes, and the Bluecoats moved.
"The Bluecoats are on the move... This direction, a coincidence?"
"It’s not the way back to their headquarters. They’re probably heading to Kudanseer’s hideout."
"And they’re moving unusually fast, and no one is going to Jienko Nigi."
The Bluecoats, who were likely tracking me earlier, are now on the move.
Logically, if a gang suffers an attack, they wouldn’t report it to the Bluecoats. If a third party reported it, they would have to check both incidents. It’s unlikely that only one would be reported. Both might avoid reporting to avoid getting involved.
"Will Kudanseer be arrested? There might be some drugs lying around."
"Gangs and the Bluecoats are connected through protection money, so it’s unlikely they’ll be arrested. They won’t give up their cash cow easily."
"Right. From what I’ve seen, the Student Council and the Bluecoats are connected, and Kudanseer is involved too. But if it’s about protection money, Jienko Nigi should be in the same situation... Hmm, it’s hard to tell just from speculation."
After a while, the Bluecoats entered Kudanseer’s hideout and left without making any arrests.
Jienko Nigi didn’t move at all. They might have a plan for dealing with emergencies, or they might be more cautious than I thought.
"Headmistress, the Bluecoats are a problem. They’re connected to high-ranking nobles and could fabricate evidence to detain anyone they don’t like. We don’t know how much the Headmistress’s influence extends, so we should take precautions. Should I act now?"
"That’s a good idea, but can you handle it alone? Even if Violante and I help, there’s too much to do. We might need to call in some reinforcements."
We can’t spare anyone from protecting my sister. Valeria, Roberta, and Harriet are always on guard, leaving only Violante and me to help Layla. I’m busy, so this is getting tight.
"I’ll ask for help from a local faction, even if it costs money."
"Do you have someone in mind?"
"The Phantom Thief Guild. I bought an introduction letter from the Exembra Phantom Thief Guild to the Beltoria Phantom Thief Guild, just in case."
"I see. They’re not entirely trustworthy, but they’ll do the job for the right price."
"Yes. I don’t want to give them too much information, but a limited area outside the Academy is fine."
"You want to investigate the Bluecoats. The Phantom Thief Guild probably already knows a lot. They’ll be happy to investigate for a fee."
If we need more hands, we can hire them. We’ve done it before in Exembra.
The Phantom Thief Guild is a bit unpredictable, but it’s a good move to build connections.
They probably already know about us, so we shouldn’t underestimate them. They’re motivated by money and could easily become enemies. It’s a good idea to feel them out.
"I’ll move quickly. We have the funds, so I’ll go now."
Layla slung the bag of loot from Kudanseer over her shoulder.
"Sure, take it. You can give everything to the Phantom Thief Guild as a greeting."
"Isn’t that too much? I planned to hide my identity and buy information..."
"True, but they probably already know I’m in Beltoria. I’m a wanted person, so my face is known. This is a greeting from the Kikyo Society. It’s better for them to see us as allies rather than enemies. First impressions matter, so be generous."
The two bags of gold and the drugs are worth probably more than a few hundred million. I don’t know the exact value of the drugs, but it’s at least that much.
But this is just ill-gotten gains. I don’t plan to sell drugs, so I’d just have to dispose of them. The impact of removing this amount of drugs from the streets is minimal. It’s better to use them effectively.
"I’ll negotiate with that in mind. What if they ask for something other than money?"
"That depends on what they want. I’ll leave it to your judgment. If you’re unsure, bring it back for discussion."
"I’m more worried about them pushing their problems onto us. Are you returning to the Academy?"
"I’m going to provoke the Student Council. They started the fight, so it’s a form of greeting. Oh, by the way, there were documents in Jienko Nigi’s safe. Check them before you give them to the Phantom Thief Guild."
"Interesting."
I’ll stir things up. Waiting around isn’t my style.
I want to clear up the mess and focus on my real work. It’s been a busy night.
Stressed and a bit reckless, the protagonist is moving with a "let’s just do it" attitude.
Sometimes, a well-planned scheme is great, but other times, a bit of momentum can do the trick. Probably.
The next chapter, "Hidden Secrets Beg to Be Exposed," will delve into the Student Council’s secrets. Stay tuned!