Chapter 346 - Standard Operating Procedure for a Villain
The sky was just beginning to brighten, the dawn of a summer’s night. The sky was clear, a deep azure, with stars shining brightly. It looked like it would be a good day. This time of day, when the heat had yet to set in, would have felt pleasant if not for the lack of sleep. For someone like me, who never skips early morning training, it was just a bit earlier than usual.
At such an early hour, there was a suspicious figure moving stealthily around. The person, who had stopped by the Student Council Building, moved quickly through the empty grounds of the Academy, still avoiding any prying eyes. I watched their movements with magic, keeping my distance as I followed.
Chasing and being chased at such an early hour, sneaking around—this didn’t seem like something that would happen at a prestigious all-girls academy. But then again, one of the parties involved wouldn’t have it any other way.
I wondered what lay ahead as I continued to follow. It seemed the destination was the storage shed where gardening supplies were kept. I confirmed the suspicious figure had entered the shed, then closed in to observe from a hidden spot.
It would be better to find out what they were doing rather than apprehend them right away. I also wanted to see who they were. After a short while, the person emerged from the shed, peeking out cautiously to check the surroundings. Once they confirmed no one was around, they locked the door and ran off.
From their behavior, it was clear they were up to no good. Unfortunately, it was too dark to make out their face.
Well, no matter. The important thing was to find out what they were doing in the shed. I cautiously approached, using magic to break the padlock and checking for traps before entering. At first glance, it was just a normal shed with gardening tools and fertilizer stacked everywhere. It wasn’t immediately clear what the suspicious figure had been up to. But I had to search thoroughly.
I lit a magical light and carefully examined the shelves and floor, opening toolboxes and checking inside. After a while, I found what I was looking for: blocks of a substance wrapped in packages. It was drugs, no doubt from the Student Council Building’s underground vault.
“Just as I thought. But in this state, they won’t be able to sell them.”
Each block was about a kilogram, and there were five of them. Five kilograms of drugs was an enormous amount.
Given the quantity, it was clear they weren’t planning to retail them within the Academy. They would need to transport them to another location to be divided into smaller portions.
“I’ll give them a little trouble.”
I decided to take two of the blocks. I left the shed, repaired the broken lock, and burned the drugs I had taken. It would be interesting to see what happens when the drugs start disappearing. If this were a mafia operation, it might end in bloodshed, but surely it wouldn’t come to that among students.
...Right? I mean, it should be fine. Probably, definitely.
While I was contemplating my next move, someone else arrived. Given the timing, it was likely the person who was supposed to pick up the drugs. They seemed to be working in coordination. I hid and observed again.
The person’s face was still obscured. In the dim light, a figure with a deep-set hat entered the gardening shed and carried out the box containing the drugs. They loaded it onto a cart along with other gardening tools, as if it were part of their daily routine, and headed off.
Hmm. From their lack of reaction to the missing drugs, they might not know the original count or hadn’t opened the box yet.
Just to be sure, I checked the shed again and found the blocks I had taken. I had hoped to see them panic, but it was anticlimactic.
By the time I left the shed, the sun was starting to rise. Someone else might come to pick up the drugs, so I decided to keep watching.
I hid in the shade of a tree near the field and fought off drowsiness for about thirty minutes. Another person arrived, but this time it wasn’t a student.
“Is that... the dorm mother?”
The figure in the morning light was unmistakable. She might have just come to tend the garden, but I needed to see what she was up to.
The dorm mother entered the shed and, after a short while, emerged pushing a cart with a box of vegetables. But the box containing the drugs was also on the cart. She was likely heading to the Student Dormitory.
I see. From the situation, it seemed the dorm mother was involved in some shady operations within the dorm. The drug transactions might even be confined to the dorm, which would explain why they hadn’t been caught in my patrols or surveillance.
Even a simple trick like following the chain of people involved in the early morning drug transport would be difficult to trace without prior knowledge. The students were surprisingly cautious for their age.
In any case, I had caught them red-handed.
All I had to do was report to Layla, and the evidence would be easily gathered without my direct involvement. I looked forward to seeing the trouble the missing drugs would cause.
This could shake up the sinister Student Council. The amount of drugs was concerning. It would be difficult to distribute such a large quantity within the Academy. It was more likely that the drugs were being funneled through the dorm mother to another location. For now, this was a good start.
I felt a sense of accomplishment. It seemed I could start chipping away at the mounting problems.
I would return to the dorm, take a shower, have breakfast, and then get moving again. It was bound to be a busy day.
Next, I had to deal with the security force, the Bluecoats. The Bluecoats, who maintained order in Beltoria, were a large organization proportional to the size of a major city.
The nickname “Bluecoats” came from the blue coats worn by the security force, but it also referred to the entire police organization that included the security force.
Due to its size, the organization was divided into jurisdictions by district. My target was not the entire organization but the branch that patrolled the Academy and the nearby bustling streets.
The Bluecoats, as part of the establishment, could do almost anything if they colluded with the powerful. Laws, after all, were often used to benefit certain people and not always for justice. At least for me, expecting them to work in my favor was a waste of time.
Given the current situation, I needed to take measures to prevent the Student Council and the Bluecoats, which were composed of the children of the powerful, from acting recklessly against me.
It was absurd to have the security force interfere with my efforts to discipline the students’ reckless behavior. I needed to act soon.
So far, nothing serious had happened, but if I were to be caught, the Bluecoats and the Student Council would be in trouble. After all, the Headmistress, the Leader of the Anastasia Union, and the royal family, who were the top echelons of Berliza, were likely backing me.
However, I had no intention of owing the powerful for such a trivial matter. I was taking on a difficult job, so creating a significant debt was enough. I would handle it myself.
I already had several weaknesses of the Bluecoats in my grasp. Using the information from the Phantom Thief Guild, I could go and threaten them directly. I didn’t want to waste time, so I decided to visit them as an unwelcome guest early in the morning.
My destination was the Bluecoats’ jurisdictional headquarters. I entered the impressive building, which seemed to waste taxpayer money, through the public space on the ground floor. The building was bustling with Bluecoats, other staff, residents seeking advice, and criminals being escorted, even in the early morning.
No matter how busy they seemed, I had no intention of holding back as a visitor.
I approached a free window and immediately stated my business.
“Excuse me, I have a delivery for Security Chief O'Neil.”
The security chief was the top of the security force, the Bluecoats. Even within a branch with various departments, the security department held a relatively high position.
“What do you want?”
He was a grumpy guy. My black outfit and sunglasses, combined with the mysterious delivery, probably made me look suspicious.
“I’m here with a delivery. It’s important, so I need to hand it to him directly.”
I calmly lied and showed him a large envelope. The man tried to check the contents, but I stopped him.
“Don’t. If you open it without permission, you’ll lose more than just your job.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s confidential. You’re not very perceptive, are you? Just pass it along.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but it’s urgent.”
“People like you come every day, but my answer is always the same. Come back with an appointment.”
He was unexpectedly thorough and well-guarded. It seemed I wouldn’t be able to meet someone in a high position just by showing up. Given my position in this city, I couldn’t use the influence of the Three Great Families, so this was the best I could do.
Even if I couldn’t meet him, I hoped he would at least pass along the envelope. I had several ways to force a meeting, but setting up an ambush would be troublesome.
“...So, you’re saying this isn’t necessary?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. Who are you, anyway?”
“This is getting tiresome. If I can’t meet him, it’s fine.”
There was no point in further questioning. He clearly had no intention of passing it along. I needed to think of another approach.
“Looking for the security chief, miss?”
The voice came from behind me. The man addressing me as “miss” was definitely talking to me.
I turned around to see a well-dressed man with a friendly but suspicious smile.
“I’m a suspicious woman, so you should ignore me, Captain Thompson.”
“It’s fine. If you have business, I can hear it.”
“Captain?”
“I’m the platoon leader. If you need to see the chief, I can hear it for you.”
It seemed I had found the right person. I recognized the name Thompson. Each branch of the security force had a company-sized unit divided into five platoons. Thompson was the leader of the First Platoon and was considered the most likely to become the next company commander. While my target was the security chief, dealing with this platoon leader wasn’t bad. He was also involved in the Bluecoats’ misdeeds.
“Then, take me to a room where we can talk in private.”
I removed my sunglasses and smiled, and Thompson’s mustache stretched.
Hmm, is it really okay for such a simple man to be the next company commander...?
The platoon leader led me with a light step, and the man at the window looked exasperated.
We arrived at what seemed to be the platoon leader’s office, a room surrounded by frosted glass that couldn’t be seen through clearly and was likely soundproofed by a magical device.
“Would you like to invite me to dinner instead of the security chief?”
“I’m not here for small talk. Just look at this.”
I didn’t sit down but took out a stack of documents from the envelope and placed a few on the desk.
Thompson, making a casual remark, picked up the documents and began to read intently.
“...Miss, this is no laughing matter.”
The platoon leader’s demeanor changed completely. He had been acting like a lecherous old man, but now he was serious, his body enhanced by magic. He seemed to be a fighter at heart and was clearly on high alert.
“Do you think I brought this as a joke?”
“What’s your purpose? I should warn you, there’s no guarantee you’ll leave here unharmed.”
The documents I showed were evidence of the Bluecoats’ collusion with the Kudanseer gang. The Bluecoats escorted the gang’s drug and stolen goods, making it easier to transport them without fear of checkpoints or interference from competitors. In return, the Bluecoats received a fee based on the value of the items, a mutually beneficial arrangement.
This wasn’t just a side job for some officers but a way for the organization to make money, which was then used as tribute to upper nobility. While not all Bluecoats were involved, it was a significant part of the organization.
In any country, the easiest way to make a lot of money was to engage in illegal activities. It was the end when those who were supposed to uphold the law did the same. But as long as it didn’t come to light, everyone thought they were safe.
In most industries, the person who could gather the most money held the most power. This meant not just earning it through hard work but also how to gather it. Collecting money from various sources and distributing it to gain influence was the norm.
“Haha, you don’t need to worry about me. If things get out of hand, I’ll kill everyone in this branch and leave. I came in through the front door, after all. If I didn’t think I could leave, I wouldn’t have come.”
The Bluecoats’ misdeeds, as evidenced by the secret documents, were far from what I had shown.
There were plenty of documents detailing how the corrupt Bluecoats were used to clean up messy situations. They were involved in covering up crimes committed by important figures, eliminating witnesses, and framing innocent people. The Bluecoats had deep ties with corrupt nobles and merchants, using state power to do whatever they wanted.
I hadn’t told Thompson about the other documents yet.
“...Do you have accomplices? Or some kind of magical device?”
“Who knows? It might be interesting to try and detain me. But there are still more documents.”
Thompson’s face tensed, and he began to sweat. He finally realized the situation.
As a platoon leader in the security force, he was somewhat skilled. I had let him feel the level of my Physical Enhancement Magic, which was far superior to his. He finally understood that.
If things got out of hand, I could kill everyone. I didn’t actually plan to do that, but if Thompson thought it was possible, that was enough.
I wouldn’t waste time. I would threaten them with evidence of their crimes and, if necessary, use force.
“Damn... I’ll ask again, what’s your purpose? Even if you expose this, it won’t go as you plan.”
“It might not. But to cover it up, there will be a price. A very high price. Your superiors might take the fall, but it’s always the lower ranks who suffer. Do you have the confidence to avoid that?”
When something went wrong, someone had to take the blame. If the problem was big enough, it wouldn’t just be the lower ranks who suffered; everyone involved could be cut down. Losing your job was the best-case scenario; the worst was being killed to keep you quiet. Corruption carried that much risk.
The evidence of collusion with the Kudanseer gang might have a limited impact, but the stack of documents I had was another matter. If such evidence of corruption existed, the branch, including himself, was in serious danger.
An optimistic person might think they would be safe, but someone in a middle-management position should realize they were the most vulnerable.
“My demands are not that great. And there’s something in it for you personally.”
This was the key point. To get him to agree, I needed to offer something in return. Only then could the negotiation go smoothly.
I would threaten the Bluecoats and get them to agree to my demands, but I would also offer them a benefit. It wasn’t a one-sided deal.
I smiled at Thompson, who was still wary and suspicious.
I had caught the Student Council’s tail as drug dealers and used evidence of the Bluecoats’ corruption to threaten them.
It’s best not to do bad things. You never know who’s watching. It’s scary!
Stay tuned for the next chapter, “Traditional Methods: Carrot and Stick.” I’ll wield the whip while offering some candy.