Chapter 371 - The Blurred Line Between Justice and Evil
I returned to the Academy from the hotel as if nothing had happened, finishing my afternoon patrols and concluding my club duties.
It seemed news of the hotel raid, which began with the fire alarm, had yet to reach the rest of the school. Depending on the Earl's discretion, the incident might never see the light of day.
The damage on the hotel's side was confined to the Earl's secluded hideaway, sparing the areas used by general guests. It would be easy enough to cover up. They could simply insist the alarm was a malfunction.
Whether going public with the incident would gain him allies or cost him supporters likely depended on the Earl’s own virtue and influence. I suppose I'll just wait and see which way the scales tip.
Once my academy business was finished, night fell, and it was time for my work in the shadows with my comrades.
Leaving the advance team members, excluding myself, to guard my sister, I met up with Heidi’s group and Gradena’s group.
"I heard the news. A raid at that hotel, of all places. I should have stayed behind, what a damn shame my timing was so off."
Gradena and her team had gone to deliver a letter from the General to the scion of the Anastasia Union, but apparently, the brat was out. Word was he had left the city early that morning.
It wasn't likely he knew Gradena was coming, and he wasn't the type to run away. He hadn't left word on where he was going or why, leaving Gradena fuming with the stress of being brushed off.
"It was on the verge of a total brawl, you know? The Third Seat was taunting them, telling them to stop hiding and come out."
"Yeah, she was terrifying. From the outside, it looked like a full-blown gang hit."
"The other side was ready to fight back, but luckily, the former General's wife stepped in to calm things down... That woman had quite the presence herself."
"Tch, that old hag. Treating me like a child."
Good grief. Picking a fight with the Anastasia Union in broad daylight is a blow to their pride. In Gradena’s case, it might look like pure aggression, but I'm sure there was some calculation behind it, so I’m not worried.
In fact, it might be better to maintain a clear hostile stance against the Anastasia Union given their current instability. You could even argue it was a perfect performance for those watching us.
"So, what happened to the letter in the end?"
"The old hag insisted on taking it, and she wouldn't take no for an answer, so I left it with her."
"The former General's wife, huh? I haven't heard much about her, but she seems to hold some weight within the organization."
"Maybe she's the power behind the throne? That hag was hiding it, but she’s quite capable. Not as good as us, though."
For Gradena to say that much... As expected of the former General's wife. Another person to keep an eye on.
"Never mind that, we’re hitting those corrupt nobles tonight, right? Let's get moving."
"It’s still early. Heidi, what about the person you followed?"
Heidi had spotted and pursued a suspicious onlooker during the attack on Earl Cleardos. I hadn't heard her report yet.
"Right, let's see... Here it is. He was an agent for this family."
Heidi pointed to a name on the list provided by the Earl, a list of noble factions suspected of being connected to Badu-Lot.
"So that means the people involved with Badu-Lot were the ones who attacked the Earl. Though, I'm sure he has plenty of other enemies besides them."
There was a high probability the Earl was simply using us to take out his own enemies for his convenience. However, I doubted he would list nobles completely unrelated to Badu-Lot. If he did that, he’d risk drawing our ire, so we could assume there was at least a faint connection.
What I wanted was the one pulling the strings, their hideout, or nobles directly involved with the group. I didn't care much for those with minor ties. Ideally, I wanted to catch the big fish in one go.
"Does it really matter? Even if they aren't the main targets, we can just grab anything valuable and head home. They're all scum anyway, right? Let's just crush them all together."
"Exactly. Moore from the Intelligence Department told Yukari-san to ask the Cleardos girl, and this is the list of enemies given to us by her father. As long as we just shake them down and avoid killing them, it shouldn't cause too much of a stir."
Well, hesitating over small details would only benefit the enemy. It was far more troublesome for them if we attacked relentlessly, even if we were being hasty.
"We formed this group to skip the tedious investigation phase, so there's no point overthinking it. Moore and the Intelligence guys said they’d clean up after us if we kept it quiet."
"Exactly. As long as we don't kill them, most things can be fixed."
Badu-Lot was likely in league with the Medek-Regisamo Empire and other malicious forces from outside the continent. In other words, they were enemies of the state of Berleeza.
For a noble to aid such forces, even slightly, was nothing less than treason. Whether they realized it or not, the crime was severe enough to end their entire bloodline.
That was why the Intelligence Department had gone so far as to give us their seal of approval. If we couldn't act because we were worried about the details, we’d have no value as a violent organization. We were expected to do the jobs that the 'proper' people couldn't.
"...Alright, fine. We’ll raid them all and make them talk. The list isn't that long, so if we split up, we can finish tonight. However, I want to avoid anyone knowing that we’re the ones causing the chaos. Wear your skull masks and stick to stealth. If the target is out or has guests, or if a secret raid seems impossible, don't force it. Just try another day. Understood?"
"It's a pain, but I guess it can't be helped. You lot better not go overboard."
Gradena might act on impulse, but she was surprisingly cautious when it mattered. On top of that, she was well-liked by her subordinates, which was why she held the Third Seat after myself and Sieglinde. Her willingness to take on the dirty work was another reason she was a reliable executive.
"There’s no point in crowding one place. We’ll go in pairs. I'll just split everyone up randomly, alright?"
"Yukari, you're with me. Since your regular guard is away, I'll take her place. Decide the rest yourselves."
The pairs were decided quickly without any fuss.
"What's the order for the raids?"
"Aside from any places that are impossible to hit, we’re finishing them tonight, so the order doesn't matter. I'll just assign them based on location. Heidi, you’ll oversee the overall progress and remain on standby as backup. Is that fine?"
"Understood."
Raiding a place and making people talk was a job anyone here could handle. There was no need to worry about power levels or specific aptitudes for the split. They were the kind of people who knew when to retreat if things got too hot. That was why they were here. I could trust them.
The materials Earl Cleardos provided were detailed, covering noble locations, the presence of family or servants, and even the number of guards. He didn't have floor plans or security systems listed, but it was plenty of info. We could figure the rest out on-site.
As the night deepened, the group of skull-masked figures began to move.
To any observer, a group in charcoal-colored cloaks and skull masks would look incredibly dangerous. Someone with the right knowledge might guess our identity from the bellflower crest, but discerning fine details in the dark was difficult. The skull masks were so striking that everything else would likely fail to leave an impression.
Of course, anyone familiar enough with the Kikyokai to link us to the masks would know, but we weren't exactly desperate to hide our identities.
If we were caught, we could just show them the terror of the Kikyokai. Even if we weren't, the image of the skull masks would be burned into their minds. Finding out later that it was the Kikyokai's doing would only add to the fear.
It didn't matter if our misdeeds were discovered. So what?
Especially when we had the Berleeza Intelligence Department backing us up this time. It was the ultimate trump card.
Heh. A villain who’s stopped caring about consequences is a truly troublesome thing.
Once we left the hotel, we split into pairs and headed for our respective destinations. Those going further used vehicles.
The locations varied from noble districts that were normally difficult to enter, to secondary villas in the city, or even hotels. The list just noted where they were most likely to be, so we might miss some tonight.
But that was fine. If they went into hiding after tonight, we’d just corner them another time. These raids were, after all, at the request of the country itself.
"Heh."
I couldn't help but smirk.
Tonight was going to be a fun raid. It was especially nice knowing the Intelligence Department was in on it, so we didn't have to worry about the aftermath. This is what it means to have power on your side. And it would be a good chance to learn what happens when you make an enemy of that same power.
No matter how villainous we were, we didn't want the state as an enemy. A small regional country might be one thing, but a major power like Berleeza was another story. On the contrary, we wanted to earn as much favor as possible so they’d keep giving us special treatment.
"Is that it? That's a massive hotel. How are we supposed to find him in there? There must be hundreds of rooms."
The files said he stayed there frequently, but the specific room wasn't known. It would be a pain if he had a secret hideout like Earl Cleardos, but most people wouldn't have something like that.
"The target is a noble. He’s bound to be in an expensive room on the top floor. But he probably isn't in his room right now. That hotel's big draw is its casino."
"I see. If he's off playing, we don't even need to search the rooms."
We knew his face and build from the photos. According to the files, he was a gambling addict, so if we looked around the casino, we’d probably find him.
We took off our masks and entered the casino as regular guests. It seemed geared toward the high-class, but based on our fine cloaks and appearance, we were judged acceptable. We got in without being stopped.
"We’ll split up to find him. Just act like you're playing."
"I'll stay by the entrance and watch while I have a drink. I’ll get too fired up if I start gambling."
"Right. We might miss him otherwise, so I’ll count on you to watch."
If we were too obvious about searching for someone, we’d stand out for no reason. With so many wealthy people around, the guards were sharp. I had no intention of involving third parties, so I wanted to get this done as quietly as possible.
Peering through my sunglasses, I scanned the room, making an effort to blend in by joining a card game at a random table.
A short while later, as I took a drink from a waiter, I caught sight of a familiar face in the distance.
I had intended to move from table to table slowly to avoid suspicion, but I had found him much faster than expected.
"Gradena, look to my back right. The table far off against the wall. The guy with the young women around him."
"Wait here."
My whisper was a very focused transmission. Gradena responded and moved away from the bar counter.
"...That's him, no doubt. But what now? We can’t exactly lure him away with feminine charms if he's already got girls with him."
"I'll manage."
I stood up once the card game reached a break.
"Wait in the utility room near the restrooms. I'll send him there."
"Got it. I'll pull him in once he shows up."
I walked slowly, timing my approach to the target. I had been watching the flow of people and their movements ever since I entered the casino.
There were waiters with drink trays everywhere. It was easy to sync my movements with theirs. I didn't need to bump into anyone, I just had to create a small shield under one of their feet.
The waiter stumbled and sent the drinks flying. Naturally, the target was directly in the path.
"Wh-What is the meaning of this!"
The man, who had alcohol splashed all over his arm and leg, stood up in shock. In a high-class casino, such a mistake was normally unthinkable.
A staff member who seemed to be a supervisor rushed over alongside the profusely apologizing waiter. After wiping the liquid off with a towel and using purification magic, it was only human nature to want to at least wash one's hands.
Just as planned, the man left his seat, leaving the women behind. Perfect, he’s likely heading for the restroom.
"Gradena, he’s on his way. I'm right behind him."
I monitored the man's movements from a distance, prepared in case he went elsewhere, but he moved exactly as I expected. Even if he’d gone back to his room, that would have been fine too.
I followed him a few moments after he disappeared down the hallway. After confirming no one was watching, I quickly donned my skull mask and entered the utility room.
A quick look inside showed the man collapsed on the floor, curled in a ball. Judging by the faint smell of ozone, Gradena had likely punched him in the gut with an electrified fist to keep him from screaming. She was currently fastening magic-sealing shackles on him.
"Hey, let's toss his pockets first."
"Right."
He might have communication devices or self-defense artifacts. Without wasting a second, I used magic detection to pinpoint anything reactive on his person.
He was reasonably cautious, carrying several defense artifacts, mostly accessories. I stripped them all and claimed them as spoils. They’d probably fetch several million gist even if sold for cheap. A nice little bonus.
Once all chance of a counterattack was gone, I looked down at the man. I wondered how it felt to be stared down by two figures in black with skull masks.
Gradena crouched down and grabbed the man by the collar as he stared up with terrified eyes, drenched in cold sweat.
"Don't get any ideas, alright? If you answer what you're asked honestly, we won't kill you. But if you even think about shouting..."
Gradena pointedly looked at me, and the man’s eyes followed. I decided to play along.
There were various items in the utility room. Scanning the area, I picked out a metal ornament a bit larger than a palm. I gripped it and crushed it, twisting it into two pieces to show even a fool that I possessed abnormal strength.
After Gradena’s punch to the gut, he could easily imagine that we weren't the merciful type.
"Exactly. If you don't answer, I’ll start by crushing your left foot. Staying silent gets you the same treatment. After the left foot comes the right, then your arms. Once both arms are crushed, well, I’ll let you choose what’s next. Understand?"
"U-U-Unders—!"
Gradena punched the man in the face before he could shout in panic.
"Don't raise your voice, there won't be a next time. Keep it down when you answer."
Ignoring the man as he bled from his mouth and broken teeth, it was time for questions.
I forced the man to stay conscious through the shock of the pain and moved in while he was still reeling.
"Tell us everything you know about Badu-Lot."
Gradena dove straight to the heart of the matter with a heavy, intimidating tone.
The man’s agitation was obvious. This was a direct hit.
Off to a good start. At the very least, our haul wouldn't be zero tonight.