NOVPUB‘It’—that which had slumbered—awoke much earlier than usual.
In pitch darkness, thick like spilled ink where nothing could be seen...
Only crimson eyes gleamed wickedly, glowing like rubies in the void.
‘It’ slowly rose.
Normally, it would’ve wasted time in dazed idleness, but not this time.
Because something familiar was drifting in from afar.
“The scent of blood... My blood, no doubt.”
Still clouded by lingering sleep, the gaze gradually regained clarity.
And once the fog in its mind had cleared completely, ‘It’ smiled with amusement.
“That damned disciple. So you really did sneak off with my blood when you ran—and now you’ve actually used it.”
The voice didn’t carry anger or annoyance.
Rather, it overflowed with something deeper—entertainment.
“Well, I figured since I taught and raised him myself, he’d be smart enough never to use the blood.”
Surely the disciple wasn’t foolish. He must’ve known that using the blood would allow ‘It’ to pinpoint his location.
And yet he used it anyway. That could mean only one thing:
There had been no other choice.
“Interesting.”
A foolish disciple, yet undeniably skilled.
Not the kind of man who’d get beaten and pushed around anywhere he went.
And yet he’d used the blood—that meant he’d gotten himself tangled in something truly amusing.
“My curiosity is piqued.”
‘It’ was a being utterly detached from the world.
Enveloped in ennui, ‘It’ had long turned away from the world to live in quiet isolation, with no interest in outside affairs.
But the moment the scent of its own blood wafted in from afar, all that apathy evaporated.
Knowing that its disciple had gotten involved in something entertaining was enough to make its blood stir.
“It’s been a while... since I moved on my own like this.”
Since it was already moving, it might as well take a look around and see what had become of the world.
What would the outside look like after all this time?
“The sin of making this master take a single step... You had best repay it with something worthy.”
My disciple.
‘It’ grinned in the darkness.
* * *
Shudder.
Ludger trembled without meaning to.
“Boss? Are you all right?”
“...No. No, I’m not. This is definitely not all right.”
“Is it because of... your master?”
“Yeah.”
Seriously.
Hans had heard bits and pieces about Ludger’s master—some famous archmage and a wanderer.
Still, even taking that into account, he couldn’t quite understand why someone like Ludger would be this terrified.
“Aren’t you overreacting a little? Just mentioning your master and you’re acting like you’ve seen the Grim Reaper.”
“He is the Grim Reaper.”
“Hah! You’ve gotten way too good at joking, boss.”
“Hans. Do you ever wonder where I learned all these magic techniques and skills?”
“Well, I just assumed you were a genius who figured it all out on your own...”
Ludger shook his head.
“I’ve said it before—I’m no genius. Almost everything I use was created by pioneers who came before me. I merely followed their footsteps.”
“...Yeah, but no one else can follow all of them.”
“Why not?”
“....”
Hans opened his mouth but gave up.
Ludger’s personal standard was so absurdly high that his self-deprecation bordered on delusional. There was no point arguing.
“Hans, think about it. Why do you think I don’t flaunt what I’ve accomplished, even though others think I’ve done great things?”
“Because your standards are too high?”
“No. It’s because of pride. Pride in having uncovered things no one else had discovered—things that didn’t exist in the world until I brought them to light.”
“...So you do have pride. Then why act so modest?”
“Because it never met my master’s expectations.”
Even [Source Code], the very magic system that everyone was now obsessed with—
When Ludger first showed it to his master, the response was dismissive: “It’s passable, I guess.”
He even got scolded: “Don’t go bragging about something like this.”
But Ludger hadn’t taken it as petty jealousy.
After all, though Ludger had conceived the basic framework of Source Code, it was his master who contributed the most to refining it.
And never once did that master try to claim it as his own.
That’s the kind of man he was.
And Ludger had grown up with that figure looming ahead of him since childhood.
That’s why his view of the world—his standards—were fundamentally different from others.
“So if you're talking about someone who even you, boss, describe that way... just how terrifying is this master of yours?”
“A monster. I nearly died multiple times because of him.”
Ludger said it with absolute conviction, leaving Hans speechless.
A monster? I mean, sure, but... is it really okay to call your master that?
Then again, with how serious Ludger looked, Hans couldn’t argue.
Well, if people complain about politicians behind their backs, what’s a little venting about your mentor?
“Total bastard, huh!”
“...Try not to insult him?”
“Uh... sorry.”
“Honestly, I don’t feel great hearing that.”
Hans felt awkward.
Wait—wasn’t calling him a monster practically asking for someone to join in?
“Well, if you say so, boss...”
“Good. Let’s wrap it up here.”
“So, to summarize: the recent incident at Seorn has been contained internally and isn’t expected to spread. And you personally took down the First Order of the Black Dawn—doesn’t get much better than that.”
Ludger nodded.
“The greatest immediate threat has been reduced. But we can’t relax. The Black Dawn won’t give up.”
After all, even a Zero Order had appeared at Seorn.
Just thinking about that still made Ludger’s neck prickle.
Hans had already been briefed, and he could only exhale heavily.
“They’ve stepped back for now, but who knows when they’ll ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) strike again. That’s why we need to act first.”
“If we’re acting first... then what about the base I was supposed to track?”
Previously, Ludger had given Hans an order.
To find their hideout based on the substance used in the werewolf experiments—extracts from the plant Pelluma.
And Pelluma only grew in the city of Baltanung.
He hadn’t expected immediate results.
“I was just about to tell you about that.”
But Hans had proven far more capable than expected.
“You found something? In that short time?”
“Once you narrow down the location, tracking them isn’t so hard. Just as you suspected, there’s been unusual movement in Baltanung.”
“You think it’s them?”
“Over 90% certainty.”
That was as good as confirmed.
“They’re holed up in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts, keeping their operations going by working with local gangs.”
“Have they caught wind of us and tried to run?”
“No. Looks like they don’t suspect we’ve traced them this far.”
The Shamsus School facility had been destroyed, but they must’ve assumed no heat would reach them.
“Looks like I’ve got one more place to visit.”
“I’ll prepare.”
Quick to catch on, Hans nodded in agreement.
Ludger gave a satisfied nod in return.
With this, most of their clean-up was complete.
Though not everything has been tied up just yet.
For example—Debian Burteg, who fought in the magic duel final.
He had glimpsed the image of a ‘god’ when Ludger’s Sealing Control technique unraveled.
If Ludger hadn’t stepped in when he did, Debian might’ve been reduced to a babbling idiot.
And now, Ludger had to wonder: what would Debian say?
There would be no gratitude, surely.
Not that anyone would believe him if he talked—he’d just be dismissed as a lunatic.
But the factionalist teachers among the nobility would undoubtedly keep an eye on him now.
There was also the matter of the Lumos family at the banquet.
Cayden Lumos wasn’t the kind of man who would let things go quietly.
Still... this is for the best.
Now that Ludger was growing in notoriety, he couldn’t ignore public reputation and political maneuvering.
Many would approach him going forward—hoping to cling to him, exploit him, or leech off his success.
Nobles were snakes.
If he dropped his guard, they’d skin him alive.
So it was time to make a statement.
To show just how dangerous it was to mess with me.
He didn’t need everyone to like him.
If he acted too passive, he’d only be underestimated.
Even if his opponent was a duke, he had to show he wouldn’t back down—so that the hyenas would be too scared to approach.
It was essentially a territorial warning.
And besides, he’d earned points with the Headmaster from all this.
Overall, it had been a gain.
But then—
“Hans. Do you have something to say?”
Hans, who should’ve left by now, was lingering—clearly hesitant.
“Umm... well...”
“Don’t be shy. Spit it out.”
“It’s just, remember what I said before? That once our business stabilized, I’d go to Baltanung to investigate the Black Dawn’s secret branch.”
“I remember. From the look on your face, something happened with the business?”
“No. It’s going smoothly.”
“Then what?”
“It’s too smooth. That’s the problem.”
Ludger stroked his chin and quickly caught on.
“No one’s gotten in your way since that day, right?”
“Exactly. The merchant guild that was lobbying the city council of Rederbelk to stop us—went dead silent.”
“They’re up to something. Have you found anything?”
“I haven’t found out anything concrete yet. But... some groups have been acting suspicious lately.”
“Suspicious groups?”
“You’ve probably heard of them before too, boss. One of the crime syndicates that went legit.”
At the mention of a criminal organization that had gone ‘legit,’ something came to Ludger’s mind.
A group he had personally taken down—The Red Society.
But before the Red Society had controlled Rederbelk’s underworld, there had been another name.
“Silver Sun.”
* * *
It was a luxurious room.
Leather sofas, expensive furniture, and a top-grade carpet.
But despite it being the middle of the day, heavy blinds covered the windows, keeping the light out. The room remained dim.
Only the crimson flames of the fireplace cast a glow across the space.
Seated at the center, on a sofa, a man spoke with evident boredom.
“Hmph. So let me get this straight.”
His languid gaze drifted to the men standing before him.
“A bunch of penniless street rats got ahead of themselves, and you want us to put them back in their place?”
He waved a document in his hand.
The five men—representatives of the merchants’ cooperative—bowed their heads in silence.
“What, you thought Silver Sun was some pushover?”
Every time the man’s sharp, venomous gaze swept over their bodies, a chill ran down their spines.
Silver Sun.
Commonly referred to as SS, they had once been a ruthless gang operating in the shadows. But after expanding their scale and power, they emerged into the light—restructured as a mafia-run corporation.
They pursued profit above all, be it legal or illegal.
Their usual business involved manipulating labor unions to extract wealth. But their reach extended much farther.
They extorted “protection fees” from street vendors...
Monopolized food and wine supply chains to amass riches...
And bought off city council members to shield themselves.
Legitimized illegality.
And the man lounging on the sofa—smirking with delight—was the very chairman of Silver Sun.
Carlone.
Even the police turned a blind eye to him, bought off with bribes fed to the political and financial elite.
His serpent-like eyes scanned over the merchants.
“So what, you couldn’t even deal with a few street rats and now you’re dragging me into it?”
Carlone tossed the documents into the fireplace.
Papers went up in flames instantly, scattering embers into the room. The crackle of burning wood stabbed at the merchants’ ears.
Carlone took a slow sip of wine from a glass beside him.
The merchants swallowed nervously as they watched.
At last, Carlone set the glass down and spoke.
“Temoran. You’re the representative here, right? How long have we known each other?”
“Te-ten years,” replied Temoran—a man in his mid-50s—his voice trembling.
“Yeah. Ten years. So after all that time, you should know what kind of man I am. Or was that not enough time?”
“N-no! I can explain!” Temoran cried out, nearly seizing in panic.
Even after ten years of working together, he knew Carlone wouldn’t hesitate to kill him if he stuttered now.
“The real problem isn’t the slum rats themselves. It’s the man behind them—the one they call the ‘Owner’!”
“Go on.”
Carlone’s interest was finally piqued.
Temoran, desperate not to lose the chance, blurted out quickly.
“Originally, the underworld was managed by the Red Society.”
“Yeah. That’s what they were kept around for.”
“But that’s over now. A man appeared recently and wiped them out. That’s the one they’re all calling the ‘Owner.’”
“So what’s his name?”
“Well, most just call him ‘Owner,’ so I... I don’t actually...”
“But he’s the one behind it all?”
Carlone frowned.
“Are you seriously coming to me without the most important piece of information?”
“I-I know!” one of the younger merchants piped up.
Carlone raised an intrigued eyebrow and gestured with his chin for the young man to continue.
“Before the Red Society was wiped out, I overheard some of them one night. They were talking while moving through the city. They mentioned a name.”
“What was it?”
The young merchant answered with a trembling voice.
“J-James Moriarty.”
“Hah!”
The moment he heard the name, Carlone burst into laughter.
The young man broke into a cold sweat at Carlone’s sudden, manic laughter.
When he finally calmed down, Carlone said,
“Well done.”
And then shot Temoran in the head.
As Temoran collapsed, blood spilling everywhere, the other four merchants turned pale.
Carlone blew the smoke from the gun barrel.
“Congratulations, young merchant. You’ve just replaced Temoran. What’s your name?”
“K-Kaylton, sir.”
“Good, Kaylton. We’ll begin clearing out the slums as you requested—soon.”
He wasn’t talking about relief for the poor.
He meant extermination.
“Of course, the price for our involvement will be steep. Naturally, your contributions will increase. Give and take, right? Any objections?”
“N-none at all!”
Having just watched Temoran die before their eyes, the merchants nodded furiously.
“Good. Now get out—and take the corpse with you.”
The merchants hurriedly carried Temoran’s body away and fled.
Left alone, Carlone chuckled again.
“Idiots. They really think I didn’t already know?”
Carlone was fully aware of everything they had just told him.
He had been the first to learn that someone named James Moriarty had appeared in Rederbelk and wiped out the Red Society.
He had even spent a fortune using the remnants of the Red Society to hire a Kalsapha assassin.
But the assassination had failed. And judging by the target’s response, it seemed he wasn’t just some no-name troublemaker. So I decided to wait and watch.
And now—those merchants came begging for help?
Carlone had already been planning to clean up the back alleys.
Now the merchant guild was asking for assistance? Couldn’t be better.
He’d make them pay dearly for it, of course.
James Moriarty? What a joke. He’s just a fake borrowing the name. The real one died in the Kingdom of Delica.
Of course, Carlone admitted he had skill.
To take down the Red Society and rally the slums that fast? Even Carlone was impressed.
But in the end, they were still just rats from the gutter.
Silver Sun wasn’t the Red Society.
The Red Society had been a pawn—nothing more. A tool Carlone used to occasionally clean up the backstreets.
That pawn was gone, sure—but he could always make another.
In fact, swallowing the slum project that ‘Moriarty’ had begun? That was the real prize.
Once that was in my hands, I could rise even higher.
Carlone already believed it all belonged to him.
He finished his wine and called out.
“Hey.”
“Yes, sir.”
A subordinate emerged from the shadows.
“Begin the operation. Time to clean out the slum trash—you know what I mean?”
“Understood.”
“Start with a light warning. We still need people to keep the business running. Just do it the usual way.”
“I’ll begin at once.”
The subordinate slipped back into the darkness.
Carlone hummed to himself, pleased.
Today, the wine tasted especially sweet.
