Chapter 115
Chapter 115
An Unexpected Addition
Cecilia was quite fond of the auction system.
Every item’s price varied depending on the buyer, and an auction ensured that it would end up in the hands of whoever in the room was willing to pay the most.
"How about this much, Representative?"
As she checked the documents handed over by an executive, Cecilia quickly signed her name.
"How many do you think Kairus can handle?"
The executive flinched slightly at Cecilia’s question before answering.
"Probably two, at most."
"Really? I hope the outcome is a little better than that."
After briefly revealing a faint sense of expectation, Cecilia walked over to the window and spoke.
"Lukas seems to have finished the retouching, and Donovan has replaced the pawnshop executives."
Leaning against the window, Cecilia gently stroked the artificial flowers in the vase beside her.
"Something smells off."
At the executive’s comment, Cecilia let out a small laugh and sniffed the air, shifting her body around.
"I showered this morning. Should I take another bath?"
"...That’s not what I meant. I apologize."
The executive looked like he’d drop dead on the spot if Cecilia asked him to.
"You’re great, but you make it hard to joke around."
In truth, he wasn’t great, nor was he scary. She just said what the other person wanted to hear.
"In my limited judgment... it seems like Bennett City is beginning to change."
The executive had called his judgment limited to show humility, but his words were true.
The discovery of Pontus had shaken the entire city.
Areumdri Pawnshop, which had always considered the underground its territory, now faced a new threat.
And the other four groups had gained a foothold to exert influence in what used to be the pawnshop’s exclusive domain.
"Still, I find it difficult to grasp what you’re thinking, Representative."
"It’s just that what I find important differs from what others do."
In Bennett City, power and authority within an organization were everything. Everyone was obsessed with it—more strength, broader territory, greater prestige.
"When the ground’s been solid for too long, people tend to forget something very important."
That the ground could collapse. How had Bennett City, a breeding ground for every kind of crime, managed to remain in such a dreadful state for so long?
"Balance."
As long as changes stayed within the limits of what this city could handle, it was fine. It injected new energy into the city and got people moving.
And wherever people moved, profit followed.
"The other organizations are starting to forget that."
Since Bennett City had lasted quite a long time, people began to believe it would continue to do so.
More precisely, the current thoughts of the other gang leaders could be summarized like this:
[Balance is important. But... wouldn't it be better to have a slight advantage?]
The five groups needed to maintain balance among each other.
However, if possible, everyone wanted that balance to tilt just a bit in their favor.
"The easiest way not to topple a Jenga tower is to not touch any blocks."
Maybe I can pull this one, how about this one? That repeated greed would eventually cause even the sturdiest tower to collapse.
"But then, wouldn't there be no change?"
"Before change, the environment must be prepared first."
If the city could survive even with the power balance between groups broken, then Cecilia would aim for the top and she was confident she could seize it.
But now was not the time.
"I want to rest for a bit."
"Thank you for your time."
At Cecilia’s words, the executive bowed and left the room. Cecilia sat down on the sofa, pressed the phonograph’s button, and poured tea into her cup.
‘I can't stop the conflict. But I can control the outcome.’
Everything Cecilia had gathered—information, movements—pointed toward war. The conflict between the groups was inevitable.
She couldn’t decide when it would begin, but she could manage its course and control how it ended.
For the plan to proceed smoothly, it would be ideal if Kairus performed above a certain level in the test Cecilia had prepared.
"Now then, how about I have a little chat with our guest?"
After organizing her thoughts, Cecilia walked over to the built-in closet and opened the door.
"Miss Nora Galatea."
"Hello, Representative! Um, I'd be really grateful if you let me live."
Nora Galatea, an agent of the Lunaseeker Agency, had her head lowered inside the closet, wrapped in ominous black threads.
"Bennett City only authorized Lunaseeker’s activities up to the point of the Pontus conflict. Why are you still in this city?"
[Observe Kairus and investigate any ties to Featherwing.]
That was the order sent from the Aylan Republic five hours after Nora Galatea had submitted her report on the incident in Pontus.
Thus, unlike before, Nora Galatea was now obligated to carry out this mission with her life on the line.
"Miss Galatea. Why do you think you’re still alive?"
"Well... because I’m cute?"
At Nora’s reply, Cecilia let out a small laugh and playfully tickled her nose with her index finger.
"Because you haven’t killed any of my people yet. That’s the reason your damn neck is still attached."
Once again, Nora Galatea had acted while avoiding killing anyone as much as possible. As a result, she—who should have died—was still alive.
"The agents from the Lunaseeker Agency are known for their integrity. There were times in the past when I used various methods to extract information, but they all chose death instead."
"Wow. Honestly, I don’t think I’m that kind of principled person, you know?"
Nora Galatea forced a smile with an awkward expression as she looked at the red-eyed monster standing before her.
This was the first time she had been captured without being able to put up any real resistance.
‘And it was nighttime too!’
Even in the most favorable conditions for a Lunaseeker, she had been subdued with unbelievable speed. From Nora Galatea’s point of view, it was absolutely maddening.
"In honor of the reputation of Lunaseeker agents, let’s have a chat while I pull out a few of your nails."
Cecilia said it like a joke and pulled a pair of pliers from a drawer.
"Aaaaah! Okay! I was ordered to observe Kairus and investigate his connection to Featherwing!!!"
Cecilia tilted her head with a hum and looked at Nora with an impressed expression.
"I haven’t even done anything yet."
"But you were planning to! Please don’t torture me!"
Nora was afraid of dying, and she hated pain.
That was also why she refrained from killing whenever she could.
She tried not to do to others what she didn’t want done to herself. What if Lunaseeker executed her for betrayal?
Even so, it wasn’t like she would die right now . Nora wanted to live, even if just for a few more hours.
"I’ve never seen a Lunaseeker agent spill their orders this easily."
And yet, her answer wasn’t something one could simply dismiss as a random outburst.
‘Kairus was looking for the Cloud Seizing Art manual .'
It wasn’t unreasonable for the Lunaseeker Agency to go into a frenzy at the suspicion of connections to Featherwing. In fact, Cecilia herself was conducting investigations based on similar suspicions.
"I really don’t know what to do with you."
"How about letting me live? Is that asking too much?"
Nora Galatea looked up at Cecilia with teary eyes, pleading.
"If you grant my request, I see no reason why I wouldn’t return the favor."
"Alright."
Without even hearing what it was, Nora Galatea immediately agreed to Cecilia’s proposal.
"How do you know what I’m going to ask?"
"Because if I say no, I’ll get tortured and die right here."
Nora Galatea wasn’t some reckless kid blindly agreeing to anything Cecilia said.
In truth, she had no choice and the girl understood that all too well.
"Before you report on Kairus to Lunaseeker, report everything to me first. I’ll review your reports, make edits, and then you can send them off."
"That means I’d be betraying Lunaseeker."
At Nora Galatea’s words, Cecilia smiled and gave a small flick of her index finger. Instantly, the black threads coiled around Nora’s body tightened even further, closing the distance between them.
Nora knew all too well what that black thread could do. The dagger Cecilia had held— Night Thorn —was a transformed form of a battle gear.
"That battle gear seems totally busted, you know?"
Night Thorn could pass through substances beyond a certain level of hardness.
If she swung it at a gloved hand, it would slice right through the glove and cut only the hand inside.
"Still, I think I’ve figured out how to counter it."
"Sure, but I can’t do it. I’m not skilled enough."
The counter to Night Thorn was surprisingly simple:
‘No defense capability.’
Night Thorn couldn't block enemy attacks. It was a battle gear that could only be used for offense.
But for Nora, even tracking Cecilia’s movements with her eyes was nearly impossible.
"That’s a relief to hear. Now then, your answer?"
"You asked me to betray the Lunaseeker Agency."
At Nora Galatea’s reply, Cecilia nodded. Nora looked at her for a moment, then, while still bound by the black threads, gave a thumbs up and winked.
"Understood! Please let me live now!"
To be fair, Nora Galatea wasn’t the first agent from Lunaseeker to commit betrayal.
Given the agency’s long history, there had been others who had turned their backs on it.
However, Nora Galatea was probably the first to betray Lunaseeker so enthusiastically .
"You’re something else."
Even Cecilia was slightly taken aback by the sheer speed and boldness of the betrayal.
If someone could betray once, a second time wouldn’t be all that hard. In fact, that was likely how Nora Galatea thought too.
‘She just wants to survive for now and figure out the rest later.’
From Cecilia’s perspective, a leash was needed for such a daring girl.
And as one of the Operations Committee members in Bennett City, Cecilia had countless kinds of leashes at her disposal.
"Here."
Cecilia summoned a tattooist. As if already briefed, the tattooist walked straight to Nora Galatea.
Over several hours, a small canary-shaped tattoo was etched below Nora’s left ear.
"Um… what kind of tattoo is this?"
"If I send a signal, or if someone tries to forcibly erase the tattoo… your cervical vertebrae will go pop! and explode."
At Cecilia’s words, Nora swallowed hard.
"You’ll… let me go, right?"
Cecilia held up three fingers toward Nora.
"In three months, if the tattoo isn’t re-inked, it’ll naturally fade away."
In other words, Nora would be bound to Cecilia’s orders for three months. That much, Nora Galatea felt she could endure.
"Understood, Master."
Instead of replying, Cecilia summoned a subordinate.
"From now on, this little lady is a guest, not a prisoner. Prepare a room and meals for her."
"Yes, ma’am."
Cecilia planned to keep Nora Galatea at her estate for a while, giving her orders and eventually sending her to Kairus.
Nora had successfully completed the Lunaseeker agent training program.
Someone of her caliber wasn’t likely to forget instructions just because time had passed.
"Then again, with loyalty that low, who knows?"
A subordinate who would abandon her organization in the blink of an eye.
No matter how skilled she was, it wasn’t the kind of temperament Cecilia admired.
Bringing in someone without loyalty often became a source of problems within a large organization. By Cecilia’s standards, Nora Galatea was disposable.
‘But sticking her with Kairus doesn’t require loyalty anyway.’
Nora Galatea would soon be sent to Kairus. From the start, that was the reason for engraving the tattoo on her neck.