Chapter 174 : Not Just That
“Kaaak!”
“Subject 62, rejection reaction. Suspected of going berserk, initiating suppression procedure.”
“Experiment room 3 entrance closure complete. Injecting tranquilizer, on-site personnel stand by.”
“Do not dispose of the suppressed subject, prioritize data analysis. We need to check the changes in the immune response.”
“……Another failure.”
The old man’s brow furrowed deeply as he looked down at the busy researchers.
“Did it last for about three days? Still not enough.”
In the several rooms that could be seen through the large windows, people were restrained. Their limbs were bound, and they were in various bizarre shapes.
Someone’s two arms had turned into bird’s wings, and another’s two legs were bent backwards like a beast’s. It was as if the genes of a human and a beast had been forcibly combined.
“What’s important is that there’s progress.”
The man standing next to the old man said, looking down at them. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his suit, as if the intensely shining lights were hot.
“As the experiments are repeated, the time until a rejection reaction occurs is increasing. It’s proof that the direction of the research is set correctly.”
“……Yes, it’s all thanks to you.”
“Haha, I didn’t say it to get a compliment.”
The thin lips under the sunglasses smiled slyly.
“We’re also getting a lot out of this. I hope we can move forward to a closer relationship as partners, not just a one-sided relationship of help and support.”
“You talk a long time just to say that you want us to hand over the research data without any tricks.”
“Oh, did I get caught?”
“Even if you don’t emphasize it so many times, the contract will be faithfully fulfilled.”
The old man fiddled with an object that looked like an insect’s cocoon on the palm of one hand.
“The spirit’s cocoon, the last piece to achieve the prosperity of our clan, was provided by you.”
“I apologize for not being able to provide a sufficient amount.”
“If it’s not enough, we just have to get more.”
The old man’s pupils swayed like waves.
“Even if it means threatening the city government.”
It was a gaze filled with madness.
***
“Shadowfang wants to fight the city government.”
“……”
It wasn’t a civil war, but a situation where the Blood Alliance was trying to stop the rampaging Shadowfang? That alone was enough to make a question mark appear above my head, but the purpose of Shadowfang that Wilhelm revealed added an exclamation mark to it.
“Does Shadowfang think that’s possible?”
It would be troublesome if Mirei’s near-overthrow of Brahms made one underestimate the capabilities of each city. It was a miracle that was possible because of Brahms’ medieval social structure, Mirei’s abilities, and the internal conflicts of the city.
Furthermore, although the Brotherhood was an organization comparable to the Mad House and the top force in the underworld, its internal weakness was a chronic problem. It was because the Brotherhood was a force founded by the three leading factions for their own purposes.
Even if they all united, it would not be enough, so it was absurd for Shadowfang alone to go to war with the city government.
“Of course not. No matter how much beast blood is mixed in, a person is a person. Their brains haven’t turned into beasts.”
“Are they being stubborn even though they know they can’t win the war?”
If they weren’t trying to commit suicide as a group because they were tired of living, there was only one possibility.
“They have a demand for the city government.”
“Yes, they can’t win against the city government, but they can force them to suffer damage. And if the Brotherhood, the giant of the underworld, decides to carry out terrorism, it won’t be a damage that the city government can endure.”
The Brotherhood is a huge organization with roots in the underworld of all the cities on the continent. Leaving aside their skills, the number of their members alone easily surpassed the number of Public Security Bureau officials.
One hand could not block ten hands. If they carried out indiscriminate terrorism, the city government would be helpless.
“If the authority of the city government falls, then this city will truly become a hotbed of crime.”
Gellerg City is already lenient on crime. Black mages roamed the streets, gangs ran rampant, and contractors like me committed murder every day under the guise of requests.
The thin leash that was tied around their necks would also be broken. It would not be strange if the future came where the nickname of District 4, the lawless zone, was attached to Gellerg City.
“The city government will try to negotiate and accept their demands to a certain extent. Just like they did during the war crisis with the southern city of savages.”
Even if a war had broken out with the southern city of savages, Gellerg City would have won. The problem was the damage the city had to endure in the process.
It meant that the cost-benefit analysis did not match. The war with the Brotherhood was also the same. They could crush the Brotherhood, but if the city became a mess as a result, it was a war that was worse than not fighting.
“That’s strange. If they both know it will proceed that way, is there a need to start a fight… no, is that not it?”
There are individuals who do unnecessary things, but groups do not move that way. It meant that they had judged it to be a necessary thing.
“Are they trying to demand a condition that the city government will not accept unless they carry out a show of force themselves?”
“We think so too.”
No matter how unreasonable the demand, it feels rational after the fire has fallen on one’s own feet.
“I don’t know how big a price they’re trying to demand. I don’t need to know. The problem is that the aftermath of their show of force will reach us.”
“You’re worried that your identities will be revealed.”
“Yes.”
The three factions of the Brotherhood made it their first principle to hide their existence. A secret that had been so thoroughly hidden that even their own members treated it as an urban legend.
If Shadowfang started to run wild in earnest, information about their leadership was bound to leak in some way. It would be one thing if only Shadowfang was revealed, but the problem was that there was a possibility that the Blood Alliance would also be uncovered.
The Blood Alliance is a faction made up of vampires. After the information spread to the public, the Public Security Bureau would not be able to pretend not to know about vampires as they had before.
“In the worst case, Shadowfang caused the accident, but we might have to go to war with the Public Security Bureau.”
“But that’s not a situation that the Public Security Bureau would want either.”
“Think of the councilor who took temporary command of the Public Security Bureau during the Al-Raid terror incident.”
“Ah.”
Giselle Willow. A person who was so upright that he was synonymous with stubbornness. He would surely act according to principles.
“We’ve already discussed it with the higher-ups of the Public Security Bureau. If we succeed in stopping Shadowfang first, they’ll drop the case.”
From what Vincent had said, the commotion caused by Shadowfang was clearly terrorism. Generally, the actions of the Public Security Bureau when faced with terrorism are faster than any other department.
And yet, I had wondered why there was no response from the Public Security Bureau. Had they already talked it over behind the scenes?
“If you’ve already made a deal with the Public Security Bureau, isn’t the future of Shadowfang sealed? I don’t see why you’d need to hire me.”
“That’s…”
Vincent suddenly stopped moving.
His two pupils turned red, and his entire body’s joints twisted as if he were having a seizure.
“Ah, ah. Hello? It’s been a while.”
A clear and sweet, high-pitched voice. It was a phenomenon I had experienced before.
“It’s been a while. I was wondering when you’d possess him.”
“You talk a lot. Are you that curious about the trivial circumstances? It’s annoying, so stop asking and just accept the request, will you?”
It was the vampire, the head of the Blood Alliance. Her tone was still as if she didn’t like me. I also changed my posture in response to her.
I crossed my arms and legs. If it was Vincent, who was strangely sincere and came to work every day, I could be polite, but not this person.
“You should choose your words carefully. In this case, you’re the one requesting me.”
It might have been different before, but now threats did not work on me. I could just not accept the request.
Even if the industry was in a slump, it was a story that had nothing to do with me. After all, I had Sylvester as a sponsor, and if I had built up this much of a reputation, requests would pile up no matter what the situation of the industry was.
“Hmph, you’re just saying that. If you had no intention of accepting the request, you wouldn’t have wasted time asking so many questions. Am I wrong?”
“Hmm.”
It was the right answer. It was a problem related to the security of Gellerg City, my home base. I needed to get involved to understand the situation.
“I’ll be blunt. We can’t go all out in a full-scale war. At best, it’s just a dispute in a lower branch?”
“You don’t want to go for a decisive battle.”
“Of course we’ll win if we fight. We’ve already trampled them in the past. Do you think those mongrels who smell like beasts can stand against us, the nobles of the night? But why should we do them a favor?”
Even if she said so, it would be a difficult fight. And most importantly, the Blood Alliance was trying to stop Shadowfang to hide their identity.
If the traces of vampires were revealed in a dispute with Shadowfang, it would be a case of the tail wagging the dog.
“And the Public Security Bureau said they would drop the case if we stopped Shadowfang first, they didn’t give us permission to move openly as vampires. If it weren’t for that restriction, I wouldn’t have reached out to contractors.”
A vampire who had lived for a long time. The head of the Brotherhood, the giant of the underworld. Her tone was lacking in dignity for someone who prided herself on being a noble of the night.
But anyone could see that her pride was as high as the sky. She must be feeling displeased with this situation where she had to ask a contractor, especially me.
“You get it, right? As you said, I know I’m the one asking. So if you want something, don’t beat around the bush and just tell me honestly. That’s why I possessed him and came to talk to you in person.”
In this request, she was the subordinate, not me. If she was aware of this, the conversation was easy.
“I like that you’re straightforward.”
It was true that I had been beating around the bush to get what I wanted. Since she had raised the white flag first, my trouble was also reduced.
“I only need one thing. I want a status.”
“A status?”
She tilted her head, as if it were unexpected.
“Is that all? I can prepare enough cash to acquire several decent companies. Although it’s funds that need to be laundered due to the nature of our organization.”
“It’s not just that.”
It was what I wanted most now that I had met the members of Greenwood.
“I need a position that allows me to contact the elf princess. Is that possible?”
***
After returning to Gellerg City from Brahms, I had a lot to do. Replenishing the drugs that were running out, understanding the changing situation of the city while I was away, contacting Claire, managing the vegetable garden…
I had received the request from the Brotherhood first by chance, but there was something I had to take care of before that.
“Is this it?”
I compared the address Cromwell had found with the GPS address from Beta. This was it.
The windows were broken, and the wallpaper was all peeled off. A group of rats were tearing at the food waste in an overturned trash can, which had been left there for who knows how long.
The sky was dark, and the air was damp and gloomy.
「The World Tree clings to me, saying let’s just go back.」
I soothed the trembling World Tree.
“It does look like a haunted house.”
It was the house where the Greenwood member who was active in Gellerg City was said to live, according to the personal details Katarina had given me. It was the same apartment, but it was a world of difference from the apartment where I had encountered Elliot in District 2.
A haunted house that looked like a ghost would live in it. It was an atmosphere where I would have just said ‘oh well’ even if a skeleton was found in the hallway.
“Let’s just go.”
I dragged the World Tree, which had planted its roots in the ground and was whining that it didn’t want to go, and entered the apartment.
(End of Chapter)