Chapter 23 : Chapter 23
Chapter 23. The People of Black Street Speak a Different Language
After crossing the suspension bridge, the two of them officially entered the old district.
The sunlight was sliced apart by the tightly packed buildings on both sides, leaving most of the area shrouded in damp shadows.
The stone road beneath their feet was no longer smooth, and filthy wastewater pooled in the cracks between the stones.
The farther they walked, the more obvious the change in environment became.
The shop signs had disappeared, replaced by hastily scribbled slogans.
Some windows had bamboo poles sticking out of them with clothes hanging to dry. Voices of conversation and the cries of children drifted from within the buildings.
Vivian slowed her pace. She clutched the handkerchief covering her nose and mouth tightly. Her eyes, which usually carried a proud and critical gaze, were now opened wide.
“Th-this… this is Black Street?”
“Not yet. This is only the outer area,” Eve replied as she chose a relatively quiet alley. “This place is filled with all kinds of people. Young Lady, please stay close to me.”
“Oh… oh.”
Vivian instinctively moved closer to Eve, even brushing against her arm.
The curiosity and excitement she had felt earlier were fading away. She was beginning to realize that the filth, stench, and danger Eve had mentioned were the cold reality of this place.
Her pride would not allow her to retreat.
She pressed her lips together and forced herself to keep walking. At least she still had someone tall and familiar beside her.
“Young Lady, when we arrive, please do not speak. Just watch what I do.”
“Are you giving me orders?” Vivian pouted in dissatisfaction.
“I am only worried that the Young Lady might accidentally break the rules here. After all, Morninglight Manor also has its own rules. Since this place is unfamiliar to you, could you cooperate with me for once?”
“Others are always the ones who cooperate with me. When have I ever needed to cooperate with anyone else?”
Eve found herself momentarily speechless.
Getting this noble young lady to behave obediently was truly difficult. Since they had not yet reached their destination, she decided to change the topic.
“Young Lady, are you familiar with the current state of the nation?”
Vivian snorted. “Are you looking down on me? I have attended more history classes than you have eaten meals.”
“Then I humbly ask for your guidance.”
“Hmph. Very well, I will reluctantly explain it to you.”
Vivian lifted her chin proudly, as though she would refuse to speak unless the other party showed proper humility.
“Officially, this nation has no single leader. In reality, it is controlled by the major families. Order is maintained by the Church, and military strength mainly comes from the private armies of the families and the Church’s guards.”
In simple terms, it was a form of “gang order.”
As a special administrative city, Vossini had once been fiercely contested by the great families. However, after the Church intervened, it had become a special zone that belonged to none of them.
Eve nodded. She already knew this much.
The alley they walked through was deep, and despite it being daytime, it was extremely dark. Sunlight was blocked by the chaotic layers of hanging laundry above them.
Yet Eve still did not close her parasol.
Perhaps it was not only for shade but also to conceal her appearance.
“Hmph, do you still want this Young Lady to continue educating you?” Vivian asked smugly. She was extremely persistent when it came to opportunities to show off.
“That will be sufficient,” Eve replied without rejecting her outright. “Then, Young Lady… do you know about gangs?”
“Gangs? If you mean the mafia, of course I know about them.”
“That is exactly why I asked the Young Lady to cooperate.”
“How so?” Vivian raised an eyebrow. “Are they that powerful? Even someone with the Hessein family’s background has to cooperate with them?”
Eve did not answer immediately.
Her gaze locked onto the figures that had appeared ahead.
What seemed at first to be the end of the alley was not a dead wall as expected. Instead, a large piece of black cloth hung there, and several men stood lazily in front of it.
They all wore similar clothing: vests over shirts, black trousers, leather shoes, and berets. One of them was coughing and tearing up after being choked by a strong cigarette.
“Cough, cough… Damn it. Where did Ivan get this stuff? It is so strong even my old man cannot get used to it.”
“Just make do with it,” another man replied lazily. However, halfway through his sentence, he suddenly lifted his head with sharp alertness. “Hm? Someone is coming.”
At that reminder, the men instantly straightened up as if a priest had just bestowed a buff of vigilance upon his followers.
They all faced the two approaching figures—one tall and one short.
“Stop. Who are you?”
“Shopping,” Eve replied, lowering her parasol slightly as she stepped in front of Vivian.
Vivian did not understand what was happening, but she instinctively became quiet. After all, when people encountered sudden situations they could not comprehend, their minds often froze for a few seconds.
The apparent leader narrowed his eyes and examined Eve from head to toe. Her face was hidden beneath the parasol, and he could only see the vague outline of the smaller figure behind her.
Black Street had its own rules.
Not just anyone could pass through that curtain.
“Do you know the rules?” he asked as he flicked ash from his cigarette.
Eve said nothing.
Her previously empty hand slipped out of the pocket of her maid uniform. Between her slender fingers were several folded banknotes.
With a casual flick, the small stack of money landed precisely in the man’s open palm.
The man froze for a moment.
Then he broke into a wide grin and weighed the money in his hand.
“Good. As long as you know the rules. Go on in. Keep your eyes open and behave yourselves. Do not cause trouble.”
After speaking, he stepped aside and signaled to his companion.
Another man approached and lifted a corner of the heavy black cloth.
Instantly, a wave of hot air carrying the mixed scents of perfume and alcohol rushed out, along with a burst of noisy chatter.
Eve did not turn around. She simply touched Vivian lightly to signal her to follow before stepping into the world hidden behind the curtain.
The moment Vivian followed her through the curtain, the sight before her left her stunned for several seconds.
“Young Lady, welcome to the darker side of Vossini.”
Vivian did not respond.
Her attention was entirely focused on Black Street itself, which looked like a completely different world compared to the filthy alley behind them.
Above them was not an open sky but narrow gaps formed by buildings of uneven heights. Bright lights illuminated both sides of the street.
People dressed in all kinds of clothing laughed loudly, shouted, and argued. The entire street was filled with frenzied energy.
Even the ground beneath their feet was noticeably cleaner.
Countless signboards flickered with neon lights, turning what should have been a daytime street into something that looked like night.
“What… what just happened back there?”
Vivian finally recovered from the visual shock and stayed close beside Eve.
“Who were those people? What did you give them?”
“Members of a gang. More precisely, outer members of the mafia that controls the entrance to this street.”
Eve’s voice remained emotionless as her eyes quietly scanned the surroundings.
“The money was a toll. Here, their rules are more effective than the laws of the Church.”
“The mafia… and I have to pay them a toll as well?”
Eve glanced sideways at Vivian.
“Young Lady, the Hessein family naturally has its own dignity and methods.”
“However, they are not mere street thugs. They are organized groups operating in the gray areas. Their rules are troublesome enough that even other noble families prefer not to provoke them.”
Vivian instinctively wanted to refute her. It felt like an insult to the family’s prestige.
But the words stopped at her lips.
When she saw the seriousness in Eve’s eyes, she quietly swallowed them back.