The trio closed the bar’s door and promptly ascended to the upstairs office. Given the early morning hour, all the patrons who had stayed up throughout the night had departed, rendering the environment tranquil and conducive to their purpose.
Upon reaching the office, they locked the door and lowered the blackout curtains. After ensuring complete soundproofing and security through Lennok’s magical abilities, Jenny commenced typing on her laptop.
The significance of the forthcoming information was abundantly clear.
“First, take a look at this. It’s supposedly the most recent photo of Juice Master.”
“……….”
Lennok and Jordan leaned in to focus on the blurry image displayed on the laptop screen.
The photograph depicted a desolate city with a convoy of dozens of tanks making their way through a road that lay in ruins. Within the image, a blurry figure atop one of the tanks could be seen, casually puffing away on a cigarette.
“You can’t see the face or physique.”
“He’s blocking all records from the artifacts he has. While his identity isn’t completely unknown, his current state of health could surprisingly be an important tactic.”
“That’s not our concern.” Lennok interjected. His job wasn’t to eliminate the drug lord but to crack his safe.
Jenny, however, understood that uncovering his whereabouts was also a crucial aspect of the mission.
“This photo is estimated to have been taken about two weeks ago. The location is the Paragini Republic, situated on the Rama Plateau in the extreme west of the continent. A paradise for lawbreakers who have completely seized control of the impoverished national economy and established a dictatorship.”
“So the drug lord has joined forces with them?”
“It’s an understatement to say that Dominic Cabaro pulled this off with mere collusion. The Republic has already gone past the point of no return due to drugs indiscriminately distributed to neutralize low regime support. Many people sought psychological pleasure amidst the chaos of the nation.”
The image on the laptop screen shifted, revealing that the tank was heading towards a lavish palace constructed by the dictatorship.
“It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he’s practically taken over a country.” remarked Jenny.
A member of the Pandemonium, a tycoon who dominated the continental drug market, and now a de facto ruler of a republic.
“Of course, the Republic isn’t as great a country to think that way about. You know that, right?”
He didn’t know. He had studied the geography near the megacity Vulcan, but he hadn’t memorized the name of the small republic located at the far western end of the continent.
“Even though they go by the name ‘Republic,’ they’re just an old, backward country that’s fallen behind the times. Compared to Vulcan, they’re really nothing. But the reason I’m telling you all this is…”
Jordan interjected, pointing at the laptop.
“It’s a cautionary tale that we should avoid direct confrontation with the drug lord.”
“………..”
“Maybe you could eventually stand shoulder to shoulder with those monsters. But not now. We still have a lot to do, both you and us.”
“……”
“Even if you have some secret tactics unknown to us and successfully kill the drug lord with some ingenious magic, we won’t be able to handle the aftermath.”
“……”
“Keep that in mind.”
Jordan’s words weighed heavily, and he looked more burdened than ever.
“At one time, even someone who had this entire city’s shadows under his feet, ended up crumbling before the Pandemonium,” he reflected.
With his arms crossed, Lennok silently listened and then spoke up, “That’s probably the story of a man named Kaiser, isn’t it?”
“……….”
“Considering the things you and Jenny have been saying, I can’t say it’s incomprehensible.”
He averted his gaze from the laptop and took a seat across from Jenny.
Jenny gave a slight nod, averting her gaze from Lennok.
“Keep the advice in mind,” she emphasized.
“…Jordan, honestly, it’s unnecessary worry,” she continued, her lips slightly pouting. She proceeded to project her laptop screen onto the office wall and explained, “We assume that Juice Master fully took control of the republic about two weeks ago. We don’t know what he’s planning in that fallen republic, but even if he moves fast, he’ll need at least two months to stabilize the chaotic situation and set up the environment he wants.”
“……”
“If you also consider the time it takes to travel from one end of the continent to the other, the chances of directly encountering the drug lord are quite low. Timewise, it’s actually very appropriate.”
Lennok, who had been silently listening, chimed in, “That’s a good point. This is not about calculating our position relative to the drug lord, but the distance between him and his vault… wait, that means—”
Lennok halted mid-sentence, finally grasping the significance of Jenny’s words.
Jenny smiled as he made the connection.
“Right. Among the countless vaults spread across the continent owned by the drug lord, the drug warehouse we should target is near Vulcan.”
Lennok’s mouth slightly agape, he stared at the map displayed on the laptop.
The map depicted numerous islands stretching northward from the plains where the great city of Vulcan was situated, extending past the arid plateau where a conference had once been held.
The place name was familiar to Lennok.
“Philenom Autonomous Region.”
Jenny said with a sigh, “We’ve chosen the worst place to travel to in these times.”
*****
“The region’s unique geography and the symbolic observatory called ‘Lighthouse’ mean it’s always had a magically diverse environment,” added Jordan, gazing at the screen.
“It’s an ideal environment for growing a variety of medicinal herbs. It’s also the best place to store those herbs. It’s not surprising.”
“So, should we think that the Pandemonium’s influence has even reached the autonomous region?”
“That’s too simple of an assumption,” Jenny replied.
“The members of Pandemonium aren’t particularly interested in each other. Juice Master is a new recruit in that organization of monsters… This warehouse is likely a secret hiding place built solely by the drug lord.”
“How did you acquire this information? In a situation where even the drug lord’s movements are hardly noticeable, how did you find the location of the vault?”
“That becomes easy once you know that he’s started making enemies in the republic,” Jenny responded with a smug smile. “No matter how secretly he moves, to maintain such a business, he has to leave traces everywhere.”
With her thumb and forefinger forming a coin shape, Lennok chuckled.
“You bribed the Drug lord’s subordinates.”
“To be exact, corrupt bureaucrats in the republic. I picked those who don’t yet fear the drug lord and, conversely, find it easier to tamper with his information. The Paragini Republic is one of the most backward countries on the continent. It was easy to get them to switch sides for money,” Jenny said.
“It’s not even about stealing information, just confirming the location of the vault and reporting it to us… Also, we have bypassed the dark web several times, so it’s impossible for them to know the vault location has leaked. It took some time, but the security will be perfect.”
“Was the delay due to all this covert operation?” Lennok couldn’t help but be impressed.
“It’s impressive,” he acknowledged.
Discovering the Drug lord’s movements without any leads was impressive enough, but subverting individuals connected to him and extracting only the vault’s location while bypassing the dark web was an extraordinary feat of coordination.
Jenny’s ability to accomplish this feat, given Juice Master’s ruthlessness, was undeniably exceptional.
Her extensive experience as a broker, her innate judgment and intuition, and her willingness to spare no expense and take calculated risks had made it all possible.
“I owe you one,” Lennok candidly expressed his gratitude.
Both of them understood that failing to secure such a deal could lead to problems in the future.
“There’s no need to go that far in saying it,” Jenny replied with a faint smile. “Because later on, I’ll be taking that much in fees anyway. Just letting you know in advance.”
Lennok burst into laughter at her words, which didn’t entirely sound like a joke.
“As soon as I achieved results, I called a briefing with you, Van. We’ll need a day to sort out the information we’ve gathered and secure the route to the autonomous region. So finish up whatever you were doing before that.”
Jenny, who had closed her laptop, announced.
“We only have superficial information that the vault is in the Philenom Autonomous Region. Ultimately, you’ll have to determine the exact location yourself on-site.”
“It’s like an away mission with an uncertain return date,” Lennok said, nodding as he picked up his coat.
“That will do. I’ll be waiting for contact.”
As Lennok prepared to leave the bar, leaving a weary-looking Jenny behind, Jordan intercepted him.
“Could we talk for a moment?”
“Of course.”
The two individuals lit cigarettes in the empty bar.
Jordan coughed slightly after taking a drag from the Double Scarlet that Lennok had given him. “Sorry about that. I haven’t smoked in a while.”
“It’s okay.”
Jordan’s demeanor was noticeably different from his usual self. Lennok suspected that this was likely due to his concern regarding the job and that his reaction was connected to some personal issues he was grappling with.
Before long, Jordan, who had exhaled smoke with skill, spoke again.
“Although she said it would only took a day, it probably won’t have ended that quickly.”
“……….”
“She has been sending transmissions to the Republic all day, holding onto the dark web, aside from the time she spent handling other matters. She must be extremely tired.”
“I know,” Lennok replied.
The moment they discovered that Malabest was in the Philenom Autonomous Region, Jenny had done everything she could. From here on, it was squarely on Lennok’s shoulders.
Since this was his mission from the beginning, Lennok had no intention of subjecting her to any further hardship.
It would take some time to fully assemble and calibrate the ‘Compassion of Archangel’ he had acquired from the battle with the expedition team. All Jenny needed to do was relay the data while Lennok incorporated at least some of the relic’s abilities into his arsenal.
Hearing Lennok’s response, Jordan weakly chuckled.
“Right… You’ve always been exceptionally good at that. The ability to exchange a few words and discern the truth in them is undoubtedly a valuable quality.”
“It’s not as grand as all that…”
“That’s why I can understand why Jenny would invest in you and have expectations.”
“………”
“As it becomes known that you have power beyond that of a simple freelancer, more and more people will associate your unusual talent with the name of Kaiser. Working alongside Kaiser’s bloodline will inevitably carry that meaning.”
Jordan placed a hand on Lennok’s shoulder, and no barrier blocked his touch.
“So make a decision after you come back from the autonomous region.”
“What decision are you talking about?”
“Jenny is planning a completely new venture with you at the helm. It will likely have a significant impact on the landscape of this district. Those who remember the name of Kaiser will likely harbor resentment rather than welcome her decision.”
A venture. The weight of those words couldn’t be ignored, and Lennok’s eyes grew colder.
Change was gradual, and one’s life couldn’t continue unaltered in this humid district. To rise beyond the status of a simple freelancer, decisive action was necessary at some point.
In essence, Jordan was presenting Lennok with a pivotal choice.
The trio closed the bar’s door and promptly ascended to the upstairs office. Given the early morning hour, all the patrons who had stayed up throughout the night had departed, rendering the environment tranquil and conducive to their purpose.
Upon reaching the office, they locked the door and lowered the blackout curtains. After ensuring complete soundproofing and security through Lennok’s magical abilities, Jenny commenced typing on her laptop.
The significance of the forthcoming information was abundantly clear.
“First, take a look at this. It’s supposedly the most recent photo of Juice Master.”
“……….”
Lennok and Jordan leaned in to focus on the blurry image displayed on the laptop screen.
The photograph depicted a desolate city with a convoy of dozens of tanks making their way through a road that lay in ruins. Within the image, a blurry figure atop one of the tanks could be seen, casually puffing away on a cigarette.
“You can’t see the face or physique.”
“He’s blocking all records from the artifacts he has. While his identity isn’t completely unknown, his current state of health could surprisingly be an important tactic.”
“That’s not our concern.” Lennok interjected. His job wasn’t to eliminate the drug lord but to crack his safe.
Jenny, however, understood that uncovering his whereabouts was also a crucial aspect of the mission.
“This photo is estimated to have been taken about two weeks ago. The location is the Paragini Republic, situated on the Rama Plateau in the extreme west of the continent. A paradise for lawbreakers who have completely seized control of the impoverished national economy and established a dictatorship.”
“So the drug lord has joined forces with them?”
“It’s an understatement to say that Dominic Cabaro pulled this off with mere collusion. The Republic has already gone past the point of no return due to drugs indiscriminately distributed to neutralize low regime support. Many people sought psychological pleasure amidst the chaos of the nation.”
The image on the laptop screen shifted, revealing that the tank was heading towards a lavish palace constructed by the dictatorship.
“It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he’s practically taken over a country.” remarked Jenny.
A member of the Pandemonium, a tycoon who dominated the continental drug market, and now a de facto ruler of a republic.
“Of course, the Republic isn’t as great a country to think that way about. You know that, right?”
He didn’t know. He had studied the geography near the megacity Vulcan, but he hadn’t memorized the name of the small republic located at the far western end of the continent.
“Even though they go by the name ‘Republic,’ they’re just an old, backward country that’s fallen behind the times. Compared to Vulcan, they’re really nothing. But the reason I’m telling you all this is…”
Jordan interjected, pointing at the laptop.
“It’s a cautionary tale that we should avoid direct confrontation with the drug lord.”
“………..”
“Maybe you could eventually stand shoulder to shoulder with those monsters. But not now. We still have a lot to do, both you and us.”
“……”
“Even if you have some secret tactics unknown to us and successfully kill the drug lord with some ingenious magic, we won’t be able to handle the aftermath.”
“……”
“Keep that in mind.”
Jordan’s words weighed heavily, and he looked more burdened than ever.
“At one time, even someone who had this entire city’s shadows under his feet, ended up crumbling before the Pandemonium,” he reflected.
With his arms crossed, Lennok silently listened and then spoke up, “That’s probably the story of a man named Kaiser, isn’t it?”
“……….”
“Considering the things you and Jenny have been saying, I can’t say it’s incomprehensible.”
He averted his gaze from the laptop and took a seat across from Jenny.
Jenny gave a slight nod, averting her gaze from Lennok.
“Keep the advice in mind,” she emphasized.
“…Jordan, honestly, it’s unnecessary worry,” she continued, her lips slightly pouting. She proceeded to project her laptop screen onto the office wall and explained, “We assume that Juice Master fully took control of the republic about two weeks ago. We don’t know what he’s planning in that fallen republic, but even if he moves fast, he’ll need at least two months to stabilize the chaotic situation and set up the environment he wants.”
“……”
“If you also consider the time it takes to travel from one end of the continent to the other, the chances of directly encountering the drug lord are quite low. Timewise, it’s actually very appropriate.”
Lennok, who had been silently listening, chimed in, “That’s a good point. This is not about calculating our position relative to the drug lord, but the distance between him and his vault… wait, that means—”
Lennok halted mid-sentence, finally grasping the significance of Jenny’s words.
Jenny smiled as he made the connection.
“Right. Among the countless vaults spread across the continent owned by the drug lord, the drug warehouse we should target is near Vulcan.”
Lennok’s mouth slightly agape, he stared at the map displayed on the laptop.
The map depicted numerous islands stretching northward from the plains where the great city of Vulcan was situated, extending past the arid plateau where a conference had once been held.
The place name was familiar to Lennok.
“Philenom Autonomous Region.”
Jenny said with a sigh, “We’ve chosen the worst place to travel to in these times.”
*****
“The region’s unique geography and the symbolic observatory called ‘Lighthouse’ mean it’s always had a magically diverse environment,” added Jordan, gazing at the screen.
“It’s an ideal environment for growing a variety of medicinal herbs. It’s also the best place to store those herbs. It’s not surprising.”
“So, should we think that the Pandemonium’s influence has even reached the autonomous region?”
“That’s too simple of an assumption,” Jenny replied.
“The members of Pandemonium aren’t particularly interested in each other. Juice Master is a new recruit in that organization of monsters… This warehouse is likely a secret hiding place built solely by the drug lord.”
“How did you acquire this information? In a situation where even the drug lord’s movements are hardly noticeable, how did you find the location of the vault?”
“That becomes easy once you know that he’s started making enemies in the republic,” Jenny responded with a smug smile. “No matter how secretly he moves, to maintain such a business, he has to leave traces everywhere.”
With her thumb and forefinger forming a coin shape, Lennok chuckled.
“You bribed the Drug lord’s subordinates.”
“To be exact, corrupt bureaucrats in the republic. I picked those who don’t yet fear the drug lord and, conversely, find it easier to tamper with his information. The Paragini Republic is one of the most backward countries on the continent. It was easy to get them to switch sides for money,” Jenny said.
“It’s not even about stealing information, just confirming the location of the vault and reporting it to us… Also, we have bypassed the dark web several times, so it’s impossible for them to know the vault location has leaked. It took some time, but the security will be perfect.”
“Was the delay due to all this covert operation?” Lennok couldn’t help but be impressed.
“It’s impressive,” he acknowledged.
Discovering the Drug lord’s movements without any leads was impressive enough, but subverting individuals connected to him and extracting only the vault’s location while bypassing the dark web was an extraordinary feat of coordination.
Jenny’s ability to accomplish this feat, given Juice Master’s ruthlessness, was undeniably exceptional.
Her extensive experience as a broker, her innate judgment and intuition, and her willingness to spare no expense and take calculated risks had made it all possible.
“I owe you one,” Lennok candidly expressed his gratitude.
Both of them understood that failing to secure such a deal could lead to problems in the future.
“There’s no need to go that far in saying it,” Jenny replied with a faint smile. “Because later on, I’ll be taking that much in fees anyway. Just letting you know in advance.”
Lennok burst into laughter at her words, which didn’t entirely sound like a joke.
“As soon as I achieved results, I called a briefing with you, Van. We’ll need a day to sort out the information we’ve gathered and secure the route to the autonomous region. So finish up whatever you were doing before that.”
Jenny, who had closed her laptop, announced.
“We only have superficial information that the vault is in the Philenom Autonomous Region. Ultimately, you’ll have to determine the exact location yourself on-site.”
“It’s like an away mission with an uncertain return date,” Lennok said, nodding as he picked up his coat.
“That will do. I’ll be waiting for contact.”
As Lennok prepared to leave the bar, leaving a weary-looking Jenny behind, Jordan intercepted him.
“Could we talk for a moment?”
“Of course.”
The two individuals lit cigarettes in the empty bar.
Jordan coughed slightly after taking a drag from the Double Scarlet that Lennok had given him. “Sorry about that. I haven’t smoked in a while.”
“It’s okay.”
Jordan’s demeanor was noticeably different from his usual self. Lennok suspected that this was likely due to his concern regarding the job and that his reaction was connected to some personal issues he was grappling with.
Before long, Jordan, who had exhaled smoke with skill, spoke again.
“Although she said it would only took a day, it probably won’t have ended that quickly.”
“……….”
“She has been sending transmissions to the Republic all day, holding onto the dark web, aside from the time she spent handling other matters. She must be extremely tired.”
“I know,” Lennok replied.
The moment they discovered that Malabest was in the Philenom Autonomous Region, Jenny had done everything she could. From here on, it was squarely on Lennok’s shoulders.
Since this was his mission from the beginning, Lennok had no intention of subjecting her to any further hardship.
It would take some time to fully assemble and calibrate the ‘Compassion of Archangel’ he had acquired from the battle with the expedition team. All Jenny needed to do was relay the data while Lennok incorporated at least some of the relic’s abilities into his arsenal.
Hearing Lennok’s response, Jordan weakly chuckled.
“Right… You’ve always been exceptionally good at that. The ability to exchange a few words and discern the truth in them is undoubtedly a valuable quality.”
“It’s not as grand as all that…”
“That’s why I can understand why Jenny would invest in you and have expectations.”
“………”
“As it becomes known that you have power beyond that of a simple freelancer, more and more people will associate your unusual talent with the name of Kaiser. Working alongside Kaiser’s bloodline will inevitably carry that meaning.”
Jordan placed a hand on Lennok’s shoulder, and no barrier blocked his touch.
“So make a decision after you come back from the autonomous region.”
“What decision are you talking about?”
“Jenny is planning a completely new venture with you at the helm. It will likely have a significant impact on the landscape of this district. Those who remember the name of Kaiser will likely harbor resentment rather than welcome her decision.”
A venture. The weight of those words couldn’t be ignored, and Lennok’s eyes grew colder.
Change was gradual, and one’s life couldn’t continue unaltered in this humid district. To rise beyond the status of a simple freelancer, decisive action was necessary at some point.
In essence, Jordan was presenting Lennok with a pivotal choice.
