Chapter 62
Loyar let out a short sigh as she looked at the man who introduced himself as Argent, the vice leader of the Chilseong Pa’s action team.
“The Seven Stars, based in the Aligar district, right? Yeah, I’ve heard of you guys.”
The Rotary Club was a group that operated with the sole purpose of gathering information. Because of that, it seemed they were already familiar with the Seven Stars organization.
To put it into perspective, I had basically beaten up a member of the Chilseong Pa that was operating in the subway around Yongsan district.
“Great. Then you must be aware of what it means for one of your guys to assault one of our members, right?”
“Well, it just seems like an unfortunate incident to me. A member of the Seven Stars getting beaten up by a teenage kid says a lot about your organization.”
Loyar made that snarky comment without any particular intention of apologizing, souring the expressions of not just Argent, but the other gang members as well.
“Yeah, your guy was pathetically weak. He just collapsed with a single hit from me.”
Of course, I couldn’t hold back and had to join in. It would have been a disappointment not to throw in a comment of my own.
“Hah... You guys seem to have no clue about what’s going on. Do you really think that all the members of Seven Stars are that weak? We intended to come and talk things out nicely, but it seems that’s not going to wor—”
“It’s you who’s got no clue about the situation, you motherfucker.”
At my unexpected provocation, the eyes of the Seven Stars members went wide with shock, and so did Loyar’s.
“Wh-what did you say?” said the thug.
“Do you realize who you’re messing with? I’m a student at the Temple, a student of the Royal Class who’s receiving the full support of the empire; don’t tell me you spouted all that nonsense while knowing all of that.”
My sudden rant ended up leading me in an unexpected direction.
“The Temple?”
Although there were some that may not have known about the Royal Class, there was no one in this city who didn’t know of the Temple.
“Ah, right. You might not believe it. I get it, it’s hard to believe. But let me just say that I’m a superhuman, and that is why I am a student of the Royal Class.”
I crossed my arms and smiled at them.
“You know that if you mess with even a regular student from Temple, the security forces will step in, right? And I’m not just a regular student, I am among the Temple’s elite class.”
Students of the Temple were typically either from incredibly wealthy families or children of high-tier noble houses. As such, Temple students were not only guaranteed their status within the Temple, but also outside of it; their safety was one of the most important matters in the capital.
The last thing the empire wanted was to damage the Temple’s credibility and reputation because a Temple student was harmed or died.
And so, the safeguarding of the members of the Royal Class, who were nurtured with the empire’s full support, was unmatched.
Instead of backing down, I walked toward them and presented my cheek.
“Hey, here. Hit me.”
“What, what?”
“If you’re curious to see what the security forces will do to an organization like Seven Stars that dares to slap a student of the Royal Class, then try hitting me, you son of a bitch.”
I had no intention to fight. Rather, I was inclined to let them slap the other cheek as well.
As I approached them, the group, numbering more than ten, hesitated and retreated a step.
“How could such poor street rats like you guys possibly afford to send this kid to the Temple...?” Argent muttered in disbelief.
In response, I took out a metal card from my pocket.
“This student ID shows that I’m enrolled in the Temple; I guess you won’t even recognize it,” I said, confidently displaying the card.
Showing them my student ID was not a big deal for me. The thugs, upon seeing it, finally seemed to recognize that I was undoubtedly a student of the Temple.
They would have known well enough the consequences one would face if one messed with a student of the Temple.
“Are you going to hit me or not, you fucking asshole?” I taunted.
The man seemed to boil with rage, and his hand rose as if he were actually going to slap my cheek.
I had miscalculated.
I had forgotten that these bottom-of-the-barrel types of people threw punches with their hearts, not their heads.
Swoosh!
In a flash, I ducked to dodge his flailing hand, and as I rose, I delivered a knee right into his groin.
It had become my signature move, the “Ball Crusher.”
“Gu... Guaaah!” he groaned.
“Wow, I didn’t think you would really hit me,” I said as he clutched his crotch and collapsed to the ground.
Perhaps I had become accustomed to Ellen’s sword movements. His movement had been so ponderously slow that I hadn’t even needed to use my supernatural power to dodge.
Everyone else was momentarily stunned, but then...
“Get that fucker!” one of the thugs behind yelled, charging at me.
Thwack!
Before I knew it, Loyar was standing in front of me, and had smashed in the face of the onrushing thug with her fist.
***
There wasn’t even a need for other club members to intervene.
Loyar single-handedly pounded on the ten robust adult men, beating them senseless. The situation was resolved in less than ten seconds.
“Ugh, ugh...”
“Wow...”
Stunned by what just happened, the other club members and I could do nothing but watch Loyar dust off her palms with amazement plastered on our faces.
It was the epitome of cool. All the thugs had collapsed with just a few swings from her.
“If you thought I couldn’t handle you guys, you’re sorely mistaken. It’s not that I can’t do it. I just chose not to,” said Loyar coldly as she planted her foot on the head of the group’s leader, Argent.
Saying this just moments after proving herself in a fight against so many was enough to send shivers down my spine.
“Drag them all inside. People are watching.”
Loyar clearly deemed the sight of the groaning thugs unpleasant for the passers-by and instructed us to bring the thugs inside, leading the way towards the sewers.
The club members tied up the thugs with rags and picked them up one by one. Those who resisted were further beaten by the club members until they were subdued enough to be bound.
Except for Dybun, the other club members seemed to find it hard to believe that I had managed to subdue the thugs’ leader with a single blow to his private parts.
“What are you planning to do with them?” Loyar asked me.
It seemed as though she was asking me to take responsibility since I had started all this trouble.
‘Fine. I’ll take responsibility.’
“Hey.”
I looked at Argent, who was still in pain, tied up and squirming on the ground.
“Ugh... You little brat... Do you really think you’ll get away after all this...?”
It looked like he still hadn’t learned his lesson, and was still thinking of seeking even greater retribution.
“If you still don’t quite understand the situation, think of it this way: you’ve basically just tried to beat up a noble.”
Since he persistently failed to understand what it meant to mess with a Temple student, I explained it to him in terms simple enough for an idiot to understand. Even though I wasn’t an actual noble, as a Temple student, I was entitled to an equivalent level of protection.
By attacking me, he had effectively tried to harm a noble. Upon hearing that, his face turned ghostly pale; it seemed he truly hadn’t realized the seriousness of what he had been trying to do until this moment.
“I’m going to go straight to the security forces now and testify that an organization called the Seven Stars from Aligar tried to lay their hands on me. Although I don’t know exactly what you guys do for a living, I’m pretty sure you guys aren’t exactly upright citizens. Are you starting to understand what kind of trouble you’re in?”
I wasn’t sure where exactly in Yongsan the Seven Stars organization was based, but it seemed likely that Loyar or Dybun knew since the club’s main purpose was to gather information.
Argent finally realized the severity of his mistake—attempting to slap the face of some cheeky kid had turned out to be the action that would lead to the destruction of his organization, with no room for any justification.
I was confident that an investigation into the Chilseong Pa would commence upon my request since I was from the Royal class and not just any other student. The mere fact that I had experienced danger in the capital would be enough to put the security forces on high alert. And if I had happened to perish, it would have been a colossal disaster for them.
Moreover, the fact that the Seven Stars were already known as a violent criminal organization was all the more reason for the security forces to take them down.
Argent seemed at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly, although whether due to pride or shock, I couldn’t tell.
I placed my hand on his shoulder.
“Then again, brother, we live together in a cooperative society, don’t we?” I said.
My sudden mention of living together in a cooperative society stunned not only him, but Loyar as well, who was listening in. They seemed confused, wondering what nonsense I was going to spout next.
“Realistically speaking, what do I gain from pushing for such drastic measures and making your organization disappear? I guess it would allow us to continue our business without any further hassle, but that’s really just about it.
“I understand. I get it. We’re all doing this to make a living. And I get that it’s natural to get angry if a young brat suddenly curses and thrusts his head towards you. I totally would have done the same.
“Moreover, I don’t want to do this either. At the end of the day, I might get rid of you guys and put you all in jail, but that would make me feel so guilty that I probably won’t be able to sleep at night.”
My sudden generosity prompted the thug’s expression to contort in an odd way. Maybe this was infuriating him even more...? After all, a high school kid who had just smashed his balls in was now patting his shoulder and acting as though he completely understood him.
Nonetheless, the essence of the message I wanted to convey was that I had the power to single-handedly send all of them to jail, or even have them executed if I wanted to.
“If you’re okay with it, brother, I can let this incident slide. We’ll act as if it never happened. Let’s go about this harmoniously. All we want is to continue our business without anyone interfering. Hey, look over there.”
I pointed to the water flowing in the inner sewer pipe. This water would eventually make its way to the great Irene River.
“Honestly, if I tied a nice big stone to your legs and dropped you in there, I can bet you that no one will be able to find you until the world goes extinct,” I said with a sly smile, implying it would be quite easy to dispose of him on the spot The expression he showed me was priceless.
“But I won’t do that. It’s inhumane, isn’t it?” I murmured softly, my hand still resting on the thug’s shoulder.
“But, if you mess with our business again, it won’t be the Rotary Club coming after you, but the security forces. And even if the security forces don’t take action, it won’t matter. Our boss right here can take care of you herself. You witnessed how she could take down dozens, if not hundreds, on her own just now, right? Don’t feel too bad. Perhaps, if the opportunity arises, we can have a more constructive conversation. We may be on bad terms now, but we can turn this into a favorable connection. How does that sound? Hm?”
He seemed to have been overwhelmed not just by my youth, but by the very fact that a kid was the one making such a statement.
After suffering through a series of threats that ranged from the destruction of his organization to his own murder, and then being told that we could forget that all this had happened... In the end, he nodded his head with a bewildered expression.
He might have thought that my mention of the security forces was a bluff, but he had just witnessed Loyar’s overwhelming fighting prowess with his own eyes.
“O-Okay...”
I patted his shoulder and stood up.
Loyar and Dybun seemed to have been entranced by my rambling, and were looking at me as though under some sort of spell.
“Let’s untie him and let him go. I think he understands us well enough,” I ordered, and both Loyar and Dybun could only nod blankly.
***
After the incident was resolved and we were heading back to the campfire, Loyar asked in a disbelieving tone, “Your Highness, does the Temple also teach the art of speech and persuasion?”
“Huh? No, not particularly.”
Loyar seemed to find it hard to believe what she had just witnessed—a person swayed solely by words. It made her wonder if her prior perception of me was just a prejudice she had formed about me.
“Sometimes I feel like you’ve become a completely different person.”
“I think so as well. Since I don’t remember what I used to be like at all, it’s hard for me to compare,” I admitted with calmness that seemed to amuse Loyar.
So what if I had become someone else? After all, I was still an Archdemon.
“Anyway, do you think they really understood your warning? If you indeed have influence over the security forces, perhaps we should consider that route. It is not unlikely that they would seek revenge.”
Loyar was right. There was a definite chance the thugs would seek to retaliate or engage in some other foolishness again.
“If they’re stupid enough not to understand the warning and act rashly again, then we really do have something to worry about. If you catch wind of them trying anything suspicious, let me know.”
There could be some in the group who might not understand my message and might retaliate rashly out of sheer anger. If this were the case, I would at least learn that these thugs could not think calmly and only acted with their emotions.
Alternatively, if they were wise enough to understand the warning and keep quiet, I wouldn’t need to get the security forces involved, and things would go as planned.
There was a risk, but I had a solid reason for taking it.
“I’m not sure what the future holds, but I’m looking at the bigger picture. That’s why I let them be. Those guys, in a way, could be part of the rough sketch of that picture.”
“The bigger picture?” Loyar asked curiously.
I offered a sly grin, as the warm glow of the campfire began to draw near. “I haven’t made a decision yet, but I might have to swallow up all the criminal organizations within the capital.”
I hadn’t fully made up my mind yet, but that time might one day come.
I couldn’t just think about becoming the next guildmaster of the Thieves’ Guild. If I were going to go through with it, I’d have to display the kind of leadership that would astonish even Vertus.
“Y-Your Highness... Isn’t your dream a bit... unusual?”
Loyar seemed to be mentally taken aback after hearing that a Demon Prince intended to become the leader of the human underworld. It was as if, instead of dreaming of being a great Demon King, I was aiming to become the king of gangsters.
“Aren’t you the one who was initially instructed to become a spy, but then created a whole organization of beggars instead?” I teased.
“Oh...” Loyar’s face turned red as her own departure from her initial mission was laid bare.
She was the one who was living an unorthodox life, so she had no right to question my ambitions.
***
We were only away for a short while, so Eleris and Sarkegar were still waiting for us by the campfire. They hadn’t bothered to go out, likely thinking that Loyar would take care of me no matter what the situation might be.
Loyar explained in detail to them the events that had just unfolded.
“Your Highness!! Indeed, what a confident and imposing manner! This servant cannot help but feel utterly amazed at your magnificent prowess!”
Sarkegar’s response was, somewhat predictably, full of admiration.
“... Your Highness. Aren’t you enjoying violence a touch too much? I think you did the right thing to just let them go, but... Perhaps you should learn to exercise a bit of self-restraint.”
Eleris’s reaction was exactly what I predicted as well. She punctuated her comment with a resigned sigh and a helpless shake of her head.
“In addition, the reason His Highness released those guys is as part of his future plan of taking over all the criminal organizations within the capital,” Loyar added.
Upon hearing this, both Eleleris and Sarkegar looked stunned.
“No, no. I’m not one hundred percent sure about that. I might do it, but nothing has been decided yet.”
The decision would be based on whether I saw a need for such action, as well as if I was mentally prepared for it, and possibly dependent on the contents of a certain conversation with Vertus. At present, though, nothing has been decided or planned yet.
Still, they seemed to consider even contemplating such a move to be absurd. In any case, I had no plans to take any action in the immediate future.
For now, we had successfully dealt with the thugs from the Aligar district who were causing us trouble, but there were likely other areas still riddled with individuals and groups trying to squeeze into our business, so the issue wasn’t entirely resolved.
“Catching lone, individual actors seems to be quite difficult. So, for now, if you see any organized groups trying to get into our business, find out which organization they belong to and the scope of their operations. Either Loyar or I can take action once you have that information.”
It would be nice if conflicts between organizations could be settled peacefully, but clashes were inevitable.
“In any case, we can’t operate on every magical train route. So, instead of clashing with newcomers right away, try negotiating with them, as though discussing territorial agreements. It wouldn’t hurt to see if they are capable of seeing reason first.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t possibly claim every route and area for ourselves. It might actually be better for us in the long run to help these newcomers and create a cooperative business environment. Of course, we’d have to make sure not to give the most profitable routes to them.
This whole thing was getting ridiculous.
Claiming rights where none existed, forcing boundaries of “mine” and “yours”—participating in such absurd thuggery brought me to the verge of self-disgust.
It felt as though I was managing an actual illegal organization.
“Let’s leave this matter here for now. Isn’t there something else we need to discuss?”
I turned to look at Eleris. There was something on her mind that she had wanted to speak to me about the night before, something about the wickedness of humanity.
She said I’d learn about it today and hadn’t provided any more details.
At my question, the expressions of the three changed, each one conveying a different emotion.
Sarkegar wore hatred. Loyar was showing anger. And Eleris, sorrow.
It was Sarkegar who broke the silence.
“There are reports that Demon prisoners are going to be traded in the capital’s black market.”
“... What did you say?”
What he said was completely beyond anything I had imagined.
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