Negotiations went smoother than expected. By noon, Violet and her companion, Mr. Side-Swept Bangs, left the gates of their temporary residence.
Of course, to avoid trouble, they made sure to put on their 【Cognitive Obstruction Mask】 again. Violet had to put in quite an effort to make Mr. Side-Swept Bangs understand that she was the same person before and after putting on the mask.
“So, how are we going to find people? Do you Ghost Thief Group folks have any secret contact points in the city or something?”
Mr. Side-Swept Bangs, carrying his broadsword, glanced at Violet. Though he still didn’t give her a good look, probably due to old grievances, he still honestly replied.
“We used to have something like that, but even without thinking, you’d know that after that incident, the Ghost Thief Group must have closed it down or moved it to a more discreet location. There’s a high chance that we won’t find anything at the old place, or we’ll end up walking into a trap like dumb birds.”
“Who are you calling a dumb bird?”
A certain dragon miss turned her head with an unfriendly expression, only to be waved off by her own master with a helpless smile.
Not bothered by the retort, Violet wasn’t so childish as to argue with someone like Mr. Side-Swept Bangs. As long as he could get the job done properly.
“That makes sense. So, from what you’re saying, there might be other ways?”
“Yeah, the contact point is definitely abandoned, but we can directly look for people. However, it’s just a matter of trying our luck. After all, it’s been a long time since I’ve been in touch with her... And, next time, don’t say ‘you Ghost Thief Group folks’ anymore. I’ve got nothing to do with those scum.”
“Okay, okay, got it.”
Mr. Side-Swept Bangs led Violet and her companion around the city and soon entered an area resembling a slum.
The structure of slums like this is unavoidable in any medieval feudal country, especially in systems with nobility, as the existence of nobles symbolizes the gap between rich and poor and the class divide.
Even if the country itself hasn’t designated such areas, as cities evolve and develop, poor people naturally gather in areas with lower land prices, leading to the emergence of slums.
And it’s the same here.
Dilapidated wooden houses, messy earthen walls, clothes racks at the door hanging with patched-up cheap garments—here, the economic depression brought about by the city’s blockade seems particularly evident.
Apart from the children who, still oblivious to the world’s troubles, play with dirty toys and manage to keep a smile on their faces, the adults staying idle at home almost all wear expressions of worry.
Especially when Miss Priestess, clad in pristine white robes and exuding noble grace, passes by, she’s met with various looks filled with negative emotions like envy, jealousy, or greedy resentment.
Clearly, they are all unlucky souls who have temporarily lost their jobs and sources of income due to the turbulent situation.
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Even though she hasn’t deliberately dressed up, Violet, in her clean white priest robes, is seen as a symbol of wealth in their eyes.
Resentment towards the wealthy is a psychological state that most of the poor find hard to avoid.
Seemingly noticing that Violet was also observing the gaze of the poor, Mr. Side-Swept Bangs clicked his tongue lightly and remarked without turning back.
“What, didn’t expect there would be such a place in Demon Suppression City?”
“Hmm?”
The priestess, who was curiously looking around, paused for a moment, then realized that this guy probably mistook their group for some kind of wealthy lady travel troupe.
It made sense. Besides the obviously expensive white robes and noble demeanor, Violet’s deliberately displayed arrogant and willful attitude, seemingly fearless, could easily be mistaken for that of some pampered noble lady with a wealthy background.
Not bothering to correct this, Violet simply lightly held the soft, slender hand of the dragon girl beside her and nodded casually.
“It is somewhat unexpected, indeed. At least in the Courage City, I rarely see areas impoverished to this extent, even though conditions in most villages and towns are much better than this.”
“So, you’re from the capital city, no wonder... I don’t know much about other cities, but in Demon Suppression City, there’s more than just one slum like the one you’re seeing now.”
After hesitating for a moment, Mr. Side-Swept Bangs spoke softly without even turning his head.
“Do you know why the profession of poaching exists?... No one wants to become a criminal out of the blue, ultimately ending up with such a life. Most of them start because they can’t eat enough or keep warm, forced into a corner.”
“As far as I know, at least eighty percent of the poachers here in Demon Suppression City come from the slums. Many of them have lost their parents, have no relatives to turn to, and have no ties or support. Because they’ve experienced and endured too much cruelty in their upbringing, they project this injustice and malice onto others, such as monsters.”
Seemingly afraid of being misunderstood, Mr. Side-Swept Bangs slightly turned his head and glanced at the two expressionless beautiful girls behind him, took a deep breath, and continued.
“I know this because I used to be one of them. And I’m telling you this not to defend the poachers... Captain, he... he saved me from the wrong path. He believes in you, so I’m willing to believe too.”
“I’m not sure what you’re planning to do, but I just want to tell you that while poachers are unforgivable, they are not the root of the city’s evil. Those who hoard wealth, forcing everyone into a corner, some of the people in power above, and the city and country’s twisted prejudices are the real breeding ground for evil. If you truly have the power to change the situation, please never forget this.”
Violet raised an eyebrow with a somewhat amused expression.
“Why does that sound like you’re leaving your last words?”
“Hmph...”
Though his expression turned somewhat displeased, Mr. Side-Swept Bangs, who usually had a bad temper, surprisingly didn’t retort. He just turned his head back forward.
“I just want to say what needs to be said and what I want to say in advance, so that if a fight breaks out, there won’t be any regrets or hesitations. After all, the Ghost Thief Group has always been mysterious, and many high-level pieces of information, even I, as an insider, don’t know too well. Who knows what might happen?”
“But rest assured, since Captain Lester entrusted you to me, if anything happens, even if I lose this little life, I will do my best to ensure your safety and escape.”
“Oh? Alright then, I’ll leave it to you, little warrior.”
Someone pretended to be deeply moved, deliberately showing an expression as if deeply touched, but Mr. Side-Swept Bangs didn’t give any further response, making the priestess who wanted to tease him again feel a bit bored.
Advancing through the slum, eventually, the trio stopped in front of a wooden house that looked no different from the others.
“This is it. When we go in, don’t interrupt and don’t do anything unnecessary. Just stay quiet and listen on the side, got it?”
Without immediately responding to Mr. Side-Swept Bangs, Violet just curiously glanced at the old wooden door, which was tightly closed. In her perception, this small house should be empty, with no one inside.
Mr. Side-Swept Bangs stepped forward and knocked on the door.
It wasn’t random, but followed a specific pattern—not very strict, not easy to notice, but Violet, who was deliberately discerning, still noticed.
After knocking for a long time, there was no response from inside the house. Though Mr. Side-Swept Bangs looked somewhat puzzled, he didn’t seem discouraged. He persisted in knocking on the door with that peculiar rhythm, seemingly barely there.
The slum area was not as bustling as the outside world, and the wooden house where Violet and the others were located was already close to the deepest part of the area, rarely visited.
Even though the three of them were fumbling at the door like thieves for so long, no one came to ask questions, which saved them a lot of trouble.
After about two full minutes, faint, hurried footsteps, accompanied by the very slight sound of wooden boards opening and closing, finally reached the priestess’s ears.