Chapter 256 – The Social Club

000

“Summoning demons that sacrificed humans…And even the thieves’ guild. How far will Astaroth spread darkness in this kingdom?”

As Amelia cautiously made her way through her dark alleys, she clenched her fists behind Cleon and spoke indignantly.

Naturally, the kidnapping case that happened during the day became a hot topic and the story came out.

Cleon could understand her anger to some extent.

“Black Maker…”

And, when Ruba heard the name, she seemed to be contemplating something as she narrowed her eyes.

Kidnapper- A drug taken by members of the Thieves Guild when they are cornered.

Compared to the Great War, it is much more measured, the effect is stronger, and it is made to produce a large amount of black magic from the body, so it can be used as a sacrifice to summon demons.

If Astarothe is manufacturing them and spilling them over to criminal organizations-

“…It’s questionable that wars don’t break out between organizations…”

Ruba said that with a serious expression, but Cleon shook his head instead.

“No. …They must know. If it’s not just them who have the Black Makers… What a terrible outcome the war will bring.”

“… You’re saying that since we’re using drugs to keep each other in check, there’s no direct conflict?”

When Amelia asked, Cleon nodded her head.

“Yes. Even if you just wield a sword and fight, it’s an environment where people can easily die… Imagine using a drug that turns people like Black Maker into monsters. The situation will grow out of control to the point where the life and death of the organization will have to be risked at once… So, while the drug is circulating, I think there will be no fighting between the organizations.”

When Cleon said that, Lubera nodded as if she understood.

“But- how on earth are black makers made? If you make them in large quantities, you’ll need a production facility…”

“The production facility must be based in the hidden Astarote. Of course, you won’t be able to maintain it with the money alone from running a warehouse.”

The black maker’s manufacturing technology was known only to Astarote, but if it was easy to make something called ‘drug’, the crackdown would be beyond imagination.

In particular, if it had special medicinal effects, it would have to go through a manufacturing process similar to alchemy.

It would not be something that could be made by putting ingredients into a cauldron and stirring a ladle at home.

More systematized production facilities and distribution lines…

It must be as intricately intertwined as this cobweb-like road in the back alley.

Obviously, many organizations other than Astarote were involved.

After thinking about that part, Cleon opened his mouth.

“But… That’s something else we have to worry about. If the criminal organizations that have gained power that way try to challenge public authority.”

“Are you going to fight the kingdom’s soldiers…?”

When Amelia asked, Cleon was silent for a moment before moving on to the next story.

“No, it’s to overthrow the kingdom. Humans who take the Black Maker will have much more power than the Imperial soldiers of the Great War. In addition, it can be used as a sacrifice to summon the Great Devil. …Couldn’ t it be used for what Astarothe is aiming for?”

At Cleon’s words, Amelia’s face seemed to have turned a little pale.

“We have to hurry up and find out where the drug is being made… And stop it.”
“Of course.”

Cleon nodded and looked up at the sky where the moonlight was above him.

As Lyla said, Astarothe’s stronghold is in a place related to the Elemental Cross.

Therefore, finally, if you purify the spirit vein of the flame, you will finally be able to face them.

For now, I’ll have to solve the problem in front of me first.

Saying that, Cleon looked at Ruba and asked a question.

“…Come to think of it. Where are we heading today?”

Ruba, who was standing in front of her and leading her party her, looked back at Cleon and replied.

“It’s a social club. I’ve heard that noble-looking young men are gathering there to do black drugs.”

“In the back alley…?”

Cleon’s expression quickly became disbelief.

Of course, if the darkness of the royal capital was concentrated in the back alleys, there had to be a mixture of both the darkness of the commoners and the darkness of the nobles.

But even so, even aristocrats, who lead a more secure life than the average commoner, usually felt aversion to, or reluctance to, the back alleys.

It’s the first time I’ve heard of a social club for young aristocrats in such a place, and if their parents knew about it.

Or, not only the nobles, but also the commoners, and if you found out in the royal castle, it was not something that could be done quietly.

“…Is it related to Astarothe?”

“I hope not. The problem is that it’s very likely.”

Ruba replied with a slightly troublesome expression.

“Hey… What is a social club?”

Then, Amelia carefully raised her hand and asked the two of them.

Cleon and Lubera look at each other at the same time.

As for which one, since they were two people who had lived with non-social personalities, they knew about social clubs in their knowledge, but it was difficult to explain what kind of place they were from experience.

I never really thought of going to a place like that.

That’s why, the story the two are telling from now on is a mixture of their prejudices.

“It’s a place where young men and women gather in pursuit of her rendezvous her. It’s a place where drinking and dancing are ready and it’s like the height of debauchery.”

“Drinking and dancing… Debauchery…”

Amelia seemed to have a little difficulty copying Rubera’s words, but Cleon talked to Rubera as if to dissuade her.

“Wait a minute, isn’t it a place where nobles enjoy a little more calm atmosphere? Wearing masks and hiding each other’s identities. Classical music is playing.”

“It must be a masquerade ball. Like the eve of the upcoming victory.”

Lubera says, ‘Nobles don’t always enjoy such a noble atmosphere’.

“… Mask… Classic…”

As for Amelia, her eyes twinkle as if she liked it better.

Ruba looked at it and she shut her mouth for a moment, then shook her head as if letting out her sigh.

“Don’t instill strange knowledge into Amelia. If you expect and hurt her, it’s Cleon’s fault.”

“…It’s not strange. Probably. You’ll understand when you go and see it.”

The two did not yield as if each other were right.

[Hey Rubera…]

At that time, Barisada’s voice was heard.

“Barisada, don’t you think I’m right too?”

[No, I’m not sure. Speaking of clubs, wouldn’t Amelia, who is still young, not be able to enter?]

“…Ah.”

Ruba heard Barisada’s words, and she opened her mouth as if she hadn’t even thought of that.

“… What’s the matter?”

“There’s a bit of a problem, Cleon. The club has age restrictions, so there’s a chance Amelia won’t be allowed in.”

When Cleon heard her story of her, he was silent for a while.

And, as if she were a bit of her doubt, she asked her a question.

“…Since we’re doing an investigation, I wasn’t really thinking about going in through the front door. Did you mean going in through the front door?”

At Cleon’s words her, Ruba once again looked at Cleon with an expression that she realized something.

And then her face her turned red.

The blunt part of Barisada’s scabbard pummeled! And she stabbed Cleon deep in the side.

“Ugh…!”

No matter how well-trained her body was, if she was hit by a piece of metal, it would of course be painful, so Cleon’s moaning her came out of his mouth her as well.

Why is her shame expressed through violence?

“… Gwa, are you okay? Cleon…?”

Amelia looks anxiously at Cleon, who shrinks in her pain, and Rubera clears her throat.

“That, yes… It’s okay…”

The healing power of the warm divine magical power flowing from her hand she eases Cleon’s pain a little.

“Uh, whatever. Let’s go to the club building first. It’s hard to find if you don’t follow the prescribed route…”

Cleon turned her body around and looked at Ruba as she moved forward with her bitter expression.

And along with it, Amelia follows her back as if it were strange.

“I’ve never seen Ruba so flustered.”

“Well… Everyone makes mistakes and gets flustered. It’s rare.”

When Cleon said that, Amelia nodded her head and followed her with Cleon.

001

Passing through the maze-like alleys, the building the three of them arrived at was hidden among the shadows of other buildings, and was certainly in a corner that was a little difficult to find on the usual road.

It was a place where the dissolute life of the nobility could be fully revealed, so it was natural to avoid people’s eyes.

Even so, why is there such a high degree of closure, that there is something I want to hide inside that much? I think the same thing.

However, the building was cleaner than I thought, and it felt like it was newly built.

It is made entirely of red bricks, and the entrance is decorated with colorful flame carvings.

It made me wonder if he would have liked it if he had brought Lila with him.

“It looks like a relatively new building.”

The true Lubera looks at the building with a cool expression as always and reads the sign written on it.

‘Noble’s Rare’. It was an appropriate name for the shop, which was the den of nobles.

Standing near the entrance and inspecting those entering and exiting were sturdy young men wearing red masks and red suits.

`… Huh?`

However, the mana felt in their bodies was heterogeneous, as if non-humans imitated humans.

Cleon injects magical power into the hunters’ marks and examines their bodies.

Then, the fact that was revealed was that their bodies were not human – close to the undead, as Cleon felt.

However, if there is something different from the common undead-

“…An undead without dark magic…?”

Originally, the undead were created by forming a violent ego created by using black magic on the corpse of a dead person.

Basic things such as ghouls, zombies, and skeletons, as well as higher-level species such as vampires, move their bodies with their sticky black magic.

However, as time goes by, the viscosity of the black magic that manipulates the body also decreases, and because it scatters black magic around indiscriminately, it always leaves a high concentration of black magic where there are undead.

However, the undead in red suits in front of them were different.

Far from black magic, his entire body was cleansed with the magical power of flames, which made him feel even godly somewhere.

Or, the body was made up of that flame magic.

‘…Then this shop itself has nothing to do with Astarote… ?”

Even to demons, this burdensomely clean mana they radiate would be repulsive.

Therefore, if they were Astarothe’s collaborators, they would have been told to do something about that annoyingly warm magic.

Cleon relayed what he saw and felt to Ruba and Amelia.

Then, while Amelia was surprised by the fact that there were undead in the capital, she didn’t seem too surprised by the existence of undead without dark magic.

“I read in a book before. There are spirits in the natural world that use human corpses as medium. Perhaps, isn’t it like that?”

“If that’s the case, it might even be an organization that has nothing to do with Astarote, or is rather hostile to it.”

Just as Rubera said, the magic they possess will exert a strong purifying power against black magic, just like divine magic.

That’s because the concept of ‘burning and purifying’, which is inherent in the attribute of flame, works like a magic potion against demons, cults, and undead like themselves.

“…It’s gotten even more incomprehensible.”

That was my honest impression.

Wouldn’t it be better if you put an incubus at the entrance and a succubus inside like Astarote?

The fact that such a heterogeneous space exists seemed a little confusing to Cleon and the other two.

“…Go inside and you’ll find out. Find another entrance-“

“Hey! There!”

Rubera was about to get herself up and move to find another entrance to the building when a voice came from behind her.

Looking around, there were two noble youths who looked a little younger than Cleon.

However, it was a little strange that her hair color was not blonde and her eyes were not white.

The attire was that of a nobleman so luxurious that it looked a little flashy.

“What, is this a face you’ve never seen before? Black hair… Are you sure it’s a disguise?”

“They really look like the dark horse clan. And, the maid outfit… It’s unique.”

The two of them look over at Ruba as she nods with her hand on her chin.

Lubera, feeling offended somewhere, moved her hand casually with the handle of her sword.

However, when Cleon raised her body her, thanks to her height her, she naturally looked down at the young man.

“Ooh, are the colors unified?

“What were you talking about earlier…”

Rubera couldn’t stand it and tried to speak her words out of her, but Cleon opened her mouth as if blocking it.

“I didn’t even think about that until then…”

As if what they were saying was the truth, they started acting.

[…Cleon?]

[Maybe there’s a way to get in without finding the back door. Hang out a little bit.]

At Cleon’s words, Ruba let out a sigh, and the young aristocrats giggled and nodded to her.

“Then there’s nothing we can do about it. But, the makeup itself is great, so he’ll like it too. More than that, are you two a married couple?”

At one of them’s words, Ruba and Cleon look at each other for a while and then naturally hold hands.

“What is it?”

“I’m envious because you seem to have found a suitable partner quickly. My mother nags me too much. I really want to find a partner at today’s party…”

It was then that one of the two young men noticed Amelia’s presence in her, her hood her pulled over and her body her turned, and she opened her eyes.

“Oh, the one over there…”

“Are you a child? Did the tramp from the back alley come all the way here?”

No matter how worn the robe looked in the dark, it was possible because it was ignorant to treat a country’s princess as an outcast.

“No, she…”

Let Cleon try to make an excuse for Amelia.

This time, Rubera cuts off his words her by opening her mouth her.

“This is our daughter. She’s a bit shy…”

“T-daughter!? She looks like she’s about 10 years old… You mean she has an eldest daughter like that?”

The young man opened his mouth in surprise, and Ruba remained silent for a moment before she answered.

“That’s why we got married early.”

“Well, I see… Anyway, you’re not the first to bring children, so it should be fine. Rather, it’s better to get used to places and experiences like this from an early age, my father always-“

When the young man’s story looked like it would be long, Cleon quickly shook hands with them and approached the establishment’s entrance with Ruba and Amelia.

“…Welcome. This place was created by the true Lord of Flames to see the passion of young people. This is Noble’s Lair (Noble Nest).”

The gatekeepers speak in a slightly emotionless tone of voice.

Cleon tried to do so because he knew that they were undead, but he would have felt very blunt if he had not known them.

Plus, the slight heat you feel when you get close.

Are there bones and flesh inside the red suits they are wearing, or are there burning flames?

“Three people. Me and my wife. And my child.”

When Cleon said that and pointed at Ruba and Amelia, Ruba had no choice but to clear her throat as if a little embarrassed.

Amelia had her head down, her hood pulled over.

I couldn’t see what the expression underneath was like.

[The true Lord of Flame.]

Cleon was bothered by the words and repeated them once.

Although I had recently met and known the man who called himself the Lord of the Sun.

He had only seen the nickname of the Lord of Flames once.

No, I must have heard of it.

One of the names Ruti used when talking about her own sisters her.

It was also one of the nicknames of Hwaryong.

“…No way.”

However, there was no way that such a fire dragon would have left its nest and set up a shop in a royal capital overflowing with humans.

Cleon thought so and paid the entrance fee they demanded to go inside.

“Only the lamp of the true flame will light your path.”

They say that, and open the door to the entrance in return for the money they received.

The three of them went inside through the entrance of the establishment, guided by them.

If the black drug Lubera was talking about is really a black maker-

This place had to be ruthlessly destroyed by the flames it possessed.