The directors office at the Subureptor museum was crowded with several men, most of whom were middle-aged to old and had no official ties to the museum.

However, they were informally involved in its affairs, to the extent that they used the directors office as their own bedroom.

Im tired, someone said, without any particular message.

This statement was enough to convey the collective exhaustion and anxiety of the group, especially after an important annual event was disrupted.

Although everyone looked calm on the outside, they were silently calculating the damage caused by the attack.

The damage is great, another man said. He was an old, bald, one-eyed man.

The group fell into a silence of agreement.

The attack not only tarnished the Crime Firms name, but it would also cost a considerable amount of money, effort, and mental strength to counteract rumors and compensate VIP customers who suffered damage.

To make matters worse, the wizards and the city were growing in power, making Crime Firms position within Landa relatively weak

Crime Firm, a huge criminal organization that exerts influence throughout England, had the highest prestige here in the Landa branch, but compared to its reputation, the Crime Firms position within Landa was relatively weak.

It was also something that was unavoidable since there was a Magic Tower and City that acted more like a thug than Crime Firm,

Not only that, but there were also Districts such as X, Y, and Z that were so rough that they couldnt be touched.

They had been hiding this fact well with the crime firms unique organization and capital, and a huge network that does not distinguish between the black and the white, but that is also starting to see its bottom line.

The raid on the auction house was just a precursor to the organizations declining influence.

Lets all think positively, Gordon Goodhart, the former director of District R of the Landa Branch, suddenly spoke up in the midst of depression.

What do you mean, look at it positively? someone asked.

Its simple. The damage is great, but it could have been much worse. At least it didnt escalate beyond this level, Goodhart replied.

Although it might have sounded like empty talk, he was not wrong. Since it was the first day of the auction, there were relatively few people, and although the auction houses reputation was damaged, there was no significant loss. Above all, the most important auction item was still safe.

What do we do now?

Lets sacrifice some profit and stop the auction, someone suggested.

Are we really backing down because were afraid of a gangster with a knife? another person questioned.

There are rumors that the attacker with the kitchen knife is a member of the Black Hand, someone said, causing everyone to fall silent.

It may be a blow to our pride, but we should avoid conflict with them as much as possible. While our Crime Firm is not far behind in scale, our fundamental values differ greatly from the Black Hand, making them more dangerous, one person spoke up, and no one dared to disagree.

Crime Firm and Black Hand were both major crime syndicates, but with vastly different roots. Crime Firm was motivated by profit, with violence as only a means to an end, while for the Black Hand, violence was a way of life and sometimes even a purpose.

Though they had little information, they were aware that the Black Hand was capable of self-destructive madness if necessary, meaning a fight with them would lead to severe damage, whether they won or lost.

Shamus believes the attacker was likely from the Human Meat Chefs side, someone stated.

Those guys who eat human meat? another person asked incredulously.

Given their black magic, use of kitchen knives, greed, and brutal nature, it seems highly probable. Human Meat Chefs main activity area is Gallos, and even with determination, we cannot fight properly since we are across the sea, someone explained.

What then?

Lets seek mediation through another Finger. Someone whos half-insane and can converse with, someone proposed, but there were doubts about this idea.

Rumor had it that Gordon, who sells corpses, had a deal with the Puppet faction, making him a better option for mediation.

Its frustrating to have to bow down to those warlocks, a bald man grumbled, expressing his anger despite being wise enough to admit the reality.

I feel the same way, but its the best course of action. Unlike the Black Hand, our power comes from money, and if we fight them for the sake of our pride, we will suffer greatly, whether we win or lose. Maintaining the current position of our organization will be difficult, someone calmly explained, and everyone fell silent, acknowledging the logic of this reasoning.

All of them were hidden giants in Landa, but there were many people inside and outside who were vying for their position.

Contrary to Crime Firms public image of being a group of gun-toting killers, their true weapons were patience and cunning.

And now was the time for patience.

What about the merchandise?

Its currently being transferred and stored in a secret warehouse by some freelance wizards from the School of Spatial Magic. Its well-protected and even if we get raided, they wont be able to take it away. Lets postpone the auction for a bit and focus on selling the high-end items. Theres a limited number of people who can afford them, so if we play our cards right, we can get a good price.

Pride was important, but business was equally crucial for Crime Firm.

Broken pride could be repaired later, but if their business suffered and they lost their standing in the ranks, it would be over.

Still, humiliation was humiliation, and a middle-aged man spoke up.

As expected, we need to prepare something.

That something was none other than an armed force.

Sadly, in the wealthiest city in the world, it took more than money to survive.

It required both violence and deadly force.

We need to gather a large and controllable manpower, rather than just picking up a few people off the street as hired guns.

Why dont we recruit Solvers or unaffiliated gangsters who possess some power?

Im against blindly recruiting. We dont want another guy like Shamus. Hes insane and takes money from the same Crime Firm. He doesnt know respect or follow the rules.

But then how do we do it?

What about the nerds who were pushed out of the Tower? They only know how to study and dont know much about street life.

No. They wont listen to us because they have a strong sense of pride and stubbornness, and would also try to take over our organization.

Is there anyone among them who listens well?

At least they should be responsive to our words. Oh! Gordon, what about him? He helped us today, right? Is it Dave? Can we recruit him?

Well, lets wait and see.

Why?

He doesnt seem like a typical Solver. Lets keep an eye on him for now. Gordon replied, remembering the reaction of the Pilgaret Broker when she saw Dave.

The sky was dark, with a rare blue moon shining in the middle of District J where tall buildings abound. A man and two women stood in front of a car, apparently concluding a request.

Then, is this the end of the request?

Yes, the auction is practically over. Of course, Ill pay you as promised, replied Jane.

Its a gain for me to make money in a short time, but youll lose money, remarked Oliver.

No, I can give it out of my pocket anyway, so theres no big problem. Rather, Im satisfied. In addition, Gordon said he would hand over one or two decent items in return.

Though Jane had done nothing, she was grateful for Olivers help, which had prevented the worst from happening. In return, Gordon also promised to do her a favor for bringing Oliver.

She wasnt sure what that favor would be, but she hoped it would be something that would help her make a connection with Miranda.

You must be having a hard time, said Oliver sympathetically.

Thats what life is all about, replied Jane with a shrug.

I hope it goes well, added Oliver.

At Olivers words, Jane stared at him.

Would you like to have a meal with me if you dont mind? It wont be a big deal, but I still want to treat you to a meal.

Im sorry, Ms. Jane. Something urgent came up.

She decided to believe him, even though she suspected it was a ridiculous excuse.

is it important?

Um yes, perhaps.

Well, theres nothing I can do about it. Ill let you know when things settle down.

Yes, thank you.

Dont mention it.

When Jane and Olivers conversation ended, Coco intervened.

I bought the book safely. Ill get it soon, and Ill give it to you through Forrest.

Thank you.

And Im also grateful for this. Ive been looking forward to your growth, but Dave always exceeds that expectation If you need any information, please come to me. Well serve you at a reasonable price.

It was quite a surprising thing since Sisterhood was said to be a place that was difficult to apply for requests.

Thank you very much for that.

Huh Ill teach you some more makeup techniques, so come visit the Angels House. The kids will like it too.

Yes.

After talking for a while, Jane and Coco drove away.

Oliver watched as the car drove away and broke the silence after a while.

Thank you for waiting.

Its okay, Master.

In the dark was Pilgeret Broker No, Marie answered with her head bent to the waist.

.

Oliver looked at Marie in silence, unsure of what to say. It had been just over a year since he left, yet she still referred to him as master.

After a brief moment of reflection, Oliver spoke up.

If you dont mind, could we move to a different location to talk?

Late at night, two cars were driving along the outer edge of Landa, an area that was under development restrictions.

The vehicle was a relatively common F-series. Even so, it was a vehicle that would require quite a bit of money to buy.

In other words, they were the kind of vehicles that could help one save face without drawing too much attention.

After a while, the cars pulled off onto the shoulder of a deserted road and entered a nearby forest before coming to a stop.

CLACK

The door opened with the unique sound of the F-series and some people got off.

Oliver and Marie were among them, accompanied by numerous Warlocks who seemed to be Maries subordinates.

The group was a mix of men and women, all of whom appeared to be quite well-trained.

And they dont seem to like me.

Oliver thought as he looked around Maries subordinates who got out of the second car.

Master

Marie, who had gotten out of the first car, knelt down and bowed her head, her gesture so deep that it almost touched the ground.

Ah

Oliver let out an involuntary sigh, though he wasnt entirely sure why.

Marie

Yes, Master.

Can you stand up?

How could I possibly?

Oliver wasnt sure why this was happening, but he focused on helping Marie to her feet.

He found it rather uncomfortable to see someone kneeling and bowing to him in such a subservient manner.

Please stand up.

Please. It wasnt until Oliver spoke the words that Marie finally rose to her feet.

Oliver took out a test tube containing mana, extracted it, and made a fire to brighten the surroundings.

While some were taken aback by this, Marie simply looked at Oliver calmly, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. As if thinking, [Of course, he can do that.]

Oliver, in turn, gazed at Marie, who removed her mask without a word.

She seemed to have changed quite a bit since he last saw her.

Her hair was now thick and luxurious, and her skin, while still pale, was more transparent and more radiant than before.

Her body was adorned with a subtle perfume, and she had been dressed up in a way reminiscent of the women he had seen at the Angels House or the auction house.

He didnt know what to say because she changed quite a lot, but then Cocos teaching came to mind.

Youve gotten prettier.

Upon hearing his compliment, Maries eyes welled up with tears.

Than..k you for your kind words, Master.