NOVEL NEXT chapter 90
90 – 90. op*ium Cave
Chaos erupted in the Academy Hall for four days.
Leon Roderdale admitted his guilt in court and left the jurisdiction.
Crimes against the nobles were the norm. Simply arguing with the law was considered blasphemy.
A light insult resulted in property confiscation.
A serious offense against the nobility led to the revocation of titles and pensions.
A more severe crime was simply death.
However, Leon Roderdale was too valuable to be killed.
Thanks to that, he could be left with punishment brigade. Most punishment brigade members ended up being treated like deckhands and ultimately died…
Leon’s military life was expected to be relatively happy.
Because he was given medicine.
Since giving it to Leon would increase the likelihood of an overdose, it was handed over to the officers in charge of his care. They were personnel recommended by Victoria herself.
It wasn’t just a casual mention; she even provided instructions on how to manage Leon.
“Just give him three doses a day.”
“He’ll lie constantly to get more medicine. Claiming he lost it, got robbed, or even lying that someone stole it from the Master. Once caught in a lie, he’ll immediately come up with another one.”
“If you want him to take more than three pills a day, make him realize the need to earn it. Even if there are no enemies, make him do some menial tasks at least. …As long as you instill the confidence that he can consistently receive the medicine, he will never rebel.”
Simple content like this.
There wasn’t honestly anything difficult beyond this.
Leon had apparently been sitting quietly even in the military prison. Despite being capable of smashing bars and escaping without weapons, the guards must have been quite tense. However, Leon mentioned that he hadn’t caused any trouble for days, just taking medicine.
A superhuman controlled by dru*gs.
It might be more of a concern for the commanders who might come up with absurd ideas after seeing Leon than Leon himself. There was no law preventing officers from giving morphine to problematic soldiers. Morphine was regulated under the supply control law, but…
“I should advise Victoria again.”
If it’s her sense of responsibility, she would manage it compulsively.
From here on out, it was her responsibility.
Leon would leave, happily living while taking medicine, and I would be fine as long as I could endure the reputation that had fallen to the ground.
If there was any remaining homework, it would be the dru*g dealers at the academy who were deeply impressed by seeing Leon.
Although I didn’t have any intention to intervene, there was someone who volunteered.
“Preparations are complete.”
The protagonist is, of course, Second Princess Siena.
Seeing her sparkling eyes, it seemed like she had already finished planning.
It wasn’t because of a sense of justice to expel dru*gs from the academy; she probably just enjoyed having someone she could torment without worries.
“You seem delighted,”
“Sure.”
“You can be honest.”
Sienna glanced around for a moment, gauging the situation.
From her expression, it seemed like it wasn’t a particularly pleasant situation for me.
I was now someone openly feared by the system.
There was no one to curse or criticize me to my face. But it was clear that I had become a rather intimidating presence. After causing the downfall of an elf in such a manner, I had now brought about the disgrace of the most famous student in the Empire’s Academy.
“It’s a situation where it would be best to keep quiet if possible.”
But that was the thinking of a normal person.
Sienna was not normal. Neither was I.
When I nodded to indicate that I was fine, Sienna slowly opened her mouth.
“I already know the current situation.”
“When did you…?”
“I’ve been keeping an eye on the Academy since you were in the Grand Forest. There are two organizations. One that made a fortune in the health syrup business but collapsed after their supply was cut off, and another that deals with op*ium farms and operates an op*ium den while working with two op*ium farm owners.”
“….”
“I’m aiming for the latter. I already have an informant on the inside.”
So she already had an informant. And that informant was even Leon’s friend. I had a rough idea of how she planned to operate.
“But… Alan?”
“Do you need advice?”
“No, I’ll handle it myself. But…”
At that moment, Sienna’s pupils started to flicker again. It meant that she was doing something that went against her own nature (worrying about others).
Worrying even about me seemed so difficult, confirming that one’s nature is indeed hard to change.
I could sense what thoughts lingered in that small mind.
“You’re worried that public opinion about me might worsen.”
“….”
“Don’t bother going through hardships for something that doesn’t suit your temperament. Yes, there will be many who feel a sense of deprivation if Your Highness punishes those dealing dru*gs. Maydoph Pharmaceuticals openly sells, so why prevent others from selling?”
Sienna let out a short sigh.
“Right. It doesn’t add up.”
“Even if it doesn’t add up, that’s the way it should be. Just like you can’t explain individually why pain patients can take morphine but others shouldn’t. Once people have tasted it, it won’t matter anyway.”
“Okay.”
“Whether it’s criticized as a contradiction or not, we don’t care at all. That’s what we need to teach.”
Sienna nodded her head, perhaps relieved to hear the words she wanted. Her unsettled eyes had returned to normal.
“Alright. I’ll start then.”
Sienna took action to capture the rival organization.
She said the beginning was throwing bait into the op*ium den.
A bait utilizing the name value of Leon Rotherdale, who had just left the institution.
No detailed explanations were asked.
**
The institution, a closed hotel on Aling Earth.
Around fifty students scattered in various rooms, indulging in op*ium. Some wealthy students were also taking morphine.
Behaviors varied.
“I’m sorry to hear that you’re in pain. Perhaps you’re hungry? You mentioned having stew recently, so there shouldn’t be a reason for you to feel hungry. I wonder why you’re feeling unwell. As for the term ‘벌렁이’ (beolleong-i), it seems to describe a rumbling sensation in the stomach. However, I’ve heard ‘찌릿찌릿이’ (jjirit-jjirit-i) being used as a more suitable term. By the way, that guy Leon, who always acts superior when he eats something good, used to make me want to strangle him, but I held back because I couldn’t fight. Now, he doesn’t seem as pitiful as before.”
This is a reminiscence of Leon, who was demoted to the punishment unit, by a former academy student.
“…3 grams. No, 4 grams. Today, I challenge my limits!”
This is a political science student who is absent from school for an extended period, while preparing op*ium-laced rum.
And most of the customers are simply absorbed in smoking.
The op*ium den management looked upon this peaceful scene with worried expressions.
Due to the nature of the op*ium den, the boundary between customers and merchants is ambiguous, but they all dream of progress.
More op*ium, more pipes, more customers.
And…
“We definitely need ‘벌렁이’ (beolleong-i).”
Passion for a new product.
No one objected to the claim that they needed ‘벌렁이’ (beolleong-i), which refers to ephedrine.
They had been trying various methods to obtain ‘벌렁이’ (beolleong-i) for several months. There was a time when they tried to persuade Leon Loaderdale, who could get ‘벌렁이’ (beolleong-i) for free, to sell it to them, and there was also an attempt to buy out an employee of Maydof Pharmaceuticals.
Until now, it was just attempts.
But now, the entire management team was quite desperate.
Many academy students had witnessed Leon Loaderdale’s conspicuous actions.
Both the students who operated the op*ium den and those who trembled there had witnessed the intense efficacy of mixing and consuming. It had transformed from a product that could be obtained or not obtained into a dru*g that must be obtained.
Fortunately, they had just found a way to obtain ‘벌렁이’ (beolleong-i).
“Leon’s inheritance, they say.”
“…But he’s not dead?”
“Well, regardless, he left an inheritance. The guy who used to share a dorm room with Leon received the package he left behind. If we play our cards right, we might just secure our future. Morphine and ephedrine have to come along, they said.”
“Of course, that’s necessary.”
It was Leon Rotherdale’s friend who first proposed selling the package to the op*ium den organization.
The quantity is 80 units.
Finally, a way to approach ephedrine emerged, but there was one reason why they hesitated. The price was too high.
What Leon’s friend demanded in exchange for 80 tablets of ephedrine was 1 gram of morphine and $5,000 in cash. Morphine would be sent to Leon, and as for the cash, did they intend to take it themselves? It was a somewhat burdensome amount even for those who had successfully operated the op*ium den.
“Ha… so, we have to pay almost $140 per pill. Is it really worth that much?”
“People are looking for it. We can’t keep filling the demand with just poppies forever.”
“…”
“Sigh. I guess we really have to buy it.”
In the end, the op*ium den leaders decided to bear the significant expense.
There was one objective. Customer satisfaction. More precisely, it was exclusively for wealthy family customers who could potentially bring in big money.
After reaching an agreement, they immediately summoned Leon’s friend to the hotel where the op*ium den was located.
It was to receive Leon’s inheritance.
…
The next day, Leon’s friend visited the op*ium den.
“Here’s the morphine. We’ll confirm the effectiveness of the goods and then provide the cash.”
A dry notification from the op*ium den owners.
The time has come for Leon’s friend to receive the package, but his friend hesitated, trembling as if something was bothering him.
“This guy, what kind of trick is he trying to pull now…!”
The atmosphere became tense for a moment, but it soon grew even more intense.
It was because an uninvited guest had arrived.
“Your Highness Siena?”
With silver hair that reached her waist and crimson eyes, she was dressed in a black dress, a noblewoman who could rival several knights.
There might be other noblewomen in the empire who looked like this, but there was only one noblewoman who could command multiple knights.
Princess Siena Kallail, the second princess of the empire. The majority shareholder of Medop Pharmaceuticals, which produces all the finest dru*gs in the empire.
Why would the princess visit a place like this?
At that moment, when everyone was bewildered…
Siena looked around the op*ium den and spoke up.
“Smoking op*ium here doesn’t violate any laws.”
“Your Highness…?”
“But paying for morphine under the guise of buying ephedrine is a different story. Morphine is all contraband, so where did you get it? And you even tried to acquire it at an expensive price, knowing it belonged to a criminal. This intention seems suspicious.”
All eyes in the op*ium den turned towards Siena.
Even the students who realized they had fallen into a trap, those who didn’t grasp the situation, and those who simply sighed—all of them.
Amidst their dazed expressions, the only person who smiled was Siena.