NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34
The guild master of Chernov City, Shakhov, and the head of the guard, Ramur, met privately in the VIP room within the guild.
On the table sat a steaming teacup, but only Shakhov was savoring the tea.
“Would you not have some?”
“No need. Let’s just get to the point.”
Ramur clicked his tongue and said,
“What were you thinking when you froze the transport ledger?”
“It’s simple. Insurance.”
“…”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t know? A merchant’s basic qualities are information-gathering to quickly assess situations and decision-making skills.”
Shakhov’s relaxed expression faded as his eyes narrowed. The undeniable hostility caused Ramur to take a slight step back.
“If you thought I, as the head of the guard, would see you merchants who could die at any moment as equals, then you’ll be disappointed.”
Originally, the two had maintained a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship.
Chernov City’s police force was corrupt. Starting with Ramur, the head of the guards, who was essentially blood-related to the leader of the Gavial gang, criminal organizations were allowed to run rampant without significant interference from law enforcement.
Even Mayor Anatoly, old and nearing retirement, couldn’t do much. For the merchants to survive, their only option was to form a strong coalition centered around the guild.
The city appeared stable on the surface only because of the cooperative relationship between the merchant guild and the guards.
Pressuring the merchants forcefully wouldn’t benefit either the guards or the criminal organizations. If the guards sided with them, and national military police were called in, all the criminal organizations in this border town would be wiped out.
Thus stood their situation.
Merchants colluded with the guards to skim a percentage off outsiders’ fees, while criminal organizations deeply embedded themselves into trade caravans for various illicit activities.
Neither side held an entirely clean record, but recently, everything changed when the Belgorod Fortress was attacked by bandits crossing the border.
Bandit attacks on fortresses happened every few years, so it wasn’t unusual. However, the issue lay in the fact that a special artifact transported from the central region was stored there.
And the company responsible for transporting that artifact to the fortress was none other than the merchant guild of Chernov City.
Though Shakhov and the related parties were unaware that the shipment contained a hidden artifact, they were still in a position where blame would inevitably fall on them if investigated by the national military police.
If the investigating officers weren’t fools, they’d surely come to the guild and stir up trouble.
“Anyway, if this comes to light, Shakhov, whether it’s you or me, we’re both dead.”
“That would be better. Rather than just me dying unfairly.”
“Fucking hell, is that how you want it?”
“The inspections of goods heading to the fortress were your guard unit’s responsibility, right? Why should the guards alone escape this?”
This was why Shakhov had frozen the transport ledgers.
If the ledgers were destroyed, the responsibility for the theft of the artifact would solely rest on the ‘merchant guild.’
The national military police were notorious for manufacturing crimes to punish people.
If the guards severed ties, Shakhov knew too well that he, merely the guild master, wouldn’t survive.
“And why do you think there’s no way out except death for both of us? There’s also a way for us both to live.”
By now, Shakhov had finished his tea and placed the cup down.
“Isn’t the guard unit’s mistake simply negligence? If we give the national military police enough money, they’ll probably end it with a light reprimand. Right?”
Though “corrupt,” there was still room for consideration under normal circumstances.
If the city guards and the merchant guild joined forces to claim it was a mere mistake, even the national military police would struggle to find substantial evidence against them.
However, Ramur’s expression remained grim. His tightly clenched fists trembled.
“Guard Captain?”
“Shakhov, I can’t help it anymore.”
The guard captain stood up and approached the window of the VIP room. Then, unexpectedly, he shouted loudly through the open window.
“Execute!”
Almost instantly, loud noises began coming from downstairs — sounds of destruction and familiar screams.
In moments, the entire guild master building was filled with the footsteps of soldiers. It was clear they intended to seize the ledgers by force if necessary.
‘So reckless.’
But even if they arrested him, the freeze on the transport ledgers wouldn’t be lifted.
Shakhov knew Ramur far too well.
That’s why he had placed a special magical barrier on the storage room where the ledgers were kept.
A barrier that could not physically be breached unless the entire guild building was burned down.
However…
The pungent smell rising from below twisted Shakhov’s face.
“You wouldn’t… set fire to it, would you?!”
“Haha… We already knew about the barrier on the ledger storage room. You’re such a cautious person; it was obvious you’d prepare something like that.”
Ramur smirked at Shakhov. The smoke grew thicker, seeping into the second-floor VIP room.
“If only you’d cooperated quietly. We could’ve sacrificed you to protect the merchant guild and your family, don’t you think?”
“What reason could possibly justify going this far?!”
It was beyond excessive. Setting fire to the merchant guild building in broad daylight?
The national military police would definitely catch wind of it. But Shakhov believed avoidance was always possible.
After all, this incident occurred without the knowledge of either the guards or the merchant guild.
As long as no one knowingly concealed the presence of the artifact or leaked information, they were safe.
At that moment,
The worst-case scenario flashed through Shakhov’s mind.
“Ramur, did you… know the artifact was aboard that cargo? And worse, leak the information?”
“Hmph, realized it was poisoned chalice after drinking it. Should’ve known better.”
Though Ramur’s voice sounded resigned, there was unmistakable madness lurking beneath.
“Damn it.”
Shakhov reluctantly raised his hands in surrender.
Though capable of casting minor magic earlier, he was powerless against the gun pointed at him.
They had torched the guild building. If things went awry, he’d likely end up with a bullet in his forehead.
“Fuck.”
“I gotta live too, right? Don’t you agree, Guild Master?”
With a metallic clink, Ramur struck Shakhov hard on the neck with the gun handle. Before he could resist, Shakhov collapsed to the floor.
Ramur swiftly picked up the unconscious guild master and exited the VIP room.
The roaring flames consumed the guild building in no time.
The transport ledgers implicating the guards would surely turn to ashes.
Now, following the pre-prepared plan, shifting all responsibility onto the merchant guild…
“Perfect crime, isn’t it?”
Ramur grinned wickedly.
*
“Bring water! Quickly!!”
“It can’t spread to the central market!! Stop it somehow!!”
Exiting the restaurant, a thick plume of black smoke rising high into the sky came into view. Arriving quickly at the guild building, the scene was extreme.
Panic-stricken merchants carrying buckets ran around aimlessly, while the guards stationed near the center of the fire seemed almost indifferent, leaving the flames unchecked.
Upon seeing this, the recent events immediately pieced together in my mind.
‘These bastards started a fire after negotiations broke down.’
Given the state of the disoriented guild members, it was clear this wasn’t Shakhov’s doing.
“Captain, what do we do now?”
“Let’s suppress the fire first! Lumina, assist with evacuating any civilians!”
Lumina hesitated to use magic. If we avoided using magic for firefighting…
“No, I’ll help too!!”
“Eh? Lumina, are you sure?”
“With you here, I’ll be fine…”
Lumina grabbed my sleeve tightly and took a deep breath.
“Besides, putting out fires is manageable!!”
Her latent mana core awakened. Her breath carried traces of blue mana, spreading slowly into the air.
Subsequently, scattered steam condensed into droplets and followed Lumina’s hands.
“I can do this much!!”
Bang!!
A massive water droplet burst above the guild building, unleashing a torrential downpour.
A basic blue magic spell, Heavy Rainfall.
Though it merely gathered moisture from the air to create a temporary shower, it was sufficient to dampen the flames climbing the exterior walls.
“Oh! A magician has come to help!”
“Now! Pour water quickly!”
The merchants, previously stamping their feet in frustration, exhaled in awe.
“But the internal flames are still intense…”
While the outer flames might be somewhat controlled, containing the fire inside the building was beyond our capabilities.
What mattered most now was the ledger. We needed to uncover what Shakhov and Ramur were hiding.
Perhaps this ledger was the very ‘evidence’ the national military police sought.
“Lumina, please continue blocking the fire from spreading here.”
“And you, Captain?”
“I need to extinguish the flames inside.”
Having said that, I stepped firmly into the blazing guild building.
Inside the guild, dense smoke obscured visibility, making it impossible to see even a foot ahead. Since most of the structure was wooden, dousing it with small amounts of water proved futile.
“Cough, cough!”
I coughed harshly, extending my hand toward the ravenous flames. My mana core had been activated long ago.
“There’s no way ordinary magic will suffice…”
I recalled the image of the magic Bell Meyer used during the last Belgorod battle.
It was clearly called ‘Water Explosion.’
The visualization involved a massive jet of water exploding violently. Building upon pure mana with a blue hue, I concentrated and shaped the magical power.
Keening sound –
As soon as the magic activated, the raindrops Lumina summoned outside were rapidly sucked through the charred walls.
In the blink of an eye, they swelled into a giant water balloon-like sphere, trembling as if ready to explode. Staring straight at the unstable mass of water, I clenched my fist tightly.
“Water Explosion!”
Boom!!!
As soon as I completed the incantation, the highly concentrated blue mana exploded, creating a whirlpool of water that engulfed the raging flames in one fell swoop.
“Yes!”
Just as I prepared to celebrate our success in extinguishing the fire,
Creak…
An ominous sound echoed.
“?!”
The wooden floor suddenly collapsed beneath me.