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He briefly wondered if someone might be tailing him, but it turned out to be needless worry.

When he arrived at the pre-arranged location, Semid was already waiting.

“Well, look at that! You’re here already.”

A playful voice echoed. Semid was sitting there with four bodyguards surrounding him.

“You know you’re way early, right? Come on, sit down, buddy. So, how was it? Notice anything suspicious?”

Even before sitting, Ian tossed the pouch to him with a tired expression.

“What’s this?”

“You’ll see when you open it.”

“Judging by how it feels… this is some kind of drug, right? A narcotic?”

It was almost certain. He wouldn’t have tossed it like garbage if it were something valuable. If it had been a valuable elixir, it wouldn’t have been treated this way.

“Incredible. You managed to get your hands on drugs in just a day? Those guys must be out of their minds. Does it mean they don’t care if they get caught? Or do they think it won’t be a problem even if they are?”

“I’d say it’s closer to the latter.”

“Right?”

Semid opened the pouch and checked the contents.

As a member of the Demuid family, renowned for their expertise in appraisal, Semid had a keen eye for determining the value of objects.

With those eyes, he had followed in his father’s footsteps, amassing wealth by evaluating numerous treasures and artifacts.

There were many appraisers in the world, but the Demuid family was proud to be among the very best.

‘…Huh?’

But at this moment, the very eyes he trusted most began to ache as soon as they saw the drugs.

It was definitely a drug, something harmful to humans.

As he furrowed his brow, trying to pierce through its essence, he saw it. A writhing purple aura.

It was repulsive. Unlike the disgust one might feel when looking at an insect, this was something far worse.

“What is this?”

“As you can see, it’s a drug.”

“No, I know it’s a drug.”

“A dangerous one.”

“Are you messing with me? Everyone knows drugs are dangerous. But this… this isn’t just any ordinary drug. What is it, does it turn people into monsters or something?”

Ian chuckled softly.

“That’s exactly what it does.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not sure if it’s Dark Magic or the power of some Outer God, but once someone takes this and certain conditions are met, they’ll turn into a monster. No, they will turn into one.”

Semid looked at Ian with skeptical eyes.

“Buddy, you know I don’t like bad jokes, right?”

“Neither do I. And I have no intention of making light of this with you.”

“…Then how are you so sure about this?”

“Instinct.”

“Ha. So, this means the Dark Mages are involved, huh? Is this happening because there are no priests in the city? This is a bigger headache than I thought. This is far more serious than expected. If that’s the case, my entire plan is ruined.”

“You had a plan?”

“Of course I did. If I had something solid like this in my hand at the right time, I’d act on it. Leaving this alone will only allow it to keep eating away at Flaming. Now’s the best time to act. Otherwise… I’ll be the one who gets swallowed up later. And that’s definitely not going to be good for Berger either.”

“…So, what’s next?”

When Ian asked about the relaxed demeanor that suggested there might be a sharp solution, Semid nodded.

“If possible, I wanted to handle this quietly, but if Dark Mages are involved, that changes everything. I need to contact the Temple and Berger.”

Ian nodded. It was a wise decision.

If Semid had attempted to solve this independently, Ian would have strongly discouraged him. However, if he still refused to listen, he would have reached out to Verdan directly, even if it meant jeopardizing their relationship in the future.

“So, you see, buddy. No, Ian.”

“I’ll contact the family.”

Semid’s eyes sparkled.

“What a perceptive little guy! How did you get so good at reading my mind? How about a kiss?”

“Just contact the Temple, alright?”

“Look at you dodging the question. Just say if you don’t want to. How are you going to contact them? By letter? Even if I send it by the fastest train, it’ll take days, right? How about trying this instead?”

Semid pulled something out from his pocket.

“…A phone?”

“Oh, you know what this is?”

How could he not? The world was rapidly changing, influenced by external forces.

From transportation methods like trains and warp gates to strategic weapons like golems, floating cities, and mobile fortresses, communication advancements in the magical empire of El Carda were no exception. It wasn’t entirely new territory.

It had been possible to connect over long distances using crystal balls before. This was just a more portable version of that.

“Amazing. I heard these aren’t even commercially available yet. Did your brother give this to you?”

“Seems like he just got it recently.”

“I received it during my last visit to Berger. I know contacting you now might be rude, but given the circumstances, I hope you understand.”

Semid awkwardly fiddled with the phone and soon, a red light began to blink at the top. It was the signal that a call was being placed. When it turned green, a sigh came through the receiver.

-What’s going on? At this hour?

It was a familiar voice. Semid hesitated for a moment before passing the phone to Ian.

“Brother, it’s me.”

-…Ian? How did you get this?

“I came to Flaming and got a request from the Demuid family head.”

-I told you to rest, and you’re working again?

Ian exhaled heavily.

“Yeah, I don’t know how it ended up like this either.”

Thinking back, he realized he hadn’t reported on the events in Judith. The demonic beast with blood-red claws, Hero Abella, and the battle with Olrak… none of those were trivial matters to overlook.

Suddenly, Ian felt as if he was sinking into a swamp.

There was no choice. The contact with the Outer Sea would continue in the future.

Unless he fled from the east to the interior, he couldn’t avoid it. And that would only postpone the issue, not eliminate it entirely.

-What was the request about?

“Drugs are being circulated in Flaming.”

-So what?

There was no hint of surprise in the voice. It was clear he had an inkling of what was happening.

“The source of the drugs is the Dark Mages. If this spreads, it could turn into a major headache later on.”

Ian provided more detailed information. It was only possible because he was familiar with the drug known as Nightmares.

There was no definitive evidence linking it to the Dark Mages aside from the drugs themselves, but that would probably come to light with some digging.

As if lost in thought, Verdan’s voice paused briefly before continuing.

-Understood, now put the head of the Demuid family on the line.

Ian handed the phone back to Semid.

“Yes, Lord Verdan. Yes, I agree. That’s right, please proceed as you see fit.”

At times like this, Semid could speak normally.

Although Ian couldn’t hear what Verdan was saying, Semid nodded enthusiastically, bowing as if Verdan were right in front of him.

“If you take the fastest train, you should arrive by 8 o’clock. However, since the drug dealers gather around noon, it might be best to arrive at that time to strike them all at once. Yes, we can go through the formalities later. Of course. Thank you, and please take care.”

Semid would likely leave the contact with the Temple to Verdan.

If only there had been a warp gate installed, they could have deployed immediately, but unfortunately, they had to rely on the train.

After finishing the call, Semid let out a sigh of relief and set the phone down.

“With the Knights coming, I feel a bit better, but the issue is containment. It’s impossible for me to block the eyes and ears of the city right now, so we’ll need to at least surround the building. But if they escape before that… what can I do?”

“?”

“I guess I have no choice but to go and buy some time.”

He was voluntarily stepping into danger?

Seeing Ian’s wide eyes, Semid smiled mischievously.

“Hmm? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s a bit unexpected.”

“Oh, I don’t want to do this either. But if I don’t, it’ll be difficult to prove Demuid’s innocence. It’s really frustrating to risk everything because of the mess my brother made at such a critical time.”

“…I’d rather go instead. It would be less risky for me than for you, and it’d be better for you to stay and lead the small force we have.”

More than anything, Ian could be a much more tempting bait than Semid could ever be.

Even the usually nonchalant Semid was momentarily at a loss for words at this suggestion.

“Are you sure about this? It’ll be dangerous. You won’t be able to carry any weapons when you go in.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

If necessary, he could just take weapons from the others, but he had received a ring from the Green Mage Tower that granted him a pocket dimension, so he could use that. Surely, they wouldn’t strip him of all his accessories.

Semid chuckled.

“You’re quite confident. Very impressive.”

—

As dawn broke, Ian made his way back to the gambling house he had visited the day before. Although it was early, the place was bustling with people eager to enjoy the games.

Just like the previous day, he received his entrance ticket, presented it, and stepped inside. While he was playing on the lower floor, someone followed him.

“Philip.”

“You’ve arrived. How was your night, young master?”

Ian hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Thanks to you, it was good.”

“I’m glad to hear that. It was the best quality product I had.”

“Speaking of which, I’d like to meet the creator of this.”

“Pardon? You don’t need to do that. If you leave it to me, I can get it for you anytime.”

“No, I want to invest, that’s why I’m asking.”

“Hmm. Investment… that’s… tricky. If you’re looking for an introduction to a seller, that can be arranged.”

“It seems you’re not understanding me. I want to meet the creator, not a seller.”

“…That’s difficult. Just wanting to meet doesn’t guarantee you’ll meet anyone.”

It wasn’t individuals but rather organizations. And anyone?

Was the name Berger that inconsequential? Ian quickly realized his mistake.

“Speaking of which, I haven’t introduced myself yet, have I? Sorry about that. I’m Ian Berger.”

“Pardon?”

“How about this name? Is it good enough?”

Ian pulled out a black card from his wallet and showed it to the bewildered man in front of him.

“Uh, could I see your ID as well?”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Hmm.”

Philip pondered for a moment.

“I will keep this a secret from my family. So, this will be my personal investment, right?”

“…You need to get permission.”

“Right.”

“Excuse me?”

“Go get it. Permission.”

Philip blinked in surprise, then told Ian to wait as he dashed off somewhere.

This was a serious matter. He climbed the stairs and hurriedly ascended the building.

Was it because he hadn’t been exercising? He felt much weaker than before. Just moving quickly left him breathless.

‘I should have taken the elevator.’

Now that he thought about it, there wasn’t much time left.

After stabilizing his breathing, Philip checked his attire and knocked on the firmly closed door.

“Come in.”

The permission was granted from inside. He opened the door and entered the office, greeted by lavish furniture.

The items here were said to be crafted by dwarves and sculpted by fairies, luxury goods beyond imagination.

In this opulent office, the owner, with a languid expression, was smoking a cigarette, and in front of him stood a neatly dressed man.

There was already a guest present, and Philip recognized him. He was one of the creators of “Sweet Yet Bitter Dream.”

At first glance, he didn’t exude any particular power, but strangely, when their eyes met, Philip felt a tightening in his heart, along with a tremor in his body.

When the man shot him a piercing gaze, Philip quickly averted his eyes.

“Welcome, my friend.”

“Ah, hello, Bedid. How have you been?”

“I’ve been doing quite well lately. How about you? Is work going okay?”

“Yes. I caught another noble today.”

“Oh~ a noble. Our friend certainly has skills. Very resourceful. But since you came to see me, it seems like there’s some trouble brewing?”

“That’s correct. It’s someone I can’t handle.”

Bedid pushed the cigarette he was holding deep into the ashtray and asked, “What do you mean by that?”

“I want to invest, so I’d like to meet with the one who manufactures the drugs.”

“Are you insane? You should have turned him down on the spot! Why come to me without being able to refuse? Couldn’t you at least say you’d get back to them later? Investment, my foot! No, this kid… The more I think about it, the more ridiculous it gets!”

Philip immediately apologized and explained.

“I’m sorry. I wanted to do that too, but the other party’s status…”

“What? Are they from a high-ranking family? Are they a Berger?!”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

“What?!”

“That young master is Ian Berger, the third son of the Berger family.”

Bedid, who had been scoffing in disbelief, was momentarily speechless.

“Really?”

“I checked; his identity is confirmed.”

“Hmm, I heard some rumors that he’s changed lately… Seems like a reckless kid is still a reckless kid. I suppose once you get a taste, it’s hard to give up that addiction. Even being of the prestigious Berger lineage doesn’t seem to make a difference.”

“What will you do?”

It would be nice to draw him in, but the risk was far too great.

While the details could only be fully understood in a meeting, being the third son, not the first, would make it difficult to rely on the Berger’s influence.

If word of this reached the head of the Berger family, it was highly likely that this whole setup would crumble overnight.

‘There’s no need.’

Even without Ian’s investment, there would be no disruption in the production and distribution of drugs. It would just mean more unnecessary expenses.

However, refusing outright could cause resentment, and he might end up reporting this to the Berger family.

“What do you think, Nel?”

“Let’s meet with him. It’s good to verify his intentions. Speculating here won’t change anything.”

They were of the same mind. Bedid checked the time. It was just about lunchtime. The meal was likely already prepared, so adding another serving wouldn’t be an issue.

“Philip, take us to the restaurant. Nel, you should join us to meet that young master.”

Without answering, Nel stood up from his seat.

———