Episode 217 – Setup (4)

Setup (4)

Still inside the SUV, Bell Moore was eavesdropping.

“I’ll contact you later. …’JAKE’.”

I ended the conversation with Grawl, emphasizing the word ‘JAKE’ particularly.

JAKE was the nickname used on a dark web site operated by Grawl himself.

─Yes, I’ll be waiting.

For the record, the Libra Intelligence Agency captures all information. It doesn’t matter if a Chaser has personal informants. Each Chaser is essentially an ‘independent investigator.’

In fact, the number of reliable informants a Chaser has is often a measure of their intelligence capabilities.

Vroom-

I drove to the national university.

As I was about to arrive, I heard Grawl’s voice through the R-elix.

“Got a contact already! Bell Moore’s dark web ID is ‘BILBILBIL’.”

“Try to milk him for all he’s worth and sell it.”

“Yes, Master~”

I smiled quietly.

Building that lab was worth it after all.

Now, what remains is… the smoking gun.

All I need to do is plant something that could act as decisive evidence on Benedict.

……

Bell Moore frowned as he glared at the dark web.

[JAKE: For unverified first-time users, the price is steep.]

“What do you mean unverified? I’m on a dark web level.”

JAKE. It seems this guy is Shion’s informant, but the price is much higher than expected. Even for himself, who is at level 10, the price is steep.

“What the hell iis this?”

Bell Moore skimmed through the site.

[DARK WEB JAKE: GROOOOW]

Grow or whatever. In any case, the dark web’s own recognition is non-existent. Simply put, it’s a ‘nobody’.

[JAKE: No discounts, 3 million points.]

“This is insane.”

A lunatic nobody asking for a down payment of 3 million points.

How did Shion recruit such a person? And how did he even find him?

“……Well.”

However, Bell Moore accepted it easily.

That maniac Shion only knows Libra. He would reinvest everything into Libra, be it bonuses, salaries, or even his own free time.

Bell Moore glanced at Riley.

“Hey. Lend me some money.”

“What did you say?”

Riley looked baffled.

“Just lend me some. You surf the dark web, right? Give me a million points.”

“……Are you joking? Or is that information really reliable?”

Her face clearly showed she didn’t want to part with her money.

Bell Moore ruffled his hair in frustration.

“It’s reliable. Just give it to me.”

“At this rate, wouldn’t it be better to just kill Shion and bury the case?”

Riley’s words drew a hollow laugh from Bell Moore.

“Do you think I haven’t thought of that?”

The only Chaser who knows that Benedict is behind this is Shion Ascal. Therefore, if that bastard dies, the case will be covered up, and Sonya will be expelled.

“But right now, that guy is participating in the Johanna gambling tournament.”

In Johanna’s gambling event with a stake of 300 million ren, snf the last remaining player is Shion Ascal. Killing him in this situation would surely prompt Johanna to initiate a direct investigation.

“It’s cheaper this way. Trust me.”

Moreover, from Bell Moore’s perspective, this incident was a ‘deception.’

But if Shion Ascal is killed, it becomes a case of ‘knowingly’ covering up.

It would turn into a perfect tail to cut off.

“Trust or not… just pay it back. Later.”

“Ah, got it.”

“I’m serious. If you don’t pay it back with 5% interest within two weeks, I’ll go straight to the higher-ups.”

“…Damn it. Alright, I’ll pay you back within two weeks. Happy now?”

“…….”

Only then did Riley transfer 1 million dark web points.

[JAKE: Payment confirmed. I will provide the information you requested. Please choose the method of delivery.

1. Physical Delivery Box shipment.

2. Dark web mail]

Bell Moore chose option 1.

Physical evidence is much more persuasive when convincing someone.

[JAKE: Please provide your address, and the 「Delivery Box」 will be dispatched.]

He entered his own address.

“Is it done?”

Riley asked.

“Yeah.”

Now, Bell Moore would leak this information to Johanna. Then, the credibility of a man named Benedict would naturally plummet…

From that point on, it would be Shion Ascal’s responsibility.

That guy would find evidence by any means necessary.

He’s someone who only looks for ways to devote himself to Libra 24 hours a day.

* * *

Meanwhile, Soliette was ‘here’.

A space decorated to look like the real Edsilla. But it was not.

A world that is not real.

Every night, she enters this place to rummage through her own heart. It is her end-of-day respite.

“……”

When she looks in the mirror in a world like Edsilla, she is not Soliette.

Just a short high school girl.

She stared blankly at something. It was the TV inside the furniture store. Inside it, there was a man with red hair.

Jared Arkne.

Her family.

Her brother, connected by blood.

“What are you doing.”

A voice came from somewhere. Soliette flinched and looked around.

“……?”

There was no one there.

“It’s below.”

“Below?”

Soliette looked down.

There was a cat. It was a black cat.

“Who……”

“It’s me. Shion.”

“Nail clippers-”

“I buried them in the ground.”

“……Why have you become a cat, Shion?”

Soliette picked him up for the time being. The cat suddenly blushed.

“Hey, hey. Why are you hugging me? Just put me down.”

“……Ah. Is that so.”

Shion said, setting his feet on the ground.

“It’s because Victor is dead.”

“Victor?”

“Yeah. The souls we transfer consciousness to. Victor died, so I moved to this cat.”

“Why did Victor……”

“Why? He was murdered. By the defense mechanisms of this place.”

Shion looked around seriously.

“Then……”

“The explosives have been placed. But to detonate it, we need to go down to the deepest underground of this bottle.”

“Is that so.”

Soliette nodded.

“But I can’t go.”

“Why?”

“I’m a cat.”

Shion flicked his tail.

“Instead, there’s someone who will help you.”

He looked around the furniture store. With his cute front paw, he pointed at the TV screen.

“……It won’t work.”

Soliette’s expression hardened. She shook her head, trying to hide her fear and longing.

“It’s okay. I’ve already got a promise of cooperation from Jared.”

“But still-”

“Anyway, Jared doesn’t even know you’re Soliette.”

“……”

That statement was somehow both reassuring and sad. Soliette looked again at her reflection in the furniture store’s window.

A short high school girl. Perhaps even looking like a middle school girl.

“Go down with Jared.”

Shion told her.

As if she absolutely must.

That’s when it happened.

A car stopped near the furniture store. The door opened, and Soliette’s heart skipped a beat.

It was Jared.

The man with the long red hair was just as she remembered from the distant past…

“This was the meeting place.”

“Meeting place?”

“Yeah. You were supposed to come with me originally. Who would have thought Victor would die.”

Shion looked at me and gave a wry smile.

“Go ahead.”

“……”

“Hurry.”

He pushed the back filled with fear, with just the front paws of a mere cat. The gesture was infinitely light, but pushed by such a small weight, Soliette took a step towards Jared Arkne.

“……Hmm?”

He looked at her, with the same face as back then, but with a face that doesn’t recognize her.

Soliette struggled to calm her constricted heart, feigning as much composure as possible as she let her voice out.

“Do you have… nail clippers?”

Jared Arkne.

To her precious family.

* * *

With each passing day, a spark was being lit in Johanna’s heart.

It was because the last round, the 6th round, with a stake of 300 million ren, was approaching.

In Johanna’s life, filled with gambling and betting, a gamble worth a total of 600 million ren was not common, and above all, she was feeling the ‘thrill of gambling’ for the first time in a long while.

Uncharacteristically, she was even looking forward to it, like a girl in her youth.

Her favorite and most beloved moment in gambling was always the ‘all-in’ bet.

The unexpected long odds that explode from a 0.01% chance.

Victory that comes when no one expects it, when it seems impossible to win…

“I’ve heard the talk. You’re trying to buy my consigliere head for 100 million Ren.”

This is the prime VVIP exclusive casino room. In front of Johanna now is the boss of the Callos family, ‘Callos’.

It means he’s a mafia.

“So he did pass on my message?”

Johanna threw a chip and smirked.

“So, what’s your answer?”

The two are playing a game with cards placed on their foreheads. It’s ‘Indian Poker’, where they bet by looking at the other person’s card, not their own.

“I’m not selling.”

“Not selling means?”

“……I could bet it as a stake.”

Callos stroked his mustache. Johanna’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Stake, huh. If you want to add that, don’t touch the player, right? I heard there was an attack on the player this time.”

Shion Ascal. The guy who went to a college class as usual was attacked by someone.

“It was a unilateral decision by the consigliere. That’s what happens when you are threaten. A cornered human will do anything.”

Callos threw a chip.

“I’ll call.”

“Call it is.”

Johanna matched the number of chips.

“Do you think your player can win the 6th round?”

“Opportunity is open to everyone.”

“If that’s the case.”

Callos leaned forward with a sly grin on his face.

“Shall we place another bet?”

The corners of Johanna’s mouth twisted slightly.

“What kind of bet?”

“If your player wins the 6th round, whether he will or will not win the final round.”

Callos tossed another chip. The number on the card resting on Johanna’s forehead was ‘7’.

Johanna also threw a chip as she asked.

“What’s the stake?”

“3% of the Golden Casino’s shares.”

The Golden Casino.

The entire premise is a magically powered space. A natural gambling den where all logic is aligned with gambling.

Owned and operated by the nine mafia families and Johanna of Libra, 3% of the shares of the world’s largest and most prestigious casino would easily be worth 2 billion Ren.

“Why should I do that?”

However, for a bet to be established, Johanna would also have to stake an equivalent amount, and it didn’t pique her interest. Even in gambling, the books have to balance.

“You only need to put up 0.7%. Surely, you’re the underdog, so to make it fair, I’ll add the life of my consigliere to the pot.”

0.7%.

That seemed doable.

Johanna crossed her arms and looked at Callos’s forehead. His card number was ‘6’.

“No. I don’t want the consigliere’s head.”

She shook her head.

“There’s a former player of mine who clung to you.”

There was a woman who had betrayed Johanna and clung to Callos. A wretch she had picked up from the streets, fed, and nurtured, only to ungratefully defect to the mafia.

“Bet her life.”

For a moment, Callos’s brow twitched.

“……If you bet a player’s life in the same way, I’ll consider it.”

“I refuse. He’s not mine.”

She had to use and return it to her sister with care.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll win the shares and buy her with it.”

Johanna laid down her card. Callos did the same.

‘7’ and ‘6’.

Johanna had won.

Callos spoke with a hardened face.

“What about it?”

“She’s not for sale.”

“……She? Ha, right. I heard Callos had gone blind over a woman. Turns out it’s true? Well, seducing a wealthy mafia does make life easier.”

Johanna laughed as she swept up the chips.

“Think whatever you want. If you act like you’ve already won, you might end up with your ass kicked. But more importantly, is the bet on?”

“Why would I refuse? You’re offering 3% of the shares.”

The odds were overwhelmingly in this round’s stake. The trump card Johanna herself had thrown in, Shion Ascal, was sure to reach that far.

“Ha ha. Alright. I always liked how straightforward you are, Johanna.”

Callos smirked, under the delusion of ‘she’s taken the bait-‘.

“Then… that’s enough for today. Let’s call it a day.”

Johanna stepped out of the private VVIP room. Beckman hurriedly positioned himself beside her.

“Your Grace, Johanna. We’ve received contact from a Chaser of the Intelligence Agency.”

“…The Intelligence Agency?”

“Yes. They say someone has leaked your information to the mafia.”

“…”

For a moment, Johanna’s face contorted like a goblin’s. She clenched her teeth so hard it seemed they might shatter and tilted her gaze.

“Which son of a bitch is it this time?”

“They are currently in front of us… Are you alright?”

“What do you mean, ‘am I alright’?”

“…I think betting all the way to the finals is reckless.”

“Did you eavesdrop?”

Johanna let out a hollow laugh at Beckman’s sudden overstepping.

“I apologize. However, I only act in ways that benefit you, Your Grace, Johanna. Shion Ascal, that rookie, has already achieved more than enough by advancing to the 6th round. Any further betting would be—”

“Quiet.”

Johanna pushed Beckman’s chest with her fist.

“I am Johanna of Libra. My thoughts are not for you to control. Your role is to support my choices, not to interfere with them.”

“…”

Beckman quietly lowered his eyes.

“I apologize. The Chaser from the Intelligence Agency is right in front of us.”

Without a word, Johanna brushed past Beckman. A cold gust of wind struck Beckman’s face.

“…”

Beckman exhaled a trembling breath as he watched her walk away.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the national university’s campus cafeteria, I’m eating with Layla.

“Ah… I’m so tired…”

“Are you okay?”

Her dark circles are deep.

They’re getting deeper day by day.

As Mila’s appearances in Trick City increase, the real Layla seems to be dying like this.

“I’m not okay… Shion. What’s our next class?”

“Mentor and mentee.”

“Ah, that’s the common class we both have.”

Mentor and mentee.

We will be the mentees, and the seniors will be the mentors.

We’ve been assigned anonymous mentors and mentees via our phones, the mentee anonymously seeks help from the mentor, and the mentor sincerely fulfills that help, thereby proving their growth, or something like that.

“Isn’t that in the auditorium?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s hurry. If we’re late, there won’t be any seats in the front.”

Layla said, pulling on her bracelet.

“Let’s do that.”

I also got up.

──At that very moment.

A line of magical force flew in from somewhere.

“Ah!”

Layla quickly bent over, and I glared in that direction.

“What are you doing?”

Elise. She shrugged her shoulders with her brows deeply furrowed.

“It’s a surprise attack. Don’t you know when you see one?”

“So why the hell would you launch a surprise attack?”

“You’re competitors, aren’t you?”

“Ah, Elly, seriously!”

Layla stood up. Her head was doused in soup. Elise barely held back her laughter at the sight.

“…So, that’s why. Always be prepared. It’s what I taught you.”

“Don’t laugh!”

“When did I laugh, huh?”

“You just laughed behind my back!”

“Hmph.”

Elise turned away. Thud, thud—We watched her leave the cafeteria with disbelief in our eyes,

and her partner, Gerkhen, continued to sit at the cafeteria table, devouring cake as if nothing had happened.