Outside the Rules of the Urban Nobility

“Vera. Keep an eye out for the remnants of the underground gang, because they might be hanging around. I’ll monitor the house where they delivered the father and son. If it looks good, I’ll go right in. Colin, you’ll protect the twin brother, If you think any of them are working for the survivors or the nobles who are after the twins, take them out. Do it so that the knights have an excuse, or leave no evidence.”

“I understand”

“I know where to go to some extent, so I’ll be out shortly.”

A few days have already passed since their father and twin sister were taken to a mansion controlled by a certain noble family.

Al thinks it is too late. But hopes that’s not the case, as there is information that a perverted nobleman who desires the rainbow eyes of the twins was prepared to make them live, ornamental slaves.

Well, it’s information given out by thugs, who wanted to spare their lives. I don’t know how much I can trust it, but I’d still like to help them if I can. This time we’re dealing with the heads of noble families. If things go wrong, they’ll destroy the evidence themselves.

Al has learned a little about the “ecology” of the capital’s noble families. They have their own rules. Conversely, they also expect that they will be slow to deal with those who are outside those rules.

Just as Al cannot understand them, they cannot understand Al the Madman.

Movement beyond gain. Aiding the powerless …… Even if they are commoners. Those who have the true heart of nobility. And the means are direct violence.

Their own battlefield practices.. Al has a certain amount of respect for their stance of being proud beyond their feelings. However, it can be said that this is like a visitor’s consideration for the local culture and customs.

I respect them, but I don’t always want to follow the same rules. This is not the same thing. Al has a place where the rules he has take precedence. Like this time.

In the past, there have been times when he has dealt with the hands of corrupt capital families while lurking in the shadows, but it was only to harass them, and Al did not think that it would even impact the head of the noble family. However, there have been times when he has been influenced without his knowledge. ……

In the first place, Al thought that it would be troublesome later if he even touched the head of a noble family.

A natural thought. Something that even a countryman from the frontier could understand.

If the head of the family is killed, the family will fight back with a fierceness and vigor that will eradicate the other family. Because both sides know this, such troubles themselves are rare. There is also the practical reason that there is no time for fighting between humans, as demons and monsters are right next door.

Lawlessness and illegality run rampant in the capital’s noble families.

Even if the family head were to be assassinated, Al learned that it is rare for them to leave the whole matter to the authorities. It is also rare for a whole family to retaliate. It is an opening for other families to take advantage of.

The capital’s nobility needs to prepare carefully in advance when showing weakness to other families.

Moreover, although Al does not know the details, there is a tendency among the nobility in the capital that direct assaults and violent assassinations are nonsense. They use violence as a means, of course, but only to the extent of harassment. They also consider it a disgrace to use a mage from their own family for such a lowly thing.

Instead, poisoning is used for abuse. What is the difference between violence and poisoning? The difference is not understood by commoners, let alone Al.

It is only the elegant, dark struggle of the nobles of capital to achieve economic ruin through intrigue.

To achieve this, it is only natural that they would make illegal deals. Al and Colin have no idea where the line is drawn, as it is said that they regularly attack enemy trading floors and business partners to inflict damage. It can only be said that this is the culture of the nobles in the capital.

It’s best not to be found out, but when they do. Unidentified bandits raid in broad daylight and kill the head of the family without a second thought! A forbidden transaction interrupted! You can’t just blurt it out …… about it yourself without preparation. It’s a basic rule of nobility that if you’re caught in a bind, you’ll lose. If it’s going to be an illegal retaliation war, so be it. For our part, it’s better than being raided head-on by the knights or Church.

Al was gathering information regarding the clean-up of the Courtenay family’s altercation.

The previous Count Courtenay was highly suspicious of his dealings with the demonic organization, and there was still evidence that could not be destroyed. but the capital’s noble families were united in preventing the intervention of the knights and the Church. And it appears that this is still the case. They are cooperating and diligently erasing evidence.

You say you’re proud to be a member of the capital’s noble family. but when you get right down to it, you’re also defending the previous Count of Courtenay’s family, because you don’t want your own belly to be probed too. I can see why they would be united beyond their previous interests.

Some of the monsters in the Great Forest had similar habits. In origin, it was a collective defensive reaction against a powerful external enemy. It was a necessary habit for the survival of these nobles in the capital.

But …… We’re getting a bit exasperated, too. Insolent bandits are enemies of the people. This time, we’re going to have to play a little Falconer’s game.

There is anger in Al. Righteous indignation.

Information brought by Cyrus and others. The signs of the quest. There was a criminal organization …… That was forbidden to trade in most of them, i.e., the capital’s noble families at the end of the string. …….

Human trafficking, bad hobby items such as demons figurines, illegal drugs, trading in demons that are forbidden to enter the capital, and even materials for researching necromancy……. Some of which were being traded openly in shops along the main street, as if it were a normal business transaction. There were even some cases where the goods were being exchanged in shops along the main street as if they were ordinary commercial transactions. The common denominator is the figure of ‘the powerful preying on the powerless’.

Not all of them could intervene, and many of them could only watch with their fingers in their mouths. And even when the corrupt ones are dealt with, they are still just the bottom rung of the ladder.

The situation is so lopsided that Al even suspects the intentions of the goddess. No, it’s better if the goddess is in charge. I don’t even want to think that this is normal, just a coincidence. If this is the case, it is proof that a tremendous number of “transactions” have been carried out.

And this time too. Al also wants to say, “That’s enough of this.”

They operate according to the “ecology” of the capital’s aristocratic families. Based on his own anger and calculating how to survive on it. ……

Al’s answer is to give them a visit.

A couple more hours will take editing the rest of the chapter, so I thought to release half for now.