Chapter 77 – Underground

“Uooooh! Diligently, abide by the rules once you come in! No stepping out of line or going in without permission!”

“Once you’re checked at the entrance you may then go in!”

Hearing the cries of the hoodlums shouting loudly, the procession of the nobility finally reached the depths of the town.

“Hmph, these delinquents, lower than commoners, quite noisy…”

“Well, they’re monkeys who barely know how to speak, but we should avoid getting into trouble for making them mad, so don’t worry about it.”

“Oh yes, idiots don’t know what to do when they’re in a foul mood.”

At the far end of the city is a run-down building, and hoodlums lightly checked the nobles at the entrance.

“Welcome…… I’ve confirmed the invitation. There is no problem, please go inside.”

“Oh, thank you very much.”

As for me, I was with the old man, and I had no particular problem.

For a moment, the hoodlums seem to have an eye on me, but they didn’t particularly pursue the matter, as if the letter of introduction they got was from a big shot.

“Thank you, Elder… Who are you, really?”

“Hoho, I’m just a crepe wholesaler.”

The old man laughed as he said so. If he doesn’t show his bottom, you won’t easily be able to reveal his true identity.

Well, hiding our true identity is a mutual matter.

As soon as the check was completed and we went inside, there was a staircase leading directly underground.

As I went down the dim stairs, I heard a sort of cheer from out of nowhere.

“Even if it’s underground… it’s so deep…… and the voices……”

“Well, it looks like it’s going to be exciting.”

“Huh, it’s a mysterious underground space that you check in at the entrance to enter… it’s suspicious… Well?”

There must be something underneath, something spiraling with desire.

Will there be a devil or a snake?

In order to see the answer, at last I opened the door of the lowest floor, and all of a sudden a blaze of heat and intense light struck me.

“Whoa…… this is”

A completely different world that extends underground.

A large crowd gathered in the huge underground square, and excitement was everywhere.

“Yeah!”

“Ha-ha! A lot of it today! All right, miss, chip!”

“Right ♡, where would you like the chip? The bottom? Or the chest?”

“Ku, here! I’ll put it in here! I’ll put it in!”

“Oh, dear, sir, I can’t do that!”

“Tit-tays! I want to buy a woman! Otherwise, we’re going to war!”

“No~”

At one corner of the open space, all kinds of dishes are arranged in a self- serving buffet, and the hoodlums served drinks to entertain the nobles.

There is a pole hanging from the ceiling on the table where the meals are served, and many sexy women are dancing while exposing their skin.

Men, with their nostrils stretched out, held fists full of gold, inserted money into women’s underwear and cleavage, touched their breasts and butts in the turmoil, and the women laughed with a friendly grin.

“Open…”

“Dah, shit, we lost!”

“Me too! No more cards! Let’s play roulette.”

“Hey, I’ll double it and give it back to you! Lend me some money!”

In addition, in one corner, the hoodlums became dealers, playing card games and roulette…. and most notably….

“All right, I’ll bet on the demon wolf!”

“You ah! I’m going with the bug!”

“Let’s go! Take him down! Take him down! Take him down!”

“Hey, what are you doing? I bet a lot of money on you!”

A huge iron cage in the center. And trapped in it, fighting…… beasts?

“Woooooooooooo!”

“Graaaaaaaagh”

Two beasts stained with blood from each other, collided violently and their blood splashed.

“That’s it! Bite!”

“Behind you! Knock him down with your club!”

“Crap, what’s the matter with you? Look, there, go!”

The nobles, with a look of delight, cried out with excitement.

“This is…”

“I see…… This…… is a gambling house’s specialty… fighting beasts, Duel Monster.”

As I was standing there, stunned by the atmosphere of the underground space, the Old man, who was next to me, whispered.

“Duel?”

“Um. They put on a show that makes beasts fight, and bet on who would win…. that’s the way it is.”

“Huh?”

The wolf was being tossed about, at the mercy of the demon insect’s attacks and swift movements.

“After the war…… the beasts that were stuck on the surface were captured and used to make money…. originally an idea of the Bockmati Family.”

“Huh?”

“In those days, it seems even highly intelligent demons who understood human language… Ogres, Fiends, Cyclops, and so on, were forced to fight…. but they are using beasts now?”

Capture demons…… making money?

“So, but isn’t that illegal? Betting with demons…”

“Highly intelligent demons who understood human language…… it came to be prohibited by the treaty with the Demon Realm. However, even among the demons, if they don’t speak human language…. they are treated the same as animals, not humans… because they may attack humans, they get killed or captured in defense. Therefore, against beasts, it is not yet legally ‘forbidden’.”

“That’s…I don’t know…”

“Hohoho, would you use a cow, a horse, or a dog to make a spectacle? Something similar…… that’s the outcome.”

The mafia that was in charge of this was crushed. But here it continues.

“It’s a secret gambling house, but… still, it’s not against the law…. a gray area…… That’s why even if there’s an investigation by the Imperial Knights and so on, there’s no particular reproach.”

In the form that Bro and others took over…… and as I heard earlier, the upper echelon of the Empire are involved, like Minister Chitsue…. Where’s father? Does he know? His Majesty?

『…… Huh…… Well, even in the Demon Realm, there are such spectacles using Beasts, such as demon fighting dogs and magic bullfights, and tis something that Magic Beast Protection Groups often made a fuss about….』

I glanced at Tre’ainar. With a cold, but somewhat sad expression, he gazed at the monsters fighting in the cage.

It gave me mixed feelings.

Then, the words that Tre’ainar told me the other day were overlapped by the Old man’s words, “Demons that do not speak human language are treated the same as animals.”

“…I see…In other words, this is where the aristocracy gather… A gambling house…”

“Um, the Mafia had been eradicated… but a part of the Empire’s upper class secretly handed the reins over to the Hoodlums… Well, there are various reasons why it was handed over to the Hoodlums……”

“Really……”

“But, as youth gangs, who used to earn money by violence, pick-pocketing and spying on the streets, was rampant…. the seed of delinquency has found a source for their livelihood.”

Sure, I was a little surprised, but I could imagine to some extent that ‘Well, there would be something like this’, so while I felt uncomfortable in various ways, I wasn’t too upset.

But there was one thing that bothered me.

“Is that it? But then… what about the ‘auction’?”

Yes, originally I was told that there was an ‘auction’.

So, I thought it was an auction that dealt with illegal items that couldn’t be handled very often.

Above all, this is a merchant town.

But if it’s just a gambling house…….

“There is. The auction. Because…… it should be the main attraction. And it is for the merchants.”

Then, the Old man went from a gentle expression and looked over the hall with strong and severe eyes.

“Do you… know of horse racing?”

“Eh? Horse racing? That’s a race between horses, isn’t it?”

“Um, yes… so do you know, then, that betting is usually done at the horse race?”

“Well, of course…”

All of a sudden? I thought, but I nodded.

That’s common sense.

The reason is that in the Imperial Capital, military horses were used as racehorses to compete for the fastest and to race.

And, it was natural to bet on which horse would take first place, too.

Well, I couldn’t bet due to age restrictions, I wasn’t allowed to go to the racetrack because of Sadiz’s education…. but why would you ask me that?

“Those who have money very soon… will no longer bet on horse racing. They will be the owners of the horses and run their horse to win the race…. that’s the way it is.”

“…Eh? Oh…Certainly.”

That was what the Old man said.

In fact, some of the noblemen I’m acquainted with also buy horses to put them in races.

And since horses are expensive, they are bought as hobbies and entertainment for those who can afford them.

“That’s what an auction is all about…”

At that moment, I was surprised at the Old man’s words.

Oh I see… auctions……

“Hey…… Well, again…”

Well, as the Old man said, it’s normal to buy racehorses at auction.

Therefore, this might not be unusual either.

It’s subtle to me right now, but……

“Are the hoodlum’s making money by doing that…”

He involuntarily made a bitter smile. It was then.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

There was a noble pig struggling at a table, as a delinquent held him by the chest.

The delinquent, wearing the clothes of the Kamikaze Gang, struck while the surroundings suddenly began to stir.

“Hey, Sir… a little touch might be a woman’s service, but as you were told at first, buying a body, forcibly attacking, or any other act the lady dislikes is a violation of the rules?”

The woman who was dancing on the pole was protected by the delinquent as she held her disheveled clothes together.

Apparently, the customer who was not able to endure the woman’s sex appeal was restrained when he tried to violently take the woman by force.

“What is it? That’s what was usually accepted before! I’m paying a lot of money! You scum, you won’t- ugh, hi arg, na, let go of my hands!”

The noble was trying to open up and complain. However, the delinquent was furious, showing an angry face.

“Don’t think money can get you everything in the world! Even if the previous fucking mafia allowed it, on our watch it is unforgivable. Those who play by the rules and have fun in our town are our customers! All the people who show off their money, break the rules and pollute our town are enemies! That’s our way! The Kamikaze Gang!”

The Delinquent talked with full confidence.

Looking at the figure, the Old man whispered.

“Against the rules… as if there really are any…… I don’t know if they’re just being used by adults without realizing it, but…. either way, we have to figure it out.”

While drifting something meaningful……

“…… Ashisotu-san…… Kesu-san…… while you can … get the list of names… Merchants from Japone…… whether the Daimyo are involved or not, gather information…… I’ll see if they really don’t violate the law.”

“By Your Will”

“Even if the youth are in charge of the table, it is always adults who are standing behind them. That’s why we really have to find out.”

In a whisper, the Old man whispered, and the two men behind him disappeared in an instant.

“Elder…… are you…… perhaps…”

“Hohoho…… well now? But whatever you find out, don’t tell anyone, okay?”

I thought from the Old man’s appearance that he wasn’t just a merchant, but…… before I heard anything, The Old man laughed again and made a deflection.

Then he slapped me on the back.

“Well, that was rather harsh to watch… shall we sit down while we eat?”

Maybe the Old man suggested it out of concern for me.

But I…

“A little more… I’ll take a look around….”

“Oh? Oh I see?”

Yes, I thought I’d take a closer look.

“It’s a little complicated, but… well, unlike the mafia, if what you’re doing is illegal…… I don’t know what to say to Bro and others, and I don’t have that kind of consensus…”

The nobles here. The guys who are working. The monsters that are fighting.

And…..

“…… Are you all right?”

『Huh, child. A moment ago, who were you looking out for??』

The most complicated thing about the situation is Tre’ainar. I didn’t show it on my face, I smiled and made it look like it’s not a problem.

“I don’t mind, okay? …… I’m here… you can say what you really think”

『A thousand years too early.』

“Good Grief, so stubborn…”

I wanted you to say my real intention a little because I did not understand his words to me, but Tre’ainar laughed through his nose.

Author’s Note

Kesu (hence, English: case) … That’s all!!