novelraw Chapter 182 : Beastkin Faction (9)
Chapter 182 : Beastkin Faction (9)
Tap.
U-jin tapped the table with his finger and said.
“Just as you said, Jerry, going to every single slave market to free them is a method that will take too long. It's not theoretically impossible, but to overturn all the markets on the continent to gather 40,000 would take at least 10 years, even by the shortest estimate.”
“...”
“Besides, given the nature of the black market, it's not hard for them to disappear and reappear. It would probably take even longer.”
It wasn't that U-jin was unaware of such problems.
The limits of manpower.
From the very beginning, the goal of reviving the Beastkin faction was enormous, so it was only natural that the process of achieving it would not be smooth.
“So, the method I plan to use isn't to find the black markets.”
“...”
“Instead, it's to directly strike the slave prisons of the large wholesale guilds that manage the Beastkin.”
Silence fell once again.
Jerry, who was stroking his eyebrow, muttered lowly.
“...Directly strike the guild's slave prisons...”
“...Is that possible?”
Eliya, as if she too had heard this for the first time in their current conversation, asked Jerry pressingly.
And Jerry.
“...Theoretically, it is possible. Certainly, the merchants active in the black markets are mostly brokers acting as middlemen. The actual entities that capture, manage, and sell the slaves are the large, shadowy wholesale guilds that don't even have a name.”
“...”
“The black market merchants are the lowest of the low, so to speak.”
Tap.
Tap.
Just as U-jin had done, Jerry tapped his index finger to briefly organize his thoughts before turning his gaze back to U-jin.
“...It would certainly be a good method, if it were possible. But the slave market, being illegal from the start, prioritizes security above all else. And in the case of such large-scale prisons, security is so tight that only a very small minority of merchants belonging to the guild even know of their existence.”
“...”
“I, too, knew of the existence of those underground prisons and have tried to find them. But I couldn't even guess their general location.”
“...”
“...How are you going to pinpoint their location, partner?”
Tap.
Although he didn't say it out loud, the effort and resources Jerry had poured in for the sake of the Beastkin were by no means small.
His individual share of the entire Beastkin slave market, which spanned the continent, was nearly ten percent.
Therefore, when it came to Beastkin slaves, the one who knew the most was none other than Jerry Junior.
There was a reason the merchants in the Shandong black market revered him so.
...But for someone like Jerry to not even be able to guess meant that no one on the continent who dealt with Beastkin slaves knew the location.
From Jerry's perspective, he couldn't possibly comprehend how U-jin intended to pinpoint that location.
However, Jerry's concern was.
Pfft—
Close to a groundless fear.
The reason was simple.
If it had been impossible to pinpoint the location in the first place, he would never have made such a plan.
If U-jin's thoughts were correct, the location information would soon come to him on its own.
* * *
“...What?”
“...With the descendant of the Beastkin King joining them, it seems a new Beastkin faction might be established there.”
“...”
“...is what I said.”
Although it was a story he had heard repeated right before his eyes, Director Ludwig Allegro of the UMC couldn't help but doubt his own ears.
A new Beastkin faction could be established with the descendant of the Beastkin King joining them?
This was a story of a slightly different caliber from the shit he had spewed earlier.
”Are you sure?“
Ludwig asked again, his voice still laced with annoyance.
Tan repeatedly nodded his head in response.
“Y-Yes, I'm sure.”
“...Why do you think so?”
“There are still a few requirements lacking, but... given the Beastkin's characteristic of valuing bloodlines, if just a few more conditions are met, I believe the requirements themselves will be satisfied...”
“...”
He was just about to smack him across the face for spouting such idiotic nonsense, but Ludwig Allegro felt his anger subside a little.
The reason was simple.
Indeed, as he considered the various pieces of information flashing through his mind, he began to think that the 'new establishment of a Beastkin faction' Tan mentioned might actually be possible.
Of course, it was such a difficult proposition that if a random passerby were to spout it without any basis, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to dismiss it as bullshit.
The prestige of the Beastkin faction, which had once held the position of hegemon in the neutral zone, was not something that could be ignored on a continental scale.
In contrast, the current status of the Beastkin had not just hit rock bottom but had been driven underground.
The leader of one of the three great powers—the Order, the Demon King, and the Neutral faction—that had once trisected the continent.
And the race of slaves.
The gap between the two was so immense that it couldn't be simply accepted as a matter of course; the idea of the Beastkin faction returning to its former level was difficult to even imagine.
To put it bluntly, the vast majority of Beastkin—to the point where it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say 'all' of them—were currently being treated as slaves.
Of course, there were a few exceptions, but an absolute number, large enough to ignore those exceptions, were being sold off even at this very moment to be trampled under the feet of nobles and the wealthy.
For them, who were even mockingly called the 'race of slaves', to reclaim their former glory and establish a new faction was, at a glance, an absurd story.
In other words, it wouldn't have been strange to dismiss it as mere bravado.
However.
Ludwig couldn't do that.
The reason was simple.
Because the subject involved was extraordinary.
'...Seo U-jin.'
Not much time had passed, so his name wasn't known across the entire continent yet, but he was the super rookie of the Hero world, known by all those who were in the know.
And.
'...Number one person of interest.'
One of the biggest missions entrusted to the UMC since the Einstein incident 100 years ago was to prevent a second Isaac Einstein.
Therefore, from the UMC's standpoint, they had no choice but to pay close attention to U-jin, who was leaving behind a unique trail of achievements that couldn't be simply summarized by the words 'Hero candidate'.
U-jin's deeds were so extraordinary that they could be compared to Isaac Einstein's.
...In other words, it meant they were somewhat aware of U-jin's activities, both known and unknown.
Which, in turn, meant they were well aware of U-jin's unique 'exceptionalism'.
No matter how nonsensical the task, wherever he laid his hands, there was always success.
'...And he's a human certified by that old geezer Louis.'
Due to its potential repercussions, it was kept secret even within the Order from those below the rank of high priest, but the fact that he had recently entered the Darkest Dungeon and came back out through Louis Burton's indulgence.
Even just looking at the fact that, in the process, he had somehow coaxed out Tom Hardist, who had been reclusive despite several recommendations for discharge, it was self-evident that U-jin possessed some sort of unexplainable, exceptional quality, even if one didn't know what it was.
And because of that, the 'revival of the Beastkin faction'—something Ludwig would have considered absurd if anyone else had said it—did not seem impossible in his eyes.
And suddenly.
A certain fact flashed through his mind.
'...A guild!'
Snap-!
“...So that's why he bought that ruined territory.”
What should I say?
It felt like the puzzle pieces were fitting together.
Entering the Darkest Dungeon and bringing out Tom Hardist.
Purchasing a territory that seemed to have no immediate use.
And even in the case of Aileen Village this time.
It had been a series of incomprehensible events.
But when he drew a line connecting them all, it made sense.
It was all to create a guild and accommodate the Beastkin faction.
Thinking of it that way, it was somewhat understandable.
Of course, it wasn't something he could just be happy about.
From the UMC's perspective, U-jin was a target of caution rather than someone to support in the first place.
Looking at it superficially, one couldn't completely rule out the possibility that U-jin gaining his own faction could become a threat to the Order.
However, in Ludwig's mind, a conviction grew that this was not the case.
The reason was simple.
If he were in U-jin's shoes and truly intended to betray the Order.
He wouldn't bother with the Order, which would oppose him on various pretexts, and would have gone over to the Demon King's territory long ago.
From the start, the most crucial element for the revival of the Beastkin faction was the descendant of the Beastkin King that Tan had mentioned earlier, 'Valencia la Bael Tigris'.
The reason the Order, despite knowing of her existence, hadn't tried to force the Beastkin faction into the War against Demons was because it was something that would require the Order to take a risk as well.
Even if they went out of their way to make a king who had no intention of ruling the head of a faction, there was no telling what she might decide to do afterward.
It was no different from harboring an uncontrollable bomb.
However, although he didn't know how U-jin had won her over, from Ludwig's perspective, who knew from reports about the attachment she had to Aileen Village.
The very fact that she had left the village and headed for U-jin's guild seemed to mean that she was already somewhat mentally prepared to lead the Beastkin faction.
And when his thoughts reached that point, Ludwig suddenly had an idea.
'...Wouldn't it be better to get a foot in the door?'
If there was no possibility of betrayal, the revival of the Beastkin faction was actually a welcome development from the Order's perspective.
At a time when they were short on manpower to deploy in the War against Demons, the military might and collective power the Beastkin faction once possessed were powerful enough to be counted among the strongest of the various groups belonging to the Order's domain.
It might be a little risky, but.
Ludwig thought.
This current juncture might be a crucial crossroads that would decide whether or not he could achieve his ambitions.
He was already pondering his next step, and if his predictions were correct, this could turn into a huge opportunity.
The merit of being able to place the revived Beastkin faction in 'the Order's debt' was very important.
Ludwig's mind spun rapidly.
'...For him to request cooperation, it means there's something he wants...'
Ludwig roughly knew what preparations U-jin had for the revival of the Beastkin faction.
'Then.'
And as he thought about it.
For someone like him, who had almost everything prepared, there was only one thing he could possibly request from the UMC.
“...Hey.”
All of his characteristic lightheartedness evaporated.
With an aura full of seriousness, Ludwig ordered Tan.
“...Yes?”
“Go out and bring me the list of the Beastkin wholesale guilds' prisons.”
“...Pardon?”
“Quickly.”