Volume 4 Chapter 85 Scattered Mysterious Medicine
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
A single boy stood alone on the podium.
He looked about ten years old, dressed in neat shorts and a servant’s outfit—something that might catch the eye of certain ladies.
Despite his small frame, he stood tall on the large stage, his expression serious as he finished his sermon.
”…God lives inside each of us, and the Room of Love is the proof of that,” Quatro said firmly.
As his final words fell, faint applause began to rise from the crowd below.
But it was weak, lacking passion, echoing emptily in the dry air.
Quatro smiled on the outside, but inside, disappointment settled deep.
It wasn’t surprising—his only audience were his relatives and a few women from his family.
There were no true believers, no curious spectators. Everyone was like Sakura.
When the new faith, ‘Room of Love,’ was first born, curiosity drew people in.
A child—son of a councilor kidnapped by pirates—speaking words claimed to be from God was quite the sensation.
Some came to connect with those who rescued him, who outsmarted pirates and the kingdom’s navy.
Even an elf bard singing at a tavern made the news.
But flashy events couldn’t hold people’s hearts. No one stayed as a follower, and interest faded fast.
Those who came for profit left when they found nothing to gain.
The boy’s face, still young but showing signs of tiredness, held a quiet resignation.
He believed—truly believed—that God’s love would save others, just like it saved him.
But his words never reached anyone’s heart. They were ignored and forgotten.
His family’s clan, backed by the Shell Family merchant guild, was crushed by pirates.
Their influence dwindled, and his hopes that the new faith would help them slipped away.
His father, a councilor, kept calm on the surface, but Quatro could feel the grip of financial struggle and political isolation tightening around them.
”What should I do now…” he whispered to himself in the empty hall.
Suddenly, a presence caught his attention.
A small shadow peeked through the slightly open door at the auditorium’s entrance.
Quatro narrowed his eyes.
It was humanoid but far smaller than any human.
Short limbs, a round head topped with a tiny hat.
”…A fairy?” he muttered, disbelief coloring his voice.
He recognized it instantly.
The same fairy who rescued him from the pirates, who had cared for them and carried the words of a divine messenger.
He would never forget that figure.
But the moment their eyes met, the fairy turned and darted away.
”W-Wait!” Quatro jumped down from the stage and pushed the door open, chasing after the fleeing shadow.
At dusk, the boy ran desperately through the winding streets.
At every turn, he caught a glimpse of a small figure wearing a sailor’s hat, but it vanished before he could reach it.
It was like being led by the fairy itself.
”Please wait, fairy! I’m Quatro! What do I do now…?” he called out, gasping for breath.
After several turns, he reached a quiet port.
Night had begun to settle, and no one was around.
The salty air smelled of the sea, and the soft crash of waves echoed nearby.
But the fairy was nowhere to be seen.
”Fairy-sama… where are you?” he whispered, looking around.
Then, at the far edge of the dock, a man stood with his gaze fixed on the sea.
His black hair and eyes marked him as someone unusual—me.
”This is trouble…” I muttered flatly, crossing my arms behind my head.
”What should I do… I want to find out more, but I have no clue where to start.”
I hesitated, unsure.
”…”
”…”
Maybe that was too obvious.
After watching me quietly for a moment, the boy seemed to gather his courage.
”Um, excuse me.”
”Hm?” I answered without turning.
”Have you seen any small creatures—like fairies—around here?” Quatro asked, showing the size with his fingers.
”Fairies? No, I haven’t seen any,” I lied smoothly.
”I see…” Quatro’s face fell a little as he looked down, but then he suddenly looked up, eyes wide.
”Hey, are you the one who came to listen to my sermon earlier?”
”Hm? You’re… from the Room of Love?” I said, pretending to remember only now.
I had visited once before, out of curiosity.
We had exchanged only a few words then, but he remembered me clearly. Impressive for a child.
”Yes. My name is Quatro,” he said politely, bowing with a respectful air.
”I see. My apologies. You’re the young master of the Shell Family, right? What brings you here?”
The dusk deepened over the port.
It was late for a boy to be wandering alone, even in a safe town.
”If you’re lost, I can take you to the guard station,” I offered.
”No, I think this might be divine guidance from Fairy-sama…” Quatro replied with quiet determination.
”So, you said you want to investigate. Are you in trouble?” I asked.
”Just a little,” he said with a small smile.
”Maybe I can help you.”
My words carried a strength beyond my years.
He likely believed this meeting was fate itself.
The plan was falling into place, just as I had hoped.
* * *
Outside the port, the district stretched with row after row of warehouses.
In one corner stood the warehouses owned by the Merchant Guild Piyombo. At the center was a large, box-shaped building.
A bright yellow sign hung on its wall, marking the place as the property of the Merchant Guild Piyombo, with a warning that no one without permission was allowed inside.
Inside the warehouse, old lamps dangled from the ceiling, casting a dull glow over stacks of wooden crates piled below.
Shadows of several people moved quietly among the crates.
In the middle sat Piyombo, the guild’s president. His huge frame made the wooden chair creak under his weight. He wore several rings decorated with gold and jewels, showing off his flashy wealth.
Next to him stood Bunark, the leader of the ‘Lead Cup’ clan, tall and threatening.
His rough beard and sharp eyes gleamed beneath his leather armor, where he kept many hidden knives. His clan members stood silently around, watching the entrance like guards.
Their business partner had not yet arrived. The meeting was between the merchant guild and the clan.
”Has that black-haired adventurer still not given in?” Piyombo muttered, his voice thick with frustration.
”I’m sorry. That man is more stubborn than he looks,” Bunark said, bowing his head with a confident air.
”I hear the women around him are top-level fighters. They can be both bodyguards and… more. We have to recruit him no matter what. Threats, kidnappings, even drugs — anything. If we get an elf who can read minds, business gets much easier.”
”Understood.” Bunark’s lips curled into a grin.
At that moment, the heavy iron door creaked open.
Several figures stepped inside, faces partly hidden by cloth robes. Behind them, bodyguards with swords at their hips followed closely.
”Welcome. It’s good you came. How are things in Latipak?” Piyombo stood with a polite smile.
”Skip the greetings… are the preparations ready?” the man in front asked quietly.
”Of course. We brought fine goods from the Idoni region,” Bunark said, nodding toward the back. One of his men pulled back a cloth curtain to reveal several large wooden crates stacked high. Between the crates, bundles of dry leaves peeked out. At first glance, they looked like herbs, but no herbs would be traded here.
Piyombo picked up a bundle and showed it to the visitors.
”This is opium leaf. One use takes away pain. Two uses make you forget reality. Three uses erase law and conscience… Care to try some?”
The business partner shook his head without a word.
”What about payment?” One bodyguard stepped forward, placing a black leather briefcase on the table with a heavy thud. When opened, golden light shone from inside.
”This is good, very good. With this, I could even buy a seat on the council,” Piyombo said, flashing a greasy smile.
The business partner watched quietly, then muttered softly, “For someone like you to sit on the council, this country has truly fallen.”
The air instantly froze. The bodyguards tensed. But Piyombo only laughed, pleased.
”What are you saying? You, who spread drugs in your own land, lecture me about morals?” he scoffed.
”Hmph, I won’t spread them. I’ll choose who to use them on carefully.”
”Fine then,” Piyombo spread his arms with a dramatic shrug. “We don’t pretend to be righteous. We just want to make good deals.”
”…Ah,” the other man replied, voice showing a hint of disgust. They exchanged no handshake or greeting — only cold silence filled the room.
* * *
The warehouse interior showed clearly on the screen.
The fat figure of Piyombo, Bunark and his clan, and the business partner seated across the table.
Money stacked high. Drugs exchanged. No sign of honesty in their words.
We watched this through the ‘Love Hotel’s’ External Information function.
”Scum.”
”This is unforgivable!” Yomi and Kéa spat, unable to hide their disgust.
”Is everything ready?”
”We can move anytime,” Tifi said quickly, keeping in touch with the team.
”No civilians near the target,” Lifia reported, confirming with Spirit Magic.
Good. Thanks to them clearing the area, we can act without worry.
”All right, let’s do it.” I said.
The Brownies in sailor outfits saluted sharply in response.
This room in the ‘Love Hotel’ was our base. The ship was docked here, the motel room our command center.
As I operated the menu, mechanical sounds started. The walls shifted, shutters opened, and outside, the night view of Latipak city spread below.
From this hilltop, the ship’s bow was locked on the warehouse district outside the port.
I poured magical energy into the cannon on the bow.
The golden compass in my hand guided the energy to the barrel. A faint magic circle appeared.
The Brownies took their places, adjusting angle and distance carefully.
The leader gave me a thumbs up.
I nodded.
”All right… Fire!” I ordered.
With a sharp pull, the Brownie fired the cannon.
The air ripped with a sharp sound as a silver beam shot out, rushing toward the target.
A thunderous boom followed. The magical light struck the warehouse, burning through the space.
Steel beams bent and wooden crates exploded. The dry leaves inside scattered into the air.
The warehouse shattered instantly. Debris and crates flew, and the people inside… were no more.
The blast echoed even here moments later.
* * *
The Merchant Guild Piyombo’s warehouse was gone in a flash.
Piyombo, his guards, and key clan members all died together.
Security arrived quickly and found large amounts of illegal drugs scattered — no denial possible.
The guild, once fighting for a council seat, lost both power and trust.
Their private army, the Lead Cup clan, also lost vital members and became useless.
In Latipak, the once-feared merchant guild and their clan were wiped out in a single brilliant strike.
Notes:
• Quatro – Male. A young boy, the son of a council member of Latipak. His appearance is androgynous and delicate, wearing butler-style clothes. He was rescued by Ore and now spreads the ‘Room of Love’ teachings, believing Ore to be a divine figure. He is charismatic and speaks with regal dignity.
• Lead Cup – The base of the Lead Cup clan, located in a night street of Latipak. The building is soot-stained, with a stifling atmosphere filled with murky alcohol fumes, smoke, and the smell of sweat and blood. It serves as a hideout for clan members and a gathering place for drunken revelers.
• Bunark – Male. A middle-aged adventurer with a shady demeanor. He wears flashy clothes and overly decorated rings. He invites the main character to join his clan ‘Lead Cup’, offering decent treatment and information. His relationship with the main character is adversarial, as the offer is refused.
• Latipak – A small independent state centered around its port town. Located in a strategic trade hub, it maintains neutrality despite being surrounded by large nations and Demon Race territories. It is a bustling city where humans, elves, dwarfs, and Demon Race people coexist. Known for its vibrant streets, diverse languages, and lively atmosphere.
• Brownie – A little sailor fairy.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply