Chapter 145 The Next Move
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After my business with Nauru concluded, I stepped out of the room.
Neevas was already there, lurking a short distance away in the corridor. “She was my pride and joy,” he said, peering at me with a greasy smile. “How did you find her? “
”Not bad,” I replied. “In fact, I quite liked her.”
In fact, Nauru was stunning, possessed of a carnal beauty that was hard to ignore. If she were a bit more conversational, she wouldn’t have been out of place at my Manor of the Black Rose¹.
But I have my pride.
It simply isn’t in my nature to cage someone who has no desire to be there, forcing them to work without any hope of escape.
(Well, I don’t intend to let Lana or Meer take on customers either…) They stayed with me by choice, and their beds were for me alone. That was a world away from the forced, anonymous encounters found here… it was an act I also loathe.
”I thought as much,” Neevas said, misinterpreting my silence as satisfaction. “The southern flair is quite different from what you find in these parts. If you’re interested, I have several others I could introduce you to.”
”This is enough for today,” I said. “Your sincerity has been conveyed.”
As expected, contacting someone other than Nauru right now was a low priority. It would be wiser to search for and make the next move after her route is exhausted.
”I’d like to maintain a close relationship with her moving forward,” I added.
”Yes, yes! Of course, my Lord,” Neevas stammered, his hands fluttering. “I shall make her my absolute priority.” There, Neevas peered into my face while rubbing his hands together. “So… how about the reconciliation? I will continue to show my sincerity, but…”
”Hmm, I will consider the things until now. However, I cannot trust you immediately.”
”I understand. Trust is not something built in a hurry,” Neevas replied. He seemed content not to push. Either he was playing the long game, or he had realized that forcing it was no good.
I was done with this vessel.
Neevas and I walk through the ship while talking. The debauchery around us hadn’t lost any of its momentum. Alcohol, women, and Magical Beasts².
This was the pinnacle of worldly pleasure – however, they were dark, illicit pleasures of questionable legality.
With the sickening din of the party at my back, we ended up parting ways where we got off the ship.
”Then, please take care.”
”Yeah… when is next?”
”The Crimson Club holds events every few days. How about two days from now? A guide will be waiting in front of the main gate of the harbor.”
”Understood. If you show me trust next time too, the talk will proceed smoothly.”
”…! Yes, by all means! We await your visit.”
Seen off by Neevas, I left the harbor.
It was a good thing there was an opportunity again soon, but as expected, it was difficult to lay a hand on the ship.
If I tried to raid the harbor, they’d likely be tipped off immediately… for example, a signal flare or something. The Crimson Club ship along the coast just has to evacuate immediately once they confirm the signal flare.
(On land I can surround them with numbers, but a ship is difficult…)
The open water offered no cover for an approach. If there was a suspicious vessel, the Crimson Club ship likewise won’t approach.
(As I thought, Nauru is the key.)
It is extremely difficult to corner the Golden Crab³ without an internal collaborator.
(…I have to get the police moving too.)
The source of this story is Isabella.
At any rate, the harvest is big. I was able to capture the passenger ship, which is likely one of the Golden Crab’s vital organs.
But the Golden Crab is acting cautiously with various warning networks.
Having police officers pour in and arrest them – that would likely be impossible.
But the Golden Crab also has a miscalculation. That is me.
They haven’t noticed that I, of the Midnight Fangs⁴, am strongly connected to the police.
If I utilize that and the line to Nauru – I should be able to end their banquet.
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Trivia:
- The protagonist has a personal moral code against forced labor/prostitution despite his ‘Dark Noble’ role.
- Lana and Meer are his personal companions, kept exclusive to him by agreement.
- Neevas is Nauru’s father, which adds a layer of exploitation to the syndicate’s operations.
- The harbor has a signal flare system for quick evacuations.
- The protagonist leads the ‘Midnight Fangs’ but hides his police connections from the Golden Crab
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Character Insight:
The MC shows a cold, calculating side by prioritizing Nauru’s ‘route’ over other women, yet maintains a shred of humanity by loathing the forced nature of the brothel ship. He is playing a double game as both a criminal lord and a police ally.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the ship setting to create a ‘locked room’ tactical problem that cannot be solved by brute force, forcing the MC into espionage.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Nauru – a female worker on the ship, originally from a seaside town plagued by scarcity, drawn into her current life by circumstance, now cautiously hopeful after connecting with the mafia boss over shared interests in baking and sweets
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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