Chapter 16 Underworld Small-Timer
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
My “disciplining” of Elenor was going smoothly.
A noble fire still burned in her eyes — she would never give in. That stubborn light of resistance stayed there, even now.
But she had no way to fight back. So she accepted her situation in silence, waiting for her chance.
Still, a faint blush would color her cheeks with each pain I gave her. I watched her with deep satisfaction, like she was waking up to a whole new world of feelings.
While training Elenor, I was already putting my next pieces on the board.
I started with high society. I met the heads of the most powerful noble families in the royal capital one by one, making the Grimlock family head’s position clear inside and out.
I was surrounded by fancy drawing rooms, heavy perfume, and the stale air of the aristocracy, but I never flinched. My engagement to the famous Vermillion house was still on, which let me steer things even more in my favor.
Once those meetings were mostly done, I started making real contact with the underworld.
The groups that ruled the capital’s darkness——
The hidden headquarters of the killing group, ‘Whispering Shadows (Whisper Shadow)’.
The flashy inside of the high-end brothel where night desires swirled, ‘Curtain of Night (Night Veil)’.
And the heavy air of the illegal fighting ring where blood and sweat flew, ‘Bottom of the Abyss (Abyss Pit)’.
I held smooth, one-after-another meetings with the top leaders of each group. Every place had its own thick smell and heavy, pressing feel.
As it turned out, the title of Grimlock family head — a warrior house that guarded the border — carried weight even the underworld couldn’t ignore.
When I asked for a meeting, the top leader of every single group showed up in person. Their behavior was deeply polite, but behind their eyes hid cold, calculating looks.
Their faces showed both the cleverness built from years in the underworld and the sharp look of a hunter sizing up its prey. I exchanged light small talk with them, hinting at future team-ups, making sure we built a solid connection first.
And today, as the big finish to this series of underworld meetings, I was visiting the manor of Lazarus Zaitz, a slave trader who had a long-standing relationship with the Grimlock family.
The heavy, pressing air over the whole estate was dim, like it was shutting out the bright sun on purpose, clearly showing the true nature of this place.
”Ah, well, well! Xenos-sama. Welcome, welcome. In place of my father, Lazarus, let me give you my personal greetings. I am Balthazar Zaitz.” Balthazar said, his voice dripping with fake politeness.
The one who greeted me in the reception room was not the family head, Lazarus, but his son.
He was around my age, or maybe a little younger.
He looked nothing like his father — a short, fat man wrapped in rolls of extra weight. A childish pride floated on his greasy face, and crumbs from a half-eaten pastry stuck to the edge of his thick lips.
His expensive, made-to-fit clothes were carelessly stained, and his messy black hair showed both a rich upbringing and a complete lack of mental maturity.
A sickly sweet smell of sweets came off him.
(A textbook rich brat living in his father’s shadow. Still, I don’t mind these easy-to-read small-timers. Besides — even a small guy has his “uses.”)
Deep down, I judged him with total calm as I sank into the fancy chair in front of me.
The leather seat let out a faint creak.
My goal this time was getting people for a new business. To test this man as a partner for that goal——
I was going to test this man sitting right in front of me.
”For Xenos-sama to take the trouble to visit us in person brings the highest honor to our Zaitz merchant guild. So, then, what might be the nature of your business today?” Balthazar asked, his tone trying to sound like a seasoned merchant but failing badly.
”I’ll get straight to the point. I’m planning to start a certain business. I want to borrow the right people for it, along with your knowledge of underworld connections.” I said, my voice steady and cold.
”A-A business, you say…?” Balthazar stammered, his mask slipping.
A look of instant confusion flashed across Balthazar’s face. I could see his small eyes flickering with sudden worry.
I started to explain my idea.
A cosplay café.1
Using knowledge from my past life, it would be something new in this world.
At first, I thought about a maid café, but to the nobles of this world, maids were a common, everyday sight. I decided something far more original and unusual was needed.
”…And that’s the idea. First, I want to make a shop where the waitresses dress up in beastfolk costumes to entertain the customers.” I explained.
”B-Beast ears? Costumes? …Xenos-sama, with all due respect, what on earth are you talking about… Making the workers dress like demi-humans? That’s far too strange; I seriously doubt any customers would even walk through the door…” Balthazar cried out, his voice high with real disbelief.
Wait, really? — And here I thought it would be a hit…
Balthazar’s sweat-covered face couldn’t hide his real confusion. I could clearly see his small eyes swimming with panic and confusion. Seems this idea was still a bit too ahead of its time for the people of this world.
”Hmm… Then do you have any better suggestions?” I countered.
The moment I threw the question to him, Balthazar leaned forward eagerly, like he had been waiting for that exact cue.
A smug, self-satisfied light grew in his eyes. His vanity — his desperate need to prove his usefulness — had popped up.
”If your goal is to give something truly unique… then Xenos-sama! How about the traditional dances of the desert Kingdom of Zahara! Enjoying exotic food while watching sensual dancers perform traditional routines… If it’s this, I am absolutely sure it will be well-received by high society!” Balthazar declared, practically glowing with self-importance.
”I see. A theater-style restaurant, then. Not bad.” I said, giving a short nod.
I accepted Balthazar’s idea.
The exact form of the shop was never my real goal anyway. My true aim lay far beyond that.
Getting funds, gathering information, and securing a place separate from the Grimlock estate that could be used for unofficial meetings. Also, building a point of contact and a base in the underworld.
That was the real goal of this venture.
”Very well, let’s go that way. I’ll leave the opening of the business and hiring the staff to you. Find the storefront and get dancers who can draw a crowd. I have more than enough money. Don’t hold back on spending.” I ordered.
”I-Is that really the case!?” Balthazar gasped, his eyes widening.
At my show of trust and the sudden offer of such a huge project, Balthazar’s face practically lit up with pure greed. His expression looked exactly like he had just seen a pile of cold, hard cash.
I could hear a clear, heavy gulp from his throat.
Putting together the money I had on hand with the most I could borrow——
It came to about 830,000 gold coins.
I had money coming out of my ears. I might as well leave this entirely to him as a test run.
Make sure you work hard for it.
As I was hashing out the specific details with Balthazar, the heavy, solid door of the reception room suddenly got a soft, but clear knock.
”Balthazar-sama, a guest has arrived to see you,” a servant announced.
”What is it? I am busy right now… Who is the guest anyway?” Balthazar snapped.
”Lizel-sama of the Count Blanchett family, along with one attendant…” the servant replied.
The moment he heard that name, Balthazar’s face completely changed. A smirking, joyful grin spread across his face, and his eyes sparked with excitement.
Meanwhile, I searched through the memories of my “game script knowledge.”
(I see. So this is where those two pay a visit to the slave merchant guild.)
That knowledge effectively told me what would happen in the future. The scene playing out right in front of me was a side story to one of the game’s events.
Interesting.
”X-Xenos-sama! I am truly, truly deeply sorry, but…” Balthazar whined, his ego collapsing into weak desperation.
Balthazar shifted from his earlier proud attitude, looking at me with a desperate, begging expression. His eyes looked up, welling with pitiful tears.
It seemed he had an extraordinary amount of affection for Lizel. Watching his clear, easy-to-read reaction, I had to hold back a smirk from spreading across my lips.
”I would love to receive her, so would you mind stepping out for just a moment — just a tiny, brief moment? We will absolutely, without fail, come back to this conversation right after!” Balthazar begged.
What a terribly selfish demand to make of the heir to the Grimlock family.
The short-sighted, thoughtless reasoning of a spoiled brat was completely clear. But I could easily put up with a small fit like this.
After all, I am a man of big picture thinking.
”…Very well. I will step out for a short while. However, this favor will cost you dearly.” I said, my voice dropping to a low, threatening tone.
Balthazar’s face lit up with a happy “Yes!” and he bowed his head deeply. He looked exactly like a loyal, pitiful dog.
”T-Thank you so very much!” Balthazar shouted.
I got up smoothly from my seat.
As I did, I gently brushed my fingers against the underside of the table. A tiny piece of paper, only one centimeter square that had been hidden in my fingers, stuck to the wood without making a single sound. It was a listening device, a magic tool (an item made with magic) that had been heavily customized.
”Now then, don’t keep me waiting long.” I instructed.
Leaving those final words behind, I quietly closed the door to the reception room.
As I stepped out into the hallway, Balthazar’s excited voice faintly reached my ears from inside the room. Just picturing what kind of conversation he was about to set up with Lizel was highly amusing.
Now then, let’s fully enjoy watching the hidden side of the game script unfold.
—
Summary:
Xenos continues to exert control over Elenor while strategically expanding his influence in the underworld by meeting various criminal leaders. He secures a partnership with the spoiled Balthazar Zaitz to launch a theater-style restaurant under the guise of an unconventional business venture. A surprise visit from Lizel-sama provides Xenos with a perfect opportunity to plant a listening device.
—
Trivia:
- Xenos has access to approximately 830,000 gold coins, indicating his significant financial resources as the Grimlock family head.
- The cosplay café concept was rejected by Balthazar, leading to the alternative theater-style restaurant plan.
- The listening device planted by Xenos is a specialized magic artifact, one centimeter square in size.
- Xenos is actively using his game script knowledge to anticipate the arrival of Lizel, treating the event as a side story.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Elenor – Revered and publicly hailed as the ‘Saint of Light’, this Student Council President is a woman of noble determination. She possesses long, radiant blonde hair, sky-blue eyes, and a highly dignified, elegant posture. Even when held in captivity, her spirit remains unbroken, maintaining a resilient light of resistance.
• Grimlock – The Grimlock family is an influential noble martial house entrusted with guarding the national border. As bearers of this lineage, the protagonist Xenos and his father, Gaius, share a strong familial bond dedicated to upholding their military legacy. Reflecting their high-status identity, the succession of this prominent household carries significant weight.
• Vermillion – The Vermillion family name, carried by Cecilia, belongs to a distinguished, long-running noble house of sorcery enduring for generations. This prestigious family is connected to the protagonist, Xenos, via a high-profile noble engagement.
• Lazarus – Lazarus Seitz is a thin, sallow-skinned slave trader with slicked-back black hair and deep green eyes. He maintains a long-standing business relationship with the Grimlock family, supplying them with various slaves.
• Balthazar – A merchant at the Zaitz Merchant Guild with a penchant for bizarre desires and questionable business ethics. The son of Lazarus Seitz. A short, plump man with greasy skin and childish arrogance, he wears expensive, stained clothing and smells of sweet pastries.
• Xenos – A reincarnated nobleman, Grimlock head, and hated villain, this protagonist masks his immense power and Magic Seal behind a “Zero Mana” facade of incompetence. Projecting haughty or cowardly personas, he uses strategic manipulation and game-script knowledge to control interactions, orchestrate conspiracies, and expand influence into the underworld, relaxing only around personal servants.
• Blanchett – The Blanchett family name, carried by Lizel.
• Blanchet – A noble family line carried by Lizel.
• Lizel – Fiancée to Luca Dalton and a noblewoman of the Blanchet family, this magic academy student has long, vibrant pink hair, a doll-like appearance, and overwhelming wind-based magical talent. Known for her sharp temper, volatile frustration, and inexperience in negotiations, she reveals hidden depths behind her tantrums, notably during a visit to the slave merchant guild.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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