Chapter 58
In a coastal city of the Aurum Empire, a boy made a living through theft and robbery.
His na was tae.
“Hey, which faction do you want to join later?”
At his friend’s question, the boy with reddish-brown hair pondered.
He chewed tough bread like it was jerky.
For those born and raised on the streets, joining a mafia was considered a path to success.
tae was no different.
“Ebenkera.”
“…Man, you’re consistent. Still holding onto that snot-nosed kid’s dream?”
“If you’re gonna mock , why ask?”
tae’s face flushed with embarrassnt.
The Ebenkera Family was the ultimate dream for street kids.
So said it wasn’t much different from the big guilds that posh kids joined.
That’s how well they treated their mbers.
“But don’t they only take people from their hotown?”
“They prioritize hotown folks, but they don’t completely exclude empire people.”
“With your fighting skills, you’ve got no chance.”
“Hide your inferiority complex, you jerk.”
“Ow!”
tae threw the tough bread at his friend’s face.
“…If I can’t join as an empire citizen, I’ll start my own family and beco an affiliate. Ebenkera’s expanding into the empire, so my chances are good.”
“You’re weird. Why are you so obsessed with Ebenkera? Just aim for another big family with better odds.”
“I like Ebenkera.”
“Why, though?”
tae scratched the back of his head.
“They’re the only mafia that still acts like vigilantes. No drug deals, no slave trade.”
“…You’re such a weirdo. You’re the only one of us who cares about that stuff. Isn’t business just about making money? Are you still hungry or sothing?”
“No. You lose your humanity. Once survival’s settled, what’s left? Just constant threats and rivalries?”
“Fine. You’re all righteous and kind, giving a headache, you thieving punk. Let’s just think about what to eat for dinner with the stolen money.”
“Anyway, that’s why I like Ebenkera.”
“Hmph, so you like them because they’re as hypocritical as you. A violent group trying to stay human.”
“Shut up. It’s my only hope and struggle.”
tae tightly gripped a stolen wallet, his eyes sparkling.
Just thinking about them made his heart swell, tears welling up.
A future I could happily compromise for was there.
His still-pure eyes shone like they held stars.
✦ ✦ ✦
Puff-
tae Milpain, boss of the Milpain Family, an Ebenkera affiliate, exhaled cigar smoke.
His reddish eyes were as dead as the smoke.
“I heard Ebenkera cracks down hard on drugs. Won’t there be consequences?”
Sonya, Waker-Bon’s boss, raised an eyebrow.
With a cigar between his fingers, tae pulled a fountain pen from his pocket and scribbled lines on a blank paper.
“Consequences?”
“Yeah.”
“Consequences? They’ll just kill you.”
“What?”
tae chuckled at Sonya’s alarm.
“The condition for becoming an affiliate is running your business according to their beliefs. You agree to be killed if you violate them, and that’s how you get extra contracts.”
“As expected of the brutal Nipi mafia, vague conditions with savage consequences.”
Sonya pulled two copies of a contract from a drawer, detailing periodic drug supplies from the farm.
“So what’s their lofty belief? Playing good mafia to build up for politics?”
“…That guy’s not big on politics. If he wanted to use public sentint for a coup, he’d have done it already.”
tae recalled a conversation with the Ebenkera boss from his boyhood.
[“Haha… You think I’m righteous? It might look that way, but I’m a businessman. I just act in my own interest, so don’t read too much into it.”]
“Sothing about market sustainability, I think.”
“Fancy. What’s that got to do with drugs?”
“Drugs reduce the scale, diversity, and quality of Nipi Island’s market, so they’re strictly banned. Workers can’t work and spend less buying drugs.”
“Hmph, what a patriot. They must know drugs have the highest repeat purchase rate.”
“Ebenkera’s market is so huge, drugs are a loss for them.”
“If they’re such good businessn, they could run major operations in the empire and do drugs in Nipi Island for bigger profits.”
“…True.”
Puff-
The eting room filled with smoke from their cigars.
tae recalled Selgreen Ebenkera from his youth.
Glossy silver-green hair reflecting sunlight.
Bright, intelligent green eyes.
A beautiful man just a year or two older, exuding an aura that demanded respect.
[“If it’s not for justice, then what for…?”]
[“You keep asking weird questions. Are you aiming to be a journalist?”]
Scratching his cheek awkwardly, Ebenkera smiled—a clear, innocent smile.
[“My hotown people are already pitiful enough.”]
[“…”]
[“No need to make the people I care about sicker.”]
He was a greenhouse flower grown in the wild.
His scent, unscarred by love, felt jarring.
Born in the gutter, he should’ve been twisted, but the parts that should’ve been crumpled were firmly straightened.
[“I don’t know what illusions you have about our family, but you should drop them. Our standards are clear, and we don’t care much for those who don’t et them.”]
Ebenkera smiled, flicking his thumb near his throat, signaling death.
I knew.
But back then, that cruelty looked like resolute decisiveness.
How great would it be to be guided by soone with clear standards?
To be under the wisdom of soone with foresight?
When my blood was hot and my breath vibrant, I wanted to be an Ebenkera mber.
I thought awakening core abilities and dominating my hotown streets would get in, but I was wrong.
The bar was too high.
Especially for an empire citizen.
tae gave up his dream.
With a sneer, he scrawled his na on the contract.
Sonya smiled.
“So why risk your life in the drug business after becoming an Ebenkera affiliate? You could just deal in gems or magic tools.”
“Ebenkera only strictly manages Nipi Island affiliates. They’re less strict with empire affiliates. And…”
As he aged, he learned his limits.
The more wounds he received, the more he inflicted, the bigger his guilt-fueled ambitions grew.
A small man with oversized ambitions had to break things around him to cope.
If he once lived for Ebenkera, now Ebenkera existed for him.
“My city, Dosoram, has plenty of talent. If I provide simple entertainnt, they’ll follow without needing great leadership. Why follow Ebenkera’s rigid rules?”
“You’ll milk Ebenkera dry, build your foundation, and ditch them.”
“…”
Sonya grinned, showing her gold tooth, delighted.
“Introduce to the Ebenkera boss soti. I’m almost done conquering Haret and want to expand.”
“Of course.”
tae replied half-heartedly, smirking.
As if Ebenkera would take lowlifes like you.
“Let’s celebrate the deal with drinks. My treat.”
“Sounds good.”
Extinguishing his cigar, tae glanced out the window.
The setting sun.
The sky looked like it was burning, stained red by clouds.
Oddly, it felt like the fiery sky would swallow him.
tae recalled the day he was approved to join Ebenkera as an affiliate.
[“Is… is the Milpain Family really joining Ebenkera?”]
[“Yes, the boss approved it.”]
[“Why…?”]
His heart raced as old dreams resurfaced.
He failed to join as a mber and struggled to join as an affiliate, not eting their standards.
Then, one day, his wish ca true!
Did they finally recognize my potential?
He recalled the hardships he endured to catch their eye.
Being valued by the person he admired felt euphoric.
But over ti, tae forgot why he wanted to join and his pure motives.
Only obsession remained.
[“I heard you were hit hard by Dirahaul, a Tarantulis affiliate. The boss said to support you to recover quickly.”]
[“…”]
Oh.
His face burned with sha.
It was because he ran a slave business, which Ebenkera despised, and got into a minor conflict with a partner.
…Did they know?
Did they know I was in the slave business and did this?
He wasn’t sure, but it felt deeply humiliating.
There are people like Selgreen Ebenkera who shine without scheming.
In life, ordinary people lean toward profit over ethics.
[“I didn’t think Ebenkera would rember . Should I be grateful?”]
[“If you don’t want it, you can refuse.”]
[“It’s my lifelong dream. No way I’d refuse.”]
Vensel, an Ebenkera mber, spoke calmly.
[“Good. Now that the Milpain Family is part of Ebenkera, you can request support or investnt for new ventures.”]
[“…”]
[“Submit a report on your current or new businesses. We’ll guide you on available support and detailed regulations.”]
[“…Thanks.”]
[“Speaking of regulations, if you’re caught violating the family’s traditions, you’ll be dealt with imdiately.”]
Yes, I know.
The brutality of Nipi Island’s mafia.
Vensel glanced at the disgruntled tae and added one last thing.
[“I hope you don’t get crushed by Ebenkera’s stone.”]
Unspeakable sha consud his soul.
He hated Ebenkera for turning their back when he wanted to follow, then offering help when he was humiliated.
…Arrogant, hypocritical bastards.
[“I don’t know what illusions you have about our family, but you should drop them. Our standards are clear, and we don’t care much for those who don’t et them.”]
Selgreen Ebenkera’s words echoed in his ears.
What are you afraid of, tae? This place is beyond Ebenkera’s gaze.
The burning red sky.
His racing red heart.
He felt the calm, resolute green gaze following him.
He’d done things Ebenkera despised under their na and capital many tis, but today, he felt unusually anxious.
“Boss, big trouble!”
“What’s wrong?”
A Waker-Bon mber rushed in, whispering to Sonya with a panicked look.
Hearing the news, Sonya’s face twisted, muttering a low curse.
“What’s going on?”
“No big deal. I have urgent business, so wait here.”
Then, a voice from outside.
“Fire, fire!! The farm’s on fire, evacuate!!”
The burning red sky.
His racing red heart.
His pulsing veins carried a quickening heartbeat.
The blazing fire.
Ebenkera.
My guide and hope.
…I’m too obsessed with them. There’s no way their gaze reaches here.
Sweating coldly, tae ran outside to assess the situation.
He turned quickly, thinking he locked eyes with Selgreen’s green gaze through the window, but nothing was there.
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