Yethel was a growing economy holding a military might that confused many of its neighbors. But at the end of the day, it was a new country with borders along so of the strongest nations in the world.
On the north-east, there was the Cynark Kingdom, while on the south side, there was Pulgasiri. A country that acted like a concerned neighbor, supporting Yethel with technology and weapons at a cheap price.
But everyone interested in politics knew why the Dwarves were so welcoming of such a new and weak nation.
’Be our shield.’
And that was it, to them, Yethel was a cheap way to keep Cynark occupied. Making Yethel appear as a threat on the side that might start devouring their lands just like Ikarus did the day he established Yethel as its own country.
In a way, Pulgasiri was fighting a proxy war through the Republic of Yethel, using them as nothing more than tools. While also selling their weapons to Cynark at a normal rate. aning, that the war for the Dwarves was very profitable, just like it used to happen in the old days.
Many of the leaders knew about, calling the Dwarves greedy and evil, but none dared to speak out about it in public. None wanted to lose such a good source of weapons. So they remained silent, keeping their thoughts to themselves. On the world stage, a simple emotion-driven act can turn disastrous.
Though, I am going on a tangent here. But in simple words, the reason why there were so many Yethel Migrants coming here in search of work was simple. Their borders were open to each other.
As long as you own an Identity card, you can easily travel between the two. Though it just so happened that rarely any dwarves leave their country. And why would they?
Yes, Yethel was progressing to a brighter future every day. But it was still considered a backward place in the eyes of the dwarves. If not for mariti trading and tourism, none of the dwarves would ever go to Yethel.
"A migrant you say?"
"A soldier, an annoying one. You won’t believe how much that soldier tornted ."
"You have fought with this soldier?"
"And saw a glimpse and killed a few of ’Their’ companions as well. But that soldier was slippery, escaping every ti I tried to close in on them."
"Fighting a soldier, weren’t you active in the military around three years ago?"
"Didn’t I say that this is a great gift? Why don’t you search up the nas of those who entered this city since then?"
After a few more words, Salveraz silently left the place, leaving Fahna alone in her corner of the bar. However, it didn’t take long before a man ca and sat in the seat just emptied by Salveraz. A man with so years on his face and a worried look. "This is getting dangerous... Lady Fahna, I still urge you to leave this place. Everything slls dangerous here."
Unlike her jovial self, she currently looked arrogant and aloof. There was no need for her to act like a young upstart anymore, making her true nature appear in front of this gentlemanly-looking person. "We are in the Gutters, feeling safe would be weird instead."
"Lady Fahna, I believe you know what I an. There is still ti, we haven’t fallen into sothing serious, aning the one who sent those letters hasn’t moved yet."
"Or he didn’t expect here, which gives an edge. Our unexpected actions were not under his calculation, that gives us an edge." Fahna turned silent, contemplating for a bit before saying ."For now." She didn’t even believe that she would have an advantage for a longer ti. She was pragmatic and understood that to stay ahead of the enemy who was looking for her, she had to keep making unexpected moves and edge out a victory against him.
Just like now, how she planted a small seed in the mind of Detective. As for what it was? Well, sothing very interesting.
Even though the Detective didn’t wish to involve himself in whatever heinous thing that was happening in his city. He was still fooled by sothing simple.
Let’s think about it for a second. Detective Salveraz is soone investigating the attack on dwarves involved in the mass trafficking of humans. And this man just happens to go and look for the records on the border crossing where the humans co from.
But to the outside, those that wish to keep it all hushed, in their mind, they would think that Salveraz is collecting clues on their activity, using the crossing records to mark the discrepancy between how many currently live in the city and how many actually disappeared.
Putting the detective on their list might force him to join her in her personal investigation and vendetta in a way.
"Please keep him safe, I believe it won’t take long before so people transfer him out of this city. He is the only one that can help currently." Although the old butler was annoyed by her request, he just shook his head helplessly and nodded to her. "He was a friend of your father, I won’t let anything happen to him... but what about his family?"
"I don’t need them, and if sothing does happen, he will be more driven to help ."
"... Understood."
*****
Among the kids, if Farhad was a muted kid suppressing his true nature due to his lack of strength and confidence, then Fahna was sothing far worse.
Born the first daughter of Varkus, she was born with a golden spoon in her mouth. She was different from the rest from the start. A born psychopath who has a habit of manipulating people to her whims, whether they know it or not.
And to her, all of it cos as innate. To her, all of the people exist to be her chess pieces. People whose value can only be excavated by her and her alone. All of it is done in service to the greater good.
The greater good of the world, her country, and then her family. Besides those, there was nothing good about that existence.
Just like now, a scared little dwarf driven by fear for his family won’t touch the untouchable elites that were leading sothing heinous right under the noses of the great beings that reside in this place. Which was understandable.
But the very fact that he won’t be helping her here was problematic, she knew that the dwarf needed a push. So after giving her butler direction on how to protect the dwarf, she went on alone, with so of the bodyguards that were always around her.
Then with a simple twist of her finger, she disappeared.
Taught from a high-level assassin, she knew the value of anonymity and why certain things can’t be spoken out loud. Feeling that all the eyes on her had disappeared, she appeared on a particular street of the Gutters and walked into a building that felt all too familiar to her.
*****
"How is the weapon?"
"Good, but I fear the silencer won’t be able to hold on for longer, the one I crafted was better."
"Why didn’t I see one?"
"It broke."
After last night’s errand, and having a four-hour sleep, Max was back to his normal self. Looking at Sheva who was doing the target practice, he couldn’t help but ask her feedback.
Though the ti for the small talk was over, he got up from his seat and chose to move. It was around seven in the morning, and his targets will finally start moving soon. But as it happens, he can’t follow all of them on his own.
So he put forward a request to Sheva. "I got so nas." He presented Sheva with so nas and positions of those he could find at night. "Follow the targets, starting from top to bottom, three days each, and try to find anything suspicious, record their activity or lack of it."
The nas he gave to Sheva all had one thing in common, none of them were Knights or mages, unlike the list he held in his hand. "The Sltver’s? Are they really behind it?"
"Or a pawn, I am not sure. But my resources have claid them to be one of the mbers. But I still wish to do so personal investigations before taking any actions."
"Why are there children’s nas on my list?"
"There is magic and potions that make you appear younger."
"..."
"And bring your weapon with you, how fast is your assembly?"
"Around 40 seconds."
"That will be enough." Max always felt that sothing wrong might happen. There was a high chance that in an attempt to keep those talented secure and out of such deals, Yazmod might have employed soone weaker in his family, soone protected by soone stronger.
So the chance of the diator appearing on Sheva’s list was as high as his.
Though, only ti will tell, or I, who had already found who was behind it all. But let the babies play their gas. Let him enjoy a sense of satisfaction that I only experienced after learning that Grifter was back.
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