WeTried Translations

Translator: Botanica

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◈ I Became the Slit-Eyed Henchman of the Evil Boss

Chapter 018

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Bikada Traveling Troupe (1)

Bikada, the leader of the Bikada Traveling Troupe, felt that the atmosphere of Etna City had somehow changed.

The first thing that reached him was the heat.

Despite its location supposedly built next to a volcano, the heat enveloping Etna City was gradually cooling.

The easiest way to tell was the color of the sky. The more active the volcano, the gloomier the sky tended to become.

It was because of the volcanic ash spewed by Mount Etna. As Bikada recalled, for about the past year, the sky around Etna City had been relatively clear.

Now, thick gray clouds filled with impurities hung over the sky.

‘Is it the volcano’s active period?’

Generally, a volcano’s active period is a natural disaster, but in this city alone, the story was different. The activated energy of the land supplied mana to the entire city and increased fossil production.

To use an agricultural analogy, it was a sign of a bountiful harvest. Bikada let out a pity-filled sigh.

When the local economy improves, the popularity of items used to escape reality, like electronic drugs, declines. It was clear that this traveling gig would earn considerably less.

“I should increase the proportion of the circus side.”

He pressed a button on the gauntlet worn on his right hand. It was a wearable computer for easily managing the magical human body modification equipment implanted in his own body, Enchantware.

A medicinal fluid injected directly into his spinal cord washed away Bikada’s worries.

A rising sense of happiness. A world that seemed to shine even though the light intensity clearly hadn’t changed. As he swam in ecstasy, Bikada suddenly heard a noise pounding in his head.

The wearable computer warned of insufficient remaining medicinal fluid.

‘Meconion….’

A drug manufacturer unrivaled in this area. Bikada found it hard to understand her aversion to modern electronic drugs, but aren’t spirits inherently capricious?

She’s half-spirit, so she must have inherited their quirks. Bikada headed for the green paradise of the ashen city after a long time.

“Hello?”

What greeted him was not a green-haired Alraune hybrid, but a suspicious human dressed in a suit.

***

Had the owner changed in the meantime? Where was Meconion?

Bikada responded calmly. He and his traveling troupe had received their entry permit from Geryones.

Geryones’s faction is greedy for money, but as long as you pay them, there’s no major trouble, and they do their job as much as they’re paid. Different from tyrants like the Lernian Magic Tower.

‘Surely the Pithos Tower hasn’t awakened from its decades-long silence.’

Even if Kaicel had reappeared, he wouldn’t reach out to a back-alley drug den like this. Someone who already has enough wealth and power has no reason to come down to the underworld.

Had the Lernian Magic Tower swallowed Meconion’s cavern?

This seemed quite possible. But if he showed Geryones’s entry pass, they’d likely back off, albeit reluctantly. They’re only strong in their own corner.

“I’m late to introduce myself. I am Ortes of Hydra Corporation.”

“Hydra Corporation?”

It was a name he’d never heard before. A name that didn’t exist when he visited two months ago. A new force challenging Etna City’s old tri-power system?

“We received our entry permit from Lord Geryones.”

Regardless, a new force that hadn’t yet established a foundation wouldn’t try something that risked escalating into an all-out war with existing powers. Bikada tried to escape the cavern using Geryones’s authority as a shield.

“I know.”

Know?

“That bastard Geryones escaped from us a few days ago. It seems the Pithos Tower cooperated. But he’s nowhere to be seen inside the city, is he? I took a look at the entry register he issued.”

What is he saying now?

In at most a little over two months? There’s a force that subdued Geryones and grew strong enough to make the Pithos Tower feel threatened?

“Do you think Geryones is hiding somewhere inside the city, or did he flee outside to pull himself together?”

The man with snake-like eyes was suspicious of the traveling troupe. As an outside force that might have helped Geryones escape.

“No. Oh, it’s a misunderstanding! We have neither the ability nor the will to do such a thing!”

“A misunderstanding?”

His narrowly opened eyes drew an arc.

“What misunderstanding are you speaking of?”

A man skilled at pressuring others using authority. The threat, enough to sober Bikada from his intoxication, set his nerves on edge.

It would be a bad move to cluelessly protest, ‘We’re not in league with Geryones!’ here. He’d latch onto that and say, ‘In league? I didn’t even bring that up… Suspicious.’ and then pull a knife.

What must he do?

How can he survive this place?

Bikada recalled the atmosphere of the cavern again. The faces inside were no different than before. If Meconion had died, her regulars wouldn’t have stayed quiet.

“Meconion! Meconion can vouch for our identity! We only paid money to Geryones; we received nothing from him! So why would we risk our lives for him?”

Ortes nodded.

“Director Meconion. Is that so?”

From deep inside the cavern, a fatigue-soaked Alraune hybrid walked out.

“Please have a good talk, you two.”

***

Ortes had left, but Bikada did not recklessly open his mouth. It would be foolish to assume he wasn’t eavesdropping on their conversation here.

“What the hell is going on? And what’s Hydra Corporation?”

To that bewildered tone, Meconion replied with a faint sneer.

“A monster organization that devoured the Lernian Magic Tower. We barely survived too.”

She explained to Bikada what had happened in Etna City over the past month or so. Lernian had fallen, and the underworld was unified. Geryones was defeated and escaped with only his life, and Kaicel of Pithos Tower had returned.

“Your timing is bad, Bikada. We’re right in the middle of the three towers preparing for war.”

“Damn it! Information about a backwater city like this doesn’t even circulate on the Ether Net. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come! You could have given me a heads-up!”

“Didn’t you hear? I’m a director of Hydra Corporation now. My leash is in their hands.”

“Damn it. What the hell is that guy?”

Meconion shrugged. Seeing her shiver at the memory of Ortes, Bikada felt a sense of kinship.

“I only have one piece of advice for you. Just beg to show them everything.”

“But look. Inside our troupe there are-”

Dangerous levels of illegal drugs, and poisons explicitly outlawed by most magic towers. And slaves kept for special purposes.

“Ha. Are they more precious than your life?”

“‥‥‥.”

“Because of the Lernian Magic Tower’s tastes, drugs weren’t banned in their territory. Hydra Corporation couldn’t pay attention to the law while expanding its scale. So they can’t dig anything more out of you by nitpicking legal violations.”

“Hmm….”

“I know from experience. That guy’s crazy, but he keeps his word. If Geryones isn’t in your troupe, he’ll send you off with compensation.”

***

Bikada conveyed his will to be spared, whether they searched his safe or his bed.

Ortes’s reply was concise.

“I will visit soon.”

A notice that he would appear unannounced for an inspection. Bikada clicked his tongue and left the cavern.

Watching his retreating figure, Meconion asked.

“Was it necessary to go through all this bother? Wouldn’t it have been better to just say, ‘Show me if you have sacred relics’?”

“There are several reasons.”

Ortes, who had somehow brought tea, handed a cup to Meconion. Meconion, accepting the tea, was surprised by the unexpected delicacy.

“What’s this? You brew it well.”

“The President is picky. First, the first reason is rumors.”

As Bikada himself said, rumors don’t spread easily in a quiet neighborhood like Etna City. Even on the Ether Network, the mages internet, Etna City was a quiet one.

“Bikada will spread word of Etna City’s state of tension. From the Ten Towers’ perspective, no matter how much mana we gather or what we do, they’ll see it as a cute squabble among lower towers.”

They needed a loose-lipped person to disseminate Hydra Corporation’s war play, and Bikada happened to be suitable.

“The second reason?”

“They have nothing to hide from me. Naturally, because Geryones isn’t with them. To avoid arousing unnecessary suspicion, they won’t try to hide anything.”

“You think they would have hidden it if you asked for sacred relics from the start?”

“How common are believers in gods in this age? They must have been pushed around and crushed every day. If I’d probed head-on, they would have shrunk back.”

Meconion looked at Ortes with skeptical eyes. He went through all this troublesome play just because of the uncertain possibility that they ‘might’ hide things?

Ortes recalled the magic corps secretly operated by the Ten Towers.

Those who legitimately inherited the doctrines of the old gods. The Ten Towers extermination squads that eradicate primitive priests bearing divine power.

If there really were followers of Bacchus inside the Bikada Traveling Troupe, and if they had even heard rumors of the extermination squads, they would obviously hide their sacred relics.

After about an hour passed, Ortes rose from his seat.

“Well then. Shall we go pay a visit?”

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