WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Coughing Baby

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Chapter 213: 213

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I quietly observed Hwaryeong as she sat deep in thought, her expression tense. Then the nameplate hanging from her chest naturally caught my eye.

Arcana General Trading Company, Fifth Division

Customer Response Department

Grade 5 Manager, Hwaryeong

The nameplate gleamed like a carved gemstone, imbued with magical power. I blinked at the sight. The last time we met, she had been a First-grade Assistant Manager. Had she already been promoted?

Even considering that Hwaryeong was a fifth-floor mage and a member of a great family, it was an astonishingly fast promotion. So that was why it had been difficult to see her over the last two years.

I nodded lightly to myself. If she had been on the verge of promotion, she naturally would have had more work to handle. No matter how capable Hwaryeong was, she could not have easily resolved all the complicated matters that came with the promotion process.

Still, I could not congratulate her on it. What she had just told me was rather troubling.

I quietly looked at Hwaryeong.

I had come here because she had suddenly contacted me. This was the first time she had called for me so urgently, so I had sensed that something was wrong and come at once.

Calling me in this manner meant she had something important to say.

But I had never expected to hear this.

Someone was targeting me.

I frowned slightly and opened my mouth.

“Someone is targeting me? I don't understand why. I've been trying to avoid drawing attention lately.”

I stroked my chin. Was there anyone who might target me? I ran through a list of people who came to mind.

But no matter how hard I thought, no likely candidate appeared.

It could not be helped. I had always put a great deal of effort into avoiding resentment from others. I knew there was nothing good about making enemies.

If there was one person, perhaps it would be Ugo.

I shrugged slightly. Well, that had been beyond my control. If Ugo had not targeted me first, I would have had no reason to earn Ugo’s resentment. I had only returned the hostility Ugo had shown me first.

But that probably did not matter to Ugo. Having Isabella taken from Ugo must have left an unerasable scar. Ugo had more than enough reason to target me.

Still, Ugo was not in a position to do so.

From what I had heard, Ugo was still holed up in the city. The Revenge Alliance, made up of those Ugo had killed and who now inhabited puppet bodies, continued to pursue Ugo.

Gaon, the head of the city’s puppet association, protected Ugo, so the Revenge Alliance could not touch Ugo carelessly inside the city. But if Ugo tried to leave, there was a high chance the Revenge Alliance would drag Ugo away immediately.

So Ugo had neither the ability nor much opportunity to target me.

Could I have touched something I should not have in the city?

I shook my head at the thought.

The thing I had been most careful about when starting my business was avoiding getting on other people's nerves. What I had pioneered, the business of selling convenience, was a field only I handled.

It was entirely separate from the fields others dealt in. Naturally, not many people paid attention to me. My business had not expanded all that greatly either.

I quietly sensed the stars within my chest. These thousands of puppets and the thousands of customers who used them were certainly a large number, but compared to the city's population, they were a drop in the ocean.

I knew that nearly four hundred thousand mages were connected to Stalactite City alone. That was the grandeur of the university's largest city.

Among so many mages, only a tiny fraction had become my customers. They had spread through nothing more than natural word of mouth.

So there should not have been anyone targeting me.

As I looked at Hwaryeong with that question in mind, she picked up her teacup and let out a deep sigh. Then she shook her head slightly, her expression apologetic.

“Evron, you haven't done anything seriously wrong. This happened because of me.”

Because of her?

What did that mean?

I blinked. Hwaryeong looked over me once, then slowly continued.

“As you know, there are many power struggles within our company. Since I've been rising so quickly in that situation, there must naturally be those who envy me.”

Hwaryeong glanced down at her nameplate. Her eyes were filled with deep confidence.

I nodded slightly. I knew that well.

The Arcana General Trading Company consisted of numerous factions. That was only natural for an organization large enough to manage an entire city. Conflicts between those factions happened frequently, as one would expect of mages with enormous ambitions.

Hwaryeong's promotion also meant that someone above her had been demoted by one rank. It was likely the result of pulling down a member of a faction hostile to her.

Naturally, the opposing faction would try to bring her down in return. I had already guessed that Hwaryeong had been busy recently because she was dealing with such factional conflicts.

That was why I quickly understood how someone targeting me could be her fault.

Someone had discovered our connection.

My help had played a significant role in Hwaryeong reaching her current position. She had obtained it by devouring my mirror bugs.

Mirror bugs were still being steadily supplied to them, and that became an achievement that illuminated her path forward. Just as resentment accumulated within me, opportunities accumulated for her.

And my help did not stop there. Besides mirror bugs, I had continued to offer her conveniences, such as selling slots in the entrance exam and lectures.

Hwaryeong had built herself up on the foundation of that help and even established a small faction of her own. Seeing that she had been promoted this time, my assistance must have proven quite useful.

But providing that help also meant accepting risk. If someone was targeting Hwaryeong, they would naturally first try to uncover this cooperative relationship.

That made the reason I was being targeted clear. To catch Hwaryeong, they would first need to clear away the branches around her. If they cut off her arms and legs, she would not be able to run. That was the basis of hunting.

Still, I could not understand this.

I folded my arms and looked at Hwaryeong. Had we not already settled this matter long ago?

“Didn't we hide it well all this time? Even the Abyss Secret Association did not notice.”

I frowned slightly.

There was a saying among wanderers. When a cat gets caught in a fight between tigers, not even its hide remains.

It was also one of the maxims I had written in the entrance exam scroll.

As the maxim said, getting involved thoughtlessly in the power struggle of a massive group often led to enormous losses for no reason. That was why I had done my best to hide my information.

We had told everyone that Hwaryeong's family and Professor Irian had formed a partnership for the mirror bugs, entrance exam, and trading of slots.

It was a kind of deception.

And to others, it looked like an obvious truth. Who would think that a mage who had only just reached the third floor was overseeing such major deals?

Even the Abyss Secret Association had failed to properly grasp our relationship. I had bought information directly from them, but it only stated that Hwaryeong was an investor in my workshop.

The connection between Hwaryeong and me had been diluted throughout every stage of our dealings. Of course, people might know that we were acquainted, but that was not enough reason to target me.

Yet someone was targeting me now.

I could not understand it.

At my question, Hwaryeong frowned slightly.

“I find that very strange as well. I thought there was nowhere for the information to leak from. If this has happened, someone must have leaked it.”

Hwaryeong thought for a moment before staring directly at me.

There was a trace of suspicion in her eyes, and I closed my eyes slightly.

Did she suspect that information had leaked from my side?

I thought of the people around me and slowly shook my head. Those around me would never betray me.

No, it was more accurate to say that they could not betray me.

“Everyone under my command is a puppet born from me. What would they gain by betraying me?”

If I had to suspect anyone, Cassian or Hao in the tower came to mind. But I had always been careful with my conduct. It was very unlikely they had noticed the relationship between Hwaryeong and me.

They also had no reason to betray me.

At my confident attitude, Hwaryeong sighed softly. She lightly tapped the table and nodded.

“…That is true. Then the information must have leaked from my side. That is strange as well. I examined everyone around me, yet I found no suspicious signs.”

Hwaryeong fell into thought with a slight frown. It seemed to trouble her greatly that she could not determine how our information had escaped.

This incomprehensible situation felt almost like a labyrinth.

Still, there was one thing I could be certain of.

I looked at Hwaryeong and quietly spoke.

“Then who is targeting me?”

Even if we did not know why the information had leaked, it was clear that it had. Hwaryeong would not have warned me so seriously unless she had discovered some movement.

If so, I needed to respond. And to do that, I had to know exactly who was targeting me.

“Um… it's a small group called the People’s Council. About ten people in our department who are wary of me gathered to form it.”

The People’s Council.

I could roughly tell what sort of group it was from the name alone. It was surely an organization formed by individuals within the company.

Hwaryeong frowned faintly and continued.

“I had been steadily cutting them down recently. But I received intelligence from someone I had planted among them. They discovered you while targeting me. That is why I arranged this meeting.”

She added that she wanted to warn me to be careful of them.

I frowned slightly. She called them a small group casually, but they could not be insignificant people.

The company was an organization that even members of great families could not easily enter. If they were capable of clashing with Hwaryeong there, they were surely difficult opponents for me to deal with.

That was what mages in the company were like.

I let out a deep sigh.

I had thought things were too peaceful lately. Was a crisis like this approaching?

Hwaryeong placed a hand over her chest as she watched me.

“Still, since I'm here, they won't be able to move openly. If they try to pressure you directly, my family will have grounds to intervene.”

I nodded slightly at those determined words, which were filled with pride in her family.

That was at least reassuring. It was practically a declaration that she would protect me behind the scenes.

“I understand. Then I'll be careful from now on. But is that all the information you have? It would be easier to respond if we knew how they intended to move.”

“Unfortunately, I couldn't obtain more information. The person who had been sending intelligence cut off contact after telling me about you. They likely came under suspicion and can no longer act.”

Hwaryeong shook her head faintly.

I could only click my tongue quietly. We knew nothing except that they were targeting me.

What an unreasonable situation.

Still, Hwaryeong had warned me, so I needed to prepare as much as possible. I quickly rose and bowed toward her.

“Since you warned me, I'll return quickly. It seems the only thing they can target is my workshop.”

It was a reasonable deduction. All my current abilities were invested in the puppet workshop in the city. The best way to take me down would be to destroy my workshop.

They surely knew that as well.

“I am truly sorry. If I weren't restricted because I have to deal with them, I could have helped you more. Still, I'll try my best to stop them.”

Hwaryeong spoke carefully, her expression apologetic.

I shrugged slightly.

“Isn't it already enough that you warned me? I'll take care of the rest.”

I had expected a situation like this to arise from the moment we began cooperating. I had not thought the secret would last so long.

Of course, it had been revealed sooner than I expected.

“Then I'll contact you immediately if I see any response from them. I should also find out where the information leaked from.”

With Hwaryeong's words as the last thing I heard, I slowly left the room.

Then I let out a quiet sigh.

I had acted confident, but I was worried. I had never imagined I would hear something like this.

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the closed door. Hwaryeong had looked apologetic and acted as though she would help me with everything, but I could not fully trust that.

I had seen a trace of coldness in her eyes.

She was probably considering whether she should cut me loose.

Of course, she had a reason to protect me. I steadily supplied mirror bugs and continued selling slots in the tower. The benefits she could gain from me would surely grow over time.

But if she could obtain a greater benefit than what I provided, Hwaryeong would have no reason to hold on to me. If she used me as bait to eliminate them all at once, it might be more profitable for her.

Was that not the way of mages?

So rather than relying on Hwaryeong, I needed to find a way to survive on my own.

I lightly stroked my chin.

The People’s Council. I had no idea how they would target me.

For now, I needed to go to the workshop and watch the situation closely.

I left the Arcana General Trading Company building and headed for the quiet street where my workshop stood. Several familiar customers were chatting inside.

I gave them a small greeting and entered the workshop.

Then Isabella welcomed me with a gentle smile.

[Is something wrong? You look deeply troubled.]

At her worried words, I touched my face. I had been so lost in thought that I had not noticed my feelings showing on my face.

I composed my expression and smiled at Isabella.

“You don't need to worry. I simply need to organize my thoughts.”

[Is that so? Please tell me if you need my help. I am my master's faithful servant.]

Isabella lowered her head slightly.

I quietly looked down at her. As I had told Hwaryeong earlier, I trusted my puppets. How could puppets that could not leave me betray me?

No, once one felt their deep love for me, it would be impossible to even imagine that they might betray me.

That was why I had spoken so confidently before Hwaryeong.

But even among such puppets, there were some I had to suspect slightly.

Those I had not created. Those who were not completely subordinate to me.

Mira and Isabella were among such puppets.

So I wondered whether Isabella might have betrayed me and passed on information.

If someone close to me had leaked the information, she was the only one I could suspect.

Mira had no reason to betray me. She wanted me to grow and move forward.

In contrast, I could not properly understand what Isabella was thinking. Perhaps she had been connected to members of the People’s Council while she was alive.

But that was only suspicion.

I lightly shook my head and scattered the thought.

The chance that Isabella had not betrayed me was far greater than the chance that she had. Even through my connection with her now, I could feel nothing but deep respect for me.

What was the point of suspecting someone who worked so hard for my sake?

Rather than harboring pointless suspicions, I needed to solve the immediate problem with her. They would surely target my workshop, so I needed to remain in the city and stay alert.

Several months passed like that.

During that time, the workshop prospered, and more people came and went. It was the result of a virtuous cycle that drew in customers.

It was somewhat strange.

Hwaryeong had even warned me, yet there had been no reaction at all. Perhaps Hwaryeong had been blocking the hands reaching for me herself.

Maybe I could relax a little.

But I soon learned that my happy assumption was wrong.

Hwaryeong contacted me again.

After receiving her message, I quickly headed to the center of the city. I blinked as I looked at a newly established workshop on a massive pillar.

Quite a lot of people were gathered there.

Hwaryeong had told me that members of the People’s Council had opened a new workshop.

And that was the workshop they had established.

I slowly approached and looked at the sign hanging from the building.

I squeezed my eyes shut at the sight.

A puppet workshop.

I had never imagined this possibility.

Their goal was clear. They wanted to take the field I had established for myself.

I could only click my tongue at that chilling malice.

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