Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 23

***

To Vivian, I promised, “I’ll handle it!” but in reality, eradicating “Cecil’s Lullaby” from the slums was quite a challenging task.

During the quest “Cecil’s Lullaby” in the game, not only the slums but the entire kingdom was troubled by “Cecil’s Lullaby.”

It was a major event, and thanks to that, we were able to get a lot of help.

But now, Cecil’s Lullaby is just starting to spread in the slums. 

I have to do this purely on my own.

I looked at the cards I held in my hand.

The recipe for “Cecil’s Lullaby” that Vivian had told me.

The location of the warehouse where Bruno stored “Cecil’s Lullaby.”

‘And the information I gathered through the game.’

At first, I thought about using power to move the guards, but I lacked a valid reason.

It wasn’t a banned herb, and Bruno was a magician belonging to the magic tower.

Even if it was the Royal Guard, it would be a huge risk to mess with a mage of the Magic Tower without solid proof.

It could easily escalate into an international issue with the Magician Republic that the tower belonged to.

Even if it was revealed that Bruno was behind it, it would be difficult to impose appropriate punishment since the tower was an extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Moreover, the slums were a lawless zone governed not by the kingdom’s laws but by the laws of the underworld.

The guards would not readily step forward.

‘Blowing the whistle on the Tower is probably not the answer either.’

It would be better to keep my arms folded.

In the end, the only option left was to eliminate all the supplies stored in Bruno’s warehouse and prevent the further spread of the drug in the slums.

Fortunately, I could easily think of someone suitable for the task.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

The one who would harbor the most ill will towards Bruno. 

That person was neither Vivian nor the temple with a strained relationship with the tower.

It was none other than the two powers that ruled the slums.

The Rats, who monitored the order of the slums with vast information, and the Hounds, who protected it with ruthless violence.

There would be no one who wanted to tear Bruno apart as much as they did. After all, an outsider had disrupted the order of the slums that had been preserved for hundreds of years.

Among them, the leader of the Rats would die from an overdose of “Cecil’s Lullaby” during its early circulation.

Without their leader, the Rats quickly disintegrate, and without them, the Hounds turn into a violent group that simply feeds on their own stomachs.

That’s how the slums that lost their rulers became helpless and succumbed to “Cecil’s Lullaby.”

‘The Rat’s eyes must be bloodshot by now as they search for the culprit.’

Normally, finding the Rat’s executives would be impossible, even for a king.

Even I, who had thoroughly explored almost every ending of <Hirome>, couldn’t figure out who the current executives of the Rat were, but I could obtain some clues.

Ending number 23, <The One Who Becomes Darker Than Darkness Itself>.

As the name suggests, it’s an ending where the protagonist becomes the leader of the underworld. It’s quite a challenge to achieve, as you have to raise the collapsed Rats to their feet and leash the out-of-control Hounds.

Fortunately, there was one collaborator who wholeheartedly assisted the protagonist in becoming the leader of the underworld.

Jerry, the sole survivor among the Rats’ executives and the one who sought to establish a new king to restore the fallen order of the slums.

He said…

‘How did the previous rats gather information on the nobility?’

‘Well… we just… ran a normal family business. With my mother, father, and my crazy little sister.’

‘Although I was called an executive, in reality, I was just supporting my mentally unstable father.’

A business where you could be close enough to pick up on the gossip that nobles casually spill, where you could move freely in and out of the mansions and even examine their bodies without arousing suspicion.

The Dressing Room was the ideal disguise for obtaining information from the nobility.

Taking Jerry’s words as a hint, I called up all the dressing rooms I could think of that could be operated by the Rats.

‘Call every dressing room I spoke of. I need to get a dress tailored now.’

I purposely leaked information in front of the gathered individuals, and the Rats ate the cheese I spilled.

Finally, my suspicions were confirmed when I was informed that Marilyn’s husband was ill.

Face-to-face with Terry, one of the executives of the Rats, I was, honestly, scared.

Especially when I mentioned Cecil’s name, recalling the expression on her face…

‘I suppose that’s what you call clear-eyed madness.’

I subtly hid behind the back of Sir Penadel, peeking out to answer Terry’s question of how I knew she was a Rat.

“You underestimate the Blanche family’s intelligence.”

This time, Terry spoke up instead of Lord Penadel.

“It’s obvious that Blanche would buy silver for gold to make a single coin, yet you speak as if Blanche has some sort of great intelligence.”

Wow, this one hits the nail on the head.

It’s true that Blanche’s descendants don’t make a penny of their own money and live off the honeydew of their ancestor’s accomplishments.

I tried to pretend it wasn’t so, but the truth hit home, and an awkward smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

But Belinda was the one who controlled my body.

To others, it probably looked like an incredibly arrogant smile, right? 

“So, the Rat’s intelligence is only to that extent. Just because you couldn’t uncover it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. As evidence….,” I purposely paused for a moment before continuing. “I’m trying to give you information that not even a rat knows about. For example, how about the warehouse where ‘Cecil’s Lullaby’ is stored or an antidote to cure someone who has been poisoned.”

Terry’s expression, which had been simmering with anger, quieted down. Her serene rage was chilling to look at, but I had Sir Penadel, the human shield, with me.

“In other words, am I right in assuming that you are admitting that Miss Belinda was responsible for the creation and distribution of ‘Cecil’s Lullaby’? Or, rather, how do you know that the information is true in the first place?”

“Does someone who deals with information leave the burden of truth and falsehood to others? Why should I have to prove my innocence? That’s your job.”

I coldly warned Terry as if it were my final statement, leaving her seemingly speechless.

“See it with your own eyes. You will pay dearly for your rudeness and the price of information later.”

Outside, the dawn was already breaking.

Even on the day the college entrance exam results were announced, the morning didn’t feel this long.

***

Completely immersed in sorting out all that I’d accomplished, I maintained my composure until Terry left and then I slumped in the chair, closing my eyes to gather my thoughts.

‘Vivian is making the antidote, so it should be completed soon.’

However, the real challenge was how to administer the antidote to the slum dwellers who were unaware of their own addiction.

Fortunately, the solution was surprisingly simple.

In fact, there was no need for the antidote, but I had asked Vivian to make it for a separate purpose.

‘Based on what Terry said, I’m guessing her father, or rather Madame Marilyn’s husband, is the leader of the rats.’

Luckily, he was still alive.

Give them the antidote to cure him, and maybe I can gain their trust. 

As the tension in my body eased, a belated headache struck me. It was because I had strained my nerves all night with Belinda’s inherently weak physical condition.

Oh, and my eyes are burning.

To reach such a state after simply staying up all night. Perhaps Belinda’s prickly and irritable nature is partly due to her weak body.

“Sir, Penadel, are you there?”

“Yes.”

“I feel a slight heat in my eyes. Bring me a cold damp cloth.”

Even though I softly murmured, there was not the slightest sign of Sir Penadel moving.

Perhaps I was being too pompous in the middle of the night. I was about to call again to say that it was actually fine….

When a cold and large hand covered my eyes carefully.

“Agh.”

I let out a soft gasp, startled by the temperature, causing Penadel’s hand to tremble and slip away but then quickly return, providing a comfortable weight over my eyes.