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After finishing our meal at the restaurant, we headed towards the Tram Station in District 7.

There were no remaining classes on Monday afternoons, and today I had plans to stop somewhere.

So, I submitted my leave in advance and bid farewell to Instructor Rilya at the station.

“Well then, I’ll go in first. You need to be careful as well, Instructor Graham. There have been many troubling news around the Capital lately.”

“Yes, see you tomorrow.”

Instructor Rilya waved with a bright smile, and after confirming that she boarded the tram, I left the station.

“…….”

Shall we go then?

While the issues with Saladin, the atmosphere of the Opal Black Class, and my consultation with Instructor Rilya were important, the real purpose of today began right now.

I had told Instructor Rilya that I was stopping by somewhere nearby, but the truth was, the place I was headed was not around here.

The Capital City of Sangria is divided into 25 districts, but there exist areas separate from the regular districts that the general public doesn’t know about.

Places where the law does not reach, areas that aren’t actually districts.

Where all the filthy desires and dirty money of the city gather.

Those who know of it commonly refer to it as the Capital District 26, the Dark Alley.

Of course, since I had not been in the Capital for long, I was aware of the Dark Alley’s existence but didn’t know its exact location.

The only information I had was that it was hidden underground out of people’s sight, dominated by an old crime organization. And that the Imperial Royal Family was aware of its existence but tacitly tolerated it.

However, just because I didn’t know where it was doesn’t mean there was no way to find it.

District 7, close to the main road, has relatively good public order. Therefore, this place was not suitable for seeking the Dark Alley.

District 8, 9, 10… I deliberately walked through the back streets within the districts, gradually moving further away from the main road of the Capital, and through dirtier paths with fewer people.

Since my instructor’s uniform was too noticeable, I had taken off my outer clothes in advance. This inevitably attracted the attention of low-class thugs.

As expected, I soon felt several presences subtly following me from behind.

I boldly entered a deeper and darker alley. Then, the feeling of being followed increasingly grew closer.

I stopped in a suitable alley and waited for them.

Logically, anyone who came alone to such a dangerous back alley should be on guard, thinking something was up.

Nonetheless, if someone came close to me, they would either be a petty criminal who couldn’t think that far or someone who was quite confident in their skills.

They appeared to be the latter.

“Hey. What are you doing slinking around here?”

“I don’t recognize your face. You do know this is the territory of the Black Scorpion, right?”

The men who followed me were all quite muscular and had intimidating faces, giving off the vibe of someone who had tasted the life of crime.

They were probably members of the organization that controlled this back alley.

I got lucky. I had considered how many times I might have to repeat this, but it didn’t seem necessary.

After asking their questions without getting any answer from me, their already grim faces twisted further with irritation.

“This guy, is he mute?”

“Forget it. Let’s just rough him up to start. If we break a leg or two, he’ll spill his organization’s name willingly.”

They began to close the distance with threatening gestures, cracking their knuckles and twisting their necks.

I stood there with my arms crossed, calmly observing them without any reaction. Then, the burly thug, who looked like he had eaten quite well, distorted his face and threw a punch at me.

“Hah! Let’s see if you can keep that face after taking a hit!”

He didn’t look like a novice at throwing punches; he had the posture of someone who had done it before. In terms of a back alley, he had considerable skill.

I lazily tilted my head, his punch narrowly grazing my cheek and leaving a faint mark.

“Self-defense forces.”

“What?”

Instead of answering, I uncrossed my arms and in an instant, my fist drove into his solar plexus.

With a few ribs cracking, the man flew into the air and collided with the wall.

Clutching his chest, unable to breathe properly, he gasped for air before suddenly rolling his eyes back and collapsing forward.

The other men around stared in shock with their mouths agape.

I slowly took a step forward, and soon the back alley echoed with the shouts of the men.

*

“Y-yeah, here. Right here, brother….”

I made the thug, who was the leader of the back alley organization known as the Black Scorpion or something similar, guide me as we headed to the Dark Alley.

The typical members I had captured didn’t know the way to the Dark Alley, so I had to go back and bring the leader after finding someone who did.

From his perspective, it must have been a sudden disaster since his hideout just got wrecked, but looking back, it was his guys who first threatened me, so in essence, it was self-defense.

Following the leader’s guidance, I descended into a dilapidated building’s basement. At first, I thought it was just a simple basement, but it led to an old sewer connected to the Capital’s underground.

Remnants from the time when Sangria was first established during the era of the Third Empire, before the Galatea Empire was founded.

The now unused underground sewer was a passage leading straight to the Dark Alley.

“If you keep following this path, it connects to the Dark Alley.”

“Is this all there is?”

“Well, as far as District 11 goes. There are a few similar passages in each district, but those are managed by different organizations, so I don’t know them well…! I swear!”

While there is only one organization managing the Dark Alley, they can’t control all the entrances of the numerous underground sewers scattered across the vast Capital. Thus, these groups were more like subordinates of the organization that truly dominated the Dark Alley.

I sent back the leader of the organization, who no longer had any business with me, and continued walking along the underground sewer path.

Just as I thought the path was coming to an end, I started to see magical lights illuminating the dark underground.

A wide plaza connected to all paths of the underground sewer. Once a reservoir for rainwater from across the Capital, it was now a place where all sorts of desires from the people of the Capital gathered instead of rainwater.

This was District 26, the Dark Alley.

There were no guards at the entrance. According to an acquaintance who had informed me about the Dark Alley, District 26 was just a district, and anyone who knew the way to enter could come freely.

As long as one follows the rules of this place, not questioning or showing interest in each other is the intriguing characteristic of the Dark Alley.

“…….”

I took a moment to contemplate as I looked around the sights of the Dark Alley.

The reason I had come to the Dark Alley. It was to find Ella.

After encountering illusions of Ella in the forest, I decided to stop running from the truth.

However, Ella had left the village 20 years ago. With wars erupting and numerous people dying or going missing, my chances of finding Ella through diligent inquiries were practically miraculous.

It would be difficult to find Ella’s whereabouts through ordinary means. Thus, there were only two possible organizations.

The Imperial Intelligence Bureau.

And the information brokers of the Dark Alley.

I considered asking Elizabeth to involve the Imperial Intelligence Bureau, but apart from her agreeing to my request, it felt like using a student for my personal affairs. I didn’t want to accrue debts to the Imperial Royal Family.

In that regard, the information brokers from the Dark Alley were straightforward. Just throw money at them, and they’d sort things out for you without questions.

While it wasn’t the best place for Imperial soldiers or Academy instructors, I had no better option. Plus, I knew someone in the Dark Alley.

Though it was my first time in the Dark Alley, I was sure that this guy would know the location of the information broker. So, I already knew where I needed to go.

It wasn’t a place I particularly wanted to go, nor a person I especially wanted to meet…

But it couldn’t be helped. Since I had already come this far, there was no reason to retreat.

I steeled myself and observed the impressions of the people wandering around the Dark Alley. Adventurers, mercenaries, and even nobles accompanied by escorts.

Most covered their faces with masks or robes to hide their identities, but some walked around unabashedly showing their faces.

Such individuals were generally not from the surface but were residents of District 26, who lived solely in this underground.

Even while walking alone in the Dark Alley, I did not become entangled in unnecessary disputes. Even in this district where the laws of the Capital didn’t apply, there were still rules. If trouble awaited everyone the moment they stepped in, people wouldn’t visit this place.

As I walked the streets, I was looking for those who looked thirsty for desire and desperate for women. It was clear where they were headed.

Eventually, I arrived at the entrance of a luxurious building filled with the scent of perfume and alcohol, along with the enticing laughter of women.

“Oh my, such a handsome gentleman has come today.”

“Hey there, handsome. Would you like to have a good time with us?”

In that moment, I felt dizziness wash over me, and I let out a deep sigh.

“Haah….”

The place I found was none other than the brothel in the Dark Alley.

 

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