The Redwater Takeover

The Redwater Gang, entrenched in the Redwater Tavern, was led by the Grimm brothers.

Their reputation wasn’t particularly formidable, nor was the gang itself powerful.

Their primary advantage lay in their ability to connect various factions within the city, establishing effective channels of communication.

Beyond this, as a tavern, liquor sales were naturally their main business.

The Redwater Tavern’s beverages were exceptionally unique, reportedly sourced from the “Red Spring Winery” overseas.

These wines, having traveled across vast oceans, had captivated over half the residents of the West District.

Regarding their side businesses, the bathhouse, prostitution, and lodging services here were modest in scale.

The brothers harbored no ambitions of expanding them.

Vero City already teemed with establishments specializing in these services, such as “Divine Radiance Baths,” a grand bathhouse managed by Harold Weinshield, Lucius’s second elder brother; the “Tidal Mirror Hall,” a high-end brothel controlled by the Tidesong Sisterhood; and the imperial government’s directly operated “Triumph Royal Hostel.”

The Grimm brothers were not foolish; competing with such formidable entities for customers would have been tantamount to courting their own demise.

All things considered, while the Redwater Tavern held a certain value, attempting to seize it was far from worthwhile.

The establishment resembled a bustling second-hand market.

Any rash intervention that disrupted its operations and undermined collective interests would inevitably antagonize a host of powerful factions.

Unless… unless one possessed sufficient influence as a formidable organization, willing to endure the cost of a tarnished reputation, only then could the tavern be forcibly acquired, ideally with minimal disruption to its normal functioning.

The Church, for instance, possessed such capability.

Regrettably, the brothers, who had always operated discreetly and maintained good relations with all sides, never in their wildest dreams imagined that their meager enterprise, smaller than a mosquito’s leg, would actually become a target for outsiders collaborating with the Moonscar Church.

Seven days had passed since Paresha made her promise.

During this time, Paresha, as a deaconess of the Sanctuary, must have leveraged her status and position to pull many strings.

Kaelan, true to her word, ensured Westir drank her concocted potion on schedule.

The latter had since emerged from critical danger, his body gradually recuperating.

Kaelan, however, seemed to have held back a crucial step.

To prevent Paresha from reneging on her agreement midway, she had deliberately withheld treatment for Westir’s throat.

Earlier this morning, Paresha had sent word through her servant, instructing Saranya and Kaelan to “prepare to take over the Redwater Tavern.”

“Clink.”

The lamplight flickered, casting dancing shadows as the curtains of their private booth remained drawn.

Saranya raised a crystal wine glass, clinking it gently against Kaelan’s.

A smile graced Kaelan’s face, her demeanor suggesting a pleasant mood.

Just beyond the curtains, the guests’ chatter was even more boisterous than usual.

The main entrance had been thoroughly sealed, and the long-handled billhooks in the guards’ hands clanged against each other, emitting a harsh metallic rasp.

“This area is sealed! No one is allowed in or out!”

“Why? Aren’t we allowed to go home?!”

“I heard something happened on the second floor; someone was killed.”

“It was the Grimm brothers.

The elder brother died in a prostitute’s bed, and the prostitute reported the younger brother, who was in the same room.

She claimed the brothers stole a Church holy relic and then, unsure of their next move, fell into disagreement.

Fearing discovery by the Church, the younger brother decided to murder his sibling and abscond with the money.”

“Thrilling… So where’s the younger brother now?”

“Did he escape, or was he taken away with the prostitute? Did anyone see those two?”

“I don’t know, but either way, that younger brother won’t be coming back here…”

Just then, a heavy thud echoed from outside, followed by a collective gasp from the crowd.

Saranya drew open a slight gap in the curtains, spotting a burlap sack on the hall floor.

Its shape clearly indicated a human form within, and bloodstains marred its opening.

Two guards stood sentinel, one on each side.

Shortly thereafter, several more individuals descended from the second floor.

Leading them was a silver-armored guard, whose attire unmistakably marked him as a Divine Guard of the Moonscar Sanctuary.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the situation is quite clear; we shall now announce the investigation’s findings!”

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

In Vero City of today, it was rare for murder investigations to yield immediate results.

Behind the Divine Guard, several white-robed figures stepped forward and unzipped the body bag on the floor.

Another wave of gasps swept through the onlookers.

The face was unmistakably Grimm’s.

An iron dagger had been thrust through his mouth, piercing his upper palate, with its tip protruding from the back of his head.

“These individuals are doctors and coroners from the Silver Hand Evangelists, commissioned by the Church to announce the investigation results!”

The Silver Hand Evangelists stood as one of Vero City’s preeminent guilds.

Following the Church’s decline in power, they had monopolized medical and funeral services outside the central district, offering a comprehensive package of treatment and burial.

The Church currently maintained a cooperative relationship with them, providing priests for clients in need, while the Evangelists supplied the doctors.

A coroner cleared their throat and loudly declared the “autopsy results”:

“As you can all plainly see, this dagger belongs to Grimm’s younger brother.

Based on the prostitute’s testimony and fingerprint comparisons, we are absolutely certain that Grimm was murdered by his own sibling!”

“It must be divine retribution! They beat and oppressed customers, inflated wine prices, and coerced good women into prostitution.

God made them turn on each other; now they’re paying the price!”

“Justice!”

The silver-armored Divine Guard roared, and only then did the crowd quiet down.

“Enough! Everyone, return to your homes.

The trial and notarization will be held later today.

The murderer and witnesses will be present, as will the meritorious individuals who helped the Church recover its lost holy relic.

You are all welcome to attend then; admission is 80 Pylo per person!”

The lockdown was lifted, and the clamor gradually receded, eventually leaving behind a profound silence, broken only by the crackling of the hearth in the main hall.

“Esteemed ladies.”

The silver-armored Divine Guard had not departed.

After receiving Kaelan’s permission, he leaned in, slipped past the curtains, and entered the private booth.

“I am Phillo, a Divine Guard of the Sanctuary.

Miss Paresha entrusted me with delivering your invitations to the trial.

It was you who recovered the holy relic, and the Church has already proposed to the committee that the Redwater Tavern be entrusted to your management, in gratitude for your contributions to the city.”

‘Look at that, he even has to thank us.’

Saranya couldn’t help but let a subtle smile play on her lips.

Paresha, indeed, had not disappointed, mobilizing every resource at her disposal.

‘It seems that, with the right leverage, this girl truly would do anything for me…’

“This matter is quite urgent; the trial will commence this afternoon.

Please prepare yourselves.”

Having explained everything, Divine Guard Phillo tossed his flowing red hair and turned to depart.

With a steady gait, a well-proportioned physique, and a longsword hanging at his waist, Phillo appeared to be a skilled swordsman.

Saranya lowered her gaze slightly, propping her chin in her hand as she began to formulate her next steps.

‘For this incident, the committee, the Church, and several guilds must certainly have been involved.

Paresha must have persuaded Doron and Lucius to mobilize so many forces simultaneously.

Her sacrifice must have been considerable, and this kind of thing would likely only happen once.

Moving forward, I will have to rely on my own cunning to develop the Redwater Tavern.’

‘As for the trial, it should be a mere formality, announcing Kaelan and me as the tavern’s new owners.

Furthermore, Paresha is likely planning to eliminate the Redwater Gang’s high-ranking members at that assembly, clearing the path for me.’

‘On my end, the first step must undeniably be to address internal issues: recruit personnel, ascertain the Redwater Gang’s current state, and stabilize this weakened faction.’

‘After that, my focus will shift to external matters… Oh, and I should also consult with my master about their plans for transforming Vero City into a sanctuary against demonic calamity…’

Lost in contemplation, Saranya suddenly felt someone embrace her from behind, a heavy, searing breath simultaneously fanning her ear.

‘Wh-what is this? I’m being so proper; why is Master suddenly like this?’

“Legion Commander Saranya, your earnest dedication to me is quite endearing…”

“Eh… Master… Mmph—”

Saranya’s cheeks flushed crimson in an instant.

She rose from her chair, only to be seized by the neck by her panting Master and pressed down into the corner of the private booth.

“I’m going to ride you. Do not resist.”