The Price of Balance

A profound silence descended upon the alley corner.

The old cook watched them, his lips curling into a cold sneer. “Whether it’s the Holy Church or the nobility, they’re all cut from the same cloth.”

“So, they all died,” Vivian stated softly.

Vivian’s words floated out, light as a feather. The old cook, frowning, scrutinized the young girl who had consumed twenty servings of food that night. “What did you say?”

Vivian met the old cook’s gaze. “Precisely because the Rheinhebo family was the source of all evil, they were all wiped out. This is what the Young Master desired.”

The old cook’s pupils dilated. He began to realize that the dark-haired young man before him was no mere enforcer from the Holy Church.

His voice trembled as he stared intently at Reyn. “Are you Count Reyn Rheinhebo?”

Reyn’s emotions were incredibly complex at that moment. His three elder brothers had perished by the hand of the Gluttony Witch, and his direct relatives within the family had succumbed to the Voice of the Deceased. Yet, Vivian’s words made it sound as though he had orchestrated it all.

However, there was no need for explanations now.

He offered a gentle smile, appearing perfectly natural. “It is I.”

A single firework suddenly soared into the inky night sky. Reyn looked up, watching the brilliant display dissipate, and murmured, “The operation has begun.”

The old cook’s expression shifted dramatically. “What do you intend to do!”

He was consumed by anxiety, even abandoning his feigned deference.

Reyn glanced dismissively at the old cook. “The Blackwing Knights will cleanse the entire Lower City. All those rats hiding in the gutters will be dragged out.”

“No! Absolutely not! You have no idea how deep the waters run in the Lower City! Its very existence is due to the delicate balance maintained by all factions! If that balance is broken, countless lives will be lost!”

Watching the cook’s frantic reaction, Louise Christian narrowed her eyes slightly. “Do the ‘factions’ you speak of include the Dreamweavers?”

The old cook fell into a brief silence, then his voice turned hoarse. “For us, heretics are not truly frightening. It’s the gangs, those organizations you deem insignificant, that we truly fear.”

Reyn raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Then, after tonight, you will no longer need to fear them.”

The old cook looked up at Reyn, countering, “And what then? How do you intend to govern the Lower City afterwards?”

“I believe the new laws I’ve enacted should cover that, shouldn’t they?”

“Those things? Well, even if you are serious, how will they be implemented among us?”

“The family’s manpower is indeed insufficient for now, so I will have the Blackwing Knights temporarily handle it.”

“Them? How can you be sure that their involvement will ensure these laws are applied to us?”

Reyn fell silent, observing the agitated old cook before him. There wasn’t a shred of trust for him in the man’s heart. This was hardly surprising, a legacy accumulated over generations by the Rheinhebo family.

He shook his head, his voice calm. “We should go see the situation for ourselves.”

As Reyn and his companions left the alley, the old cook suddenly erupted in a roar of anger. “Wantonly destroying the balance, you are more detestable than any Rheinhebo Count before you!”

Reyn paused, and under Louise Christian’s tense gaze, he turned around. His eyes were indifferent as he regarded the old cook. “Would you dare utter such words to any other Rheinhebo Count?”

He watched the old cook speechless, a faint, mocking smile playing on his lips. “Good people get bullied, wouldn’t you agree? You, sir, are no different from them.”

Reyn strode away. Upon reaching the chaotic streets, he saw members of various gang organizations already apprehended by the Blackwing Knights.

His gaze swept over their faces, then he looked at Steward Ark, who was overseeing the operation. “I need a quiet place.”

Soon, an empty house was cleared for him. It had once been the lair of the ‘Black Serpent,’ the largest gang in the Lower City.

Reyn gently tapped the worn tabletop, his eyes on Steward Ark, who stood before him. His voice was calm. “Are there any leads on the doctor?”

Steward Ark immediately replied, “According to the gang leader’s confession, there is indeed such a doctor in the Lower City. Commander John has already taken men to apprehend her.”

Reyn frowned, a hint of dissatisfaction in his expression. “Only one?”

Steward Ark quickly added, “We’ve only found her for now, but we can use her to locate more doctors subsequently.”

Reyn tapped the table twice, then slowly spoke. “Talk to her properly. Tell her I don’t mind law-abiding doctors practicing in my territory.”

Steward Ark bowed deeply. “Understood, I will certainly handle this!”

Reyn nodded slightly and continued, “Earlier, I was attacked by several drunkards at the Old Man’s Tavern. They are all injured now. After the doctor treats them, throw them all into the mines for reform.”

The Rheinhebo family’s territory possessed only one mine, containing an entire vein of profound iron, which served as one of their primary economic sources.

In the new laws Reyn was implementing, he intended to convert that mine into a prison, specifically for the rehabilitation of criminals.

His brow suddenly furrowed again, and his expression grew serious. This abrupt change caused Steward Ark’s heart to tighten.

“Steward Ark, I wish to prohibit Sweet Dreams.”

Steward Ark’s mind raced, and he delivered an answer in the shortest possible time. “Lord, that is very difficult. Tonight’s raid did not capture the Dreamweavers; they vanished as if into thin air. Even the local bosses of the Lower City don’t know their whereabouts. And in the Lower City, the vast majority of people are addicted to Sweet Dreams; they simply cannot escape them.”

Reyn’s frown deepened. “Then find all the Dreamweavers for me first. They must all be eliminated, no matter what!”

Steward Ark no longer considered whether such a task was feasible. Realizing Reyn’s intense focus on the matter, he immediately nodded in agreement. “Give me some time, and I will accomplish it!”

Reyn remained silent for a moment, then spoke softly. “Never mind. Send someone to take me to that doctor. I will speak with her personally. Enforcer Louise Christian, I trouble you to accompany me once more.”

Steward Ark quickly stepped forward. “Then, I shall take you, Lord.”

Reyn shook his head. “You must remain in charge of controlling the scene. Also, send someone else to escort Anna and Vivian back to the manor.”

Steward Ark watched Reyn depart with a knight, then turned to Anna and Vivian, a fawning smile on his face. “Young ladies?”

Anna dropped the obedient demeanor she displayed before Reyn. Her eyes were indifferent as she looked at Steward Ark. “You don’t need to concern yourself with the Dreamweavers, and you can’t. Those who upset the Young Master have no reason to exist in this world!”