The Price of Avarice

“What a disaster,” Captain John remarked, his voice laced with a sigh.

He had just finished overseeing the transport of the unconscious survivors and the casino staff to the mine prison. His gaze swept over the hall, now largely reduced to ruins, before settling on the thirteen fallen Holy Knights. After a moment, he turned toward Arthur, who was silently wiping his sword clean.

Arthur, sensing John’s presence, turned his head toward him. His voice was chillingly devoid of warmth. “Is there something you need?” he asked.

Captain John merely offered a faint smile. He stepped closer to Arthur, leaning in to whisper something only the two of them could hear. “My mother sends her regards,” he murmured.

Arthur’s brow furrowed. “Even now,” he stated coldly, “I still don’t like any of you.”

Captain John shrugged, completely unperturbed. “As long as you stand with the Patriarch, we bear you no ill will,” he explained. “And of course, most importantly—you are male.”

Arthur’s eye twitched involuntarily. Given his understanding of the Greed Witch, he suspected the other six Witches of the Assembly were in a similar predicament regarding their feelings for the Young Master.

His focus returned to his sword. Once he confirmed the blade was spotless, he sheathed it. He had no interest in the Witches’ romantic entanglements, nor did he wish to be involved. For him, the most crucial matter was Reyn Rheinhebo’s mental state and physical safety. Nothing else mattered.

This was precisely why he had taken direct action against Wayne Michelle.

Arthur could entirely guess Reyn Rheinhebo’s long-term intentions for the territory. Yet, such an endeavor would demand an immense amount of time—certainly not mere months. Wayne Michelle and the Gambler would never have granted Reyn such a luxury. Once the avarice in human hearts was unleashed, it became an uncontrollable torrent.

He lifted his head, sensing Captain John’s position. “Let’s discuss official matters,” he said calmly. “How does the Rheinhebo family intend to handle the first batch of residents who entered the casino?”

Captain John replied with a casual air. “We won’t deal with them, as long as they don’t cause trouble.”

Arthur’s tone grew even colder. “So, you refuse to take responsibility?”

Captain John chuckled softly. “Don’t harbor such malice towards us. Those fellows don’t have many years left to live; their time was nearly drained, so sending them to the mine prison to work isn’t suitable. If the Knight of Vanity needs them, they are yours to deal with.”

Arthur did not refuse. “Then the mess you can’t clean up will be left to me.”

Captain John’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What do you mean, ‘the mess we can’t clean up’?”

Arthur sneered. “Otherwise? Do you have a better solution?”

Captain John stared coldly at Arthur. “There are naturally solutions, but they do not align with the Patriarch’s wishes. So, what is yours?”

Arthur revealed the small die hidden in his pocket. His expression serene, he said, “Within this, the stolen time is stored.”

Captain John couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Is this the heretical essence sealed by the power of Holy Light? You intend to return their time to them? But aren’t you afraid of igniting even greater greed in their hearts?”

Arthur suddenly grinned. “They won’t,” he said. “Because they must atone for the sins they committed—for the grave sin of colluding with heresy.”

Captain John’s pupils sharply constricted. He looked at Arthur with a new sense of awe. “Knight, is your heart truly so dark?”

Arthur chuckled lightly. “My heart is dark? This is far better than letting them simply die in a few years. Moreover, the treatment at the mine prison isn’t exactly inhumane, is it? A twelve-hour workday, one day off per week, three nutritious meals, and wages equal to those of regular miners during their imprisonment.”

“Knight, do you think three thousand a month is a lot?”

“Compared to the residents of the Reyn Rheinhebo territory today, it is naturally pitifully small. However, even under these conditions…” Arthur paused, a deeply complex emotion flickering in his sightless eyes before he let out a helpless, drawn-out sigh. “Compared to most people in the Empire, they are already living quite well.”

Bottom-tier miners in the Empire were forced to work sixteen hours or more daily. They only enjoyed a few days of rest during the New Year, and that was only if their territorial lord was benevolent. Their meager earnings were barely enough to sustain a family of three. If they had two or even three children, the mother would also have to work.

But what kind of work could a woman married to a low-tier miner find? Usually, it was limited to serving drinks in taverns or assisting in back kitchens. Only by toiling through such arduous work for an entire day could she hope to support herself and her children.

Yet, the human body could not remain problem-free forever. Even a minor illness was a nightmare for miners who relied heavily on physical labor. They couldn’t rest, but without rest, their illness wouldn’t heal. Unable to recover, they would resort to cheap painkillers just to keep their bodies moving, yet this constituted an additional expense. Consequently, their wives were often forced to choose work that brought quicker money. Even so, such families typically met only one tragic end.

“They merely wished to survive,” Arthur Haim murmured softly.

Captain John watched Arthur with interest. “Knight, are you truly so melancholic?”

Arthur gave a casual laugh. “No need for veiled sarcasm. This situation has persisted for millennia. I am powerless to change it, nor do I have the inclination to do so. Even if everything were to be overthrown and restarted, who could guarantee that history wouldn’t repeat itself? After all, humans are beings who never learn from the past. However, some individuals should not exist.”

Captain John’s interest was immediately piqued. “Are you referring to the Pope of the Holy Church? Although the Witches have clashed with him several times, my mother and the others only vaguely sense something amiss with him, yet they can’t quite pinpoint it. On the surface, he certainly appears to be a competent Pope.”

Arthur’s expression suddenly became exceptionally solemn, his voice deepening. “He is dangerous. He is the most dangerous person in this world!”

“No matter how dangerous, what can he do against the Patriarch’s immense power?”

Arthur suddenly faced Captain John directly, displaying an unprecedentedly serious expression. “Captain John, I am not joking with you! He protects only this world. No… he protects his world alone!”

“So, he poses a threat to the Patriarch?”

“No.” Arthur sighed softly. “That old dog is simply the most dangerous person, nothing more. However, for Reyn Rheinhebo, he will be the greatest enemy.”