Giant Figure (2)
In the past, Lombardy was a huge trading base that oversaw the maritime trade of the Red Sea in the southern sea of the empire.
Activation of trade and thriving industries. Naturally, Lombardy accumulated enormous wealth.
However, it began to deteriorate 14 years ago when the Empire invaded the Pasha Kingdom.
The war, initiated by the opium traders, caused a deterioration in relations between the empire and the pagan kingdoms across the Red Sea.
This triggered a ban on trade with pagan kingdoms.
This affected the entire empire, but it was Lombardy, which was a huge trading base, that took a direct hit.
If normal trade is banned, smuggling will inevitably rise.
Just as Prohibition only enriched moonshiners, Lombardy soon began to transform into a smugglers’ haven.
‘Then here’s the problem. In a city that has become a hotbed of crime, can the upper echelons, such as the police and city government, be honest?’
[·······.]
The answer, without question, is ‘NO’.
Of course, all of them, from the mayor of Lombardy to the upper echelons of the National Security Agency, as well as the influential people in the south.
There is no choice but to have one leg at a time in this huge illegal smuggling business.
[There must have been an honest bureaucrat who was going to fix this right away…]
‘Don’t be naive, Osman. In a place where everyone is corrupt, those who are not corrupt are bound to become targets. For the well-being and stability of the corrupt.’
A person is a being belonging to a group. Even if you are an innocent police officer, if the whole team is taking back money from the gang, you can’t help but take it yourself.
Not taking back money means turning them into enemies.
The mayor of Lombardy, Salvatore Ong, has been active in the smuggling business for a long time.
He provided a black market place to auction the contraband that the Luciano family was smuggling in, and provided the Triad Circle with the convenience of not being arrested.
But even he had something unexpected…
“The Triad Circle didn’t trust those in power. That ledger they hid in a safe deposit box at the Bank of Lombardy was insurance against men like Salvatore at any time.”
And how ironic it is that the ledger was held in my hand and used as a threat.
The trick was performed by the bear, but the money was received by Wang Seo-bang.
“·······.”
Mayor Salvatore glared at me, not hiding his anger.
When the Bureau of Investigation was trying to investigate the port due to Abdeslam’s magic terrorism, it was this inspiration that moved the National Security Agency to stop the investigation.
Until then, it was a convenience based on interests, but he must be angry at the fact that there was a threat to choke himself like this.
Powerful people connected to the smuggling business in various parts of the South, including the Lombardy market.
They are not free from the secret ledger of the Triad Circle. They weren’t just guests, they were partners in this smuggling business.
Bastien made the mayor fully aware of this fact, and he had no choice but to force me out of the Bureau at my request.
“But you know. We’re holding you in custody as a hostage suspect, but the Bureau has already surrounded the building. You’ll be caught the moment you get out of here.”
“If you avert your eyes for a moment, that’s it.”
I avoided the eyes of the Investigation Bureau, and it’s up to me to escape from now on. I got up and said
“Then, I wish you good luck in your business in the future.”
“·······.”
Salvatore didn’t like me holding the ledger, but I was the only one holding the hand here.
* * * *
“I’m going to start investigating the witness, Sir Elysia. But really… can I not go to the hospital?”
“Whoa… that’s fine.”
Elysia, who was involved in the kidnapping of Count Janssen and was investigated for the battle with Abdeslam, was out of breath.
Fortunately, this time I didn’t have to sit in a hospital bed for three days. She woke up just as the security services were taking Jacques away.
“I will be investigated as a witness by the Public Security Agency!”
I was worried about my father, but apart from him, Elysia was an investigator and a knight in the Investigation Bureau. She couldn’t just watch the most wanted criminal, Zach, slip away like that.
While being investigated as a reference, he inspects the headquarters of the National Security Agency, where Jacques was detained.
The Public Security Agency didn’t bring in investigators from the Investigation Bureau, but they couldn’t kick out even Elysia, the victim of the kidnapping.
While being investigated, Elysia thought.
The Police Agency’s arrest must have been a trick he concocted.
If so, where did Jacques Pietro plan it from?
What is his overall plan?
‘Why did you surrender to the Bureau of Investigation?’
Reminds me of the recent actions of Jacques Pietro.
He suddenly robbed a bank here in Lombardy.
A one-person robbery drama that is too modest to be called a bank robbery. Even the hostages were cool enough to watch them escape.
What did you do when you burned down the bank? If the bundle of cash accumulated in the safe was not the purpose…
‘Safe deposit box?’
If cash wasn’t the object, he might have been aiming for some valuables. It’s not that I haven’t thought about it, but if it connects with the current situation, some possibility arises. Also–
“so? I bet you didn’t come all the way here to show off your money.”
“Well, since my deal with you is over, it’s like personal advice from now on.”
transaction. Jacques made some kind of deal with Abdeslam. Then what did Zach do at the Bureau of Investigation?
The things that moved the Investigation Agency to let them catch Aburak Abdeslam.
bank robbery. rental deposit box. triad circle. Aburak Abdeslam. Central Bureau of Investigation. Lombardy Police Corps.
Keywords of information are organized and individual events begin to be grouped together.
“no way······.”
The ultimate goal of Jacques Pietro. A large outline is revealed, where everything so far is tied into one picture.
“Nonsense.”
At that time, Elysia witnessed Zach walking through the window of the 3rd floor hallway on her way out from the police investigation.
“Pietro…!”
“Sir Elysia? Damn it! Get it!”
She fled the security guard and pursued him.
Jacques Pietro was facing the rooftop.
* * * *
“Jacques Pietro!”
Climbing the roof, she looked at the criminal who might be the culprit behind all this.
“Ah, Ellie. Did you come to investigate as a witness?”
He is always relaxed.
Even though he was in the middle of the police headquarters as a criminal, he was strangely calm and quiet.
Showing a smile with the most firm conviction.
“Was everything… your plan?”
“Tell me the context. Villains who answer honestly when asked come only from third-rate troupes.”
You have to give evidence to investigate and interrogate, right? Elysia gnashed her teeth at Zach’s nasty expression.
“The reason you surrendered to the Bureau of Investigation. In the first place, it was because you wanted to catch a criminal.”
Jurgen Klismann.
From noble mtl dot com
A notorious knight-slayer who killed three imperial knights and escaped.
For some reason, Zach, who was being pursued by them, induced knight slayers with Elysia and destroyed him and the swordsmen and gunmen of the Forgore family.
“And then, as if they had waited, the magic terrorism took place. In the smuggling warehouse in the port of Lombardy.”
The warehouses in the port blown away by the magic terror were full of opium that they smuggled to the Pasha Kingdom.
The Luciano family, which was a smuggling organization, suffered a great loss.
“You pointed to Aburak Abdeslam as the culprit of the sorcery. In the process, you cleverly led us to a poppy farm.”
Poppy Farm. The Nicola family, which refines and produces opium, loses their farm due to Abdeslam’s terrorism, and the Bureau of Investigation finishes it off.
“The Bureau of Investigations seemed to be going after Abdeslam with your help, but it wasn’t. You’ve been dealing with Abdeslam from the beginning.”
The murder of the knight killer by the Bureau of Investigation, the port terrorism and the poppy plantation… all of these events took place in the hands of Jacques Pietro.
Why is it? What happened in the course of this case, who was harmed and who benefited.
The victims are obvious.
“The Forgore family, the Luciano family, and the Nicola family, which make up the triad circle, all suffered a devastating blow. Abdeslam and the Bureau of Investigation. You induced it that way. And the reason is—”
Southern smuggling monopoly. In order for Jacques to replace the place where the triad circle disappeared.
“Heh…”
Smile.
His smile verifies Elysia’s guess.
“You’ve guessed that far. I missed a few details, but that’s a pass.”
“We… the Bureau of Investigation and the Triad Circle… no, even Abdeslam are playing into your hands.”
“Don’t look too angry. Everyone goes through setbacks. And you’re going to do it often.”
Of course, there were details that Elysia missed.
Jacques, who went back in time and was recognized by Relic and awakened as a wizard, visited Lombardy to attract Elysia.
However, there was a triad circle, an alliance of native Lombardy mafia, who tried to detain him there, and Zach felt the need to deal with them properly.
The first contact was Aburak Abdeslam.
He was infiltrated in Lombardy for a massive terror attack in the south, and informed the patriot of opium being smuggled into the pasha kingdom.
After that, Abdeslam was used to blow up the poppy farm, and the Bureau of Investigations rounded up the Nicola family.
As Elysia guessed, the Porgore, Luciano, and Nicola families were destroyed using the Bureau of Investigation and Abdeslam.
All he did was set all the forces in motion with his three tongues.
“But that ends here. If I arrest you…”
“You can’t. The South here is a place with more interests than you thought. Didn’t the city of Lombardy know about the crimes of the Triad Circle? It’s all a lie.”
Why is he now set free? Why did the security forces arrest themselves even while interfering with the Bureau of Investigation?
“The thing you stole from the bank… the security guard… no, there must be something that could move City Hall. We’ll investigate that too.”
“Your skills are still the same. Indeed…”
He is like a hero who was my greatest enemy. Zach swallowed the words.
“So what are you going to do? This is the police headquarters and you are an investigator for the Bureau of Investigation. This is not your jurisdiction.”
“I… will grab you and run away.”
“Oh~ Then you will be punished?”
“Because you have to do the right thing, even at your own expense.”
“It’s a knight’s virtue.”
Elysia takes a step closer. Zach took a step back in response. Until eventually there is no place to retreat at the end.
“Let’s celebrate this day. It was your last chance to catch me.”
And take one more step back.
into the air. Fall down.
“What are you doing…!”
Elysia jumps in bewilderment.
But all she could see was a pitch-black shadow that hid everything.
* * * *
After the kidnapping of Count Janssen ended safely, he was admitted to Lombardy Hospital for a while and took charge of the examination.
In the past, he was the commander of the imperial knights, but after losing his mind, his body rapidly deteriorated and he was even kidnapped, so it’s only natural.
“Oh, you’re here now, Count.”
Hannah, a nursing home employee, welcomes the count after returning from the hospital examination.
She was terrified at the fact that her patient, who was in charge of her, had suffered a major incident called a kidnapping.
“Aww… I’m hungry. Give me some food.”
Of course, the Count’s mind was still not intact.
“I’ll give it to you soon. Please sit here.”
Hannah smiled as she seated the Count in his new rocking chair.
“A friend came to visit before that, would you like to see his face for a second?”
“A friend?”
It was then. In the bathroom of the count’s room, the sound of running water was heard from the sink, and soon the door opened and a gentleman wearing a hat came out.
Originally, it was a sanatorium exclusively for nobles who could never enter unless it was a patient, a nurse, or a doctor in charge. Elysia was willing to give most of the hefty wages given to knights to serve the count, but it was meaningless now.
Because there was someone who had paid incomparable money to him.
“Hannah. I’d like you to step aside for a moment.”
The gentleman said with a smile whether he knew the healer. Of course, I didn’t forget to put a thick bundle of bills in her hand.
“All right, have a chat.”
The nurse hid the money she received in her skirt pocket and hurriedly left the room.
Only Count Janssen and the gentleman remained in the room, and the gentleman sat on the bed across from the count.
“The bedding is good. It’s obvious that Ellie put a lot of thought into it. As you know, your daughter is a very filial daughter. There are no such filial daughters these days.”
“·······.”
Count Janssen stared blankly at the gentleman without answering.
He had invited the cadet, who had a good affinity, good sociability, and great talent, to his home, considering him the future of the empire.
“Ellie, would you like to say hello? He is a cadet whom I teach at the military academy. I’m the senior this semester. What a cadet.”
Deep down, I even thought about connecting it with my daughter.
However, on the day the truth was revealed, what kind of ulterior motive he committed the terror, and when he ran into him trying to escape the imperial family——
“Can’t you remember me?”
The Count lowered his head. Then he raised his head again and met his gaze.
“Jacques Pietro.”
The ugly sins of the past were in front of the Count’s eyes.