## Chapter 152 – Their Reconnaissance (1)
The sun of the royal capital rose on a pristine midday, in the back alleys of that time.
Three women, cloaked in small mantles that barely covered their hips, quietly roamed those back alleys, diligently observing their surroundings.
“Are you sure you know where we’re going…?”
“Of course? I was born and raised here, after all.
There’s no corner I don’t know.”
“Something feels off… like an alarm is going off in my head…”
But how long had it been since they started navigating the complex alleys?
Perhaps feeling they had been wandering for too long, Lanière grumbled at Aurora, who was leading the way, while Vivian quietly scolded Lanière.
“That’s enough, Lanière.
Today is just a reconnaissance mission.
Don’t do or say anything that might attract attention.”
“Yes…”
Their visit to the back alleys today was none other than a preliminary investigation of the area, prior to executing the ‘Royal Capital Occupation Plan.’
“As I’ve said before, the back alleys are very tightly knit.
They’re basically where commoners live, but various cartels wield influence no less powerful than that of nobles.”
“I’ve heard of them.
You mean guys like Deckard?”
“That’s right. The slaver Deckard’s cartel is the largest on the surface.
But even excluding him, there are over twenty smaller cartels, all intertwined.
As a result, other commoners are often caught in the crossfire of these cartels.”
As Aurora continued her brief explanation, Vivian and Lanière, walking alongside her, nodded concisely as they listened.
In every country, there was bound to be a lawless zone that existed outside the framework of the state.
Whether the reason was to make a living, or to resist the country, there was no way to know, but the place where people gathered for their own reasons was the back alley.
But at best, it was just a back alley.
Perhaps that was what she was thinking, as a strange smile began to spread across Aurora’s face in response to Lanière’s sudden question.
“Then… isn’t that a problem the country should solve?”
“The power of the authorities doesn’t reach the back alleys so easily.
If they’re determined to hide in these alleys, it’s incredibly difficult to find them.
No matter how skilled the royal court mages or the lackeys of the security police department are,
all they can catch are other lackeys.
They can’t catch the key personnel, and if they try, they have to accept a significant loss.
They’re that secretive, cautious, and capable.”
As Aurora elaborated, her eyes narrowed as if smiling, and Vivian’s expression became tinged with a strange emotion as she watched.
A confidence that seemed to say, ‘What can a noble lady who doesn’t know the ways of the world do to catch us?’ and a look that seemed to mock them.
Of course, that expression quickly faded, but why did a strange sense of unease linger in her mind?
But before she could dwell on that thought, Vivian realized that they had arrived at their first destination and stopped in her tracks.
“This is it. Let’s go in.”
A restaurant located on the outskirts of the back alleys.
Vivian opened the door and entered, weaving through the tables where people were enjoying reasonably good meals, and gently settled into a seat.
“Can I help you with your order?”
“It looks like it’s going to rain.
The sky has been muggy since Brans Street.
Could we have a three-person course?”
“Indeed, it seems it will rain today.
That would be very bad news for someone.
Then I will prepare a three-person course.”
Lanière and Aurora quietly closed their mouths and watched Vivian’s actions intently as she exchanged cryptic words with the approaching waiter.
And as the waiter took their order and left, Lanière, seemingly excited, whispered excitedly to Vivian.
“Wow…! Lady Vivian!
You were just like a spy in a novel!
Brans Street is in front of Lady Vivian’s family home, right!?”
“You know it? Yes.
This place is within the reach of the Grenote family’s power.”
It was what was commonly called a ‘fixer.’
Their job was to gather various information or handle dirty work on behalf of others.
It was Vivian’s first time visiting in person, but when the Grenote family sent errands, they would handle the work instead.
In return, Grenote was a VIP customer who supported them in legal and financial matters, so even if they were back alley dwellers who might stab them in the back at any time, they wouldn’t dare to go against a mutually beneficial noble.
In this way, the back alleys and the nobles did not entirely respect or like each other, but they recognized each other as relationships that provided mutual benefits such as status and money, and that relationship continued.
“I will prepare the appetizers.
For any other requests, please write them down here.”
The waiter, bringing a simple appetizer to whet their appetites, quietly took out a piece of parchment about the size of an A5 sheet of paper from his pocket, and Vivian nodded slightly and accepted it.
All she had to do was quietly write down what she needed while eating, and hand it to the waiter when he came to collect the bill, and her work here would be done.
“Waaaa!! Thank you for the food…!! So delicious!!”
Lanière, excited about eating real food for the first time in a while, delicately picked up a refreshing salad, trying to recapture the feeling of her days as a young lady, and slightly frowned at the sourness.
Vivian, glancing at her, wore a satisfied expression, sipped the aperitif served in a small glass that came with the appetizer, and quietly wrote something on the parchment placed next to the table.
At that moment, Aurora, who seemed more interested in Vivian than the food, asked a question, and Vivian, without taking her eyes off the parchment, retorted with a question.
“Are you planning to find something out?”
“Just a few things.
You probably know most of it anyway.
I don’t need to know much.”
“Hmm… that’s logical…
The people of the back alleys know the back alleys best.
You’re certainly right.
But there are things I don’t know, too?”
“For example?”
“What Lady Vivian is thinking?
A specific plan to achieve the goal…
Or… the feasibility of the plan…”
Vivian, once again annoyed by her voice, rested her chin on the back of her hand, which was holding the pen.
“The main course is served.
I hope you enjoy your meal.”
The waiter, bringing the main course and placing it on the table, must have sensed that the atmosphere was unusual, as he quickly ran away.
Even though Aurora had undergone the tentacle brainwashing, her occasional arrogant attitude reflected her original personality and memories.
After all, this being was no longer the original Aurora in any real sense.
That was because her mind had been virtually destroyed by the tentacles.
Now, a broken human who could only think about the tentacles, not only desired them, but why would she try to compete with her?
Vivian, moving her hand again and starting to scribble something on the parchment, answered in a low, clear voice.
“Right… I did say that…
I clearly said that once you taste it, you’ll be hooked.
I don’t care what you’re thinking.
Rather, I like that loyalty to him.
You’re probably worried that I’ll say something absurd and put him in danger.”
“……”
There was only one answer.
“But if you’re challenging me…
You’ll have to be prepared for the consequences.
I’ve decided to give him everything.
Including that, if anyone gets in my way…
I won’t forgive them, no matter who they are.”
Just like animals that engage in polygamy or polyandry, she inevitably felt a trivial sense of jealousy towards an individual of higher status than herself.
At the chilling warning, Aurora, having heard Vivian’s answer, smiled brightly.
Perhaps it was because the original owner of this body had a bad habit of testing others, a trait unique to the people of the back alleys.
Vivian’s words, which seemed to question her qualifications as the mistress of the den and prove the difference in ‘status’ between herself and Aurora, who was trying to exploit her weaknesses, made Aurora’s face return to that of a slave.
Towards her, Vivian nonchalantly began to read the words written on the parchment.
“The locations, composition, members, and main businesses of the cartels.
Their family relationships, the connections they have.
And… information that ‘will be useful to know.’”
“Ah… you’re even more sinister than I thought…
I guess it’s not the time to challenge you yet?
I’ll have to show you my usefulness first.
Right?”
“That’s all you need to know for now.
Then let’s have a meal now.
We’ll have to move busily today.”
“Yes, my queen… I shall obey?”
Vivian, sensing that there was no longer any hostility in her pretentious, playful answer, quietly folded the parchment with the written words in half, placed it in the bill next to the table, and began to put the main dishes placed in front of her into her mouth one by one.
‘I have to prove my usefulness too…
The qualification to stay by his side…
So… I can’t back down either…’
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After finishing their meal, which didn’t take long, and receiving a promise that they could obtain the desired information on their next visit, Vivian and her companions quietly strolled through the streets.
They were enjoying themselves, exploring the back alleys as if they were taking a walk to digest their meal, like college students who had come to a department store with their friends.
That was because the back alleys were both a den of cartels, a shady place, but also had elements of the sunny side where ordinary people lived.
“Wow!! Isn’t this pretty?
It really suits Lady Vivian!!”
“That would suit Lanière better than me.
Shall we buy one?”
“Eh…!! Is that okay…?”
Lanière’s expression was filled with joy as she received a cheap earring sold at a stall as a gift.
In this way, the two young noblewomen, who had ventured deep into the living space of commoners, which they could not easily access, were engrossed in exploring it, unaware that the surroundings had darkened.
Aurora, who was following alongside them, was faithfully guiding them and playing the role of a guide.
Just then, someone approached them and spoke to them, and they suddenly stopped and turned around.
“Hey there, ladies. You seem to be good friends?
How about doing some work?”
“We’re not interested in that.
We just came to have fun.”
“You came to have fun…? Ah~ I see.
But you don’t have enough people, do you?
How about adding one more and playing with four of you?”
As Lanière’s expression began to distort at the playful suggestion of the gigolo, he deliberately showed a startled reaction and waved his hand.
“Oops!! Not me!! I can tell you’re into this kind of thing…
I’d recommend a bull beastman with a killer dick to the other ladies…
But how about adding another girl instead?
We happen to have one we can play with at our place?”
“Beastman…? Girl…?”
“She’s a rabbit beastman, so her temperament is gentle.
This kind of special experience isn’t bad, is it?
That girl’s tail fur is fluffy, so it’ll feel good to touch?
She’s in heat, so she’ll moan as you rub her. How about it?”
Perhaps he thought they were lesbians who wanted to lust after each other?
At the sight of the gigolo rubbing his palms together as if implying the act of rubbing vaginas together, Aurora was about to show a clear rejection.
“Okay, I’ll go.
But you won’t play any tricks, will you?”
“Of course!! As long as you pay the price!!
Honesty and trust are our business motto!!
Hehehe!! Welcome, customers!!”
Because Vivian stepped in and put her foot down, the other two were left dumbfounded.
But the gigolo, as if he had implicitly expected Vivian to be the final decision-maker, smiled brightly at the thought of having caught a customer and ran to the store to open the door.
“Lady Vivian…! Is this okay…?”
“We probably looked like noble ladies out for a stroll.
Something dangerous might happen if we’re not careful.”
“Don’t worry. This is also a form of reconnaissance.”
Despite Lanière and Aurora’s words, which expressed concern about the potential danger, Vivian walked ahead into the store as if she had something in mind, and in the end, the two had no choice but to follow Vivian with uneasy expressions.
As they all entered the store, the door slowly closed, and their figures disappeared into the building lit by red lanterns.
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