Chapter 72

◈ Chapter 72: Back Alley Meeting (1)

The bar was bustling.

Amid the laughter of women with heavy makeup and perfume, men approached like bees drawn to the sweet scent of honey.

There were groups drinking and shouting loudly, and some were playing instruments.

"Quite lively, isn't it?"

"This place is somewhat famous, so it's bound to be. The bar has four floors, so it's only natural that it's crowded with customers."

Ludger and Hans, who had entered the entrance, scanned their surroundings lightly.

"Where's the meeting place?"

"Fourth floor."

"The top floor?"

"The first two floors are open to the general public, but from the third floor onwards, only those with permission can enter."

The two continued their light conversation as they ascended to the second floor.

The second floor was not much different from the first. It was fully occupied and just as noisy.

The only difference was that there were guards on the second floor, which were absent on the first.

As Hans had said, the stairs leading to the third floor were blocked by two sturdy guards.

"This place is only for those with permission."

"Here."

Hans presented the invitation he had prepared in advance.

After checking it, the guards silently stepped aside to let them through.

"Let's go, sir."

"Alright."

Hans led the way, and Ludger followed.

Although they felt the guards' gazes on their backs, they ignored them lightly.

When they finally reached the third floor, Ludger immediately understood why this place was considered a high-end bar.

'The noise from the first and second floors doesn't compare to the tranquility here.'

Despite the noise below, it barely reached this place.

The space itself was soundproofed.

Moreover, the interior was even more luxurious, and the guests seated at each table were clearly of a different caliber compared to those below.

All of them were dressed neatly and elegantly, sipping their drinks and enjoying the mood.

The light from the crimson lamps enveloped the interior in a dreamy atmosphere.

However, Ludger and Hans's goal was one floor higher.

The highest point of this bar, where only the most important people gathered.

"Let's go."

"Yes."

The two climbed the wooden stairs and arrived at the fourth floor.

Unlike the spacious hall on the third floor, the fourth floor was a long corridor.

'It's a room layout.'

A place quite suitable for quiet conversation.

"Which room is it?"

"The last one. The one at the very end."

"Is there no one guarding this place?"

"Ah, that's because this place is somewhat special."

"Special?"

Hans explained the information he had gathered.

"Apparently, this bar has long been used as a meeting place for the underworld organizations of Leiderbeck. As a result, they have an unwritten rule that no fighting is allowed inside."

"No fighting... even among people who betray and deceive each other."

"Well, even among those who live by betraying and deceiving each other, there are certain principles and beliefs that must be adhered to."

"That's true."

Ludger nodded.

"As you know, this world has its own set of rules. And this place is where those rules are most strictly enforced."

"Inviting us to such a place..."

"Is to see if we will follow those rules."

"Interesting."

Ludger smiled slightly.

To have such audacity to invite the person who dismantled the Red Society alone.

If Ludger had been a bit more eccentric or cruel, there would have been a bloodbath on the fourth floor of this bar today.

He couldn't have failed to consider that.

But inviting him here also meant that they were confident.

"Let's see their faces."

Although it seemed presumptuous, he wasn't angry.

If they claimed to be people who knew their limits, even if they had rolled in the mud, he could at least show them a minimum of respect.

"Let's go in."

"Alright."

The two finally reached the end of the corridor and opened the door to enter.

Inside, there was a large round table made of wood, with various foods placed on it.

And there were people seated at the table, maintaining a certain distance from each other.

'The number of important figures is four.'

Ludger's gaze first fell on the person seated to the right of the table from his position.

He had a beard and a stocky build, but what caught the eye most was his ridiculously small stature, which seemed impossible for an adult.

'He must have dwarfism.'

Also known as short stature, it is a condition where the body structure is the same as a normal person, but the height is excessively small.

'Is this person the leader of a group?'

In a world where human rights have not yet fully developed, his disability must have made his life incredibly difficult.

Ludger realized that this small-statured man was none other than Phineon, the leader of the circus troupe, Circus.

Next, his gaze fell on the two people seated directly opposite.

'The old man and the girl.'

This was also a striking combination.

An old man with a rugged appearance and white hair, and a cute blonde girl who looked like a doll.

However, these two were also the leaders representing their respective organizations.

Mastella and Deon, the leaders of the Old Kids group.

'If I had to guess who holds the lead, surprisingly, it's the child.'

While Deon, with his experience, might seem like the leader, Ludger didn't think so.

The analytical gaze came from Mastella, not Deon.

She knew how to manage her expressions and was shrewd despite her youth.

'And the last one, the women of the Black Rose.'

There was only one person seated to the left of the table from Ludger's position.

A lady in a black dress, with her hair tied up and a black veil covering her face.

'Is this woman Viola, the leader of the Black Rose?'

Phineon.

Mastella and Deon.

Viola.

All the leaders of Leiderbeck's underworld, except for the Red Society, were gathered in one place.

And a few subordinates to guard their leaders.

Ludger sat in the seat prepared for him and spoke.

"James Moriarty."

The monocle on his eye glinted in the light.

"Everyone calls me that."

"Hmm. James Moriarty, I assume you're not lying about your identity here."

Viola was the first to react.

A mysterious voice came from behind the black veil.

"Are you really the legendary man who dominated the Delica Kingdom?"

"You seem to know a lot about me."

"Of course. You were the actual ruler of the Delica Kingdom, famous for its steel industry, and even got involved in military supplies to start a war with another country."

War.

The word made the atmosphere in the room even heavier.

Especially Hans, who stood behind Ludger, showed his discomfort on his face.

Ludger nodded readily.

"A troublesome detective ruined everything."

"After you disappeared, I thought you were either dead or secretly arrested and imprisoned. I never expected you to show up in Leiderbeck. What brings you here? Do you plan to start a war on a larger scale, like an empire, that you couldn't start back then?"

Viola's voice had a strangely sharp edge.

The other leaders also seemed to share her thoughts, staring at Ludger intently.

Their gazes were not friendly.

"War? That's absurd."

But to Ludger, Viola's words were merely amusing.

How could they talk about war without knowing the truth of what happened in the Delica Kingdom?

It was commendable that they had gathered this much information, but this was still the limit of the underworld, lacking the depth to understand the full picture.

"I don't have such intentions."

"Then why did you dismantle the Red Society as soon as you arrived?"

"I just cleared away the filth in front of me."

Ludger spoke about dismantling the Red Society as if it were nothing.

He simply saw something dirty and cleaned it up.

The arrogance in his words was palpable.

But no one could argue with Ludger. He had actually done it with overwhelming strength.

"So, what do you want?"

This time, it was Phineon, the leader of Circus, who spoke.

A gruff voice that didn't match his small stature. Ludger realized he must be a smoker.

"From the fact that you came here and responded to our invitation, it seems you have a purpose."

"Indeed."

Ludger nodded without hiding his intentions.

"I want to build my own power base here."

"Power base."

Phineon tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair.

"That's not enough for an answer."

"Do you need more explanation?"

"If you dismantled the Red Society just to build your power, well, that's understandable. The Red Society had been trying to mess with us for a long time, and they were inherently dirty. They could have offended you, leading to this."

"You know well."

"The key point is this: Is there any guarantee that the new organization created by the famous James Moriarty won't become a second Red Society?"

A second Red Society.

That was what they were worried about.

The Red Society did anything for money, crossing lines even in the underworld.

They had banded together to oppose such a Red Society.

With their large numbers and unpredictable actions, the three organizations had barely maintained a balance of power.

But that balance had been shattered by a single individual.

"Indeed. That was your concern."

Ludger's indifferent tone made the gathered leaders' expressions stiffen.

To him, it was a trivial matter, but to them, it was a serious issue.

Of course, he had the right to say so.

Ludger had dismantled the Red Society single-handedly, even though it had knight-level forces.

But from another perspective,

he was even more dangerous than the Red Society.

"Then, it would be best to clear up any misunderstandings here."

"Misunderstandings? What misunderstandings?"

Deon raised an eyebrow and asked.

Ludger shook his head and then nodded toward Mastella.

"Don't play games. Speak for yourself."

"What...?"

"Grandpa Deon, it's fine."

Deon, with her childlike, cute voice, stopped him.

The adorable girl, Mastella, looked at Ludger with eyes full of curiosity.

"You figured out it was me."

"I don't live a life where I can be fooled by a child."

In this world, a child with innate talent and social skills is far more terrifying than an old man who has done nothing but age.

Those who don't understand this might dismiss a child as inexperienced and naive.

But Ludger was not one of them.

"So, what misunderstanding do you think we have?"

"If I had intended to eliminate you because you annoyed me, I would have done it long ago."

His words were blunt, but no one got angry.

Because it was a clear fact.

"But I didn't, because I, too, have my limits."

"So, what are you trying to say?"

"At least you are better than the Red Society, who were killed by my hand. There's no need to be enemies, which is why I agreed to this meeting."

By indicating that he had no hostile intentions, the wary gazes softened slightly.

But there was still no trust.

They suspected that this might be a deception, a lie.

That's how things work in this world. You must doubt everything first.

"So, what will you do now? The various infrastructures and business premises of the Red Society are nominally all yours."

Phineon, with his mustache twitching, tore into a turkey leg in front of him.

Viola scolded him for his lack of manners.

"Phineon, can't you at least behave here?"

"Sorry, ma'am, but I can't pretend to be sophisticated like you, even if I die and come back to life."

"Ma'am? Tsk. That's why people without manners are so annoying."

"Both of you, calm down."

Mastella, unable to bear it, intervened.

Ludger had a rough idea of how these three organizations operated.

Their relationship was strained, but there was someone who could mediate.

They maintained their own balance, so it didn't seem like they would collapse easily.

"So, will you maintain the Red Society's legacy?"

Mastella's bold question.

Ludger naturally shook his head.

"Doing such dirty work doesn't suit my dignity."

"Dignity? So you must have something grand in mind?"

"Indeed."

From the moment he decided to form an organization, Ludger had already made his plans.

And Leiderbeck would serve as the foundation for those plans.

"I intend to start a new business. Unlike what the Red Society did, it will be something I can conduct more openly."

"A business? That sounds truly interesting."

Viola said, but her tone was more mocking than admiring.

How dignified could their business be, given that they were part of the underworld?

Even if they didn't engage in drug trafficking or human trafficking like the Red Society, their businesses were still nothing to boast about.

At best, they would be selling alcohol or doing odd jobs like transportation.

Seeming to read their thoughts, Ludger smiled and said,

"If you think that, then that's your limitation."

"What do you mean?"

"Since everyone is gathered here, let me make a proposal."

Now it was time to get to the main point.

"Join me. If you do, I will ensure your success."