The clerk left the counter and after a few minutes, returned and ushered Big Mona and his guard to a room located underground.
A hunched old man greeted the fat merchant. Although the old man was wearing shabby clothes, Big Mona knew he was the leader of the Information Guild.
"Mona, it's been a while," said the old man.
"Casius," said Big Mona. "I'm here to use the token you gave me a decade ago."
The old man chuckled. "Is it to quell the rumors surrounding Lark Marcus?"
As expected of the Information Guild. They already knew the purpose of Big Mona's visit.
"That's correct," said Big Mona.
Casius stroked his white beard. "Sit down first." The two of them sat down. Casius said, "Even if you're using a token, this matter is a bit… different, Mona."
Big Mona was displeased with the leader of the Information Guild's answer. A golden token was a privilege obtained only after transacting with an Information Guild for decades. It was the most absolute payment an Information Guild could ask for. If converted into money, it should be equivalent to ten thousand gold coins. Moreover, it represented an Information Guild's honor.
Telling him it would be difficult despite this was akin to telling him that the Information Guild couldn't take on the request.
"Is it the Vont Family?" said Big Mona.
Casius fell silent for a moment, before slowly bobbing his head. "Yes.
But it's not only the Vont Family who wish to prevent Lark Marcus from ascending the throne, Mona. The Alchemy Guild, the Mercenary Guild, even several high-ranking priests from the temple. Moreover, the Kelvin family and several nobles in their factions are pulling the strings. I'm telling you all of this, Mona, since you're a long-time client of the guild, but this isn't a simple matter our Information Guild can handle."
Veins started forming on Big Mona's temples. As expected, the damn Vont Family was hindering his path once again. And this time, they were colluding with several influential organizations and nobles of the kingdom.
"This is just the start, Mona," said Casius. "Do you really think they are going to stop with mere rumors?"
"Are you telling me that they'll take up arms and forcefully take over the throne?" said Big Mona. Even he found it preposterous.
"It is the only conclusion we could think of," said Casius. "The solid evidence presented regarding the crimes of Lark Marcus is a perfect excuse, don't you think?"
"Those fools!" roared Big Mona. "They've seen what happened to the ports and the Kelvin Duchy! And they're here, orchestrating a plan to spark civil war and take over the throne!"
"The greed of humans knows no bounds, Mona. Yesterday, we were contacted by a messenger from the Kelvin family. And do you know the message Duke Kelvin passed to us?"
"What?" spat Big Mona.
"Submit to us," Casius repeated the words of the messenger from Kelvin family, "if you do not wish to see the destruction of your little guild, old man."
Casius laughed and said in a grim voice, "In my seventy years of life, it wasn't the first time I've been threatened by such bastards."
From a kind-looking old man, Casius' face twisted into that of a demon's, rage evident within his eyes.
"Who do they think they are?" said Casius, his lips curled into a smirk.
"Big Mona, I want to help you. Not because you hold a token, but because I don't like how that Kelvin brat does things."
Casius said to one of the guards standing behind him, "Hey, give it to him."
The guard handed Big Mona several documents containing the details of the members of Black Midas, their location, their numbers.
Big Mona did not know how Casius managed to get hold of such crucial information, but he was satisfied regardless. The fat merchant tried his best not to show his surprise.
"Black Midas…" mumbled Big Mona. "Don't tell me…?"
Casius said, "That's right. The one controlling the largest underworld syndicate of this kingdom is the Head of the House Kelvin."
So, this was the reason the royal family couldn't cull the infamous underworld syndicate even after all these years.
Big Mona had just received highly classified information that all nobles would covet, no matter the cost. Seeing that Casius had willingly handed him such information, Big Mona realized that the leader of the Information Guild had decided to bet on their faction, for now.
"But there's one condition," said Casius. "Eliminate the members of Black Midas residing in the capital. Do that, and my Information Guild will provide you with everything you need to get through this mess. Even dealing with the Vont Family, the Alchemist Guild, the Mercenary Guild, the Kelvins, and the other nobles should be possible with my help."
Casius wouldn't have given this task to Big Mona had he not known of how absurdly strong Lark Marcus was. As the leader of the Information Guild, he knew the credibility of the feats Lark Marcus had shown the past year.
"I'm risking my Information Guild to help you," said Casius. He leaned closer and smiled. "You can do at least this much, right?"
For a moment, it felt like a deal with the devil.
A grin slowly formed on Big Mona's face.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been an impossible task for Big Mona. Black Midas was the largest underworld organization, after all. For more than a hundred years, they'd ruled over this kingdom's underworld.
But with the help of Lark Marcus and his men, wiping out the members of Black Midas in the capital should be possible.
"I've already captured several of them," said Big Mona. "Those fools attacked me on my way here."
"Oho!" Casius' eyes glimmered. "Can you give them to me? Maybe they'll answer some of my questions if I ask nicely."
The leader of the Information Guild laughed. Big Mona knew of the terrible fate those Black Midas bastards would face once he handed them to this old man.
"Sure, go ahead," said Big Mona. "You can do anything you want with them."
Casius' face contorted once again. He licked his lips. He still hadn't forgotten how Duke Kelvin threatened him and belittled his guild.
How dare a declining family threaten him?
*** After leaving the Information Guild, Big Mona summoned the shadows that had been protecting his guild. These were the shadows stationed at the capital ready to do Big Mona's whims. He also sent a letter to Lark Marcus, asking to borrow several more Arzomos.
"Check all of these locations and report to me," said Big Mona.
The leader of the shadows bowed his head. "As you wish."
The shadows formed smaller groups and dispersed throughout the capital.
"Can't we just attack them now?" said one of the Arzomos.
Big Mona shook his head. "That would be foolish. Although I've been partners with Casius for several decades, right now, we have no way of verifying if the information he leaked is correct. I trust no one but my own men. We will not move until we've confirmed that all the information given to us is correct. The last thing we want is to fall into the trap of some lowly nobles."
Big Mona fixed his garb. He said, "It'll take a while for my men to verify the information's authenticity. Let's not waste time. We're moving to the next location immediately" Big Mona smirked, glad of how the gears were turning.
With the powerful Arzomos acting as his guards, Big Mona went to the nearby slums. They reeked of poverty, death, and despair. Numerous malnourished children roamed the streets, and several women who did not qualify for the Red Light District were enticing men and offering their services.
It was a disgusting place Big Mona wouldn't have gone to under normal circumstances.
Although the capital looked prosperous on the outside, places like this were still present within the Outer District of the city.
"If they're going to live like this, they should have just sold themselves as slaves," Big Mona mumbled, his voice filled with disgust. "Even the stupid slave that cleans the sitting room in my Merchant Guild lives a better life than this."
The Arzomos walking behind him heard, but remained silent.
As they were walking through the alleys, numerous gazes naturally fell on their group. The fat merchant looked like a tasty target, but due to the large, muscular men walking behind him, the slum people did not even dare attack him. Even the beggars didn't dare approach the merchant out of fear of the Arzomos.
"Ah, damn it," mumbled Big Mona. "Where is it again?"
Unsure of the exact location of their destination, Big Mona called out one of the beggars nearby. "You, come here," said Big Mona.
The beggar—a boy in his early teens—hesitantly came forward. He stuttered, "Y-Yes, sir?"
"A man called Luvik should be living around this area," said Big Mona.
The beggar's eyes widened for a moment. It was apparent that it was a name known only to slum people like them.
"Lead me to him."
The beggar opened then closed his mouth. He wanted to refuse the merchant's request immediately, but the predatory stare of the two muscular men crippled all of his obstinate thoughts from forming.
Unable to outright refuse the merchant, the beggar instead asked, "W-What do you need Luvik for, mister?"
"That's none of your business," said Big Mona. He took out a gold coin from his pocket and handed it to the beggar. "This is more than enough, no?
Now, lead me to him."
The beggar's hand holding the gold coin trembled. He looked left and right and noticed other beggars staring at him. He knew that the moment the merchant and his guards left this area, the other people of the slums would beat him up and take this money.
It was all or nothing.
The best course to ensure that he got to keep his coin was to escort this merchant.
"I'll escort you there, sir!" said the beggar. His voice overeager.
With the beggar at the lead, Big Mona traversed the complex alleys of the slums. The air was putrid, the ground grimy. They even saw a dead body sitting in a corner, rotting. A textbook example of unchecked poverty.
Soon, they arrived at a small building located deep within the slum area.
Big Mona knew he was in the right place upon seeing several men with swords and knives strapped around their waists roaming about.
"Here's the place, sir!" said the beggar in an uncharacteristically loud voice. A voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "As your escort, I'll wait for your return here, sir!"
Big Mona smirked in amusement. The beggar was shrewd despite his looks.
With those words, he'd just implied that he was a member of Big Mona's group. If the people of the slums aiming for his gold coin attacked him now, they would risk earning Big Mona's ire.
For a moment, Big Mona was reminded of when he was young. He also employed cheap tactics in order to survive. He'd killed people and used them as stepping stones to achieve his goals. He did everything just to survive the clutches of his enemies.
Look at him now.
He was now the head of the Merchants Guild in Lion City. And he was now the exclusive merchant of the future king of the kingdom. Moreover, he could now fight against his enemies on even ground.
"If you live long enough, you'll do well in life, kid," said the fat merchant.
He meant those words.
Big Mona entered the small building along with the two Arzomos.
"Who are you?" said one of the guards.
"A client," said the fat merchant.
Big Mona had an air of arrogance as he scanned his surroundings.
Although it looked like a cheap pub at first glance, he knew that this was the gathering place of the leaders of the slum.
"I'm here to meet Luvik," said Big Mona.
The guards looked at each other. Judging by Big Mona's attire and the guards behind him, they knew that this client was a big shot.
At first, they wanted to inquire about the fat merchant's identity before informing their leader, but eventually decided against it. Sometimes there were things mere underlings like them were better off not knowing.
"Please sit over there, sir," said one of the guards. "We'll immediately inform Sir Luvik of your arrival."
One of the guards went up and called for Luvik, while Big Mona sat on the wooden chair at the center of the pub. The wooden chair creaked, but didn't break the moment Big Mona sat on it.
"I heard you're looking for me?" A muscular man with a large burn mark across his face came down from the second floor and approached Big Mona's group.
"Luvik?"
"That's right."
"I'm here to offer you a job," said Big Mona.
Luvik looked at the two muscular men behind Big Mona, then at the fat merchant.
"You're making my men uneasy, bringing those weapons of carnage with you inside this place." Luvik sat right in front of Big Mona. With a single glance, Luvik realized that they probably wouldn't be able to win against those two guards even if they called all of their men from the slums.
"The two of you remain," said Luvik to his men. "As for the rest, leave us."
"Yes, sir!"
After the area was cleared out, Luvik spoke. "So, what is it?"
"I need you to help quell some rumors," said Big Mona.
Luvik raised his brows. "Rumors."
Big Mona said, "You've heard the rumors regarding the next monarch, right?"
"The rumors regarding Lark Marcus." Luvik nodded. "Of course.
Everyone must have heard them by now."
"You see, Luvik," said Big Mona. "In order to quell a rumor, you need a bigger one. Or if that doesn't work, create another."
Although the Information Guild promised to help him if they killed the members of Black Midas, Big Mona knew that alone wouldn't be enough.
Even if they destroyed the syndicate, the rumors surrounding the new king would still continue spreading among the citizens.
Big Mona wouldn't let such things tarnish the reputation of his most beloved partner. Lark Marcus was, after all, his gold mine.
Luvik smirked. "I see now. Lark Marcus, huh… I heard he's affiliated with the Merchant Guild in Lion City. You're Big Mona, aren't you? So, what do you want us to do?"
Although the nobles thought of the slum people as powerless and voiceless, Big Mona knew, based on experience, that was far from reality.
Although the slums held little military might, they still constituted a significant portion of the kingdom.
Moreover, rats had their own ways of living that normal people wouldn't understand. The people of the slums were perfect for this job.
Big Mona took out a large pouch filled with gold coins and put it on the table. "Two hundred gold coins. And two hundred more after you successfully complete the task. Show me the slum's worth. I need you to instill the idea that the current rumors are false. I want you to spread rumors that Lark Marcus is this kingdom's hero, it's savior."
Big Mona clasped his hands together and leaned forward. "Although you're the leader of the slums, you don't want to live the rest of your life in this filthy place, isn't that right?"
It was spot on.
Although Luvik enjoyed his power and authority here, at the end of the day, this was still the slums and he was nothing but a large frog in a well.
Like a devil, Big Mona started spouting words to entice Luvik.
"As the exclusive merchant of the future king of this kingdom, I promise to support the slums once Lark Marcus ascends the throne," said Big Mona. "But of course, before that, all of you should first show me your worth."
"And what kind of support are we talking about?" said Luvik.
Taking this job meant Luvik would end up going against some of the big wigs among the nobilities. He wanted to know if the money was worth the risk they would be taking.
Big Mona leaned back, almost destroying the backrest of his wooden chair in the process. "How about restructuring the slums completely?"
Luvik was dumbfounded.
"We'll integrate the slums into the capital itself. All of the slum people will be given proper jobs, food, clothing, houses. With the power of the new king, that much should be possible. This is the slum's chance for salvation, Luvik. The chance for these people to finally get out of this rat hole."
Luvik's eyes widened. Even his guards standing nearby trembled hearing those words.
Salvation.
The slum people had longed to hear those words for generations.
The previous Tyrant King and the current king paid no attention to people like them. In the capital, the majority of the slum people were treated worse than slaves.
And now, this fat merchant in front of him was giving him a way out of this hellhole.
The promise made by the exclusive merchant of the next king was worth way more than the coins sitting on the table.
Luvik fell silent as he pondered.
"With this much money, it should be possible," said Luvik, then he looked up and sighed. "But can I trust you, Big Mona?"
The merchant's promise sounded too good to be true. Such drastic reformation of the slums felt impossible, now that Luvik thought of it.
"Lark Marcus is far greater than you think, Luvik," said Big Mona.
"You might be thinking that giving new life to the slum people is impossible, but to the next king, such things are trivial. You've seen the barrier enclosing the capital, haven't you?"
Luvik remembered the barrier that suddenly enclosed the capital in the span of a single day. Although the royal family didn't divulge the specifics on who created the barrier, there were rumors that Lark Marcus was behind it.
Luvik fell silent.
Luvik firmed his resolve. Even if his decision was probably foolish, for now, he decided to trust the merchant's words.
"I'll gather the members of the slum and delegate jobs to everyone. We can infiltrate and spread rumors to almost everywhere in the capital, as long as it's outside the Inner District where the royal family resides."
"I want it done in three days," said Big Mona.
Luvik nodded. "You can expect great results."
"Excellent." Big Mona stood up. "You will receive a message from one of my men tomorrow morning, containing further details regarding this mission."
Big Mona paused. He looked at the door, then at Luvik. "The boy at the entrance seems promising. He'll be useful. Shelter him."
Such uncharacteristic words came out of Big Mona's mouth. Even he was surprised that he didn't want the boy to die the moment he left. A gold coin was a fortune for the people of the slums, and they wouldn't hesitate to kill the boy for that amount.
Luvik was puzzled why Big Mona cared for a kid, but nodded his head regardless. As the leader of the slums, a single word was all it would take to make sure they wouldn't hurt that boy.