The Shadow Organization Members Raised Through Pay-To-Win Are Too Strong

The Hartwell family mansion was magnificent.

Golden statues and paintings decorating the walls, intricately carved pillars – every aspect flaunted this family’s wealth.

‘It’s beyond my expectations.’

The Hailstone Duchy was originally a wealthy kingdom, so its legacy wouldn’t have completely disappeared.

I was momentarily impressed by its grandeur but soon regained my composure and shifted my gaze.

Inside the mansion, butlers and maids were lined up.

But the count’s family members were nowhere to be seen.

‘As expected, they don’t care at all.’

I didn’t expect them to come out to greet me in the first place.

It was right for me to go to the count, and I was already prepared that my stepmother and siblings wouldn’t welcome my existence.

I had anticipated all of this.

As I stood still, the person at the front stepped forward and spoke.

It was an old butler with sparse white hair.

“Welcome, young master. I am Edgar, the head butler of the Hartwell family. We sincerely welcome you.”

There was a smile on his lips, but his eyes were cold.

I could feel him being wary of me.

It seemed that following my stepmother and siblings, the head butler wasn’t welcoming me either.

‘Edgar…’

Of course, it was a name I was hearing for the first time.

Still, being the head butler, he must have served the family for a long time, so there was no need to create unnecessary conflict.

Regardless of Edgar’s reaction, I greeted him politely.

“Thank you, Head Butler Edgar. I look forward to your guidance.”

Edgar’s expression softened a bit at my courteous behavior.

‘Yes, that’s it.’

The head butler, while without power, is still close to the count.

He would be acting as a channel through which all news within the mansion is delivered to the count, so it’s not good to be on bad terms with him.

This was the same for the maids.

Their views of me would also change depending on how I behave.

To blend into the family first, I needed to change the perception of the servants, including Edgar.

‘I need to improve my image to take control of the family.’

Not that I wanted to become the head of the family.

I just wanted to live comfortably under the family name.

At my greeting, the gruff head butler smiled slightly and turned his gaze to Bella, who was beside me.

“Lady Bella, you must have had a hard time as well. The count is waiting for you.”

Bella nodded briefly and bid me farewell.

“Young master, then I’ll be on my way. May the Hartwell family have endless glory.”

Bella, while belonging to the Fire Tower, was also the direct disciple of the Tower Master.

As we had agreed, she was planning to act on my behalf for the time being.

She would probably portray me in the best light possible in the upcoming conversation with the count.

“Thank you for your hard work, Mage. May wisdom and prosperity be with the Fire Tower.”

After receiving my greeting, Bella left.

As Bella disappeared, Edgar’s gaze turned to me.

More precisely, he looked at Emilia behind me.

“But young master, that child…”

Emilia, whom I met in the underground mine, was originally going to be sent to the Fire Tower.

However, considering potential situations, I considered keeping her with me instead of sending her to the Fire Tower.

“Ah, this child is my dear friend Emilia. We’ve lived together since childhood, so I brought her here. I would be grateful if you could also allow her to stay here.”

I spoke as politely and innocently as possible.

No matter how much I wanted to keep Emilia, it would be useless if the family opposed it.

Above all, Emilia was a chess piece I could use.

There were too many eyes watching for me to meet Bella directly.

Rather than causing unnecessary gossip, I planned to use Emilia to connect Bella and me.

“Ho ho, young master. You have the count’s blood. There’s no need for you to bow so deeply.”

Edgar laughed awkwardly at my bold request.

However, his approval came shortly after.

“However, even if she’s a friend, it would be good to observe proper etiquette befitting your status from now on. I’ll assign Emilia as your personal maid. In return, you’ll have to handle the salary issue. If that’s impossible, you can formally request it from the count.”

Even if I’m an illegitimate child, I should have some money allocated to me.

It was better to settle the matter at the head butler’s level rather than requesting it from the count.

“I understand. I’ll do that.”

Edgar looked satisfied with my response.

“Very well, young master.”

It wasn’t a loss for me as long as Emilia could stay here, as she would be a profitable asset for me.

Then Edgar clapped once.

“First, you must be tired from your journey, so let’s refresh you a bit. When you’re ready, the count will call for you. And I’ll take Emilia with me.”

Saying that, he called another servant.

“Now, Chloe. You guide Young Master Ethan to his room.”

The servant called Chloe bowed to me and greeted me.

“I-I’m Chloe. I’ll guide you to the room where you’ll stay, young master.”

Seeing Chloe’s voice trembling slightly with nervousness, I smiled reassuringly. Then I whispered to Emilia with a nod.

“Emilia, can you handle this? I’ll make it up to you later, so just bear with it for now.”

“Don’t worry. This is nothing.”

Emilia was indeed quick-witted and intelligent.

It wasn’t for nothing that she survived in the mines.

“Alright, see you later.”

Emilia and I briefly said goodbye and went our separate ways.

Emilia followed Head Butler Edgar, while I followed Chloe.

*  *  *

“Th-this is the room you’ll be using, young master.”

Following Chloe’s guidance, I looked at the room assigned to me.

It was more luxurious than I expected.

Spacious, with a soft bed.

This was a tremendous improvement compared to sleeping on the hard, cold floor in the underground mine.

“Then I’ll prepare warm water for you to wash up. Please wait a moment.”

“Mm.”

As Chloe went out to prepare the bath water, I began to thoroughly examine this new dwelling.

Wondering if there might be hidden traps or surveillance eyes, I took out the magic tool I had received from Bella.

This small wand-shaped magic tool will check if there’s any mischief set up in my room.

‘I should at least do this much.’

I checked every corner of the room meticulously, but fortunately, there was no reaction.

After confirming there were no problems, I immediately brought up the status window.

[Leader, please give your orders.]

The absolute authority to move Black Raven.

However, since I had to hide that I was the leader, it was awkward to use it freely.

If I gave orders related to the Hartwell family, they would surely notice my existence.

Although they wouldn’t be able to know that I was the Leader, I shouldn’t underestimate Black Raven.

It was right to always act with caution.

“Can’t be helped.”

I wanted to request all information related to the Hartwell family here, but it was regrettable that I couldn’t.

Instead, I thought of another way.

“I should give a gift too.”

Although my stepmother and siblings didn’t come out to greet me, my heart wasn’t so narrow as to make an issue of it.

And my stepmother’s maiden family, as imperial barons, must be suffering due to their mine investments.

I was thinking of helping to solve that a little bit.

The family doing well would improve my position too. I was thinking of helping on this occasion.

I immediately looked at the status window and gave orders to Black Raven.

“Investigate all merchant groups and nobles who suffered damage from the paralysis of the duchy’s mines, and support them as much as possible.”

[Confirmed the Leader’s order.]

The status window responded to my order.

This time, I refrained from using vague expressions like ‘investigate’ as I did last time.

Instead of an ambiguous expression, I ordered to ‘support’ if there were merchant groups and nobles who suffered damage from the paralyzed mines.

‘If I ordered this much, they should handle it well.’

And there was one reason for giving such an order.

There must have been several merchant groups and nobles who invested in the mines, not just one or two.

Among them would be the countess’s family.

In other words, I devised a clever plan to help my stepmother’s maiden family without specifically targeting the Hartwell family.

“Yes, this is family affection.”

Although there was no blood relation, we were now a community of fate on the same boat.

It’s beneficial for everyone if we all prosper.

I felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.

A moment later, at Chloe’s word that the bath was ready, I headed to the bathroom.

*  *  *

Ariel was having busy days.

Following the Leader’s orders, she had spent several nights reviewing the promotion examinations of provisional members.

Although the days were accumulating fatigue, a smile never left Ariel’s lips.

She was certain at least of the Leader’s heart thinking of Black Raven.

Just as Ariel happily processed one task after another, she felt a familiar energy.

“Huh?”

It was a new order from the Leader.

“This is…?”

But when the new order came down, Ariel was perplexed.

The Leader’s order was extremely contradictory.

“Why order to support?”

At first, the Leader had ordered to investigate the magic stone mines of the Hailstone Duchy.

Of course, she had confirmed that the true intention wasn’t just investigation, but to make them pay for daring to look down on Black Raven.

But this order was the opposite of that.

It was to support the merchant groups and nobles who suffered damage from the magic stone mines.

“Hmm…”

Ariel fell into contemplation.

This order must also have a deep meaning hidden in it.

“This is the Leader’s test…”

But it was too difficult.

However, she couldn’t give up, so Ariel decided to slowly approach the truth.

“First, I should find those connected to the mines.”

After securing a list of merchant groups and nobles, she would thoroughly investigate information about them.

Based on the collected clues, she would read the true intention contained to ‘support.’

“Reaper, it’s an order from the Leader.”

At Ariel’s words, a man in a black mask suddenly appeared from the darkness.

He silently waited for Ariel’s next words.

“Bring me a list of merchant groups and nobles who funded the duchy’s magic stone mines. Without missing a single one.”

“……”

As soon as her order ended, the man evaporated like a shadow.

But Ariel’s work wasn’t over yet.

While scanning the documents piled on her desk, one report caught her eye.

– A magician from the Fire Tower visited a village near the magic stone mine. The investigation confirmed that an illegitimate child of the Hartwell Count family was in a nearby village.

Trivial content unrelated to Black Raven.

But for some reason, her eyes were drawn to that report.

“Hmm.”

The Leader ordered an investigation of the mines and told the Fire Tower Master to stand by at any time.

Although it seemed completely unrelated, Ariel was concerned.

“If it’s the territory of Count Hartwell, Elder Eight would be managing it.”

Elder Eight.

He was one of the elders belonging to the Council of Elders of Black Raven.

The elders were long-standing members of Black Raven, each one a formidable expert.

And Elder Eight had settled in the Hartwell territory.

“I think I should contact Elder Eight.”

Ariel’s work continued.