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

A space where everything from floor to ceiling was pure white.

A damp and eerie air filled the passageway.

Ariel, the Vice-Leader of Black Raven and a High Elf, slowly walked through it.

With each step she took, the sound of rattling chains and groans leaked out.

“Aaaah! No, please… spare my life! I don’t know anything!”

“Eek! Pl-, please stop!”

Piercing screams echoed as they hit the walls.

Someone desperately grabbed and shook the iron bars with all their might.

Bloody cries struck Ariel’s ears.

She casually stopped and looked at the scene.

“Ugh… no, no! Please spare me… please!”

A man with frightened, trembling eyes.

That man tried to reach out to Ariel beyond the iron bars, but soon, people in white robes dragged him away.

“Ah, no! I was wrong! Just kill me-!!”

Walter, who had accompanied Ariel, frowned as he watched the scene.

“It’s been a really long time since we visited this place.”

The place that Ariel and Walter had personally visited was the underground prison.

It was an institution called ‘Mist’ where enemies or traitors who opposed Black Raven were imprisoned and interrogated.

Not only the prison but also those who belonged here wore white robes, so it was also called the ‘White Reaper.’

It was a place Walter hadn’t visited in a long time, but not for Ariel.

When Ariel became the vice-leader, the Leader had already disappeared.

Naturally, as Black Raven’s activities decreased, Mist’s role was also reduced.

As they walked, Walter gave Ariel one warning.

“Never show any weakness. The bastards here live off fear.”

“I will be careful, Sir Walter.”

Ariel replied like that and kept moving.

Before long, they reached the center of Mist.

An old man in a white robe came out to greet them.

“Hoho, it is truly an honor for the Vice-Leader to personally visit such a humble place. I am Kazas, the head of Mist.”

The old man, who introduced himself as Kazas, greeted Ariel.

And he guided them through Mist.

“If I had known in advance that the Vice-Leader was coming… he would have been so pleased, but unfortunately, he has fallen into a deep sleep now, hoho.”

Kazas led Ariel and Walter with a pleasant smile.

Their destination was the depths of Mist.

The once white space had somehow turned gray.

After walking for a while, Kazas stopped.

And one iron gate appeared.

“We just finished the interrogation. They dared to interfere with the leader’s plan, right?”

The ones Kazas interrogated were the thieves caught by Reaper.

They were the thieves who attacked the Golden Wing Merchant Group, but that merchant group was included in the list the Leader had ordered to secure.

The Leader never gave orders without meaning.

Securing this list was probably the foundation for a major plan.

But some mere thieves had interfered with that plan.

It was best to first interrogate those who had disrupted the leader’s plan.

“Now, let’s see, Vice-Leader.”

Kazas opened the iron gate with a sinister smile.

As the door opened, a horrifying sight unfolded inside.

The faces and torsos of the thieves brought to Mist were covered in wounds without a single unharmed spot.

Their ragged clothes were stained with blood, and their deeply sunken eyes were empty, as if they had lost all hope.

Above all, the thieves’ arms and legs were not visible.

Only torsos impaled on hooks were dangling.

Kazas laughed at the sight and spoke.

“Ah, don’t worry too much. Before cutting off their arms and legs, we pulled out all their fingernails and toenails. Hehehe.”

The suffering of others was Kazas’ pleasure.

Ariel unconsciously frowned at the state of the thieves.

“Next, I will report the information obtained through interrogation. First, they said they attacked the Golden Wing Merchant Group after receiving a request. They don’t know who made the request.”

Well, they had been interrogated to this extent.

Looking at their current state, dying would be merciful, so they didn’t think the thieves had lied.

“A request…”

Ariel muttered at Kazas’ words.

Perhaps it was a scheme by a rival merchant group trying to eliminate the Golden Wing Merchant Group?

It was a reasonable inference.

Ariel was about to give instructions on how to wrap it up with that conclusion.

But then she felt the Leader’s will.

As a High Elf, Ariel could sense the Leader’s will while enhancing her abilities.

However, this will was not an order.

– The skills of Black Raven have declined a lot while I was away.

‘This is the Leader’s heart.’

Ariel was surprised after reading the leader’s will.

‘Leader is displeased with the current situation.’

It was then that Ariel realized.

It was a part that could be understood with just a little thought.

An order was given to secure a list of nobles and merchant groups, but one merchant group on the list had been ruined.

This meant that the leader’s plan suffered a setback, and Black Raven’s actions probably reflected disappointment at not figuring that fact out earlier.

Ariel clenched her fists.

‘This is the Leader’s test…’

He already knew everything.

He was clearly just watching to see if Black Raven was functioning well.

Soon, Ariel’s gaze changed.

“Kazas. I will give an order in the name of the Vice-Leader.”

Kazas stiffened at Ariel’s suddenly changed demeanor.

He had only known her as an indecisive High Elf, but the aura emanating from her now was fierce.

“…Yes, give your order, Vice-Leader.”

Kazas bowed his head after erasing the smile from his face.

Ariel issued a command in a solemn voice.

“Have them interrogated again from the beginning. Thoroughly find out who instigated them to interfere with the Leader’s plan. In that process, the Supreme Council will guarantee all necessary authority and any incidents that occur.”

She greatly increased Mist’s authority.

This incident was not something to be taken lightly.

Broadly speaking, it meant that there might be forces that threatened Black Raven.

Ariel turned around with a cold gaze.

Behind her back, the thieves’ screams rang out as if they were being torn apart.

Only the silence of death dominated that place.

* * *

Three days had already passed since the Golden Wing Merchant Group was attacked.

During that time, Bastel’s mood went through hell.

The business he had built up over time had vanished in an instant.

But a glimmer of hope had come to him.

The mercenaries he had sent to save face had returned with the merchant group’s goods.

At first, he thought the mercenaries had done it, but the mercenary captain shook his head.

– This is not our doing. The goods were neatly placed at the merchant group’s site.

He had definitely heard that the thieves had stolen everything, so why were the goods there?

It was still a mystery, but Bastel didn’t think too deeply about it.

In any case, he had recovered the merchant group’s assets, which allowed him to make up for the loss.

Moreover, when the mercenaries under contract with Bastel returned with the merchant group’s goods, a rumor started among the merchants.

– The Golden Wing Merchant Group has solid backing. They are truly excellent at tracking down the thieves and retrieving the goods. Wasn’t it said that the merchant group’s owner is Young Master Bastel of the Hartwell family?

There was even a rumor going around that the merchant group had punished the thieves and retrieved the goods.

Although it was just a false rumor caused by a misunderstanding, there was no need to correct it.

Thanks to that, trust in Bastel had risen.

Furthermore, the mercenaries contracted with Bastel also gained a reputation among the merchants, reaping great benefits.

“Yeah, I can start again.”

With hope that he could rebuild the merchant group, Bastel smiled.

However, that expression didn’t last long.

“Brother Bastel, judging by your good expression, it seems like something good happened?”

It was because of Ethan’s appearance.

His half-brother, Ethan.

From the perspective of the second son of the Count’s family, Ethan was an insignificant illegitimate child.

But Bastel was extremely concerned about him.

“……”

Bastel unconsciously became wary of Ethan’s ordinary smiling face.

Ethan’s words from a few days ago, saying that good news would soon appear, came to mind.

At that time, he only thought Ethan was making fun of him, but now that he thought about it, he had a strange feeling.

‘Could it be that he knew it would turn out like this?’

Even now, he first brought up a question asking if something good had happened.

As if he already knew about Bastel’s situation.

‘It can’t be…?’

An absurd thought crossed Bastel’s mind.

The ridiculous idea that Ethan might be involved in this incident.

But he soon shook his head.

‘No, I must have been too sensitive. There’s no way that could be the case.’

Ethan was an illegitimate child who had been here for only a few days.

He had grown up like a commoner in a small village, so what power did he have to orchestrate these events?

It made more sense to consider it a coincidence.

Bastel silently responded to Ethan’s greeting.

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

“If that’s the case, I’m glad. If things go well for you, Brother, won’t the family’s prestige also rise?”

It was an atmosphere that would make them look like close brothers to anyone else.

However, Bastel swallowed his saliva at his words.

Look at that sinister smile.

Doesn’t it look like he knows everything?

‘It can’t be…?’

Bastel’s mind was in turmoil.

* * *

I had ordered the Black Ravens to compensate the merchant groups and nobles who had suffered losses from the mine investments.

“They did a good job as expected.”

I was convinced after seeing Bastel’s expression.

The Black Ravens had carried out my orders well.

Otherwise, Bastel’s expression, which had looked gloomy for several days, wouldn’t have brightened up.

“It’s a good start.”

Because of that, even Bastel’s tone, which had cursed at me from the first day, had become a little milder.

Helping each other in difficult times is what brotherly affection is all about.

I could use Bastel to raise the family’s prestige, so there was no need to clash with him.

‘Now I can move on to the next stage.’

On the first day I arrived at the Hartwell family, I had demanded money from the Count.

I received the money through Edgar, but I had no intention of ending it as a one-time thing.

‘It’s still not enough.’

So, I thought of continuously building up to get an allowance.

After passing Bastel, I immediately went to the Count’s study where he was.

And I bluntly stated my request.

“…!”

At my request, Count Benedict, who was my father, and Edgar, who was next to him, were both surprised with their mouths open.

“S-, so you’re saying you want to personally volunteer at the orphanage, Young Master…?”

Edgar’s voice trembled as if he was shocked.

Well, it was understandable.

For this operation, I asked Chloe various things and gained knowledge.

According to Chloe, even when nobles volunteered, they did so by simply donating money to the orphanage.

But I had no intention of merely donating money.

To show my sincerity, I planned to personally visit the orphanage and engage in volunteer activities.

This was a game-changer that would change my image.

To the Count, it was to imprint on him that I was a son who not only demanded money but also took action himself.

It was to change my image to be friendly and positive for the family servants, including the head butler Edgar.

These small differences would eventually grow tremendously.

To the pondering Count, I drove in one wedge.

“They might be children who will become excellent talents in the future, so this level of effort is nothing. And there might even be a bright child there, don’t you think?”

Above all, my influence within the family was too meager.

Even though I had the maid, Chloe, she was ultimately a servant of the family.

In a situation where Emilia was the only one on my side, I needed to discover talented individuals directly.

Even if there were no desired talents at the orphanage, it would be fine either way since my reputation would rise.

Fortunately, my persuasion seemed to have worked.

“Indeed, excellent! You are right, Ethan.”

The Count praised me excessively, lifting me up.

“Make a letter conveying your will and send it. Edgar.”

“Yes, Count.”

“You heard Ethan’s words well, too, right? Send someone to say we will visit soon.”

“Understood.”

With that, my proposal was accepted.

‘It’s going according to plan.’

I had no concern for my reputation as a noble anyway.

On Earth, everyone was equal, and here, too, hadn’t I lived in the underground mines for a long time?

I could do anything for my plan.

“Thank you, Father.”

I even called him father, but Count Benedict just smiled and let it pass.

* * *

There was one orphanage in the territory managed by Count Hartwell.

Unless it was an orphanage directly managed by the Holy Kingdom, most relied on nobles’ sponsorship to survive.

The orphanage in the Hartwell territory was the same.

“Director, someone from the Count’s family came by. They said the Count’s son will come to volunteer soon.”

A young woman was talking to the orphanage’s director.

The director pushed up her glasses upon hearing the story.

“The Count’s son is volunteering?”

She asked again at the sudden story.

Nobles donated money, but they didn’t come to volunteer in person.

Moreover, the Count’s eldest son should now be at the Empire’s academy.

The second son would also be busy with business, so who would come to volunteer?

“Yes, and they sent a letter like this.”

The director unfolded the letter and read it.

The content of the letter was simple.

A brief message about wanting to personally check on and support the growing young buds.

And at the end of the letter was an unfamiliar name.

“Ethan Hartwell…”

The director muttered as he scanned the letter with her wrinkled hands.

Come to think of it, she seemed to have heard about it in passing.

The story that an illegitimate child had recently entered the Count’s family.

At that sight, the young woman bowed her head and opened her mouth.

“What should we do? Elder.”