So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

The sewers were different from what I had imagined.

While they were damp and dark as expected, most notably, there wasn't dirty sewage flowing.

It felt more like a dungeon than sewers.

Torches hung abundantly on the walls, and the space had an overall greenish tint, perhaps due to moss.

The clear difference from a dungeon was that many people passed through.

The bustling atmosphere felt even more lively than the lower district above ground.

'Why isn't water flowing in the sewers, Oliver?'

'There's a separate place where sewage flows. You'll see it when we go further in. There's even a lake.'

Surely they're not just calling a puddle a lake?

That's what I thought, but it really was a lake with fish living in it.

'There are even fishermen who make a living fishing there.'

'Is it safe to eat those?'

'Sometimes they catch fish with three eyes or extra limbs, but they're edible. The lakeside taverns fry them up.'

'Must be quite the delicacy.'

Oliver explained the geography of the sewer interior.

The sewers seemed very complex and widely spread out.

Naturally, there weren't as many open spaces as above ground, but the area of intertwined maze-like passages reached about one-third of the imperial road.

There were even places in the sewers that could be called 'cities'.

The largest city accessible from Nahagu was 'Hanagu.'

Apparently named after Nahagu.

Anyway, Hanagu was quite a large city.

"Wow..."

Even Obern, who rarely lost his composure (outwardly), was impressed.

Hanagu came into full view below the long descending path.

The ancients seem to have discovered a huge basin underground while designing the sewers.

And people with various reasons for not being able to live above ground must have built this city below.

"This is the city of rats and snakes, Hanagu."

Oliver said this.

'City of rats and snakes'?

If we get rid of all the rats, it'll just be the 'city of snakes'.

You could really see a lake down there.

Though it didn't look very clean, fishing boats floated on it and taverns lined the shore.

Now that we'd reached our destination, it was time to get to work.

Obern and I looked at each other and nodded.

We spoke simultaneously.

"Let's find the Emperor's traitor."

'Let's find my lost treasure.'

Then we looked at each other again.

Seems our priorities were a bit different.

"No, first I need to save my life..."

'Well, there's no time limit, and my treasure might not have been sold yet, so we should search the underground auction house first...'

I thought my side was more logical, but.

Obern looked at me like I was some great villain.@@novelbin@@

Ungrateful fellow.

I started arguing with Obern while bickering.

Oliver stopped us.

After hearing our circumstances, Oliver spoke calmly.

"Both matters are important, and both can be accomplished at once."

I felt strange looking at Oliver.

'We have three goals though.'

"Ah... yes, that's right."

I didn't think Oliver was volunteering to help us.

He too was helping us to achieve his own goal. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

To put that goal simply, 'revenge'.

Though it seems he's trying to use me for that, I'm willing to go along with it to some extent.

He's still a comrade after all.

Though also a traitor.

"There's somewhere we need to visit first to achieve all three goals."

'Where's that?'

"Information brokers."

Oliver said this.

Information brokers!

Well, there must be more proper ways to gather information than eavesdropping on tavern conversations.

"There are several types of information brokers. Some operate on a membership system with strict security, while others can be visited by anyone with money."

'And we?'

"Obviously the latter."

'The latter is worse than the former, right?'

Oliver shook his head.

"Actually, it's the opposite. Information is like flowing water - the more people come and go, the more information accumulates. However... it is a dangerous place."

Come to think of it, even in martial arts novels, organizations with high information power like Beggar's Sect or Haomin Sect had large numbers.

"They're people who buy and sell anything for money. It's an information guild created by those of humble origins banding together."

Somehow this explanation felt familiar.

"Butchers who sell meat, those who tend pigs and horses, courtesans who sell laughter and their bodies, innkeepers who sell alcohol and beds. They united to..."

'What!'

This definitely looks like...

'Isn't this Haomin Sect!'

Has Haomin Sect been established here in the empire's underground?

"I don't know what Haomin Sect is, but it's called the Under Circle."

What a strange name, Under Circle.

In my heart, it was definitely Haomin Sect.

And indeed.

"The branch we'll visit is a salon."

'By salon, you mean a pleasure house?'

"...Yes, a place with courtesans."

Mm, that's how an information guild should be.

==

[Burnt Rose Salon]

If it's a rose salon, it's a rose salon.

But what's with 'burnt' rose?

The classically styled sign showed a half-burned rose.

Oliver stared blankly at that sign.

Naturally, people passing by stared at us standing in front of the salon's door in broad daylight.

They snickered at us.

Especially the courtesans smoking outside the salon, who giggled while stealing glances at us.

"If Daisy finds out, I'm dead..."

'I've got my girlfriend wrapped around my finger' Obern muttered this.

Due to his exceptionally handsome appearance, the courtesans showed great interest in Obern.

He was embarrassed as they blew him kisses whenever their eyes met.

Among them was quite a bold courtesan.

"Sir, why don't you come in?"

She was a courtesan wearing heavy makeup and a seductive dress.

"Are you shy? I'm on break now, shall I go in with you?"

"..."

"My, look how shy he is. Why won't you look at me?"

The courtesan teased while bringing her face close to Obern's.

I got annoyed and revealed myself.

"Ssaak!"

Move!

However, the courtesan's reaction was unexpected when I thought she'd scream "Kyaaah!"

"Oh my, you keep a snake too?"

"..."

"How cute. It's the prettiest snake I've ever seen."

The courtesan stroked my head with her finger.

Hmm...

Must be good people gathered here.

And it seems this wasn't just this courtesan's unique taste.

"A snake?"

The courtesans who had been watching from behind all rushed over to pet me and make a fuss.

It seemed they weren't making a commotion because of Obern but because of me.

My shoulders (non-existent) swelled with pride.

Oliver didn't have the hobby of drawing attention by loitering in front of the salon.

He hadn't been standing still for no reason.

Soon a man came out.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No appointment, but..."

He took out something like a business card.

"I'd like to see Madame Rouge."

"...Please wait a moment."

The man went into the salon and came back after a while.

"I'll escort you to the upper floor."

The courtesans who had been clinging to Obern all scattered.

And they turned their gazes away as if we were invisible. It was almost disappointing.

The inside of the salon felt very luxurious and decadent.

A faint musk scent wafted from somewhere.

Our footsteps made no sound on the plush velvet carpet.

The interior was maze-like in its complexity, with the stairs the man led us to at the very back.

Creak.

The stairs made the characteristic noise of old wood.

After climbing for a while.

A space with a different atmosphere from the salon appeared.

Oliver spoke to me mentally.

'The salon's owner is a very dangerous woman who loves money. They say she'll sell anything if paid enough. This is my first time meeting her too...'

'Don't worry, we have plenty of money.'

Never thought I'd say such words, but it was true.