Alaric hurried down the corridor toward Javier’s chamber with several documents clutched tightly in his hands.
His footsteps echoed through the quiet halls of Srome, moving faster than usual until he finally reached the large wooden door.
After briefly straightening his clothes, he raised a hand and knocked twice.
Knock!
Knock!
He had barely opened his mouth to announce himself when Javier’s voice came from the other side.
“Come in.” Alaric paused with his hand still resting on the doorknob.
He had not spoken a single word, yet Javier already knew someone was waiting outside.
The revelation from the previous day briefly returned to his mind before he pushed the thought aside and entered the chamber.
Javier stood beside the open window with both hands resting behind his back, his head slightly lowered as though he were listening to something beyond the walls of Srome.
The morning breeze slipped through the window and gently disturbed the curtains behind him.
Alaric approached the desk and placed the documents upon its surface.
“Your Highness, I have investigated everything you ordered yesterday.” Javier turned away from the window and walked toward the desk before taking his seat.
“Good. Report.”
Alaric opened the first document and glanced over the figures he had marked during his investigation.
“The most suspicious transaction I found was a donation made to the Srivi Orphanage.” Javier raised his head slightly.
“How much?” Alaric looked directly at the amount written on the page.
“Four hundred thousand gold coins.” The finger Javier had been resting against the armrest immediately stopped moving.
Alaric noticed the subtle reaction but continued.
“And it wasn’t a one-time transaction. Almost the same amount was transferred repeatedly. The records describe them as donations, but the amounts are far beyond what an orphanage would normally receive.” You are reading on NovelPing, the official source.
“The Srivi Orphanage…” Javier murmured, slowly tapping one finger against the desk as he considered the name.
Alaric opened another document and placed it beside the first.
“I investigated its management as well. The administration is in terrible condition. Financial records are missing, several officials have been accused of accepting bribes, and I found evidence of gambling and extortion involving some members of the staff.” Javier’s tapping gradually slowed before stopping altogether.
His posture remained composed, though his shoulders had become slightly more rigid.
“What about the substance we found?”
Alaric’s expression became serious as he pulled another document from the stack.
“We’ve identified it.” Javier’s fingers moved across the desk until they touched the edge of the paper.
“Vilon,” Alaric said.
Javier repeated the name quietly.
“Vilon…” Alaric nodded.
“A powerful sedative with hallucinatory effects. Its production is extremely expensive, and only certain races possess the knowledge required to create Vilon of such quality.”
“And where is it being produced?” Javier asked.
Alaric took a short breath before answering.
“I found Gardo’s hideout on the outskirts of Srome. Several Elves are being forced to produce Vilon there.” Javier became completely still.
For the first time, the scattered pieces of the investigation were beginning to form something larger.
“So that’s how it is…” he murmured.
“The drug isn’t merely being sold in Srome. It is being produced here.” Alaric gave a slow nod.
“And someone is financing the entire operation.”
“Who?”
“We haven’t identified the person behind it yet.” Alaric turned another page and continued, “But Vilon is extremely popular among adventurers in Srome. Most of its buyers are adventurers, and some have been purchasing it regularly.” Javier leaned back slightly in his chair as he processed the information. You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
Adventurers were supposed to accept dangerous requests, hunt monsters and help protect the regions in which they operated.
If a large number of them had become regular customers of an illegal drug operation, the problem extended beyond simple corruption.
“So the city is supplying the very people who are supposed to protect it.” Alaric lowered his gaze.
“That appears to be the case.”
Javier remained silent for several moments before another thought surfaced.
“What about Elena?” Alaric immediately reached for another document.
“Elena is twenty years old.
According to the old records, she was raised at the Srivi Orphanage.” He paused briefly before adding, “She still works there.” Javier’s head turned slightly toward him.
The orphanage again.
First the enormous donations, then the corruption within its administration, and now Elena’s connection to the same place.
None of those details were enough to prove anything by themselves, but together they were beginning to form a pattern.
Javier slowly rose from his chair.
“So we’ve finally found a pattern in Gardo’s movements.”
Alaric watched as Javier reached for his coat.
“Alaric.” The former commander straightened.
“Yes, Your Highness?” Javier slipped the coat over his shoulders and adjusted it before turning toward the door.
“We’re going to the Adventurers’ Guild.” Surprise briefly crossed Alaric’s face.
“The Adventurers’ Guild?” Javier gave a small nod.
“There is something I need to do there.”