The next morning I get up still with some persistent drowsiness, while I got up like a zombie coming out of the grave, I feel someone helping me change my clothes, at first my mind was still off from sleep, but little by little I got more awake and I noticed that it was Freya.
“Thanks for the help, but I can dress myself.” (I)
“I’m just doing one of my duties, master.” (Freya)
“Lilian asked me to come to wake you up, but when I arrived I found you getting up and I decided to help.” (Freya)
I let her help, I’ve heard that nobles have servants to help them put on their clothes, I always thought it was ridiculous, but it seems Freya likes to help, I know she’s been worried about losing her maid role having her daughter take over more and more the place that once belonged to her.
Freya has been training a lot with her bow and arrow, in addition, she has been an instructor for the Dungeon archers and started her Aura training which she has neglected until now.
I might feel ashamed if it was someone else, but she’s seen me in more humiliating conditions, so that’s okay.
———-
When I went down to the dining room, I found a large tray with a white skeleton of some kind of monster with no trace of meat left, there was only Layla, Ibuki, and Ragnar at the table with their mouths smeared with some kind of sauce.
Freya takes me to the kitchen discreetly so the hungry don’t notice the direction we’re going, Freya takes me to the kitchen where she prepares a sandwich with the help of some of the Maids who work for Lilian.
After I ate I went to the room where Elsaris, Lilian, and Nira were already talking.
“Good morning everyone.” (I)
“Good Morning.” (All)
I sit on a couch and place a hand on my forehead still slightly hung over from yesterday.
“Freya told me you wanted to talk to me, Lilian.” (I)
“I just wanted to know what the Holy Son has been planning to do in this city.” (Lilian).
I had already thought about it, as a tourist I have many things to do, but the most important thing now is to know some information.
“First of all, I have to know some information.” (I)
“I know almost everything about this city and this Kingdom, you can ask whatever you want.” (Lilian)
“I already wonder how the official government works, now I would like to know how the criminals of this place choose a ruler and why obey another criminal?” (I)
“This is a normal question, I remember having asked the same question in the past.” (Elsaris)
“I’ll explain everything to you…” (Lilian)
———–
Lilian started to explain everything with Elsaris making some welcome additions to the explanation.
From what I could understand, the criminals’ system of government works quite brutally with the weakest being heavily exploited.
It seems criminals also have taxes to pay based on how much they earn from their businesses, those at the bottom of the pyramid have to pay half of the earnings to those above with a portion being turned over to the ruler and the rest being divided among those in the middle of the pyramid.
Then comes the middle of the pyramid which pays only 30% of the earnings with a part going to the ruler and the rest being divided with those at the top of the pyramid.
Those at the top only pay 10% tax which goes straight to the ruler with nothing being shared with anyone, those who don’t are killed, and their businesses cannibalized by others.
Everyone has their own business, but the ruler is prohibited from having a business of his own with his only source of income being the taxes earned, this prevents monopoly. .
The reason everyone obeys is because they are being heavily watched by the ruler’s assassins, they are also watched by other criminal groups who have gained a lot by taking the business of the fool who tries to do something out of line.
Those at the top of the power pyramid make a contract with the ruler that forbids them from going around each other and around the ruler, so they are more aware of those at the bottom waiting to take advantage of those more foolish with eyes hungry for greed.
In this brutal system, the death toll is huge, only the truly capable and skilled rise while the greedy ones with no real ability are swallowed up by the others.
The ruler is always chosen every 50 years, he must be smart, strong, cunning, and cruel.
Candidates participate in a brutal competition where only the winner comes out alive being the first test of courage and daring to participate in the competition.
For criminals origins, race, age, gender, or any other crap doesn’t matter, only true ability can survive in a world where only predators live.
The greatest duty of the ruler of criminals is to keep everyone in some order to do their business without causing major disturbances or getting in the way of the rulers of this Realm.
The Kingdom knows this and turns a blind eye to many crimes, as long as there’s nothing too serious going on, but that doesn’t mean crimes will still be investigated and criminals dealt with according to the law if they aren’t able to do everything in secret.
This system of government is brutal, any mistake leading to death.
One thing Elsaris said was that the Black Market only supports the ruler of criminals, they do it because thanks to this cruel system money is able to flow faster.
The Black Market just like any other type of business likes to run things smoothly, this Realm is a central point for this entire continent.
————
After listening to Lilian and Elsaris explain the crime in this Realm, I was surprised that something like this was happening, but what I didn’t like was what Elsaris said last.
Looks like the people we captured earlier today are agents of this ruler of crime, the woman Elsaris punched is the ruler’s right hand man.
Looks like the boy I caught was a potential new recruit being trained, they saw us but couldn’t stop the boy in time, they realized we were strong too late.