‘Excuse me, but why is this person called Rishir the City Councilor’s proxy?’
Rishir’s question was answered immediately.
“Ah! You see—”
Seeing Rishir’s expression twist in doubt, Dogal had flinched and rushed to explain himself.
***
Gadum, immediately after his encounter with Rishir, had secretly begun preparations to flee from Bondales—quietly and quickly.
But that secrecy was pointless; Dogal knew Gadum far too well.
‘So he’s scared shitless, but still dares to send the guards away from the estate? That bastard...’
Sensing something off, Dogal posted his closest men at every city gate in Bondales and gave them a strict order:
“Any carriage trying to pass inspection by flaunting status or authority—detain it at all costs!”
As expected, the fish walked straight into the net.
“Dogal! What do you think you’re doing!”
“You know exactly what this is.”
Gate inspections were under the jurisdiction of the City Guard.
As the captain, Dogal could forge the reports with ease.
[Around 9PM, a carriage carrying City Councilor Gadum attempted to exit the city. Reason: unknown. A large amount of valuables were loaded in the cargo hold.]
With Dogal’s “cooperation,” Gadum’s escape from the city became a matter of official record.
Then, Dogal confined Gadum in a separate location and headed for the councilor’s mansion.
“What are you saying?! Lord Gadum tried to abandon us and run away?!”
He contacted Gadum’s steward first.
“See this?”
“...That’s—!”
“Yeah. One of Gadum’s prized possessions he never shut up about. This was loaded into the carriage he tried to flee in. Not just this—bet his personal vault is empty too. You get it now? Gadum tried to run away. Alone.”
“Why would Lord Gadum...”
“You’d know better than I would. You were here yesterday. You saw what happened.”
“...Yes.”
“And this morning, where did the guests Gadum kicked out of the house go?”
“...Councilor Ran’s estate...”
Soon, all of the retainers joined the discussion.
“Exactly. They followed her. Think about what they talked about that night in the annex. Why did Gadum let them go so easily? Because he realized it was over for him.”
“Wait... you’re saying even the [Wine in the Left Hand] incident was Ran’s doing?”
“Not just involved—she likely orchestrated it. Or rather, someone Ran considers a ‘friend’ did.”
“You mean... that honorary mage, Rishir!?”
“Right. Truth is, Gadum wasn’t running from Ran—he was running from that man.”
“W-What do you know, Dogal!? Tell me everything you know!”
“All I’ll say is, Gadum messed with someone he should’ve never touched.”
“...My god...”
Coming from the captain of the city guard, these were no idle words.
“Dogal! It’s true! Lord Gadum’s personal vault is completely empty!”
Combined with Gadum’s attempted flight, Dogal’s perspective rapidly spread among them.
None of them dared make their own judgment. They asked Dogal what to do.
“Then what should we do now?”
Dogal gauged their mood, then pulled out a prepared story.
“What we should do? That’s obvious, isn’t it? Lord Gadum must’ve left us with instructions before he left the city.”
“Instructions...?”
“He appointed Rishir as his proxy while away on personal business, didn’t he?”
“...Do you think we can keep our positions if we go along with that?”
“Who is that man working with?”
“Ran Pellos...”
“Exactly. Once this all ends, none of us are going to have a place in the council. That’s why—”
“Then why—”
“Survival comes first, doesn’t it? Survive now, plan for later.”
“...Plan for later?”
“Who knows? Maybe the ‘City Councilor’s Proxy’ will get attached to that title.”
They looked around.
The inside of Gadum’s estate was among the most luxurious in all Bondales.
The power that made it possible—Gadum’s political authority.
That seat of “City Councilor’s Proxy” was more than enough to tempt them.
They thought to themselves:
‘Maybe this way... we can still control that dangerous man. Maybe we can still protect our positions.’
***
Dogal, eager to be recognized for his achievements, enthusiastically relayed all of this to Rishir.
‘So basically... they dumped Gadum before he could dump them. Great.’
And so, Rishir accepted the ridiculous title of “City Councilor Gadum’s Proxy.”
Still... he was baffled.
‘And all that chaos happened... because of me?’
He looked at Dogal, who gazed back with awe and reverence.
A familiar expression.
‘Don’t tell me... this guy too?’
Rishir realized the truth.
Just like the noble families had, this man had also been moved by something Rishir did—and now looked up to him with boundless respect.
Gadum was probably the same.
This whole chain of events had started because of him.
‘But what the hell did I do!?’
Feeling wronged in a way he couldn’t quite define, Rishir began to think about what to do next—when suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind.
“How convenient.”
It was Clana.
“Now there’s no need to serve under that woman Ran.”
“...What are you talking about?”
Rishir instinctively replied.
‘Oh god. What now?’
He didn’t even notice Dogal and the guards slowly backing away as he started mumbling to himself.
“That Ran you follow. She was floundering against Gadum, wasn’t she? So here’s the plan. You take control of Gadum’s power. And you become the ruler of this city.”
“You want me to keep playing City Councilor’s Proxy forever?”
The immense power and wealth of the council seat.
For a fleeting moment, Rishir was tempted. But only for a moment.
Crime, corruption—upholding Gadum’s empire meant continuing his businesses.
Rishir knew with certainty.
He wasn’t cut out for that kind of work.
“It’s an interesting offer, but I’ll pass. I’d rather succeed honestly.”
Clana chuckled, amused.
To her—a former mass murderer—it was an absurdly naive mindset.
And yet... she seemed oddly pleased.
She made no further objections to Rishir’s decision.
‘Alright. First, I’ll go find Councilor Ran and report all this.’
Rishir, his thoughts now clear thanks to Clana, ran into a new dilemma.
‘...Will the guards even listen to me?’
These were Gadum’s men, after all.
They didn’t serve for honor or duty. They moved only for profit.
There was no way people like that would replace their boss without having expectations.
‘They’re probably hoping I’ll carry on Gadum’s business as-is...’
In such a situation, what would their reaction be if he suddenly asked them to cooperate with Ran—symbol of honesty and integrity in Bondales?
‘It’s not going to go over well.’
It could even become the spark for another betrayal.
Keeping all this in mind, Rishir cautiously broached the topic.
“W-would you be willing to cooperate—?”
“?”
But contrary to his expectations, the guards were surprisingly cooperative.
Rishir didn’t know.
He had no idea what effect his "conversation with Clana"—which to them had sounded like a strange muttering—had on the guards.
“...What are you saying?”
“So you're telling me to keep pretending to be Gadum’s proxy?”
“It’s an interesting offer, but I’ll pass. I believe I can succeed through honest means.”
To them, it sounded like a spontaneous outburst.
But the content...
The guards immediately understood what it meant.
It was a warning.
—I know what you’re expecting.
—You probably expect the same from me that you did from Gadum.
—You’d better abandon that hope.
—I won’t move according to your will.
A warning against the subtle expectations they were harboring.
They had believed they might be able to manipulate this man to secure their positions.
But now, their minds had changed.
In this moment, they abandoned all such desires.
“We will fully comply with Councilor Ran’s directives!”
Survival became their only remaining goal.
It was the moment when the Bondales City Guard was reborn—not as a force bought with bribes, but as a ruthless and impartial civil institution.
***
[Event deactivated]
[Event deactivated]
***
Ran believed in striking while the iron was hot.
She had secured the support of three influential figures.
She had turned Gadum’s old friends to her side.
She had acquired the secret ledger from [Wine in the Left Hand].
Now, it was time to move the city council.
That was why Ran had invited Councilor Morin to her estate.
Morin was the longest-serving member of the current council, wielding tremendous influence.
With her support, the plan to expel Gadum from the council would be complete.
So, in the presence of Gadum’s former allies, Ran shared her plan with Morin.
The stern-looking elderly woman furrowed her brows and said:
“Impressive, Ran. Not only did you convince all these people, you even secured the critical documents to pressure him. Your plan is well-reasoned. Highly feasible.”
“Then—”
“Even so, I must advise you to reconsider.”
“Councilor Morin?!”
“Let’s assume everything goes according to plan. You corner Gadum, pressure him from within and without, drive him out of the council, drag him into court, and put him on trial under city law. That’s all fine. But then what?”
“You mean... after that?”
“Ran. Do you think Gadum will go quietly? He’ll use the city guard to lash out in full force. The guard will strike or riot. City order will collapse in an instant. He’s cunning. He’ll make the citizens believe that the chaos is our fault. Can you handle that?”
“I can. But—”
“Sure. But the rest of the council may not agree.”
“...”
Ran fell into deep thought.
Morin gazed at the younger councilor with concern, then added:
“What’s more, I’ve heard a meeting of the underworld bosses is being convened soon.”
“...They’re gathering?”
“Yes. The Wine in the Left ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Hand incident must’ve stirred them. Think about it. If Gadum doesn’t show up, how do you think they’ll react?”
“...”
“Right now, they’re seething with discontent. The rise of the ‘Saint’ and the ‘Master’ has already shrunk their turf. And if Gadum—who at least ensured a trickle of profit—is gone...”
“...There will be war.”
“Exactly. Citizens will die every day. Until the city manages to root them all out and purge the ringleaders hiding in the shadows. If Gadum is removed by a council decision, if the guard strikes, if the criminals start rampaging... who do you think the public will blame?”
“...I—” S~eaʀᴄh the NovelZone.fun website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
“I know what you want to say. That wounds must be cut away to heal. That pain is the price of justice. But Ran—think carefully. Do we have the strength and the luxury to bear that pain?”
“...”
“Never underestimate Gadum for his petty nature. He’s far stronger than we give him credit for. Look at how easily he bought the entire city guard. We’re still wracking our heads trying to undo what he built.”
As if to conclude the conversation, Morin stood from her seat.
Then, with a bitter smile, she said:
“Your unwavering ideals are always admirable, Ran. But reality is cruel. Most people are realists—not idealists like you. Your task isn’t to convince yourself—it’s to convince them. So, when you find a way to do that... call me again.”
In other words—don’t come back until you have a convincing solution.
With that, the elderly councilor offered her cold but caring parting words and prepared to leave.
“W-what is this, Dogal?! What are you doing here?!”
Morin’s expression tightened.
The voice outside the door belonged to her personal guard.
The doors opened, and Dogal entered the room with a group of city guards.
“Rishir...!”
Ran stood up and called the man’s name.
“Rishir...”
Morin repeated it quietly.
“So, you must be the young man she’s been talking about—”
Morin sighed deeply.
It was this Rishir who had filled the young councilor’s head with delusions and pushed her to cause a scene.
The situation was clear.
‘He went too far and provoked Gadum—giving him an excuse to retaliate...’
The city guard barging into a councilor’s estate with armed men—such a move was unthinkable without irrefutable cause.
‘A shame. Truly a shame.’
To Morin, Ran’s political career ended here.
With sincere regret, the elder councilor began:
“Ran, I told you not to trust peop—”
“You did it, Rishir!”
“?”
Morin doubted her ears.
No—her eyes too.
Ran was beaming with joy.
In complete disbelief, Morin asked:
“Ran, what...?”
“Councilor Morin! It seems Rishir has persuaded the city guard to change sides!”
“Wha...!”
Morin let out a sigh of despair.
Clearly, the young councilor had lost her mind.
To think her conclusion in this situation was “he persuaded them”—absurd.
“...It sort of just happened that way.”
“?”
Rishir gave Dogal a look, and the guard bowed politely toward Ran.
“...No...”
The elder councilor could no longer keep up.
[Event deactivated]
With Rishir’s arrival, the meeting took a dramatic turn.
“Gadum appointed you as his proxy? That’s absurd—”
“Rishir! You’ve recruited all of Gadum’s retainers, haven’t you!”
“...It sort of just happened that way.”
And just like that, the conversation topic shifted from “Removing Gadum” to “Stabilizing the criminal underworld.”
Morin was struck by intense cognitive dissonance, as if her decades of life experience were being invalidated in real time. She struggled to keep up.
“—So anyway, we believe there’s likely a high-level dark mage among Gadum’s associates. If you’re planning to infiltrate their gathering, proceed with utmost caution.”
“Understood. In that case, what if I sneak into that back-alley meeting myself?”
“Logically... that makes the most sense.”
“...”
The elderly councilor and her assistant both clutched their foreheads.