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"We\'re close." Broderick says over his shoulder, his voice low but steady. "My old friend runs a legitimate business on the surface, but he\'s one of the best contraband traffickers in the Consortium. He\'s been in the game for decades. When we get there, mind your manners. I may joke with him, but he won\'t take kindly to any rude remarks from newcomers."

I nod in response, understanding the importance of making a good first impression. This isn\'t just a meeting- it\'s an audition for a place in a world where power is everything.

"Are you certain that this is the right path for us to pursue?" My Ayame questions. Obviously, she is not thrilled by the prospect of joining a criminal organization, and I completely understand her, after all, I\'m rather iffy about it as well.

"We are here to see for ourselves how things work. You should already know better than anyone just how corrupt the kingdom already is. I can imagine a possible reality where a well-structured criminal organization is not any worse prospect than being in a noble\'s retinue, morality-wise.

Right now, we have multiple paths to follow, such as remaining independent and hoping that no enemy we can\'t triumph jumps into our way, we can become adventurers and hope that we don\'t get a badly evaluated quest that leads to our demise, we can become members of a noble\'s retinue but that\'s something my ego would never allow, or perhaps we can join an organization of like-minded people, who believe that personal strength and influence is the most important currency, and even if you have to cross a few bridges you would rather not, it might just be worth it in the end."

I pause for a few seconds before continuing, "I also value our individuality and independence very highly, but it\'s even more important to have strong backers until we can confidently stand on our own."

"My bro is so smart!" Broderick shouts energetically while hitting me on the back with his palm, then continues; "I agree about the adventurer part at the very least, we are just glorified monster hunters to be honest, and just like with our orc extermination mission, it\'s not a life insurance at all due to the inaccurate estimated difficulties of many quests.

I enjoy the thrill quite a lot, but it\'s certainly not everyone\'s ideal occupation."

Ayame nods in understanding. The two of us had our reservations about becoming adventurers all this while, and since the king himself signed her sentence of eternal slavery while having committed no wrong, it is also obvious that the ruling caste is rotten to the core.

They are simply legal criminals who, due to their birthright, can maintain their grip on power thanks to their family\'s generations of amassed wealth and power, which lets them paint themselves as the good guys.

Perhaps the safest path forward would be to become explorers of the labyrinths, but it\'s a slow process which means we likely wouldn\'t become strong enough for years to protect ourselves should a problem arise, and meeting hostile explorers is also a possibility. Should that happen, isn\'t it better to tell them that we have an entire giant organization backing us up?

We can continue clearing the labyrinths in our downtime as a secondary occupation even after joining the Consortium or finding another path for ourselves.

There\'s also a chance that we could mooch off of Broderick and his harem\'s kindness for an indefinite amount of time, but I would like to rely on the kindness of others only if really necessary. They are also adventurers, so we couldn\'t count on them being our bodyguards even if they accepted protecting us, since they will often be out of town.

However, should we join a syndicate, rise through its ranks, consolidate our power and refine its inner structure to fit our needs, I can see a future where I can use the Vesper Consortium to propel myself into becoming one of the continent\'s biggest names in just a few years of effort.

As we continue, the streets become narrower, the buildings taller and more refined. The noise of the market fades behind us, replaced by the quieter hum of wealthier districts. Finally, we arrive in front of an elegant three-story building nestled among the more prestigious shops and homes of the city.

The establishment is grand, its stone façade adorned with intricate carvings and polished to a high shine. Large windows display fine goods- luxury items that only the richest in Braedon could afford.

Broderick stops at the entrance, a pair of double doors framed by heavy velvet curtains. The sign above reads The Velvet Merchant, written in flowing script. It\'s the kind of place where people come to spend money discreetly, where secrets are traded as easily as gold.

"Here we are." Broderick says, turning to us. "Bro, don\'t forget. Keep your foul mouth in check."

"I have no clue whatever you might be talking about."

"Bahahaha! Well, you\'ve been warned!"

With that, he pushes open the doors and steps inside. The interior of The Velvet Merchant is just as luxurious as its exterior. The floors are polished marble, and the walls are lined with shelves holding rare artifacts, fine wines, and other high-end goods. The scent of exotic spices and polished wood fills the air, and the soft murmur of conversation drifts from the back of the room.

A tall, thin man with graying hair and a sharp, calculating gaze steps forward to greet us. He\'s dressed impeccably, in a suit that speaks of old money and refined taste. His eyes light up with recognition as he sees Broderick, a tired frown spreading across his features

"Broderick, you old bastard. I still refuse to feed my wife with your horrendous deserts, so stop bothering me with your nonsense."

Broderick chuckles before replying, "I\'m not here for that this once, Aurelian. Also, stop calling me old, I\'ve only got a few more years under my belt than you do."

Really? The fucker who calls himself my friend is older than this guy? Broderick looks to be the same age as I do, about 25, while Aurelian is visibly pushing 60.

Ayame did tell me that every tenth level elongates one\'s lifespan, but seeing this so starkly displayed in front of me for the first time is still a hard pill to swallow.

The merchant finally glances around and sees that Broderick is accompanied by three completely veiled, masked individuals. "Oh?" His eyes light up with a tinge of interest.

"You gave them some amazing gear. Your proteges?"

"More like my friend and his girls. The name is Devil." He introduces my alias that we\'ve decided on during lunch, which was invented by Garen the monster material merchant. I was debating about naming myself Hero, just for the lols, but ultimately decided that I would be serious about my alias, as I might have a long-standing career as a member of this syndicate or a criminal in general.