Chapter 196- Breaking in

The day after Mrs. Fera conspired with the Senator of the town of Porta, a large announcement was made for everyone to gather at the plaza.

Nobody was told why, however the Senator made attendance mandatory- as it was a matter which effected everyone in the town.

The town had a low population of only around 75 people. This did not include orphans, as they were not officially accounted for. As such, it didn't take long for everyone to gather.

Of course, Veronica and Mrs. Fera were both present, however Veronica stood at the very back, concealing herself and staying out of view, whereas Mrs. Fera stood at the very front of the crowd.

Standing at a podium, the Senator stood forward and lowered his hands to quiet everyone before speaking.

"Citizens of Porta, I am sure you are all wondering as to why I have called you here today. Fortunately, we have gathered here today so that I may relay good news for you. Mrs. Fera, will you please step up here?"

Mrs. Fera carried herself well. The Senator was dressed in a fancy tunic- one covered with medals and plates, while he wore his crown of leaves symbolizing his position as a direct subordinate of the Emperor. Mrs. Fera wore a slim yet elegant black dress, which symbolized her status as the owner of multiple successful businesses.

She took a light bow of the head to the Senator, and then to the crowd as she got up to the podium, standing next to the Senator.

"Mrs. Fera here is the owner of both the orphanage and the newly built factory. Now- there have been some rumors spreading recently in which I would first like to dispel personally. After thorough investigation, and the collection of an abundance of evidence, we have confirmed that there is absolutely nothing suspicious going on within the factory, and the rumors of child labor being used to power it are nothing more than falsehood. Rather, it has been confirmed that traveling workers are the ones performing the work."

People began thinking to themselves.

'Ah, so they were using traveling laborers.'

'I heard those rumors, but I never believed them anyways. It would have been too obvious.'

'I saw the children doing work in the factories. That Senator is lying through his teeth.'

'What are they trying to pull here?'

While a select few knew the truth, most people now believed that there was no validity to the rumors, and no further reason to investigate.

'Well, even if the rumors are true, if the Senator is supporting her then there is nothing to do about it anyways.'

'Sticking my head in things would only cause problems for myself. I can't risk the safety of my own family just because of some orphans.'

'The nail which sticks out is the one which gets hammered.'

Among the people who knew of the truth behind the rumors, only one person had the resolve to fight the corruption.

And it was the one person, who herself had been corrupted in her childhood.

She had confidence in her ability to use and manipulate people, and she knew that if she was given time and properly planned, that she would find a way to take down this corruption.

However, things weren't as simple as before.

When she was young, all she had to do was get the other children in trouble so that the headmaster would notice, in such a way that they seemed like the bad guys, and she seemed like the good guy.

Of course, that was still the case- but making it look that way was not so easy, and especially so when she held less power than the opposition.

However, was that not exactly how things had always been?

Veronica had always been at a disadvantage.

The young boys were always stronger than her- able to overpower her- in a better starting position than her.

This was exactly why she had to use her head to beat them. Not her strength.

Was this scenario not exactly the same?

The Senator and Mrs. Fera had a better starting position than Veronica.

Right now, she only had her business skill and her contacts from other towns to rely on, while they had the power of the government and a small unit of the military even to fall back on.

However, this made Veronica smile.

It was the same.

She was weaker.

She was in the position of the underdog.

And it was this exact position which allowed her to do what was necessary, and defeat her opponent.

It was when she was lying down, showing her belly in submission that she would pull out a dagger and stab the one trying to establish dominance over her with a sinister grin, and say 'checkmate.'

People were nothing more than unpredictable toys- you could play with them, and because you didn't know what they would say or do, this made it all the more interesting.

However, Veronica too was one of these toys.

And she had no intention to be thrown out.

The Senator coughed with an 'Ahem.', and continued his speech.

"Now then, where were we? Ah, yes. Now that the truth has been revealed regarding the rumors behind the factory, it is time I discuss what I have called you all here for. Out of pure generosity, Mrs. Fera has ever so kindly offered a significant donation out of the profits of the factory. While most of her own profits are going to be used to improve the conditions of the orphanage and factory, the donation she has graciously offered to us has allowed for a reduction in taxes. Yes, that is right! In order to continue funding government operations, of course finances are necessary, however because of Mrs. Fera's generous donation, we have been able to reduce each person's individual taxes by a factor of a half! I am sure you are all extremely pleased with this, so please make sure to express your gratitude to Mrs. Fera."

'Seriously?? We're getting a tax break because of her?'

'This has never happened before. A business sacrificing profits for the good of the people?'

'There is no way that someone so generous would be using child labor!'

'Even if she was, I wouldn't mind so long as I get this break!'

Many who were unsure behind the truth of the rumors were now convinced that they were untrue- and even if they were true, that there was absolutely no need to meddle now that they benefited from Mrs. Fera's business directly.

This was the exact move performed by Mrs. Fera and the Senator to prevent anyone from even wanting to find out the truth.

Now, even those who knew the truth would have no motivation to try and uncover anything, even if they had wanted to do so previously.

Except for Veronica.

Veronica didn't care about something like a tax break. Even though she spent all her time making money, she saw through this plot and continued her own counter to such a move.

'Well, I won't complain about the break for now, but that isn't something which effects my business outside of this town. However, that was a good move on their part. Now almost nobody will go against them, and they are essentially free to do as they please.'

Veronica held back a haughty laugh.

'Perfect. If they believe that I am no threat to them, then there is all the more opportunity for me to sneak my way in and rupture them from the inside.'

Veronica thought of how she could take them down.

If the Emperor, who was known for his kindness and hatred for corruption, were to find out about this, then it would be game over for these two.

However, as far as Veronica knew, the Emperor was not currently within the Empire, and as such she wouldn't be able to gain an audience with him even if she did somehow manage to get into a position to do so. At least, not until he arrived back in the Empire.

So how would she approach this?

She would need to continue spreading her influence, and gain valuable contacts while not gaining too much attention.

Then, she would launch a surprise attack on the two.

She didn't know how she would do this yet, but she had confidence that she would find an opportunity when it showed itself, and pounce on it.

----

It took a long time for Coran and Alicia to walk along the country road before they reached the town of Porta.

They could have flown, but if they did they would have to do so at a high altitude to ensure that they wouldn't be seen.

It was less risky to walk. If they were walking, and were seen from afar, then perhaps the person would mistake them for some oddly dressed travelers. If they were flying through the air and seen from afar, this was not as likely- it would be known that a strange flying object would be making it's way through the Empire.

As such, since there was nobody around, it was safer to walk along the paths.

Coran was not on a time limit for his mission. His masters encouraged him as a matter of fact to not worry about the time, and to only focus on 'doing things right the first time.'

That didn't mean he could afford to waste time, however it meant that he was allowed to exchange it for a higher chance of success.

"You don't really act like a slave at all. It's fine if it's just you and me, but if you act like you do towards my masters, then there could be a problem."

"What do you mean?"

"Well.... how do I put it.... you aren't exactly very submissive. That's fine by me, as I don't even really know whether you are allowed to be my slave, but what if you were to speak casually to my masters? They are kind and benevolent, and would never do anything to hurt those who they have taken under their wings, but don't forget that I am the one who accepted you- not them. There could come a time in the future where they question me about you, and if they order me to kill you I will simply do so without hesitation. Do you understand that?"

"I.... wouldn't mind dying if it was by your hand."

"Well, it's not like I want to kill you or anything. So long as you prove that you are useful, they will have no reason to kill you. Just keep in mind that you should be very careful."

"Ok!"

The two continued walking on their path, and at long last arrived at the village of Porta.

When they saw it in the distance, Coran first scoped out the overall landscape.

It was hilly terrain, and the village was located in a valley surrounded by steep inclines, and there was a small river running through the Southern side of the village. Near the river was an abundance of farming plots outside the village.

The pathway too ran through the village going from East to West through the valley, which Coran and Alicia looked down upon from a hilltop to the East of the village.

The buildings were made of wood and cobble, and the town was small enough that from the high point he was standing, Coran could see the entire town.

There seemed to be a mineshaft North of the village, dug into the hills that surrounded it.

'Well, this will be good to make a note of.'

Coran reached into his bag, and pulled out the spiderlike camera, and made a full 360 degree scan of the area.

'There we go. Now their excellencies will be able to view this information when they have time.'

After doing so, Coran motioned toward Alicia to continue moving, and head down the hill into the village.

"We shouldn't allow ourselves to be seen, but it will be somewhat troublesome to stay hidden. We don't have any sort of stealth skills, and we hold the appearances of monsters. What I think we should do is to hide in the attic of a building somewhere, where we won't be found. We should simply observe the people of the town for now, and then later we can make a move if we find a suitable target. Ok?"

"Got it."

The two set off down the hill, entering the town of Porta.

----

There was a set of buildings which seemed to be separated from the rest of the city- just slightly further out on the Eastern side, away from the rest.

Coran decided to aim for those buildings.

"If we can make our way inside those buildings and hide away, we should be able to take our time and observe. Heh... we'll be a hornet hiding in the walls and a spider making his web in the attic."

"Will that be alright? What if we're seen?"

"Well, worst case scenario we can kill anyone who sees us if they aren't willing to cooperate, however in the case that we are noticed we should be able to try to negotiate first. Our goal is to get along with people after all, and needlessly killing someone would only bring attention our way."

Coran then put one spiderlike hand to his mouth in thought.

"Actually, wait."

"What is it?"

"Well, I know that I can call over my masters at any time... and while it would be shameful to have to interrupt them to do so, we actually have significantly more leeway than we think. It wouldn't actually be too bad if our existences were to be exposed. We could then simply act natural... yes, we could fight anyone who tries to harm us, and after showing them that we don't intend to kill anyone, maybe they would see us in a different light... it isn't guaranteed, but it's possible. I am relatively sure that there is nobody in this village strong enough to face me, or even you for that matter... hmm... it wouldn't bring too much risk to expose ourselves in a backwater town like this. While there is the possibility that a larger force would be called to take care of us, there is also the chance that the Empire wouldn't put forth the resources for a place like this. Even if they did, it would be a halfhearted effort at first. With that being said, even in a worst case scenario, I should be able to figure something out. Of course, this is only if we were to be discovered. For now, let's do our best to stay concealed."

"Alright."

The two snuck over across some pastures, hiding within the corn stalks until they came closer to the two buildings which they had seen from afar.

One building was a single story, and it was made of wood. It was a long rectangular building, and there was a sign up front.

Fera Orphanage.

Next to it was what looked like a metal warehouse. The building itself was 2 stories, and there were only windows at the very top. Light from flames seemed to come out from the windows.

Coran could hear the sounds of pounding metal, and roaring furnaces.

'Ah, it reminds me of back home.', Coran thought as he remembered the facilities which Gary had created.

The roaring flames of the cannons, and the pounding of metal during the creation of structures were sounds all too familiar to him.

Coran and Alicia looked around from where they were hiding in the field of maize, and didn't see anyone around.

"Alright.... it doesn't look like anyone is around here, though there are people inside that warehouse there. Both buildings have triangular roofs, meaning that they will both have attics that we can stow away in. Which one do you think we should take?"

"Let's do the wooden one... the metal one looks like it will be hot and uncomfortable to stay in."

"You're right. Let's go. Make sure you aren't seen. As a matter of fact..."

Coran picked Alicia up by her waist and placed her in his bag like a piece of luggage.

'Ah! D-don't touch me so unexpectedly like that!'

"You stay quiet in here. You are quite noticeable, after all. Your colors are too vibrant."

'He called me noticeable...', Alicia thought with a strange smile.

Coran then closed the flap to his bag and snuck over to the warehouse, which was the closer of the two buildings.

The doors were cracked open slightly, so Coran shifted over to take a peek to see how many people were inside.

He saw a number of furnaces and tables where metal was being refined and forged into weapons and armor. There were also many storage racks on the sides, and cooling bins.

However, most noticeable were the people inside.

There were about 30 children all working hard to produce the equipment. Their ages ranged from only 3 or 4 to 13 and 14 years old, and the older ones seemed to be doing the more laborious tasks while delegating easier tasks to the younger ones.

"You, go bring this over to the rack!", one shouted while handing a sword to a girl who looked to be about only 3.

"And when you're coming back, fetch me the tongs!"

"Got it!"

They were all working together nicely as if they were trained adults.

'There are quite a few of them. This is tricky. I suppose I'll just avoid this building altogether for now. If someone comes out it will be trouble though...'

What Coran didn't know was that none of them would dare to come out, for doing so would be worthy of punishment by the headmaster.

To stop working on the clock was a punishable offense- one that someone could get fired for in the real workforce.

However, this was not a real workforce.

There was no such thing here as 'on the clock', namely because these children were always on the clock so long as the quota was not met for the day.

Coran shifted along the building, keeping watch over both entrances to see if anyone came out, and eventually made his way over to the side closer to the wooden building.

'Now just to enter here...'

Coran shot out a web over to the overhang above the door, and swung over in an instant.

He then started to look in the windows to determine if anyone was inside the wooden building, all while keeping watch over the warehouse.

There was nobody inside. He went around the entire building, but there was not a single person inside the orphanage.

'Perfect. I must have caught them on an off day. Or perhaps all the people are in the warehouse. Either way, it works out for me.'

Coran opened the door- or tried to, however it was locked.

'Eh? I didn't expect it to be locked. There didn't seem to be any food or water inside that warehouse, so I thought that they would keep it in here, and be able to go back and forth... I suppose that isn't the case. Did I miss a storage bin somewhere that could have been holding it? Well, that shouldn't matter. For now let's just find a way in.'

Coran reached into his bag, feeling around with his human hand and accidentally grabbing the face of Alicia.

"EEP!"

"Shh!! We're trying to sneak around here!", Coran whispered after she let out a scream.

Coran frantically watched the warehouse, however nobody came out.

'Whew... looks like we're safe for now.'

"I need something to pick this lock. A thin needle or something... I don't recall bringing one, but their excellencies packed that bag with all sorts of tools. Do you see anything in there?"

"Um..."

Coran heard the sound of Alicia rummaging around within the bag.

"I don't see anything."

Coran grimaced at his own unpreparedness.

'How could I have not predicted this scenario... I should have requested more tools to bring...'

However, an idea then struck him.

"Ah! Don't you have like a stinger or something? Could we use that?"

"W-what?"

"Give me your stinger. Can you like pull it off or something?"

"Um.... well... actually...."

"What is it? Spit it out."

"I don't actually have a stinger...."

"Eh? Really? You're a wasp queen and you don't even have a stinger?"

"I'm a humanoid! I don't have anything like that!"

Alicia's face seemed to be red as she said this. Why was she freaking out so much? He just needed something to pick the lock with.

"Hm... I see.... well, looks like we're going with plan B. I didn't want to do this, as it would be too suspicious, but oh well."

Coran grabbed the door handle with his human hand, and forced it open, breaking part of the wood on the door.

He walked into the home, and looked around. The entrance looked like a reception desk area, and there was a long hallway to the left, as well as a door in front of him behind the desk.

"Alright, we've broken in. Let's find somewhere to hide."