Osian and Basilio looked for a space to spend some time appropriately. However, District 17 had expensive housing prices and most living costs were considerably higher compared to other districts.
Even a single cup of commonly sold coffee was 5 times more expensive than elsewhere. The reason for the high prices was nothing special. This place was one of the hubs of finance where money flowed, and naturally, those who worked here earned enormous amounts of money.
For those who earned a lot of money, whether a cup of coffee here was 5 times or 10 times more expensive than other districts was not something to consider at all. Whatever it was, they would just buy it anyway. From the seller's perspective, they naturally had no choice but to raise prices. If only to cover the rent for the space they had secured.
'I thought I had earned enough money, but seeing District 17 once made me realize how narrow a well I had been living in.'
If they continued wandering around outside like this, even with permits, the guards would look at them strangely. Just then, one guard approached Osian directly.
"Hey there."
Just as Osian thought the guard might be trying to conduct a random inspection due to suspicious behavior, he noticed a playful glint in the guard's eyes.
"You're not a guard. Who are you?"
"What? I've been found out already?"
The guard spoke with a deliberately surprised voice and lightly winked one eye. Osian immediately recognized who this guard was."Aaron?"
"Oh. You're remembering my name? This is unexpected. I did introduce myself, but I thought you just let it go in one ear and out the other."
"Were you already inside from the beginning?"
"For us, sneaking into districts like this isn't that difficult. However, all the other brothers and sisters are hiding in the hideout. Only me and Malina can freely walk around outside."
It seemed that even the Blood Brotherhood wasn't at the level where they could walk around District 17 openly.
"Anyway, you got in earlier than expected. Well, it's a natural result since the legendary fixer Basilio is with you."
Aaron seemed to think they had passed through District 17 without any particular trouble thanks to Basilio. It wasn't exactly wrong, but since the process was quite difficult to express in words, Osian couldn't manage his expression well.
"Ahem. Well now, you have a good eye."
Basilio cleared his throat to prevent Osian from saying anything inappropriate and exchanged greetings with Aaron.
"So, did you come to guide us?"
"Well, something like that. Though there's one more person than expected."
Aaron stared intently at Basilio and then opened his mouth.
"Still, it's better than having no one."
"You don't need to worry. I guarantee his skills and identity."
"I know too. He's the industry's top fixer after all. A celebrity."
Basilio looked at Osian and sent him a glance. See? This old man is this kind of person. It was a look with that kind of meaning.
Osian was so dumbfounded that he couldn't even let out a hollow laugh. However, since he was gradually getting used to Basilio's personality, he didn't react particularly and followed behind Aaron.
The place Aaron guided Basilio and Osian to was a vacant office in a building of moderate size.
"District 17 has many skyscrapers like this, but that doesn't mean all spaces are utilized. Because it's expensive, there are more vacant offices than you'd think. Should I say the interior is shabby compared to the scale of the buildings you see from outside."
Aaron said this while opening the door to an office.
Familiar presences welcomed the two people from inside where light didn't enter well.
"What? There was one more person?"
Krollakia, the blue lizardman they had seen before, flicked his tongue while staring at Basilio.
"So you're the fixer Basilio that big sister mentioned. This is the first time meeting you directly, but it's an honor to work together."
Delford the werewolf recognized Basilio and showed signs of delight. On the other hand, there were those who watched silently.
Senaka the yeti was like that, and so was Daver.
Daver didn't react as intensely to Osian as before, but instead didn't even give Osian a glance. Since facing him would only stimulate his own trauma, he was just blatantly ignoring him.
Osian also thought it was better for the guy to treat him as a non-existent person rather than being bothersome for no reason, so he didn't make any particular criticism.
"You came?"
The last one to welcome the two was Grace, who appeared accompanied by Kudan.
"Everyone probably knows, but let me introduce again. This is Mr. Basilio who will be working with us this time."
"Hehe. Nice to meet you. To meet the famous Blood Brotherhood. Well now, this old man is slightly nervous."
Basilio smiled and made a joke, but no one showed any reaction. Basilio, feeling awkward, asked Osian.
"Hmm. I made a joke to get closer, but the reaction is cold. Was what I said that unfunny?"
"It's probably not that."
Well, it was undeniable that Basilio's behavior was quite light compared to his reputation. His words and actions were also those of a really friendly person.
The problem would be the atmosphere he naturally exuded. The Blood Brotherhood were all superhumans with individually excellent skills.
Therefore, they naturally read the aura of a strong person felt from Basilio and became tense. Of course, some showed fighting spirit or curiosity, but whatever the case, none felt attracted to his human personality.
"Anyway, let's get straight to the point."
At Osian's words, Grace nodded in agreement.
"I think the same. After all, the time given to us isn't that long. Did you see the situation outside while coming?"
"Did something happen?"
"There are fewer guards than usual."
Not more, but what problem could there be with fewer? Grace immediately resolved Osian's question.
"Originally, from District 10 onwards, because security is very important, it's normal for guards to be stationed in each district. But today is particularly quiet. The number of bank employees isn't that many either."
Osian recalled meeting Plimene before coming here. Basilio had said that her visit here was by no means a coincidence.
"So the city government is also making moves."
"You figured it out immediately?"
Krollakia, who had been hanging from the ceiling, asked back in surprise. What they had noticed by closely monitoring the guards' movements since they were being chased, Osian had deduced from that brief clue.
"I met a high-ranking official on the way. Someone who wouldn't normally come here came."
"Right. The city government would be aware of what happened at the ball that day. Even if the fallen ones tried to destroy evidence somehow, it was such a big incident that concealment was the best they could do."
Since the city government had also confirmed the existence of the Eternal Church, they would enter into a large-scale extermination operation.
"This is troublesome."
It would be better if they moved a little later, but judging by the timing, there was a high possibility of overlap with this side.
One might think that if the city government stepped forward, dealing with the Eternal Church would become easier, but in reality, it wasn't so.
First, the Blood Brotherhood was a problem. They were officially an organization hostile to the city government. If they stormed the church headquarters while allied with them and encountered the city government, there was a high possibility that this side would also be arrested together.
'Forget arrest, considering the danger, it wouldn't be strange if they immediately executed us on the spot.'
But letting the city government handle it alone was also problematic. If the city government won, they would also discover the power of the Sun Ring that the Eternal God Church was researching.
If the city government seized it, it would become even more troublesome for Osian. If the Eternal Church had it, he could take it back by force, but the city government was a different case.
Whatever the case, this fight was something Osian could never back down from.
'Just relying on the city government, it's impossible to confirm how much they know about Red Eternity.'
Getting help from Amenora would also be difficult. Although Amenora was well-versed in the city's political situation through her friendship with the Aspirex mayor, direct intervention was impossible.
In fact, at this moment, they were in an uncomfortable relationship with the city government.
'Besides, other people besides me have no intention of giving up either.'
The Blood Brotherhood, true to their name, was notorious for persistently targeting enemies once marked. Therefore, they would never back down either even if it meant clashing with the city government.
'Basilio is the same. He's acting lightly on the surface and easing the atmosphere, but he probably has a stronger motivation than anyone to fight this battle inside.'
Then what choice should this side make? The answer was obvious.
"Attacking their stronghold remains unchanged. So show us the hand you've prepared."
At Osian's words, a bewitching smile formed at the corners of Grace's mouth.
"I was waiting for those words."
When Grace snapped her fingers, blueprints hidden in her hair spread wide on the office table.
Though called hair, Grace Seeker's hair contained darkness and also served as a subspace. She had hidden Osian's sword in this way at the ballroom last time.
"As you know, their stronghold is the Trinity Building, a famous landmark even in this District 17. The Eternal Church has coiled up there."
On the surface, it wore the mask of an ordinary financial company, but all those working inside were fallen ones who believed in outer gods.
And it was also a den of demons teeming with those equal to or stronger than the high-ranking priests Osian had fought.
"It's practically closer to a fortress than a landmark."
That was Osian's reaction to the Trinity Building blueprints Grace had spread out. It was originally a sturdily built building, but it contained even more danger than that.
"Simply attacking from the outside won't work."
Osian explained how those who handled the power of outer gods influenced reality. Some might know, but those hearing it for the first time mostly showed half-believing reactions.
"Intervening in reality and eroding the world into the form they desire?"
Eric, rippling with black shadows, narrowed his eyes.
"Outer gods are beings from outside. Fallen ones who received authority from such outer gods can use similar power, even if it's a degraded version. It was the same at the mansion ballroom last time. They tried to devour me by changing the passage itself into their intestines."
"It sounds horrible just hearing about it."
"It would be more horrible to see with your eyes. And since that building is their main base, you should think of the building itself as one giant living organism that moves."
In other words, it was practically like sticking their heads into the monsters' mouths. Sneaking in secretly wouldn't be easy either. They had been hiding secretly without revealing their tails for hundreds of years.
During that time, they had never revealed their identity even once. They were ones who concealed their organization so thoroughly. It was right to see that their preparations were also firmly in place.
"If you go in with half-hearted resolve, you'll probably become their prey while still alive."
"What if we disguise ourselves as customers and sneak in secretly?"
It was Basilio who answered Aaron's question.
"Given their characteristics, they'll probably notice as soon as we pass the middle floors. But if we storm in from outside, given the building's structure, it won't be very easy."
Basilio's gaze turned toward Grace.
"That's why we need your help. If I were alone, I would have had considerable trouble, but if it's you who made this city noisy...there must be a way."
"Lord Basilio. Are you now believing that we have a definite way to infiltrate that fortress shaped like a giant building?"
Delford asked, and Basilio nodded without hesitation. Osian agreed with that as well.
The Blood Brotherhood were those who had even robbed Tesla Arms. No matter how secretly the project was conducted, they had discovered that thoroughly security-guarded place and even stolen the goods.
That alone was enough to say that the Blood Brotherhood's mysterious appearing and disappearing had already reached its peak.
"For instance, sneaking in through Malina's shadow."
At Osian's words, Malina answered hesitantly.
"That...although I've usually benefited a lot from my shadow power, this time might be difficult."
"It would be because of Dead Dagger."
Malina silently nodded. Inside that building wasn't just the Eternal Church. Dead Dagger assassins they were sponsoring would also be staying inside.
"In addition to the fallen ones, even an assassination group continuing from ancient times has joined."
And the city government would get involved too. The moment fighting began, the scene would become a hellish battlefield.
If chaos intensified, the disadvantaged one would be Osian’s side, who was composed of few people. So beforehand, this side had to gain the upper hand first and drive them out.
"Not being able to use Malina's power is a big loss, but that doesn't mean there's absolutely no way."
Grace pointed to the top of the building with her white, long finger. The top floor of the building where those leading the church were. The spire of the castle they had to break through and climb up to.
"Anyway, we just need to get here, right? I have a method."
Grace's gaze turned toward Eric. At that sight, Aaron sighed and shook his head.