“As for the guild's response.”

“Well Kele needs to follow procedure and report the incident to the grandmaster who will dispatch investigators and hunters.”

((Ohhhh hunters.))

“As their name implies the investigators will conduct an investigation into what happened and determine the culprit before ordering the hunters to hunt you down and either capture or kill you.”

Tommy scoffed before saying.

“Good luck with that.”

((The hunters are going to become the hunted. Kekeke))

“Did you really plan to leave the city? Kele figured you would stay and just go into hiding.” Rizi asked.

Tommy shrugged before saying.

“Normally I would have but I am in desperate need of something.”

“Since I thought you and Kele had become my enemies and you knew about how I wanted to use a blacksmith's forge, I figured it was best to find one elsewhere.”

Rizi nodded in understanding before saying.

“While I was surprised at what you did I am grateful that you killed that bastard.”

“Why did you cut off the guard's arm though?”

Tommy considered how to answer before saying.

“Because of a certain… incident that happened in the past, I only allow a certain type of person to touch me.”

“What type of person?” Rizi asked with slight nervousness.

((Ohhh this chick likes us, look how nervous she is.))

“Those with strength and who I respect.” Tommy replied simply.

“Does that include me?” Rizi asked even more nervously.

((Go on say yes and take her to bed.))

(You that’s not going to happen.)

((Aww but why, it’s been so long since we got some pussy.))

(You know why that is.)

((Fuck, I should have tortured that bitch even longer.))

“No.” Tommy replied flatly.

Rizi’s face dulled and she lowered her head in disappointment.

((AWWW look how sad she is, kekeke))

After a few moments Rizi raised her head before saying with a pout.

“Neither Kele or I are your enemies.”

Tommy nodded before saying.

“I appreciate that, but things are still awkward for me now.”

“How so?” Rizi asked.

“I wanted to ask Kele to use her lightning magic to help me with something, but that’s out of the question now.”

“The guild will definitely be watching her closely since all this happened on her watch.”

“I guess I will have to do it the tedious way.”

Tommy said while finishing with a sigh.

Rizi’s pout turned into a smile before saying.

“Actually if you need someone who can use lightning magic, then Kele isn’t your only option.”

“Huh!” Tommy said in surprise before saying.

“But I was informed that lightning magic users are really rare.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“That’s correct they are rare, however it seems whoever told you that didn't know about the second lightning user in the city.”

“Who is it?” Tommy asked curiously.

“Hmmm” Rizi responded as she put a finger on her chin as if thinking about something before she smirked and said.

“Secret.”

((Bitch tell us now, I want my tactical nuke.))

Tommy frowned for a moment as he understood what was going on so he sighed and asked.

“What do you want?”

“Your respect.”

Rizi replied with the same smirk.

((Not in a million years bitch, now tell us.))

“I only respect the strong like Kele, so if you want my respect then you need to get stronger.” Tommy replied flatly.

“Really you couldn’t have just lied and said that you respect me?” Rizi asked back.

Tommy rolled his eyes before saying.

“Would you have believed me if I did?”

“Fair point.”

Rizi conceded with a sigh before saying.

“Fine.”

“Let’s just call them a friend for now, as this person wants to keep their identity secret for obvious reasons.”

“I see, would she be willing to help me?” Tommy asked.

“Perhaps, while I can arrange an introduction with my friend, they won’t decide anything until they meet and talk with you.” Rizi replied.

“That’s fine.” Tommy said before adding.

“Please set up a meeting, ideally the sooner the better since I will be busy soon with Erden’s task since I’m now remaining in the city.”

“You never got a chance to tell me what task he set.” Rizi asked curiously.

“The collapse of the criminal organizations in the city along with the deaths of their leaders.” Tommy replied simply

Rizi’s mouth dropped open out of shock and she gapped at Tommy.

((Ohhh that’s a nice mouth, you know what it's…))

(Stop.)

((Tch, fine))

“That’s impossible.” Rizi finally said.

“Not at all, it’s actually quite doable, however I will need more detailed information on both the criminal organizations and their leaders.” Tommy replied calmly.

“How can you be so calm about such a task?” Rizi asked exasperatedly.

“Simple.” Tommy said with a smile before adding.

“This is not the first time I have had to take down a criminal organization.”

“Huh!” Rizi responded in shock.

“Well anyway, do you know where I can obtain the information I need since I can’t use the guild anymore?”

Rizi took a moment to collect herself before responding.

“Yes actually, the friend I was telling you about is also very interested in the elimination of the city's criminal organizations and has done extensive research into them.”

Tommy was slightly surprised before asking.

“If she has done such extensive research, why has nothing been done about them?”

“Because their roots run so deep.” Rizi said before she began to explain.

“While it is common knowledge that the criminal organizations have been around for many years.”

“What is not so well known is that they have in fact been around since the city’s founding.”

“You need to understand that Oakfast City is strategically placed between the ocean and the imperial capital making it a transport hub and major trade route.”

“There are also many natural resources within a short distance aside from Oakforest itself.”

“However before Oakfast city existed this entire area was hotly contested by the many different noble families of the empire.”

“When the emperor at that time decided to build a city many noble families petitioned to be the ones allowed to build the city and rule the surrounding regions.”

“Because of this the emperor decided to pass the decree that whichever family could claim the land would become its ruler.”

“Wait.” Tommy said with surprise, interrupting Rizi.

“The emperor told his vassal houses to fight it out?”

Rizi nodded before continuing.

“You have to remember that what a ruler fears most is someone more powerful appearing to challenge their rule.”

“Because of this the emperor passed that decree.”

“Not only would a battle between all the powerful noble houses that could one day challenge him weaken them.”

“But in the end he would still receive taxes and everything from the city.”

“To the emperor it was win win.”

((Cunning fellow.))

(Indeed)

“So many battles were fought over this land before it eventually came down to two households.”

“The Crestwood’s and the Rosk’s.”

“When victory seemed certain for the Crestwood’s and everyone assumed they would be victorious.”

“The head of the Rosk family made a deal with a local warlord.”

“In exchange for the warlord's assistance in claiming victory against the Crestwood’s and allowing the Rosk family to claim ownership of the region.”

“The Rosk family would not interfere in any business the warlord ‘s group did within their territory.”

“And so after the city was completed and it started to become the major trade hub the emperor had intended, the warlord moved his base of operations to the city’s southern district.”

“Most of the criminal organizations we know today started when the warlord and his people moved into the city.”

“The warlord created one big criminal empire that controlled all crime in the Etria nation while he ruled over it all.”

“He gave each of his lieutenants a different aspect of the organization to command.”

“The criminal organization grew so big that even if the royal family wanted to challenge it they no longer could.”

“But then the warlord passed away from old age and everything fell apart.”

“None of the warlord’s descendants could earn the respect of the lieutenants and because of this rifts started to form.”

“Over time the criminal empire collapsed and each lieutenant took that which they controlled and created their own criminal organization out of it.”

“Some criminal organizations fell while new ones appeared over the hundreds of years Oakfast City has stood.”

“So as you can see, the roots of these organizations run deep in Oakfast City.”

There was silence for a while as Tommy absorbed what Rizi had told him before he asked.

“Since the warlord died so long ago, why has the royal family not wiped out the criminal organizations since the original deal was with the warlord himself?”

Rizi shook her head before saying.

“I don’t know.”

“I only know about the history with the warlord because the adventurer’s guild has records of it which Kele let me read even though she wasn’t supposed to.”

“The reason why they have not done anything could be anything.”

“Profit.”

“Convenience.”

“Cost.”

“Maybe my friend will know the answer.”