9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 42 - The Great Forest and Desert (1)

Schäfer didn’t get to die peacefully.

When his superiors heard the colonel’s report, they had him transported to Lüdelheim District 1, where they tortured him for days on end.

Schäfer, whose mind had already collapsed, could only repeat phrases like “I don’t want to…” and “This is a trap!” before finally dying from the aftereffects of torture.

Schäfer’s corpse wasn’t hung in the public square—it was immediately burned.

“He went insane from the excessive torture. We lost the opportunity to obtain decisive testimony.”

That seemed to be the reaction from the Ossel’s higher-ups.

None of this was made public through newspapers or radio news. I only found out because Johann told me.

He laughed, saying the colonel had received severe disciplinary action. It was the first time I’d ever seen him look so delighted.

“The news that the fugitive Finn Schäfer was captured thanks to a tip from Lucas Redan has already been reported, hasn’t it?

According to Schäfer’s confession, the evil reactionary organization White Raven Order has approximately 30 members total, and their financiers are scattered throughout the country.

Dear listeners, please be careful, and if you spot anyone suspicious, please report them immediately.”

“Tsk tsk, when I go to the market these days, everyone looks anxious. You boys be careful too.”

It was a morning bathed in warm sunlight.

As I dozed off while dipping bread into stew, the radio and Mrs. Schmidt’s worried voice reached my ears.

“Especially you, Lucas. While everyone else is busy praising you, I’m too worried. Won’t those White Raven Order people be targeting you?”

The innocent eyes of the middle-aged woman who knew nothing made that bastard guilt—which I thought I’d relieved by helping Johann—stab at my heart again.

Looking at Oscar’s slightly tearful face, it seemed he felt the same way. Surprisingly, Daniel remained calm.

“Don’t worry, ma’am. There are so many customers at the shop. It wouldn’t be easy to kidnap me.”

“Still, don’t walk dangerous night streets, and how about staying there for a while?”

“If you’re worried, ma’am, I’ll do that.”

I grinned with puffy eyes and spooned up some stew.

Running the tavern had completely reversed my day and night schedule, and I could feel my body deteriorating in real time.

So even if it meant falling back asleep, I was trying to make sure I ate breakfast. I was making do with walks during my commute.

“Woof!”

Colin, who had grown quite large and was showing off his dignified appearance, caught the sausage I threw him.

This guy also always lay solemnly in the corner of the tavern, becoming both a mascot and a crowd-pleaser.

“I’m off!”

Oscar, having finished breakfast, jumped up and left. I waved at his retreating back.

“I should go upstairs and sleep more.”

Daniel muttered with drowsy eyes. I started to nod, then hesitated.

“Me too… No, I can’t sleep.”

“Why? Oh, the bank?”

Today was the day I was going to receive investment consultation.

***

Schufaben had developed administrative power.

However, that didn’t mean it could manage and supervise every business. Once you left Lüdelheim—no, even just going to the slums in Lüdelheim—you’d find stalls everywhere operating without permits.

When crackdowns came, they’d disappear like ghosts, then sneak back out to do business once the police were gone.

The government collected taxes on businesses, but accurate profit calculations were impossible.

In a world without credit cards or financial real-name systems, tax evasion and embezzlement were yawn-inducingly easy.

“Still, such a celebrated hero can’t do something like tax evasion.”

I muttered slyly.

The tavern was booming day after day, and we were raking in money.

All income came in cash.

Thinking the banks might go bankrupt when war broke out, I had planned to divide and hide it between the basement hideout of the tavern and the boarding house.

But if such a situation arose, cash wouldn’t maintain its normal value anyway.

In the end, as I’d already concluded during my low-paid civil servant days, the best method was to diversify into goods, stocks, foreign bonds, and such.

Even though business was good, the shop had only been open for two months. I hadn’t made enough of a fortune to handle any major investments.

Moreover, the profits were split between me, Erika, and Daniel, with Ameli’s salary and tribute payments to Major Johann Werner constantly flowing out, so I couldn’t spend freely.

“Still, I need to gather investment information in advance.”

I put on the finest suit I’d worn to the medal ceremony and headed to Lüdelheim District 1.

The National Bank of Schufaben headquarters.

A magnificent and grand building covered in marble and gold.

‘The exterior looks nice… but I still can’t trust it.’

Officially, this was a dictatorship with only state-run banks and no private finance. Naturally, it would be enormously affected by government policies and national situations.

Right now Schufaben was doing well, so they could act so confident…

As I stood with arms crossed, glaring at the bank, the guards with guns and swords stationed in front of the massive doors glared back at me.

I gave them an awkward smile and climbed the stairs.

‘But what is this?’

My heart was pounding.

My instincts seemed to be trying to warn me of something.

I’ll say it again—I trust my intuition.

‘Is there something strange?’

I quickly looked around.

Countless people were coming and going.

Being District 1, wealthy upper-class people stood out, but since there was business that could only be handled at the national bank headquarters, ordinary people were more numerous.

But this strange sense of unease…

“Ah.”

I unconsciously exclaimed.

Seeing the elongated ears of a woman passing in front of me.

There were many elves here.

About one or two out of every ten people I saw had long ears.

But there was nothing strange about that.

Elves had such an ingrained perception as money-grubbers who loved playing with money that they were a race specialized in commerce. Naturally, many would frequent banks.

I tried to shake off my anxiety and continued up the stairs.

***

“So you’re saying auctions are held under the national bank’s leadership.”

“Yes, exactly! If you want to invest, artworks that don’t lose value easily are perfect. There’s actually a first auction of the year coming up in less than a month—shall I get you a catalog?”

“Please. Let me take a look.”

A bank employee—one who seemed to hold a fairly high position—politely found and offered me a catalog.

I only pretended to examine it carefully.

I had originally learned some culture for business purposes, but Earth’s artistic movements had no relation to this place whatsoever. That bastard Lucas hadn’t been particularly versed in art either.

But I pretended to be relaxed and smiled.

“Well, not bad. But I’d also like to be introduced to more immediate investment opportunities. How’s the stock situation these days?”

“Ah, for that I’ll call a staff member to explain.”

Since I’d contacted them in advance, I could receive consultation immediately. Normally this would be impossible, but since I had name recognition, the bank seemed to be trying their best to make a good impression.

It was widely known that I had worked as a low-paid civil servant.

So I was worried they might notice I didn’t have much spare capital, but the bank employees were busy bowing and scraping to please me.

After all, even if I was from fallen nobility, I had been a young master from a noble family, had recently received a reward, and there were rumors that my shop was doing very well.

Since President Brightner hadn’t announced the exact amount of the reward, there were just various speculations floating around.

When tavern customers couldn’t contain their curiosity and casually asked, I would grin and deflect.

“It’s worthy of President Brightner’s reputation, haha!”

This bank employee seemed to have set expectations quite high as well, judging by how he was introducing investment opportunities that wouldn’t be enough even if I sold the shop right now.

‘I really need to multiply my money somehow. As quickly as possible.’

I nodded as if concentrating while thinking.

***

After the consultation ended and I came out to the large hall, it was even more crowded. The lunch news was just starting on a radio installed in one corner of the hall.

“Good afternoon, dear listeners.”

I was thinking of listening to the news for a bit before leaving.

One of the people standing in a long line in front of the counter thrust his hand deep into his pocket.

A young man wearing a hat pulled low and a collar that came up to cover his lips.

As if in slow motion, the moment I saw a sharp black object come out with his fingers—

“Everyone, get do—!”

Ratatatata!

Before I could shout “Get down!” his gun barrel spat fire.

I felt hot liquid splash against the side of my face with a splat!

The body of a guard who had been standing at attention just moments before slowly collapsed.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Ughhh!”

The hall instantly turned into chaos.

Bang!

Someone locked the main entrance. Steel shutters came down over all the windows that had been brightly letting in sunlight, plunging the bank into darkness.

Among the screaming people, masked figures with guns suddenly appeared.

“Shut up! Be quiet!!”

“Get down. Hands up and get down!”

Under the dim light from emergency magic lamps, about ten bank robbers pointed gun barrels threateningly while shouting.

“Breaking news! Banks in Lüdelheim District 1 are currently being robbed by— Sorry, I’ll correct that. An unidentified terrorist group has occupied the national bank headquarters and branches 2 and 3!”

Through the sound of my wildly pounding heart, urgent radio news pierced my ears.

‘Ah shit, this is fucked.’

My head throbbed.

“This terrorist group is— ah, detailed news is coming in now. White Raven Order, White Raven Order has occupied the national banks.”

“What the fuck is this supposed to mean?!”

Thud!

One of the robbers kicked the radio, sending it flying. The large radio crashed into the wall and shattered completely.

“Hands up! This is White Raven Order!”

“What kind of bullshit is this?!”

A curse burst out of my mouth. I could see people trembling as they raised their hands.

“Get down!!”

A robber kicked a bank employee’s knees, making him kneel with a thud.

Another one aimed a long rifle threateningly in various directions, then approached me as I stood there dumbfounded.

“I said hands up! You want to die!”

I could see the gun barrel right in front of me, but I shook my head and muttered.

“Where did you say you came from? Who—”

“I said White Raven Order! Hands up, you bastard!”

He struck me with his rifle butt. Instead of crying out, absurd words came out without passing through my brain’s filter.

“What the fuck, I’m the White Raven…”

It came out before I could barely brake. I stared at the eyes glinting behind the mask and slowly raised my hands and knelt.

‘That was almost really bad.’

I almost got killed for nothing.

“I’m keeping an eye on you.”

The robber warned and stepped back.

Over there, other robbers were taking out sturdy ropes.

“Tie each other’s hands. Resist and you die immediately.”

At the threatening voice, people had no choice but to tremble as they bound each other’s wrists.

Only one person, a small bank employee, wasn’t tied up. One of the robbers threw down a sack with a thud.

“Hey, put the bills in here.”

He growled, aiming at the pale bank employee.

Tense time passed.

Every time the robbers swung their rifles around, everyone hurriedly raised their hands high and pressed their foreheads to the floor.

In the silent large hall, only the sound of bundles of bills dropping into the sack echoed.

While everyone held their breath, the sack grew heavier and heavier.

‘How much is all that…’

I glanced around, observing the situation from the corner of my eye.

Near the counter, a guard who was crouched down awkwardly moved his leg slightly.

‘Hey, don’t move now!’

“You bastard!”

Ratata!

The moment I screamed internally, the robber’s rifle spat fire.

“Ahhhhh!”

The guard who had been trying to press an emergency signal button writhed as a fountain of blood spurted from his leg.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Sob, huu…”

“Please, God, please…”

Screams erupted from everywhere again, and some people began crying and praying.

“Be quiet!”

The robbers went around tapping heads with their gun barrels while shouting. I hunched down as if I wanted to burrow into the floor.

What felt like eons passed, and finally the sack was packed full.

“It, it’s finished.”

“Lie and you’ll die!”

“Sob, this really is everything. The cash storage warehouse is separate…”

“Ready.”

One of the robbers approached the man in the black mask and whispered.

“Really? Then let’s take that out.”

Except for the robbers on watch duty, the gang began busying themselves.

Since I was lying down, I could only see up to their calves, but they suddenly started running around doing something.

‘What the hell? Don’t tell me…!’

When I lifted my head, heavy-looking black objects were attached to the counter and back passages.

‘Even bombs? Fuck, they’re crazy.’

Then, from outside the bank, a loud voice echoed with the distinctive energy of magic vibrating.

“Attention! Attention, reactionaries! You are surrounded! If you don’t immediately release the hostages and surrender, you will be dealt with severely! 200 troops are blockading the exits, so don’t make foolish choices!”