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The capital of the Aurelius Empire was magnificent on the surface.
Golden towers.
Bustling markets.
Imperial banners fluttering proudly in the wind.
But like every great city in the world…
Its shadows ran just as deep as its glory.
And beneath those shadows—
An entire hidden world existed.
---
The Alley
Alex stepped quietly into a narrow alley far from the crowded marketplace.
The lively noise of merchants and shoppers faded behind him.
Only silence remained.
The alley smelled faintly of damp stone and old smoke.
Perfect.
He glanced around once to make sure no one was watching.
Then he spoke quietly.
"System."
A faint blue glow appeared before his eyes.
"Yes, Host."
"Give me an appearance change potion."
A small glass vial materialized in his hand.
Inside the bottle swirled a strange silver liquid.
Alex drank it without hesitation.
A warm sensation spread through his body.
Moments later his reflection appeared faintly on a metal surface nearby.
His black hair slowly darkened into deep brown.
His golden imperial eyes faded into cold grey.
Even the subtle aura of royalty surrounding him seemed to disappear.
Alex then placed a simple mask over his face.
Now he looked like nothing more than a mysterious young customer.
Perfect.
He smiled faintly.
"Time to meet my cash cow."
---
The Hidden Shop
At the end of the alley stood a miserable looking stall.
Old wooden boards.
A crooked roof.
A thin old man sat behind the counter lazily chewing something.
At first glance it looked like a worthless junk shop.
But Alex knew better.
He walked forward calmly.
The old man glanced up.
"What do you want?"
Alex replied casually.
"I'm looking for merchandise."
The old man narrowed his eyes.
"What kind of merchandise?"
Alex leaned closer.
Then spoke quietly.
"The moon shines brightest when the empire sleeps."
The old man froze.
His expression changed instantly.
He slowly stood up.
"…I see."
He bowed slightly.
"Please follow me, esteemed guest."
The man pushed aside a hidden wooden panel behind the stall.
A staircase appeared.
Leading down into darkness.
---
The Underground World
Torchlight flickered along the stone staircase as they descended.
The air became colder.
Damp.
Heavy.
Then suddenly—
Noise exploded around them.
"Ha! I win again!"
"You cheated!"
"Bring more wine!"
Alex stepped into a massive underground hall.
His eyes widened slightly.
An enormous illegal casino stretched across the cavern.
Gamblers crowded around wooden tables.
Gold coins clattered loudly.
Dice rolled across polished surfaces.
Cards shuffled rapidly.
Women served alcohol.
Men laughed wildly.
The entire place smelled of wine, smoke, and greed.
Alex looked around calmly.
This place alone probably generated thousands of gold coins every night.
But he wasn't here to gamble.
The old man gestured toward another corridor.
"This way."
---
Suspicion
The deeper they walked, the quieter the underground became.
Soon the casino noises faded behind them.
The corridor narrowed.
Iron bars appeared along the walls.
Cells.
Prisoners.
Slaves.
Finally the old man spoke.
"So… esteemed guest…"
His voice sounded polite.
But suspicion hid beneath it.
"What type of merchandise are you searching for today?"
Alex answered calmly.
"I heard you recently acquired a fallen noble family."
The old man stopped walking.
Slowly he turned around.
His eyes sharpened dangerously.
"A fallen noble family?"
His fingers subtly moved toward a hidden blade.
Inside his mind, alarm bells rang.
Impossible.
We captured them only two days ago.
Only upper echelon members know about them.
So how does this masked boy know?
The corridor was empty.
Quiet.
Perfect for killing someone.
Should I kill him now?
But before he could decide—
Alex spoke again.
"Relax."
The old man paused.
Alex tilted his head slightly.
"I'm someone sent by Raven."
Silence.
Complete silence.
The old man's expression collapsed.
A bead of sweat slid down his temple.
"…Raven?"
That name alone was terrifying in the underground world.
Even powerful criminals avoided crossing him.
The old man immediately stepped back respectfully.
"My apologies, esteemed guest."
"If you had mentioned that earlier, there would have been no misunderstanding."
Behind his mask, Alex smiled faintly.
Inside his mind he laughed.
You must be wondering who Raven is.
In the original game storyline, Raven appeared later as a powerful black market boss.
Alex simply borrowed the name.
And it worked perfectly.
---
The Cell
They continued walking.
Soon they reached the final cell.
The old man stopped.
"This is the family."
Alex looked inside.
Three people sat quietly.
A tired middle-aged man.
A worried woman.
And a girl.
Fourteen years old.
Her hair burned like crimson flame.
Her eyes—
Deep red.
Sharp.
Intelligent.
The moment Alex stepped closer—
She looked up.
Their eyes met.
And something strange happened.
Selena's heart began beating faster.
Why…?
She couldn't explain it.
But something about the boy standing outside the cage felt… dangerous.
Different.
Selena forced herself to stay calm.
Her sharp mind immediately began analyzing him.
Masked.
Young.
Confident.
Not a normal slave buyer.
Meanwhile Alex studied her silently.
Yes.
This was her.
Selena Viriela.
In the original game timeline, she later became one of the most dangerous underground rulers in the empire.
But right now—
She was just a slave.
Alex turned toward the old man.
"Wash them."
The old man blinked.
"And?"
"Feed them."
Alex's voice was calm.
"Then bring them to me."
The old man nodded.
"As you wish."
He pointed down the corridor.
"You may wait in the VIP room."
---
The VIP Room
The VIP room was surprisingly luxurious.
Soft carpets.
Crystal glasses.
Expensive wine bottles.
Comfortable leather chairs.
Clearly reserved for wealthy customers.
Alex sat down slowly.
For several moments he remained silent.
Then he exhaled.
"…So it really is her."
In the original game timeline, Selena appeared years later.
By then she controlled an entire underground network.
Even the empire struggled to track her.
She sabotaged dungeon clearing operations.
Manipulated merchants.
Controlled smugglers and assassins.
And yet—
The game never explained her past.
Only one fact was known.
She was a fallen noble.
Viriela family.
Now Alex understood the truth.
---
The Fall of the Viriela Family
The Viriela family had once been a minor baron house.
Merchant nobles.
They owned several shops in the capital.
Their income was stable.
Nothing extraordinary.
The family head, Baron Viriela, was known as a simple man.
Kind.
But not brilliant.
Everything changed when his daughter Selena began helping him.
Even at five years old she showed terrifying intelligence.
She studied business negotiations.
Trade routes.
Prices.
Investments.
By the age of ten she was secretly managing several businesses under her father's name.
Every decision she made produced profit.
Huge profit.
Within a few years the Viriela family became incredibly wealthy.
And that attracted enemies.
Among them—
The Valmont family.
A powerful count house controlling much of the capital's trade.
One night during a noble banquet, Selena argued with the count's daughter.
The girl attacked her.
A hairpin slashed across Selena's face.
Leaving a scar.
Months later accusations appeared.
Fraud.
Illegal trade.
Fake evidence.
Witnesses.
The imperial court stripped the Viriela family of their title.
Their property was confiscated.
They were expelled from the capital.
But Alex knew the truth.
They had been framed.
After losing everything, the family tried rebuilding as traveling merchants.
But fate struck again.
Their caravan was attacked by bandits.
They were captured.
Sold into slavery.
And eventually…
They ended up here.
---
The Meeting
The VIP door opened.
The old man entered.
Behind him walked the Viriela family.
Cleaned.
But still wearing chains.
Selena stepped forward.
Her red eyes locked onto Alex again.
A blue screen suddenly appeared.
---
Status Window
Name : Selena Viriela
Age : 14
Status : Slave
Condition : Worried about her fate
---
Alex tapped another option.
"Show stats."
---
Stats
STR : D+
AGI : E+
INT : A+
MANA : C-
AURA : F-
LUCK : A+
CHR : B+
Skills :
• Advanced Negotiation
• Merchant Insight
• Strategic Planning
• Market Prediction
• Emotional Manipulation
---
Alex leaned back slightly.
Even knowing the future—
Seeing these stats was shocking.
The old man smiled politely.
"So, esteemed guest…"
"What do you think?"
"Are they to your liking?"
Alex looked directly at Selena.
Their eyes met.
Two brilliant minds silently observing each other.
Then Alex smiled faintly behind his mask.
"Yes."
"They will do perfectly."
---