Re:Periodic : Deceiving Life in Another World From Zero

{38}- Flanders' Underground | Debut of the Strong

3rd Person POV

—The room was saturated with the thick stench of blood.

To be precise, rather than there being a thick stench of blood, you could say that it was the scent of blood that lingered.

The people gathered in this room, without exception, had survived whilst being splattered by the blood of their victims—consequently, the smell of blood was ingrained into their very beings.

The atmosphere within the room was dominated by the un-diminishing scent of blood and the hint of violence that stung one's skin; everyone stared at each other, their eyes filled to the brim with tension, which was akin to blades of hostility being contained in their scabbards.

In the place where imposing men and women had gathered, there were several who gave off a particularly prominent smell of blood—they shared an appearance that was not inferior to the other in any way and had a glint in their eyes, evidence that they shouldered duties and self-awareness that befitted their positions.

It was indeed so, for the so-called big shots who ran society from behind the scenes had gathered here in Flanders, a city they controlled from the shadows that could be counted as one of the five largest cities in the kingdom.

"This is the sixth occurrence this month... Give me a break... I've had enough of this."

What had broken the blood-swelling atmosphere was the sweet scent of tobacco smoke and the languid voice of a woman.

Laid back in a chair was a beautiful woman in the prime of her life wrapped in a dress, boldly exposing her captivating legs, a golden tobacco pipe nestled between her lips. She had tannish skin, and her voluptuous body was rich in feminine charms. Her devilish good looks could entice men and women alike to give in to their passions at a single glance. She was also known as the Wicked Temptress, a truly befitting name.

This beautiful woman was Toto, the proprietress of the Flower Prison Garden, one of the people who gave off a particularly thick scent of blood.

When Toto, who had started the conversation, saw that no one followed suit, she took in a chest-full of smoke, gave a sidelong glance to a man at the back of the room, and then sent smoke and words his way. "Not saying much today, are you, Manfred? Which way is The Libra learning towards? Cowardly opportunism? Or perhaps you're unable to speak because you placed your much-vaunted tattoo on your tongue?"

"Shut your trap, you damn whore. If I feel like you're fussing too much, I'll grab all the women in your place and turn them into lapdogs. Then I'll train you thoroughly and present you to my boss."

The one who had responded with vicious words to Toto's provocation was a slim man leaning against the wall.

Although he was tall, bald-headed, and wore long robes, the skin exposed on his head, neck, and even his face was densely packed with tattoos of balance scale motifs. It was likely that they extended even underneath his robes.

It was one of The Balance's rules that every member had to be tattooed with balance scales where they were visible, and he had gotten more tattoos than any other. This was an obvious sign of loyalty in the eyes of the organization; therefore, he won their favour, and they gave him the position of an executive in the organization in Flanders. 'Tattoo Head' Manfred Madison was the name of the young wolf spearheading The Balance here.

The proprietress of the Flower Prison Garden and the representative of The Balance; the two of them carried the responsibility of being part of the three big factions operating underground organizations in Flanders.

And then, the final leader of the underworld, the head of the Black Silver Coin, spoke. "—Did you gather here just to have a childish dispute? Know your place, you pigs."