Chapter 125: Black Ledger.

Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Black Ledger.

Chapter 125: Black Ledger.

’Their locations are also on here.’ Osborne noticed some more data as well, discovering that the back of the card contained additional information that appeared to indicate where he could find the Black Ledger’s establishments and how he could approach them when he needed their assistance.

This was more convenient than he had expected, since he wouldn’t have to rely on another middleman to arrange a meeting every time he needed information, although he wasn’t naive enough to assume that possessing the card would grant him unrestricted access to everything the organisation knew.

As with every organisation, he had a feeling there were levels within this one, or at least a form of membership hierarchy. He didn’t believe Albert would simply hand him a high-ranking membership, judging by how quickly he was registered.

An organisation that dealt in information would naturally have its own rules and restrictions, and if Albert had arranged for him to receive a membership card, it was reasonable to assume that there were still services that required additional payment or approval before he could access them.

Nevertheless, the card was a useful addition to his possessions, especially considering how difficult it could be to obtain reliable information on his own.

’For a cocky stooge, he sure knows how to turn up.’ Osborne placed the card in his pouch.

He had initially thought that Albert was simply another nobleman who enjoyed making himself look important, but the man had at least followed through on their agreement.

Of course, Osborne wasn’t about to start trusting him simply because he had received a useful gift, since there was still too much he didn’t know about Albert as a whole.

For now, he would simply make use of the opportunity and see where it led, as there was little reason to reject a useful resource when it had been offered without demanding anything in return.

After making sure that the card had been secured, Osborne turned around and went back inside, where Vivian was still waiting near the entrance with a curious expression, apparently wondering what the visitor had wanted and why he had seemed so cautious before opening the door.

"I’m going into town," he informed her, intending to make use of the information he had just received rather than waste the opportunity to have a look at the Black Ledger’s branch while he still had a clear reason to visit.

Vivian looked at him for a moment before glancing towards the door, seemingly considering whether she should ask what the visitor had delivered, but she eventually decided against prying into his affairs and instead reminded him that he hadn’t eaten anything that morning.

Osborne initially intended to leave immediately, but Vivian suddenly brought up having a meal.

At first he wanted to refuse, but she became persistent, eventually convincing him to have something to eat before heading out.

Only after he was done did he leave for town. Having already taken a cold bath the night before, he didn’t feel the need to do so again.

On arriving in town, Osborne followed the instructions on the back of the card. He soon came across a run-down shop in the slum part of town.

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Osborne went inside.

"Get lost, we’re closed for the day." But a drunk-looking man sitting on a wooden crate yelled at him the moment he entered, his eyes half-closed as though he could barely keep himself awake.

Osborne paused for a moment, wondering if he had gotten the wrong place, since the shop looked even worse from the inside than it had from the outside, with dusty shelves, a few broken pieces of furniture, and barely anything that suggested the establishment was still in business.

He glanced at the old man again, who seemed completely uninterested in his presence and had already returned to whatever thoughts occupied his mind, making Osborne wonder whether Albert had deliberately sent him to the wrong address or whether there was something about this place that he had yet to understand.

Nevertheless, he decided to give it a try.

"I’m here to make an account..." He said the phrase written on the card, at the same time taking out his membership card and holding it where the old man could see it clearly.

In the blink of an eye, the drunken old man seemed to have sobered up. His previously half-closed eyes opened, and the lazy expression that had occupied his face disappeared almost immediately.

He looked closer at Osborne, or to be fair, the card in his hands, examining its design for a few moments before raising his gaze towards the armoured man standing before him, as if trying to gauge him.

After that, he nodded towards Osborne before getting up, his movements considerably steadier than they had appeared while he was sitting on the wooden crate.

"Follow me." He said.

Osborne followed the man into the back of the shop, remaining alert as they passed through a narrow doorway and entered a small room.

There a wall stood before them, its surface looking no different from the surrounding walls, with no visible door, handle, or opening that could explain why the old man had brought him there.

Osborne said nothing, neither did the man, and for a brief moment, the two of them simply stood facing the wall, leaving Osborne to wonder whether he was about to witness some kind of secret mechanism or whether the old man expected him to do something with the card Albert had given him.

The man stepped forward before taking out a card of his own and placing it against the wall, positioning it near the centre of the otherwise ordinary surface as though he had performed the same action countless times before.

The card looked similar to Osborne’s, though with a different design, and before he could examine it more closely, the next moment the wall rumbled before slowly sliding aside, revealing a dark passage as it went.

Osborne’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the hidden entrance appear, realising that the shop was merely a front for something much larger, and he couldn’t help wondering how many people walked past this place every day without having the slightest idea that an organisation like the Black Ledger operated beneath their feet.