Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Operation No Pleasures Pt. 2 – Workplace Inspection

In the noon before the raid at Little Nokco village. At a town named Forlai.

People have been coming in and out of the town. Mercenaries, peddlers, working civilians. Individuals of a vast variety of occupations were passing through the gates with little to no issues whatsoever.

Forlai is a relatively peaceful place. With its location being close to the Capital and its residents being laidback people all around, the security in the town is nothing but lax. Which is makes it a great place for crime to be committed, so as long as one is subtle about it.

Now at one of the town gates, Leo and Vivian are watching in the shadows, observing each and every person that walks through that gate.

"And there's another one. It's a single person this time."

Leo pointed out the individual he'd spotted, while Vivian jotted down the general details of the man's appearance in a notebook.

At the moment, the two of them are looking out for knights of the Third Prince's Green Hawk Order who are infiltrating the town, disguised as civilians. Their objective is to figure out the overall numbers, the estimated fighting strength, and the capabilities of the raid team that will be attacking the Perfume Manufacturing Factory, which are producing Pleasure drugs in secret.

The reason for that is to calculate their possibility of success. If it's on the low side, then Leo and Vivian will assist them openly. If it's on the high side, then the pair won't do much to aid them. And if it's somewhere in between, then they will help but be subtle about it.

As for why they are only watching one gate, it was simply because the gate they're at is the closest entrance into the town from the Capital. Therefore, unless the Green Hawk knights are extremely careful with sneaking into a town that has a lax security, it would be unlikely for them to pass through another gate that is further away from the Capital.

But now with lesser people coming in and out of the town since it was already some time passed noon and everyone is already at their work, Leo and Vivian decided that it should be enough and have thus stopped watching the eastern gate.

"Ok then, let's go check that factory out." Leo said to Vivian, who nodded in turn.

The two of them then set out. Returning to their room at the best inn in town to first change their clothes into something more appropriate for the upcoming part of their next plan.

"Umm, Vivian? Do you need help with that?"

"...Help."

"Oh, ok. Women with big breasts sure have it rough, huh..."

**************

At the outer ring of town is a building one could not miss, even if they try.

That building is the Perfume Manufacturing Factory owned by the self-proclaimed richest man in the world, Gulliver Gold.

Standing 15 meters tall, 40 meters wide and 50 meters long, it is the biggest infrastructure in the town and fairly famous site for tourist to look at from afar.

"Wow! It's so big!" Leo loudly exclaimed upon seeing the building.

Although he tends to act mature for his age, the child within him could not contained his genuine excitement which is only natural since... he is a child; a young boy of the age of twelve.

Now before the entrance to the premise, which is obviously being watched by guards, Leo and Vivian gave each other a nod and began enacting their plan as Leo first walked up to the entrance gate alone.

Pretending not to see the guards, he ran towards the building like an excited child wanting to see it closer. Naturally, the guards, who saw the boy coming, blocked his way with their spears to prevent him from entering.

"Hold it, kid. Entry beyond this point is forbidden." said one of the guards.

"Huuuuuuh? Why?" Leo expressed his complaint in a childish tone. "I want to see the big building!"

"Then see it from a distance." the guards flinged his hand at Leo, trying to shoo him away like a fly. "Now beat it, kid. Go back to your mama or whoever you're with."

"I don't wanna!" Leo began stomping his feet. "I want to see the big building up close!" he screamed and shouted, creating a scene and irritating the guards who were doing their best to hold themselves back.

It is their job to guard the premise, not beat up a child. And having such a big pay for working for the Gold Enterprise, they have to restrain themselves and follow the procedures by "gently" persuading the child in front of them to leave.

"You damn brat. Hurry up and beat it or I'll beat you instead!"

"I don't wanna!!!" Leo refused in the loudest and most obnoxious voice ever, setting the guards into a rage as they have reached their limits so soon.

"That's it! Come here, you little—"

"What... is going on... here...?"

Just as the guards were about to grab Leo, Vivian saw the opportunity for her turn to shine and stopped them with her soft yet strong spoken words.

The two guards who heard her were stunned when their eyes were laid on her.

An exotic beauty, dressed in an extravagant and expensive-looking clothes, was walking up to them. She, whose bangs are covering the right side of her face, only adds to her beauty of mystery. And what's more, is the most noticeable part about her: That thick and voluptuous figure she possesses.

One look at her and anyone would assume her to be a great noble lady of sort. Which begs the question of what would such a person be doing here?

The answer was quickly revealed to the guards as Leo ran up to Vivian and shouted "Sister!" to her. Following up with a hug to solidify their 'relationship' to the guards.

Immediately when they recognised that the two of them are 'siblings', the guards froze in fear.

They have just threatened a noble boy without realising it. And were about to harm him, if not for his sister's interference.

Such a sinful act could only result in their demise. Thinking with such thoughts, their face explicitly expressed their distraught and regret, which both Leo and Vivian were able to notice as they approached the two guards.

"Sister. These two were being mean to me! They won't let me see the big building up close!" Leo pointed at the guards, continuing his little brother act while the guards flinched upon his snitching.

Hearing her little brother's words, Vivian in her elder sister act turned and looked at the guards with a menacing glare. "Is this... true...?" she questioned with a slow pace in her speech.

The guards who were still fantasised by her beauty, yet afraid of her calm but angry tone, became speechless for a few seconds, before one of them answered.

"Y-Yes, my lady... It is true." he said in a wavering tone, afraid of whether his honest answer was the right thing to say or not.

"Why...?" Vivian then asked another question, probing for more answers from the guard which should be obviously clear as to what it is already.

"That's because... it's our job, my lady." the guard answered anyways. "We cannot allow any unauthorised personnel into the premise. Therefore, your brother isn't permitted to enter."

"Then.... permit him." Vivian ordered the guard, to which he stares at her with a troubled look on his face as there was no way he, or his friend, could do that. They would lose their jobs if they allow civilians to enter the premise, simply because they were nobility.

Fortunately for Leo and Vivian, not once did the guards ever consider to confirm whether the pair are actually nobles or not. All because of the clothes they were wearing and the attitude they were giving out.

This was something which Soluna taught them. "Appearances can be deceiving." he said. "As long as you wear the right outfit and demeanour, you can be anyone you wish to be and no one will question it unless they are smart enough."

And with that teaching in mind, the so-called siblings of nobility were coercing the guards to grant them entry into the factory. However, the purpose of their action wasn't to force their way in, but to simply create a scene, a commotion, to draw a specific individual out.

"What is going on here!?" a loud angry voice yelled at the guards from behind.

The guards then turned around, while Leo and Vivian's attentions were shifted to the scrawny-looking man in gaudy clothes, stomping up to the four of them.

The guards' faces turned pale. Whereas Leo and Vivian were grinning on the inside, for they have successfully draw their target out.

"Sir, why are you here?" one of the guard asked the man, who is his employer.

"Why am I here? I was told there was a commotion going on at the gate and came to see what it was!" the man yelled at the guard, furious that his precious time was interrupted by his employees' incompetence. "So tell me, what the hell is the commotion all... about..." the man's temper was then quelled all of a sudden the moment he saw Vivian.

The first thing his eyes were laying its sights upon was the immaculate large pair of breasts she has. Then was her slender waist and lastly, her wide breedable hips.

"What a body." the man thought. Unbeknownst that what he was thinking was written on his face.

Vivian, who understood the man's line of thoughts, was both pleased that her target was so easily hooked and disgusted that she was being ogled at with such lustful eyes.

Only Soluna, the one whom she swore loyalty to, was allowed to look at her with such a gaze.

Which is why, although she want to gouge the man's eyes out, she refrained as he is the key for them to enter the factory without needing to attempt sneaking in.

That man's name is Barry Lester, an executive of Gold Enterprise whom Gulliver Gold put in charge of overseeing and managing the Perfume Manufacturing Factory in Forlai. He, described in one word, is a rat who weaselled his way up the ranks by licking the shoes of those above him to get him to where he is now, as shown by the gaudy clothes he wears and the shiny accessories on his fingers.

He is a man who loves money and power more than anything, much like his boss, and would willingly throw his pride away to get what he wants, unlike said boss. Which includes, and especially, women.

Thus, the moment Barry saw Vivian and then Leo behind her, he knew what he had to do.

"Oh greetings, My Lady. What seemed to be the problem, if I may ask?" he approached Vivian and Leo in a humble manner, ignoring the guards who were about to explain the situation to him. 

 "You are...?"

"Barry Lester, My Lady. I am the overseer of this factory. How may I be of service?"

As Barry asked her that, Vivian pointed to the two guards and said, "Your men... were being rude..."

"Is that so?"

Barry then turned the guards.

"Hey, is what she said true?" he questioned them in the complete opposite manner as when he was speaking to Vivian.

"That's, umm..."

The guards wanted to argue, that they were just doing their job. But there was no denying that they were indeed rude to the boy who turned out to be the young lady's brother.

Seeing their silence as a yes, Barry lashed out at them.

"You bloody imbeciles! I hired you two to watch the entrance, not insult nobility!" he shouted, unaware that the pair of so-called siblings were actually not nobles.

Both Leo and Vivian were holding back their laughter when they heard Barry call then as such.

Then after a good minute of reprimanding his employees, Barry turned back to the 'siblings' with the same humble attitude again, as if all of the anger he expressed earlier had just vanished.

"My apologies, My Lady and Young Master. My men have been incredibly rude to you." he lowered his head to Leo and Vivian without any sincerity behind his actions. "If there's anything I can do to have your forgiveness, please, say it." he added, lowering his head even further than it already was, hoping that they would accept his unfaithful apology.

"Then..."

"I want to see inside of the big building!" Leo yelled out before Vivian could say anything.

However, being quite tired of speaking already, Vivian simply nodded. "What... my brother... said."

"I see. I see..."

Barry thought at that moment: How the young lad has gave him a great opportunity to lure his alluring big sister into bed with him.

While hiding his malicious grin with a humble smile, he opened his arms wide to the 'siblings' and decided to abide by their wishes.

"In that case, allow me to personally give you two a tour inside the factory." he said, welcoming them despite the rules stating that no outsiders are to be allowed inside the factory. However, he is the one in charge of the place, and therefore, being the king of the factory, those rules aren't of concern to him. In fact, Barry had already broken many of his workplace's rules. But because of his high ranking position in the company, there wasn't anyone who could report his behaviour as they would get sacked by him instead.

That's why, even though they knew that what their boss is doing is wrong, the two guards would not dare to object after having chewed out by their said boss already. So, they simply turned a blind eye to Leo and Vivian as the pair walked past them through the gates. Entering the Perfume Manufacturing Factory with Barry leading them in.

"Right this way, My Lady and Young Master." said Barry with an enthusiastic feeling of excitement.

Unaware of the fate that is to befall onto him...

***************

A few hours later, Leo and Vivian have finished their tour around the entirety of the factory, whereas Barry on the other hand is exhausted from all of the annoyance Leo kept making for him.

During the course of the tour, all Leo had done was ask Barry questions about everything in the factory like any child would when they see something new for the first time. It was an innocent act that Barry could not blame since the inquirer is but a young boy. And he could not refuse either, since answering the boy's questions would make his sister happy as Vivian had explicitly expressed to him. Unbeknownst to him that he was being manipulated by the woman he wishes to bed herself into giving the information they need.

Because he let them into the factory, they now know the layout of the place.

Because he carelessly answered Leo's questions to gain favourability from Vivian, they now know which area the Pleasure drugs are being made in the factory and who among the crew are accomplices to procuring them, as well as what areas in the factory could cause a chain explosive reaction should one of the chemicals catch on fire.

And because he has no charm aside from his wealth and position, his attempt at seducing Vivian had ultimately failed.

Additionally, because of the information he had unknowingly gave them, Leo and Vivian, or just Vivian for the most part, were able to deduce where the possible hidden escape routes are in the factory.

And with those intel on hand, Leo and Vivian are now able to move on to the next part of their plan.

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But first, they needed to do something about Barry who still has not given up on trying to make Vivian his.

For that, a plan was easily devised.

"Sister, I need to go wee wee!" Leo said, holding his pants. To which Barry saw it as an opportunity and stepped up.

"In that case, I'll have my men escort you to the washroom, Young Master." Barry gestured to the guards, who promptly came to his side in a fairly large group. He then whispered something to one of the guards, who responded with a nodded and expressed a sinister grin which Leo and Vivian noticed.

"Come, Young Master. Let us take you to the washroom."

"Okay! Lead the way, you lots." Leo then followed the group of men as they take him to a place that will clearly not be the washroom, as far as Leo and Vivian are concerned.

Seeing that they now finally alone, Barry walked up to Vivian next.

Well then, My Lady, why don't we head to my office and have a drink while waiting for your brother? I have a bottle of vintage wine from the Vayne Winery which I'm sure a person of your status will love."

"I see. Then... take me... there."

"Yes, My Lady! Right this way."

And so, Leo and Vivian have spilt ways. To Barry, he was ecstatic. Finally, he thought while doing his hardest to hold back his excitement, as he is now escorting Vivian to his office where he plans to drug her to sleep first before having his way with her body.

What genius thinking! What diabolical scheming! If only such an obvious plan was not already figured out by Vivian, who saw through him as clear as day.

Meanwhile, in a white room that is definitely not a washroom, the men that have escorted Leo there are now surrounding him with their weapons drawn. They have also locked the exit door, so that the boy won't be able to escape.

There is nothing in the room except for the walls which seemed to be thoroughly soundproofed, including the ceiling. There is also a small stain on the floor of what seemed to be blood, as far as Leo could tell. Leading him to believe that the very room he's in is where some other shady businesses, besides making Pleasures, went down. And that the men who have surrounded him are the goons that did whatever happened in the room.

But what exactly happened here? Leo wishes to know. Fortunately, the men who guided him here were kind enough to explain it to him.

"You scared, kid? Don't worry. We're just about to play a game with you?"

"What game?" Leo asked calmly.

"The game is something my friends and I like to call: Murder. First, we'll chop off your legs, so that you won't be able to run. Then, it'll be your arms, so that you won't be able to fight back. Afterwards, we'll cut your throat, so that you won't be able to scream. Not that screaming will do anything since this room is completely soundproofed from the inside. And last but not least, once you can no longer struggle, we'll butcher you nicely and sell your organs to the Dark Guild. I'm sure the innards of a noble child will sell for a high price with its quality."

The men laughed maniacally. They have done this sort of thing too many times already, to the point where they would gladly murder a child without care.

However, in response to their explanation, Leo maintained an expressionless face and simply blinked.

"Oh. Is that so?" he said, making the grown men around him feel unsettled by his abnormal calmness.

"Mister, that game of yours sounds really boring to play." Leo remarked, putting the idea into the men's heads that his unusual calmness was simply because he was too young to understand what they were saying.

"I want to play a different game. One that I'd like to play more than yours." the boy said, as he reached for his pockets.

The men snickled. "Okay... So what 'game' exactly do you want to play, huh, kid?" one of them said, pointing his blade at Leo to threaten him. But alas, Leo still maintained his composure as he took out a spherical-shaped object, the size of his palm, and pulled the pin protruding out of it.

"My game... is called Bomb." 

After answering the man's question, Leo threw the object at his face where it proceeded to explode, killing the man instantly as a good chunk of his face had been blown to bits.

The other men were stunned by what had just happened.

Did their comrade really just die to the hand of a child? Impossible! Is what they all thought.

"You said that this room has been completely soundproofed from the inside, right? Good. It'd be a problem if you adults were to call for help."

"You... You brat!"

The men, snapped out of their state, all charged at Leo in a fury. However, Leo then pulled out several smaller sized bombs and threw it at the ground, creating a smokescreen to blind his opponents.

"Where the hell did he go!?" one of the men shouted, unable to see anything, before hearing another explosion going off in the background.

"That's two now."

He heard Leo's voice, but was unable to discern where the boy is.

Then, a third explosion occurred.

"Three."

The boy could see them somehow, whereas they couldn't. As he has already killed three of their comrades so far, only four are remaining as more smoke bombs were thrown at the ground, ensuring that Leo's cover wouldn't fade so soon.

"Psst! Hey, big guy. Over here." Leo called out to one of them.

Hearing his voice and seeing his shadowy figure among the smoke, the man hastily attacked shouting "Die!" and slashed at where he thinks the boy is.

However, he soon realised his mistake as the person he ended up slashing was his own comrade.

"Brother... why..." his comrade spoke their final words before dropping to the ground.

The man was shocked. Though he may be a walking scum of the earth, he most certainly cared for the comrades who were in cahoots with him in their evil ways.

"Thank you. That's four and five down now." Leo said, insulting the man who was tricked into killing his comrade, as another explosion went off in the background, killing the fifth man as Leo had announced dead before his actual death.

Five gone, two remaining.

Leo threw more smoke bombs to the ground and disappeared into the clouds.

Knowing that only himself and one more are left standing, the man began searching for the exit.

A young boy has taken out five of grown and armed adults in such a short time. It was clear to the man that there no beating him in a room where visibility has been completely rendered useless. Therefore, he needed to escape and call for help, as pathetic that may be for killer like himself.

So, he ran straight. Although he may not be able to see with smoke around him, the room he's in is small and has only one door, which one of his comrades had locked. Which meant that the moment he touches the wall, he just needs to move along it until he finds the exit door.

But it was too bad that Leo had already anticipated someone to do just that.

"Ack! What the...!? Gahh!" the man yelled in pain, stepping on something sharp that pierced through the sole of his shoes and stepped back. Only to step on the same thing with his other foot, to which he cried in pain again and fell down, getting his body pierced by the unknown sharp objects on the ground.

"Arrgggghhhh!"

Leo had placed caltrops near where the door is at. Hearing that his trapped had work, the young lad calmly walked towards the crying voice after tossing another bomb at the sixth man's face.

"Six."

"Dammit! Dammit!" the man, who is now the one alive, cursed as he reaches his hand out.

The smoke is beginning to fade. He could see the door just right there in front of him. All he needed to do was stand up and twist the handle. Then he's out. Unfortunately, under the pressure of fear and confusion, there was one crucial thing which he had forgotten.

The door was locked.

"Ah."

The hope on his face suddenly turned into despair as he realised that.

The door lock from the inside of the room requires a key for the door to be locked or unlocked, as the room was specifically made for the man and his comrades to trap their victims inside the room with them and prevent their said victims from escaping easily. Which is why, in addition to making the inside lock requiring a key, only one copy of the key was given to the man and his comrades, so that their victim would have a hard time figuring out who among themselves has the key.

And it is unfortunate to say that the man is not the one who holds the key.

The man's despair turned into fear when he heard Leo's footsteps coming closer and closer to him.

The smoke in the room have also faded out for the most parts, allowing the man to finally see the boy, walking towards him. He also sees the caltrops that he fell on and felt a sense of revelation knowing what they were now.

Then, Leo stopped before the traps he had set and stared down at the fallen man with cold eyes.

Initially, the man, like his comrades, looked down on the boy, thinking that he was just some spoiled noble brat with an air of innocence on him. But now, what he sees in the boy was a completely different person.

With an eerie calm demeanour and eyes as dark and cold as the abyss, the look on Leo's face was most certainly not the kind of face anyone would see on a child. It was as if he had went through hell and back, despite being so young. What the man thought about Leo at that moment was just that.

"Who... are you?" he inadvertently blurted out.

However, Leo does not answer the question and started sweeping the caltrops aside using his feet to approach the man.

"Lady Luna once told that I shouldn't kill people, because it's not right for a child to do that." Leo suddenly started speaking stuff that the man did not understand. "But, there's nothing wrong with simply taking out the trash, is there?" he then took another bomb out, pulled the pin in it and forcibly shoved the explosive into the man's mouth, breaking his teeth in the process, before taking a few steps back while maintaining eye contact with the man.

"Seven." Leo counted his last enemy dead before his bomb even exploded.

In his last moment, all the man could think about, as he looked straight at Leo in the eyes, was one thing...

"This kid is freaking insane!"

And boom! The bomb in his mouth exploded, blowing the head to smithereens as the body dropped lifelessly on the ground.

With that, the massacre was over. Leo, who looks at the result of his work, showed no signs of disgust to the gore all over the room. In his eyes, what he was looking at was nothing but trash. Something which he was used to seeing all the time in the past. Therefore, no sort of emotions sprang up in him. Yet, he still sigh for a different reason entirely.

"It's not enough." he mumbled. "A small clean up like this won't be enough to repay my debt to Lady Luna."

The boy sighed one more time. Then, he searched each and every one of the corpses for the key and exited the messy room with no issues.

Upon leaving, he sees Vivian and Barry standing outside as they have been waiting for him.

"Are you... okay?" Vivian approached the boy and asked, visibly expressing concern for Leo's safety, despite already knowing that he would end up fine.

"Yeah, I'm okay." replied Leo as he then shifted his attention to Barry. "So umm... what did you do to him?" he asked, obviously curious seeing him acting unusual as he stood still at his spot.

Barry's eyes were oddly pointing in all sorts of directions. His face had completely lost its colour and his stance at the moment was kind of freaky in Leo's perspective, with his head just bobbing around like he's high or something. It was almost as if he was looking at a mindless zombie, but that wasn't it since Barry is still alive... he thinks.

Unfortunately, Vivian did not answer Leo's question.

Perhaps it's because she isn't much of a talker and would prefer to be silent most of the time. Or maybe it's because she didn't want to tell Leo, a twelve year old boy, the details of her power, which may or may not end up making the child hate her.

Thinking it was the latter, Leo quietly comments, "Warlocks are scary..."

And so, with the strange-behaving Barry guiding them around the factory again, Leo and Vivian proceeded to seal every escape route up, both hidden and non-hidden, except for one which they will be using in their plan.

Once that was done, they began setting up explosives in specific areas where the explosions will be loud enough for all to hear, but be least damaging as well, when they explode.

Finally, with those two things done, they left the factory together, leaving the strange Barry behind as he was sent back to his office.

As the two walked back into the town street, all that's left for them to do is go to where the disguised knights of the Green Hawk Order are at and keep an eye on them from the shadows, for they will be the most crucial piece in the plan that Leo and Vivian were about to enact.

Then, night came. The knight were about to raid the factory and arrest those involved in the creation of Pleasures. Seeing them near the premise, Leo gave the signal to Vivian who snapped her finger to trigger the explosives they'd set up.

*Boom!* *Boom!*

The factory began exploding. Black smoke could be seen rising from the building. The knights who were nearby, did not know what was happening, but saw the explosions as an incentive for them to begin their raid and charged in. Having several of them to wait by the only escape route which Leo and Vivian had not seal, so that the people inside could evacuate the premise through there and only there where they will be apprehended by the knights once they were out safely.

Meanwhile, as all of that was going down, Leo and Vivian were simply watching the firework under the night sky.

"The factory has been blown up. Lady Luna is sure to be pleased now. Right, Vivian?"

"Mm."

Their job is done. Now all that's left is to leave the rest to the Third Prince's knights.

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