Chapter 79: Mazura Village

These Red Cloud Robes were purchased by Blayn based on his general memory of everyone's body sizes since he didn't know their exact measurements.

So, they needed to try them on first. If any didn't fit, they could simply return and exchange them.

The system was quite user-friendly in this regard—ill-fitting items could be swapped out immediately.

There were a total of twenty-four Red Cloud Robes, including Blayn's own and Seryu's.

Thanks to Blayn's exceptional memory and the system's ability to tailor the robes based on his mental image of each person, most of them fit perfectly.

Only one or two were slightly too big or small, but those were quickly exchanged for better-fitting ones.

"This looks way cooler than what we wore in the Assassination Unit before! Commander Blayn, did you design these yourself?"

"Not surprising. Commander Blayn definitely has great taste."

"Now that the Akatsuki Organization is officially established, we must not let Commander Blayn down—we have to see the organization's mission through to the end!"

...

Everyone seemed quite pleased with the Red Cloud Robes.

"You don't need to call me 'Commander' anymore. We're no longer part of the Imperial Assassination Unit. Just call me by my name," Blayn told them.

But no one could bring themselves to do it. Addressing Blayn so casually felt too inappropriate.

"No," Kurome spoke up bluntly. "I'm used to calling you 'Commander,' and since you're now the leader of Akatsuki, there's nothing wrong with continuing to call you that, is there?"

"...I guess that's fine," Blayn said with a hint of helplessness.

Now that they had settled on a location, the next step was to build the base.

Blayn's plan was to recruit workers from nearby cities and villages, offering them a fair wage.

By doing this under the guise of an Imperial official, they could avoid most unnecessary trouble.

As for security concerns, there was little risk of the base's location being exposed. The workers would be blindfolded during the journey and only have their blindfolds removed once they reached the depths of the cave.

That way, they would know they were inside a cave but have no idea which one.

Blayn still had a clear memory of the Empire's map in his mind.

He knew exactly which cities and villages were near Seiga Cavern, so finding the right places wouldn't be an issue.

Of course, "nearby" was a relative term.

A place like Seiga Cavern was uninhabitable, so there were no settlements directly adjacent to it. Even the closest town was quite far away.

"Let's head to Mazura Village first," Blayn said, bringing Seryu, Kurome, and the girl who wielded the Teigu "Sky Horn" along.

"The rest of you stay in the cave or explore the surroundings to get familiar with the area."

Mazura Village was a small settlement.

Given their situation, recruiting workers from a village was the most practical approach.

Riding atop the Special-Class Danger Beast, they quickly arrived near Mazura Village.

As they descended, they immediately drew the attention of the villagers.

"Th-That's a Special-Class Danger Beast?! Quick, report to the village chief—there's a Special-Class Danger Beast approaching!"

"Wait a second… there are people riding it?"

"There really are! But they're dressed strangely… Could they be from another region?"

...

Most of the villagers were on high alert. If these people were foreigners—and they had a Special-Class Danger Beast with them—then the village could be in serious danger!

Before long, the village chief, an elderly white-haired man, arrived at the village entrance, escorted by a group of well-armed militia.

By then, Blayn and his group had already dismounted from the Special-Class Danger Beast, which was resting nearby.

Even so, the sight of the massive creature left the villagers shaken, keeping their distance in fear.

"May I ask who you are...?"

The village chief looked at the mysterious figures dressed in matching attire, his expression serious.

"We are officials from the Imperial Capital, but we cannot disclose our true identities," Blayn stated, pulling out an old identification badge.

"This is proof of my previous position in the Imperial Capital Security Force."

It just so happened that the village chief had visited the capital many years ago and had seen the unique insignia worn by the captain of the Imperial Capital Security Force.

"This is indeed the Imperial Capital Security Force, and that is the Captain's badge!"

The old village chief immediately believed Blayn's words.

Since he had once been the captain of the Imperial Capital Security Force, his current rank was likely even higher than before.

Still, the village chief was puzzled—why would someone of such high status suddenly visit their impoverished village?

Apart from tax collection, the Imperial Capital had never shown the slightest concern for them.

"We need to construct a fortress at a key location and urgently require a large workforce. Each worker will be paid one hundred gold coins, with full payment upon completion."

Blayn stated his purpose directly, making no mention of the Akatsuki Organization.

"One hundred gold coins?!"

The old village chief was stunned, and the surrounding villagers were equally shocked.

Gold coins, not silver or copper—one hundred of them was an enormous sum.

To put it into perspective, an ordinary family in the village could work and save diligently for half a lifetime and still not accumulate one hundred gold coins. To them, this was an astronomical amount.

"My lord! Just tell us how many workers you need—we will absolutely provide enough to meet your expectations!"

The village chief spoke quickly, as if afraid Blayn might suddenly change his mind.

The village's finances were already on the brink of collapse. With such a lucrative opportunity placed before them, there was no way they would let it slip away.

"Start with one hundred workers. The demand will increase gradually over time. The first one hundred will each receive one hundred gold coins, while future workers will be paid based on hours worked."

Blayn spoke calmly.

"Understood! We can gather one hundred skilled workers for you right away!"

With that, the old village chief turned and hurried back into the village, moving so quickly he seemed ten years younger, his cane now an unnecessary burden.

Meanwhile, he instructed the villagers to bring Blayn and his group into the village and treat them well.

Upon entering, they could see that most of the buildings were old and worn down, though the village still had a sizable population.

Blayn had already guessed the village was extremely poor based on the chief's reaction—it was clear they were desperate for money.

And he just so happened to provide them with a much-needed financial boost.

Of course, he wasn't giving them money for free. But after being exploited by the Empire for so long, these villagers saw him as exceptionally generous.

In reality, the wages he offered were only slightly above the standard rate. The key difference was that, without middlemen taking a cut, the workers would actually receive fair compensation for their labor.

...

Blayn and his group were taken to a room where a variety of local snacks had been set out on the table.

The moment Kurome saw them, she couldn't resist—she immediately started eating.

A little while later, the old village chief returned, bringing three young villagers with him.

"These three are the best young warriors in our village. They are strong and highly capable."

He then turned to the three youths and said, "Tatsumi, Sayo, Ieyasu—show this gentleman what you can do."

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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