Alaric listened quietly to Dixie's report, then raised an eyebrow, remarking with a hint of admiration, "I was worried he'd just clean house and leave the mess, but he's handled it quite well. Very thorough."
Solving the red-light district's issues wasn't as simple as shutting it down. A stark reality loomed: how would the innocent women trapped there survive after being freed?
This wasn't an era of abundant productivity where hard work guaranteed survival, however meager. In Loen, far too many starved... not just due to low productivity, but because of skewed distribution.
Even in Medici's reformed territory, where honest labor theoretically ensured no one went hungry, these women, long isolated from society, might struggle to adapt. Many had likely lost the skills needed to thrive outside.
Medici had clearly anticipated this, arranging follow-up support to help them regain independence and reintegrate into the world, preventing them from slipping back into despair.
"Boss thinks way ahead of us brainless types." Dixie said, nodding eagerly, his gaze on Klein filled with unmasked adoration. "When we first went in, we just wanted to smash the place and get people out. Boss took one look and said that wouldn't cut it... they couldn't survive outside. He had us take them back, set them up, and got teachers to train them in proper trades…"
Medici was undeniably busy, wishing for 48-hour days. He couldn't handle every detail personally, and initially, his plans weren't airtight. No one's perfect, and Medici had never tackled something like this before, so oversights were natural.
But Alaric's earlier nudge had prompted Medici to inspect the red-light district operation himself. That glance revealed his blind spots, leading to the comprehensive follow-up measures.
Over time, most red-light districts within Medici's reach had been dismantled, save for a few deeply hidden holdouts... like the one Dixie's team was now targeting.
The rescued women were still learning skills, and if all went well, the first batch would soon graduate, ready to live independently.
Facing Dixie's fervent admiration, Klein felt a twinge of awkwardness. He wasn't Medici, after all. Still, fully in character, he shot Dixie a glance, flashing a cocky smirk and drawling mockingly, "Obviously. What brain do you have? Got any self-awareness?"
While dishing out the sarcasm, Klein mentally chanted apologies, as if knocking on an imaginary prayer bell.
Sorry, Mr. Dixie, I don't want to mock you, but this is how Medici rolls.
Amid his contrition, Klein felt a mix of relief and gratitude for the rescued women's sake.
Dixie, unfazed by the jab... or perhaps used to Medici's sharp tongue... scratched his head, muttering, "Well, yeah, no way I've got a brain like Boss's."
Alaric smiled at Dixie's self-awareness, then said, "Since you've got work to do, get to it. Don't waste time on us. The sooner you go, the sooner those women get saved."
At Alaric's words, Dixie instinctively glanced at Klein, clearly seeing Medici as the decision-maker.
"What're you looking at me for? Move it!" Klein snapped, glaring.
"Right, Boss! We're off. Catch you later!" Dixie didn't linger, saluting before hurrying off with his team.
Watching them go, Alaric turned to Klein and Lil' Amon. "Let's keep exploring the city."
Klein, still a bit moved, nodded as he withdrew his gaze.
Lil' Amon raised a hand, his face a mix of curiosity and confusion. "What's the red-light district?"
The question stunned the group into silence. Neither Klein nor Alaric had expected it. Alaric's eyes settled on Amon, asking, "Will never taught you about this?"
Lil' Amon shook his head honestly. "No, Will never mentioned anything like that."
Alaric paused, then understood. Even someone as seasoned as Will had his pride. While teaching Amon everyday knowledge and mysticism, he'd naturally avoid topics like red-light districts or brothels.
"So what is the red-light district?" Lil' Amon pressed, his curiosity pure and unfiltered.
As someone "born" less than a month ago, Amon's innocence was almost alarming.
"Uh…" Klein, usually quick-witted, found himself tongue-tied. His sense of decorum made it impossible to explain such a place to Lil' Amon. Spare me, he's just a kid!
"Is it some kind of taboo?" Amon asked, growing more puzzled by their silence.
"Not exactly a taboo." Alaric finally said, shaking his head with a calm expression. "But it's not something you need to know about. It's just a relic destined for the dustbin of history."
Lil' Amon nodded, half-understanding.
Alaric ruffled his head, as he had when Amon was smaller. "Just know it's not a good thing, got it?"
"Oh." Amon said, nodding again. After a moment's thought, he asked, "So the people there are all really pitiful?"
Though he didn't grasp what the red-light district was, he'd picked up on the earlier conversation.
"They're people powerless against their fate." Alaric said, almost sighing.
Lil' Amon's face turned thoughtful. Then he asked, "So, do they have anything to do with us?"
***
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