Mom did you see? I caught a bad guy!
Marc Hills was caught by the Dubois knights and given to the Royal Family, so that the aftermath don't cause to much trouble to my family.
Sentenced to death for plotting and harming a member of a Duke Household, Marc left an empty position and a huge amount of wealth and lands.
As the one who caught him I was given the choice to choose something from his possessions.
'Should I choose the empty position?'
Just kidding. Too much troubles and too many difficult people.
'I already know what I want after all'
"I want the slums"
Although we had a very good monarch in power right now, we still have slums at the Royal City. The slums are filled with all types of people from the honest and bright type to the scheme and dark types. This is a place filled with tears and blood. Despair is a constant while fear is something that has become your companion. And right now I will own this place.
"Are you sure Cecile? He owns a lovely chalet at the north of the town. I'm sure you could make good use of it"
"Thank you Your Majesty, but I'm certain that this is the reward that I want."
"Well, this is the deed... take the chalet deed too as a reward. Cecile I know you are a kind child but be careful and remember that every life is a life"
"I know Your Majesty"
'Even a bandit's life is a life right Your Majesty? Worry not. I'll make great use of their lives'
With the last experience I had with senior merchants, I realized that only developing the bright side although noble is not a very realistic idea if I want to dominate the market.
'So why don't I use those who already have experience with it? But first they need to be disciplined with fists of love'
I don't want to develop a force from scratch with good people doing bad deeds. Since I need bad deeds done, bad people should be doing it.
'Let's meet the future 'Cerberus''
As I enter a dark alley on the northeast of the town, I saw a dark tall building that was being surrounded by Dubois knights.
"Young Miss you are here"
A man in his mid-twenty with short brown hair and green eyes approached me. Wearing the Dubois knight's armor, he was the captain of the team father appointed to protect me, Theodore Lancaster.
"Theo, did you had any problem?"
"Some of them tried to escaped but were quickly captured"
"Hm. Follow me then"
The sight that greeted me when I opened the building was 30 men utterly beaten on the floor. I turned a questioning glance to Theo who dodge my eyes and scratch the back of his head.
"They were not obedient and kept spouting nonsense"
Accepting his lame excuse, I turned my sight again to the group in the floor
"Who is the leader here?"
No one answer, or looked at me. It appears they don't want to even acknowledge me.
"Hee... let me tell you one thing, Marc is dead. You are all mine now, and as a good owner to my new puppies I will give you 3 choices"
I know I sound very cold and cool right now, but I'm actually a little scared. These are all people who killed someone once.
"First choice is to submit to me like good dogs. I will have you do the dirty job that you are used to. The second choice is to try your luck with the Royal Family. Because you also participated in my kidnapping what is your destiny is hard to tell. The third is the easiest one. You die. How about it? I'll give you thirty minutes to discuss, I'll be waiting outside, come Theo"
After we were out Theo looked at me with confusion written all over his face.
"Miss, what are you trying to do?"
"You know Theo, I discovered that even if you try to be spotless clean, a few particles of dust will always try to stick to you. So I decided that I won't bother with a few particles of dust if I can keep being clean enough."
"I don't understand Miss"
"*chuckle* merchants are people who live in the grey area do you understand that?"
"Yes"
"Right now I'm one of them. Although I don't to get involved with the dirty side of the business, sometimes I don't have a choice. I don't want to drag the people who followed me since litte to the dark side. The people inside the building have always deal with the dark side so I'll make them work for me. To not sacrifice the people close to me I'll use those who were always at the dark"
Silence greeted me.
'I am really selfish, I know'
"Are you disappointed Theo? But you know Theo I can't be good to everyone. They are bad people and should be punished, their punishment will be to have their lives at my mercy anytime"
"This is not it Miss. I just didn't thought you had this in you"
"Fufu~ did you thought I was some kind of saint? Nah. I do what I feel that is right, is only a coincidence that most of the things that I feel right are deemed to be good deeds"
Shaking his head at me, Theo looked deeply into my eyes.
"I believe you are truly good Young Miss"
"Fufu~ you do know how to boot-lick ne. Well, the time is up Theo let's go back"
The sight that greeted me this time was much more organized. Sat down on the floor in rows, they had a mid-thirty man with brawny features at front.
"Your choice"
"We will become Miss dogs"
I patted his head and smiled gently at him.
"What a smart dog. Don't try anything funny. What do you think it's faster the needle in my hand or the knife in yours?"
Poking his head lightly with the needle between my fingers I sensed his body tensing followed by the sound of knife dropping. I caressed his head 'his hair is so soft'
"Good dog. Try once more and you will die okay~"
After seeing the panic on their faces I picked a chair that was close to me I sat down and look at the men in front of me.
"From today onwards you will be called 'Cerberus' and your function is to be the guard dog of IP. You will be divided in 3 groups of 10. The first group will deal with intelligence gathering, the second group with spying and the third is a more fight based I guess. My only limit for you guys is don't hurt innocent people and people who doesn't have anything to do with us. If I found out you went against the orders you die."
Maybe they will need to kill someone in the future, but if they have to it should be an enemy when there is no option left.
"And for your first assignment. We will destroy the northeast slums!"