As soon as they crossed the threshold of the iron door, Calian and Wolvin's footsteps instantly halted upon seeing the sight before their eyes.
Under the bright light of the magic lantern carried by Thomas, a yellowish gleam reflected from various corners of the room. Inside the safe, which was designed with a high-level security system, sat eight large chests with their lids left wide open.
The chests were filled with piles of gold coins.
The amount of money in the room was believed to be of an astronomical sum, enough to purchase an entire territory or fund a large-scale military force.
Is all this money the result of the dirty transactions from that human trafficking? Calian thought, his eyes analyzing the source of such absurd wealth.
While Calian and Wolvin stood in silence observing their surroundings, Thomas walked toward one of the large chests located in the corner of the room. He quickly swept aside some gold coins on its surface, then pulled out a smaller wooden box hidden within the pile of money.
He turned the lock on the box. Once opened, Thomas took out a large, thick book from inside. It was a document recording everything regarding transactions involving human trafficking.
"This is the document. Please inspect it first." Thomas said, handing the thick book over to Calian.
The purple-haired youth immediately took the document and opened it under the illumination of the magic lantern. He flipped through page after page. There, recorded very neatly and in great detail, were all the records of the human trafficking transactions. It included the races, genders, selling prices, buyers' names, and even the delivery routes.
Calian continued to read the document meticulously, scanning the names of the Erthland Empire nobles who were regular customers of the syndicate. However, as his finger traced the transaction records of the last few months, his hand's movement abruptly stopped.
His initially cold and analytical gaze sharpened to resemble a drawn sword. He was fixated on one specific line of writing.
Name: Harold
Delivery Destination: Larvin Territory, Yornvast Empire.
Damn it! Calian cursed inwardly, his teeth grinding as he held back the surge of emotion that suddenly exploded in his chest. I truly never expected its reach to extend to the Yornvast Empire. And that damn spy named Harold... he bought slaves and sent them directly to that family's territory? They're all complete bastards!
Finally, the youth realized a terrifying fact. This human trafficking syndicate was not merely a local-scale crime occurring within the Erthland Empire alone, but a massive international network operating beyond its borders.
Furthermore, the fact that his own biological family in the Yornvast Empire, Duke Maxwell Larvin's family, was directly involved in this human trafficking chain left Calian increasingly enveloped in a mix of anger and disappointment.
On the outside, they always act perfectly as a highly respected and feared pillar of the empire's military strength. But in the shadows, they harbor a disgusting rottenness that has just been exposed right here! Calian thought, his hand gripping the edge of the document so tightly that the paper slightly crumpled. The corrupt nobles on this list are completely rotten! All of them must be executed without exception!
Beside him, Wolvin, who noticed the drastic change in Calian, was startled. He saw his husband's expression, which looked like it was holding back a massive rage with a sharp gaze full of murderous intent.
Seeing his husband change so suddenly, the Night Wolf youth concluded that something terrible must be written in the document.
"Darling, what is it? Why did your expression suddenly change like that?" Wolvin asked in a tone laden with both concern and curiosity. "Can I see that document for a moment?"
Hearing his spouse's question laden with worry, Calian took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress his anger once more. He turned his head and handed the thick document over to Wolvin, pointing right at the transaction line he had just read.
Wolvin took the book and read the line of ink pointed out by his husband. The next second, the Night Wolf youth's eyes widened in shock.
What?! The delivery is heading to the Larvin territory?! the Night Wolf youth exclaimed inwardly, completely blindsided by what he had just read.
Wolvin never expected that Calian's biological family in the Yornvast Empire would also be involved in the human trafficking network within the Erthland Empire.
No wonder my husband's expression suddenly turned so terrifying like that. Wolvin thought, slowly closing the document and looking at Calian with an understanding gaze.
Calian then shifted his attention away from the book and stared directly into Thomas's face with a gaze that seemed to want to kill him.
Seeing the predatory gaze that seemed to want to skin and tear him apart alive, Thomas immediately got heavy goosebumps. Cold sweat poured down his back. He was truly confused and simultaneously terrified by the sudden change in the purple-haired youth's demeanor.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?" Thomas asked haltingly, his voice trembling in fear. "I've been cooperative and handed over what you wanted!"
"Tell me right now!" Calian demanded in a heavy, intimidating voice, ignoring the fear of the man in front of him. "Is the Yornvast Empire directly involved in the human trafficking network occurring throughout the Erthland Empire?"
Intimidated by such a thick aura, Thomas swallowed hard. He did not dare to lie.
"S-Several envoys from Yornvast do visit frequently." Thomas answered quickly, beginning to explain the transaction mechanism. "But they do not come directly to my territory. They usually visit the Burtois territory to negotiate prices and conduct transactions with middlemen."
"Then, why were those kidnapped in the yard about to be sent to Wollen City?"
"That is because the people who have been given orders from that territory..." Thomas answered Calian's question, "...they come here to make the transaction and will pick up all the slaves they have purchased in Wollen City."
The red string of all these crimes began to connect very clearly in Calian's head. The involvement of Marquis Khail Burtois's territory as the place of negotiation and Wollen City as the final distribution center, including the unexpected party involved in this human trafficking case, was none other than the Yornvast Empire.
Feeling that he had obtained all the information he needed, Calian nodded in understanding while pondering his next move.
He turned to his spouse, who was still holding the thick book in his hands.
"Wolvin, please store the document inside your dimensional storage necklace."
"Okay, Darling, I will store it!" Wolvin replied as he began channeling his mana into the necklace worn around his neck.
And then, the thick document that served as proof of the crimes of many Erthland Empire nobles finally vanished from the Night Wolf youth's hands, safely stored inside his dimensional storage necklace.