Charlot's words were spoken with calm detachment, but the gang members listening felt a chill run down their spines.

  The utter annihition of the Bck Scorpion Gang yesterday had left an indelible mark on everyone.

  No one had imagined that the Lukavaro District Chief Overseer could be so ruthless, his methods so brutal.

  The Bck Scorpion Gang, a group that had been established for over a decade, had vanished overnight, reduced to nothing but ash.

  Charlot had initially pnned to seek out his old acquaintance, Louis Simy, to evaluate the Bck Scorpion Gang's assets. However, since Ross Bard had proactively pledged his allegiance, Charlot entrusted this matter to the newly joined "merchant".

  As for the follow-up, Charlot no longer concerned himself with it.

  ...

  For the next few days, Charlot did nothing extraordinary and simply maintained his diligent daily routine.

  The overnight destruction of the Bck Scorpion Gang had made the Lone Wolves Gang, Dark Night Beasts, and Guloff Brotherhood noticeably more compliant.

  Charlot did not seize this opportunity to exert more pressure or to eliminate the smaller, hesitant gangs. Instead, he focused on consolidating the power he had already absorbed.

  ...

  Another Monday arrived—imperial payday.

  The Fars Empire had finally decred war on Byron.

  The news caused an uproar across the entire empire. Every newspaper buzzed with debates about the impending war, though the highest levels of government remained silent, clearly having reached some unspoken understanding.

  The Lukavaro District Patrol Guards were not exempt from the changes.

  A formal decree from the Central Government Office ordered the Lukavaro District Patrol Guards to be reorganized into the Free Knights. This decree also authorized an expansion of personnel while transferring Lady Mavis to another post and appointing a new Chief Overseer in her pce.

  When Charlot received the decree, he felt a sense of relief.

  But upon reading the newly appointed Chief Overseer's credentials, he couldn't help but feel as though the "Laurel Goddess" herself had descended in a whirlwind of chaos and beauty.

  The new Chief Overseer of the Lukavaro District Patrol Guards was a Gunnery Sergeant of Level 40, Rank 2.

  In theory, such a military rank corresponded to someone who had graduated from the academy one or two years prior, or perhaps had even more societal experience.

  In reality, however, the new Chief Overseer was a fresh graduate.

  Her name stirred quite the imagination—Dolores Soumet.

  She was the Laurel Goddess of Gorgias University, none other than Menielman Soumet's cousin.

  "Well," Charlot thought to himself.

  Dolores had already graduated and was no longer a student at Gorgias University, meaning she would relinquish her title as Laurel Goddess.

  When Charlot saw this name, he finally understood why he—despite graduating as a First-Css Civil Servant—had a Level 41, Rank 1 position, while Dolores had secured a Level 40, Rank 2 rank and had "exceptionally" been granted a position of real power as Chief Overseer.

  No matter how much he racked his brains, Charlot simply could not fathom why his new partner would be Dolores Soumet.

  ...

  The former Laurel Goddess wasted no time. On the same afternoon Charlot received the decree, Dolores appeared at No. 1 Falcon Street.

  When this beautiful girl, with her ethereal air and striking azure eyes, stood in Charlot's office, her first words were, "I just wanted to see the look of shock on your face."

  Charlot spread his hands and asked, "Why would you join the Patrol Guards?"

  Dolores, quite at ease, rummaged through Charlot's office until she found floral tea. She casually pulled out a Taculo Card and pced it under the kettle. The water boiled almost instantly, and she poured herself a cup.

  Charlot stared, dumbfounded. "Is that card magic from Gorgias University?"

  Dolores blew gently on her tea and replied, "Yes, this is a card magic technique created by Arthur Conan Doyle, the first principal of Gorgias University."

  "This particur card is called 'Bonfire.'"

  "It’s incredibly convenient for boiling water or cooking food in the wild."

  Charlot felt a pang of envy but knew he had neither the time nor the energy to train in card magic. He casually asked, "Dolores, what tier of Transcendent are you?"

  Dolores Soumet replied, "A Third-Tier Card Magician."

  "I'm slightly stronger than Annie."

  Charlot had no interest in pursuing this topic. With Dolores’ mischievous personality, any comment he made would surely be reyed to Annie Bretagne with colorful embellishments.

  Dolores sipped her floral tea with delicate care. It was undeniable that she lived up to her titles—the Laurel Goddess of Gorgias University and cousin to the First Rose, Menielman. Her beauty was fwless from any angle, and her demeanor radiated elegance.

  But her personality...

  Charlot refused to comment.

  He poured himself a cup of coffee.

  He still couldn't get used to the overly acidic coffee of this world. Thus, he'd bought a batch of beans, roasted them himself in a traditional style, and created a charcoal-brewed coffee. While not exceptional, it was at least drinkable.

  Dolores' small nose twitched. "What coffee is this?"

  Charlot gestured. "Do you want to try some?"

  Dolores set down her floral tea and, following Charlot's instructions, added sugar and milk. Using her Bonfire card, she gently reheated the cup, took a sip, and her eyes immediately lit up.

  "Where did you get this coffee? It’s slightly bitter, but in the best way possible. With sugar and milk, the aroma turns incredibly rich. I’ve never tasted anything like it."

  Charlot didn’t feign mystery and expined, "I roasted the coffee beans to a deep level." He then went on to expin the roasting process in detail.

  Dolores memorized his words and remarked, "If you opened a coffee shop, it would definitely thrive."

  Charlot chuckled. "I’d rather open a chain of milk tea shops."

  Back on Earth, that was a highly lucrative business, beloved by women worldwide.

  Charlot had considered several business ventures he could undertake in the Old Continent. Besides the already-established pharmacy trade, milk tea shops were on his mind. However, while pharmacies only required adjusting the products sold, milk tea shops were far too "earth-shattering" an idea. He wasn’t sure how well it would be received.

  Dolores frowned, unfamiliar with the concept. "Milk and tea together? That doesn’t sound drinkable."

  "This business would be a guaranteed loss."

  Charlot didn’t argue the point and instead asked, "Dolores, are you really pnning to work here?"

  Dolores put away her magic cards and replied, "I’ve also brought the batch of soldiers you so desperately needed."

  "But it seems like you’ve solved that problem yourself."

  Charlot finally remembered that Lady Mavis had mentioned the empire would send reinforcements. In recent days, many of the idle patrol guards under his command had been transferred out. Between recruiting local gang members and integrating the new prisoners, Charlot had forgotten all about it.