In Black clover with Grimoire of Omnitrix

Centergate Village...

Centergate Village was a small settlement, much like Hage Village, located on the outskirts of the Clover Kingdom.

It lay within the Forsaken Realm, a peaceful place where most of the villagers were farmers.

The population ranged between 100 and 150, making it a quiet and close-knit community.

As Ben, accompanied by five royal guards and Nebra, arrived at the village, they were greeted by the sight of lush, green farmland stretching as far as the eye could see.

Scattered among the fields were occasional farmhouses, simple but sturdy dwellings where the villagers lived.

A freshwater river, known as Silverbrook, ran through the heart of the village, dividing it into two halves.

The river's crystal-clear waters provided an essential resource for the farmers, nourishing their crops and sustaining their daily lives.

The name "Silverbrook" reflected the river's shimmering beauty and its importance to the village's survival.

Connecting the two halves of the village was a sturdy bridge called Unity Bridge.

More than just a means of crossing the river, the bridge also served as the village's marketplace.

Small shops and stalls lined its length, where villagers bartered and sold their goods.

The name "Unity Bridge" symbolized the strong bonds of the farming community, a reminder that despite the river's divide, they remained one people, working together for their shared prosperity.

As they moved forward,

one of the royal knights—tasked with gathering information on Centergate Village after learning of the king's undercover visit—leaned in and whispered his findings to Ben.

Ben nodded in acknowledgment, absorbing the details.

Keow~

A soft cry from above drew Nebra's attention.

She glanced up to see a flock of gull-like birds soaring over the farmland, their wings catching the sunlight.

"This village looks so peaceful,"

Nebra murmured, her gaze following the birds as they glided across the sky.

Unlike Ben, who had grown up in Hage Village before ascending to the throne, Nebra was unaccustomed to life in the Forsaken Realm.

Though she had visited Hage before as a Magic Knight, this was her first time disguising herself as a commoner and stepping into a world so far removed from her noble upbringing.

For Ben, adapting to the role of a commoner came naturally.

For the royal guards, their rigorous training had prepared them for such situations.

But for Nebra, this was an entirely new experience—one that left her quietly observing and absorbing the unfamiliar surroundings.

Usually, the Silver Eagle Magic Squad rarely ventured into the Forsaken Realm for missions.

Most assignments in these remote areas were handled by the Black Bulls and Purple Orca squads.

Even when missions in the Forsaken Realm were assigned to the Silver Eagles, Nebra and her siblings rarely took them on personally.

Instead, they would send other Magic Knights from their squad to handle the task.

The first mission Nebra had ever personally accepted in the Forsaken Realm was the one involving Ben—the mission that had changed everything.

Now, blending seamlessly with the villagers, Ben and the others slowly made their way toward Unity Bridge, where the village market was bustling with life.

As they walked, they listened intently to the conversations of the villagers around them.

"For the past few weeks... the bandits have stopped robbing us on Red Pass."

A man pulling a cart filled with fresh vegetables spoke excitedly to another man carrying a large sack of goods over his shoulder.

"Yeah... It's better that way. Do you think a Magic Knight intervened?"

The man carrying the goods asked, his eyes practically sparkling with excitement.

From his expression, it was clear—he was a huge fan of the Magic Knights.

Sigh~

"Quit dreaming, Scott. We all know Magic Knights don't care about tiny villages in the Forsaken Realm. And as for the king... he's probably too busy chasing women's skirts."

The man pulling the vegetable cart scoffed, shaking his head at his friend's naivety.

Scott paused, wanting to argue—but no words came out of his mouth.

In all his 32 years, he had only seen a Magic Knight once—a decade ago when he visited a village near Clover Kingdom's capital.

Frown~

Hearing a commoner openly mock their king, the royal guards were about to take action, their faces darkening with deep frowns.

But before they could move, Ben subtly raised his hand, signaling them to stand down.

"If a king can't even accept a small criticism from his citizens, then he is too narrow-minded to be a ruler."

His voice was low but firm, his words carrying weight.

Without another glance at the men, Ben turned and walked toward a shop in the market, leaving the stunned guards behind.

As they moved through the market, they visited several shops, inquiring about the prices of goods.

The price comparison quickly became clear—

Vegetables, fruits, and crops were relatively cheap.

Weapons, accessories, clothes, appliances, and farming tools, however, were outrageously expensive.

Even Ben raised an eyebrow at the price disparity.

The royal guards were visibly shocked, and even Nebra, who had limited experience in the Forsaken Realm, was stunned.

It was clear—the merchants were taking advantage of the village.

"What do you think, Rook?"

As they calmly exited the market, Ben directed his question toward Rook, the leader of the royal guards accompanying him.

Rook was handpicked by David, the Royal Guard Captain, and was trusted with protecting the king.

The seasoned guard furrowed his brows, thinking deeply for a few moments before responding.

"My lord... It seems the merchants trading in this village are taking full advantage of the villagers, selling goods at ridiculously high prices."

"While it is normal for imported goods to have additional costs, the prices here are absurd. I believe these merchants are using the same tactics in the nearby villages as well, tightening their grip on the local economy."

"In return, they buy the farming goods from these villages at extremely low prices. No matter how we look at it, it's an unfair trade—especially when compared to market rates in the capital."

There was no hesitation in Rook's voice.

He had no doubt that these merchants were manipulating the economy of the Forsaken Realm for their own benefit.

It was normal for a merchant to pursue profit—after all, it was the basic principle of business.

However, using one's power to manipulate and control the economy of villages, ultimately collapsing them, was blatant money laundering.

[ Ding... ]

[ Host has come in contact with a lawbreaker... ]

[ Generating mission… ]

[ Ding... ]

[ New Mission Assigned! ]

[ 🔹 Mission Name: Catch the Money Launderer (2/???)

 🔹 Mission Description:

Greedy merchants are exploiting small villages, controlling the money flow for their own benefit.

This has severely impacted the economy of both the kingdom and villages, causing stagnation and underdevelopment.

🔹 Completion Target: 0/25

🔹 Reward: 120 FP Points. ]

Suddenly, a mission was triggered in Ben's mind, bringing a smirk to his face.

As he took one last glance at a merchant, who was greedily counting coins from his recent sales, Ben calmly exited the market.

'Looks like another one added to the list.'

With that thought, he casually made his way toward the inn, located at the riverside, on the other side of the bridge.

Upon arriving, Ben secured rooms for the night and then sent the five royal knights on a mission to gather information about the orphanage.

As daylight faded, the bright sky transformed into a pitch-black abyss.

With no moonlight to illuminate the land—it being a new moon—the village was shrouded in darkness, except for the glow of lanterns from the houses.

After conducting a thorough investigation, the five royal knights returned with crucial information about the orphanage:

1️⃣ The previous caretaker—who was responsible for running the orphanage—had died mysteriously.

2️⃣ Shortly after his death, a group of five men arrived, claiming to be the new caretakers assigned by the kingdom.

3️⃣ Initially, the villagers were suspicious, but since there were no reported issues, they gradually stopped paying attention.

4️⃣ The last time the orphanage children made contact with the villagers was a few days ago—since then, no one had seen or heard from them.

5️⃣ The activities of the bandits at Red Pass coincided suspiciously with the arrival of the new caretakers.

Just half an hour earlier, Marx—the Wizard King's assistant—had sent word that the kingdom had officially assigned a caretaker for the orphanage.

However, he would only arrive in two days after completing his other duties.

Now, all that remained...

Was taking action in the dark.

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(Author's POV)

(A/N):Thanks for reading the chapter!

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