So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

"I'm currently staying at the palace, so you can mention that when reporting to the guards."

"...!"

Neither the Imperial Bank nor the guards could arrest Obern from the palace.

"You made a strange expression when looking at those documents earlier."

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"I don't... know what you mean..."

"..."

I looked back at Obern.

Obern nodded slightly.

"Saaak!"

I shouted and bit the banker's neck.

"Aaaaargh!"

To the screaming banker, Obern spoke coldly.

"That's a venomous viper."

"I-I've been bitten!"

"You have about 3 minutes left."

Even the most loyal employee knows the value of their own life.

"Save me! The vice president, it's the vice president!" Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire

"What?"

For reference, I just bit him without injecting venom.

If I had really injected venom, he'd be dead in 10 seconds, not 3 minutes.

"The vault access records show the vice president's entry! That's all I know!"

A vice president is an executive position second only to the bank president.

Why would such an executive enter Pelerian's vault?

"I don't even know which of the seven vice presidents went in."

"A vice president stole my belongings?"

"Because it was a vault scheduled for disposal... Though it's common to dispose of items after disposal, it's rare to visit a vault before disposal. I thought they just went to check what was inside!"

As expected of an elite, the banker didn't ramble even in this situation.

We could soon understand the situation.

"They're creating a slush fund by disposing of items from expired rental vaults."

Many who use rental vaults are suspicious people, preferring to store their valuables away from prying eyes and official records. The type who might disappear without ever returning to claim their possessions.

Pelerian was actually one of them - a fact that now carried new weight in light of recent events. His disappearance had been convenient, perhaps too convenient.

And if items aren't retrieved when a rental vault expires, the contents are disposed of by the bank - a standard policy that looked far less innocent now. A perfect cover for systematic theft.

Instead of disposing them as regulations required, the executive-level vice presidents sell them to create secret funds. A neat operation, taking advantage of those who would never return to claim their belongings.

With seven vice presidents, there wouldn't be much left after splitting it. The profits from selling unclaimed treasures, divided seven ways, would hardly make any of them wealthy. A tempting but ultimately modest scheme.

It seems one of those vice presidents got greedy. The math wasn't adding up anymore - someone had decided their share wasn't enough.

Someone disposed of the vault's contents before the scheduled disposal. Leaving the cabinet but taking everything inside.

"They have no fear."

Obern said through gritted teeth.

He seemed genuinely angry.

Even though it wasn't his money.

"Th-The antidote..."

When told there was no venom injected in the first place, the banker collapsed.

He muttered something dejectedly but we didn't pay attention.

'At least gather the remaining items, Obern.'

'Of course!'

Obern quickly gathered the gold and treasures from the cabinet.

This is quite a substantial amount.

Pelerian must have been wealthy, the value of the accumulated money was extraordinary.

We poured it all into my spatial storage.

'Mr. Snake!'

'What is it, Obern?'

'If I offer these to His Majesty, wouldn't he spare my life?'

Well, I don't think so.

No matter how much money is here, it wouldn't interest the Emperor.

Obern seemed to know this too, nodding bitterly.

And when we opened the last drawer.

'What's this.'

Instead of treasures, there was something neatly wrapped.

Looking closely, it was incense for burning.

The kind that smolders and releases smoke when lit.

──────────────

[Incense of Great Fortune]

──────────────

Incense of Great Fortune?

Who's Great Fortune?

Since Pelerian didn't seem to know either, I just put it in spatial storage for now.

Obern grabbed the collapsed banker's collar and forced him up.

"Your bank has been up to interesting things. His Majesty the Emperor would be pleased to know."

"...sob sob"

Obern, a man about to die by the Emperor's hand yet still able to use the Emperor's name.

"What's your name?"

"Deputy Manager Gumn Agan."

"Deputy Manager Gumn. I'll visit again soon. It would be good to have any helpful information by then."

The banker started trembling.

From his perspective, Obern must look like a dangerous person who could overturn the Imperial Bank.

We left the vault.

We need to find the stolen items.

I won't let anyone who stole from me get away with it.

==

Of course.

It was impossible to line up all the bank's vice presidents and beat them with a stick.

That's something we couldn't even attempt without the Emperor's orders.

Even the now-foolish Marquis would find it difficult with all his power.

Obern and we just scared one deputy manager and left.

"That vice president has probably already disposed of what was inside."

'Would there be something like a black market?'

"Of course. The darker the shadow, the more prosperous the city."

We need to find the vice president who stole it.

Or at least figure out where they might have sold the items.

Of course, just the treasures we gathered were worth a fortune.

'We're rich again.'

The amount we salvaged must be over 1,000 Gold .

Obern was happy for a moment, then.

'But... I still..."

He despaired at the fact that his problem remained unsolved.

No, I have a good feeling about this.

While Pelerian was still fuming at the bankers, I somehow felt fine.

There's a smell, you could say?

It's like blood, a familiar smell.

Wait.

It's really familiar!

I looked around.

And found the owner of the familiar smell.

'Obern! O-Obern!'

I called Obern in surprise.

And pointed in one direction with my tail.

Someone was coming down the steps from the Imperial Bank.

Though they quickly pulled up their hood, I could recognize them before that.

'That's Oliver!'

Oliver, the traitor who ran away after asking us to wait a moment when we made the Marquis foolish.

That betrayer.

'Let's follow!'

Finally caught him!