"It seems our tea with the Chairman will have to wait. Let's go take a look instead~"
As soon as the words left his lips, the figure disappeared in an instant.
The Carlo Kuch Empire is an imperialist nation. It has both a prime minister, who serves as the real head of state, and the Carlo royal family, which includes the queen and prince.
The headquarters of the Carlo Kuch Empire and the Hunter Association happen to be located on the same continent. Coincidentally, the Nosla Family's base is also within this empire.
This coincidence explains how Ronnel and Saccho found themselves aboard the same airship.
The Carlo Kuch Empire, hosting the headquarters of the Hunter Association, is naturally one of the world's most powerful nations. It is part of the V5, and boasts the world's strongest military forces.
Such a robust military presence ensures the Carlo Kuch Empire has the leverage to keep the Hunter Association in check. After all, the V5 remains wary of the Association—an organization that appears official but is, in truth, composed mostly of civilians.
Though the V5 nations differ in power, they remain united by the looming threat of the Dark Continent and the delicate balance of global peace. Geographical distance between the five V5 nations—each spread across different continents—helps minimize friction.
Meanwhile, the Azian Continent, which lacks a V5 nation, is home to the equally formidable Kakin Empire, rivaling the V5 in strength.
Each of the six continents has its own dominant country.
Lost in thought, Ronnel arrived at his destination: the border of the Carlo Kuch Empire.
The Carlo Kuch Empire shares a border with Robeyi, a nation famed for its thriving medical, entertainment, and tourism industries. Despite its wealth, Robeyi reports an annual economic deficit, a clear indicator of the financial strain caused by its militarily dominant neighbor.
On his journey, Ronnel researched these nations using the Hunter Internet, finding their political dynamics oddly familiar.
"Isn't this just like the relationship between the US and Canada in my past life?" Ronnel mused, recalling his time before reincarnation.
His musings, however, had little to do with his current objective—a remote mountain range straddling the borders of Robeyi and the Carlo Kuch Empire.
To call it a mountain range wasn't entirely accurate; it was more of a sprawling estate built within a rugged terrain, complete with hidden caves. Establishing such a grand manor in a border region was no small feat.
The last family bold enough to construct such a home was the Zoldyck family, who built their fortress on Kukuroo Mountain in the Republic of Padokea.
Coincidentally, the family who built the manor here also belonged to the world of assassins.
"Is this where the Matar family, the world's second-most famous killer family, resides?"
Seated on a tour bus, Ronnel flipped through a travel magazine, scanning a feature on the Matar family. The article included photographs of their estate, Mont Saint-Pierre.
The tour guide began her enthusiastic explanation.
"Up ahead is our destination, the residence of the Matar family—the world's second-most famous assassin family!"
The guide, clad in uniform, gestured with a diagram as she narrated.
"The world is filled with assassin organizations, but only a select few achieve legendary status. You can count them on one hand."
The guide continued, "The Matar family stands out as one of the greatest, with centuries of history and unmatched expertise..."
Before she could finish, a middle-aged man interrupted her with a smug tone:
"But they're still no match for the Zoldycks! If they were, the title of the world's number one assassin family wouldn't belong to anyone else, would it?"
The man, his large frame sprawled across two seats, smirked as though he were a Zoldyck himself.
The tour guide maintained her professional smile. "Sir, you're free to express your opinion, but don't you think it's a bit inappropriate to criticize one family while praising their rivals, especially here?"
Realizing his blunder, the man fell silent, his face betraying his embarrassment. Nearby passengers chuckled at his expense.
As the guide resumed her explanation, Ronnel noticed how casually both the guide and tourists dismissed the Matar family compared to the Zoldycks.
Despite their reputation as the world's second-most lethal assassin family, the Matars seemed perpetually overshadowed.
'People only remember the best,' Ronnel thought, flipping the magazine shut. 'Everyone knows Mount Everest, but who remembers K2?'
(T/N: K2, at 8,611 metres (28,251 ft) above sea level, is the second-highest mountain on Earth.)
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