Act 16

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Sporadically marked with old grime, the dimly lit streets of the slum area were dark due to improperly functioning lights. 

Linne glanced back at the man following her. 

The narrow-eyed man displayed a dignified elegance without any superfluous detail. 

However, Linne knew that this was a mask to hide his true nature. 

The man’s name was Julian Crypart Frason. 

He had forsaken the teachings of his master, Hayden Reich, and become a degenerate, reduced to a lapdog of the royal family. 

Noticing that he was following her, Linne clicked her tongue internally. 

‘Didn’t he understand what I said?’ 

Just before, Linne had signaled to Julian that they should not get in each other’s way and just do their own tasks. 

However, as if he hadn’t heard her, he was still following her. 

Of course, it was impossible that this sly human hadn’t understood her signals. 

“Aren’t we both disciples of the same master? Please don’t be so harsh.” 

Linne scoffed inwardly at his insincere words. 

He was a man with a strong desire for self-expression. 

He hated being attached to the shadowy label of ‘Hayden Reich’s disciple’ while simultaneously harboring a strong longing for the title of ‘Sword Saint,’ more than anything else. 

So much so that when Hayden had excommunicated Julian, the matter of life and death was brought up. 

Indeed. 

He wanted to surpass the ‘wall’ that was his master, Hayden Reich, even if it meant turning his master into an enemy. 

But for such a person to speak of the relationship between master and disciple was laughable. 

“Stop following me.” 

Eventually, Linne frowned and spoke. 

“Miss Linne, if you say that, it puts me in a difficult position. It’s my mission, after all.” 

Linne felt a chill down her spine at his chuckling smile. 

She couldn’t grasp what he was thinking behind that eerie smile. 

Just ignore it. 

Linne decided to pretend she didn’t see it and read the directive again.

“Investigate the slums for signs of a demon’s appearance.”

The location is Area 034A.

It’s a section of the slums, and arriving on the scene marks the start of the mission.

Linne moved through the dirty streets of the slum with brisk steps.

Soon, a grimy sign caught her eye.

The current location is 031A.

Just a bit further, and she would reach her destination, Area 034A.

“Uh…?”

But the number on the next sign that appeared was 011C.

By order, Area 032A should have been next.

Linne was greatly perplexed.

A voice came from right behind her soon after.

“Hehe, didn’t I tell you? Due to illegal extensions, the signs in this slum district cannot serve as reliable landmarks.”

Julian’s voice.

His tone was the same as usual, but given the situation, it felt more irritating than ever.

“Don’t interfere without reason. And, if you know so well, how about you go ahead on your own instead of following me?”

She retorted and tried to continue on her way.

However, the signs that followed led her not closer to her destination, Area 034A, but rather further away.

“Ugh! What on earth!”

01A.

Eventually, Linne found herself back where she started, stomping her feet in frustration. 

All the while, Julian was still following her.

At this rate, she might not reach her destination before the day ends.

With that thought, Linne sneaked a glance at Julian, who had been following her.

From his talk, it seemed he knew the geography here.

Maybe if she waited subtly and followed, she might reach her destination.

‘I’d rather die.’

But as the sole disciple of her only master, it wouldn’t do her dignity any good. Especially not to lose to that traitor.

Julian, he was a man of tremendous talent, enough to be acknowledged by ‘Sword Saint’ Hayden Reich.

Reluctantly, Linne knew it too.

Just by looking at his gait, one could tell.

The neat stride that wasn’t used carelessly, perfect breathing, the menacing aura exuding so strongly that anyone on the 

path of the sword could inherently sense it.

Not acquired, but innate.

‘Even if it kills me.’

Thus, as a disciple of the ‘Sword Saint,’ Linne was always compared to Julian.

If it were him, he would have done it.

If it were him, it was expected.

If it were him, if it were him.

Ever since she began walking the path of the sword to avenge the order, the phrase ‘if it were him’ nagged at her pride like a pest.

‘I’ll do it on my own. Even if I fail the mission, I won’t be asking you for help.’

Perhaps that ‘smiling executioner’ is waiting.

Waiting to break her pride, to see her reaching out for help.

‘Julian’ would think it possible.

Because he was a man with a vile nature.

“Have you… lost your way?”

At that moment, a shabbily dressed man lying on the street approached Linne to speak. 

His attire and appearance were ragged, and given his uncomfortable posture, it was clear he was a beggar. 

“Though I am unable to guide you due to my condition, if you pass through this street and turn left at the first alley you see, a building will appear. Someone there will know the local geography well.” 

“…Is there a guide in this area?” 

“It’s quite a complicated place.” 

He pointed the direction while barely standing on his staggering feet. 

In this harsh world, there is no kindness without expectation of reward, and no generosity without reason. 

Linne knew well that one should not easily trust the goodwill offered by strangers. 

However, the thought of not appearing weak in front of ‘Julian’ kept urging her. 

“Thank you!” 

Linne smiled warmly and handed the beggar 100 Nars, the currency of the empire. 

In that moment, a flame of desire lit in the beggar’s eyes, but Linne failed to notice it. 

“You see? I don’t need your help to complete this mission.” 

“Miss Linne, impressive,” Julian said, shrugging his shoulders as he watched Linne speak confidently. 

Linne almost frowned but managed to hide her expression upon seeing the place the old man had described.

***

In the Adratan Empire, there are three major criminal organizations. 

Among them, the organization that primarily operates in the slums not managed by the royal family is called ‘The Six Fingers’. 

Including human trafficking, assassination, smuggling, theft, and gambling, it was a gathering of ruthless individuals willing to do anything for money. 

A member of The Six Fingers, Bayden, chuckled inwardly upon seeing two young lambs who had wandered into his workplace. 

‘Fools.’ 

The slums, hardly under the empire’s powerful law enforcement, naturally suffered from poor public safety. 

People disappearing one or two at a time wasn’t considered strange; rather, those who couldn’t protect themselves from danger were often blamed. 

The same applied to outsiders. 

It was common for newcomers to get lost in this maze-like place, leading to many missing persons, most of which were the work of criminal organizations. 

‘The man is… passable, but the woman…?’ 

Looking at Linne, with her blonde hair, Bayden smiled inwardly. 

Her beauty was such that the phrase “a beauty that could overthrow a nation” came to mind. 

A desire to touch that white skin with his hands seemed to boil up from within Bayden. 

“So, you’re looking for a way?” 

“Yes, I’m trying to find Area 034A.” 

“Oh dear….” 

Upon hearing Linne’s words, Bayden let out a short sigh. 

Then, he naturally took out three cups and poured coffee into them. 

Of course, except for Bayden’s, the cups were specially ordered. 

They were special cups that would release the liquid of the sleep-inducing herb at the bottom when hot water was added. 

Bayden drank his coffee first to avoid suspicion. 

Then, he immediately continued talking, giving no room for idle thoughts.

“If you want guidance to Road 034A, it would cost about 300 Nars. Do you have the money?”

Humans tend to be highly sensitive to acts of kindness without a clear purpose but somewhat duller to those with an expectation of compensation because it’s evident what the other party is aiming for. 

It’s about understanding and feeling reassured about what the other person is thinking.

“300 Nars… Okay.”

Linne nodded and grabbed the cup filled with coffee.

Acting unguardedly because she thought this was a ‘contract’ where the other party wanted ‘money’ as compensation.

However, Bayden’s goal wasn’t the ‘money’.

It was her, ‘Linne’, herself.

Watching Linne bring the cup to her lips, Bayden swallowed his saliva.

Bang!

Suddenly, a hand intervened, snatching Linne’s cup and slamming it down on the table.

As Bayden frowned, the narrow-eyed man slowly walked over, grabbed the handle of the kettle, and

“Aaaaah!”

Threw it straight at Bayden.

“What, what the hell are you doing, you bastard!”

Bayden, drenched with the boiling contents of the kettle, cursed loudly. 

His face was fierce enough to reach for the sword at his waist immediately.

“Y-You, crazy…!”

“Julian, what are you doing!?”

Hearing the man’s name, Bayden stiffened like a corpse.

‘Julian? Did she just say Julian?’

Cold sweat began to stream down Bayden’s back.

The smiling executioner.

A ruthless noble who, as a lapdog of the royal family, would slash through nobles and commoners alike without discrimination.

It would be no exaggeration to say that there was no one in the empire who didn’t know of his infamy.

‘No, but could the man before me really be that smiling executioner?’

Bayden thought.

“It seemed there might have been some impurities in the drink. It was just a precautionary check.”

Hehe, with a short laugh, ‘Julian’ shifted his gaze to the two cups in front of him.

“It doesn’t seem like you tampered with the drink, so you must have done something to the cup.”

“W-What do you mean…”

“If not, why don’t you drink from the cup you’ve given us?”

The narrow-eyed man handed the cup to Bayden.

“Uh…?”

Hesitation brought doubt into Linne’s eyes as well.

Bayden internally cursed and decided to call the members of his organization who were nearby. 

At that moment.

Clink!

The narrow-eyed man casually took out a coin from his wallet and placed it on the table.

“The guide fee, you said it was 300 Nars, right? If not…”

Clink!

That wasn’t the end.

Julian placed another coin on the table.

The total amount piled on the table now amounted to 1200 Nars.

“Do I also need to account for the fee of the three guards you’ve placed nearby?”

The tone was as tranquil as a lake under the moonlit night.

The implications contained in that short sentence were not singular.

The sense to instantly recognize the secretly positioned members, and the courage to enter this place knowing they were there, clearly indicated someone of immense confidence in their skills.

‘That means… The man before me could indeed be the one with that terrifying reputation.’

“How will you proceed?”

His voice was calm and steady.

In that moment, he realized.

The money in front of him wasn’t just a ‘fee’.

It was blood money.

The lives of the four people present at this location.

“How… What should I do?”

Bayden capitulated.

To survive, acceptance was his only option.

“The location of Road 034A, and information about recent incidents on Road 034A.”

Finding compassion in that faint smile was impossible.

All that could be seen was a deep abyss.

An inescapable quagmire.

Bayden trembled.

Desperately praying for this situation to end.

“And, I suggest you turn yourself in. Simple, right?”

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