If you were to ask the citizens of the Empire to name the most splendid place after the Imperial Palace, they would likely point to the entertainment district in the Imperial Capital.
Whether it was day or night, the bustling, colorful entertainment district was always filled with the scent of people. But today, for some reason, the district, which should have been the liveliest, was as silent as a mouse.
“Something’s off.”
At Wiz’s comment, Katarina also looked around and spoke.
“It’s eerily quiet. Surely, Your Highness wouldn’t deceive us, right?”
Perhaps it was because she hadn’t fully committed to his side yet. Katarina’s words made the group she had brought with her look at Ian and Deus with faint, but evident, hostility.
“If this were a trap, would I, who can’t even wield a sword properly, be standing right next to you?”
“You never know. Just because Your Highness can’t wield a sword doesn’t mean you can’t kill us.”
Seeing the way Ian’s shadowy observer’s pupils expanded and contracted, Ian thought to himself that not just anyone could become the ruler of the underworld.
“Well, even if it’s a trap, it doesn’t matter. If it is, I’ll make sure you suffer the most painful death, Your Highness.”
Ian laughed at Katarina’s joke, which carried a hint of seriousness.
“That’s a rather harsh joke. Why don’t we wait until Alex arrives? After all, I have many things I want to achieve in this life.”
“He wouldn’t have forgotten the appointment time, would he?”
“Deus, just in case, prepare some fire magic. He might need a good scare.”
As time passed between jokes and tension, footsteps began to approach the group just as the appointed time drew near. Katarina’s party quietly placed their hands on their weapons, ready to draw them at any moment.
“Katarina, and if Alex has betrayed us…?”
Ian’s eyes unconsciously turned from black to crimson.
“I’ll help you with your share as well, so don’t worry. If one of us survives, we’ll avenge the others, agreed?”
“I don’t think Alex is smart enough to plot such a scheme, but let’s wait and see.”
Rustle.
As soon as Ian finished speaking, a shadowy figure slowly emerged before them.
“W-Who are you?”
Seeing other people at the meeting place instead of the Third Prince, Alex seemed extremely flustered, stammering his words.
‘Could it be that His Highness has abandoned me? Ah… I’ve learned too many secrets.’
Indeed, one should never get too involved with high-ranking people.
Rustle.
As Alex let out a strange sound and tried to run away, one of Katarina’s subordinates swiftly grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and brought him before Ian and Katarina.
“Alex.”
“W-Who… Who are you? How do you know my name? I-I don’t know anything.”
Thinking the people before him would torture him, Alex pretended to know nothing. Seeing Alex’s suspicious demeanor, Ian couldn’t help but laugh. It was better than immediately pleading for his life and confessing everything.
“It’s me, Ian.”
“Your Highness the Third Prince? But you don’t look like the prince I know.”
Confused by the situation, Alex struggled to comprehend that the person claiming to be Ian looked completely different. Ian signaled Deus.
Deus removed the illusion magic he had cast on Ian, causing Alex to exhale deeply.
“It was magic?”
“Yes, Alex, you know we need to have a private conversation.”
At the mention of a private conversation, Alex’s eyes rolled in confusion.
“W-What do you mean? Your Highness knows that I conveyed your message to that notorious Katarina, right? I almost got my head chopped off.”
Speaking with an aggrieved expression, Alex suddenly jumped as a woman approached him, radiating intense hostility.
“Notorious?”
“Ahh!”
“I didn’t tell you, did I? This is Katarina. She’s disguised, just like me, using magic.”
Ian’s casual comment made Alex want to protest, but he kept his mouth shut, feeling the murderous intent from Katarina beside him.
“It seems clear this isn’t a trap. Seeing how unusually quiet this street is, we should clear up any misunderstandings quickly and get moving.”
“Your Highness is right. If Duke Blake has moved, we don’t have much time.”
Ian looked at Alex and asked,
“Alex, why is this street so quiet?”
“W-Well, when they heard that Baron Steel was imprisoned, most of the Frank faction members have been lying low. Also, from this afternoon, some strange groups have been scouting around our territory.”
“Strange groups… must be the noble faction. What about the ledgers?”
“I’ve been watching here continuously, and the leaders of the Frank faction haven’t left the building. The ledgers should still be in the basement of that building. And Your Highness…”
Alex spoke in a tearful voice.
“To pinpoint the exact location of the ledgers, I ended up spending all the money you gave me. It was a huge amount… I’m sorry.”
Ian’s heart softened towards Alex, who had tried to save the gold coins he’d been given. He was more useful than expected.
“Don’t worry about the gold coins.”
After all, thanks to Alex, Ian had extorted a large sum from Baron Steel.
Alex, deeply moved by Ian’s generosity, looked at him with cow-like eyes and tried to hug him. Of course, Katarina immediately restrained him.
“You lack tension.”
As Katarina approached, Alex, looking like a frog facing a snake, spoke nervously.
“I-I didn’t neglect my mission. My men and I thoroughly observed the leaders, and they haven’t left.”
“Couldn’t they have used a secret passage? Usually, there’s at least one.”
Ian’s question about secret passages made Alex look flustered, realizing he hadn’t considered that.
“B-But I saw their figures through the window just an hour ago.”
“Wiz, do you have information about the structure of the Frank faction’s building?”
“There shouldn’t be any secret passages. The bedrock isn’t suitable for creating them.”
“That’s a relief. Let’s quickly scout the building’s surroundings.”
As Ian signaled for everyone to move, a huge explosion erupted in the distance, greeting them with brilliant flames.
Boom!
As the building Alex had pointed out became engulfed in flames, Ian and his party quickened their pace.
‘Damn, are we too late?’
Ian started running with all his might, enhanced by Deus’s speed-boosting magic.
***
Inside a dark, gloomy building, which didn’t fit the vibrant entertainment district, one man appeared calm while another paced nervously.
“You’re restless, Rocky.”
Despite the reprimand, the burly man continued to pace around his companion.
“Brother Frank, are you sure we’re safe here? My gut tells me we should either get out of here quickly or silence those who know about this.”
Watching the agitated Rocky, Frank spoke calmly.
“There will be no trouble.”
Despite Frank’s composed words, Rocky’s large frame couldn’t hide his anxiety.
“You’re too calm, brother! We both heard that Baron Steel, who supported us, is in prison. We can’t be so relaxed.”
As Rocky’s complaints continued, Frank smiled to reassure him.
“Don’t worry, Rocky.”
“If your words alone could ease my worries, I wouldn’t be fretting. I should’ve shown that bastard leader what happens when you talk too much.”
Thinking that the issue with the Third Prince was due to Leff’s mistake, Rocky repeatedly lamented his memory of that day.
Frank approached the uneasy Rocky and patted his shoulder with a sly smile.
“Rocky, have you ever suffered from trusting me?”
“If I kept suffering from trusting you, I would have either killed you or been killed by you long ago.”
Frank laughed at Rocky’s words and then whispered in a confidential tone.
“Since things have come to this, I’ll tell you. If we fall, one of the oldest pillars of the Empire will fall with us.”
“What is this oldest pillar?”
Rocky pondered Frank’s words, but his knowledge couldn’t pinpoint what the oldest pillar of the Empire was. However, if his brother, who was smart enough to lead an alliance with the nobles, said so, there was no need to worry further.
Worrying about the organization’s future was the boss’s job, after all.
“Well, if you say so, I’ll stop worrying. Let’s relax and have a drink. I hear the new liquor from the Rose Inn is fantastic.”
Just as Frank was about to agree to Rocky’s suggestion, he felt a surge of killing intent and pulled Rocky aside.
Boom!
Fiery debris fell where Rocky had been standing moments ago.
“Who’s there!?”
Despite Rocky’s thunderous shout, no one appeared. Only the flames from the explosion approached them.
“Brother, let’s get out of here and catch whoever did this. We’ll deal with them our way.”
“You handle them. I’ll go fetch that item from the basement.”
“That item you cherish so much? I don’t know what it is since I can’t read, but let’s get out and put the boys to work extinguishing the fire.”
Rocky kicked the nearby window, shattering it.
Climbing through the window, they realized the extent of the flames that had engulfed them.
“Those bastards must be asleep again.”
Normally, the guards inside the building should have rushed out after an explosion, but Rocky saw no sign of his men.
“Rocky, wait.”
Both Rocky and Frank caught a whiff of a familiar, metallic scent.
The scent of blood.
Frank once again pulled Rocky aside, barely dodging a sword swung at them.
While Rocky, still in shock, touched his neck, Frank shouted at the red-haired, red-eyed man approaching them.
“Who are you? Reveal yourself!”
Frank shouted again when the man didn’t answer.
“Did Duke Blake send you? How dare you stab us in the back?”
The man in front of them tilted his head in confusion at Frank’s words.
Annoyed by the man’s attitude, Rocky pounded his chest and stepped forward.
“You need to taste the fist of Rocky, the second-in-command of the Frank faction, to come to your senses!”
As Rocky moved forward, Frank grabbed his shoulder. Recognizing the approaching man’s face, Frank turned pale.
Cliche Novel 