shade (2)
“Everyone, get off your horse.”
“insect!”
Hee hee hee!
clap- clap-
The expression felt from the lined knights was very intimidating.
The heavy and restrained movement drew attention by itself, and in the flashing eyes, this fighting spirit was enough to make the mercenaries shrink.
“… … The Argon Knights?”
“Why the hell did the royal knights come all the way to Lestan?”
While the mercenaries showed their vigilance, they took a step back and moved away.
If it was the other knights, they wouldn’t have felt the momentum.
However, they were the 3rd Knights under direct control of the royal family. Even though they were not knights specialized only in combat, they were already different from that level.
“Sort.”
“Sort it out!”
Chuck-Chuck-!
As the knights lined up at once, the streets of Lestan became tense and silent.
The mercenaries were watching the scene with their footsteps stopped. As if foreseeing that something big would happen in the future… … .
However, the voice heard immediately after that was infinitely calm.
“Your Highness, what will you do?”
Edward, who was in command of the knights, asked.
In front of the Mercenary Guild. Now that we have arrived at the place we want to be, what are we going to do?
I said slowly getting off the horse.
“There is nothing to do.”
The streets of Lestan were already in a state of commotion due to mercenaries.
Besides, there’s no way they didn’t notice when we came all the way here, so somehow ‘they’ will try to get closer to us.
‘Because I must have already understood this situation.’
The request of the previous two princes faction and the captive bastards. And even the knights who appeared behind that series of circumstances.
Given this much signal, those guys who control the forces in the back alleys should have already understood it.
Well, that meant we just had to wait until then.
At that time, Edward started rhyming in a slightly lower voice.
“… … Your Highness, how about thinking about it again?”
“What do you mean?”
“I am telling you the story we shared at headquarters.”
… … It meant a story related to the treatment of the bastards.
I watched Edward carefully as his expression hardened. The face showed a very complex state of mind.
“What I said is just my personal opinion. Even that is extremely unlikely, and is simply absurd. Even if you don’t have to do that… … .”
“Are you concerned about having your opinion reflected in my work?”
“… … In all honesty, I cannot say no.”
Edward did not readily express his intentions.
That would be the case, because it would not have been possible to say that the judgment was a mistake in a situation where things had already happened.
but… … .
“do not worry.”
I said so calmly.
Rather, he just shrugged his shoulders as if he didn’t understand the concern.
“I would have said it clearly. He also agreed with me.”
“But Your Highness.”
“To deny one’s own opinion. It would soon be like denying me for thinking like that.”
“… … .”
So believe me. And don’t waste your energy on that.
Edward lowered his head at my words.
“Yes, I understand. Your Highness the 1st Prince.”
I raised my eyebrows and turned my head.
Then the street where the mercenary guild was located came into view.
The number of mercenaries looking at the knights who appeared in Lestan soon increased. And at the same time, special sensations began to be captured by my senses.
Maybe it was just a procession of people passing by. But I wasn’t the one who couldn’t feel the presence of that distinct characteristic.
“… … A response is coming soon.”
“yes?”
“Hey, why did you knights come to a place like this?”
And as soon as he finished speaking, someone approached from among the mercenaries. At first glance, he was an old man whose face was exposed like an ordinary passer-by.
Then the knights blocked the way.
“Clarify your identity and be polite! This is Esteban’s first prince, His Highness.”
“Ah, my dear… … ! 1 Greetings to the prince.”
The old man hurriedly bowed his head at the words of a knight and continued.
“Schoene is an old man who helps the guild leader with chores. There seemed to be a commotion while the guild leader was away, so I came down to investigate the situation.”
“Are you a servant belonging to the mercenary guild?”
“That’s right.”
The presence of the armed royal knights in front of the mercenary guild was certainly enough to call it a commotion.
And it was only natural that people would come to find out.
But my eyes won’t deceive
“Did you say you were from the mercenary guild?”
“Yes, yes. majesty.”
“Nowadays, servants are copying the movements of an assassin.”
“… … yes? What do you mean?”
1. Is it embarrassing that the prince directly spoke to him? If not, was it surprising that you mentioned an assassin?
The old man shuddered and asked me back.
No, that’s exactly how it was created.
“A blur like walking on water. Eyes that move calmly to grasp the situation, contrary to the perplexed expression.”
Of course, all of them must have pointed to one thing.
“As expected, it’s a very good ability, befitting a member of the underworld.”
“… … .”
Shuuk-!
Knock!
Thin daggers rushing in in the blink of an eye.
I smirked as I caught the memorization approaching like a ghost with my hand.
“Disguising as an ordinary servant seems to have been a good decision, but the handling was not good.”
“… … .”
“Well, it would have been a choice that could not be helped if the situation was like this.”
The old man who had been soaked in bewilderment disappeared before he knew it, and the expressionless assassin like a doll was there.
Since everything had already been revealed, it was not a very good decision to seize his identity.
Even more so if it is in a state where the other person’s true intention is not grasped.
“hmm? Didn’t something just sparkle… … .”
“Did even a flying insect pass by?”
The mercenaries who stood as spectators tilted their heads, not knowing what had happened. That said, it was a quick and stealthy attack.
However, even such an attack could not escape the eyes of the royal knights.
“Your Highness, are you okay?”
“No problem.”
Although threatened with assassination, the knights who had already heard the story did not make a fuss for nothing.
However, they naturally moved their formation and went out to surround the old man.
Of course, I also didn’t care and continued talking.
“Excellent memorization skills and composure. If I remember correctly, it must have been called Luzon, an old salver.”
“… … How do you know its name?”
“Is it surprising that now that you are here? In this situation where the location of the headquarters has been discovered and even the identity has been revealed?”
“… … .”
Even memorization aimed at confusion has become useless. In addition, the Argon Knights came to visit.
That fact alone should be sufficient.
captured or killed. In any case, even if he avoided this place, he and the future of the underworld would face a terrible end.
But I just opened my mouth lightly.
“Share the monopoly. guide me.”
“… … .”
And he succeeded in breaking his expressionless face.
For example, it was said to be embarrassing.
“Inside the ‘den’ where your master, John Hedwig, is.”
“… … !”
That one word that pierced everything.
It was an irresistible order.
* * *
“Come this way.”
Yesterday’s enemies are today’s guests? Luzon guided me with an attitude that feigned politeness.
Of course, it’s only ‘most’.
The reason behind that attitude is probably a means to understand my intention of choosing to talk rather than kill.
But, ironically, there was no calculating intent whatsoever.
rattle-
Dark Street.
Originally, it was a simple term referring to an area in the shadows, but as its scale and power expanded, it meant those who took their place as a proper noun.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that they were literally the strongest of Esteban’s existing shadowy forces, from black dealers to information guilds.
Because of this, such criminals were the target of the Esteban royal family’s eradication. Naturally, they also fled deeper into the shadows to hide themselves, and the result was here, the Mercenary Guild of Lestan.
In the midst of the fully revealed power of Yangji, they succeeded in hiding their shadows openly.
“welcome.”
A grotesque voice tickled my ears, as if scraping metal with a blade.
It’s just amazing that it’s not an artificially modulated voice, but the original voice.
I sat down and listened to the displeased voice.
‘John Hedwig.’
The head of the underworld, the largest dark force, and a person hidden in a veil.
The bandages completely covered his face, and between them, his wriggling eyes were looking at me.
“You wanted to talk?”
“I know.”
“First, I heard that my subordinate was disrespectful.”
The guy who said that seemed to take an unexpected interest in me, who wasn’t surprised by my unfamiliar appearance and voice.
Either that or not, I crossed my legs that had landed on the chair and tapped my toes.
“Since you dared to harm Esteban’s first prince, it’s probably not just rude.”
“Yes, I would like to apologize on behalf of all underworld forces. The same goes for lower-ranking members of the organization who dared to touch His Highness’ people.”
“Forgive me.”
When he became the head of the underworld, he was quick to notice. He realized that my purpose was not to subdue criminals, but rather to talk with them.
So, this conversation was a kind of bait.
From noble mtl dot com.
“With that in mind, I will do my best to cooperate with the reason why the first prince visited this place.”
“Well, that’s not a bad story.”
I looked at the teacup Luzon had brought and shrugged.
However, my interest in answering like that was heading to the wrong place at all.
“By the way, did you say you apologized on behalf of the entire underworld?”
“Yes that’s right.”
“then. It might be possible to knock out the subordinate with your own hands before that cheeky anger spreads.”
“You’re asking me to prove your apology by directly killing a subordinate.”
The face hidden in bandages and the grotesque voice were enough to hide the emotion. It was the same with the two eyes that were revealed at first glance.
But it wasn’t Luzon who lowered the teacup.
“Ouch!”
Chaeng-Grang-!
to be obvious
The memorized words that were about to be fired from the guy’s hands fell to the ground.
It happened in an instant. The old man’s chest collapsed and he fell backwards at the same time.
The thing stuck deep in his chest was the small dagger he threw at me the first time.
“… … .”
A chair splattered with blood. However, I crossed my legs in the same nonchalant manner as before and looked at the eyes exposed through the bandages.
He also maintained his attitude regardless of the death of his subordinate.
I said.
“It’s not an excuse. Because there was no option not to kill from the start.”
“Yes, I see.”
My eyes slowly began to open.
who dared to harm me. And what dared to hurt my person.
“I hate having my teeth exposed to me.”
This was both an example and a price.
Even if that wasn’t what this man intended.
“Then, shall we start a serious conversation soon?”
The one-sided conversation was what I liked the most.