Chapter 56: Dayle (2)

The underground liquor storage was enveloped in silence.

Yet, like the [Wind Whisper] used by mages, Dayle felt an invisible conversation passing between the two men.

From the context, it seemed the long-haired man named Luis was the one trying to dissuade the other.

‘That guy doesn’t seem to want the Secret Tome. Heh heh.’

So, Dayle thought there was no way they’d back out of the decision.

It’d be absurd for a subordinate to block a job the master had declared they’d take.

Thanks to this, Dayle had time to calmly organize his thoughts.

In truth, Dayle had no intention—not even a speck—of giving the Secret Tome to Shadow.

What he needed was a chance to safely escape Icata.

If that chance opened, Dayle planned to flee immediately.

It was impossible alone.

His face was already known to those cultist bastards.

And not just the cultists.

Because of the incident where he unleashed magical beasts at the Academy, his face was plastered across Royal Dream’s front pages.

Wanted posters were everywhere, and even wearing an eyepatch would get him caught and investigated.

That was the current reality.

Thus, with Dayle’s strength alone, escaping the vast and tightly woven net of Icata was utterly impossible.

‘But if these guys help, it’s a different story.’

At first, he was skeptical.

Could they really help him escape?

Just the two of them.

But he concluded it was entirely feasible.

The reputation of dominating Icata’s nights ten years ago was no lie.

The skull mask.

The intelligence he displayed had already shocked Dayle multiple times, and with that level of information, slipping past the cult and the Frey Empire’s watchful eyes to escape Icata was possible.

‘That guy’s no slouch either.’

Dayle glanced up at Luis.

At that moment, Luis met his gaze, and Dayle had to turn away from the murderous glint in Luis’s eyes.

‘Damn bastard.’

It seemed their conversation had ended.

“Then, shall we write the contract?”

The chains binding Dayle were released, and Luis placed a contract and pen in front of him.

“Just read it carefully and sign.”

“Got it.”

“Listen while you do. First, before I explain the plan, our Shadow is currently assisting with the Beltus Cult’s affairs.”

Dayle’s face, which had been eagerly reading the contract, stiffened.

“The cult is our biggest source of income. Their latest request was to catch the artifact thief—you. The reward’s massive, too.”

“…….”

“But I’m planning to give that up.”

Dayle tilted his head.

“So? Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you’re our client now. We can’t lie to a client, can we? We value trust.”

“What about the cult?”

“We’ll visit them tomorrow and tell them we’re backing out. Sure, our hard-earned credibility will take a hit, and we’ll owe a penalty, but compared to the Secret Tome, it’s a profitable deal.”

Dayle sneered inwardly.

Valuing trust? What a joke.

‘They’ll probably hand me over to the cult after getting the Secret Tome. For a higher price, of course.’

Thieves are a group that doesn’t care what they take as long as it’s profitable.

He thought it was too easy for them to accept the job.

“So, getting you out of here won’t be too hard. We can figure out where the cult’s eyes are hidden. As for the patrol routes of the city guard, we just need to infiltrate the capital’s defense force and steal the info.”

He said it casually, but Dayle knew well how difficult that was.

‘It’s something only Shadow could pull off.’

Dayle picked up the pen and asked,

“So, what do I need to do?”

Just as he was about to sign, the final clause of the contract caught his eye.

“You only need to do one thing.”

*In the event that the party fails to fulfill the promised obligations or shows signs of doing so, they must cut off one wrist and gouge out an eye.

“Trust and follow us.”

At Gerard’s words, Dayle nodded.

“Good to hear.”

He grinned and signed the contract.

Then, handing it to Luis beside him, he said confidently,

“That’s what I’m best at.”

* * *

“Will he really move as you think, Master?”

Before returning to the Academy, Luis asked from behind.

“What do you think?”

“He’ll betray us.”

I laughed.

“Exactly. I think so too. The guy will betray us.”

You don’t need to taste shit to know it’s shit.

I haven’t observed him for long, but from what he’s shown so far, he’s more than capable of it.

His life story says it all.

He deserted Evil Eye and lived as a fugitive in Frey for years.

Betrayal, paranoia, and lies are second nature to him.

“But why do you let it happen, knowing this?”

“Oh, because I’m going to recruit him.”

Luis’s eyes widened behind his glasses.

For Luis to react like this, he must be genuinely shocked.

“…You’re joking, right?”

“No? You saw it too. His skills. Dayle is exactly the kind of talent Shadow needs.”

“But if it’s for that reason, aren’t there other methods? Like poison, for instance.”

True.

But that’s a coercive measure using force.

Like putting a leash on a disobedient dog to control it.

“Luis, do you know what a dog with a leash thinks?”

“I don’t.”

“It waits for the leash to come off. It only thinks about when it’ll loosen, when it can tear it off with force and when that happens, it’s the end.”

I continued.

“Trust isn’t built that way. You have to stand in the same place, looking at the same thing.”

As I said that and looked up at the sky, a low chuckle came from behind.

“That’s quite a romantic notion. Standing in the same place, looking at the same thing. Did you learn that at the Academy?”

I turned.

Luis was also gazing up at the night sky.

The stars glittered like jewels above.

Just then, a shooting star streaked across.

Luis and my eyes followed its trail simultaneously.

I quickly made a wish in my mind.

“Read it in a book.”

“What book? I’d like to read it too.”

“It’s not a book you’d find here.”

I patted Luis’s shoulder.

“And when do you have time to read? You’ve got work to do.”

Luis’s expression soured.

I quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, treat him well while he’s here. He doesn’t seem like a bad guy.”

After signing the contract, we heard about Dayle’s life.

Funny thing is, we only asked about ‘Rendal,’ something we’d been curious about.

But he spilled his entire unsolicited past like it was nothing.

Sure, he’d had some drinks, but seeing how eagerly he talked, maybe he just wanted someone to listen.

Dayle said Rendal saved his life.

Rendal was a fugitive too, and the two, in similar circumstances, traveled together for about a month.

But Rendal died from an infected wound, and naturally, his legacy passed to Dayle, who stayed by his side.

“Even if he was injured, no way Rendal would’ve traveled with an ungrateful scumbag.”

“I think so too. His judgment of character was sharp.”

There’s one more thing I trust.

[Gaius’s Insight].

“Oh, and don’t tell Guartes, but let him know soon that I want to meet Narsi.”

“Understood.”

* * *

The meeting was arranged quickly.

Two days later, in the Sewer District.

“You’ve arrived.”

“I’m here.”

Guartes, who came to greet me, bowed with a sly smile.

“You’re early. Please, come inside. The Thunder Dragon hasn’t arrived yet.”

Thunder Dragon was another alias for the mad mage Narsi.

“There’s a bit of time, so if you wait, he’ll come.”

The waterway leading to Guartes’s lab was impeccably clean.

No filthy debris floated on the murky water, and the stench was reduced.

It felt almost like walking through an ordinary sewer.

“Did you do a big cleanup or something? Moving out?”

A necromancer who deals with corpses, cleaning.

A silly joke, but it meant Narsi, coming today, was a big enough deal to make a necromancer clean.

Naturally, it implied the me he’d met before was just some nobody.

Catching the subtext, Guartes gave an awkward smile.

“Moving? No, just tidied up.”

“If you’re cleaning, might as well wash your face too.”

“…Heh heh. I’ll make sure to next time.”

The lab was, as expected, spotless.

No crusted bloodstains or piles of corpses emitting dizzying toxic fumes.

Still, I didn’t want to linger, so I checked the time.

Ten minutes until the appointment.

Knowing Narsi’s character, he wasn’t the type to be late.

He’ll be here soon.

Thud- Thud-

Sure enough, the sound of shoes echoed through the waterway.

“He’s here.”

Guartes stood, looking toward the sound.

I fixed my gaze there too.

A man emerged, cutting through the waterway’s darkness.

He was a man who perfectly fit the phrase ‘dignified gentleman.’

Confident strides and a refined glint in his eyes.

“I greet the Thunder Dragon.”

The moment his blue gaze landed on me after glancing at Guartes, I felt a jolt, like electricity coursing through my body.

“Skull mask? So, you’re the new master of Shadow?”

I locked eyes with him briefly before nodding.

“I’m the master of Shadow. I hope you’ll excuse my inability to show my face. Call me whatever you like.”

“I already know the ways of thieves. I’ve worked with Shadow a few times.”

“I see.”

“Long time ago. Anyway, nice to meet you. I’m Narsi of Bandarok.”

Narsi.

A Gold Badge Mercenary and 5th Circle mage.

Also, the leader of Bandarok, the largest guild in the empire.

“Your reputation precedes you in the cult. I’ve been wanting to meet you, and here we are.”

He was a generation older than me.

Even as a fellow master, I owed him minimal courtesy.

As I bowed, Narsi scanned me with an intrigued look, then tilted his head.

“But have we met somewhere before?”

We almost did.

When I stole the elixir ‘Fierce Conviction.’

But I narrowly escaped, so we didn’t meet.

That’s certain.

Who knows?

Maybe we crossed paths before I possessed this body.

“Could be, or maybe not.”

Narsi chuckled lightly.

“Well, we might’ve brushed past on the street. My mistake. I wasn’t trying to pry into your identity.”

“It’s fine.”

“Thanks for understanding. Now, let’s sit.”

“This way, please.”

As soon as we sat, Narsi and Guartes exchanged light pleasantries.

Guartes asked, Narsi answered.

The topic was Bandarok’s drug supply operations.

I listened quietly.

Didn’t pay too much attention.

It’d soon be useless information.

“By the way.”

Narsi turned to me and spoke.

“Shall we get to business?”

Two pairs of eyes focused on me.

I was the one who arranged this meeting.

“What did you want to see me for?”

I didn’t beat around the bush and stated the meeting’s purpose.

“I’m planning to abandon the job.”

The job, of course, was the cult’s request to find the artifact thief.

“What!? What do you mean, abandon the job?”

Guartes was the first to shout in shock.

“Why so sudden? Is the reward not to your liking?”

“No.”

“Then!?”

I looked at Narsi and answered.

“Because I thought of a better way.”

Guartes was just a middleman; the real client for this job was Narsi.

“What’s the way?”

Narsi took the bait.

“Before I explain, I have a question. Have you ever suspected a traitor within Bandarok?”

His ever-composed lips stiffened for the first time.

“Master! What an outrageous thing to say! Apologize to the Thunder Dragon at once!”

Guartes shouted loudly.

Ignoring him, I waited for Narsi’s response.

“I have.”

“See! There’s no—wait, what? There is?”

“Yes, Guartes. I’ve suspected a traitor. Still do and speaking of which.”

Narsi’s gaze on Guartes turned icy.

“How about you keep your mouth shut from now on? My ears are ringing, and it’s hard to focus.”

“…Yes, understood.”

“Good. Thanks.”

With a twisted smirk, Narsi looked back at me.

“A hunch?”

“It’s a hunch, but I’m almost certain.”

“Why? Got proof?”

“No proof. But the circumstances point to it.”

“Tell me.”

I nodded and began explaining.

“Very few people know you possess the elixir ‘Fierce Conviction.’ Yet, the artifact thief stole it brazenly. Right when you were away.”

“…….”

“Also, he escaped the cult’s prison just as brazenly, and as if that wasn’t enough, he chose Icata as his escape route. Why Icata, of all places?”

Because he has an ally there to help him.

I didn’t say it aloud, but Narsi easily grasped the implication.

“So, there’s a traitor in Bandarok, and they’re someone highly trusted within?”

“Trusted enough to help with a prison break, their reach likely extends to the cult. Is there such a person?”

Narsi fell into thought.

A heavy silence settled over the sewer, and Guartes, rattled by the sudden gravity, rolled his eyes nervously.

Finally, Narsi spoke.

“About five of them.”

“That’s a lot.”

“They’ve followed me since I was nobody. But regardless, I plan to make any traitor pay a cruel price.”

Narsi continued calmly.

“In fact, I’ve been thinking the same as you.”

As expected.

I knew Narsi would.

He acts like a refined gentleman, but he’s the most cunning and ruthless mage of all.

That’s his true nature.

“I gave you this job for that reason. Catch the artifact thief, and I’d find the fool who dared betray me. So why abandon the job? I haven’t heard the reason yet.”

“I’m not the only one abandoning it. You need to as well.”

“Hm?”

“Publicly. Create that impression. I’m abandoning the job, so you’re giving up on chasing the Academy thief. If that rumor spreads within Bandarok, what happens?”

“Ah.”

Narsi’s face finally relaxed.

“You’re planning to lure the guy out of the Academy?”

Sorry, but Dayle’s already out.

“Exactly. If there’s a traitor in Bandarok, the Academy thief will hear the news, and he’ll plan his escape from the Academy.”

I continued quickly.

“So, you need to actually dismantle the encirclement in Icata. Not entirely, just enough to leave a gap for him to slip through. That way, the expected escape route would be…”

I explained the detailed plan to them, and Narsi, listening to it all, nodded repeatedly in admiration.

“Your scheme is truly impressive. Especially how you exploit human psychology.”

“You flatter me. We don’t even know if there’s a traitor yet. If there isn’t, this plan fails.”

Narsi shook his head.

“No, you left room for doubt, but I’m certain. If there’s no traitor, none of what’s happened makes sense.”

True.

The problem, if any, is that the traitor is me, sitting right here.

Unaware of the culprit before them, Narsi and Guartes kept showering me with praise.

“As expected of someone who’s flawlessly handled the cult’s tough jobs. I see why the bishop trusts you.”

“Of course! Didn’t I say the Shadow Master is a blessing to our cult?”

Haha—loud laughter erupted from both sides.

I stood up.

“Then, I hope for good results.”

Narsi laughed heartily and replied,

“Hahaha! You bet! When this is done, I’ll contact you first. Then we’ll have a drink.”

Instead of answering, I gave a quiet smile.

Then, I turned and left the Sewer District.

—Sorry, Narsi.

The day we sit and clink glasses together will never come.

The next time we meet,

That’ll be your last day.

The downfall of Narsi and Bandarok.

They’re my next targets.

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