Chapter 399: Ringleaders.

The Blackhands had been waiting for Rasmus and the others in a city called Kiersev, one of the biggest cities in Central Neva, which belonged to the Sun Empire. In the past four days, they had fabricated letters to the other Wraiths’ ringleader, bringing them all to Kiersev for Rasmus. They had been keeping an eye on all the ringleaders and their movements until they all arrived at Kiersev.

Rasmus arrived, changing his appearance as one of Krus’ trusted aide, an old butler of his while Aris changed her appearance like a maid. Rullein turned into a completely invisible spirit, floating in the air around Rasmus. Yur turned into a stray cat, already roaming around the city for fun.

“Remember the plan?” Rasmus stared at Aider, who was sitting across from him in the carriage.

“Revealing their plans and moves, to reveal the other ringleaders from the other continent, and lastly to find out who’s their master,” Aider answered as he tightened his white gloves and crossed his legs. “Ah, of course the most important part, to reveal their intention with Count Rasmus Blackheart,” he smirked as he stared into Rasmus’ eyes.

‎”But something bothers me, Count. Why Krus didn’t have any memories or knowledge about the one he and the other ringleaders called as their Lord? As a ringleader, doesn’t he supposed to know who he served?” Aider asked with his brows furrowed.

‎”But something bothers me, Count. Why Krus didn’t have any memories or knowledge about the one he and the other ringleaders called as their Lord? As a ringleader, doesn’t he supposed to know who he served?” Aider asked with his brows furrowed.

‎”That also apply to those vassal nations that said to serve the Zevrathi family. None of them know where the Zevrathi family members are, but they know they’re alive out there. Their loyalty worth noting and to praise, and it doesn’t bother them at all that they have almost no knowledge about their masters,” Rasmus answered as he watched the carriage move in a busy street. “They’re preventing from getting exposed by doing this, and that’s the reason nobody knows about them to this day,” he added.

‎Aider hummed as he twirled his mustache, looking out the window at the children playing hide and seek. His gaze was cold and stoic, and when someone stared into his eyes, they immediately averted their gaze in fear.

‎”What’s the chance that one of those ringleaders know who they serve?” Aider glanced at Rasmus.

‎”One of them should know, but we don’t know which one. If there’s no choice, I’ll ask Rullein’s help to get that for me,” Rasmus answered and saw the building where the meeting will be held. “Get ready, Aider. I can see demonic energy in there, so play safe…” he warned as he straightened his sleeves.

‎When they arrived, Aider was welcomed by a servant and guided him inside. Rasmus and Aris didn’t say a word and followed from behind, trying to find out where the demonic energy came from. However, they could feel it below them, and that was where the meeting room was.

‎”You two stay here…” Aider said in a deep and authoritative voice as he kept walking toward the long hallway. “Someone will call you if I need you,” he added.

‎Rasmus and Aris lowered their heads, but Rasmus muttered to Rullein, to stay by Aider’s side. Rullein’s presence was undetected by the naked eye, and low-ranking demons wouldn’t be able to detect her energy as well because she could almost completely erase her presence.

‎Aider walked to the door and through another until he felt like inside a maze. However, on the last door, he saw a path to the basement, and he didn’t hesitate to walk down into the darkness. He wondered if he could know this place if he didn’t have Krus’ memories etched in his brain.

‎The moment he opened the door widely like how Krus always was, so arrogant and full of himself in a dignified way. He looked at the other ringleaders, five in total, the faces that and their wrinkles that somehow he remembered like the back of his hand.

‎”Always late even though it was you who wanted us to come here,” Vergeus said, his gray long hair and long beard stared at Aider. “Don’t waste our time like last time, Krus,” his voice was cold with a hint of threat.

‎”Not this time…” Aider said as he settled in the chair at the round table in a dim room. “The reason why I brought you all here is because I’m afraid that Rasmus Blackheart has sniffed us,” he revealed, resting his elbow on the armrest as he twirled his mustache.

“Ahh, you were worried because those dozens of dead guards in your city, was it? We all know that, and we all are aware of that as well,” Mira said, staring at Aider’s fingers that played and groomed his mustache. The red lips, heavy make-up, and dyed brunette hair to hide her wrinkles and hair that had started to gray out.

“I told you that this whole thing is too risky. Keeping an eye on him for what?” Normen stared at all the ringleaders that were sitting with him. His bald head reflected the light and his double-chin rested on his clasped hands. “I knew this would happen, and we are now being targeted by him, especially when he has an Aristoria and that monstrous woman by his side.”

“Are you questioning the Lord’s order?” Jurgen stared at Normen with his cold gaze, his muscular and big body was enough to threaten everyone in the room. “Stop talking if you value your life, Normen,” he warned.

Normen shut his mouth not because of Jurgen’s threat because of what Jurgen said. He stared at Luke, the youngest ringleaders compared to the others in the room. The one who gave the order to keep an eye on Rasmus, and he stared at him with a mix of frustration, anger, and resentment.

Aider stared at Luke, wondering if that person was the one who knew about the Lord that they had been serving. However, he stayed quiet for now and focused on digging up more information about the Wraiths’ next move and plan.

“What should we do, Luke? What’s the Lord’s order now? Are we going to keep an eye on Rasmus when he’s already sniffing us out? Sooner or later, there will be no us here,” Jurgen asked. Although he had threatened Normen earlier, he had the same worries as him.

“The Lord hasn’t spoken to me yet about this matter, but for everyone’s safety, I suppose we should avoid poking at Rasmus and focus on stirring chaos on those factions. We should create tension and spread fear among nobles, making them harder to unify,” Luke answered, his long and silky smooth blonde hair covering half of his face. “While we are here, let’s focus on disturbing their alliance and putting fear into them,” he pointed out.

“How?” Aider asked, staring at Luke. He made sure his gaze toward Luke was similar to how Krus looked at Luke. He saw in Krus’ memories that Krus didn’t like Luke at all because Luke was the youngest and yet he acted like the boss among the ringleaders. “You want us to focus on this matter while our lives are being threatened by Rasmus? You’re expecting us to work like we always do when death is breathing on the back of our necks?” He asked, his brows raised.

Normen, Mira, Jurgen, and Vergeus couldn’t agree more with what Aider said. They all looked at Luke as a sign that they agreed with Aider’s words, wanting to know the answer as well.

“The Lord will protect all of you,” Luke answered calmly, his expression as calm and collected as ever. “As we speak, the Lord has sent someone to keep us safe,” he revealed.

They furrowed their brows until Luke slowly looked over his shoulder and someone appeared from the shadows. They didn’t notice that there was someone standing in the room without them noticing. Aider had already got a warning from Rasmus about demonic energy, and he believed it belonged to that man, the man in a cloak and a hood that hid his identity.

“The Lord sent us this man?” Jurgen stared at the figure behind Luke. Jurgen was a fighter, someone who didn’t indulge himself with wealth and power but with brute strength, and he knew the mysterious person behind Luke was stronger than him on so many levels. “Who is he?” He looked at Luke with his brows furrowed.

“Who knows,” Luke answered with a straight and stoic expression. “Does that matter? If it does, then ask him yourself,” he said, but there was an obvious warning in his words.

Nobody dared to open their mouths to speak with the man behind Luke.

“What now? You want us to rely on this man alone?” Aider asked, crossing his arms and twirling his mustache.

“All of you will come with us, to a place that nobody would know even if you all died and turned into rotting flesh, nobody could even smell it,” Luke answered as he slowly got up.

Everyone gulped as he stared at Luke anxiously.

“Come, and you’ll be safe, I can promise you that at least,” Luke said with a soft smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “If you serve the Lord, you will follow us,” he muttered as he walked toward the door with the mysterious man behind him.

Aider and the others shared a look, realizing that they didn’t have much of a choice. They all got up and decided to follow Luke. Aider was thrilled rather than scared like the others because he had never been in this kind of situation before, and he was close to breaking a character.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep