'As expected, the difference in skill between a warrior and a non-warrior is like heaven and earth.'
'We were just countryside farmers. In contrast, warrior nobles are literally human weapons.'
'Thinking about it that way, just taking this and leaving would be the safest choice, wouldn't it?'
'To think we were actually considering breaking into the baroness's residence… we must've been starving mad.'
After getting beaten up by Azadin, they all snapped back to their senses.
"This means I'm the only one left to be hired now."
Azadin put his arm around Beldon's shoulder.
"Well then, hire me."
"W-wait, what are you doing acting on your own like this? And if you were willing to give them silver coins…."
"Of course, I should receive a higher payment than that. Shall we negotiate the compensation? Now, introduce me to the employer."
"Uh…."
Beldon was dragged along by Azadin's sheer strength. With their bodies in direct contact, he could feel the overwhelming force radiating from him. If he refused here, he might find his spine snapped in half by Azadin.
"P-please, spare me…."
"That's why I'm offering to help you. Come on, I'll make sure you survive, so let's go."
With a shameless grin, Azadin pulled Beldon along toward the count's castle.
"...."
Meiya and Zebeck watched the scene unfold, feeling bewildered.
'Wait, wasn't he the one who castrated Young Master Kozel? What's he planning to do, meeting him again?'
On top of that, Azadin was a herald, the emperor's herald. Whatever he was scheming, they should probably stop him.
Zebeck hesitated deeply, but by the time he had made up his mind, Azadin was already dragging Beldon away.
***
With Beldon by his side, entering the count's castle was effortless.
"Oh, Beldon, who is this?"
"Well, he's a guest of the young master."
"I see."
The soldiers inside the castle stepped aside without resistance. Thanks to that, Azadin was able to glimpse the inner workings of the count's castle, something he had never seen even from a distance.
'Phew, good. Just getting a look inside is a huge gain.'
Even if he planned to infiltrate at night, he first needed to know the structure of the place. Expecting to sneak in undetected without knowing the interior at all was reckless, even for the emperor's herald.
Unless he planned to kill every soldier he encountered and storm the place, a thorough preliminary investigation was essential for exploring the target without getting caught.
"Young Master doesn't meet guests so freely. Please wait here for now."
Beldon guided Azadin and his group to the reception room.
"Understood."
Azadin waited in the reception room, smiling. He could sense a strong presence of black mana.
"Something feels off."
It wasn't just Azadin who noticed; Midiam also found it odd.
"The smell of blood is thick here."
Ishmael, too, could pick up the scent of blood.
"It seems the count is deeply interested in black magic. There were even rumors that he brought in a witch, so it must be true."
"But is it really okay to barge in like this?"
"It's fine. Entering in broad daylight is much better than sneaking in at night. Seeing the interior during the day is a huge advantage. It gives us more options."
Azadin assured them confidently.
Before long, servants and maids began entering the room. Supported by Beldon and leaning on a cane, Kozel slowly walked in. His face, which had been torn apart by Azadin, was now hidden behind an ornate, jewel-encrusted mask. The first thing he did was snap in irritation.
"I told you to handle it yourself! Why do I need to personally meet someone just to hire a blade?"
"Well, he asked for a hefty sum. I couldn't decide on my own."
"How much is he asking for? Huh?"
"Greetings, Young Master."
"…What? Just one guy? There doesn't seem to be many people here."
Blinded by Azadin, Kozel sensed the lack of presences in the reception room and found it strange.
"There's no need for multiple assassins. A single skilled professional is enough. Besides, what you need right now isn't just a mere assassin but a knowledgeable expert, isn't it?"
"Che, this bastard… Are you trying to negotiate with me? Knowledge? What nonsense is that?"
"First, let me ask you, why do you want to capture Sir Tarkiev? Just for revenge? There must be something more important at play."
"…Hey."
At those words, Kozel's mood soured, and he gestured to Beldon.
"Kill this bastard. Right now."
"Huh?"
"Right this instant!"
The soldiers waiting outside the reception room stormed in. They were armed with thick bardiches and charged at Azadin, but…
—Papak!
Azadin flipped backward, slipping through their ranks, and casually kicked their heads. That alone sent the helmeted soldiers flying, crashing into the fireplace and slamming against the window frames.
"Tsk, tsk."
Azadin grabbed a bardiche, tossed one to Ishmael, and thrust the other forward. The blade stopped just before Young Master Kozel's nose.
"If I were a real assassin, you'd already be dead."
"...."
"Of course, I wouldn't harm a client."
Azadin withdrew the bardiche.
"What the hell, this bastard… Did he just take down the soldiers barehanded?"
Blind, Kozel sensed the cold steel pass by his face and turned to Beldon in confusion.
"Yes, they were no match for him. H-he's the real deal…. Truly strong. If he hadn't stopped just now, we wouldn't have stood a chance."
Realizing that irritating Azadin even slightly could mean the death of everyone in the room, Beldon instinctively started speaking in respectful tones.
"Hmm… Is that so?"
Beldon's change in attitude made Kozel reconsider. Provoking a skilled individual who could kill him at any moment was no different from willingly lying down in his own coffin. He had to maintain the relationship of employer and employee to keep the upper hand against Azadin.
"So, what is it that you want? It doesn't seem like you're after just money. How much are you asking for?"
"I would like about 50 gold coins."
"Ha! Are you insane? You could buy an entire mansion with that kind of money."
Kozel scoffed at Azadin's absurd demand. But Azadin just smiled as he spoke.
"The countess would be more than willing to pay. Especially if she wants something far greater than simply raiding the baroness's residence."
"What?"
"Hiiik?!"
Beldon, Kozel's stepbrother and milk brother, was horrified at what Azadin was implying. Being a stepbrother who had grown up under constant scrutiny, he immediately understood the meaning behind Azadin's words.
"Hey, you bastard, what the hell are you saying?"
"Well, young master, what this assassin here is suggesting is…."
"What is it?"
"If, by any chance, something were to happen to the count, the countess would take over as regent. If that were to happen, there wouldn't be any need for her to send her son away to the church…."
Beldon spoke in a roundabout way.
'He's saying, "Hire me, and I'll assassinate the count!"'
But he couldn't just say it outright, could he?
***
'Impressive.'
Midiam marveled at Azadin's quick thinking. Kozel had only intended to take out Tarkiev in a petty act of revenge. The wounded fool was simply throwing a fit before power and wealth completely slipped from his grasp.
But Azadin had seized that brief encounter on the streets to infiltrate the castle, and then boldly escalated the situation into an assassination plot against the count.
He already knew about the count and countess's relationship and the count's heirs from Baroness Nord, but to use that knowledge so effectively in such a short time? His adaptability was astonishing.
"You're completely insane. So, you want me to introduce you to my mother? Just so you can assassinate my father?"
"Well, if I'm going to take on a job, I should aim higher, shouldn't I? This would also be beneficial for you, young master."
Despite being castrated and blinded, Kozel was still a noble. From the count's perspective, he was a useless liability, better discarded. But if the countess took over as regent, she would need a steward or an administrator. The only way Kozel could avoid being sent to the church and continue living in Salasma was if his mother took control.
"You're utterly insane. But fine. You seem to have both skill and guts."
Kozel turned to Beldon.
"Hey, get this guy out of here."
"…Excuse me?"
"Listen, I'll contact you later. For now, stay at the 'Blue Rose Pavilion.' Beldon! Get them a room there!"
"A-ah, understood."
Though he grumbled on the surface, Kozel seemed intrigued by Azadin's offer.
***
The Blue Rose Pavilion was a luxurious pleasure house. It was frequented by nobles and wealthy individuals, and Kozel had personally rented out a private room there for an exorbitant sum. Beldon led Azadin's group to that room.
The fact that Kozel was having them wait in such a discreet location was proof that, despite his complaints, he had already been swayed.
"Impressive."
Even Ishmael, who wasn't particularly fond of Azadin, had to admit it.
"What is? This inn? Well, if Kozel is renting out a place like this at his age, it just means he throws money around like water…."
"No, I meant your quick thinking."
All members of the Herald Clan received training in espionage, misinformation, and assassination, but most only learned the basics. However, what Azadin had just demonstrated was on another level entirely.
As he and Beldon left, Azadin once again studied the layout of the count's castle. Whether by luck or skill, he had even established a connection with the countess through Kozel.
Before parting ways with Beldon, he also requested information on the castle's layout and the servants' work schedules. Yet, even with all this progress, Azadin remained cautious.
"We can't relax yet. From the young master's perspective, attacking me inside the castle, in the reception room, would have put his own life at risk. That's why he moved us to an inn he's familiar with—so that he can release soldiers on us later. If he had fought me in the reception room, he would have been in danger. But here, only his soldiers would be at risk. Plus, there might be some hidden mechanism here to easily subdue us."
Azadin spoke as he surveyed his surroundings, checking the building's entrances and possible escape routes.
Without the Emperor's Voice to warn him of danger, he had to stay on high alert.
Azadin peered outside. Every time a soldier passed by, his senses sharpened.
"Damn it. Ever since becoming a herald, I've relied too much on the Emperor's Voice. When it was there, the spirits would sense any approaching threats for me. But now that it's gone, I can feel the difference immediately."
"The Emperor's Voice must be incredibly useful. You must have depended on it quite a bit."
Ishmael remarked as he conjured a scouting bird and sent it flying.
"You."
"Yes?"
"That's quite an advanced spell. You can use scouting birds at your age?"
"You know your stuff, despite not being able to use magic."
Ishmael smirked mockingly.