The Dark Side

The name sounded familiar to Roger, as if he had heard it before in the slums of Orland City.

The old man controlled by the cultists in the slums had repeatedly muttered this very name before he died.

Knight Stine had deduced at the time that the woman was a cultist hiding in the slums, but their search had yielded nothing.

Now, a young girl also named Liz stood right in front of him.

Combined with the fact that Count Augus was also colluding with the cultists, Roger did not believe for a second that this was a coincidence.

He maintained his smile on the surface. “Miss Liz, your understanding of this history is truly impressive. Are you a student of history? Or perhaps an elder in your family is a historian?”

Liz shook her head. “It is just a personal hobby. My father collected many books on ancient battles and read them to me as bedtime stories when I was a child. That is how I became interested in these tales.”

“Then your father must have been a very learned man,” Roger followed her lead. “Did he also come to the gathering today? Perhaps I should ask him for some advice in person. After all, I am also quite interested in history.”

That way, he might be able to root out a few more cultists.

Hearing this, Liz lowered her gaze. “My father passed away a few years ago. I live with my uncle now, and he was the one who brought me here.”

She turned her head, her gaze passing over the bustling crowd in the banquet hall to look toward the terrace.

“He is over there chatting with Count Augus.”

Roger followed her gaze. A few middle-aged nobles stood there, talking and laughing with Count Augus.

“My apologies, I should not have brought that up.” Roger committed the physical features of each man to memory before withdrawing his gaze.

“It is fine, it happened a long time ago.” Liz also turned back. “By the way, I have not asked for your name yet. Since you are so interested in history, you must be a scholar as well?”

“My name is Gerald. I am an alchemist who just arrived in the royal capital. I only recently joined the Alchemist Association, and I am currently following the Vice President to broaden my horizons.”

“Then you must be very talented. I heard that the Vice President of the Alchemist Association highly values the younger generation. For him to bring you to a gathering like this means you must already have considerable achievements in alchemy.”

The two chatted for a few more trivial moments in front of the mural before parting ways.

Late at night, the gathering came to an end.

The guests' carriages departed from the mansion gates one after another, the sound of wheels rumbling over the cobblestones gradually fading into the distance.

Servants began to clear away the leftover plates and wine glasses in the banquet hall, extinguishing the candles on the chandeliers.

When Count Augus returned to his study, Liz was already sitting at the desk, flipping through a book she had casually pulled from the bookshelf.

The Count showed a hint of displeasure, but he quickly masked it. Closing the study door behind him, he walked over to the desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down opposite her.

“I believe this is your first time here, yet you make yourself quite at home.”

“We are all on the same side, so why be polite?” Liz smiled dismissively.

“Did you find the gathering enjoyable, then? I noticed you seemed to get along quite well with a young man,” Count Augus asked.

“Just an alchemist who recently arrived in the royal capital, nothing worthy of attention.” Liz casually tossed the book back onto the desk, her expression turning serious. “High Priestess Sephira wants you to seize the statue back from that merchant within this week.”

“That is not difficult. The merchant is still waiting for his so-called 'employer' and will not leave the royal capital anytime soon. I have already sent men to keep an eye on him. We can strike at any moment.”

“To be safe, it is best if you handle this matter personally,” Liz remarked, offering no further comment on his confidence. “Also, tell Hoft that he is free to move around now.”

Count Augus frowned. “With all due respect, that second decision is somewhat ill-advised. If that fellow causes trouble, cleaning up the mess will be highly problematic.”

Liz replied, “Fools have their uses. He is merely bait, and he will only operate in the outer city, so he will not affect your side of things. Besides, you must be tired of feeding and housing him so well every day. Letting him out for some fresh air will ease your burden.”

Count Augus had no reply to that. He silently walked over to the low cabinet, retrieved the roster from inside, and handed it to Liz.

Liz took the roster, stood up, and walked toward the study door. As she passed by Count Augus, she patted him on the shoulder.

“In short, it is best to have this resolved before High Priestess Sephira arrives in the royal capital. Once it is done, the High Priestess will grant you the reward you desire.”

Count Augus watched in silence as she pushed open the study door and vanished into the shadows of the corridor.

...

After leaving Count Augus's mansion, Roger parted ways with Pepis at the street corner, using the excuse of having some personal matters to attend to.

Over half an hour later, he stood before Nina's residence. The window on the second floor was lit, and through the gap in the curtains, a silhouette could be seen moving inside.

He took off the Mask of a Thousand Faces and knocked on the door.

Before long, the door opened a crack, and a pair of eyes ringed with dark circles peered out from the gap.

Once she confirmed it was Roger, Nina opened the door a bit wider and stepped aside to let him in.

“Come in.”

Roger did not waste any words either. Slipping through the door, he sat down on the sofa, pulled out the slip of paper containing the copied roster from his coat, and slid it across the table toward Nina.

“I found a roster in Count Augus's study, and these names were written on it. It seems to be a list of individuals they are planning to recruit.” He got straight to the point without any preamble.

“You infiltrated Count Augus's study?” Nina looked surprised. She picked up the slip of paper, her eyes scanning the names one by one as her brow gradually furrowed.

“I did not expect the cultists to have penetrated this deeply. I recognize several of these names; they are all prominent figures in their respective fields.”

“With this list, does it count as completing Baron Raymond's commission?” Roger asked.

Nina folded the paper in half and pocketed it. “That depends on how the Baron defines it, but it should not take long to find out. I will write to him tonight, enclosing the contents of this list along with your preliminary assessment.”

“Then I hope it is as quick as possible.” Roger did not dwell on the matter of the commission. He had another purpose for coming here.

“I have a question. Have you ever heard of someone named Liz? She looks like a noble lady living in the royal capital. Under twenty years old, with dark brown hair and blue-grey eyes.”

Nina recalled for a moment, then shook her head.

“I have not heard of her, but I can help ask around among the members of the association who come from noble backgrounds.”

“If you have not heard of her, then forget it. There is no need to make a special effort to inquire,” Roger said, waving his hand.

If the Mage Association also had cultists embedded within it, Nina would likely be targeted, which could eventually lead them straight to him.

Before leaving, Roger acquired a few more blueprints related to magic circles and runes from Nina for free, tucking them into his coat.

After stepping out of the house, he put the Mask of a Thousand Faces back on, adopting a completely different face from his previous disguises before blending into the nighttime streets.

Before he had gone far, the sound of fluttering wings came from behind. Roger looked back to see a carrier pigeon fly out from the second-floor window of Nina's residence, gradually vanishing into the night.

Roger took one last look at the newly closed window on the second floor, then withdrew his gaze and disappeared around the corner of the street.

...

Count Augus stood before a two-story residence made of wood and stone. This alleyway lacked magic lamps, with only the sporadic candlelight filtering from the windows of neighboring houses barely illuminating the path.

He brought no retainers with him. Walking forward alone, he pushed open the unlocked wooden door.

The moment he stepped inside, a heavy scent of blood rushed into his nose.

Count Augus remained expressionless as his gaze swept across the pitch-black living room. A figure lay in the corner, wearing the grey cloth apron common among servants, which was now thoroughly soaked in a dark liquid.

Count Augus did not go over to inspect it. Instead, he quickly headed upstairs, his boots stepping heavily on the wooden stairs.

Upon reaching the second-floor corridor, he pushed open a bedroom door with force.

Moonlight poured through the window. A youth sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard, idly playing with an unsheathed dagger in his hand.

Dark stains still lingered on the blade of the dagger.

“Why did you kill the servant I hired again?” Count Augus looked at him coldly.

The youth sitting on the bed replied dismissively:

“Anyone who crosses my line deserves to die. Besides, she was merely a weakling. No one will care that she is dead.”

“So, the only way someone doesn't cross your line is if they constantly flatter you and speak to you with absolute deference?” Count Augus let out a disdainful laugh, leaning against the doorframe. “I am crossing your line right now. Why don't you try to kill me on the spot?”

Hearing this, the youth stammered for a long time before squeezing out, “The weak are meant to flatter the strong. Otherwise, they have no right to live.”

Looking at his pathetic display, Count Augus did not mock him further and got straight to the point. “Hoft, those above have permitted you to move freely.”

The youth's attention was instantly captured by these words. “Is a matter like this really worth you coming in person to tell me?”

“If I did not come, that corpse in the corner of the living room would likely have rotted before anyone found it,” Count Augus said, his tone remaining cold.

“Then why am I suddenly allowed to move freely again?” Hoft sheathed his dagger back at his waist and leaped down from the bed.

“No other reason than those above wishing for a promising youth like you to be more active. If the saboteur who stole the vessel has arrived in the royal capital, it will be your job to deal with them. That is the task assigned to you by the higher-ups.”

Recalling Liz's words about how "fools have their uses," Count Augus spoke against his own conscience.

“But do not go into the inner city. Anywhere else is fine.”