Chapter 14 - Swallow Trap

Burnel was often told that he always went his own way.

Because of that, even within the narrow confines of the academy, he failed to make a single friend and fell from being a top student to bordering on a failing one.

However, even someone as stubbornly independent as Burnel felt completely helpless before this man.

'What an overwhelming aura...'

Eyes that seemed to pull you into the abyss of a deep chasm.

Yet they weren't entirely empty; one could also sense an affection directed toward Valdrova.

The kind of person who seemed like he would truly do anything for her.

Fearing he might lose his life in this current situation, Burnel opened his mouth.

"I-I don't know. To think my beliefs would be shaken by something like this..."

But that was that, and this was this.

Burnel didn't want to immediately change his mind just because of such threats.

'Aaah! A-Am I going to die?'

Burnel squeezed his eyes shut and let his imagination run wild.

Would he twist his fingers?

Or was he planning to beat him like a dog on a hot summer day, just like the loan sharks?

Ferda's hand touched Burnel's shoulder.

"Understood."

Ferda patted his shoulder.

Realizing his limbs were intact, Burnel snapped his eyes open and asked.

"Uh, well, excuse me?"

"Didn't I say I understood?"

"... Is that it?"

"Yes. I think this is enough. I never intended to persuade you in a single day."

"Uh... I-I see...?"

Ferda held his hand out to Luri, and Luri pulled a scroll from within her wide skirt.

"Take it."

"What is this?"

"A letter of appointment."

"A... letter of appointment?"

"It's an appointment letter officially designating you as the head researcher at our Valdrova Castle. The terms will remain exactly as I stated. The only thing that changes is what you make of it."

Ferda immediately stood up from his seat and turned to leave.

"Take your time and think it over. And once you've decided, come to the grand duchy anytime. Let's go."

"Yes."

Ferda and Luri stepped right out the door.

Without lingering, they truly disappeared.

The appointment letter he left behind rolled right up to Burnel's feet.

Left all alone, Burnel could only stare down at it blankly.

* * *

"That man named Burnel, can he really be trusted?"

Luri, sitting on the opposite side of the carriage, asked.

In her right hand was a skewer of honey-preserved fruit, and in her left, about five cups were waiting to be executed in her mouth.

Ferda nodded.

"He can be trusted."

"Idealists like him tend to take their stubbornness to the grave, though."

"I will make him."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because it is said that those who desire peace must always prepare for war."

"Who is the guy that said such a thing?"

Who else.

'It was him.'

That was what the future Burnel Marquis, whom Ferda had seen, had said.

He had realized far too late just how hypocritical it was to act like a staunch pacifist.

"Assuming he has been recruited... where do you plan to go next?"

Naturally, Ferda had already decided on their next destination.

"We are going to Halim."

"Halim... isn't that the city of pleasure in the south?"

Luri's expression was even more rotten than usual.

He usually didn't receive good looks from her, but now she was looking at him as if he were no different from a bug.

It was only natural, as that city was a holy land of corruption and pleasure.

"If we are just passing through, choose another city."

"No, that is our final destination. The person I am looking for is there."

"You're saying they're in a pleasure district?"

"He will definitely be there."

"Are you absolutely sure there are no ulterior motives?"

"None."

Luri narrowed her eyes and stared at Ferda.

Luri could clearly sense that there was not a single speck of deceit in Ferda's words.

That made it feel even more suspicious.

How could a human live by only being honest?

"So who exactly are we going to find?"

"Zed Swallow."

It was one of the individuals written on the list Luri was holding.

"What kind of person is this man?"

"A gigolo."

"... A gigolo?"

"Yes."

A brief silence.

Luri thought for a moment.

She double-checked whether what she was thinking was correct before asking him again.

"... You mean one of those degenerate bastards who flirts with and scams noblewomen and rich ladies?"

"And a gambler."

"..."

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Luri's expression continued to rot the more he spoke.

An aura like pitch-black darkness began pouring out of her.

NEIGH!

"Whoa? What's wrong with the horses all of a sudden?"

It ultimately ended up startling the innocent horses.

The journey was about to become quite rough due to the horses acting up for seemingly no reason.

Seeing this, Ferda continued what he had left unsaid.

"And he is of the Red-Eye Clan."

The aura Luri had been exuding vanished instantly.

The emotion she displayed was close to shock.

"If you mean the Red-Eye Clan... are they the people with the bloodline I'm thinking of?"

"That's right."

"I heard they were wiped out due to an incident, though?"

"Yes, that is the information known to the public."

The public.

Luri knew this wasn't on a level that could be lightly brushed off with just the word 'public'.

If there had been any signs that the Red-Eye Clan was still alive, a report would have been filed immediately.

And if that were the case, Luri would naturally know about it too.

"How do you know something like that?"

Luri asked him outright.

"I just do."

He evaded giving any details.

She wanted to dig deeper, but Luri didn't have the justification to press him any further.

'A gigolo and a gambler... but a member of the Red-Eye Clan.'

It was a truly delicate balance.

Compared to Burnel Marquis, he was the worst kind of person, but at the same time, he possessed the greatest abilities.

'Should I oppose this, or agree with it?'

Standing at a crossroads, Luri agonized over the decision again and again.

She crunched down on the honey-preserved fruit so her brain wouldn't die out, trying to spin her thoughts even faster.

Ferda decided to lend a hand so she could make an easier choice.

"I hear they sell a lot of sweet desserts there since it's the southern region."

"Let's go for now."

* * *

The southern region was hot all year round.

The scorching sun left the land parched, and if one traveled to the deep south, a sweltering desert unfolded where not a single blade of grass or drop of water could be found.

Halim was a city of pleasure built to capitalize on such southern characteristics.

The days were hot, but the nights were cool, leading to a developed nightlife that attracted many nobles and the wealthy.

While Escolaia smelled strongly of coffee and black tea, the rich scent of sweet sugar wafted heavily through the air here.

It was enough to give Ferda a headache, but Luri's nose was delighted all day long.

The place Ferda headed to was a casino.

Luri stared blankly at the chips Ferda had just exchanged.

He had spent every last coin they had brought to exchange for them.

"Didn't you say you had no ulterior motives?"

"I don't."

"Are you really sure you don't?"

"This is a waste of breath. Just pull that cart and follow me."

Receiving Luri's glares, Ferda silently walked through the casino.

Promiscuously dressed women and people laughing as they indulged in superficial pleasures.

He solemnly passed through those living in a utopia bought with money, forgetting reality if only for a moment.

Among them, he spotted a young man.

A young man who was sparkling amidst the dull, lustful aura.

Light brown hair and black eyes.

He was tall and his well-built physique looked slim yet far from frail.

People were flocking around the young man.

When he laughed, the people laughed, and when he looked regretful, they simultaneously felt regret.

The man was dominating his audience.

'Zed Swallow.'

He earned the favor of many nobles with his exceptional eloquence and looks.

He was a man so charming that they didn't even realize they were being scammed.

'Well, he ended up getting too greedy and was caught in the end, though.'

Even so, it wasn't a problem.

Don't they say a cunning rabbit digs three burrows?

However, Swallow was the kind of man to dig three more burrows inside those three to escape a crisis.

'Considering he escaped from the inescapable Shark Island and the Ice Prison of the far north.'

He was undisputedly a master thief and a man for whom nothing was impossible.

'Well, all of that only happened because no one knew he was of the Red-Eye Clan.'

Those who inherited the blood of the Red-Eye Clan were characterized by red eyes, and they possessed a unique ability.

The ability to scatter the mana lingering on objects or in the air.

Because of this, the Red-Eye Clan were natural enemies to mages.

The color of the eyes on the man Ferda was currently looking at was a deep black.

The eyes of an ordinary human.

Therefore, no one would ever think he was of the Red-Eye Clan.

'Even if someone were to figure out he was of the Red-Eye Clan.'

That man would still be confident he'd never get caught.

Because he had the skills to back it up.

'He is exactly the talent I need.'

Ferda quietly walked over with his hands behind his back and took a seat.

At the appearance of a stranger, Zed amiably offered a greeting first.

"Well now, a new friend has arrived. Nice to meet you. I'm Zed."

"Nice to meet you. I am Ferda."

"You'd better be careful around the people here. They're all just looking to pick you apart like vultures, you know?"

"Haha! I play a mean hand of poker, myself!"

"How can you say that after losing 40 gold coins!!"

It was a friendly atmosphere.

Among these men, not a single one had actually won any real money.

It was truly remarkable to make them laugh even when they hadn't won anything.

'His aura and words that dominate the audience.'

But to Ferda, it all just looked like a thick mask of hypocrisy.

"Have you played much poker?"

"I only roughly know the hands."

"Well, you just have to learn slowly. Isn't that right?"

"Where in the world is there an expert who wasn't a beginner first, haha!"

"Yeah, I just learned for the first time here today too. I'm finally getting the hang of it!"

He had no interest in these people proudly boasting of being easy marks.

"Let's give it a try."

"Let's do that. What's the point of just chatting like this?"

The game began.

Ferda won little by little.

One might think beginner's luck was at play on the gambling table, but Ferda thought differently.

This was the process of Zed reeling Ferda in.

'He sure knows how to scatter the bait.'

He was a man with great sleight of hand.

Even Ferda, who considered himself quite observant, couldn't tell where he was being tricked—that was how skilled he was.

Ferda played along with it.

However, by subtly showing that he wouldn't just let his blood be sucked dry slowly, he instead drew Zed in.

"Hmm, shouldn't we wrap up the game soon? A lot of time has passed."

Zed said.

"Hmm? Has it?"

"Well, if you say so."

"Let's make the last round a fiery one. Haha!"

Zed dealt the cards, and the final game began.

"Alright, let's bet. 100!"

"200 gold coins!"

"You're all fired up! I see your 200 and raise to 400!"

Zed's turn ended, and it was Ferda's turn.

"All in."

He pushed in all of his remaining chips.

Even at a glance, the value easily exceeded 2,000 gold coins.

The room buzzed with murmurs.

"The guy who's been betting bits at a time is suddenly going all in?"

"Isn't he going a bit too far just because it's the last round?"

Interlocking his fingers and resting his hands on the table, Ferda answered once more.

"All in."

The middle-aged men fiddling with their cards groaned.

And then they backed out.

"It's not like today's the only time to play, there's always tomorrow. I fold."

"I fold too."

Going around the table, it was Zed's turn once again.

"What gives you the confidence to bet that much?"

He asked with a smiling gaze.

Ferda casually looked down at him and spoke.

"Don't worry. Because I am going to win this game."

"I don't see why you're so confident."

"Because you're going to fold that hand yourself."

Zed threw himself against the backrest and chuckled.

"Why do you think I'll fold?"

"To be honest, I have no desire to lose money. There's a certain kid who's under the delusion that I enjoy gambling, you see."

"Are you saying I have to lose my money so you can look good for a kid? That's a bit harsh. Shouldn't you have just stayed away from this place to begin with?"

Zed snickered.

He assumed it was just a gambler's bluff.

"That is not the only reason."

"Hm?"

"Because I know what you want."

"What I want? What could I possibly want? I have a beautiful woman like this, alcohol, and money."

He hugged the woman beside him, and the woman giggled in delight.

She was undeniably a noblewoman from the outskirts.

Ferda said to him.

"Among all those many women, there isn't one named Emilia."

A crack formed in his sly mask.

There was a slight tremble in the hand holding the cards, and the corners of his mouth twitched.

It was only for a brief moment, but everyone could sense a battle of nerves had taken place.

However, Zed was an experienced gambler.

"... I call."

He didn't fold and pushed his chips in.

He wasn't going to let go of a game he had already won.

"It's a straight flush. And you?"

Ferda revealed his hand.

"King high."

"King high!"

"Are you saying you bluffed with a hand that doesn't even rank?!"

The middle-aged men yelled in utter astonishment, their eyes wide.

The winner was Zed.

Having lost all his money, Ferda stood up from his seat with no need to harbor any lingering regrets.

"Hold on a minute, my lord."

Just as Ferda was brushing it off and preparing to leave, Zed called out to stop him.

"Since I won all of your money, why don't I buy you a drink to console you? You look old enough to drink, right?"

A smile still remained on his face.

However, that mask wasn't a pleasant one.

"I'll buy you one."

Murderous intent was stained across that smile.

"Let's do that."

Everything was proceeding exactly according to Ferda's intentions.

* * *

A casino filled with laughter and joy.

A land where people indulged in hedonism, losing track of time beneath a sun that never extinguishes.

Ferda and Zed turned their backs on that place and were heading back to his lodgings together.

The moment they left the casino and entered the hotel corridor.

"What are you?"

His voice, which had been overflowing with laughter, dropped sharply like a blade.

Ferda obediently went along with his words.

Honestly, even if he wanted to open his mouth, he didn't have anything to say.

"You know about me, don't you?"

"That is not important."

"Right. It's not important at this stage. Let's skip the boring introductions."

Zed took out an item he had hidden in his chest.

It was a dagger.

"Tell me the reason why you mentioned that name."

Zed's eyes were dyed a bright red.

Those eyes were exactly the defining trait of the Red-Eye Clan, known as Mage Killers.

'Any magic circle that meets those eyes is completely nullified.'

The appearance of the people known as Mage Killers would normally make any ordinary mage tremble in fear.

However, Ferda had no reason to do so.

"Zed Swallow. If you don't want your identity exposed to the whole world, retract those eyes."

"You're in on it with those bastards too, aren't you? Right?!"

"I came here for a rational conversation."

"What did you do to my little sister!? You son of a bitch!!"

The man wearing the mask of laughter revealed his true, furious face.

Even Ferda was seeing that face for the first time.

"Do not show any more murderous intent toward me."

Ferda warned him in a low voice.

"My maid is someone who is not loyal to me. Even so, if I am in danger, she will not hesitate to kill you."

That warning was purely for Zed's sake.

"I want to have a conversation with you. So withdraw your murderous intent."