"Looks like the scheme collapsed…"

A pleasant voice, dripping with mockery and an air of arrogance, wafts eerily in the air as a High Nobleman controls the grim expression on his face.

The reception hall is bright and grand, with all the expensive allure befitting the High Nobility. All manner of luxuries are on full display, with regality practically oozing from the four walls of the room.

It's a private room that only contains two people.

One is the displeased High Noble, who holds a glass of wine in his trembling hands. He has a furious expression on his face, but somehow he controls his rage really well.

The reason lies in the existence of the other person in the room.

He is shrouded in shadows, with only his crimson eyes glowing within the only dark area of the room. Unlike the High Noble, this other man is dressed rather simply, like a traveler or adventurer. Still, somehow his presence causes the seemingly elevated atmosphere in the room to plummet to its lowest point.

It is this man in the shadows who owns the pleasant voice.

It's almost like he's singing a song.

His lackadaisical demeanor is enchanting, though also sickening. His arms are folded as he rests his back on a wall and laughs lightly, staring at the High Noble who grits his teeth in silent frustration.

"So what are you going to do about it, man? At this rate, your goals will be ruined."

Upon hearing those words, the High Noble's grip on the glass cup tightens, and the vessel cracks at the edge. This only reveals a fraction of his rage.

"I'm… handling it."

His deep frown is evident, and his callous—clearly vengeful—gaze shows absolute resolve.

He swirls the crimson content of his glass and downs the rest of the wine before gasping heavily and tossing the glass cup to the side, not even bothering with the shattering sound that echoes in the room afterward.

"That brat, Javier Aditi, won't live to see tomorrow."

*************

If you thought I was famous before, after playing a major role in exposing the major scheme in Fargos, I became even more popular.

Right now, I have attained celebrity status in the Kingdom.

Of course, this doesn't translate to actual power, but my position has certainly been elevated.

Many Nobles view me in a much better light, and my ties to the Royal Family have been strengthened. In fact, Prince Korrin even offered me a job in the Royal Palace, desiring that I officially become one of 'his people.'

Such an opportunity cannot be understated, and if it was the me of the past, I would have been jumping for joy at the opportunity.

But I do not want to be holed up in the Royal Palace or have to face its restrictions.

Besides, based on what Sir Jerome Sirius, my old Master, imparted to me regarding the politics of the Royal Palace, my impression of that place isn't the best.

I barely managed to survive the Royal Academy… I don't want a repeat of the experience.

Besides, I'm very much enjoying life as a Mercenary.

There are still quite a few things I want to do, and I can also feel myself breaking through in the modification of my Aditi Household's Martial Technique. I believe I can elevate it to a High Rank Marital Technique.

In the past, it was only a thought, and I didn't hold a lot of confidence in the prospect.

But a lot has changed now.

Most noticeably, my experience in the area of combat.

Before, I only held a more polished mind and a theoretical perception to fix the flaws in the technique in order to make it better. However, after working as a Mercenary for over a year, and picking up diverse combat skills from my colleagues, while also gaining a lot of real-time experience, my perception of combat has evolved.

In addition to this change in perception, I have had the opportunity to learn a second Martial Technique, unlike the me in my past life, who knew only the Aditi Martial Technique.

The Mercenary Combat Arts—a rough and more brutal set of moves that lacks the finesse of official Knight Martial Techniques, but has an emphasis on lethality. Its major weakness is that it lacks sophistication, making it a straightforward technique that can be disrupted with enough insight into it.

However, by merging this Mercenary Combat Arts and my Aditi Martial Technique, as well as my wealth of knowledge and experience… I can create a better Martial Technique.

I wish to call it—Superior Aditi Martial Technique.

With a High-Rank Martial Technique, I only need to somehow craft a B Grade Armament or find one to turn the Aditi Household into a High Rank Knight Household.

With the Civil War prevented, the Kingdom will maintain its prosperity, which means my Aditi Household will only flourish as a High Rank Knight Household. Even if war eventually breaks out, High Rank Knight Households hold more priority compared to Mid and Low Rank ones, which means my family will be spared most of the grunt work and the hardship that comes with such deep conflicts.

We will hold leadership positions and be protected at the rear, only having to fight in the most serious battles.

In the worst-case scenario, my family should be relatively safer compared to my past life.

That's about all I can do.

Everything else is out of my hands.

'Hmm… I should go to sleep now.' Despite it being late at night, all my earlier thoughts have kept me awake for this long.

Dahlia is currently lying right next to me, and she's fast asleep already.

After a passionate night together, she was too spent to even wish me goodnight before falling deep into sleep. However, I've found it difficult to sleep very early these days.

Perhaps I've grown too nervous because the date of the war is steadily approaching.

I can't help but ask myself if I missed anything.

If there's any oversight… any loose end… any knowledge I am yet to exploit… now would be the perfect time to do something about them.

But, even after racking my brain for many nights, I'm yet to think of anything else.

'Oh well…' I heave a sigh and keep my eyes closed in the darkness. 'I guess I just need to remain still like this, and I'll naturally fall asleep just like last ti—'

CREAK…

Before I conclude my thoughts, I hear a gentle creek that could only come from a piece of furniture moving. Then, I feel a small draft coming from my window.

Strange.

I'm certain it was closed.

'Could it be—?' My eyes flash with panic, and I quickly jump away from my bed, just in time to avoid a piercing strike.

'What the—?!'

My gaze lands on the blade that has now sunk into my bed, and just looking at its position, I can tell that it would have punctured my heart and caused me instant death.

Then, I look at the wielder of the sword—a hooded, masked man.

"Who the hell are you?!" I yell out, adrenaline pouring through my jittery body.

I still can't believe it.

Only a few moments ago, if I was just a second too late… I would have actually died!

Just like that?!

Is that how fickle such a thing as life is?

I narrow my gaze on the assassin and control my breathing, stopping myself from panicking. This man, whoever he is, has to be really good.

The fact that he went after my heart with such precision and speed must mean he's a professional.

A hired assassin!

But why?

Why would someone send an assassin my way?

My gaze automatically lands on Dahlia, and for a moment, I consider the possibility of her parents finding out about our relationship.

But… would they really use a hired killer to get rid of me?

Sure, I've become a lot harder to suppress ever since I rose to fame, but this still feels like an extreme reaction from them. Usually, Nobles have a lot of pride and would start things off with a warning before the main event.

Also, why would they send an assassin when their daughter is in the same room as me?

Dahlia has told me on multiple occasions that her parents still want her to return home. If they kill me in such an overt way, wouldn't their goal be lost?

That's why it's highly unlikely that they're the ones behind this arrangement.

Then who?

I can think of a few more people, since I do have quite a few enemies—especially in the Noble Faction—but none of them would use this extreme measure.

It simply isn't how Nobles operate.

At least, normally.

That leaves only one other person, and my personal number-one suspect.

—The Mastermind!

"Who sent you? Is it the mastermind behind the Fargos Money Laundering Scheme?"

Despite yelling out those words, I get no response from this assassin.

Instead, he retrieves his sword from the bed and sends a glare at me, before backing away and steadily approaching Dahlia, whose eyes are still tightly closed as she lies on the bed.

I see what he's trying to do.

'He's targeting Dahlia? He wants to use her as a hostage of some sort?!'

WHOOSH!

Without wasting any time, I charge at him with full speed.

The assassin hurriedly makes his move, rushing at Dahlia so he can go ahead with his plan.

But—

"Dahlia, now!"

Her eyes snap wide open, and she hurriedly skitters away from her position, instantly foiling the Assassin's plan. This doesn't surprise me in the slightest. I had held utmost faith in her that she was awake, especially after she twitched her nose as a signal to me.

With Dahlia no longer in danger, I quickly close the distance and send my fist charging at the assassin—with a loud voice that shakes the room.

"Guh!"

Left with no choice, he swings his blade at me, removing his focus on Dahlia.

Big mistake.

The moment he tries to attack me, I dodge his assault, going low to wave the streak of silver light.

Why would I brazenly attack an elite assassin without a weapon, especially when this man currently has an Armament blade and is undoubtedly using Potions?

The only thing I can do at this moment is act as the decoy.

Dahlia… is the main course.

SPLOOSH!

Instead of striking me, he ends up breaking a bottle that Dahlia threw at him, a Potion that causes intense nausea on whoever it is applied to. It is also a flammable solution that improves the effectiveness of fire on the target.

Dahlia knows this, which is why the next Potion she tosses at him is the Explosion Potion.

Despite the nausea he must be feeling, the assassin dodges the attack and hastily moves towards Dahlia, trying to stop her from interfering with the fight.

However, at that point, I had already grabbed my C Grade Armament.

Silver Lightning Thunder Sword!

SWISH!

A flash of light quickly pours out, filling the room with its blinding illumination.

Naturally, the assassin is also engulfed in the light.

However, strangely enough, he isn't at all stunned by the radiation. In fact, his movements do not slow down as he keeps on charging at the stunned Dahlia.

'Damnit! He must have taken a Potion of True Sight.'

This assassin definitely knows the effects of my Armament, as well as our attack patterns.

He knows too much!

The fact that he was barely affected by the nausea-inducing Potion also means he has taken one that prevents that effect. His speed is also extraordinary, to the effect that I can barely keep up with him despite my immense training and wealth of experience.

He's at least twice as fast as normal people.

This is also the effect of a Potion.

Finally, he's using a C Grade Armament, which makes his blow extremely lethal and dangerous.

Just a quick glance at my bed, seeing the discoloration of the area where he struck earlier, I can tell that the Armament is a poison-type.

'We can't afford to be hit by that even once—especially when we don't have a corresponding antidote.' My thoughts echo frantically as my face turns grim.

At this point, even the thunderous effects of my Armament will do no good, since he has undoubtedly prepared for that as well.

In that case—

WHOOSH!

I sacrifice my advantage and thrust my weapon at him, causing the blade to tear through midair at breakneck speed.

Realizing he would be pierced before reaching his target, he shifts his trajectory, causing the blade to stab at the area right next to Dahlia. It's just inches away from her, and if I weren't an expert at aiming, there's a high chance it would have pierced her stomach.

"Dahlia, pick up the sword!" I yell out, quickly moving to grab more Potions so I can fight with the guy in much better conditions.

Thankfully, I spot all the Potions I require on my first try and chug them down without wasting much time. I honestly don't remember arranging the Potions in such a convenient way, but maybe Dahlia did.

That's good!

It saved me a great deal of time.

With the help of the Potions, I feel my body bursting with immense strength while my heart grows increasingly calm. Most importantly, I'm now more than capable of keeping up with the assassin.

I hurriedly dash to help Dahlia, who has been struggling to keep the man at bay.

He clearly isn't trying to deal any lethal blow to her.

That means he knows of her hidden noble status and isn't trying to kill her. Just who is this guy, and why does he have so much information about us?

After catching up with Dahlia, I retrieve my Armament and start fighting the man while Dahlia rushes to the Potion cabinet and also drinks a few Potions, while grabbing a few to use as offensive projectiles.

Once the two of us enter top form, it's already too late for the assassin.

I fear he'll try to escape, so I secure the window and tell Dahlia to protect the door, but the strange thing is that he doesn't, for once, attempt to run away.

Instead, he holds his ground and tries his best to hold us down with his skills.

And… this man sure has skills!

His Martial Technique is quite unique—unlike anything I have ever witnessed in my entire life.

Without a doubt, this is a High Rank Martial Technique.

My goodness!

Is this man a High Rank Knight?!

But why would he be using such a weak Armament if that's the case? If this Mastermind can employ someone of such caliber to try taking my life, what else do they have up their sleeve?

I have so many questions.

But first—

"I have to kill you first!" With determination flaring in my eyes, I decide to resort to my newest creation—The Superior Aditi Martial Technique.

Such an intense moment of combat is the perfect opportunity to use this move and gain as much enlightenment as I can. Not only would all the flaws be exposed, since it is up against a Martial Technique of similar rank, but I'll be able to once again grow as a fighter.

Even though this is quite a strange situation to experiment with, I calm myself and begin.

After a series of moves—dozens, in fact—I finally emerge victorious.

Even though our Armaments have similar ranks, and we both possess High-Rank Martial Techniques, my advantage in numbers, as well as my abundance of experience, ends up being the deciding factor that secures me the win.

After subduing the assassin, slicing off his tendons to prevent him from escaping, I hurriedly unmasked him.

There, I am met with the biggest shock of my life.

"B-Brutus?!"

My eyes widen in disbelief.

I had always wondered where he went and why they never caught him, but to think he ended up being a hired assassin!

Also, I take quick notice of the tattoo branded on his neck, and it belongs to the Dark Guild.

The Dark Guild!

It's an organization involved in the Black Market and all kinds of Trafficking.

They act as Information Brokers, Assassins, Unethical Mercenaries, and deal in all kinds of Illegal Arms. They are essentially the greatest criminal organization of the Kingdom, and their reach is famed to spread throughout the Continent.

How did Brutus join their ranks and become an assassin?!

Before I get the answer to my questions, Brutus starts to foam at the mouth, and his body turns pale almost instantly. He collapses on the ground soon after, his limp corpse unmoving.

He dies.

I'm not surprised by this in the slightest.

The moment I saw the marking, I already knew it was pointless to ask him any questions. From the little I know, Dark Guild members drink a poisonous Potion before beginning their mission. If they fail or are captured by the enemy, the Potion's lethality activates, and they die.

I don't know how the Potion is able to notice these details, but it can be chalked up to its mystical ability. No one has been able to replicate the effects of this Potion or derive its formula.

Even in my Past Life, it never happened.

But, what now?

Who would go as far as involving the Dark Guild in my assassination?

The Mastermind?

Could it be that he's affiliated with the Dark Guild? What if he holds some kind of position in that criminal organization? If that's true, then the Dark Guild was involved in the Civil War of my past life, and they're attacking me because I foiled their plans.

Strange… but not too surprising.

If I think of this logically, the Dark Guild could gain some benefits from the war.

Perhaps that's their intention.

Regardless, all of this is conjecture, and I need to research to be able to properly figure out the situation. Tonight, I nearly lost my life, and Dahlia was also in deep trouble.

I can't afford to be complacent any longer.

I also shouldn't be too passive.

Offense can be the best defense at times, which means I should launch a major attack on the Dark Guild using my past life's memories to the fullest. All the hideouts and activities that I remember from my past life involving them… I'll make full use of everything.

If my suspicions are correct and the Dark Guild was indeed involved in the Randalorion Civil War, then weakening their strength will help prevent it from happening.

Of course, I'll have to guise my intentions somehow.

Maybe by using bounties and taking related jobs, I can use that as a cover for my intended Kingdom-wide operations.

Those bastards… they're going to regret messing with me!

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