Chapter 266

Chapter 266 - Secret Banquet (2)

The special operations unit members carefully decorated Eugene and Cassandra, who were sitting side by side.

"Please remember. Tonight, my name is Laninya."

"Is that the name of the original owner of that invitation?"

"Yes."

A female warrior with her hands generously smeared with hair oil playfully massaged Eugene's hair.

"Weren't there several people who couldn't enter the city due to the siege? They were all anxiously waiting in the nearby villages. Then, when the gates opened, they all flocked in at once."

"The amount of silver coins the guard unit collected as bribes was quite substantial."

It is a common practice to offer bribes to inspecting guards and bring in inappropriate goods or people. The Hesed guard unit was particularly lenient in that regard.

With that in mind, Eugene had given instructions to the subordinates who would temporarily stand guard.

-We will conduct thorough searches according to regulations.

-There's no need for that. If someone hands you a bribe, take it and let them pass roughly.

-Pardon?

-It's a rare opportunity. If the amount of silver coins they hand over is small, they're petty criminals; if it's large, it's proof that they have something to hide. A tracking team will be on standby, so in the latter case, give them a subtle signal.

-I understand your intention, but would they do such a thing in a city whose master just changed?

-Those who will do it will do it. Besides, the rumor that I forbade looting has spread, hasn't it?

-Aha. They'll assume the subordinates' dissatisfaction will be great because of that.

-So you guys act the part appropriately too.

-Like grumbling and making sour faces, right?

-Make sure to add some realistic bad-mouthing about me as well.

-...Uh, um.

Since then, any outsider whose coin pouch handed to the guards felt heavy was tailed. During this process, the invitation to the secret banquet was confiscated.

"Laninya, who possessed this invitation, is a fallen noble from a southern city in Roman. She was a young lady who wouldn't hesitate to use any means necessary to somehow return to high society."

Cassandra, who had secretly arrested Laninya, interrogated her in various ways. There was no need to use particularly harsh methods. In front of Ophelia's hypnosis, she had no choice but to confess everything.

"She's exactly the type of person a criminal syndicate would find useful."

"She knows that herself. Her mindset was, 'I'll use you while being used.' She's quite a tough lady. Through a combination of effort and luck, she made contact with the Hesed distributor, Giovanni. Laninya also roughly suspected what kind of goods she would be handling."

"If it's something even a fallen noble with no seed money or commercial experience can do, it's obvious. So, she isn't a lady with a known face, right?"

"This is Laninya's first time in this city. No one knows her face."

Around that time, Eugene's disguise was completed.

"Now, how is it?"

In the full-length mirror opposite them sat a thug with slicked-back hair. His eyes had heavy, smoky makeup characteristic of the Samur people. The special operations unit members chattered excitedly.

"A beard suits you well, so why don't you try growing one?"

"Homi would be sad if I did that, wouldn't she?"

"With a knife scar on your cheek, you instantly look more mature. As expected, a man's charm is completed by the scars earned on the battlefield!"

With a fake beard and a sword scar across his cheek, he looked like a completely different person.

"With this much, you wouldn't be found out even if you ran into the council members who pledged loyalty to you. They've only seen you once or twice anyway."

Cassandra, who looked satisfied, didn't need much alteration. Since her skin was exceptionally light even among Dark Elves, it would be perfect if they just applied a little makeup and dealt with her ears.

"What did you do to your ears? They look exactly like a human's now."

Cassandra was wearing a unique earring ornament that wrapped around the auricle, and the top part of her ear was short and blunt.

"It's an artifact. It contains a magic that conceals the ears of the Elven race. Would you like to touch it?"

"I won't decline."

Eugene was someone who loved touching Elven ears more than anyone else.

"Fascinating. I can't see it, but I can feel the soft texture."

"An ordinary person wouldn't even be able to feel that texture. It's a mystery that disrupts perception itself. It's quite a rare item. It seems the tactile disruption doesn't work on you, Lord."

Once the preparations were complete, the two stood up from their chairs.

"It's convenient that weapons are allowed inside the banquet hall."

"Because it's a gathering of shady individuals, they don't trust each other. If everyone is unarmed and one person harbors malicious intentions, things would get very difficult. There are already several precedents of that."

Eugene strapped on a bloodletting dagger and a Dwarf-made sword with decent performance. Last Autumn was far too flashy, and just looking at its hilt made it obvious it was a treasure, so he had to leave it behind.

"Will you be okay empty-handed? If push comes to shove..."

Instead of answering, Cassandra hiked up her skirt deeply. Tucked into her garter belt straps were two awls disguised as ornaments.

Click.

Leaning on one leg like a crane, she took off one of her shoes and pulled the heel, revealing a blade.

"I've packed plenty of these in various places besides this one. They won't be a burden even if push comes to shove, so don't worry."

Cassandra winked. In truth, this lady was a very dangerous person even barehanded.

* * *

"Listen up, everyone. The Count and the Special Operations Captain will soon be entering Giovanni's banquet hall."

Rampage spoke in front of his subordinates.

"You mean that suspiciously wealthy-looking bastard?"

"Yeah. If things go wrong and it looks like the two of them will be in danger, we breach immediately and provide support."

They couldn't imagine a situation where their Lord would be in danger, but as subordinates, they still had to be ready to rush in immediately.

"If push comes to shove, His Excellency can just reveal his identity."

"I'm saying this because they might attack to destroy evidence out of desperation."

"But in this case, wouldn't it be better if Lady Homi went instead of Lady Cassandra? She's someone who could beat everyone to death even barehanded."

"A gathering like that requires acting skills suited for that gathering. And is His Excellency the Count's only squire well-known or what? If she doesn't snip off her large tail, she'll be found out immediately."

"What a terrible thing to say!"

Not only the Dwarves but also the knights were monitoring the mansion where the banquet was being held while in hiding. Soon, Eugene and Cassandra appeared.

"This is private property."

The guard at the mansion's entrance spoke.

"We came after receiving an invitation to the banquet."

"Where is the invitation?"

"Here."

Eugene, acting as the escort warrior, introduced Cassandra on her behalf and handed over the invitation. The civil official standing next to the guard took it and scrutinized it carefully.

Holding a magnifying glass and inspecting specific areas meant they had engraved marks to prevent forgery. However, confirming that the invitation was genuine wasn't the end of it.

"Lady Laninya. Would you mind taking off your gloves and showing your hands?"

"What did you say?"

"Your voice is as beautiful as your face. Because of the current situation, there were instructions to conduct thorough inspections. If you are displeased, you are free to turn back."

Cassandra glared at the civil official with anger. However, the civil official was also someone who lived in the rough underworld. He watched as if enjoying the sight of the fallen noble lady blushing with shame and anger.

"Insolent fool. Fine, I've taken them off."

"Excuse me."

The civil official confirmed that Cassandra's hands were clean without a single scratch.

Cassandra always wore gloves during training, anticipating such operations, and paid attention to hand care. She looked exactly like a precious noble lady who had never done any labor.

"Please repeat after me. Shining nails and ebony hair..."

The civil official even conducted an accent test. He made Cassandra recite a phrase that clearly revealed the pronunciation and grammar of nobles. It showed a persistence that he would definitely catch a fake if one came.

"Please only walk in the designated areas. The higher-ups are on edge."

Only after verifying her identity through multiple layers were the two allowed to enter the mansion.

The rectangular garden pool was filled with clear water, and a sharp-looking pedigree cat yawned on a carpet. The artifacts, jars, chairs, and sofas placed here and there were all luxury items crafted by artisans.

However, dancers or prostitutes, whom one would normally expect to find at such a gathering, were nowhere to be seen. Wherever one looked, there were only burly men.

The few women seen sparsely appeared to be at least in their mid-to-late thirties. Madams who had gone through all sorts of hardships in the underworld, or female bosses who had built their own factions.

"This is the reason I suspected the banquet. Even when it was held a few days ago, it was full of men. A banquet held by serious-faced men, each wearing a weapon, in the middle of a city of pleasure?"

"It seems to be closer to a meeting or a conference."

As the two were walking while subtly observing their surroundings, armed men blocked their path.

"I'm Alvaro. Lady Laninya. Please follow us."

They gestured with their chins toward a secluded annex rather than the hall where the banquet was taking place.

"Is there some kind of problem? We came after having our invitation verified."

Eugene stood in front of Cassandra and asked.

"There's no problem, which is why we're going to the annex. Your business is over there."

Alvaro's grinning eyes were cold. It was an attitude stating that they would immediately use fOrce if they didn't follow instructions. The subordinates behind him were already placing their hands on the hilts of their swords.

"Hand over your weapons too."

"The invitation said being armed was allowed..."

"We allowed you to bring them up to this point, didn't we?"

Alvaro said while waving his hand.

"Guests have their levels too. We know your situation very well, so it's troubling if you expect VIP treatment on your first visit. Are you going to give me the weapons or not?"

"..."

Eugene pretended to be an angry warrior and handed over the sword strapped to his waist.

"You have to give me that dagger too, right?"

"Look here. Let's not take it too far. It's not like this place is so lax that you'd be afraid of a guy holding a single dagger, right?"

"Just give it when I tell you to! You talk too much!"

When a hot-tempered subordinate behind Alvaro stepped forward, Eugene sighed and handed over the dagger.

"Boss. This looks incredibly luxurious, doesn't it?"

The subordinate, who was receiving the bloodletting dagger with a snicker, stepped back in surprise. The dagger dropped to the ground began to writhe and emit a dreary aura.

[Offering. A strong offering. One who cannot be offered. Cannot possess.]

The dagger vibrated, and a whisper in an indescribable tone echoed. The moment Alvaro and his subordinates heard that voice, goosebumps broke out all over their bodies.

A warning from Kalash, the God of the Hungry Stigma. That evil resonance held the power to instantly shrink even men who had lived rough lives.

[No one.]

The gazes of everyone gathered on Eugene as he picked up the bloodletting dagger. As if the hands of its rightful owner were cozy, the dagger immediately became quiet. At that sight, the attitude of Alvaro and his subordinates completely changed.

'I'll be cursed if I touch that.'

'But why is that guy fine?'

The subordinates, feeling creeped out, unconsciously took a step back.

"That. Where did you get it?"

"I picked it up in an abandoned temple I found during an adventure."

"...I apologize for our rudeness. Because of orders, I can't return the longsword, but you may keep the dagger."

A much more polite Alvaro guided the two guests. As they reigned in the shadows, they were also accustomed to all sorts of cruel torture. However, they couldn't overcome the fear given by an unknown power.

* * *

Unlike the somewhat harmonious banquet hall, even the air in the annex felt heavy.

"I did exactly as you taught me! What am I supposed to do when the bag was defective and burst inside that guy's stomach?"

"Using a good quality bag is also the carrier's responsibility."

In a small guest room visible next to them, there was a young man tied to a chair, pleading. The giant in front of him must have handled him a bit, as the young man's nose was bleeding profusely.

"Anyway, we didn't get caught by the guards, did we? He foamed at the mouth and died on the spot, so they thought his chronic illness acted up and let it slide."

"You're alive right now only because you didn't get caught."

Going a bit further, a workshop appeared. Perhaps having made a mistake, a young man wearing an apron was kneeling and begging profusely.

"I'm sorry! Please let it go just this once!"

"Fucking hell! Do you think this is some rural thug hangout? If you want to eat crumbs, go to a bakery, you son of a bitch!"

"I will really get my act togAAether and work hard!"

"I might believe a guy who drinks or gambles, but I can't believe the words of drug-addicted bastards. You're no longer our family, you're a customer. And we have an appropriate job prepared for customers. Drag this bastard away!"

"Please! Pleeeease!"

Scary-looking thugs dragged the young man out, and upon running into Alvaro, they bowed their heads.

"Ah, man."

Alvaro, waving his hand dismissively, looked back at Eugene and Cassandra as if embarrassed.

"It's embarrassing, so please don't stare too much, guests. We aren't the kind of people to make such amateur mistakes."

"You were talking about levels to us earlier. But the fact that you yourselves look like this, wow. I'll have to reconsider whAAether we should work togAAether."

At Cassandra's cold voice, Alvaro frowned.

"We weren't originally like this. During the siege, some damn bastards slaughtered our boys en masse. We're in a situation where we lack experienced staff. The manufacturers remain the same, so there's no problem with the quality. We're training them hard, so there won't be any ugly scenes like this in the future."

Eugene and Cassandra looked at each other.

'So they were drug dealers.'

'It seems the guys we wiped out at the dock warehouse belonged here.'

Even without moving their lips, they could understand what each other was thinking.

Giovanni, the owner of the mansion, was the godfather of the Hesed water transport business. Distribution and drugs. Handling the two best moneymakers at the same time, it was natural for him to be this wealthy.

WhAAether he had any intention of rebelling against Eugene or not, they had secured enough of an excuse to crush him.

"It wasn't me... It really wasn't me..."

In another guest room, there was a middle-aged man crawling on the floor covered in blood. A tattooed man squatting in front of him thrust a hammer forward.

"Then who sold us out?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know?! I'm telling you, I didn't even know our family members went to the dock warehouse that day!"

"Seems this old man can still hold out."

"W-Wa..."

The tattooed man brought down the hammer he had raised in the air. The desperate scream quickly diminished once it passed a thick wall of the annex.

"We're here."

When Alvaro opened an ornately decorated door, an auditorium arranged like a theater appeared. A criminal syndicate doing some kind of presentation? The guests who had arrived earlier could be seen here and there.

"Recently, as the new Count went on a sword dance, quite a few of the city's old-timers got wiped out. We need to quickly claim that vacuum before other bastards butt in, don't we?"

While trying to rapidly expand their power, the opportunity had also come to Laninya from the southern city.

"Exchange greetings while you're at it. You'll be partners helping each other out from now on."

Alvaro winked, closed the door, and left the auditorium. There were still more guests yet to arrive.

The other guests who had arrived earlier were all rough individuals. Robber knights, mercenary captains kicked out by their subordinates, mercenaries aiming for bigger money, wanted criminals.

For someone like Laninya, who had tasted high society as a true noble, she was a high-level guest among them.

"Cassandra. A mage. I see him right away."

"I was half in doubt, but as expected..."

Eugene stared at a man wearing a monk's habit standing in the corner of the auditorium. A thick aura of magic emanated from him. Behind him was an escort warrior wearing a black hood. Judging by his excellent armor and sharpened spirit, he seemed to be a wandering knight.

'What's up with that guy?'

The mage stared intently at Eugene. While others couldn't take their eyes off Cassandra's beautiful face and proudly raised cleavage, the mage didn't even cast a glance at such things.

"Could it be that he found out the Lord can also use magic?"

"That shouldn't be the case."

Eugene could recognize mages, but the reverse didn't apply. This was because the power of the mystery he wielded only revealed its true worth when communicating with the otherworld.

Normally, he was just a warrior with a strong soul. He didn't deviate from that at all. It was another reason why he was suited for infiltration missions.

He soon found out why the mage paid so much attention to Eugene.

"The enemy of our God has walked in on his own feet. Let's pull out that bastard's heart and comfort Him."

The mage's growl full of hatred. The knight behind the mage drew his sword and stepped forward. He was a person whose skin exposed outside his clothes was densely covered with bizarre tattoos. An aura of mystery could also be felt from him.

"This feels like a development I've experienced once before."

A mage rambling about God and a tattooed knight accompanying him. This was definitely from the subjugation of the bandit gang in the Bonyard forest...

The tattooed knight drew a darkish longsword and charged forward.

"Give me your heart! Libertine!"

"Usually, in times like this, don't they ask for your neck?"

"I will avenge my brothers and sisters who fell at the Lyra Monastery!"

True to his identity as a pagan, even his lines were different. Remnants of the pagan army exterminated at the Lyra Monastery had sneaked in here.

"What are you doing right now?! Daring to cause a disturbance in Lord Giovanni's mansion!"

The guards who were conTrolling the guests in the auditorium rushed over in surprise.

"Kill that bitch and bastard! They're rats who sneaked in by stealing invitations!"

"!!!"

However, when the pagan mage pointed at Eugene and spoke, everyone's eyes changed. Cleverly, he only told half the truth. If he revealed Eugene's true identity, there might be guys who would hesitate.

Even if Eugene shouted, 'I am the Count!' now, the only reaction he would get was to stop talking bullshit.

Riiiiiip!

Cassandra grabbed her trailing dress and ripped it all the way up to her upper thighs. Legs much better trained than those of an average mercenary were revealed.

"Get them!"

Perhaps having already formed some level of relationship, the guards rushed in without doubting the mage's words.

'Daggers, kukris, hand axes.'

Since Alvaro had confiscated the guests' weapons and the main fOrce was guarding other places, the armament of the guards here wasn't great.

"Ugh?!"

Eugene picked up one of the guests scattering in a panic and threw him. The burly man flew like a toy, colliding with and knocking down several guards.

Slash.

The guard who barely dodged grabbed his neck and collapsed from Eugene's slash that closed the distance in an instant.

"He's not an ordinary guy! Surround him!"

"We attack all at once!"

Perhaps skilled in such situations, the guards immediately changed their response. When three of them lunged from the front and back simultaneously, Eugene dropped to the ground as if sinking.

Swoosh!

Eugene's extended leg rotated low for nearly 270 degrees. Long legs that looked like they were carved from diamond whipped through the shins of the rushing guards.

Having thought of such a funny story, the guards spun round and round in the air before plummeting down.

"Kuaaa."

"Kueeee."

No one could stand up due to their leg bones being smashed by the alloy greaves.

Grab.

Eugene grabbed the ankle of one of them.

"Kuaaaak! Let go! I said let goooo!"

The guard foamed at the mouth from the pain given by his broken shinbone. Eugene put him forward like a shield.

"⬛⬛⬛."

The mage's bizarre incantation turned into a curse and struck the guard. The man, who had been howling in pain, spewed black bloody foam and went limp.

A mage is most vulnerable right after using magic. Taking advantage of that opening, Cassandra approached and put a blowgun to her lips.

Ptoo!

However, the poison dart flying toward the mage's neck bounced off the pagan knight's sword. He had been wary of Cassandra since the moment she ripped her skirt and hid herself, guarding the mage's side.

Meanwhile, without the knight's support, the guards facing Eugene were being pulverized.

Crack!

Eugene casually dodged a hand axe, snatched the guard's hand, and bent it 90 degrees.

Even while screaming, the guard, true to one who survived the underworld, guarded his neck with his other hand. When facing a dagger, one wouldn't die easily as long as they protected vital spots like the neck well.

Slash!

Then, Eugene merely slit the guard's wrist and let him go without lingering attachment. But something was strange.

Pussssh!

Even though it wasn't a deep wound, an abnormal amount of blood poured out. It was as if the blood vessels were responding to the bleeding.

"Uaaah?"

The guard desperately pressed down on his cut wrist, but blood soaring like a fountain leaked profusely through his fingers.

"A-Ask brother Alvaro for help... Keugh!"

The guards, suddenly reduced to two, tried to run away, but they collapsed clutching the daggers lodged in the back of their necks. It was Cassandra's handiwork.

Eugene, his eyes shining like a beast's, charged at the pagan mage. The second curse, barely completed, flew at him, but Eugene swung the bloodletting dagger.

Bzzzzt!

As the power of the two gods collided, blue sparks burst loudly. However, the authority residing in a physical entity like the dagger and the authority flying through the air were incomparable in density.

The pagan mage's curse was torn to shreds as if bitten by the teeth of an evil god.

[...]

Kalash rejoiced at a taste different from meat, like sweet fruit wine. As always, the power of another god was the greatest offering incomparable to anything else.