Was it instinct?
The moment my hand touched the door, a sudden feeling crawled up my spine telling me that opening it would be a terrible idea.
And then—
A dark shadow fell over me.
“What strange thing did you drag back here now?”
“!”
I whipped my head around reflexively, only for a cascade of immaculate white hair to fill my vision.
“I told you already.”
Grandfather had somehow appeared behind me without a sound. He flicked his finger lightly.
“The moment you let your guard down even a little—”
“Aaaaagh!”
A scream erupted from outside the door.
Grandfather tilted his chin lazily.
“This is how you end up dead.”
“...Hic.”
“So? Still worried about this old man’s joints?”
It had taken him barely five seconds.
Five seconds to deal with the attacker.
Having achieved a state beyond shock, I slowly shook my head.
“I’m sorry.”
Your finger joints are incredibly healthy, sir.
From the outside, Proud—the infamous underworld city—looked no different from any ordinary commercial district.
It had all the usual facilities, and the streets were lively enough with people coming and going.
There was nothing particularly special about it.
People imagined dark alleys dripping with danger and gloom, but in reality, it simply looked like a normal city street.
At least on the surface.
“We’ve arrived, Young Duke.”
The carriage entering the back alley came to a stop in front of an old building. After securing the wheels, the coachman knocked on the carriage door.
“...”
Felix stepped out as if he had been waiting for it, brushing his hair back. His sea-blue hair shimmered softly like polished sapphire.
He pointed toward the worn wooden door.
“Open it.”
The command was short and arrogant.
Maytal, who had stepped out first, grabbed the handle.
“Welcome.”
Unlike the shabby exterior, the inside resembled a luxurious antique salon.
An employee waiting inside bowed respectfully.
This wasn’t just anyone.
It was Kazlyden.
And not only that—the infamous young duke himself had come in person.
The employee swallowed nervously, afraid even to accidentally make eye contact.
“Our guild master is waiting for you.”
At that, Felix waved a hand dismissively, signaling him to lead the way already.
Seeing no further reaction, the employee finally relaxed.
“This way, please.”
Following him through another door, Felix walked down a long corridor.
By the time they reached the very end, the employee knocked carefully.
“Guild Master, the Young Duke has arri—”
“You talk too much.”
“...Pardon?”
“Move.”
The employee, who had been trying to maintain proper etiquette, was shoved aside instantly. He barely had time to panic at the overwhelming force before—
Bang!
“!”
“?!”
Felix kicked the door open.
“...Haah.”
Closing the book he had been reading, Gilbert—the head of Raymond’s Information Guild—let out a sigh.
Not that he had ever expected Felix to enter quietly in the first place.
“Could you please enter normally for once?”
This wasn’t even the first time.
Every single visit ended with the door getting kicked open.
“At least break only the doorknob. Replacing the entire door is troublesome.”
“Why are you blaming me because your doors are weak?”
“It is your fault!”
Gilbert shouted with genuine injustice written across his face.
Felix ignored him completely, taking a seat and crossing his legs comfortably.
Pressing two fingers against his forehead, Gilbert groaned before walking over.
“What brings you here so suddenly? You rarely leave the estate grounds…”
“Five billion.”
Gilbert’s expression changed instantly.
“You look unwell, Your Highness. Is something troubling you? Please, speak freely. This Gilbert shall do everything in his power to assist you.”
“...Money-crazed bastard.”
Felix clicked his tongue.
Nearby, Maytal quietly averted his gaze.
Grinning broadly at the enormous sum, Gilbert sat opposite him.
“Still, what exactly is going on? Offering five billion gold isn’t normal.”
“There’s something I need investigated.”
“What is it?”
“The old man disappeared.”
“Isn’t that fairly common?”
The current Duke of Kazlyden frequently vanished from the estate. Honestly, it was stranger when he did stay home for long.
“The communication stone’s dead too. Not a single word for a week.”
Felix rested his chin on one hand.
“He’s obviously dead somewhere.”
“...Forgive me, but that is your grandfather, Your Highness.”
Gilbert still couldn’t get used to Felix casually using words like dead about his own family.
Annoyed at the interruption, Felix spoke flatly.
“Enough chatter. Give me a few competent men.”
“Wouldn’t the duke’s household knights be enough? And surely something this minor doesn’t justify five billion gold, so why— Ah. There’s more, isn’t there?”
Experience told him that whenever Felix offered absurd sums, there was always another motive behind it.
Finding the Duke of Kazlyden was urgent, yes.
But there was clearly something Felix wanted even more.
“What is it?”
“Apparently some organization has been getting active lately.”
“Ah. So you heard.”
“Dig up everything.”
“That alone?”
For Gilbert, gathering information was easier than eating bread lying down.
But that wasn’t the end of what Felix wanted.
“Healing potions.”
Felix tapped the armrest with his index finger.
“I heard the leader of that group’s been buying up massive quantities of high-grade potions at the recent auctions.”
“...Yes.”
“I’m going to steal all of them.”
Together with me.
Felix crooked the corner of his lips upward.
Gilbert’s face immediately turned pale.
“H-how much time do we have?”
“One week.”
“?”
Gilbert blinked.
He couldn’t even bring himself to ask, You mean within one week?
His mouth opened and closed like a fish.
“Your Highness, even so, it’s impossible to track everything down in only a week. Even if they’re a newly formed organization, if they’re hiding healing potions, then their security must be—”
“Ten billion gold.”
“I’ll head out immediately.”
Felix smiled in satisfaction.
Watching from behind, Maytal shook his head.
Both his master, who casually demanded impossible deadlines, and the guild master accepting them without hesitation were completely insane.
“So, are you returning now?”
“I need to find the old man.”
“I’ll attach some highly skilled men to assist you.”
“No need. Too many people become a burden.”
Felix refused firmly.
The more people involved, the longer the trail became.
And right now, secrecy was essential.
The men he had already brought from the family were enough.
Gilbert understood that much.
“Then where will you head first?”
Proud was a massive city.
Even for Felix, covering everything in a short time would be difficult.
“Angelo.”
Felix rose from his seat.
“I’m going to Angelo.”
“Angelo? Is that your final destination?”
Without replying, Felix turned away.
Silence itself was answer enough.
Gilbert followed after him, slowly swallowing.
‘Angelo…’
That place—
‘That’s where the lady lives, isn’t it?’
“...”
I want to go home.
Even though I am home.
I desperately want to go home.
“Haah…”
All the strength drained from my body as I collapsed over the table, replaying what had just happened.
‘That lady was an assassin?’
After Grandfather snapped his fingers, we opened the door—
And there she was.
The bakery lady was rolling across the floor completely restrained.
Every time she rolled, daggers hidden beneath her clothes clattered out one after another.
...The shock of that moment had truly been indescribable.
‘What a world.’
She had sliced bread with that kind, gentle smile.
Meanwhile, was she imagining slicing me up the whole time?
Her warm smiling face flashed through my mind again.
Goosebumps spread across my arms instantly.