Chapter 15
Guild Rebelus
Blair was standing on the outside of the balcony railing, looking as if she might fall at any moment.
It seemed Blair hadn’t expected Rina to enter the room either, as she looked quite flustered.
Taking advantage of that moment, Rina rushed forward and tightly grabbed Blair around the waist.
“No! You can’t! You absolutely can’t!”
“Rina, wait! It’s a misunderstanding. Just let go for a second—”
“No! I won’t! If Your Highness says you’re going to die, then I’ll die with you!”
“That’s not what I—”
“I don’t care! I won’t listen to anything until you come back inside! Hurry and get in!”
Eventually, Rina burst into tears while clinging to Blair. Even as she cried, she stubbornly held on and dragged Blair back in, as if hauling in a big catch.
“Where do you think you’re going, leaving me behind?! Absolutely not! If you’re thinking something so awful, then kill me first before you go!”
“I told you, it’s not like that. It’s only the second floor…”
But it seemed Rina couldn’t hear her at all, sniffling through tears. Blair had no choice but to stand there, holding her as she cried.
Only after quite some time did Rina finally calm down and ask,
“Then… why were you doing something like that…?”
Her voice was still thick with tears.
Blair scratched her cheek awkwardly and explained,
“It’s not what you think. I was trying to sneak out because I had somewhere to go.”
Only then did Rina notice the cloth tied to the balcony railing—a rope made by tightly knotting together blankets from the room.
Rina was horrified.
“N-no… that’s reckless! What if you fell and got hurt?!”
“It’s just the second floor. There are bushes below.”
Blair spoke confidently, as if she had carefully planned everything. But Rina, who had watched her for a long time, knew better.
Her lovely princess, though she looked gentle, occasionally did reckless things.
Sighing while pressing her forehead, Rina suddenly remembered something and asked,
“By the way… where are you even trying to go at this hour?”
Instead of answering, Blair simply smiled.
It was dazzlingly beautiful—but somehow ominous.
“Where is this…?”
Rina’s eyes widened as she looked out the carriage window.
After leaving the duke’s estate with Blair, they had arrived at the guild district in the back alleys of the capital.
Blair pulled up the hood of her robe and opened the carriage door.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“If you don’t come out in 30 minutes, I’m really going in to find you. I mean it!”
Blair had repeatedly insisted during the ride that Rina couldn’t enter the guild with her, so Rina reluctantly backed down while making that threat.
After getting off the hired carriage, Blair stood in front of a guild building.
Guild Rebelus.
Among the many guilds, it was famous as an information guild unmatched in gathering intelligence.
Taking a deep breath, Blair stepped inside.
At a glance, the interior looked like an ordinary tavern. But the moment Blair entered, the previously noisy guild fell silent, as if cold water had been poured over it.
They all turned their attention to the uninvited guest who didn’t fit the place.
Though her face was hidden beneath the hood, the glimpse of her sharp nose and small reddish lips was enough to tell she was beautiful.
A well-built middle-aged man, who had been staring at her face, slammed his beer mug down and shouted,
“Hey! Who invited their girlfriend to the guild? Speak up!”
“Oh, I think she’s mine.”
“What are you talking about? Looks like my wife to me.”
The men joked among themselves, claiming Blair as theirs. Even their snickering laughter felt frightening to her.
As someone raised as a precious princess, she had never encountered a group of men displaying such raw, unfiltered behavior.
But if she had intended to be scared and run away, she wouldn’t have come here in the first place.
Ignoring them, Blair walked straight toward the bar in the center of the guild.
However, the drunken men had no intention of letting their rare eye candy go so easily and blocked her path.
“Hey, pretty lady. What brings you here?”
“I came to meet the master of this place.”
“Our master is busy. He doesn’t take small jobs. How about telling us instead? We’ll handle it cheap and properly.”
“Come on, have a drink and talk it out. What kind of trouble made a pretty girl like you come to a place full of rough guys like us without fear?”
A drunken man, barely able to control his body, slung an arm over Blair’s shoulders and leaned into her. The smell of alcohol and his unfamiliar warmth made her shudder.
Calmly, Blair removed his arm and placed a ring into his hand.
“Go call the master.”
“Hah!”
The man, his face flushed red from alcohol, let out a scoff.
Ignoring his words and handing him jewelry as if ordering him around didn’t sit well with him.
“What do you take me for, some stray dog? You think I wag my tail just because of money?!”
He raised his voice angrily, spitting as he spoke. His large frame and loud voice alone were intimidating.
But Blair did not back down.
No—she couldn’t.
Because her future with Asiel depended on this guild request.
Suppressing the instinctive trembling of her hands, she clenched them tightly and faced him.
“You’ve worked in this field long enough. You should know better than anyone how to behave. Cutting open the belly of a goose that lays golden eggs is a foolish thing to do.”
The man who met her gaze through the hood flinched. From this seemingly fragile woman, he felt an inexplicable pressure he couldn’t defy.
It wasn’t just him—other guild members also sensed the strange atmosphere and exchanged glances.
If nothing else, the fact that she remained so confident made it clear she was a major client they absolutely couldn’t afford to lose.
One of the members went upstairs and soon returned with another man.
“The lady wanted to see me?”
Blair glanced at him and spoke.
“No. I wish to speak with the master.”
“I am the master of Rebelus.”
“Is deceiving clients part of Rebelus’ rules?”
As she said that, Blair’s gaze shifted to the bartender inside the bar.
He was a handsome man with wavy brown hair, green eyes, and a gentle impression.
“I wish to request a job from the Guild Master of Rebelus.”
Behind his round glasses, the man’s eyes paused for a moment, then he smiled as if amused.
“May I ask how you knew?”
“When I asked for the master, everyone glanced at you. But you simply listened.”
“You’re quite perceptive.”
The man smiled and glanced at his subordinates, who had been caught stealing glances. They quickly avoided his gaze.
Setting down the glass, he stepped out from behind the bar.
“Let’s move somewhere else.”
Blair followed him to a room on the second floor. It was a plain, empty room.
Once they were alone, the man bowed politely.
“Allow me to introduce myself properly, Duchess. My name is Mikhail Kiness.”
Blair flinched.
He knew her identity without her saying a word. But then again, if the head of an information guild didn’t even recognize the princess’s face, that would be more concerning.
“…That earlier situation—you were testing me on purpose.”
“I wanted to see how desperate you were. Those who seek me out despite the risks usually pay accordingly. I apologize if I offended you.”
“It’s fine. It just means you’re confident in handling what you take on.”
Despite his audacity in testing her—a princess and duchess—Blair responded calmly.
Yet beneath her gentle tone and gaze was both tolerance and sharp authority. It was the natural demeanor of someone accustomed to ruling over others.
So she truly was born a noble princess, Mikhail thought.
Smiling, he replied,
“Rebelus will repay that trust. Now, could you tell me the details of your request? The more specific, the better I can assist you.”
At the mention of the request, a light returned to Blair’s previously calm violet eyes.
“I have three requests.”
She held up three fingers—a habit she had when speaking with Asiel. Unaware of this, Mikhail found the gesture rather charming.
“Three requests, huh? It seems Rebelus will become even richer.”
It was a joke born from his confidence that he would not fail.
Blair began listing them.
“First, secure a small villa near Agenta, the capital of the Kingdom of Klania. And a new identity for me to live under, abandoning this name.”
She didn’t plan to stay in one place forever, but since she was pregnant, moving around constantly would be difficult. She intended to stay in Agenta until she gave birth to Asiel.
As the capital, it’ll be easier to find skilled doctors and necessary supplies.
Mikhail was inwardly surprised.
A princess intending to abandon her name—that meant she planned to leave the ducal house as well.
He was curious about the reason, but it wasn’t his place to ask.
“Second, I need men to be involved in scandals with me. Around four or five. They must be trustworthy enough to keep secrets.”
“In that case, it would be best if I personally take part as one of them, so I can report progress along the way. Would that be acceptable?”
“If you’re willing.”
Blair nodded readily. If the guild master himself was involved, it would be all the more reliable.
Mikhail smiled.
“Then when would you like these scandals to break?”
With just that, he had already grasped her plan. It was convenient speaking with a professional.
“In about half a year.”
“Then we’ll need to prepare quickly. And your final request?”
Blair took out a slip of paper and handed it to him. On it was a symbol—the one engraved on the dagger of the assassin who killed her in her previous life.
“I want you to find the person who carries a dagger with this symbol.”
Mikhail carefully examined the drawing, then tucked it into his pocket.
“I will do my best to bring you the answers you seek as soon as possible.”
After finishing the conversation, Blair returned to the first floor.
The guild members, having sensed her identity from Mikhail’s attitude, finally bowed deeply.
Blair left the guild, ignoring their send-off.
At that moment, the shadow that had been watching her disappeared.