A Clear Warning
After receiving the warning, Luina and I arrived at the real estate office, where the broker introduced us to three mansions and several plots of land. The mansions had once belonged to noble families or the heads of trading companies who had moved to other cities. And there were far more empty plots of land scattered across the kingdom than I had expected.
We selected the most promising locations from the broker's list and spent a total of three hours touring them in person. In the end, what Luina and I decided on was to purchase an empty plot in the southwest district and build a new mansion there.
“It should be more than satisfactory in about two years, so let’s just stay in the cottage until then.”
“Yeah, I think that’s best too, Kael. The mansions that already had owners… how should I put it? They had too many traces of their previous residents left behind.”
We had originally considered buying an existing mansion to save time, but just as Luina said, the ones abandoned by their former owners didn’t appeal to us much after seeing them in person. That was why we chose to buy empty land and build a house ourselves. If we commissioned a reputable architect, it would surely be completed within two years. During that time, we could simply live in the cottage while I taught Elia swordsmanship.
After all, two years was little more than the blink of an eye for Luina and me.
“Hmm… so you wish to purchase the land in the southwest district.”
“Is something wrong? Is there a problem…?”
When we told the broker our decision, he scratched his head with an apologetic expression. He looked like he was debating whether he should even have recommended the area. But after studying our faces for a moment, he let out a deep sigh and spoke.
“Well… I must apologize in advance, Sir Kael, Lady Luina. It only occurred to me after I had shown you all the properties I could recommend and you had left the office.”
“Occurred to you?”
“I heard that underworld organizations recently had a massive brawl in that southwest district. Three private homes were destroyed because of it.”
“Ah, I see.”
That explained why the broker had looked so sorry. He must have felt awkward recommending land in a district where such an incident had happened so recently. From his perspective, suggesting such a place to important clients like us would have been uncomfortable both professionally and morally.
“Of course, a request was posted at the mercenaries’ guild two days ago, and the underworld types who used to show their faces around here haven’t been seen since. Still, it’s only been two days. There’s no telling what those demonic bastards might do next.”
From the additional details, it seemed Martin had handled the aftermath quite well. He had turned the mercenaries into makeshift security forces by offering one silver coin per underworld thug captured and ten silver coins for each one brought in alive. As long as that guild request remained active, we probably wouldn’t have to worry about the underworld organizations causing more trouble.
And now that an incident had already occurred, not only the mercenaries’ guild but the royal palace itself would have raised its guard. No matter how beastly those underworld organizations were, they weren’t insane enough to run wild in the kingdom under these circumstances.
“I understand what you’re saying. But this land is the one we like the most. We’ll take full responsibility, so please proceed with the contract.”
“A-are you really sure about this?”
“Yes. I’m not the type to lie, so you can trust me.”
“N-no, of course I trust your word, Sir Kael! I was just worried… but if you insist, then I understand. I’ll prepare the contract right away.”
The broker had shown clear concern at my decision, but after my firm response, he swallowed his worries and went to fetch the paperwork. Once the contract was completed and the land officially purchased, I turned away from the real estate office without any lingering attachment.
“We’ll be going now. The payment, including construction costs, will be sent within three days. We’ll be counting on you.”
“Yes! Leave it to me! Since this will be the mansion where Sir Kael and Lady Luina will live, I’ll make sure they build it properly!”
“Good. Then we’ll take our leave.”
We waved to the broker, who bowed at a perfect right angle to see us off, and left the office. After pulling up our robes and blending into the crowd on the street, Luina, who had stayed silent until then, finally spoke.
“By the way, it seems the underworld types have been causing quite a stir lately. From what I’ve heard, they’ve been clashing in other cities and causing all sorts of problems.”
“Really? Underworld organizations fighting each other… that’s not something you see every day.”
These were groups tightly bound by mutual interests. How had they come to clash so frequently?
…Well, it’s obviously because of the Worst.
In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have been able to guess the reason. But I was certain I knew exactly what was behind it. These collisions were undoubtedly happening because the malicious organization known as the Worst was trying to gather all the underworld groups under its banner.
When I had first heard about it from Zenle a few years ago, it had been nothing more than speculation. But now, with actual clashes breaking out between underworld organizations, I was convinced.
The Worst was at the center of all these incidents.
“Still, since Martin put up that guild request, the kingdom shouldn’t face any larger problems.”
“True… no matter how crazy they are, causing another incident in the kingdom right now would be strange.”
Neither Luina nor I believed any further incidents would occur in the kingdom. After all, this wasn’t some other city—this was the capital itself. Naturally, the kingdom would strengthen security with its soldiers, and they had likely prepared to deploy even the Chardena Knight Order if necessary. With the mercenaries’ guild also taking action, causing another accident inside the kingdom would be no different from turning themselves in.
That was why we thought the underworld organizations wouldn’t cause any more trouble. It was the perfectly reasonable, common-sense conclusion.
But what we hadn’t anticipated was that the underworld bastards were far crazier than common sense allowed.
KWAaaaaaaaang─────!!!!!
“Kyaaaaaaaah!!”
“Uwaaaaaah! Run!!”
“W-what the hell is that?!”
A massive explosion that rang in our ears like a thunderclap tore through the street, accompanied by fierce winds and the screams of citizens. At the same time, we saw thick black smoke rising in the distance and flames consuming private homes.
“It’s the Gelia Guild! The assassin guild bastards set off a bomb!!!”
At someone’s shout declaring that one of the underworld organizations—the assassin guild known as the Gelia Guild—had detonated a bomb, citizens began fleeing from the direction of the blast. After causing an accident of that scale, the natural priority was to escape the area first and assess the situation.
But neither Luina nor I could bring ourselves to run away.
Because the direction of the explosion was the kingdom’s northeast district.
More precisely, it was where the mercenaries’ guild was located—the very place Elia had gone.
“……Elia.”
I muttered her name, my mind momentarily blank from the shock of the blast. With each repetition of her name, my thoughts grew clearer. For a brief moment, it felt as if all the blood in my body had frozen, and a chill starting from the back of my neck spread through me. Yet at the same time, I felt my mind grow colder and more rational than ever before.
My head burned as if it were boiling, but my mind was icily, terrifyingly calm.
Raising my head between those contradictory sensations, I turned to Luina less than ten seconds after the explosion.
“Luina… let’s go.”
“Yes. Right now, Kael.”
There was no need for long explanations. Both of us already knew exactly what we had to do in this situation. We would rush to the mercenaries’ guild, rescue Elia, and thoroughly clean up every single bastard responsible for this incident.
Before the kingdom’s soldiers or the guild’s mercenaries could seize the opportunity—we would be faster than anyone.
Our hoods fluttered wildly in the wind as they flew back. In the next instant, Luina and I vanished from the spot.
Not a single one of the underworld bastards who had caused today’s incident would escape unscathed.
And today, I would carve an unforgettable warning into the ‘strategist’ who had orchestrated this.
A clear, vivid warning that would ensure they would never dare to pull any more stunts in this kingdom where my family and I lived.
In this kingdom where the Worst sought to run rampant, I was here.
And if they tried anything, my blade would reach their throats. That was the warning I would deliver.