James Finley’s assassination spread like wildfire and made the headlines at every news agency across the globe within 3 minutes. Dake wanted nothing more than to prove that Lancaster masterminded this incident.
However, things took a strange turn the following morning. The mainstream media began spouting conspiracy theories because of all the unanswered questions surrounding James Finley’s death. To make matters worse, a bombshell report dropped before the English Royal Court could release an official statement.
[A strange twist of events and a bodyguard gone rogue. Did the English Royal Court hire the mercenary who killed James Finley?]
[The newbie mercenary hired by the English Royal Court has only completed 20 missions in 5 years.]
The fact that Dake hired a mercenary from Violet Banquet already leaked. It didn’t end there as the press even discovered the mercenary’s identity as Xtra. Dake suspected Fermin had leaked it, but Fermin adamantly pleaded innocent.
A scary thought surfaced in Dake’s head. What if Lancaster kept an eye on all the English Royal Court’s offices and recorded their conversations? That might explain how the information got leaked to the press.
***
[English Royal Court – Vice Leader’s Office]
“Why didn’t you report this to me!” Rachel angrily screamed.
They hardly witnessed the vice leader’s wrath once a year.
“I’m sorry. I was just worried before the general assembly,” Dake replied while lowering his gaze. He had no choice but to confess everything since everyone already knew about Xtra assassinating James Finley.
“I don’t need your excuses. Hand it over now.”
Rachel demanded while extending her hand.
“That’s…” Dake hesitated.
“Now!”
She commanded again while flapping her hand. Rachel motioned for him to hurry and Dake had no choice but to give her his smartwatch.
“Is Xtra in here?” she asked.
“Yes… in the personal contacts…” Dake muttered.
She pressed a few buttons and made the call. The line rang a few times before it connected. Then she placed the smartwatch next to her ear and asked.
“Are you Xtra?”
However, no response came back and Rachel grimaced.
“Answer me. I am the vice leader of the English Royal Court guild.”
Still, no response came from the other end.
She squinted and glared at the smartwatch as if lasers would shoot out of her eyes.
“It’s no use even if you stay silent.”
She looked at Dake and briefly hesitated before continuing.
“Don’t test my patience.”
Her tone grew stern, but the person on the other end didn’t react. That person even dared to scoff.
A hint of anger flashed on her face.
“Tell me.”
“…”
“Who are you?”
“Uhm…” Dake tried to interject, but Rachel ignored him.
“Speak.”
“Vice Leader…” Dake interrupted her again.
“Will you continue to…”
Rachel turned to Dake in the middle of her words. “What is it?”
She acted quite cold, so Dake carefully replied to avoid worsening her mood.
“I suggest you put on the watch first or switch to speaker mode so you can hear the other person…”
“…”
Only then did Rachel realize her mistake.
She cleared her throat and muttered in slight embarrassment.
“I’m not used to these kinds of things. Can you hear me now?”
— I heard you since a while ago. You were the one who couldn’t hear me.
She finally received a response. The voice sounded deep and husky as she expected.
“Tell me the truth. Did you…”
Rachel spoke when the person on the other end interrupted her.
— I don’t talk to anyone other than the person who hired me.
“Really… What?”
The sudden interjection surprised her.
— I’m hanging up.
“Huh?”
Beep!
The call ended just like that.
Rachel stood there flabbergasted and blinked a few times at Dake. The entire conversation had been so ridiculous she couldn’t even get mad.
“That’s… Vice Leader, I suggest you look at the files first. That mercenary sent me some files that proved James Finley worked for Lancaster,” Dake informed her.
“File…” Rachel muttered and finally snapped out of it.
Dake showed her the files he received from Xtra. However, he didn’t include the key evidence labeled, [Secret discussion between James Finley and Lancaster – Hacked Version (Confidential)].
That specific file remained under Xtra’s authority and couldn’t be viewed without his permission since Lancaster would abandon the communication channel at any signs of hacking.
Dake trusted Rachel, but he didn’t trust their location right now. Lancaster’s eyes and ears could be anywhere.
“Is this all the evidence?” Rachel asked after going through the files. It seemed she regained her usual composure.
“Yes.”
“Does the mercenary consider this as evidence?”
No, she hadn’t regained her composure and sounded cold as ever.
Dake understood since James Finley’s suspicious behavior couldn’t prove or disprove his crimes.
“Back alley, black market, brothel, unregistered dungeon, and… club?”
Rachel spoke in an emotionless voice and sighed.
“James Finley could’ve hired a prostitute or done drugs in back alleys. He could’ve smuggled things and illegally hunted at unregistered dungeons. He could’ve danced and drank at a club…”
A hero didn’t have to live an honorable life. They could live however they wanted.
“These acts might not suit a hero, but they don’t disqualify him from becoming one. Nobody has the right to take his life over this…”
James Finley should’ve been criticized for his actions if this turned out to be true. He should’ve been punished if he committed a crime. However, he shouldn’t have been killed no matter the circumstances.
“You are 100% correct. No, 1000%... but Vice Leader… This evidence might only be circumstantial and nowhere near enough, but James Finley had something suspicious on him. I saw it with my own two eyes.”
Dake told her, but Rachel’s expression remained cold as ever. She shook her head and sadly looked at him.
“Let’s cancel our agreement with that mercenary.”
***
[James Finley was a terrorist?]
[James Finley’s suspicious activities have come to light…]
[The Speaker of the House, Ranger Blair: “Evidence that James Finley was a terrorist is only circumstantial and does not hold weight. The English Royal Court should stop stirring trouble and just come clean and apologize for what their mercenary did. They should admit the mercenary used excessive force and took an innocent hero’s life.”]
[Who is the mercenary Xtra that killed James Finley?]
[Xtra, the mercenary that only operates on Violet Banquet.]
[England’s government has given the order to find Xtra.]
I lay on the couch in my penthouse while comparing the headlines. Opinions on the news shifted every hour and a heated discussion followed every time.
It started with, [Lancaster Assassinated James Finley]. Next was, [The English Royal Court’s Hired Mercenary Has Killed An Innocent Hero]. Then it became, [James Finley Was A Terrorist Recruited By Lancaster]. The third story circled a few times before changing into, [Insufficient Evidence That James Finley Was A Terrorist. The Mercenary Xtra And His Employer, The English Royal Court, Should Issue…].
“I guess it’s all the same no matter which world. As long as people exist…” I muttered with a sigh.
The English media’s opinion heavily leaned towards the theory that the English Royal Court mistakenly caused James Finley’s death. Xtra took most of the heat because of that. Additional reports found nothing on James Finley’s body after his death. Obviously, Lancaster manipulated this from behind the scenes.
It seemed Lancaster set his roots quite deeply in England when I stopped paying attention.
[Mercenary agreement has been terminated.]
I received a message 30 minutes later informing me that Rachel terminated our contract. Then I received another one 10 minutes later from Dake. He wrote as politely and respectfully as possible.
[I tried to convince her, but failed. I apologize. Our Vice Leader is quite stubborn, so I couldn’t do anything. Still, I would like you to continue our request. As you said last time, I’m your employer and not our Vice Leader. Please continue with the request. I’m willing to double what we agreed on.]
Things seemed quite hectic in England right now.
“Should I just tell Rachel that I killed him?”
— I don’t advise that, nyang!
Kim Hoseop immediately replied.
“Why?”
— Ton of spies and spyware are planted all over Rachel! You’ll instantly be found out if you appear in front of her! Hajin-chan, will you be able to stop Lancaster alone? I heard some rumors that he’s as strong as the Nine Evils now.
“It’s difficult but… What? Nine Evils?”
I couldn’t understand what I just heard. I sat and stood a few times before asking again.
“How is Lancaster on par with the Nine Evils?”
I never designed him to be on par with them. I designed him as a parasite that leeched off the Nine Evils and couldn’t do anything without their help.
— I looked into it and he’s been amassing his forces in Pandemonium for the past 3 years. That’s how he planted a ridiculous number of spies in different countries, nyang. I also heard he’s brainwashed a shocking amount of people. I think James Finley was one of them, nyang!
“What nonsense is that…”
Honestly, Lancaster didn’t even deserve to be on the same level. The only remaining threats would be the Nine Evils since Baal’s existence had been completely erased from this world. I also didn’t know monster king Orden’s current whereabouts.
I couldn’t believe Lancaster became a threat.
“What the hell is going on?”
[The Tower of Miracle’s fragment has begun to resonate!]
[You have attained a realization!]
[Tower of Wish’s Bonus – You have received a special inheritance!]
[You have inherited one item stored in the player’s storage!]
Inherited Item ? [Black Lotus Bow]
[You have inherited one trait stored in the player’s storage!]
Inherited Trait ? [Young Dwarf’s Dexterity]
[You have inherited one skill stored in the player’s storage!]
Inherited Skill ? [Random Dice]
I received several system alerts for the first time in 4 years, but I didn’t have the chance to look them over.
“Euuuk!”
Something the size of my torso fell from above and crushed me. It turned out to be a large, black bow with a lotus symbol engraved on it.
“What the hell is this?” I muttered while touching the bow in a daze.
A question soon popped up in my head. I didn’t question what I just inherited, but rather…
“Why now of all times?”
Why did this damn system that went silent for 4 years suddenly decide to work again?
I couldn’t make sense of it, but I must’ve done something to trigger the storyline again. I thought about what I could’ve done to cause this and only one word popped up after I racked my brains.
“Lancaster…”
It seemed obvious now that I thought about it. The only major thing I recently did was assassinate James Finley. I must’ve accidentally intruded on Lancaster and Rachel’s storyline.
Wiiing!
The living room doors slid open.
“Eugh!”
I immediately rolled up and hid behind the sofa. Then I peeked out to assess the situation.
“Yawn…”
Evandel came in while rubbing her eyes. Her bodyguard, Hayang, haughtily walked behind her.
Evandel glanced at me hiding behind the sofa. She didn’t react in any particular way and went to the refrigerator for a glass of water before returning to her room.
“Cough… Cough…”
I stared at Evandel’s back for quite a while.
Damn it…
This felt so embarrassing.
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