Chapter 235

(235)

The ‘Dawn’ casino seemed twice as luxurious compared to the era of ‘Hope.’

“Pour it, empty it.”

“Five chips on 4!”

“Eight chips on 8.”

Masked young lords and ladies enjoyed alcohol, gambling, and tobacco with handsome and beautiful dealers on either side, while a dazzling jewel-encrusted chandelier hung from the ceiling.

… That’s the one made by the artisan workshop that supplies chandeliers to the Imperial Palace.

How did they get their hands on something that’s only sold to nobles?

“VIP. Have you arrived?”

As if apologizing for summoning me, the Red Mask bowed deeply, lowering her head.

“…”

Some novice priests who didn’t know me sent confused glances.

The Red Mask had reigned as the queen of the red-light district for two years now, and there weren’t many people she’d bow to.

I smirked and gestured for her to rise, adjusted my white mask, then moved closer to her.

“We’ll talk inside.”

A lavish room, a massive marble round table, expensive drinks and snacks, handsome and beautiful priests.

The atmosphere made it clear that you were receiving special treatment.

I faintly heard Rudi mutter beside me, “Should we get one of those tables for the secondary palace?”

The door closed, and Red Mask gave a light nod to Rudi as well.

“Your Excellency. Happy belated congratulation.”

The rumor that the maid squad leader had become a countess had already spread through the social circles of the capital.

“Ah, thank you.”

Rudi waved his hand, seemingly a bit uneasy.

The paper mask was uncomfortable too, as I could hear his labored breathing.

It would be better to wrap up the business and leave as soon as possible.

A pleasure spot where we can’t even play around feels nothing but noisy.

“Red Mask. Your establishment seems even more luxurious.”

“It’s thanks to Your Majesty. People are increasingly seeking tobacco.”

“How did you get that armor? It’s not something sold outside.”

In a teasing voice, Red Mask answered.

“That night, I sent some of the higher-ups’ children to the Ivory Tower Special Zone. I was given some thanks in return.”

“That door wouldn’t have opened from the Ivory Tower side, would it?”

“Absolutely will not disclose that I’m managing a passage through the underground waterways.”

Since she confessed, it was an implied demand for me to overlook it.

I nodded with raised hands.

A cooperative collaborator is always welcome.

“Alright. So what’s this about spies?”

* * *

Red Mask began to speak.

“As you might already know better, all sorts of unsavory people have infiltrated the capital among the winter refugees.”

The Seven Eastern Kingdoms, the Southern Amir Dukedom, the Northwestern Doroysen Kingdom, the Western Land of 랑소와 공화국 Republic, the Southwestern Zahan Alliance.

There were at least five major powers that could directly threaten the empire, and adding small kingdoms, autonomous territories, and duchies, the number of countries was innumerable.

With so many sending spies and operatives to figure out the empire’s situation, the capital must be teeming with them.

The public executions of Zahan merchant nobles on the streets also served as a warning.

Do not contemplate bizarre schemes. Inform your home countries that we are still robustly established.

“Right. There’s no better place to gather information than here.”

Merchants, nobles, adventurers, artisans, criminals.

No matter who comes, it’s not unusual. Anyone can enter and blabber freely, where aliases and masks are entirely natural.

“Still, shouldn’t infiltrators stand out among guests? Why not just dunk them into the underground waterways?”

“Like you said, I have already taken care of excessively dangerous ones. However, I’d prefer to subtly drive them away as naturally as possible. I’d like them to leave willingly.”

I smiled faintly and asked.

“Bold of you. I like it. Reason?”

“…Officially, I’m just the manager of a red-light district. Starting a large-scale roundup under my direction would surely become known among the public, and guests would become curious about how I could organize it.”

“Right.”

“Then the fact that I’m acting on Your Majesty’s behalf would be revealed publicly, and my shop would fail. The neighborhood would suffer greatly too.”

That would result in significant losses for me as well.

“Mr. Valencia?”

Rudi sent a look, wondering if letting her fail wouldn’t be the best option.

I slightly shook my head.

Red Mask wasn’t just someone who sent me a few gold coins anymore.

She was the manager ensuring that organizations dealing in child trafficking, highly toxic drugs, and eroding tobacco were kept out of the fragile red-light district.

She was our collaborator, well informed of the secrets and scandals of court nobles, capital members of parliament, merchant guild leaders, and artisan workshop directors.

“Rosa’s son is addicted to tobacco. We need to convey a message that if they want us to stop hiding it, they should halt their opposition to the Vigilante Law.”

“The deputy chief of the Pang Mercenary Guild has embezzled from the guild treasury. We need to request voluntary assistance in maintaining order.”

“I didn’t know the Esil Merchant Guild leader had such tastes. How horrifying.”

Therefore, we needed to silently get rid of the spies without exposing the guests here.

Needless to say, we couldn’t expect such covert operations from the constable or the Iron Knight.

I turned my head toward Rudi.

“Would you mind stepping out first? I’ll need your support outside.”

“…”

Even behind the mask, his reluctance was evident.

I coaxed him with a gentle voice.

“I won’t drink any alcohol here and I won’t gamble either. Haven’t I always refrained from smoking?”

Only then did his demeanor soften a bit.

Red Mask, clearly surprised, widened her eyes behind her mask.

“VIP. I’ve never seen you treat anyone like this before. Could the rumors be true?”

“Rumors?”

“One of the rumors circulating among the spies concerns why you bestowed the title of count on a maid.”

“…Tell me.”

“One rumor claims that Chambermaid Commander Rudi Consecratu has been brainwashing Crown Prince Valencia from childhood through various drugs and punishments. Because of this, Your Majesty has become entirely her prisoner—a footstool that would even lick her feet if commanded to do so—”.

“That’s enough.”

I cut off Red Mask’s words, stood up, confirmed a list received from the priest, then grabbed the doorknob and asked.

“Red Mask.”

“Yes?”

“Did you want to inspire me?”

“…Yes.”

“Mission accomplished.”

* * *

“Why didn’t anyone bring me the hot iced coffee I clearly ordered!”

Sandro, an employee of the Dawn Casino and a spy for the Doroysen Kingdom, was on the verge of losing his mind.

“VIP, VIP, there’s no such thing as ‘hot iced coffee.’ Haven’t I already brought it five times?”

Out of nowhere, this VIP started placing orders for things no one had ever heard of.

“Are you mocking me? This thing of yours is fit only for you to drink. Now! In front of me!”

“Yes, yes!”

‘Even though he saw everything, the priests don’t move. He’s definitely a top-tier VIP. One slip, and I might lose my head. That can’t happen.’

This was already the fifth coffee cup Sandro had brought to his lips.

The VIP gestured for him to stop, then issued an absurd command.

“Who said you were allowed to drink with your mouth?”

“Huh?”

If not by mouth, how would one drink coffee?

Sandro, baffled, questioned in return.

“Then, how do you expect me to drink the coffee?”

“If your mouth can’t say what I want to hear, what use is it? Drink it through your nose instead.”

Instantly overwhelmed by despair, Sandro thought,

“What a lunatic…”

At 1 a.m., while staring at coffee streaming from his nose in front of the restroom mirror, Sandro thought.

‘I’m quitting. Absolutely quitting. There’s bound to be a better casino to gather intel somewhere else.’

An unknown VIP, flashing his fangs, was wandering through the red-light district.

“Why is the wine so bitter?”

“Sir, the wine you ordered has the strongest aftertaste. I already explained that to you.”

“No, are you calling me a liar?”

Clank!

“Ow!”

He swung the wine bottle, cracked the skull of the infiltrating spy, and shoved the bottle into his mouth.

‘There’s someone like this? I’m gonna kill him. Absolutely kill him!’

Though the spy gritted his teeth, his opponent was a VIP.

“Why is the bed so hard? Bring more quilts!”

“VIP, the bedspread already touches the ceiling!”

“Are you mocking my sensitive senses? Get more quilts quickly. Or else, you can lie down and experience the discomfort!”

“Huh?”

The spy employee cautiously climbed onto the bed and, afterward, felt the urge to jump out of the window or shove the person out instead.

“Your dirty back touched it! Now remove that quilt and bring a new one. Surely, you’re not asking me to sleep on a quilt you’ve lain on?”

“??!”

Before his regression, Valencia had committed countless acts of mischief narrated and heard by those around him.

The spies from various countries were on the verge of losing their sanity.

“That kid’s completely out of his mind!”

At the end of the secret regular meeting late at night, an outburst occurred.

“He made me drink alcohol through my nose, then ordered live snakes as appetizers and shoved them into his pants!”

“Then came the highest-grade tobacco. He ordered it, said the smoke was tasteless, and threw the ashtray at me—my head split open!”

“He didn’t pay and ran away! Claiming VIP privileges! When I chased him, he tripped my legs, injured his own ankle, and demanded medical compensation!”

“He ordered spaghetti, piled it with peppers and chili, made me eat it all while crying. Then, he ordered another plate! That day, I had to eat seven whole plates of it!”

“While helping him bathe, he slapped my cheek, saying the water was too damp. What am I supposed to do when you talk nonsense?”

“Have you ever made hot iced coffee? After drinking three cups through my nose, it actually went down smoothly!”

“He found a trivial fault, then claimed not to pay and simply beat me up. He charged one silver coin per punch, but since I was only worth thirty silver coins sold here, I said ‘thank you’ before taking the money. Lastly, he chuckled while handing me one gold coin to buy bread.”

“Should we transfer to another store?”

“Let’s endure a bit more. We still need to submit regular reports.”

“Every day, finance ministry bureaucrats come to the bar and drink. We must accurately report the recovery of our nation’s economy and the demise of the Zahan merchants.”

The Doroysen Kingdom spies gritted their teeth and swore silently to someday rip that VIP to shreds.

They had already gathered a lot of information, understood the vulnerabilities in the capital’s defense, and connected with several members of parliament and nobles.

‘So, your arrogant country will soon burn to ashes without a trace.’

‘I’ll hang that twin alongside him.’

‘Our recovered king will have your emperor decapitated.’

With deep sighs, they exited—or more accurately, tried to exit—the sparsely populated building between the old slums and the red-light district, scheduled for demolition.

Click!

“No, why won’t the door open?”

“Why can’t I open this… uh, wha?”

“Cough! Cough! Hey, where’s that smell of smoke coming from?”

* * *

Flames engulfed the three-story building.

“Get out!”

Every time the bright red tongues licked the pillars and walls, smoke billowed and sparks flew.

“Break the window! Break the window!”

Those sparks spread and ignited, becoming red flames soaring toward the sky.

“Why is this smoke so intense?”

Strangely, the fire didn’t spread to the neighboring houses.

Crack!

A spy broke the second-floor window with a chair and poked his head out.

“Quick! Get out!”

“Over here!”

His hair was disheveled, his clothes stained with soot, and smoke poured from his mouth.

The instant he leaned his upper body out of the window.

BOOM!

An arrow shot through the air, completely decapitating him.

A spray of red liquid spattered everywhere, and the headless torso collapsed back into the building.

“What, what is that?”

“Over there!”

The spies ascending to the second floor noticed two figures on the rooftop across the street.

“Maid?”

A woman in a maid uniform aimed a long rod-like device at them, and behind her stood a man with long black hair and a white mask.

“VIP?”

It was that VIP who’d been tormenting them over the past few days.

Under the star-studded night sky, the man with the black hair removed his cape, revealing a white suit adorned with gold embellishments.

The spies stared blankly as he pushed back his black wig to expose his silver hair and placed the white mask into his bosom.

“Valenciauos.”

Even from this distance, his golden eyes were unmistakably vivid.

“…I had a feeling this would happen.”

“Only a few more days, and we would have uncovered the empire’s entire war funding plan… was it a trap?”

“Ha. We fell for it properly.”

The spies sighed and slumped to the ground.

The fire blazed more fiercely.