Chapter 17

  After a few months of back and forth, Drakkel had nearly gained the complete trust of two of the three merchants that Enzo mentioned. After lying about some illegal dealings that he had and having his demons act then out in case he was investigated, Mistress Fina and Master Som had even raised points about their own.

  He knew master Tifu had him investigated and he had controlled it. But because he was a foreigner, Master Som and Mistress Fina didn't think that he was lying.

  Of the three, Master Tifu was the toughest nut to crack and the only one that was still guarded. Whenever they spoke, he didn't even say much.

  As time passed, Master Som and Drakkel had also grown close. Drakkel would let the man touch him, but not go any further. He had even visited his place a few times and had Fargos sneak around while he was distracting him.

  Master Som’s place was as expected, smelling of perfume and sweat just like Mistress Fina's. The few differences between them mostly lied in the number and ratio of their servants. Som had far more servants than Mistress Fina and had a more equal ratio of women to men compared to her as well.

  Over time, Drakkel had also learned that the two of them had several concubines. For both, it was a mix of men and women. Through them, he also learned that Tifu had a consort and two concubines. Though he had never introduced them to the group.

  One day, while at Master Som’s place, Drakkel expressed his interest in the fortress outside the city. As they had just eaten and Master Som was drunk, he had already revealed many of his evil misdeeds.

  Drakkel could only smile and nod as the drunk man spilled all his secrets, looking forward to seeing him punished for them later.

  Drakkel was unaccompanied by anyone but Fargos as he had the rest of demon lords conversing with the other two on business matters.

  Later, Master Som tried to make a move on Drakkel, placing his hand on his lap and leaning in for a kiss.

  Drakkel shifted back and stopped him, putting a hand to his lips.

  “Master Som," he said coquettishly. I don't doubt that you’re a handsome individual, but these things take time. You can't just do this to someone you don't know well.”

  Master Som smiled and kissed Drakkel's hand, his mind clearly not fully there.

  Drakkel pulled away as his face contorted in disgust. He wanted to behead the man right where he sat.

  Master Som giggled. “That’s never been a problem for me. When you have money in abundance, you lack for nothing.”

  As he spoke, his drunken breath floated straight into Drakkel's nostrils.

  Drakkel softly waved his hand in the air to disperse the smell.

  Master Som leaned closer as he said, “Look.”

  “Shin! Ri! Come here!”

  Two servants, one man and one woman quickly showed up. They were both very good-looking and scarcely covered, with most of their bodies being exposed save for their most intimate parts. The clothing was of course an issue, but Drakkel's attention was more drawn to their figures. Bruises, bite marks and scratches covered their bodies. There were even a few lash wounds here and there. Only their faces were perfectly intact.

  As he looked at them, Master Som continued, gesturing to the two figures standing in front of him, “These are my favorites. Aren't they charming?”

  The man and woman seemed dead in the eyes and their figures were stiff.

  It was as if they were afraid that any sudden movement might lead to their punishment or death. With Master Som as their master, Drakkel could only think this was true.

  “Very.” Drakkel answered listlessly, a corner of his mouth tilting down.

  However, Master Som didn't seem to notice this unenthusiastic reaction as he continued caressing Drakkel's lap. “Of course, they aren't as charming as you. They are merely concubines. But you could be my consort. I won't treat you like them. You would be special!”

  Drakkel jerked his leg away and smiled at the man.

  Master Som’s expression lightened. “That beautiful smile! I really like it! And you look so exotic! I’m sure everyone would be jealous! Look if you want, you can even bring your assistants along… and…”

  Drakkel took his hand and grabbed the sides of the man’s chin, bringing him close, but still keeping a good distance away.

  “I would definitely consider your proposition. But you see…” He looked to the side sadly. “There are some things I want to do first. Things I want to see. I would appreciate it if someone could help me.”

  He finished by looking expectantly into Master Som’s entranced eyes.

  “Of course! Of course! What do you want?” Master Som replied excitedly. “ I can give you anything! Money, gold, jewelry…!”

  Drakkel laughed and whispered into the man’s ear. “I want to see the fortress outside the city. I heard it contains something very interesting! If someone was to take me there, I would be ever so grateful. Perhaps, I might even stop at a special inn on the way back to specifically thank that person.”

  Once he heard this, Master Som was smiling from ear to ear. Drakkel let him go and he vigorously nodded. “Yes! Yes! No problem! I’ll have a carriage pick you up in a few days and we can be on our way!”

  Drakkel smiled and got up just as Master Som was trying to pull him into an embrace. The man missed and fell, his body landing onto the floor.

  As he got up and back in his seat, Drakkel said. “Master Som. It appears to be getting late. I must take my leave now.”

  Master Som seemed to want to interject but Drakkel placed a hand on his shoulder and lightly tapped an acupoint.

  Within a few moments, the man’s eyes began to droop and then his body went limp as he fell asleep.

  Drakkel gladly let him drop to the floor again and looked at the two servants that stood before him.

  “Help your master back to bed.” He stated. “It seems he has fallen asleep.’

  The two nodded, still enervated and spiritless. Their lives truly must have been difficult as it seemed that what they saw occurring in front of them stirred up no emotion at all.

  “Oh,” Drakkel added.

  Drakkel had received some gifts from those trying to curry favor with him. He refused most of the expensive ones, but kept basic ones like medicine to help those in need. One such item was a healing ointment.

  He threw the ointment to the man. “Take care of your wounds while he’s asleep. If he finds it on you, just say that I gifted it and didn't give you a chance to say no.”

  With their dead-eyed and languid expressions, the man and woman bowed at him, then went to gather Master Som’s body.

  When Drakkel returned to the inn, he immediately took a long bath.

  While bathing, he called Fargos in.

  Once he heard Fargos arrive, standing behind the screen separating the bath and the entrance, he said, “Fargos, I need you to do some things for me.”

  A few days later, Master Som had indeed sent a carriage out for Drakkel. He had Shia and Drion watch the inn while he took Fargos with him.

  Master Som insisted that Drakkel sat next to him in the carriage while Fargos rode in the front with the coachman.

  As they sat, Master Som went on and on about the goings on in his life while Drakkel answered enthusiastically. He agreed with all his points and even laughed at some of the vulgar things he said.

  Time passed slowly, but they had eventually arrived at the Fortress just outside the city. It was getting colder and the first signs of snow were just beginning to fall from the sky.

  The cold didn't affect demons like it did humans, but Drakkel still had to keep up appearances. He wore a fur-lined black cloak and thick robes and his demeanor was stiff. He slightly trembled his hand and Master Som held it, rubbing it to help keep him warm.

  Drakkel could only endure until they arrived at their destination and Fargos opened the carriage door to help him out.

  By custom, he did the same for Master Som though Drakkel could tell by his slightly moved expression that he didn’t like it.

  The three walked to the entrance of the Fortress and were stopped by some guards.

  “No one may enter the Fortress except for his Majesty and his approved guests.” One of them said.

  Master Som looked around and then proudly took out his token, “I am an approved guest, See?”

  After taking a glance at the token, the two guards’ eyes widened and they quickly bowed. “Oh, of course, Master Som! You can enter. We’re very sorry for obstructing you.”

  Master Som smiled. “Normally, I would punish you, but I'm out with a friend. This time, I’ll be lenient.”

  He turned to Drakkel and held out a hand. “Shall we go?”

  Drakkel begrudgingly took it and followed as Master Som dragged him in.

  The place was silent, but a guard could be seen at nearly every corner. However, for Fargos, this wouldn’t be an issue.

  Before they reached the demonic artifact, Fargos excused himself, saying that he had forgotten an item Drakkel needed in the carriage. Master Som let him go, clearly excited to be alone with Drakkel.

  The two continued to walk through the large and cold fortress. All the while, the old man still held Drakkel’s hand, warranting the gazes of some of the guards.

  It would make sense if some of them felt either apathetic or revolted. But instead, they could only look silently, not daring to show any expression at all.

  Those who could enter this place were either members of the Royal Family or their guests. So, Drakkel could only think their behaviors made sense for disrespecting the Royal Family could easily lead to death.

  As the place was enormous, it was taking a long time to get to their desired location. So, with this time, Drakkel tried to decipher what the hierarchy of the fortress was and figure out who among the guards were sword fighters.

  Since none of the guards within the fortress questioned the presence of Master Som and Drakkel, it was likely that the front guards and perhaps some guards on the periphery of the fortress would verify the identity of any who entered, making it so they wouldn’t have to be checked by every guard they came across.

  As for finding out who among them were Sword Fighters, it was a bit more difficult.

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  Most people, Sword Fighter or not, couldn't easily spot a sword fighter without first sparring with them. A normal fighter, who didn’t use sword energy was nearly indistinguishable from a sword energy-enhanced sword fighter who was trying to hide their aura, unless one was skilled in finding them like Ri-en.

  And actually, for less-skilled Sword Fighters like butcher Jin, Drakkel could do this. It’s just that for more skilled Sword Fighters, the matter was more challenging. To pick them out, first, it required a discerning eye and analytical skills and second, Drakkel was undefeated at some point and didn’t have a need to develop the skill past a certain level. If he could beat everyone he met, even if they hid their ability, there was no use in learning to distinguish them.

  Now, Drakkel lamented the fact that he had not tried harder to perfect this skill. Perhaps even asking Ri-en for help would have been better than catching himself in his current predicament.

  If the dozens of guards here were all lower level sword fighters, he could take them with ease. But if a good amount of them were Sword Spirit or above, he had to admit that even he would struggle.

  Drakkel and Master Som had finally arrived at a room situated at the back of the fortress. It was surrounded by thick walls and two guards stood at its entrance. Drakkel decided that even if none of the other guards they had passed thus far were sword fighters, these two had to be. The previous guards all carried longswords, common amongst normal guards. But these two carried special weapons: A metal blade fan and a scythe. These weapons were indicative of the Enchanting Fans Swords Clan and SwordSmith Villa Swords Clan respectively.

  Drakkel didn't want to be found out, so he put on an act. He gently grabbed Master Som’s arm as they walked over. If he was a woman, one might assume her to be Master Som’s lover by the way they intimately walked next to each other. Upon seeing them approach, the faces of the guards shifted, showing repugnant expressions.

  It wasn’t a surprising reaction. Couples of this nature were still frowned down upon within the Swordfighting world. Even though 7 years ago, this sort of thing was made legal, it was mainly embraced by the upper class. Along with this, It was rare among the middle and poor and rarer still among sword fighters. In fact, one might say it was nearly non-existent.

  If a sword fighter was rumored to take part in such a scandal, their reputation would naturally go down. Although they would be lauded as capable if they were strong, the shadow of disgrace would never cease to follow them and they would be ousted from social circles.

  Once Drakkel and Master Som arrived at the spot, Master Som said, “I would like to see the demonic artifact.”

  The sword fighters gazed at him and then at Drakkel.

  The woman with the scythe said, “We were informed that someone would be coming today. But no one said anything about a guest. We can’t allow him in.”

  Drakkel gripped Master Som’s arm more tightly and uttered in a high pitched and whiny voice, “Master Som…”

  Master Som cleared his throat. “Can’t you two see that he’s my escort? We have an arrangement after this. He just wanted to see something fun. We already came all the way here! Are you going to turn us away now?”

  Drakkel leaned in closer to Master Som and pitifully looked at the two sword fighters. It made him feel like a cheap courtesan, but it was necessary.

  “Please, oh venerable sword fighters?” He said, tears almost leaking from his eyes.

  “Sommy already promised me!” The two physically winced at the display with the woman even covering her face in shame.

  The man with the metal fan couldn’t help but say with a beet red face, “How shameless!”

  The woman continued, waving her hand in the air. “Forget it! Hurry through! Just don't do any more indecent acts!”

  Drakkel smiled and nodded, quickly letting go of Master Som. He gave a light bow before the two stepped aside and allowed them through.

  The room opened into a staircase which wound down around a pillar. Drakkel and Master Som walked through until they reached a room with a pedestal in the middle. The pedestal was surrounded by a formation drawn on the ground and atop it sat a black lion-shaped stone object.

  Looking at the formation, Drakkel figured that if one were to step through, the item on the pedestal might be the last thing they see.

  As Master Som got close, Drakkel pulled him back. He really wanted to see how the formation worked, but he still needed the man and couldn’t let him die here.

  “Wow! It’s amazing! Thank you for showing me this, Master Som! Your demeanor and power are top tier!”

  Master Som happily rubbed the back of his head. “Yes, yes! I'm all that and more! Look if you like this, I can show you better things! You just—”

  Drakkel’s eyes narrowed.

  The two sword fighters yelled from the top of the steps, “You two down there should take cover! It seems we’re under attack by demons!”

  With this Drakkel's lips extended into a small smile.

  Right on time.

  Master Som frantically waved his hands in the air, at a loss of what to do. But then Drakkel took one of them and pulled him to one of the walls.

  “We should hide here! I’m sure those demons won’t find us!” He said, faking a frightened tone.

  Master Som, who was truly too scared, didn't even notice that Drakkel’s explanation didn’t make sense. After all, if the demons were attacking, they would be coming straight for the item in the very room that they were standing in. It seemed he didn’t know much about this place at all. So, he only nodded as sweat started to drip from his forehead.

  Seeing an opportunity and after everything that had happened, Drakkel wanted to fluster him a bit so he added, “And I'm sure that if they do, you’ll protect us, right?”

  Master Som laughed nervously at his comment, his sweaty smell only intensifying in pungency.

  As they waited there, only their breaths could be heard amongst the silence.

  Master Som, lascivious as he was, didn't dare to make a move, even with only the two of them present.

  After around ten minutes, the sounds of footsteps approached, drawing nearer and nearer. Then some voices came from above, “Master Som was it? Are you and your… uhh… companion safe?”

  “We are!” Master Som answered, his voice slightly trembling.

  “You’ve handled the demons?”

  “Yes, we managed to beat them back. There are a good number of Sword fighters hidden here, so it’s one of the safest places to be during a demon attack. No need to worry!”

  Master Som breathed out a sigh of relief and turned to Drakkel. “I think we’ve been here long enough. Let's go.”

  Drakkel nodded and followed him out. Before they left, they thanked the guards.

  The two stared at him curiously as he bowed to them, then shook their heads in near unison before they left.

  Drakkel could guess what their thought process was. The timing of the two men that just left was off. They came and soon after, they were attacked by demons. Did the man in front of them have something to do with the attack? Maybe he was a demon or affiliated with them? But even demons weren’t so stupid. After all, who would walk into a place full of enemies alone? The thought of it was truly impossible. Besides, he didn't leave with the artifact, so it was likely just a coincidence.

  However, if the two knew that one had actually walked into such a place and that the one was the very demon they feared as the current Demon King who stood before them in such a shameless manner, well they might've die of shock on the spot!

  Nearly laughing at the thought, Drakkel grabbed onto Master Som’s arm as they made their way out of the fortress.

  Outside the fortress, Fargos was waiting for them and gave Drakkel a nod before he went to help them into the carriage.

  It seemed the demons had succeeded in capturing Firo Fieren.

  Because the Sword Fighters were calm, it was likely that they weren't aware that he was even being kept in the fortress.

  This struck Drakkel as odd. The fortress was accessible to royal members and approved guests. Who among them could have snuck the man in under everyone’s noses?

  He thought about it for a moment.

  He could ask Fargos to investigate, but someone who likely knew the answer was standing beside him so he decided to take the simpler approach.

  Sitting next to Master Som in the carriage, he wrapped his arm around his. “Master Som. The fortress was very magnificent! May I know who built it? Perhaps if I were to meet them someday, I might compliment them on their work.”

  Master Som laughed. “The chances of you meeting this character are extremely slim. Then again, if you stick with me, it's a possibility! Why, it was none other than His Highness, the Crown Prince that oversaw the building of it!”

  Drakkel's eyebrows went up. The Crown Prince? Now it made sense.

  the Emperor's position in the court was truly precarious. If he didn't keep a firm hold and a delicate balance, his throne might be stolen by his own son!

  Drakkel replied with a wondrous tone, “You Crown Prince is truly talented! The fortress is better built than anything I’ve ever seen in the Kingdom of Boray!

  Master Som laughed unapologetically at Drakkel’s bolstering statement. After a bit, he said, “By the way, I know a good inn on the way back. Shall we head there?”

  Drakkel’s eye slightly twitched as he remembered the promise he made.

  He replied with a smile on his face, “Of course! After what you’ve done for me, I can see you are a very powerful and resourceful man. Wouldn’t I be stupid not to join up with you?”

  Master Som laughed again. “I’m glad you’ve come to your senses.”

  The arm wrapped around Drakkel's tightened as he wound his fingers into Drakkel's hand.

  Drakkel’s muscles nearly tensed up upon contact.

  He wanted to beat the man silly and castrate him afterwards, but instead he forced himself to relax. After all, he still needed him.

  Once a few hours passed, they had finally reached the inn that Master Som had spoken of.

  The warmth of the place could be felt from the outside as people bustled in.

  Most nobles would avoid this spot, preferring to frequent brothels instead. However for the middle class and poor who could afford it, it was preferable to stay versus their own homes.

  The inn served as an inn, but it was also a well-known spot to perform what one might call “indecent activities.” The inn started out as a normal inn, but people began using it for a certain service due to the design of the place. The news spread and the owner of the inn gladly took advantage, having the inn assume its new role to gain quick richness and fame. The Inn which used to be called, “Fated” was now called “Fated lovers.”

  Master Som eagerly stepped out of the carriage, not even waiting for assistance from Fargos or the coachman. He offered a hand to Drakkel and Drakkel took it, feigning appreciativeness.

  Fargos and the coachman were both about to step off when Master Som said, “You two, leave.”

  Fargos looked at Drakkel and Drakkel stated, “Yes, Fargos. I’ll stay here for the night so head back to the inn without me.”

  Master Som smiled.

  Fargos said, “The inn isn’t too far from here. I’ll walk then. Stay safe, Young Master.”

  Drakkel nodded.

  The Coachman and Fargos headed out, leaving Drakkel and Master Som alone. Among the crowd of visitors, Master Som grabbed Drakkel’s hand and led him into the inn.

  He skipped the line and quickly procured a room, even leaving more money than was originally asked for and demanded they stay in the best room in the place.

  Not only was the innkeeper excited about the entrance of the clearly wealthy guests, he even seemed unsurprised to see two men walking into the inn and sleeping in the same room and a couples room no less. It must have not been the first time he seen it and it most likely would not be the last.

  Master Som asked for plenty of wine to be sent to their room and after receiving the keys, they headed over.

  As they walked, he said, “I ordered a lot of alcohol. I just wanted to make sure you're comfortable. By the way, is this your first time?”

  Drakkel nervously laughed. “Why Master Som, how bold!”

  Master Som laughed along with him, “What is boldness between us? We’re this close already.”

  Drakkel answered, “Fine. If you must know, I’ve never laid with anybody. Not even a woman.”

  Master Som's eyes widened, a sparkle glittering atop their surfaces. He licked his lips as an excited expression washed over his face.

  “Alright. Don't worry. I’ll teach you all you need to know!”

  Drakkel slightly bowed his head, trying to appear nervous and meek. “I… look forward to it.”

  Master Som vigorously nodded and quickened his pace, giddy and drunk with exhilaration.

  Not long after, they arrived at their assigned room.

  Master Som impatiently unlocked it and swung the door open. The room was much like the couples suite that Drakkel had shared with Rilian Adore in at Auspicious Sign. But then, to merely compare it to that place would do it some injustice. This room was clearly fitted with some of the most expensive materials one could buy. Atop the bed was a thick fur blanket and surroundIng it were silk curtains sewed in with gold lace.

  The expensive wine that Master Som had bought was already seated on the long red wood table that laid against the wall. A perfumed fragrance drifted from the wooden bed into the air, letting off a soothing scent. At the bedside table, sat an unlit candle with engraved wax. The engraving was delicate and beautiful in look. The candle itself would probably cost the one year salary of a common man.

  Master Som turned to Drakkel. “I’m not new to places like this. Let me know what kind of accommodations you desire. The candle on the bedside table has some aphrodisiac fragrance and the alcohol can lighten your mood. Even the scents drifting within the room right now should have you feeling calm. Or, if you want…”

  He let Drakkel go and took off his outer robe, “We can just start right now.”

  Drakkel really couldn't take it anymore.

  “Why, Master Som…”

  He stepped forward, weaving his arms around the man’s neck. The man’s smile extended as Drakkel got closer and a tent began to form in his pants. With a swift movement, Drakkel tapped the man’s acupoints and his eyes closed. Drakkel caught him before he fell to the ground and dragged him onto the bed. He took out a bottle from under his robes and shoved its contents down Master Som’s throat without a care.

  After a few minutes, Master Som began to giggle. He murmured, “Your body is as delicate and beautiful as I thought…”

  “No, don't be nervous, I’ll take the lead…”

  “It might hurt, but it’ll feel good eventually…”

  Drakkel scowled. The man really was disgusting.

  To avoid listening to his fantasies, Drakkel found a corner and began to meditate.

  He was waiting until the city closed down to sneak out. But Master Som wouldn't shut up and Drakkel found it hard to focus. Eventually, he stood up, grabbed a rag from the lavatory and stuffed it in his mouth.

  When the time came to leave, Drakkel undressed Master Som further and took out the rag from his mouth.

  After checking that no one was around, he opened the window and was greeted by the cool breeze of the dark night. He relished in it for a bit, before hoppimg out, using the rooftops to travel back to his inn.

  When he arrived, he took a quick bath and returned to his room.

  A little later, Shia, Fargos, and Drion gave him good news. It seemed that they collected all the evidence of misdeeds from two of the three. Master Tifu, however, was still a difficult one to get information out of. They didn't get nearly as much information as they needed.

  But Drakkel had his people watch him. Although he was cautious, besides investigating him earlier he hadn’t made any other odd moves this far.

  So, he wasn't worried. He nearly had what he needed.

  What he had originally come for would be easy to retrieve now.

  He needed only to get the three alone to interact with them. It's just that it would be complicated. The second he asked about Lord Tincaid, his cover might be blown. If it weren't for the fact that any proof of the three communicating with Lord Tincaid had most likely been destroyed, Drakkel's mission wouldn't be so difficult.

  But the situation was as it was. He could only get the information from the mouths of the three themselves.