Chapter 19

  Drakkel had purposefully avoided giving Ril Lita an answer as to whether he would be going to his party or not. This is because he was certain he wouldn’t make it.

  It had been a couple of days since his meeting with Ril Lita. In that time, he had ordered Shia and Drion to evacuate the demons from the inn and close all business dealings including the one with Palta Stone, collecting his hefty funds in the process. Meanwhile, he had Fargos capture the demonic artifact as it was enroute to the palace. Once he got what he wanted he would leave the capital immediately.

  Because no one was left to help him, Drakkel had planned the most complicated things ahead of time. So on the day of Gian Lita’s party the three he wanted to speak to were informed to urgently meet him at Master Som’s manor before the party to discuss an emergency as Lady Fina’s manor was furthest away from the security office and the Lita residence and Master Tifu disliked guests. All necessary evidence had already been set to be delivered to the security office after Drakkel had got what he was after.

  Upon arrival at Master Som’s residence, Drakkel already knew where the three merchants were. He walked down the long halls filled with servants until he reached the meeting room Master Som usually entertained his guests in.

  None of the servants stopped Drakkel not only because they knew he was coming but because they were also used to his presence since he had visited the manor so many times before.

  Seeing how enamored their master was with him, none dared to question his motives or even get in his way. After all, they could be looking at the future consort of their master. So whenever he walked in their way, no matter if they were carrying heavy objects or in a hurry, they would even step aside and bow.

  As Drakkel got closer to the room, the voices of the three merchants drifted out.

  “What could be the problem?”

  “He didn’t say it in the letter.”

  “Well, there must be an important reason! I didn’t miss getting ready for Gian Lita’s party, for this!”

  Drakkel, who stood outside the door, loudly cleared his throat. When he walked inside, he couldn’t help but be pleased. Minimal guards. Of course, he would get rid of the rest with just a few words.

  “Fellow friends, I am afraid I have caught wind of bad tides heading our way.”

  “Bad tides? Elaborate!” Master Tifu shouted.

  “Our under-the-table dealings and fraudulent mishaps…”

  Mistress Fina placed a hand up. “Stop talking, now!”

  Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at Master Som. His forehead already sweating and his body slightly trembling, Master Som called all his servants away and told them to stand a good distance from the door.

  Mistress Fina stated, “You may continue.”

  Drakkel nodded. “Yes, it seems someone has caught wind of our business dealings.”

  “Who is it? Do you have an idea?”

  Drakkel frowned deeply as a sinister aura leaked off him. To all around, the atmosphere suddenly felt heavy. Still gazing at Drakkel’s figure, immediate regret washed over the faces of the three merchants.

  As they stared into his deep black eyes, they could have sworn they saw a tint of red, reflecting the look of a monstrous individual. Suddenly, they all found it hard to breathe.

  “Yes…” Without answering their questions or elaborating, he dashed forward and knocked the three out before they could say another word. He had brought some rope with him so he bound their bodies. For extra measure, he sealed their acupoints as well, only allowing them to speak, but not move.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  After a while, the three slowly came to.

  Mistress Fina was the first to speak. “Wh…Who… who are you?”

  Drakkel gave her an icy glare and she quickly shut up. “You all aren't the ones who are asking questions here. Now, tell me, you three were friends with Lord Tincaid, correct?”

  Master Som shook his head, “No, I don’t know him! Who is he?!”

  Drakkel glanced at Master Som whose body started to reek with sweat. The odor was vomit-inducing, smelling of fried pig fat and spoiled urine.

  Drakkel flexed his nail and a claw-like point appeared. He used it to make a slight cut on Master Som’s face. “You still don’t know him?”

  Master Som’s eyes widened in fear. His mind finally seemed to figure out what was going on. He had been played! The man in front of him had only used him to get to this point. There was no real connection between them and he had sacrificed his comrades for his own licentious fling!

  “Actually…” Master Som began to say.

  Master Tifu suddenly yelled, “I knew all along! Isn’t it strange?”

  All eyes in the room shot to him.

  “A handsome foreigner comes to the capital. It’s one thing to save a store and another to completely bring down a business tycoon! Especially one with hired spies and killers! What ordinary foreigner could do that?”

  Drakkel scowled at the man but he wouldn’t shut up. Even with his voice quivering, he continued. “I did some digging of my own! Now after hearing this man’s questions, my suspicions are confirmed! They say demons can use a sort of sorcery. Some use the type that can hide one’s true figure. If a demon is asking us questions like this and is perhaps in command of others, couldn’t he only be one person?”

  “D…D…Demon King Drakkel?” Mistress Fina said under her breath.

  With her words, an eerie silence settled over the room. Drakkel didn’t even bother to deny it.

  Upon realizing who they were dealing with, Mistress Fina’s eyes widened. A shrill scream barely escaped her lips when Drakkel decided to knock her out. Because he could no longer guarantee her silence, he made sure she would be asleep for a day at least.

  He looked over to the two men who were remaining. Master Som’s body had stiffened and his lips were puckered closed. He was sweating buckets as he struggled to control his breathing. Drakkel decided to turn to Master Tifu. “Forget your babble. I have only one question for you and I will leave this place and let all of you live.”

  “Am I to believe a demon’s words?” Master Tifu answered.

  “Do you have any other choi…” Suddenly, Drakkel felt something was wrong. The man kept talking, drawing out the conversation for as long as possible. Even when his comrades faltered, he still remained strong...

  Drakkel’s eyes widened as he gazed into Master Tifu’s.

  “It seems you’ve realized! My manor is located near the Security Office! Before I came here, I warned them that an intruder would try to kill us! They should be arriving soon! By then, when they hear it’s Demon King Drakkel that has come, the whole Empire will be after you!”

  Drakkel tsked. Had Master Tifu brought a few spies of his own?

  Master Tifu continued, “Oh and that proof you were talking about. I don’t know about the other two, but I assure you, whatever small amount you got from me is fake! Even if the court was to look into evidence sent by a demon and the demon king no less, they wouldn’t find anything on me!”

  Drakkel was annoyed.

  “You really do talk too much,” he said to Master Tifu.

  In the next moment, just as he did with Mistress Fina, he knocked him out.

  Now, all that was left was Som. He was the picture of fear and submission. Drakkel would have loved to make him feel how he made the people he harassed feel, but he really didn’t have the time.

  He continued, “Who were you all and Lord Tincaid doing business with in Shadowy Ridges? Who truly controlled the illegal mines there?”

  Master Som shook his head. “I can’t tell you who since I don’t know. But…” He stopped to catch his breath as he could hardly keep up with the invisible pressure that pushed down on him. “ The swords clan we had all been in contact with was…”.

  Suddenly, a small explosion sounded from within the manor. It wasn't long after until the smell of fire spread through the building and the voices of people shouting and screaming along with several footsteps engulfed the atmosphere outside the room.

  A bead of sweat dropped from Drakkel's forehead as he thought of the cause. Could it be that they found him?

  Thinking that he had to escape first, Drakkel struggled to gather the three merchants and carry them outside.

  Just as he escaped, the entire manor burst into flames.

  A moment after leaving, he suddenly felt his appearance fall as the veil that guarded his disguise disappeared. Unfortunately, others had been waiting outside for him as well.

  Along with the servants of the manor, there were men dressed in the silver armored black uniform of the security office.

  Among them was a man with a hammer and shield and another man with a metal umbrella. What stood before that large and threatening group was none other than the most wanted figure in the Empire.

  “Sylas! Or should I say, Demon King Drakkel? Come with us quietly and we won’t have to use force!”

  Still needing to figure out a way to get out of this situation, Drakkel could only retort, “Liot Gaunlet, what makes you think I would come with you quietly after everything that has gone on? If I do that, I might as well just sign my own death warrant!”