Rimmer was looking down at Porvan as a whole from the top of a spire in the center of the city.
“It’s annoying, but it can’t be helped.”
Judging from what the mayor said, the case was more serious than he thought. It wasn’t time to be playing in gambling house after letting the squad members do the work.
‘It’s certain that Five Demons are involved. The problem is whether or not it’s the White Blood Religion.’
What they were doing was similar to the White Blood Religion from the Five Demons. However, since there were too many crazy people in the world, it was risky to assume that it was their doing.
‘No matter who is behind it, we need to catch them before they run away.’
Since they confirmed the arrival of both Zieghart and Balkar, they would likely start moving differently. Since they were most likely going to run away, it was necessary to find them beforehand.
“Haa…”
Rimmer closed his eyes. The green wind surrounding him unraveled like threads and flew down to the entirety of Porvan. It was a special technique that mixed the wind spirit art and aura.
His perception, which could only feel his surroundings, extended like a long clock hand and covered one direction of the city to the end.
He couldn’t feel in great detail, and it spent a lot of his aura and willpower, but he could at least grasp where problems were occurring.
‘Burren is only going to the designated places. Martha is moving freely while ignoring orders, and… is Runaan sleeping right now? Please tell me she isn’t.’
While checking what the members were doing one by one, he suddenly opened his closed eyes.
“Raon?”
The one he trusted the most, Raon, was at a place that he never imagined he would be.
“Why the hell are you over there?”
‘Even I’m working right now!’
* * *
Since Porvan was a tourist city, there were various gambling houses.
The opinions would differ if people were asked to pick the best gambling house, but if they were asked which one could earn them the most amount of money, everyone would shout to go to ‘Orc’s Desire’.
Orc’s Desire was special in two ways. Firstly, it was the oldest gambling house in Porvan, and secondly, it had the highest dividend rate.
That meant that people that went to that place either ended up completely broke or ended up an overnight millionaire.
Obviously, most people went broke and only a few people hit the jackpot, but the jackpot situation was happening that day.
“Whoaa!”
“He won again! He won three times!”
“How can he not lose a single time?”
“He didn’t just keep winning. He’s just somehow avoiding whenever the opponent’s cards are higher.”
“That’s crazy. He has crazy luck!”
“You could call it luck if he did that a couple times, but that’s his skill! You are witnessing true skill! He’s a real gambler!”
The pro gamblers, who used to only focus on their own games, gathered around the table in the corner and cheered until their faces turned red.
“I’m so jealous. That’s at a level of a jackpot that only happens once a month…”
“Wow, he should be able to buy a house even if he stops now.”
“Money is one thing, but because he keeps betting all the money he won, the stakes are getting incredibly high. How does a young fellow have so much guts?”
At the center of the poker table they were watching, Raon was sitting in a traveler’s outfit instead of his uniform, and the chips were piled up like a hill in front of him.
“I-I didn’t expect him to be so good at gambling.”
Zatice swallowed nervously, counting the chips in front of Raon.
“That’s not even surprising. He emptied Cameloon’s underground casino before.”
“Really?”
“Yes. The bitch princess—I mean, Princess Jayna—is also angry because she lost to him from there.”
Dorian smacked his mouth as soon as he said bitch.
“I said this before, but there’s nothing our vice-squad leader can’t do. It’s even scary sometimes.”
“Wow…”
Without even noticing that Dorian just called Jayna a bitch, he stared at Raon in amazement. The fact that he had such a talent after the prowess and intellect he had showed made him unconsciously admire him.
However, Raon wasn’t exactly talented in poker, despite what Dorian and the other gamblers thought. The reason he kept winning was simple: it was thanks to the Demon King of Wrath, who would do anything for food.
That old man has a full house. You should fold this round.
Wrath, who could only be seen by Raon, kept floating in the air to read all the other cards. Thus, it was pretty much impossible for him to lose.
‘It’s such a small difference.’
Raon briefly clicked his tongue, then folded his hand.
“Fold.”
“Argh!”
“Ugh…”
As soon as he said he was folding, the old man on his right side and the blue-haired beauty on his left side groaned at the same time.
Considering the reactions so far, those two people and the dealer in front of him were all professionals that the gambling house sent to him, and their faces had turned completely pale because they couldn’t win despite cooperating between themselves.
Make sure to remember: the price is five sets of bead ice cream and three of the most famous foods in the city.
‘Sure.’
Raon nodded. Since it was such a cheap price to pay to utilize the demon king of wrath, he had to suppress his laughter.
‘I keep my promises.’
Bullllllshit! It never goes the way it should when you say you’ll do something for me! It was only recently that I couldn’t eat the roasted pig after making that sword of yours!
‘That was a natural disaster…’
It was a natural disaster that you could’ve prevented! If you break your promise this time, I’m never going to grant your requests again.
‘Alright, I’ll make sure to keep the promise.’
He tapped Wrath’s shoulder in order to calm him down. It would’ve been annoying if the manpower that he could use so easily disappeared.
“Th-Then, let’s start the next game.”
The dealer’s forehead was also drenched in sweat. Because the equivalent of the day’s sales for the gambling house was on stake since the last round, he must’ve been feeling suffocated.
I’ll be back.
As soon as the dealer distributed the cards and he finished the exchanges, Wrath immediately started moving.
The woman has a full house, and the old man has a flush.
‘It’s time to go for it.’
Raon nonchalantly checked his cards. The four cards had the same number, he had four cards.
“All in.”
He pushed out all the chips that were piling up like a hill.
“He bet everything again!”
“Wow…”
“He’s crazy! He must be out of his mind!”
“Did he get a royal straight flush or something?”
The gambling addicted spectators watched the game in anticipation, drooling from their mouths.
“Y-Young master, how about stopping now…”
“Not yet.”
Raon shook his head.
“Remember, we didn’t come here to gamble.”
“Ah! You are right!”
Dorian’s eyes sharply raised. He was apparently so focused on the poker game that he started thinking that they came there to gamble.
“Haa, I’m going to catch my breath for a moment.”
“What did you eat to have so much guts? I can’t stand this, my heart feels like it’s trembling.”
The dealer exclaimed in admiration, and the woman sitting next to him crossed her legs and smiled seductively. She was attracting attention, which meant they were plotting something.
“In the north.”
Raon pretended to look at them, focusing his senses on the old man on his right. When he smoothly swept the card, a strange sound could be heard and Raon immediately extended his hand.
“Stop right there. Are you trying to switch cards?”
He grabbed the old man’s wrist, smiling coldly.
“Wh-What? Release me!”
“How long did you believe you could keep using that sloppy trick? Do I look like a sitting duck to you?”
“Wh-Where’s the proof… Kwaah!”
Raon twisted his wrist and a bunch of cards that looked the exact same as the cards in the game came out of his sleeve.
“Here goes the proof.”
He picked up the five cards that he switched earlier from among the ones on the ground and placed them on the table. He flipped them over and a flush appeared, just like Wrath told him.
“A flush is a good hand. But how about this?”
He flipped the hand the old man switched into. Five consecutive numbers with the same pattern. It was a straight flush.
“You knew about this too, right?”
“Th-That’s…”
“There’s no way you didn’t, since it’s you who set his hand like this.”
Meeting his threatening gaze, he flinched and stepped back.
“Straight flush! He changed the flush into a straight flush!”
“Was he a hoodwinker? I kept losing all my money to him every single time!”
“The dealer is on the same side as the hoodwinker? Damn it! How can the Orc’s Desire hire a hoodwinker?”
“They are scammers!”
The gamblers started screaming, and all the games in the gambling house stopped, and chaos broke out with people turning tables upside down.
Destruction, rampage, wrath! Great!
Wrath grinned, saying that it’s been a long time since the last time he saw a human’s true nature.
Is this what you wanted all along?
‘No.’
Raon shook his head and sat still, as if he were enjoying the fuss.
“Dear client.”
He turned his head towards the voice coming from behind him. A neat young man with his hair completely swept back was smiling at him.
“I’m the manager of Orc’s Desire, Kent. I heard that there was a problem during a game. I’m truly sorry.”
He politely bowed, saying that everything was their mistake.
“Are you pretending you weren’t involved when you were the one that gave the order?”
Raon snorted, waving his hand dismissively.
“I don’t care, just bring me the money. I hope you know that you are supposed to give me three times the amount of those chips.”
“Of course. However, since it’s a large amount of money, the transaction needs to take place upstairs. Can you follow me for a moment?”
“I hope you aren’t planning anything stupid.”
“What could I do when there’s so many people watching?”
“Fine.”
Raon nodded and followed the manager upstairs. Dorian and Zatice blankly followed him.
“I’m sorry for the trouble. Instead, we will give every client here fifty silvers’ worth of chips!”
The staff that followed the manager placed silver chips on the table, telling them that they were giving away chips.
The gamblers, who had been rampaging until just a moment ago, gathered like greedy pigs and started taking the chips.
Raon watched them for a bit before going into the manager’s room. Although it was a large office, there wasn't much furniture, and large men were sticking to the walls like stone statues.
Click!
Once Dorian and Zatice finished entering the office, one of the big guys behind them locked the door.
“Haa…”
The manager turned around. His gentle smile from a moment ago had completely disappeared, and he was glaring at them with the cold gaze of a demon.
“You bastard, who sent you? Was it Elven Valley? Or the Giant’s Footprint? If not, are you from that Cat’s Jelly that opened recently?”
“All the gambling house names are so childish. Cat’s Jelly? Seriously?”
Raon snickered, repeating the names of the gambling houses that the manager mentioned.
“Did you know that this place is protected by the thieves’ guild when you acted up? Do you want to die without a trace? Huh?”
The manager signaled with his hand, and the big guys that were standing around started to move. They started warming up their fists and rolling their shoulders in a threatening manner.
“Don’t you care about the people outside?”
“Those dogs and pigs got their feed. Since they are gambling addicts, they won’t even care whether you end up as corpses or not.”
“It’s a relief that you are trash that I can beat up without any problems.”
Raon smiled faintly.
“You crazy bastard!”
“Anyway, this place belongs to the thieves’ guild, right? I came to the right place, I guess.”
“What came to the right place is your funeral! What are you doing? Kill them all!”
The manager pointed his finger and the big guys kicked the ground, jumping at them.
“If we aren’t talking anymore, that’s more convenient for me.”
Raon extended his hand towards Dorian.
“Club, a small one.”
* * *
* * *
“So, what you are saying is that lots of people among you have also disappeared, right?”
“Yes, yes! That’s right! Th-There were quite a lot of people!”
The manager immediately nodded, not even wiping the blood flowing from both of his nostrils. The big guys, covered in blood, were lying next to him like crumpled leaves.
“How was the situation during the disappearance?”
Raon asked, slamming the ground with his bloody club.
“Keuh, that’s…”
The manager swallowed nervously upon seeing his casual slam piercing into the stone floor.
“H-Honestly, I’m not sure. A person walking right next to you can just suddenly disappear. We can’t figure out who, when, or how they did it. However…”
“However?”
“There were testimonies that they got goosebumps whenever people disappeared around them.”
“Goosebumps…”
Raon frowned. If they had goosebumps despite it not affecting them, then some bad energy like demonic energy, ghastly energy, or bloody energy must’ve been in action.
“It’s not just the tourists or passersby that disappear. There were many occasions of entire families disappearing overnight, and it all happened so naturally…”
“Natural?”
“Yes. There were multiple occasions of people simply disappearing without any traces—no doors or windows broken open, nor signs of a struggle.”
The manager’s shoulders trembled, either because he got beaten up, or because he was afraid of the disappearances.
“But the city hall didn’t mention any of that.”
“Those greedy guys wouldn't be interested in disappearances. We keep telling, them but it never works.”
He murmured that the reports he made were shut down before reaching the mayor. It looked like someone in city hall was involved with human trafficking.
‘I guess the situation wouldn’t have worsened so much if that weren’t the case.’
They only asked for reinforcements from Zieghart after three months had passed after the start of the disappearances, which was a pretty late reaction. There must’ve been someone in city hall who kept preventing it.
It was probably natural, since the city hall was the best place to gather and hide information.
“Where’s the thieves guild?”
“Th-There’s a cafe named Frost of Greeneries in the west of the city.”
“Cafe?”
It was a tea shop selling traditional snacks and teas. It really didn’t match the thieves’ guild’s image.
“What’s the password?”
“That’s…”
The manager hesitated, then opened his mouth.
“You just need to order the red tea between blue and red teas.”
“That means let’s shed blood. You must require another beating.”
“Hiee! It’s true! That’s the password.”
When Raon stood up with the club in his hand, the manager frantically waved his hand and slammed his head on the ground.
“T-To be really honest, you won’t even need a password. They will notice the moment you get there.”
“Hmm…”
He was right. Since the thieves’ guild had an excellent information gathering ability, they had to be aware of the fact that he had ruined multiple gambling houses, and would either decide to attack him or bow to him.
“Alright.”
Raon shook the blood from his club, then gave it to Dorian.
“Ah, there’s blood again!”
Dorian frowned, wiping off the remaining blood before putting it into his belly pocket.
“Wow…”
Zatice exclaimed, still not used to that development.
“A-Are you leaving now?”
“Yes, I will. However, I’ll take what’s mine before that.”
Raon bobbed his four fingers.
“Give me the gold. Three times the chips.”
“Aww…”
The manager’s face went pale as he lost the small hope he had left.
* * *
Raon left the gambling house with Dorian and Zatice, then went to the west, where the thieves’ guild was located.
“S-So, you were trying to find the thieves guild.”
Zatice came up to him while scratching his cheek.
“That’s because the ones at the bottom are more knowledgeable than the top brass when it comes to matters like this.”
Raon nodded. Something like disappearances happened more often to commoners and the lower class that lived in the back alleys than the nobles that had guards with them.
The thieves’ guild might have some information that the city hall didn’t know.
“Do you think the thieves’ guild is going to accept our request?”
Dorian reluctantly pointed at the Orc’s Desire.
“We’ve taken all their money and completely beat up their manager and guards. Aren’t they going to start attacking us on sight…?”
“They’d better accept the request if they don’t want to end up the same way. It’s not like I cheated or anything.”
Nothing was his fault during his incident. They were the ones that cheated first—and attacked first, as well.
You shameless guy! The King of Essence read the cards for you!
‘You are only visible to me. That’s not called cheating, it’s using my abilities.’
Argh.
‘Stop getting angry and calm down. Ice cream is waiting for you.’
Ugh! Seriously, you are…
Wrath frowned and Raon pushed him away, shrugging.
“You are moving so quickly this time.”
“That’s because it’s an emergency.”
He expected the ringleader to be the White Blood Religion, which was one of the Five Demons. He couldn’t use normal methods to stop those crazy bastards. He needed to use any means necessary to quickly deal with them.
“Such effort in order to reduce the number of missing people! I’m impressed!”
Zatice suddenly gathered his hands, his eyes shining.
“Sir Raon was doing his best in order to solve this case, even if he had to take the blame!”
“It’s not exactly like that. I just want to catch them before they run away…”
“What humility! You are truly the role model of the knights! I’ll keep learning a lot from you in the future!”
Saying that he admired him, he bowed deeply, to the point that Raon felt uncomfortable.
“Erm, well…”
Raon pondered how he should respond.
Kyaaah!
A woman’s shriek could be heard from the alley right next to them. Raon quickly located her by using his aura perception, jumping over the wall to go there.
“Kuhuhu!”
Three healthy men were putting a gagged girl into a bag. The girl was violently shaking her leg, asking for help.
“Damn it!”
“Get rid of him quickly!”
The long-haired man that was the closest to Raon among the three came running at him with a dagger in his hand.
Smack!
Raon easily dodged the dagger, smacking his temple. Although it was a weak hit, the man fainted and went limp on the ground.
‘They aren’t the ones.’
They didn’t have any aura, and they were at the level of thugs with slightly exercised bodies. There was no way they were the ringleaders in the disappearance case.
“Those bastards!”
“How dare they kidnap people in broad daylight?”
Dorian and Zatice, who finally arrived, knocked down the two panicking men.
“Are you okay?”
Dorian helped the girl out of the bag.
She was a mysteriously beautiful girl with the combination of red hair as radiant as a raging fire, skin as white as frost, and brilliant golden eyes.
“Th-Thank you.”
It wasn’t just her appearance. Her voice was also extremely charming. It was a sound that could pull people’s heartstring, like the morning dew moistening the leaves.
“It was n-nothing.”
Dorian and Zatice looked like they were possessed by something as they shook their heads, saying the same thing.
“You were the first one to save me.”
The girl walked up to Raon and raised her head. The golden eyes were completely attracting his gaze.
“Th-Thank you very much.”
Whenever she took a step, her face looked bigger—as if it were magnified—and his heart throbbed.
The impulsive desire to hug and comfort her burst inside of him.
‘Are these my own thoughts?’
There was no way they were.
There was no way he wanted to comfort her before analyzing the situation, as he’d lived as an assassin before.
Whir.
As he thought something was strange, a small vibration occurred from behind him. The Blade of Requiem. The possessed blade, which only reacted upon feeling its enemy, began to weep.
‘White Blood Religion!’
Raon instinctively used the Ring of Fire.
Whir.
The six rings resonated with each other, his mind becoming clear—as if he poured cold water on his head.
He could finally see the girl’s face properly. She was still beautiful, but it was a strange face that gave an unpleasant impression, as if it were made of different pieces put together.
“Haa…”
Pretending he didn’t snap out of it, he removed the focus from his eyes just like Dorian and Zatice.
He was confident that he was better than anyone at controlling his expression in order to not reveal his thoughts.
“I was saved thanks to you.”
The girl’s eyes glittered even more as she stepped right in front of him. A strange fragrance that he had never smelt before was tickling his nose.
Cring!
His head started to become blank once again, but the rotating Ring of Fire erased the impure energy.
“I-It’s nothing.”
Raon shook his head, making his response inarticulate—as if he had perfectly fallen prey to the charm.
“I was so scared.”
The girl took one more step towards him. From a distance where he could reach her by stretching his arms, she extended her hands towards him, as if she wanted him to hug her.
“Ah…”
He opened his arms, following her intentions. The Blade of Requiem’s vibrations became more intense. He parted his lips, pretending to ignore it.
“Please die for me.”
She tried to pierce his heart with her hand, which shone white.
Whoosh!
It was fast and powerful enough that he wouldn’t have been able to dodge if he weren’t prepared for it, but he had already finished his preparations.
He drew the Blade of Requiem right before her hand reached the left side of his chest.
Cling!
The golden-yellow ghastly energy sparked from the crimson blade that slid smoothly from its scabbard, as if it were waiting for that moment.
Slaaash!
The moment the white and yellow energies twirled with each other in a spiral, a forearm soared into the air, scattering white blood around it.
“Kyaaah!”
The girl grasped her severed arm, screaming like a monster. The murky blood gushing from her forearm gave off the impression that it was infused with white paint.
“So, you were from the White Blood Religion after all.”
“I-I’m sure you fell to the sorcery, but how…?”
Raon shook the dirty blood from the Blade of Requiem, smiling coldly.
“By being good.”
