— What the?! — I shouted and froze, until I realized… I was seeing a girl through the wall!


    I turned my gaze away and saw the dinner table in the kitchen, still messy from last night. What the hell was happening to my sight? Had it changed? I focused and looked farther. In the empty foyer of the Merchants’ Guild, two guards were dozing off, their backs pressed against the wall. About a hundred meters away. Not bad.


    And if I combined it with my aura? I released a small portion of it, spreading it over several dozen meters, sensing every living being in range. Now, all I had to do was shift my gaze, and I could see everything in the finest detail. What a skill! An unexpected gift.


    I blinked, and the walls around me returned to sight. But even so, my perception of the world had changed, even without using my newfound vision. I had the urge to try combining it with my bloodlust—but decided against it. No need to give someone a heart attack in their sleep. Instead, I lay back down.


    — So, master, where are we going today? Shopping? Robbing someone? You know, I’ll follow you anywhere—be it a dance or a slaughter!


    Mia made a dramatic gesture, drawing her hand across her throat. I suddenly recalled how she looked last night, covered only by her tail, and quickly turned away.


    — Ahem! Mia, today’s your day off. And mine is a day of training.


    — Ugh, how boring you are today, master! Want a secret? I know where the Crafting Guild keeps their monster cores. We could put on masks, storm in, and you—stab-stab-stab with your spear! Meanwhile, I snatch the cores—swoop! And then we whoosh out of there, just like that!


    — Mia! Day off. Training.


    — Ugh, so we’ll just rot in poverty until we die together one night? — she huffed, leaving the kitchen.


    What the hell had she dreamed up last night? I shook my head and got up from the table. Today, I planned to try combining two techniques—footwork and spear strikes. But I didn’t want too many eyes on me. That’s why I didn’t head to the training grounds but stepped into the backyard of my home instead.


    The spot was nearly perfect—two sides bordered by the estate’s tall wall, the third by the house, and the fourth concealed by tall decorative shrubs. I started with footwork drills. One step. Two consecutive… seven… twelve… twenty-five.


    I felt I was nearing the limit of continuous steps, the boundary was close. But what was this boundary? I had more than enough energy, my muscles had adapted—so what now? Maybe this technique simply had no further development? Too many questions. No answers. Walking the path of martial arts alone…


    I drew my spear, took a stance, and stepped forward. Whoa! The energy generated from my footwork surged upward, flowing through my lower back into my spine, then into my right arm, which delivered an absolutely incredible thrust.


    The yard echoed with the impact. Had I exceeded the speed of sound? The spear shaft trembled, almost as if it were alive, letting out a mournful wail. Two steps with strikes… nine… eighteen… twenty-seven—there it was!


    Like an iron wall, this technique could not be pushed further. I stopped, and the continuous moan of the wind faded. Silence fell. Was this wall due to my level, or was it the technique itself?


    From the rooftop came applause and Mia’s ringing voice:


    — That was amazing, master! Even with my feline eyes, I could only catch glimpses of your spear’s tip! You were completely invisible!


    What the hell? How did this girl always sneak up on me unnoticed?


    — Now we can totally steal the cores from the crafters without them even realizing!


    I sheathed my spear, drew my sword and daggers, and shook my head from side to side, signaling that training was only beginning and her grand plan would have to wait.


    Disappointed, Mia sprawled back on the rooftop, watching me through half-closed eyes.


    I picked up my sword and continued.


    The same routine followed the next day. I trained from dawn till night, while Mia watched from above. And the next day. And the next. And the one after that.


    On the fifth day, I stopped. Training was no longer yielding results. I needed to either level up or find new techniques to master.


    — Mia! — I called out.


    She instantly leaped off the roof and landed beside me.


    — Are we robbing someone? Master, I admire you so much!


    — Enough already, — I tugged on her furry ear. — I’m not a thief. Where can I find some manuals or books on martial techniques?


    — For your level, master? Nowhere in the principality.


    I had suspected as much, given the balance of power…


    — Fine. Then get ready—we’re heading to the Adventurers’ Guild.


    The guild was nearly empty today. We climbed to the second floor and knocked on Grace’s office door.


    — Come in!


    Grace sat inside alone, clutching a half-empty bottle.


    — Oh, my young friend and his kitten… What brings you to this lady today? — She wasn’t completely wasted yet, but she was well on her way. — The lady is in mourning, so say what you need and get lost!


    — Sorry to interrupt your melancholy, but I’m here to buy monster cores if you have any.


    — You’re too late, kid. The Crafting Guild bought them all up a few days ago. Come back in two or three weeks when the new ones arrive—my guild just started a raid in the Misty Forest.


    The Misty Forest… That was the same place we had desperately fled from. And her team…


    — Grace, — I asked, — who sent the Adventurers’ Guild to the Misty Forest?


    A bad feeling crept up my spine.


    — How long ago did they leave, and can they still be stopped?


    — There was a request from the ducal court to exterminate first- and second-class beasts, with a handsome reward! Hic! — She paused for a moment. — And they left me behind because I’m a crippleeee… Greedy bastards, they all went off without me so they wouldn’t have to share the rewards and loot!


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    — Grace! — I cut her off. — It’s a trap! Can they still be recalled?! If they enter the forest, it’ll be a disaster!


    — What disaster? There are over forty warriors and mages, all first and second class. They’ll sweep through that forest without leaving a single monster alive.


    — Listen to me, — her stubborn drunkenness was starting to piss me off. — I was one of the people who reported those monsters to the ducal court. That forest is full of third-class and higher-tier beasts! If your people have entered, they’re already dead!


    For a moment, her eyes seemed to clear. But only for a moment.


    — Hahaha! Good joke! Third-class and up, hahahaha. Oh, kid, you’ve really cheered me up. If this is your way of comforting me for being left behind, don’t bother—just drink with me instead!


    Drunken fool. There was nothing more I could do here.


    The ducal court! What the hell were they planning?


    — Mia, let’s go, we have big problems. — And already at the door, he turned to Grace and said, — You can sit here and pity yourself all you want, but when you sober up, remember this: your guildmates didn’t abandon you—they saved you, even without realizing it. And you? Instead of saving them, you sat here drowning in alcohol. That’s all I have to say. Goodbye!


    We moved quickly through the city towards the Merchant Guild. What was the princely court’s goal? It was pointless to send a team of first- and second-class fighters against such powerful monsters if they actually wanted to subdue them. I needed to speak with Hek immediately.


    It felt like there was something I didn’t know—some missing piece without which this puzzle wouldn’t come together. Even if the Adventurers’ Guild was just a pawn, sacrificing them for nothing made no sense.


    I found Hek pacing anxiously back and forth in front of my house.


    — Master Aney! — he called out. — There’s a serious problem—you must leave the principality immediately!


    — Let’s talk inside, — I said, taking him by the elbow. — I have something to tell you as well.


    — Master Aney, you need to go! I just received an invitation for an audience with the princely court! You’re invited too—I’m certain it’s a trap!


    — Did they state a reason?


    — Yes. His Serene Highness wants us to present a firsthand report on the monsters. The letter I sent them wasn’t enough, apparently…


    It was definitely a trap. But why? What was I missing in their plan?


    — Hek, can you explain exactly how this threatens us?


    — Me? Not at all. They wouldn’t dare act openly against the head of the Merchant Guild. But you… Formally, you don’t belong to the guild. Even if I register you right now, it won’t change anything—I won’t have time to get confirmation from the Lygote Kingdom’s guild branch before morning. I believe they’ll offer you only one option—a lifelong contract of service to one of the princely family members. Those two Battle Masters who saw you surely assessed your strength, and no one in the principality would let that kind of power go to waste. If you refuse… you’ll be executed for insulting two members of the princely family. You must leave immediately!


    Damn it! The situation was bad. Serving some prince and forever limiting my future plans was not an option.


    — It’s too late, — I said. — If things are as you say, then they’re already watching your estate. If I try to flee, they’ll make it look like I’m a criminal and you’re harboring me, which will give them a reason to move against you. I can’t put you at risk, Hek. On the other hand, as long as they believe I might accept the contract, they won’t act. But the moment I run… everything changes.


    — Then what do we do?! There must be a way out! — Hek paced nervously, then suddenly stopped and looked at me in shock. — You… you’re not actually thinking of serving the prince, are you?!


    I burst into laughter. The mere idea was so absurd it was funny. Besides, my mental puzzle had finally taken shape—except for one missing detail: how the prince intended to justify this to the Church of the White Twins. As far as I could tell, he was violating the Charter.


    After a brief pause, I continued:


    — The princely court sent the Adventurers’ Guild into the forest. In the request they submitted—and which the guild accepted—only first- and second-class monsters were mentioned. The entire guild went on the raid, except for Grace.


    I stopped to gauge Hek’s reaction. He instantly paled.


    — The prince wants to change the balance of power…


    — Exactly, — I said, taking the lead again. — Here’s my theory. Correct me if I’m wrong. It all started with a letter from the outpost commander, which I’m sure was officially registered with the date and time of receipt. But the text itself could have been altered—would the commander dare refuse the prince, a relative of his? That’s assuming the letter even mentions third-class or higher monsters at all. Afterward, as expected, the prince submits a request to the Adventurers’ Guild, offering a ridiculous reward to ensure no adventurer hesitates—effectively signing their own death sentence. The reward can be anything because no one will be left to claim it. No one will return alive from that forest.Once the guild sets off on the raid, your report arrives—something the prince was expecting, since you were obligated to submit it as guild head. I bet the date and time of your letter’s arrival were carefully recorded as well. And now, at this exact moment, the prince intends to use me.Once it’s revealed that the outpost commander’s first report was incomplete and that the adventurers were sent into the forest severely underprepared, the prince will make a grand show of alarm—calling an emergency meeting, or something similar, where we are both invited. There, I—touched by the prince’s noble concern—pledge my loyalty and agree to serve him for life. Even if I don’t do it willingly, who would know, aside from his inner circle?At that meeting, they will decide to send a rescue team into the forest, with me included—since I have firsthand knowledge of the monsters. If the prince assigns even those two Battle Masters who guard his son, then the three of us could clear the forest. But I’m certain he’ll send an even larger force.At that point, it won’t matter that the entire Adventurers’ Guild has perished. Or rather, it will matter—but only to the prince, not an outside observer. Because we will return victorious, avenging them.


    I paused, catching my breath.


    — Upon our return, with the guild completely wiped out, Grace will cease to be a player in this game. One way or another, she’ll be removed. And I, the hero who avenged the fallen adventurers, will become the new head of the reformed guild. The Adventurers’ Guild of Lygote will turn a blind eye to Grace’s removal and my appointment. And just like that, the prince will have both the princely court and the Adventurers’ Guild under his control. And no one will suspect a thing—because I, a new and powerful figure on the board, will appear to be completely independent of the princely family. On top of that, I’ll be seen as a protégé of the Merchant Guild, which means I won’t be able to make a move in your favor without being accused of collusion. The perfect plan. As airtight as a Judge’s Eye contract!


    I fell silent and looked at Hek. He sat in deep thought. After about three minutes, he spoke:


    — Grace will be executed. And not even by the prince—her own guild superiors in Lygote will have her killed for such losses. The Church of the White Twins won’t interfere, because the adventurers will have died to monsters, not the prince. You made only one mistake. The prince won’t just control the court and the guild—he’ll have everything.


    Hek exhaled bitterly.


    — Now, — I said, sitting down at the table, — let’s figure out how to shatter this plan. Tell me, how well do you know the prince? Would you call him a pragmatic man? How does he handle defeat? Can he back down when he sees he’s losing?


    — The prince is level-headed. He’s a natural politician. If he’s not cornered, he’ll abandon a losing strategy.


    — Excellent. How many Battle Masters serve him? And what’s his own class?


    — The prince is a mid-tier second-class warrior. He has three Battle Masters. You’ve seen the two lower-tier ones. The third, always by his side, is mid-tier.


    This was bad. Plan B—escaping—might not work, so I had to put everything into Plan A.


    — Hek, tell me, what happens when a Battle Master’s blood is exposed to mana from a monster’s core?


    Hek’s eyes lit up.


    — If… if it’s not just monster mana, but concentrated, straight from the core! A Master would be crippled for life—at worst, he’d die instantly! But, — he frowned again — how in the world are you going to extract mana from the core without specialized equipment? And, more importantly, how the hell do you plan to get it into a Battle Master?


    — Trust me, I have my ways, or I wouldn’t be asking. Now, to the main point. Hek, do you have any monster cores of at least third class?


    The old man glanced around.


    — I have something even better. I’ve got fourth-class cores!


    With those words, he pulled out a large box from his stash and opened it. Inside lay three green cores, each the size of a chicken egg. I hadn’t even imagined that cores could grow to such a size.


    — Old man, I love you! — I exclaimed in delight. — Listen, Hek, if I take just one core, I can guarantee a fifty percent success rate. But if you give me all three, we’ll bring the princely court to its knees with absolute certainty!


    — Take them. They’re not exactly valuable to me. Honestly, they’re more like contraband—not exactly legal. I’d give you more if I had them…


    — Old man, come here, let me kiss you!


    Old Hek smiled contentedly, as if all our problems were already solved and we had won against the princely court.


    — One more thing, — I added. — After my preparations today, this house will likely be contaminated with monster mana, and it will have to be burned down…


    — That’s a minor issue, nothing to worry about. But are you sure you won’t be affected by it yourself?


    — Hek, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing!