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“There’s someone suspicious.”

After confirming Blair’s expression, I opened my circle and looked around.

Most of the men were gathered downstairs, and no one was approaching.

Closing the door, I sat down on the bed and asked quietly,

“Tell me.”

“After you and Taylor left, I observed the people. Until now, I checked if anyone was leaving the banquet hall, but not today. We narrowed down the people who were friendly to us and checked what each of them was doing. Because of what you said.”

“So you narrowed down the targets and checked them carefully.”

“Right. Arin and I split the task in half. There was nothing unusual. No one left the banquet hall, and no one was acting suspiciously. But after watching for a while, something strange happened.”

I frowned and replied,

“Something strange?”

“Someone who wasn’t there before appeared.”

“…”

“The banquet hall door didn’t open, and he didn’t come down from upstairs. It was as if he had been there from the beginning, very natural. If we hadn’t narrowed down the targets at first, we wouldn’t have noticed. Because it was a familiar face.”

I wasn’t expecting much, but I suddenly became interested.

“That’s suspicious. He suddenly appeared?”

“We didn’t even know when he appeared. After that, we only focused on that man. But then he disappeared at some point. Again, the banquet hall door didn’t open, and he didn’t go upstairs. We even searched the banquet hall thoroughly, just in case, but couldn’t find him anywhere.”

Taylor, who had been listening quietly, intervened.

“It sounds like there’s another entrance.”

Blair nodded.

“I thought the same thing. I don’t know his exact identity, but I’m suspicious. It seemed certain that he was connected to Urgon. If he’s going in and out using a hidden passage, it’s like he’s been given some kind of orders.”

I asked,

“Who is he?”

“Alvin.”

“Alvin of the Valpong Merchant Group?”

“Yes, the one who always talked to us.”

I’ve known Alvin for a long time.

He once helped Samael by providing funds.

But Alvin has a close relationship with Urgon?

Cliff’s words suddenly came to mind, and I started to imagine.

‘He said Urgon sent people to Khaoto.’

It was strange that I didn’t remember seeing any suspicious people in Khaoto…

If it’s Alvin, it makes sense.

He visited Samael once before.

Actually, the Valpong Merchant Group providing funds to Samael was just for show. It wasn’t actually helpful when needed. If it was all a scheme to gain Samael’s favor…

“Interesting. Get out for now. I need to organize my thoughts.”

Taylor narrowed his eyes and replied,

“It might be better to stay together. I have a bad feeling.”

I pointed to the door.

“Then the three of you stay together.”

“…Let’s go to Arin’s room.”

The three of them entered Arin’s room across the hall.

I closed the door again and fell into thought.

According to the Crazy Mage’s intuition, Urgon is definitely targeting Samael. Moreover, if Alvin is really a spy, then they’ve been closely monitoring us from the beginning.

In the end, the purpose of the banquet that Balkan revealed was all…

‘A lie.’

A trap to bind Samael.

It could be a needless worry, but when assuming a situation, it’s best to consider the worst-case scenario.

Besides, I could somewhat guess why Urgon was going through all this trouble.

‘It’s because of the Red Magic Tower.’

I don’t know why, but Urgon is still concerned about the Red Magic Tower.

There were constant hints that they believed there was some kind of connection between Samael and the Red Magic Tower.

Then what is Urgon trying to use to bind Samael?

No matter how much I think about it, there’s nothing. The banquet ends tomorrow, and I don’t see any scheme that Urgon could employ. Perhaps Urgon’s aim in this banquet has already failed.

However, what continues to bother me is…

There was no reason for Balkan to spout nonsense.

Why did he bring up that nonsense about a secret alliance that wouldn’t be believable at all?

Why did he say such a thing?

It was also strange that Balkan was conscious of Elder Parin the whole time he was speaking.

No matter how high Elder Parin’s position in the Blue Magic Tower is, there’s no reason for the Lord of Urgon to be so wary of him.

Was Balkan really afraid of Elder Parin and therefore couldn’t reveal his true intentions?

‘Hmm.’

In the end, I’m back to square one.

I don’t know why Balkan is wary of Parin, and I still don’t know why Urgon is hostile towards Samael.

‘Ugh…’

I’m suddenly getting angry.

Anyway, if things continue like this, there’s a high probability that this banquet will end without incident.

That’s not an interesting situation.

What is that idiotic Lord Balkan’s true intention that he’s hiding it so well? This damn… Should I just slap him and ask? Or should I fly like a butterfly and, ah, that’s not it. Wait a minute.

Suddenly, as I was imagining myself becoming a butterfly, I noticed something strange.

No matter how I thought about it, the current situation wouldn’t be beneficial to Lord Balkan himself either.

What if all the assumptions I’ve made so far are wrong… and it’s the opposite?

“…No way?”

It was an absurd thought, but somehow the uneasy feeling subsided.

It’s a very unpleasant feeling.

Sometimes, intuition becomes sharp with absurd thoughts, and that’s how it was now.

* * *

I spent the time meditating until dawn passed.

As morning came, I gradually heard the monkeys moving around one by one, and then suddenly the door opened.

Thud—

“Ugh, I told you to knock.”

Taylor, Blair, and Arin barged into the room again all at once.

These guys, I don’t know if they’ve sold their manners or what.

“I’ll teach you manners. Come closer. Haa—.”

I was about to give them forehead flicks, but I stopped when I saw their faces. Their eyes were all dark and sunken.

“Did you stay up all night?”

Blair replied with a tired face,

“I couldn’t sleep at all.”

“There are days like that.”

I asked Taylor,

“So what’s the conclusion after staying up all night?”

Taylor replied with a tired face,

“The conclusion is that nothing will probably happen.”

It didn’t seem like he was just saying that, so I nodded.

“That’s the conclusion, huh.”

“He definitely has something up his sleeve. Maybe it’ll be revealed after this banquet is over. We need to be prepared.”

“No.”

“He doesn’t have anything up his sleeve?”

“No.”

I looked at the three and said,

“It will be revealed before the banquet ends. Be prepared, everyone.”

Taylor’s eyes widened.

“Did you figure out Balkan’s scheme?”

“Almost. I’m sure of his intention, but I don’t know how he’ll do it.”

It was at that moment that we heard an ominous sound from downstairs.

Thud—

We exchanged glances and immediately went downstairs. The monkeys were gathered together, the main gate was wide open, and Urgon’s magic divisions were pushing their way in with a ferocious aura.

“What’s this…?”

“What’s going on!”

While the monkeys were in a state of confusion, Urgon’s mages, led by the Red Phoenix Grandmaster, spread out widely, surrounding me, Taylor, Blair, and Arin in the center with a ferocious aura.

Then, the external affairs manager walked out from among the Urgon group.

His expression was cold, unlike his usual talkative self.

“Please remain where you are.”

One man asked,

“What’s going on all of a sudden?”

“I will explain the details later. Please cooperate with the control for now.”

“Even so, you should at least give us an explanation.”

“Please wait for now.”

The man who asked the question stopped mid-sentence and closed his mouth. The energy emanating from the Red Phoenix Division silenced him.

The Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster gestured once, and some of the members rushed upstairs.

Meanwhile, I felt a burning gaze and looked to see Taylor glaring at me. I nodded and spoke with my eyes.

‘This was it.’

I watched what they were doing with renewed interest.

To try and bind us in a place with so many people, they would need a justification, but what could they have prepared?

A moment later, the Red Phoenix Division, who had gone upstairs, came rushing back down and started reporting to the Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster and the external affairs manager.

The external affairs manager, after conversing with the Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster, looked around and said,

“There will be no matches today. Please wait in the annex for now.”

“…”

The external affairs manager and the Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster walked outside with hurried steps…

Sensing the gravity of the situation, the monkeys also went upstairs without a word.

I also went upstairs without any resistance and quietly said to Taylor,

“You guys go in first.”

While climbing the stairs, I secretly followed the familiar figure of a man mixed in with the crowd.

The farthest room on the top floor.

After confirming the location of the room the man entered, I rubbed my chest and immediately followed him, knocking on the door.

Knock knock—

“…”

There was no response, so I knocked as if to break the door, and only then did I hear cautious movements from inside. He seemed to be watching me through the small hole in the middle of the door.

With a creak—, the man who came out looked at me and widened his eyes.

“External Affairs Manager. What’s this all of a sudden?”

I asked bluntly,

“You were going to handle things like this?”

“Pardon? There’s still nothing…”

“I’m certain.”

Reading the bewildered look in the man’s eyes, I quietly closed the door and stepped inside.

Thud—

“Ugh!”

After striking Alvin’s throat with a hand-blade strike, I grabbed him by the hair and slammed him onto the table.

I put mana into my grip and pressed down on the struggling man’s head.

“Alvin of the Valpong Merchant Group.”

As soon as he heard my voice, Alvin asked in surprise,

“Ruin?”

“You recognized my voice like a ghost.”

“…….”

“A spy for Urgon, an agent for Urgon, a man pretending to be an eunuch of the Valpong Merchant Group, a man watching Samael, Alvin. Tell me what you’re up to. I know everything, so excuses won’t work.”

I said, pressing down on Alvin’s head.

“Time is short. If you scream, I’ll set your mouth on fire, and if you pretend not to know, I’ll blow your head off.”

Alvin, feeling the pressure as if his head was about to explode, let out a suppressed groan.

“……How.”

“Let’s skip the formalities. I said time is short.”

“…….”

“No answer.”

I bent down and met Alvin’s eyes.

“Shall I kill you?”

As our eyes met, Alvin’s pupils shook ceaselessly.

———