Chapter 7
As it got darker, Donna began the preparations for going out. Tonight, I’ll be going to a place called the Midnight Guild at the outskirts of town, and I’d need to get on a carriage to go to that small village. It was even farther away than the von Cador mansion.
I really need to get some useful information… If I don’t do any research like this, then I’d be as good as dead. Let’s just say that the technique I’m required to do once a month should be settled before Lena’s return.
As we passed by the uneven dirt road, I could only see trees outside, until some folk houses could be seen. The village was a bit refreshing, after being surrounded by castles and mansions all this time. The houses looked like they were from the Middle Ages? I didn’t know the exact time period, but it seemed around that time. Smoke rose from the chimneys of the quaint roofs.
The village was lined with shops. They were all interesting, and there were some shops selling antiques, medicine, and swords that I had never seen before.
Was there such a thing as magic or monsters in this world? Was this place like a fantasy world that I only saw in fiction before? Maybe they existed if ghosts or the technique during the Crimson Moon existed, too. Somehow, it got me excited.
“You’ve arrived.”
The carriage was parked nearby and I walked a little to find this shabby building. It was a two-story building that didn’t look very special. You’re saying the guild was in a place like this?
“I’ll wait outside. Please go ahead, Milady.”
I was a little nervous to go alone, but taking Donna might be a huge risk because I’ll be asking about the technique. I had no choice but to enter the shabby building and go up the second floor. The stairs weren’t lit, but there were no obstacles.
When I entered through the open door, inside was a small drawing room with a couch. In the corner, there was a woman standing there who looked like a maid, but she wasn’t even looking at me. I sat down, thinking I should wait there…
“How are you, Lady Tess? It’s been a while.”
“Gah, you surprised me!”
“Haha! You still get surprised easily!”
I didn’t even notice the man who sat in front of me. No, since when had he been sitting there?!
I guess he was waiting in the dark, waiting for me to notice him. This son of a… he’s treating the final villain of the Dark Castle game like this… Was Tess really portrayed accurately? I heard that everyone was supposed to be afraid of Tess, but wasn’t this guy just making fun of her?
“Oh~ The Lady’s atmosphere changed a bit. You’ve had some fun recently, haven’t you?”
“Just the usual.”
“Come on, don’t say that~ Tell me a funny story about the man wearing a blindfold at the castle’s coziest guest room~”
“What?!”
How did he know that? For a moment, I got so surprised that I froze. At this, the man seemed convinced.
He was already smiling, but somehow, his smile got wider.
“Is there anything I don’t know? I’m the owner of the Midnight Guild after all!”
“That—who told you?”
“My lips are sealed. It’s my principle to protect the privacy of my informants.”
Damn it. Did that dressmaker, Marvin, who came to the castle just today spread it? In less than a day? In mere hours? Ugh. But anyway, I’m not here for personal stuff. The important thing was to find out more about the ‘technique’ and that ‘association’. I shouldn’t get swept away by this guy’s pace.
“Okay then. I want you to listen to what I want to know.”
“Tell me anything~!”
I wanted to talk to the man alone, but it didn’t seem like the maid in the corner was going anywhere. I was left with no other choice but to continue.
“Do you know about magicians?”
“You mean sorcerers?”
His narrowed, smiling eyes glanced at me. You did say you were the owner of this guild, right? Well, I didn’t think anyone who was the owner of such a place would turn out to be normal, but I couldn’t get used to his sudden change in demeanor.
“Don’t you know more about the sorcerer than me?”
I was startled by the guild owner’s words. He acted like I already knew all about it.
“Since they’re so secretive, there are not many records on them. That’s why Lady Tess said you already know better than I do. The information that someone who already met one is much more accurate.”
“Already met one?”
“Yes, have you forgotten already? I introduced you to a good sorcerer. I remember you were quite satisfied.”
“Tell me about it again. I lost the contact details.”
“That’s not good~”
“Why?”
The smiling guild owner put his fingertips together and smiled wider. It was such a strange smile, seemingly rebuking me for not knowing the answer.
“You know sorcerers don’t stay in one place for too long. It’ll take months, or even years, to contact them again.”
Years! I’d already be dead by then!
“I have to see the sorcerer again. Is there a way?”
“I’ll try as hard as I can. But it would be easier to just give up.”
It would be easier to just give up~ He said it in such an annoying way.
“So there’s no other sorcerer nearby? I don’t mind paying more, as long as I can meet one…!”
“It’s quite urgent, isn’t it, Lady Tess? Hmm…”
The man pretended to be worried and hesitated. Then, he acted as if he realized something significant.
“Ah! Come to think of it, I heard about one man who knows how to wield magic! Seeing as you’ll be attending a lot of events, I think you’ll see him at the charity party you’re going to soon.”
“His name?”
“Well, hm…”
“What?”
The man stared at me, holding up his hand with the tips of his pointer finger and thumb touching, making the money sign.
“Everything is prepaid in our guild~!”
Even though we had yet to discuss payment, the man’s sparkling eyes seemed to be saying that he’d been setting me up for it. When he saw my desperation, he set a high price. This bastard…
The information that he had been saying was all meticulous so far that I wondered how he knew about it. When I asked him if he had information about me, he just smiled and said it was a secret.
The guild owner brought out a portrait of a handsome man with red-brown hair. His name was Redcliffe Andersen. He’s a young baron who reportedly bought his title from a fallen noble family. People in high society say that his assets and background were a mystery. The Midnight Guild also couldn’t investigate deeper.
What’s more important was the information that came next. Redcliffe Andersen was known to have a mysterious power, but no one knew exactly what it was. It wasn’t clear whether the strange power was sorcery or black magic, but judging by the movements of the sorcerers, it might be something related to the ‘technique’. It’s said that this information was from a sorcerer.
‘He might be dangerous.’
From the information divulged here, it was clear that sorcery had many secrets. The people who actively pry into it could have been dealt with. And Tess was right in the middle of everything.
The next information given to me was about Redcliffe Andersen’s private life. He didn’t seem to show any unusual or messy behaviors. In his mansion, only he and his servants lived there, and very few visitors came. There were more things written down, such as his ideal type, his likes, and dislikes. I asked the guild owner how he got ahold of this data, but this guy…
“This kind of information sell like hotcakes with aristocrats like you~”
He said that it became a habit of his to collect tidbits of information, and they naturally piled up. After hearing his answer, I realized why information guilds didn’t mind doing business with young aristocrats.
As I looked over the data sheet, it was clear that Redcliffe was trying to hide his involvement with a mysterious power. If I asked him about the technique out of the blue, he might try to run away and avoid me forever. I think it’s better to be on his good side for now.
Since the guild owner said the man would be at the charity party, then I’ll approach him with the intention of becoming friends.
I got a little excited with this plan, so I left the guild and walked back to the carriage in a hurry. Donna quickly opened the carriage door and helped me get on.
“I’ll need to put some effort in my appearance for the charity party.”
“Do you mean it, Milady?”
Donna asked, dumbfounded. It wasn’t said in the game, but when I saw Tess’ closet myself, I knew at once that she wasn’t someone interested in dresses or jewelry. It was right that Donna got surprised that I said I’d put an effort in my appearance, and for a party Tess wouldn’t have wanted to attend to boot.
Of course, I wasn’t interested in it either, but it was at least motivating to know that Redcliffe would be there.
I didn’t realize this, but Donna was staring at me while an ominous smile appeared on my lips as I stared out the window. Outside the window, exotic landscapes that I was yet to be accustomed to flitted by as the carriage passed by.