He concentrated, memorizing the numbers on the document into his mind.
After reading them twice, he could recite every number of the many items listed, down to the last decimal.
‘Evidence acquired.’
Yet, it still wasn’t enough.
A decisive blow was necessary.
‘It’s about time for the trap to spring.’
Just then, the butler hurried back.
“Here is the wine you asked for.”
“Thank you. You’re not upset with me, are you?”
“Not at all! How could I possibly feel that way!”
“Good, I’m actually quite fond of you, despite how it seems.”
“Th-thank you! I am devoted to you, sir!”
After exchanging such implausible pleasantries.
The butler, rolling his eyes, finally spoke up.
“Sir… I actually have something to tell you.”
“Yes?”
“Some friends of yours are looking for you. The ones you used to be close with. They wish to meet you discreetly, at the usual place.”
Christian stared at the butler intently.
He was smiling amiably, but Christian could feel the hostility hidden in the butler’s eyes.
‘It’s enmity.’
“Ah, I would prefer if you didn’t associate too closely with those friends. The rumors about them are not good.”
Christian chuckled.
If he had truly been concerned, he wouldn’t have mentioned it at all.
“I’ll meet them.”
“Sir?”
“Didn’t you hear me? I said I’ll meet them. Pass that on.”
The butler’s eyes widened, and he bowed his head.
“As you command.”
Christian smirked.
‘Caught.’
Christian sensed it.
The rat had walked right into his trap.
It was time to catch the rat.
***
What kind of people were a waste’s friends?
Naturally, they were of the same nature.
Children of reasonably powerful families.
They were the friends of the real owner of this body, Christian.
“It’s been a while, friend!”
“I heard you’ve changed, and it’s quite laughable.”
Christian only nodded slightly as he observed the familiar faces pretending to be close to him.
‘Children of nobles?’
The world of the mages, the Magic Empire, had a similar social system to the outside world.
There were domains, and there were domain residents.
However, the difference was that it wasn’t knights and nobles who ruled over the people, but magicians skilled in magic.
The Count Kazar, known for his dark magic lineage, had a large domain, and these were the sons of the lower officials who managed the domain on behalf of the Count.
“After all, insulting the lady of the highly toxic magic. Indeed, you’re the most disgraceful of us all, Christian!”
“That’s right. Christian is the closest to a dog among us.”
Christian snickered at their attempt to joke.
His friends tilted their heads at Christian’s unusual response.
Something was different.
“We finally meet after so long and you’re silent. Aren’t you glad to see us?”
“Ah, just.”
Christian simply smiled.
“Shall we go inside?”
The place they met was in the busiest city in the Count Kazar’s domain.
Entering a building in an alley, they found themselves in a dark bar.
Not just a bar, but a place that dealt with various illegal activities as well.
“Welcome back, sir!”
A snobbish-looking manager bowed.
“How may I serve you?”
“As discussed earlier.”
“Yes, we’ll do just that! Please come in!”
One of the friends spoke, and the manager responded swiftly.
Entering a large room, soon enough, a lavish spread of snacks and strong drinks was brought in.
‘Isn’t this whiskey from outside, from the Count Kazar? Whiskey that even Count Kazar vassals struggle to obtain.’
Christian clicked his tongue.
But that wasn’t all.
“Here, we’ve specially prepared this girl to serve you, sir.”
A girl in her late teens?
A delicate-looking girl tremblingly entered.
She had come to serve drinks.
‘What a spectacle.’
Christian furrowed his brow.
For reference, his current body was only fifteen years old.
Yet here he was, not only drinking alcohol but also being served by others. It seemed like a familiar routine.
Indeed, he was quite the disgraceful character.
‘These guys are no different.’
Christian squinted his eyes and observed his ‘friends.’
“Why is that? You seem upset. Did the Count scold you harshly?”
“Or, do you not like this girl?”
Christian shook his head.
“No, just drink.”
“Alright, I’ll pour you one. Here!”
One of the friends poured the drink.
Christian brought the glass to his lips.
He had no intention of drinking. He wanted to smell it.
Indeed, there was a ‘smell’ to the alcohol.
It was a scent others might not notice.
But Christian, having been involved in illegal activities in back alleys in the past, immediately knew what the smell was.
‘It’s drugged.’
‘So this was it.’
He had known all along that today’s meeting was a trap set by the rat, butler Cox.
As expected, the plot was to get him addicted to the drug.
‘Not merely to get me intoxicated but to make me commit a grave error while under its influence.’
He had a guess about what it might be.
Christian glanced at the trembling girl.
“What’s the matter? Why aren’t you drinking?”
The friend who had poured the drink urged him again with an uneasy voice.
Christian pushed the glass back to his friend.
“I’m not in the mood. You drink it.”
“What? That, that’s…”
He was flustered.
“Christian, this is the drink I poured for you, so naturally, you should be the one to drink it…”
“Afraid of the drug inside?”
“!!”
The friends’ complexions turned pale.
Christian snapped his fingers.
A 1-star dark magic, ‘Descent of Sleep,’ unfolded, and the trembling girl fell into a deep slumber.
At the natural display of magic, the friends’ eyes widened.
“Christian? Since when did you practice such dark magic?”
“Shut up.”
“What, what?”
“Both of you, shut up. It’s disgusting.”
Christian grabbed each friend by the head with his hands.
Bang! He slammed them down onto the table.
“Gurgh!!”
“Aaargh!!”
Christian did not stop at once.
He repeatedly smashed their faces into the table.
Their faces quickly turned into bloody messes.
What was astonishing was that despite the chaos inside, no one from outside came to check.
It was because of Christian’s ‘Silence’ magic.
“Stop, stop…”
“Why, why are you doing this…?”
Christian shrugged.
“Don’t know why I’m doing this? Guess you need more of this then.”
Bang!
Again, he slammed their heads onto the table.
They tried to resist, but it was futile.
Easily overpowering them, he then bound their hands and feet with another 1-star dark magic, ‘Ropes of Darkness.’
“Stop, stop!! We were wrong…!! We drugged it… just… to make things more enjoyable for you, Christian.”
“Nonsense.”
Bang!!
He continued relentlessly.
Until they screamed in pain and confessed their crimes.
“Please, please stop. If this goes on… we’ll die…”
“Too short on words?”
Bang!
“Aah! Sorry! We… we just followed orders. We were told to drug you, Christian.”
“What were you planning to do after drugging me?”
They hesitated.
Christian smashed their faces into the table again.
Bang! Crash!
“Aargh!! We… we were supposed to kill that girl and frame you.”
Christian scoffed.
Even in the Magic Empire, murder was a grave crime.
While ‘accidental murders’ in battles among mage often went overlooked, killing civilians without reason was strictly forbidden.
Clearly, the plot was to completely ruin him.
“Who put you up to this?”
“That… that’s…”
“Was it butler Cox?”
The two widened their eyes.
Realizing Christian already knew everything, they hung their heads.
“Yes, that half-vampire bastard blackmailed us with our weaknesses. We had no choice.”
As expected.
Now that Christian knew the true nature of the rat, he pondered.
‘Why?’
Why did butler Cox try to bring about Christian’s downfall?
There didn’t seem to be any personal grudge.
‘Well, I’ll find out soon enough after I catch him.’
Christian thought simply.
He drew a dagger and pointed it at the necks of the two.
“You’ve done enough to deserve death, so you wouldn’t have any complaints if you died.”
“Please… spare us…!!”
“Why should I spare you?”
Christian asked indifferently.
Realizing he was serious, the two trembled violently.
“Please, just spare our lives! We’ll do anything!”
“We would even become slaves to Lord Christian!”
They blurted out whatever came to mind in their desperation to live.
Surprisingly, Christian responded to that offer.
“Really, you swear you can do anything?”
“Yes, yes! Anything! Even become dogs if you say!”
“Are you truly able to swear to that?”
“Yes, yes!! We swear!!”
Christian’s lips curled into a smile.
“I’ll accept your ‘oath’.”
Sizzle.
A horrifying sound like branding iron sizzling emerged as a mark appeared and then vanished from their foreheads.
It was a terrible dark magic, ‘The Mark of Binding’, that Christian had invoked, allowing him to command them like slaves under certain conditions.
“From now on, listen carefully and follow my orders.”
Their eyes widened as large as lanterns as they received the ‘command’.
Now, it was time to strike at the trapped rat, butler Cox.
***
The Count Kazar’s office.
Count Kazar looked out the window with a somber expression.
“Christian has gone out to the city?”
“…Yes, that’s correct.”
Butler Cox bowed his head.
“I’m sorry. I should have somehow stopped him.”
“No, how could it be your fault?”
Count Kazar sighed deeply.
Butler Cox had reported that Christian had gone to an illegal bar with his reckless friends.
He didn’t want to imagine what might be happening there.
‘I wouldn’t be so disappointed if I hadn’t hoped for better.’
He had thought this time would be different, but alas, it was not.
It was then that the Count’s face turned bitter as sudden commotion erupted outside his office.
“What’s going on?!”
Just as Count Kazar frowned, the door to his office burst open.
A mage entered with a pale face, raising his voice.
“It’s a disaster!!”
“…What happened?”
Count Kazar’s heart pounded anxiously.
“The young master has committed murder in the city!”
***
The Count’s house was in turmoil!
“What are you saying? Murder?”
Count Kazar’s hands trembled.
“The young master’s friends rushed to the castle to report!”
“Bring them in!”
Then, the friends who had been with Christian appeared.
Their faces, sunken and battered, shocked Count Kazar as he twitched his eyebrows.
