An hour later…
I met up with Vais again.
The reason was simple.
I needed to see Lord Hydra’s face for myself.
I didn’t know what he looked like.
And if I was going to be fighting this man, I figured it was only right to at least know who I was up against.
So I asked Vais to help me out.
He led me to a mansion in the royal capital.
It belonged to Lord Hydra.
「Hydra always leaves for the royal castle at the same time every morning. He should be stepping out right about now…」
Vais said.
We hid in the shadows, keeping watch over the mansion’s front gate.
「Ah, there he is」
Vais whispered.
I focused my gaze.
An elderly man emerged from the mansion, flanked by bodyguards.
I confirmed it.
「That’s Lord Hydra?」
「Yeah.」
He was dressed in noble finery,
his expression radiating power and greed.
I burned that face into my memory.
Then it happened.
Hydra’s eyes turned toward us.
「Who’s there?」
He called out.
He’d noticed our presence.
「Crap. He spotted us.」
Vais muttered, clearly rattled.
I thought for a moment.
We could just bolt right now…
But running away with my tail between my legs didn’t sit right with me.
So I said.
「Vais, you go.」
「Huh?」
「I’m going to meet him.」
And before he could protest, I stepped out from hiding.
Vais called after me, trying to stop me,
but I ignored him and walked forward.
My eyes locked with Lord Hydra’s.
I kept approaching.
His guards stepped forward to shield him.
I stopped.
With the guards between us, I stood face-to-face with Lord Hydra.
「So you’re the rat」
He muttered.
I asked him.
「Pleased to meet you, Lord Hydra. I assume you know who I am?」
「Hmm. Who’s to say?」
He replied, feigning ignorance.
「The assassins you sent after me, I took the liberty of giving them a proper burial. You should be grateful.」
In truth, I’d spared Vais and Rena. But I spoke as though I had killed them.
「Assassins, you say? I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,」
Hydra replied, pretending not to know.
I gave him a cold smile.
「Let me tell you one thing. You won’t win. You’ll come to regret ever baring your fangs at me.」
Then I turned my back and started to walk away.
From behind me, I heard his voice.
「Then allow me to say this in return. You underestimate the strength and absoluteness of royal authority. You’ll soon learn that power alone isn’t enough to bend reality.」
「Is that so? Well, I look forward to it」
I said over my shoulder and walked away without hesitation.
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