In the heart of Lockwood City, Viscount Jesse paced the dimly lit study of the castle, his boots thudding softly against the polished wooden floor. The room, steeped in the musty scent of old books and leather, had once belonged to his brother, Baron Omar, and later to Baron Adam. Both men were now gone—one missing, the other confirmed dead. Their absence left Jesse with a grim satisfaction, two fewer rivals in his path, especially Adam, whose cunning had posed the greatest threat. 'Fewer obstacles, more power,' He thought, a faint smirk curling his lips as he surveyed the study's ornate furnishings—a heavy desk, shelves lined with dusty tomes, and a single flickering candelabrum casting long shadows across the walls.
Jesse had been in the Western Lands for some time, weaving a web of alliances among the local nobility. His efforts had borne fruit: he'd rallied over two hundred knights from nearby cities, bolstered by the hundred he'd brought from his father's domain. Three hundred knights now answered to him, a formidable force, yet far short of the thousand his father, Count George, demanded. 'One more month,' Jesse calculated, his fingers brushing the hilt of the dagger at his belt. 'One month, and I'll have the numbers to satisfy him.'
Today's visit to Lockwood City had a dual purpose: to consolidate the city's knights under his banner and to check on a contract with the Bounty Guild. He'd hired assassins to carry out a delicate task, and he needed confirmation of its completion. Soon, he'd march to Sedona City to claim its beast-kin population and seize control of the city itself. The Western Lands, though remote, whispered tales of Sedona's prosperity—its thriving markets, orderly streets, and enigmatic lord. The stories piqued Jesse's curiosity, fueling his ambition to make the city his own.
"Have you located the Bounty Guild?" Jesse asked, his voice cool as he gazed out the window at the darkened city, where torchlights flickered like distant stars.
"Yes, Master," Replied a knight, his figure half-hidden in the shadowed corner of the room. His armor clinked faintly as he shifted. "It's in a tavern in the eastern district."
"They've switched to a tavern this time?" Jesse's brow arched, a cold chuckle escaping him. "Those rats are good at scurrying into new holes."
"Shall I lead a squad to drag them here?" The knight asked, his tone as sharp as a drawn blade.
"No," Jesse said, waving a dismissive hand. "I'll meet them myself. No need to waste effort on those vermin yet." His voice carried a calculated calm, masking the disdain he felt for the guild's secretive ways.
"Yes, sir!" The knight replied, bowing slightly, his respect unwavering despite the tension in the air.
The Western Lands were a backwater compared to the empire's heart, with few cities boasting true wealth. The Bounty Guild, a shadowy network of mercenaries and assassins, only set up shop in prosperous hubs. Lockwood City, with its bustling trade routes, qualified—unlike most of the region's smaller towns. To underground bounty hunters, a city's worth was measured by the guild's presence.
"Any fresh news from Sedona City?" Jesse asked, his tone deceptively casual as he leaned against the window frame, the cold glass pressing against his palm. Sedona had become an obsession, its rumored innovations and growing power a puzzle he was eager to unravel.
"The latest report says they're building a shipyard, preparing to construct vessels," The knight answered, his voice steady but tinged with curiosity.
"Ships?" Jesse's eyes widened, a scornful laugh bursting from his throat. "Is this Lucas of Sedona a fool? Or is he still thinking like a merchant?" The idea seemed absurd—Sedona was landlocked, far from any navigable river deep enough for serious maritime ventures.
"Construction's been underway for some time," The knight confirmed, unfazed by his lord's derision.
"Fascinating," Jesse sneered, his mind racing. 'If Lucas squanders his gold on such folly, he'll be ripe for the taking.' He imagined imprisoning the young lord, forcing him to devise wealth-generating schemes while Jesse reaped the profits. Sedona itself would be preserved, its beast-kin population lured in and secretly sold as slaves—a scheme that had crystallized in his mind as both lucrative and ruthless. His next stops were Sakura City, then Sedona, once the assassins' report arrived.
Time slipped by, and soon the clock struck midnight.
Clop, clop, clop…
The biting night wind howled through Lockwood City, gnawing at Jesse's patience as he muttered curses under his breath. The Bounty Guild's insistence on nocturnal meetings irritated him, their secrecy a constant thorn in his side. This time, he'd learned his lesson—he draped a cloth over his face to conceal his identity, his boots thudding purposefully as he made his way to the tavern the knight had described.
The half-hour trek through the city's darkened streets was frigid, the wind slicing through his cloak like a blade. The tavern loomed ahead, its windows dark, its heavy door shut tight. Jesse's instincts prickled as he scanned the rooftop, half-expecting a shadowed figure to lurk there. "No one?" He muttered, surprised, his eyes darting to the empty alleys on either side. Shrugging off the unease, he approached and rapped on the door.
Bang, bang, bang!
Three sharp knocks echoed, and the door swung open instantly. A masked man peered out, nodded silently, and retreated into the gloom. Jesse blinked, momentarily thrown, before stepping inside. 'This must be how the guild operates,' He thought, though the silence unnerved him.
Creak!
The door slammed shut behind him, and the masked man stood motionless by the entrance, staring without a word. Jesse froze, confusion creeping in. 'What's this nonsense? No escort?' He locked eyes with the man, waiting for a signal that never came. With a frustrated huff, he scanned the dim interior, spotting a faint candle glow down a corridor. Resigned, he moved forward, his boots echoing in the eerily quiet tavern.
Clop, clop, clop…
The flickering candlelight guided him to a closed door, muffled voices seeping through the wood, too soft to discern.
Bang, bang, bang…
He knocked, and the voices paused briefly before resuming, ignoring him. Frowning, he knocked again, harder. 'Who dares make me knock twice?' Even his father, Count George, required only one knock—Jesse never dared a second.
Bang, bang, bang… Bang, bang, bang…
His patience frayed with each unanswered knock. He considered pushing the door open but hesitated—barging into a guild meeting could trigger deadly consequences. Finally, after another insistent knock, the door swung open with a creak, and Jesse's fist froze mid-air, connecting with the face of a burly, masked man.
"Uh… I didn't mean to," Jesse stammered, retracting his hand as the man loomed over him, his bulk filling the doorway.
"I believe you," The man said, his voice calm but deliberate. Before Jesse could react, a meaty fist crashed into his nose, sending a jolt of pain through his skull. "That wasn't intentional either."
"You—!" Jesse clutched his bleeding nose, pain and fury warring within him. "That was deliberate!"
"Indeed it was," The man replied, unfazed, before brushing past Jesse and striding away.
Jesse glared at the man's retreating back, memorizing his hulking frame, his teeth grinding with suppressed rage. 'You'll pay for that,' He vowed silently, but alone in the guild's den, he swallowed his threats.
"Come in," A melodic voice called from within the room, its tone deceptively inviting.
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