Chapter 52: Gift
These people are too strong for me to face alone.
Even a single Fourth Circle Official Walker would push him to the edge. Five Official Walkers and two Elite Walkers? He'd be caught before he could blink.
'Damn it… I need to leave before Shadow Stealth wears off.'
Without hesitation, Raven sprinted toward the compound wall. In one fluid motion, he leapt, scaled it, and landed silently on the other side. He dashed into the nearest shadow, melting into darkness.
Moments later, the guard in uniform at the gate scanned the area. Finding nothing, he returned to his post. Raven exhaled slowly, stepping out of the shadows. But he didn't retreat—he kept moving forward.
A few minutes later, he arrived at a secluded nature park. No guards patrolled its entrance. Tall ornamental trees shrouded the area in darkness, making it the perfect hiding spot.
He found a quiet bench, sat down, and tore a page from his notebook. A silver pen appeared in his hand as he wrote a few lines.
"Now… let's make this gift impressive."
From his inventory, he pulled out a two-meter-long golden chest.
Just an iron box with gold trimmings… but it'll have to do, he muttered. He placed the letter inside.
Though reluctant to spend his wealth, Raven reminded himself of the stakes. Random gang members had kidnapped a fallen noble, seemingly walking into Bristol Street as if it were their home. Six months had passed with no intervention.
'Count Spade probably knows about this… and chose to ignore it. Some secret deal must have been made.'
'Is it really worth risking my fortune for a guy just because his surname is Holmes?'
[It is.] Zera's voice was firm.
Raven exhaled and opened the chest again, carefully adding: Feral Eye Crystals, Trollsbane Glands, Tri-Cobra poison glands, two venomous fangs, and six jade-like Tri-Cobra eyeballs.
Each item is worth hundreds of gold coins. Those six eyeballs alone could make an Evil Eye potion, capable of revealing invisibility—vital in wartime. Total value? Around 5,000 gold coins. Enough to buy a two-story house.
Will this be enough to motivate him?
[Do you know how much a wine factory costs?] Zera asked abruptly.
Raven froze. "Maybe… 10,000 gold coins?"
[Minimum land for a wine factory is 20 acres. Holmes Wine Factory? Over 50 acres. Average land outside the city costs 2,500–3,000 gold per acre. That's… 150,000 gold just for the land. Add buildings, machinery, planting materials… total value around 300,000 gold coins. Do you really think 5,000 gold coins is enough to bribe Count Spade?]
Raven went speechless.
'I'm way underestimating this…'
[Include the two elemental Crystals. In the letter, say this is an advance payment for rescuing Thomas. Afterward, offer five Elixirs of Insight potions per year. Effective up to Radiant Walkers.]
'Ah… the Potion of Elixirs of Insight.'
[Even Rank-2 potions like that are considered legendary in this world. Revealing the recipe could be dangerous if Count Spade discovers your true identity.]
Raven nodded, scribbled the extra line, and added the two Rank-1 Elemental Crystals to the chest.
[Cover the rest with 2,000 gold coins. Remove the other materials.]
'Why?'
[Count Spade isn't an alchemist. He won't recognize the value. Make it look like a treasure chest full of gold.]
Raven followed her advice. The golden chest was ready. He waited fifty minutes in the park, then set off toward Count Spade's mansion.
…
Five minutes later, he reached the largest mansion on the street. Two guards in dark green uniforms watched the gate, scanning every passerby.
Raven activated Shadow Stealth, slipping past the entrance. Servants lingered near the mansion, but security was lax. He moved quietly along the left corridor, studying every door: kitchen, storeroom, dining room, painting room, library…
He stopped at the study. The room was modest—ten by ten meters, a study table, a few chairs, and a bookshelf. Raven placed the golden chest carefully beside the shelf and quietly slipped out.
By the time he exited the mansion, Shadow Stealth had worn off. Guards noticed him briefly, but he was already gone, slipping past Count Spade's mansion toward the end of the street.
The security relaxed as he moved further, houses shrinking in size.
[Almost at the end of the street.] Zera noted.
Raven finally turned around, confirming no one was nearby. From his inventory, he pulled out a leather bag and packed: a pair of new dresses, a bluish potion vial, a Knight Academy book, and a pouch of 100 silver coins.
[Is that to fool the guards?]
"Yes. Visiting a noble's daughter at this hour? Abnormal. This gives the right impression."
[Daisy's going to be pissed if she finds out you're using her name.]
'Hehe… but she'll also know I'm alive. When the officers report her absence, she'll connect the dots. Others may think it's a simple thief, but Daisy? She'll know it's me.'