Leinas and Imina had already left that night.
With such a major event as the destruction of two noble families, Leinas was bound to become a target. Naturally, the sooner she left the Baharuth Empire, the better.
The task Sakeer entrusted to them was not simple. Leinas's situation was more complicated, but if things went according to plan, the potential rewards would be immense.
The kingdom and the empire were warring nations. And now, in the wake of the kingdom's heavy losses, a noblewoman who had slaughtered two of the empire's most powerful families had entered the territory of the enemy kingdom.
For the Blood Emperor, this was a blow to his power centralization and political dominance.
The Kingdom's nobles might disapprove of Leinas's actions.
However, compared to Gazef Stronoff, a commoner, Leinas—a noblewoman of immense strength—was far more acceptable in their eyes.
Moreover, given her actions, there was no possibility that she was an imperial spy. She had severed all ties with the empire, cutting off any chance of return.
Taking all this into account—
Sakeer was certain that the royal family would make a move.
"Forming a faction? What could be more direct than manipulating an entire country?"
He sighed.
"Unfortunately, the empire is too close to the location of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. I can't afford to act too recklessly yet."
Sakeer absentmindedly stroked the rough, stiff black fur of his little Barghest.
"What do you think?" He mused aloud.
"First Prince Barbro, Second Prince Zanac, or Third Princess Renner… who would be the best choice?"
"Woo~"
The little Barghest narrowed its eyes, letting out a soft, contented snort.
Naturally, it couldn't answer.
Imperial Palace
Inside a lavishly lit hall, the atmosphere was heavy.
Seated at the center of the grandeur, the Blood Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix coldly examined the detailed report on the destruction of the two noble families.
His expression darkened.
"Are you certain it was Leinas Rockbruise?"
His voice was icy.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The royal secretary bowed his head, speaking quickly.
"Both the motives and eyewitness testimonies match. Numerous people from the two territories reported seeing someone resembling Leinas Rockbruise."
"That crazy woman!"
A vein bulged on the Blood Emperor's forehead.
He raised his palm and slammed the document onto the table.
Bang!
"Find her immediately! Arrest her!"
His voice was cold and decisive.
Though he had long despised the incompetent and self-indulgent nobles, his approach to removing them was gradual and calculated.
Leinas's reckless slaughter would undoubtedly provoke the remaining aristocrats into retaliating.
That, he could not allow.
He would not tolerate such unstable elements within his empire.
The satisfaction he had felt from his recent victories on the border battlefield had vanished entirely.
The Blood Emperor rubbed his temples as he shifted topics.
"What's the status of the alchemical potion research at the Ministry of Magic?"
His tone remained authoritative.
The secretary immediately responded.
"There has been no progress."
"The Ministry suspects that the alchemist's techniques are unlike any existing methods of alchemy. They believe the approach is entirely different and request Your Majesty's permission to invite the alchemist personally."
As he spoke, the secretary swiftly pulled out a report from the stack of documents in his arms and placed it before the emperor.
"This is all the information we have on Adventurer Sakeer."
"Unfortunately, there isn't much."
Jircniv reached for the document, his golden pupils scanning the contents swiftly.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he closed the file and tapped his fingers against the table.
"Deny the Ministry of Magic's request."
His words were final.
But then, he paused.
"What about the old man?"
The secretary understood immediately.
"Lord Fluder has expressed interest in the alchemical potions as well… but he has not made any formal requests."
Jircniv nodded slowly, his thoughts unreadable.
He glanced back at the adventurer's report and suddenly spoke.
"What do you think?"
The secretary straightened his posture, his sharp eyes gleaming beneath his golden-blond hair.
"This alchemist adventurer named Sakeer is suspicious."
Jircniv's lips curled slightly, and his golden eyes locked onto the secretary.
"Oh? How so?"
The secretary did not hesitate.
"According to the Adventurer's Guild, this man registered as an adventurer in E-Rantel, in the Kingdom of Re-Estize, just over a month ago."
"Shortly after, he entered our empire's borders. For nearly half a month, his movements were unpredictable, as if he were searching for something."
"Then, for the next two weeks, he arrived in the imperial capital and began selling alchemical potions. Judging by the potion prices and the overall market response, it is clear that he is not doing this for money."
His voice was serious.
Jircniv leaned back, a hint of amusement playing at his lips.
His tone was languid, yet calculating.
"If not for money… then for what?"
The secretary paused before answering.
"There isn't enough information to determine his exact goal."
"However, in one of his rare outings, he was spotted at the Imperial Magic Academy."
"During his visit, he made direct contact with two students—Arche Eeb Rile Furt and Friane Wyliea Van Gushmond."
As he spoke, the secretary retrieved another document and carefully placed it before the emperor.
Jircniv's golden eyes gleamed as he reached for it.
"Furt?"
Hearing this somewhat unfamiliar and unremarkable family name, the Blood Emperor furrowed his brow in mild confusion.
"A small noble family that lost its title under Your Majesty's decree. Their eldest daughter, Arche Eeb Rile Furt, is currently one of the most renowned prodigies at the Imperial Magic Academy," the royal secretary reported.
The other name, however, required no introduction.
"Gushmond…"
Ignoring the mention of the insignificant noble girl, Jircniv narrowed his golden eyes, muttering to himself before continuing—
"No participation in social gatherings, no political affiliations, and he spends most of his time in the noble district… Heh."
His gaze sharpened.
"Not interested in money. Not seeking fame. I want to know—what does he want?"
Then, in a voice filled with quiet authority—
"Send someone to watch him."
"Understood, Your Majesty," the secretary replied respectfully.
With Imina gone, some tasks now fell to Sakeer himself—such as handling the sale of alchemical potions through the Adventurer's Guild.
This led to his first meeting with the Imperial Capital Adventurer's Guild Master, a middle-aged man with the air of a merchant more than an adventurer.
After some cordial discussions, they struck a deal—
Sakeer agreed to increase the daily supply of regeneration potions from five to eight. However, for strategic reasons, only five would be available for open sale each day.
In return, the Guild Master made a significant gesture—
Sakeer's adventurer rank was raised from Bronze to Gold, along with an extra payment of 1,000 gold coins.
Normally, the Adventurer's Guild had a strict rule—no matter how strong an adventurer was, rank promotions required completing missions.
Yet, this wasn't a violation of protocol.
Due to the unprecedented effectiveness of the regeneration potion and its soaring demand, some wealthy nobles and merchants had begun issuing direct commissions through the Guild.
Since these were officially registered missions, Sakeer—as an adventurer—could take them.
Technically speaking, the Guild wasn't breaking any rules.
At most, they had merely streamlined the process, allowing him to rise from Bronze to Gold faster than usual.
Of course, the Guild Master made it clear—
Further promotions beyond Gold would require strict evaluations, an extended trial period, and the completion of several proper missions.
This was the maximum authority the Guild could grant him without outright bending the rules.
After all, the Imperial Capital's Adventurer's Guild had existed for centuries—its internal loopholes had long been closed, and its system refined to near perfection.
Sakeer sighed inwardly.
He had originally planned to exploit the system to quickly farm adventurer missions, but that idea was now out of the question.
Still, rising from the lowest rank to Gold without much effort was already a pleasant surprise.
Aside from this unexpected development, something else caught his attention—
Sakeer noticed something odd.
He was being watched.
Not by the secretive forces of the Imperial Capital—but by imperial soldiers patrolling the streets.
That night—
Bang!
The heavy gates of the noble courtyard shut with a dull thud.
Sakeer turned back expressionlessly, walking towards the mansion's interior.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"So much for that last bit of hope."
As he walked, the golden adventurer's nameplate fastened to his waist swayed slightly with his movements.
At first, Sakeer had assumed that the Blood Emperor simply hadn't noticed him yet.
But the presence of imperial soldiers tailing him proved otherwise.
His plan to secure the [Immortal] profession had failed.
With Jircniv's cunning nature, knowing about his abilities yet choosing to monitor him instead of summoning him meant only one thing—
The Blood Emperor was already wary of him.
Sakeer shook his head, reflecting on his actions over the past few weeks.
"I was too impatient."
His expression hardened.
"It's time to leave."
He glanced around at the beautiful courtyard, the grand fountain, and the lavish estate—but his eyes held no attachment.
The [Immortal] class would have to wait.
Next time, he wouldn't rely on gentle means—
Next time, he'd take it by force.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly—
A loud knock on the gate.
The sound was deep and forceful, as if a sledgehammer were pounding against the heavy doors.
Sakeer's expression froze, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
Without hesitation, a magic scroll appeared in his hand as he turned toward the gate.
However—
Before he could reach it, his tense expression relaxed.
He already knew who it was.
And it was someone he hadn't expected.
Standing outside the gate—
Towering over three meters tall, his immense figure almost dwarfing the entrance itself—
The "Martial Lord," Go Gin.
(End of Chapter)