143 - 24 Hearts

Chapter 144: "The Land of Entertainment and Culture, Urun." Roxin remained silent for a long time, a chill creeping into his chest. How did this child know about the Shadow Kingdom? 'I've suspected he wasn't just any ordinary child...' No, this went beyond anything ordinary. Although it was Roxin who approached the boy, he now wondered if it wasn't the boy who intentionally reached out to him. Despite the improbability, it was difficult to dismiss the suspicion. Could the information about the Shadow Kingdom have inadvertently leaked? However, that seemed unlikely. Knowledge of the Shadow Kingdom's existence was limited to nobles and merchants, who were known to withhold such information from others. Moreover, Roxin couldn't recall any recent intelligence about anyone named 'Yuda Arshe.' "How did you find out that I'm affiliated with the Shadow Kingdom?" Roxin stared at Yuda, seeking an answer. It wasn't a difficult question. Although little was known about the Shadow Kingdom, recognizing them wasn't too hard if one knew their symbols. Yuda lightly tapped the back of his left hand with his right index finger. "The emblem." The king bore the black crown, the officers were marked by hunting dogs, and the other affiliated members had black butterflies. Hearing Yuda's words triggered Roxin to look down at his own left hand. He had let his guard down, thinking that no one knew of the Shadow Kingdom's existence, and inadvertently exposed the symbol. "You know about our kingdom's emblem? Who told you? Only insiders of our kingdom would know about it." "Well, it wouldn't be fun if I just told you." Magic simmered in Roxin's hand, forming a long sword. It resembled the shadow blacksmith techniques of the <Shadow Martial Artist>. Yuda, too, summoned his magic to activate a skill. Shadow Technique Style 4 - Lower Black Armament Creation. Recalling the skill's name and effect, he moved his magic, erecting a tower-like structure at his fingertips which formed a bastard sword. ──! "!" Though Roxin initiated his skill first, Yuda's weapon materialized faster. The magical swords, imbued with physical force, clashed intensely. A metallic clang resonated briefly before being swallowed by the noise of the casino. "Pity. I, too, deal with shadows." "...Who are you? I've heard nothing about someone like you." With their swords still locked, Yuda casually shrugged. While Roxin's swing was a mere threat, Yuda's focus was solely defensive, preventing the skirmish from escalating. "Well, that's not the point right now, is it?" "There's nothing more important to me than that. It implies there's a traitor within my kingdom." "You needn't worry. There's no traitor. I stumbled upon this information by chance, and I don't plan to share it with anyone." Roxin's eyes narrowed as he applied more force to the connected swords. When the blade began pushing towards his chest, Yuda exerted his strength to halt it. Facing a capable swordsman, Yuda decided it was necessary to incapacitate Roxin and pushed him away. Instinctively stepping back, Roxin thrust his sword towards Yuda. It lacked a killing intent as its trajectory shifted from Yuda's solar plexus to his left shoulder. Observing this, Yuda chuckled, extending his left hand towards the blade and activating another skill. "Fool!" Despite seemingly concerned, Roxin shouted quickly at Yuda, implying he should dodge. Yet, Yuda showed no hesitation. Just before the sword touched him, black particles coated his hand, forming a thick gauntlet. Crunch-! With Yuda's raw strength added to the gauntlet's magic, Roxin's shadow sword couldn't withstand the impact and crumbled, dissolving like snowflakes into the void. Roxin widened his eyes, watching the sword melt away. Though they were within arm's reach, neither took further action. "I need information, and you have the capability to provide it. That's all there is." "......." "Do we need to be so serious about it? You told me yesterday that a day would come when you'd help me. That day just arrived a little sooner, that's all." As Yuda spoke, smiling, Roxin sighed, adjusting his posture. Though his expression was slightly dissatisfied, he seemed to accept the situation. He stepped back slightly and leaned against the railing like Yuda, folding his arms. "We don't offer our services for free. We're not philanthropists." "I know. I'm just asking you to accept my request. From what I hear, the Shadow Kingdom is selective about whom they take on as clients." "Where does a kid like you hear such things... Sigh." "Oh, and I'd appreciate a little discount." "Alright. What do you need?" Yuda glanced around quickly. Although no presence was felt, he couldn't rule out the possibility of eavesdroppers. Discussing it in this place wasn't ideal. "Is it okay to talk here?" "Write it down for me." From within his coat, Roxin retrieved a small notepad and pen, tossing them to Yuda. As the items arced toward him, Yuda caught them effortlessly and murmured to himself, surprised that Roxin carried such things. With a click, the pen projected, yet no ink appeared on the notepad. Perplexed by the lack of ink, Yuda glanced at Roxin, who returned his gaze with a look of realization before speaking. "Oh! My apologies. It's normal for that pen not to show ink. It's treated with a chemical to be invisible, so just write as usual. You've already messed up the first page, so write on the back." Yuda, noting Roxin's unexpected attention to security, jotted down the information he wanted on the notepad. [Blueprints of the Seronic, Neyubae, and Hissen family mansions.] [Details on the location of the enslaved elves, security size, and defense specifics.] Trusting his instincts that the writing came out correctly, Yuda handed the pad back. Roxin closed his eyes and ran his fingers over the pad, seemingly reading the indents left by the pen. "Ha!" Roxin looked at Yuda in disbelief. "Are you serious about what I'm thinking?" "I don't know what you're thinking, but if you read the notes correctly, then yes." "Do you realize this is madness?" Roxin quickly glanced around, ensuring they were alone before leaning in closer to whisper, "You're planning to mess with the grand nobles of Urun and rescue the elves they're enslaving? You've lost your mind." "When did the Shadow Kingdom start offering advice to clients? Although, if you're genuinely concerned, I appreciate it. Just let me know if you can get the mansion blueprints or not." "Obtaining the blueprints isn't hard. I can also provide details on the security arrangements, magical defenses, and their countermeasures. For this kind of information, it will cost you... let's say a thousand gold coins." Surprisingly, the cost wasn't as high as he anticipated. However, Roxin continued, "The problem is, once you break in, there's no guarantee you'll survive. Your life is at serious risk." "That doesn't matter. As long as you don't tip them off about my intentions." "You don't have to worry about me doing that." Yuda nodded lightly, "I'll trust you, especially since it's the Shadow Kingdom. When should I pay? I can do it here, if you prefer." "...Are you boasting about how much you won?" "Think of it that way." Roxin shot Yuda a disdainful look before a thought seemed to strike him. He hesitated for a moment, then grasped Yuda's hand in a gesture that was neither a handshake nor aggressive. This unexpected contact made Yuda uncomfortable, causing him to pull away and frown at the sensation of chills. "What is this?" "Hey, I won't take that thousand gold." "...Then what do you want?" "Instead, why don't you hang out here with me tonight? We could team up." "I don't gamble." Roxin tutted, wagging his finger, "You don't get it. Your luck combined with my knowledge could lead to a flawless victory. A 60/40 split: 60 to you, 40 to me. How about it? I can even provide the information by tomorrow." Gambling again? Yuda wasn't thrilled by the idea, but earning some extra money couldn't hurt. Lack of funds is problematic, but having too much rarely is. Roxin, sensing Yuda's hesitation and worrying he might refuse, cautiously urged him. "I promise you won't lose. Afraid you'll lose money? Don't worry. I'll use my own funds. I'll fetch a thousand gold for gambling. Wait here." Gambling seemed to mean a lot to Roxin. Swayed by his insistence and offer to use his own money, Yuda reluctantly agreed. Roxin promptly left and returned with a thousand gold in tow, ready to exchange for chips, and Yuda joined the game. Roxin was spot on. Combining Yuda's luck with his insight into the game, they amassed a significant fortune and became the stars of the casino that night. ---------= Author's Note ---------= 1) Oh no. Seems like I've caught a cold. Everyone, please stay warm and take care to avoid catching a cold too. ㅠ .