Chapter 66
To grab attention, I dramatically snapped my fan shut and slammed it on the table.
In a stern, commanding voice, I scolded,
“Why else would we be here if not to request intel? For an organization known for its ‘great information network,’ you sure don’t live up to the reputation. You don’t even know who this person is and have the nerve to ask our names first?”
My sudden outburst made the guards stiffen with tension. The man we were speaking to quickly raised a hand to stop them and stood up politely.
“I must’ve been rude without realizing it. My name is Nard, and I’m the leader here.”
He placed his hand over his chest and gave a formal bow. He was pretty slick, I’ll give him that—but I wasn’t done yet.
“Ha. So now you’re trying to trick us? Bring out the real leader. I’ll speak with him.”
“Excuse me?”
I scoffed and added,
“Bring me Zetren.”
The moment I said the real leader’s name, Nard’s face twitched in surprise. He quickly recovered, but I had seen the crack in his poker face.
“You know our leader’s name… Impressive. Still, he doesn’t meet just anyone. Even for information brokers like us, we don’t care to entertain some run-of-the-mill noble.”
“Run-of-the-mill?” I shot him a deadly glare.
Tension filled the room like a drawn bowstring. Neither side wanted to back down. Time to throw the final punch.
I took something out of my pocket and placed it on the table with a loud tap.
Nard glanced at it—his expression annoyed at first—but then his eyes widened in disbelief. It was the royal handkerchief Raymond had given me during the founding festival, with the imperial emblem stitched into it.
Everyone in the room was stunned—but none more than Raymond himself. He had been playing along with my act with a calm face, but this part genuinely surprised him. His shoulders twitched.
He was probably wondering why the heck did we even bother disguising ourselves if I was going to show this.
But trust me—I had a plan. Just wait.
“This is the kind of people we are,” I said. “Now bring me Zetren. Immediately.”
Nard recognized the emblem instantly. Of course he did.
The Night Watch was originally founded by people who sought revenge against the late Emperor—Kyle’s father. People who’d lost everything: their family, titles, villages. For them, that symbol was a trigger.
Sure, flashing the emblem could easily be seen as a hostile move. If they turned on us, we’d be in real danger—it wouldn’t be easy to escape. But this was the only way to force Zetren to show up.
It was a method that the original novel’s heroine, Amelia, used too—though hers was a lot harder. She had to convince them to protect the Emperor she had reformed. Me? I just needed them to join my side and get revenge.
I may not have her charisma or eloquence, but I could at least mimic her.
And even if I failed, I wasn’t alone. I had Raymond, one of the Five Great Swordmasters, and On, who was hidden nearby ready to jump in.
Soon, a burly man entered the room. Clearly not Nard’s equal—he was much bigger and more muscular. He looked like a boulder in human form.
“I’m Zetren,” he growled as he sat across from us.
His voice oozed hostility—as if he might bite us any second. He stared at me and Raymond, confused. He probably came rushing, thinking the Emperor himself might be here.
But then he caught a glimpse of Raymond’s blue eyes, partly visible under the brim of his hat. Aha—he realized he was facing royalty.
“No need to know who we are. Just listen to my request,” I said.
“And what is that?”
“Take care of the Emperor for me.”
“Oh?” Zetren’s tone sharpened with interest. He rubbed his chin.
Looks like I piqued his curiosity.
Raymond, sitting beside me, seemed shocked, but I stayed calm and collected.
“That’s quite the job. For that, the payment better be huge.”
“How’s a thousand denai?”
“Make it ten thousand.”
“That’s the empire’s entire yearly budget, isn’t it? Funny—since I know the Night Watch came to Ferment for revenge.”
“Heh… You’re better informed than we are,” Zetren chuckled.
He had bluffed to test our seriousness, but seeing we were real, he backed down.
In truth, even a thousand denai was a massive sum—something no noble could easily afford.
“Alright. One thousand denai,” he agreed.
“You’ll get 10% upfront, the rest upon completion. We’ll return with the hundred denai down payment soon.”
And with that, we shook hands over the table—deal sealed.
Later…
We left “Sir Edward’s Escape” and returned to our waiting carriage.
Once inside, I immediately took off the heavy hat and wiped my forehead. The stress had me sweating.
Raymond also removed his disguise, his black hair tousled in the breeze. He looked so fresh compared to my sweaty mess. Unfair.
He brushed my hair gently behind my ear and asked what he’d clearly been dying to know.
“Eilene… What were you thinking?”
I figured I should explain from the top. I told him about the Night Watch’s origins, and he nodded in understanding.
“Makes sense. The enemy of my enemy is my ally. It’s the best way to show we’re on the same side.”
“Exactly,” I said.
“But… they probably know who I really am.”
“Of course they do.”
“Huh?”
He looked confused, so I went into teacher mode.
“Would the empire’s top information network not recognize you? Of course they know. But they’re pretending not to.”
“Then… why did we bother disguising ourselves?”
“So they think we want to hide our identities.”
Here’s the logic:
If Raymond publicly declared his intent to take the throne, the Night Watch might back off—they don’t want to be seen openly supporting a rebel. That would make them an official enemy of the crown.
But if they think he’s secretly plotting, it gives them more freedom. They could support him from the shadows, using the deal simply for funding.
Raymond listened closely, then asked the big question:
“But… where are we going to get that much money?”
A thousand denai was enough to feed an entire territory for a year. I had promised it without even asking. He was understandably panicked.
I sighed dramatically.
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to ask… Raymond, do you have money?”
“W-What? No…?”
He looked totally thrown off.
“How much do you have?”
“Uhh…”
“Can you at least cover the deposit? A hundred denai?”
“Maybe… I’ll try.”
He avoided eye contact and looked out the window. He clearly had no clue how much money he had. That was his aide’s job.
I couldn’t help but giggle. My favorite man looked adorable when flustered.
“I’m joking. Don’t worry—I have a plan.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I’m starting a business.”
“A business?”
“A cosmetics line.”
That’s right—just like Amelia in the novel. But while she imported exotic ingredients with imperial backing, I planned to use a drop of my healing power in each product.
My main product line would be skincare: lotions and creams that restore and rejuvenate the skin. The flagship would be a miracle essence.
The name?
“Ere.”
A future bestseller—no doubt.
