Episode 05
Billy was a guild member who had infiltrated the massive criminal organization “Redvor” undercover.
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Rosalyn immediately asked, “What’s going on?”
“It’s a Black Code!”
In an instant, every guild member froze.
As no one dared speak in the petrified lobby, Cassius’s voice rang out.
“What’s a Black Code?”
Rosalyn answered with a grave expression, “…It’s a signal sent by an undercover informant when their life is in danger.”
Guild codes were not to be shared with outsiders.
Changing a compromised code required time and money.
But…
Rosalyn decided to take a gamble.
Maybe the cost of changing a code will seem trivial compared to what we gain.
A result money couldn’t buy.
Cassius, the man Rosalyn was betting on, scanned the lobby with his gaze.
“If that’s the case, shouldn’t you be moving to save them? Why is no one acting?”
It was an urgent situation.
Yet the Hyde guild members stood as if they’d received a death sentence, none moving an inch.
Rosalyn explained quietly, “Because of the nature of Billy’s mission, a rescue operation isn’t straightforward.”
Billy’s task was undercover infiltration.
The target: Redvor, a massive criminal organization operating even beyond the empire’s borders.
It was a level of danger far beyond infiltrating a noble household as a servant.
That’s why Rosalyn, when personally training Billy for the undercover mission, had repeatedly stressed to flee at the slightest hint of danger.
No matter how valuable the information was…
The guild members who’ve been with me this far are more important.
That had been Rosalyn’s unwavering belief since founding Hyde.
A major guild wasn’t built alone.
But it seemed things had gone wrong.
Seeing the guild members’ resigned demeanor, Cassius furrowed his brow.
“So you’re giving up without even trying?”
Several guild members bristled, but Rosalyn raised a hand to stop them.
“Then what should we do? Billy’s infiltrating Redvor. It took six months just to get him in as a member.”
Getting one person inside was no easy feat.
That’s why Billy, before leaving for the mission, had asked Rosalyn to treat a Black Code as his death notice.
“With a Black Code issued, time is critical, but a covert rescue would take too long. Should we storm their front gate? That’d be declaring war on Redvor.”
Unless the imperial knights conducted a surprise raid, an information guild couldn’t wage war against a criminal organization.
This was why the guild members had accepted Billy’s Black Code as a death sentence.
But Rosalyn looked directly at Cassius.
“Still, you never know.”
Her red eyes gleamed fiercely.
“If there’s a legitimate reason to open their front gate.”
The guild members, finally grasping her intent, looked between the two in astonishment.
The name of the Black Iron Knights could provide a plausible pretext to breach Redvor’s front gate.
“If you lend us just a little help, my people can handle the rest.”
Rosalyn threw her gamble.
“I’ll make sure the reward is generous.”
Her fiery red eyes clashed with his deep blue ones.
Hope of saving a comrade they thought was doomed.
Yet beneath the appealing veneer, the fear that Cassius might refuse, seeing her intent to use him.
As a whirlwind of emotions swirled in her eyes, Cassius, who had been silently observing, slowly spoke.
“I don’t harm the innocent.”
He repeated the words he’d said earlier to reassure the guild members at Rosalyn’s request.
Though out of context, his solemn tone, as if reciting a knight’s oath, silenced even the sound of breathing.
In the quiet, his deep voice resonated clearly.
“I protect the lives of the empire’s citizens.”
His calm gaze swept over the room.
“That is the duty of a knight of the Aleon Empire.”
His eyes landed on Rosalyn last.
“If the guild member in danger is innocent, it’s my duty to help, and no reward is needed.”
The guild members stirred.
To Rosalyn’s offer of a deal, Cassius responded with unconditional support.
In other words, a jackpot.
With the Black Iron Knights’ help, they could save their comrade!
Just as fragile hope began to spread—
Rosalyn asked in a voice so cold it bordered on heartless, “What’s the standard for innocence?”
There was no truly innocent person in Hyde Guild.
A starving orphan caught pickpocketing.
A daughter forced onto the streets by a drunkard father’s gambling debts, resorting to scams.
A breadwinner stealing a loaf of bread to feed a poor family.
They’d all ended up in the guild by chance, meeting Rosalyn, and now lived well enough to avoid crime.
But they’d all lived such lives.
Rosalyn herself came from the slums.
If “innocence” meant living a spotless life, no one in Hyde qualified.
As that realization snuffed out the guild members’ budding hope—
“If they weren’t trying to harm others when they fell into danger,” Cassius’s emotionless voice spread through the room, “they can be considered innocent.”
Billy’s mission was to extract information from a criminal organization.
The last report before the Black Code stated he’d been recognized for his performance and was summoned to meet the higher-ups.
The date: today.
Being summoned wasn’t an issue, but being recognized for performance meant Billy had likely committed some crimes.
It was unclear whether he met Cassius’s standard of innocence.
But Rosalyn declared firmly, “He’s innocent. If he’s not, I’ll take responsibility.”
That was the duty of a leader.
If Billy’s guilty of anything, it’s only trusting me when I assigned him this undercover mission.
Cassius, staring into her resolute red eyes, made his decision.
“I’ll request support from headquarters.”
The guild members’ faces lit up with relief.
* * *
Things moved quickly after that.
Support arrived swiftly.
Surprised by the scale, Rosalyn was met with Cassius’s matter-of-fact response.
“It’s a criminal organization the Knights have been monitoring. If we can catch them now, the support is well worth it.”
The guild lobby was transformed into a temporary command center.
While wary of the knights occupying their space, the guild members bustled about, fueled by the hope of saving their comrade.
“Here’s all the information we’ve gathered on Redvor.”
Documents piled up across the lobby.
At Cassius’s command, the knights reviewed the files.
I was worried his knights might be displeased…
Rosalyn glanced at them.
But their discipline is ironclad.
No one spoke out of turn.
They followed Cassius’s orders faithfully.
A large map was spread across a table.
“We’ve narrowed down the likely meeting points to these three locations.”
Cassius silently stared at the three marked spots on the map.
Is something wrong?
As Rosalyn wondered, Cassius removed one marker.
“Not the docks.”
“Why not?”
“It’s usually a good hiding spot, but it’s been under secret control since this morning.”
He didn’t say it outright, but secret control implied the imperial family’s involvement.
Information only the Knights would have access to.
“Then the docks are out.”
Rosalyn nodded, convinced.
Another marker, placed in the outskirts, was removed.
“Not here either.”
“Why?”
“Too few people.”
“Hm, too noticeable for a secret meeting because it’s so empty.”
Most would think a sparsely populated area was ideal for secrecy, but a place where one could blend into a crowd was truly the most discreet.
Rosalyn understood without lengthy explanations.
Cassius’s blue eyes shifted from the map to her.
“Exactly. They’re not amateurs.”
Rosalyn pointed to the last remaining marker.
“Then it’s this one.”
Cassius nodded.
“It’s the most likely for now.”
As Rosalyn nodded in agreement, a guild member asked, “But would they use a temple as a meeting point?”
The final marker pointed to none other than the Azra Temple.
Rosalyn answered, “It’s a place where anyone can come and go without raising suspicion.”
Temples were frequented by all, regardless of status.
For secrecy, it was perfect.
“Correct.”
Cassius declared in his deep voice, “We’re heading to the Azra Temple.”
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