~Chapter 78~
The unexpected guest arrived at Duke Winters’s mansion around noon.
“Hm, this is the first time I’ve walked in through the front gate like this. And this early, too.”
In the Winters family reception room—
Tiel spoke while glancing between Aisha, whose eyes were shadowed from lack of sleep, and Killian, whose face was as cold as ever.
“But what’s with you, Aisha? Did you stay up all night writing the follow-up article?”
“Let’s just say yes.”
Aisha answered briefly. Killian, arms crossed, looked at Tiel and asked:
“So, why are you here? And without warning.”
He was just as baffled. It wasn’t only that Tiel had shown up so openly; what bothered him more was why it had to be done this way.
“Did something urgent happen with Rune?”
“Our Duke Winters seems to be the straightforward type.”
Tiel smirked and sipped his black tea. Aisha narrowed her eyes at him.
She was just as confused. If Tiel had business with her, he would have come to her bedroom at dawn like always. Tiel hated getting tangled up in troublesome things—and those “troublesome things” definitely included dealing with the strict, ill-tempered Killian Winters.
“Fine. I’ll get to the point too.”
Click.
Setting down his half-empty teacup, Tiel opened his mouth.
“I actually have business with both of you. First, Killian Winters—you remember we agreed to open a deal, right?”
With both of us? Killian looked puzzled but nodded. Tiel continued.
“I’d like to start that right away.”
“……”
“You still haven’t told me what you want from me. That’s my business with you.”
“Why the rush?”
“Who knows. There are a few reasons. Let’s just say I’m impatient.”
…Killian had, in fact, been thinking it was time to begin working with Tiel. The Roselia affair had been settled for now, and he was no longer being chased.
“So, Killian Winters—what do you want to hire our guild to do?”
Killian stroked his jaw in silence for a moment, then folded his arms and looked at Tiel as if he had made up his mind.
“Find someone.”
“Someone?”
Tiel’s brow creased at the unexpected request.
This was a deal with that Rune. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say people were desperate to put in requests to Rune—not only in the Draxion Empire. Rune was that skilled, with a very high success rate.
And yet—just to find a person?
“Isn’t that something you could handle yourself? You even planted people in Aldrosia this time, didn’t you? Bold of you.”
“……”
“With intel like that, and you still can’t find one man?”
“If I’d found him, would I be hiring you right now, Tiel?”
Killian replied, face blank.
“His name is Kax Bilden. Likely an alias. No idea what name he’s using now. Age: sixties. White hair, brown eyes. Status unknown. Height: late 170s centimeters, thin build. There’s a long scar from the back of his hand up along his arm.”
“……”
“Last sighting was five years ago, near the Draxion–Aldrosia border. That’s all I can give you now.”
“Hold on. That means he might not even be in Draxion?”
“Probably not.”
Killian stared straight at him, as if asking why he was stating the obvious.
“That’s exactly why I’m hiring you. Tiel, master of Rune, the underworld guild. Or are you planning to back out now and say you can’t handle this?”
Damn it.
Tiel swore under his breath. He’d picked the wrong day to walk into this. He’d expected Killian to want intel on Roselia or Belmore—but to ask for a person hunt out of nowhere?
It didn’t sound that difficult, but jobs like this took a lot more work than people thought. And if they didn’t even know the real name, it was worse. Not to mention the last sighting was five years ago… Who knew if he was in Draxion, Aldrosia, or some other empire now.
Bloody duke.
Even so, his pride wouldn’t allow him to back out “now,” just as Killian said. In the end, Tiel nodded.
“Fine. Got it. But let’s clear up a few things first.”
“Go on.”
“First, what was Kax Bilden’s relationship to you?”
“……”
“It might seem trivial, but context is crucial—especially when you’re tracking a person—”
“Kax Bilden was the butler of House Winters.”
What?
Aisha and Tiel wore identical expressions at Killian’s unexpected answer.
“He was hired right before the late duke took me in.”
“When did Kax Bilden disappear?”
“The day I killed the late duke and his son.”
“……”
“The day I became the head. He vanished that very day—without leaving a trace.”
Killian remembered it perfectly, even now.
“How laughable you are, Killian. You know nothing, and you don’t even understand the debt you owe for being raised… ha… hahaha…”
That day—his father laughing with a sword buried in his belly.
“Do you… do you think you could ever belong to our Winters family? No, no. Your filthy blood… cough…”
“What are you talking about?!”
“You don’t even know what blood runs in you, or who your mother is… How ridiculous…”
The words made no sense. Did that mean he wasn’t of Winters blood? Then why had the Duke of Winters taken him in?
There weren’t many who might know the answer.
The father’s knight—already dead.
And Kax Bilden, who had served him for years.
“Kax Bilden!”
Just as he had tried to seize Kax in the chaos—
Kax Bilden fled with everything he had,
bearing a great wound dealt by Killian’s own sword.
If he truly knew nothing, he wouldn’t have run like that.
Killian realized it instinctively.
Kax Bilden knew who his “mother” was—the one his father had spoken of.
So he had to find Kax. No matter what it took.
“Why do you want Kax Bilden, Killian Winters?” Tiel asked.
“Tiel.” Killian answered, face like ice.
“My request is to find Kax Bilden. You’ve no right to ask for more.”
“……”
“I don’t see how my reason would affect the outcome. Or are you saying you’re not confident you can find him?”
“You do have a knack for getting under people’s skin, don’t you?”
Tiel’s eyes flashed. Killian’s did, too. Stuck between them, Aisha could only think helplessly:
If you’re going to fight, take it outside, you lunatics… I’m already at my limit…
“Anyway, fine. The info you gave is pathetic, but Rune’s intel is just as exceptional.”
Tiel shrugged, signaling he would take the job.
“I’ll look into it as fast as possible. I don’t know what timeline you expect, but it could take quite a while—”
“It doesn’t matter. As long as you find him.” Killian’s eyes were blazing.
“No matter how long it takes, how much it costs, or what help you need—just find him.”
“……”
“That’s all I care about.”
…Whatever it was, this smelled messy. Well, he’d learn the details once he started digging. Tiel thought.
“Looks like we’re done with my part.”
Then Killian asked again,
“And what business do you have with Aisha Ashton, Tiel?”
Somehow…
“I need to say it with you here. Right now.”
His eyes were even scarier than before.
