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Chapter: 36
“Ah.”
At the mention of the legendary traitor’s name, Juliet’s eyes narrowed.
The Red King—Lionel Levaton.
About forty years ago, a manhunt had been declared across the entire Imperial territory for that traitor.
Lionel Levaton had once been a legendary mercenary whose name resounded half a century ago.
He wiped out the pirates along the eastern coast and demonstrated astonishing skill in seizing control of massive cities.
Lionel Levaton was more respected than any ruler who had ever governed the East, and people affectionately called him the Red King.
But there was no way the Emperor would tolerate a lowly mercenary being called a king.
The East was already a lawless region beyond the reach of imperial law—a constant headache.
In the end, the Imperial family charged Lionel Levaton with treason.
A mere formality of a trial, though.
It was a farce from the start—a theatrical in-absentia trial conducted with nothing but an empty chair, its conclusion decided before it even began.
There, Lionel Levaton was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death without statute of limitations.
In other words, the moment he set foot in the capital, outside what was essentially his own territory in the East, he would be arrested and dragged to the execution grounds.
That is, if he could even be caught.
Would a man who had ruled the East like a king really be captured so easily by the Emperor’s soldiers?
Yet not long after being branded a traitor, Lionel Levaton vanished.
He hadn’t been arrested—he had simply disappeared. And to this day, his whereabouts remained unknown.
Still, it seemed the people of the East continued to revere the Red King.
“The people of the East call Milos the Cradle,” the coachman said proudly.
“The Cradle of the Red King. With His Majesty’s protection, it’s the safest city in the world.”
Juliet smiled faintly.
To someone like her, born and raised in the capital, the Red King was little more than a character from old bedtime stories—used to scare children with warnings like ‘If you don’t behave, the Red King will take you away!’
Opinions differed widely on what had become of the vanished Red King.
Some claimed he had died long ago. Others said he had fled to a distant land.
Juliet recalled something she had once heard from a mercenary-turned-escort knight.
Mercenaries who lived dangerous lives often used aliases to protect their families.
Which meant Lionel Levaton might never have been his real name in the first place.
And if he were still alive, he’d be very old by now.
He had disappeared decades ago. Even if alive, he would be well over seventy.
It wouldn’t be strange if he had changed his identity, lived quietly under another name, and died long ago.
“Some people say the Red King is already dead, but that’s just ignorance,” the coachman declared confidently.
Juliet chuckled softly.
The East, like the North, was a region largely beyond the Emperor’s grasp.
A land of merchant guilds, mercenaries, and mage towers. Free people who rejected imperial rule.
Even if Lionel Levaton were long dead, the name of the Red King would likely continue to rule the East.
“Is that so?”
“Of course. The King of the East is immortal. He will surely return one day.”
“…Ha!”
The scoff came from across from her. A man who had been sprawled across the bench, half-asleep, slowly sat up.
“What childish nonsense…”
As he ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his eyes met Juliet’s—and he flinched, his expression stiffening.
What was that supposed to mean?
Since Juliet had removed her veil, this was the first time she had properly faced the man who had been tailing her all morning.
Despite his flamboyant appearance, his eyes were a surprisingly beautiful shade of blue—similar to hers.
The man stared at her blankly for a moment. Then his ears suddenly turned red, and he scowled deeply.
“Ah, damn it…”
What’s his problem?
Before the irritated Juliet could snap back, the carriage jolted violently and came to a halt.
“We’ve arrived at your destination, passengers.”
The man, who had been glaring at her until the very last moment, roughly raked his hair and sprang to his feet.
From the stagecoach stop to Milos’s central fountain plaza, one had to pass through a quiet alley.
Suddenly, the red-haired man walking ahead stopped short, blocking the path.
“Fuck, this is seriously pissing me off.”
“…?”
“I’m losing my mind. Some ugly little thing keeps sticking to me…”
Carrying her luggage and walking a short distance behind, Juliet hadn’t even realized at first that he was talking about her.
But then the man spun around and strode toward her, spouting absurd accusations.
“Did Oliver send you?”
“What…?”
“Did that bastard knock me down and try to squeeze money out of me?”
“No, I—”
“Here. This should be enough.”
After rummaging through his pocket, the man grabbed Juliet’s hand and forcibly pressed something into it.
“Take it and get lost. And go tell your pimp that I’m dead, got it?”
Pimp… what?
“Try following me again. If I see you one more time, you’re dead. Seriously.”
After barking threats until the end, the man glared at Juliet and stormed off.
“…?”
Only after standing there in a daze did Juliet open her hand and realize he had shoved five gleaming gold coins into her palm.
Each coin bore the distinctive image of a lion in profile.
It was clear he had completely misunderstood something.
I wasn’t following you, you lunatic.
Well… she had followed him—but only because they happened to share the same destination.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
What the hell is wrong with that guy?!
Determined to fling the coins back in his shameless face—and maybe kick his shins for good measure—Juliet hurried into the plaza, but the unpleasant man was nowhere to be seen.
Milos was a vast, ancient city, crowded with people. The central fountain plaza teemed with carriages and passersby.
In the end, Juliet gave up the chase and clenched her teeth, vowing revenge instead.
Just let me see you again. You’re the one who’ll be dead.
Judging by his flashy appearance, he wouldn’t be hard to find while she stayed in Milos.
Her nerves still on edge, Juliet crossed the beautiful fountain plaza, forcing herself to calm down.
Before long, a dazzlingly white building of marble came into view.
It was the symbol of Milos—the “Library,” one of the East’s most renowned information guilds.
* * *
Juliet stepped into the lobby of the “Library,” a grand structure resembling a stately old mansion.
I didn’t expect it to be this extravagant.
Large travel carriages were lined up outside the entrance.
Juliet glanced around at the patrons moving through the lobby.
It was obvious at a glance that most were nobles or wealthy individuals—and naturally, they weren’t here to borrow books.
The “Library” of Milos was the headquarters of the most famous information guild in the East, known for buying and selling anything.
Legal or illegal—anything at all.
“Welcome, honored guest,” a male clerk at the service counter greeted her.
For a place called a library, the atmosphere felt closer to an imperial bank or hotel lobby, which left Juliet slightly disappointed.
“Are you here to sell something?”
“Both,” Juliet replied.
Impressed by the clerk’s practicality, she handed over a small pouch.
“I’d like to sell this—and I’m also looking for something.”
However, after giving her modest attire a brief once-over, the clerk merely pretended to inspect the item before returning it.
“All appraisals are handled directly by the manager.”
The manager—was that the master of the information guild?
“Appraisals take time, so would you mind waiting your turn?”
“….”
Checking the number on the ticket he handed her, Juliet let out a small laugh.
Maybe I should’ve just paid the temple instead.
She suddenly recalled a man who once said that anything solvable with money was the easiest problem of all.
Seeing her smile, the clerk added apologetically, “We do have lodging available inside the Library for visitors, but as you can see…”
The wealthy guests had already filled the queue.
Even in the East—supposedly beyond imperial law—money and status still came first.
“However, there are many good inns near the plaza,” he said, recommending a few places.
Juliet briefly considered heading to the Grand Temple instead, but that would mean retracing her steps.
She had chosen Milos partly out of curiosity about what the famous information guild headquarters—the Library—would look like.
At this rate, I don’t even know if I’ll get to see the manager, let alone look around.
Deciding to secure lodging first, Juliet returned to the central fountain plaza.
Perhaps because she’d run into a madman first thing in the morning, she had a bad feeling the day wouldn’t go smoothly.
How am I supposed to find that bastard anyway?
Lost in thought as she crossed the plaza, a person wearing a low-pulled hat brushed past her.
Tap.
Huh?
Sensing something off, Juliet stopped in her tracks.
Watching the man’s retreating figure carefully, she soon witnessed something interesting.
The man casually approached another passerby and, just like before, bumped into him.
Thud!
This time, unfortunately, the timing was off, and he collided hard with someone who was turning around.
“Oof!”
Juliet’s eyes narrowed.
Just before the man knocked the passerby over, she had clearly seen him slip a wallet from the inside pocket.
“Thief!”
“Get him!”
Thankfully, she wasn’t the only one who had noticed.
“Tch!”
As the pickpocket shoved through the crowd and bolted into an alley, a single butterfly fluttered after him, clinging quietly—so discreetly that no one noticed.
Meanwhile, Juliet approached the fallen man.
“Are you all right?”
The person on the ground was an elderly man with a dignified appearance.
He glanced at Juliet, then took her outstretched hand and rose to his feet.
“Thank you, young one.”
“Not at all,” Juliet replied politely.
At the same moment, a horrific scream echoed from the alley.
“Kyaaaah!”
Judging by the crowd’s murmurs, it was obvious what had happened.
Wearing an instinctively innocent expression, Juliet supported the old man.
She hadn’t noticed earlier, but despite his age, he stood straight and had a solid build—someone who must have been quite renowned in his younger days.
He doesn’t look like the type who’d fall victim to a scrawny pickpocket…
Tilting her head in confusion, Juliet soon realized why.
“Sorry, young one, but could you pick that up for me?”
Ah.
Juliet picked up the heavy cane lying on the ground and handed it to him.
“Thank you.”
Only then did the old man smile and stand fully upright.
Though hard to notice at first glance, the tall elderly man had a slight limp in his left leg.
Instinctively, Juliet felt a faint sense of unease.
