Chapter 14. Swallow Trap

Vernell had always been told he moved at his own pace.

That’s why, even in such a small academy, he hadn’t made a single friend and had gone from being a prodigy to teetering on the edge of expulsion.

But even a Vernell so “in his own way” now felt completely powerless before this man.

‘An overwhelming aura…’

Eyes like they were peering into an unfathomable abyss.

They weren’t empty; there was also a love within them—directed toward Valdrova.

Someone who truly seemed capable of doing anything for her.

Convinced he was about to lose his life, Vernell opened his mouth.

“W-well… I don’t know. I don’t think something like that could shake my convictions…”

But one thing is one thing, and another is another.

Even if threatened like that, he didn’t want to change his stance so easily.

‘Aaaah! I-I’m not gonna die, right?’

Vernell closed his eyes and let his imagination run wild.

Would they twist his fingers?

Or beat him like a dog on a sweltering day, like the loan shark?

Ferda’s hand landed on his shoulder.

“It’s fine.”

Ferda gave him a few gentle pats.

Realizing he was still intact, Vernell opened his eyes wide.

“E-eh? W-what…?”

“I said it’s fine.”

“…That’s it?”

“Yes. That’s enough. I never intended to convince you in just one day.”

“Ah… I-I see…”

Ferda extended a hand toward Ruri, and she pulled out a scroll from inside her voluminous skirt.

“Here.”

“What’s this?”

“A letter of appointment.”

“Appoint… ment?”

“A document that officially designates you as the chief researcher of Valdrova Castle. The terms are exactly what I told you. The only variable is how you choose.”

Ferda stood up and turned away.

“Think it over carefully. And when you’ve decided, come to the Dragon Queen’s domain anytime. Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Ferda and Ruri left through the door without another word.

No insistence, no looking back. They truly left.

The letter of appointment they left behind rolled gently until it stopped at Vernell’s feet.

Alone, Vernell stared at it in silence.

***

“Can we really trust that Vernell guy?”

Inside the carriage, Ruri asked while seated across from him.

In her right hand, she held a skewer of honeyed fruit, and in her left, a set of about five cups awaiting execution in her mouth.

Ferda nodded.

“He’s trustworthy.”

“Idealists like that usually carry their stubbornness to the grave.”

“He’ll do it.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because those who desire peace always end up preparing for war.”

“And who said such nonsense?”

Who else.

‘That guy.’

The Vernell Marquis of the future—the one Ferda had known—had said it.

He’d realized too late how hypocritical his extreme pacifist facade had been.

“Assuming we’ve already recruited him, where do you plan to go next?”

Ferda had already decided on their next destination.

“We’re going to Halim.”

“Halim… isn’t that the entertainment city in the south?”

Ruri’s expression turned even more unpleasant than usual.

She was already used to getting bad looks, but now it felt like people looked at her worse than an insect.

And with good reason—that city was a sanctuary of decadence and pleasure.

“If we’re just passing through, pick another city.”

“No. That’s the final destination. The person I’m looking for is there.”

“In a city of vices?”

“Without a doubt.”

“Are you sure there’s no personal interest involved?”

“There isn’t.”

Ruri narrowed her eyes and stared at Ferda.

Even she could tell there wasn’t a trace of a lie in his words.

And precisely because of that, it seemed even more suspicious to her.

How could a human live being that honest?

“Then, who are we going to find?”

“Jed Swallow.”

One of the names written on the list Ruri was holding.

“And what kind of person is he?”

“He belongs to the Sparrow Clan.”

“…Sparrow Clan?”

“That’s right.”

A brief silence.

Ruri thought for a moment, checking if what she was thinking was correct, and asked again,

“Are you referring to that scoundrel who scams nobles and rich women by seducing them?”

“He’s also a gambler.”

“…”

“Why that face?”

With each word, Ruri’s expression darkened further.

A dark, oppressive aura began to emanate from her.

Hiiiiin!

“Eh? What’s wrong with the horses all of a sudden?”

Even the poor horses ended up startled.

With the animals shaken for no clear reason, the road ahead promised to be complicated.

Seeing the scene, Ferda added what he had left out.

“And, he also comes from the Red Eyes bloodline.”

The aura Ruri was emitting disappeared instantly.

The emotion she now showed looked more like surprise.

“The Red Eyes bloodline… are you talking about that lineage?”

“Exactly.”

“I heard they went extinct because of the Great Cataclysm.”

“They did. That’s the official information.”

The official information.

Ruri knew this wasn’t something that could be brushed off lightly.

If there were signs the Red Eyes had survived, a report would have arrived immediately.

And if that were the case, she would have known.

“How do you know something like that?”

Ruri asked directly.

“I just do.”

Ferda avoided giving more details.

She wanted to press further, but Ruri had no clear reason to keep pushing.

‘Sparrow Clan and gambler—but of the Red Eyes.’

A truly delicate balance.

Compared to Vernell Marquis, he was an even worse human being, yet at the same time someone with extraordinary capabilities.

‘Should I oppose this or support it?’

At that crossroads, Ruri hesitated over and over.

To keep her brain from “shutting down,” she munched on the candied fruit with enthusiasm, thinking harder.

Ferda decided to help her make up her mind.

“They say they sell a lot of sweets in the south.”

“…Alright. Let’s at least go check it out.”

***

The South is a hot region all year round.

Under the blazing sun, the land dries out, and if you go far enough south, you reach a desert of extreme heat where not a single blade of grass or drop of water can be found.

Halim was an entertainment city built to take advantage of precisely those southern traits.

During the day it was hot, but the cool nights allowed for a bustling nightlife to thrive, attracting numerous nobles and wealthy individuals.

If Escolea was filled with the aroma of coffee and black tea, here the air was thick with the sweet scent of sugar.

Ferda got a headache from it, but Ruri’s nose enjoyed it all day long.

The place Ferda headed to was a casino.

Ruri silently observed the chips Ferda had exchanged.

He had converted absolutely all the money he was carrying.

“Didn’t you say you had no personal interest?”

“I don’t.”

“Really?”

“I’m going to wear out my tongue repeating it. Just push the cart and follow me.”

Under Ruri’s sharp glare, Ferda walked silently through the casino.

Women in provocative clothing and people laughing as they indulged in primal pleasures.

Among those living in a money-bought utopia to forget reality, Ferda walked with solemnity.

And among them, there was a young man who stood out.

In the midst of a murky, desire-filled aura, there was a boy who shone.

Light brown hair, black eyes.

Tall, solidly built, slim but not fragile.

People gathered around him.

When he laughed, everyone laughed; when he looked sympathetic, they all shared that emotion.

That man completely captivated his audience.

‘Jed Swallow.’

A man who, with his extraordinary eloquence and charm, won the favor of many nobles.

So charming they didn’t even realize they were being swindled.

‘Though, because of his greed, he was eventually caught.’

Still, that wasn’t a problem.

They say a clever rabbit digs three burrows.

But Swallow was the kind of man who dug three more inside those three to escape danger.

‘He even escaped Shark Island, from which no one escapes, and the ice prison in the far north.’

He was, without a doubt, a great criminal—a man for whom nothing was impossible.

Well, that was only possible because no one knew he was from the Red Eyes race.

All descendants of the Red Eyes race are marked by their red pupils and possess a unique ability.

The power to disperse residual mana present in objects or in the air.

That’s why, to mages, the Red Eyes race was a natural enemy.

The eyes of the man Ferda was watching now were a deep black.

Perfectly normal eyes of an ordinary human.

That’s why no one would suspect he belonged to the Red Eyes race.

‘Even if someone were to discover it.’

That man had absolute confidence he wouldn’t be caught.

He was capable enough to ensure it.

‘He’s a talent I urgently need.’

With his hands behind his back, Ferda calmly walked over and took a seat.

Upon the arrival of a stranger, Jed was the first to greet him naturally.

“Well, we have a new friend. Pleasure to meet you. I’m Jed.”

“Likewise. My name is Ferda.”

“You’d better be careful around here. Everyone just wants to devour you like vultures.”

“Haha! I know a thing or two about poker!”

“You say that after losing forty gold coins?”

The mood was lively.

None of them had actually made money.

Being able to make people laugh without winning was impressive in itself.

‘His way of speaking and aura, able to command a crowd.’

But to Ferda, it was just a thick mask of falsehood.

“Have you played poker before?”

“I know the basics.”

“You learn as you go, right?”

“Where’s the master who was never a beginner? Ha ha!”

“Exactly. I also learned just today. I’m only getting the hang of it.”

He wasn’t interested in those who bragged about being easy prey.

“Let’s play a hand.”

“Alright. What’s the point of talking so much here?”

The game began.

Ferda slowly started winning.

It might have seemed like beginner’s luck, but Ferda didn’t see it that way.

It was Jed’s process of reeling him in.

‘He really knows how to cast a lure.’

He was a man with skilled hands.

Even Ferda, who considered himself quite sharp, couldn’t tell when he was being tricked.

Ferda decided to play along.

Of course, subtly showing that he wouldn’t be sucked dry little by little, and instead pulling Jed in himself.

“Hm, I think it’s about time we end this game. It’s gotten late.”

Said Jed.

“Huh? Really?”

“If you say so.”

“Let’s make the last one big! Ha ha!”

Jed dealt the cards and began the final round.

“Alright, let’s bet. A hundred!”

“Two hundred gold coins!”

“Such enthusiasm! I’ll take two hundred and raise to four hundred.”

Jed’s turn ended, and it was Ferda’s.

“All in.”

He pushed in all the chips he had left.

At a glance, their value exceeded two thousand gold coins.

The casino stirred.

“The guy who was betting small just went all in?”

“Isn’t that a bit much for the last hand?”

Ferda laced his fingers and rested them on the table, calmly repeating.

“All in.”

The middle-aged men holding cards let out groans and folded.

“Is today the only day to play? There’s another game tomorrow. I’m out.”

“Me too.”

The turn returned to Jed.

“Where do you get the confidence to bet like that?”

He asked with a crooked smile.

Ferda looked at him and replied.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to win this hand.”

“I don’t get where that confidence comes from.”

“Because you’re going to fold.”

Jed leaned back and smirked smugly.

“And why would I fold?”

“To be honest, I don’t want to lose money. There’s a girl who thinks I’m into gambling.”

“So I should lose money just to keep up appearances for a girl? That’s a bit much. In that case, you shouldn’t have come at all.”

Jed let out a short laugh.

He thought it was just the bravado of a gambler.

“That’s not the only reason.”

“Huh?”

“Because I know what you really want.”

“What do I want? And what would that be, when I’ve got beautiful women, alcohol, and money?”

He hugged the woman beside him, and she let out a delighted giggle.

Definitely the wife of some provincial noble.

Then Ferda said.

“Among all those women, there’s no one named Emilia.”

The affable mask cracked.

The hand holding his cards trembled slightly, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

It was only for a moment, but everyone felt the clash of wills.

Even so, Jed was an experienced player.

“…I’ll call.”

Without folding, he pushed his chips into the center.

He wasn’t going to give up a hand he had already won.

“Straight flush. And you?”

Ferda showed his cards.

“High card, King.”

“High card, King.”

“You bluffed with a hand that’s not even a pair?”

The middle-aged men’s eyes widened in amazement.

The winner was Jed.

Ferda, having lost everything, stood up without a hint of regret.

“Wait, noble sir.”

Just as he was about to leave, carefree, Jed called out to him.

“Since I won all your money, how about I buy you a drink to cheer you up? You seem old enough.”

His face still wore a smile.

But that smile was no longer pleasant.

“I’ll treat.”

There was a killing intent behind it.

“Alright.”

Everything was going exactly according to Ferda’s plan.

***

A casino full of laughter and joy.

A land where, under a sun that never sets, people surrendered to pleasure and forgot time.

Ferda and Jed left the place together and headed to the lodgings.

The moment they stepped out of the casino and into the hotel hallway—

“Who are you?”

The voice that had been full of laughter now fell like a blade.

Ferda accepted the change in tone without resistance.

In truth, even if he wanted to talk, he had nothing more to say.

“You know who I am, don’t you?”

“That’s not important.”

“Exactly. At this point, it doesn’t matter. Let’s skip the boring introductions.”

Jed pulled something hidden from his clothes.

A dagger.

“Explain why you mentioned that name.”

Jed’s eyes turned a deep, intense red.

Those eyes were the mark of the Red Eyes race—known as mage-killers.

‘Any magic circle that comes into contact with those eyes is nullified.’

The appearance of a mage-killer would strike fear into any ordinary sorcerer.

But Ferda had no reason to fear.

“Jed Swallow. If you don’t want your identity revealed to the world, lower those eyes.”

“So you’re with those bastards too, huh?!”

“I came to have a rational conversation.”

“What did you do to my sister, you bastard?!”

The man who wore a smiling mask revealed his true face—filled with fury.

Even Ferda had never seen that expression before.

“Don’t show killing intent toward me again.”

Ferda warned quietly.

“My maid isn’t entirely loyal, but if she senses I’m in danger, she’ll kill you without hesitation.”

That warning was, in fact, for Jed’s own good.

“I want to talk to you. So get rid of your bloodlust.”