Episode 343 – The Mousetrap
The plan was to open a spatial portal through Samuel and transport the elves to the World Tree.
It was a process requiring significant preparation, but thankfully, the end was finally in sight.
However, the timing was cutting it close.
Azonne's pressure was closing in, and in the worst case, they had even considered relocating via land.
That’s why I’d wanted to ask Samuel this one question.
“Why were you late?”
“I had a tail.”
“A tail??”
“Yeah. Persistent, vicious, and absolutely ruthless bastards.”
Reception room on the first floor of the Lenon estate.
Samuel floated a Twilight Leaf on a steaming cup of tea and waited for its golden hue to spread.
Monts later, he sipped the divinely infused tea and let out a soft, oddly satisfied moan. His expression was… peculiar.
“What’s with that face?”
“I’ve been paying the price for overusing spatial magic. The Curse of Fracture is healing now, so of course I feel good.”
“The tail... was it the Cleaners?”
At my question, Samuel furrowed his brows and nodded.
As expected—only they would pose a threat to soone who traversed space like he did.
“Until I boarded the Ship Gridnt, there was no sign of pursuit. I thought I could reach the World Tree without issue. But then, suddenly, the Cleaners got ahead of the ship and began tracking .”
Since Richard himself was leading the Cleaners, Samuel could no longer stay aboard the Gridnt and fled to land. Having emptied his cup, Samuel stroked his mustache and continued.
“Richard clearly knew my destination.”
“You an the World Tree?”
“That’s right. He must’ve figured I was working with you. Not a hard guess to make. The real issue is, those bastards are incredible hunters. Once they picked up my trail, there was no way through them to reach the World Tree.”
So he had curled up and waited, biding his ti.
“I’m surprised they didn’t catch you.”
“What do you take for? I’m Samuel.”
“So you did manage to break through them and get to the World Tree?”
“Of course not. You think I wanted to die?”
He cleared his throat and held his cup out to .
“Refill?”
“You’ve grown quite frail lately.”
It was just the two of us in the room. I sighed and infused the leaf tea with divine power.
Watching with interest, Samuel poured another cup and spoke again.
“For so reason, the Cleaners suddenly pulled back and disappeared to another location. That’s why I was able to make it on ti.”
“Another location? Where?”
“No idea. They all just vanished. Every single Cleaner.”
I fell into thought.
The Cleaners never let go once they sink their teeth in. Why would such relentless hunters suddenly back off?
Looking at Samuel again, he wore that peculiar expression as he savored his tea.
“Sothing more important than Samuel, then?”
I thought of Gram, the Black Tower Master. The woman who drinks blood—she had been after Samuel’s spatial attribute using her True Blood Drain technique.
She was almost certainly the one who deployed the Cleaners.
And it was clear she had recalled them.
So where did they go?
Demtor?
By now, the death of Sub-Tower Master Nagrok would have reached Demtor.
If the incident had heightened tensions between the two factions, Gram might have summoned the Cleaners back.
I considered other possibilities—places where the Cleaners might be sent. Given how threatening their power was, I couldn’t help but stay alert.
Then Samuel, having drained his cup again, asked,
“Did you get everything you needed from the Dark Sales? I heard there was sothing you had to acquire.”
“Yes. I got everything I ca for.”
“Already? But the Dark Sales isn’t over yet…”
Dark Sales.
The mont the words hit , I narrowed my brows and turned to Samuel.
“Samuel, how long would it take the Cleaners to reach Aintrier from where they were?”
“You serious? With a portal, they’d be here in a blink…”
“No. I an if they moved—on foot.”
“Those guys? They’d make it in three days. Maybe faster.”
“What about you?”
“? I’d take longer than them.”
That surprised .
“They’re faster than you?”
“No way. They’re slower than . But…”
Samuel smiled bitterly before continuing.
“I need to rest. They don’t. They have the persistence to travel three days and nights straight. Once they’ve targeted you, forget about sleep.”
The mont I heard that, I slowly stood up.
There were only about two days left in the Dark Sales.
If the Cleaners had vanished when Samuel said they did, and their destination was Aintrier, they would arrive right as the Dark Sales ended.
And that’s the day the negotiation hall opens.
On that day, those with priority negotiation rights and item holders would trade goods in formal deals—the largest marketplace event on the continent.
And it was the very day I was scheduled to negotiate with Lord Azonne over the Leaf Monopoly Rights.
The timing was too perfect to ignore.
“We need to accelerate the elf evacuation.”
“But I just got here. Can’t I get so—”
“Shall I let Fenry know you want a break?”
“…W-what break!? Of course we start right away!”
Had he suffered under Fenry after arriving at the World Tree?
Samuel had always avoided Lily, but it seed even Fenry had beco soone he feared.
“The preparations are done. All that’s left is the move. Head straight to the warehouse with the portal. Once the elves arrive, start sending them through to the World Tree.”
“Understood.”
“Oh, and…”
I pulled a small slip of paper from my coat.
“Give this to Elton.”
“Elton?”
Samuel waved the note with curiosity.
“Can I read it?”
“Up to you. But I recomnd you don’t. It’s for Fenry.”
“…Yeah, I’ll pass.”
Tucking the note into his coat, Samuel adjusted his hat and asked,
“So what about you?”
“?”
“Not just you—anyone else staying here. You’re staying until the end of the Dark Sales?”
“I have an important deal left. Once that’s done, I’ll leave.”
“Then the portal…”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I doubt we’ll be able to use the portal that day.”
“You an they’ll activate a barrier?”
A spatial-distortion barrier had been installed within Aintrier.
It cost a fortune to activate and wasn’t used lightly, but considering the security required on that day, the odds of it being used were high.
“We’ll be prepared on our end. Just make sure the note gets there.”
“Got it.”
Samuel tipped his hat in farewell and disappeared into the air.
I let out a long breath and looked toward Azonne’s castle.
I had a bad feeling.
I could only hope my assumptions were wrong.
***
Azonne slipped into the shadows.
The Shelter of Darkness.
Arriving under the guise of the Black Market Master, he listened to reports from his lieutenants.
As expected, the core issue lately was the death of Sub-Tower Master Nagrok.
The aftermath of that incident had been significant.
Especially in Demtor—Among them, the Ivory Tower’s reaction was the fiercest.
“Tower Master Modin of the Ivory Tower has identified Black Tower Master Gram as the killer.”
“What’s Gram’s response?”
“No response. She seems unfazed.”
“There’s a rumor Modin may visit Aintrier himself to track the culprit.”
“Likelihood?”
“Very high—over fifty percent.”
Nagrok’s death.
Demtor in chaos.
And now—
“Modin is leaving the Ivory Tower...”
Events were unfolding exactly as Gram had envisioned. The changes she predicted were now the seeds of war. The mont Modin stepped out, Gram would move.
But one thing remained unclear—her power. Does Gram have the ans to defeat Modin?
The Cleaners couldn’t touch a "Star of Demtor."
Without their help, how would she take down soone like Modin?
Modin was an all-around combat mage, proficient in both artifact mastery and raw magic.
He had offense, defense, evasion, and concealnt all at his disposal—ordinary power would never bring him down.
Azonne had never seen Gram show such capability. If she planned to use him—She’d be making a serious mistake.
She would be the one in trouble when the ti ca.
“What’s Richard’s position?”
“He’s leading the Cleaners and stationed near Aintrier.”
“Is his location confird?”
“Yes.”
Azonne nodded and gave his command.
“A guest will be visiting soon. Tell him to wait in place.”
“Understood.”
With Richard ready, the only variable left was the internal flow within Aintrier.
Feigning ignorance, Azonne asked his officers:
“Any progress on identifying Nagrok’s killer?”
“Not yet, but suspicion is drifting toward the World Tree Union.”
“Report imdiately if any evidence surfaces.”
Indeed, public opinion was beginning to turn toward the Union—Exactly as Azonne had orchestrated through carefully spread rumors.
It was all going according to plan.
“What about the Everfell incident?”
“Sa. Focus is turning to the World Tree Union. There are rumors of recent disputes over trade, but no hard proof.”
Azonne gave a slight nod.
Public sentint was aligned enough that they could bla the Union for both events without resistance.
“Keep surveillance on the Union. Any changes inside Aintrier?”
“Various families, led by the Lenon family, are moving their assets out of the city. They seem to be preparing for war or relocating. More observation is needed.”
“Relocating assets...”
Azonne clenched his fist.
Everything flowing into Aintrier should’ve been his—
Yet they were stealing it away without his permission.
Unforgivable.
“Where are they moving it to?”
“South.”
“Then it’s linked to the World Tree Union.”
“We’ll look into it.”
One by one, the officers disappeared into the darkness.
Left alone in the Shelter of Darkness, Azonne fell into thought.
He recalled Alex, the Union’s agent.
“I knew he wasn’t ordinary...”
He brought a Leaf from the World Tree, drew the attention of every rchant, gained the Lenon family’s favor, expanded his influence, and pulled many rchants to his side.
One thing was now clear.
If left unchecked, the rchants of Aintrier would be drawn to the World Tree. If the flow of trade collapsed, Aintrier’s influence would shrink drastically.
Should I eliminate him?
No need to target the rchants themselves.
Just burn down the nest they flock to—they’ll return soon enough.
As he exited the Shelter, Azonne reviewed the Union’s strength.
There are about four in Aintrier worth worrying about.
Through the Black Market, he had gathered intel on their capabilities.
The ones to watch: Alex, Lochter, Witch Lily, and a one-ard man near them.
To eliminate them personally, he would need at least four elites of similar strength. The Cleaners were already in position.
Azonne wanted to win without incurring losses. If I want zero risk... then I’ll have no choice.
He exited and headed to the second-floor dining room. The room was empty, but a luxurious feast had already been laid out.
Azonne sat down alone and sipped his wine.
Ti passed.
The candle before him flickered, then extinguished with a whoosh, plunging the room into darkness.
Though his vision dimd, Azonne smiled deeply as he sensed the presence of two others.
He could feel their hunger. That’s why he knew they would co.
“I prepared dinner ahead of ti. Care to join ?”
“You seem confident we’d show up.”
A soft voice rang out, and the candle relit. Two figures sat across from Azonne. He raised his fork and looked at them.
“Eat, Azolett. And you too…”
His gaze shifted to the other figure.
“Rengua.”
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