“Are you telling me you killed my subordinate without my permission?”
This was blatant overreach.
Killing the traitor before I had a chance to cross-examine him—how could I know whether the First and Second Points weren’t conspiring to frame me?
But Sakis Rubas pushed even further.
“Listen, nobleman. We’re preparing for a major operation. Even the smallest mistake could ruin everything. I hope you won’t treat this as a trivial matter.”
“Stop whining.”
“We trusted you enough to pay part of the price in advance, didn’t we? Information about the Candela Knights, to be specific.”
Ah.
So that’s how Winter Winslet learned Josefin’s real identity—he got it from bad company like these.
“I am deeply disappointed, and this will have lasting consequences for our relationship.”
I had no reason to keep listening to his unpleasant accusations, so I let my voice harden.
“I’ve heard enough. If you don’t like the way I handle things, go get your goods elsewhere. But if all you’re going to do is whine, get out of my sight.”
[Warning]
[Death Route Updated.]
How convenient—seeing their reaction in real-time like this.
Apparently, he was seriously considering killing me.
But after a long silence, Sakis Rubas made the rational choice, lowering his head metaphorically.
“…There was a misunderstanding.”
So the goods were rare enough that he couldn’t risk losing me as a supplier.
“All we want is to retrieve the stolen goods as soon as possible. As long as we receive the promised quantity, we won’t pursue this matter further.”
“I’ll look into it.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
Easier said than done.
A courier, a traitor—how was I supposed to find him when even Winter Winslet himself might not know?
I asked,
“Did the traitor leave behind any information?”
“Unfortunately, no. He was so frail that even our best interrogators couldn’t keep him alive for long.”
“You acted foolishly. Keeping the courier alive would have made things easier.”
“…I admit that. But he refused to talk until the end. Stubborn kid, especially for a student.”
Important clue.
The courier was likely a Royal Academy student.
Sakis gave me a polite warning,
“Retrieve the goods quickly, but beware of leeches.”
“Leeches?”
“Royal informants are prowling around the Academy. If proof of our dealings reaches the Royal Family, you won’t be safe either. Handle this discreetly.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Also, we expect the missing goods to be replaced in the next transaction. We need the promised amount secured by summer.”
“I’ll do what I can.”
“We’ll be waiting for good news.”
With that, the meeting ended.
***
Sakis Rubas opened his eyes as if waking from a dream.
The smell of sawdust, rat droppings, and faint lamplight greeted him.
He was in a cramped storage room.
‘Black magic is always unpleasant.’
Waiting for his slightly dazed mind to clear from the aftereffects of astral projection, he picked up his lamp and stepped outside.
Beyond the storage room was a café.
It was closed for the night, windows shuttered, doors locked.
Only one light was on.
A man polishing glasses behind the counter looked up.
“Welcome back, boss.”
“Fire.”
As Sakis pulled a cigarette from his pocket, the man went into the kitchen and returned with a lit piece of paper.
Sakis carefully lit his cigarette, then downed the strong liquor the man poured for him without being asked.
Taking off the ring on his right hand and placing it on the table, he listened as the man examined it with curiosity.
“No matter how many times I see it, it’s fascinating. You’re saying if you wear this ring and sleep, you can talk to people far away?”
“You don’t sleep. Your soul leaves your body.”
“Isn’t that the same thing? I’ve heard people say that when you sleep, your soul flies out of your nose like a butterfly and wanders the world.”
“Another drink.”
The short-haired blond man poured Sakis another glass, poured one for himself, then eyed the ring again.
“Can I try it on, just once?”
“Don’t toy with it for too long. That ring drinks blood.”
“Black magic, huh? Gives me the chills.”
“Nathan.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Release the Thieves’ Guild prisoners.”
The man’s demeanor changed at once.
“Then the one we interrogated really was the culprit?”
“Yes. Baron Winslet agreed to handle the problem himself.”
“That’s good news.”
“Bring me the goods we received from Baron Winslet.”
Nathan disappeared into the back room and returned with a flat, rectangular case about the size of three handspans wide and two handspans tall.
Opening it, he revealed several chalk-like rods secured with cloth.
Sakis picked one up and examined it under the lamp.
White at first glance, but shimmering faintly with an iridescent sheen, like the inside of a seashell.
“Top quality. No one but Winter Winslet could have sourced this in Langbart.”
“Looks like things will go smoothly.”
“But I have a bad feeling.”
Sakis thought about Baron Winslet.
The man was the most arrogant, self-centered, and ruthlessly perfectionist person he had ever met.
How could such a man have chosen an unreliable subordinate in the first place?
And at today’s Disgard meeting, Baron Winslet had seemed… slightly different.
People might act differently depending on mood, but Sakis trusted his instincts.
“We shouldn’t trust Baron Winslet completely.”
“You think he might have other plans?”
“Who knows. But we’ll find out. Put someone on him.”
“Should we plant spies or tail him?”
Sakis shook his head.
“No. He’s sharp. He’d notice immediately. Start small—place a few people in the Academy. A careful, long-term approach will work better.”
“Come to think of it, my younger brother has talent in magic.”
“Right. Send him to the Academy. Have him take the transfer exam. It’ll give him a natural way to approach Baron Winslet.”
“Understood. He doesn’t listen to me, but if it’s your order, he’ll pass the exam.”
Nathan smirked, picturing his book-hating brother, then asked,
“And if Baron Winslet becomes a threat to our plans—if he betrays us—what then?”
“He’ll pay the price. Whatever it takes.”
Be it poison, a sniper’s bullet, or kidnapping and killing his loved ones one by one until he breaks—
“That’s how we do things in Longsonnière.”
***
Returning to my study after the Disgard meeting, I finally relaxed, exhaling deeply.
Hoo…
The smell of whiskey lingered in my breath.
Right, I had drunk before casting astral magic.
I poured myself another half glass, letting the alcohol help suppress the tension.
The Heptagram Society and Sakis Rubas.
I had gotten involved with the worst people to get involved with in Judgment of Candela.
Today, I had only met two of the seven, but the rest were just as dangerous.
After all, they were the masterminds behind the main story’s major incidents.
I mentally reviewed each member:
First Point – Olivier Jungberry.
Thieves’ Guild master. An opportunist who dabbled in everything for profit, never starting trouble himself but always sticking a finger in every pie.
Second Point – Sakis Rubas.
Spymaster of the neighboring Republic of Livron. The earliest active villain in the main story, whose terrorist attacks by Longsonnière plunged the capital into chaos—practically the root of all trouble.
Third Point – Winter Winslet.
Self-explanatory.
Fourth Point – Nerico Résolu.
Cult leader working to resurrect an ancient demon in Langbart’s heart. Behind the nightly disappearances and kidnappings for live sacrifices.
Fifth Point – Paul Détouche.
A disgraced former legendary inquisitor. A hardline cleric exiled for extremism, now building his own faction in Lorencia to reclaim power.
Sixth Point – Papin de Le Tançin.
The most secretive—a black magic archmage preparing a cataclysmic spell to destroy entire nations. Every route where he succeeded ended in a dead end; newbies called him the “Player Crusher.”
Seventh Point –Keith d’Alambert.
A vampire lord aiming to turn Lorencia into a vampire haven through political corruption. Less destructive than others, but in his route, the entire kingdom ended up enslaved as a blood farm.
With a lineup like this, staying away from them would have been the smart choice.
But Winter Winslet had already opened dealings with Sakis Rubas.
Cutting ties meant risking Rubas’s retaliation, while continuing dealings meant risking exposure and eventually a visit from the Candela Knights.
And I was supposed to survive to the ending like this?
…How fun.
This was exactly the kind of challenge worthy of a Judgment of Candela veteran like me.
So, what should I prepare first?
Winter Winslet was already strong, but bosses in this game were designed to be beaten.
I needed something to cover my weak points—rare equipment, a powerful summon, or… reliable allies.
The first thing that came to mind was my fiancée, Josefin, with her S-rank Swordsmanship.
I had her under control with charm for now; she would fight for me if I were in danger.
But if I ever became a target of the Candela Knights, who knew what she would do?
I needed more allies—many more.
Judgment of Candela was a strategic game where you recruited named NPCs with unique talents for party compositions.
And the Academy where Winter Winslet worked had quite a few of them.
Conveniently, tomorrow was the entrance ceremony for new students at the Royal Academy of Lorencia.