Chapter 139: A Viper

The ruler of the Ceston Empire was the Ceston Royal family. The most powerful force in the entire empire. After that comes Four Great Noble Houses — Sweeders; Webney; Woulsto; Wilbrick. All of them controlled over sixty percent of the empire's economy. Even Ceston Royal family would avoid pissing them off if they need not to.

But as the saying goes that there is no end to human desire. It fits the description of the Four Great Noble Houses quite well. They fought with each other in light, and they fought each other in dark, trying to damage one another in the hopes of becoming the strongest noble house. However, when the two armies fight, there will be corpses from both sides. No one can avoid it.

The same thing happened this time. The Sweeders tried to rob House Webney but lost horribly due to Kadyn's interruption.

——

Kadyn travelled with the old man (Babul Webney) and his caravan for five days before reaching the gate of the Ceston Capital. At this time Kadyn also got to know the name of the mercenary leader who fought with the bandit boss. He was called Bren. A mercenary, of course. 

The Webneys had hired him and his group to protect them from bandits and beasts in their travels. Though they didn't mention the reason behind the attack, Kadyn guessed that it wouldn't be a simple matter. There must be a precious thing that the Sweeders wanted from them.

Nonetheless, they reached the capital. 

Kadyn looked at the colossal gate of the Ceston Capital and a large flag at the top on which a golden lion was etched. Insignia of the empire. Then he turned his attention towards the guards and found that all of them were above 8-star elementary mage. The captain was Rank 1 magi.

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" asked the old man.

Kadyn looked at the man and shook his head. "No."

"Oh," Babul nodded and said. "Why don't you come to our Webney House. It would be our pleasure to have you as our guests."

Kadyn stared at the man and curled his lips. He knew that Babul wasn't polite because Kadyn helped him, but because he had Cecilia who could slaughter a Rank 2 mage like a pig. He was trying to win her through Kadyn as Babul knew he was the leader.

"No," Kadyn shook his head. "We are good."

Although Kadyn didn't feel any malice from him, he couldn't tell for sure if he was really a good man, or he was hiding something else behind that polite facade.

"Oh," Babul looked disappointed. Then he turned towards Cecilia and said. "Miss, would you like to come to our house."

As soon as he said those words, Kadyn's eyes flickered with a cold light, but he said nothing. 

Cecilia eyed Babul and curled her lips. "I have seen many shameless and ungrateful bastards in my life, but you," she gestured with her hand towards him and went on, "are one of a kind."

Babul's face that was filled with a confident smile changed, but he recovered and nodded as if he understood her meaning. "What a shame," he breathed a deep sigh. "I wonder what will happen when Sweeders hear that you helped us to carry our goods to the capital."

"You bastard!" everyone in Kadyn's group burst into a rage. Who could have thought that the polite old man was such a cunt.

Kadyn waved his hand and everyone quieted down. However, their eyes were spitting fire, ready to burn the old man at a simple gesture of Kadyn.

"I don't like it," Kadyn said as he stared at the old man coldly.

"What?" asked Babul in confusion.

"Your hypocritical attitude," he replied. "Be careful not to die in the middle of the night. Let's go."

Babul looked at Kadyn and others back with a cold face. He clenched his fist into a ball and gritted his teeth. "How dare he?!" In the end, he burst into a roar. He never thought that Kadyn would dare to threaten him, in the capital, nonetheless. "I will make you die without a corpse."

"Should we…" someone tried to speak from behind him.

"Do you think you can defeat that woman?" asked Babul, almost in an angry tone.

"Ah, we…"

"Then shut your hole!" he roared. No one would be able to connect this furious old man and the kind and gentle one who met Kadyn a few days prior. One could only say that he hid his true face too deeply in order to con others. But since Kadyn refused to become Webney's dog, he showed his true colours.

——

"Fuck, I want to beat someone," Slyff scowled, clenching his teeth in fury.

"If I had enough strength I would have cut that bastard down piece by piece," Dion said from beside him. "Ouch!" as soon as he said Hot Rod slapped him from behind. "If you don't have enough strength then work hard."

Dion lowered his head in dejection and didn't speak.

"No matter," Zelie said. "That old man deserves to die. Bastard."

Everyone appeared furious at this moment. Kadyn smiled and shook his head nonchalantly. "Don't worry about him." He eyed Cecilia and went on. "He is a goner."

"Huh?" Everyone exchanged confused glances, but before they could speak Kadyn increased his pace.

After five minutes the group arrived in a deserted alley. He turned towards them and said. "Alright, everyone needs to go inside the shop, as I don't have enough money to afford so many rooms in the inn. Even after selling carriages, I have just a few thousand Ces."

[Author Note: Ces is similar to dollar]

As he sent everyone into the shop a small thing fell from above and sat on the broken street light. The bird looked at Kadyn and asked. "Want some help?"

Kadyn peered at the beautiful Sparrow-like bird that was burning with strange fire and shook his head. "No, thanks. I can handle Tom, Dick, Harry like him."