Chapter 54 51: Start With This

"That explosion couldn't have happened with just the stars."

"What was that, lord Eugene?"

I faced the two knights with my legs crossed, the one lady in our team next to me. In a secluded corner of the city, all of us were huddled up inside the carriage, without any driver of course.

It usually wasn't a problem, but Sir Buhini was so giant that he covered even the seat across him with his muscles.

On the second day of the festival, the crowd out and about in the streets were worse than ever before. With even sir Buhini on our side now, we had no choice but to talk in the safest place.

And well, the carriage was the safest one. All the other safe places were filled with people.

"I looked into it. Just to be sure, I even consulted one of the scholars from the castle. It was impossible to make an explosion like that, even with some expert in explosives."

"Then...? Do you think they used magic?" Sir Buhini asked.

"Not magic," it was not me but lady Sophia who answered. "Alchemy."

"Alchemy!?" Sir Alec exclaimed.

Both sir Alec and lady Sophia had stiffened up.

It would be increasingly more difficult to find the demon's agent with alchemists in the fray. Well, that would be the case for someone without any knowledge of things.

​ They were forgetting who our newest ally was.

A cackling sound rang out as Sir Buhini grabbed his head and broke into a messy laughter.

Just as I thought.

"Splendid. Those demon agents of yours made a big mistake."

I smiled while sir Alec still stood in confusion. It seemed even lady Sophia had realized.

We didn't have just anyone with us, it was the vice captain of the knight order. He could take out any files on any criminal without any suspicion. Heck, he probably already knew more than the files did.

"No alchemists escaped from your hands, right?" Sir Buhini asked.

"No chance." Sophia answered.

"Ahaha! Lord Eugene, I know exactly seven of those slimy bastards who would do anything for money. We weren't able to make any cases against them, but that doesn't mean we don't know them!"

I smiled bright and snapped my fingers.

"Let us move then."

"Right, just, excuse me, it's tough to..."

Sir Buhini squeezed us all against the carriage walls as he left.

Well, atleast we were getting somewhere.

***

Lady Sophia and I stood in front of a rundown cabin at the slums of the town.

Mahogany banners and lanterns had made their way even to this place as the slums were filled with children and adults alike, some drowning themselves in alcohol and drugs, while others were running about to get out of their sobriety.

I knocked on the wooden door.

The broken door creaked open and revealed a bearded man.

His eyes were shot red as he held a bottle of absinthe in his hands that reached out of the rags for clothes he donned.

"Who are you guys? I'm not buying any cookies," he said, his breath reeking of alcohol.

"Heard you can make me some flames?"

"Heck? You've got the wrong person," the man said. The door kept creaking as the alcoholic's hands trembled.

I held in a sigh before reaching into my coat. I pulled out a bag of money and held it in front of me.

The alcoholic looked down and then back at us. His stinky lips curved into a disgusting smile.

"If you have things like that, you should start with it next time."

The door slowly opened and the alcoholic reached for the pouch of money.

He received the pouch of coins.

And then a punch straight to his face.

The alcoholic slid on the ground as the door swung wide open.

Clenching and loosening my fists, I scoffed.

"Why next time? I started with the tricks right away."