The knight approached with solid footsteps and he bowed .
"Hello, Sir Alex. My name is Grandz. I'm your personal knight for the time being."
"Grandz, drop the 'sir'," Alex smiled. "Just call me Alex. This is Ruby. Let's hit some good shopping spots, gather some intel, and meet me at Myths Archive ,Archlight Library after 10 days ! in capital!"
Grandz nodded with a bow. "Understood, Alex. Please take care of yourself."
Alex subtly cast an illusion spell over Ruby's face, disguising her identity. They slipped into a local clothing store while Grandz went off to the market.
Inside, as Alex examined some outfits, a voice behind him snapped playfully,
"Those clothes won't fit you, kiddo."
Alex turned sharply, eyeing the stranger. "Excuse me?"
The boy strolled up confidently. "Trust me, those will annoy you with their weight. Go with carnival-style fabrics light, flexible. I know what I'm saying."
The shopkeeper brought a set over. Alex rubbed the material between his fingers. It was surprisingly soft.
"You've got good taste, brother," Alex said. "I'm Alexander Foster Cane. Glad to meet you."
A few onlookers began whispering, watching him closely hands drifting toward their sword hilts.
Alex leaned in and whispered, "Some of them are following you. Be careful."
The boy just laughed. "Oh, never mind them, Mr. Alexander."
"Just Alex. No extensions, please," Alex replied firmly.
"They're my guards," the boy said with a casual grin. "My father's been strict lately with security."
"I'm Lucian Arclight Prince of Archlight. But just call me Luke."
Alex smirked. Hit the royal jackpot, he thought.
"Oho, royalty! Cool. I'm adventurer Alexander Hope."
"And you figured me out seconds after meeting me?" Luke asked, amused.
Alex nodded slowly. "Sorry to ask… but I heard… your sister the princess she's dead?"
Just then, Ruby stepped out of the changing room and asked, "How do I look?"
Her voice cracked as she locked eyes with Luke. Tears welled up instantly.
Alex moved fast, pulling her into a hug and whispering urgently,
"Don't make a scene. Don't reveal our identities."
He looked up at Luke, keeping his voice steady.
"She was my fiancée. She's crying… because you resemble her dead brother."
Ruby elbowed Alex sharply. "That hurts, idiot!" she hissed before turning away, trying to hide her face.
Luke chuckled sadly.
"Alex, a word of advice don't get caught up in this mess. I had a sister too. We've been searching for her and my mother for over a month. But due to… certain people, we had to declare them dead."
Rebecca wept softly, burying her face into Alex's shoulder.
Luke watched the scene, arms crossed, and muttered,
" bill on the royal house, huh?"
Then he clapped his hands.
"Never mind! Let's make a trade."
He pulled out a twisted, rugged horn from his satchel.
"These are the horns of the Ocean Island stags. Hard as stone, rare as a dragon's tooth!"
He eyed the white bones laid beside them.
"Damn, they shine good. Excellent for ornaments or showpieces. Goes for 30,000 gold easy."
Rebecca grabbed Alex's hand. "Let's trade for 2000!"
Alex stared at her, confused. "Come on! We can get more. This thing's rare!"
Ruby pinched him hard. "It's a done deal. He can't say no."
Two men hauled in a giant box brimming with golden coins.
Luke gawked. "You two aren't even blinking at this much gold?"
Alex shrugged. "Both our parents are rich. I just love adventure. She just loves chaos."
Rebecca's cheeks turned crimson. Luke laughed.
"You two look cute. Invite me to the wedding, yeah?"
He walked off with a grin.
Rebecca turned, cheeks puffed, and hissed,
"Why'd you say that?! You embarrassed me!"
Alex chuckled. "Come on, Ruby. I saved your life a dozen times! Can't you at least love me as a friend?"
She slapped him. "Idiot."
The shopkeeper muttered, "Kid, you're a muscle-head."
Alex flexed and poured the gold into his infinite pocket.
Later, they entered a quiet inn. Alex carved protective runes around the room soundproofing, shielding, and alert traps.
Rebecca crossed her arms. "Why're you trying so hard to protect me? You were supposed to bring me with you!"
"I kept you safe until the worst passed," he replied, checking the runes.
Rebecca scowled. "Then why are we really in a room?"
Alex turned slowly. "Hey, pervert shut up. We're heading out tonight."
Ruby buried her face under the blanket, flustered. A maid knocked and brought food.
Alex handed her a gold coin. "Any word about the royal deaths?"
The maid's voice dropped.
"Princess and queen dead. Then the treasury minister and knight general. All murdered. A masked man, they say."
She took the coin and left.
Alex locked the door. "We're going after the ones behind this."
That night, they entered a known tavern where whispers flowed better than ale.
Inside, nobles mocked beast-folk, using them for twisted games. Alex sat at the bar, swallowing his fury.
"One light wine, priest-style," he said calmly.
The bartender raised an eyebrow. "Ain't it too early?"
Alex smiled. "Bring it."
The bartender poured it diluted with water. Alex sipped, then asked,
"Was it always like this?"
The man nodded grimly. "They're monsters, kid. Cruel. Treasury and defense ministers were the worst until someone killed them. Only one left now: that bastard tax minister, Howler."
Alex leaned in. "Why doesn't he show up?"
"Scared witless. Locks himself in. Still sends for drinks though those bottles." He pointed at a crate.
Alex walked over, brushing his fingers along the box secretly carving a tracking rune.
A soldier glared. "You got a death wish?"
"Just curious," Alex said smoothly, walking away.
He dropped a coin on the bar.
"If I ended all this would it matter?"
The man shrugged. "One kingdom at a time, kid."
Alex nodded. "Then I'll start here."
He followed the soldier into the forest, tracking him to a fortified mansion. Inside, a pigeon flew out with a scroll.
Alex caught it. His expression darkened. "They already know we're alive."
Back at the inn, Rebecca was gazing at the stars. As he climbed the stairs, she asked,
"What happened?"
"They know about us. The frontier minister and two dead ones were involved. We need to tail them."
He collapsed on the bed.
"We'll track them for now…"
The next morning a maid barged in
They were still asleep, tangled together, hands locked, her head resting against his chest, hair spilling over him like sunlight. Her skin glowed softly beneath the thin morning fabric, curves hinted at, delicate and alive, warm against him. Alex lay shirtless, red, healing scars streaking across his torso, a map of past battles catching the pale light, raw and real. He shifted slightly, stretching, muscles moving fluidly, oblivious to how much he drew her in.
She stirred, a quiet sigh brushing against his skin, fingers curling lightly into his. He held her without thinking, feeling her warmth seep into him, heartbeat against his own, the world outside fading into nothing. Her sleepy eyes opened briefly, amber catching the sunlight, lips parting just a little, and Alex's gaze couldn't leave her. Every line of her face, every subtle movement, every soft shift in the thin fabric pressed against him made him want to hold her closer, keep her here, always.
A soft chuckle escaped him, low and warm, as he brushed a strand of hair from her face, leaning down just enough to let his lips graze her temple, a silent promise pressed into her hair. She smiled faintly against his chest, a small, sleepy curve that made everything else in the room vanish.
The maid stopped in the doorway, taking in the sight. "You two… know your limits, alright?".
alex walked to her asking with a gold coin ,
"Know any information brokers we can trust?"
She leaned close, whispered in his ear:
"Dark Alley Gambling House. Ask for a 'rocked drink'."
Then, she pocketed the coin and left.
The alley was filthy, reeking of rot and sorrow. Ruby held Alex's hand tightly, her heart breaking at the sight of starving people and corpses in the shadows.
Alex whispered, "We'll fix it the right way. Just follow me."
They entered the gambling house. The air froze. Every eye turned to them, ready to strike.
The curious glares didn't help. Hoods didn't hide their faces for long.
Whispers spread like fire. Laughter followed.
Alex and Rebecca ignored it and walked to the bar.
"Rocked drink," Alex whispered.
Silence fell.
The bartender glanced around, then said,
"Follow me."
They descended into a dark chamber. A cloaked man sat in the shadows.
Alex tossed a dagger onto the table.
"Frontier minister and his men what crimes have they committed?"
"Murder. Illegal slave trade. Killing for sport," the man replied.
"And the queen and princess? How did they disappear?"
"They were attacked by pirates while returning from the queen's homeland," he said flatly.
Alex narrowed his eyes.
"Who filed the last report of their deaths to the king and ministers?"
"That'll be another 100 gold coins, kid," the man chuckled.
Alex grinned.
"You'll get your money. Just a few more questions."
"Second lieutenant of the frontier force Glahadh" the man muttered.
Alex leaned in.
"Ever heard of Rudeus Devious Roeran? who is real master ?"
The man stiffened. "Roeran Grim. Master of the Roeran clan."
Alex smirked.
"Do you know about the masked killer who's been taking out ministers?"
The man chuckled.
"Even royal knights fear him. He commands an army from the shadows."
Alex stood. "How much for everything?"
"800 gold."
Alex stepped closer. "You'll have your gold… in two hours."
The man scoffed.
"Either pay up now or leave the girl as insurance."
Alex's eyes flashed.
"You crossed a line. Ruby blast the roof!"
Lightning crashed through the ceiling, blowing the house apart.
Assassins surrounded them, blades drawn.
Alex grinned, grabbed Ruby's hand, and walked right through the chaos. On his way out, he snatched a pouch off a fallen man, poured 800 gold into it, and tossed it onto the counter.
Back in the room, Alex lay down, staring at the ceiling.
"Looks like we have to walk the hard way."
Ruby glanced at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"We're crashing Howler's party. Let's see what screams louder his mouth or his fear. This is just the start. The real war begins at the capital," he said.
After that night, Alex and Ruby ran through the shadows of the kingdom chasing whispers, dodging eyes closing in on Howler's hideout.
They weren't just hunting a man.
They were dragging the truth out of its grave.
[Howler's Hideout]
The guards skittered like shadows on alert, their footsteps echoing sharp and cautious as they patrolled the mansion's perimeter.
At the estate's heart loomed a sinister sentinel a Royal Maze, not made of stone or hedge, but woven from pure, crackling mana. It pulsed with quiet menace, its arcane tendrils probing every corner, every whisper of movement within the walls.
Perched on a jagged hilltop overlooking the fortress, Alex and Ruby crouched in tense silence. The moonlight sliced through the night, casting sharp edges on their faces.
Alex's voice was low, firm a razor in the dark.
"Ruby, listen no kills. We need answers, not bodies. Knock them out cold, nothing more."
His gaze locked on the swirling mana shrouding the mansion like a storm trapped in glass.
"That maze... it's alive. Watching. Waiting. It won't be easy. I'm counting on you."
Rebecca met his eyes, her breath steady despite the tension coiling in the air.
"I've got this. But you watch your back."
A slow nod passed between them the silent pact before the storm.