Chapter 23

  The time to leave for Towering Heights had finally arrived. Of the seven demon lords, Drakkel chose to only bring Knowl with him.

  Since the Sword Fighters were seeking him out, keeping a low profile was necessary.

  As Shia's disguise had fallen off without a known reason before, he decided not to use it again, instead opting for a cloak to cover his figure.

  It was lucky that Towering Heights wasn't nearly as guarded as other inner cities and towns. No one gave Drakkel a second glance as he walked the busy streets at night.

  Perhaps luck was also on his side for the fact that it was cold out. Snow covered the ground and people were more focused on keeping warm.

  Although there were patrols of Sword Fighters walking around, they paid him no mind.

  The smell of tea, alcohol, and hot food permeated the air, mingling into a sort of odd, yet satisfying scent. These scents disappeared the closer Drakkel got to “Blossoming Flowers.”

  Instead, they were replaced by a lingering perfume fragrance mixed with some sweetened alcoholic fumes.

  When he arrived, he saw that Shila was still operating the front desk.

  The busy state of the brothel that he encountered before was only worse now. The place was so full, there was almost nowhere to sit.

  This was likely because this was one of the few places that one could keep warm during the cold weather.

  Shila was a member of the Hidden Desires clan and a powerful Sword Fighter as well, so when most people walked in, happy and with bright expressions, it was far too easy for her to catch the odd ones out.

  Of course she caught a glance of the cloaked figures within a few minutes of them entering.

  Knowing this, Drakkel purposefully bypassed the front desk to walk into the room they had met in before.

  Shila had someone man the desk and quickly followed after him, her look hardly changing at all.

  Because of her demeanor, no one even questioned why she left in a hurry. They only thought she was taking care of an important guest.

  Drakkel waited patiently in the room for Shila’s arrival and sure enough, it didn't take too long.

  He calmly sat across from the young woman as she eyed him curiously. Because she didn't speak first, he took the lead.

  “I need some information.”

  Shila sighed. “Is there a point in keeping that hood over your head? I already know who you are, Demon King Drakkel.”

  Drakkel smiled and removed his hood and Knowl did the same.

  Gazing at his figure which lookeed different from before, Shila’s eyes widened.

  But within the next moment, she relaxed. “I can take you to Pisa Lorvent, but you know how it is.”

  She poured some wine from the container on the table and gave the cups to the two.

  Drakkel drank it without worry and had Knowl do the same.

  Shila smiled. “By the way, who is this fellow with you?”

  Drakkel returned her smile. “If I tell you that, I would have to kill you. And you don’t want that, right?”

  Shila’s smile remained on her face as she slowly nodded. “No problem then. If you don't want to tell, that's fine. I just hope you have enough payment for our information.”

  Thanks to his machinations in Dragon’s Dwelling, money was one of the things Drakkel didn’t lack. He took out a hefty bag of gold coins. “I have plenty. As long as I'm satisfied, I'm willing to give you the whole thing.”

  Shila took a glance at the bag and then returned her gaze to Drakkel. “Then, you know where Pisa Lorvent is. I’m afraid I have no time to guide you there.”

  “Of course.” Drakkel answered in a friendly manner.

  He stood up from his seat, grabbed the bag, and walked out of the room.

  As he did, he could feel the eyes of many trained on him.

  The guests might not have noticed, but the courtesans and workers certainly did. The infamous new Demon King had come into one of the establishments owned by the Hidden Desires Clan. Drakkel couldn't say that their reaction was surprising. In fact, it was rather understandable.

  Because he walked without issue to Pisa Lorvent’s place, it was probably also obvious to all watching, that ordinary poisons would have no effect on him. Even as he stepped into Pisa Lorvent’s chamber, meeting her face to face, he felt nothing. The smoke and smell from before, were nearly a nuisance now.

  Unlike the last time he met her, Pisa Lorvent was on edge.

  But he still held the bag of money in his hand. With a glance at it, she calmed down just a bit.

  “You’re here for information?” She asked, feigning confidence. Yet Drakkel could see by the way her hands slightly shook that she was at least a little bit scared.

  He nodded. “Tell me everything you know about the Golden Peak Swords Clan.”

  “No Problem.” Pisa Lorvent answered.

  She recounted everything there was to know about the clan, both public and private. However after sitting there for a while, the information Drakkel had come for did not leave her lips.

  “Is that all you know? You don't have any information about their higher ups?” Drakkel said with minor annoyance.

  “The lives of the elders and leaders are either filled with adventure or boringly ordinary. Only the leader and his right hand man seem to have a hidden past that even we can't confirm. However, we have no official information about this past besides what was made public. Everything else would be rumors.”

  “Fine, then tell me about these ‘rumors’.” Drakkel said.

  Pisa Lorvent nodded. “The Golden Peak Swords Clan Leader, Lorian Adore, was said to not always have gone by that name. Some say he has a hidden past that he takes every opportunity to squash. Rumors about it floated around many years ago, but they were quickly dealt with. Even if one were to comb through the whole Empire, not even a word of it would be found today.”

  Drakkel frowned.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Was that really all? The Sword summit was approaching and he only had a few witness testimonies and some documents as proof. Because the names of some powerful swords clans appeared on this list, too many of the clans would be quick to deny it.

  He he took a handful of gold coins from the pouch and dropped them onto the table.

  “For the information and your silence.”

  Pisa Lorvent silently nodded in response.

  Drakkel placed his hood back on and stormed out with Knowl in tow. He brought Knowl not only as an escort, but because he had a good memory. If he forgot anything, at least Knowl would remember.

  As they stood outside the brothel, Drakkel had only one thought: he wanted to head back to the underground city as soon as possible.

  As he got ready to do just that, he suddenly felt a presence approaching from a side street next to the brothel.

  Guard up, he turned around to meet it.

  What he saw, though, caused his heart to skip a beat.

  A muscular man with a large blade at his black and blond hair that glowed like the sun laid against a wall, struggling to stand.

  “Rilian Adore!” Drakkel said.

  He ran over to Rilian Adore and gave him some support.

  “What happened to you?”

  Rilian Adore weakly pointed his finger to a box sitting next to him.

  “Is it important?” Drakkel asked.

  Rilian Adore slowly nodded, seeming to struggle to keep his head up.

  At the same time, Drakkel recognized the hilt of something he hadn't seen in a long time: His sword, Swift Wind’s Breeze.

  Although the sheath was different, since Drakkel had sold its original sheath long ago, he still recognized it.

  The Sword laid upon Rilian Adore's back along with his own Sun-tinged Rays.

  Drakkel yearned to hold it again, but he had more concerning matters.

  He took the sword from Rilian Adore and fastened it to his belt. Then he had Knowl grab the box.

  Kneeling down next to Rilian Adore, he looked all over his body.

  “Your condition isn't good. Let's get you healed up first.”

  But Rilian Adore didn't respond.

  His eyes were now closed and his head was hung to the side.

  As Drakkel prepared to pick him up, a man passed by with a familiar bamboo seal printed on his robes.

  The alleyway was dark, so he couldn't see them at first. Knowl was at an angle which caused his figure to blend with the shadows of the eave, so from this man’s vantage point, it appeared as if two lovers were committing public indecency right outside a brothel. He thought that perhaps a courtesan was acting out.

  Wold detested this brothel. After his altercation with the Golden Blade, he had lost some of his power.

  No brothels would allow him to step in, let alone marry any other courtesans and if he tried, they said they would report it to the Golden Peak Swords Clan.

  Even when he acted a little rough with his wives, they would threaten to tell that Clan. So of course if an opportunity to make one of the courtesans of this brothel suffer revealed itself, he wouldn't let it go!

  “What are you two doing out in public? Have you never heard of decency? Besides, courtesans should not be caught outside with unnamed guests.''

  Drakkel scowled.

  This was a case of the pot calling the kettle black. All the man knew was indecency, so it was all he saw.

  With his head down and cloak covering his head, he turned around to meet Wold.

  “Sir.” He said politely. “We aren't committing indecent acts and this isn't a courtesan. My friend here is just sick after consuming so much alcohol.”

  Wold tried to take a look at Rilian Adore to verify his suspicions, but Drakkel was covering his body with his cloak.

  “Fine, if you say so, we’ll just head on our way.”

  As Wold turned around, Drakkel returned his attention to Rilian Adore whose breathing was shallow.

  With Drakkel's guard down, Wold saw his chance.

  Why would he let such an opportunity pass him by? He ran up and brushed Drakkel's cloak aside, a wide smile on his face.

  However, upon seeing the familiar figure of Rilian Adore, his lips which were curved all the way up, fell sharply.

  He couldn't help but wonder.

  The last he heard of him, he was kept by his clan and not allowed to go out. Now someone protected him and the man was said to have traveled a lot with only one person.

  His gaze quickly shot to Drakkel's face which was now contorting in rage.

  Backing up a step, his body began to shake uncontrollably.

  He really did look a lot like the portraits that the clans had been parading around. Couldn't this person be none other than…?

  His face grew pale.

  “It's the Demon King! The Demon King! Call the sword fighters!”

  The attendants all made a dash to escape but Knowl made quick work of them, knocking them all unconscious.

  Wold fell to the ground, laying on the snow, his attempts to back away from the angry Drakkel, all but futile.

  A corner of Drakkel's lips turned up, his soft attitude switching to one of unyielding confidence.

  “Nice to see you again, Wold. Still taking advantage of your position to bully others, hm?”

  He laughed. “You really would have been better off if you had just minded your business.”

  A murderous intent leaked with his last few words.

  Even one who was not a Sword Fighter, like Wold, could feel the heavy air threatening to strangle him.

  Scared half to death, he could only stare in horror as the person before him spoke.

  Drakkel only wanted to frighten the man and so did nothing more than talk.

  Afterwards, he turned around and calmly picked up Rilian Adore, holding his blade on his back and his body on his front.

  Meanwhile, Knowl held the box Rilian Adore had brought.

  Preparing to leave, they heard several footsteps approaching from the distance. It wasn't hard to recognize the white and gold robes of the Swordsmith Villa Sword's Clan when they came into view. It only made sense that they were the ones to patrol the area. After all, they were closest to Towering Heights and due to the disappearance of Firo Fieren, their Clan Leader’s second son, they had more stake in finding the Demon King than almost any other clan.

  The one who was the leader among them yelled, “Stop! Let that man go!”

  Drakkel looked at him blankly.

  “Demon King Drakkel, we will apprehend you today!”

  Another one spoke. “Apprehend? Aren't we already past that? At this point he must be killed!”

  There were whispers of agreement amongst the other disciples.

  “Someone hurry and call Sword Master Fil Tor! We can't handle him alone!”

  They spoke of Sword Master Fil Tor of the Sword Smith Villa Swords Clan who had made it to the status long ago and was almost considered an elder.

  One of the disciples nodded and quickly made his way out of the group.

  A crowd of people were already gathering in the area due to the commotion.

  Upon closer look, the leader among them finally recognized that Drakkel was holding Rilian Adore who had already passed out.

  “It's… th..the Golden Blade! He’s kidnapped the Golden Blade!”

  Realizing this, there was outcry within the crowd.

  “He’s killed and terrorized so many, now he has kidnapped the Golden Blade. What other atrocities could he commit?”

  “Insatiable greed! He should let the Golden Blade go! Hasn't he already done enough to tarnish his reputation?”

  The ruckus had woken Rilian Adore up. Nearly instinctively, he began to speak in a raspy voice, “No, it…”

  Drakkel’s heartbeat quickened.

  There was no time. He needed something to distract them.

  Looking down at Rilian Adore who he carried in his arms, an idea came to mind.

  The group has already thought he bewitched him, so why not play the part?

  As he was already holding Rilian Adore in a bridal carry, In front of the eyes of many, he brought Rilian Adore’s head close and deeply kissed his lips.

  Rilian Adore tried to resist, but he didn't let him go, even making sure to intertwine their tongues to make it convincing.

  Finally tiring of his objections, he hit an acupoint to put him back to rest.

  In response, many turned their heads in disgust, while some had their faces flush such a bright red that even through the darkness, it could be seen.

  The sword fighters especially seemed unfamiliar with such matters. Many were taken aback and were unable to keep their disciplined demeanors in the face of it.

  After pulling away, Drakkel loudly declared, “You all think you can kill me? You can't even stop me from taking the Golden Blade! If you dare to, you can fight me right now. Otherwise, you better shut up.”

  After his announcement, he let out a wave of demonic energy. It wouldn't directly hit the spectators, but its residual winds would shake them up. As the sword fighters stepped forward to protect the civilians from the seemingly dangerous attack, Drakkel had already hopped onto the rooftops, making his escape.

  By the time the winds cleared and the dust settled, his figure was nowhere to be seen.

  Luckily, Sword Master Fil Tor wasn't close.

  By the time he made it to the scene, Drakkel was already gone. All that was left was Wold who fainted on the floor with a yellow stain dripping from his trousers and onto the snow.