In contrary to the hallway where it was just plain dusty bricks, the inside of the back room was rather glamorous. There were gems on the furnitures and a very expensive looking chandelier.
Why did they even put a chandelier in a small room?
"Milady, here is your item"
The count open the box. It was really Aurora's twilight necklace.
"May I check if this is the real thing?"
"Go ahead. Do take your time"
After taking a look as if I was actually an expert at this field I put back the necklace gently unto the box.
"We will be taking this for free and congratulations, you are now my slave"
After pulling out the slave contract the guards beside and behind him unsheathed their weapons and quickly charge head first to me.
Before even taking a step forward to me they were blasted to the wall by Alex's wind. He then took off his mask, revealing his identity.
"I am the seventh prince of Dilirea, Alexander Dilirea. You dare to point your swords towards my 'woman'?"
The count fell to the ground. Speechless, he unconsciously peed himself.
The door opened. Theo went inside the room with Claude on top of his shoulder.
"Is this guy the one you need? Based on the mana he has I'm sure he only have about [1] circle, [2] at most"
"Yes I am sure it's him. When it comes to dueling technique and control, no one is better than him"
After some time Claude regained consciousness. The guards were kneeling, head on the ground. As for the count, well, he have already sign the contract and is currently tending to the others who are supposed to receive their items.
"Claude Glactus. Twenty five years old. You became a mercenary at the age of eight, you then became a thief at the age of fifteen, then became an assassin/vigilante at the age of twenty two. The reason why you are trying to get this necklace"
I showed Aurora's twilight necklace to him.
"Is because this is your mother's necklace. Am I correct?"
"....Who are you?"
"Leader of the demon hound guild. Currently operating at the Berda empire and the kingdom of Dilirea. Does that answer you question?"
"If you are the leader of that notorious group then we share the same objective. Why are you doing this to me when you already know what I came here for?"
"I want you to serve under me. True, we share the same objective but your methods are wrong. Simply killing the nobles would give rise to rebellion by the commoners. More deaths will come by the process you chose. That's why"
"Are you also going to turn me into your slave?"
"No"
Alex released Claude from the chains that were shackling him.
"I am here to give you this"
I handed him the box that contains the necklace of his mother.
"You are allowed to do things you want to. You just have to work four times a week teaching this guy how to use fire the same way you do"
"Isn't he the sorcerer? The prince from Dilirea?"
"Yeah. So?"
"I won't teach him"
"Is it because he is a royal?"
"Yes"
"Then..."
I gestured for Alex to come near me. He knelt down on all fours. I then sat on top of his back.
The guards who were still tied up in a corner and Claude's eyes widened in shock. To see the sorcerer, a royal no less, is letting me who is a commoner to shame him like this.
In Alex's case, knowing his personality, I bet he is just enjoying this.
"Just so you know Alex have already left the royal family, unofficially. He is now a part of my guild"
"....."
"I need someone who can teach him how to use his powers. After all he is too strong for his own good"
Based on the novel, Alex destroyed Temal by creating several tornadoes of fire while also bombarding the cities with fire in the air. No one was able to put a scratch on him since he was doing all of that since he was invisible midair.
How are you even going to hit someone who is constantly flying with no clear visuals?
"Not to mention, in close spaces like this room or if we are in the middle of the forest Alex would be force not to use his fire as he will take damage from the recoil or he may create a forest fire"
I stood up and put a glass bottle on the other side of the room. I gestured Alex to sit down on the sofa and he did.
"Destroy that bottle as if it is the head of the one you hate the most"
We stared at each others eyes for a moment. He turned around and look at the glass bottle that was about less than twenty meters away from him.
As he held out his hand, a small needle of fire was created. The needle flew with great speed to the glass bottle.
It didn't break. The needle penetrated the glass bottle but there was no changes to the bottle whatsoever.
Claude then snapped his fingers. The needle exploded. Though what he did may look simple it was undoubtedly a very difficult move to execute.
The precision.
The way he controlled the fire of needle as if it was his own finger.
The time of the explosion.
Everything went the way he wanted it to be.
Despite having [1] circle around his heart Claude is definitely the best in efficiently using his abilities.
He has little amount of mana. Unlike Sophia, the power of the spirit he is using is also weak. But he cover his shortcomings with his technique and amazing, inhuman level of skill.
"The pay is good. You get to do what you want. Food is secure. Those are the things I can give you. You're not the type who values honor anyway"
"I will think about it. Will you be staying in this city for the night?"
"Yes. We will be leaving before noon. Do come to the plaza to give me your answer tomorrow"
"I will"
Alex followed me as I exited the room.
After seeing Claude's skills he was convinced that he would actually learn a lot just by simply watching Claude. He also knew that what I said earlier was the bitter truth.
We got back to our room.
Alex was quiet on our way here ever since we left the backroom of the auction house.
"Read this"
"A guide?"
"It is a guide of what to see and what to do in the capital. There are also tourist spot at other cities there, probably. I will let you do the planning for our vacation, okay?"
"Okay!"
His mood swings sure do change quicker than I expect.
We then continue on our way to the capital of Temal. On our way we went through the plaza.
Claude who ask to give him some time to think things through agreed to my offer in one condition. The condition is that he will only be obeying orders that comes from my mouth. It was a favorable condition to me so I accepted.
"Your highness, we will be stopping here for a short break"
"Alright"
A slope. Seeing that the bottom part is a flat land all the way to the horizon, then 'that' should be there.
"Claude, wear this"
I handed him a suitcase.
"You knew I was going to accept the offer?"
"Of course I do"
After he left to wear what inside the suitcase, I dragged Alex upwards to the small river.
"Let's take a bath first. I've already informed the others so it should be fine"
"Are you sure it's okay doing it in broad daylight?"
"No one will come here, unless they have a death wish that is. You will protect me if someone does come, right?"
"Of course I will!"
I left my wrist crossbow, poisoned daggers, as well as my other poisoned weapons behind since there would be no use boosting his confidence if I did brought them.
"Alex, someone is watching me"
"Where? How come I can't feel their presence"
He said as he cover my body with his body.
My sixth sense, my virgin detector is ringing. The coachman, the knights that are escorting us, as well as Claude aren't virgins meaning that someone else is here.
I pointed towards the direction of the forest. It was about three hundred meters away from us.
A black smoke emerged from the ground and flew to the direction to where I pointed my finger.
"Was that Theo?"
"Yeah. I ordered him to kill whoever was looking at your bare body"
How can this guy say that with such a bright smile.
A minute later Theo came back with the head of a man, with his eyes closed. He said that the man was not wearing anything and that he was doing his 'business' as he use something similar to a telescope.
Alex was delighted to hear that the man died a painful death.
I suppose training his mind comes first before making him train on how to use his powers.
After taking a bath the others also took one and so we continued on our way.
...
So this is the capital of Temal.
A day and a half later we arrived at the capital. The carriage went straight to the palace.
It is customary to greet someone from the royal family before going to the villa which is why we are now going to meet someone while we are tired.
We entered the palace. There, a maid led us to a drawing room and told us to wait for the young lady.
Theo was Alex's knight. Claude dress up as the butler. While I dress up as the maid.
There's no way I can just put a veil on my face if I do they will know that I am the guild master of the demon hound guild. And if I were to act close with Alex the same scenario will happen.
The door opened.
"It is an honor to meet the seventh prince of the kingdom of Dilirea who is also the sorcerer of this century. I am Aisha Kepno Temal"
She bowed gracefully.
"It is my pleasure to meet you Lady Temal. As you know I am Alexander Dilirea"
The sat down comfortably and began their talk.
It was obvious that she was trying to flirt with Alex and that she was acting weak as she praise him.
Good thing I spent the last few days educating Alex how to hold back. If not he would have killed the young lady already as he apologized for letting a girl flirt with him right in front of me.
"Your highness, it is time to go"
I cut in their conversation.
I'm already tired as is and I've already been standing here for more than two hours already. Besides, greeting are supposed to last only a few to several minutes at most. Anyone would mistake that this was an arrange engagement meeting if they knew how long these two have been talking.
"How rude! You are only a-"
Boom.
A fire needle exploded near the young lady's head which burned some of her hair.
It was from Claude.
If he didn't do that Alex would have rampaged already.
He stood up as he glared at the young lady.
"Thank you for your hospitality. I- no, we will not get going then"
We followed Alex going outside of the room, leaving the crying and humiliated young lady in the drawing room.
I wonder why Aisha did that. Knowing her father, the grand duke, he is a sucker for his children and treats them equally.
So why is she so desperate for Alex?
After we got back to our room,
"I'm sorry that I almost went out of control"
"It's okay. You were able to hold it in, right. That's all that matters"
"I wonder why she was flirting with me like that"
"Well, my 'man' does have a handsome face. That must be why"