Alfonso quickly wiped the sweat off his face with a handkerchief that always lingered in his pocket. He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart, then began weighing the pros and cons of the decision he had to make.
He certainly needed money, but he knew he was risking his life on this one. There was no doubt that the most powerful family of magicians in the world would hunt him down to the ends of the earth if he disclosed information they were trying to suppress, especially given how he obtained it.
The same fate awaited him if he tried to blackmail them with the information he held to squeeze out a few pieces of gold. All he would gain from this venture was a slew of assassins after him.
On the other hand, sharing this information guaranteed him great fame and a lot of money.
He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to visualize the things he could accomplish with the amount of money that was now within reach. In the process, his thoughts were drawn like a magnet to Anna, the courtesan he preferred most in the brothel he frequented.
"With such an amount of money, I could afford Anna's special service every day for a long time." he thought to himself.
He couldn't help but blush at the prospect. The usual service was alright, but it paled in comparison to the special service.
Alfonso, who had once been granted this delightful performance as a token of appreciation for his loyalty to the brothel, could never forget it. He took another deep breath, but this time, the exercise was to remind him of the natural scent of a certain part of Anna that would instantly kill any virgin with its description.
Then, he opened his eyes again...
His eyes now sparkled with unwavering determination to fulfill the mission that was his in this world.
"How dare they try to hide such important information from the population? I will never let that happen, because I am a journalist, a true one!" he declared to himself.
His decision was made! He now had to distance himself as much as possible from that tower to execute his plan and avoid getting caught quickly.
Without wasting another moment, he grabbed his work bag. He quickly adjusted the shoulder strap to give it more length to conceal a figure that had suddenly appeared between his legs and seemed entirely unwilling to be constrained by his pants.
After setting up his makeshift camouflage, he left the room and quickly descended the stairs. After a few minutes of finalizing the details of his accommodation with the innkeeper, he cast one last lecherous glance at the lady before finally leaving the premises.
He could now begin his noble mission to relay to the population the information that the Windsor family was trying to hide from them.
***
At the Azure Sky Tower, Adall had just left the restroom. The first thing he demanded upon leaving the cube could only be done in this place.
It didn't take him long to meet his parents who were waiting nearby. They were starting to look at him as if he were the most precious treasure in the world. Noticing that the intensity of their gazes on him did not diminish, he asked with his usual innocent air,
"Have I done something wrong?"
He was just a child. Of course, he didn't understand the implications of the potential he had demonstrated during those tests.
"No, my son, you were perfect. Let's go home now."
"Yes, father."
***
Several hours had already passed since the family set off on their return journey.
On Alfonso's side, he had managed to distance himself enough from the scene of his espionage to send the recording he had obtained to those who could pay for it without fear of being caught quickly.
Alfonso was a truth-seeking journalist. Therefore, he wasn't affiliated with any specific agency. Instead, he provided scoops he unearthed to the press group that offered the highest price for them.
So, in a room of a building where several tables and chairs were neatly arranged along with cabinets filled with papers, three people watched a projection, their eyes wide open and occasionally wiping sweat drops from their foreheads.
Was it really that hot? The night had already fallen, so the temperature wasn't high enough to make them sweat like that. They were sweating more due to the anticipation of the action they were about to take.
Indeed, publishing the information they now held would certainly put them in the crosshairs of the Windsors. But being a press group with a certain popularity, they didn't risk an obvious death like Alfonso Kruger.
"Can we really publish the information from this recording?"
The lady among them was the most worried. But even though the other two appeared confident, they were also doing their best to reassure themselves that nothing unpleasant would result from their decision.
They were journalists; they had sworn to provide the population with true information.
"Didn't they say they would officially release the evaluation results tomorrow morning?"
"Yes, that's the statement they made when they left the Azure Sky Mage Tower today."
"Then let's not waste any more time and put all this on paper for publication before their false declaration tomorrow."
The boss had made his decision and given the directives to follow. The employees had no choice but to comply, but not before having one last thought for the man who had now become their hero.
Yes, he was a journalist, a true one! And now, he would be known by everyone.