Chapter 374: Alden’s Grand Deception.

"Forgive me for my impudence but I still don't understand why that would force you to hide your origins. Great beings such as the mighty Dragons would be accepted into any kingdom or empire without question, so why hide?"

Reynold said that despite the strength shown by Aemirya and Alden. Where normal people would have trembled and accepted almost anything as an answer, he actually dared to question them further.

I had to give it to this guy… he really had some guts.

"First of all, please get up." Alden pointed toward the chair. "And take your seat. MY QUEEN doesn't like such useless formalities."

Alden glared at her every time he called her Queen, and every time he did, she simply gave him a smug smile.

Reynold and the knights looked reluctant but after Alden asked them one more time, they hesitantly got up from the ground.

Reynold took his seat again while his three knights, including that maid, stood behind him with anxious expressions.

"Now that the formalities are done and you have discovered our true identities, I have no choice but to…"

Before Alden could even continue, Reynold shot up from his chair and dropped back onto the ground again, kneeling deeply as his knights immediately joined him.

"Please don't kill us! We won't tell anyone about this. Or if you must kill someone, please leave my daughter alive at least. Just take my life, she doesn't know anything."

A nerve popped on Alden's temple.

"At least let me finish, dammit! And take your seat again. The next time you dare to interrupt me like this, I swear I really will kill you."

Reynold quickly took his seat again.

For such an experienced merchant, he sure was a crybaby and a coward.

But then again, who could really blame him?

Two insanely powerful people had infiltrated his house and were talking as if they owned the damn place. And one of them being a Dragon definitely didn't make the situation any better.

"As I was saying, now that you have discovered the truth, I have no choice but to tell you about the current situation and the reason why we have been sent here by the Draconic Council."

At those words, Alden saw all of them heave a sigh of relief while Aemirya looked at him in surprise.

Even she seemed impressed by the sheer amount of bullshit Alden could come up with on the spot, despite having already seen it in action the first time they met.

Reynold didn't dare to speak up again as Alden continued with a satisfied nod.

"We have reason to believe that someone in the Kingdom of Rosarco has broken a Taboo."

He continued, speaking in the same dramatic tone.

"Someone within this kingdom is committing an atrocity, and the Dragon Council has sent me and MY QUEEN as representatives to investigate the situation and eliminate whoever is responsible for this mess."

"What?!"

Luke was the first one to react.

"How could that be?"

Honestly, Alden had no goddamn idea what kind of magic would even be considered Taboo in this time period, but he had thrown those words out there precisely so they could fill in the gaps themselves.

"As soon as I stepped onto the lands of this kingdom, I noticed the disgusting scent of Forbidden Magic. And in the worst-case scenario, it could be something that would put every citizen of this kingdom in jeopardy."

Alden's voice softened slightly.

"The stench is coming from the central island, the place where the academy is located. If it isn't stopped soon, even we have no idea what might happen to the people living here."

"Can't we simply evacuate the people of the kingdom? That way, we can save them and also narrow down the culprit, since they wouldn't leave the area affected by their magic."

With an expression as calm as ever, Alden gave him a cold smile.

"That would be simple, wouldn't it? But that's not possible."

"Why not?"

Because of the damn plot, you fat bastard.

He had made up some random excuse just to get this guy's help while keeping their exposure low enough that those damned Dragons wouldn't find him.

But this guy just kept asking one question after another. Alden didn't show anything on his face but inside, he truly wanted to slice this guy's tongue off.

Why the hell is he asking the correct question every damn time?

Still, he somehow maintained his composure even as his hands practically itched to reach for the nearby knife.

"It's because all of you have already been marked. Living here for more than a few days seems to be enough for the magic to mark you."

Alden deepened the lie and added even more bullshit.

"I can see strings of foul mana connecting each of you to the centre. So it doesn't matter where you go. Once the magic is activated, your souls will inevitably be dragged into the Abyss."

And if you dare ask another damn question, I will make sure you reach that place before the magic even activates.

Alden barely managed to hold back the urge to say that last thought aloud.

Before the fat bastard could interrupt him again with another question, Alden continued.

"In any case, you people don't have much of a choice anymore. You have seen our identities and learned of our plans, so either you help us investigate and save your own lives…"

His smile turned colder.

"…or all of you die along with the entire kingdom. We would rather eliminate every breathing thing here than waste our time searching through a place filled with such rude humans."

He continued in the same calm tone while even Aemirya flashed them a cold smile that matched his own.

"So, choose wisely."

Reynold looked toward the Grandmaster Rank knight standing behind him before turning his gaze back toward them with a resigned sigh.

"We accept, Milord."

He lowered his head with a slight bow.

Almost immediately, Aemirya pulled four mana contracts from her storage ring. Alden took them from her and pushed the contracts across the table toward Reynold and the three knights.

"Great. Now just sign those, and we're all done."

No way in hell was I trusting the word of some greedy merchant.