Chapter 10: The mission outlines.

(The Old Mayn Capital, City of Doven: )

In the Mayn kingdom, there exist two cities that are called the capitals: the official capital city that has the central Pantheon, Gipon, and Doven, the old capital city where the royal palace has existed since the kingdom’s inception.

Gipon being the most important city for the common masses as well as the lower class nobles, the old capital exists as a place where certain families have lived for generations.

Not all of these families are nobles or rich, but, unlike the official grand capital where the class divide is so obvious, the old capital has a unique distribution of houses.

The grand royal castle exists in the middle, a ’mage tower’ run by the descendants of demon worshipers exists on the far east of this castle, while the pantheon temple exists on the far western side.

There are no slum areas in this city or houses that just get by on the minimum wages.

Many of the families who live in this rather small city either have family members working for the royal family or the richer families who live there.

Therefore, while there are large houses scattered around the city, the smaller houses have their unique touches.

The lesser fortunate families are still happy here. And while there’s a strict procedure to become an official resident of the old capital, very few actually manage to secure housing here.

And despite that, the old capital city that looks more like a big town than a city with its humongous central castle, is always bustling with new people coming from all around the world.

"Shrshrsharshrshsr..."

"Katakkatakkatak..."

Horse carriages going in and out of the city from all six of its gates, people constantly filling the streets of the sleepless city, and people wanting to somehow go to the royal castle: the capital never sleeps, the underworld here being the most active under the moonlight.

The influence of the crown is the greatest in the city. With the kingdom controlling a vast majority of the continent’s eastern parts, the capital becomes an important land.

Thankfully, it’s older location makes it a protected territory with three great houses surrounding it on three different sides.

Getting past them would be the same as getting past various fortresses so, with only a large mountain range as the open option, the city has stood in place for hundreds of years.

The royal palace is especially a secure place, so it’s a strange thing that their young prince could just vanish out of nowhere.

The royals take very good care of their employees so, not even they can just vanish like their prince did. So, what happened to him?

"I’m telling you this is the work of a demon."

"Yeah yeah, demon in the castle. Very funny."

The butlers who come out of the castle for their official duties were strictly ordered not to talk about it but there are times when their tongue slips like this.

But then again, there have yet to be any rumours around the city which means the information has been concealed pretty well.

"I’m going to go get the spices."

"Then I’ll pay a visit to the tailor. See if they have the dresses ready."

"Alright."

Two butlers were wearing common clothing to not attract any attention. The official clothes of the castle are far too glamorous and people are conscious of them even when they aren’t on duty.

With how things have been in the castle, it was advised that the people going outside the castle be especially careful, and so, the two were only carrying their palace IDs in case they needed it.

But... that did not mean they were safe out here.

"Haaa. Now that idiot is gone..." The butler who was supposed to go to the tailor’s shop slipped into an alley.

Unlike the bustling main streets, this place was empty, narrow, and darker. It was also shady, so it was highly unlikely that there were any tailors here.

-Clink. Clink.

-Tssss.

He lit up a cigar while leaning against a clean wall, an expensive item that not even a palace servant should be able to afford.

"Those goddamn bastards have been making up a fuss since earlier." From the looks of it, he was cursing at people in a higher position.

"So what if they’re royals? If they lost a boy it’s their problem. Why are we being watched over? I can’t even do any business-." He was upset about how the royal family was keeping a constant eye on them.

But this business he was talking about had nothing to do with the royal family.

"You started by stealing small things from the palace and now you have a whole drug ring going on inside the castle, huh? Quite a name you’ve made for yourself, Arias Nikal."

A strange voice cut him off right as he was in the middle of another puff.

"Huh?"

At the same time, he felt a strange sting on his neck, one that reflectively made him slap himself.

It did not feel anything more than a mosquito bite and yet, after just a few seconds, he felt a strange rush throughout his body.

"You have killed, kidnapped, raped, and drugged in the name of getting them a job inside the palace. You are a piece of trash."

He felt as if hundreds of ants were running under his skin, inside his veins, rushing all around his body.

He felt weird, but that was just the start. ℯℯ𝑙.

"ARGHHHHHHH...!"

All those hundreds of thousands of tiny ants had bitten him all at once, at least the sensation of it seemed that way.

Calling it painful was an understatement... and yet it only got worse from there.

"Don’t worry though."

As the pain became progressively excruciating, a hooded figure with a red mask appeared before him.

"You will do one good thing before your last moment."

The masked figure extended his hand, and grabbed the butler’s face.

"...?"

The pain around his face and head seemed to have gone down for a moment. But that was just a moment.

All of it returned the very next moment, in fact it became much worse.

"This is what," the masked man’s strange voice that had been speaking to him changed into something distinctly familiar, "you deserve."

Right before his eyes, the face that was a mask transformed into what he had known the best.

"!!!"

It was his face.

"Now die."

And that was his voice.

"ARGHHHHHH!"

The demon had taken away his identity, as well as all of his sins with it.

He was punished just like he would be punished in hell for his crimes: the pain of being eaten alive by insects inside of him was real.

The sensation was even if he wasn’t experiencing the real thing.

This was his punishment.

< "Eagle here. I’m done on my side." >

Drew had obtained the first identity. And just like him, Spot eliminated the maid who had been wandering around in the underground stores, looking for things they could use in their business inside the palace.

She was working with this butler, and there were more working with them.

But for the time being, the two of them would go into the castle first and wait for the other two.

< "I am on my way back." >

The mission had begun.

And their first goal was to evaluate the overall situation inside the castle.