Chapter 78 – The Lair of Villainy
The fifth floor of the Blue Rose was one of Beneta’s most renowned attractions, with a daily usage fee exceeding 300 gold.
A private space where patrons could engage in intimate one-on-one conversations with elegantly adorned elves of breathtaking beauty.
Tonight, as usual, countless visitors had flocked here, laden with gold, eager to win the favor of the elusive elves.
Among those patrons, I sat comfortably, having secured my own spot.
My chosen companion for the evening? None other than the madam of the house, Nella herself.
“…What did you just say?”
“Didn’t you understand? I hate repeating myself.”
“Did you seriously call me up here just to make that kind of proposal?”
The room, an ethereal space reminiscent of the Milky Way, glittered with gemstones embedded in its concealed walls. Seated on a plush sofa, Nella furrowed her delicate brow, leaning back with a look of restrained irritation.
The air of professionalism she exuded screamed "madam," especially since it was business hours.
“‘That kind of proposal’ is a bit rude, don’t you think? This is about a Blood Pact, after all.”
“Exactly. So why are we discussing something that could’ve been settled in the reception room here? And how, may I ask, did someone as broke as you even book this room?”
“They gave it to me when I asked nicely.”
I swirled the whiskey in my glass before downing it in one gulp.
I had asked for the most expensive drink in Blue Rose, and the staff had served it without hesitation.
No doubt, this was Fenry’s doing—her way of stacking even more debt on me.
I should’ve known from the moment they let me sleep in the VIP room.
“This place has quite a reputation, you know. Last time, I didn’t get a chance to explore it. Gotta say, the atmosphere is incredible. So dark and intimate.”
Perfect for setting a romantic mood. Close enough to touch with just the slightest reach.
“That's the essence of salesmanship.”
“Then why is someone so good at sales being so difficult with me?”
“Because your proposal is utterly ridiculous.”
“Well, if you were the one who first suggested a Blood Pact, isn’t this much expected?”
Nella let out a faint laugh, pressing her fingers to her temples as if trying to ward off a headache.
I must’ve been testing the limits of her patience.
“So, let me get this straight. You’re saying we should cancel all your outstanding debts and any future ones as well?”
“Why be so stingy? Don’t you know about the Blood Pact Free Pass?”
“…Blood Pact Free Pass?”
“It means you don’t nickel-and-dime someone in a Blood Pact.”
It had taken me three days to fully inspect and adapt to my transformed body. During that time, I had foolishly forgotten one critical fact: Blue Rose was the very definition of a villain’s lair.
By the end of those three days, my debt had grown from 11,800 gold to 13,000 gold, and I had made up my mind.
I decided to go all in.
‘I’ve got to survive too, don’t I?’
Fenry was clearly determined to turn me into her personal debt slave.
It seemed she held a grudge over the Mark of Life and wanted to bury me, but I wasn’t going to let that happen.
And as for leaving and finding another place to stay?
‘Why would I leave this paradise?’
Private training rooms, excellent food, and a bed that felt like sleeping on clouds.
On top of that, there were beautiful elves everywhere to feast my eyes upon.
If I compared it to the modern world, this place was better than a 5-star premium VIP hotel. Leaving would’ve been plain idiotic.
Especially when I held the upper hand in negotiations right now.
“Isn’t my offer pretty reasonable for a Blood Pact?”
I didn’t fully understand why they were so desperate to bind me in a Blood Pact, but it was clear they had their reasons—even if it meant taking a loss to secure it.
I needed to finalize this deal before Fenry returned.
Frankly, that woman terrified me.
“Oh, and let’s include information sharing in the deal. Blood Pact members should be transparent with each other, right?”
I was dying to know the whereabouts of the Butcher of Carnage, but the absurd price they quoted had kept me in the dark. This was the perfect opportunity to get clarity.
“Do you know the Mark of Life has disappeared?”
“Of course. I checked the moment I regained consciousness.”
“Then you also know that if this proposal reaches the Master’s ears, she might kill you?”
“I trust you to keep that from happening, Nella.”
“That’s… unlikely.”
“When you say unlikely, do you mean you can’t stop her, or you won’t? Come on, be honest, as an elf.”
“…….”
Nella frowned, clearly irritated.
For someone who didn’t seem to have much experience with elves, I appeared to know a lot about their oaths. Every time she tried to evade, I would pinpoint her avoidance and persistently question her.
‘The more I learn about him, the less I understand.’
Because of his potential importance, Nella had thoroughly investigated Arthur Clayton’s background.
All she could confirm was that he was formerly an assassin from Crux, had a bad relationship with Blyer, and had only recently adopted the name Arthur Clayton.
His earlier history was nearly impossible to trace.
‘A nameless ghost.’
Orphan. Slave. Assassin.
Those were the only identifiers she could uncover.
He was a mystery—a man who refused to die.
Every time he seemed on the verge of death, he survived. Every time he seemed weak, he emerged victorious in battle.
A curious man, indeed.
It had been a long time since someone piqued Nella’s interest like this.
“Why don’t you ask the Master about your proposal when she returns?”
“Who do you think you’ll bend first—me or her? Guess I’ll just leave, then.”
“…Leave?”
“If I stay here, my debt will just keep piling up. I’ve got no choice but to go and earn money to pay it off.”
“I could broker some jobs for you.”
“Yeah, and leave the fish with the cat? No thanks.”
“I can’t let you leave without collateral.”
“Here’s some collateral for you.”
“…….”
I tapped the Dark Rose brooch pinned to my chest, and Nella fell silent.
The Dark Rose.
Leaving behind such a treasure of Beneta as collateral would’ve made stopping me outright unreasonable.
“I’m leaving now.”
I placed the Dark Rose on the table and shifted as if to stand.
Outwardly, I appeared confident, but inwardly, I was sweating bullets.
If she didn’t stop me, I’d be screwed.
Still, I moved with calculated precision.
I’d spent the past three days cooped up in the training room, during which Nella had made a point to visit me daily.
Her constant questioning and probing made her intent clear: she wanted to understand who I really was.
Someone uninterested wouldn’t have shown such consistent curiosity.
“Fine, sit down.”
The moment I reached for the doorknob, Nella finally conceded with a sigh. Hiding my triumphant smirk, I quickly turned back to face her.
Pulling out a document from my coat, I laid it in front of her.
After examining it, Nella looked up at me with an expression that screamed disbelief.
“…How do you have one of the Black Rose contracts we use for commissions?”
“I asked the guys on the roof, and they handed it over.”
“…Hah.”
It seemed that the miscommunication stemmed from the Master not fully explaining my presence here, despite her direct involvement in saving me and proposing the Blood Pact.
No, I was undoubtedly a VIP guest—but acknowledging that fact was something Nella was reluctant to do.
As the Master had said, I was just that irritating.
“Since you seemed busy, I took the liberty of preparing it myself. Go ahead and stamp your seal.”
“You’re more cunning than I expected.”
“Didn’t the Master tell you about me?”
“She just said you’d run your mouth like jerky and told me to keep you tied down. But now, I’m thinking of joining in on that.”
“…Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that.”
Nella chuckled softly and signed the contract.
The elf who had been so opposed to my proposal just moments ago now seemed entirely on board.
Was she seriously planning to turn me into jerky?
“Quick to change your tune, aren’t you?”
“Once I make a decision, I don’t dwell on it.”
“Now that we’ve signed the contract, let me ask one thing.”
Signing this contract essentially meant she had one foot in the Blood Pact.
With that, I could finally ask the question I’d been holding back.
“What’s the real reason you proposed a Blood Pact to someone like me? Surely you can tell me now.”
“The Mark of Life.”
“The Mark of Life? It’s already been used up and is worthless now.”
“When that mark disappeared, the future of the Black Rose changed.”
“What… changed?”
“The future.”
Arthur Clayton.
The day his pact with the Master ended, both the Master and Dorneth awakened their Divine Powers simultaneously.
The Shadow of the World Tree.
And The Shield of Tobaron.
The moment she glimpsed those Divine Powers, Nella knew.
This man was someone they could never let slip away.
“What does that even mean—”
Before I could press for a clearer answer…
“You’re awake, huh?”
“…Gah!”
That voice.
The one I’d hoped I wouldn’t hear so soon.
Nella stood and bowed to the figure now looming behind me.
There was only one person in this place who could command her respect.
The Master.
Fenry Chaser stood with her arms crossed, her shadow looming over me, a bitter expression on her face as she puffed on her pipe.
“Well, fancy meeting you here,” I greeted, trying to sound casual.
“Fancy meeting you? Don’t make me laugh.”
Exchanging a quick glance with Nella, Fenry snatched the contract from my hand.
I watched her expression darken as she read through it, her face hardening into something out of a horror film.
“Look, this is—”
“Eleven.”
“…What?”
“Eleven times. That’s how many times I saved your life after you invoked the Mark of Life. And that’s not even counting the minor stuff. Think about it—does that really seem fair? Me, the Master of the Black Rose, being shortchanged like this?”
This woman was ruthless.
She’d actually been keeping count?
Suddenly, Nella’s earlier comment about turning me into jerky came rushing back.
And that note, telling me to clean my neck and wait.
I braced myself for Fenry to tear the contract to shreds—and maybe me along with it.
But to my shock, she handed the contract back to me with a deadpan expression.
“Fine. This will be the last time I lose out. Follow the contract.”
“…What? Why does that make me even more nervous?”
She was letting the debt slide?
Fenry, of all people?
What was her game?
With a slight nod, Fenry motioned for Nella to leave. The elf bowed gracefully before slipping out of the room.
Now it was just the two of us, alone in the shimmering, dreamlike space.
So this is what made the fifth floor of the Blue Rose truly terrifying.
Fenry approached, leaning in close to whisper in my ear.
“Remember this.”
“…….”
“You owe me a huge debt. Understand?”
“…A huge debt?”
“Burn it into your memory. Right here.”
She tapped my chest, right over my heart.
The Heart of Retonicalus.
She was right—I did owe her.
Without her, I wouldn’t have survived that hell, let alone acquired the heart.
“I’m collecting on that debt now.”
“…What?”
“Got a problem with that?”
“N-no, of course not.”
“Good. I trust you’ll handle it well.”
“……?”
With a pat on my shoulder, Fenry flashed a sly smile and left the room.
What did she want me to handle?
I was still puzzling over her cryptic words when I glanced around the room.
Then it hit me like a punch to the gut.
“The Dark Rose—when the hell did they take it?”
The obsidian brooch was gone.
Somehow, Nella and Fenry had coordinated perfectly to swipe it right from under my nose.
These two were a perfectly synchronized duo, like sisters in crime.
Surely they weren’t planning to settle my life debt with the Dark Rose, were they?
Some things never change.
Give them an inch, and they’ll take a mile.
As I looked around the lavish space, I let out a bitter chuckle.
Indeed, this was truly the lair of villainy.