CHAPTER 230: KILLING THE COUNT

Noel took over the carriage and resumed their journey to the capital. Sophie was quiet after what had happened, but Riven stayed beside her and comforted her. Killing someone for the first time was definitely not easy.

They traveled through the night, and then after an hour, she finally spoke.

"Did you find out who did it?" she asked.

"Yeah, and when we get to the capital, we’ll make sure to search for the organization," Riven said.

"What do you plan to do when you find them? Battle?" she asked.

"Well, I don’t really know, but one way or another we’ll deal with the issue. We need to find out why we were attacked, else we might get attacked again.

I didn’t expect this journey to take this turn, but now that it has, I’ll have to find out the reason behind it," Riven said.

"The Devil’s Advocate might not be a small organization, bro," Noel spoke from the front.

"I’m sure it isn’t a small one. They had a Third Circle battlemage. Only someone with a good amount of resources can hire a Third Circle battlemage as an assassin," Riven said.

"It’s possible that they might have been the ones to train him, and that makes it even more difficult. We can only guess the strength of their leader and the entire organization as a whole," Noel stated.

"We’ll find them, and no matter what it takes, we’ll find them," Riven replied.

They continued their journey without issues for hours. The sun rose over the horizon, the beginning of a new day. They were now very close to the capital; it was only a matter of hours before they arrived.

[.....]

Andrew sat inside the same room where he had spoken to the count. A cigar in hand, he lit it with a breath and took a deep drag. He puffed out smoke and then leaned back into his chair, allowing himself to relax.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Heavy banging came from the door, but he paid no heed. Taking another drag on his smoke, he tapped the back of it to remove some of the ashes and then let out the smoke.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He still ignored the banging and took another drag on his cigar, then slowly looked at the door.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The person hit again, and finally, he got on his feet and walked to the door. He unlocked it and opened it.

Outside the door was Count Mike, his face twisted in full-on anger. He stormed into the room, his fat jiggling from left to right as he walked. He collapsed on the chair and looked at Andrew with a cold glare.

"You fucking idiot, you didn’t kill them. My person told me that they were spotted entering the capital today. What do you have to say about that?" Mike demanded.

Andrew let out a deep sigh, closed the door, and returned to his chair. He took another drag from his cigar and then focused on the fuming old man.

"It came as a shock to me when my men failed to kill two boys. I for sure believed that twenty men would be enough to handle those kids," he said and leaned back into his chair.

"I told you about this. I warned you to go yourself, not to underestimate these kids, but you still had to go ahead and do it. Now what are you going to do? How are you going to fix the issue that you have caused?" the count roared.

"Sigh, stop yelling already, old man, before I shove my foot down your throat," Andrew responded.

"Huh? How dare you speak to me like that? I pay you, you fucking brat!" the count roared.

"Pay me? You pay me? You pathetic little count that believes he is still worth anything even after his family is quickly declining.

And rather than focusing his resources on bettering his lands, he is here paying a hitman to kill children.

You believe that your measly pay does anything to help me? You are a pathetic man," Andrew said and threw a piece of paper on the table.

"Take a look at that. Someone wants you dead, and it’s been a while since they asked me to kill you, but I waited, not wanting to end you yet.

But right now, I’m feeling heavily in the mood to make you suffer," Andrew said and got to his feet.

The count took the paper and looked at the image there. His eyes widened when he saw that it was truly him. He froze, sweat forming instantly.

"You... you won’t really kill me, right? Andrew, we have known each other for a long time now," he said eagerly, but Andrew simply flashed him a soft smile, and then out of nowhere, his dagger appeared and lit ablaze.

"You think too highly of yourself, Mike. The person that asked me to kill you, I respect him far more than I do you, so don’t even think about begging.

Also, don’t think about paying me more, because your wealth can’t come close to his wealth. Honestly, you are a dead man right now.

Though I will say you were useful in one regard: the two boys you showed me, they have piqued my interest, so now I’ll look deeper into them. But I’ll be doing that for myself, not because of you," Andrew said.

"No, no, please, no Andrew!" Mike kept yelling, but Andrew paid him no heed. He took another drag of his cigar, tapped the back, and dropped the ashes on the ground. He looked at the cigar.

Then he walked toward the count. "A little pain before you die," he said and pressed the burning tip on the neck of the count.

"Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!" The count screamed.

"You scream like the pig you are," Andrew said before plunging the dagger deep into his chest and into his heart, killing the count right there.

He pulled out the dagger and left the room with the body there.