CHAPTER 172: MERCHANT GUILD’S CALCULATION

Merchant Guild

"Reporting!" A guard ran frantically through the guild and rushed to Wesley’s office.

"What’s the matter with you?" Ethan frowned. The recent incident had caused a major headache for the Merchant Guild already.

What was this guard doing, shouting like some panicked woman?

"T-There’s big changes in the city." The guard knelt in place. He wanted to continue to report the situation, but found himself out of place.

He had run so fast to return to the Merchant Guild to relay an important finding.

"Drink this and wait for my order to enter." Ethan realized there must have been important news for the guard to be so out of breath. Thus, he gave the latter a recovery potion and entered the office after a soft knock.

"Lord Wesley." Ethan greeted respectfully.

Wesley was seated in his chair, his eyes gazing through the transparent windows with a somewhat serious look.

He didn’t bother to turn around and simply asked, "Why did you enter? Could there be some merchants who still want to cause some trouble?"

One of the merchants who kept wanting to leave alongside Vincent was detained and interrogated. From there, they discovered this merchant had actually betrayed the guild and transported the Wrathbane Extract inside the city.

In a fit of rage, Wesley had ordered his execution immediately in front of the other merchants. He even warned them to start behaving and point out who else had done something like this behind their back.

Shortly after the thunderous situation, Wesley had retreated to his office.

’Such an outbreak was actually committed under my eyes. The mastermind surely knows how to slap me across the face.’ He felt humiliated and insulted.

Not once had the city of Velastra suffered such major damage under his rule!

Sometime later, Ethan explained his entry and was promptly granted permission to bring the guard inside.

"Speak without any fillers," Ethan warned the guard sternly. Wesley’s mood was low, so even one wrong speech could result in his execution.

The guard nodded and began explaining the situation.

"There’s a rescue operation commencing on the east side close to the Royal Velastra Hotel. They claimed to be from the Crown Prince’s side."

"So the Crown Prince has finally made his move." Wesley kept his back facing them and muttered. He was wondering why the Crown Prince had been staying low under the radar since his entry to the city.

Now it seemed like the latter was biding his time to shine.

"Is there anything else?" Wesley questioned.

If this was the information that caused the guard to disturb him, then he shall punish them severely.

What was he supposed to do after learning of such news?

Assist the Crown Prince?

That was impossible because it would seem like he was underestimating his ability.

Go against the Crown Prince?

That would be even more ridiculous.

Both he and Darius were waiting for each other to make a mistake. Whoever dared to get into the Crown Prince’s bad side would be the first to crumble!

As if he would be foolish enough to jump into the fire pit when he could just remain still in the Merchant Guild.

"Yes, there’s news that Vincent Bond has entered the Royal Velastra Hotel." The guard relayed and dropped more explosive news.

"It was said that prior to his entry, he had gone to the Fragrant Garden and made contact with Marquis Darius."

"Made contact with the Marquis?" Ethan’s brows furrowed. He recalled that the reasoning given by Vincent was to check whether the berserk slaves had any symptoms of his slave.

How did it suddenly become a meeting with the Marquis?

"My Lord, could it be that Vincent Bond has always been on the Marquis’s side?" Ethan asked, killing intent rose from his eyes.

"I doubt it," Wesley chuckled and shook his head.

"This Vincent isn’t some easy person to deal with. Moreover, with his harvested fruits, there’s no need for him to cozy up to that perverse, lustful Marquis." He added.

Just based on the bodyguard on Leonard’s side. It was clear that it was impossible for the latter to be a subordinate of Marquis Darius.

If he were truly a subordinate, then that bodyguard would have long been Darius’s plaything. Not to mention, Darius would never give out such a competent mage to another person.

"So it’s just a coincidence?" Ethan frowned.

"More like the guard had yet to reveal everything." Wesley finally turned around and stared at the guard intensely.

"Speak, what was the reason for Vincent to head toward the Fragrant Garden?"

"I-I don’t dare to hide anything, Lord Wesley." The guard sweated profusely and kissed his forehead to the ground. Even if he was given a bunch of courage, he wouldn’t dare to conceal anything.

Wesley chuckled in amusement.

"I naturally believe you, but some information is missing to make the puzzle complete. You probably omitted something that you find inconspicuous or even useless." He advised the guard to start thinking properly about what he failed to relay.

In the meantime, Ethan held the hilt of his sword, clearly ready to slay the guard if the latter failed to answer promptly.

A few seconds later, Wesley appeared to have worn out his patience.

He was about to gesture for the kill until the guard’s body jolted.

"Ah, I remember now!" The guard exclaimed and hurriedly reported. "It was said that Vincent was carrying a woman’s corpse around. He even ignored a few city guards who called for help and continued his walk."

’A woman’s corpse?’ Wesley pondered silently. Now, this was quite unexpected.

When did a merchant become this caring for a random corpse?

Could the corpse be someone of importance?

That shouldn’t be right!

If that was the case, then he wouldn’t have left the Fragrant Garden and gone to the Royal Velastra Hotel.

"How interesting... It appears that there really are more and more unknown variables happening under my eyes." Wesley laughed hysterically and signaled for the kill.

"No, please spare—"

SLASH!

The guard didn’t even get to plead for mercy when Ethan ruthlessly slayed the former in less than a second.