The fierce flames began spewing pitch-black smoke. At the same time, an ear-splitting horn blast rang out. The guard forces had discovered the fire and were signaling the surroundings. 

Now they’d move to suppress the fire as trained. The guard forces were capable. They’d swiftly extinguished even larger blazes before.

However, Alex’s furrowed brow showed no signs of smoothing. Ian also saw something was off. Staring at the flames like glaring at them, he spoke coldly.

“Looks like they used chemicals.”

At Ian’s words, Alex didn’t answer and turned around. Toward the main building. Ian also gave the flames another look, then immediately took a step to follow.

Boom!

A roar sounded. Reflexively, Alex and Ian looked back at the flames. A massive blaze incomparably larger than before surged. Ominous flames that seemed ready to engulf and devour Imperial Capital Logia.

Crash!

A second explosion erupted. Without question of who went first, Alex and Ian ran toward the main building. Alex absolutely couldn’t ignore the sensation that had been striking her since earlier. That fire was just the beginning—such thoughts kept crawling into her head. Unluckily.

Alex ran in a direction slightly off from the main building entrance. Knights already fully armed stood outside the main building. Kids after her own heart, really.

“Ian, send the kids to the five mercenary company inns.”

“You.”

“I’m going to Shaper Inn.”

“I’ll go to Shaper after sending the kids.”

Before Ian finished speaking, Alex shot out like an arrow. Her bright red hair blown by the wind undulated like fierce waves. Those red waves caught in Ian’s vision.

“Alex!”

At the calling voice, Alex glanced back slightly. Indifferent yet vibrant golden eyes ensnared him.

“Be careful.”

How unnecessary. Alex raised her hand to show him, then ran again. Fierce thoughts raced rapidly through her head.

The reason for sending the Knight Order to the inns where mercenary companies stayed in this situation was clear. A strong suspicion that perhaps that fire—no, the attackers—might be them.

Who cares about official documents or whatever. Putting out fires was the guard forces’ job, and Alex planned to immediately pounce on those suspicious ones first.

“Horse!”

The Knight Order’s stable keeper who’d rushed out at the roar hurriedly led a horse from the stable at Alex’s shout. Grabbing the reins and mounting lightly like flying, Alex began her full gallop.

The imperial palace guards recognized her and immediately opened the gate.

The fire location—no, the attacked location—was quite a distance from the imperial palace. It was the famous fabric shop district, and since they handled cloth, it was an area with high fire risk that was normally thoroughly managed. 

As she expected, the guard forces were assembling efficiently to suppress the fire, so it wasn’t spreading further. Still, the scale was so large it looked like complete suppression would take considerable time.

Alex gauged the flames and ran to the opposite side.

‘Shaper. Shaper Inn.’

An unremarkable ordinary inn. Not luxurious, not run-down, a truly featureless generic inn. 

She passed through a boulevard wide enough for several four-wheeled carriages and entered a narrow alley. She pulled the reins tight and reduced speed. No need to noisily announce her arrival.

She tethered the horse nearby and released the scabbard from her waist to grip in her hand. 

Then she circled to the back of Shaper Inn. She found a shabby door barely visible in the dark back and pushed it. The door opened smoothly and silently.

Gripping the scabbard firmly, she entered. The stairs barely lit by cheap candles led only downward. She held her breath and descended. Voices came from not far away. About three or four people. With each step down, the voices gradually became clearer.

“…so… one week…”

“…probably…”

The occasional words weren’t enough to grasp the content. She carefully descended further. 

Halfway down, she turned sharply and took another step. The voices grew closer beyond the thick wooden wall.

“…when it explodes…”

A smile crossed Alex’s face.

“…next is… Merian…”

Creeeeak.

The wooden step beneath her foot screamed. The voices cut off abruptly. Alex smacked her lips. Hearing it now or later made no difference, but hearing more now would’ve been better for k*lling her impatient nature.

Since she was caught anyway, she walked down openly with heavy steps. Creak, creeeeak. The closer to the bottom, the more the stairs screamed, worn from long, heavy use.

She came around the wooden wall. By the round table where they’d been sitting until moments ago, four large men with swords in hand held their breath while glaring at the stairs. With several candles lit, it was bright enough. Enough to confirm faces.

Alex took another step closer. The sound of inhaling breath rang low. Like they’d stopped breathing, their risen chests didn’t descend.

The mercenaries’ faces hardened stiffly. Red hair mixed subtly with brown was common. But there was only one with such vividly deep red that burned brightly like what just entered.

Alex approached with a smiling face.

“Could you tell me in detail?”

The smile was more terrifying. D*mn. A vulgar curse popped out quietly from somewhere.

“Hey.”

One muscle mass in the back tapped the mass beside him. Look, she’s alone. Indeed, no one had followed. The masses tried to regain their composure. Come to think of it, they didn’t know yet what the redhead had heard.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

Ballak, the mass whose head worked best, spoke while sheathing his sword. The other three who’d read his cue lowered their swords accordingly.

“You were saying something about things exploding.”

How much did she hear? 

Four pairs of eyes swept over her. The long hair flowing in bright red waves and amber eyes were distinct. She was beautiful enough to steal souls, as they’d heard. 

It was puzzling how such a woman could be a lion. No matter how much the “redhead” was renowned, four against one would be difficult.

Ballak, regaining confidence, swallowed and continued.

“Mercenary company missions are confidential, so it’s difficult to tell you.”

“I suppose so.”

“What brings you here?”

“I was curious what you were doing in the dark.”

Golden eyes swept over the table. Paper scraps were messy, seemingly hastily cleared. Ballak blocked the table with his body and spoke again.

“We’re just working on a commission we received. Please tell us why you came.”

“You know.”

“We don’t. We received proper imperial capital entry permits. Further questioning is unnecessary inspection.”

Unnecessary inspection? Alex’s eyebrow rose.

“If you feel wronged, give me 10 minutes? I think searching will prove this inspection was necessary after all.”

“That’s absurd nonsense…”

“If nothing comes up from searching, file a formal objection with higher-ups. That’s your natural right, so I won’t stop you either.”

That crazy b*tch. Ballak was dumbfounded. Since the Knight Order was directly under the Emperor, objections had to go to the Emperor. 

Since they didn’t have unlimited power, complaints were occasionally filed, and Ballak could too. 

But he couldn’t. How could he create trouble from nothing! She was pulling this crap knowing he couldn’t.

“No.”

“Then 5 minutes.”

“No.”

“…Are we playing word games now? Time’s precious.”

The golden eyes furrowed unpleasantly.

Ballak felt his head had never worked this well. Fight or not. Life or money. 

The direction was decided before his deliberation even finished. One guy, impulsive as a wild boar, jumped out from the side. The blade was fierce.

“Why worry when it’s just one b*tch anyway!”

D*mn, h*ll! Ballak didn’t deliberate further.

“K*ll her!”

Strength entered Alex’s hand. Four masses charging. One well-sharpened blue blade thrust toward her. Without even drawing her sword, she blocked with the scabbard and lightly deflected it aside. 

Then circling to the mass’s side, she struck the back of his neck hard with the scabbard. It was a naturally flowing motion.

“Urk!”

The mass that collapsed to the floor couldn’t move. Ballak was dumbfounded again. She’d just knocked out a 13-year veteran mercenary who’d been around the block with a single attack. 

He checked the surroundings. The other two were charging simultaneously. Ballak turned to somehow dispose of the bundle of papers hidden under the table.

Alex didn’t miss it.

She threw the scabbard as is. The sword that split between the two mercenaries flew rapidly in a straight line like shooting, and accurately struck where she wanted. 

Ballak, hit in the back of the neck by the scabbard flying sideways like shooting, also fell forward. A thud sounded but no one heard it.

The red hair ducked deeply, avoiding the sword cutting horizontally with a wind sound. It was before the mercenary could even take position for a second attack. 

The redhead added the force of jumping up to the recoil of rising and struck the mass’s vital spot with her knee, crushing eggs. Along with unspeakable male pain, his vision went dark immediately.

Then, a sword came from the side to take her neck. Alex smiled and jumped back lightly to create distance.