The Upper Districts of the Capital each had their own unique scenic spot for people to visit, whether they were locals or visitors from outside the Capital. At the heart of the Upper South District was one such spot, Angus's Food Market; a large market square filled with food stalls that sells exotic and unique food from across the entire Human Domain at affordable prices.
At its center was a grand fountain called the Red Lotus Fountain. As its name implies, it was filled with Red Lotuses. Apart from being a popular spot for young couples to confess their love for one another, it was also a place where people make their wishes.
No one knew when the rumor came about, but it was said that if people throw coins into the fountain and make a wish, it would eventually come true. Despite being unable to prove the veracity of rumor, it didn't stop people from testing their luck.
Gold, silver and copper coins were no longer used as currency since the old era and most have been exchange for the craw currency which appear in sophisticated paper notes. However, a lot of wealthy families kept these old relics for collection, and it didn't stop their younglings from digging them up and extravagantly toss them into the fountain for wishes. Over time, a sizable sum of coins had piled up at the bottom of the fountain.
…
Old man Kasif had found himself stumbling into this large food market as he was drawn by the rich aroma of food. He wore a weary expression from toiling in the Upper Districts. Wherever he went, trouble seem to have followed.
"Haih… It should be about 536 different interactions now…." Kasif thought.
The past days had been a nightmare for him, especially the event at the Aurelia Mountain Road. The restaurant staffs chased him like he had murdered their ancestors. It was totally unreasonable!
"Haih… How can food be so expensive!? Pah! Dastardly thing. Food is meant to be eaten. Who can afford such expensive food?"
Kasif realized that after working in the shadows for so many years, he could not even afford a single meal. Either the royal family had severely underpaid him of there was something wrong with that place. He chose to suspect the later. How could he dare to question the royal family?
"This elder, would you like to buy some meat skewers?"
A random stall owner reached out after he notice the old man ogling at his meat skewers coated in special sauce that made it look especially succulent and enticing.
"No."
Kasif rejected and started walking off. He had learnt keeping interactions to a minimal was the best way to avoid trouble. In fact, he had mastered the art of minimal words. When trying to interact with other people, it mainly consists of two words; "Hi" and "Bye".
…And he had to say, it was extremely effective. People would just call him crazy and avoid him like he was a plague. They would not hassle him at all. Towards this kind of treatment, he was not offended and was even happy about it. He just wants to quickly finish the task, regardless of whether he did it right or not and just return to being the leader of the Shadow Guards.
If the Queen knew what was happening, she would have wanted to facepalmed herself, thinking the Old man was beyond cure.
"Wait, these skewers are only 20 craws each."
The stall owner tried to entice the old man.
'A price that is actually damn reasonable! Pah! The previous place was black-hearted restaurant!'
Kasif heard the stall owner but continued leaving with quickened pace. It wasn't because he didn't want to eat… in fact, he very much wants to, but he had no money!
He had to find a way to make some money!
The heavens seemed to have guided Kasif to the Red Lotus Fountain where young people were seen tossing old money into the fountain! Upon further look, thousands of coins glittered at the bottom of the fountain under the moonlight!
Kasif wanted to laugh out loud. The heavens must be favoring him! He needed money and money he shall get! He didn't understand why these younglings were throwing away money, but who was he to complain? One man's trash was another man's treasure!
SPLASH!
The old man dived into the pond-like fountain, spraying another jet of water into the air.
"Ahh! an old man jumped into the fountain!"
"Quick, get help!"
The young bystanders saw the old man jumping into the fountain and thought he was tired of living and wanted to drown himself. It never crossed their minds that this old man was trying to steal the coins in the fountain.
However, that was precisely the case! The old man climbed out with a small mountain of coins in his arms and shocked everyone. This old man was really stealing the fountain coins!
"What are you doing!?"
A young noble, whom just tossed a coin into the fountain, roared with anger.
What the old man did was practically stealing away their hopes and dreams! Would their wishes still come true!?
Old man Kasif was quite jovially at the unexpected gains, but the angry roar was like a splash of cold water, startling him and made him dropped all the coins onto the floor.
"I-Is there a problem…? I'm just taking what people don't want…"
"Is there a problem!? Are you pretending to be senile, Old man!? Don't you know what this place is!?"
Listening to the Old man's words, even the crowds were incensed. All of them had once tossed a coin into the fountain to make a wish before. Who doesn't know about the wish fountain? The Old man was either shameless or a complete idiot.
The crowd glared at Old man Kasif angrily. Their glares felt especially piercing. They were ready to give him a piece of their mind, but he wasn't ready for any more mental torment.
When things go south, run! Kasif quickly disappeared from the spot and escaped.
"Huh? Where did the Old man go?"
The crowds rubbed their eyes but couldn't find any trace of the Old man. The Old man had seemingly vanished from right before their eyes. How can someone just vanish like that!?
"G-Ghost!"
Someone blurted. These young masters and misses were spooked and soon became a disorderly mob. The bedtime ghost stories were true! Ghosts are real!
"Wahhh!"
…
At the top of a building, Kasif looked up at the night sky. His figure looked lonely, haggard and unaware of the small chaos he created in the food market due to his disappearance.
"Haih… there is no free lunch in the world. How can I forget such a simple truth?" He sighed.
He wasn't sure what the Queen wanted him to achieve on this task, but he realized being the leader of the Shadow Guards weren't all that great and glorious as he thought it should be. When he is gone, a new leader will step up to replace him. Who will remember him then? He had no kin.
"Leader."
A shadow guard suddenly flickered before him.
"Hmm… what is it?" Kasif was unaffected by the person's presence and continued to gaze at the night skies with a lost expression.
"The Shadow Guards needs you. Strange things have been happening in the Capital and we have already lost all contact with three of our squads."
"You are the current leader in charge, Mark. How could you let such a thing happen?" Kasif turned around and questioned his vice-leader with a sharp expression.
"Your subordinate is incapable. Please punish me."
The vice leader dropped to his knees. He didn't make excuses for his incompetence.
"…"
"Never mind. The four great families had been quiet for too long. What have they been up to?"
Mark blushed with shame when he was asked that. The corrupted noble families seemed to have hidden themselves and their homes seemingly empty. But he sent his men to investigate, they never came back. The situation was bizarre. Shadow guards were trained to be adept at stealth and assassination. They should be nimble and fast. Even if they were discovered, they should have been able to escape. But since they didn't return to report to him, he couldn't gain any information.
Kasif looked his vice leader with speechlessness. He closed his eyes to settle his emotions before reopening them.
"Go back and handle the other matters. I will be going for a stroll." Kasif said. He was suspended from duty so he couldn't be involved with the shadow guard's work. However, it should be fine if he was just casually looking, right?
Mark took a moment to understand the underlining message; Leave the corrupted nobles to the leader.
"Yes, leader!" Mark answered with relief. A burden was lifted off his shoulders.
After the vice leader left, Kasif headed straight for the manor of the Esmond family, located within the Upper South District and the closest to his current location.
He frowned upon arrival. There were no people, but there was a strong lingering scent of blood and gunpowder in the area! He didn't have much hopes that the shadow guards sent here was still alive. He focused on the lingering gunpowder.
There was no gunpowder in the area, but such a strong lingering smell of gunpowder implied that a large amount of gunpowder was here, but it was moved.
"How can the Esmond family get they hands on such a large volume of gunpowder?"
There was strict regulation on gunpowder in the Capital!
Kasif frowned in thought. But more importantly, where did the gunpowder go? This wasn't good news. He scanned the entire area with Earth Pulse and found a large underground passageway that could possibly lead all the way outside the capital.
"This must be how the Esmond family smuggled items into the capital and also quietly disappeared." He concluded with a serious expression. "The four great families were planning something big! I have to report to the queen immediately!"
The matter could no longer be treated lightly! Kasif was willing to disobey the Queen's previous order to bring the news to her. He understood the Queen's attitude towards the nobles.
The Queen treated had the noble's uprising with contempt! She wasn't as strong as she was now when the first rebellion occurred and a 9th step awakener was quite powerful for her. But now they were just nonentities she could wipe out at any time.
If they want to seek death, then they can come. She wouldn't leave her defenseless husband behind to go out of her way to kill them all.
The Queen would not act personally if it didn't affect the foundation of the capital.
Kasif believes, with the large amount of gunpowder hidden somewhere in the capital, it was like a ticking time bomb, threatening to destroy the foundations of the Capital at any moment!
He quickened his steps towards the royal palace. Unfortunately, his expression took a drastic turn in the next moment.
He was too late!