Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

Chapter 121 121 A Thief's Allegiance

121 A Thief's Allegiance

The hunchback froze in place, his jaw tightening.

"These buildings are poorly built. I was considering using the terrain to my advantage, but honestly, it's easier to just cut them down."

William smirked. "Try not to kill them. Maiming is fine, but bodies are a hassle to explain to the guards."

"Would you like to offer them a chance to surrender first?"

"Probably pointless, but let's give it a try."

William turned to the hunchback, his tone eerily calm.

"I'll give you two choices. First—you drop to your knees and answer my questions."

His voice darkened.

"Second—you resist, some of your men die, and then you answer my questions anyway."

The hunchback's hand slowly drifted to his waist, pulling out a curved blade.

His eyes gleamed with defiance.

"You... who the hell are you?"

William reached into his pocket and tossed something to the ground.

A metal badge clattered against the stone.

Clang.

"...The Black Scale Knights?"

"Gifted to me. Apparently, flashing this will let me pass through most checkpoints unchallenged."

The thugs, who had until now been weighing their odds, suddenly paled.

They might not have known the full extent of the Black Scale Knights' power, but they knew one thing—

They were the personal guards of the First Imperial Prince.

A group handpicked by the Emperor himself.

And this boy... had their emblem in his possession?

The hunchback's expression twisted into something unreadable.

"...I see. So you weren't just some clueless noble playing around."

William couldn't help but admire the sheer determination reflected in the hunchback's eyes.

'So he'd rather die than kneel before his subordinates?'

If that was the case, William supposed he should at least offer the courtesy of making his death a painless one.

Just as he was about to give Raymond the order, the hunchback suddenly dropped to his knees, his body folding in on itself in a desperate bow.

Thud.

Gold. More than enough for a simple information request.

William wasn't the type to flaunt his wealth needlessly, which meant there was only one possible meaning behind such a generous payment.

'I'll give you whatever you need. But if you fail to deliver... you know what happens.'

John swallowed hard and lowered his forehead to the ground.

"I will have your answer within two days."

Two days later, a member of the Thieves' Guild arrived at William's inn, carrying a sealed document.

The document contained a detailed list of individuals who had recently purchased Moonlight Grass.

William skimmed through the contents and chuckled.

"They kept their word."

"I'm more impressed that they managed to find this information in such a massive city."

"I did give them a hefty advance. Money and violence are the two best tools for loosening lips."

Even so, the speed of their findings was impressive.

As his eyes moved down the list, William's smile deepened.

"There it is."

The first name on the list: Heide.

His purchases of Moonlight Grass dwarfed the rest, the quantity far exceeding that of a typical alchemist.

Given that Heide had previously shown no interest in the herb, this was more than suspicious.

And there was something even stranger.

"He made a purchase on the same day we spoke with him. And the day before that. And the day before that."

"Didn't he say he was out of town until recently?"

"He did. And I don't think he was lying."

Which meant there was only one explanation.

Someone had been buying Moonlight Grass under Heide's name while he was away.

William tossed the document into the candle's flame, watching it burn to ashes. Then, he rose from his seat.

"Let's go. I think I know where we need to be."

"Where to?"

"Heide's estate."

"...Are we really going to see that pathetic excuse of a man again?"

"Just because it's called an alchemist's house doesn't mean only alchemists live there."

William flashed a grin at Raymond before stepping out of the inn.