After walking around Raml Asfr for a bit, Arthur and Evelyn returned to the inn. They found Christopher and Isabella eating in the room instead of downstairs.

“Ah! Welcome back. She doesn’t like crowds so we came here to eat. I have to say, this girl is quite gluttonous.”

Several dishes were on the table and Isabella was gobbling everything hungrily. She nodded toward Arthur and Evelyn before engrossing herself in what she deemed as a feast.

“E-ehm… anyway…”

Chris awkwardly stood up and approached Arthur. Sensing what the latter’s intentions were, the latter smiled,

“We hug it out, as usual.”

“Damn right we do!”

Evelyn was speechless as the two hugged each other for three seconds before separating, both laughing with no a care in the world. It was as if they didn’t have a heated argument just earlier.

For someone not that acquainted with their relationship, this display shocked the maid. However, as long-time friends, Arthur and Chris had a fair number of arguments in the past and it would always be in such a manner.

No matter their opinions and differences, they made it up with a hug and talked things over in a calm manner, like proper adults.

Arthur didn’t even ask Chris about the missing old mage, who seemed to have left on his own, he just pulled him to the side. The two started whispering to each other, so Evelyn joined Isabella.

“Hi.” Muttered the girl as she momentarily eyed the maid.

“Your name is Isabella, right? And you’re from the same world as Master?”

Although still slightly wary of Evelyn, the girl didn’t completely mistrust her. She crudely wiped greasy mouth with her shirt’s sleeve and meekly nodded once.

However, as someone who took great care of her hygiene and appearance, Evelyn furrowed her brows.

“And what are you going to do now?”

“I’m going to stay with him.” Isabella responded, almost immediately. She gestured toward Arthur with her chin before picking another piece of meat.

“With your malnourished body and dirty rags you wear as clothes, you look no different than a beggar right now. If you are going to accompany Master, you need to at least look presentable.”

For a second, Isabella’s eyes turned cold as she glared at the maid.

“What do you want from me?”

“Teaching you proper manners and making sure you are not an enemy. Due to his ‘bond’ with you, Master trusts you, but I do not. Nevertheless, as you are not a resident of this world, I’m going to teach you.”

“I don’t want to be a maid.”

“To look and behave like a normal person… that is what I want to teach you. As you are right now, you’ll be a hindrance.”

In the end, Isabella didn’t give any reply, either acceptance or rejection, she just continued filling her stomach.

Not long after Arthur left his office, Ahmed went to meet his contact from the Raml Asfr’s underworld and the black market. He wanted to get this matter dealt with quickly.

The Devil Doctor was quite notorious in the Underworld: He was the client of many vendors, often buying strange and uncommon stuff. It shouldn’t be hard to find some information about him and, possibly, his whereabouts.

However, as if dictated by Fate itself, Ahmed’s day continued getting worse and worse. From getting the wrong mage to getting attacked and then forced to do that man’s bidding.

The final touch was the sudden appearance of several Hashashin, which surrounded him, Jia, and the druid.

Admittedly, it wasn’t that rare to not see Hashashin in the city’s underworld, situated in a large underground cavern that was heavily-populated. Those black-clothed assassins were generally invisible and acted like guards, but when they suddenly surrounded someone, everyone could guess what that person’s fate was going to be.

Sweating buckets, Ahmed raised his muscular arms in surrender while forcing an ugly smile to look harmless.

Jia’s face turned pale and the Druid muttered something under breath.

One of the Hashashin stepped forward and motioned for Ahmed to follow, which he obediently did.

The group of three mercenaries were taken through a long series of narrow corridors, eventually resurfacing in the Sultan’s palace.

‘Fuck! My legs are shaking!’

Ahmed continued to follow the Hashashin until they arrived at a small room filled with books, scrolls, and big bookshelves.

The room smelled of paper and dust and was extremely disorderly.

What caught the mercenaries’ eyes, however, was Mehmed. The Sultan and ruler of Raml Asfr.

“Ahmed, yes? Please sit.”

Mehmed was holding a small book, which he closed and threw on the ground before focusing on his guests.

Excluding one, the Hashashin retreated outside and vanished from sight.

Jia positioned herself behind Ahmed and silently prayed, hoping that they weren’t brought here to be executed.

As for the Druid, she kept her head lowered and tried not to stand out.

“Y-yes, my lord!”

Ahmed hastily seated himself, back straight and hands on his knees, trembling ever-so-slightly.

“You are the mercenary group that Espero Garcia hired, is that correct?”

“Yes!”

“And you were paid to burn down Silcard Fedge’s building along with his slaves.”

Ahmed furiously nodded his head, his face sweating and slightly flushed from rising anxiousness and dread.

“Do not be afraid. I brought you here to recount what happened and learn the details. As it happens, you and your friends have been thrown into quite the mess, one which is unravelling and becoming more complicated… or should I say interesting?”

Mehmed shook his head and softly chuckled, looking amused.

“Please start telling me everything that happened, from beginning to end. And please make sure to include what happened earlier too.”

Faced with the Sultan himself, Ahmed spilled everything to the very last detail. Right now, he was more afraid of Mehmed and what he could do to him than the mysterious man that attacked him earlier.

After five minutes of talking, Ahmed stopped and took deep breaths. The Sultan attentively listened and kept nodding his head while pacing around, arms crossed and his long white robe fluttering on the dusty ground.

“I see. First, the operation had gone awry, you lost one of your friends, then you abducted an unknown mage, whom you assumed was the friend of Miss Velvet. Later on, a man and a woman, both of whom you’ve never seen, attacked your base of operations. They subdued you and your friends and asked you to gather information about the Devil Doctor.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“And did that man or woman tell you how they’ll contact you in two days?”

Ahmed thought for a moment then shook his head, “I-I think they’ll come see me.”

“Perhaps. They could also send someone to relay the information from you to them. Since they brazenly attacked you during the day then that means they have the means to escape and remain undetected. Anyway, I will contact you in a day’s time and tell you exactly what to tell them if they ever reach out to you. You are excused… and thank you for your cooperation. I will forget about your act against my city’s public security, but do make sure not to repeat the same mistake, Ahmed Hamil.”

“Y-yes! Thank you for your mercy, my lord!”

Ahmed bowed his head and then hastily scurried out of the room along with Jia and the Druid, who had kept their silence during the entire conversation.

…

“What he said correlates with what we’ve gathered. However, it is still uncertain whether that couple was after the attack against Garcia’s residence.”

Mehmed sat down and looked at Hashashin, who was his protector and strongest assassin.

“Despite providing him with everything he wants, that old man still refuses to listen to my request. He only cares about his research. He’s beyond obsessed.” Mehmed sighed and continued, “Nonetheless, I need him. I hope those people after him are his enemies.”

“You’ll send them to him?” Asked the Hashashin, his tone filled with curiosity.

“I have no clue who they are or if they even work for someone. First, I thought it was the Imperials, but that doesn’t make sense. They wouldn’t be so blatant in causing chaos.”

“It could be the viscount.”

“Kirn?” The Sultan frowned, looking a bit restless, “I’m willing to bet that he’s not involved. Admittedly, that man’s methods are unconventional, but from what I know, he’s got his hands full dealing with Imperial spies. I really hope it’s not him, that man is dangerous. Very dangerous.”

Mehmed sighed again while opening a book he pulled from the side,

“First, we send ‘them’ to the Devil Doctor then we save him. I don’t think they can actually threaten him, but they aren’t entirely weak either. They shall be the perfect pieces to hasten my plan.”

The Hashashin performed a strange salute, “All for our independence, my lord!”

“Yes. Raml Asfr cannot remain a neutral territory forever… the playground between the Militant Syndicate and the Global Azakin Empire. I will do what my predecessors were terribly afraid to do.”