The room inside the inn was quiet.
Outside the window, Luminos City continued its restless life. The merchants displayed their prices along the streets, the carriage wheels rattled across the stone roads, and the distant bells echoed from the towers that were scattered throughout the city.
Yet inside the room, an entirely different atmosphere lingered which was heavy and still as if the air itself carried the secrets.
Baston leaned against the chair across from Luke. The fat boy had already been thinking carefully about how to explain everything.
Or rather, how much of the truth he should reveal.
"First thing first," he said slowly, folding his hands together, "About Viktor..."
Luke's eyes sharpened.
The noble boy had been waiting for this moment ever since they returned from Paradise Resort. Although Baston had promised that Viktor would not trouble him again, the exact details remained unclear.
"How did he die?" Luke asked.
Baston did not answer immediately. He looked at the window for a moment before finally speaking.
"I killed him..."
Luke froze for a moment. Even though he had suspected it, hearing the words directly still made his chest tightened.
Baston continued calmly, "However, this matter must remain secret."
The fat boy's tone was steady and almost indifferent yet the meaning behind his words was heavy.
Luke understood it immediately.
If the truth ever became public that a poor person had killed a noble, it would shake far more than a single family.
Even if the noble had committed crimes and even if the noble deserved death, the kingdom would never allow such a precedent. In this world, the judgment belonged to the authority.
The poor were never allowed to decide life or death for the powerful.
Luke slowly sat down again, "You're right…"
His voice carried a bitter tone.
The noble boy understood his own society too well. The nobles could commit terrible acts behind the closed doors yet the system would still protect them. The punishment was often determined by status rather than justice.
Baston watched Luke carefully. Inside his mind, he had always believed one thing. The higher the status, the more complicated the mask.
The kings, nobles, governors which each layer of power hid the secrets beneath polished smiles. Trusting them completely would be foolish.
"That's why I prepared carefully," Baston continued.
He did not mention the puppet directly. Instead, he explained the situation in a way that would not raise the suspicion.
"The one who killed Viktor wasn't me… At least, not in a way the kingdom can trace."
Luke frowned, "What do you mean?"
Baston leaned back slightly, "Even if the investigators use magic to search for the murderer, they will find nothing useful."
The fat boy paused. His mind briefly recalled the puppet that was sealed within the old book.
Even if someone discovered the face of the killer through magical reconstruction, the person would simply not exist anymore.
It was because the puppet had already returned to the book and he himself could easily change his appearance whenever necessary.
"Besides…" Baston added casually, "I rarely use the same face when dealing with dangerous matters."
Luke stared at him. For a moment, he wondered how many secrets this seemingly lazy classmate actually possessed.
The matter of Viktor was settled quickly but Baston knew there was something far more important to discuss which was the dark wizard.
Luke might have already heard the rumors or he might know nothing at all. Either way, Baston decided it would be better if the information came from him first.
"Did you hear what happened at Carpel Inn?" Baston asked.
Luke nodded slowly, "I heard a dark wizard suddenly appeared there."
His expression turned serious, "It caused quite a commotion but I don't know what happened afterward."
Baston narrowed his eyes slightly then he asked a question that instantly shattered Luke's composure.
"Did you know your uncle made a deal with that dark wizard?"
"What?" Luke's voice rose sharply, "That fat man dared to do something like that?"
Baston's gaze remained calm. Now that Viktor was dead, Luke did not even bother to hide his contempt.
"As long as there was profit," Baston replied quietly, "He was willing to do anything."
"But why?" he demanded, "What could he possibly gain?"
"I don't know but the target was you."
"Did he after my wealth?"
Baston shook his head, "No..."
His next words fell like a cold blade, "He targeted your body…"
Luke stared at him, not knowing what it meant.
"Your corpse to be exact," Baston finished calmly.
For several seconds, the room was completely silent before a loud voice came from the noble boy.
"WHAT?!"
Luke shot to his feet. The chair behind him scraped loudly across the floor. His mind struggled to process the information.
Killing him was already terrible enough but Viktor had not even intended to let him rest after the death.
"Initially…" Baston explained, "Your body would be preserved."
Luke's breathing grew heavy, "Preserved?"
"Yes…" Baston continued, "You will be used for the experiments."
Luke felt his stomach twist, "What kind of experiments?"
"Perhaps, it's about the mind control magic."
The words were spoken casually yet their meaning was horrifying.
"It was just like the fake Viktor you saw earlier."
Luke's eyes widened. Suddenly, everything made sense. The strange behavior, the lifeless expression, and the way Viktor had collapsed once the mastermind died.
If a dark wizard had been controlling him, then the fake Viktor had simply been a puppet. Once the controller disappeared, the puppet lost its purpose.
Luke slowly sank back into his chair. His mind replayed the memory about the man who was dropping dead without warning.
At the time, it had felt bizarre but now, it felt terrifying.
"Then, the dark wizard…" Luke asked quietly, "Did you kill him too?"
Baston shook his head, "No... There were too many people at Carpel Inn."
He crossed his arms thoughtfully, "I could eliminate Viktor because he was trying to escape."
Luke frowned, "Escape?"
"My guess…" Baston said, "He feared the kingdom would discover his connection to the dark wizard."
Luke nodded slowly, "Yes… That would destroy him completely."
Even the powerful nobles feared one accusation above all. The association with dark magic would gain the heaviest punishment.
Once such a rumor spread, the entire family would move to sever ties immediately. No one wanted to be dragged into that abyss after all.
"Then, he had been finished anyway," Luke murmured.
Baston looked out the window again, "Yes... he was already finished."
For a moment, neither of them spoke before Luke asked something unexpected, "By the way… The real reason you helped me… because you knew a dark wizard would appear?"
Baston paused since that question carried the dangerous implications. If Luke continued digging deeper, he might eventually notice the inconsistencies.
After a moment of consideration, he could only nod, "Yes… my real target was the dark wizard…"
Luke frowned, "Why you are targeting them? It's dangerous to act alone."
"I only want to know more about the cult…"
Luke blinked, "The cult?"
Baston shrugged, "If you want to know more, you can ask Alicia or Panto."
His tone became apologetic, "I'm sorry for taking advantage of your situation."
Luke waved his hand dismissively, "It's fine…"
Baston stood up, "Since the matter with your uncle is resolved, I'm going to rest."
Luke nodded, "Alright…"
He did not stop Baston, but the moment the door closed behind the fat boy, he leaned back slowly because something felt strange.
From the beginning, Baston had helped him with incredible efficiency. He had the plans, information, and the timing.
Everything had been almost perfect, too perfect that he was unable to believe that Baston could complete it by himself.
He had initially believed it was simply a good fortune. But now that Viktor was dead, he finally had the time to think clearly.
Why would Baston help him so much?
Was it because their friendship?
Luke almost laughed at the idea.
In the noble society, the friendship was rare even among equals. Between a noble and a poor student, that was nearly impossible. There had to be another reason.
He stared at the closed door, "That guy… He's definitely hiding something…"
*****
Meanwhile, Baston had already returned to his room.
The fat boy collapsed onto the bed with a tired sigh. The ceiling above him blurred slightly as his thoughts drifted.
He had already planted the word about the cult. It was just a single word yet he knew Luke would not ignore it.
The noble boy would eventually ask Alicia or Panto. And when that happened, the story would naturally grow bigger.
He was reluctant to talk about the cult directly. The more details he gave, the more chances that Luke would notice the contradictions.
Eventually, Panto and Alicia were easier.
Panto had believed Baston because of fear. The merchant boy had become convinced that the unseen enemies were watching him, even though it was merely a fabricated story.
Alicia, on the other hand, her imagination had done half the work. The explosion at Prius Academy had strengthened her belief tremendously.
To them, the cult already felt real.
By then, he allowed the cult to reveal its strength through one figure which was Joker. The mysterious clown had appeared before Alicia and Panto personally. That single encounter was enough to make the legend grow.
However, Luke had never seen Joker.
Instead, the witnesses had been far more troublesome which were Princess Riquel and the Governor of Luminos City.
Baston turned slightly on the bed.
That encounter had been unexpected yet it had also been necessary to complete the quest. Now, all he needed to do was to wait for a few days. Perhaps, a week.
He had already told Luke to ask Alicia or Panto. By then, Alicia should be arriving in Luminos City. When Luke met her, the story of the cult would deepen naturally.
He closed his eyes. He only hoped that Luke's imagination was not as wild as Alicia's. If the noble boy started overthinking everything, the consequences could become unpredictable.
For now, he had another reason to remain in Luminos City.
*****
Meanwhile, the city was currently in chaos. Everyone was searching for one person which was Joker.
The guards had increased patrols throughout the streets and the soldiers were interrogating the witnesses. The governor believed the dark wizard might have accomplices that were hiding somewhere in the city.
After all, the wizard had been found in the same room as Viktor. Naturally, the nobleman would become the prime suspect.
Unfortunately for them, Viktor was already dead.
Even if the people used magic to reconstruct the killer's face, capturing that person would be another matter entirely.
The true murderer had already vanished into a book.
*****
Far away from Luminos City, the news spread rapidly. For Princess Riquel, the encounter with Joker had been unforgettable.
The royal family had initially dismissed the incident until one crucial detail changed everything. Space magic had failed to stop him.
The transparent cube that should have been unbreakable had shattered effortlessly and the prisoner had escaped.
That single event shook the royal court.
If someone could counter the space magic, then the kingdom's greatest authority might no longer be absolute.
The royal family reacted immediately.
Joker's face was distributed across the entire kingdom in every guard post, every noble estate, and every military outpost.
Officially, the man was labeled as a dangerous criminal who was responsible for numerous atrocities. In truth, only a handful of people knew those accusations were fabricated.
*****
"Joker?"
Claire Versance raised an eyebrow as she read the royal message.
She was standing on the balcony of her estate, enjoying the calm view of distant hills. The peaceful moment ended instantly once she heard the name.
"He appeared in Luminos City?"
Her fingers tightened slightly around the letter. The name awakened an unpleasant memory which happened at Farbarus City.
At the auction venue, that was the first time she had seen the clown. Even now, the memory made her uneasy.
His magic had been strange, unpredictable, and terrifying.
She had not dared to act at that time. Only after Joker left did she realize something disturbing. Her strength was insignificant before him.
She lowered the letter slowly and the invitation from the royal family was clear. It was about the discussion regarding Joker.
She knew exactly who else would be invited which was the Herbiens family. Her lips tightened slightly.
For centuries, the Versance and Herbiens families had been the bitter rivals. Ice and fire, that was how the two bloodlines were often described.
They could never coexist peacefully yet ignoring the royal summon was impossible.
Claire sighed softly, "Prepare the carriage..."
If the royal family called everyone together, it meant they intended to hunt Joker seriously. And if there was a hunt, there would certainly be rewards.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Perhaps, this was also an opportunity. An opportunity to prove once again that the Versance family stood above the Herbiens.
*****
At the same time, inside another noble estate, Teres Herbiens held the same letter. A grin slowly spread across his face.
"In the end, the clown appeared again…"
The memory of Farbarus City still burned inside him.
At that time, he had wanted to attack Joker immediately but something which was some instinct deep inside his mind had stopped him. For the first time in years, he had hesitated. That hesitation felt humiliating.
"This time…" he muttered, "I won't hold back."
If the royal family ordered him to hunt Joker, he would seize the opportunity immediately. He could already imagine Claire Versance was hesitating, calculating, and analyzing.
While she delayed, he would strike first. And when Joker was captured or killed, the glory would belong to the Herbiens family.
He laughed softly, "Prepare the carriage…"
*****
Neither Claire nor Teres realized something important.
Their rivalry would only complicate the situation further. And far away in Luminos City, the true cause of the chaos was still lying comfortably on a bed.
Baston had no idea how big the storm around the name Joker was becoming.
What had begun as a simple disguise was now turning into a legend that was feared by the nobles and royalty alike.
The kingdom had already made its decision.
If Joker could not be controlled, then he must be eliminated.