Chapter 16
THWACK!
“Eek…!”
The dagger embedded itself next to the lower executive’s ear who had brought the woman.
“You’re saying this girl is my executive’s subordinate? She’s obviously from some noble family, are your eyes just for decoration?”
That’s when:
“I greet you, Madame Magdala.”
The woman carefully knelt.
“I am Minera, working under Mr. Wayne.”
“…”
An attitude completely devoid of fear.
Magdala became more cautious. Resting her arm on the sofa’s armrest, her fingertips never left the dagger.
“Recite it.”
“I was working under Mr. Wayne. However, at some point, I noticed that Mr. Wayne was harboring disloyal thoughts toward Madame Magdala regarding the fighting pit’s profit distribution.”
Magdala frowned.
The woman, Minera’s words were too accurate.
In fact, the spy Magdala had secretly planted near Wayne had reported the same content.
‘…Is she really Wayne’s subordinate?’
Magdala stroked her short-cropped hair.
‘Too early. Need to be more certain…’
A chilling voice flowed out.
“How can I trust you?”
“Test me.”
The woman’s face was so composed as she said this, she truly looked like someone prepared for death.
Magdala ostentatiously took out another dagger and toyed with it.
“You know what happens if you’re wrong?”
“Of course.”
The woman answered calmly throughout.
‘I just recently gave the executives the latest passwords between factions. A spy wouldn’t be able to guess it.’
After thinking, Magdala said sternly:
“If you’re really Wayne’s subordinate, you should know Wayne’s faction’s password?”
At those words, the woman stared steadily at Magdala.
Magdala involuntarily flinched at the gaze that seemed to see right through her.
At that moment, the woman said:
“‘Strangle the black lion’s neck.'”
“…”
Magdala gripped the dagger handle tightly, and the woman continued:
“The previous password was ‘The cub lion limps and the old lion shaves its head.'”
CRACK!
Magdala’s dagger stabbed into the table.
She slowly raised her large frame. A dangerous energy swirled in her black eyes.
“You’re certain.”
“…”
“Wayne really betrayed me over a few pieces of silver.”
At Magdala’s words, a faint look of pity appeared on the woman’s expressionless face.
“Madame Magdala. This is no time for this. Mr. Wayne, Mr. Marlo, and Ms. Ella harbored disloyalty and cooperated with Grand Duke Zahig.”
“What did you say?”
Magdala reflexively asked.
Wayne’s rebellion was expected.
‘But Marlo and Ella too?’
Just as Magdala was tracing the threads of rebellion, the woman spoke as if reading her thoughts:
“Mr. Marlo was dissatisfied with how you ‘disposed’ of his closest aide recently without warning. Also…”
“…!”
“Ms. Ella harbored resentment for how you took her lover to play with and then killed him.”
“Of course!”
Magdala roared.
“Those crazy fools! Making such a fuss over nothing!”
“Furthermore.”
Minera’s voice lowered. Her pink eyes showed tension for the first time.
“Grand Duke Zahig is close. You must flee.”
At that moment.
BOOM!
The entire building shook with a tremendous noise. Soon after, the sound of clashing weapons assaulted their ears.
“Don’t let them in!”
“Grand Duke Zahig’s—!”
“The merchandise first—!”
Magdala froze in shock.
The woman’s words were true.
Grand Duke Zahig Ridim Exarch. He was here.
What kind of man was he? Someone comparable to Emperor Adilot, once called the War God.
Though she had experienced this several times before, Magdala’s face turned pale.
‘What should I do?’
Of course, the room had a passage leading to a secret hideout that only she knew about.
The funds were safely deposited in Stellone Bank under shadow accounts, so that wasn’t a problem.
Plus, this was just one of her many bases.
The problem was…
‘Whether to take this woman called Minera or not.’
Magdala glared at Minera, examining her.
When Magdala turned to look, the woman met her gaze with transparent eyes. If she had begged, Magdala would have abandoned her, but she didn’t.
‘Normally I would never take her, but the situation is different.’
This was the first time three executives had rebelled. There was no guarantee the remaining two wouldn’t join them.
When moving bases, she would need to make contact with the remaining two executives, and even that needed to be handled cautiously now.
‘…Having one more capable person might be better.’
The deafening explosions were increasingly pressing Magdala.
‘Besides, she came this far risking her life.’
Finally, Magdala shouted to her guards:
“Block the door and buy me time to escape! After that, retreat at your discretion! You haven’t forgotten your secret passages!”
At her order, the guards quickly left the room to take their positions. The accountant calculating money and other administrators also left the room.
They would all regroup at the next base.
Magdala then said to Minera:
“There’s another secret passage, block the door and follow me.”
“Would I dare?”
“From now on, you’re an executive in Wayne’s place.”
“Thank you.”
The woman smiled faintly. She was beautiful.
‘Minera was her name? She seems clever.’
Magdala quickly headed to the fireplace on one side of the room. When she lifted the thick iron plate under the fireplace, a secret passage was revealed.
“If you can’t keep up, I’ll leave you behind.”
“Yes.”
The woman answered softly.
Magdala squeezed herself into the passage, getting covered in dust.
Soon a dark space appeared along with the feeling of the floor dropping away. It was a secret passage cleverly connecting the basements of buildings.
Magdala ran quickly. The thunderous noise gradually faded.
The woman seemed to be following somehow, despite her labored breathing.
“Kuk…”
They were covered in dust, looking terrible. But as they got further from the fighting pit, laughter gradually bubbled up.
“Khahaha!”
Three times.
She had thrown off Grand Duke Zahig no less than three times.
That man blessed by the goddess, three whole times!
Just then, the end of the passage became visible above.
“Even the great Grand Duke Zahig is no match for Madame Magdala Magik!”
“Ma-huff… Madame Magdala.”
“Yes, Minera! I’ve seen your loyalty well! Now you too are an executive of the Magdala gang!”
Just as Magdala shouted and opened the wooden door above—
BOOM!
A thunderous sound.
The wooden door shattered along with a cloud of dirt.
Before Magdala, who couldn’t even groan, appeared a silver blade and a man with white hair.
“Magdala Magik.”
The man looked down at Magdala with emotionless eyes and spoke.
“Finally seeing your face.”
“…!”
It was Grand Duke Zahig Ridim Exarch Perato Schröder.
Though Magdala belatedly tried to draw her dagger, her fingers couldn’t even reach the handle.
“Khak!”
Magdala’s head snapped to the side from the Grand Duke’s powerful kick.
He grabbed Magdala’s collar and threw her into a corner of the secret hideout.
“Kuk…!”
Though she tried to stand up ignoring the concussion, several knights instantly surrounded her.
The Grand Duke’s knights.
“How… how did you find this place…!”
Just as Magdala was about to fall into despair.
“Ow, cough.”
“Are you alright?”
A small, strained grumble and worried voice were heard.
Magdala’s gaze turned to the secret passage she had escaped through.
There, Minera, who had claimed to be Wayne’s subordinate, emerged from the passage supported by Grand Duke Zahig.
After a moment for comprehension.
Magdala’s face twisted like a demon’s.
“…This wench betrayed me!”
Magdala roared. She tried to rush at Minera, but one of the knight’s swords pierced her side.
“Kuheok!”
Magdala collapsed and looked up at Minera with rage-filled eyes.
Minervina looked back at Magdala. Then, with the same calm eyes she had when she first approached Magdala, she said:
“I was never on your side to begin with. Just be my experience points.”
