Ch.2929. Jazzwill Wilson’s Loyalty.

“What brings the young master of House Alphonse here?”

Though their tone was respectful, the men maintained their distance with vigilant postures.

As expected of an intelligence organization, they seemed to have quickly recognized the family crest on my cloak.

“Why do you ask? I merely ordered potato dumplings grown in Eden Valley.”

I slowly raised my head.

At Hong Hua Lou, men on the second and third floors were looking down at us, ready to jump to the first floor at any moment.

‘Wow… quite a gathering.’

Well, ordering potato dumplings from Eden Valley was essentially calling for their leader, the “Poison Lady,” so they were understandably on edge.

Especially since to them, I was nothing more than a complete stranger.

The Poison Lady was born and raised in a small slum within the Eden Valley territory.

Having grown up without parents, potatoes—the specialty of that territory—had always been her staple food.

They were relatively cheap and nutritious.

However, after eating them to the point of nausea since childhood, she now found even their smell revolting.

Therefore.

When she established Hong Hua Lou, she vowed.

Unless it made money, she would never smell potatoes again…

That eventually became a custom, turning into a sort of password to summon the “Poison Lady.”

A man who appeared to be the leader of the group on the first floor stepped forward and continued the conversation.

“Do you even know what you’re saying?”

“Of course I do. It means I want to see Laila.”

“Y-you bastard… How dare you casually use the Poison Lady’s name?”

“You asked, so I answered. Why are you getting angry?”

“Who are you to seek the Poison Lady?”

“Strange, I thought Hong Hua Lou wasn’t a place that asked such meaningless questions.”

The atmosphere was becoming explosive.

Having come prepared for this, I gave Jawil Wilson a subtle signal and readied myself.

Just then, a woman’s voice came from above.

“Tell him to come up.”

I raised my head again.

There was a woman looking down at us.

“Jawil Wilson, wait here.”

“Isn’t that dangerous, sir?”

“It’s fine.”

I gave Jawil Wilson another signal and sheathed the knife I had been holding.

Thus, I confidently ascended to the third floor of Hong Hua Lou.

“You seem quite relaxed.”

“You’re a guest. Why wouldn’t I be relaxed?”

“But how did you know my name? Have we met before?”

“If you want information, shouldn’t you pay an appropriate price, as befits the leader of Hong Hua Lou?”

“Ha! You know Hong Hua Lou well.”

“Well, somewhat.”

“Then you must also know that information on the third floor costs more than on the first and second?”

Her style, which harmoniously incorporated elements of hanbok, along with her green hair—the symbol of the Poison Lady—was quite impressive.

Her sharp gaze and the small mole below her lips were enough to reveal her intellectual sexiness, and her demeanor was so proper that it was hard to believe she came from a slum.

I spread my arms and shrugged toward the Poison Lady, who wore a sardonic smile.

“It doesn’t matter. I didn’t come for information today anyway.”

“…Then why did you visit Hong Hua Lou?”

“Riden Solis.”

At that, the Poison Lady’s serene face twisted into a vicious expression.

“Why is that person’s name coming up here?”

“I’ll skip the detailed explanation, but I’d like you to lift the bounty on Riden Solis.”

“My! Surely you didn’t come thinking I would agree to your proposal?”

“You’ll have to.”

One could definitely sense her years of experience in this field.

Despite the continuous provocations, her expression gradually returned to serenity.

This is why she can run Hong Hua Lou single-handedly, I thought.

“I wondered where I’d heard of Alphonse before. It’s the family of the territory where our little rat is hiding.”

“Hmm, it’s a suitable place for a rat to hide. Quite spacious.”

“May I ask why you’re sheltering Riden Solis?”

“I need an informant in my current situation.”

The Poison Lady glanced at the air briefly, then slowly recounted what she knew about me as if recalling memories.

“The youngest son of House Alphonse, renowned for his looks but completely untalented in swordsmanship, a notorious playboy from the edge of the Eastern Continent… currently in exile after frequenting pleasure districts with the fourth son, Leonard. Is that accurate?”

“Haha!! As expected of a top intelligence organization, your information is spot on! Anything else?”

“Just that after going into exile, you’ve changed beyond recognition for some reason. Probably hiding your strength because of the succession battle, I assume.”

Except for the prediction about hiding my strength for the succession battle, the information was mostly correct, which confirmed Hong Hua Lou’s reputation.

‘A tempting talent…’

To be honest, Riden Solis would eventually become the protagonist’s companion, so we would have to part ways someday.

It was natural to desire the Poison Lady sitting before me as an informant.

However.

I couldn’t give in to that temptation.

The Poison Lady is a character who will eventually fall to the protagonist, Serion Lykus.

If I continue to build a relationship with her, there’s a chance I might end up opposing the protagonist.

‘That’s why I’m temporarily using Riden Solis until he meets the protagonist.’

What could I do, despite the regret?

If I got entangled and ended up opposing the protagonist by bad luck, my sweet life would be over in an instant…

Looking at the Poison Lady, who seemed pleased after thoroughly investigating my background, I slightly curled the corners of my lips into a smile.

“Is that all?”

“Well, now that it’s time for you to reveal your strength, you’ll regularly need informants like Riden Solis, which is why you’re asking me to lift the bounty.”

“You catch on quickly.”

“But what can I do? Even if you offered all the wealth of House Alphonse, I have no intention of lifting Riden Solis’s bounty.”

It was a natural decision for the Poison Lady.

Riden Solis was a competitor who had fiercely contested with her and Hong Hua Lou.

If allowed to live, he could once again threaten her position—what would money matter in comparison?

‘This was expected.’

I adjusted my posture to get to the main point of the conversation.

“Don’t you want to cure your sister’s illness?”

It was an abrupt question, but at the word “sister,” the Poison Lady’s eyebrows twitched despite her maintaining her composure.

To her, her sister was her only blood relative and the driving force that had helped her escape the hellish slum.

Perhaps because it was a word that shouldn’t be mentioned in Hong Hua Lou, the man who had been silently observing behind the Poison Lady now emitted a murderous aura with blazing eyes.

Ignoring him, I tilted my chin and stared at the man.

“Hey, you’ll really die like that.”

“W-what did you say?”

“Think about it. If I came here with just that bear-like fellow downstairs, don’t you think I must have something reliable to back me up?”

I also released a slight killing intent infused with magical power to avoid being intimidated.

The Poison Lady flinched and quickly raised her right hand to restrain the man.

“…I don’t know where you heard such presumptuous talk, but you’ve certainly done your research on me.”

“Poison Lady, if I were in your situation, I would at least listen with a glimmer of hope. I’ve gone out of my way to find a way to save her, but if you keep acting like this, I might lose my motivation to help.”

“T-then please tell me.”

“I want two things: Riden Solis’s freedom of movement, as I mentioned earlier, and a fake mercenary identification.”

“Fine, just tell me the treatment method first.”

Though she tried not to show it, the Poison Lady’s voice trembled slightly.

Well, who wouldn’t have expectations when told there’s a way to save their only blood relative?

However.

I couldn’t immediately offer her the sweet candy.

Though it felt uncomfortable to use her sister’s life as leverage, I knew better than anyone that the greater the need, the greater the return would be.

I firmly placed my palm on the table and stood up.

“Your knowledge of antidotes will never cure your sister.”

“H-how did you know she was poisoned…?”

“Think it over and bring your sister to my place of exile. I’ll treat her then.”

“How can I bring my sister all the way—”

“Ah! And I’d prefer if only you, your sister, and that guy behind you came. It would look strange to the villagers if a large group showed up.”

After making this clear statement, I turned to leave Hong Hua Lou.

There was some minor friction with her subordinates on the first floor, but thanks to the Poison Lady’s intervention, I was able to safely exit.

“Wow!! Young master, I really thought we were going to die today.”

“I told you it would work out. Fortunately, we made some progress…”

Jawil Wilson suddenly stopped walking, his expression hardening as if something had occurred to him.

I stopped mid-sentence, turned around, and tilted my head.

“What’s wrong?”

“But from what I saw earlier, it seems they don’t sell dumplings at all in that restaurant, let alone potato dumplings.”

“Yes, dumplings themselves are also a code for requests. ‘Potato dumplings’ was just the code to summon the Poison Lady, their leader.”

“Was that why you told me to eat first when the dumplings came out? Were you worried there might be poison in the food?”

“W-what are you talking about…”

The atmosphere between us suddenly became awkward.

For every step I took forward, Jawil Wilson took two steps back.

“Tell me! I won’t return to the mansion until I hear it directly from you!”

“I don’t plan on returning to the mansion either.”

“…Pardon?”

“You don’t think we’d visit Cheonsenji and not stop by the pleasure district, do you?”

I could see many emotions crossing Jawil Wilson’s face.

Would he press the dumpling incident, or would he follow his rational mind…

The answer was, of course:

“Knight Jawil Wilson! I pledge my continued loyalty to you, young master!!”