Chapter 7: The Investigation Begins

Shin nodded in greeting as the couple stood together, the woman clinging to the man’s arm. The man extended his hand in welcome, offering a handshake.

Even from a distance, Shin could feel their auras. Both the man and the woman radiated malice and death, a sensation eerily familiar to him. It was the same oppressive presence he had felt on that fateful night, the night his clan was massacred. He maintained his polite smile, though his eyes briefly met the woman’s. Her gaze was unmistakably lustful. She was undeniably beautiful, but any admiration he might have felt was drowned out by the stench of death surrounding her. Disgust churned in his stomach. Ignoring her lingering stare, he focused his attention on the man.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Sheenrayu Geetsunae. I have heard that you have chosen this as your first mission with the Hunter's Guild. My name is Thomas Lichtenstein, and this is my wife, Magdalene."

Shin shook Thomas's hand firmly, matching his grip with equal strength. He kept his gaze steady, a silent exchange of respect, or rather, an unspoken challenge. Thomas welcomed the gesture, releasing his grip first, as was customary among nobles. Magdalene followed with a graceful curtsy.

"The pleasure is mine. As per the job request, I am assigned to the Lichtenstein family as your bodyguard. I will serve and protect you to the best of my abilities."

At his words, Thomas let out a hearty laugh and patted Shin on the back, his amusement clear. Shaking his head, he smirked. "Surely, with your stature, you must be one of the finest bodyguards the Hunter's Guild has to offer. The Lichtenstein family and the Empire will be pleased to see that the people from the East are not as barbaric as I’ve been told by my friends who traveled there."

His tone dripped with mockery. The laughter that followed only confirmed Shin’s suspicions—they were ridiculing him, ridiculing his homeland. Shin kept his expression neutral, unwilling to give them the satisfaction of a reaction.

Thomas regained his cheerful composure and nodded approvingly. "You will do. But you are alone. Are you certain your skills will live up to your demeanor?"

Shin met his gaze and replied calmly, "I know this is our first meeting, but rest assured, my skills are more than adequate. The Guild trusts my abilities enough to enlist me as a Hunter. I will do my best to protect you."

Thomas patted his back again, harder this time, as if testing him, pushing his limits. Shin held firm, recognizing the gesture for what it was. Thomas had the air of a slaver inspecting his latest acquisition, gauging whether he had made a worthwhile purchase.

"Why don’t we show you around the manor?" Thomas suggested.

Shin nodded. "Understood, sir."

Thomas grinned, pleased by the response. "It will be a long walk, and we will also lead you to your living quarters. You are free to roam as you please, but when we call for you, we expect you to be present, no matter the distance. Do you understand?"

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

"Understood."

Thomas’s grin widened, his teeth flashing. "Well then, let’s get started."

As they moved forward, Shin subtly scanned the room. Something peculiar caught his eye, nestled between the towering bookshelves and the grand paintings, something oddly familiar.

The halls stretched endlessly, illuminated by golden chandeliers. The scent of incense hung in the air, but it was not enough to mask the underlying stench of decay. Shin’s senses remained sharp, picking up subtle details as they passed servants dressed in dull, muted uniforms. Their faces were devoid of expression, their movements mechanical as they carried out their tasks in eerie silence.

Meanwhile, slipping out of the bathroom, Laverna paused as an unfamiliar voice echoed through the halls. Her fox-like ears twitched, picking up what she could.

"Bodyguard… Protect… Of service."

Another bodyguard? She clenched her fists. This was the fifth one in the last few weeks. They always disappeared, vanishing without a trace after a few months. This one would be no different.

And yet, something about him stirred her curiosity.

Moving silently through the halls, she followed the sound of voices. Keeping to the shadows, she carefully peered around the corner, watching Thomas speak with the newcomer. From her perspective, the bodyguard was slightly shorter than Thomas, but his presence was more imposing. His skin was fair, his black hair sleek and flowing to his shoulders. His eyes, bright crimson, were sharp, scanning his surroundings with precision.

For a moment, she swore his gaze flicked toward her. She held her breath, pressing herself further into the shadows as his eyes lingered for just a second before moving on. Shaking off the uneasy feeling, she crept closer, darkening her presence as she observed the interaction.

Thomas and Magdalene played their roles well, their cheerful facade masking whatever thoughts churned beneath the surface. Laverna knew them too well. No doubt, they had already determined his worth.

Based on his stature alone, Magdalene would no doubt take an interest in him, one that would surely enrage Thomas. If that happened, his fate would be sealed before long. Laverna had seen it all before. Yet something about this one felt different, though she couldn’t place why.

She watched as the group disappeared from view, Thomas and Magdalene no doubt leading him through the estate. The grand corridors seemed endless, filled with relics of past generations. Massive portraits of previous Lichtensteins lined the walls, their eyes seeming to follow any who passed. Some paintings had been slashed, their subjects unrecognizable beneath the deep scars of a blade.

Shin noticed the small details, uneven floorboards, faint scratches on door frames, the occasional smudge of dried blood near the baseboards. This place had secrets. Dark ones.

Magdalene, ever the gracious hostess, linked her arm with Shin’s, her touch light but lingering. "I do hope you will find your stay here pleasant, dear Hunter. There is much to see, and so much we can offer someone like you."

Thomas said nothing, though the clenching of his jaw did not go unnoticed by Shin.

"I am here to do my duty," Shin replied smoothly, carefully removing her hand from his arm. "And I take my work very seriously."

Magdalene’s lips curled into a smirk. "Oh, I like this one. Let’s hope he lasts longer than the others."

Shin didn’t miss the implication, nor did he miss the sharp glance Thomas shot at his wife.

Laverna remained in the shadows, her heartbeat steady but her mind racing. Something about this bodyguard was different. He wasn’t like the others who came before. Whether that would be a good thing or a death sentence remained to be seen.

She waited until they disappeared around a corner before slipping away, returning to her chores, but for the first time in a long while, she found herself wondering.

Would this one survive?