Chapter 83 - Just Like the Black Dragon Clan

Wei Ling watched Limon and Li Qingyu banter amiably for a moment, her expression conflicted. Then she spoke quietly.

"If your guess is wrong, Sword Lord, and people suffer for it, Your Highness will be held responsible too."

"That's all right."

"This isn't something to take lightly. The elders may even revoke the permission for your engagement that you worked so hard to obtain."

"Yes, but if the Sword Lord is right, I'll finally have a chance to show off to the elders."

Wei Ling fell silent. Li Qingyu seemed to have dismissed the very possibility that Limon might be wrong. Watching Wei Ling, Limon chuckled.

"What are you so worried about? You've got nothing to lose either way."

"What do you mean?"

"You'd be happy if this engagement fell through."

As if the thought had never occurred to her, Wei Ling went quiet for a moment. Then, looking utterly earnest and conscientious, she said,

"Now that I think about it, your prediction does seem sound. I'll make the arrangements at once."

"... Wasn't that a little too quick a change of heart?"

"I dislike you, and I believe an engagement to you would do Your Highness no good."

Her change of heart made her intentions plain: it wasn't merely that she wouldn't mind if he was wrong. She wanted him to be wrong. For an attendant to say to his face that she disliked him, so bluntly at that, was enough to leave Limon staring at her in disbelief. Then he turned to Li Qingyu.

"Princess, why on earth did you assign this girl to me?"

"She's capable and trustworthy."

"That's it?"

"If I had to add one more thing, she's cute too."

"... I'm asking seriously."

"Yes, and I'm answering seriously."

Li Qingyu tilted her head as though she saw nothing wrong with her answer. Limon gave her a peculiar look, then chuckled.

"Well, fair enough. I need someone who'll get the job done, not a flatterer."

"You needn't worry. I'll make certain it gets done."

Whether Limon's prediction proved right or wrong, she would carry out his orders. And whether he won acclaim for them or got saddled with the blame and thrown out, he would have to deal with the consequences himself. Limon laughed at Wei Ling's not-quite-threat, then spoke as though something had just occurred to him.

"And you, smart-ass. Just in case—if you run into those killers..."

"You want me to contact you immediately?"

"No. Run immediately."

"... If you meant to insult me, I can assure you you've succeeded."

Wei Ling was a warrior charged with protecting her clan. Telling a warrior—especially one from a distinguished clan—to flee without even fighting was an insult of the highest order. If her beloved princess hadn't been sitting beside Limon, she might well have challenged him to a fight to the death on the spot.

Limon offered earnest advice to Wei Ling as she glared at him coldly.

"Don't get so worked up. I'm not saying it to tease you. It's an objective assessment."

"What part of it is objective?"

"The part where you couldn't handle even one of those killers on your own. Not unless you were fighting alongside a combat unit at least as strong as the Silent Shadows."

Wei Ling frowned at his cold assessment.

"No warrior fights only battles they know they can win."

"But if you don't have to fight, picking a fight you can't win just because of your pride doesn't make you a warrior. It makes you a dumbass."

"Hmm. The Sword Lord is certainly right about that."

"..."

Was Wei Ling upset that Li Qingyu had taken Limon's side? She stared at him with the murderous look of someone whose lover had been stolen away. He gave her a broad grin.

"If you're that set against running, you could always learn some swordsmanship."

"From you?"

"Sure. You're a bit short on talent, but your foundations are solid. Give me three or four days of intensive lessons, and you should at least be able to hold out."

The white-haired man spoke as though she were a child holding a wooden sword for the first time, generously offering to teach her the basics in no time. Wei Ling studied his beaming face for a moment.

Then, keeping her hand out of Li Qingyu's sight, she politely held it up and extended her middle finger at Limon. "Fuck you."

Wei Ling bowed courteously to Li Qingyu alone before leaving. Limon sprawled across the sofa, laughing so hard he doubled over. Then he turned to Li Qingyu with a mischievous grin.

"You were right. That smart-ass really is cute."

"Isn't she? In our clan, she's practically a protected spirit on the verge of extinction."

"I wouldn't go that far... but I'll admit there aren't many in the Black Dragon Clan who'd say something like that to my face."

Limon chuckled. Scheming behind his back would have been one thing, but she showed her hostility openly to his face and still did her job properly. For a member of the Black Dragon Clan, she had an endearing personality. She reminded him of a cheeky cat that hissed at him, then subtly offered its back for a stroke when he held out his hand.

"So, what do you think our chances are?"

"Chances of what?"

"Stopping the killers if they target another of our subsidiaries."

"How would I know?"

Li Qingyu tilted her head, surprised. "But you predicted where they'd strike next, didn't you?"

"That was half a guess, not much of a prediction. We don't even know for sure they'll target one of your subsidiaries again."

Limon shrugged. His prediction was closer to instinctive intuition. Based on his vast experience, he'd simply thought through where he would strike next if he used swordsmanship like theirs.

"Still, if another of your subsidiaries gets attacked, two things will become clear."

"What are they?"

"First, you've got something they want."

"You mean they're after something they can gain?"

"The way they killed people, and the pattern of it, are too unusual for this to be simple thrill killing or revenge."

Remembering the bodies he'd examined at Black Dragon Construction, Limon continued quietly. "I don't know whether they're after money or something special, but they'll probably keep attacking until they get it."

"Something special... That's a troubling thought."

"Have anything in mind?"

"If anything, the problem is that too many things come to mind."

Li Qingyu looked troubled. The Black Dragon Clan had enjoyed immense wealth and power throughout its long history, and its treasures were far from few. Each distinguished family had at least a few heirlooms passed down through the generations: one-of-a-kind weapons, works of art, or secret manuals.

"... Guess having too much money can be a problem too."

"It can. Something like this isn't supposed to happen to one of our subsidiaries... Where did I go wrong?"

"How is this your fault? The ones who did it are to blame."

Her words had barely risen above a murmur before fading away, but Limon's superhuman hearing caught them, and he answered casually. At his reassurance, Li Qingyu smiled as though her face had never darkened. Then, as if remembering something, she asked,

"What was the other thing?"

"The other thing another attack would make clear?"

"Yes."

Was it simple curiosity, or something else? Limon couldn't tell. Meeting her obsidian-dark eyes, which shone with a strange light, he answered evenly.

"That I'm going to be busy from now on."

Exactly two days later, the killers attacked one of the three subsidiaries Limon had identified.

* * *

"What? There was another attack?"

"Those little pups don't know to fear a dragon...!"

"Where was it this time? How bad are the losses?"

When the Black Dragon Clan heard the killers had appeared again, they were furious. Attacking their subsidiaries twice in succession meant the killers looked down on the clan. For people who took pride in having once ruled the world, it was enough to make their blood boil.

"The losses were small?"

"Fortunately, a combat unit happened to be stationed there."

"Hmph. Of course we stopped them. As long as we're not caught off guard, the likes of them can't beat our clan!"

When they heard the killers had been repelled, the Black Dragon Clan was relieved. Stopping a second attack had saved their pride and prevented the stock prices of their subsidiaries from falling. It was a shame they hadn't caught the killers, though.

"Whoever it was has done us a great service."

"They held off the people who even killed Master Wang of the Wang family of Shanghai. It's a great achievement indeed."

"I'll write to the council of elders about what they did. Then the elders can give them a generous reward without hesitation."

It was only natural that the Black Dragon Clan took an interest in those who had repelled the killers and looked on them favorably. But when they learned the details, they were appalled.

"... What?"

"Wait. Who?"

"Guardian...? You don't mean that Guardian, do you? You can't. Even if you do, tell me you don't!"

Clan members everywhere insisted there had to be a mistake. It couldn't possibly be true. But every method they used to investigate turned up essentially the same story.

"Well, that Guardian or whatever it's called told us our company might be the next target."

"Of course I didn't believe them. I had them thrown out, but then they came back with a letter from Her Highness."

"She promised to send a combat unit if we adopted the Guardian System."

"Come now, a traitor?"

"I merely followed Her Highness's advice and used the clan's combat unit to protect the clan's assets! How is that selling out the clan's pride?!"

It was an utter mess. Chaos, confusion, and pandemonium all at once. If some passing player had helped them, their pride would only have taken a small hit. But the fact that Guardian, with Limon as its head, had played a decisive role in stopping the killers was enough to send them into a tailspin.

"That mad dog helped protect one of our clan's subsidiaries? Impossible!"

"But Guardian really did play a part in stopping the attack, didn't it?"

"Hmph! What help? Isn't it common knowledge that the Sword Lord shirks all his work and just lazes around?"

"It's a scheme! The Sword Lord must have stolen the credit for someone else's work!"

"Maybe the Sword Lord even staged the whole thing..."

"Isn't that a bit of a stretch?"

"Don't speak of what you don't know. The Sword Lord is capable of that and worse! Do you have any idea how many of our clan he's killed over the years?!"

"I know, but..."

"And just so we're clear, don't even think of relying on the likes of Guardian! That would be betrayal!"

"Of course! We must protect our company with our own strength!"

"Whew. All right. Guardian certainly isn't a company we can trust."

That evening, after three heads of Black Dragon Clan subsidiaries had met and resolved never to sign up with Guardian, three more subsidiaries adopted the Guardian System—on the condition that their decision to entrust their security to Guardian remain strictly secret. It was just like the Black Dragon Clan.