Ta, ta, ta…

Footsteps echoed softly in the quiet hall.

"My lord, the other original posters have begun mobilizing a large number of beast spars," a voice reported.

Waldo listened calmly, his expression unreadable. When the man finished, he slowly raised his eyes toward the mysterious woman standing before him. For a moment, silence filled the room.

"How many seedlings have they traded?" he finally asked, his brows knitting in displeasure.

He hadn't expected the others to start trading seedlings on their own—without so much as informing him first.

"The least among them traded a hundred plants," Mirean Moon replied quietly, her tone deliberate. "The most… about two hundred."

Waldo frowned, deep in thought. "How many do you have?"

He was already calculating in his mind. If he could secure more seedlings and successfully cultivate them before reselling in Amestris City, the profits would be substantial. It wasn't hard to guess that the other landlords were likely thinking the same thing.

"Three hundred," Mirean replied, her blue lips curling faintly into a knowing smile.

By now, she fully understood the power behind Luciel's grand plan. The landlords were a greedy lot—they loved taking advantage where they could, and they loved even more to compete with one another. They would form alliances outwardly, but each sought to profit individually.

And that was exactly what Luciel had anticipated. His "thief plan" wasn't merely theft—it was a slow, deliberate tightening of the noose around each of the landlords. One by one, they would destroy themselves.

"I'll take them all," Waldo said firmly. "And I want that Star Tea as well."

"No problem." Mirean Moon bent down, untying the straps of the large bundle she carried. From it, she drew out a heavy wooden chest and set it down before him.

When she opened the lid, rows of delicate seedlings lay inside, arranged neatly and vibrant with life. She gestured slightly toward the box. "You may inspect them."

Waldo approached, his face solemn. He crouched to examine each plant, carefully checking the roots and stems. After a while, his expression eased, and he nodded with satisfaction.

"The seedlings are fine," he said. "Good quality."

"This is the Star Tea," Mirean added, retrieving a smaller box from her side. "You can taste it yourself. I promise, you won't be disappointed."

She glanced briefly at the small wooden box in her hand and couldn't help a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth—it was barely half the size of the one she had once traded to her daughter.

"Well then, let's try it," Waldo said. He pinched a small tuft of tea leaves, placed it between his teeth, and chewed lightly. Almost instantly, his eyes brightened.

He had tried many teas before—from the Burug region and elsewhere—but none possessed such an exquisite flavor. The aroma was refined, the taste pure and lingering. It was, without question, extraordinary.

Of course, he also knew that something this fine came with a price—Star Tea cost at least ten times more than any other tea he'd encountered.

"Worth the price?" Mirean asked lightly, her expression calm but her eyes glinting faintly.

"Yes," Waldo admitted after a pause. "It's worth it."

He waved a hand to his men. "Bring the beast spars."

"Yes, my lord."

A moment later, a heavy pack of beast spars was brought forth. The glow of various levels shimmered faintly from within the bag—some low-grade, some high. When the lower-grade spars weren't enough, the men added higher-level ones to make up the total.

Mirean checked the contents carefully. "The count is correct," she said, nodding. She picked up her package, ready to leave. "Then I'll take my leave."

She didn't intend to carry the entire payment herself. Outside, the Red Ghost Spider—a monstrous arachnid under her command—was already waiting, laden with beast spars from other trades as well. It began crawling slowly toward the back of the massive Rock Tortoise.

At that same moment, in a nearby alley, Alina lightly nudged the arm of a white-haired girl beside her. "They're gone," she whispered into Elara's ear. "Our turn to perform, right?"

Elara gave a curt nod. "A little acting, that's all."

With that, she silently approached the doorway where Mirean had stood moments ago.

"Who's there?" Waldo's eyes narrowed sharply. He had caught the faintest movement and immediately went on alert. A faint pressure prickled the air—a sense of danger he couldn't ignore.

Then came a cold voice from the shadows. "That traitor stole our City Lord's goods and dared to trade them with you."

"Who's speaking? Show yourself!" Waldo barked, stepping back defensively. His arms tightened protectively around the wooden box of Star Tea. His expression hardened.

Was it true? Was there really a thief?

Had the Lord of Black Tortoise sent someone to investigate?

From the beginning, Waldo hadn't believed the claims of that mysterious messenger. He'd assumed it was merely a ruse—perhaps an attempt to manipulate trade or test loyalty. He had agreed to the deal only because of the enticing offer of beast spars.

But now, someone had come knocking directly at his door.

A dreadful realization crossed his mind—could it be that the City Lord of Black Tortoise wanted both the seedlings and the beast spars?

Elara stepped out of the shadows, her invisibility fading. Her silver-white eyes glimmered coldly as they fixed on the wooden box in Waldo's arms.

"Who are you?" Waldo demanded, his tone sharp and wary. The air between them tensed, ready to explode.

"I am part of the Lord's Dark Guard," Elara replied flatly. "We were ordered to retrieve the stolen seedlings from the plantation."

"Just you?" Waldo's killing intent flared. He was already weighing his chances—if he struck her down here and now, no witnesses would remain. True or false, he could simply deny everything later.

But before he could act, a second figure appeared—Alina—emerging from her invisibility at just the right moment. She stepped up beside Elara, her pink eyes faintly glowing in the dim light.

"Of course, there's more than one of us," Elara said, her gaze unwavering. "Do you still want to make a move?"

The presence of two invisible operatives was unsettling enough. Even if they weren't strong enough to match him directly, they could easily escape—or worse, call for reinforcements. Waldo hesitated, instinct warning him not to take the risk.

Two visible opponents meant there might be others lurking unseen. If there were indeed more, any rash move could spark a larger conflict.

Finally, Waldo suppressed his urge to attack. He forced himself to relax slightly, though his muscles remained tense.

"The person you're looking for is long gone," he said coolly. "This trade was made by me. I won't hand over what's mine unless you pay me back in beast spars."

He took several careful steps backward, his eyes never leaving them.

Elara regarded him silently for a few seconds, then spoke again. "Go then—search the city if you must. But remember this: if you anger our Lord, you will be horrified."

Her voice carried a quiet menace. With that, she vanished once more, fading into the air like mist.

Alina lingered a moment longer, her pink eyes soft with feigned pity. "Poor fool," she whispered almost inaudibly. Then she too disappeared from sight, slipping into the shadows.

Waldo stood there for a long while, frowning deeply. Her final words echoed in his mind.

Angry? Horrified?

He narrowed his eyes, trying to make sense of it.

Was the City Lord of Black Tortoise truly sending agents into the Tenth Floor City to find traitors?

Or… was this merely a pretext to provoke an all-out attack?

The more he thought, the more uneasy he became. A chill crept down his spine.

If the Lord truly intended to strike at them, tonight's events might only be the beginning.

Waldo exhaled slowly, the tension in his chest mounting. He needed to act quickly. He would summon the other landlords and discuss this immediately—what had happened tonight could not be ignored. They had to prepare for the worst.

Outside the courtyard wall, Elara and Alina regrouped. They spotted Mirean waiting for them a short distance away.

Seeing her safe, both girls felt their hearts ease. They had been worried she might have been delayed—or worse, attacked.

"Our mission is complete," Elara said quietly as she reappeared beside her. "Waldo is already suspicious. We can return now."

"Then let's go," Mirean replied, lifting her package once more.

As they began walking back, Elara couldn't suppress her curiosity. "Do you know what exactly Luciel is planning?"

Mirean looked at her in surprise. "You don't know?"

Elara shook her head. "No. He didn't tell us."

Mirean's expression softened, though a trace of awe crossed her eyes. "Then you'll see soon enough."

Elara said nothing. In truth, she didn't believe Luciel would cause unnecessary chaos just to cover for Liyi Yi and the others' evacuation. Every action he ordered had purpose. Every step, carefully calculated.

Their missions tonight had all been designed by Luciel himself—each one seemingly simple, but layered with meaning. He had given precise instructions on what to do, how to act, and even predicted how the targets would respond.

As the three women disappeared into the night, the city around them remained oblivious to the storm quietly forming in its heart.

And Waldo—still standing under the dim lantern light—felt for the first time a deep, unshakable sense of dread.

Whatever was coming next…

He would indeed be horrified.

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