The rays of the morning sun, filtered through the window panes, melted into the carpet. Such a brightly lit room aroused nothing but irritation in Vlad.
Why can’t I kill one person with five assassins? he thought angrily to himself. The night had come to an end, but still no report of a successfully completed mission had arrived from Verrick.
The old man’s target was only a rank B adventurer. Even if they had to battle on even footing, there’s no way Verrick would lose to him. Beyond that, Kaito wouldn’t be suspecting an attack: he’d be caught completely off guard. With Verrick leading the charge, the hit would be carried out swiftly and without complication.
And yet there was no word from Verrick. Not even from the four women he’d taken along.
Betrayal was out of the question. There was no way to break free of the brainwashing magic that Vlad had employed—magic that only he was capable of wielding. Of course, the spell had to flow directly into the opening of a wound he inflicted, but that condition was easily met, after which there was no magic quite as handy.
Whether it was a young adventurer with a bright future, a beautiful woman with many men under her spell, or the twice-elected, wizened old master Sword Saint himself, anybody could be bent to Vlad’s will with this incantation.
Even from a great distance, Vlad could order minions around with his mind. Without even uttering a word, he was able to communicate telepathically. They never spoke to him without permission, but when spoken to, they always replied promptly.
Despite this, there had been no reply. Vlad had been requesting an update from Verrick since the small hours of the morning but had heard nothing but silence in response. He could only assume that the mission had been a failure and Verrick had either been killed or incapacitated.
These useless bastards can’t even complete the simplest of tasks.
The plan seemingly a failure, anger welled up in Vlad’s chest. He had come from deep in the Northern Country all the way to the Royal City with a plan: to brainwash the king and manipulate the polity from the shadows, wearing the sovereign like a puppet. Once he assumed control, he would run the country according to the every desire of the one he held in highest esteem.
He was presently near the center of Section One, just a stone’s throw from the castle. Were the palace not so heavily guarded, he’d be able to climb right in if the fancy struck him. There were too many men, though. A bloodless invasion of the royal residence was impossible. On the other hand, a use of force could inadvertently get the king killed. Even if he could survive an assault and successfully brainwash the king, Vlad would become a wanted man in the process. It was feasible in the worst-case scenario, but the far more efficient plan was to secure a one-on-one audience with the monarch. Then, without anyone’s knowledge, Vlad could capture his mind.
Toward that end, he would become the Sword Saint.
Until two months ago, everything had been going according to plan. Only Verrick had posed a threat. Just to be safe, Vlad had mentally captured every adventurer in rank B, but, really, he knew that if anyone else was going to earn the title, it would be Verrick.
These past two months, however, new obstacles had arisen.
To stand up to an A rank hunter like that... Who in the hell is that man?
He hunted monsters using some unstoppable power, climbing through the ranks even faster than Vlad had been able to. Already B rank, he had even been able to easily defend against Vlad’s magic.
Vlad had only meant to kill the hybrids. It was no different than killing a bug: nothing to be taken so seriously, but the man had still so readily, so easily deployed his own power to block the attack. Such competence demanded respect.
Furthermore, Verrick, who had served two terms as Sword Saint, had himself commented that the newcomer should be his successor. It was too far—this Kaito could be allowed to roam free no longer.
I will not tolerate someone like him derailing my carefully laid plans!
For Vlad to become Sword Saint, one path stood out as the best: manipulate Kaito into killing himself. Brainwashing someone into suicide was easy. If you ordered them to die, they did so promptly and with pleasure.
The only problem was the initial brainwashing.
The wound could, as usual, be made with a needle planted on a ring. Most people, regardless of their personal opinions toward Vlad, accepted a handshake when he offered one. That bit was always easy, but when the magic flowed into the victim’s body through the wound, their mind became erratic. Their eyes went blank, they convulsed and shook, they drooled... Anyone who witnessed the moment of the brainwashing was bound to become suspicious.
For that reason, getting the victim alone was always essential. Kaito, however, always traveled with his two hybrids. Of course, if they were the only two witnesses, they would be easy enough to snuff out. Still, even when Vlad had told Kaito that it was okay to bring his pets, Kaito could not be convinced to visit.
If he was going to be stubborn, thought Vlad, then the only way to kill him was to make use of subordinates hidden throughout the city. If Verrick couldn’t even kill him, though, how were lackeys who had languished in B rank supposed to get the job done?
No magic item existed that could break the brainwashing spell. Only Vlad’s death could release the victims’ minds. If one of his followers was bested and captured by a foe, they were not able to point any fingers at Vlad or inform their interrogators of his power over them. With no risk posed by their defeat, there was no reason not to sic his retainers on Kaito as often as he was able to, even if they were unlikely to succeed. But being that they were unlikely...
Just to be safe, there is one other plan I ought to put into motion.
Another plan that could also render assistance unto the object of Vlad’s reverence: the Demon King. If Vlad succeeded where the most distinguished generals of the great leader’s armies had failed, he would surely make it into the good graces of the Demon King. His position would be unshakable. Resolute.
“Well, then it is decided,” he said to himself.
He was preparing to deliver his orders when a knock sounded at his door.