The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 209
The restaurant where Karina and Pheon had lunch wasn’t just famous for its food. The soundproof rooms were also well-known as meeting places for nobles’ secret rendezvous.
Today, Pheon had rented out all the rooms on the second floor, leaving them empty, but there was one person who had occupied a spot…
It was Cayden, the mastermind behind the current commotion. Having succeeded in brainwashing Pheon, Cayden had been talking with him until the day of the festival.
Today, Pheon would kidnap Karina and provoke Hedonia to draw his attention. The point was to prevent him from getting involved in the upcoming fight between Espers.
Even Cayden didn’t know the exact location where Pheon had hidden Karina. But he had helped Pheon prepare Karina’s living space.
Considering Hedonia’s intelligence network, they made sure no witnesses or evidence remained.
No matter how capable Hedonia was, it would be impossible to find Karina unless Pheon changed his mind.
The loud sound of a bird pecking at the window rang out. When Cayden opened the window, a messenger bird fluttered in and landed on the table.
A letter from Adron was attached to the bird’s leg. After reading its contents, Cayden smiled with satisfaction.
“This side has been resolved well too.”
Adron had taken care of Shaelock. He kept her under the pretext of a speech, then put her to sleep with poison.
It would be quite painful, but she wouldn’t die.
After all, as the bloodline to inherit this country and the princess, Adron wouldn’t kill her.
Being a man with pride in the royal family and empire, he valued the life of Shaelock, the only successor.
In the soundproof room, Cayden watched with satisfaction as the Espers began to rampage.
As if even God was trying to help him, the gates opened from the first day of the festival. Cayden naturally incited fights among the Espers.
Although their main purpose was to protect the people who came out to enjoy the festival, the Espers who were tired of being criticized despite fulfilling their duties exploded.
The end was catastrophe and destruction.
‘Just a little longer to wait.’
Adron only knew about the Espers fighting among themselves. Only Cayden knew that this plan also included magical beasts wreaking havoc, threatening his life and the empire.
More magical beasts were needed to raid the two-story building to the west of the square where Adron would be with Shaelock now. It was a race against time.
As he neared the goal, his emotions intensified.
How long had he lived holding his breath for this moment?
Cayden’s face, which had been laughing out loud from the boiling exhilaration, gradually hardened.
“That’s…”
Cayden doubted his eyes. Because he saw someone who shouldn’t be here right now.
“Why is Esban here…”
He had even seen him off as he went down to his territory, so why was he here?
He had to stop him somehow.
* * *
Esban, who had just returned to the capital on the festival day using his Esper abilities to the fullest, immediately sought out Cayden without even taking time to rest.
But all he heard was that Cayden had left his post for the festival.
He just went out to enjoy the festival like other nobles.
Esban tried to quell his rising suspicions and reassure himself.
Naturally, he headed to the festival square to look for Cayden. Having rushed back, he hadn’t properly communicated with Hedonia, Shaelock, or Pheon.
He thought if he saw Cayden enjoying the festival, it would allay all his anxieties.
However, what greeted him at the festival wasn’t Cayden, but a bloody scene of carnage.
“Kyaaah!”
“Please save us!”
While gates were open and magical beasts were running rampant, the Espers paid no attention to this.
“We’ve been wronged!”
“Does that mean we should attack them?”
Espers were busy either fighting among themselves or attacking people.
The frustration they had been suppressing had finally exploded. Even the A-rank Espers who were supposed to lead the lower-ranked Espers were no different. The powerless guides couldn’t even properly show themselves.
“As expected… we shouldn’t trust Espers!”
And that wasn’t all. The distrust of the people under attack grew even more.
For some reason, Hedonia and Shaelock were nowhere to be seen. Their absence felt like it was part of the plan for this moment. He couldn’t ignore his instincts.
If even this was Cayden’s plan…
‘If I disrupt it, he’ll appear.’
He wouldn’t be able to stand seeing the plan he had waited for and built up for so long turn to bubbles because of him.
Esban drew his sword.
“Follow me!”
He drew attention from Espers and people with the sword that was like his symbol. Esban raised his sword high and cut a slime monster in half with a single stroke.
Slime dripped from the sword. Standing among the Espers, Esban spoke in a firm voice.
“Put aside your personal feelings and fulfill your duty as Espers.”
