To the north of the Imuris Kingdom’s capital, an orderly and well-manicured Noble District sprawled. Ornate carriages, shimmering with gold and silver filigree, traversed the glamorous boulevards that defined the capital’s prestige. At its heart loomed the chalk-white Royal Castle—the home of the king and his kin, and the beating heart of national politics.
While the castle appeared majestic and dignified from without, its interior was consumed by the fires of a power struggle that had reached a fever pitch of chaos.
With King Aldeus’s health failing and his authority waning, influential nobles were scrambling to back one of the three princes, each desperate to secure their own faction’s succession to the throne. The green princes had become little more than puppets, dancing to the strings of the lords who championed them.
No one lamented this state of affairs more than the First Princess, Selene.
It would have been one thing if the influential nobles acted for the good of the realm, but many cared for nothing but lining their own pockets. Some were even traitors, willing to barter away national territory to foreign powers just to cement their domestic standing.
Selene investigated such movements, constantly acting as a check against them in her struggle to protect the Imuris Kingdom. Her greatest headache, however, was the faction surrounding the Second Prince, Gaius.
Gaius was backed by the northern lords, who were rumored to have ties with the Empire across the continent's northern reaches. Though they brandished the title "Shield of the North" and posed as a deterrent against imperial aggression, they had secretly been seduced by the Empire’s staggering wealth.
"On the condition of ceding part of the territory, we will recommend Gaius for the succession to the throne and provide financial aid."
Princess Selene was certain of this secret pact, having seen the evidence within the crystal Count Bradley had entrusted to her.
However, she was in a difficult position. Count Bradley, the only man who had truly fought by her side, was no longer in the Kingdom...
Late that night, inside her private room in the Royal Castle, Selene dismissed her maidservant and sat at her desk. She drew a sheet of paper and began to write.
Request Details: An investigation of Count Cardinal’s Territory. Clarify the reason why the Empire is targeting this land. I want the Empire’s intentions uncovered without the Second Prince Gaius’s faction noticing. *The Second Prince is connected to the Empire.
Success Reward: 100 gold coins.
The page contained a request that could never be entrusted to a Regular Guild.
Having triumphed in that life-or-death struggle with Carla, I’d earned my place in the kitchen of the Lizard’s Tail. On nights when I wasn't busy with requests, I’d take over for her, serving meals to the various lowlifes who lived in the capital’s shadow.
Around the Lizard’s Tail, people were starting to call me "Cook Walt." Nobody believed that my actual job was 【Swordsman】, even though I told them repeatedly.
Yesterday, I’d successfully completed a simple request—"strike a hammer of justice against a noble's son who raped a merchant's daughter"—so today was a total day off.
In the evening, I threw on my hood to stock up on ingredients, and by the time the crowd started drinking, I was already behind the line in the Lizard’s Tail kitchen.
The menu consisted of nothing but the "Today’s Special."
Even so, the dining hall was packed with ruffians whenever I worked the kitchen. It was enough to make Carla mutter a frustrated "Not bad..." under her breath.
When the orders finally settled down and I had a moment to breathe, I felt eyes on me.
An alluring woman with cascading black hair peeked into the kitchen—Sasha. It was rare to see her show her face at the Lizard’s Tail.
"Walt. You really are working the line," she noted, eyes wide.
"Yeah. Carla acknowledged me."
Sasha took a seat at the counter directly facing the kitchen. "Can I have the today's special?"
"Sure thing."
I plated some finely minced blue fish, garnished it with sesame seeds, green onions, and grated garlic, and set it on the counter with a small dish of fish sauce.
"What’s this?"
"Fisherman’s Cuisine. I’ve got some tsuboyaki coming up, too. Just wait a second."
I stuffed chopped shellfish and crab innards into a shell and set it over a magic tool stove. I was starting to get hungry myself, so I prepared a portion for my own dinner as well.
"Delicious! This would go great with ale," Sasha said.
The Apprentice Boy working the hall caught her words and immediately brought over a foaming mug. Sasha took it and downed it with gusto.
"Pwah! That’s the stuff."
"Glad you like it," I replied, keeping an eye on the bubbling shell.
"Walt, your real job is actually 【Cook】, isn't it?"
"It’s 【Swordsman】. How many times do I have to tell you?"
"I’ve never heard of a swordsman working a pub kitchen."
"Carla’s a 【Martial Artist】 working a pub kitchen, isn't she?"
Sasha burst out laughing just as the tsuboyaki finished. I set it in front of her with some thinly sliced baguette, earning a soft "Wow" of appreciation.
While picking at my own portion, I looked at her. "Did you come here for something specific today?"
"I did. I brought a request form to the Lizard Old Man. It’s for you."
Sasha stared at me intently across the counter. I felt a pit form in my stomach.
"Can I turn it down?"
"No. You can't."
If I can't say no, that's an order, not a request. Once you’re entangled with the Dark Guild, cutting ties isn't easy—not unless you're ready to spend the rest of your life with a target on your back.
"Ah, it's such a shame. To think I won't be able to eat Walt’s cooking for a while," Sasha said with a theatrical sigh. Apparently, this was going to be a long-term assignment.
"Whew. I'm stuffed. I'll leave the money here."
Sasha dropped a few small silver coins on the counter and saw herself out. I watched her leave, wondering just how much of a headache this next job was going to be.
"Hey, Walt! The old man wants you!"
The Apprentice Boy’s voice broke my train of thought. I untied my apron and headed toward the Lizard’s Tail reception.
The Lizard Old Man saw me and jerked his head toward his office. "In here."
Once the door shut with a heavy thud, he held out a parchment. He was radiating an aura that didn't allow for arguments. "Walt... an insane request just came in with your name on it."
I took it and scanned the contents. "This request..."
"Come back alive," the Lizard Old Man said, looking uncharacteristically worried as he saw me off.