Despite the late hour, the lights of noble estates and shops shone brilliantly across the Royal Capital's nightscape. The glittering streets were a vista once described as "stars from the night sky falling and scattering," a view said to be worth a thousand gold bars at a single glance.
A man stood at the window of a manor perched atop a small hill, looking down on that magnificent scene.
"How did the operation in Gimul turn out?"
The man posed the question without turning away from the window.
Behind him, a shadow in the center of the room seemed to stir. A man appeared—dressed in gentlemanly attire that clashed sharply with his concealing mask, a suspicious figure by any measure.
"We succeeded in a temporary surge of lawlessness, but the opposition responded more effectively than anticipated. The situation is gradually stabilizing. At this rate, the operation is certain to end in failure."
"So your concerns have become a reality... Ryoma Takebayashi. I heard the name from you, but I must admit I underestimated him. To think he would create a new infrastructure capable of absorbing every job seeker we threw at the city. It was a blunt-force maneuver powered by wealth, but undeniably effective. I will grant him that. However, even if one conceived of the idea, execution is impossible without vast capital. What do you mean by the Ducal House showing no signs of backing him? Is it truly possible a mere boy possesses assets valuable enough to fund such a venture on his own?"
"He may have evaded our surveillance, but the larger a flow of money becomes, the harder it is to conceal. I believe there is little doubt that the source of the assets is Ryoma Takebayashi himself."
Hearing this, a flicker of displeasure crossed the man’s face.
"Have you uncovered the boy’s background?"
"The previous reports contain everything we know. I tasked a Dark Guild specializing in intelligence with the investigation, but regarding his life before the Ducal House brought him to town, no information has surfaced whatsoever, save for three points: he lived in seclusion in the forest, his birthplace is a village within the Shulls Great Forest, and it appears he was treated poorly there."
"Is he a man of the underworld, like you?"
"I considered the possibility and performed an inquiry, but there is no record of his involvement with the Dark Guilds or the criminal element."
"We use the collective term 'Dark Guild,' but surely there are factions within it? Perhaps one of them is simply keeping his records hidden?"
"The Dark Guild is indeed not a monolith. There are guilds subdivided by specialty, such as theft, assassination, fraud, and smuggling. However, the lack of information on Ryoma Takebayashi is likely due to the isolation of the Shulls Great Forest and his own ability to survive in such a harsh environment."
"You speak with such certainty. Fine, his origins can wait."
The man turned around, his eyes burning with a cold, ruthless light as he stared at the masked man.
"I do not care what means you employ. Erase Ryoma Takebayashi."
"Are you certain? The Ducal House clearly favors and values him. If you eliminate him, they will not remain silent."
The man snorted at the masked man’s warning.
"Reinhardt has already begun personally appearing in social circles to subtly threaten the nobles who joined my plan. They have begun to move in earnest. It is only a matter of time before our involvement is fully exposed anyway. The opportunists are already scrambling to save themselves, but I have no intention of bowing my head and begging for forgiveness. If I were going to regret this now, I never would have launched the plan in the first place. Since exposure is inevitable, I shall strike back with everything I have. If Reinhardt cherishes Ryoma Takebayashi, then the boy's death will cause him the greatest agony. It is also a fact that the boy himself interfered and forced me to taste bitter defeat. He shall learn the price of a child meddling in the affairs of adults."
As he spoke, his voice grew increasingly intense—perhaps bordering on madness.
Seeing the man’s unshakable resolve, the masked man discarded the notion of persuasion.
"I understand. Since it is the client’s wish, I shall formulate a plan that meets your demands to the fullest. That is my role as a Planner."
"I value your dedication to your craft. Let us discuss the specifics. What strategy will you use this time?"
"If we are to strike Ryoma Takebayashi directly, we will first need several elite operatives. Furthermore, we must isolate the target before launch. It would be wise to exhaust him beforehand as well. Based on his behavior in previous reports, he appears to loathe harm coming to those close to him even more than himself, and he moves aggressively to dismantle any threat to them. Therefore, rather than targeting the boy immediately, if we cause a massive disturbance in the city or strike someone near him, it is highly unlikely he will ignore it. If we do both, he will undoubtedly be stretched thin trying to manage the fallout."
"Is such effort truly necessary for a single child?"
"I believe it is the absolute minimum requirement. That boy is an unknown quantity."
The man reflected on the past reports.
"Very well. I shall trust your judgment. Proceed with that approach."
"Thank you."
"No, that boy has dismantled our plans at every turn. We must take every possible precaution. It is a failing of mine... realizing that I still find myself thinking there is only so much a child can achieve."
"In truth, what an ordinary child can do is limited. This boy is simply an outlier. Having had the opportunity to observe him directly, I was able to revise my assessment early on. That is all."
The man remembered one more detail.
"Come to think of it, you were undercover in Gimul for a time, weren't you?"
"The initial plan required me to prepare the ground."
"What did you see there?"
"It was less what I saw and more what I felt. Around the time his interference was discovered, I received a convenient request from another source. I used it to incite a mob of rabble blinded by greed, partly as a small retaliation. His response, his movements, and his aura... I cannot find the words, but the boy is dangerous. I felt strongly that we should avoid a direct confrontation."
"To think that you, the Planner—the strategist who manages everything from criminal schemes to the procurement of personnel and logistics, the one we clients call our Advisor—would go so far as to say that."
"Most Planners are veterans who have spent years in the Dark Guild and seen countless crimes. Compared to them, I am still unrefined. Yet, he has crushed my plans a total of three times."
Though the masked man’s words were self-deprecating, his voice held a certain weight and confidence.
"Hmph... fine. Let us return to the matter at hand. Use that outline for the plan and manage the details as you see fit. However, if possible, I want you to target the Chairman of the Morgan Company to drain the boy's focus. That man assists both Ryoma Takebayashi and Reinhardt. His loss would be a blow to both."
"Understood."
"I am adding these conditions to the existing contract, then. What is the price?"
"It will take time to secure elite operatives. However, this situation exists because my initial plan failed to produce results. This is, in a sense, a secondary measure. I have my pride as a Planner; I shall discount my fee."
"I do not mind, but send the bill quickly. Once I am captured, you will find it difficult to collect your payment."
The man laughed, even while speaking as if he had already lost to Reinhardt. Then, a thought occurred to him.
"Actually, if you are discounting the fee, I shall use the surplus to ask for one more thing."
"I am listening."
"In the event that I ——, please ——."
"I can accept that as a request, but are you certain? At worst, it will only tighten the noose around your own neck, and in that situation, you would be unable to cancel or alter the request."
"It does not matter. If it strikes a blow against Reinhardt and the Jamil Ducal House, I do not begrudge the cost. Here, take this as well."
The man took a lavishly decorated sword from a wall display and thrust it toward the masked man.
"An Orichalcum Treasure Sword, acquired by an ancestor three generations ago. Even if you were to melt the blade down for scrap, it would fetch a fortune."
"A rare treasure indeed. Very well... shall we consider the elimination of Ryoma Takebayashi and your additional request fully paid for with this sword?"
"If that satisfies you, then I agree. It saves me the trouble of arranging the gold."
The bargain was struck.
The masked man took the sword and promptly vanished, melting into the shadows as if he had never been there.
Left alone in the room, the man looked out at the city once more, a dark smile playing on his lips.