After the "peace talk" between the two, Knox pulled out a crystal.
It was a Mana Transmission Crystal, a tool often called a "magic communicator." Simply put, it was this world's version of a portable phone.
He was about to contact Kael to report the quest's result—when his hand suddenly stopped midair.
"Hmm… now that I think about it, the appetizer's done, the main dish's done…" Knox's lips curved slightly. "Guess it's time for dessert, huh?"
With that, he turned toward the book cabinet near the desk. His gaze landed on a blue-covered book marked with a small rat insignia on its spine. Knox lightly tugged it, and the entire shelf slid aside with a low rumble—revealing a hidden door behind it.
As the hidden door slid open, a faint golden shimmer greeted him.
Inside was a treasure room—though "organized chaos" might've been a better description. Piles of gold coins and jewelry filled the shelves, mixed haphazardly with scrolls, ledgers, and weapons of varying quality.
Knox's eyes wandered around, stopping at a thick, leather-bound book placed neatly on a pedestal in the center.
"So, this is the ledger Kael wanted, huh…"
He flipped through the pages briefly—filled with names, transactions, and records of corruption that reached deep into the Dark Alliance. He closed it right after.
"As expected. No wonder he wanted this back."
Putting the ledger aside, Knox scanned the rest of the room—scrolls containing minor intel, smuggled goods, and even a few enchanted weapons. "Well, well… looks like I hit a jackpot."
Then, something caught his eye—a small iron door tucked at the corner of the chamber. Curious, he approached and opened it.
A narrow passage stretched forward, leading upward until it exited into what looked like an abandoned house.
"…A secret escape route, huh?" Knox muttered, dusting off his coat as he stepped inside.
The place was quiet, empty, but structurally sound. He could already picture it—a perfect hideout.
"Well, the Slippery Rats are gone, and a vacant house shouldn't go to waste."
He looked around one more time, then smirked.
"From now on, this place is mine."
After Knox's "declaration of territory," he contacted Kael and gave a full report of the situation.
A short while later, Kael arrived with Kajann and several members of the Thieves' Guild to inspect the area. Once the clean-up began, Kael and Kajann approached Knox.
"Can I be honest with you?" Kael started, rubbing his temples. "I already knew you were amazing. Hell, I even told Kajann that my intuition and instinct both screamed that you were abnormal…"
He paused mid-sentence, taking a deep breath in and out as if trying to steady himself.
"But not this abnormal! What kind of kid infiltrates a gang's base, takes down every single member, walks straight to the boss, and completes the mission like it's a stroll in the park?! Where did a mons— I mean, where did a devil like you even come from?!"
Kael's sudden outburst left everyone stunned. Even Kajann could only stare at his father in disbelief.
"You almost said a 'monster' aren't you?' Knox rolled his eyes.
"Besides, don't you think it's a bit cruel to call a kid a devil? At the very least,"—he crossed his arms and frowned slightly—"you should add 'handsome and cool' before the word devil!"
Hearing this, a vein popped on Kael's forehead.
He rubbed his temple with a weary sigh. "You brat, your cheek is getting thicker and thicker".
Knox returned the gesture. "You flatter me!"
Everyone present: "…"
Several people nearly burst into laughter, and even Kajann's shoulders trembled.
This is my first time someone made my father speechless again and again, Kajann thought.
After calming his mind, Kael began to return to the main point.
"With this request completed, your name will probably start spreading around. That's both good and bad, depending on how you see it. Well, knowing you, I bet you've already prepared for that anyway. Still, I got what I came for—plus a few unexpected bonuses."
Kael tapped the ledger, then pointed toward a few scrolls and documents scattered nearby.
"With this, she should be more than satisfied."
I mean, not only did Knox finish the request flawlessly, but I also got extra information in the process. The problem is... one of these 'informations' is rather troublesome.
While Kael was lost in thought, Knox's sudden voice snapped him back to reality.
"'She'? Who are you talking about? Your boss?"
Even though Knox already had a rough idea who Kael was referring to, he feigned ignorance and asked anyway.
His question made the father-and-son duo exchange glances. Their eyes reflected a hint of hesitation and thought.
"Let's just say," Kael finally replied, scratching the back of his neck, "someone above is the one who sent the request. You just happened to get involved along the way—but the result turned out far better than planned. So…" He gave a faint grin. "Expect a little bonus reward, okay, kid?"
Kael crossed his arms, his expression turning thoughtful again.
"Well, with this quest wrapped up, you should know—this isn't just any small achievement. The 'Slippery Rat' gang was infamous for a reason. True to their name, they were a slippery bunch. Most of them could vanish underground before anyone even got close."
He exhaled, a faint chuckle escaping. "But this time, they didn't slip away. Although that's because they underestimated you. Well, that's on them."
Kajann nodded in agreement, then added, "You really wiped them out clean. Once word spreads, people will start talking… about you."
Kael smirked faintly. "Yeah. Both the name Knox, and that nickname of yours."
He paused for a moment, a small grin tugging at his lips. "The White Devil, huh? Sounds fitting enough, considering the scene you left behind."
Knox sighed when he heard the nickname again.
That nickname is cool, sure—especially for a Gundam fan like me. To think a name that famous from another world would end up attached to me. Fate really is unpredictable, isn't it?
He exhaled lightly, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
"With a nickname like that, I wouldn't be surprised if some priest starts hunting me down, you know?"
Kael's expression hardened slightly. "You might not be that far off, actually."
Knox tilted his head. "...What do you mean by that?"
Kael let out a deep sigh before speaking again. "Among the information we retrieved, there's something... troublesome. Apparently, one of the Slippery Rat's benefactors was a corrupt ex–high-ranking priest. Name's Jasil. Used to be part of the Heresy Inquisitors."
Kajann's eyes widened a little. "Wait, that Jasil? The same guy who was hunted by both the Holy Federation and the Dark Alliance?"
"Exactly," Kael replied grimly. "He used to take bribes from the Slippery Rat while hunting rogue necromancers in the Alliance's territory. From what the intel says, he even killed one of their own for money. In short, he's wanted on both sides."
Knox crossed his arms, frowning slightly. "And since I just destroyed his cash cow, he'll probably be pissed enough to come for me, huh?"
Kael nodded slowly. "That's the concern. The Slippery Rat gang was one of his steady sources of income. With them gone, someone's bound to pay the price. You might've just stepped on a hornet's nest, kid."
"Hmm, this is indeed a bit troublesome. But no pain, no gain," Knox mused inwardly. While Kael did say that this quest would make my name spread, the scale would only be… so-so. Plus, although this might sound arrogant, I do need a powerful enemy for benchmarking. Of course, I won't hesitate to run if things turn south.
He let out an overly dramatic sigh, his tone dripping with mock sorrow.
"Ahh, life's really unfair, isn't it? I'm just a fragile, weak, and unbearably handsome kid, and yet the world keeps throwing problems at me~."
Hearing this, both Kael and Kajann's heads twitched in unison, leaving them utterly speechless.
Before either of them could utter a retort, Knox suddenly spoke up.
"About that Jasil, can you give me every piece of information about him?"
"Sure. 'Know your enemy,' right? It's always best to understand him before facing him," said Kael, nodding slightly.
But Knox's reply made him freeze mid-sentence.
"Yup. 'Know your enemy'—or more like, 'know your prey,' I guess?" Knox tilted his head, saying it so casually it sent a chill down their spines.
"…"
Both Kael and Kajann stared at him wordlessly, their expressions somewhere between disbelief and exasperation.
"What?" Knox blinked innocently.