572 Seven Years


    Flynn Manor, Uptown Quarter.


    At the same time that Adam, Daneli, and Elysande were discussing the potential alliance between the Twilight Brotherhood and the Flynn Family, an old Magus with white hair and sky-blue eyes was making his way toward the underground dungeon.


    He had broad shoulders and one could still see his muscles pulsing under his silk robes. Despite being an old man, this person radiated the vigor of someone much younger.


    Every maid, servant, guard, or Magus that passed him by would stop and respectfully bow to him in greeting.


    This person was none other than the Flynn Family''s oldest retainer, Rank 2 - Mana Liquefaction Magus, Alvertos!


    Upon approaching the entrance to the dungeon, the Magi standing guard there respectfully greeted him, "Wee, Lord Alvertos."


    "Are the prisoners from Silverhorde still in there?" He asked tly.


    One of the guards, a female, nced at him and answered, "Yes, my lord. Neither youngdy Elysande nor Lord Constantine has interrogated them yet."


    When Alvertos heard Adam''s name, his fist involuntarily clenched.


    That cocky little brat, he thought.


    He never had a good impression of Adam to begin with. Initially, he would always look down upon the youth.


    But after noticing his fighting prowess during all the missions they had gone together, he couldn''t help bute to acknowledge him, albeit reluctantly.


    However, that still didn''t stop him from disliking Adam.


    What caused his animosity toward him to grow even more was the fact that the youth''s rtionship with Elysande as well as her father, Brigham, had be very friendly.


    It couldn''t be helped. After all, Adam had cured Brigham when others couldn''t. Even the leader of the Herbalist''s Guild, the Rank 3 Magus Halbert Dawson, imed that he wouldn''t have been able to do as good of a job as Adam had.


    Alvertos ordered the two guards standing before him, "Open the door. I will interrogate this new batch of prisoners myself."


    "Yes, my lord!" The Magi opened the door and allowed the old man to enter.


    It hadn''t even been a minute since the guards had closed the door that blood-curdling screams started to sound from inside the dungeon.


    The two guards looked at one another and could see the terror in each other''s eyes.


    "Lord Alvertos seems to have great hatred against the members of the Umbra Thieves, eh?" Whispered one of the guards.


    The other guard nodded. "What else do you expect? They say he''s the Patriarch''s most trusted retainer."


    "Did you hear about the rumors about thest group of Magi who worked for the Flynn Family?"


    The guard nodded in fear. "I hear all of them were executed." She paused for a moment before adding, "Not even the mortal servants were spared."


    "Lord Alvertos was the one to personally kill most of them," said the other guard. "So whatever you do, make sure not to get on his bad side."


    "You idiot!" Scolded the guard in a hushed tone. "The reason thest batch of Magi were killed was because of that horrible incident with the Patriarch. As long as we do our work diligently and are loyal to the family, we should be alright."


    "…I hope so," said the other guard.


    The torture session inside the dungeon carried on for more than thirty minutes. Gradually, the screams inside died down and Alvertos could be heard instructing the Magi inside to get rid of the bodies. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    CREAK!


    The door opened and the old man stepped out, his silk robe now smeared in blood. His hands were also covered in blood, making for an extremely ghastly scene.


    Seeing his devilish appearance, the two guards standing outside involuntarily straightened their backs.


    Alvertos ignored them and made his way upstairs. On his way, several people who happened to pass him by were scared out of their minds seeing his appearance.


    They couldn''t help but make way for him out of sheer horror.


    Ever since the incident where the patriarch of the family, Brigham Flynn, was poisoned, Alvertos was not the same anymore.


    When he learned that the patriarch was suspected to have been poisoned by food, he was even more furious. He had taken it upon himself to viciously interrogate every worker in the manor.


    It was clear to all just how much of an upheaval that incident had caused in the Flynn Manor.


    Despite having questioned, and subsequently killed, all those who worked in the manor at the time, it was still unknown as to who exactly had mixed poison in the patriarch''s food.


    Because of this, Alvertos went absolutely ferocious during all their missions in capturing the members of the Umbra Thieves.


    He had taken it upon himself that he would ughter every thief or assassin of this criminal enterprise that came his way.


    That''s what he had been doing for thest seven years.


    He finally arrived on the first floor and headed toward the restroom to clean himself up. If he left the Flynn Manor drenched in blood, it would send a distasteful message to outsiders.


    Upon entering the restroom, he locked it from the inside. Then, he walked toward the basin and started washing the blood from his hands.


    His savage expression gradually reverted back to normal. All that was left on his face was clear indifference.


    He looked up and gazed at his reflection in the mirror. He deeply looked at his own emotionless eyes.


    Seven years, he thought.


    For more than seven years I''ve hunted down the people of my own organization without remorse.


    I''ve tortured them, killed them, and buried them with these two hands.


    His gazended on his wet hands stained by the blood of hisrades. He involuntarily clenched them tightly.


    But the time hase!


    It was a good thing that they didn''t immediately suspect me right after the patriarch recovered. Afterying low for all these years, I''m sure all traces of suspicion have been removed.


    He thought to himself grimly as he continued to wash his hands, For thest seven years I haven''t had anymunication with the guild.


    I was sure the Flynns were keeping tabs on me! But now, they don''t anymore. I''m certain!


    Gradually, his lips curled up into a cold smile.


    What we failed to aplish seven years back will finally be attained before this month ends!


    It''s finally time I contacted the Umbra Thieves!