Lord of Caldera

"I'll say it again, this is just the advance payment. If you succeed in the job, I'll pay you double this amount."

Dani spoke with a triumphant tone, his expression clearly showing the satisfaction of making an offer too good to refuse. Seeing that Dani already seemed to assume his acceptance, Max's expression hardened.

__'No matter how much money you have, it's not worth risking your life. I'll take my leave now'

...Or so he thought, but the amount was too much. If he received both the advance and the remaining balance, he could live comfortably for the rest of his life.

'This is driving me crazy.'

If the task had been an assassination, he would have refused without hesitation. But all he had to do was disrupt someone's sleep. It didn't seem that risky, and even if he got caught, as long as Dani protected him, it might be manageable.

He might not escape a whipping, but given that it was a prank against a noble, it was a small price to pay.

"…Alright, I'll do as you say, young master."

"Smart choice."

Dani grinned widely at Max's answer. With low risk and a high reward, it was almost impossible for anyone to refuse.

"But even if I manage to avoid being caught during the operation, it would still be suspicious if the warehouse keeper like me is seen wandering the halls."

"Don't worry. I'll take care of that. I'll give them an explanation."

He could easily make up a story about Max running errands that frequently took him near the hallways. Everyone knew that Max and Dani were close anyway.

"Just remember, if you want to receive the rest of the payment, don't get caught. The additional compensation is only for a successful job."

"I understand."

Even without being told, Max had no intention of being caught. No matter how safe it might seem, he didn't want to be whipped. Once Max left, Dani, now alone in the room, thought about Sylas.

'Let's see how long you can last.'

Hiring Max and paying him such a significant amount wasn't just for a simple prank. According to Dani 's investigation, Sylas had already built considerable trust within the family.

So, Dani planned to start by breaking that trust.

'If you start showing signs of madness, do you think others will trust you as they did before?'

Unidentified noises, lack of sleep, and suspicious circumstances—if he managed to leave no trace, what would happen then? No matter how sane a person is, they eventually lose their grip on reality when pushed too far.

Even if Sylas managed to keep his sanity, it didn't matter. As long as he complained of pain, Dani could easily claim it was due to hallucinations or mental illness. By then, Sylas's trust would fade, leaving only the image of a lunatic bastard.

'At most, it'll take two months. I'll just wait patiently.'

Although Max was prone to exaggeration, he was skilled in this type of covert work.

Dani was confident that if he waited, the desired result would come.

***

Even the most loyal vassal doesn't stay by their lord's side all day. No matter how devoted they are, knights are still human.

Without adequate sleep and leisure time, they couldn't endure. After all, they didn't earn their large salaries just to save them. Typically, knights had their holidays aligned with their lord's schedule, and they would spend the entire day resting without any duties. Toby was no different.

"Thanks for your hard work this month. Here's your salary."

Toby, receiving the clinking pouch of gold coins, clicked his tongue. The amount hadn't changed, but the person giving it had.

"Can't I just receive it directly from the count himself? It'd be more convenient."

"What are you talking about? I'm the one giving you your salary, so why should you receive it from my father?"

"Well… sigh, never mind."

Though it was merely a formality for Sylas to give Toby his salary, Toby understood its importance. Formalities might seem trivial, but they often held great significance.

With this simple act, Toby became Sylas's vassal instead of just the count's.

"Now that you've received your salary, are you going out for a drink?"

"Of course. I haven't had a drop lately while guarding you."

"Perfect timing. I have a favor to ask."

"You could have the servants do that…"

"I'll add some money for your drinks."

"Anything you need, just let me know."

Amused by the quick change in attitude, Sylas handed Toby a note.

"Buy these items. A week's supply should be enough."

"Let's see… thorn lotus, water caltrop, and black herb? What are these?"

"They're herbs used for medicine."

More specifically, they were herbs whose combination hadn't been publicly disclosed yet. For now, they were only used as ornamental plants or seasonings in stews. But if these herbs were combined in precise proportions, they became a potent sleeping aid.

It had minimal side effects and was effective, making it popular among nobles.

"I'd prefer to buy it as a prepared medicine, but since I'm the only one who knows the formula, I'll have to make it myself."

"Why do you need sleeping medicine all of a sudden? Are you having trouble sleeping?"

"No, but I think I might need it soon."

Sylas glanced toward the warehouse with a grin.

"Someone will be coming to disturb my sleep soon."

***

Three days later, Max decided to execute the plan. He had just heard from Dani that the servants were already on board. With everything prepared, Max silently walked down the dark hallway.

"Who's there?! What are you doing at this hour… oh, Max?"

"Yes, it's me. The young master asked me to run an errand."

"Ah, that's right. I was told."

Occasionally, he ran into one or two people, but thanks to the prior arrangements, he passed by without any suspicion. When he reached Sylas's room, only one maid was guarding the door.

With a satisfied grin, Max threw a small metal ball to the side.

Clang.

"What was that!?"

Startled by the sudden noise, the maid turned her head. Taking advantage of the distraction, Max slipped into Sylas's room. The door was designed to make little noise when opening, and combined with Max's skills, it was almost completely silent.@@novelbin@@

'Not bad, I still got it.'