Chapter 8: Rose Lounge (1)

The experiences he had gained during his three years of wandering abroad had greatly transformed his thoughts. What he had done in Cyprus now seemed so childish and absurd to him. Lately, Komer had also noticed countless strange fantasies arising in his mind, things he couldn’t understand. Many ideas he had never considered before popped into his head for no reason, as if another person’s memories and thoughts suddenly merged with his own, creating another individual. Yet Komer felt it wasn’t quite that—his own thoughts still followed his original pattern.

Perhaps everything was changing, including his own thoughts. Life was like this: small changes gradually led to larger ones, from quantitative to qualitative shifts. That’s how society developed. Suddenly, such a philosophical thought arose in Komer’s mind for no reason. By the time Komer led his two companions to the famous Rose Forest Lounge in Cyprus City to drink endlessly, word spread quickly that the former “Three Wolves of Cyprus” had returned and soon became known throughout the entire city.

At the same time, several skilled knights rode slowly past the grand entrance of the Rose Forest Lounge. A middle-aged knight with a weary expression looked extremely exhausted. Days of searching had left his companions drained, yet that damned guy had disappeared from Cyprus City as if he had wings. According to the shipowner, he must have landed on Cyprus, but the island was so vast, and they were two days late—how could they find this stranger? The man possessed necrotic energy, but it could only be sensed from very close range, and it was unclear whether he carried such evil forces at all times. Searching aimlessly was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Yet the archbishop had insisted repeatedly that they must find something on that man—though he hadn’t specified what. Thinking of this, the middle-aged knight grew frustrated.

“Sir, how about we go upstairs and rest for a while?” asked a burly knight following closely behind him, also covered in dust. Glancing at the huge sign of the bar, he suggested, “Our brothers are very tired. Let them relax. After all, this matter won’t be resolved in a day or two.”

After a moment of hesitation, seeing the hopeful expressions on his brothers’ faces, the middle-aged knight said gloomily, “Very well, let’s all go in and have a drink. We can’t waste too much time.”

He casually lifted the short skirt covering the waitress’s plump buttocks and gave it a firm squeeze. Amid her coy, angry expression, Komer laughed heartily as he tilted his head back and poured a glass of chilled martini into his mouth. The rich, fragrant liquid swirled in his throat before sliding down into his stomach. The warm sensation spreading throughout his body from within made Komer feel incredibly comfortable and relaxed. It had been a long time since he’d felt this carefree. It was great to be indulgent, especially in this state of drunkenness where everything seemed both far away and close at hand—seemingly within reach yet like an illusion worth savoring.

Puber, whose face was pale, was now flushed red. Just a few beers had turned him into this state—truly hopeless. Damn it, Ilot was still choosing the most expensive royal whiskey and drinking nonstop. Was this guy really going to drink up everything in the bar? Glancing casually at a few patrons passing by the door, illuminated by the dim glow of the bar’s night pearls, Komer seemed to detect a familiar scent. He raised his nose in confusion. These guys seemed to be from out of town, with sturdy builds, but he didn’t think he’d met them before. Yet why did he feel such familiarity?

“Lord, let’s go over there. It’s quieter.”

“Mm.”

Though it was just a single word, it instantly turned all the warmth in Komer’s body into cold sweat. Puber followed his boss’s gaze in surprise. He didn’t understand how his usually unrestrained boss could suddenly change like this, as if struck by some profound shock—his body shrinking considerably, almost disappearing into the shadows beside the bar, yet his piercing eyes remained fixed on a corner in the distance. It seemed a few people were seated there, their faces indistinct, but they didn’t seem to be locals, at least not among the so-called elites of Cyprus’s upper class. Why would this provoke such a strong reaction from his boss?

Ilot, with his rough demeanor, didn’t sense anything amiss. He continued drinking glass after glass, occasionally making vulgar jokes with the barmaids. There wasn’t a trace of nobility about him.

“Boss, what’s wrong?” Puber asked quietly, raising his glass to cover his mouth.

Taking a deep breath, Komer tried his best to keep his emotions under control. He hadn’t expected those guys to come to Cyprus—had they just passed by by chance or come on purpose? Could it be related to what he had done that day? His heart settled slightly before pounding again. He must not lose his composure now; otherwise, if they noticed his mistake, the three of them might be in serious trouble. Fortunately, they had never seen his face nor heard his voice. As long as he stayed calm, he should be able to get away. Their senses were too keen, and he didn’t dare stay any longer—it was too risky. But leaving now might arouse their suspicion. Without thinking further, he downed the remaining wine and tilted the bottle over himself. Then, giving Puber a glance, Komer stood up unsteadily.

Though Puber didn’t know what was going on, he knew his boss was always cautious and sharp-witted. There must be a reason for this action. He tapped Eilot, who was still drinking heartily, and said, “Let’s go. The boss is drunk.” He winked at him. Eilot was startled and about to speak, but seeing Puber’s gesture, he swallowed his words. He threw a gold shield on the bar, pretended to be heavily drunk, and helped Komer, who had his head bowed, stagger toward the door.

The middle-aged knight, whose senses were unusually acute, noticed something as his gaze fell on the three men across from him. Although there wasn’t the slightest trace of necrotic energy about them, he still felt something was off. Slowly, he stood up, ready to head toward the door.

“My lord, what’s wrong?” The other servants were surprised to see the knight rise.

“Nothing. Maybe it’s just my imagination. I keep feeling like there’s something strange about those three men ahead. It seems they might be connected to the target we’re searching for.” The knight also thought his feelings might be unfounded. Those guys were clearly just spoiled sons of some nobles in Cyprus. How could they be related to the person he was tracking? But that wasn’t enough reason for him to give up observing them. He wasn’t someone who gave up easily.

“My lord, let me go take a look.” The burly knight quickly stepped in front of the middle-aged knight and strode steadily toward the exit.

The moment the middle-aged knight stood up, Komer knew things would not end well that night. The opponent’s senses were so keen that even with all his attempts to conceal himself, he still couldn’t fully avoid being detected. It wasn’t until he saw another burly knight approaching that Komer felt a slight relief—seemingly, the opponent hadn’t yet figured out his problem; otherwise, they would have rushed over to capture him long ago. This was his only chance.

He took a deep breath secretly, keeping his expression unchanged, still pretending to be drunk. His unsteady body leaned against Puber’s frail frame, causing the latter to wobble as well. He couldn’t reveal his true strength for now, but he was worried the opponent might have already noticed. If he didn’t prepare, he might not even have time to defend himself if attacked. It was indeed a difficult choice. Yet Komer abandoned the idea of preparing in an instant—the opponent’s formidable strength meant that even a few more attacks would likely end his life on the streets. It was better to relax and take a gamble. With a subtle gesture of his left hand, he signaled the young man with the horse-like face who hadn’t fully recovered to get ready. Seeing this secret signal from their leader, the young man immediately became alert. It was a special gesture among the three close friends, used in times of danger. His vigilant gaze quickly fell on a figure approaching from behind.