As Asper, Rio and Zenji crept closer to the mansion's silhouette, Rio leaned toward Asper, unable to hold back any longer. "Hey, Asper," he whispered. "What was all that about? I couldn't ask earlier, but come on... I can't resist the urge, you know?"

It had been a tense moment back at the inn when Asper and Ivo nearly came to blows. Since then, Rio's curiosity had been gnawing at him, the whole scene replaying in his head, unanswered questions building up. Asper's expression hardened, eyes focused ahead.

"Focus, we're nearly there. You can interrogate me later, yeah?" Asper muttered, sidestepping the question.

But Rio pressed on, unable to let it drop. "Come on, Asper! What happened between you two in the past? The great Captain of the Magnificent Guild, Ivo Gadall, has a history with our red-haired friend? That's a story worth hearing."

Asper clenched his jaw, avoiding Rio's gaze. "Not in the mood, Rio. Drop it. I don't want to talk about the past."

Rio pouted, frustrated by the brick wall Asper had thrown up. He crossed his arms, huffing quietly. He might have been tall for his age, but the sulky look on his face betrayed his fifteen years. But his pout quickly faded as they neared the mansion.

The estate loomed before them, its towering stone walls casting deep shadows across the garden. Every corner of the mansion seemed to be designed to intimidate, from the iron spikes jutting from the top of the walls to the gothic gargoyles perched on every ledge, staring out into the twilight like silent sentries. Behind them, the sun was dipping lower, casting the sky in shades of purpling dusk, and the windows of the mansion began to glow faintly, as though the building itself were waking up with the approaching darkness. Every sound—every distant clink of armor, every gust of wind—seemed amplified.

Zenji signaled for them to slow as they reached the back gate. Two guards were posted, leaning lazily on their pikes and engrossed in conversation. Dressed in their Gash and Slash suits, Zenji and Rio moved forward with the nonchalance of men who belonged. Rio held up a hand in greeting as they drew close, his expression one of casual authority.

The guards stiffened at their approach, uncertain. "You two—you're not scheduled for this shift, are you?" one of them muttered.

Zenji's tone was smooth, completely unfazed. "Orders just came down. The Duke has us on perimeter patrol, keeping an eye on things." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Trouble reported on the west side. We need you to check it out—make sure everything's clear."

The guards exchanged glances, skepticism lingering in their eyes.

"Yeah?" one of them grunted, scratching his head. "Didn't hear anything about it."

Rio tilted his head, crossing his arms with a hint of impatience. "Look, the Duke isn't exactly known for broadcasting his every order. You can stay here if you want—but if something goes wrong and he finds out you ignored his instructions..."

One guard shifted uncomfortably, grumbling under his breath. "Fine. If the Duke says so..."

Just as the guards turned to head west, Zenji and Rio slipped in close behind them. In one swift, practiced motion, Rio placed his hand on the neck of the nearest guard. A sharp crack echoed in the air—a burst of controlled energy, like a muted firecracker snapping—and a brief flash of smoke erupted between Rio's fingers. The guards barely had time to react before they slumped forward, falling to the ground in unconscious heaps. The back gate stood open and clear.

Asper darted over, eyes wide. "I didn't notice it before, but... how are you able to make explosions just from your hand?"

Rio rolled his eyes and smacked Asper lightly on the forehead. "Oh, right, I forgot. You probably lived in a cave before meeting us. First, you didn't know about Zoanthropes, and now... Shinten?"

"What's Shinten?" Asper blinked, tilting his head.

Rio sighed, smacking his own forehead dramatically. "Shinten. It's a technique used to control... well, wait a second. Why should I tell you all the details? I'm not your teacher." He grinned, clearly enjoying holding the information over Asper. "For now, just know I'm a Binder."

"A Binder?" Asper's interest flared, leaning in. "Come on, Rio, tell me more!"

Rio smirked, crossing his arms. "Oh, now you're curious? Funny, coming from the guy who brushed off my questions earlier."

Asper's face twitched in frustration, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. He wanted to know but wasn't thrilled about giving anything in return. His pride kept him silent, yet his curiosity burned in his expression.

Rio chuckled. "Alright, alright. It's simple—I can copy explosions. Like, I can... well, mimic it." He shrugged, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Asper's eyes widened, clearly wanting to press for more details, but Rio held up a hand, shaking his head. "That's all you're getting. Don't we have an urgent job here? This isn't a class on Shinten and Pneuma."

Rio sighed, throwing Asper an exasperated look. "Look, explaining Shinten would take all night, and we don't have that kind of time."

With that, the trio slipped through the gate into the outer grounds of the Duke's mansion. A heavy quiet filled the air, as if the estate were holding its breath, waiting. Shadows sprawled across the meticulously maintained gardens, where only a few dim lights flickered from the mansion's windows. It felt as though every guard had been pulled away, leaving the estate in an unsettling stillness.

Asper glanced around, taking in the mansion's imposing architecture. The massive stone walls rose up like cliffs, lined with narrow windows and adorned with gaudy statues of the Duke himself. The entire estate seemed to exude an air of self-importance, practically screaming the Duke's arrogance. They couldn't risk going through the front door, so they made their way to the side, scaling the ivy-clad walls until they reached the first-floor ledge.

Zenji climbed through the open window first, landing soundlessly on the thick, plush carpet. He straightened and glanced around, eyebrows lifting as he took in the surroundings. It took only a moment for them to realize where they'd ended up: the Duke's bedroom. The room practically screamed wealth and vanity. Opulent, but vulgar—portraits of the Duke lined every wall, each one more ridiculous than the last. Portraits of him posing like a king on a throne, dressed in extravagant, bejeweled armor, and even one of him cradling a gilded sword with a solemn expression.

"What a narcissist," Zenji muttered, disgusted.

Rio followed, landing lightly beside him, his nose wrinkling. "We really hit the jackpot—right into his lair," he whispered, shaking his head. "This guy reeks of ego."

Just as Zenji waved Asper over, Asper pulled himself through the window, but his hoodie snagged on the latch. He tugged, only to lose his balance as the hoodie suddenly came loose, sending him tumbling forward with a loud thud as he hit the carpet.

The three of them froze.

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A voice drifted out from the adjoining bathroom, followed by the unmistakable sound of splashing water. The Duke was in there, humming an off-key tune with grating enthusiasm. His song grew louder, completely out of tune, a discordant mix of high notes and raspy croons that made the trio cringe.

Asper grimaced, shooting an apologetic look at Rio and Zenji, who both glared back at him.

"Who's there?" the Duke shouted, his voice laced with irritation. "Guards! GUARDS!"

Panic flashed across their faces as they heard footsteps pounding down the hall. They scrambled, ducking behind a massive, intricately carved wardrobe that stood against the far wall. They huddled together, barely daring to breathe as the guards burst into the room.

"Sir?" one guard called, scanning the empty room with confusion.

From the bathroom, the Duke shouted, "Can't a man bathe in peace? Why aren't you standing outside?, If it were an intruder, they'd be long gone by now!"

"Apologies, sir! We assumed—"

"Oh, you assumed, did you?" The Duke's voice dripped with mockery. "Idiots, the lot of you! Out! And don't bother again unless it's life or death."

The guards exchanged nervous looks, muttering apologies as they backed out of the room and shut the door.

The trio let out shaky breaths, but their relief was short-lived. The bathroom door creaked open, and out stepped the Duke, wrapped in a lavish dressing robe embroidered with gold. He smoothed his belt, tightened it around his round belly, and patted his face, admiring himself in the mirror, "Such perfection," he muttered. He twisted the ends of his golden moustache with a self-satisfied smirk and gave himself a hearty spritz of heavy perfume, a thick cloud filling the room. "Now then, where is that delectable maid?"

He strode to the bell pull and gave it a sharp yank. Moments later, the door creaked open, and a young maid slipped into the room, her shoulders slumped, gaze fixed on the floor. Her hands twisted together nervously, and her face was pale, a sheen of fear evident in her wide eyes.

The Duke's gaze lingered on her, his eyes roaming over her trembling form with a sickening intensity, a smile creeping across his face. "There you are," he drawled, his voice smooth and menacing. "No need to be shy." He stretched out a hand, his fingers brushing her cheek with a gentleness that belied his intentions. The maid recoiled slightly, but he tightened his grip on her hand, leading her toward the bed.

She stumbled, nearly losing her balance, and sat on the edge of the bed, her whole frame rigid with fear. The Duke's grin only widened as he leaned in, his breath hot and unpleasant as he whispered, "I don't bite... much." His mouth hovered by her neck, his eyes half-closed, savoring the moment, a bead of drool slipping from his lips as he moved closer, oblivious to her silent, desperate tears.

From the shadows, driven by pure instinct, Asper stepped out, reaching for the heavy brass lamp on the bedside table. With a surge of strength, he raised it high and swung.

Thwack!

The lamp connected with a satisfying crack, the Duke's smug grin was wiped away as his eyes rolled back, and he slumped forward, collapsing in an undignified heap on the bed, unconscious. The maid gasped, her hands flying to her mouth, a mixture of shock and relief washing over her tear-streaked face as the Duke lay motionless.

The maid gasped, frozen with shock as Rio and Zenji sprang from their hiding spots, their faces twisted with horror.

"Asper!" Rio hissed, his voice a tense whisper. "What the hell did you just do?!"

Asper looked at the unconscious Duke, unrepentant. "What was I supposed to do? Stand by and let him—" He clenched his fists, barely holding back his disgust. "That guy's a sick pervert."

Rio shot him a look, eyes wild. "Maybe have a plan first?! You're just making everything worse!"

Zenji pinched the bridge of his nose, finally breaking in. "Enough, both of you! Arguing isn't helping, can we focus on what matters? Any ideas about what we actually do next?"

Rio and Asper exchanged a look, then both shook their heads.

Zenji gave them an exasperated look. "I figured as much."

He took a deep breath, eyes sharp as he quickly assessed their options. Then he turned to the maid, his voice steady but urgent. "Listen, you need to go outside and tell the guards the Duke doesn't want anyone near his door tonight. Say he's... in a bad mood. Angry. Make it sound convincing and get them to leave."

The maid, still trembling, wiped her eyes and nodded, giving them a fleeting look of gratitude before slipping out of the room. They could hear her outside the room, relaying Zenji's order with a quiver in her voice.

Once she was gone, Rio threw up his hands, shaking his head. "I can't believe this. Do you even understand what kind of hole we're in right now?"

Asper huffed, clearly trying to justify himself. "Look, it's not all bad. We could use the Duke as leverage against that gang boss, Sharkhead," he said, mispronouncing the name without missing a beat.

Rio paused, raising an eyebrow. "Sharkhead?" He stifled a laugh, momentarily forgetting their situation. But as soon as the chuckle escaped, he sobered up, rolling his eyes. "No, you pea-brain. We can't just stroll up to a gang leader with his employer tied up like it's some trade deal! For all we know, he'd be relieved to get rid of him."

"Then what do you suggest?" Asper asked, genuinely curious, though he was clearly struggling to keep his attention on Rio's long-winded explanation.

Rio shook his head, leaning closer. "Look, if we even think about making a move on these people, we need to figure out what's important to them first, we clearly need to have the upper hand in the deal. And we definitely need to get your bag back before they start rifling through it. If there's anything useful in there, they'll be using it against us."

Asper nodded, but his head had already begun to droop slightly. His eyes fluttered closed as Rio continued his heated explanation.

"Asper, are you—are you asleep?!" Rio snapped, his voice sharp enough to jolt Asper awake.

"Huh?" Asper rubbed his eyes, blinking rapidly. "No, no, I was listening... Something about my bag, right?"

Rio sighed, his tone a mix of irritation and exasperation. "Yes, genius, your bag. Pay attention! This is all your mess, pea-brain."

Asper cocked his head, studying Rio curiously. "How come you know so much about negotiations with gang leaders and all this shady stuff?"

Rio paused, breathless for a split second, his usually vibrant, cheery expression dimming as something dark flickered in his eyes. But he quickly grinned, shrugging it off with a laugh. "Because, actually, I'm a trained spy and assassin." He winked, and Zenji sighed.

"If we're done with story hour," Zenji cut in, "can we focus? The guards will notice if we don't move fast."

A few moments later, they saw the guards' shadows retreat, leaving the corridor empty.

Zenji nodded toward the open door. "We're clear. Let's get moving before someone realizes something's off."

Asper, Zenji, and Rio crept quietly out of the Duke's room, carefully closing the door behind them. Ahead, they spotted the grand staircase, which curved both upward and downward. The space around the staircase was open, allowing glimpses of the ground floor through the small, ornately carved balusters. Down below, the clinking of plates and soft murmur of servants echoed upward as the staff began setting out an elaborate dinner on the long dining table.

Asper's stomach, oblivious to the danger, seemed to have its own agenda, rumbling loud enough to betray them. The smell of roasted meat, rich sauces, and fresh bread wafted up to them, teasing his senses. He felt his legs move of their own accord, almost as if he was in a trance, his gaze fixed on the food below. "Food... food... food..." he murmured dreamily, his eyes half-lidded as he drifted down the stairs, seemingly drawn by the scent like a cartoon character floating on invisible wisps.

Rio, noticing Asper's zombie-like march down the stairs, hissed in alarm, reaching out to grab him. "Asper! You red-haired menace, you're going to get us all killed!"

But Asper barely seemed to hear him, still whispering, "Food... food..." as he continued to float toward the dining area below. With a frustrated sigh, Rio tried to haul him back by his hoodie, only for Asper's weight to drag him forward instead. Zenji, watching this spectacle, clenched his jaw and strode forward, giving Asper a sharp smack on the back of his head, snapping him out of his trance.

Asper blinked, dazed, and then grinned sheepishly at his friends. Zenji grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close so their faces were just inches apart. His dark eyes were fierce as he spoke in a low, dangerous tone. "Pull one more idiotic stunt like that, and I swear, I'll personally hand you over to Scarhead."

Asper's grin faded, and he gave a small, meek nod. Zenji released him with a final shove, and they moved quietly along the corridor, stepping carefully to avoid any creaky floorboards.