The Penny Prince sat alone, enjoying the privacy of his inner city mansion, a glass of dark wine in hand.
He took a sip, enjoying the taste and the door opened. A servant walked in, head bowed low. "My prince. Lady Isolde is here to see you."
His brows rose. Isolde?
He exhaled, setting his glass down on the table. "Send her in."
A few seconds later, the blue eyed woman walked into the room. "Anders." She bowed a bit before taking a seat. "I need your help."
The Penny Prince raised an eyebrow, surprised at seeing her so… subservient.
"Isolde, dear," He picked up his glass, taking a sip to hide the interested smile on his face. "You know I always enjoy your visits. But when you need my help, that’s when things become truly interesting."
Isolde’s lips pressed into a thin line. "It’s Gwen. She’s missing."
He leaned back, resting his chin on his fingers. "Missing? I doubt Gwen would simply disappear without reason."
"She hasn’t returned since the ball. She was last seen leaving the palace late last night, and no one has heard from her since." Isolde’s voice was filled with concern, but she held herself together with the expected grace of nobility.
"I’ve checked with all our friends. She’s not with them and no one has seen her since that night."
Anders tapped his fingers against the armrest of his chair. "Let me guess. Your concern isn’t just that she’s missing, but why she’s missing."
Isolde nodded. "She had a… confrontation with Lilith Underwood, and there are a few… rumors about her."
The Penny Prince hummed in amusement. "Lilith Underwood, you say?" His golden eyes glinted with intrigue. "How very predictable."
"Anders," Isolde said, her voice filled with urgency, "this isn’t a game. Gwen isn’t weak, but if she was truly alone with Lilith, she might have been—"
"Oh, I’m well aware of what Lilith is capable of." The Penny Prince interrupted with a chuckle. "And if Gwen got herself tangled with that woman, then she was either testing her limits or incredibly reckless."
Isolde sighed, rubbing her temple. "Can you find out where she is?"
The Prince gestured to Lars, who had just slipped into the room through the shadows. The ever watchful right-hand man nodded, already understanding the command. "I’ll make inquiries. If she’s anywhere within the city, we’ll find her."
Isolde began nodding in relief. "Thank you, Anders."
He smiled. "Think nothing of it, dear. Gwen is… entertaining. I’d hate to see her taken off the board so soon."
Isolde hesitated for a moment before standing and leaving the room.
Once she was gone, Lars stepped forward. "I have news."
The Penny Prince raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
"A duel has been arranged between Ren Ross and Roger Sutherland, one of Vesper Rosefield’s cronies. The wager is… unusual."
His interest piqued. "Unusual how?"
"If Vesper wins, Ren loses his life. If Ren wins, Vesper gives him a million gold coins."
The Penny Prince let out a low whistle. "A bold move. And how does our dear Vesper intend to pay such a sum?" Enjoy exclusive content from NovelHub.Côm
Lars’ face was blank. "He doesn’t have it. And from what I’ve gathered, neither does his family, not without stripping down some of their assets."
The Penny Prince chuckled, shaking his head. "Vesper has a talent for being an idiot. I assume Ren is the one who pushed the wager so high?"
Lars nodded. "He maneuvered Vesper into agreeing. But the real issue is the actual duel itself. Roger is Rank 4. Ren is only Rank 3. The difference in strength isn’t negligible."
The Penny Prince hummed thoughtfully. "Ren’s clever, but cleverness only gets you so far against a superior opponent. And Vesper, despite being a fool, wouldn’t put forward someone weak. Roger must be talented."
Lars nodded. "By all accounts, he is. Many believe Ren won’t survive."
He drained the last of his wine and set the glass aside. "Then I suppose I should watch this duel myself. If nothing else, I want to see if Ren is as resourceful as people claim."
Lars bowed his head slightly. "Shall I make the arrangements?"
"Do. And ensure I have a good view."
Before Lars could leave, the door burst open again.
Octavian Underwood strode inside like he owned the place. "Penny Prince"
The Penny Prince sighed dramatically. "Octavian. You do know how to make an entrance, don’t you? And please call me Anders. I’m tired of hearing that nickname."
Octavian ignored the remark, his eyes narrowed. "When is it happening?"
Anders feigned confusion. "You’ll have to be more specific."
"Lilith." Octavian’s voice was sharp. "When does the assassin strike?"
Anders stared at him in amusement before gesturing for Lars to stay. "You’re impatient."
"I don’t like waiting."
Anders chuckled. "And yet, you will wait. Timing is everything."
Octavian’s fists clenched at his sides. "She needs to be handled. The longer she’s left to roam the capital, the more dangerous she becomes."
Anders sighed in response. "Believe me, I am well aware of Lilith’s volatility. That is precisely why we need to choose the right moment."
"Like you wanted, we’re not trying to kill her, Octavian. We’re trying to push her. To see what happens when we do."
Octavian’s lips curled in disgust. "Games. That’s all this is to you."
Anders smiled. "Of course it is. And you should be grateful. I play my games with patience. If you acted alone, you would have already failed. Isn’t that why you came to me?"
Octavian’s glare was murderous, but he said nothing. He knew Anders was right.
"The time will come," Anders continued, his voice dropping to a whisper. "And when it does, we’ll see just what Lilith Underwood truly is. I’m just as curious as you are."
Octavian exhaled. "Then don’t keep me waiting too long."
Anders tilted his head. "You’ll know when the moment arrives. Trust me."
Octavian turned and left, his frustration evident in the way he slammed the door behind him.
Lars watched him go before turning back to Anders. "What do we do about him, my prince?"
Anders smiled. "Let him run wild. Even a wild animal has its uses. And when we have what we want, we dispose of him. We can’t let a mad dog run around unchecked, can we?"
Anders smiled. "We’ll see what Lilith truly is tomorrow. Either Ren dies in the duel and the monster emerges… or the Butcher joins them in their victory celebrations.""
His smile widened. "Either way, the monster would be unleashed."