The carriage ride to the Duke’s estate was quiet.

Kai adjusted the stiff collar of his stolen charcoal coat, making sure the silver half-mask sat securely over his eyes.

Beside him, Eevy smoothed out the wrinkles in the skirts of her green silk dress.

They stepped out onto the driveway and joined the steady flow of wealthy guests heading toward the grand entrance.

Music played out from the open balcony doors.

The evening air carried the rich scent of meats and sweet wine, drowning out the stench of the outer slums they had walked through earlier.

’It is almost funny how ignorant these people choose to be,’ Kai thought, looking at the laughing aristocrats lining the walkway.

’There is an army of monsters marching toward their borders, and they are only worried about stepping on each other’s expensive shoes.’

They handed their forged invitations to the guard at the door and walked into the main ballroom.

Crystal chandeliers cast a golden glow over a sea of colourful silk and glittering jewels.

Waiters in crisp uniforms carried silver trays loaded with exotic fruits and overflowing champagne glasses.

Perhaps the Duke spent a fortune just on the floral arrangements lining the walls.

Just a few miles away, refugees were begging for scraps of stale bread in the dirt.

Eevy leaned close to his shoulder.

"I am going to mingle near the council members and see what kind of rumours are floating around the wine glasses. Try not to cause a scene while I am gone."

Kai offered her a relaxed smirk.

"I never cause a scene on purpose. The scenes just tend to find me. Be careful out there, and keep an eye out for anyone who smells like that perfume."

Eevy gave him a quick nod before slipping away into the crowded floor.

Her green dress allowed her to completely natural camouflage among the high society wives.

Kai grabbed a glass of amber liquid from a passing waiter and took a slow sip.

It tasted aged and very expensive.

He stood near a tall marble pillar, letting his eyes adjust to the bright room.

He watched a fat merchant in a purple doublet laughing loudly with a military officer about raising the entry tolls at the gates. He was not here to drink or make friends with these parasites.

He set his half-empty glass down on a passing tray and walked casually toward the grand staircase at the back of the room.

Two heavy-set guards stood near the bottom steps, watching the crowd with bored expressions.

Kai did not hesitate.

He tapped into his mana and focused on the shadow cast by a large potted fern resting halfway up the stairs.

His Shadow Step skill activated flawlessly.

The noisy ballroom faded away for a brief second.

He materialised silently in the quiet shade of the second floor, leaving the guards entirely unaware of his passing.

His boots hit the carpet without making a single sound.

The agility stats he absorbed from Eevy made his movements feel remarkably fluid.

He walked down the dimly lit corridor, checking the brass nameplates on the wooden doors.

He passed a guest bedroom and a small private library before finally finding what he was looking for.

The Duke’s private study.

The door was locked, but that was just a minor inconvenience for him now.

Kai pulled a small metal pick from his pocket and popped the simple mechanism in seconds.

He pushed the door open and slipped inside the dark room, closing it gently behind him to block out the faint music from downstairs.

Moonlight filtered through the large glass window, illuminating a pristine desk and tall shelves packed with leather-bound ledgers.

Kai took one step forward and immediately stopped in his tracks. A faint, red glow shimmered in the air right above the decorative rug.

’Magical tripwires,’ Kai observed, scanning the floor carefully. ’The Duke must have some very interesting secrets if he needs to ward off his own private office from his party guests.’

Instead of disabling them and risking a magical alert, Kai decided to test out his newly unlocked Enhanced Reflexes.

He took a deep breath and moved forward.

A second wire stretched across the middle of the room at waist height.

His body reacted faster than his conscious thoughts.

He bent backwards, his spine arching smoothly as he slipped beneath the dangerous red light.

He felt light and fast, weaving through the deadly web of magic like it was a casual morning stroll.

Perhaps his new rogue stats were even better than he originally calculated. He reached the heavy wooden desk without triggering a single alarm.

Kai started opening the drawers, searching carefully through the mundane tax records and trade agreements.

He pushed aside stacks of boring political correspondence and finally noticed a false bottom in the lowest drawer. He wedged his dagger into the tiny crack and pried the thin wooden panel up.

Beneath the false bottom sat a stack of letters tied together with a black ribbon. Kai untied the bundle and unrolled the top parchment.

The handwriting was elegant, but the words were pure poison.

It was a direct correspondence between the Duke and a commander of the vanguard.

The letters outlined a very specific plan.

The Duke was going to order the city guards to abandon the northern gate at midnight on the third day of the siege.

’These politicians are selling out their own people for a few extra bags of gold,’ Kai thought, his grip tightening on the crisp parchment.

’They deserve whatever is coming to them.’

This was what he needed.

The king might not listen to a random spellblade from the woods, but he would have to listen to written proof of treason from his own inner circle.

Having this kind of blackmail material gave Kai an advantage over the corrupt council.

He could force their hand and take control of the city defences when the time was right.

[Item Acquired: Treasonous Letters]

[Event Updated: The Inside Job]