Lord of Caldera

Chapter 50

"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.

"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.

'Not bad, I still got it.'