Act 2: The bar

As he left, he encountered a group of guards who were waiting for him.

Dante couldn't fight them all, so he decided that it was best to act cunningly.

"Halt there!" one of the guards shouted.

"I'm a messenger. I've been sent to deliver an urgent message to Lord Marlon," Dante responded firmly.

If they realize I wasn't invited to the party and that I killed the lord... they'll execute my entire family, no matter how good the queen is, the pressure won't let up.

"An urgent message?" the guard said with a suspicious tone. "Why don't you come with us and deliver it to Lord Marlon personally?"

Dante couldn't let them discover him, so he decided it was time to act.

Without saying a word, Dante drew his dagger and lunged at the guards. He managed to dodge their blows and, with quick and precise movements, incapacitated several of them.

Dante left the castle and headed to where he had left Eileen. She was patiently waiting for him.

"What happened inside the castle?" Eileen asked, noticing Dante's serious gaze.

"Lord Marlon is dead. I killed him myself."

Eileen's eyes widened in surprise.

"What? Why? What happened?"

"I overheard his conversation with one of his guards. They were planning an attack on the kingdom. I joined them to find out what was happening. And now, Lord Marlon is no longer a threat."

Eileen nodded in silence, understanding the significance of what Dante had done.

"And Alfred?" Eileen asked.

At that moment, Dante noticed someone approaching. It was Alfred.

"Hello, Dante, Eileen," Alfred greeted. "How did it go at the castle?"

"Well, Lord Marlon is no longer a problem," Dante replied with a smile.

"That's great!" Alfred exclaimed, relieved. "And how was your task, Dante?"

"Oh, nothing out of the ordinary. Just had to exterminate an annoying cockroach," Dante replied, laughing.

Eileen frowned, unsure if Dante was joking or being serious.

"A cockroach?" Alfred asked, confused, shrugging. "But putting that aside, I've found something useful for our mission. I found some important documents in the castle. I think they'll be very helpful," Alfred said, taking out some scrolls from his bag. "But before we talk about that, how about we go somewhere else? I don't like discussing important matters on the street."

Dante and Eileen nodded, and the three of them set off for a more private location where they could talk calmly about the documents Alfred had found. But Dante couldn't resist continuing to joke about the "cockroach" as they walked, causing Eileen and Alfred to laugh and relax a bit after what had just happened at the castle.

"My lord. So, how do you plan to find the traitor?" Alfred asked, concerned.

Dante furrowed his brow, deep in thought. He knew he had to be clever and act swiftly if he wanted to catch the traitor.

"I'll go to the bar where the new member of the creed works. I hope to find the traitor there and extract information."

Alfred nodded, understanding the plan. But he couldn't help but feel nervous for Dante's safety.

"Do you want me to accompany you, my lord?"

"No, Alfred. I'll be more effective if I go alone. You stay here and make sure everything is in order."

Alfred nodded, and Dante left the room.

Dante left the castle, heading towards the bar Lord Marlon had mentioned. He was determined to find the new member of the creed and gather more information about their plans.

But by then, Dante had changed his appearance, now sporting blonde hair and yellow eyes, wearing a mask to disguise himself.

"Well, now no one will know I'm Dante Bearelf."

The bar was located in a quiet part of the city, making it the perfect place for a secret meeting. Dante made sure to bring his sword and dagger, as he didn't know what kind of danger he might face there.

Before entering the bar, he tidied up a bit and carefully surveyed his surroundings. There was dim lighting, and the atmosphere was tense. A group of men sat at a table in the corner, and Dante suspected they might be members of the creed. He approached them cautiously, trying not to attract too much attention.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for someone," Dante said, attempting to sound casual.

The men turned to look at him, and Dante could see a mix of distrust and curiosity on their faces.

"And who are you?" one of the men asked, his voice rough and threatening.

"My name is Javi, and I'm looking for someone," he replied.

The men exchanged glances, and then one of them pointed towards the back of the bar.

"That guy is in the corner, I suppose he's the one you're looking for... but be careful, he doesn't like being bothered," the man warned him.

Dante thanked them for the information and headed towards the corner of the bar. There, he found a man sitting alone, his face hidden by a hood.

Actually, there are two, one is sitting at the bar, observing meticulously.

"Are you the new member of the creed?" Dante asked directly.

The man seemed surprised by the question but then nodded.

"Yes, it's me. And who are you?" the man asked, his voice defiant.

"Javi. And I came here because I need information about the creed's plans," Dante replied, keeping his calm.

The man stared at him for a moment and then said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Dante knew the man was lying and decided he had to extract the information from him somehow.

Ah, somehow I'm already tired of all this... there are two hooded figures, I have no other choice... ah... how exhausting...

Dante approached the man at the bar, a young and nervous-looking man who seemed to be waiting for someone. Dante grabbed him by the hood and stared into his eyes, emitting a threatening aura that made the man tremble.

"Are you the traitor?" Dante said with a cold and dangerous voice.

The man stuttered and tried to deny it, but Dante didn't believe him.

"Don't lie to me... I'm not playing your little game, now, you're going to tell me everything about the creed's plan, got it, little lamb?"

Dante tightened his grip on the man's hood, causing his head to tilt back. The man tried to resist, but Dante was much stronger than him.

"Speak!" Dante demanded with an even more threatening voice.

Dante kept his hand firmly on the man's hood, demanding that he explain the creed's plan. The man seemed frightened and trembled under Dante's pressure.

"The plan is to distribute a drug throughout the kingdom. This drug will cause those who consume it to mutate into grotesque creatures, and then the creed will be able to take control of the kingdom. We've been working on this drug for years, and it's finally ready for distribution," the trembling man explained.

Dante shuddered upon hearing this. He knew that if he allowed the creed to proceed with their plan, the kingdom would be in grave danger... the entire kingdom would be destroyed.

"Where is the creed located? What's their whereabouts?" Dante asked firmly.

The hooded figure, fearing for his life, finally relented.

"They're in an ancient fortress in the mountains north of the kingdom. There's a hidden path that leads to it from the forest. But be careful, the fortress is heavily guarded."

Dante furrowed his brow in anger. He knew he had to act swiftly to stop this plan. He stared fiercely at the man and spoke with a cold, cutting voice.

"I appreciate the information. But this is all I needed to know."

Dante drew a knife from his belt and plunged it into the man's heart without anyone noticing. Then, he quickly approached the second hooded figure and killed him in the same manner.

Afterwards, he distanced himself and headed for the bar's exit.

He took a moment and breathed deeply. He was tired of all the trouble and tension he had faced, but at least now he knew what he needed to do to protect his people and thwart the creed's plans.

"I wonder how Sarah is doing... now I need a break... there's still time to eliminate the entire creed, the sooner, the better."

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