"Prove... trust..."
The young man's words left the group stunned.
"Yes, trust."
"Trust is the most crucial element of cooperation. After all, you yourselves told me that."
"So, those of you who brought it up must surely have a way to satisfy me, right?"
A chill ran through the group. Though they could only see the young man's clown mask, they imagined the horrifying smile lurking beneath it.
"What do you want us to do?" Marquis Relf asked calmly, striving to regain his composure.
"Simple. Just jump out the window."
The young man chuckled and pointed to the window.
"By jumping, you'll prove you have the trust necessary to complete this collaboration."
The group nervously glanced at the dizzying height outside the window, their legs suddenly turning to jelly.
"Of course, there's an exception."
The young man's gaze shifted back to Marquis Relf, his finger now pointing at him.
"After all, proving trust is best left to the dogs under my command," Marquis Relf said.
"You agree, don't you? I believe we understand each other perfectly on this matter."
"Or perhaps you're planning to personally demonstrate your loyalty to me?"
Marquis Relf had no intention of risking a jump from the third-floor window. Though not a great height, a slight miscalculation could easily result in broken legs or arms. Worse luck could mean a broken neck, leaving one to hope for a better reincarnation.
Knowing this decision would create resentment among his followers, Marquis Relf reluctantly ordered them to jump.
"Marquis Relf, look at these old bones! I'll surely die if I jump!" pleaded an elderly noble.
"So you think I'd be fine jumping?" Marquis Relf's face hardened at the defiance.
"Let me go first!"
A sudden commotion from behind made everyone turn. They saw Viscount Leonard, the man who had previously supplied goods to Marquis Relf, already leaping through the window.
A heavy thud, followed by a piercing scream, echoed through the room.
The others froze in shock, but Marquis Relf's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Viscount Leonard, hmm? I'll remember this."
The onlookers cursed inwardly. They're practically throwing their lives away just to kiss his boots!
As they hesitated, another man had an idea. Clutching a sofa cushion, he leaped out the window without a sound, apparently landing safely.
After a moment of stunned silence, the rest scrambled for anything that could serve as cushioning. Soon, the third-floor windows of Hotel Debord looked like dumpling-filled steamer baskets, as nobles who once wielded immense power lined up to jump, leaving passersby agape at the bizarre spectacle.
When the last noble, unable to find a cushion and forced to rely on the others below to break his fall, finally leaped, the room suddenly felt much more spacious.
Marquis Relf cursed inwardly at the fools who had left him no cushions. Turning to the young man before him, he said, "You must be satisfied now, shouldn't you?"
Hearing Marquis Relf's words, the young man seemed to snap out of his daze, his tone becoming cheerful.
"Excellent, excellent! A truly spectacular performance!"
"Now that we've been acquainted for a while, I realize I still don't know your name."
Marquis Relf promptly stated his name.
"Relf."
"Relf... That's a fine name." The young man nodded thoughtfully. "Well then, Monsieur Relf, let's discuss our collaboration."
"To be frank, my manpower is quite limited, and it's difficult to recruit new members."
"But rest assured, though few in number, every one of my people is exceptionally capable. You needn't worry about that."
"I'll demonstrate this to you soon, as a token of our partnership."
Relf wasn't particularly interested in the promised "gift." He focused instead on the young man's earlier admission of limited manpower. Did this confirm his suspicion that while the young man possessed a potent method of mind control, it came with severe limitations?
That's right, Marquis Relf thought, that must be why they sought me out as a partner. Otherwise, they could have managed perfectly well on their own.
With this realization, Marquis Relf felt a considerable weight lift from his heart.
He no longer worried about the possibility of his colleagues being under someone else's control. After all, if they truly possessed such a method, they wouldn't need to collaborate with him at all; they could simply manipulate his actions directly.
Next, the two briefly discussed their operational plan. The core strategy remained unchanged: Relf's forces would spearhead the assault, while the young man would remain embedded within their ranks, ready to strike from the inside at the opportune moment.
With their business concluded, the young man prepared to depart.
He kicked the sound-suppression device lying at his feet, then smoothly caught it with one hand. The sudden movement startled Marquis Relf, who nearly activated the emergency device concealed beneath his coat. Clutching his chest, he only slowly withdrew his hand after confirming that the device showed no signs of exploding.
Unbeknownst to Relf, the energy barrier that had been suppressing sound had begun to flicker and fade, its luminosity noticeably diminished.
"Until we meet again, Monsieur Relf," the young man said, waving goodbye to Marquis Relf before vanishing like a bubble. Only then did Relf realize how the youth had managed to reach his room undetected, bypassing the Gardemeks guarding the hall and stairwell. The youth's abilities filled him with deep unease.
"Oh, and don't forget to check for the gift I sent, Monsieur Relf!" the youth added as his figure dissipated, as if suddenly remembering something.
Marquis Relf pondered what surprise the youth might have in store as he recalled the nobles who had fled Hotel Debord earlier. He briefly outlined the terms of their collaboration.
Although the nobles felt partnering with the youth was far too risky, Marquis Relf's decision was final. Unable to sway him, they had no choice but to comply.
Meanwhile, the youth who had left Hotel Debord slipped into a secluded corner. He shed his disguise, removing the jester mask to reveal the mature face of Grett beneath.