Cunning Ritual

They walked until the sun dipped behind the mountains, finally reaching the summit and standing before a cave entrance. Liam lit a torch and peered inside, his face breaking into a knowing smile only when he spotted a metallic chest sitting eerily in the empty cavern, confirming he had found the right place.

"Looks like this is it, the legendary Ravenholdt Manor."

Ravenholdt Manor was a small estate built into a mountain hollow; unless you could fly, this cave was the only entrance. That chest was the initiation trial for Ravenholdt Manor, and only by passing it could one earn the qualifications to enter.

Liam naturally knew the contents of the ritual, but he had no intention of passing the test the normal way. He was not a professional rogue, and he lacked even the most basic skills for detecting traps or picking locks. Taking the conventional route was impossible, and even if he did manage to enter that way, he would never be considered one of their own.

"Sir, please come out. Such clumsy tricks are not suitable for testing a true assassin."

No sooner had Liam finished speaking than a dagger abruptly emerged from thin air, pressing against his throat. He was surprised not to hear a sound from Wilton, but with the blade blocking his movement, Liam could only strain his eyes to the side. He discovered that poor Wilton was already lying flat on the ground, apparently knocked unconscious by some specialized technique.

Liam was given only a moment to glance before a sinister voice suddenly echoed.

"Kid, you didn't see me at all! Now, tell me who leaked the information about this place. If you resolve the issue of the traitor smoothly, I might let the two of you die a little less painfully."

The voice reverberated right by his ear, yet from Liam's angle, he could not see the person behind him. Even focusing all his mental energy, he could only sense his own presence and Wilton's in the cave. However, if Liam's memory served him correctly, the person in charge of this "Cunning Ritual" ten years later was a middle-aged man named Hilton. Judging by the youthfulness of the voice, it had to be him.

Still, he dared not gamble. This Hilton was notoriously bloodthirsty; he remembered the countless graves of greedy thieves who had died at his hands, and the sight of the rows of mounds beside the iron chest remained vivid. It was better not to speak rashly until he was 100% certain of the man's identity.

"Is this the method of a professional rogue?" Liam tried his best to sense the other party, but failed, his eyes opened wide by the display. However, this man was clearly not easy to fool. If he showed even a hint of hesitation, it would invite suspicion. Liam could only force himself to stay calm, putting on an air of nonchalance.

"Greetings, sir. I am here to see Duke Jorach Ravenholdt. My companion and I hope to join the Assassin League through his recommendation."

Liam had specifically used the word "assassin" instead of "rogue" earlier to lay the groundwork. With that linguistic hint, mentioning the "Assassin League" did not seem so abrupt. Otherwise, if he provoked the man into attacking, a single slash of that dagger would mean his dreams of sailing the seas would end right here in this mountain gully.

Sure enough, between the Cunning Ritual being seen through and the name of the Assassin League being spoken, Hilton no longer seemed intent on an immediate strike. The boy before him knew too much; if he didn't get to the bottom of their origins, it could lead to future trouble.

"You two aren't even apprentices, yet you want to join the Assassin League? Start by explaining yourselves clearly, or the Duke won't have the time to deal with your affairs."

"Then kill me. Why waste so much breath? Oh, you don't kill easily, right? It doesn't matter, go ahead. After all, quite a few of those Syndicate members who call themselves nobles have been finished off by you lately. Killing a few commoners shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Since the man was asking questions, it was clear he wouldn't kill until he uncovered the truth. Liam pushed his luck, goading Hilton while using two fingers to slowly push the dagger away from his neck before taking two steps to look at the person behind him.

Sure enough, whether due to the man's lack of mastery in stealth or some other reason, when Liam turned around and focused his full attention behind him, he could faintly see a silhouette in the darkness. Yet, when he shifted his gaze toward Wilton, the figure seemed to vanish from his sight again, and the sensation that he was the only one present returned.

Is this the technique of stealth? Does it use a lapse in attention to make one's presence disappear? No, it can't be that simple. There must be other methods involved.

As Liam's thoughts drifted, Hilton grew impatient and appeared directly in front of him. "Stop looking. With your strength, you're nowhere near capable of seeing through my methods."

"Fine, I'll have to learn it eventually anyway, no need to figure it out right now." Liam spoke breezily, as if the man had already agreed to take them in.

Even with his rigorous assassin training, Hilton was infuriated. During his training at the manor, he only had talent for combat and often failed his interrogation courses. He knew it was basically impossible to extract the truth from someone as tight-lipped as Liam.

Furthermore, his temper was his greatest weakness; otherwise, he wouldn't have been assigned to guard the initiation ritual. Seeing Liam's "I've got you figured out" attitude, he knew that even if he beat the boy, he couldn't do much about this "little punk." He had no choice but to swallow his pride and hand him over to someone else for "interrogation."

With that, Hilton ignored Liam, who was still curiously sizing him up, and pulled out a whistle, blowing a specific rhythm. Before long, two figures clad in black, tight-fitting leather armor appeared on the other side of the cave, their eyes questioning the reason for the summons.

"I still have to oversee the ritual. You two take them to see the Duke. Tell him they... never mind, don't say anything. Just say someone is here to see him."

Thinking about how he had been goaded into needing reinforcements, he decided it was best not to broadcast his own embarrassment. These two boys wouldn't mention what happened here once they were brought inside, so he would let the past be the past. With the Duke there, he didn't doubt they would spill every last secret.

Liam, following the two guards into the manor, was unaware of Hilton's complex internal monologue, nor did he have time to check on Wilton, who was being carried in over a guard's shoulder. He was truly captivated by the scenery of the manor, looking left and right, desperate to see every detail of the estate.