In Lordaeron's residential district, at a noble's estate.
Baron Soroson looked grim.
Everything that had happened during the day had left him deeply displeased, and somewhat worried. That fellow named Nicholas Jiang had actually passed the rogue trial and joined the Lordaeron Royal Assassins!
Now he could no longer move against him openly!
After all, even he had to take the Lordaeron Assassin Corps seriously. No noble dared casually provoke this organization hidden in the darkness. They were His Majesty's intelligence and oversight agency, and even his own barony had members of the Lordaeron Assassin Corps in it!
If that fellow told Master Onias about his spreading the plague, or simply told Prince Arthas, it would bring him trouble!
He was not afraid, since Prince Arthas had already left, Master Onias would also leave, and the words of a mere rogue apprentice would not draw the attention of Lordaeron's higher-ups. But it would strip Soroson of his authority within the Cult of the Damned. It would be humiliating!
After all, the Cult of the Damned was hardly united. Its various factions competed with one another, and he had many rivals!
"Damned lowborn!" Baron Soroson ground his teeth, then growled, "Corno!"
Soon, a figure concealed in the darkness gave a low laugh. "Soroson, seeing you suffer a setback makes me so happy! Would you like me to take care of this for you?"
Baron Soroson snorted and sneered. "Corno, I have no desire to owe you a favor! He's just a rogue apprentice. There's no need to go to such lengths and put you at risk! If you're exposed, Lord Ras Frostwhisper will skin me alive! Darkmaster Gandling would be delighted to have another corpse specimen in his laboratory! Your most important task right now is to find a way to control Baron Rivendare and make him one of us!"
Corno let out a sinister chuckle, followed by a harsh cackle. "Soroson, could a rogue apprentice possibly detect a high-level class holder who willingly entered the Abyss of Sacrifice and transformed into a shade? We are invisible! We are the quietest, most terrifying ghosts in the night! Even Rivendare can't see me!"
Baron Soroson said coldly, "But you fear the light! Corno! Don't forget your place! I'm the one in charge. You're only the observer! My deputy! You cannot disobey my orders!"
A dozen or so seconds later, Corno's sinister voice sounded again. "Fine. Since you insist, I'll have the Cult of the Damned members hiding within the Royal Assassins act. An entry-level assassin is enough to deal with a rogue apprentice! Now we should discuss something else."
"What?" Baron Soroson suddenly had an ominous premonition.
Corno chuckled, his voice brimming with mockery. "Soroson, I hear your son Dudley passed the mage apprentice trial today? And he'll soon be studying at the Lordaeron Academy of Magic? Congratulations! Tsk, tsk. Your son's name is on the next list of necromancer apprentices personally drawn up by Lord Ras Frostwhisper!"
At the headquarters of the Lordaeron Royal Assassins, Miles sat in a chair and rubbed his temples.
The meeting was over, and three-quarters of the Assassins' Order's assassins had been dispatched. Even Master Onias had already left. Now he was the only member of the leadership left at the Assassins' Order's headquarters, the only high-level assassin!
Whenever an emergency arose, he found himself immensely envious of Stormwind City's SI:7. They were both assassin organizations, yet SI:7 had more than thirty high-level assassins, while the Lordaeron Assassin Corps had fewer than five!
Even with Edwin VanCleef gone, they still had at least three master assassins, while Lordaeron had only one!
Stormwind City always had a master assassin stationed there. How could Lordaeron compare, when even a high-level assassin like him had to take charge?
The gap in strength was enormous!
What a headache!
Reports about the undead, one after another,
kept arriving in his hands. Andorhal had fallen completely and was now occupied by the undead;
at least ten towns and villages had become lands of death, and everyone who had eaten the plague-tainted grain would turn into hideous, disgusting undead!
Prince Arthas, Lady Jaina, and Uther the Lightbringer had already led the Order of the Silver Hand to reinforce Hearthglen. The assassins accompanying the army would need at least another half day to return with a report.
The situation really...
did not look good!
"Lord Miles, I have something to report." An assassin knocked on the door, then entered.
"Roand, what is it?" His head aching terribly, Miles forced himself to focus, thinking more news about the undead had arrived.
"It's about Nicholas Jiang, Lord Miles." Roand took out two daggers and handed them to Miles. "An hour ago, Princess Calia's personal maid, Daphne, was trying to sell this pair of daggers. I recognized them as Master Onias's daggers, so I bought them and secretly followed her. I discovered that she went to a room beside the palace, the room His Highness arranged for Nicholas."
Miles gave a wry smile.
That troublesome brat!
He had already thought the boy was not the well-behaved sort, but he had never expected him to sell Master Onias's daggers!
If you're short of money, just say so! Couldn't I lend you a few gold coins? Was this really necessary?
"Take the daggers to him and tell him not to act recklessly. They were a gift from Master Onias, after all. Tell him to consider how this looks." Miles shook his head.
He was busy, with things to handle all day long. He really had no time to bother with that boy!
"Lord Miles, there's one more thing." Roand hesitated, but spoke anyway. "I discovered someone else lurking around Nicholas's room besides me, and... they were very professional!"
Miles paused, then frowned. "Very professional? One of ours?"
Roand nodded. "Probably. They're highly capable, an entry-level assassin. I didn't dare get too close, and I thought you had stationed them there, so I didn't raise an alarm. I came back to report to you."
"I didn't station anyone there." Miles stood up, his brow furrowed, and paced back and forth.
His eyes suddenly widened, then swiftly narrowed. This is bad.
"What's wrong, my lord?"
Miles did not answer. He was anxious.
The undead situation had left him overwhelmed, and he had forgotten that the record-breaking youth had also offended Baron Soroson. He was now a thorn in the baron's side!
He was furious.
Not only because someone was targeting the Assassins' Order's rising star, but also because Baron Soroson actually had people within the Assassins' Order! They had been infiltrated!
The Lordaeron Assassin Corps had actually been infiltrated by a noble! It was simply unthinkable!
"Roand, come with me!"
Miles called out and took a few steps, then suddenly said in a low voice, "You don't need to go. I'll go myself!"