Bahir entered the throne room, a vast chamber that felt strangely empty. The focal point of the entire space was a large wooden chair positioned in front of a plain wall. Adjacent to the chair stood a small table adorned with a spread of food and a jug, offering an entire feast of meats and a bountiful bowl of fresh fruits.

Seated upon the throne was a formidable figure, a man of imposing stature with broad shoulders. Clad in nothing but a long fur coat, he exuded an air of power and authority. His head was adorned with an iron crown, symbolizing his reign over the kingdom. In his hand, he cradled a golden chalice full of wine.

At the foot of the throne knelt a woman with long, red hair. She wore a flowing green dress that only covered her lower half. Her naked back was exposed, as she slowly moved her head up and down, pleasuring her king with her mouth.

Bahir's entire body shook as he clearly didn’t expect to see the king, nor the scene. His eyes instinctively fell to the floor. There laid a rich crimson rug that led the way to the king's presence.

„My king” the old man spoke, his voice carrying a hint of respect and caution. „I was looking for you. It is good that I found you here.”

„What do you want?” the ruler responded, his lips twisting with disapproval. „Can’t I have a moment for myself?! First, the officials bother me with their nonsense, and now you, old man?”

„I have checked on the boy sent by Hugo Wagner. The time was short, but he showed remarkable progress. He might indeed be a solution to our problems, just as the pirate king assured,” Bahir informed.

„Good. If that is all, then leave me. I have important matters to attend to.” A smug grin formed on the king's face.

„My king, if you allow me,” the old man mumbled something more, but it was impossible to discern the words. ”If this boy succeeds, and is able to provide the food for the kingdom, he might quickly become a challenger for you. The people could follow him. I believe we should take action.”

„Action?” Katyan asked, grabbing the red-head by the head, and pushing her away.

She gasped, landing on her as, and then crawled away, finding shelter behind the throne. At the same moment, the king groaned, covering his loins with part of his massive coat.

„Yes. We could use the boy. After we confirm he is capable of providing us with a solution, we could capture him. We might offend the pirates by killing him, but as long as he is alive, they shouldn’t complain too much. We can kill the others who came with him, show him what fate awaits for him if he disobeys, and force him to give us what we want,” the old man explained.

A smile blossomed on King’s lips, as he nodded slowly scratching his chin. „I like the way you think, but what if he refuses? What if he understands that we can’t kill him?”

Bahir pondered for a moment, before giving a solution. „There is a book… The alchemist seems to have all his notes within this book. We could take it, and recreate his recipes by ourselves.”

„Are you sure you would be able to read what he wrote?” Katyan’s eyebrows climbed up his forehead.

„No… But I can arrange for a way to solve this problem. I have an idea.”

„Good. Take care of this, and now leave… I’m busy here,” he waved his hand dismissively at the old man, before looking around. „Where did you go? Come back here?” He growled.

The redhead reappeared, rushing from behind the throne. She had her dress already fixed, but upon getting summoned she began undressing the upper half of her body. Her breasts fell out from behind the fabric, jiggling to the rhythm of her rushed footsteps. She glanced at the old man, but Bahir paid no attention to her. He was already heading toward one of the doors leading away from the throne room.

                                                                                        ****

Walking through the dimly lit alleys of the capitol, Bahir made his way toward one of the old warehouses nestled near the city walls. It was the dead of night, with only the distant stars casting a faint glow, providing meager illumination. Yet, it was enough to discern the faint outlines of the surrounding buildings, allowing the old man to navigate his path with precision.

Without a moment's hesitation, he forcefully entered through a side entrance, only to be greeted by a group of individuals awaiting his arrival. Olive lamps and flickering candles illuminated the interior, casting an eerie glow. Many of the people inside were seated at tables or benches scattered around a decently sized space, their mugs and bottles occupying the tabletops.

These individuals immediately evoked a single word in Bahir's mind—thugs. Clad in heavy leather jackets adorned with studs, their belts bristling with an array of swords, axes, and knives. Scars marked their faces, and wicked grins exposed often filed teeth. Most appeared to be in their thirties, with a handful looking older, while a small cluster of younger individuals mingled among them.

In the middle of this gathering, a tall man with a formidable physique stood up, donning a breastplate over a voluminous caftan. His bald head had many scars, giving him an air of fearlessness.

He thumped his chest with his fist—a gesture of loyalty. "Sir!"

„Good evening,” Bahir responded.

„What is the urgent matter you wished to speak with us about?” The bandit asked slowly approaching the old man.

"I need you to do something for me, Redfield," seemingly disregarding the gesture, Bahir’s gaze swept over the other men within the warehouse.

„We are ready. What is your order, sir?”

„The guests the pirates insisted we would take. I need you to move to Zor, and keep an eye on them. You need to be ready to capture them all, when I give you the signal. Bring them here, alive. I will need to make a statement,” he instructed.

"We are ready to depart at a moment's notice. But... if I may ask, why do we need such a large number of men, when we are dealing with a group of kids?" Redfield queried, his voice laced with curiosity.

"Do not question me. I am the mind, and you are the hand. Not all of you have to go, just a group is enough to ensure the task is done. It would be even preferable this way, as I don’t want to alarm them that they could be potentially in danger. I simply need to ensure that everything is in order on my end," the old man retorted, his eyes narrowing.

Bowing slightly, the bald man nodded. „I’ll go there myself to make sure your order is fulfilled, sir.”

„Good. Stay hidden, and wait for the signal. Nobody can die yet. Especially the alchemist. That would be all,” he said nodding slowly as he scanned through the faces of the thugs, before turning around to leave.

Prior to emerging outside, he threw the hood back on his head.