After considering Hamilton's invitation, Raine found it held little appeal.

Night Watchmen were official personnel within the Empire's formal establishment, but he had no pressing need to join them. Given Miss Claire's regard for him, he could safely build a solid foundation at Habsburg Estate.

Hamilton seemed to read his thoughts. He took a small gray pouch from a drawer and tossed it over.

Clink.

"Your bounty. Five Imperial Gold Coins for Scarface and ten for Blackbeard. Fifteen in total."

"Thank you."

Raine caught the pouch, delighted.

He honestly hadn't expected this. Even though he had not accepted Hamilton's recruitment offer, the man neither withheld the reward nor tried to use it as leverage.

Raine's opinion of him improved considerably.

Unfortunately, his delight lasted only a few seconds before Hamilton's next words extinguished it.

"Raine, I must warn you about something. Scarface had no meaningful backing, but Blackbeard has an older brother named Cole. He leads the Hyena Gang in Mayst County and is very dangerous."

Hamilton handed him the parchment he had been reading. "This case file concerns Blackbeard."

Raine accepted it and began to read. His expression grew increasingly grave.

According to the file, the Hyena Gang had several hundred members. They committed every kind of sordid crime: theft, protection rackets, and even the trafficking of women and children whenever the opportunity arose.

The file placed particular emphasis on their leader, Cole, who was known as the Hound King.

Several years ago, through means no one had discovered, Cole had tamed a mutated hyena queen as large as a wild boar. He raised her litter and assigned the young hyenas to the gang's core members.

With beasts far more dangerous than ordinary dogs at their command, the Hyena Gang quickly rose above the other gangs in Mayst County. Rumor had it that they had even established ties with a noble in the city.

Raine knew better than to underestimate a gang with no scruples. He might not fear them for his own sake, but his family could not afford to provoke such people.

Only the sheriff sitting before him could resolve this danger.

That was precisely why Hamilton had shown him the file.

"From what I know," Hamilton continued, "Blackbeard and his brother were close. Blackbeard struck out on his own this time to earn some extra money. Once Cole learns that you killed his younger brother, he will come for revenge."

Raine remained silent for several seconds, then met Hamilton's gaze with a calm expression.

"Lord Hamilton, since you brought this matter to my attention, I assume you already have a solution in mind."

Appreciation entered Hamilton's eyes. At Raine's age, he doubted he could have faced such news with the same composure.

Hamilton was about to explain when he noticed something different about the boy across from him.

Raine had changed considerably since their previous meeting. The darkness last night had concealed it, but in daylight the signs were obvious: bright eyes, deep and even breathing, and a vigorous presence that reminded Hamilton of his own youth, when he had first begun practicing a breathing method.

"Raine, are you training in a Knight Breathing Method?" Hamilton blurted.

Raine was startled.

*He can tell?*

He said nothing and merely maintained a calm smile.

Hamilton did not press him. Instead, he considered the matter aloud.

"You've spent this period training as a page boy at Habsburg Estate, which means a Knight there probably taught you. Was it Lord Lloyd, the estate's butler? Or Lord Perez, the swordsmanship instructor?"

He watched Raine closely for any revealing reaction.

Raine gained a new respect for the burly man. Hamilton's mind was remarkably sharp. He had reconstructed almost the entire situation, erring only in the identity of Raine's teacher.

"I'm sorry, Lord Hamilton, but I can't tell you who taught me the breathing method. I promised to keep it secret."

"Hah! Good lad."

Hamilton waved the refusal aside, plainly unconcerned. Then he revealed something far more important.

"The Habsburg count's children are engaged in fierce infighting, so attaching yourself to the estate may not be a blessing. His two sons are struggling for power. His youngest daughter, meanwhile, possesses exceptional Knight talent. I hear she became a Knight two years ago and is deeply favored by the old count."

Infighting?

Was Miss Claire competing with her brothers, or were the brothers fighting each other?

No wonder Claire had insisted that he keep the breathing method secret and warned that exposure might harm him.

Raine finally understood.

"Moreover, the count's eldest son, Alonso, has murky ties to the Brotherhood of the Wilds. Raine, you have talent. Joining the Night Watchmen and serving the Empire is your best path."

Hamilton rose and fixed Raine with his keen gaze.

Privately, he revised his original plans. Raine had already earned the regard of someone high within Habsburg Estate and begun practicing a breathing method. It was no longer appropriate to have him pose as an orphan and infiltrate the enemy.

"If you join the Night Watchmen, I will have grounds to divert some of my already strained manpower to the neighborhood where your family lives. The Night Watchmen will protect you and your family against the Hyena Gang."

The offer tempted Raine.

Everything Hamilton had just revealed belonged to a level of information Raine had never been able to access. He also doubted Hamilton was lying; most of these claims would be easy to verify.

Seeing his hesitation, Hamilton added another incentive.

"Training in a breathing method consumes a great deal of money and resources. Your rewards for these two wanted criminals exceed ten Imperial Gold Coins, which qualifies you to apply for an Imperial Bounty Hunter License."

Raine agreed wholeheartedly about the expense. Without the Dire Bear meat and Black Tung Oil Claire supplied, his progress would have been nowhere near as fast.

The Bounty Hunter License, however, puzzled him.

What was it for? Couldn't anyone kill a wanted criminal and collect the bounty?