Reborn as a Leader: King's Debauchery, SSS-Yandere Harem and Evolution-Chapter 43- Information Guild (1)

"How amusing it is for the King himself to visit my humble abode," the man seated at the desk narrowed his gaze, looking toward the newly arrived guests. Despite the cloaks that obscured their appearances, he recognized them as the revered Queen Dowager, a regular customer since he took on the role of caretaker at this branch within the Vendreat kingdom.

’A rabbit?’ Akhil noted the mask worn by the man seated on the opposite side of the desk, recalling the ranks within the Information Guild—knowledge he had inherited from King Lysandric’s memories. The Information Guild was categorized into various sectors, each aligned with distinct ranks, classified by their masks. Higher ranks had access to more critical information, while lower ranks had access to considerably less.

The ’Rabbit’ rank was third, following the prestigious Lion and Fox ranks, prompting Akhil to choose his questions carefully, fully aware that any inquiries he made could become part of the valuable information traded with others. He scanned the room, searching for any other presence.

As his gaze trailed around, a sudden window popped up in his line of sight, revealing pertinent details about a woman on the wall.

[Name: Seraphina Vellora

Age: 27 years

Favorability: Neutral

Artifact: Frostblade Empress

Dominion: Frozen Dominion (Lvl 1) - slows time and movement within a 100-meter radius, allowing for precise strikes.

Integrity: 352% (Wisp Tier)

Profession: Caretaker of the Southern Branch of the Information Guild in the Empire of Enthropia.

Bloodline Purity: High

Obsession: NULL (Requires Favorability above Neutral to reveal hidden traits)]

’!’ 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

’A Fox?’ It wasn’t challenging for Akhil to identify the classification of the woman from the status zone within the system. Although slightly surprised, he maintained a stoic expression. He continued to observe the corners of the room, noting that aside from the masked man, there was no one else present.

For a member of the Fox rank to arrive in this setting, it was evident that a crucial exchange of information was taking place between them.

Considering the recent attempts from the holy monastery to destabilize the kingdom and eliminate both him and the Queen, it seemed likely that they were on the verge of discussing very sensitive information.

"I take it the King isn’t the type to offer a greeting," the Rabbit-masked man interjected, adjusting his posture and observing the King’s body language.

He sensed that something felt off; the King seemed different, not in physical appearance, but in the aura he exuded—he was unreadable.

There was no trace of emotion on his face, almost as if he were wearing a mask of his own.

"I certainly don’t, especially not for those who fail to invite their guests to sit," Akhil retorted, his sharp gaze fixated on the man. He maintained his composed façade, acutely aware that the man was analyzing him for inconsistencies.

In the absence of knowledge about the man’s intentions, he kept a determined expression.

’!’

"Oh, pardon my rudeness. Please, have a seat," the masked man’s eyes widened in surprise; he had not anticipated such a piercing response from a King known for his generosity towards the common folk.

Astonished by this unexpected reaction, he stood and gestured with a smile.

Another detail that he couldn’t help but notice was the Queen’s silence.

Even more telling was the fact that they had both arrived together in the midst of a conspiracy brewing within the monastery.

According to their intelligence, yesterday was the day when the King, Queen, and the Saintess would face assassination—an attempt to switch the kingdom’s governance from aristocracy to theocracy in Vendreat.

Yet, here they were: two of the three critical figures who should have been dead by now standing before him.

Instead of them, the high priest had been slain by the same king who, for the first time, displayed an unexpected facet of himself, one that contradicted all they knew.

"May I inquire why the king has arrived here?" Noticing the Queen’s silence, the man quickly understood that today, he, not her, was the focus of attention.

He directly addressed the king, maintaining a composed demeanor while managing these unplanned customers, recognizing that even if the timing was wrong, a customer was still a customer.

"It is simply to gather names, the total amount embezzled, the workforce involved, and details regarding the Minilial runes in the Vandreat Kingdom." Akhil began, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk as he spoke. His gaze remained steady. Now that he was aware a high-ranking official from the Information Guild was present, he decided to capitalize on the opportunity to extract as much crucial information as possible—keen to learn even the specifics about the Minilial runes.

The Minilial runes were remnants of various past kings’ legacies, tainted and corrupted by demonic energy.

Their existence had significantly dwindled, yet they still posed a grave threat as their malevolent essence slowly eroded the surrounding void fluxes, leading to widespread destruction and the emergence of monstrous entities.

"....."

"I must say that some information is beyond our reach—" The masked man, confident that the Information Guild would possess high-profile insights regarding the runes, began to shake his head in clear denial.

He understood there were limits to the information a small branch like his could hold.

However, before he could finish, he noticed the king was not directing his inquiry at him but instead toward a particular wall.

"What are you staring at, Your Majesty?" he asked, his tone calm yet laced with suspicion. The king’s attention seemed to be fixed on someone else, which puzzled him, even though he was assured of the capabilities of an operative from the main branch.

"Seraphina Vellora, age 27, Frostblade Empress, Caretaker of the Southern Branch of the Information Guild in the Empire of Enthropia, hailing from nobility... is this enough to prove my worth as your customer?" Without hesitation, Akhil recited the information he gleaned from the status window. Given her high bloodline purity, he could deduce she belonged to a noble family. Anticipating a possible attack, which was typical from rogue adversaries, he braced himself.

But the response that came instead shocked him. The wall crumbled away, revealing a woman.

"King Lysanderic Aleria Vandreat, age 25, Aron’s sword and shield as Shattered-tier artifacts, a dying king with no hope of revival... it seems all the information provided to me from this branch was fabricated," she declared, her voice steady and unwavering with eyes glinting as it settled on the rabbit-masked man.

’!?’