A Peacock Husband of Five Princesses by day, a Noble Assassin by Night

Meanwhile, somewhere in the town; The dimly lit pub of the inn was alive with the rowdy chatter of mercenaries and travelers alike, the air thick with the scent of ale and roasted meat. In a corner near the stone hearth, five mercenaries gathered around a wooden table, their mugs clinking against the rough surface as they drank. Ember, a sharp-eyed woman with braided blonde hair, leaned forward, swirling the dark liquid in her cup. Her voice was low but carried an edge of dissatisfaction. "I just don't get it. Why did Penelope and the other two leave the inn so suddenly? They're staying in some woman's house now." She took a sip and continued, "And she still hasn't paid us the rest of our commission. She won't run away, right?" Brianna, their leader, set her drink down with a soft thunk and leaned back against the chair, crossing her arms. "Penelope isn't the type to disappear without paying," she said, her voice level. "She's a certified alchemist and a well-regarded member of the association. If she's taking her time here, it just means we'll be owed even more when she's finally done." Across the table, Wren, a wiry woman with a perpetual smirk, raised an eyebrow. "Then why do you look pissed off, Captain?" she asked, tipping her mug towards her. "If anything, this is good for us." Brianna's expression darkened, and she set her drink aside. "It's not about the money," she muttered, her jaw tightening. Silence fell over the table for a moment before Gisela sighed, already knowing where this was going. "You're still thinking about the princess, aren't you?" Brianna's fingers curled into a fist at the memory. Laura Flamehart. An imperial princess who spoke to her with such dismissiveness, such condescension. It wasn't what she had said that got under Brianna's skin—it was how she had said it. As if she were insignificant. As if she were nothing more than a common thug to be brushed aside. Wren chuckled, shaking her head. "Come on, Captain. You're not seriously thinking of picking a fight with her, are you?" Gisela leaned in, lowering her voice. "She's an imperial princess, Brianna. That's not someone we can afford to cross. She didn't attack you or humiliate you—she just told you to stay out of her business. Sure, her tone was sharp, but that's hardly worth throwing away our lives." Brianna's chest rose and fell sharply, her fingers curling around the handle of the now-empty jug. She turned her sharp gaze to Gisela, her voice laced with frustration. "Not a big deal?" she scoffed. "Do you have any idea how much I've trained to get to this level? How many monsters I've fought to keep my damn clients alive? How many assassins have I personally taken down with these hands?" She lifted one calloused hand, fingers twitching as if itching for a fight. "I've been through hell and back, and yet that woman—that arrogant noble—dared to look down on me like I was some street thug?" She exhaled sharply through her nose, her blood boiling at the memory. "She wasn't even a client," Brianna continued, her voice lower now, but no less furious. "Even if she spoke in the heat of the moment, she didn't bother to apologize later. No sign of regret. Nothing. Just another pampered princess who thinks she can talk to people like we're beneath her." She clenched her jaw, the scar on her cheek stretching as she ground her teeth. "That bitch…" The words left her mouth like venom. A tense silence followed Brianna's outburst, but it didn't last long. Hilda, the quietest of the group until now, leaned back in her chair, tapping her nails against the wooden surface. A knowing smirk played on her lips. "I absolutely support you in whatever you are planning, Captain," she commented, her tone laced with amusement. "She acts like she's some high-and-mighty royal, but her own mother doesn't even seem to care about her. If she cared so much about her children, why would she marry her daughter off to a nobody? The Moonstone House doesn't even hold a noble title anymore, and they are so poor that they are depending on the prince consort pension from the palace. Meanwhile, the second princess remains untouched, free to do as she pleases." Gisela frowned. "You're saying the Queen wants to pass the throne to the second princess instead?" "Think about it," Hilda said, swirling the ale in her cup. "The youngest princess may have been seen like she is the heiress, but I say it is all nothing but a misdirection from Her Majesty, in order to keep the attention away from the real heiress of Flamehart House. The second princess is a powerful warrior, doesn't crave power or the throne, and is solely dedicated to eliminating monsters. And, most importantly, she's the only one who wasn't married off to that Moonstone brat. It is obvious who will sit on the throne." Brianna remained silent, absorbing Hilda's words. In the end, she leaned forward, her elbows resting on the ale-stained table, and cast a sharp glance at each of her subordinates. Her lips curled into a smirk, a predator scenting an opportunity. "If that is the case, I guess we can up her punishment a little bit than I originally thought," she muttered, her voice carrying the weight of a simmering grudge. Gisela shifted uncomfortably, her fingers tracing the rim of her untouched drink. "Brianna, I don't like where this is going," she said, glancing around to ensure no wandering ears overheard their conversation. "Regardless of how the Queen treats her, Laura is still her daughter. We can't afford to make an enemy of the royal family. Touching her would be suicide." Brianna chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. "Oh, don't worry. We won't touch the princess." Gisela's frown deepened. "We don't?" Brianna leaned in even closer, her grin widening. "We'll punish the real problem—the one who made her scold me. That reckless little brat. The Tier-1 nobody who thinks he can get away with anything just because he has a royal wife." She shot another glance around the tavern, ensuring that no one was paying too much attention. Satisfied, she motioned for the others to lean in. "Here's the plan…" Her voice dropped to a whisper, but the predatory gleam in her eyes told them all they needed to know. Gisela swallowed hard. She had a bad feeling about this.