As Ethan barged into the room, people inside the dark room all stood up with nervous expressions.

The guards followed Ethan into the room with a perplexed look. The right thing to do would be to stop Ethan from barging into the room without permission, but no guards were willing to mess with a Templar.

“Ethan? This is the governing council of Hiveden. It’s not a place someone like you can barge in like that.”

Ethan looked at the man who admonished him. The man had been an insignificant noble back in the capital, but had become the head of the loan industry after moving to Hiveden. The others in the room were not that much different; their ranks included a prostitute, a swindler, a gangster, a gambler, and even the leader of the smugglers.

These varied groups of criminals held the authoritative power in the lawless city known as Hiveden.

“It seems like Earl Henborn really is dead. Are you the new chief of the Hiveden council now?”

“I am. My name is Ardin. I was told you were the last to meet Earl Henborn. Do you know anything about his death?” Ardin asked with an explicitly suspicious tone.

The rest of the council had no choice but to step up and make movements since Henborn, who used to be the head of the council on the surface, was found dead last night.

“I wouldn’t have left his body intact if I had been the one who murdered him. I thought that murder without leaving any evidence was your specialties?” Ethan derided with a sneering look.

The expressions of Ardin and the rest of the council members changed when they heard about Ethan’s suspicion...