Chapter 6

Noir lounged in his worn-out leather chair in the dimly lit office, his fingers drumming an erratic rhythm on the wooden desk. A half-empty glass of whiskey sat within arm's reach, which he occasionally swirled, watching the amber liquid cling to the sides of the glass.

Thirty minutes since the explosion... The news should've reached them by now.

The sharp knock on the door snapped him out of his thoughts. His eyes darted toward the sound as his hand instinctively slid under the desk, fingers brushing the cold steel of the hidden gun.

The door swung open with a kick, and Nadia's voice cut through the tension. "Still playing your little games, kiddo?"

Her long black hair, tied back with a leather ribbon, cascaded down her back. The tight leather outfit she wore, etched with intricate magical symbols, clung to her figure, accentuating her striking presence. Her golden eyes gleamed like twin suns, radiating both beauty and danger.

Noir, half-lidded eyes and a voice dripping with mock drowsiness, replied, "Well, hello to you too, dear sister. What brings you to grace this poor, forgotten brother of yours?"

Nadia strode to the desk in a flash, slamming her fist down hard enough to make the whiskey glass trem, Noir! I just got back from the Shadow Council meeting. The whole city's buzzing about a potential attack on the Malerius Tower!"

Noir rose slowly, stretching as he made his way to the wine rack. With a theatrical flourish, he grabbed an old bottle of brandy and poured two crystal glasses. "And?"

Nadia brushed her hair back from her face, her movements sharp with frustration. "And? Are you seriously trying to make enemies of every senior mage out there? You're playing a dangerous game, Noir!"

He tossed one of the glasses toward her, which she caught mid-air with practiced ease. "First of all, I've already got plenty of enemies. Second…" He raised his own glass with a sly grin. "…this is the perfect opportunity to advance the Dungeon."

Nadia downed her drink in one go, slamming the glass onto the desk. "Advance? With a suicide mission? You really think I'm buying this nonsense?"

Noir sank back into his chair, a devilish smirk playing on his lips. "Malerius was supposed to send an inspection team here next week. Now, not only will they cancel that, but they'll also have to waste resources proving they had nothing to do with the explosion."

Nadia crossed her arms, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "And what about that girl? The poor mage you sent to her doom? Didn't you say you just wanted to recruit her?"

Noir shrugged nonchalantly. "If she's got half a brain, she's on her way here now. If not… well, one less problem to deal with."

At that moment, a muffled explosion echoed from the hallway, followed by a furious voice. "You bastard! How dare you trick me into carrying a bomb?!"

Noir and Nadia exchanged glances. Nadia raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Looks like your new problem just walked in."

The door burst open, and Angelina stormed in, her hair disheveled and her outfit half-burned. Her face was smudged with soot, and her green eyes blazed with fury. "Give me back my necklace, you son of a—! I threw that bomb into a ditch before it reached the tower, and I nearly died because of you!"

Noir stood calmly, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "Angelina, my dear, I'm glad to see you made it back in one piece. Oh, and by the way, that bomb? Totally fake."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "…What?"

He chuckled, the sound almost a cackle. "Just a magical box filled with colored smoke. I wanted to see how well you'd perform under pressure."

In truth, Noir silently prayed she'd buy the lie. The box he'd handed her had been a real bomb.

Nadia burst into laughter, leaning against the wall for support. "I missed your ridiculous antics while I was away!"

Angelina's cheeks flushed with anger. "So all this—this psychological game, this filthy dungeon, those annoying goblins—was just a loyalty test?"

Noir made a sweeping gesture with his hand. "Exactly. And now that you've proven you can handle the heat…" He walked to the wall safe, unlocking it with a series of clicks.

"…here's your reward."

The safe creaked open, revealing a pouch brimming with gold coins, which he spilled onto the desk with a satisfying clink.

Angelina eyed the coins warily. "What's this?"

Noir's grin widened. "Your signing bonus. That is, if you agree to join our team." He patted his pocket. "And don't worry, you'll get your necklace back once you prove you've truly earned it."

Nadia circled Angelina, her gaze appraising. "Noir, are you sure about this girl? She seems… weak."

Noir smirked. "Look who's suddenly concerned about our progress."

Angelina glanced between the coins and Noir. "What's the catch?"

Noir twirled his glass lazily. "Simple. You take on missions, you get paid, and occasionally, you'll have to put up with this prima donna." He gestured toward Nadia.

Nadia shot him a glare, crossing her arms. "As long as you don't interfere with my plans. I'm a busy woman, you know."

With a mischievous smile, she added, "Unless you're planning to repeat that night… you know, the one where you—"

"Alright, alright!" Noir cut her off, his face flushing slightly. Regaining his composure, he raised his glass. "Now, let's drink to our new team."