Chapter 271：Hunter's limit

Dudian's eyes swept over the old man and number 3. He indifferently said: " Nicholas Donald. This year is going to be fifty-eight years old. You have been imprisoned for nine years. His father was an arrogant noble's butler and died early because of kidney problems. At seventeen years old Nicholas began to manage the noble family's affairs and assests. At the age of twenty-three he had secretly transferred all the property of the aristocrat family and resigned. He was sued by the noble family and his assets were taken back by the magistrate. At twenty-five years of age he was employed by a wealth businessman. In about three years all the industries under that businessmen were transferred to your name. In a day you changed from a servant to a well-known and rich business. But you didn't have good reputation in commercial district."

"You were always concerned about the hostility and exclusion of aristocracy so you tried to buy your identity with gold. You were successful in joining the noble family but was betrayed by the son and daughter-in-law of the family. You were detained by the magistrate and sent to Thorn Flower Prison. Life imprisonment!"

The old man's face slightly changed and he said in a gloomy tone: "You are quite careful about your investigation."

Dudian turned towards the brawny man. He looked at number 3: "Sergei... Thirty-two years old. Have been imprisoned for 7 years. You were a senior hunter under the command of Krylov consortiu,. You had graduated from hunter college with brilliant records. During the 16 year of service to Krylov consortium you had brought them good wealth. You were able to kill seventeen high level monsters. You have assimilated the magic marks from a rare beast which is ranked in top ten. The 'Steel dragon.' You were a knight as a hunter and had a bright future. However because of repeated offense against the first beauty of Krylov consortium, Granita, you were arrested on charged of 'attempted rape' and was thrown in Thorn Flower Prison. Term: 30 years of imprisonment."

Number 3 looked back at him but didn't speak.

Dudian indifferently continued: "I have spent one hundred thousand gold coins to bail out both of you. Now that you are bailed out, I'll become an enemy with Krylov consortium because of 'conspiracy'. You guys need to make up for that price. "

Nicholas sneered: "You know my past. In addition to falsification of account I haven't done anything. Moreover, even before the jail I wasn't able to earn hundred thousand gold coins. Now I'm old and don't have the ability even if I tried... "

Dudian indifferently replied: "That is not a matter that you should be worried about. You just have to listen my orders and complete the tasks on time."

Sergei looked at the girl who was sitting opposite to him. He turned towards Dudian: "She...The inner wall... What did she do?"

Dudian lightly said: "She was member of the organisation which caught and imprisoned you."

Sergei's pupils shrank: "Is she a disciplinary knight?"

Nicholas was startled as the only organisation that he was afraid was magistrate. Actually everyone within the wall were afraid of them. He didn't expect that the woman sitting on his side was a former member.

Number 1's hair shook but her expression was invisible.

Dudian slowly said: "Gwyneth. This year she is going to be seventeen years old..."

"Seventeen?"

"Seventeen!"

Sergei and Nicholas cried out in surprise before Dudian was able to finish. They would never imagined that the slim figure sitting close to them would be a 17 year old girl!

Dudian paused for a moment then continued: "She was honored by a Sun Medal from the magistrate. She was hunting down senior level criminal hunters. There is no information about her parents, birthplace or family. She has been imprison for three years on charge of 'murdering the nobility'"

Sergei as a senior hunter was informed about the disciplinary knights of the magistrate. They were terrorizing existences that were seasoned on imprisonening hunters. Normally, silver medal disciplinary knights would hunt after senior level hunters. Even for a seasoned senior hunter, it would be very difficult to escape silver disciplinary knights if they encountered them. The golden disciplinary knight were very rare. Escaping away from them was impossible for senior hunters. According to the rumors they were existences which had passed the limits of human evolution."

However, even such a person was imprisoned.

Moreover her age was soo small. Did she began to practice combat the moment she learned walking?

Dudian looked at Gwyneth and calmly said: "I have investigated the aristocratic family you had conflict with. The Porter family is still within the inner wall. Their business interests extends to outer wall area of the commercial district. I can help you if you want to destroy their family but you must first help me out. If you list to my orders then its not a dream but will become a reality. In addition even if you killed me and escaped you will be caught before you know. Neither magistrate nor nobles would allow an existence of such a level to lurk freely outside.

Gwyneth was silent as a stone scultpure.

Nicholas and Sergei glanced at her but kept silent.

The carriage came to the border fortress. Coachman handed out the clearance letter from the prison and their smoothly entered the commercial district.

Dudian looked at the trio: "It seems that your fates are connected to mine. I wish for a happy future cooperation for all of us."

All three of them bowed their heads and were silent.

Nicholas sighed: "I didn't expect such an outcome. It seems I am really getting old."

Dudian smiled in return.

Nicholas shook his head and no longer said anything.

Dudian directly went to his own castle by the riverside. He looked at the others and focused on Nicholas: "You will be my butler from now own. But you should forget about your playful identity from the past or else make sure that I don't find out anything." Afterwards he got off the carriage.

Everyone followed him into the castle.

"Before beginning to work under me, you are going to solve your own trouble." Dudian said.

"What trouble?" Sergei frowned.

Nicholas's eyes lit up: "Do you mean that we have to through wash white our identities?"

Dudian nodded: "Yes the eyes of the mahor consortia would be staring at me. The information about your bail out will be leaked so they use tricks to play you out to fight against me. You should be prepared to face the first wave of problems."

Sergei sneered and said in an arrogent tone: "I would like to see who dares to attack us!"

Dudian strenly looked back at him: "The assassination techniques of number 1 and yours won't work. Don't even think about that! "

Sergei frowned as he looked at Gwyneth: "Hey. Did you tried to assassinate or killed the noble?"

Gwyneth's long hair was slightly blown by the wind but she acted as if she hadn't heard him.

Sergei face slightly changed but didn't react more.

Nicholas stared at Dudian: "We have been detained for too long and as a result we are out of touch with the outside world. Moreover, it is impossible to fight against at the same time with all the six consortia. How would we accomplish something like that?"

Dudian indifferently smiled: "I will see your performance first. Moreover its your first day out of the prison. You should go wash and rest for now." Afterwards Dudian looked at Scar and Jin: "You guys should rest too. I'll help you to pull out the spikes."

Sergei frowned: "What about me?"

"You and number one should keep them for now. It is best not to pull them out without authorization from me. Just to let you know I don't mind nailing them again."

Sergei's heart sank. He knew that Dudian was afraid of his strength so he was going to keep spikes to contain them. After sometime when Dudian would come up with new methods then he would make sure that the spikes are pulled out.

Same night.

Dudian had hired a cook to make the dishes. Moreover he had brought the youngest two maids from the Ryan family to serve them. Both of them were standing by the table. Dudian took the lead and sat on the top seat. He could sense through smell that Nicholas and Sergei were together while Gwyneth and others were in other parts of the castle. They were rushing over.

Jin and Scar were the first to join him at table. Jin was a Knight of Light but because of his family mistakes he was exempt from the duty and imprisoned for atonement of his sins. Scar was a primary hunter. The cause of his imprisonment was regrettable. One when he had returned back to his house Scar had found an aristocrat from the consortium had forced and rapid his wife and daughter. Under the rage he had killed the noble and was imprisoned.

Fortunately, this family wasn't an influential one. The death of the members of the aristocratic family didn't cause a great sensation or else Scar would be dead by now.

Both of them came over and sat a bit away from Dudian.

Dudian looked at them but didn't say anything.

After a moment, Nicholas and Sergei also joined them. After wearing the new clothes their looks and temperament was totally different to the previous looks. Nicholas was tortured and skinny but his gaze was like of a hawk's and seemed as a quite capable person. He was wearing a butler's dress. Sergei was wearing guard's uniform. The strong muscle lines of his body were highlighted even after years of torture and 'diet' of the prison. The body muscles haven't shrank and it was the result of 'Steel dragon's magic marks.