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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Cyno
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“Baekmyeon, are you insane?”
Evelyn’s voice came from somewhere. I quickly looked in that direction, but there was no one there. It seemed she had used an invisibility spell to hide herself.
I spat out a mouthful of blood and examined my Fraeker vest. It had numerous small scratches on the surface from blocking multiple attack spells, but it was still holding up well.
“Insane? This is how assassins fight. Even if I die, I must kill my opponent. Did you forget that?”
“Hmph. Not entirely wrong, but there’s also a rule among assassins: if you encounter an opponent you can’t handle, run away.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s why I’m good at running away.”
“Don’t you think now might be the time to run?”
“Not at all.”
I chuckled softly. Evelyn seemed to mistake her invisibility spell for some incredible ability.
In reality, invisibility magic had a fatal flaw: the caster couldn’t see either.
Of course, a master could read their opponent’s movements through presence and mana flow, but that only worked if the opponent was an ordinary person. It didn’t work on someone like me, trained in assassin techniques.
I immediately suppressed all my presence and every mana activity within my body.
Now we were on equal footing. Just as I couldn’t see Evelyn, she couldn’t see me either.
‘Will you run? Or keep fighting?’
I picked up a few sharp stone fragments scattered around. Pretending to make a mistake, I lightly kicked a stone slab beside me, and immediately ‘Splinter’ and ‘Explosive Orb’ spells flew toward me.
Magic spells exploded consecutively around me. They were sporadic and inaccurate, likely because she couldn’t pinpoint my exact location.
Though stone fragments flew and cut my skin and cheek, I ignored it. I just stared intently in the direction the spells came from, waiting for an opportunity.
Soon, I flicked both my hands through the air, sending two sharp stones flying. One of them embedded itself in mid-air.
“Ugh.”
A short groan came from somewhere, and I slightly raised the corner of my mouth. It didn’t seem like a direct hit, but it served its purpose. Blood was trickling down from around the embedded stone.
‘Got her.’
Drops of blood fell. Each time blood droplets formed and fell from mid-air, I threw stones to attack her.
Finally, unable to endure it, Evelyn revealed herself and charged at me.
“Baekmyeon!”
“Come at me.”
After several clashes, a Xelsa blade grazed my side. The wound wasn’t deep, but a sharp pain shot through. I immediately grabbed her arm with my forearm and struck her shoulder hard with my right wrist.
A one-handed sword fight ensued. Without stopping, I repeatedly struck Evelyn’s side with my knee.
“Ugh.”
Evelyn tried to gather both Xelsas to use magic, but her hands were tied down by my strength, making it impossible. Most divine magic is activated through incantations and gestures, and I had blocked one of them—the gestures.
After countless knee strikes, Evelyn finally collapsed. I pressed her down forcefully onto the floor and held the tip of Yojo to the back of her neck.
“You should’ve just run away.”
“You, you…?”
“Let’s end this here.”
Despair flashed in Evelyn’s eyes. She seemed to sense death approaching.
“You’re making a mistake. If we die, you die too.”
“Bullshit. Everyone dies anyway.”
As I coldly prepared to thrust Yojo, the blade trembled violently. My hand was so cold it was almost frigid, and Yojo clearly seemed to be crying.
Yojo’s signals were either ‘YES’ or ‘NO’. This time, it seemed to be signaling not to kill Evelyn. Since I was about to kill her, if it weren’t ‘NO’, there’d be no need for it to tremble.
‘Why on earth?’
Evelyn is a very dangerous woman. If I don’t kill her now, she might cause serious trouble later.
But Yojo’s silent messages were always right—except for that time it led me to Katrianne. After a moment of internal conflict, I slammed Yojo into the corridor floor next to her face with all my strength.
Evelyn, staring wide-eyed at Yojo’s mirror-like blade, looked at me with trembling eyes.
“Are you… sparing me?”
“Yeah. So get lost.”
As I released her, Evelyn quickly got up.
“Why?”
“I don’t know the reason either.”
“What does that mean?”
Ignoring the confused Evelyn, I picked up Yojo.
Just then, an immense energy emanated from outside the building. Evelyn and I, startled, simultaneously looked toward the destroyed prayer room. But the energy seemed far away, as we couldn’t see its source yet.
“Ah, damn it! If you were coming, you should’ve come earlier. Why now?”
“What’s wrong? Do you know who that is?”
Ignoring Evelyn’s question, I quickly ran over, picked up the ‘Jade Demonic Bit of Great Sin’ from the floor, and threw it with all my strength toward the center of Lake Kara.
Simultaneously, the outer wall of the prayer room exploded, and a figure entered the building. It was none other than Sister Armida. She waved away the swirling dust and walked into the corridor.
“It was definitely around here…”
Evelyn’s eyelids trembled at the immense energy radiating from Sister Armida.
I glanced at her.
“Well, you arrived quickly.”
“Oh, little brother, you’re here too? But what are those wounds?”
As Sister Armida fussed over my injured body, I let out a short sigh.
“Never mind that. What were you doing all this time that you’re only arriving now?”
Sister Armida smiled awkwardly.
“I had to do my hair, apply some nutrients, put on skin cream… I told you I was going to do my hair.”
“Really? Then I guess we can head home now. The festival’s canceled today. No need to stay here any longer.”
Sister Armida looked around uncomfortably.
“Well, actually, there’s something I need to find out…”
“What?”
“On my way here, I sensed demonic summoning magic nearby. It seemed to be around here. Did you happen to see it?”
I looked at Evelyn, who was trembling with her head bowed. If I told the truth here, she would definitely die.
I pointed toward Lake Kara.
“She was fighting me until just a while ago, then ran away in that direction.”
“Really? Okay. See you later.”
With that, Sister Armida hurriedly flew off toward Lake Kara. Evelyn stared after her as she left, then approached me.
“Who is she?”
“If you’ve figured it out, why ask? She’s just an old maid who’s been around for millennia.”
Evelyn made a face. After all, a woman emitting such immense energy couldn’t possibly be human.
“But why is she on the surface…?”
“Don’t know. She said she came down to find some crazy friend trying to destroy the world, but from what I see, she seems to be chasing the wrong person.”
“Hmph.”
Evelyn let out a small laugh. I glared at her.
“Aren’t you going home?”
“I am.”
“Then hurry up and go. Before I change my mind.”
As I radiated killing intent, Evelyn subtly created distance.
“Anyway, thanks for today. I’ll see you later.”
“We have no reason to see each other again.”
“Oh, we will. Frequently, in fact. Well, when that time comes, I’ll spare you at least once, considering today.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Then, I’ll be off.”
Evelyn immediately threw herself down from the building.
I quickly took a healing potion from my subspace pouch and applied it to my wounds. I hadn’t noticed during the fight, but now that it was over, the pain was unbearable.
* * *
The square looked completely chaotic. Dead Belvocs were scattered everywhere, and paladins and some of Kara’s soldiers were moving around, inspecting the demon corpses.
I looked toward a spot where a crowd had gathered. Old Man Zenbe was standing in the center, scratching his head awkwardly amidst the praises of Kara’s citizens.
I frowned as I scanned the area. The person who should have been there was missing.
Snorting in irritation, I approached Old Man Zenbe.
“Old Man Zenbe!”
As I appeared angrily, the citizens gathered around Old Man Zenbe parted like the Red Sea.
Old Man Zenbe greeted me.
“Human, you’re here? Come on over.”
“Where’s the client? Lord Torhu. Torhu.”
“Ah. He left.”
“I specifically told you to keep him here until I arrived, didn’t I?”
Old Man Zenbe looked embarrassed and glanced at me cautiously.
“How could I stop him if he wanted to leave?”
“Then what about the payment?”
Old Man Zenbe rolled his eyes.
“He gave us plenty of thanks.”
“Ah, thanks?”
“Yes. Very polite and heartfelt thanks. Surprisingly humble for a Lord who rules a city.”
I facepalmed. That orc old man, after fighting for the richest woman in the world, was brushing it off with a simple ‘thank you’. Tch, I don’t know how to fix his hopeless sense of living.
But the person we saved was none other than the Lord of Kara. She was of high status and incredibly wealthy, so I doubted a mere ‘thank you’ was all she’d offer.
“Well, if the Lord has any conscience, she’ll properly compensate us.”
“Probably.”
“Probably?”
I gave him a sharp look, and Old Man Zenbe quickly corrected himself.
“She definitely will.”
I looked around again. Then I realized another person who should have been here was also missing.
“Ah, by the way, I don’t see the Zombie old man. Did he leave too?”
“Zombie?”
“You know, that skinny Master old man. The one who said he visited your stall once.”
“Ah, that human? Why would he be here?”
I frowned suspiciously.
“He didn’t come?”
“No. I haven’t seen that human Master in quite a while.”
“Really? Did anyone else say they saw him?”
“Not sure?”
“Then could you go ask around? He was also at this temple today.”
At my request, Old Man Zenbe asked around among the nearby paladins and Kara’s soldiers and returned.
“No one saw him.”
“Really? That can’t be…”
Earlier, Carlon definitely had an appointment and came with me to this Euroa Temple. Even though we separated midway, the demons appeared shortly after, so he must have seen them. In that case, he should have stepped up and fought alongside everyone, but no one claims to have seen him. It was very suspicious.
‘This old man… Could he be working with Evelyn?’
That possibility seemed quite likely. When we were heading to Euroa Temple earlier, he was not just reluctant to accompany me but practically desperate to send me home. When we parted, he said something like I’d ruin myself over a woman, almost prophesying my encounter with Evelyn.
Considering all the circumstances, it was definitely suspicious.
‘If Zombie old man is also part of their group, then the Lord of Kara wasn’t their target…’
If they had orchestrated this incident to target the Lord of Kara, Carlon should have been here somehow. After all, their target, the Lord, was here. Moreover, they had Evelyn, an assassination expert. If the Lord was their target, she should have been at the forefront, not Carlon.
But instead, Evelyn only played a role in drawing everyone’s attention, like controlling the demons. If the Lord of Kara was the target, it didn’t add up at all.
“Ah, now that you mention it, I heard the relic room in the basement of Euroa Temple was looted.”
At Old Man Zenbe’s offhand remark, I turned my head sharply.
“Who did it?”
“Not sure, but according to survivors’ testimonies, it was a swordsman and a mage, both hiding their identities.”
It seemed their real target was the relic room. The demons that burst out from the main hall were likely a diversion to draw the attention of the temple’s paladins and holy soldiers elsewhere.
“A swordsman and a mage… But what did they steal?”
“Not sure. I don’t know either.”
“Well, we’ll find out eventually.”
Anyway, I felt a strong sense of unease.
They carried a ‘Jade Demonic Bit of Great Sin’, something that should only be produced in the sky city of Chronos, and even wielded a sword made of divine metal. Moreover, today they attacked a famous temple, looted the relic room, and even used demon summoning magic, which should never be permitted in this world.
Based on my estimation, there was only one group in the world that fit this description: the brats of that runaway friend Sister Armida mentioned.
‘These guys. They showed up here for no reason and are causing trouble for everyone.’
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