Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Chapter 4. Uruun, the Land of Revelry and Culture
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Thud!
With a light sound, Judah landed as softly as a cat and immediately shifted his gaze forward.
A narrow path ran along the garden wall, blocked by short fences to prevent crossing into the garden. Above them, he could clearly see a transparent barrier through his demon eyes.
Inside the barrier, lasers stretched into the fenced area just like the dodecahedron Roxin had given him to practice with.
'Just as Roxin said.'
The guards patrolled every ten minutes, in shifts. Even for a grand mansion housing a great noble, they relied heavily on magic, and this wasn't even a place storing military secrets. Patrolling every ten minutes was impressive enough.
They were probably just making rounds to deter petty thieves. But they would never dream that a bold intruder would dare enter a great noble's mansion in Uruun.
The paths without patrols had faintly glowing red magic stones. Through his demon eyes, lines were drawn flawlessly through the air along those paths. He wondered what would happen if he touched one, but he had no desire to test it by throwing himself at it.
He'd worry about getting caught when the time came. Judah took off his coat, stored it in his <Bag>, and slipped inside.
He crouched low, eyes picking the next safe step, mind memorizing the laser positions around him. From afar, it would look utterly ridiculous, utterly devoid of any grace, but he was exerting astonishing focus to pass without touching a single beam.
'Easier than I thought?'
Maybe because his body was slim, or thanks to his high agility and even higher luck—either way, Judah slipped through easily before the next patrol arrived.
At first, when a strand of hair brushed a laser, a chill ran through him. But the alarm must require multiple triggers at once; a mere graze from hair triggered nothing. It was probably designed to ignore falling leaves, blowing debris, and birds.
After crossing the garden, Judah hid behind a tree for a moment. Ten minutes had already passed; the next patrol was due. He tucked himself into the shadows and wrapped them around his body.
"......"
It felt suffocating, like being sealed in a closed room. It blocked all incoming light, so he couldn't see outside at all. But sounds and the shadows on the ground fed information straight to his mind, letting him grasp the situation perfectly. With his eyes open yielding nothing, he simply closed them.
Step. Step.
Two sets of irregular footsteps approached. No chit-chat between them. Whether they disliked each other or were just tired, they walked the path in silence, like a casual stroll.
Safe from detection, Judah waited until they passed completely before rising from the bushes and releasing the shadows cloaking him. The shadows staining the ground black obediently sank away at his will.
"Hmm."
Clench—
Gripping his fist, tension flooded his hand. Sweat pooled in his palm, likely from the anxiety of not getting caught. He was confident he'd win a hundred out of a hundred fights against them. But combat and infiltration were worlds apart. Feeling a novel thrill, Judah spread his hand, wiped the sweat on his pants, and looked up.
Now the problem was how to enter the mansion itself...
"Ah."
Judah let out a stupid sound, his lips twitching awkwardly upward. Through a closed second-floor window, light shone, and eyes gazed down from within. Backlit by the darkness behind, the figure was hard to make out, but his enhanced demon-eye vision revealed a young man. He had an exotic, Western look—English, perhaps—with utterly emotionless eyes staring down.
'An elf?'
Shadows obscured him, but pointy ears were visible. No human hair spiked like that; it had to be ears.
"......"
Even with their eyes meeting, he just frowned oddly and stared down, making no move. He could have called the guards, but he simply stood there, arms crossed.
He didn't seem to grasp the situation.
Just indifferently watching, as if thinking, *What the hell is that?*
Maybe he wouldn't react even if Judah moved.
After staring silently for about three minutes, he finally decided something and opened the closed window. It swung wide, curtains fluttering as wind rushed in. He turned and vanished from view.
'An invitation inside?'
If he could enter without fuss, it was a golden opportunity. Searching for an open first-floor window would be tough, and sneaking that way risked detection. Being openly welcomed was a blessing.
"Hup—cha!"
Concentrating mana in his legs, Judah leaped up, landed on the open windowsill, and stepped inside. He felt bad tracking dirt from his grimy shoes onto the pristine carpet, but it couldn't be helped. A few steps away stood the elf who had opened the window. Judah gave a slight bow, then turned to close the window and draw the curtains.
"Wow, thanks. Opening the window for a total stranger like me."
Arms still crossed, he stared silently at Judah before speaking.
"Yeah, curiosity got the better of me. Human. Do you even know where you are? I've heard humans steal from each other out of greed... but I never thought I'd witness it myself."
"If you're in human society, you'll see plenty of filth. Even as an elf living in this mansion, I'm sure you've seen your share."
His brow twitched, irked.
"...Yeah, I've seen plenty. Including how humans harbor absurd desires."
Judah shrugged, observing him. Movie-star handsome, dressed in a ridiculous frilly outfit. Puffy thighs narrowing to tight legs like a clown's. Nobles might find charm in it, but Judah wouldn't be caught dead in it.
More importantly than the clownish clothes, though, was the choker-like band around his neck, like a pet collar. A slave's mark of submission.
"Human society must displease you in many ways. Missing the forest?"
"Taunting me? You're just like him in that."
"Him?"
"The master of this mansion."
Judah could guess who. The current head of the Neyuba family, who had bought and brought him here as a slave. He exhaled sharply, pent-up anger evident.
"You're not saying he looks like me, are you?"
"His personality. If all humans were as filthy, repulsive, and spiteful as him, this world would be no better than a sewer. If it were, I'd curse the gods."
*That god's standing right in front of you.* But Judah knew saying it wouldn't convince him, so he just smiled.
"Among elves, you seem highly skilled and ranked. How'd you end up captured?"
"...Bad luck. And my own shortcomings."
"Is that so?"
The elf fell silent. Then, as if amused by letting a thief into his room for idle chat, he let out a hollow chuckle.
"Enough deflection. Why are you here? If you're after random loot, take what you can from this room and get out quick. Getting caught won't end well."
Judah glanced around at his words. Plenty of valuables. The elf, valuable in himself, had probably gotten this treasure-filled room to curry favor, but he clearly wasn't pleased.
"I don't need junk like that. What I came to steal isn't worthless trash."
"Oh? As expected of greedy humans. To me, selling these would fund months of leisure. Though maybe I'm clueless about human currency."
"No, you're not mistaken. Spot on. Just that teacup set on the table would fetch dozens of gold easy. It's from a great noble's mansion in Uruun, after all."
"Then why?"
Judah grinned.
"As I said, I'm not here for that. I'm here for elves like you."
"Taking me too?"
He sounded incredulous.
"My name's Judah. My family name probably means little to an elf like you."
"Human names mean nothing."
"You'll remember mine once you accept my help."
"Help?"
Instead of explaining, Judah approached and reached out. The elf recoiled reflexively, but Judah was faster. His left index finger touched the leather band around the elf's neck.
In that instant, Valentine faintly glowed, activating <Dispel>, and a massive surge of mana drained away.
"?"
Bewildered, the elf stared at Judah. Then a *snap* drew his gaze downward—from the cursed item that had bound his mana and blocked his magic. With a bizarre noise, the necklace crumbled into dust. Sudden freedom left him dazed.
"What... did you do?"
Rubbing his neck, his eyes no longer emotionless. Shock, intrigue, confusion swirled as he tested his mana and magic. Feeling them flow normally, his breathing quickened.
"No big deal. Just came to this mansion to take you elves back to your forests."
"...Hard to believe."
"Even after I helped you?"
He sneered, glaring at Judah, eyes hostile and sharp.
"Humans never act without gain."
*Wow.* Judah clapped silently.
"Not long in human society, yet you see so sharply."
"Not long? Half a year... no, a year with humans teaches you plenty."
Mana gathered in his hand, forming a one-meter sword. He aimed it at Judah, who had freed him.
========== Author's Note ==========
I originally had no plans to make her go incorporeal.
Sending the Blue Window Knight Jeanne was planned from the start.
She's not being sent incorporeal. It's just for future story developments, so no need to feel bad ㅎㅎ.