Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Chapter 4. Uruun, the Land of Entertainment and Culture.
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"Good. If you're going to cooperate so obediently like that, you'll live a long life. I have no intention of killing you."
The moment the man gave up resisting her magic, he fell completely under her enchantment. Asmodeus confirmed that the focus in his eyes had vanished and nodded in satisfaction. She glanced toward the end of the alley and behind her.
Beyond the alley, shrouded in thick darkness, the lights of the street were visible. No one was passing by at the moment, but anything glowing alone in the shadows had the power to draw the eye.
"Now, first things first—could you put out that glowing orb?"
At her request, the man nodded without a hint of suspicion and immediately extinguished the light. They wouldn't be visible to anyone now, but her eyes could distinguish objects in the darkness with just the faintest glimmer. No one passing on that street would pay this alley any mind anymore.
"Hmm..."
Her soft hum made both men's breathing grow a little ragged. Finding their reaction endearing, Asmodeus reached out and pressed her index finger to the forehead of the man who had tried to resist her magic. The instant her finger touched him, his movements stopped. The foolish, dopey grin on his face faded into blankness.
"Recall your recent memories. All of them. Why you came here, what you're looking for, and why you're searching for it—one by one, everything."
Asmodeus slowly withdrew her finger. A faint energy trailed from his forehead along her fingertip. It was his memories. She twirled her hand, and they gathered in her palm like cotton candy. She opened her mouth and swallowed them like a sweet treat.
The moment they entered her mouth, the memories melted, flooding her with information. But she remained unfazed amid the onslaught. She was far too strong to be overwhelmed by a mere human mind. Her flesh might be weak in this body, but the spirit controlling it was immensely powerful.
Sifting through the torrent of information, she filtered out the useless bits and extracted only what was necessary or useful.
*There's an interesting story here, isn't there?*
It was just another human tale, easy to overlook, but quite intriguing.
She had come to Uruun to steal the fragment <Valentine> from Count Jenua. After the regrettable defeat in Phloria's capital, Aslan, last time, she intended to recover the fragment this time without fail.
But what do you know.
Upon arriving in Uruun, she found a truly beautiful city, even by human standards. It seemed a shame to rush in and destroy it. The nighttime city, brimming with all manner of desires, was utterly captivating. So, just as she had done with this man, she wandered the night streets, devouring the memories of those she encountered and passing herself off as a noblewoman for a bit of fun.
And naturally, she learned that nobles here weren't to be touched lightly. Crimes were punished strictly, whether committed by commoners or nobles. Of course, committing a crime against a noble as a commoner could lead to death, depending on the circumstances.
They made various efforts to prevent abuse of this system, but that had nothing to do with her, so she couldn't care less. It was just one of the many trivial memories she'd taken from humans. There was plenty of useless junk like that, but the story this man revealed piqued her interest.
*Someone whose identity is unknown brazenly broke into a great noble's mansion, killed the guards and mages, and fled with three elf slaves.*
*'Someone' easily removed the tools that sealed the elves' innate talent for magic and spirits.*
*The mansion's owner, Count Neyuba, is furious and has deployed mages and private soldiers to hunt down 'Someone.'*
*Even Count's memory-recall magic couldn't identify 'Someone's' face, features, or abilities, suggesting they possess an item with powerful anti-magic properties.*
"Hmm?"
Who could this 'Someone' be?
In Uruun, nobles were known for their powerful mages. That's how they lived lives far superior to commoners, despite being human. A count, especially one called a great noble, would have considerable magical prowess.
Yet, the memory-recall magic couldn't discern the intruder's features, face, or abilities? That meant the intruder was far superior or possessed something with truly potent anti-magic defenses.
Intriguing.
*Not your average thief.*
They hadn't touched any valuables—just stole the elves. Perhaps another elf, come to Uruun to rescue suffering kin.
"Ahh. I wish someone would come rescue me too."
Fat chance. Her face twisted bitterly.
Over a hundred years trapped in that labyrinth, and not a single demon had come for her. Only her lord had slipped past the other archfiends and the Holy King to offer aid. In the end, she'd have to break the seal herself.
For one of the seven deadly sins of the demon realm to live so pathetically.
*Pathetic. Utterly pathetic.*
She let out a small sigh and snapped her fingers.
Thud!
With the snap's echo, the two men before her collapsed like puppets with cut strings. She gazed down at their prone forms, lost in thought. Her head tilted naturally to the side.
*Let's see... about seven days until the gate opens?*
She'd savored life in Uruun enough and tasted the humans' sticky desires to her fill. With seven days left and nothing pressing, and now this intriguing tale, why not hunt down that clever thief for some entertainment?
*What if I can't find them?*
Then she wouldn't. Uruun would vanish in seven days anyway. What did it matter?
It was just to stave off boredom. She erased the two men's memories and strolled away as if nothing had happened.
+ + +
Two days passed.
Two days was more than enough time for discreet rumors to spread among the nobility—overflowing, even. The latest buzz on the lips of nobles, merchants, and Uruun's folk alike was particularly fascinating.
Even among nobles, word was that thieves had hit the mansions of Count Neyuba—a great noble and high mage—and Count Hissen. Not petty thieves, but ones who stole elf slaves.
Shockingly, the culprits had breezed past the mansions' guards and alarm spells, infiltrated the interiors, and snatched the most valuable and rare elf slaves.
It was a fresh rumor indeed.
Uruun's gossip had always been banal: "Some noble won a fortune at a casino!" or "So-and-so from this house spent a steamy night with that lady from another." But thieves robbing great nobles' mansions?
How novel, how perfect as bar talk!
People chattered endlessly about the thieves whenever they met. Who could it be? What motive for infiltrating and stealing elf slaves? How did they breach the layered wards? The elves were bound with powerful seals preventing magic and spirit use—how were those undone?
They reveled in such speculation. The sight of Neyuba and Hissen family mage squads and private soldiers patrolling the streets confirmed it wasn't mere rumor. Crowds were thrilled; nobles owning elf slaves were on edge.
Avalon, Casino.
Judah had thought he'd never return, but here he was again with Roxin. He hadn't wanted to come. Roxin had demanded extra pay, saying it wasn't worth his while. When Judah offered the gold, Roxin insisted on one more casino trip instead.
He'd exchanged the gold pouch Judah gave him for chips and gone to find him. Judah was sipping wine handed out by the casino's bunny girls in their rabbit outfits.
"Man, it's all about you wherever you go."
Judah just let out a small chuckle at the teasing remark. He didn't need telling—he'd heard it endlessly while exchanging chips. Even gamblers were hooked, wagering chips on which house would lose an elf next.
"I'll bet ten gold on the Seronic family getting hit."
"Oh ho, Seronic? Fine. I'll take Bon Watch. Don't cry when you lose—those ten gold are mine."
It was a conversation between two sharply dressed men passing by. Overhearing as they walked right past, Judah and Roxin took it in naturally.
"Heh, poor guy. About to lose ten gold. Wanna bet ourselves?"
Roxin downed his slender wineglass in one go and grinned slyly. Judah nodded readily.
"Then I'll go with Seronic."
"Hey! That kills the bet. Betting on a sure loss? You're a total con man."
"Don't forget, you suggested betting. Come on, let's go. Since we're here and it's not my money—might as well win big and grab my cut too."
Roxin's face lit up. This was the epitome of a mercenary grin. He handed his empty glass to a passing bunny girl, rubbed his hands, and followed with a chuckle.
"Sounds good! Let's make some cash today too."
"Remember, if we lose, it's not on me."
"No worries, no worries. I won't blame you even if we do. Oho—over there? Empty seat just opened up."
Roxin dragged Judah along like a kid at an amusement park, beaming. But as they headed for the table, he halted.
"?"
"Hmm—this table's no good. Another one?"
"Why?"
Judah asked the reason as Roxin turned away, his excitement deflated. Roxin glanced awkwardly at the empty table, then whispered in Judah's ear.
"No idea what's up, but Count Seronic's at that table."
Count Seronic—the owner of the next mansion on the hit list, right? Judah looked toward the game table.
"Who?"
"Guy in a reddish-brown suit, just like yours."
Judah, wearing the suit Count Jenua had tailored and enchanted, glanced down at his own, then back at the table. The man in the reddish-brown suit had a neatly trimmed beard. He stared bored at his cards, muttering "fold" and setting them down—clearly a bad hand.
"But do we really need to avoid him? We haven't done anything wrong yet."
"What do you mean nothing? Guy's got no conscience. Anyway, no dice."
Judah shrugged.
"Why? You think he knows your face or something?"
"No way."
"Then it doesn't matter. Let's play a hand or two, chat him up?"
Roxin eyed Judah steadily.
"What's your angle? Got a plan?"
"Haha—no plan. Seriously, none. Just think it'd be fun to game with him. Ah, hurry—someone else might take the seat. Let's sit."
"Damn it. I wash my hands of whatever happens."
"Won't be anything to worry about."
Judah and Roxin approached the table and took the empty seats. As the two claimed spots side by side, all eyes at the table turned to them.