Chapter 92: Acquiring Weapons - 8
Chapter 92: Acquiring Weapons - 8
The day Blue Seal's Unique, Asira Hellrunner, visited the Blue Seal Barracks in Waris.
Jiha sat on the infirmary bed, gazing out the window.
"You handled it like I said?"
Uben, standing beside him, nodded.
"Yes, I hired laborers to take care of the cleaning."
"Good. The kids shouldn't be doing stuff like this anymore..."
Barracks cleaning had always been the Commons' responsibility.
Given that any Common could die tomorrow, none of them actually wanted to do it.
The Uniques usually didn't interfere either.
But when another Unique visited for an inspection, the place had to look presentable.
"I'm done sucking up to the higher-ups."
The Commons were now his soldiers, fighting under his command.
Having them grovel to please a Unique would undermine the idea that Jiha was their leader.
So Jiha had deliberately spent his own money to hire outside help and have the place spotless.
"Couldn't we have just not cleaned at all?"
"No need to make her feel out of place from the start."
Jiha smiled thinly.
"A noble knight like her is used to every place she visits having the path swept clean. Letting her think this place is different right off the bat isn't smart—she'd be on guard."
Jiha turned from the window and got to the point.
"So, have you dug up any info on Asira?"
"...About that."
Uben wore an uncharacteristically impressed expression.
"She's remarkably clean. From what I've gathered, her conduct is impeccable, and her speech beyond reproach. I found people who dislike her, but almost no one who denies her integrity."
"For instance?"
"She's used her own wealth to save Normal Grade villages from starvation, put effort into building an orphanage for abandoned children, and supports educational institutions. She speaks openly against racial discrimination and acts on it."
"So only good things?"
"Yes. Among Blue Seal's Uniques, she's the most dedicated to social welfare and charity. She even pushed through the practice of burying Common soldiers killed in the Summoning War. Before that, the bodies weren't even returned."
"A master who treats her slaves well. What do you make of it?"
Uben shook his head.
"I'm just relaying what I've heard. Even the Purple side doesn't deny her integrity. They say she's brave on the battlefield and always considerate. Rumor has it she once faced Legend Grade Cheonho, argued her position boldly, and stopped some horrific decisions."
"Righteous, generous, noble..."
"I'll dig deeper, but I doubt much else will surface."
Jiha already had intel on Asira's real mission and her secret habit of devouring female-oriented romance novels.
He just needed to see her in person and judge for himself.
"Got it. What about the gnolls?"
"They've been staying underground since you hit them. Looks like they're gathering information about you. I think they'll surface again soon."
"Keep watching. Don't miss a thing."
Uben nodded.
"Of course I'm keeping an eye on them, but they won't move while a Demon Knight is here. With three Blue Seal Uniques present, would they really try anything against you? If they do, it'll be after she leaves."
"..."
It made perfect sense, but Jiha still frowned.
He hadn't told Uben yet—Asira was here to investigate the situation.
She wouldn't leave Waris empty-handed.
"Mobilize the intel network fully and keep watching."
"Understood. I'll deploy everything we have and maintain surveillance."
"Good. Then head back and get ready. The Unique will want to see everyone, so make sure they're all gathered."
"Are you really not attending, sir?"
"I'm feeling a bit under the weather."
Uben fell silent at Jiha's cheeky reply.
Jiha had been perfectly fine yesterday. There was no way he'd conveniently fall ill today.
He had his reasons for doing this.
"Understood. Call for me if you need anything."
Uben bowed his head and withdrew.
Left alone, Jiha tapped the windowsill, lost in thought.
'I've got the intel, and I've found a weakness. But... I need to use it properly.'
Jiha knew about Asira, but Asira didn't know Jiha.
The moment he started laying his cards on the table one by one, that information gap would close.
Which meant he had to extract a concrete yield from every single encounter.
Clack.
Footsteps sounded, and Sirel walked in.
Carrying a teacup, she approached and launched into her complaints.
"Don't you think you're faking sick a little too often? All these fake certificates are starting to make me feel like a criminal."
"I'm always doing bad things."
At the moment, Jiha was officially a patient.
Standard protocol was for the slave Commons to line up and greet a visiting Unique. But Jiha was legitimately absent.
"Aish, a Unique Grade visitor is coming, and you skip out sick? Won't you just end up on her bad side?"
"Then let her hate me."
Jiha was playing sick for a reason.
'On the surface, the barracks look normal, but by removing myself, I introduce a variable. Unless Asira is completely clueless, she'll know about me—the one who forced the Summoning War into a truce. For all I know, Cheonho herself might have given her secret orders.'
So far, he'd crushed his enemies while they were still unaware of him. Things might be different now.
Jiha was deep in thought when Sirel's fingers ran through his hair.
She touched him like he was a pet.
"What are you doing?"
"Hey now. Getting angry at the person who gave you a fake diagnosis? Naughty."
Sirel smiled playfully, and Jiha gave a wry laugh.
Her familiar attitude hadn't changed one bit. It was precious, but...
"You can do this when we're alone, but not in front of others."
"Why? Got some girl you're worried about?"
"..."
Because it would dent his authority if his soldiers saw it.
The Commons had gotten it into their heads that Sirel was Jiha's woman, but still.
Even considering that, things could get tangled.
Sirel prattled on.
"Who is she? Who? Who could be making our Jiha frown like this?"
"...I'm being serious here. This is for your own good."
"Hmm, you're worried about me?"
Sirel smiled softly and mussed Jiha's hair.
"To think our Jiha would worry about me. You've grown up so much."
As he let her do as she pleased, Jiha reflected.
'It's sudden, but I've come a long way.'
He'd acquired vampiric Mana, schemed through countless matters, and seized control of most of Waris.
Those who knew him obeyed him, and those who didn't could be made to submit if he wanted.
If he handled the arriving Asira well, wiped out the gnolls, and got his hands on those Mana weapons, the plan would advance significantly.
And through it all, Sirel treated him with the same comfortable ease as always.
"..."
The playfulness faded from the hand stroking his hair, replaced by softness.
Resting his head on his arms on the windowsill, Jiha narrowed his eyes against the warm afternoon sun.
"Ah, is that her?"
"..."
Jiha opened his eyes.
Far in the distance, two people on horseback were approaching the barracks.
The one in the lead, clearly a woman—that had to be Unique Asira Hellrunner.
Jiha frowned and stared intently.
Mana didn't sharpen his senses. His eyesight and hearing were no different than before.
'Is there some way to fix that?'
As Jiha stared, the woman's figure came into sharper focus.
Her light-blue skin and the blue hair cascading down to her hips blended beautifully, creating a stunning impression.
Even at a distance where her face wasn't clear, she radiated incredible beauty—but the two horns on her head, her pointed ears, bat-like wings, and tail marked her as something other than human.
'So that's a demon...'
And the sword.
The massive blade strapped to her back, nearly as tall as she was, exerted a powerful presence.
'Let's deal with her calmly...'
Jiha's smile froze.
The woman raised her head and looked directly at him.
'Well, now...'
It was too late to avert his eyes.
At a distance where an ordinary human couldn't even sense him, she had noticed Jiha's presence.
He smiled and waved his hand.
The woman, Asira Hellrunner, gave no reaction and lowered her head again.
'So eyesight's the problem... I'll have to look into ways to enhance it later.'
Sirel went out to greet Asira as well.
Jiha was alone now.
By now, Asira, Enril, and Yura would be exchanging pleasantries, and the Commons would have paid their respects.
His plan was to gather vivid impressions from those who met Asira face-to-face, then make his move.
'Came with just one other, huh.'
A Unique traveling with dozens or even hundreds of retainers wouldn't have been unusual.
Moving with only one companion was an austere gesture.
'It won't be just anyone, either. If I dig into her inner circle, something might surface...'
Given that Uben had praised her, the odds were high that Asira truly was a person of character.
Jiha held her one weakness, but a single strike wouldn't be fatal.
'It's about combining circumstances...'
Footsteps reached his ears as he pondered.
He thought Sirel was returning, but these were heavier, faster, and many.
A suspicion formed. Jiha settled onto the bed just as the door opened without a knock.
"My apologies. I heard there was a patient, so I skipped the formalities."
The one who entered was the blue-skinned demon, Asira.
The parts of her eyes that should have been white were black as pitch, and her vivid crimson irises looked straight at him.
He'd thought she was a beauty from afar, but in person, it was undeniable.
Her refreshingly wide eyes, sharp nose, and slender face drew the gaze down to her womanly curves.
From a full chest to a slender waist, then to hips at their ripest—the line was breathtaking.
Her figure was overflowing with allure, yet perfectly composed.
To top it off, the leotard clinging to her body bared a deep cleavage and a smooth stomach.
"..."
As Jiha stayed silent and assessed her, the man standing behind Asira frowned slightly.
Jiha caught the reaction and deliberately spoke bluntly.
"I'm sick and resting. What's this about?"
"I apologize for intruding. But I was too eager to offer help to observe proper courtesy. I'm sorry."
"..."
Her ready admission of fault genuinely surprised Jiha.
Was there really a Unique like this?
"Your name?"
"Asira Hellrunner. I look forward to working with you, Jiha."
Asira extended her hand, but Jiha hesitated, playing coy.
The single-horned man behind her stepped forward.
"Lady Asira is also a Unique of Blue Seal. Accept her greeting, Common."
His words were polite, but the undertone was pointed.
Jiha shrugged.
"I'm drenched in sweat. Too dirty. Never mind."
"Sweat and blood are no shame to a warrior."
Asira said this, then bent down and took Jiha's hand.
He hadn't expected her to persist after being refused. Jiha frowned, then blinked in surprise.
A warm energy spread from where she held his hand, and his whole body surged with vitality.
It was a refreshing, crisp sensation—like a pleasant shower at the perfect temperature—clearing his lungs and lifting his mood.
"This is..."
"I hope this helps you recover."
Asira released his hand and smiled gently.
The healing energy that had just washed over him was her doing.
"..."
You shouldn't judge people on appearances alone.
But this woman, Asira Hellrunner, seemed different.
And so, Jiha smiled too.
"Looking forward to working with you as well, Unique."
Because Jiha was a different kind of man himself.