Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 074
Chapter Title: Yor Holds an Engagement Ceremony!? #3
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Swishhhh—
A rainy afternoon.
"Yawn—."
A yawn escaped me naturally.
Hammer crossed his arms as he looked at me.
"Yor, I'm in the middle of explaining something important here!"
"Heh heh heh, what can I do about class making me sleepy?"
History class from the morning.
It was torturous, itchy and drowsy.
"Sleepy or not, listen up!"
"Ugh."
"The Dantes family might take you in, so you need to know how they grabbed the most seats in the imperial council!"
The lesson dragged on.
To shake off the sleepiness, I asked a question.
"Hammer, why would such a great family want to get me—a criminal with a record—and Miss Karma engaged?"
It felt like a dream.
"Honestly, it's such a good deal that it smells fishy."
That's when Hermit, who had been snoring away beside me, snapped awake and let out a long yawn.
"Nyaaawn, if you're really worried, there's a way to tell if it's a lie or not."
"Really?"
"There's a spell from the mental school called 'Truth Discernment.'"
Truth Discernment?
What's that?
I furrowed my brow, and Hammer clicked his tongue.
"Hermit, magic that touches people's thoughts and minds is taboo."
"It's fine if it's just distinguishing lies from truth, right?"
"There's no such thing as 'fine' with taboos!"
Hammer was angry, but a discernment spell that could separate lies from truth was amazing.
Damn, magic really could do anything.
No matter how skilled I was as a thief, compared to wizards who got it all for free, I was just a regular guy.
Of course, Hammer didn't seem pleased at all.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear about this one, but never use taboo mental magic again. Wizards who resort to that crap get no trust from anyone."
That crap—
He said it viciously harshly and stormed off.
Apparently, mind-reading wizards were treated like thieves.
'Well, they do steal people's thoughts without permission, don't they?'
That made the spell all the more tempting.
Half a day later.
Hermit handed me a scroll.
It was the 'Truth Discernment' scroll.
Just tear it, and you could use the spell once.
"This cost ten million Ether to make!"
"Whoa—!?"
Ten million—?
Damn!
I don't have that kind of money!
"...Hermit, can't you knock a little off?"
"How about stealing that 'Dragon Claw Amulet' Miss Dantes had? I could call it even. Deal?"
"The one you reinforced?"
"It's been bothering me. Feels like something I saw before, but I can't remember where. If I touch it again, it might come back..."
"Deal! I'll give it a shot!"
I tore the scroll skeptically.
After a short wait, dazzling particles appeared in my vision.
Sparkling dust clung thickly around people.
"Hermit, I see something weird!"
"That's mana waves."
"Mana waves?"
"Mana particles often stick to skin too, and they ripple based on emotions? They surge when someone lies."
Distinguishing truth by wave ripples—
Okay, got it.
"Don't forget, it lasts about half a day!"
The towering Great Wall.
Lady Dantes sat on the railing, dangling her legs over the abyss thousands of feet below.
"The daughters of Dantes are educated from childhood. That someday, they must marry the partner the family chooses."
Swing, swing—
Her long, slender leg swung, the shoe at the end dangling precariously on her foot.
"Some of my sisters married old men they'd never even met. I remember them sobbing before the wedding."
Lady Karma blushed, as if embarrassed.
"...Still, I'm really glad it's you, Yor."
Kind to me, humble, rich, pretty—
The perfect bride.
'Is this really reality?'
Thump thump—
I felt my heart pounding as I narrowed my eyes.
Karma Dantes—time to see if she was lying.
"You really want to get engaged to me?"
"...Yes. It's the will of someone high up! Unless... do you not like me, Yor?"
"No, not at all, I... ahem."
Her moist eyes made my mind go hazy.
I desperately read her outline.
Calm as a lake.
Serene.
This engagement was pure truth, nothing more.
'Am I really joining such a great family!'
It felt like hitting the jackpot.
Above all, isn't marriage like that?
Kissing, spending the first night together.
"Then Yor, what are you doing tonight?"
"...Tonight?"
"I've never been on a night stroll."
'Night date!'
Fireworks went off in my head.
When I came to, it was already night.
"Felix, you asleep?"
Snore—
Felix was out cold from today's tough training, so I slipped out of the lodging.
Sneaking was a piece of cake.
Giddyup—
I rode Moltma hard.
An hour south from the Great Wall—Dantes territory.
Under the moonlight, ripe wheat and barley gleamed beautifully.
'How many territories like this do the Dantes own?'
Marry into Dantes, become family, and maybe I'd own land like this too.
Thinking that, I dismounted.
"Moltma, wait here nicely."
—Neigh! Moltma ignored me and bolted off somewhere.
Off to graze nearby?
Smart horses were a handful.
Rustle—
I moved through the darkness.
Thanks to sneaking past terrifying Erdari, the lax guards of this territory were easy to evade.
I arrived at the mansion.
It wasn't as big as I'd thought.
Maybe smaller than the Cheferi mansion.
'The Dantes have a lot of people, right?'
Some must live in huge mansions, rich as can be.
Others in cozy ones like this.
Shrugging it off, I circled the mansion and spotted a lit window on the second floor.
Climbing the vines on the wall, I saw a familiar face.
"Miss, I'm here!"
Knock knock knock—
"Eek!"
The lady on the bed jumped in surprise when I tapped the window.
Then she opened it and slipped out.
"Hah, my heart's racing! This is my first time doing something naughty like this!"
She laughed breathlessly.
Damn, she was honestly adorable.
I put her on Moltma and headed to the nearby city.
Nightfall.
One of the safer cities in the empire to walk at night.
Night business was the main draw.
Lady Dantes's eyes sparkled amid the twinkling torches and lanterns everywhere.
"I thought night was just black and dark."
"Heh heh heh, mostly it is."
"But this is so colorful and pretty. And so many stars."
"Stars?"
I looked up.
Sure enough, stars everywhere.
"Come to think of it, your name comes from night, right? In the eastern regions, the word for night sounds a lot like your name..."
"Does it?"
"Definitely. Probably named after your black eyes."
Lady Dantes gazed deeply into my eyes.
Why did it make me shy?
An awkward silence followed.
What to say?
Just as I thought to speak first, she giggled.
"Ever since being with you, Yor, everything's been fun and joyful lately. Fewer injuries too... Ah..."
She tripped then.
Her shoe broke.
But she smiled brightly.
"See? Heh heh heh, no scraped knee, no blood. I'm super lucky."
She stuck out her tongue playfully, shaking my heart.
"But there are so many people. If someone recognizes me, it might cause trouble for you..."
"Trouble?"
"Kidnapper who snatched a noble lady—that misunderstanding would be bad."
Fair point.
"Should we go somewhere with fewer people? Like over there..."
Her face flushed under the lantern light.
Gulp—
I swallowed and headed to a dark corner.
She clung to my arm, scared of the dim alley.
"[Human Restraint]."
"Wha—?"
Flash—
Squish, squelch—
My body felt like hardening wax.
I could barely move my eyes, and Lady Dantes smirked.
"Idiot."
Uh—
I wanted to say something, but no voice came.
Soon she opened a nearby door and dragged me inside.
A room reeking of chemicals.
And a weird stench, like a rotting corpse.
"Ew— Goosebumps were killing me holding back."
Lady Dantes sprayed her gloves and clothes with a mister.
"You moron, you actually came out at night?"
What the hell was this?
I felt like I knew but didn't want to.
She giggled.
"Why? Surprised?"
"Ugh..."
"Pathetic orphans lose their minds if you smile a little. They all think you like them. You too, right?"
I rolled my eyes.
Now I saw decapitated skulls everywhere in the dim room.
Some weren't skulls—just rotting corpses.
That must be the source of the foul smell.
"No way I'd truly like a nobody like you."
"...The... engagement..."
Was even the engagement a lie?
I wanted to ask, but my mouth was sealed.
She gently stroked my forehead.
"The engagement is real. The high one I serve, Raider Ralkar, loves eating the brains of those close to contractors. He wants you and me engaged."
Damn—!!!
Not family elders, but her idol!?
"I'm gonna crack your skull and offer your brain to him. Then your blessing and luck become mine!"
Slide—
Karma Dantes slipped a ring from somewhere onto my finger.
"Honored, right? Dying engaged to a highborn lady like me. The ultimate luxury for an orphan like you."
Critical situation, but I couldn't move.
"Ughhh—"
"Give up. No one knows we're here."
Heh heh heh—
Karma Dantes leaned in seductively and kissed me.
Smack—
Even in this mess, lips on lips felt good.
"Congrats on being my 13th fiancé! So, Ralkar, proceed with the ceremony like this?"
She asked the air.
"Huh? Before, a kiss was enough to count as fiancé."
Her face soured.
"What? To take this guy's blessing, we need a deeper bond? Sigh... If you insist, I have no choice."
Rustle rustle—
Karma stripped.
Nude, she straddled my thigh.
"Born under a lucky star, huh? Getting to hold a woman like me as you die—"
"Ugh..."
"Just get it up already."
Then it hit me.
Mantises eat the male after mating.
Karma Dantes was a fucking mantis!
But this was my chance.
—[Shadow Companion]!
Move the shadow.
Body bound, but shadows could move!
Swoosh—slash—
My shadow's dagger grazed her side.
"You fucking bastard!"
Karma gnashed her teeth in rage.
How could those shy lips—!?
Luckily, the weird spell broke.
My mouth and body were free.
"You lying bitch!!!"
My head boiled too.
As I thought what next—
Boom—
Flames burst, door shattered.
A witch in a conical hat entered the bizarre slaughterhouse.
And shouted.
"It was a trap after all! No way a lady proposes to an ex-con out of the blue!"
Hermit!
"And your Dragon Claw Amulet was Ralkar's symbol! Took time to find in the books, but—"
Rustle—
Strange light rippled from Hermit's staff tip.
"[Mystic Arrow]!"
Pew pew—
Magic arrows fired in an instant.
One pierced Karma's gut.
"Argh! I-I'm a daughter of Dantes... you dare do this to me..."
"No one knows we're here anyway."
Pew—flash—
Hermit's mystic arrow lodged in Karma's head.