Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Ring
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Veil of the Four Wings was an assassin belonging to the Proud Wanderers.
His specialty was swift swordsmanship unleashed from a total of four blades: his twin swords plus two more hovering around him via psychokinesis.
His dazzling slashes pouring from four times the attack routes of a typical swordsman had earned him fame for turning any opponent into minced meat in an instant, no matter who they were.
“...”
And now, all four of those swords lay shattered.
Veil stared blankly at his beloved blades.
They were companions that had steadfastly guarded his side through countless battlefields, enough to call him a hero of reversals. They were masterworks that would never be undervalued anywhere.
And right before his eyes stood the man who had snapped them like twigs—barehanded.
“Hm.”
Elnor nodded as she flexed her hand and looked down at it.
Just moments ago, she had caught Veil's full-force downward strike—infused with every ounce of his mana—with a single gauntlet and crushed the blade outright.
“...”
This couldn't possibly make sense.
He had heard that the Duchess Tristan was exceptionally skilled for her age, but this went far beyond that explanation.
The gap in their levels wasn't just one step—it was two or three. There was no doubt about it.
“...Unbelievable.”
He groaned the words.
“I've often heard tales of your near-divine martial prowess beyond your years, but it seems the genius label isn't undeserved.”
Around them lay the remains of his comrades who had been mobilized for this "ambush."
Corpses with bodies burst open, limbs torn off, twisted grotesquely.
And this scene had been wrought by this woman alone—barehanded, without even drawing her sword.
“How did you find this place, Duchess?”
They had kept information on themselves under strict control, so how had she tracked them here and done this?
“Just that our targets overlapped with some people.”
Elnor wiped the blood from her cheek as she answered Veil's question.
“Targets overlapped?”
“Lately, it felt like Dawood was avoiding me. So I decided to tail him.”
“...”
“And turns out there were quite a few others doing the exact same thing.”
Well.
If he was avoiding her, there was probably a reason for it.
Normally, you'd pretend to understand the other person's feelings, but how does tailing them without hesitation even become an option?
As Veil fell silent in disbelief, Elnor shrugged and continued.
“So I looked into it like this.”
The next instant.
Before Veil could react, Elnor closed in and seized his arm.
“...!”
No chance to scream in pain—his body launched into the air. His full swing in the opposite direction slammed him into the ground.
His arm was mangled as if fed through a grinder, his internals shaken from the impact, several ribs cracked, his spine paralyzed, and a concussion to top it off.
In less than a second, a powerhouse like him had sustained multiple fatal wounds.
At that moment, Veil truly mulled over the thought from earlier.
Genius beyond her years, my ass.
‘...This isn't genius. She's just a monster...!’
Her prowess far exceeded the reports. As if she'd explosively grown stronger in a short time due to some incident.
You'd need someone like Margrave Kendrid—practically a biological tank—to match her specs.
And the Duchess was the heir to a "swordsmanship dynasty," not even specialized in barehanded martial arts like that!
“Putting them in this state first usually gets answers out of most people.”
“...”
Right.
He fully understood now how she'd uncovered their information.
Against a monster like this, resistance was futile—you'd just end up dead.
Even assassins were in it for business in the end. Self-preservation came first for most.
But.
“...Did you kill all the others?”
“Would I let them live if they were after Dawood?”
Her tone was as flat as saying the sun rises at dawn.
Like asking such an obvious question was utterly ridiculous.
“...”
Of course.
The aura emanating from this woman made negotiation pointless.
Something in her was twisted—deeply so. As if the world revolved around that man.
Which made Veil's own end here all too clear.
“...Didn't think I'd go out so pointlessly, with a wife and kids waiting.”
He muttered bitterly and quietly closed his eyes.
His line of work meant staking his life every time anyway. He'd always been prepared.
So.
“...?”
When no impact came for a long while, Veil grew confused instead.
Peeking his eyes open, he saw Elnor stroking her chin, lost in thought.
“...”
“...”
“...What?”
Unable to bear the prolonged silence, Veil finally spoke, and Elnor nodded in response.
“Are you married?”
“...”
What kind of question was this?
As Veil gaped silently at her, Elnor tilted her head.
“Not? Then we're done.”
Her leg rose smoothly. Clearly aiming to crush his head.
“...I am married. Yes, married.”
He didn't know why, but he sensed that detail was key to his survival, so he blurted it out.
Sure enough, Elnor hummed and lowered her leg.
“Then let me ask. Who proposed first?”
“...”
She was no ordinary kind of crazy—that was certain.
As Veil thought that in earnest, Elnor tilted her head again and lifted her leg.
“Don't want to answer? Fine then.”
“...My wife proposed first.”
Her leg lowered smoothly again.
“Good. More details.”
“Details?”
“I mean the process, the progression. Did you accept right away?”
“...”
Veil took a deep breath.
The pain wracking his body was one thing, but he needed to steady the dizzying vertigo from this conversation itself.
First, answer.
“No, I refused.”
“Why?”
“My job as an assassin is too dangerous. I couldn't turn a woman who loves a guy like me into a widow. That's what treating her preciously means, I thought.”
Elnor stroked her chin thoughtfully.
Indeed. So that's how it was.
‘Dawood might be avoiding me for the same reason.’
She'd always felt like he was shouldering things without telling her.
Leave him alone for a moment, and he'd be tangled in new threats somewhere. Just look at these assassins popping up to target him now.
It wasn't dislike driving his avoidance—it was consideration for her.
Not because he knew her preparations, but simply because it was that time.
“...”
Or more precisely.
She couldn't endure if she didn't think that way.
She hadn't slaughtered these assassins just to vent anger as a bonus.
If Dawood rejected the "ring" she carried in her bosom right now...
“...Gasp.”
Veil swallowed hard as he looked up at Elnor.
He'd seen the killing intent swelling around her, contracting the very space.
Enough that returning to their insane topic felt preferable.
“...But why are you curious about that?”
“...”
Elnor snapped back to attention and looked down at Veil.
“I want some advice.”
“Advice?”
“On the situation, the lines, the overall vibe. What moved you?”
“...”
Veil racked his brain desperately.
Somehow, he felt his answer here needed to be perfect.
“...Primal? Raw passion? That's what my wife had, at least.”
“What do you mean?”
“She proposed like, marry me now or one of us dies here—marriage or death.”
“...”
After a brief silence, Elnor nodded.
She seemed extremely pleased.
“Thanks for the advice. I'll try that exact approach.”
“...”
At those words, Veil paled as she didn't just raise her leg—she drew her sword.
“...Wait. I answered everything perfectly, didn't I?”
“Don't worry. No plans to kill you as thanks for that.”
“...”
Then what was this?
“It's blackmail. You did try to kill Dawood—I can't just let you walk.”
“...”
“I'll make you an offer you can't refuse. Hear it and decide: die or obey.”
Elnor continued in a level tone.
“Start by spilling everything on your client and related info. Got it?”
“...”
Suddenly, Veil realized something.
Maybe dying outright would have been better.
“Oh, but I promise one thing.”
Elnor fiddled with the ring in her bosom and sighed.
“If it 'succeeds,' I'll reward you properly.”
“...Succeeds? When are you even trying that?”
Elnor stroked her chin, deep in thought.
She'd gotten good advice—no reason to delay.
So.
“Today.”
Big things were best handled quickly, after all.
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