Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Assassination (4)
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Lian closely examined Delico Matron's half-melted face.
Such severe burns, yet everything below her neck was excessively clean.
As if only her face had been deliberately ruined.
Probably to ensure no one who knew her original appearance could recognize her.
In that case, her reason for hiding away in a place like this might not solely be to conceal her identity as a magician.
He glanced down at her ankles.
They looked so frail they might snap just from standing, and there was a long scar above her heel.
"I've just come to talk a bit. Not to fight."
Lian slowly lowered the sword tip aimed at Delico Matron's throat.
The girl couldn't hold back and seemed ready to charge at any moment, but Delico Matron raised a hand first to restrain her.
"Just who the hell are you? You're too young to be a magician."
"Who knows. What do you think I am?"
"Hmph. You want to talk, but you won't share your own story? Shameless."
Meanwhile, a small bird perched by the window, poking its head in as if spying.
Yet he sensed a similar resonance from that bird and the hypnotized guards.
Both involved manipulating something's mind—clearly the same school of magic.
Same sect? Or perhaps mentor-disciple?
At a glance, Delico Matron's human control seemed more impressive...
"I see. Your specialty is plant-based magic, Matron."
"……!!"
"You did that to my guards with spores or pollen, right?"
"…What reason do I have to answer that?"
The playful laughter echoed again.
"I'll take that as a yes."
Lian immediately pulled out a handkerchief and tied it around his face like a mask.
The deceptive laughter cut off abruptly.
"Matron! As expected, those bitches' minions—I’ll…!"
"Sofi! How many times do I have to tell you? Stay put!"
"Ugh…. But…."
The girl harbored an unnaturally intense hostility toward Isabel.
She had clearly been sold into human trafficking just like Lian, so she shouldn't have any personal connection to Isabel.
Somehow, it felt less like personal grudge and more like the result of brainwashing.
The cause was undoubtedly Delico Matron.
At first, he'd thought Delico Matron was acting on someone else's orders to target Isabel.
But it seemed there was more to it.
"Truth be told, I came to persuade you, Matron. But it looks impossible."
Her skin was wrinkled, but her back was unbowed.
Likely around sixty.
A woman of that age with deep ties to the Rajur family and a profound grudge against Isabel.
"If you understand that, then just leave…."
"Still, I can't wrap my head around it."
Lian had a good idea of the old woman's true identity.
"Doesn't it bother you that boys around the same age as your son, whom you avenged, are spilling their blood?"
Kaduduk—
Delico Matron gripped the chair arm so hard her nails drew blood.
The poker face she'd maintained so well shattered with that single remark.
"You knew that much…. Since when?"
"I wasn't sure at first, but talking it out confirmed it."
Indeed, she was the ex-wife of Isabel's late husband.
And the one who should have vanished as execution dust long ago, branded with the infamy of poisoning her own ex-husband and child.
"Hiding quietly while listening to those house bastards' talk wasn't the time…. Sofi!"
"Yes, Matron!"
Peudeuk—
A creepy resonance emanated from the girl's body as the floorboards twisted.
Lian swiftly leaped back and swung his sword wide.
At the same time, the girl charged right up to his face.
Seogeuk—
Kwang!
As her fist slammed into the floor, debris scattered everywhere.
Impressive strength, as expected.
But her movements were too straightforward.
"Hiyaak! It hurts!! Why my arm…!?"
The girl clutched her bleeding shoulder and rolled on the floor.
She hadn't even noticed when she'd been slashed, her face full of panic.
"If it hurts that bad, back off. I'll spare you since you're just a kid."
"I'll kill you! I’ll definitely kill you…!"
"Yeah. Knew you'd say that."
For some reason, the dead childhood friend Nora's face overlapped with the girl's, leaving a bitter taste.
But she was too dangerous for half-hearted pity.
"Kuh… kughuk…!"
Lian swung his sword wide in front of the girl once more.
Screw it. A few bad dreams for a couple nights wouldn't kill him.
"Tsk tsk. A bit early for harvest, but no choice."
Delico Matron was oddly calm in this situation.
Moreover, a pulsing resonance came from the girl's body—where her throat should have been severed.
And it was growing louder.
"No way…?"
Sensing danger, Lian flipped backward and rolled.
Kwagak!
Suddenly, plant-like tendrils burst from the girl's wounds, sweeping through where Lian had stood.
"This is insane. What the hell is this…."
Peudeuk peudeuk—
As the tendrils writhed, the girl's body twisted and swelled.
She was no longer a girl—more like a monster now.
"Kwiik… uheuk…!"
"Come on, Sofi! Show them the results of five years of effort!"
"Grwooooh!"
The monster girl roared and swung her enormous fist.
Kwaduk—! Kwang!
Still predictably simple movements, but the power was on another level.
Floor fragments flew like shotgun pellets, leaving minor scratches everywhere.
And yet the guards stood dazed, oblivious to the chaos.
"Damn it! You said you'd guard me with your lives…! Snap out of it!"
Lian kicked them hard before the attacks could hit.
Kudangtang!
"D-During duty, anomaly…! Heuk!?"
"H-Heuk…! An assault?!"
Only after tumbling like bowling pins did their glazed eyes return to normal.
"Hik! What’s that! A monster…!"
"M-My lord, fall back! We'll handle it!"
Trained elites, as expected.
They drew swords and assumed positions the moment they saw the monster girl.
"Hraap!"
Pablo charged first with a mighty shout.
Hwoong— kwajik!!
It looked that way, but it was a feint.
He swerved sharply mid-charge, and the fist smashed harmlessly into the floor.
Seogeuk! Kwagak!
Simultaneously, the other two struck from both flanks.
Deep gashes on the side and thigh.
Then they leaped back without pressing the attack.
"Gwaaak!!"
Hwoowung!
The enraged monster swung both arms, but only stirred fierce winds in empty air.
Kagagak!
The opening after the big swing!
Pablo's sharp thrust pierced deep into the monster's solar plexus.
Flawless teamwork.
If the opponent were a normal human, that is.
"What, that's nothing…."
"Pablo, what are you doing! Dodge!"
"Huh…?"
He'd clearly hit a vital spot.
Pablo dropped the sword embedded in the monster and rolled desperately.
Pang!
The monster's palms clapped together, sending a eardrum-shattering boom and shockwave.
"Damn! What is this monster! Why won't it die!"
Pablo screamed, trembling.
If he hadn't dodged against Lian's shout, he'd have been minced meat.
"Wait…. Isn't this thing getting bigger…?"
"Ugh! Careful! Everyone, dodge!"
Peudeuk— peudeuk—
More plant-like tendrils erupted from the wounds, sweeping the room.
Then the new tendrils merged into extra arms or bulked up the body even more.
Less regeneration, more proliferation.
"I-Impossible. How do we beat this…!"
The guards paled, sweat beading coldly.
Normal attacks didn't work.
No, sloppy ones were poison.
Before this common-sense-defying foe, their honed skills were meaningless.
"Damn it all! We'll hold it off, Lian—run!"
"No need. Just cover me."
"Pardon? Uh!?"
But Lian was no ordinary man either.
As he charged the monster, the guards panicked but clung to its limbs, pushing hard.
"We can't hold long!"
In cases like this, there were two main strategies.
Pummel relentlessly until it couldn't recover.
Or….
"Here it is…!"
Wung— wung—
Lian followed the deep resonance inside the monster and thrust his sword.
A bit below the stomach.
Probably the pancreas area.
But the body had grown too massive; the blade couldn't reach deep enough.
"…Damn it."
"Grwooooh!!"
Had it sensed the threat to its life?
The monster thrashed wildly, swinging its tendril-wrapped arms wide.
"Kaaaak…!"
"Kuhuk…!"
The guards covering him flew off in all directions.
And the freed fist headed straight for Lian.
Too deep to dodge.
Then go all-in one more time!
"Take this!"
Lian kicked the embedded sword with all his might.
Ppajik!
Something hard cracked, and the monster's movements halted precariously.
The loud resonance faded away.
Pasasak—
The monster's body crumbled like rotten wood, reverting to the girl's form.
Her rigid body was more tree than girl now.
"No! How did you destroy the seed in one go…!?"
"Told you. My ears are sharper than most."
Lian withdrew his sword and approached Delico Matron.
"D-Don't come closer…!"
Delico Matron tried to tap the chair arm with trembling hands.
But Lian was much faster.
He was upon her in an instant, chopping down like splitting firewood.
Kwajik—!
"Hwaaak…! My hand! My hand…!"
"Cutting your throat here would just be severing a lizard's tail. I'll let you live."
Delico Matron was a crucial link to topple both the lord and the Rajur family.
A frail old woman who could barely walk—disabling her magic was enough.
"Everyone okay?"
"Kng…. Still breathing."
"Me too…."
"Good."
The flung guards seemed free of serious injuries.
"Get ready, all of you. They're coming."
"Pardon? What's coming?"
Kwang!
Then the front door burst open with a crash.
"Matron! Are you alright?"
"Gasp…! Sofi sis…?"
"You villains! Don't bully Delico Matron!"
A dozen children swarmed in, surrounding Lian and the guards.
Naturally, eerie resonances emanated from those kids too.
"Kids…! Take out the witch's minions now!"
At Delico Matron's cry, the children glared with gleaming eyes.
"What now? Gotta fight these kids too?"
"They won't turn into monsters like that, right?"
"…Who knows."
Suddenly, something struck Lian.
The girl had turned monstrous after her throat was cut.
But the assassin kid from the market hadn't.
'What's the difference?'
Delico Matron?
She'd just watched as the girl neared death, doing nothing.
Like an observer checking experiment results.
Another obvious difference between the girl and the assassin kid….
"I got it…! Age!"
"Pardon?"
Lian gripped his bloodied sword and took stance.
He tuned his ears to the resonances.
"Cover me."
Maybe those kids still had a chance.
The dim basement of Isabel's mansion.
This space, usually a storage room, was frequented only by maids.
Isabel, the mistress, descended here perhaps once every few years.
"It's been a while, Cordelia. Ah! Or should I say Delico Matron now?"
And Delico Matron was worth the effort for Isabel.
"You witch. Here to mock me?"
"Of course not. I'm just surprised and glad to see someone I thought dead long ago is alive."
"Hmph! Spouting insincere nonsense, same as always."
Who could have imagined?
Not only was the woman presumed dead twenty years ago still alive, but she'd returned as a magician.
Though now she was just a powerless old hag.
"Think you've won? Far from it. My revenge isn't over yet, Isabel."
"Revenge? Senility already?"
Isabel's lips twitched upward.
"Forgot? You killed that child."
"No! You…!"
"Poor thing. I treated her like my own and shared what was mine. Who knew her own mother had poisoned it?"
"You bitch! You knew and did it anyway! You took everything from me!"
She'd only sought revenge on her husband for betraying her for a young witch and that wench.
So she'd laced expensive wine with poison and had a trusted maid deliver it.
Yet Isabel added it to the food but never touched it herself.
"Poor Delico Matron. Admit it already. Your petty revenge killed your own child."
Isabel sneered down at the woman who'd lost everything.
Per Lian's report, she could resolve long-standing headaches using this old bat.
Like that pesky lord or the Rajur family.
"What…. Just who the hell is that guy?"
"Hm? Lian?"
"How did he see through all my magic! Without him, you'd be fertilizer by now…!"
Isabel quietly rolled her eyes.
Indeed. What was his deal?
Extraordinary even a magician couldn't comprehend.
Perhaps Lian's value exceeded her expectations.