Chapter 105: Insurance(1)
Chapter 105: Insurance(1)
Meanwhile, just as the performance was beginning, the Maishal Mansion was under heavy guard.
A contingent of knights dispatched from the Imperial Palace maintained ironclad security around the estate. Since the exhibition was being held in the Maishal Territory, it was only natural that some might harbor suspicions or ill intent, so they were prepared for any eventuality.
The knights were stationed strategically: two stood guard at the door of every family member's bedroom, and the same went for the offices and basement entrances where important documents and valuables were kept.
Though only a small number of personnel were guarding the mansion, they were elite knights personally selected and sent by the royal siblings, Leort and Lina.
Even Lord Hawk, who was said to have once slain a dragon, had praised their competence, so everyone expected there would be no issues.
"Man, I want to go to the festival too. I'm confident I can party harder than anyone else."
"What can you do? Orders are orders; we just have to suck it up."
However, they were still human, and the desire to join the festivities was unavoidable. While a soldier's life is governed by the principle of absolute obedience, there were times they wished they could just say no.
It was especially agonizing because the festival was happening right under their noses. Being forced to guard the mansion while the fun was so close made it feel like a forbidden fruit.
"When is our shift change?"
"You've only been on duty for ten minutes."
"Ah, dammit."
The junior knight groaned at his senior's reply. It felt like he’d been guarding this door for at least thirty minutes, but time was crawling at a miserable pace.
"But what's even in this mansion that requires us to be on high alert?"
"Who knows? Since the exhibition is in this region, some idiots might think there's something worth stealing here. We're here to prevent that. Though the chances are low. Personally, I’d rather just get a glimpse of Lord Hawk."
"Is Lord Hawk really that strong?"
At the junior's question, the senior knight crossed his arms and thought deeply before speaking.
"You're young, so you might not know. Have you ever seen a man take down a dragon by himself? You should have seen it with your own eyes. There were so many people who decided to become knights after seeing that, just like me."
"And then you regretted it, right?"
"A little."
Human nature is the same everywhere; if Isaac had seen this scene, it would have felt strangely familiar. The sight of a senior and junior chatting away to make the time pass faster while on duty was a universal constant.
Of course, they weren't neglecting their duties. Even while talking, they were utilizing detection techniques. If a stranger entered a certain range, their senses would pick it up immediately, so there was no major concern.
However, that was only by 'human' standards. For other races—especially Demons or Elves—the story was different. With magic, they could not only deceive human senses but even pass through walls by moving through the gaps between spaces.
*
"Not this... and not this either..."
Inside the office where Hawk, the head of the Maishal family, conducted his business.
In a room illuminated only by moonlight, a figure was rummaging through the desk.
Despite the two knights standing guard at the office entrance, they had no idea there was an intruder inside.
This was natural, as the intruder was not human but a member of a different race—a Dark Elf, a race not well known to the public. While Elves were naturally gifted in magic, Dark Elves possessed stealth abilities that were several times superior.
If an ordinary thief tried to hide, they would at least be caught by detection techniques or magic, but a Dark Elf's stealth was on an entirely different level.
It wasn't just about hiding the body; they assimilated with space itself, making it feel as if they didn't exist at all. This was a blessing and an authority granted to the Dark Elves by Mora, the Goddess of Darkness and Rest.
To detect a skilled Dark Elf's stealth, one would need the abilities of at least a middle-ranked knight by human standards.
Even then, that was just 'detecting' them. Since every Dark Elf was a seasoned warrior who had survived countless battles, most humans would be helpless against them.
"Is it not here either?"
Rain, the Dark Elf who had come as Arwen's guard, expressed her doubt as she returned the documents she had inspected to their original places.
What she was currently looking for was, surprisingly, the manuscript of the Xenon Biography.
The words of the red-haired man who had approached Arwen just before the performance began were still ringing in her ears.
'Xenon is the pen name of the author who wrote the Xenon Biography. And that red-haired guy said he was Xenon.'
This was from when Isaac and Mari were talking. Isaac had intended to whisper, but to a Dark Elf with naturally superior senses, it had been crystal clear.
At first, she had been on guard, thinking he had approached Arwen with impure intentions, but she had gained an unexpected lead.
'He definitely wasn't an ordinary human.'
He boasted handsome looks and impressive knowledge for a human, but he was no match for Arwen. However, the Demon who seemed to be close with Isaac was what bothered her the most.
What could that human possibly have to make such a powerful being—a Demon, who had been discriminated against as a devil until the publication of the Xenon Biography—stay by his side?
On the surface, he was just an ordinary human, which made it hard to understand, but if he was the author of the Xenon Biography, everything changed. If he truly was Xenon, it would explain why that Demon felt such goodwill toward him.
That would mean the female Demon also knew the fact that Isaac was Xenon. This was still just a guess, but the puzzle pieces were clicking into place, and her conviction was growing.
'I need evidence. Evidence.'
Therefore, Rain had broken into this mansion to find proof that Isaac was Xenon.
If she found the manuscript in this mansion, it would prove Isaac was Xenon, and she could report it to Arwen.
Last time, she had stolen a manuscript without knowing any better and had been severely scolded by Arwen, and even received a harsh lecture from the Elder. She had only done it to make Arwen happy, but the result had been disastrous.
So, as a way of making amends, Rain felt she had to find evidence. If she found proof, she could return the stolen manuscript in secret, and it would open up various options.
Of course, she would only confirm the manuscript's existence and not steal it. Having been scolded so harshly, she had personally realized the impact a manuscript of the Xenon Biography could have, so she wouldn't make such a foolish choice twice.
'Fortunately, the defenses are laxer than I expected.'
Luckily, the mansion's security was loose by Rain's standards. There were security spells in place, but using the power of a Dark Elf, they were no better than scarecrows.
However, she was careful when using magic to pass through walls. There was always a chance a human with exceptional senses might detect it.
'I've searched all over here... there are so many rooms, it's confusing.'
Rain scratched her head in frustration.
Thanks to Arwen's patronage, she was gradually gaining experience, but this was her first time infiltrating a human mansion, so she was completely ignorant of the layout.
As she meticulously searched room after room only to come up empty-handed, she began to feel increasingly impatient.
'Next is...'
She looked toward the wall instead of the door. Since she could just pass through walls, there was no need to go out into the hallway.
After checking the documents once more and confirming there was nothing related to the Xenon Biography, Rain walked slowly toward the wall.
An ordinary person would have been blocked, but she was a Dark Elf. A simple spell was all she needed to pass through a wall without any trouble.
Flash!
It wasn't long-distance movement like Teleport or Warp, but a short-range spatial movement spell: Blink.
Having moved past the wall in a single blink, Rain scanned the room. If the previous room was an office, this one seemed to be a lounge for guests.
'It doesn't seem like it would be here.'
She gave it a quick glance and moved to the next room. After continuing to move through rooms like this, she finally arrived at someone's bedroom.
It appeared to be a room for a single person rather than a couple, characterized by its simple decor. Furthermore, the faint, musty smell of books and a uniquely masculine scent hit her nose.
'This is the red-haired guy's room!'
A woman's room usually had a pleasant fragrance. This place had none of that.
Rain had only met Isaac and not his brother Dave, but the overwhelming scent of books made her certain. Especially since this was a scent she had often smelled on Arwen.
With an excited heart, she looked around the room. The bed, vanity, and desk were on the smaller side, but there were countless bookshelves.
Naturally, there were far more books here than in the other rooms. Noting that Isaac seemed to love books as much as Arwen did, Rain approached the desk.
'It really is the red-haired guy's room.'
Rain's conviction was reaffirmed when she saw a book on the desk. It was a book Arwen had recommended to her at the bookstore.
Now all that was left was to search the desk and find the manuscript. Unaware that she had been caught by a certain spell, she began to rummage through the desk drawers.
She checked the unlocked drawers first, but of course, nothing came out. Most were empty, as if nothing had ever been put in them.
'Then what's left is...'
Only the drawer that was firmly locked. Rain stared intently at the drawer with a suspicious look.
She found it hard to believe that the manuscript—which would be treated as a national treasure, if not a holy relic, by people, especially Demons—was sleeping inside such a place. It was far too insecure.
She doubted it was really there, but she couldn't just ignore it. It was only sealed with a lock, which would be easy to bypass.
Rain crouched down and grabbed the lock. She didn't need a key or magic. It was a flimsy lock that she could open just by channeling mana to release the mechanism.
Click—
In less than ten seconds, the lock sealing the drawer was released. Rain checked several times for any other traps before carefully removing the lock.
The drawer was now completely defenseless. She glanced around before slowly pulling it open.
And when she saw the stack of manuscript paper inside, a wide smile spread across Rain's face. She had her doubts, but her hunch had paid off.
'Is this it? Is this really the manuscript?'
With an excited heart, Rain pulled out the top sheet of the manuscript. It perfectly matched the beginning of the recently published Kair Side Story.
This proved that Isaac was the author of the Xenon Biography. The handwriting was identical to the manuscript of Volume 1, so there was no need for further verification.
'Thank goodness. With this, the Queen can finally be at peace.'
She would probably get scolded again if Arwen found out she had broken into someone's mansion, but at least she could relieve the Queen of the burden she had been carrying.
Just as Rain let out a sigh of relief and was about to put the manuscript back...
Grab!
"Gah!"
Without warning, someone snatched the back of her neck like a scythe and slammed her into the floor. Rain, unable to even perceive the attack, could only let out a short cry as her face met the ground.
Startled, Rain struggled to break free, but strangely, she couldn't muster any strength. From the moment her neck was grabbed, her entire body had been suppressed.
The neck is the link between the brain and the body. Whoever it was must have used mana to paralyze her.
'I-Impossible. Who could...'
An ability of this level was something only a seasoned warrior even among Dark Elves could pull off. Rain, who had almost no experience in the outside world, couldn't help but be shocked.
Just as she tried to turn her head to identify her captor, the person holding her down whispered softly.
"So it was the one who was with that Elf."
"Urgh..."
"Do you people have a hobby of raiding other people's mansions?"
It was Gartz, Cecile's guard knight. He was wearing a mask, but he was currently in a very foul mood.
First, he was angry because an intruder had entered the area Cecile had designated, and second, he was furious because he was missing the highlight of the show because of this one Dark Elf.
Though his mouth was covered by the mask, his furrowed brow made it clear just how displeased he was.
[Princess. There is an intruder in the mansion, a Dark Elf. How should I handle this?]
Having easily subdued Rain with a surprise attack, Gartz sent a message to Cecile via telepathy. Cecile had told him he could handle any intruders as he saw fit, but a Dark Elf was a different story.
The relationship between Demons and Dark Elves was neither good nor bad. However, it was a fact that things became troublesome the moment one messed with a Dark Elf.
Dark Elf warriors were each as strong as a Reaper, and for Helium, which needed to strengthen its internal affairs alongside diplomacy, they were a significant nuisance to deal with.
Even though Dark Elves were outcasts who had split from Albenheim, seeing one by the side of an Elf like Arwen suggested something unusual.
[...Is it the child who was with that Elf Queen?]
Cecile, who was focused on the performance, sent a reply to Gartz's report. She had also realized that Arwen was the Queen of Albenheim.
Gartz replied while tightening his grip on the neck of the struggling Rain.
[Yes, that is correct.]
[Find out why she broke into the mansion and for what purpose, then handle it as you see fit, Sir Balak. They are clearly in the wrong, so they won't be able to say a word.]
[Understood.]
[Oh. But don't handle it inside the mansion; do it outside. If blood splatters, he might become suspicious.]
Since Cecile fully trusted Gartz, she gave only simple instructions and returned her focus to the performance. The highlight was about to begin, so unless it was a true emergency, she had no intention of going back to the mansion.
As soon as the connection with Cecile was cut, Gartz looked down at Rain. She had lost all her strength and stopped resisting, her body trembling with fear.
The sight of a young girl trembling piteously was enough to evoke sympathy, but it meant nothing to Gartz. Like Demons, those who were ostracized by society, such as Dark Elves, often began killing from a young age.
Therefore, it was right to view Rain not as a child, but as a warrior. Unfortunately, she had ended up in this state due to a painful lack of experience.
"I will ask you once. Why did you break into this place?"
"... ..."
Rain could only tremble at Gartz's dry question, unable to say a word. The fear of death, something she was experiencing for the first time in her life, had taken control of her body.
But Gartz didn't care and pressed down harder, threatening her with a murderous voice.
"If you don't answer, I will cut off your fingers one by one."
"I-I was looking for something..."
"Looking for something?"
"The manuscript..."
The manuscript... Gartz shifted his gaze to the manuscript paper held in her hand.
It looked like ordinary manuscript paper on the surface, but if she had broken into the mansion while everyone was away, there had to be something special about it. Gartz took the manuscript while keeping a firm grip on her neck with one hand.
After reading the manuscript line by line, Gartz's eyes widened. Having read the recently published Kair Side Story, he realized exactly what this manuscript was.
'...I see why the Princess is so fond of that human.'
But so what? He might be a fan of the Xenon Biography, but he was currently on a mission.
Still, acknowledging that it was a precious treasure to a Demon, he placed the manuscript neatly on the floor. He planned to return it respectfully after dealing with this dark-skinned long-ears.
"What were you planning to do with this manuscript?"
"That's..."
Rain hesitated, as if this was the one thing she didn't want to answer. At the same time, Gartz's eyes grew fierce, and he drew a dagger from his waist.
When the dagger reflected the moonlight and stung her eyes, Rain panicked and began to confess everything. Though she had received rigorous training since childhood, it was all useless in the face of the fear of death.
"I-I was trying to return the manuscript I stole! R-Really!"
"...So it was you people who stole it."
It had the opposite effect. That a Dark Elf had stolen the manuscript had only been a suspicion, with no physical evidence.
But Rain's testimony made it certain. Whether she had acted alone or on orders from Albenheim, the fact that the manuscript had been stolen was what mattered.
'To think such an incompetent brat is a guard... and she seems close to the Queen...'
Even if they had come secretly without an official statement, she was unqualified in many ways. Abandoning the monarch she was supposed to protect to act on her own whim made her a failure as a guard knight.
Gartz looked at the trembling Rain with pathetic eyes before sheathing his dagger. He planned to take her out of the mansion to a secluded spot before finishing her off.
Then, for just a 'brief' moment, he let his guard down to cast a spell.
Shing—
Without any warning, a silver dagger was pressed against Gartz's throat. The blade reflected the moonlight, emitting a brilliant glow.
Who could have bypassed Gartz's security spells and his own senses? Gartz looked at the dagger held close to his neck and whispered silently.
"I see..."
He slowly turned his head. Even as he turned, the dagger at his throat didn't budge an inch.
Before long, Gartz locked eyes with a pair of golden pupils that glowed intensely in the darkness. Like him, her mouth was covered by a mask, but he could tell she was a woman of striking beauty.
That wasn't all. Her bronze skin stood out even in the dark, along with her white hair and half-clipped ears. Finally, unlike Rain, she possessed a mature, developed figure that marked her as an adult.
The reason Arwen could feel at ease while bringing Rain along—her insurance.
"The Queen wouldn't be crazy enough to bring only a brat as her guard."
Gartz smirked at the appearance of another Dark Elf.