Before the Newbie Settles In (3)
“Are you alright?”
On the roof of a mansion overlooking the brightly lit Londinium, a woman approached the seated Leo Ric without a sound.
“Even if you're hiding the truth from your comrade.”
Leo Ric gazed at the city for a long while before turning to look at her as she stood there.
“You're the one doing it.”
The woman naturally leaned against Leo Ric's shoulder. He embraced her in his broad arms.
“Hiding the truth doesn't align with your clan's wishes, does it?”
“From the moment you saved me, Leo Ric, I belong to you.”
The Night Clan. They had taken in those left homeless after demons seized their homeland, making them wives. That was Leo Ric's way of taking responsibility.
“Well, even if she finds out later, Sisilia will forgive us.”
“You think so?”
“We didn't deceive her completely. Jack's existence is real, and the fact that Jack is Severus is also true.”
Leo Ric lied. In truth, he had already known that Severus was the murderer Jack.
After all, Jack had come here because of that mission from the start.
Subjugate the Gluttony of the Seven Deadly Sins.
'Still, I didn't expect her to notice so quickly. Then again, she's always had a ridiculously sharp mind.'
Perhaps she had noticed other things too. Who knew.
Sisilia was subtly secretive, after all.
“Tonight's target isn't Severus—it's the one controlling him. It's about revenge, not execution. That's the whole story.”
“I'd love to hear the details.”
“We've got some time before dawn breaks. Shall I tell you?”
“Yes, please.”
Leo Ric chuckled. What a cute woman. She wasn't asking out of her own curiosity—she had picked up that he wanted to tell someone, and that's why she made the request.
“It's a story from ten years ago. A time when a lot was happening. Jerryway's little brother died, Edward's world changed. Even a little kid showed up at the Windsor Knights' HQ clutching a sword.”
Amid all those major events, Knight Severus's betrayal happened too.
“Severus was the only one among the seven high knights who was my peer.”
When he first heard of the betrayal, Leo Ric dismissed it as a joke.
“No one knew why he betrayed us. Hell, at first, we didn't even know it was a betrayal. We thought he'd just missed the regular meeting.”
Above all, Severus had a gentle personality even among the Windsors, where eccentricity was the norm. He was a knight who respected others more than anyone.
The idea that he had betrayed them lacked any realism.
He realized the betrayal upon receiving one letter.
A black letter that flew to Leo Ric.
“Around then, word came that the vacant seat of Gluttony among the Seven Deadly Sins had been filled. And Gluttony's outward form—it was Severus's likeness.”
After that, Leo Ric had been tracking Gluttony of the Seven Deadly Sins. But Gluttony rarely showed itself. It was as if it was deliberately avoiding him.
Leo Ric reached into his bosom and pulled out the mission paper. Worn by the years, this document commanding Severus's execution was from ten years ago.
Target: Knight Severus
Objective: Execution
Issued: 10 Years Ago
“Finally, I can carry out this mission. But...”
Leo Ric gave a wry smile as he looked at the black letter behind the mission paper.
[Severus's Final Request]
“I won't be able to honor my old friend's last request.”
Murderer Jack was Severus. Gluttony of the Seven Deadly Sins was also Severus.
But murderer Jack was not Gluttony.
'I've never once thought you betrayed us of your own will. Not even a tiny bit.'
No evidence. Just a hunch.
Some demon had devoured Severus's soul. That demon became 'Gluttony' through it, and Gluttony was mimicking the strongest human it had consumed—Severus.
So, what needed killing was the Gluttony mimicking Severus.
That wasn't easy, so he needed Sisilia's power.
Murderer Jack moved on Gluttony's behalf. To control Severus, who had no soul, the caster Gluttony had to stay within a certain range.
While Sisilia pinned down Severus, Leo Ric would hunt and kill Gluttony with full force.
That was his plan.
“...But even if it's just an empty shell, its abilities remain as they were in life. Can the Sword Princess defeat a Sword Emperor?”
Leo Ric stared at her in momentary confusion, then chuckled.
“Seri, you know this?”
“Sisilia is a knight who, over ten years of missions, never let a single casualty occur.”
“She's a good person.”
“No, that's not it.”
Leo Ric pondered Sisilia, who was probably killing time somewhere right now.
“She did it because she could.”
“!”
“She could, so there was no need to produce casualties.”
No matter how smart a Sword Demon knight was, that shouldn't be possible. At least, not for Leo Ric.
It meant one thing.
“Sisilia is at least stronger than me.”
Leo Ric shrugged.
Nothing impressive about it. Every Windsor knight knew it—except the clueless doting fathers.
“Well, she doesn't seem keen on showing it, so everyone treats it as an unspoken rule.”
Leo Ric smiled faintly.
“It's a blessing.”
He truly believed that.
“Knowing there's someone to take up the mantle if I die.”
**
Londinium was a depressing city. Thick fog that blurred day from night. Faces etched with wariness from frequent crimes. Plenty of money flowed through the city, but the people cast out, never grasping those opportunities.
“This is Londinium's black market.”
Even in such a place, there were vibrant spots.
Londinium's black market, Leberun.
True to its roots as a trade city, this area buzzed with all sorts of goods.
“Lady Sisilia. You absolutely cannot leave my side.”
“Can't I?”
“Absolutely not!”
Beatrice was more tense than ever.
A place where goods, people, even truths had prices. Shadows beyond the law's reach.
As such, it brimmed with wondrous items—and con artists!
“Don't forget the mission. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
Beatrice grabbed Sisilia's hand with an anxious look.
“Please don't forget. We're not here for fun shopping. We're here to find murderer Jack.”
“You're treating me like a little kid, Betty.”
Sisilia said flatly.
“No matter what, the mission comes first. I've never once forgotten that as a knight.”
'As expected of Lady Sisilia.'
Beatrice inwardly admired her. Sisilia could be absurdly whimsical at times, but on duty, she was another being entirely.
Look at her now. Normally, she'd be grinning at merchants and buying weird junk by the pile, but today her mature face ignored everything.
“Breast enlargement potion here! Doubles your size, guaranteed!”
And Beatrice witnessed it. Crowds rushing past. Sisilia was dragging her along at a mad sprint.
“I'll buy it. How much?”
“A bit pricey, like a young lady's tiny chest.”
The merchant grinned, slamming down the vial.
“10 gold.”
Sisilia pulled out her entire fortune without hesitation.
“Three.”
“Don't buy it!”
Beatrice half-screamed, scooping up Sisilia and bolting. She shoved her into an alley corner and launched into a lecture.
“Got it, Lady Sisilia? Never buy suspicious drugs from the black market!”
“...”
“Most are scams anyway, and the origins are shady!”
“This one too?”
“...When did you buy that?”
Sisilia's shopping speed outpaced light.
“They say this makes women feel good. Wanna share a drink in the inn room?”
Beatrice wordlessly snatched the vial and smashed it on the ground.
Crash!
“Ah, aah! That cost 1 gold.”
“...Hand it over.”
“My virginity's expensive.”
“...Not that.”
Beatrice glared coldly, hand outstretched. Sisilia shuddered.
“Hand over all your money to me.”
“N-no way. Betty's stingy, cheap, and poor—she won't let me buy anything.”
Sisilia desperately clung to her pouch. But Beatrice grabbed her by the scruff like a kitten and extorted the funds.
“!”
Sisilia felt pro pickpocket talent from Beatrice in an instant.
“This is the limit. No matter what you say, no more. Your overspending is way too much anyway, Lady Sisilia.”
“Ugh... Fine. If Betty insists.”
Beatrice wasn't fooled. She knew Sisilia's ploy—dragging out words cutely to act adorable.
'Classic aegyo escape attempt.'
“...Alright. I'll do whatever Betty says, so forgive me.”
“...”
Not fooled. Obedient act to evoke pity—obvious.
“Betty sis, can we get that?”
'Th-think that'll work? You underestimate me.'
Little sister cosplay to snag wants. Not fooled.
Beatrice was resolute.
And then...
“That bracelet would make us look like close sisters if we matched.”
“This necklace suits you perfectly, Betty sis. This one's fine for me.”
“Anything from sis makes me happy. Yay.”
“Gasp.”
Beatrice snapped back to reality. Caw-caw. Dusk had deepened; people were heading home.
'Wh-when did time fly like this?'
It was demonic. Beatrice panicked, seeing herself on a bench. And Sisilia happily counting her mountain of purchases beside her. Eyes wide, she checked her pouch—
“...”
Empty.
Sisilkitty had played her!
'B-but... b-but...!'
How could anyone resist the world's Sisilia pulling aegyo outright? She was usually stoic, and black-haired Sisilia hit fatally!
“M-my emergency funds are gone too.”
Plucked clean, Beatrice's spirit vanished with her wallet. Reality hit.
'We came for intel, but all we did was shop!'
“L-Lady Sisilia. Let's gather info fast now. We're really out of time.”
“Don't worry.”
Sisilia glanced at her, holding up a ring bought earlier to the moonlight.
“We'll head back to the capital by tomorrow.”
“What do you...”
That instant, a shop light behind them went out. Something caught Beatrice's eye.
Passersby. On their shoulders, faint white wisps.
Sisilia's wind.
“...!”
Beatrice frantically scanned the crowd. That man too, over there—and even the cat rummaging trash—
Not a single one missed. All bore the Blessing of Wind.
'Did she mark everyone we met today?'
Splitting and maintaining Blessings on them. Required constant mental imagery.
Like casting dozens of spells simultaneously in magic terms.
'How many people did we meet today?'
300? No, 3,000? Maybe more. Black market foot traffic was insane.
Meaning Sisilia was still holding images of all those people in her mind.
Chills. Goosebumps rose on Beatrice's pale skin.
Beatrice. You have exceptional talent. You'll become a hero who shakes the heavens one day.
'No, Dad.'
Talent, genius—that was it. Doing what others couldn't imagine, casually. And seeing it as utterly normal.
“Betty, can I touch your boobs once?”
“...If you hadn't said that, my respect for you would've pierced the heavens.”
“?”
Sisilia tilted her head.