Chapter 29: The Hongryeon Captain's Pleasure Nerves Are Dead—Care for a Massage Before You Go?
“Minister, are you finished?”
As I wrapped up work and exited the Magic Tower, the coachman was waiting at the entrance. He was the one assigned to handle my commute. When the emperor sent over the maids for me, he'd insisted on including this man as well. I'd said I didn't need any servants, but he argued it was necessary to maintain appearances.
“Move out quickly.”
He didn't ride with me except for trips between the mansion and the tower, but he handled his duties swiftly and efficiently, so I was satisfied.
“Very well, we're off.”
Clop-clop.
The horse's hooves rang out crisply. I closed my eyes and sorted through my thoughts.
Siegfried's still not making a move.
I figured he'd react right away to what I did. She got status execution, but she's still the Duke of Siegfried's daughter. After the way I humiliated her, I expected something.
Should I provoke him more?
I was pondering whether to drag the Duke of Siegfried himself into this when a commotion erupted outside.
“M-Minister.”
The coachman spoke to me cautiously.
“You might need to come out.”
“What's going on?”
I spread my mana to probe the situation around the carriage. Thick killing intent poured in from all directions.
The sun was setting over the city. A secluded alley where few people passed. Obvious.
Assassins.
Who sent them?
There weren't many who would dare send assassins after me. The most likely suspect was, of course...
Siegfried.
A snort escaped me at the predictable response.
“M-Minister...?”
The coachman's trembling voice snapped me out of it. I should spare the poor guy.
“Got it. I'll handle it. You stay inside the carriage.”
“Th-thank you.”
I cast a simple barrier over the carriage and stepped out. Sure enough, the alley was packed with masked assassins.
“In this era, after the empire unified and the capital fell to magic, assassins in masks? Isn't that a bit too outdated?”
They didn't respond.
“Actions over words, then. Not bad. It's my style too.”
“Let's get started. I only need one alive for interrogation.”
Snap!
I flicked my fingers. The most basic Magic Missile. My favorite spell. Simple. Destructive.
Mana overlap. Formula overlap. Technique overlap.
Overlap, overlap, overlap, overlap.
An eighth-order overlapped spell. Each layer multiplied the power exponentially.
2 to the power of 8. A whopping 256 times reinforced Magic Missile.
More than enough to shred every assassin here.
Might've overdone it a bit.
As I unleashed the missiles in all directions...
“Open the magic barrier!”
Mana surged among the assassins. Mages too? They spared no expense.
Half the missiles lost power. Still plenty left.
Boom!
“Gaaah!”
Nearly half the assassins collapsed, spraying blood.
“Good. Deploy magic seal, phase two!”
At the leader's command, mana churned violently.
“Tch, black magic.”
Blood from the corpses rose into the air. It became the medium, wrapping the area in dark magical power. External mana was completely cut off. Only raw magic power remained around the carriage.
A normal mage couldn't cast in this state.
“He can't use magic now! Morris without magic is just a scarecrow!”
The leader's voice rose. The mages behind him channeled power. Blood-red spears formed in their hands.
“Can't use magic, huh...”
Ridiculous.
“You really thought this puny setup could kill me?”
I spread my hand. Forcibly drew in mana from outside the seal.
Whoosh!
Black flames erupted from my fingertips.
“What the—?”
I blocked the red spear aimed at my heart with the flames. The absorbed spear reformed in the same shape, piercing the mages' chests.
“Gurk!”
The mages crumbled to ash. Masters of black magic.
With the seal mages dead, the rest was easy. The rampant magic power destabilized.
“Gaaah!”
“S-save me!”
“M-Mommy!”
The unstable magic devoured everyone except me and the leader. No bodies left behind.
“Wh-what the hell...”
“You thought I couldn't cast here? Too naive.”
“You monster!”
The leader finally drew his sword. A sharp blue aura gleamed. Untouched by the magic storm—Swordmaster level. Tough opponent.
I feigned calm, but...
I've burned through most of my mana.
The backlash from forcing mana through the seal made my stomach churn.
“I'll kill you no matter what!”
He charged, sword drawn. The signature blue blade of a Swordmaster lit the area.
“Tch.”
I hastily fired a Magic Missile to deflect his path.
Swoosh!
The sword sliced empty air. I swung my hand. Two missiles targeted his vitals.
Clang! Clang!
Swordmaster-grade knight, as expected. No easy win.
The longer it dragged, the more I was pushed back. He pressed forward, cornering me. I shifted to defense. He hammered relentlessly.
“Huff, huff.”
Mana nearly depleted. Sweat beaded on my forehead.
He was tiring too. His lips curled, thinking he had me. Confident in his mission? Or relieved facing a mana-less mage?
That tiny lapse in vigilance.
I didn't miss it.
“It's over. Die, monster!”
Squelch!
Flesh tore with a gruesome rip.
“Sorry, but you're the one dying.”
“Wh-what...”
A massive blood-forged spear impaled his chest. Identical to the black mages' earlier.
“Y-you... black magic?”
“Didn't want to show this much. But respect for pushing me this far.”
Still.
His end wouldn't be pretty. My interrogations weren't something humans endured.
I placed my hand on the leader's head as his life's light faded. Interrogation was simple: dive in and read memories.
Fatal flaw: it shattered the mind.
“Grrgh!”
Even a Swordmaster.
He convulsed, eyes rolling back. By the time I finished, foam bubbled from his mouth.
“Lucky, in a way.”
Dead before total madness. Thanks to that, I identified the culprits. As expected: Siegfried.
Time to send a gift in return.
First, a bath. Covered in blood, dirt, sweat.
“Coachman.”
“Y-yes, sir!”
“Back to the mansion.”
“R-right away.”
***
Same time.
“Elis.”
“L-Lady Luis?”
“Came to check if my cute kitten's serving another master.”
Luis had infiltrated the Dmitry mansion covertly. To confirm if her subordinate Elis had betrayed her.
“Betrayal? No way.”
“Something felt off. Sneaking into the mighty Magic Department Minister's mansion so easily?”
“It's not like that, Captain.”
“Really? Let's verify.”
Luis's heels clicked as she loomed over Elis. A head taller, she gazed down naturally.
“Why keep dodging my eyes?”
“D-don't look at me like that...”
“Body heating up, going mad with desire?”
Luis traced Elis's bare shoulder with sharp nails. A red line etched into the pale skin.
“C-Captain.”
“My cute kitten used to love the pain.”
“P-please, stop.”
Elis reached to push her away. Luis snatched her arm.
“Kyaa!”
“You liked it rough.”
Luis yanked her arm and kissed her fiercely. Elis's warm tongue entwined with hers.
“If you really hate it, push me away.”
But Elis couldn't.
“Good. You're mine forever.”
Elis looked up at Luis. That condescending gaze. Not human—pure tool. Normally, it'd make her shiver.
Not enough.
Falling short. Compared to the thrill seeing Morris that day, way short.
Luis's stare and caresses soaked Elis's thighs plenty.
Chomp!
“Haaang!”
Luis bit Elis's lower lip hard on her dazed face. Blood's metallic tang filled her mouth.
She's looking elsewhere.
Weak reaction. Normally, she'd beg for more torment, dropping to her knees, stripping first.
'Let me serve you,' licking my pussy eagerly.
Luis wouldn't feel it, but she'd adore her cute kitten's devotion.
Yet Elis stared blankly. As if...
Still far from enough.
“Elis.”
“Yes, Captain...”
“Who are you?”
“I'm Elis, assassin of Hongryeon.”
Elis answered without wiping the blood.
“Who am I?”
“Lady Luis, captain of Hongryeon, my master.”
Still good. The implanted suggestion worked.
Luis relaxed, scratching Elis's cheek with her nail.
“Good girl.”
***
Something's off with her. Need to watch closely for a while.
Luis vaulted the Dmitry mansion wall.
“Who are you?”
“Eek!”
Caught by Morris entering through the back door.
Why is the Magic Department Minister here?!
He always used the front!
The minister's state was wild. Clothes torn, face and body smeared with blood, sweat, dirt.
No wonder he used the back—not fit for the front gate.
Bad luck.
“Uh, ah...”
Caught off-guard, Luis couldn't answer properly.
“Anyone leaving my mansion is one of two things.”
The minister looked up at her.
“An invited guest... or a damn thief bitch.”
“Ah.”
“Who are you?”
“...”
“Guest or thief bitch?”
Luis realized instinctively.
He's testing me.
Eyes like he knew everything. Aura that could devour her whole.
She froze, unable to meet his gaze. She knew one man with eyes like that.
The emperor.
This man matched that pressure.
“A g-guest.”
“I see. Then come inside. Can't make a guest scale the wall.”
The minister smiled kinder than anyone.
But Luis knew. That smile was her death sentence.
***
I was exhausted. Planned to crash the moment I got home.
But a rude intruder hopped the wall. Agile, but our eyes met perfectly. Then she froze solid.
Claimed to be a guest, so I brought her in. Obviously not.
Hongryeon member, probably.
Skill to evade my magic sense... Likely the captain, Luis.
Is she this hot?
Tanned bronze skin, boyishly short black hair, toned athletic body that'd impress any man with its bounce.
Here for Elis's report? Whatever.
I brought her in out of simple curiosity.
Hongryeon's captain, Luis, underwent special surgery severing all pleasure nerves. No poison or torture works on her.
A mage's curiosity sparked. Does she really feel nothing?
“Sorry my servant kept your guest waiting.”
“No problem.”
I changed clothes and washed up. Felt much better. Mana not fully recovered, but she wouldn't know.
About my battle with a Swordmaster-led assassin squad.
“Can't just send a guest away empty-handed...”
Playing dumb, I asked her.
“Care for a massage before you go?”