Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: A Fiery Poison
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Those who make assassination their profession are called assassins.
In other words, killers.
I don't know what it was like in the past, but in the current empire, the term "assassin" generally refers to a single group.
The greatest enemy of the [Great Families] and the empire's biggest threat: the Dark Cult.
One of the five Calamity Gods worshiped by that cursed group—the Demon King of the Crimson Moon.
The followers of Hadenaihar.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Stop playing dumb. Then how do you explain this?”
When I grinned and showed him the dagger, Osel’s expression hardened.
It wasn't mine; I had pulled it from the clothes of the man I’d just thrown.
I showed him the sigil engraved on the dagger’s hilt.
“You’re not going to say you bought it at a souvenir shop, are you?”
The moment she saw the Demon King’s sigil, I could see a great ripple of shock spread across Arjan’s face.
To be honest, I was quite surprised myself.
I never thought a pawn of the Cult would have infiltrated Bednicker of all places.
That's because the thing those bastards fear most in this empire is the Bednicker Family.
‘I never heard about this in my past life.’
Of course, the Bednickers have very little interaction with other families.
Naturally, that means rumors rarely spread, so it’s possible the same incident occurred in my past life but was buried without ever becoming widely known.
Or, though the possibility is slim, perhaps they were never discovered at all.
“……”
Osel sighed and glared at me.
Immediately after, a murderous glint flashed in his eyes.
He’s going to kill me?
The moment I let out a chuckle, Osel kicked off the ground and charged. I saw the sword in his hand turn black.
‘A [Cursed One].’
A power that stands opposite to mana and Blessings.
The Great Families call this power [The Demon King's Curse]…
While the Dark Cult calls it [The Calamity God's Blessing].
Like Blessings, it’s not a power exclusive to the bloodlines of the Great Families.
And a power that can be obtained without limits is generally dangerous.
‘But this guy seems fine.’
They say those who are cursed are a bit off their rocker, but Osel showed no such signs.
He might be a bigger deal than I thought.
“Stay behind me, Young Master!”
Arjan, having come to her senses, stood in front of me.
At the same time, she kicked up her dagger from the ground, caught it in both hands, and immediately countered Osel's attack.
Osel swung his sword down, shouting.
“Victor!”
The knight I had just thrown charged toward me.
Seeing Arjan’s shoulders flinch, I told her curtly.
“I’m fine, so you focus on him.”
Then I drew my ring sword and swung it instantly.
*Clang!*
It had been a while since I’d felt the clash of blade against blade.
I had swung it to end that troll’s life a few days ago, but fighting a person felt completely different.
*Rumble…!*
A bluish aura enveloped the knight’s blade.
Sword qi, a mana blade.
“Tsk.”
If this turns into a battle of mana, I have no chance of winning.
It's not like my weapon is of better quality either.
The ring sword is a magical tool, but its durability isn’t its strong suit.
In the end, I abandoned the thought of a head-on fight and focused on evading my opponent’s attacks.
As I fought defensively and observed him for a while, the knight's systematic movements seemed familiar.
‘He’s using Imperial Swordsmanship?’
Why is he still fighting like a knight even though his identity has been exposed?
It's obvious.
These guys are assassins.
They're the type who show their true colors with a surprise attack, not in a chaotic brawl like this.
Which means he’s pretending to engage in a proper fight, waiting for an opening in this one-on-one situation.
*Ptoo!*
Just like that.
The knight spat at me.
Not saliva, that is, but a thin needle.
My head snapped back.
“Hah…!”
I heard a scoff, as if he thought his attack had landed perfectly…
But I straightened my head, revealing the truth.
“……!”
When I showed him the needle caught between my teeth, the knight’s smile froze on his face.
It’s only proper to return the favor for such an attack, so I punched the foolishly standing knight in the face.
“Gak-.”
Blood poured from the knight’s nose and mouth.
He probably didn't expect me to throw a punch with the hand holding my sword, because it landed better than I expected.
The knight, even while gushing blood, tried to fight back by swinging his fists, but only an idiot would get hit by such flailing movements.
*Thwack! Thwack!*
I grabbed the knight by the collar, repeatedly punched him in the face, and then kicked him away.
The knight tumbled to the ground with a crash.
He tried to get back on his feet quickly, but I’m no rookie who would let go of an advantage I’d just seized.
I stomped down firmly on the knight’s chest.
*Cruuunch…*
“Guuuhhh…”
I couldn't restrain his limbs, but the pressure was enough to crush his ribs, and his struggling gradually subsided.
That alone wasn’t enough, so I plunged my blade into the knight’s right hand.
I pinned him to the ground as if I had driven a nail through him.
“Aaargh!”
Even for an assassin, the pain of a blade piercing living flesh was apparently hard to bear, as a scream burst out of him.
In the meantime, I snatched the knight’s sword and plunged it into his left hand as well.
Once again, a scream like a stuck pig echoed through the forest.
Only then did I take the needle out of my mouth and speak.
“Shut up before I pin your tongue too.”
“You, you…”
“You what, you bastard? Speak clearly.”
The knight's expression hardened, and he stammered.
“Who… who are you…? Where is Ruan Bednicker?”
“You don't look stupid, but that was a stupid question.”
Seeing my sneer, an earthquake erupted in the assassin’s eyes.
He was probably thinking all sorts of things.
The shadier the person, the more they tend to overthink.
“I’m not a body double, and I’m not wearing a human-skin mask. I am Ruan Bednicker. Your target, the foolish young master you’re dying to kill.”
“……”
Even after I told him the truth, he didn't look like he believed me.
Of course, I had no reason to convince him, so I continued with what I had to say.
“So who the hell are you? What gave you the nerve to impersonate the Fang Knights? And who gave you the mission to kill me?”
“……”
“No, that's not it. It's probably not an impersonation. The Bednicker defenses aren't that sloppy. A former knight who made contact with the Cult through some means and betrayed us, does that sound more plausible?”
This one is a grunt.
The thought occurred to me the moment I saw his bewildered expression.
If it were Osel, he wouldn't have shown any reaction to my words.
Anyway, if he’s not going to talk, I have no more business with him.
*Thwack.*
I punched the knight in the face once more, and he passed out.
I could have killed him, but it’s not out of the question.
There might be a way to extract information from him later, so I’ll hold off for now.
“Now then…”
I retrieved my ring sword from the knight and surveyed the battlefield.
She was still locked in a fierce battle with Osel, and it didn't look like a victor would be decided easily.
‘They’re evenly matched… no, Osel has a slight advantage.’
Their skills seemed similar.
The reason is likely Arjan’s compromised condition.
‘This is trouble.’
Even if I were to join in now, I don't think I'd be of much help.
My body is one thing, but I’m severely lacking in mana.
Of course, that doesn’t mean there’s no way to help.
I watched them for a moment, then pulled out the knight’s sword and threw it at the right moment.
“……!”
Osel, who had been focused on the fight, flinched in surprise and twisted his body.
For an instant, a large opening appeared in his upper body, and Arjan did not miss it.
*Slice!*
Her sharp dagger slashed from his thigh to his collarbone in a single motion.
It wasn't a fatal blow, but it was a critical wound.
However, Osel didn’t even let out a groan. Instead, with astonishing grit, he kicked Arjan in the side.
*Crash!*
Arjan rolled across the ground several times, coughing as if something had gone down the wrong pipe.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes.”
Arjan replied gruffly, then looked at Osel and said.
“Drop your weapon, Osel.”
“……”
Osel glared at us, blood dripping from his wound.
“You know better than anyone that you can’t win with that injury.”
“……”
“Why did an assassin of Hadenaihar infiltrate Bednicker? Depending on your testimony, the lives of those around you may be spared.”
“Heh heh.”
The corner of Osel’s mouth twisted.
“Do you think a wound like this is enough to subdue me?”
“I recommend you stop talking. You don’t want to die of blood loss, do you?”
“Blood loss? From this?”
The moment Osel let out a sinister laugh.
I threw my ring sword.
*Thunk!*
“Gack…”
“……!”
Arjan looked at me with a startled expression.
Osel, too, touched his neck with a look of disbelief, his fingers fumbling with the blade that had pierced straight through his throat.
*Gurgle.* Osel made a grotesque sound as blood and phlegm churned in his throat.
His body slowly crumpled.
“Y-Young Master?”
“Butler, you should never listen to guys like that until the end. He was clearly acting like he had something up his sleeve.”
“But…”
“Besides, interrogation doesn’t work on the [Cursed], unlike on grunts. Pressing him here would have just been a waste of time.”
The Cursed are those whose demonic energy has invaded their brains.
It means they’re insensitive to pain, like drug addicts. As such, even a specialist in torture couldn’t extract information from them.
As far as I know, the only ones who can interrogate them are the Church’s Inquisitors.
“I kept one alive just in case, so first, from that guy—”
At that moment, I heard a sound like the air itself was tearing from the darkness.
I sensed the attack, but reacting to it was another matter entirely.
“Young Master!”
*Thud.* I felt the sensation of a blade piercing flesh.
***
“Guh, guh, guh…”
Osel got to his feet, laughing.
*Crack, crunch.* A sickening sound echoed, as if his muscles and joints were twisting together.
But there was no pain at all.
On the contrary, Osel was floundering in a swamp of pleasure he had never experienced before.
“Young Master, your wound needs to be treated quickly—”
“I’m fine, so stay still.”
Even in the midst of his catharsis, Osel couldn't resist saying a word.
“How could you possibly be fine…”
In the meantime, his body’s transformation was complete.
Without looking in a mirror, Osel realized he was no longer human, but surprisingly, it wasn't a bad feeling.
Ruan looked at him and commented.
“…You look just like a walking toad. But you’re as big as a troll—”
“It seems you still have the energy to run your mouth.”
That won't last long, Osel thought, though he didn't say the words aloud. Arjan’s expression was grim.
The dagger was lodged in Ruan’s shoulder.
It wasn't a vital spot, nor was the wound particularly large.
Yet Osel treated Ruan like a fish already caught.
“…What did you coat the dagger with?”
“Indeed. You certainly think like one of us.”
Osel said with a smile.
“The most terrible poison in the world. Consider it an honor. It was originally meant to be used in the battle against the Jewel Beast…”
“Jewel Beast?”
“We were scheduled to fight the Jewel Beast [Sapphire Snake]. That creature possesses an aura of extreme cold, so powerful that most people freeze solid before they can even get close.”
Feeling like he could fly, Osel nonchalantly divulged top-secret information.
It was a side effect of the demonic energy encroaching on his brain, but it didn't matter.
They were all going to die here anyway, so what did it matter?
“To pierce the Sapphire Snake’s scales, we sought a spirit herb with an aura of extreme yang, and we finally obtained it. What was on the dagger just now was an extract from that spirit herb.”
“A spirit herb…? Then it’s medicine—”
“What a foolish thing to say. Poison and medicine have always been two sides of the same coin.”
Only then did Arjan grasp the situation.
“Give me the antidote.”
Osel looked at Arjan, who had dropped her formal tone, with amusement.
“Fool! As if a poison this potent would have an antidote!”
The moment Osel opened his mouth, a thick tongue shot out from it.
*Craaack!* Osel’s tongue whipped through the forest, shattering a large tree it touched as if it were a rotten branch.
Arjan was too busy evading.
Unlike their previous engagement, she couldn’t even think of counterattacking.
“We experimented a few times before putting this poison to practical use! Even a salamander, which is particularly resistant to fire, screamed like a pig for ten minutes before turning to ash!”
“……”
“This is getting interesting. Ruan Bednicker, I wonder just how long you can last?”
Osel expected Ruan’s face to be a mess of fear and despair, but he was wrong.
Ruan wore a dazed expression.
It seemed the fool still couldn't believe his own impending death.
“Five minutes.”
Then, he uttered a strange phrase in a bewildered voice.
“I think it’ll take about five minutes.”
Osel found Ruan’s tone strangely subtle.
No, more than that.
‘How can he still speak?’