Why is This Yours?
“This is the first time for something like this? Don’t worry, Jagi. Just lie there quietly and let me handle everything.”
Nox leaned over Jin, who was lying on the bed with his shirt off, reassuring him with a gentle voice.
“Don’t be tense, relax your body. Leave it all to me, Jagi.”
Her usual lazy voice sounded strangely sticky for some reason.
Jin watched her as she approached, then slowly closed his eyes, hoping the strange atmosphere of the tattoo removal would end soon.
*
A knife had entered Jack’s neck.
The blade sparkled in the sunlight, emitting a razor-sharp light.
The person pointing the knife glared at Jack with wide eyes.
“Repeat what you said.”
Even with the knife under his chin, Jack smiled calmly and repeated what he had just said.
“I said the forbidden book was stolen.”
“It’s not something you should say so arrogantly!”
The man was about to stab him right away.
But Jack’s expression remained unchanged.
He even seemed to find the situation boring.
“Then what do you want? The stolen item.”
“It should have been retrieved!”
“Do you really need to bet your life? We don’t even get paid much.”
The man shouting was one of the Wild Dog Alliance’s executives.
He knew well how important the forbidden book obtained from this robbery was.
It was an item of value worth risking one’s life for.
But he also knew it wasn’t for Jack.
“Tsk, you’re the kind of guy who needs to be killed… You shouldn’t get too cocky relying on your skills.”
“Yes.”
“Damn it, I didn’t think the Holy Kingdom’s pursuit team would find us so soon…”
“Ah, it wasn’t the Holy Kingdom?”
“What?”
Then who was it?
The executive who had sheathed the blade looked at him curiously.
Jack scratched his head as if recalling memories.
“That… there was something about calling him ‘Your Highness’… What was the name again…”
“What are you talking about?”
“Ah, I remember. Rosemond. It was Rosemond.”
“…Rosemond?”
It seemed like a known name, and the executive’s eyebrows twitched.
“A noble lady named Rosemond said that to me, ‘You came to reclaim what you trampled and stole from us.’”
“Really!”
The executive laughed mockingly.
“A fallen noble lady’s daughter coming to reclaim it? Dream on. Wait, so does that mean you stole the forbidden book from this Rosemond?”
“Well, in the end, yes.”
“You idiot! How is that possible?!”
“It happened.”
A slight smile appeared on Jack’s lips.
His eyes sparkled brightly for a moment.
The executive’s expression hardened quickly as he heard the name murmured in a voice soaked with admiration and anger.
“Jin. That guy was there.”
“…Jin.”
“I saw it with my own eyes for the first time. It seemed much stronger than rumors. Ah, how thrilling it was when I got hit in the stomach…”
Jack’s voice trailed off, trembling at the fingertips.
It no longer reached the executive.
His complexion had paled, and his eyes were shaken as if lost.
Jin.
The name that was a legend or a horror filled his mind completely.
A vague and immense fear ate away at his body like a great abyss.
From the fear born of his own imagination, the executive barely escaped.
“…So Jin was with Rosemond. Is that what you mean?”
“It seemed that way.”
“…”
Came to reclaim what was trampled and stolen.
It was a ridiculous pretense.
Power, territory, military, honor and fame, capital and resources.
Everything lost, only a record that she was once a noble left for a young lady who had been ruined.
It was the recklessness of a young man blinded by revenge who couldn’t see reality.
It was like swinging a stick at a heavy cavalry.
No matter what she held in her hand, such a thing was impossible.
However, there was one exception.
If she could move the man named Jin.
If what she held was the Eastern Sword Saint.
…It couldn’t be said to be impossible.
“So that’s how it turned out…”
A few days ago, he had sent a pursuit team to eliminate Rosemond.
Because he had received instructions from the Holy Kingdom to definitely remove her.
The pursuit team that included the elite soldiers of the Wild Dog Alliance had failed the mission.
“At that time, it was Jin’s doing…”
The investigation at the scene showed that all but one had died.
The whereabouts of that one person could not be determined.
Since he couldn’t have survived from Jin, it must have been Jin who intentionally let him live.
He liked to send warnings in that way.
But when the warning didn’t arrive… he must have run away in fear.
Because when facing Jin’s might in person, especially as an opponent, it always ended that way.
The fact that Jin was with Rosemond seemed to be true.
“…I need to call a meeting.”
Looking at the executive muttering blankly, Jack shook his head.
He wouldn’t last long in this organization. It was a place without much value except for the leader.
Even the leader now had no value.
Because he had realized the bigger bowl that was Jin.
*
Jin.
Thief gang, criminal organization, mercenary, soldier, knight, guard, etc.
The name that anyone who used ‘force’ as a foundation would have heard at some point.
It had risen to the top of the Wild Dog Alliance’s executive meeting table.
The reason they had remained silent about the Holy Kingdom’s injustices for years was now becoming a real threat to them.
The leader of the Wild Dog Alliance, sitting at the head of the table, rested his hand on his chin, lost in thought.
His serious expression meant that none of the executives present could voice their opinions.
After much deliberation, the leader spoke.
“We will ally with the Holy Kingdom.”
“Huh, but Leader. We already revealed that we attacked the Holy Kingdom.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
The leader explained.
“Only we know the current location of the forbidden book. The Holy Kingdom doesn’t. Therefore, the problem becomes simple. We pretend to have the forbidden book and open a negotiation table with the Holy Kingdom.”
“…”
“Those hypocritical bastards hate the possibility that the true nature of the forbidden book will be revealed to the world even more than anything. Therefore, the plan will proceed as scheduled. We will blackmail them with the forbidden book. Make them hand over the status and land in Canaan we should receive. And to help us face Jin.”
“Indeed…! If even the Holy Kingdom’s knights become allies, we can face Jin!”
“Do you think that?”
“…”
“The important thing is not those sword-wielding thugs called knights or whatever.”
Pfft.
The leader shrugged and laughed.
It seemed he found it really ridiculous.
“Jin, that guy is a horny idiot who dies from the saintess.”
“Correct. According to the saintess, he’s a very romantic lover who listens to anything. …I don’t know why such a Jin left the Holy Kingdom.”
“The important thing is not that. By blackmailing the Holy Kingdom, we can use the saintess.”
“What does that mean…!”
“Yes. Send the saintess as Jin’s opponent. What can that horny bastard do then?”
Hah hah hah.
The leader laughed mockingly.
“Contact the Holy Kingdom and coordinate the date.”
His gaze turned to the map hanging on the wall of the meeting room.
“First, we must obtain Down Fork.”
*
“Jagi, you can get up now. It’s all over.”
Still lying down, he slightly checked his arm.
The skin that had been reddened like it was cooked in fire had returned to normal color.
It wasn’t completely healed yet, and the infinite symbol of the tattoo stood out like a scar.
“The remaining marks will heal naturally. Within a month. So don’t worry.”
“Thank you.”
“It was the first time, right? It didn’t hurt, did it?”
“Not really.”
There was a slightly prickly sensation left, but it didn’t hurt.
Rather, it felt refreshing.
Compared to the pain that had been burning like being grilled with hot coals, this was mild.
The remaining similar sensation would subside soon.
“But Jagi. What should I say…”
“?”
“It seems like you have a special constitution.”
“Because you’re an Easterner, perhaps.”
“Is that so?”
I wondered if he had figured out that I was terminally ill.
But from the reaction, it didn’t seem so.
Good. If it was known that I might not be able to use it for long, it would be troublesome.
After all, the fewer people who know about the weakness, the better.
“Uh huh…”
After finishing the tattoo removal, as Nox dressed, she smiled wickedly.
Looking at the forbidden book I brought.
Her wicked and pleasant gaze turned to me, and she gave a light smile.
“Thank you, Jagi.”
“It’s a request, so there’s nothing to thank for.”
“I didn’t expect you to come find it so quickly. I was expecting at least a few days. Jagi, you must be much more amazing than people say, right? There’s a reason people talk about you with their mouths open?”
“It seems so.”
“Wow.”
She suddenly burst into laughter.
When I looked at her curiously, she said while hugging the forbidden book to her chest.
“Jagi, you have a surprisingly interesting side, you know?”
“Well. This is the first time I’ve heard praise. I do have some skills, but…”
I replied appropriately and got up from my seat.
“If you need anything, come anytime. Since you’re Jagi, I’ll make it cheap for you.”
Her skills were various.
Not just tattooing with magical symbols.
Knowing that would be a very useful human resource in many ways.
“Understood.”
After remembering her words, I opened the door to the treatment room.
As I exited the alley, a hyena beastman walked briskly towards me.
His eyes were bloodshot. He seemed about to do something reckless.
“…”
Large quadrupedal beasts emitting a menacing atmosphere were heading to Nox’s shop.
I quietly watched their backs, then walked to the opposite side.
*
“Jin. It’s over?”
As I exited the alley, Rosemond was waiting.
“It didn’t hurt? I got in a lot of pain when I removed it…. Was it because it was the first time?”
“It just stung a bit.”
“That’s good. Before I go, I have something to explain.”
She unfolded a map on the floor and squatted down.
It was a very worn and old map.
Detailed routes and explanations were recorded on the map.
I couldn’t even guess how many times she had unfolded and used this map.
“My goal is to reclaim Canaan.”
She drew a circle with her finger.
It was a very large circle. The entire circle was Canaan.
“Large.”
“Yes. It’s vast and fertile land. And it can’t be reclaimed in a day. So, while waiting, I thought about where to take first.”
Her voice gradually sank as she immersed herself.
Her calm voice was clear.
Like someone constantly reviewing before moving pieces on a chessboard, she explained the map.
“To do that, I need to consider the conditions of the place to take. First, since it needs to spread to multiple places, it needs good transportation. Second, it needs to be easy to defend. Third, it needs to be self-sufficient. And most importantly, the fourth. It must be a place where actual reclamation can be executed.”
As she said, the condition of ‘currently executable’ was the most important.
The capital of Canaan, where the Holy Kingdom’s elite forces are stationed, I couldn’t just storm in no matter how much I wanted.
“So, after filtering the conditions.”
Tap.
Rosemond’s finger pointed to a fork in the map.
“Down Fork.”
Down Fork
Small in scale but the most important strategic point in southern Canaan.
Head south to the fork. Find what is buried there.
“What do you think?”
“…Are you asking for my opinion?”
“Yes. Since you’re the one who will execute it, it’s important.”
She said it purely.
It was natural that she was checking my opinion.
She’s very practical and thoughtful, unlike being called villainess or witch.
I shrugged at her looking up at me.
“Anything, I’ll do as the employer says.”
Down Fork.
I didn’t know where it was or what the current situation was.
No matter what the purpose, the fastest and surest way to reach Down Fork was with Rosemond.
So, I had no reason to refuse.
“I see. First, let’s go to the village near Down Fork…”
-Boom!
At that moment, a noise and dust explosion burst out from the alley.
Footsteps of many feet kicking the ground along with the beast’s growl.
The shadow that had been running out of the alley spotted us and hurriedly stopped.
The ends of his luxurious blonde hair were wet with sweat.
“You guys! You were still there!”
The dark elf holding the forbidden book in his pocket was Nox.
“You damned kid! Come here right now!”
“Hand over that book-! We’ll use it well for you!”
The hyenas’ cries coming from the alley where she had burst out.
Nox suddenly jumped in front of me.
“Jagi, can you help me?”
I looked at Rosemond.
“I’ll definitely give you a reward. This is a transaction. It’s not just asking for help.”
She blinked quickly, then nodded at me.
“Indeed, you’re good at calculating things.”
I hid that Nox behind me and stood in front of the alley entrance.
“Jagi, your actions are fast too.”
Two hyenas were approaching at a full run on all fours.
“Get out of the way!”
“If you don’t move, I’ll kill you!”
Two beasts running towards me, sticking out their long tongues and spraying saliva.
Their yellow fangs were thick and sharp. Getting bitten would be fatal.
I was bare-handed, but it didn’t matter.
These beasts were nothing.
“Just bite to death!”
“I’ll eat you deliciously!”
The two open mouths approached as if to swallow me.
And the next moment.
-Crunch!
The teeth in the forcibly closed two mouths shattered, and the two hyenas were slammed to the ground.
“Kyaa…”
“Kehk!”
And my hand was pressing hard on their heads.
“Close your mouths. You smell bad.”
It was time to work.