Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Theft
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"No matter how you look at it... What kind of master assassin hands over the Black Ledger to an outsider for personal reasons...!"
Tuah finally lost his patience and raised his voice.
"Must've been an assassin with a peculiar personality."
"Someone who was at the scene back then said he seemed awfully worldly for an assassin."
"See! I told you this would happen!"
"How mysterious. Sir Dray, how do you know every little detail?"
"No, not that."
"Pardon?"
"I told you! I said you'd be able to help with this!"
"...Ah."
No.
How did it turn out like this?
Rishir felt an inexplicable frustration.
"..."
Tuah, who had been blankly watching their exchange, gave up trying to understand.
"So, what now? Should I just write 'Face Thief' on this parchment?"
Rishir took out an ink pen from somewhere and poised it over the parchment.
"W-Wait a second!!!"
Not only Tuah but even Dray panicked and stopped him.
"Oh, is this not how you use it?"
Rishir scratched the back of his head with the ink pen and asked them.
This time, Dray let out a chuckle.
"Even if you ask me—"
"You recognized what this item was right away, Sir Dray, so I assumed you knew all about it."
"Know all about it? I just mentioned a name I'd only heard in rumors."
"...In a situation this important?"
"Yeah. It was you."
Rishir felt frustration once again at Dray's matter-of-fact attitude.
What is this?
Why does this guy keep spouting nonsense that somehow turns out right?
"Does Sir Tuah know anything about this item either?"
As if.
Tuah looked at him with weary eyes.
By now, the sharp glint in her eyes had dulled considerably.
"Then let's just write 'Face Thief' on the parchment for now. You said that Face Thief was the former master of the assassin guild, right? He might even be from the same group as the one who gave me this item."
"No, no. Rishir, hold on a minute. Is this really okay? Using something like that here?"
"..."
Rishir scratched his head with a complicated expression.
"To be honest, this thing is more trouble than it's worth for me. I rarely hate someone enough to want them dead. The only one who comes to mind is my father, maybe?"
"?"
"?"
"Well, that's old news now anyway. No one comes to mind at the moment. And I doubt that will change much in the future. So, I think using it for you two this time around isn't a bad choice. You both seem to know its value, so you'll pay the appropriate price, right?"
"..."
"..."
Both of their faces twisted with furrowed brows.
Pay the price for the Black Ledger?
"Rishir, put that thing away for now."
"Pardon?"
Tuah stopped him with a complicated expression.
"I thought it was urgent since someone of your stature came forward."
"It is urgent."
"Then why?"
"No, that's not the issue—"
As Tuah, still not used to dealing with Rishir, floundered, Dray spoke up on her behalf.
"I never imagined we'd use something like that against the Face Thief, but it might be like using a cattle butcher's knife to kill a chicken."
It was overkill in terms of power and value.
Even great noble houses like the Mastien or Drivlan families, which dominated parts of the continent, might have to sacrifice a pillar of their house to pay for it.
"It's not for targeting an individual assassin—it's for mobilizing an entire organization."
"..."
Rishir glared at the parchment.
A tool that mobilizes an entire organization?
'What the hell did that guy give me?'
From what he'd heard, it wasn't something you'd give as repayment for a personal favor.
In the first place, no master assassin would give it to just anyone.
He suddenly felt pity for the guild members he'd never met.
"What a shame. I wanted to help you both."
Rishir reluctantly put the parchment away.
Haa.
The two great nobles let out sighs of relief without realizing it.
"Oh, by the way—do you mind if I ask Sir Tuah something that's been on my mind?"
"What?"
"I understand the Face Thief committed the grave crime of murdering a hero. But why is the Drivlan Family pursuing him? And dispatching a special knight unit at that—"
"He was under our family's patronage."
"Ah, I see."
Rishir understood immediately.
It was common for noble houses to sponsor artists or adventurers to boost their prestige.
'Being a great noble house, their sponsorship scale is on another level.'
At that moment, Dray straightened out the unsettled atmosphere and said to Tuah,
"So, do you have a plan? How do you intend to find that Face Thief who's hidden himself in this massive city?"
"Considering his movements so far, he won't leave until he's accomplished his goal here. And he won't just hole up quietly either."
"His goal being?"
"What else? Stealing faces."
"..."
"As you can tell from murdering a hero, his methods are beyond bold. He doesn't care what it takes as long as he can steal great power."
"Does this have anything to do with you coming straight to this mansion?"
"..."
She had entered Bondales covertly with Dray's help and set up a base here at the Gus mansion without anyone knowing.
Accompanied by a small elite unit.
Tuah nodded.
"Yes, there's plenty worth stealing in this mansion right now. So, Dray. And Rishir. Both of you, be careful."
Tuah also glanced at Meishi standing behind Dray.
His bodyguard nodded.
The meeting disbanded amid the heavy atmosphere.
"Huff... huff..."
Mangnus, deputy commander of the Drivlan Special Task Force.
For a 7th circle expert like him, ragged breathing was not a common sight.
Especially in a shallow back alley of the city where only thugs might wander.
Having spotted a suspicious figure on the street and given chase, he was now facing off against one person.
A young man with a neat impression that contrasted his noble features.
The gray mage tower insignia on his shoulder was notable, but so was the sword at his waist—suspicious indeed.
"Huff... huff..."
Right now, his opponent's condition was no better than Mangnus's.
His breathing badly disrupted from clashing with Mangnus.
In such a tense standoff where both were nearing their limits—
The young man's neat impression suddenly changed.
"No choice now. I guess I'll have to use that."
"...!"
Mangnus instinctively stepped back.
The young man's aura was off.
He suddenly sheathed his drawn sword and crouched low.
Like a four-legged beast poised to pounce.
"What now...!"
Mangnus braced himself in alarm.
At this point, Mangnus was certain.
This guy was the Face Thief.
His ability to freely wield an unimaginable array of sword techniques went beyond the realm of 'swordsmanship.'
Not a display of skill, but a phenomenon manifested through some kind of power.
It couldn't be explained without invoking the Face Thief's ability.
In fact, among the sword techniques he'd perfectly executed so far were even the hero's swordsmanship.
And Mangnus's own techniques too.
The terrifying rumor that he could replicate a 7th circle expert's unique swordsmanship on the spot was true.
And now, the Face Thief was about to unleash yet another one.
Even someone of Mangnus's caliber couldn't help but tense up.
No matter how unconventional the swordsmanship, it couldn't match his ability to handle countless styles simultaneously and perfectly.
At that moment, the crouched man's aura surged.
'He's coming!'
Another perfectly replicated sword technique!
Mangnus focused all his senses on him.
"...!"
Even so, Mangnus lost sight of him for a split second.
The neat-looking young man was suddenly right in front of him.
And the sword in his hand was already swinging.
The unknown sword technique had been unleashed.
"Ah...!"
Mangnus let out a sigh.
He instinctively knew.
He had been struck by that unknown sword technique.
Sneer.
A vile smile unfit for his neat face spread across it.
Mangnus braced for the coming pain—and death.
Soon, the stretched time returned to normal.
And a brief moment passed.
"...?"
"...?"
They were baffled.
Why did nothing happen?
Realizing something was wrong late, Mangnus and the young man moved simultaneously.
Mangnus swung his sword at him, and the young man slipped away with bizarre footwork.
The strangeness of the footwork he'd been using stemmed from blending multiple sword styles' steps seamlessly.
It showed just how irrational and absolute the Face Thief's ability was within the domain of swordsmanship.
That was why they couldn't comprehend the situation.
Mangnus frantically patted his body all over.
Checking for wounds.
But no matter how much he checked, there were no injuries.
"...?"
Mangnus looked at the young man in confusion.
"...?"
The young man looked back at Mangnus in equal confusion.
They didn't know.
That this absolute ability had failed to 'steal' for the first time.
That even it had limits.
The Face Thief.
He only knew the sword technique he'd stolen as 'some bizarre swordsmanship used by a mage.'
He was wrong.
It was a swordsman's blade beyond human limits.
That was why his theft had failed.