Chapter 183
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 183
Chapter Title: Shadows of Deception
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As Kang Seol sat on the guest sofa in the reception room, the conversation began.
"I'm suddenly all tensed up having the honor of hosting someone who's unwittingly made a name for themselves around these parts."
"No need to make such a fuss. It was my fault for showing up unannounced without any prior contact."
"Even so, a guest is a guest."
Flutter... flutter...
Kang Seol had to concentrate to keep up with the flow of the conversation.
He had summoned nearly ten crows, leaving his main body behind as he thoroughly searched every corner of the Gatip estate.
Meow...
Kang Seol glanced at the cats lounging lazily in the sunlight in the reception room.
There were clearly more than five of them—at least they looked like the cats Seris Gatip kept.
Seris Gatip noticed Kang Seol's gaze lingering on the cats and spoke up.
"Are they bothering you?"
"Pardon?"
"The kids I dote on."
"Ah, no, they're fine."
"Still, I'm sorry. Some first-time visitors find them off-putting."
Kang Seol gave the colorful cats a quick once-over.
...Even the cats faintly carry that same scent from before. Is it because of this woman?
The question vanished as quickly as it came.
He wasn't here because of the cats, after all.
Flutter... flutter...
The crows were pecking open doors throughout the estate with their beaks and claws. Information from their findings flooded into Kang Seol's mind, forming a mental map.
- Heh heh... You're more focused on other things than the conversation.
'If you know that, then shut up.'
- That woman has no clue you're pulling strings like this behind the scenes.
As Ur said, Seris Gatip showed no sign of suspicion toward Kang Seol as she petted her cats.
Meow...
"There, there... Oh, by the way, what was all that commotion at the front gate earlier?"
In short, why had he come to someone else's estate and caused a scene?
Stating the reason for his visit clearly was the duty of any guest, so Kang Seol answered honestly.
"Did a man named Jo Kyung-taek visit here yesterday?"
"Jo Kyung-taek..."
Kang Seol knew Jo Kyung-taek operated under his real name.
There were already plenty of people using odd nicknames who switched to real names for their activities.
"Yes, that's right. We had a meal together as thanks for successfully completing a prior commission."
"...And?"
Flutter... flutter...
Seris Gatip wasn't about to spill everything straightforwardly. While keeping her distracted, Kang Seol continued his own search for traces of Jo Kyung-taek.
Swish...
A response came from the crows he'd sent to the annex instead of the main building.
...Over there.
Kang Seol hadn't found anything suspicious in the main building, so he redirected all the crows to the annex.
Flutter... flutter...
As the crows crossed the estate garden, the groundskeeper tilted his head in confusion.
"What're all those crows...?"
Oblivious to the crows' mass migration, Seris Gatip continued.
"He finished his meal, stayed a short while, and left in the afternoon. Just in case, I'd prepared a room, but he firmly refused."
"I see. However..."
Kang Seol's eyes fixed directly on her.
"I understand that the gratitude expressed back then wasn't just from Jo Kyung-taek."
"......"
Seris Gatip fell silent for a moment before responding.
"Ah... You mean his companions. Of course. I treated them several times. They said my cookies were delicious, so I got excited and kept asking them to hang out."
Her gaze drifted to the table.
The cookies on the table hadn't diminished at all, aside from what she'd nibbled on.
"...Aren't you going to try the cookies I made?"
"I don't like cookies."
"But..."
"I'm not here as a guest."
"......"
To an outsider, it might look like Kang Seol was intimidating her.
But given that the people who'd come here had gone missing, it had to be viewed differently.
Seris Gatip let out a long sigh.
"Haa... Snowman, you're acquainted with Viscount Brispen from that previous incident, aren't you?"
"Yes."
Why bring that up out of nowhere?
"I'm quite close with Viscount Brispen myself. It puts me in a tough spot if you barge in over something personal and cause a scene."
"...You're right, now that you mention it."
Pretending to concede, Kang Seol closely examined the back of Seris Gatip's hand.
- Black rose tattoo on the back of the hand. Androgynous voice, not particularly tall stature. The scent of chemicals from her body. It all matches. I rubbed that person's fragrance on the letter.
'No tattoo. No rose.'
Was Seris Gatip not the one who'd sent Malacus to hell?
Was it just coincidence that Jo Kyung-taek had stopped by here, and the scent Malacus left behind merely resembled Seris's by chance?
'No, there's something here.'
Meow!
A white cat leaped onto Seris's lap.
Letting out a coquettish mewl typical of cats, it rubbed its face against her chest.
Then, purring loudly, the cat stared piercingly at Kang Seol.
Its emerald eyes seemed to urge him to stop bothering Seris and leave already.
Seris calmly soothed the cat.
"Yes, I know. It's okay."
While the cat held Seris's attention, good news arrived for Kang Seol.
Flutter... flutter...
...Found it!
The crows had uncovered secretive traces in the annex.
Kang Seol shot to his feet.
"My apologies. It seems there was a misunderstanding."
"I understand. You must be worried something happened to your close companion. I'd feel the same."
"Thank you for the hospitality."
"No trouble at all. Juri, see the guest to the front gate."
"Yes, this way."
Step... step...
As Kang Seol obediently followed the servant out, Seris Gatip sighed in relief.
"Phew... He's gone."
Meow...
"It's fine now."
Who exactly was she talking to?
And right then...
Swish...
The cat she'd been holding jumped down and began to change shape.
Into a human form.
"Nyaaah... Hate it, hate it. Being suspected like that."
"R-Really, messing with transferors is trouble in so many ways..."
The traces of it having been a cat remained only in the fluffy tail, perked-up ears, and slitted pupils.
The cat Seris had been holding was a beastkin woman.
"In so many ways?"
"Well..."
"Seris... Don't overstep. Everything is decided by me, your master."
"......"
"And my will is as good as theirs. I've been dealing with them for a long time. Do you get what that means?"
"Defying you means... death."
Rustle...
The beastkin woman grabbed Seris's chin and said.
"You know that full well, so why pull this? Makes me want to claw that face right off."
"I'm sorry... But that man seemed suspicious..."
The beastkin woman had a black rose tattoo on the back of her hand.
"It's fine. Your acting was decent enough—he won't come sniffing around for a while. You've inherited your mother's blood; you're a natural at deception."
"...He didn't notice, right?"
"Notice what?"
"That we're connected to the missing transferors. We've already taken quite a few..."
"Aha... Such a scaredy-cat. No need to worry. He's gone back, and even if he suspects something, what can he do? Even if he's nearly convinced, what else could he try besides coming here to grill you? He wouldn't even know where his little brother is... Acting rashly would just put his brother's safety at risk, he'd think."
"Y-Yes..."
"Just do as I say. Keep luring in those decent transferors with your web. Just like your mother hunted wandering adventurers in the past."
Seris Gatip nodded but trembled all the same. Not out of fear of the woman before her.
"Yes... But I'm still so anxious. His reputation, those eyes... They creeped me out."
"He's just one man. Humans can't do a thing alone. You think he'd dare scale the walls of the prestigious Gatip family, pillar of Timbrean nobility?"
Around that time, Kang Seol was circling the Gatip estate, ignoring the gatekeeper who'd taken offense to him.
He scanned the surroundings and made his decision.
"Hm... Over the wall it is."
- Can't be helped. Time to commit a crime.
- I can hear the tragic bread crumbs from here!
- ???: Heh heh heh... Your fall is imminent.
His powerful summon Ur backed up this absurd claim.
- Kekeke... Foolish, but the fastest way. No barriers or alarm spells detected. Even if there were, I'd handle them. But this sloppy? They must rely on their amateur guards.
You sense that Seris Gatip is connected to Malacus. However, mere suspicion allows no action. What will you do?
1. Return to the gatekeeper and draw attention.
2. Search the Gatip estate with Viscount Brispen.
3. Wait for nightfall and infiltrate the mansion.
4. Gather rumors about the Gatip family.
...
Judging even waiting for night a waste of time, Kang Seol used his crows to scout beyond the wall, then leaped over the tall barrier with superhuman agility.
Leap!
Swish...
Despite the feat, the only sound was like grass rustling in the wind.
He evaded the estate guards and headed for the annex.
'Does no one live here normally?'
Whether for guests or not, no signs of life came from inside.
Swish...
The passages the crows had used were too narrow for Kang Seol.
In the end, he broke a window in the least conspicuous spot to slip in.
Crack...
Being extra careful, only the tiniest noise escaped.
Leap!
Whoosh!
Once inside, Kang Seol quickly reached the door the crows had spotted earlier.
A bizarre door right at the basement entrance.
Not just the grotesque patterns, but ripping or smashing it would make a huge racket.
...How to unlock it?
- Heh heh heh... Watch closely with both eyes wide open.
Ur emerged from the shadow space and placed a hand on the door.
"The true worth of this body."
Sealed Ur's Demonic Path activates.
Interpreting unidentified magic.
Interpreting magic...
Magic interpretation complete.
Magic Circle: Guard Dog of the House confirmed.
Magic Circle: Fussy One confirmed.
...
- Ooh... Looking like a real technician!
- Time to go in~
- Front-row seats!
- So what's Demonic Path exactly?
- Uh... No idea? Only Ur seems to know;
"Hm... I thought it was nothing special, but it's decently advanced. Still yawn-worthy. They must have trusted this lock—most would struggle all day to dispel it. But..."
Ur chuckled.
Magic Swallowing activates.
Gulp...
Magic Circle: Guard Dog of the House digesting.
Magic Circle: Fussy One digesting.
As Ur's throat bobbed up and down, the magic circles etched on the door faded away.
- Magic circles handled by your friendly neighborhood spirit! You're welcome!
- Praising the foe's strength = praising me for beating that strong foe
"Against this body, an instant is all it takes."
Ur sneaked a glance at Kang Seol as he said this.
His expression was parched, like he craved something.
Kang Seol caught on and tossed him a line.
"...Impressive."
"Keh heh heh... Don't hype me up too much. This level's embarrassing for a demonic path master."
"Got it."
"......"
"What's up?"
"Nothing."
- End already?
- Praise, stop~!
- No such thing as empty words with this guy!
- The sweet-eyed man who always grants requests!
In truth, Kang Seol was inwardly impressed by Ur's utility.
Jamad and the twin knights had been helpful, but he'd handled magic himself back then.
'Definitely... useful.'
He hadn't tested him in combat yet, but Ur's knowledge and unique abilities were already proving their worth.
"Then..."
Creeeak...
As Kang Seol opened the door, a pitch-black room greeted him.
And a message signaling the change in circumstances appeared in his vision.
Obtained additional info on hidden adventure 'Stockholm Syndrome'.
Sudden adventure conditions met.
Sudden adventure 'Stockholm Syndrome' begins.
This adventure is highly dangerous.
This is a linked adventure; no further adventure selection possible.
Skipping rest.
Next adventure begins.
...
Kang Seol's eyes pierced the darkness.