Chapter 28

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 28

Chapter Title: Finding the Hidden Lady - 2

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The screen vanished, but neither I nor Trail so much as groaned.

I stretched deliberately to lighten the heavy mood.

My whole body screamed in protest with a series of cracks.

Come to think of it, I'd been staring at the screen for a full 33 hours without changing position once.

[Your beggar-like tenacity never fails to impress me.]

'Thanks.'

[You're cherry-picking the words you want to hear again today.]

Trail let out a sigh.

[Anyway, a technique like that... no, can you even call it a technique?]

'No. Assassin techniques are called sorcery. To mercenaries, they're techniques; to holy knights, spells; to mages, magic—same difference.'

[Hmm. Either way, who knew sorcery like that existed.]

'That's not the surprising part.'

[Eh?]

'Before the regression, Offense never once used that sorcery in front of us.'

It might not sound like much, but it's huge.

Even in his deathmatch with the Demon King, he'd kept that trump card hidden tight.

[Maybe he figured he could win without the shadow sorcery? You all did push the King of Lies right to the brink of death, after all. Even if it turned out to be a mistake.]

'Why hide your ace in the final battle? It was the last fight anyway.'

[Hmm.]

'Maybe Offense never actually trusted Kaild.'

Trail drew in a sharp, shallow breath.

No, judging by the circumstances, doesn't it add up?

If Kaild broke their deal, maybe he planned to use that secret weapon to force him to hold up his end?

[But he told you he truly believed in and followed Kaild.]

'It was a lie. Reading emotions off that guy's bare face was always tough. He gives nothing away in his expressions.'

[Heh. If your guess is right, Offense is no ordinary guy.]

'None of our party members were ordinary. Every last one was a weirdo.'

......

Maybe.

Just maybe, the other hero party members harbored doubts about Kaild deep down too.

Whether they realized it or not.

'If that's the case... we'd have plenty of openings to exploit.'

I tabled the hypothesis for now.

'Anyway, time to head down? Gotta consult with Neril and Jenia.'

I went downstairs.

The two of them were coming into the inn, arms full of shopping bags like they'd raided a market.

'Neril, are you a black tea ghost or something? How many bundles did you buy?'

'At least I bought less than you with your beef, lamb, chicken, and pork haul.'

'What? Why? If this trip drags on, we'll obviously need meat.'

'I need black tea too. And can you back off a bit?'

'Not really sticking that close.'

'About 100 meters.'

Heh.

These two went shopping side by side?

Before the regression, Kaild had sorted out their backstory, but that just barely got them in the same party—it didn't mean they got along.

They're still bickering the same way now, but it's far from the pre-regression vibe of "once we nab the real Demon King, you're dead by my hand."

'You two have gotten pretty chummy.'

'Shut up.'

'Shut it.'

Yep.

'Anyway, sit down. I've got a lead on the plan.'

'Hold on. One thing to clear up first.'

'Shoot.'

Neril's expression was deadly serious, so I straightened up and nodded.

'This idiot bought so much meat we can't fit it all in the carriage.'

'Who're you calling an idiot?'

'Either ditch Jenia or curb this guy's appetite. The first one's more practical.'

'Mine takes up volume and weight, but Neril, yours costs a fortune. Considering ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠our finances, it'd be better if you bowed out.'

No. Is that really the issue right now?

I quickly sorted things out.

I pulled a money pouch from the depths of my ever-present bag and scattered some coins on the table.

Clink clink.

'......? Huh? Gold coins?'

'Earned it as a top-tier mercenary. No money worries till the trip's over, so relax.'

'Ah, got it.'

'And if meat's the issue, let's buy our own carriage while we're at it. Big, sturdy one with cargo space. We were gonna need it anyway with the party growing. Sound good, Neril?'

'Uh, y-yeah.'

'Alright. Now shake on it, you two.'

The last bit was half-joking, but they clasped hands like they'd been mesmerized.

Should I push my luck?

'Now say "se-se-se" cheer.'

'......'

'......'

They snapped out of it and shot me cold glares.

Too bad.

We started by hunting for a coachman.

More precisely, an assassin guild member masquerading as one.

The guy Offense mentioned in his chat with Ariena.

Sure, coachman was just a cover for intel-gathering, but officially, he'd be registered with some transport guild.

After combing the area for a full day, I nailed a prime suspect.

This coachman's head bore these blood letters:

-Settlia Rice.

Ariena's nursemaid's name.

'Perfect. Tell me the secret between that coachman and Settlia.'

[You lost your sense or what? Need the coachman's name first.]

'Not biting, huh.'

[I'm amazed you thought I would.]

No choice, then.

We picked a nearby territory as our fake destination and chose a carriage—and its driver.

He flinched when he saw our faces.

But figuring we'd never suspect him, he soon flashed a sleazy grin and loaded us up.

Before shutting the carriage door, he said,

'Alright then. Have a pleasant trip. We'll depart shortly.'

'Oh. Before that, mister.'

'Yes?'

'Hop in with us for a sec.'

'......'

'Get in.'

I grabbed him by the collar and yanked him inside.

Thud.

By the time Jenia closed the door, the coachman had already clocked the situation and drawn a dagger from his coat.

'Tch. Busted, huh.'

'How's Offense doing?'

'You lot. Thought you'd storm in guns blazing to find that lady. Got time to lounge around?'

'We're looking right now. Starting with you.'

'Ha! You think I'll spill? Ridiculous. I'm a top-class assassin in this guild.'

Neril glanced at me.

*Can I?*

I nodded lightly.

'You'd be smart to give up and leave quietly. You can't stop this war. Hell, kicking out that lady was never gonna—......?'

His words slowed, slurred, then his whole body locked up rigid.

I saw Neril withdraw her hand seal smoothly.

'Two spells: Paint and Bind. Latter freezes the body to prevent resistance; former amps pain fivefold.'

'Thanks. I suck at torture— was stressing how to make him talk.'

'Ha.'

Neril's short laugh acknowledged my sincerity.

I scratched my head and turned to Jenia.

'Gonna look bad in front of a holy knight. You okay with that?'

'Once I signed up to travel with you, I gave up on that ages ago.'

'Er, uh. Thanks.'

'Sigh. Still, I have my duties. If torture wrecks his body too much, I'll heal him. Then you can torture again—but don't stop me from healing, okay?'

......

You know that's even crueler, right?

I smoothly drew the dagger from his grip.

Then dangled it in front of his eyes, swinging it side to side.

'Alright. Follow the dagger with your eyes. Left means no intention to talk; right means you're ready. Stay center, and I'll just torture you blind.'

'......'

'First up. What's your name?'

His eyes flicked right.

Scriiiich.

I jammed the dagger into his right knee.

Twisted it side to side.

'What's your name?'

Eyes flicked right again.

This time, left knee.

'......!'

'What's your name?'

'......'

Eyes right once more.

'Tough bastard.'

'Maide. Hold up.'

'Hm?'

I turned. Neril and Jenia wore awkward smiles.

'Right wasn't "ready to talk"?'

'......'

Oh.

Sorry.

The coachman's name was Hans Deok.

I used the Eye of Omniscience to uncover the secret between Hans and Settlia.

Which let me pinpoint where Settlia was held.

Of course, I couldn't reveal the Eye, so I bullied the coachman to convince Neril and Jenia.

'Tell me where you've stashed Settlia.'

Neril tilted her head.

'Who's Settlia?'

'Ariena's nursemaid.'

'You know her personally?'

'As if.'

'Then how do you know her name? Don't say it's a secret.'

'Se—......'

Too slow.

I just shrugged.

Neril and Jenia sighed in unison.

'Alright, rephrasing. Why chase this nursemaid who's got zilch to do with this mess?'

'Gonna make the lady owe me big. She seems attached to her nursemaid. Saving her too should rack up way more gratitude than just her alone.'

'Ah, boosting your rep even more?'

'That, and...'

I trailed off.

Recalling Ariena's chat with Offense, she seemed dead set on ousting her father.

If she ends up lord, and I rack up an unrepayable debt of gratitude, it'll pay off huge someday.

I told Hans,

'So? Where's Settlia?'

Hans, sweating bullets, spilled the nursemaid's location.

Neril couldn't care less; Jenia sighed in relief.

Funny how these little differences highlight their personalities.

I spoke up again.

'Next up...'

'Hold on. I don't know!'

'Hm?'

'I don't know where or how Offense hid Ariena! He cleared everyone out for a private chat with her. When it was over, the lady was just... gone.'

Through the Eye of Omniscience, I knew Hans was telling the truth, but obviously, it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't sway Neril or Jenia.

Neril clasped her hands.

'S should've made it tenfold.'

'Gaaah! P-please believe me!'

I nodded readily.

'I believe you.'

'You... believe...? You do?'

'You begged me to first. Why the surprise? Anyway, nighty-night.'

Thwack.

I lightly chopped his neck.

The top-class assassin crumpled without a fight.

Jenia looked baffled.

'You really believe him?'

'Faith is a holy knight's core virtue.'

'No, that's my line!'

'Offense hid Ariena in the shadows.'

Freeze.

Neril and Jenia halted in sync.

I roughly explained what I'd seen via the Eye.

At first, they eyed me curiously—how'd I know?—but by the end, they had no bandwidth for such "trivia."

Neril clicked her tongue.

'Hiding in shadows? No magic I know does that.'

'Assassin sorcery's always got creepy stuff. Shadow sorcery's extreme, even for them.'

'Anyway, not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠magic, so I can't sniff it out. Now what?'

I pondered.

A plausible theory surfaced.

'He hid her in the "shadows," not the "dark." Offense's sorcery might treat darkness and shadows as separate.'

'Huh?'

'Think about it. He's called Bright Death. Always kills at high noon.'

'Yeah.'

'Not a gimmick. Broad daylight's thick with shadows, easy for him to move. Flip side: at midnight, his range shrinks. Real contradictory for an assassin.'

'......'

'So tonight's our shot.'

Jenia crossed her arms, muttering.

'Night doesn't erase shadows.'

'Starting tonight, it's a new moon.'

'Shadows aren't just from moonlight. Manor houses and walls have torches galore; common folk light lanterns and candles indoors. Shadows everywhere.'

I glanced at Neril like, *you answer her*.

Neril bristled.

'What. Why.'

'Can you blanket this territory in pure darkness? Not a single shadow.'

'No such convenient spell.'

Hmm. Well.

I'd seen too much pre-regression to nod along like "guess not."

'That one spell could do it.'

Neril cocked her head.

Then her eyes went wide.

'That spell...? Ah!'