Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Finding the Hidden Lady - 4
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"Having second thoughts?"
Offense answered my question a few seconds later.
"Maide."
That response alone pinpointed his position and stance.
In this pitch-black darkness, it was information worth its weight in gold.
[Idiot. You just gave him gold-tier info too. Offense is an assassin. If you sensed his presence, assume he sensed yours.]
'Hmm. Well, I've got confidence I'd win in a fight.'
[In this darkness?]
Before I could retort, a woman's voice rang out.
"Maide? Lord Maide, the Unyielding Sword Emperor?"
"Lady Ariena, I presume."
"Y-Yes, that's me. Ariena. Please... please save me."
"Of course. That's why I'm here."
Sring.
At that moment, the sound of a sword being drawn echoed through the darkness.
Offense spoke up.
"Lady Ariena. Don't move."
"Ugh."
"My senses are on edge like never before in my life. If I detect any presence besides you, Maide, or myself, I'll cut it down without hesitation."
I could practically see Ariena trembling.
Offense addressed me.
"You knew about my abilities, didn't you?"
"Yeah. Impressive shadow sorcery."
"No need to ask how... You'd just say it's because I'm the Hero, right?"
"Yep. Starting to take me seriously now? Think Kaild could pull this off?"
"......"
"Sheathe your weapon nice and easy. Then help me out. I'm planning to kill the Demon King, but I'm short on hands."
"Khuhuhu."
A low chuckle slithered into my ears.
"I was hired to assassinate Kaild."
"Huh?"
"There were some high-and-mighty folks who got uncomfortable with him calling himself Hero and winning people's trust. I took the job."
This was news even I didn't know from before my regression.
My ears perked up with curiosity.
"But I failed."
"Failed? Even with that shadow sorcery?"
"No. This sorcery requires me to first visually confirm the target's shadow. I start by spotting it from a distance. Then I cast the sorcery."
"......"
"That's where it happened—I locked eyes with Kaild. He smiled and waved at me."
I swallowed a groan.
No need to say it, but Offense would've been fully concealed, leveraging every ounce of his assassin talent.
To see through a hero-grade assassin's stealth that easily.
'As expected.'
Kaild's personality aside, the guy's skills were the real deal.
Offense continued.
"That moment sparked intense curiosity in me toward Kaild. Not the sorcery—I wanted a proper fight."
"Ridiculous thinking for an assassin."
"I'll admit it. First time I'd ever felt that impulse."
He let out a light laugh.
"Anyway, we went at it hard..."
"And you lost."
"Yeah. He's terrifyingly strong."
Another light chuckle followed.
But it cut off abruptly.
"Are you that strong too?"
"Hah. Test me and find out."
With that, I whipped out my sword in a flash.
Kakakang!
Invisible in the dark, but something clashed against my blade and rained down onto the floor.
Little Stars—the concealed weapons assassins always carry.
He'd flung them at my head without a sound.
Offense said,
"Lady, you're under the bed, right?"
"Y-Yes?"
"Well, dying in the crossfire would make for a nice picture for me... but then Maide would take my head. Seems he likes you."
Ariena obediently slipped under the bed.
Then she said something unexpected.
"He won't kill you."
"Huh?"
"The Unyielding Sword Emperor... No, wait."
"......"
"The Hero doesn't harm people."
Uh, um.
Even after all this, we'd never formally seen each other's faces.
Thanks a ton.
Ariena's presence soon vanished.
Offense snickered at me.
"Quite the popular guy."
I grinned back.
"What can I say? Daily life."
Swaeeeeek! Clang.
As combat began, Offense unleashed a barrage of concealed weapons.
No idea how, but the Little Stars that should've flown straight twisted trajectories unpredictably.
Taat!
I kicked off and leaped sideways.
Tatak. The weapons thudded into the floor, ringing in my ears.
"Quit pussyfooting around with this crap and face me head-on."
His reply was a ear-piercing whoosh.
I hastily twisted aside.
This one was close— a Little Star shredded my collar and flew past.
'Not even responding. Means he's fully hiding his position now.'
[Yeah. So shut up yourself. Why give away your location?]
'Telling him to attack. Figure out where he is from the weapons' paths.'
[Reckless.]
'Seems that way. Pointless too.'
The weapons flew from every direction around me.
Either he was manipulating their paths, or shifting positions himself.
From pre-regression memories, the latter was more likely.
'Ears perked up like this, and not a single footstep or rustle as he moves.'
The name Death's Shade wasn't for show.
Then—
Swaeeeeek!
This whoosh came from an eerie direction.
"Above me?"
I flung myself away in panic.
Kwang. Pazzik.
A tiny weapon, just two finger-widths, shattered the floor.
But what shocked me wasn't the power—it was the angle.
"How'd you aim for the crown of my head? You stuck to the ceiling or something?"
I expected no answer, but Offense's voice surprised me.
"Can't reveal my methods—it's my livelihood. But this I will say."
"What?"
"No clue how you're dodging in this dark. Like an acrobat. Pure praise."
"......"
"But I'm running low on spare Little Stars. Time to go all-in."
"You just spill that? We're not knights dueling honorably."
"I don't want to kill you."
I shut my mouth at that.
Offense pressed on.
"Can't decide between you and Kaild yet. So here's the deal: come with me to Kaild."
"......"
"Then settle who's the real Hero. Argue, fight, gamble—whatever."
"Winner takes me? Childish."
"It's dead serious for me."
"And if I say no?"
"Refusing means you're scared of Kaild. Then I'll kill you without hesitation."
I smirked.
Then pointed my blade down and bent my right knee.
Distribute exactly equal power to my right arm and leg.
This technique took too long to prep for real battles. But thanks for the time.
"I'll tell you one thing. Using a special move—watch yourself."
"......Hoo. Got a trump card?"
"Plenty. Pulling one out."
"......"
"Don't want to kill you either. So if you wanna live, sprint to the lady's bed. Planning to cleave everything but that spot."
Shwaaa.
An intense silence blanketed the room.
"Let's see it."
Shorter than a blink.
Suddenly, hundreds of Little Stars shot at me "simultaneously" from front, back, left, right, above, below.
My senses razor-sharp, I realized they all targeted my head.
Quantity, huh?
Fine, I'll counter with quantity.
[Quantity? Hundreds of weapons, one sword!]
'Not with this technique.'
[What technique... Don't say it!]
"Extremely Slash."
[Agh.]
Among my commissions were multi-foe battles.
Handling hordes at once? Not hard.
Problem was the time limit.
So I developed a move to cleave hundreds in one go.
That was Extremely Slash!
-Whiiiik! Kakakakang!
I swung endlessly, fast as whipping up wind.
Time for a normal swordsman to draw and sheathe once.
In that span, I swung 211 times.
Every path sliced Little Stars, sending them clattering down.
[Wh-What? Feels like the room's filled with swords!]
'Thanks.'
[So this is one of your aces, the "Sword Barrier."]
'Extremely Slash.'
[Sigh. After I named it nicely.]
Shwaaak!
One of the neutralized-weapon-slicing swings flew toward Offense.
"Kuhk! Impossible."
Offense heeded my advice perfectly.
No pride, no nothing—he bolted for the bed.
His spot only echoed with ear-piercing whooshes.
Siiiik. Shwa.
The technique ended in dead silence.
'Limbs are numb as hell.'
Haven't used it in ages.
"Hah, hah."
Offense's ragged breaths echoed.
A guy like him wouldn't tire from a short sprint to the bed.
I asked,
"Pretty shocked, huh."
"......"
"Got more?"
"Haha. Kuhuhu."
Clang.
Metallic clinks as something hit the floor.
He'd dropped all his other concealed weapons.
"I lose. Take the lady."
I grinned and pulled out the communication orb.
Contacted Neril.
"Neril. It's over. Drop the spell."
-Finished quicker than expected. Done.
"Thanks. Meet at the inn soon. Tell Jenia too."
-Okay.
I pocketed the orb and lit the room.
Offense sprawled on the bed like he wanted to be caught.
Underneath, Ariena huddled under a blanket, shivering.
I said to her,
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Maide."
Offense didn't return to the inn with me.
As I supported Ariena, he spoke.
"Once this is wrapped up, let's meet."
"Hm?"
"Wanna watch how you handle it to the end. Compare you to Kaild."
"Sure. You know my inn."
"Yeah. Hope Kaild rushes back soon so I can check quick."
"Done in two days. Enjoy from the front row."
Offense nodded, satisfied, and left.
His terrifying assassin presence gone, Ariena's legs gave out in relief.
"Ah."
"You okay?"
"S-Sorry. Suddenly leaning on you."
"After this ordeal, that's a respectable reaction. Lean away."
Ariena blushed and rested against me.
As we walked quietly, she asked,
"My fa— I mean, Count Tobira. When does he plan to start the war?"
"I asked for a week to find you. Three days left."
"I see. We'd better hurry."
She bit her lip.
"With Kitur Territory's ore veins, Aibis Territory's value would skyrocket. Who wouldn't want that?"
"......"
"But if it were me, I'd choose something other than scheming a war that throws innocents into the fire. A way to amass even greater wealth."
"You'd do great, Lady Ariena."
She stopped dead.
Her upturned eyes brimmed with tension, testing me.
"You say I'd do great? What could I possibly do?"
"Who knows. Discuss it with your mother."
"......?"
"We rescued Lady Settlia too. She's waiting at the inn."
Ariena's jaw dropped.