Chapter 45
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Workshop
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I was walking along the path based on the map Arthur had given me.
This time, I didn't bother taking the back alleys.
The sun had set, so there weren't many people on the street.
No, even the few who were around made no effort to approach me.
They were actively clearing out of my way.
Overwhelmed by the ominous aura emanating from the woman behind me.
"......"
Blanche, the former top assassin turned current bodyguard knight, was guarding me without a single gap.
Anyone would feel secure with a powerhouse like her on protection detail.
But the emotion I felt right now was discomfort.
"..."
"..."
The back of my head prickled.
Blanche had been following me silently the whole time.
The wordless pressure was palpable.
Unable to take it anymore, I spoke first.
"Blanche."
"...Yes?"
"How's the training going?"
"Ah, the training... you mean?"
Blanche paused to think before replying.
"Lady Wendy is diligently keeping up with my training. Her focus is exceptional, and she picks things up quickly. She's probably even more passionate than the duke's knights..."
"She's weak, though."
"......That's only natural. You know that, Count, which is why you entrusted her to me, right?"
"Weakness is a sin. She's my personal maid, of all thingsI can't tolerate her being unable to protect herself. Train her however you like until she's useful."
Blanche's feet suddenly stopped.
"...Won't the Count teach her himself?"
She was asking some inexplicable question out of nowhere.
"...Why would I have to do that?"
"......Now that I think about it, there's no reason for that. My apologies. I was short-sighted."
Blanche backed off just as abruptly.
Strange. Too strange.
It wasn't like her.
She seemed like she wanted to ask me something.
Ah, could it be that?
"Blanche."
"Yes?"
"On second thought, there's something I forgot to tell you beforehand."
"...!"
Blanche swallowed hard.
I'd hit the nail on the head.
Seeing that made me feel a bit guilty for no reason.
Pushing down that feeling, I informed her of the fact in as calm a tone as possible.
"It's one million kael per lesson."
"As I thought"
"Eh?"
"The lesson fee I forgot to mention before."
I proposed an outrageous sum.
Where else could you get one-on-one tutoring from a former top assassin?
I had no idea how far Wendy could keep up, but it'd be a huge help in keeping her alive.
This amount was only fair.
Whether she was moved or not, Blanche's voice was trembling.
But what came out of her mouth was not what I'd expected.
"Th-that's not it!"
Eh? Not this?
"Too low? Then let's make it two million kael."
"Wh-what?! Of course it's not low! It's absurdly high...! But that's not what I was curious about...!"
Blanche tried to say something, but I let out a sigh.
"It's nothing.... Just forget what I said."
With that, she strode ahead.
I had no idea why, but I called out to the back of her head.
"Prove your worth."
"......"
"Prove to me that you're worth two million kael."
"...Understood. I won't let the money the Count has given me go to waste."
"'Given'? Don't be ridiculous. I'm just forgiving part of your debt."
"...Prepare yourself. I'll pay back every last coin."
Blanche walked ahead with haughty steps.
But she didn't get far before stopping.
"...Which way is it?"
"Quietly fall in behind me."
"Yes...."
Leaving the sheepish-faced Blanche behind, I kept walking.
Before long, I stopped in front of a building.
A rundown structure in a dingy corner of the market.
It looked no different from a thug hideout.
Blanche eyed me and the building suspiciously in turn.
"This is where the Count had business?"
"Yeah."
I wondered if I'd come to the wrong place myself, but the faded sign reading 'Groble Workshop' confirmed I'd found it.
As I reached for the door, shouts and the sound of breaking objects came from inside.
"Kill you!"
"Try it! Go ahead!"
Someone was fighting inside.
"Count. Pardon the intrusion."
With those words, Blanche's long leg smashed the door open with a mighty kick.
The rotting wooden door shattered pathetically, revealing the workshop interior.
Dust-covered furniture and tools were scattered in disarray.
In the center stood people locked in confrontation.
Well, "confrontation" was a stretch.
It was more like four men surrounding one person.
The lone figure in the middle, however, exuded a formidable presence.
A powder-keg situation.
But they all froze in place, staring at usthe ones who'd just burst through the broken door.
"And who the hell are you?"
"I'm looking for Albert Groble."
At my words, the men glanced at each other before one spoke.
"Same here."
"We got here first, so scram!"
Ho? What kind of situation was this?
The surrounded manno, womanwent even further.
"Ha! What kinda day is this? Quit wasting my time and come at me all at once! I'll put holes in all your heads today!"
She was a short, grubby-looking woman threatening them all with an awl.
She might look like the weakest of the bunch at first glance, but venom burned in her eyes.
She was ready to take someone down with her if anyone made a move.
Whatever was going on, it was clearly a headache.
But the Blanche beside me merely asked me in an utterly calm tone.
"Count, what are your orders?"
I answered without hesitation.
"Subdue them."
"Yes."
Blanche cracked her knuckles and stepped forward.
Her stride was the same as always.
Like she was out for a casual stroll.
The first victim was the man right in front of her.
"These bastards, didn't I tell you to get lost?!"
The man twisted his upper body to throw a punch.
But by then, Blanche's fistmoving too fast to seehad already slammed into his jaw.
To the casual observer, it might've looked like the man just toppled backward for no reason.
"Ah...?"
The second victim had it worse.
He didn't even realize what hit him, staring at Blanche's face before her knife-hand strike nailed the back of his neck.
"...?!"
The casual swing sent him crashing into the floor with exaggerated force.
But there was nothing exaggerated about the power behind it.
The floorboards splintered, sending wood chips flying everywhere.
With two men down in an instant, the remaining pair had no choice but to tense up.
"Y-you, what are you?!"
"A knight."
"A knight?!"
Blanche leaped lightly into the air.
Crack!
A dull thud echoed as wind whipped up.
The sound of her crisp roundhouse kick connecting with the third man's jaw.
His jaw either dislocated or twisted at an unnatural angle, and he collapsed face-first onto the floor.
By time? Maybe ten seconds or so.
Now, only one remained.
But astonishingly, the woman showed no sign of intimidation despite witnessing the one-sided beatdown right in front of her.
If anything, she charged first.
"I won't give up this shop even if it kills me! If you're taking it... just kill me instead!"
The tip of her awl gleamed.
Blanche didn't bother dodging the woman's fierce thrust.
"No. I won't kill you."
In the next moment, the awl was caught between Blanche's fingers.
No matter how hard the woman tugged, it wouldn't budge.
"Let go of it?!"
"Yes. I won't."
With that, Blanche twirled her fingers like spinning a pen.
And just like magic, the awl ended up in her hand.
What the?!
The woman's eyes filled with shock.
The next instant, she was sprawled on the floor in a spread-eagle.
"Don't move."
Blanche held the awl to the woman's throat.
Weaponless, she raised her hands in surrender.
I slowly approached her and asked.
"Where's Albert Groble?"
"Don't know...."
She knew, but was pretending otherwise.
Her face made it clear she had no intention of telling.
"Count."
Blanche subtly signaled me with her eyes.
Her gaze flicked toward the ceiling.
"...He's upstairs, huh."
At that moment, the woman's eyes wavered.
"I'll check upstairs."
"No! Don't touch my grandfather!"
"Grandfather?"
At my question, she finally cracked.
"I'm... Vanessa. Albert Groble's disciple... and granddaughter."