Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Assassin Salesman 3
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‘As expected, there’s a world of difference in skill between a warrior and a regular person.’
‘We were just country farmers, after all. In contrast, those warrior nobles are true human weapons.’
‘Thinking about it that way, it’s safer to just grab this and get out of here.’
‘To think we were planning to break into the baroness’s residence—we must’ve lost our minds from hunger.’
Everyone who’d been thrashed by Azadin snapped back to their senses.
“There’s no one left to hire but me now.”
Azadin slung an arm around Belldon’s shoulders.
“So hire me.”
“Ah, no, what are you doing on your own like this? And if you’re handing out silver coins to those guys...”
“Of course I’d expect compensation worth more than that. Shall we negotiate the pay? Come on, introduce me to your employer.”
“Uh...”
Dragged along by Azadin’s strength, Belldon had no choice. With their bodies pressed together, the sheer brute force radiating from him was unmistakable. If Belldon refused here, Azadin could snap his spine without a second thought.
“Sp-spare...”
“That’s why I’m offering to help you. Come on, I’ll keep you alive, so let’s go.”
Azadin cheekily hauled Belldon toward the count’s castle.
“......”
Maya and Sir Zibek watched the scene in bewilderment.
‘Wasn’t it you who castrated Young Lord Kozel? What are you planning to do by meeting him again?’
On top of that, Azadin was of the Herald race, the emperor’s herald. Whatever he was scheming, shouldn’t they stop him?
Sir Zibek hesitated deeply, but by then Azadin was already dragging Belldon away.
*********
Entering with Belldon got them through the count’s gates without issue.
“Oh, Belldon, who’s that with you?”
“Well, he’s a guest of the young lord’s.”
“I see.”
The guards inside the castle let them pass easily too. Thanks to that, Azadin could finally see the count’s castle interior, which he hadn’t glimpsed even from afar.
‘Whew, perfect. Just getting a look inside is a huge gain.’
Even for a nighttime infiltration, you needed to know the layout first. Sneaking into an unfamiliar building without getting caught by guards was reckless, even for an emperor’s herald.
Unless you planned to slaughter every guard you met and charge in, thorough reconnaissance was essential to scout the target undetected.
“The young lord doesn’t meet guests casually. Wait here for now.”
Belldon escorted Azadin’s group to a drawing room.
“Understood.”
Azadin waited in the drawing room, smiling. A potent black magical energy entered his senses.
“Something feels off.”
It wasn’t just Azadin; Midiam looked puzzled too.
“There’s a strong smell of blood.”
Ismail had caught the scent of blood as well.
“Looks like the count’s deeply into black magic. With rumors of him keeping a witch around, it’s no surprise.”
“But is it okay to just barge in like this?”
“It’s fine. Way better than sneaking in blindly at night. Getting inside while the sun’s up is a massive advantage. Opens up our options.”
Azadin assured them.
Soon after, servants began filing in. Supported by Belldon and leaning on a cane, Young Lord Kozel approached. His face, torn off by Azadin and now hidden behind a mask adorned with jewels, twisted in irritation first thing.
“I told you to handle it yourself! Why do I need to meet some sword-for-hire personally?”
“Well, he’s demanding high pay, so I couldn’t decide alone.”
“How much is this guy asking? Huh?”
“Greetings, young lord.”
“What? Just one guy? Doesn’t seem like much of a crew.”
Blinded by Azadin, Kozel sensed the sparse presence in the drawing room and grew suspicious.
“No need for a crowd in an assassination. One skilled expert is enough. Besides, what you need right now, young lord, isn’t just a simple killer—it seems like a specialist with wisdom.”
“Tch. This bastard. You trying to haggle with me now? Wisdom? What bullshit is that?”
“First, let me ask: why target Sir Tarky? Just venting anger? There must be something more important than that.”
“Hey.”
Offended by the words, Young Lord Kozel gestured to Belldon.
“Kill this bastard right here.”
“Yes?”
“Right now!”
Guards waiting outside the drawing room rushed in. Heavily armored in thick plate, they charged at Azadin, but...
-Pafak!
Azadin flipped backward into a somersault, landing amid the guards, then lightly kicked their heads. That alone sent the helmeted soldiers flying, crashing into the mantelpiece and embedding in the window frames.
“Oh dear.”
Azadin snatched a halberd, tossing one to Ismail and thrusting the other straight at Young Lord Kozel. The blade halted right before the young lord’s nose.
“If I were a real assassin, you’d be dead right now, young lord.”
“......”
“Of course, I wouldn’t harm a client.”
Azadin withdrew the halberd.
“What the hell is this guy? He just took out the guards barehanded?”
Blind Kozel, feeling the chill of cold steel brush past his nose, asked Belldon in confusion.
“Yes. They weren’t even opponents. It’s... it’s true, sir. He’s incredibly strong. If he hadn’t stopped, there’s no way we could’ve blocked him.”
Belldon realized that crossing Azadin now would mean death for everyone in the room. He naturally switched to polite speech.
“Hmm, is that so?”
Seeing Belldon turn deferential shifted Kozel’s thinking too. Provoking someone who could kill him on the spot was like climbing into his own coffin. Maintaining an employer-employee dynamic was the only way to hold any leverage over Azadin.
“So, what do you want? Doesn’t seem like it’s just money. How much?”
“Around fifty gold coins.”
“Ha! Are you insane? That’s enough to buy a manor.”
Young Lord Kozel scoffed at the absurd demand, but Azadin smiled and replied.
“The countess would gladly pay that much. If she wants something bigger than raiding the baroness’s estate, that is.”
“What?”
“Eek?”
Belldon, the young lord’s page and milk brother, gasped at Azadin’s words. As a former page who’d eaten scraps from the table, he instantly grasped the implication.
“Hey, what the hell is this bastard saying?”
“Young master, what this assassin means is...”
“What?”
“If something were to happen to the count right now, the countess would take the regency. Then she wouldn’t need to send her son to join the church...”
Belldon phrased it euphemistically.
It wasn’t like he could just say,
‘Hire me to assassinate the count!’
*********
‘Impressive.’
Midiam marveled at Azadin’s quick thinking. Young Lord Kozel was just lashing out at Tarky to vent. An injured fool throwing a tantrum before power and money slipped from his grasp—that was all.
Yet Azadin had turned that brief street glimpse into an infiltration opportunity, and boldly escalated it to assassinating the count.
He already knew about the countess and count’s relationship, and the heirs, from the baroness. But to pull this off in such short time? Astonishing improvisation.
“You’re a madman. So you want me to introduce you to Mother? To kill my father?”
“If you’re taking a job, why not play in deeper waters? It’d benefit you too, young lord.”
Castrated and blinded, Kozel was still nobility. To the count, he was useless baggage best discarded, but if the countess seized regency, she’d need stewards or officials. Staying in Sarasm without joining the church hinged on her taking power.
“You’re properly insane. But fine. You’ve got skills and guts.”
Young Lord Kozel glanced at Belldon.
“Hey, kick this guy out.”
“Yes?”
“Hey, I’ll contact you later. Until then, stay at the ‘Blue Rose Pavilion.’ Belldon! Get these guys rooms at the Blue Rose Pavilion!”
“Y-yes, sir.”
For all his grumbling, Kozel seemed hooked on Azadin’s proposal.
*********
The Blue Rose Pavilion was a high-end brothel. Nobles and rich folk frequented it, and Young Lord Kozel had rented a private suite there for a fortune. Belldon led Azadin’s group there.
Tucking them away in such a discreet spot meant Kozel had bought in, despite the complaints.
“Impressive.”
Even Ismail, who harbored no fondness for Azadin, couldn’t help but admire it.
“What is? The inn? Well, at Kozel’s age, renting something like this long-term means he throws money around like water...”
“Oh, no. Your quick thinking.”
All Heralds trained in espionage, info manipulation, assassination—but mostly superficially. What Azadin had just shown was masterful improvisation.
As he left with Belldon, Azadin had scoped the castle’s rough layout again and, whether by luck or design, opened a line to the countess via Kozel.
He’d even pried maps of the castle and servant shifts from Belldon on parting. Yet Azadin wasn’t satisfied.
“Can’t relax yet. From the young lord’s view, antagonizing me in the castle or drawing room risked his neck. So he moved us to a place he knows, maybe planning to send guards after. Fighting there endangers him, but here only the guards are at risk. Plus, who knows what traps this place might have to subdue us easily.”
Azadin scanned the surroundings, checking entrances and escape routes. No emperor’s warning voice about ambushes put him on edge.
He peered outside. Every glimpse of passing guards sharpened his nerves.
“Ah, damn. Ever since becoming a herald, I’ve leaned too much on the emperor’s voice. It had spirits spotting anyone approaching. You really notice when it’s gone.”
“The emperor’s voice must be incredibly useful. Sounds like you relied on it a lot.”
Ismail said as he conjured a Foresight Bird and sent it flying.
“You.”
“Yes?”
“Foresight Bird is advanced magic, yet you can cast it at your age?”
“You know your stuff. Even though you can’t use magic yourself.”
Ismail seemed to smirk.