Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The Riverune Survivor
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The words that jumped out at me were Felton, Riverune, and survivor.
Rummaging through the stack of documents, I found the request and quickly read through its contents.
Just then, Deltron sidled up and glanced at the mission directive.
"This one just came in. It's an urgent request from the Felton Sword Family, so the pay is quite good. But it could be a bit dangerous."
"It's just a tracking request. What could be so difficult?"
"The target is a Riverune survivor, and the operation has to be carried out in Everfilt family territory."
I gave a slow nod at the deputy chief's words.
The directive was packed with all sorts of information, but I felt like I already knew what would come next without even reading it.
The Felton Sword Family was in the southwest of the Livius continent, while the Everfilt family was in the complete opposite direction, the northeast.
With the Vertos Empire occupying the center, it wasn't easy to extend their influence to the other side of the continent.
But the target was a survivor from the incident twenty years ago.
'They wouldn't just let it go because it's difficult. Not those vicious Felton bastards.'
The fiends had never been able to completely eradicate the descendants of Riverune.
Some members had been traveling abroad and simply vanished.
Survivors were surely still hiding in various corners of the continent.
'Just one... It doesn't seem to be one of the people Abigail found.'
If so, it was all the more reason to take this mission and meet the target.
If Felton or Everfilt found the survivor and tortured them, it could lead to a tragic outcome.
I had to prevent any information about the descendants from falling into the hands of those fiends.
I pulled out the mission directive and turned to Deltron.
"I'll take this request."
"Oh! Really? I'll give you my full support. I'll even get you the maximum expense allowance."
The deputy chief beamed and nodded.
Forfeiting my rest period to take on a troublesome mission was a welcome development from his perspective.
But I wasn't going on a mission.
'I'm going to save a member of my family.'
A sense of solemn purpose washed over me, but at the same time, the corners of my mouth crept up.
This was definitely not because of the high mission expenses.
I'm smiling at the thought of saving one of my own, you know?
No, really.
* * *
After receiving a hefty expense allowance from Deltron, I immediately left the Penant Marquisate.
To reach the Everfilt border, it would take about three weeks of travel from the Eastern Branch.
If I rode as fast as I did when going to Black Scale Island, I could probably arrive in under two weeks.
Worried for the survivor's safety, I galloped like a madman.
Whenever my horse tired, I'd cast a healing spell on it or stop by a nearby domain to buy a new one.
'These bastards are damn fast.'
Even though I had cut my travel time in half, the Felton knights had already begun their search.
Perhaps because it had been a while since they'd found a trace of a survivor, their determination to track them down seemed considerable.
'Fortunately, it seems they haven't found them yet.'
Observing their movements, I immediately sought out the commander.
As an unidentified person approached, a slight commotion stirred in the encampment.
They were hidden deep in the mountains, and their expressions showed they couldn't comprehend how I had found them.
*Shing.*
"What an unlucky fool. Of all the places to wander into."
"If you had any sense, you would've stayed away. Haven't you ever heard that curiosity kills the cat?"
Two knights who had been hiding near the encampment suddenly emerged, pointing their swords at my neck.
I had sensed their presence long ago, but I took no action.
I wasn't here today to take revenge on the Felton bastards.
Of course, I did plan on giving them a verbal lashing.
"You call that hiding? Did you really expect not to be found? Getting used to slacking off isn't a good habit."
"What did you just say, you filthy walking corpse?"
"Swing that thing and you're dead."
*Whoosh.*
A wind from somewhere calmly blew between me and the Felton knights.
Despite his spirited curse, the man couldn't move.
The pure aura emanating from my Demonic Soul was constricting his entire body.
The Felton knight froze solid, his sword still aimed at my neck.
"Weren't you the ones who made the request? You shouldn't treat someone who's here to help so poorly."
*Clang!*
Finishing my sentence with a sneer, I flicked my finger and struck the flat of the blade.
The sword, which had been faintly glowing with aura, snapped in two.
The broken blade spun high into the air before plunging into the dirt.
The completely frozen knight finally retrieved his half-sword and stumbled backward.
"Huh, huff!"
As the atmosphere turned icy, I shrugged as if to say, "What are you going to do about it?"
Soon, a booming voice echoed from inside the encampment.
"We have a valuable guest. Escort him with respect."
"Yes, sir!"
Seeing the knights instantly change their attitude, I guessed the owner of the voice was their commander.
The one holding the broken sword still looked dazed, but the others escorted me with utmost courtesy.
Following their lead, I entered a tent to find a knight with piercing eyes and a hulking frame sitting inside.
His large build, coupled with his thick armor, made him look like a giant from a legend.
Though he seemed closer to a monster than a giant.
The man, who had swept back his short-cropped blond hair, craned his neck to look behind me.
"Did you come alone?"
"Yeah."
Every time I saw one of the Feltons, a fire of rage erupted within me.
Perhaps I felt that way because they were the ones who had personally trampled my family.
Given the unpleasant incident at the entrance, I decided to maintain my initial attitude.
"Speaking informally to someone you've just met? You belong to a great family, yet you were never taught any manners?"
The commander rebuked me with a displeased expression.
Contrary to his appearance, he seemed to have considerable self-control.
Of course, the corners of his mouth were twitching slightly.
Since Felton was the more desperate party here, he likely had no choice but to swallow his anger.
"Why are you being so formal? If it bothers you, just drop the pleasantries."
"Hah... They sent a tiresome one. The search comes first, so I'll overlook your attitude for now."
"Whatever."
The commander clenched his teeth, his jaw swelling, then let out a sigh and continued.
"This is supposed to be a large-scale operation. Won't you need more personnel? As you can see, we only have thirty men."
Being on the opposite side of the continent, the Felton Sword Family had only been able to dispatch a single company of knights.
The fewer searchers there were, the more the situation would work in my favor.
That was precisely why I had come without any informants, let alone support assassins.
But I hadn't come alone without a thought.
I had a perfectly good excuse ready for a time like this.
"This is right next to Everfilt family territory. It's a burden for us to deploy a large number of personnel as well."
"That may be, but who sends just one person? Or are you already in the middle of tracking them?"
"Do we need a whole crowd to chase one survivor? You just go and find them."
My nonchalant reply left him with a dumbfounded expression.
But he quickly composed himself and abruptly extended his right hand.
It seemed he was somewhat convinced, perhaps because Rantzverger wasn't as aggressive in hunting down Riverune members as Felton was.
"My apologies for the late introduction. I am Herbert, vice-captain of the 3rd Knight Order."
Since he didn't reveal his family name, he was likely from a branch family of Felton.
How did I know?
'A direct descendant wouldn't be a mere vice-captain of the 3rd Knight Order at his age. Besides, he looks to be only a 4th-tier.'
A direct descendant in their mid-to-late thirties would surely hold a higher position than this.
Even Isabel, the least skilled of the direct line, was a Class 1 agent at the mere age of twenty.
"..."
When I just stared blankly without replying, Herbert frowned before nodding his head.
It seemed he had belatedly realized his mistake.
What was he thinking, asking the name of someone wearing a mask?
Just like someone from the Felton Sword Family, whose brains were made of muscle.
"My apologies, I asked something I shouldn't have. In any case, please ensure the request is carried out properly."
"I'll do as the contract says. Just don't get in my way."
"How could I? We will assist you with all our strength."
"That's exactly what getting in the way is. If you go clanking around in your armor, don't you think the target will notice right away?"
"..."
"Just staying put is how you can help."
My sharp rebuke must have hit its mark, as Vice-Captain Herbert's barely composed expression faltered.
Then again, what would knights who only know how to fight know about tracking?
That's probably why they'd packed their gleaming armor as if heading to a battlefield.
"Everyone, switch to leather armor. That should suffice."
But Herbert didn't seem to have any intention of staying put.
After giving orders to his subordinates, he led the lightly dressed knights out.
"The last trace of him was on the northern mountain. The trail went cold there."
"I'll fire a signal flare when I find the target. Follow that if you want."
"Hmm."
After briefly adjusting my mask, I started walking toward the forest north of the encampment.
It seemed the Riverune survivor was trying to get to the Kraus Holy State.
The tracks continued northwest.
The trail was wiped clean in places, but for a top-tier agent of the assassination guild, it wasn't a particularly difficult track.
The problem was that those guys were tagging along right behind me.
'Ugh, they're so clingy.'
This ruins my whole plan...
Even without their armor, the Felton knights were swordsmen who couldn't be taken lightly.
It probably wouldn't be easy to deceive them and extract the survivor without a trace.
Of course, I intended to pull off that difficult feat.
'This is a perfect opportunity to test out Soul Shadow Evasion, isn't it?'
If I created some distance and used the invisibility technique, Herbert's knights would be left on a wild goose chase.
As I followed the trail, I subtly stimulated my Demonic Soul and began to draw up my aura.
But it was at that very moment.
"Found him!"
A shout echoed from the foot of the mountain.
It was slightly off, but roughly in the direction I had been tracking.
Just then, Herbert, who had quickly caught up, tossed out a remark as he passed me.
"My apologies. I didn't expect to find him so quickly."
As the vice-captain took the lead, the knights brushed past me, sneering.
It seemed they were acting this way because of the commotion at the encampment entrance earlier.
'The look in these bastards' eyes is insolent.'
I already couldn't stand the sight of them, and now they were pulling this annoying crap.
For a moment, I felt like sparks were flying from my eyes.
But I couldn't punish those bastards right now.
The survivor was more important at the moment.
'First, let's see if it's the real deal.'
I immediately scrambled up the mountainside.
The scout's voice had been close enough to be heard from the encampment, but the actual location was quite far.
Then again, if it had been that close, even the idiotic Felton bastards couldn't have missed it.
Arriving at the scene a while later, I was able to see the survivor.
The man facing off against six knights with his back to a cliff was a rather familiar-looking middle-aged man.
'...!'