Chapter 107

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on March 8, 2025

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Chapter 107

Dein glanced around as he briefly crossed into the Holy Kingdom. Whenever he came to the Holy Kingdom, he always took care to watch his surroundings, especially since he was wary of the assassin adventurer, Adelbert, who was affiliated with this kingdom.

After all, he was the one responsible for Luke’s death, and someday, he would have to take revenge, but now was not the right time. The opponent was an S-rank adventurer, and by chance, an assassin of the same class as Dein.

Even though Dein’s abilities had improved significantly, an assassin knows other assassins best. Adelbert would likely have a good grasp of Dein’s methods.

So if revenge was to be sought…

‘It would be better to get a little help from Nahun.’

Although he intended to carry out the revenge himself, getting assistance from Nahun for the strategy would be best. However, he had no information on Nahun’s whereabouts right now, and carrying out his orders was priority.

Thus, Dein chose to gather information only in a city far from Soter, where Adelbert was located.

Dein arrived at Anicetto, one of the outer cities of the Holy Kingdom. He headed straight for a nearby tavern. This tavern, which opened early in the morning, often attracted adventurers who operated at night. For them, daytime was like night, and it was a pleasant way to relax with a drink before heading off to sleep.

“Owner.”

“Welcome. What would you like?”

“A rum.”

“Understood.”

Rum – along with gin and vodka – was considered cheap liquor, but because of its potency, those who developed a taste for it constantly sought it out.

Generally, those who sought such drinks led lowly lives. Cheap and strong alcohol was usually favored by the broke.

When someone ordered rum in broad daylight, not just the owner but also other patrons nearby cast glances in that direction. The individual’s appearance was rather shabby, making it seem like he was from a slum.

“Tch, a beggar coming into the tavern.”

One adventurer, while drinking, voiced his irritation openly. This was the common perception of the slums. The reason Dein specifically ordered rum was to see if someone from the slums was in the area.

‘No reaction.’

Most residents of the slums lacked proper identities. Extracting information from them would make it easier to eliminate them later. So he attempted to set a trap, but there was no response.

It seemed regrettable, but he had to down a drink and leave. As Dein lifted his glass to down it, suddenly someone sat down next to him.

‘This guy…’

He hadn’t noticed at all. The man who sat beside him had approached without making a sound. The stranger spoke in a hearty tone.

“You enjoy your rum, my friend.”

“…Do you like it too?”

“Indeed. Hey, owner. Pour me a drink of dark rum like this one.”

“…Got it.”

The man seemed eager to chat with Dein while waiting for his drink, inquiring about various things.

“Are you from outside?”

“Just passing through.”

“I see. Have you learned how to appreciate rum from somewhere?”

“…I used to work as a sailor. Since then, I find myself constantly craving it.”

“Oh, a sailor, huh? Then you ought to enjoy rum.”

“Here it comes.”

The man’s drink arrived. He raised his glass, then extended it towards Dein, whose glass was still full.

“There are no bad people who know how to enjoy rum.”

“…Is that so?”

Dein clinked his glass against the man’s. But just as he was about to take a sip, he sensed something odd.

After their glasses clinked, there was poison smeared on his glass. Deadly poison. As he brought his hand to his lips to wipe away a droplet of liquor, that would spell the end.

“……”

“Hmm? Why aren’t you drinking?”

“…You.”

Dein set his glass down.

“What’s the matter?”

“Who sent you?”

At Dein’s question, the man met his gaze for a moment. Then, with a smirk, he replied, sounding rather impressed.

“You know what kind of poison this is, huh?”

“…I asked who sent you.”

“It’s not someone who sent me, Dein. It was my own decision.”

“……?!”

Dein quickly sprang to his feet and drew a dagger. The man, however, only smiled as he spoke.

“I’ve been searching for you for so long. Ever since Luke appeared like that, I’ve been looking for you. And recently, news has reached me.”

The man grabbed his own facial flesh and, with a tug, lightly tore it off, saying:

“A thief adventurer with ash-colored hair and brown eyes has been spotted in the outer cities of the Holy Kingdom.”

“…You.”

Dein recognized him as well. No, he couldn’t forget that face. Though his skin was a little more tanned than in his memories, the scar on his eyelid was surely that of this man.

Dein swallowed hard and asked,

“Why is the guild master of Soter here?”

Adelbert Granz.

“Why would I be here?”

The most powerful assassin-class adventurer…

“I’m here to deal with you, a pawn of the demon race.”

To Dein, he was like an arch-enemy. Dein scanned the surroundings. The fact that Adelbert was here increased the likelihood that his subordinates were with him as well. Given Adelbert’s relaxed demeanor in the presence of someone brandishing a dagger, it was clear.

In such a scenario, this cramped and open tavern was not a suitable place for fighting multiple opponents. Enemies could launch a coordinated attack from all sides.

“Tch.”

Dein threw a smoke bomb to the ground. Then he quickly escaped through the tavern window and climbed the wall of the adjacent building. Another adventurer would undoubtedly be lurking around the corner.

“…Oh, your judgment has certainly improved. You’ve made remarkable progress over that time.”

Adelbert honestly evaluated Dein’s skills. However, from what had been shown thus far…

“But that’s all you’ve got.”

Adelbert settled the bill for both the drink Dein had ordered and the one he had ordered himself. As he stepped out of the tavern, he muttered,

“I’ll consider that drink as a tribute to honor your spirit.”

—

In the Kingdom of Pathias, in the city of Rutinium, there was a newlywed woman who recently became a local sensation. Just looking at her radiated a charm that seemed to flow effortlessly.

Eri. With her gentle and kind demeanor, along with a lovely appearance, she had already become the most cherished and cared-for woman by the local matrons.

Meeting the neighbor lady, Eri was receiving yet another gift.

“Here you go, dear. This was from our hometown, and it tastes just wonderful.”

“Thank you, ma’am! I’ll enjoy it!”

“Alright, enjoy it. By the way, dear.”

“Yes?”

“It seems a bit heated at night lately; are you planning on having a baby?”

“Yes, yes?!”

“Oh, I’m not saying I heard anything~.”

Flushed red at the neighbor’s jest, Eri stammered and panicked. It seemed that the soundproofing in her house was not as effective as she thought.

…That’s what she thought, but in reality, it was just that Eri’s voice had gotten louder and accidentally reached the neighbor’s ears. The homeowner had closed her eyes and covered her ears, but the neighbor couldn’t seem to suppress her urge to talk.

“Right, it’s been two years since you came here, hasn’t it? It’s about time to consider having a second, huh? I’ve been wondering when you’d have a child.”

“Ah, no! No way!!”

“What do you mean, no? You still act like a maiden sometimes~.”

Just as they were exchanging such meaningless banter, someone was watching Eri and the neighbor.

“?”

Eri sensed something at once and turned to the side, but the neighbor seemed completely oblivious, continuing her chatter.

“Is your husband strong at night? You’re so loud….”

“Excuse me for a moment, ma’am.”

“Hmm?”

As Eri put on a serious expression, the neighbor tilted her head in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”

Eri smiled gently at the neighbor.

“I’ll be back shortly; I have an urgent matter at home.”

“Oh, is that so? Well then, be careful.”

“Yes, I’ll enjoy this delicious treat.”

With those words, Eri began to walk away. The neighbor watched her and tilted her head.

“Hmm? That’s not the newlywed’s home, is it?”

Eri headed toward where she had sensed someone watching her earlier. She took a small twig out of her pocket.

“Return to your original form. Transform cancellation.”

The twig transformed into a large staff. With the magic artifact gifted by Nahun ending in a gnarled staff, Eri aimed it at her target.

“Who are you?”

“…As expected, it’s you.”

A woman’s voice spoke. As she slowly revealed herself, Eri’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Ah, Angela!?”

“It’s been a while, Eri.”

She was Angela, the guild receptionist from Soter. Eri felt bewildered as she couldn’t understand why Angela was here.

“Seeing you alone, it seems… where did Dein go?”

“!?”

Angela was also aware that Dein was with her. Eri couldn’t fathom where this information had leaked from and stared at Angela with a serious expression.

“Why… are you looking for us?”

“For a simple reason.”

Angela lightly clapped her hands. Then the adventurers she had brought with her swarmed out.

“To capture the pawns of the demon race.”

“…What did you say?”

“I know everything, so don’t even think of denying it, Eri.”

“What evidence do you have to make such claims?”

“Evidence, huh?”

Angela laughed as if dismissing the question.

“Luke came in like that; what’s the difference between you all being caught together?”

“…You’re talking about Luke?!”

Eri furrowed her brows.

“You’re mentioning Luke!? I know that Adelbert Granz killed Luke!!”

“It is true that the master killed him, but you seem to be missing one thing.”

Angela made a weighty statement.

“The one who condemned him is the demon world.”

“…Nonsense.”

Eri dismissed Angela’s assertion as nonsense. There was a strong resolve in her rejection, as if she would not even consider it. Angela was taken aback by Eri’s attitude.

“How can you be so callous when you have a chance to learn the truth about your friend’s death?”

“That backstory? I don’t care. It’s a fact that you killed Luke.”

Even as she stated that, Eri had her reasons. Her relationship with Dein was one of them. If the truth regarding Luke’s death were to emerge, there was no way she could maintain her relationship with Dein properly.

“So, you came to capture me?”

“I brought the optimal combination to deal with a sorceress like you: a warrior, a knight, a priest, and even a magician.”

“Ha….”

Eri full well knew that Angela had come here with great certainty regarding her presence. If so, who provided her with that information?

“…Ah.”

She then realized. The artifact embedded in Eri’s staff reflected the neighbor’s image. Despite the massive number of adventurers appearing, she hadn’t gone home and instead observed the situation.

“…I see where the information came from. But even so, it raises a question.”

“What is it?”

“Information about me and Dein flirting here and there should have never been enough to make anyone want to come look for us. Where the heck did that information come from?”

“……Hehe, Eri.”

Angela smiled widely.

“You’re smarter than I expected.”

“Who are you working for? The guild in Soter wouldn’t just allow for such activity.”

Adventurer guilds can’t mobilize unless it’s a significant matter. This meant that someone must have made a request to the guild to move.

“Is it the Pope?”

“A bit similar, but completely wrong.”

“What?”

“It’s not the Holy Kingdom.”

Angela said that before giving orders to the adventurers.

“Capture her. Preferably keep her alive.”

“Understood!”

“Let’s go!”

As the adventurers charged at Eri, she realized the meaning behind Angela’s words. Similar to the Pope, yet completely different. And it was not something commissioned by the Holy Kingdom.

‘…Ha.’

Yes. In that case, there was only one individual. At least in the current human realm, someone who could recognize that their civil war was being manipulated by the demon world would be none other than…

“Princess Charlotte.”

The fact that the princess of the Bismarck Empire was commissioning the guild of the Holy Kingdom. And the decision of the guild master, Adelbert, to accept such a request was not something an ordinary person would make.

“Oh my, really….”

Angela replied with a smile.

“Remarkable deduction.”

Just as the adventurers lunged at Eri, her staff illuminated with light.

“But Angela, you misjudged.”

Eri aimed her staff not at the adventurers rushing towards her but at her own feet.

“Instead of a warrior, you should have brought an assassin.”

A magic circle unfurled. In an instant, far outpacing the casting speed standard mages could manage.

“Wait…!”

“Move to the target.”

【 Teleportation 】

Boom!!

The warrior’s and knight’s swords struck the innocent ground.

“What the hell just happened!?”

“What was that casting speed?! Is that even magic?”

Angela squinted her eyes and muttered.

“It seems… she had already prepared an escape route.”

—

“Haah… haah!”

High-speed casting. It placed a serious burden on the mage’s body. This was because it involved hastily drawing out the artifact’s magic from a human without any inherent magic power.

“Dein….”

There was an emergency escape tool that Nahun had given him which would allow him to come here if anything occurred. Eri paused for a moment, waiting for him, but then felt the surroundings darkening and sighed.

“Should I just head back first…?”

Eri reluctantly prepared to step into the demon realm portal. If it was Dein, he would surely manage to escape better than she could, so she believed there wouldn’t be any issue.

“…As expected, humans cannot be trusted.”

Eri stepped into the portal.

Having returned to the demon realm, Eri ascended from the 72nd floor to the 69th floor, notifying the Demon King’s castle of her return. Cecili greeted her and inquired,

“Eri, where’s Dein?”

“…Well, about that.”

Eri explained the whole situation to Cecili. With a slightly serious expression, Cecili asked her,

“When did Dein leave?”

“He left in the morning. He usually returns by dawn the next day…”

“…Wait a moment, Eri.”

“Yes?”

“Sniff, sniff.”

Cecili suddenly began to smell around, moving about Eri. After wandering around for a while, Cecili tilted her head.

“Something seems off.”

“Yes?”

“I smell something other than Eri’s scent.”