# Chapter 7. Found It (5)
“…Who are you?”
As the cocoon opened, a face was revealed.
A face I’d never seen before.
“This doesn’t seem like an assassin type.”
Evan subtly extended his hand to check the scalp.
If it were Black Dawn, there should be a tattoo etched on the scalp.
But there was no sign of it.
Instead, just some bald spots.
“Phew…”
Evan let out a huge sigh of relief inside.
“It’s not an assassin. Not an important figure either.”
Though Evan was old school, he couldn’t memorize every single character.
Just the key players.
Luckily, this guy didn’t seem to be either an assassin or an important figure.
“Yeah, that’s probably why Lapis caught him.”
Lapis is only ten now.
Even if he’s destined for future sins, he’s still a kid.
The probability of him being important just plummeted!
“Still, better safe than sorry…”
It wasn’t because I was scared or anything!
“Golem #5, hold him tightly. Be careful not to break any bones though.”
Nod!
Hulk-like Golem #5 grabbed the man firmly with its thick arms.
“Golem #4, bring the potion from shelf #29.”
Golem #4, with its long arms, handed the potion over to Evan.
[Mountain Hollow Poison Potion.]
Mountain Hollow Poison.
A poison that has the effect of evaporating mana.
The refined version made into a potion.
It won’t endanger life if used.
The effects aren’t too long-lasting either.
On the flip side, I amplified the effects several times.
And made sure no toxins remain in the body afterward.
“Good thing I prepared this ahead of time.”
It was really hard to make.
Didn’t it take about three months?
Without anyone’s help, I succeeded purely through intuition and knowledge.
“I’m not talentless after all.”
If I were a genius?Even at the longest, I could’ve finished it within a month.
Shortage?
That kind of thing holds no meaning.
Because someone who fills their shortages with talent…
That’s what a genius is, right?
Wasn’t that exactly what the real player characters were like?
“If only I had a mentor…”
Evan was a self-taught alchemist.
No official school, no formal knowledge.
The results? They’re good.
The problem lies in the process.
What if there’s an error or issue due to a mistake?
There’s no way to fix it.
Knowledge and essence.
I need a master who can pass those down.
“For now, I’ll have to find one after finishing this.”
If they offer enough money, surely at least one person will come, right?
Evan cleared his mind of distractions.
He handed the Mountain Hollow Poison potion to Golem #3.
“Golem #3, inject this.”
Nod.
Golem #3 took the potion.
A straw-like appendage emerged, sucking up the potion into a syringe.
“Here we go~” as if saying so, it tapped the man’s arm twice.
Poke! The needle plunged into the man’s upper arm.
“……!!!”
The man immediately began squirming violently.
Evan stepped back slightly.
Living Golems stood firm, protecting Evan.
…Slump.
After wriggling around for a bit, the man went limp.
Phew. Evan let out a sigh of relief.
Lapis, who had been secretly pulling out threads, quickly hid her arm.
“Golem #4, inject the recovery potion.”
Golem #4 handed over the high-grade recovery potion.
Golem #3, nodding, poured the potion into a syringe just like before and plunged it into the man’s upper arm.
Glug glug.
“Ugh…”
The pale complexion started returning.
His arm hadn’t healed yet.
To regenerate lost body parts, you’d need at least an uppermost-grade potion.
In other words, unless it’s diluted elixir-level concentration, there’s no way to fully heal the wounds.
The high-grade recovery potion used now was far from enough.
“Should I attach a prosthetic limb?”
Golems had various uses.
You could even make them into arms or legs.
What if this guy demands compensation?
“That much…”
If he’s not an enemy, it’s worth giving.
If he turns out to be an enemy…
“Well, then there’s nothing I can do.”
I’d have to use force to survive.
Unnecessarily tense, Evan gulped audibly.
After the potion was fully injected,
about three minutes passed.
“When he wakes up, I’ll pretend to be unrelated.”
Treat him politely.
Isn’t that proper etiquette between people?
“Please don’t notice…”
“Ugh, ugh…”
The man regained consciousness and opened his eyes.
His blurred gaze met Evan’s.
“…Where am I?”
Blurry focus.
Cloudy vision.
Shadow, having regained consciousness, sighed in relief upon realizing he was alive.
“…Damn, lucky.”
Who would’ve thought he’d survive that hell?
Threads pouring down like a natural disaster.
He barely managed to survive.
It was a miracle to keep his life, even though one arm was cut off…
“This much is fine.”
He survived.
That’s all that mattered.
The arm can always be reattached or regenerated later.
“…Still, where am I?”
Shadow spread his senses as much as possible.
His vision hadn’t returned yet.
Reliance on his other senses was more reliable.
But perhaps due to depleted mana…
“I can’t sense anything.”
Squeak.
He tried moving his body slightly.
Not a budge.
“…Something’s binding me tightly.”
At least this much was clear.
He’d been captured somewhere.
Poke!
“…!”
Then, something pierced his arm.
A liquid entering his body through the punctured spot.
Could it be… truth serum?
Tension naturally crept into his body.
He also tensed his mouth.
Just in case, ready to bite his tongue.
Even if he couldn’t die, he wouldn’t be able to speak.
“…Is it healing?”
Then, the pain began to subside.
He could feel the wounds on his body healing.
A recovery potion?
At least high-grade.
Neither poison nor impurities could be sensed.
Shadow, immune to a hundred poisons, could identify the potion entering his body.
“To waste such an expensive item on me?”
If he’d been poisoned, it would’ve made sense.
But just “treatment”?
“What kind of person is this?”
Shadow forced his eyes open.
Though recovery was far off, there was no choice.
At the very least, he needed to confirm whether the person was friend or foe.
Swish…
The blurry silhouette gradually became clearer with each blink.
“…!”
Shadow swallowed his shock.
Gaunt frame.
Golems wrapped around his body like armor.
Shaggy hair.
Yet, a dazzling appearance that couldn’t be hidden despite all that.
“Evan Alkart…?!”
The target Arthur Modrith ordered to be guarded.
There he was, standing right in front of Shadow.
“So, Evan Alkart was the one who captured me?”
Shadow’s expression stiffened.
The possibility of finding him by chance? Zero.
Because Evan Alkart rarely ventured outside normally.
The location where Shadow was attacked was deep in the forest.
It was a remote spot; if you hadn’t marked it beforehand, it would be nearly impossible to find again.
And yet, he just happened to find and bring him here?
Impossible.
“If Evan Alkart is the culprit… everything makes sense.”
A rumor started circulating in the territory recently.
That Evan Alkart created a Chimera.
If that were true…
Discovering Shadow wouldn’t be strange.
Neither would subduing him.
A lifeform born solely for combat, Chimera.
A creature combining the best traits of various beings, it couldn’t be anything but strong.
The difficulty of creation being the highest is irrelevant.
Evan Alkart.
An alchemist who could create potions capable of fixing Aura Vessels.
“How incompetent of me to fail to grasp this…”
Shadow bit his lips softly.
Why did Evan rarely leave?
Probably to secretly complete the Chimera.
Simultaneously cutting off information.
Swish-
Evan approached Shadow.
Is this it?
If he survives, he’ll likely become an experiment subject.
Maybe turned into a puppet-like Chimera.
“God, please forgive my incompetence.”
Shadow clenched his eyes shut.
“Are you alright?”
“…?”
Evan didn’t rip out Shadow’s heart or anything.
With a dry tone, he continued checking on Shadow.
“You seem to be in great pain. Please endure for a little longer.”
“…?”
“In the forest, I found you abandoned in a cocoon and hurriedly provided emergency treatment, but the pain will persist.”
So… I’m not dying?
“I intended to take you to the temple, but there was no way to verify your identity. So, I brought you to my room instead. Please don’t be too tense.”
“…”
“If you have any means to prove your identity, let me know. Once confirmed, I’ll transfer you to the temple.”
Evan neither killed him nor turned him into an experiment subject.
Instead, he showed kindness.
A faint trace of respect seeped into his tone.
Shadow was confused.
“…Is he pretending not to be the culprit? Why?”
When everything’s already exposed?
Shadow’s mind raced.
Assassins have a stereotype of being unintelligent.
It’s merely a stereotype.
Assassins need to be quite smart.
Selecting good positions, identifying enemies’ weaknesses, gathering information—there’s no shortage of brainwork involved.
Shadow was a disciple of the Dark King.
An assassin with both excellent skills and cultivation.
Identifying the enemy’s purpose was one of his specialties.
“He’s deliberately hiding that he’s the culprit. Does that mean he doesn’t want this incident exposed?”
Or is he testing me?
Even now?
Goosebumps ran down his arm.
How far can Evan see?
How much does he anticipate?
Evan must surely know that Shadow’s master is Arthur.
A fairly well-known fact.
That the disciple of the Dark King repented and became Arthur’s servant.
Someone like Evan wouldn’t be unaware.
Thus…
“…Is this a warning?”
Meaning: I’ll let it slide this time.
But if you try any foolish tricks again, I won’t tolerate it—something like that.
His mouth dried up.
“…I almost crossed a major line.”
What would’ve happened if I did?
Well…
I can’t be certain.
The only information I have now is that Evan can make golems and potions.
That can’t possibly be all.
There must be hidden power somewhere.
“…I need to uncover it.”
At the very least, I need to understand his purpose.
Even if it costs my life.
All for Arthur.
“…Excuse me. I lost my belongings while being attacked by beasts.”
“…I see.”
“This much favor is more than enough. First… could you please release me? I wish to repay this kindness.”
Shadow glanced down at the thread covering his hands. The arms encasing the thread were so thick, they might not break even if slashed by a sword.
Evan didn’t answer immediately.
Staring at him emotionlessly.
While cold sweat trickled down Shadow’s forehead,
Evan nodded.
“…Repayment isn’t necessary. I didn’t do this expecting anything in return. I’ll move you outside in this state. I’m rather cautious, you see.”
‘Careful indeed.’
Cautious?
Even a passing dog would laugh at that.
‘No sense of humor.’
One piece of information gained.
Shadow stored it in his mind.
Meanwhile, Evan gave orders to the golem.
“Golem #4, move him outside the window.”
Swish-
Shadow’s body floated upward.
The long-armed golem lifted him effortlessly.
Surprisingly strong for such a thin frame.
‘Am I being dismissed like this?’
Before being thrown out the window, Shadow urgently asked Evan.
“Why did you… save me?”
“…?”
Evan gave him a look asking what he meant.
“How could you waste such an expensive recovery potion on someone who has neither goods nor money? Please tell me. My mother always said that favors must absolutely be repaid.”
Dragging in parents to justify the reason.
Doesn’t sound awkward, does it?
Unless it fails—
“Hmm.”
Evan didn’t answer immediately.
As if trying to discern Shadow’s intent, he stared intently.
Expressionless eyes.
No emotions could be read from them.
As if obscured by something.
Evan finally spoke.
“I don’t like making ‘enemies.’ Seeing someone injured and ignoring them leads to hatred, so I think it’s better to heal them.”
Shadow almost burst out laughing involuntarily.
The reason for the healing was that ridiculous.
Disliking enemies?
So, cutting off the arm was a warning,
and the healing meant “don’t be our adversary,” huh?
“What a lunatic.”
Still, he’s not an enemy.
That’s enough.
“Is this answer sufficient?”
“Yes… it’s sufficient.”
Shadow nodded.
Too easy to obtain information.
It must be what Evan intended.
“I need to inform Master Arthur.”
That Evan knows everything.
Absolutely don’t antagonize him.
“I shall depart then… and visit later to repay this favor.”
“Understood.”
Evan smiled.
A stiff and awkward smile.
“Take care.”
Swish-
Golem #4 gently lowered Shadow outside the window.
Rip! Shadow tore the threads with his recovered body and disappeared into the shadows.
Once the enemy vanished, the Living Golems relaxed.
Evan clutched his chest.
“Huff, huff!”
Shit. My heart, man.
“What terrifying eyes!”
I thought he was an assassin.
He didn’t seem like one given his lack of strength and ignorance of Mountain Hollow Poison.
Just a bit scary, that’s all.
“Still, this should’ve gone well enough, right?”
Better strengthen security just in case.
Still, I’m satisfied.
Another crisis averted today!
This means I’m one step closer to becoming a manly man!
Evan inwardly smiled contentedly.
Knock knock.
Dolphe knocked on the door.
“Master. Are you done?”
“Come in.”
“K. I’m here…”
“Come here, Lapis.”
At least no grudges or misunderstandings were formed.
Evan patted Lapis’s back as she snuggled into his arms, feeling reassured.
“Evan!”
“Yes, Lapis. What is it?”
“A letter arrived.”
“Huh?”
The next day.
A letter arrived.
…Impaled on a dagger.
