Chapter 14
“Where did something like that pop up from? Don't you think so?”
“……”
Cheong remained silent at Arkan's question.
He knew that it wasn't a question she asked expecting an answer.
Besides, regrettably, he also knew nothing about him.
All he knew was that he had recently received a government post, and his first assignment was Blackmore.
“You said he wields some unknown Supernatural Power.”
Arkan had already been fully informed of the situation Cheong encountered when he invited Luke.
The invitation to headquarters, the minor friction that arose, and even how Cheong was subdued without being able to lift a finger—everything, without omission.
“Were you really completely unable to move? Even when you channeled your Mana?”
“Yes, it wasn't a simple restriction. It went beyond being unable to move; it felt like all five of my senses were completely paralyzed.”
“…Is that so?”
A Supernatural Power that stops everything except consciousness.
What kind of ridiculously overpowered ability was that?
If one set their mind to it, it was an ability that could kill anyone.
Furthermore, Cheong was a key figure and executive of the Monarch Council.
The fact that even Cheong was helplessly defeated was not something to be overlooked.
“There definitely wasn't any Mana.”
“Could he have concealed his energy?”
“Well. That's not something you can do with simple concealment. And there's no way he tricked my eyes. Besides…”
Arkan's lips curved into a faint smile.
“There was no need to confirm it.”
Luke Richter.
He was a type of human she had never seen before.
She was particularly surprised when he remained composed while facing her Killing Intent.
Above all, Arkan possessed the Insight Eye, which allowed her to see through people's true intentions.
Because of this, she knew more about the human race than anyone else.
The fact that they were a race that constantly lied.
That's why, from the moment she first met him until the moment they parted, she never once took her eyes off him.
“…Haha.”
…There were no lies in what came out of his mouth.
Neither the claim about conquering the Labyrinth, nor the claim about killing a True Ancestor with his own hands.
Not a single one, no exceptions.
Since there was no way he could know about the existence of the Insight Eye, she could at least be certain that he wasn't usually of a despicable nature.
“You saw it too, right? How he was lecturing me earlier.”
“…I saw it.”
“Have you ever seen a human like that? I haven't. Ah! Maybe he's not human? Well, of course, a mere human couldn't possibly kill Arcantilla, that thousand-year-old Monster.”
Cheong listened silently.
It was also his first time seeing his Lord so talkative.
“Was it Rudine?”
“If you're referring to the girl next to him, then yes.”
“That little girl, she's not human.”
“What?”
“Ah, well, technically she is human. But just the shell is human, you know? There's some kind of Monster hiding inside that shell.”
Looking at Arkan, whose eyes were sparkling with amusement, Cheong cautiously asked,
“Should we put a tail on him?”
“What for?”
“…Pardon?”
In an exasperated voice, Arkan added,
“He's just asking to borrow some people for five years, so why bother spying on him? We can just openly send our people over.”
Arkan took a sip of her coffee and chuckled.
“Choose carefully. I think we'll be seeing him often.”
****
The deal was a success.
In exchange for urgently disposing of the troublesome Forbidden Book, I solved the most pressing issue of manpower.
Furthermore, I received a promise to resolve the Dark Shadow Society issue, which had been giving me the biggest headache recently.
Everything was going smoothly, so I couldn't help but feel good.
Humming a tune, I returned to the office.
“Luke, the place is a mess.”
“…I see that.”
Rudine and I could only sigh.
The earthen floor, which should have been flat, was pockmarked as if a bomb had exploded, and the tidy office was a complete disaster, as if a storm had passed through.
We were only gone for a short while.
What in the world happened here?
Just whose damn doing was this?
My head is throbbing.
I was barely managing to suppress my anger when a dark figure came running from afar.
“Luke!”
A familiar tail silhouette.
It was Adina, without a doubt.
“Huff… Where have you… been… leaving me all alone…!”
What is this cowardly fox babbling about?
“Hey.”
“Phew… Yes?”
“What’s all this?”
I pointed with my finger.
The traces of a fierce battle remained on the floor.
“Hee hee.”
Adina’s tail suddenly swayed.
Lifting her head, she folded her arms and added,
“I did it.”
“…What?”
“After you disappeared, some suspicious group kept coming by. Every single one of them kept asking for Luke Richter.”
“And?”
“So I killed them all! Hee hee.”
Looking at Adina proudly boasting, I sighed.
This stupid fox.
Did she fight them without even knowing who they were?
‘Wait a minute.’
…She didn't know who they were?
If they came here looking for me, they're one of two types.
They either have animosity towards me.
Or, they have business with me.
If it's the latter, the possibilities narrow down further.
“Were they…”
“Yes?”
“Nobles in formal attire?”
Adina shook her head.
“No. Just dirty, smelly humans. Ugh... Just thinking about it makes my nose wrinkle."
Her answer was completely different from what I expected.
Fortunately, it seemed they weren't from the Imperial Family.
“How many were there?”
“Hmm… Ten? Fifteen?”
“And you killed them all? Without knowing who they were?”
Flick!
Her triangular ears twitched again, and she nodded.
“Yes! Every single one. Oh, and I found this too!”
She pulled something out of her pocket.
A piece of paper stained with blood.
Something was faintly written on it.
‘Luke Richter… eliminate… reward…’
"..."
This freakin' crazy.
Bounties already?
What did I even do?
“Luke.”
Rudine, who'd been quietly observing, softly called my name.
“Look over there.”
She pointed with her fingertip towards the office ceiling.
Lifting my head, I was momentarily speechless.
The middle of the ceiling was completely blown open, as if a meteorite had struck it. Sunlight poured through the hole, making my eyebrows twitch involuntarily.
“Ah, that!”
Adina, who'd been watching, wagged her tail and spoke proudly.
“I missed one, and he tried to escape through the roof. Of course, I tracked him down and killed him, so there’s no need to worry. How’s that? Clean, right?”
“But why are there *two* holes?”
“Ah, one of them… was because I misfired a spell…”
Aha.
A mistake, huh?
Thinking about it, it was absurd.
The reason the Dark Shadow Society Leader died was because that bastard was the True Ancestor's Demon Steed.
— Luke… Richter…
— I… won't… forget… you…
So, he must have muttered my name before dying.
The same lines Arcantilla left behind upon death.
And the cause of all this?
— Luke, *gasp*…! Richter, *gasp*…! What… have you… done…!”
It was because of Adina, who'd rushed in yelling my name.
“…”
I caused a lot of trouble when I was young, too.
I shoplifted chocolate from the supermarket and skipped cram school to go to the arcade.
So I can understand.
Adina never received love from her family, and because of that, she lacks social skills.
It’s like looking at my younger self.
However.
Whenever that happened, my mother told me.
And that is…
“Rudine.”
“Yeah.”
Spare the rod, spoil the child.
Regardless of age or gender.
“Don’t kill her.”
“Yeah.”
“Just give her a proper education.”
“What kind of education?”
“Home education.”
“Got it!”
“Huh? What does that even… *Eek*!”
Before Adina could finish her question, Rudine moved.
Along with the sound of air being sliced through—
*Thwack!*
" *Urgh*!"
Adina's scream echoed through the office.
****
Several days passed.
Adina, who received the education(?) from Rudine, initially complained about the unfairness, but quickly caved after Rudine pointed out each of her wrongdoings one by one. Especially when she heard the news that she'd become an unknown mastermind because of her actions, she even broke out in a cold sweat.
And now.
Although I was exhausted from cleaning up the messed-up office, a relatively peaceful time followed.
Just like that, I was spending time without any inconvenience.
*Creak—!*
A carriage stopped in front of the office.
No, not just one.
At least five more carriages followed behind it.
‘What’s this?’
Did they come to express their gratitude?
But it's not the time for gratitude yet, is it?
While I was pondering this.
*Clunk.*
The carriage door opened, and a man in uniform stepped out.
As soon as he saw me, he asked,
“Are you Sir Luke Richter?”
He asked for my name, then
“I have something to deliver to you.”
He checked a document, then whispered to the people who got off after him.
“Please wait a moment.”
And, a moment later.
“!!!”
The doors of the carriages behind opened, and an unbelievable amount of gold coins poured out.
Unable to contain my curiosity any longer, I asked,
“What is this?”
“Gold coins.”
“Why are you giving me gold coins?”
“Ah, I didn’t tell you.”
He smiled brightly and recited the contents of the document.
“Katran, Daykal, Bren, Kalix…”
Familiar names poured out.
The names of the criminals who were wiped out when I killed the True Ancestor.
“…Up to here, these are the criminals you’ve killed, sir.”
What?
Then this is…
“Thank you for your hard work. This is the bounty calculated by the Imperial Family, though it's a small token of our appreciation.”
“!!!”