episode_0078

“Ask again. Who are you?”

Ian’s past of being the weak for a longer period of time than the strong made him sensitive.

In particular, the ears are the most developed, capable of detecting even things that cannot be seen with the eyes.

This is also why I sleep brightly.

So, it was no problem for him to find out that someone was eavesdropping on the conversation when he was summoned to the prince.

It was also easy to notice that the mysterious person was following him.

Even realizing that the follower is weaker than himself.

‘But he’s at least a B-class hero.’

I tried to break the sword in my arm, but it didn’t work.

When Ian slowly let go, the sword slipped out quickly.

When I turned around, there was a man with an unfamiliar face.

Just by looking at the face half-revealed by the hood, you could tell that the other person was engaged in difficult work.

“Is he an assassin? As for who instigated it… Even if you ask, they won’t answer.”

“… … .”

The other person was silent.

It seemed like he had no intention of backing down.

‘Do you think I have a chance because I’m bare handed?’

It was a good thing.

Ian also planned to overpower his opponent and find out his identity.

The opponent suddenly rushed forward and swung his sword.

‘That’s fast.’

Ian quickly took out a sword from his subspace pocket and defended himself.

What I took out was a training sword.

-Kang!

The swords collided and sparks flew.

A brief burst of light revealed the bewildered face of the other person.

Still, the opponent did not stop.

-visor! Chat!

He quickly swings his sword and knocks on Ian’s sword.

‘The power is good too. The mana output is also very good.’

-visor! Kaduk!

‘But that’s just it.’

Ian defended and shed effortlessly and analyzed his opponent.

‘A natural superhuman with quite good mana output. However, I have never been trained by anyone, and crucially, I have little experience fighting with someone at the risk of my life. ‘I’ve probably never competed properly with an opponent who was equal, let alone stronger than me.’

Ironically, the reason Ian was able to train the first warrior party, who were much stronger than him, was because he was the weak one.

In the midst of countless battles, he had to think to survive.

Identify, think, analyze, and destroy the opponent.

Because without that, it was impossible to win.

How does the center of gravity shift?

When attacking, is there more force in stabbing or cutting?

When defending, do you block, dodge, or parry?

Where are your eyes looking?

How excited are you right now?

Do you have any hidden secrets?

How many times have we fought?

Thanks to his unique observation and analysis skills, Ian was able to teach the first warrior party.

‘Because of his strength, he could easily defeat most opponents. He was quite good at surprise attacks, but there may have been more cases where he was killed by assassination before he even fought in the first place.’

Understand and judge a lot in a short period of time.

‘Cutting and stabbing are sloppy. There is no way. The center of gravity is also unstable. The type that lived by believing only in surprise and strength. I don’t know if Jindeuk had received proper training and gained experience… .’

Ian finished his judgment.

‘This guy right now is definitely weaker than me.’

In fact, it was a gap that Ian could have closed with just his strength.

Nevertheless, he went through this cumbersome process of understanding and analyzing.

It was like a fingerprint engraved on his life.

It was both a habit and inertia.

Ian placed one hand on his sword.

It was in a half-sword stance, with one hand holding the handle and the other hand holding the sword body.

Cuts the opponent’s movement from top to bottom to the side.

Naturally, the opponent’s stance opens and the handle is placed in front of the opponent’s face.

Ian pushed the handle briefly and stamped his face with the pommel.

“Ugh!”

Edgar retreated from the hot pain radiating from his nose.

When he came to his senses, there was no sword in his hand.

While the pommel was hit, Ian took it.

Ian followed without stopping, holding the sword upside down and swinging it.

A solid cross guard struck the opponent’s face.

“Kuhhh-!”

A few teeth fell to the floor along with blood.

“You, you… how… .”

“Hmm. To be followed by such a weak guy.”

“I, I, am comparable to a class A hero… .”

Ian burst out laughing as he looked at the other person who was muttering like he was dumbfounded.

“It looks like you’ve never seen a Class A hero before.”

Ian casually swung his sword like a baseball bat and struck his opponent’s shoulder and thigh with a cross guard.

“Aaagh-!”

On his writhing wrist, Ian found a familiar mark.

I quickly grabbed his wrist and rolled up his sleeve, revealing a tattoo with an ‘X’ drawn in the middle of a circle.

“Liberal League?”

The X even protruded outside the circle.

Ian knew what the sign meant.

“You are the head of them. Did you say Edgar? I heard you use that name.”

“… … .”

Edgar, the person who surprised me, did not respond.

“But didn’t you guys receive an assassination request?”

“… … .”

This gap was difficult for Edgar to understand.

Why on earth does a person of this caliber stay in the job of a manager?

“… aha. By any chance, have you been chasing me ever since that day?”

“… … .”

Ian rubbed Edgar’s hand with his heel.

“Keuuk… !”

“This is not a situation that can be solved by keeping your mouth shut.”

“Okay, okay… !”

“Hmm. Is it a battle of pride between criminal organizations? Still, you’re persistent.”

“What do you know about the shadow situation in the back alleys… !”

“… That’s right, the scumbag who makes a living from crime is a back alley and a shadow, so he’s good at giving himself names that seem familiar.”

Edgar could not refute that blatant insult.

“But it’s strange. It’s too exquisite to have come here after me.”

“That’s… .”

“You were in Fiorene City from the beginning.”

“… !”

“Was it right? I took a picture of it.”

It wasn’t completely unfounded.

The underground banquet room in Fiorene City is not a space that anyone can enter.

For a person capable of spying on that place, it was reasonable to think that he had been there from the beginning, rather than finding him by chance.

“What is your relationship with Lorenzo?”

And, there was also a good possibility that there was some kind of relationship with Lorenzo, the castle owner.

“As I said, this is not a situation that can be solved by keeping your mouth shut. There is no such thing as loyalty… .”

Ian put his sword on the floor and tried to continue the story.

Because he moved slightly, the weight on the back of Edgar’s hand became a little lighter.

Edgar did not miss the opportunity.

-pop!

Along with a light explosion sound, gray smoke rose and obscured the surroundings.

The burning, acrid smell even disturbed my sense of smell.

When Ian held out his hand and looked ahead, Edgar was no longer there.

I heard a sound running away from somewhere.

‘Is it the northeast?’

Ian looked at the missing spot and smiled.

In the first place, I never expected him to open his mouth obediently.

‘And there is no way that the representative of the Liberal Federation, which values safety, would be stuck in the city of Fiorene without a hideout or organization base nearby.’

He had planned from the beginning to let Edgar run away.

To target that base.

I needed someone who was better at tracking than me.

‘Carty.’

[yes.]

‘Is there any problem there?’

[That’s right.]

‘Then come here.’

[All right.]

*

They need Kati to track them down, but Ian didn’t bring her with them from the beginning.

In case there is not just one person being followed.

Or, if it’s not aimed at you.

This is because someone needed to protect the group at such times.

Fortunately, there was only one pursuer and there were no enemies on the party’s side.

Although summoning was impossible, Katy arrived at Ian’s location very quickly.

Even though she had covered quite a distance, Kati showed no sign of fatigue.

When Kati arrived, she took off her blindfold and looked at the ground.

“Can you chase it?”

It was dark and hard to see, and even if I ran through the bushes and erased my footprints, I couldn’t fool Kati’s eyes.

Kati raised her head, following the brightly lit traces of footprints with her eyes.

Because of the injury, the balance of the running was poor, so the footprints were deep, and there were occasional drops of blood.

It was a very easy target to track.

“Yes.”

“Please do me a favor.”

Kati stood up and looked up at Ian.

For Ian, it was the first golden eyes he had seen in a long time.

The pupils were round and dilated to receive light in a dark place, making them look as innocent as Puss in Boots.

Ian, realizing the meaning of that gaze, placed his hand on Katy’s head.

“Thank you always. Even during the day today.”

As Ian slowly stroked her hair, Kati placed both her hands on top of his hands and enjoyed the movement.

Ian couldn’t feel the warmth because he was wearing gloves, but it was enough.

As Ian’s hand slowly slowed down, Katy moved her hand and stroked it more.

Ian burst out laughing.

“Sometimes they say you really are like a cat. That’s a cat like a dog.”

“Like a dog… ?”

“No, it means that he listens well like a dog, but it sounds a bit like that… .”

As Kati continued to move Ian’s hand, she lowered her gaze and thought deeply.

Katy’s thoughts didn’t last long.

She nodded slightly as if she understood something.

“That’s fine too.”

“… If you like it, that’s fine. But when are you going to tell me what that bell is?”

Kati wears a bell choker around her neck, but the bell does not make a sound.

I had been wearing it even before I wore the maid uniform.

Ian asked several times, but Katy just gave up and said there was nothing inside.

“It’s just decoration.”

It was the same today.

Kati slowly lowered Ian’s hand and stepped back.

Ian’s hand slowly slipped out of the gently folded hands.

Like a magnet being forcibly pulled by someone, it was difficult for Kati to let go.

Kati said, her fingertips still touching.

“I will go.”

“Yes. Be careful and tell me right away if anything happens. … Well, I guess you need my help.”

“Needed”

“Okay, then I’ll run right over.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“I am thankful.”

Their fingertips sadly brushed and their hands barely moved apart.

Still, Kati laughed.

It was a very small and faint smile, but it was enough for Ian to recognize it.

“Those words alone are enough.”

Without hesitation, Katy turned and ran after the footsteps.

Before I knew it, her figure had disappeared into the darkness between the bushes.

Ian watched her disappear for a moment.

‘Whether it is a hiding place or a base, Kati will find it and tell you the location. Then we organize it all at once.’

Since I don’t know the scale, it might be difficult for Katy and I to handle it all.

Wolf Gang.

I need his help.

Ian walked straight towards the city of Fiorene.