episode_0021

The moon shines brightly at dawn.

I, cloaked, and Elaim in armor were very conspicuous. We ignored the attention.

I stood in front of the tree I used every day. And I pressed the button I always pressed.

“We have to run right away.”

“Yes.”

An entrance is created. I ran straight away. Elaim, faster than me, passed through first, followed by me. Immediately after, the door closed.

“What on earth is this.”

“Magic installed by the first emperor. Made for students to escape when they’re frustrated.”

“How does young master know that?”

“It’s in the library. There are a few other people who use it besides me. Some professors use it sometimes too.”

Elaim glanced at the fortress wall for a moment, then looked at me with suspicious eyes.

“If you’re curious if it’s true, look for the 444th book in zone 44 on the 4th floor of the library. Or catch some professors and ask them.”

I decided to tell her everything, so I spoke without hiding anything. Elaim accepted it when I went that far.

We quickly broke through the streets I had been seeing for days. There was no time to care about alcohol.

An alley near the Cantia hideout.

“When you go inside, there will be some big guys. You can just knock them down. But hidden in places….”

I explained the information about the hideout step by step. Because she had to subdue the subordinates waiting at the bar after I entered.

“There will be about 100 people. Oh, be careful of the bartender, and when the job is done, under the bar table….”

When I mentioned the points to be careful about, and the location of the traps, all the explanations were finished.

“Any more questions?”

“…….”

“If not, let’s start. Pounce 5 minutes after I go in.”

Just as I was about to leave the alley, Elaim grabbed me.

“Just one thing, I’ll ask you just one thing.”

I stopped and waited for her to speak.

“…If, if I hadn’t come, what would you have done?”

“I would have stormed in alone. That’s why I was making such a fuss at dawn.”

“Why, why….”

Elaim asked in a slightly trembling voice.

“Why do you go this far alone? You could have told the academy, and you could have asked me or the family for help. But why….”

Well…. If I had to say, it’s ultimately for me. My purpose is to live as an extra, after all.

But if I were to find another reason besides that….

“Why? Because it’s my doing.”

It’s because of guilt.

Of course, this will sound strange. There’s no room for me to feel guilty about Kyle Arden’s sins.

If I hadn’t possessed him, this body would have been completely unrelated, and I wasn’t the one who committed the crime.

However, from the moment I possessed him, this body is mine. So I think I have to bear that sin as well. Possession is originally an act of pushing out and occupying a soul.

The price of living a new life. That’s why I humbly accept it. I think that’s the virtue of a possessor.

Well, I know that my state of mind is strange. I’m a bit unique to begin with.

“This is… too dangerous.”

“I know. It’s stupid to take on a criminal organization alone.”

“If you know that, then why….”

“I told you. Because that’s the sin I committed.”

Kyle Arden’s sins are all related to Cantia. So Cantia is the same as my sin.

“You could die doing that.”

“If that happens, the family will take revenge, won’t they?”

I said with a grin.

Of course. Even if I’m a discarded child, the family will move because of their reputation and pride.

Of course, I have no intention of dying. Why else would I cut down on sleep to prepare?

“Young master… is that all you need? No one will know young master’s sacrifice.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“…….”

Elaim was silent for a while. She just stood there quietly and blankly.

Then she made a determined expression.

“I will definitely protect young master.”

With those words, Elaim tried to storm into the Cantia hideout. Completely recklessly.

“Wait, what are you doing!”

“It’s for young master’s safety.”

“I explained the plan, didn’t I? You just have to do it as I said.”

“If we do that, there’s a possibility that young master will be taken hostage. I’ll go in with you….”

Elaim was headstrong. She didn’t think about giving up. She wanted to follow me in no matter what.

‘Wait, if it’s that….’

Then yesterday’s memory came to mind. I said softly.

“Elaim. Don’t you trust me?”

“Th, that’s not it….”

Elaim stuttered. I looked her straight in the eye.

“Sister.”

“Ugh….”

Her cheeks turned red at that one word. Even redder than yesterday.

“It’s, it’s cowardly. To say that at this timing….”

It seemed to have worked, so I soothed her and said.

“Don’t worry. I got poison from those guys, okay? Even Velum won’t be able to do anything with that.”

I proudly held up my pocket. Elaim blinked and looked at me, then suddenly burst out laughing. It wasn’t ridicule. There was a feeling of longing in her eyes.

“I understand. I’ll trust young master.”

“Oh… okay, thank you.”

I don’t know why her voice brightened, but I just moved on.

“Then I’ll see you later.”

“Yes, young master. I’ll see you a little later.”

I entered with Elaim’s smile.

***

“He’s coming?”

“Yes. He’s passing through the tunnel now.”

“Tch.”

Velum clicked his tongue.

“Damn it….”

Again, he came again.

How many days has it been already. He comes once every two days, so it’s impossible not to be annoyed.

Yes, he’s arrogant, but he’s still a valuable customer, so I can meet him. But the annoying thing is that every time he visits, he asks for something to be obtained.

Even because of that, the young master’s visit was unwelcome.

Of course, from Velum’s point of view, it was welcome that he was using the request given for appeasement in that way. It was difficult to focus on the kid in a situation where there was already a shortage of manpower.

But he has to do it in moderation. He asks for things to be obtained over and over again. It was as if the organization he had built had been reduced to a place for the young master to run errands.

It was obvious that the purpose of today’s visit was also because of the thing he requested yesterday.

Gritting, Velum gnashed his teeth. He wanted to kill that guy right away. But it wasn’t time yet.

Velum sipped his drink and waited for the young master. Before long, the door opened.

He quickly straightened his crumpled face and shouted.

“Our young master. You’ve visited again today!”

He leads the young master to the sofa. The guy’s expression wasn’t good.

It wasn’t Velum’s business to worry about. He said he’d take care of it himself, but he must have been beaten instead. The young master was a cripple who couldn’t even utilize the things in his possession.

“The thing?”

“Of course, it’s ready.”

Velum smiled and snapped his fingers. The door opened and a subordinate brought the item.

10 throwing knives placed on the table and a leather pouch to hold them.

The young master carefully examined all 10 of them. He lifted them up and down, stabbed the expensive sofa, and gripped the handle several times. As if to get used to it.

He doesn’t even have an eye for weapons, but he’s doing such a thing, so I can only laugh. He should have swung a sword once during that time.

Well, I guess it’s useless because he has no talent. It was a widely known fact that the young master had no talent.

“This is good enough.”

The young master nodded as if satisfied. And he started putting the throwing knives in the leather pouch.

“I’ll pack it up nicely for you. Just leave it.”

“No, I have to use it soon.”

With those words, he tied the leather pouch behind his waist.

Well, it’s not Velum’s business how he uses them. He’s trying to commit a crime this dawn.

Rather, Velum welcomed it. A scene where he tries to assassinate someone but fails and disappears. It’s a good picture.

Thud, the young master, who had straightened his clothes, sat on the sofa.

“Give me some alcohol. The most expensive one.”

He insolently orders him to run errands. But Velum accepted it with a smile.

“Our young master, it’s been a while since you’ve had alcohol, right?”

He hadn’t put alcohol to his mouth during that time. He was a guy who liked alcohol so much.

But he’s drinking it this time. Velum filled the glass with alcohol with a happy heart. His intention was for him to get drunk and ruin the job.

The guy put a sip of alcohol in his mouth and started feeling the aroma and taste.

‘A kid who doesn’t even know the taste of alcohol.’

Every action is an eyesore. Nevertheless, he maintained his smile.

He asked the guy who had finished a glass.

“Want more?”

“No. That’s enough. More than that, what’s the name of this alcohol?”

“Morning Dew 30 years old.”

“It’s really a drink that fits the situation.”

I didn’t understand what he was saying, so I ignored it for now.

The young master, feeling tipsy, turned his neck this way and that to loosen it. Then he looked at himself and asked.

“There’s still a request left, right?”

“One. That’s the last one.”

“One, huh….”

The young master seemed to be thinking about something.

“Request. I’ll use it now.”

It was a surprise to Velum. Using the remaining one means that there are no more free requests. In other words, he has to pay the request fee from now on.

‘It’s a good thing for me.’

Velum smiled slyly inside. As he did, he opened his arms wide and asked.

“Tell me, young master. What kind of request do you want? Should I kill the guy you struggled with and couldn’t handle?”

“No, not that.”

The young master shook his head.

After a moment of hesitation, the guy opened his mouth.

“Velum. Let’s fight.”

And Velum was out of his mind for a moment.

***

“What… did you just say?”

“Let’s fight. Velum.”

I calmly said my request.

“Let’s fight? With me?”

“Yeah.”

Only after asking twice did Velum, who had been in a state of panic, come to his senses.

“Young master. I’ll only let you off once. Stop talking nonsense and tell me a proper request.”

Velum’s voice is low. It was intended to intimidate, but it doesn’t work. If I was going to lower my tail at that growling, I would have done it a long time ago.

“I’m trying to get my act together these days….”

I loosened my arm and leg joints.

“I’m trying to study moderately, get grades moderately, and get along with people moderately.”

I circulate the mana in my body. I separate the alcohol from the drink I had earlier. I let it flow to the tip of my index finger and discharge it.

Drip, drip.

Alcohol with a whopping 65% alcohol content. The strong scent of alcohol spreads around.

I continued with a clearer mind.

“But you know what? There are some guys who are getting in the way before that.”

I point at him with my finger.

“Velum, you and your organization.”

I kept talking without stopping.

“Because I’m with trash like you, you’re blocking my path to living properly.”

A blood vessel popped out on Velum’s forehead. His expression was the same, but the area under his forehead darkened a little.

Bang!

At that time, the only entrance to the room was violently opened. It was Velum’s subordinate who came running in a hurry.

“Velum-nim! There’s a crazy bitch outside…!”

Swish! Thwack!

A sound of cutting through the wind.

A sound of something penetrating was heard, and the subordinate’s voice was cut off in the middle.

“As expected, it’s well made.”

I was impressed by the sharpness of the throwing knife. It’s not my specialty, so I can’t handle it well, but the good weapon allows me to exert ability beyond my skill.

“Ah, can you hear that sound?”

The sound coming from the open doorway.

-Aaaaaagh!

-Don’t run away, attack! Attack!!

-How, how can we kill that kind of woman?!

Screams run rampant. Elaim seems to be handling it well.

“It’s Elaim. A knight from the family. She came to help me.”

I turn my head and look at him.

“Maybe 30 minutes? No, 20 minutes. She’ll be here in about that time.”

I offer him one solution.

“And the only way you can live is to subdue me and take me hostage to escape.”

But Velum was silent. It’s really an obvious action.

That’s why I,

Thump!

I put my foot on the table and shouted as I kicked it with all my strength.

“So stop thinking and let’s fight! You son of a bitch!”

Alcohol and snacks covered his face.