episode_0034

“……..”

I guess… no? Of course I knew that wasn’t the intention. however…

‘Isn’t this the death penalty just for being caught?’

Members of the Frost family. Even the knights and maids seemed to care very much for Ariel.

And, what is the situation I am in now?

Late at night. A man entering the room of a precious lady. The moment someone discovers this, I will probably be torn in half by the Grand Duke of the North immediately.

And… after being resurrected in some way, he will be tortured endlessly.

“Si..Excuse me-!”

Although I didn’t feel any pain, I thought that I might have to see those terrible moments firsthand, so I quickly opened the door to my room and went inside, not knowing if anyone would see me.

In a dark room. The interior of the room is dimly lit only by the light of the lantern placed on the table.

It was so simple that it was hard to believe it was a woman’s room, and there was no decoration in sight. It’s just filled with monotonous, colorless, efficient furniture with angles that look like they’ll cut you if you brush against them.

“You’re here.”

Ariel, sitting on an office chair in front of a desk with a lantern, looked at me and spoke. I looked at that figure and was a little surprised.

Usually, when you stay at home, and even in your own room, you probably wear comfortable clothes.

On a night like this, it’s a place where it wouldn’t be strange to wear pajamas.

‘battle dress?’

However, Ariel’s outfit was not that kind of outfit, but rather a full body suit that looked sturdy and flexible at first glance.

…Do you usually wear clothes like that at home?

“Why are you so surprised? Are you ready?”

“…Yes? What are you ready for..?”

As Ariel stood up, lifted the mask on the table and spoke, I could only reply vaguely.

Ready for what? I didn’t even get any hints about that.

“….What?”

“No. I don’t know what kind of preparation you are talking about.”

I had no choice but to speak to Ariel, who gave her a bewildered look, feeling a little intimidated. I really don’t know anything.

“You. Didn’t you get any explanation?”

“….Yes. I was just walking around the fortress and helping out.”

“No. Ha… I understand. That’s possible.”

No… I really didn’t hear anything. It was a little unfair, but I didn’t have to express it.

“Listen carefully. Let me explain it just once.”

Ariel let out a small sigh and soon began to explain. I listened and concentrated in case I missed it.

“Dedicated butler. That position is not just about helping or waiting on workers who are lacking.”

“Then what additional work are you doing?”

“Night crow. Do you know about it?”

A night crow? What on earth is that? It’s the first time I’ve ever heard of a name like a middle school student.

When I looked like I didn’t understand what was going on, Ariel immediately explained as if she knew that.

“Warlock. Those disgusting people are infesting the entire imperial continent like bugs. In particular, it is more prevalent in the northern part of the country.”

As the saying goes, it is said that the number of warlocks has been increasing recently. Especially in the northern part of the country, they are hidden all over the place.

As I was passing by, I found a warlock’s cave and encountered a warlock, so I guess that means there are a lot of them in the north.

“And. A secret organization to punish those warlocks. Night crow. We sleep during the day when everyone else is active, and wake up together at night when the bugs wake up.”

“For you to tell me that…”

“Okay. This means that you too belong to a dedicated butler, or raven. I never thought I’d hear this…”

A secret organization that punishes warlocks. Night crow.

Without realizing it, I had become a member of the Ravens.

‘no. So, are you saying that I should use black magic and kill black magicians?’

It was truly ironic. I, a fellow warlock, become a blade aimed at them.

No, it would actually be more suitable for me. Because the ‘magic eye’ I have can grasp the same dark magic and calculate it back.

“Only a very few people within the Frost family know about the existence of the Raven. And only a small number of elite people are with us.”

“Are there any crows among those I saw today?”

“Maybe so. Because we always hide our identities behind masks. And… you probably know one too.”

“Who…. Ah.”

As I thought about Ariel’s words, I remembered one person.

The warlock’s cave where I first met Ariel. And the warlock introduced himself as ‘former butler.’

So did that person infiltrate as a warlock and kidnap Ariel? The liver is also big. Infiltrating the enemy’s leadership and kidnapping him…

“Do you understand this much? Then, hurry up and get ready. Now.”

“….Yes.”

Ariel said that and handed me a mask with a crow’s face and black clothes.

I looked at the clothes for a moment, then put them on over the clothes I was wearing.

The reason why I didn’t bother to refuse the offer or put it off at all.

That was a responsibility given to me regardless of whether I knew I was a night raven or not, and it was right to kill all the warlocks.

The cave where I met Ariel. Unlike Ariel, who barely survived, I remember those who died through terrible human experiments and torture without even seeing the light of day.

The feeling of expressing condolences to them and burying them directly. That cold body and the two eyes that couldn’t be closed even after death from the pain.

I still can’t forget that feeling.

‘I don’t want to make any more victims.’

Even though I can reduce the number of victims by taking action, it would not be my duty as a human being to not take action.

“Ready… I’m ready.”

“Good. Let’s get going. Wear a mask.”

I put on the mask and followed Ariel, and jumped through the window after her.

widely.

Just before landing, minimize damage by concentrating magical energy on your feet and legs.

“……..”

Ariel, who watched the scene in silence, soon turned her back and quickly ran towards somewhere.

I gritted my teeth and concentrated my mana to move at that speed.

A snowy night. At that time when everyone is asleep, we start taking action.

***

After running for a few minutes, Ariel and I arrived at a small village not far from Frost territory.

It was a very small town, and it was late at night, so no one was seen walking around.

“……..”

Nod.

“Haaam…”

I understood Ariel’s hand movements, and when the guard relaxed for a moment, I hurriedly passed the guard and entered the village.

“This way. Please follow me.”

“Yes.”

If you passed the checkpoint, you could move a little slower within the village. Ariel walked towards the corner of the small village, and I followed in silence.

“….Is there a warlock in this house?”

“Okay. According to information from informants.”

We reached the farthest corner of the village, in front of a small cabin. On the outside, it was an ordinary house, with nothing unusual about it.

A wooden house that is well-stacked. Warm light shining through the window.

However, the vines that grew around the fence tried to climb over the house, and strangely enough, there was no sign of presence.

“Enter. Follow me carefully.”

“Yes.”

Sigh…

We were ready to attack at any moment, wondering if a warlock might attack us, but when we opened the door and entered the house, we realized that there was no one in the house.

There was furniture arranged as if it were just ‘pretending’ to be inhabited, and there was a lantern that was turned on, but even that didn’t seem to be maintained properly.

“….It’s strange. This is definitely the right place…”

“Is there a secret passage?”

“Maybe. I’ll look around the second floor. You should look at the first floor. If anything happens, shout.”

While saying that, Ariel lowered her posture and went up the stairs to the second floor. It was a wooden floor, but strangely, no footsteps could be heard.

‘Where… should I look for it too?’

After that, I looked around the first floor without losing my nerves. A kitchen with various cooking utensils and a small master bedroom. A place that looks like a wardrobe.

I searched through everything, but couldn’t find anything strange.

Hmm… I think I’ve searched every place I could. Should I at least look outside…

As I returned to the living room and thought for a while, I suddenly began to feel a very ominous and strange energy coming from somewhere.

The energy was so small that I couldn’t feel it even if I concentrated very hard. I think I probably noticed it because I have ‘mystic eyes’.

“Look at this.”

I looked into the living room through my magical eyes, and soon realized that I could feel dark magic coming from under the carpet I was stepping on.

“Miss Ariel..!”

“….Call me El during missions. Except the lady.”

“Yes. L. Please come here.”

“Did you find anything? There’s nothing on the second floor. They are just rooms that have been abandoned for a long time.”

In response to her question, I quietly lifted the carpet from under my feet and threw it far away.

“Ho. How did you discover this?”

“Haha… I was lucky.”

“Good. good job. Let’s go quickly.”

Good profit…

The entrance to the underground passage revealed when the carpet was lifted. When the door was lifted, it lifted up with a sound of hinges.

Perhaps because it was used until recently, not even a small amount of dust was raised. Although other parts of the house were unmaintained, the intact door convinced me that the warlock frequented this door.

“Follow me while being alert. From now on, you never know where bugs will pop out.”

I regained some of the tension I had lost for a moment, lowered my posture, and began to follow Ariel down the stairs into the endless darkness.