《The Reincarnated Villainess Assassin Only Wanted Friends (Progression, Villainess)》


 Prologue

    I had always been sickly. For as long as I can remember, I spent most of my time in a hospital room until my doctor delivered the grim news when I turned sixteen. I had no friends, never played outside, never had boyfriends, and now, I had only a few months left to live; the cancer had become too advanced for medical technology to control.


    "Please, Sana, stay strong no matter what," my parents implored. "We will always be here for you."


    "Why should I stay strong? I only have a few months left, anyway..." My harsh response silenced them, and they left the hospital with downcast expressions. Alone in my room, I quickly grabbed my smartphone and began searching for web novels. Tears streamed down my face as I stared blankly at the screen. I wouldn''t live to see the ending of these novels anyway. Why should I bother?


    As I gazed out from my hospital bed, I closed my eyes while the setting sun cast its warm glow upon me. I longed to apologize for being such a burden to my family, to my friends for abandoning our school projects and exams we had worked so hard on, and to my brother and sister. Most of all, I wanted to apologize to my parents for the enormous cost of my medical care.


    "Mom, I''m sorry for everything I''ve put you through," I whispered to no one in particular. "I''m sorry for being such a useless daughter, and I''ll never be able to repay you for all you''ve done. All I''ve done is lie in this hospital bed. I wish I could go to school and see everyone one last time. At the very least, please consider donating my organs so that I can help someone. Thank you."


    As I finished typing, my vision grew dim, and the world around me began to spin. A trickle of liquid grazed my cheeks, and my vision turned red as my heart sank. An unreal sensation washed over me, a mix of passion, excitement, grief, and despair.


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    A crimson streak of light passed me by like a comet in the dark sky. Though there was nothing to see, I felt as though I was being watched. I spun around, but no one was there. A red liquid poured out in front of me, forming a puddle that continued to grow until it reached me. Hands emerged from the pool, pulling me down.


    I screamed.


    "AAHHH!!!" I woke up in a bed, screaming. Glancing around, I realized I was in an unfamiliar room, far removed from the 21st-century hospital I knew.


    "Ah! She''s finally awake," a girl in a French maid uniform said as she opened the door in response to my scream. She was accompanied by several other men and women. The man among them seemed oddly familiar, though I was certain I had never met him before in my entire life.


    "So, how is she?" he inquired.


    "She''s fine, just a little scratched up. I was surprised she survived that monster''s attack," the doctor replied with a smile.


    "Could it be... this is the reincarnation thing I read about in popular web novels?" I wondered. My heart raced at the possibility of reincarnation. I looked at my hands; they were small, but when I grasped them, there was no pain or sluggishness. I was healthy!


    I felt confident that I could fulfill my dreams of making friends and being cared for like a proper child with a loving family. I could play outside like a normal kid. I could have a sleepover with friends, I could attend birthday parties! The possibilities were endless.


    "Thank the Goddess. Our Elidranthia is safe," he said, proceeding to hug me.


    Wait, what did he say? Elidranthia? Wasn''t that the name of a villain in a recently read novel that was on hiatus? The name was so unique that it immediately raised my suspicions. Could this not be a typical isekai story, but the one where I was reincarnated as some random villain?


    Little did I know that achieving my wish for a loving family and leading a normal, happy life outdoors was easier said than done. After all, I had been reincarnated as a bloodthirsty villainess from a book, "The Assassinated Princess: Returning Back in Time to Live a Happy Life"

 Chapter 1: Elidranthia

    <hr>


    Alright, it was nighttime. Let''s collect our thoughts. The web novel "The Assassinated Princess: Returning Back in Time to Live a Happy Life" revolved around the female protagonist, often referred to as the FP, who was assassinated by Elidranthia, leading to a time reset through checkpoints. Following her revival, the princess, accompanied by several male protagonists, embarked on a mission to dismantle an assassin organization. The story reached a hiatus after the fifth volume, but Eli''s fate remained clear¡ªshe met her demise at the hands of Prince Heracles while attempting to assassinate Claire, ultimately clearing a checkpoint.


    The first volume detailed the initial year of the FP''s idyllic life at school before Eli''s fatal intervention. When she found herself back on her first day of school through time travel, she took precautions, resulting in Eli''s demise instead. The narrative then continued with other villains attempting to eliminate the FP or the male protagonists. At one point, there was even a volume where the FP sacrificed herself to save her friends. The story bore similarities to a novel where the male lead repeatedly died while simping for a white-haired girl.


    Eli was portrayed as an unhinged girl who frequently stabbed the FP throughout the first volume. Remarkably, she had a strong following in the novel. In fact, it was Eli''s character that catalyzed the popularity of "The Assassinated Princess: Returning Back in Time to Live a Happy Life" and secured its position in the top ten on Royalties Road. The novel even garnered hundreds of patrons for the authors. Eli''s popularity rivaled that of Gasai Yuno and other Ax-Crazy yandere characters.


    Reflecting on it now, was it really such a big deal? All I had to do was steer clear of her and avoid becoming a deranged knife enthusiast, and I would be safe. As I strolled around, I gazed into the mirror in the room and was taken aback. A beautiful, yet slightly intimidating, girl stared back at me. Her red eyes seemed to glow in the darkness of the night, evoking a sense of unease. I attempted to smile and make funny faces at my reflection, but the returned image was oddly more menacing.


    "I wonder if I can make friends like this," I murmured as I crawled back into bed. Eli was a ruthless psycho in the novel. The most memorable scene involved her brutally stabbing the heroine, licking the blood from her knife, and subsequently slaying the male protagonist. Rest assured, I won''t be doing that¡ªI''ve never even harmed a fly in my previous life. Committing such a horrifying act was inconceivable for me. I''ve got this reincarnation cliche all figured out. I''m confident I''ll lead a happy life filled with love!


    A few days had passed. Drawing from recently inherited memories, I finally pieced together my identity. I was Elidrandthia Shadowstep, a nine-year-old daughter of a new count. When we returned from the capital with my grandfather and mother, our carriage was attacked by monsters, and they were all slaughtered. Miraculously, I was the sole survivor. The count had two wives and six children, and I was the youngest daughter.


    It was surprising to realize that my circumstances differed from the sinister portrayal in the book. In the novel, I was supposed to kill the monsters and even resort to cannibalizing the remains of my parents and the creatures. However, as per my memories, I had merely hidden inside a compartment within the carriage. The problem was that no one else knew this. They either regarded me as a miraculous child who survived a monster attack or a monstrous child whom the monsters themselves feared.


    "This is quite perplexing," I muttered in the family''s study. I yearned for my parents'' affection, but my father was preoccupied, and my stepmother ignored me. Furthermore, my brothers and sisters showed no interest in me either. Not a single one of them made eye contact with me. No wonder Eli grew up to be such a psychopath; she needed more love! If I could just showcase my cuteness to them, I was confident they would warm up to me.


    "Hey, dinner is ready," Richard, my second brother, called to me and left without even glancing at me.


    "Okay," I replied and briefly caught a glimpse of my reflection in the window. It pained me that they didn''t pay me any attention. Was it because of my eyes?


    "Happy birthday, Eli," my father said. The dinner was a bit more elaborate than usual. Instead of the typical bread and soup, we had steak today. I was overjoyed that they had congratulated me. Today was my birthday, huh?


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    "Dad, why is the sky red?" my younger brother inquired. When I gazed outside the window, I indeed noticed a tinge of red in the night sky. This was undoubtedly another world. According to the novel, Eli was born on the first day of the Purgatory Comet at midnight. The Purgatory Comet had various other names, such as the "Killing Star," the "Comet of Hell," or "Reaper Comets." People believed that those born on this day were messengers from hell or grim reapers. It was all rooted in superstition, of course.


    "Today is the day of the Purgatory Comet. It lasts for five days. Happens once every 10 years," Dad explained while giving a quick glance in my direction.


    "I was born on the Killing Comet too!" my oldest brother, Zach, chimed in.


    "Huh, but your eyes aren''t as creepy as Eli''s," my younger brother remarked.


    "Haha, maybe because I was born during the day, or perhaps because I was born on the last day of the Killing Comet?" Zach laughed it off. "The tales about people born on the first day of the Killing Comet are just superstitions. His Highness, the royal prince, is perfectly normal, although he does have that slight red tinge in his eyes, just like our Eli."


    I ate our dinner in silence. Our county wasn''t particularly well off; usually, our suppers consisted of bread and modest soup with bits of meat. However, tonight, we were treated to steak! I needed to savor every bite.


    I picked up the fork and knife placed before me. The blade was sharp with serrated edges. According to my memories, this was the first time I had ever picked up a knife. With a smile, I stabbed the steak and cut tiny pieces of meat around the fork, just like an elegant noble lady. The blade slightly bounced due to the meat''s tenderness, but it easily cut through. After cutting a corner of the steak, I picked it up with my fork and savored the taste. The meat juice, combined with the barbecue sauce, was mouthwatering, and I relished each bite.


    Then, I gazed forlornly at the serrated knife''s blade. As I licked its edges, the sauce dripped from it, a delicious addition. I repeated the process of cutting more small pieces of meat, thoroughly enjoying the sensation of cleanly slicing the flesh with the knife. When the blade entered the beef, it was fun, and when I pulled it out, a sense of accomplishment welled up within me.


    "Eli, stop playing with your food. Don''t forget your etiquette lesson. The Magical Exam is in two months," Dad coughed and reprimanded me. Startled, I was jolted out of my food-induced bliss. When I regained my senses, I noticed the dinner table had fallen completely silent, with everyone having finished their meal. The atmosphere had turned somewhat awkward.


    "Sorry, Father," I interrupted my enjoyment of slicing the meat with the knife, cut a bigger chunk of it, and swiftly stuffed it into my mouth. When the somewhat awkward dinner finally concluded, I hurried back to the study to resume my reading. However, I was halted in my tracks as I gazed outside at the red sky.


    The red night was alluring. I opened the window and shifted my attention away from the history books and math, instead focusing on the red comet outside the window. The comet''s glow bathed the dark sky in an eerie red light, and as it enveloped me, I found myself enchanted by its beauty. It was akin to gazing at the Milky Way, only this time it was painted in red.


    *ting


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0529%">


    Congratulations, you have received the blessings of the Killing Star.


    Blessing of the Killing Star (Level 1):


    Fearless


    Intimidation


    Improved Strength


    Enhanced Agility


    Beast Instinct


    Dark Magic


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I blinked at the blue box before me. Huh? This LitRPG setting was never mentioned in the web novels. Suddenly, I began to doubt my place within the web novel, "The Assassinated Princess: Returning Back in Time to Live a Happy Life."


    I wondered if I had LitRPG attributes here. Could I open a status screen like those overpowered protagonists? Even though Elidranthia never underwent formal soldier training for the empire, she was skilled enough to match the prince, who had undergone rigorous training. So, that''s the reason, huh?


    "Hmm... how did she become an assassin anyway? The book never explained the reasons," I muttered as I left the study and returned to my room.


    <hr>


    Eli was seriously creepy. Despite being my sister''s daughter, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of dread whenever I looked at her, and it only intensified with time. I needed to regain control of myself. She had done nothing wrong; she was merely shocked and traumatized due to my sister''s death.


    "What''s wrong, honey?" My husband asked as he sat down beside me in bed. "Is it about Eli?"


    "Yeah. She scares me."


    "Well, I''ve heard that children born during the Killing Star can be like that. You felt it too, right? Zach was also a bit intimidating."


    "Yeah, I know. Sorry, dear," I said, trying to regain my composure. When I closed my eyes, her glowing red eyes seemed to peer into my soul. I could not look at her in the eye. When she ate the steak, it was as if she didn''t savor the taste of the steak but rather the sensation of cutting flesh with a knife. That truly scared me. However, I was sure it was just my imagination. She still followed my and James''s words. I needed to regain control of myself. It was not her fault that she was a bit intimidating. But I still couldn''t look at her in the eyes. They look like that wolf monster''s eyes that killed my ex.

 Chapter 2: Familial Piety

    My family, the House of Shadowstep, is a newly elevated noble family from the countryside. Our nobility began with my grandfather, who distinguished himself in a war forty years ago. I have five siblings, four brothers and one sister. Besides me, the oldest brother, Zach, was also born on the day of the Killing Comet, making him twenty years old now. The age gap is quite substantial.


    My family roster was like this:


    Zach, the eldest child and the heir to our house, is already twenty years old. He has achieved the rank of captain, leading over three hundred soldiers, and is engaged to the third daughter of a duke. He, too, was born on the day of the red comet, just like me.


    On the other hand, Richard, the second son, is now eighteen years old. I''ve heard he has secured an apprenticeship as a civil official, excelling in mathematics, and is engaged to a daughter of a count, with plans to succeed their house. By the way, he is the only brother from the same mother.


    However, the family''s good fortune ends there. The eldest daughter, Fiona, who is fifteen years old, has been accused of cheating and now resides in our house as a freeloader. She lives in a state of perpetual melancholy, resembling a widow.


    The third son, Alucard, serves as a soldier but is shunned because he deserted in battle. I rolled my eyes at the fact that he was just fourteen years old and wasn''t the only one who fled the fight. Nonetheless, a shame was a shame, and that mistake has hindered his career progression.


    The youngest son, Daniel, is only six years old. He''s an adorable little child, but he keeps avoiding me, which makes me quite sad.


    According to the web novel, I am supposed to attend the Royal Academy of Althemer in two years. I should be an average girl, but due to my connection to the second prince, I was ordered to kill the heroine and the third prince. Afterward, I was simply cast aside, and my family was destroyed.


    Alright, the royal family seems like bad news. I must be cautious not to get involved with them, especially the second prince. I think I''m going to stay here and become a knight. With my talents, I''m confident I could qualify as a knight or even a mercenary. After all, this world has monsters. Alternatively, I could follow in my brother''s footsteps and become a civil official.


    "Hmm? You want to become a knight?" Zach tilted his head when I asked him to tutor me in matters of knighthood. This was a rare opportunity as both the first and second brothers were at home. The second and third brothers had a school holiday for a month and would return to the capital in a week, while my first brother was on a mission in this county. We bordered the northern jungles, after all. "Hm... why? I don''t think it suits you. Ninety percent of the knights are male, so you would have a hard time fitting in."


    "I see. But Brother Richard is busy. He''s going to the capital next week. Should I ask him?"


    "You''ll be going to school in two years. Military education isn''t mandatory for women, but etiquette is. So, I suggest you learn from your brother first."


    "Okay." With my path to becoming a formidable warrior thwarted, I turned to my second brother.


    "Hmm? Why would a woman need to learn math? Etiquette lessons differ for men and women. Learn from this book and this book instead," he replied in a cold tone. Despite sharing blood ties, he was distant with me.


    "I want to learn math and become a civil official," I replied with a downcast gaze.


    "I see, a commendable attitude. I like it," he nodded his head as if assessing me. "I thought you''d be like any other woman who only pays attention to their looks. But just wanting it isn''t enough. Here, try these exercises."


    As a modern person from Earth, these simple addition and subtraction problems were too easy for me. Even though I had spent most of my time in the hospital, I was still a high school student at the time, and my academic performance was decent due to having nothing to do but study during my hospital stay.


    Despite this, my proficiency in math impressed Brother Richard, but my grasp of history and language was abysmal enough for him to issue a stern warning. "Listen, I''m glad you have some brains in your head, but if you continue to neglect your etiquette, you''ll share the same fate as your third brother. Please work on them while I return to school."


    When a child reached the age of ten, there was a magic inspection held by all the churches in the empire, occurring either annually or monthly, depending on the region''s population. Our county was scheduled to have the inspection every season, which would take place a month from now. I couldn''t remember Elidranthia possessing strong magic, but the system notification stated that I had dark magic within me. Did she simply choose not to learn it? I wondered why.


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    "I''ve told you, the answer is no. I won''t teach you swordsmanship," Big Brother Zach replied curtly as I requested his help during his break with his teammates in our barracks.


    "Why? Please, brother..." I pleaded with him, just as I had with Richard a week ago. Most of my brothers had already returned to the academy, leaving just my sister, him, and my little brother.


    "Hah... listen here, Eli. It''s not that I don''t want to teach you. Women simply can''t be knights," Zach sighed in exasperation.


    "Why? A few women have become mercenaries or soldiers, so why can''t I be like them?"


    "Here, let me lend you the training sword that I use. John!" He signaled to his subordinates, who handed him a dull metal blade. When the weight was transferred to me, I staggered. The sword felt very heavy, like a bag full of groceries. I''d heard that a sword could weigh two or three kilograms, but I didn''t expect it to be this heavy. Those YouTubers were lying.


    "See, you can''t even lift it properly. By the way, this is a one-and-a-half-handed sword."


    "I could! See? I''m lifting it now," I protested.


    "You need to wield it. Hold it at the end," Zach said. I did as he instructed and managed to lift it, but I couldn''t hold it for long, and the sword fell back to the ground.


    "I could train. I''m like this because I''m still small. Shouldn''t we start with a wooden sword first?" I tried to make excuses. But Brother Zach sighed again.


    "Sorry, Eli, but I can''t do that. Women need to be dainty. If you train in swordsmanship, you''ll build muscle, and your father and your prospective husband would be upset with me. I told you that 90 percent of the knights are male, right? More than half of them have a buff body like gorillas. Just because there are female knights doesn''t mean you have to be like that."


    Huh? What kind of sexist culture is this? Women need to be dainty? So, if I participate in sports, I''ll be looked down upon for being unattractive? Oh, yeah, I forgot that even though this is a fantasy world, it''s still based on medieval customs.


    "Brother! You dumbass!" I cried, glaring at him with menacingly. A pulse of anger resonated within me, and my brother instinctively stepped back and grabbed his sword from his waist. I really wanted to hit his handsome face at least once, and fortunately, I had a perfect tool right in my hand.


    I leaped forward, slashing at him with all my might. The sword felt as light as a stick in my hand. The overwhelming desire to hit him at least once filled me as I swung my sword. However, it proved futile, as he skillfully allowed my blade to slide past his, narrowly missing his face. Suddenly, he launched a counterattack, swinging his sword diagonally. I quickly sidestepped to dodge and chased after him with my sword.


    My assault continued. After he deflected my horizontal swing, I tried a vertical one. Yet, he merely sidestepped and attempted to kick me. I jumped back to create distance, narrowly evading his kick. Was this some kind of beastly instinct? As I slashed at him again, I felt my feet and hands go numb. Sudden exhaustion overcame me, and I faceplanted onto the ground.


    "Hah... hah..." My breathing became ragged all of a sudden. I had only made four or five slashes. I had believed this body to be healthy. How could I be out of breath so quickly after swinging a sword? When I looked at my brother, he sheathed his sword and let out a sigh of relief.


    "Wow! Captain, she gave you quite a challenge, didn''t she? That swing was so fast, I doubted you could block it for a moment," one soldier commented.


    "Maybe she has a skill blessing?" another one added.


    "Well, I''ll admit she has some talent. However, it''s not enough. A soldier must have stamina for at least thirty minutes of engagement..." Zach delivered his judgment. I sat and looked down in dismay as a sense of disappointment welled up within me.


    "Don''t feel too down, Eli. While becoming a knight may not be for you, you could consider a career as a military official. Handling paperwork seems more suited to you," he said, turning his face away. I lay on the ground, gazing up at the blue sky, pondering his words.


    <hr>


    "That was fucking dangerous," I cursed in my mind as I sneaked a glance at my little sister, who lay on the floor of our training hall, looking utterly exhausted and having abandoned all etiquette. But I had genuinely thought I was going to die just a few moments ago. When she gazed at me with her red eye, my instincts took over, and I instinctively grabbed my sword without hesitation. It was reminiscent of the time I had been stared down by a class B monster during my first disaster campaign, where almost a third of my team had perished.


    What''s more, I had been so overwhelmed by my instincts that I had actually swung my sword with an actual blade back at her! If something were to happen to her, I would face even greater shame than my third brother and might have to bid farewell to my position as the captain of Shadowstep County. Even though we were born almost on the same date, she was far more intimidating than me.


    I needed to regain control. How could I, a commander of over three hundred men, be so scared by a ten-year-old kid with a blunt sword to boot? I was getting a little too high-strung lately. The appearance of the red comet had made the monsters in the woods more active, and there had been some skirmishes with bandits recently.


    Perhaps I should buy her some pudding as an apology when we got home. Now that I thought about it, she had managed to dodge two of my strikes, hadn''t she? She might have the potential to become a specially talented soldier. However, I didn''t want to teach her until after her magic exam. Mages were highly valued in the empire, and if she had the aptitude, it would be better for her to focus on becoming a mage rather than a regular soldier.


    And so, the day of the magical exam arrived, and once again, I was left astonished by her results.

 Chapter 3: Touching Grass

    After pestering my oldest brother and failing, I turned to magic. I knew for sure that I had dark magic. Books about beginner magic were sold in every bookstore. The books said that dark magic specialized in illusions, debuffs, curses, and shadows. A more specialized version could also tamper with the mind, but it was illegal and did nothing more than light suggestion or hypnotize.


    How did I know that I had talents in dark magic? I could use every spell in the beginner''s book with a single try. The beginner spellbook in our library consisted of only three bits: Shadow Tentacle, Dark Illusion, and Slow. I had high hopes that I could change my menacing eyes with Dark Illusion; however, it was a major disappointment. Dark Illusion cast magic on the opponent''s eye or brain, making them see things. It didn''t bend light to create Fata Morgana or a mirage. That kind of illusion belonged to light magic. So, I could not change how I looked except for the person I cast my spells on.


    "This sucks¡­" I muttered. Dark magic was the most unpopular among all six other elements. Well, at least I could act as a mana battery for feystones. That would guarantee my livelihood even as the second daughter of a count. Wait, I am a girl. Women of nobility in this age mainly worked for fun, not for pay. Even a farmer''s wife usually only cooked at home and worked hard as a good housewife. I was getting too used to the way modern people worked.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0529%">


    Blessing of the Killing Star (Level 1)


    Fearlessness


    Intimidation


    Improved Strength


    Improved Agility


    Beast Instinct


    Dark Magic


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Well, I am getting the hang of how to use my skills. When I reminisce about what happened during my match with Brother Zach, it''s easy to find a switch to turn my power on and off. The power-up feels substantial and borderline inhuman. For example, my strength increased from picking up ten books in a study to lifting a desk. However, I could not sustain it for long. My breathing became ragged in an instant, and I could even black out or fall unconscious in mere moments.


    "Hello, mister, can I help you?" I said to the chef. This is my method of getting friendlier. I will try to make friends in the mansion. Eli was not known to be harsh on commoners in the novels, but she never had any commoner friends either. I never had close friends in my previous life due to staying in the hospital often. So, I want to make lots of friends here. Even commoners are fine. And friends help each other. I am sure that my reputation will rise when the employees know I helped them with their jobs.


    "Um... please sit here, young miss. Your words are more than enough for us," the chef and maids gave stiff smiles when I entered the kitchen. Hmm... I had heard that our county was poor, but I guess we were not that poor. The food was still good, and the chef and maids seemed to be well-paid. I had never heard them gossip about anything terrible done to them. They mostly gossiped about my creepy eyes, the fat greedy merchant, monsters in the forest, and rumors about a war brewing with a neighboring kingdom.


    I wondered if I could do something about those rumors. I was a shut-in nerd with no friends in both this world and the previous one. Well, maybe when I was older, around 15 years old, I would do something about it. I hadn''t even gone to school yet.


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    As I sat on the chair prepared by them, my eyes wandered around the kitchen and locked onto the maid who was peeling a potato with a knife. The way the small knife moved to peel the potato excited me as I continued to stare at the deft hands the maid had. The blade cut just right at the corner of the potato and peeled away the skin. The skin, with a modicum of flesh sticking to it, formed a beautiful ribbon before it fell into the trash bin, marking the end of a single potato being peeled.


    I noticed there were several other knives on a knife stand. My body moved on its own, and I looked at the knives there. There were five unused knives there: two large knives, two cleavers, and a filleting knife. There were no other small paring knives like the one the maid used, so I grabbed a filleting knife and moved on to grab a potato. A filleting knife is longer and a lot thinner than a paring knife. It might feel good to stab something with this knife. The thin knife was sure to enter the flesh easily. I liked the way the tip of the knife was sharp, unlike the steak knife with a rounded tip that we used yesterday.


    I started working by watching the maids do it. At first, I wasted a bit of potato by cutting too deep. But on my third potato, I seemed to cut as well as the maids who helped the chef. I liked how sharp the knife was. I didn''t even need to move the blade, just rolled the potato, and it peeled on its own.


    "... Miss Eli¡­," the chef held my hand as I tried to grab another potato. "We already have enough peeled potatoes. We are extremely grateful for your help."


    "Ah, you are welcome. Is there anything else I could do?"


    "I''m sure our gardener has something for you. Or you could go into the city and do some shopping. It must be boring staying at the mansion all day," the chef shooed me away with polite words. I had never thought about going outside the mansion. Maybe it was because I still had the hospital mentality? I am healthy now, right? I can play outside! Yippee!!


    "Thank you! I will do so!" I bowed down to the chef and scurried away. When I told my nanny the idea, she assigned a guard and a maid to accompany me.


    County Shadowstep consisted of a town and three villages around it. Its size was on the smaller side if we discounted the massive jungle that is between this empire and the neighboring kingdom, but our country garrisoned over three hundred soldiers here. From the gossip of our maids, I heard it was due to monsters and bandits. I walked around our town, and my eyes locked on a blacksmith store. This is a fantasy, right? Of course, it has a blacksmith store. I bet they would have lots of cool armor or swords.


    "Miss, wouldn''t a clothing store be more appropriate?" Laura, my personal maid, spoke with a stiff smile.


    "Well, I want to see what sword Brother Zach usually used. This is a good store, right?"


    "Yes, this is the most famous blacksmith store in our county. By the way, they don''t just make weapons; they also make jewelry."


    "Ehh? Jewelry is also made here? Isn''t the jewelry store two streets back?" I said while tilting my head.


    "Well, the metal parts for silver and gold jewelry are made here," Laura answered.


    *Clang *Clang


    A loud bell rang before I entered the blacksmith store. Most people merely stared at the gate and then continued their daily life. However, the soldiers became restless as they scrambled to reach our gate.


    "Is it a monster attack?" I asked Bob, one of our commoner soldiers, who nodded.


    "No need to fear, my lady. Our knight order can handle it. It''s just a random monster wandering around our gate. An arrow or two will handle it just fine," or so he said. I was giddy with excitement at his words.


    "Can we watch? I want to see Brother Zach killing the demons!"


    "Absolutely not. It''s dangerous, my lady," a maid said, but the soldier refuted her.


    "Hmm¡­ if we watch from the top of a tower, I believe we would be fine," Bob replied.


    "Yes! Yes! I wanna see."


    And so, I shall witness the first fantasy battle in this world.

 Chapter 4: Talents

    Bob walked me through the busy street, and before long, we arrived at wooden palisades acting as a gate with wooden towers behind it. Bob asked for permission to climb one of the sentry gates. As I climbed it, I could see several hundred green-skinned monsters. Were they the typical orcs and goblins?


    "There are a lot of them," I said, feeling worried. Then, our soldiers sortied. Most of them ran outside the wooden gate while the rest of them stood atop a platform. Looking at their equipment, the ones that sallied out were knights. They wore full-plated armor and shields. My brother was there too.


    On the other hand, the fifty or so soldiers who sallied at the top of the platform were archers and mages. As soon as the enemy came forward, the archers rained arrows upon them. I was expecting a deluge of arrows like in movies, but I guess it was difficult with so few archers.


    The mages started late, but they were devastating. Ice, fire, and lightning stormed out and thinned the herd. There were less than ten mages with their staff and robes there, but the enemy''s numbers were already halved. After that, our knights came in contact with the greenskins. Their clubs were deflected by shields, and then a counterattack came. Brother Zach was directing the battle from behind, but soon, he charged in and killed the enemy.


    Blood spilled out on the green grass, and I was excited to see so much blood splattered from both the goblins. Their blood was surprisingly red, like humans. I wanted to stab a knife into those orcs and goblins... it wasn''t fair that only Brother Zach had the privilege to kill.


    The battle soon came to an end. There were no casualties, but some knights were seen limping as they walked back behind the gate. Some smaller goblins must have sneak-attacked them in the legs. Those demons had no equipment, but they could still do that to our knights. I must salute them. Some of the plate armor our knights were using was dented by wooden clubs.


    "Awesome, Brother! You killed that humongous monster by yourself!" I praised him incessantly, but his soldiers spoke differently.


    "Hahaha, don''t mimic your brother. No commander should stand in the front; he is brave but stupid!" and the soldiers laughed with him.


    "Hey, what''s wrong with you! I helped you guys, alright! I don''t want to be a fatass commander like centrals!" His remark was soon followed by another laugh, and we all went home happy.


    The day of the magic examination finally arrived. Inside a church, a priest placed a crystal ball on a table and asked every child of ten years of age to be examined. It was a prominent event, and almost all parents attended. When my name was called, a stir ran through the crowd due to my menacing look. However, it wasn''t so bad anymore, as the bakery and clothing store owners gave me a smile from behind.


    When I touched the crystal ball, it grew dark immediately. The priest then declared, "Elidranthia Shadowstep. Dark magic level 8, wind magic level 3, fire magic level 4, light magic none, earth magic level 2, water magic level 4. Mana level at 80% of the device. Elidranthia, we shall welcome a new excellent mage among our ranks. Let this be the day the world knows of your talents."


    I tilted my head at his words. The other participants never received such celebratory words. Was it because of my position as the count''s daughter? But I soon read the atmosphere and replied, "Thank you for your kind words."


    I looked at the crowd after returning to my seat in the church and asked my father, "Father, how good is magic level 8?"


    "Approximately the level of a royal mage. The captain of the royal mages was level 9, but it was a mere talent. You need to work hard if you want to become royal mages." my father smiled. "If it weren''t for dark magic, you would have received much greater applause. But it''s rare for magic talent to be above 5. I am proud of you."


    "Eli just has luck," Daniel, my youngest brother, snorted.


    "Yeah. Magic talent is just luck," Fiona chimed in. The atmosphere in our family is quite strained. My stepmother seemed to dislike me more and more with each passing day.


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    I ignored the brat and my sister, who had an inferiority complex and chatted with my father about magic. He explained that anyone who graduated from the academy''s magic division could call themselves a mage. However, they only accepted those with a talent level of four or above. It was extremely difficult for people to learn magic if their talent was below four, but not impossible.


    "I see. What is mana level?"


    "It''s the capacity for magic. 80% is quite good, I believe," Father said. However, his words seemed unsure, which made me question him.


    "Stop looking at me like that. Mana''s level is not constant. It can grow either with training, age, or some other factors. When he said 80%, it was just meant for that particular device. I don''t know how precise that mana measuring device is."


    *Crack *shatter


    The crystal ball cracked into two halves, each part glowing in red when a girl touched it. Everyone gasped at the spectacle, and even the priest was astonished by the new commoner girl.


    "Oh! A mana level above 100%. Fire talent level 6. We thank the gods for giving us such a bountiful gift this year. May your life be prosperous for the kingdom!" The priest clapped and gave incessant praise to the girl. Ah, I knew her. I never saw her face, but the web novel described how the heroine''s friend broke the mana-measuring device. She was Alicia, a commoner who was good at fire magic and played the role of a friend of the female protagonist from the web novel, Claire. So, she lived in our county, huh. This world sure seemed small. When the crowd clapped at her achievement, I felt inadequate somehow.


    "Are you jealous, Eli?" My father asked me because I didn''t clap with the rest of the crowd. I denied it, but my voice sounded small, and he must have thought otherwise.


    "There are less than five thousand mages in the entire kingdom. We should celebrate that our county will soon have two promising mages. I hope all of you can be friends, okay?" He then patted my head. I felt a little of my darkness fade away and smiled at her. I remembered from the web novel that she was the daughter of a soldier. She became an orphan when she turned twelve because her dad died in a skirmish with bandits, and her mother had already died when she turned six.


    Since I was trying to evade the villainess route, I should befriend her as soon as possible. Doing that would lead me away from being ostracized in school later. Alright, it is easy. She is the daughter of a soldier. That means Brother Zach could introduce me to her father, and then, as long as I lavish her with sweets and food from our house, it would be simple.


    I wanted to enact my plan as soon as possible. However, a mage came to our doorstep first thing in the morning. He bore a message from the mage tower. Mage Tower or Mage Guild is a guild specialized for mages that worked for our empire. It was a highly prestigious place where its members were sometimes viewed as higher than nobles even though they had a commoner background.


    "Greetings, Count and Countess Shadowstep, my name is Alex Desertwalker, Margrave Desertwalker''s fourth son. I am here today as a special tutor for young Miss Eli and Alicia."


    "Dad, why am I being tutored right now when we will learn about magic eventually in the academy?"


    "If you have a magic talent above level 6, it is highly recommended that you take this tutor to prevent your magic from going out of control."


    "Going out of control?" I looked at him, and he looked the other way, trying to avoid my gaze.


    "Yes. I believe your menacing and intimidating look, for example, half of it should be from your dark magic," he said, then moved his eyes back to me.


    "So, my scary look is actually because of my magic?"


    "Possibly. If you try to suppress all of your mana, you can lessen the intimidating look you give out."


    I did as he told me. It was easier said than done. I could cast beginner magic, but controlling mana directly without prompting from spells was new to me. When I closed my eyes and sensed my body, my mana was indeed leaked outside. I tried to suppress all of it inside.


    "Good. You are a quick learner," Alex smiled. At the same time, Alicia, the other girl with fire talent level 6, came in. When I looked at her, she smiled back without pausing or getting startled. I felt giddy with excitement as I looked at my maid, my brother, and my father. My youngest brother confirmed it. My intimidating eye has lessened.


    "Ah, she looks different than usual. She''s less creepy now," Daniel said.


    "I see, so it was because of her magic," Brother Zach and Father muttered. "Ah, I welcome you, Alicia, daughter of John."


    "G-g-greetings, my lord," she bowed, but she was nervous. Am I not normal? I could bow to anyone without getting nervous. Is that the normal behavior for a ten-year-old?


    "I apologize if my daughter has any misconduct. May I know why we were called?"


    "Greetings, honorable soldier of the empire. The empire has decreed that anyone who has magic talent level 6 or greater shall be put into tutoring as soon as possible so they could contribute to the empire immediately."


    "I see. Will our family be charged for the lesson fee?"


    "Well¡­ the fee is 2 gold each month, and we require you to pay upfront. His majesty already dispatched a tutor from the royal academies, after all. 2 gold is already cheap," the soldier looked like he had eaten a bitter bug when he heard the price.


    Two gold coins equal half a month¡¯s pay for a commoner. Since he is working as a soldier on the front lines, I expected him to be paid higher, but it was still a substantial amount. This is a chance. This is a chance for me to easily make friends!


    "Dad, let''s pay for her! I want us to study together!"

 Chapter 5: Magic Lessons

    "Dad, let''s pay for her. I want us to study together!" I took the initiative and asked my father to pay the price. However, they seemed reluctant at my request. Huh? I thought our relationship wasn''t this bad. Why would they refuse to pay?


    "Eli, before you offer, you need to ask them first. I know you mean well. However, the way you''re doing it now makes it seem like you are arrogant. Moreover, although we are a count, we do not have unlimited funds to pay for your selfish demands," my father said. I nodded and then turned to Alicia''s father. However, he shook his head.


    "I''m sorry, my lord. But, I cannot pay." The soldier gritted his teeth and bowed his head in shame.


    "How foolish," Alex scoffed. "Well, in that case, I shall teach Elidranthia alone. I''m sorry, but I cannot possibly lower my price anymore. In fact, I lost a raffle back in the royal mages and had to come here due to the king''s decree."


    "Hmm? If it''s the king''s decree, wouldn''t he pay you for the trouble? Why did you ask us to pay you?" I asked him out of curiosity. The king wouldn''t send anyone to the boonies without any support, right? The fact that he charged us meant that he wanted to line his own pockets.


    "The stipend from the kingdom was merely 5 gold coins. I was usually paid 10 to 15 gold back in the capital. If he didn''t want to pay, then so be it. He just missed a gold mine due to his short-sightedness. Even the worst dark mage could earn at least 5 gold coins a minimum each month just refilling feystones. The kingdom needs to pay more attention to the importance of mages. We hold this society together. The lamps we use, doctors, construction mages, and even long-distance communication are held by mages." I frowned at his elitist tone, but I knew even in our world that jobs such as doctors and researchers are paid well.


    "Sorry, Miss Elidranthia, but my dad is currently in debt. We cannot pay due to the said debt," Alicia said, and she was about to cry. I then glared at my dad while unconsciously releasing my hold on the mana that was pent up inside my body. Everyone jumped back a step when I glared at them. Even my brother unwittingly grabbed his sword on his waist, although he didn''t draw it.


    When I looked at the exaggerated reactions everyone was having when I glared at them, I realized I had messed up. I quickly withdrew my mana, and their expressions softened.


    "Well, since my youngest daughter desires so, how about I lend the 2 gold coins now to Miss Alicia? Then Miss Alicia could work for our house as Miss Elidranthia''s lady-in-waiting? I am sure that you will be able to repay the debt by then if working as a mage is so profitable? Her mana level was more than 100% when I saw it in the magic exam ceremony."


    "Okay. I accept, my lord." Alicia nodded. Her dad also nodded profusely while thanking us.


    "Yes!" I pumped my fist in elation. My dad is the best.


    "I thank you, milord." Alicia''s father thanked us while bowing his head.


    "Oh, good judgment on both of you. Miss Alicia got a connection to nobility, while Count Shadowstep got a good retainer," Alex smirked. Then, he continued with his business smile, "In that case, lessons will begin tomorrow and will last for 2 months. I must repeat that this is important, as people with a magic talent of more than 6 could go out of control. Especially you, Miss Alicia. You would not want to accidentally burn down your house, right? It was a good judgment for you to accept the count''s offer."


    Both of them then left. Our first magic lesson was tomorrow. Alicia seemed happy too, now that she knew she had a future. Her father rubbed her head as she cheerfully said she would become a respectable mage and was elated at the prospect of getting out of debt sooner. However, my father seemed none too pleased. Why? I knew it was a bit expensive. However, we needed more mages in our county.


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    "Hah¡­" My father sighed after their departure.


    "Why the long face, Father?" I asked.


    "Eli, you might not understand, but our financial situation is not unlike Alicia''s father''s," Brother Zach gave me the bad news.


    "Ehh? We are in debt?" I shouted. This is a significant discovery! We are so screwed! Moreover, we have to pay 2 months upfront for that bloodsucking teacher who only comes here twice a week?


    "The empire won''t leave us to our own devices. We are the bulwark against monsters and the northern barbaric kingdom. Moreover, I agree with Eli''s decision," my father said. Even though he agreed, his face said otherwise. He looked highly depressed. "A level 6 fire mage with that mana is very valuable. She might rival some of five or even ten mages on the frontlines in these two months."


    "But deploying underage children is against the law, Father."


    "Well, Eli was able to see the battle up close. Let''s just say that they are not deployed, but it was a real-life practice," he answered reluctantly. "Or, they could simply fill in feystones. We have to pay more than two thousand each year for those feystones¡­."


    The number of gold that flowed out was unthinkable for my childish mind. If a monthly wage was 4 or 5 gold, then they were talking about hundreds of people''s monthly income only for feystones.


    "Why¡­" I was speechless.


    "Well, just as Alex said, we need feystones for lamps. They are better than torches since they are impervious to weather. Moreover, some alarms also use feystones. We need to replace those yearly. Moreover, magic tools inside the city all need feystones. Lamps, stoves, ovens, and furnaces all require feystones," Zach said.


    I was getting dizzy at the statement. This medieval fantasy was indeed more convenient than the medieval era on Earth. The roads were clean and paved. The stove produced no smoke, and the lamps didn''t even smell. I never thought it was all from feystones. I heard the population of mages is around 5 percent in the entire kingdom. That''s why mages are so valued. Their demand is high while their supply is low.


    Alicia came the very next day. Alex also came with several books and we began our lesson immediately. However, Alicia was having problems right from the get-go.


    "Hmm¡­ You are having problems with suppressing your mana¡­" he commented. "I will have you practice at home by yourself. If you have any questions, you may ask Miss Eli. She was able to do it on the first try. Miss Eli, I shall continue from where we left off. Here is how you fill in feystones. They are worth 1 silver each everywhere. The kingdom has declared that their price must never rise, and if you offer or accept a price higher than that, you are punishable by law." He spat out the contents of the lesson. He seemed to despise the kingdom''s policies very much. I am just a kid, so I am not sure if 1 silver each is a lot or too little.


    "Well, if someone didn''t regulate the prices, the price could climb to the sky, right? I heard that even our stoves use feystones." I answered.


    "Well, if that happened, even our lives would be in jeopardy since we still need commoners to bake our bread and our smiths to forge our steel. So, I guess I have to agree with the king''s decree." His face scrunched up. This teacher was unlikeable. He is greedy and arrogant.


    According to his instructions, I channeled my mana into the feystones. Little by little, I gathered my mana and moved it into the feystones. However, my mana stopped at my fingertips and wouldn''t push much further. I tilted my head at this phenomenon.


    "Sir Alex, I seem unable to do it. The mana stops at my fingers."


    "Hmm¡­ well then, I shall give you these two feystones. Practice with them. I will come here again in three days," he replied, then left after giving some pointers to Alicia.


    "Ugh¡­ how should I do this. If I can''t do this, then¡­" Alicia was muttering by herself as she glared at the feystones.


    "Relax your body, Alicia. We still have more than two months. If you get agitated, you won''t be able to control your mana. Breathe in, breathe out. Then, try to meditate and feel the mana in your body. Then, after you feel it, you can manipulate it." I gave her some suggestions before she went home.


    I spent an entire day and night trying to figure out how to insert mana into an empty feystone. I couldn''t force it in, no matter what. When I dozed off from exhaustion from thinking too much, I woke up to find the feystone a little bit filled. A slight glow appeared on the black feystone, marking that it was filled by about ten percent.


    ¡°That scumbag teacher. He could have told me to release my mana and radiate it outside," I muttered as I removed my lock and cupped the feystone. I kept doing that, and the feystone was filled to the brim the next day.

 Chapter 6: First Battle

    Alicia came every day since then. After suppressing her mana, she tried to fill in the feystone and met the same fate as me. I am a good girl, unlike Teacher Alex, so I gave her the answer immediately, and she managed to fill in the feystone in less than two hours. How come she took such little time when I needed an entire night?


    "Well, it is not the standard way to fill the feystone, and I guess it costs you more mana too. Nevertheless, good job on the task. I am glad that you could keep up with the lesson as well, Miss Alicia." Alex was arrogant, but he gave us a fair judgment. I guess his pride prevented him from kicking and mocking us when we gave out results. Is this the attitude of all mages? Alicia certainly didn''t behave like him in the web novel when she became a full-fledged mage five years from now on. She still had the demure attitude she has now in the web novel.


    "So, what is the correct way to fill feystones?"


    "First, you need to learn how to cast spells." When he said that, everything finally clicked. When you cast spells, especially the ones affecting external entities, mana is pushed out from the body. If you cancel or suspend the spells, you could theoretically expel a large amount of mana. Such mana is then absorbed into the feystones.


    I merely gazed at the teacher who tried to extend the lesson. Well, I can cast beginner spells already. Let''s see how Alicia will fare. Alex went to our barracks, and there he showed a beginner fire spell, Fire Lance. All elements have the same beginner attack spells, such as lance and ball. However, Alicia failed to trigger the spell even after reading the same spellbook as I did, which made me tilt my head.


    "Wow, as expected from someone with talent level 8, huh. You made it look easy," Alex said. "I am afraid I don''t have anything else to teach you except feystone channeling. I shall return half of your payment then."


    "I didn''t expect you to return the money at all, Mister Alex."


    "Even I have standards, okay. Don''t lump me with those money-hungry merchants. We mages produced results! that''s why we were entitled to be paid expensively!" He then held his chin in contemplation. "You know, dark magic is often ostracized due to its low power. However, at the hands of someone with magic level 8¡­."


    "Am I strong?" I was excited due to cheat power finally coming my way.


    "Nah¡­ I don''t think so. No matter what, dark magic has the lowest destructive power among all elements, except wind, if they are on the same level of magical talent." He then shooed me off.


    "Ughh. Way to get my hopes up."


    "Well, can you cast yet, Miss Alicia?" He then turned toward Alicia, and she still wasn''t able to do it even until evening.


    "I see. So, this is talent level 6, huh?" I muttered at the speed at which I was learning. I was finishing a course that was supposed to take at least two months in a week. However, Alicia was much slower than I was. If she were able to learn Fireball tomorrow, she would still need to learn Fire Lance, and then Fire Wall, and then Fire Bomb. My course was Dark Ball, Dark Lance, Shadow Tentacle, and Illusion.


    As days passed, Alicia''s learning became slower, and she grew more stressed. She kept pestering me for hints on her study, but I had already given her all my knowledge. We are different elements to begin with. It has already been more than two weeks, and she has only learned two out of four beginner spells. If she delayed any longer, she would have to pay another two gold coins to Alex. But since nobody was willing to pay, Alex was destined to return home the following week. By the way, using the technique Mister Alex taught us, I could fill 10 feystones a day, while Alicia could supply over 20 stones a day. When I asked if my mana pool was small, Alex only answered that it was because I was still a child. He predicted that I would be able to fill over 40 stones when I turned into an adult if I kept up with training.


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    "Well, your Fire Bomb is a little weak, but it will do. Congratulations, Miss Alicia. You have done well this past month."


    "I still couldn''t learn everything." Alicia was downcasted. Alex already stopped teaching me. I wanted to learn more, but he said it was a curriculum for the next grade, and he would need to charge extra should he teach me that.


    "For our last lesson, we will venture to the gate and kill some monsters. I heard this county was attacked at least once a week by the monsters. I want Miss Eli and Miss Ali to participate as apprentice mages," Alex said.


    The day finally arrived. When the bell rang, the three of us ran to the gate and rendezvoused at the top of a tower. Unlike a sentry tower from before, this time, we stood at a closer tower, and I could see the goblins and orcs amassing in the forest clearer than before. When we arrived, the battle had already begun. Like a stampede, the monsters kept coming out from the woods, but Brother Zach and his cohorts steadily defeated them.


    "Alicia, fire at the troll. If those clubs hit our knights, it could cause a concussion or worse, a broken bone," Alex gave directions while casting several wind blades and fire lances at the target. Wow, I didn''t know he was a dual-element mage. No wonder he was so arrogant. Well, if I practice hard, I could be a triple-element mage, too. But my fire and water talents are only at level four. It might take a lot of work to rely on them in lieu of my dark magic.


    "What should I do?"


    "You can use Dark Lance to hit the goblins at the back. I believe in your accuracy. If you think you can hit the ones closer to the front, you are allowed to fire, but make sure not to startle or hit allies. Alicia, only aim for the trolls'' heads. Make sure to aim a little higher in case you miss; we don''t want to hit our knights."


    A loud boom resounded through the battlefield as Alicia''s spell hit a troll right in the face. When the explosion subsided, it was missing its head, and the soldiers cheered. My spells weren''t as impressive. When a Dark Lance hit a goblin, it struggled in pain and fell, leaving it vulnerable to nearby soldiers. However, when the same lance hit a larger opponent, it shrugged off my attacks like they were nothing.


    "Keep firing! Mages are the ultimate sword of the empire. If we don''t kill them fast enough, many knights'' lives are going to be in danger!" Alex screamed with passion.


    "Yes, sir!" Alicia screamed back in the heat of battle.


    They were doing well. Meanwhile, I was unable to put a dent in those trolls. At this rate, I was not much different from a single archer who killed goblins one by one.


    "Look! That orc''s movements turned strange! It is attacking its own comrade! That troll, too," one of the guards commented.


    Instead of attacking directly, I cast an illusion on those trolls, which made them mistake their own comrades for enemies. Then, I simply deleted some of our soldiers from the trolls'' view. It turned out well. Once the trolls were out of the picture, the knights could finish off the smaller foes, and the other stronger mages could take care of the distracted trolls.


    "Good job! No casualties today!" I skipped over to congratulate the brave knights who defended our territory. "You guys were awesome!"


    "Is that your magic, Eli? That was unique."


    "I tried new things. Is it good?"


    "Hmm. The potential is great. I wonder if we can incorporate it into a new strategy. It''s just that we aren''t used to it, and we paid too much attention to the distracted trolls, leading to not much increase in our overall performance. By the way, Alicia did great. She took down almost three trolls by herself. Damn it, mages are really important, huh? This much improvement by just adding two high-potential mages. I thought we were going to lose someone from the intensity of the attack today." Zach gave a hard look at our potential. He also lamented how unfair fire mages were.


    It was the truth, though. A fire mage was able to kill over 100 enemies in ten minutes alone. But I think Brother Zach put too much importance on attackers. Without the knights, mages would get killed before hitting ten kills.


    "I think Brother Zach is also cool! We wouldn''t be able to look at trolls or orcs so closely like that!" I said, and he smiled while rubbing my head. Ever since I prevented my mana from leaking out, people''s reactions have improved considerably. However, locking mana like that required conscious effort. Sometimes, when I released it unwittingly, people had a greater reaction of fright than usual. Especially, Alicia, she had that one episode where she literally cried because I raised my voice a little. It was a silly fight about which knights were our favorite. I picked my brother, while she picked her father.


    "Alicia, if you ever want to play with Eli, you are welcome in this mansion anytime," my father said as the tutoring was complete. Alicia didn''t learn everything in these 2 months, but she still got recognition from Alex. The course was only a beginner course, and it was focused on preventing injuries and filling feystones, after all.


    "Yes, Count Shadowstep. I am grateful!" She and her father bowed down respectfully before they left. I was glad I could befriend her. I was hoping that I would be able to meet her again tomorrow.


    However, Alicia never came to our mansion again.

 Chapter 7: Karambit

    The weather had grown colder. It was early autumn when I had my first magic examination. For a month, we studied together. However, for nearly two months after, Alicia never came to our house. She still submitted the feystone quota she took as a job and answered the knight''s call to defend our northern gate. However, she never came to our house. By the way, my parents made me dodge the drafting due to safety concerns and my unique magic. My brother was working around it since he said he did value my illusion magic. However, he agreed that I should train with some soldiers first before adapting illusions to monsters. So, I could only do the feystone job for free to alleviate our county''s financial situation.


    "Hey, Laura, why doesn''t Alicia come to our house?" I asked my personal maid the critical question. My irritation seemed to leak out from my words. However, my mana remained sealed to avoid scaring her.


    "Why would she?" Laura asked back.


    "Aren''t we friends? Shouldn''t we stop by each other''s houses and play?"


    "Why would a commoner come to our mansion to play?" She replied.


    "She won''t be a commoner forever, will she? She has talent level 6, which is only 1 percent of this kingdom''s population."


    "She is a commoner now, Lady Elidranthia. She won''t come over to play unless you summon her."


    "Then, let''s summon her now!" I said.


    "Summoning a commoner should not be done in a frivolous manner." Laura sighed at my lack of etiquette. Everyone in the mansion knew that I excelled in every lesson except etiquette.


    "Ugh... then, let''s go to their house instead."


    "You will be a burden to them instead."


    "Let''s go incognito and ''just happen'' to be outside of her house. That way, she only needs to prepare tea!" I said as my patience was running thin, and my mana inevitably leaked out a little.


    "Eek!" Laura jumped back, and that was the moment I knew I screwed up.


    "Sorry. I didn''t mean that." I took a deep breath.


    "Well, if milady wants to go out, I guess it is possible."


    Then, after wearing my less fancy dress, a capelet, and a hat, I went outside with my maid, who also went incognito. As I walked around, I found myself in the shopping district. Several peddlers were displaying their wares at the city hall.


    "Hmm, they weren''t here before," I muttered.


    "These are the traveling peddlers. They make rounds inside and outside our kingdom. They might sell you some nice things. Though most of what they sell here are weapons and tools since we are a frontier county."


    They indeed sell only weapons. Various swords, bows, and axes are here. Not only that, they also sell some farmer''s tools such as hoes and sickles.


    "Milady, that stall sells some tea sets. You might be interested."


    However, I am not interested in teacups or silverware. My eyes were locked onto a knife, a small curved knife down to its handle, which was on the carpet. Its blade gleamed blue with stripes like a Damascus blade. Its beautiful curve seemed to hypnotize me. This shop seemed to sell knives, starting from utility knives to combat knives like daggers.


    "Oh, young miss. Looking for some unique treasures? This is called a karambit. I bought it from a traveling merchant. He said it was a unique weapon used by native forest people. People call it a karambit, the great eagle''s talon. I didn''t know what metal this one is made of, but the stripes and color are quite unique, aren''t they?" the peddler explained his wares.


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    I immediately grabbed it. It really felt like I was holding a talon of a great eagle. The design was robust with a simple handguard. I grabbed it and swung it around. Unlike a bastard sword my brother used, this one was not heavy nor tiring in the least. This is the first time I fell in love. The blade seemed to glimmer like stars in the blue sky.


    "Miss¡­."


    "yes?" I looked at the peddler but my eyes were immediately covered.


    "Sorry, but she is afflicted with some unique magical impression due to her magical talent. We can assure you that she is a kind girl." Laura''s voice rang behind me. Oh shit! I must have leaked mana through my eyes again. This magical impression was starting to bother me. Alicia''s body was only slightly hotter than normal. Why does my impression radiate such negative energy?


    Alex mentioned several months ago that he was unsure why my impression was one of intimidation or pressure. He also noted that other dark magic users he had met typically gave off a favorable impression, often appearing sexy or radiating a kind and trusted aura. Maybe it was because I needed to survive in the jungle during that monster assault, or perhaps it was inherent to this villainess protagonist''s nature to intimidate people. It could even be related to my blessing. I wasn''t entirely sure.


    Nevertheless, I needed to control this. I quickly regained my mana control and talked naturally. "My apologies, mister. How much is this karambit?"


    "Ah, it will be two silver."


    "it is quite cheap, isn''t it?"


    "Well, it has no other use than being a decoration. Nobody could use it. Soldiers would prefer this silver dagger with its sheath as a third weapon or when there are ceremonies in the capital. Or, if they want to go unique, they could go for this katana or wakizashi," the peddler showed me a short wakizashi. The wakizashi are short, only thirty centimeters in length. I could probably hold this no different than a dagger. Well, I am a count''s daughter. Nobody is going to attack me. And the monsters in the north never reached here.


    "Thank you for the purchase," the peddler smiled. I still wanted to buy more knives from the peddler. That dagger looked exceptionally sharp. Unlike the elegantly curved karambit, that dagger was straight. The contrast was mesmerizing.


    "Young miss, please do not play with that knife in public," Laura said. I quickly sheathed it and put it in my pocket. A little girl playing with a knife would surely get some looks. Ah, I just remembered that I had to visit Alicia''s house. But the day was nearing its end; what should I do?


    As I continued walking, lost in thought, I was separated from Laura without knowing. When I looked around, I was in the middle of nowhere. Panic surrounded me immediately. Wait a minute? Where am I? Is it so easy to get lost? Shouldn''t Laura always look after me? Why am I alone now?


    The beautiful street turned dirty wherever I looked. Is this the slums? Wait, our county has slums? Why? Isn''t it only in the royal capital where the heroine tried to save the poor people by giving them jobs and housing?


    "Hello, girl. You should know that a defenseless girl like you should not be here¡­" a hooligan greeted me. I was panicked and abandoned all restraint. However, I was not afraid. Somehow, my heart remained calm when he greeted me, even with his villainous voice. I quickly grabbed the knife I just bought. I never thought I would use the knife I purchased just for fun immediately like this.


    "Hiee!" the hooligan jumped back.


    "Hello? I think I am lost. Do you know where I am and where is the main street? I seem to have lost my way. It would be nice if you could also point me in the direction of the count''s mansion."


    "Ah! O-o-of course. It is that way to the main street. However, if you want to go to the count''s mansion, it is closer if you go that way. But since you didn''t know the way, it would be faster if you go to the main street." He stuttered! The hooligan stuttered when talking to me. Well, I thought this was going to be a typical hooligan trying to harass a young girl. But it turned out the hooligan was actually a nice guy!


    When I continued my walk, I found Alicia strolling down the streets! I am so lucky today.


    <hr>


    That scared the shit out of me. I thought we were getting easy money out of some random lost rich girl. However, when we looked right into her eyes, I felt like I was being stared down by a monster from the woods. My dad used to work as a soldier for the count, but he deserted and was now living as a laborer with less than minimum pay. I complained a lot about our living conditions and why he rejected such a high-paying job, and he always replied that he valued his life more.


    How did such a girl manage to emit such a terrifying aura? When she glared at me, I felt the air leaving my lungs and almost choked. She held a weird-looking knife that looked like it could rip my throat apart if I offended her. The blade gleamed dark blue, was small, but she wielded it as if she had been with it since she was born, like claws from a tiger ready to send me to my grave. She was looking for the count''s house, right? She must have been a child assassin sent out to dispose of unneeded children there.


    I need to work hard and avoid nobility at all costs. Let''s stop with extortion of fellow citizens, or I will pay the price sooner than expected.

 Chapter 8 : Debts

    Alicia was there, skipping her steps as she played with other kids. How jealous! I was not allowed to go outside the mansion, and here she was, playing by herself! Unlike the formal attitude she showed around me, she displayed such a smile and laughed loudly.


    "Hey, hey! Look! This is how you jump and play skips!" Alicia played with three other girls, jumping on the circle they drew on the dirt with sticks.


    "Aww, you are so good at this!" Alicia said, followed by the two other girls.


    "Hey, Alicia, you are a mage now, right? How is it going? Are you rich now?"


    "Nah... not really. My father and I have so much debt. At this rate, I could only finish paying off the debt by next year."


    "Wow! Amazing."


    "No!! At this rate, I am going to be sold as a concubine to some filthy merchant!" She moaned. We couldn''t have that; she was drafted as our employee. Even if she got married, she would still need to be here, right?


    "Why don''t you just ask Lord Elidranthia for help? The way you speak of her, she seems to favor you a lot. She even proposed to pay for your tuition, right?"


    "Ah... but she is scary," Alicia said. Her words seemed to cut right through my chest. "I don''t really want to meet her. Moreover, she is a noble. If I offend her, I might get cut down. Moreover, I heard she was jealous of my talent. She is a dark, you know."


    "So, you are better than her?"


    "No, she is actually so smart. She managed to complete Alex''s lesson in a week. But her talent is dark, and her firepower is lower than mine. I think that''s why she didn''t like me." Alicia said. Wait, how come she said I didn''t like her? I was waiting for you to call me! I like you a lot!


    "Well, the count''s daughter is dodging the drafting; she might just be a spoiled brat. It must be hard to butter up to her all the time."


    "She is smart; she will know if I flatter her and scold me. I have done that before. She seemed able to see through me. She is scary; I don''t want to meet her..." She groaned. Her words shattered my heart. Is this how the world sees me? I did my best for them. I never did anything bad! Is it simply because of my eyes that they feel uncomfortable? I sat behind the building, and Alicia said goodbyes after playing a little bit more. She still had feystone quota to meet. None of that registered with me as I continued to lean on the building behind me while squatting down.


    When the sun set, I felt my tummy growl. I stood up and continued to walk through the main street. It was easy to find Laura on the main street as she looked left and right, searching for me in panic. She stood out like a sore thumb. I silently grabbed her from behind and hugged her.


    "Hieek! Oh my god. Lady Eli! You nearly scared me to death. I am so sorry that I lost sight of you. Are you okay?"


    "I am fine. Just a little tired. Could you please carry me back to the mansion?" I pleaded, and she nodded. I was piggybacked all the way to the mansion, and by the time I was in my room, the sky had already turned dark. I ate my dinner and took a bath in silence. I refused to look anyone in the eye ever since.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "Laura, am I hated?" I asked my personal maid as she put me on the bed. She ordered others to clean the room since I didn''t let go of her hands. When she looked at me, I instinctively closed my eyes to not frighten her.


    "You are unique, Miss Eli. Everyone in the castle knows that your eyes are a little intimidating, but you have a kind heart," Laura said.


    "Does everyone fear me?"


    "They did not fear you lately. It''s just because of your mana impression. Open your eyes. See? If you remain in control of your mana, no one will fear you."


    "How can I make them like me? Is it my fate not to have friends?"


    "Well, let me tell you a story. I have a friend named Hole. You see, he was a rotund person with a scar on his face." I imagined a gorilla-looking person but fatter. I giggled immediately.


    "See, everyone made fun of him, just like you. He was downcasted at first. However, he kept a kind and caring attitude. He often gave free food to his friends or helped them study in the capital. Right now, he owns a bakery in the capital and often sends free food to the slums. He is loved by many as his business rose. His face and rotund belly are now trademarks for his bakery."


    "Do you think I can be like him?" I asked. I have heard stories from my parents on Earth about this smelly but nice friend. Everyone had complaints about him, but they kept it to themselves because this person was nice, and everyone liked his attitude.


    "I''m sure you will achieve greater things than him. You are smart and kind," her words struck home with me. I am at a disadvantage, but that might work in my favor. I need true friends. If I never heard Alicia''s complaints about me, I would just assume that Alicia is my best friend, even though we were no more than acquaintances.


    "Money cannot buy real friends" was advice I heard from my previous world. How stupid of me to assume I was best friends with Alicia just because I paid for her tuition.


    The following day, I immediately filled my feystone quotas and delivered them to my father. I had increased my feystones to 15 of them. It was either my mana had increased, or I had gotten more proficient in filling mana and thus wasted less.


    "Dad, I want to join the drafting. Brother Zach, how is it? Do you think you can incorporate illusions and distractions?" I asked both my brother and father during our lunch.


    "No. I''m afraid not. Your illusions are still unstable. The monster could break free from your illusions or attack randomly. Sorry," he replied. I guess drafting is a no-go. I didn''t expect much anyway. Dark magic was weak against swarms like these unless I learned higher-level magic.


    "Dad, our house is in debt, right? Could I see why we are in debt?"


    "Our house is in debt due to constant attacks from the monsters. We pay quadruple for the military alone compared to even a duke," Father answered. Oh, I thought I had to dive into the accounting books to figure out why our house was in debt. They already knew the reason.


    "The kingdom is helping us, right?"


    "Yes, the kingdom gives us stipends. However, it is not nearly enough. It only covers half of our standing armies."


    "Why are you asking these questions, Eli?" Brother Zach finally grew suspicious, and I gave an honest answer.


    "I keep filling feystones, but I haven''t even put a dent in our finances, right? I thought we need to do this another way."


    "Well, yeah. You were right on that one. We do have high hopes when you go to school next year." Zach and Father nodded.


    "Can''t I at least try it now?"


    "Well¡­ you can look at the files later. Finish your food."


    It turned out that the finances of this county were in terrible shape, even I could see it. And I was only a high school student in my previous life. Basically, we were spending too much, and our income was insufficient. Our lands were tricky to farm due to constant monster attacks, making food expensive, and our industries suffered.


    Before addressing our debt, I needed to tackle the yearly deficit in our budget. We had a deficit of over three thousand gold each year. The most significant expenses were for mages, knights, feystones, archers, food subsidies, and blacksmith subsidies, along with the salaries for other personnel. Other expenditures accounted for less than ten percent of our total expenses.


    Now, how should I solve this?

 Chapter 9: Red Finance

    "Wow, we only have thirty mages, but they are paid more than 250 knights and 60 reserved soldiers that we have," I muttered as I examined the financial report given to us by Father''s assistant. I understood that these mages had responsibilities beyond just combat; they also had feystone quotas, although their quotas were set at only 5 feystones per day. It was necessary for them to conserve their mana for battle.


    "Sebastian, do any of these mages have mana talent above 5?"


    "Well, we are on the frontlines. No one would come here if they could earn more gold working as mages elsewhere. That''s why Alicia is already paid the same as these mages."


    "She still has feystone quotas, right?"


    "Alicia is very valuable. Thanks to her, we expect our expenses to be reduced by over 500 gold this year." Sebastian bowed to me. "You are also very valuable, Miss Eli. Your contributions are on par with Alicia''s."


    I frowned at his blatant flattery. Should I dismiss his remarks as politeness? Well, that wasn''t crucial right now. Studying the financial report, I continued to question him.


    "Do we need to pay this many knights? Didn''t we field at most 50 to 70 knights?"


    "Yes. Even when they didn''t leave the gate, all knights remained on reserve," the butler hesitated. "Young miss, are you suggesting we reduce the knights'' pay to that of common soldiers?"


    "If the knights are paid more than archers or common soldiers, why are some of them in debt, like Alicia''s father?"


    "It''s due to equipment repair."


    "Aren''t we already subsidizing that?"


    "We provide subsidies, but they still need to cover half the cost. Is there anything else you''d like to know, Miss Eli?"


    I frowned, no longer having any further questions. The knights wore tower shields, plated armor, and swords, all of which required steel, which was expensive. Even if the knights received higher pay, some unlucky ones could still accumulate debt. Additionally, the weapons used by the monsters were typically blunt, causing dents in the armor. While these could be repaired with some hammering, they made the armor more brittle over time and needed to be remelted after extensive repairs, which could cost up to 5 or 10 gold.


    "Lady Elidranthia, hosting tea parties is essential. When you hold a tea party..." I pondered on how to improve this region, and the words of my teachers flowed from one ear to the other.


    "Good grief. She excels in other areas, but it seems Lady Elidranthia has no passion for etiquette, dancing, and the arts..." The teacher left after realizing that her scolding was falling on deaf ears.


    I kept flipping the karambit I bought in my hands. It now served as a stress ball, something I often brought during my hospital stays to pass the time. I found it enjoyable to grab, spin, and swing around, pretending to be like a tiger with this claw-like weapon. I always brought it with me, even attaching a strap to its sheath and treating it like a bracelet or necklace. In its wooden sheath, no one suspected it was a knife; it simply looked like a crescent moon carving.


    "Ah! Why did I always think the way those knights were fighting was odd? Why did they fight in the open? In those YouTube videos about medieval warfare, the defending armies always fought on walls. The enemy would then climb the walls with siege weapons, and they''d fight it off," I muttered while lying in bed.


    However, we didn''t have stone walls; it was too expensive to build them, and our budget was limited. If I forced it, the orcs and trolls could surely destroy the wooden wall with their clubs. However, there were many modern warfare techniques that included traps, barbed wires, and more. Maybe we could use those to deter enemies. Arrows could reach enemies more than 150 meters away, while magic could reach half of that at 70 meters.


    "Father, brother, I have plans to reduce our expenses!" I said to my father and brother during lunch two days later.


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    "Oh, what is it?" my father asked.


    "How about we use traps?" I explained, using my crude drawings of our gate, archer''s range, and mage''s range. I suggested placing several blockades to create bottlenecks.


    "We don''t have enough money to do that..." My brother replied.


    "We don''t need any money. We just need the soldiers to chop some wood and place it here as a blockade."


    "What about axes?" Father asked, but my brother answered him.


    "Some soldiers use axes as their weapon. We can employ them," Zach said. After some thought, he scrutinized me, his gaze wary of my intentions. "Are you suggesting we retire some knights? This could lead to unrest. I do not agree that we should fire the knights just to save some money. They have defended this kingdom with their lives. We can''t just throw them away. We shouldn''t reduce their pay to that of common soldiers, either. They have children and family to feed."


    "But this could reduce our expenses. We could eliminate the deficits all at once!" Our butler, also responsible for regional finance, was elated at my suggestion. Both of them glared at each other. I had thought about this, and while our financial adviser was correct, we didn''t have to fire ALL the knights. We still needed some of them. On Earth, even in medieval eras, the military had a wide range of roles, from supply workers to chefs, maids, and weapons maintenance.


    "Father, we don''t need to fire the knights yet. By simply reducing damages and casualties, we can save costs since the subsidies for repairing knight''s armor will be reduced."


    "Yes! I agree! Fewer knight deaths! Thank you, Eli! You''re my best sister!" Zach exclaimed in elation, hugging me and swinging me in the air.


    "Well, I concede. I also agree that firing knights would lead to unrest." The butler bowed. My brother Zach was all smiles as we made our way to the barracks. He didn''t wait for orders and rallied his men.


    "Comrades, my sister Eli has come up with a new way for us to defend against the dark forces! Against the monsters! Bring out your axes, and let''s head to the woods!"


    The work was done almost immediately. Apparently, they had already been chopping down the forest around our town to fix the gate. I rolled my eyes, realizing that a literal goldmine was right in front of my eyes, and I almost vented my frustration and intimidation at my father and brother.


    "Father, brother, why don''t we sell timber to the public?" I asked my father politely.


    "Who''s going to cut the trees? The area is infested with monsters."


    "The knights will," I replied.


    "Hmm... the military is not advised to engage in local industries..."


    "But no one here works as a carpenter in this forest!" I rolled my eyes in disbelief. "We are not interfering with any existing industries."


    "I will talk to my father about it," Zach said. "Hmm... I wonder if we can make some agreements with the woodworkers. We are going to have a vested interest with carpenters in the southern area."


    "The southern forest has laws against illegal logging. However, the northern forest does not," I replied. If the price of construction materials like wood became cheaper, we could buy more things or construct better buildings. We could make carriages, tools, and more. That means more work and possibly attracting more craftsmen from other cities since our wood would be more affordable.


    "Are you really 10 years old?" Zach looked at me dubiously. Oh no, did I overdo it with the studying?


    "Well, I just thought about it. A lot of things in our houses are made from wood, right? That''s why I thought about it. Moreover, if we cut down the trees, we''ll have a clearer view of the northern area. We might even have more time to sortie if something happens."


    "I see. As expected of my genius sister!" Zach smiled at the prospect of a more secure border.


    I followed Brother Zach as we installed the traps. When we passed the gate, I sometimes saw Alicia on top of the walls. She was already considered a regular there despite being only 10 years old. Alicia''s father was going to die due to a bandit attack when she turned eleven. I needed to intervene somehow. But I didn''t see any opportunity to get to know her and her family. She was creeped out by me, after all. She only acted politely to me since I funded her tuition. Deep down, she didn''t actually like me. How should I face this issue? I genuinely wanted to befriend her.


    When Brother Zach and I reported to our father, Sebastian and Father were rather against the idea of cutting the northern area forest. The monsters were dangerous, and many knights could potentially lose their lives. Moreover, if they sortie every day, the knights'' pay would need to increase. It would be hard to cut down trees in full plate armor. Without the support of mages, the knights'' lives would be in danger.


    But they relented since they also wanted to test the waters. Maybe they felt the pressure from the debt and wanted to take a chance at an opportunity for income. They did give permission on the condition that we needed to approach this as safely as possible.


    "Alicia! Can I come to your house tomorrow?" When I passed Alicia at the gate, I smiled and waved my hand. I wanted to know more about her family.


    "Um¡­ my house may not be appropriate for someone of your status, Lady Elidranthia," she replied nervously when I suddenly called out to her.


    "I insist. I really want to know more about you!" I asked her sincerely. I wondered if I was being a little bit too forceful. "If not, how about we meet up at the ''promenade cafeteria''?"


    "Well, in that case, please come to our house. I-I-I would be glad to have you over," she said. Huh? Why did she seem more fearful of joining us at a caf¨¦ than having me at her house?

 Chapter 10: Alicia

    The day had finally arrived! I would no longer be a loner! I had promised Alicia that I would visit her house this afternoon. Since the morning, I have been trying to decide which dress to wear. However, Laura, in her wisdom, advised against anything too fancy since Alicia''s family wasn''t very wealthy. Hmm... I didn''t recall Alicia being particularly poor in the novel. Ah, but she had been an orphan living in an orphanage when I read about her in the novel. Nobody actually knew about her family.


    As I approached her house, it looked more like a shack than a proper home. I tilted my head in confusion at the disarray. Alicia was even poorer than I had thought. But why? Wasn''t her dad a knight? Knights were paid more than average citizens, and it could be a pretty lucrative job if they paid attention to their safety and equipment maintenance. Moreover, Alicia was an apprentice mage now. Surely, the family''s income had increased, right?


    "Hello, Alicia! Are you there?" I knocked on her door. I was a bit excited. Back in my days on Earth, I wouldn''t have been allowed to visit a place this run-down, let alone eat outside or go walking down the streets. However, I was healthy now! I could go wherever I wanted.


    "Hello, Lady Elidranthia. I''m sorry for my small house. Please come in."


    "Hello, Alicia. How are you?" I asked.


    "I''m fine," she replied with a smile despite her patched and poor clothing. I thought her usual clothes were old and worn, but these were practically rags.


    "I have to say, I expected a knight and a mage''s house to be wealthier," I commented on the state of her house. It only contained two beds and a table. The table had only two chairs, so it was just enough for Alicia and me.


    .......


    An awkward silence followed. This wasn''t how I had imagined playing with friends would be. I had thought we would go to her room and play with dolls or something.


    "Lady Elidranthia, may I ask why you came to our house today?" Alicia finally broke the silence.


    "Um... I simply wanted to play with you. You''ve never been to our house, and Laura said that it would be a bother if I invited you regularly because you have duties. So... i just wanted to know you, we are friends, right?"


    "So, why do you want to get to know me?" Alicia asked. "As you can see, I am poor. Even though I am a mage, I couldn''t escape my father''s debt."


    I tilted my head in confusion. Alicia''s family should have more than 20 gold coins per month, quadruple the ordinary people''s salary. How could she be in debt?


    "What do you mean you couldn''t get out of your debt?"


    "My mother died, leaving behind a debt from her tuition in the capital. The loan was about 100 gold with over 30% interest. At this rate, I am going to be sold to some merchant¡­ hix¡­," she sobbed as she spoke. "I am sorry¡­"


    "I see," I said, hugging her as she cried. "If it is 100 gold¡­"


    "No, Lady Eli. When she said her debt was 100 gold, it meant that she initially had a debt of 100 gold. Right now, the debt must be over 1000 gold with 30% interest."


    "Huh? How is that allowed?" I looked at her in disbelief.


    "It''s not. If you petition a justiciar, they will defend you. But there are other ways to harass Alicia''s father. Moreover, if you petition to a justiciar, you need at least 300 gold here to have your case reviewed. Hiring a justiciar defender, court invitations to the other parties, and the journey to the capital back and forth," Laura explained. Her face scrunched up in disgust. I thanked her for her honesty, and it was clear from her expression that she didn''t like such a law either.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "I see," I nodded.


    "Oh, look at the time. I need to go to the barracks. I have my shift today." Alicia said as she showed me her fake smile. She was trying to be strong.


    "Let''s go together!"


    "But your father forbade you to go to the drafting, right?"


    ¡°I was merely looking! It was just a normal training sortie, right? There weren''t even any monsters there,¡± I explained. This was different from what I had imagined friends bonding with each other would be like. But we were in a fantasy world now, and maybe military training was also a way to make friends. I needed to stop getting excited and lose control of my mana lock. If my magical impression got out of control again, I might destroy whatever little trust Alicia had in me.


    ¡°Ahh! Alicia, where is your father? Why isn''t he coming today?¡± Zach asked Alicia when she arrived. She tilted her head in confusion. ¡°My dad skipped work?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I didn''t see him coming today. What happened?¡±


    ¡°I... I didn''t know! He went out this morning. I thought he was already here with you! Where is he? This has never happened before!¡± Alicia stuttered in confusion.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Hey Loharn! You were on the same team as him. Did you know?¡±


    ¡°I did not know, sir!¡±


    ¡°Call all of his team now!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± When we called all of his team about his whereabouts, one of them asked for permission to speak privately. Zach, being the considerate leader he was, allowed him, and now all four of us spoke inside a private officer''s room¡ªme, Alicia, Zach, and him.


    ¡°So, what do you want to speak about?¡±


    ¡°It''s about John, Alicia''s father. He spoke to me privately last night that he is going to the capital discreetly to contact a justiciar.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Zach asked while tilting his head. It immediately clicked for me. Did he want to default on his debt?


    ¡°He wanted justice for a debt that wasn''t his own. His wife''s debt grew exponentially, and now, a loan shark was chasing him. He could not pay because of the ridiculous interest, and now he was looking for justice in the court. He lived frugally to the point he built a shack for housing instead of paying rent and tried to save whatever money he could and even robbing his daughter''s salary.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­.¡± Alicia sobbed and thanked God that her dad was okay.


    <hr>


    ¡°Damn it, John. Why did you make it hard for yourself? I said I will wipe off your debt. In return, you shall give me your daughter to be employed by Duke Luca Lightsworn.¡±


    ¡°My wife killed herself so she could be free from your vile debt. Now you want to take my daughter to be your pet? I would rather die!¡± John glared at his nemesis. He was merely a commoner soldier with no skill to speak of.


    However, his daughter, Alicia, would be different. She had magical talent level six. She was among the lucky 1% of the people in this world, unlike him. He wouldn¡¯t let his daughter become someone''s pet. He was supposed to go to the capital in a year, but her daughter had netted him enough money for him to go to the capital and contact a justiciar.


    Alas, this world was cruel to commoners, as the mafia under Duke Luca had a wide net that traced all the debtors and even cases for the justiciar. Even when John was able to contact the justiciar, if he were killed or somehow got into an accident and died, the case would never be reviewed. They had hundreds of ways to circumvent the law. For example, they could hide John¡¯s body until the review expired, put him in an accident where monsters ate him, or simply kill him and bury him in the woods. This would mean that John would be considered a missing person.


    ¡°So, should we kill him, boss?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ no. If we kill him, I am afraid Count Shadowstep will take her in instead of an orphanage in the capital. He did pay for her tuition despite the enormous debt his territory has been carrying, after all."


    ¡°So, what do we do? Do we send a threatening letter?¡±


    ¡°No. That could be evidence for the justiciar. We need to kidnap her and then negotiate with her. She will then be an obedient girl until the academy starts two years later, and then she will be employed under Duke Luca, and I will get a bonus for that. Hehehe.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Shadowstep territory.¡±


    ¡°No!! Just kill me already! I have never been a good father to Alicia. I have lived like shit for all these years!¡±


    ¡°Well, you know, we are in the same boat. I also have daughters and wives to feed. So, don¡¯t hate me for it, okay? Let us go. We will depart.¡±

 Chapter 11: Broken Friendship

    Two days had passed. Since Alicia was still underage, we opted to give her a room in the mansion. She could live by herself in that shack, but I pleaded for her to stay in my room. Of course, my family refused. However, due to my incessant begging, they finally agreed to give her a room inside the mansion. It was an empty room usually used for storage. We did have guest rooms, but my parents refused to lend them out.


    I was frustrated but relented when they didn''t budge. Well, at least it was better than her shack. She bowed to me once again gratefully. During our days, she treated herself like a maid and helped around the mansion. That was weird. Why were the maids so ready to give her tasks when they vehemently refused my offer to help around the mansion?


    "Let''s play. Look at what I can do with a shadow tentacle!" I said as dark shadows started to rise from the ground and tickled her hands. I could create up to ten if I focused really hard. However, we only needed four for the shadow dancing. Two for each of our steps and another two for hand stabilization.


    She nervously grabbed one, and I moved it as if we were dancing. The tentacle moved around, and soon enough, we were lifted from the ground.


    "Ah! It''s scary!"


    "Don''t worry. I''m just lifting you ten centimeters from the ground," I said as my tentacle grabbed her feet to lift her. I did the same to myself but even higher. I could reach the ceiling if I wanted to. Seeing that she was almost crying, I dropped her and retracted the shadows. After I put her down, she sat on the floor, frightened.


    "Sorry, you didn''t enjoy it? Then how about I show you my knife collection?" I said to her. I only had three at the moment: a karambit, a utility knife, and a paring knife. They were all adorned with some silver craftsmanship on their handles, except for my karambit, so they all felt luxurious. However, what interested me was their blades. They were made of Mythril. When Mythril was forged, they glittered, which made for beautiful tableware. Too bad they were a rare metal and thus expensive. Unlike the usual fantasy setting, Mythril was not used to make legendary armor or swords in this world. They only had a bit more strength and hardness than silver. So, Mythril was treated like precious metals like silver and gold and was often used for decorations.


    But Mythril was still a metal. It could cut or stab just as well as brass did. They still fell a bit short of hardened steel, though. However, none of them were a match for my karambit. The blade glowed with a blueish shimmer. I wondered how the southern countries made this. I had never seen these metals that formed the karambit.


    "Ugh... hah..." Alicia grew more restless as the days passed. It had been almost a week, and we had not heard from her father. When I mentioned this at our dining table, Zach dismissed it.


    "Hmm... he''s taking too much time. Do you think he came back in a carriage? Or, worse, did he travel on foot?" my father asked. It should have taken at most two days if someone had traveled on horseback.


    "Maybe he got held back by the justiciars. He needed to answer some questions from them, after all."


    Days turned into a month, and still no word from John, Alicia''s father. I always followed Alicia whenever she went outside, like baby ducklings. She grew more irritated, but I paid it no mind. After all, I also had business in the barracks and at the gates. We still had woodcutting jobs and traps to install there. The traps proved to be fabulous. My brother praised me endlessly when he heard that there had been zero injuries from monster attacks this month.


    The woodcutting, however, didn''t fare as well. Brother Zach chose a time in the late afternoon for soldiers to cut down the trees. At first, it went well. However, some soldiers who ventured just a bit deeper into the forest were ambushed by wolves, and two soldiers were killed. After that incident, father forbade anyone from venturing deep into the woods, and all woodcutting had to be done on the border of the forest with knights guarding the front. I was impressed that he didn''t outright abandon the venture.


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    "Lady Eli, why are you following me? I''m just buying groceries," Alicia scowled. Her tone grew less polite, but I was happy. We finally could get rid of the annoying etiquette.


    "Do you want me to help you carry the bags? You might not know this, but I''m strong!" I said while showing off my nonexistent biceps. Well, in this world, magic was more important, but muscle had its uses, too, although it was meaningless against a skilled opponent.


    Brother Zach told me that a skill was treated like magic. However, due to the unpredictable nature of a skill, no one actually taught anything about it. Because of the scarcity of specific skills, they were not used or acknowledged by the government.


    "No, it would be unbefitting of you, Lady Eli," Alicia denied me. She no longer faked a smile but frowned fully. She was so cute when she pouted like that. I smiled back at her pouting face.


    "Hmm? This isn''t the way to the mansion, right?" I asked her when she made a left turn from the main street.


    "I want to check my house," Alicia said. She looked sad as her father seemed to never come home.


    I see! That''s why she volunteered to do shopping tasks. She wanted to visit her house on the way. I wondered why, though. Brother Zach had told us that John hadn''t come back. Why bother checking that small shack? It''s not like there was anything there to begin with. Alicia and her father didn''t have any personal effects.


    Alicia''s home was located near the slums. I looked around in excitement. I wondered if those hooligan look-alikes were still around. Their faces were ugly, but they were nice. They answered my questions politely. As I looked around the slums, I saw kids playing in their ragged clothes. Many bearded, scary men were looking at us, wondering why we were there.


    "I''m done. Father didn''t come here. I already left a letter saying that I was at the count''s mansion. Let''s go home, Lady Elidranthia," she covered her sadness with a fake smile.


    "Alright!" I skipped my steps as I walked beside her. "Do you have any tasks today? Do you need help? Want to play some games? I have a chess set in father''s study!"


    "Shut up! Why do you keep pestering me!" Alicia finally snapped. Then she realized she had messed up. But I didn''t mind her attitude in the least. If she wanted me to be silent, then so be it.


    "Okay. I''ll be silent on the way."


    "Sorry... I just didn''t know how to act around you," she said as she kept avoiding eye contact.


    "That''s fine! Just be yourself. As long as we can be together, I''m happy with it!" I said while smiling. Friends sometimes get mad at each other, right? She was probably worried about her father. I needed to be there with her.


    "That''s the problem! I don''t enjoy being together with you! Why do you keep smiling when my father has gone who knows where? I''m just a commoner while you''re a noble! I hate knives! Pointed objects scare me, and I look like a friend of a psycho when you adore them. I also hate your dark binding. That black tentacle feels terrible when it touches you! I don''t want to be your friend! Just stay away from me. Don''t worry, I won''t go anywhere. You also don''t actually like me, right? You just want to secure me as a talented fire mage for Count Shadowstep. All my friends told me so!" She snapped with such a fury that I didn''t know how to reply.


    "I really do like you. I-I-I wanted to be your friend," I said, denying her accusation. However, I couldn''t deny her when she said I liked knives.


    "Why did I like knives anyway? Oh my god! Do I look like a psycho to other people? I messed up! Eli is a villainess who loved knives and later killed the heroine Claire using daggers! Why do I collect knives instead of jewelry? Was I hypnotized to like knives? I was never allowed to touch knives on Earth before. Why do I like knives here? No, I didn''t actually like knives! I was merely fascinated by their shining blades. Yeah! It was just like how boys love swords. In fact, I like swords and axes too. They were simply too heavy for me to lift, and they were more expensive, so I didn''t buy them." Thoughts of her accusations ran wild in my mind. I just wanted her to befriend me, liking the same thing I did. I never thought she would be so creeped out by me.


    "Sorry. I won''t do it again," I nodded as regret swallowed me. I never thought about how she felt about me. I just selfishly introduced her to my hobbies.


    Is this the end of our friendship? I thought I was doing well! Laura, my maid, never chided me for this. This sucked. Am I the only one having fun in this friendship? Is it impossible for me to have friends after all?


    "May I ask who you are?" Laura raised her voice and interrupted us as four gentlemen came to us. Not gentlemen, actually. If the people from before were skinny hooligans because they were poor, these guys were muscular. If there were auditions for pirates or bandits, these guys would surely get the role.


    "Boss, she is Alicia, right?" one of the bandit look-alikes approached.


    "Wait, she''s with a soldier and a noble girl."


    "So, what does it matter with noble girls in the boonies anyway? We''ve been waiting for weeks scouting these countryside nobles. If we wait, we won''t get another chance. It''s clear they''re protecting these commoners. Moreover, I heard that girl with red eyes is also a mage. We could get double the profit."


    Bob, our sole guard, and Laura were on guard as several men hiding in the shadows approached us.

 Chapter 12: Birth of a Reaper

    There were over 10 people here, and all of them brought a sword. As I looked at the cheap blades they got, they had its own charm. The swords looked like they were made for utility with minimal resources. The edges were chipped here and there, proving they had seen a fair bit of use. However, poor maintenance had made the blades rusted and further degraded their gleam.


    "Halt! You are assaulting the second daughter of Count Shadowstep! Stay back unless you are looking for war with nobility, scum!" Bob''s voice resounded within the street. Wow, he was so cool. I always wanted to say that! Halt something-something. I thought he was a coward, but I was wrong. You can do it if you want to, Bob. The hooligans stopped for a mere moment, then laughed their asses off at Bob. Bob drew his sword.


    "Hahaha. Spoken like a true nobleman''s soldier. What can a man do against these numbers? Get on, lads!" the bandit leader laughed as he ordered his men to assault us. Whoa, these guys were no mere thugs. They must be from the mafia or something. How could they kidnap someone in broad daylight otherwise?


    "Wahh!!!" Bob charged, leaving us to assault the enemy in front of him. However, even an amateur like me knew that he wasn''t the sharpest soldier we had. With a single kick, the hooligan knocked him away.


    "Waa. D-d-don''t kill me!!!" Bob cried as he wet his pants. Even the bandits were stunned to see such a pathetic display. After a few giggles to ridicule him, the bandits chopped him to pieces. Bob didn''t even manage to scream as the bandits chopped his head with such practiced motion.


    "he-he-he died!" Alicia fell down in a W sitting position after seeing blood spurt out like a fountain from Bob''s neck. Like a puppet whose string was cut, she fell into despair and was immobilized. I quickly grabbed her to hold her shoulders, trying to prop her up, but it was futile. She lost strength in her legs.


    "Now-now, don''t go anywhere. Alright lads, capture them."


    ¡°Ah-ah-AAA!!!¡± Alicia suddenly screamed, and flames engulfed her, burning everything around her.


    "Ouch!" I quickly steered away from her as my hands, which were holding her, were burned. She was out of control!


    "Watch out, Eli! Her magic is going out of control!" Laura said as she grabbed me to steer away from Alicia. Wow, her mana was insane. I had never gone berserk, but I don''t think I could beat her in a magic battle even if I wanted to.


    As flames engulfed her, she started to shoot flame tentacles that whipped around her, attacking everything without warning. Then flame balls began to shoot with reckless abandon.


    "Wait a minute, Alicia! Most houses here are made of wood, unlike my mansion! Pay attention to where you shoot! You are going to cause a huge fire!" I said to her as I looked at the bright spectacle before me. However, my voice fell on deaf ears.


    "Whoa, she sure is no ordinary mage," the boss bandit muttered. He looked calm, and I knew why. He had a water mage beside him. The water mage was shielding him with a round shield made of water. "Hey, you! Bring him here!"


    "Hey, Alicia girl! If you value your father''s life! Wah!" The boss tried to say his villainous line, but it was intercepted as Alicia''s fireball went straight at him, which was blocked by a water shield right in front of his face.


    "She is out of control, boss. Just let her be. She will be out of mana soon." The mage said calmly. "Even if she is Talent 6 with greater mana than mine, she will be out of it soon, by the looks of it."


    True to his words, Alicia''s fire soon faded. The mage blocked her attacks with excellent efficiency. Alicia sat there confused as her magic refused to activate anymore. "No¡­ no¡­ what have I done?" she muttered as she saw the devastation around her. Buildings were on fire.


    "Alright. She gave us quite a scare. Now, bag her. And let''s bring the noble lady, too! Hahaha." The boss said as his remaining henchmen came out of hiding with a sack. Should I fight back? I still have my karambit as my necklace. No, this is not the place. We still didn''t know the whereabouts of Alicia''s father. The boss said that he held Alicia''s father captive. I must bring him back.


    I was surprised at how calm I was. My guard, Bob, whom I had known for half a year, had just died right in front of me. Granted, I didn''t know much about him, as he rarely guarded me in this safe city, but he just died, and I neither panicked nor screamed. I simply thought about what my next move should be.


    "No! You-you won''t bring Lady Eli anywhere!" Laura said. My heart froze in an instant. She resisted the thugs who were approaching me.


    "Wench! I probably should kill you too!"


    "Stop! Don''t hurt Laura! Laura, please go back into the mansion and call for help!" I said to her while offering myself. She then looked at me in the eye as she glanced toward the mansion. But she refused to budge. This is bad. I like Alicia, and I want to save her father. However, I can''t sacrifice Laura in the process. I need to protect her somehow!


    ¡°Wait¡­ no¡­ no¡­ NO!!!" I saw a blade swing in front of Laura in slow motion. As it slashed through her chest, blood gushed out from her shoulder to her waist as she fell down, unmoving. Red liquid was splattered on my face. Was she dead? Wait? Laura?


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    "Alright! That''s done. Let''s pack her up!"


    "Be careful! She is also a mage. She might get violent like the other girl." The world turned red as my blood boiled. Laura is dead.


    When one of the goons came near me, I quickly unsheathed the knife from my neck. It slid out smoothly, and with a quick motion, I slit his jugular vein. Blood gushed out like a fountain as I also hit his carotid artery. I looked at them coldly when his blood bathed my face. I unlocked my mana. Unlike the peace-loving maids at my house, these bandits were not afraid and glared back at me.


    He held out his neck before falling dead on the ground. Ahh, this world has no levels. Just like on Earth, it is so easy for people to die. A slit in the throat or a gunshot is enough to kill a person. There is no need for remarkable leveling or technique. Just pull the trigger or hit the vital. Even a kid like me could do it.


    "What-what happened? Watch out, that kid has a knife!" The goons swiftly unsheathed their blades and encircled us. I will not let a single one of them escape. All of them will die here.


    I used my blessing, which I had been keeping a secret from everyone. Taking notes from movies on Earth, I rushed out and slashed at another hooligan. But this one was prepared, and he defended with his hands. He screamed out in pain as my claw lacerated his wrist, spurting blood everywhere.


    I changed my method and used my dark magic on him to feint my hand''s positions, and I managed to slash at his neck all the same. That''s two down. There were still 10 more.


    <hr>


    This is a nightmare. Our job was supposed to be just kidnapping two girls with only one guard. We''ve done this numerous times in the past. We''d already dispatched their sole guard and the rebellious maid. The kids were mages, but that''s why we specifically prepared one level 5 mage and two level 4 mages together with a dozen sellswords to counter them. They cost an absolute fortune to hire. This should be enough to kidnap two apprentice-level mages, no matter how high their talent was.


    The fire girl was a surprise; to be sure, she managed to incapacitate two of my henchmen and gave several others a light burn. However, I didn''t realize the red-eyed girl was the most dangerous one. She already took down two of my men without magic, or did she? Dark magic is known to mess around with the mind, but I am no mage; I could not see mana.


    "Careful! She used illusion magic!" the mage commanded my men. "She might show you monsters or weird things! However, it''s not real!!"


    Despite the mage''s command, my men still flinched and sometimes froze in their boots when the red-eyed demon glared at them. Another three got killed when they tried to surround her.


    "Shit, how can you two grown-ass mercenaries gang up on a child and still lose? Just grab and lock her hands! Chop off her hands if you have to! Useless!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. With the body count this high, it could no longer be possible to mask this as a drunken fight or small-scale banditry.


    Another one bit the dust; somehow, every time the girl approached my men, they just froze or acted like idiots. Were they blind? Her small hands were slashing at their necks like a butcher slaughtering chickens.


    "Don''t get near! She''s using illusions to distract you. Mark, Loden, rally with me. We will defeat her!"


    "Ugh. Uahh! I''m out of here. I''m not paid enough for this job!" one of my mages ran away, but a shadow tentacle flashed from the ground and swiped his legs. After he fell, three more tentacles bound him.


    "The bindings aren''t even that strong! Get a grip of yourself!" Luke, my mage, shouted as he used a water blade on his staff to cut the shadow binding.


    "Damn it! Water cutter!" he chanted an offensive spell.


    "Wait! You''re going to kill the goods," I complained. At this rate, I was going to incur a heavy loss. Six people had died, and the number was still going up. Fear started to grip me as I saw a glimmer of a chance that this kid could kill all of us. Nah, impossible. There was no chance that a kid apprentice mage could defeat adult mages. They lacked the mana and experience.


    "Shut it. We''re going to die at this rate! I don''t know who she is, but she''s a professional!" Luka said as he, together with another water and wind mage, formed a crossfire formation where they spread out to attack the mage from multiple angles.


    They began to fire their spells. Water spears rained down on the red-eyed girl from the sides, but she dodged them all. She moved as if she had eyes on her back.


    "You! Cover us, we need to gain distance!"


    "Hell no! I''m out of here!" the mercenaries started to scatter. But she wouldn''t let them. Her shadow bindings tackled them one by one. With precision, she cut off their necks one after the other until only my three mages were left. As she finished her kills, she turned to us with a gleeful look. Her smile said it all; she enjoyed the hunt. We were not the predator; we were the prey, and she was going to kill us all!


    "Damn it! Let''s scram," I said as I ran. But it was too late. She was already in front of one of my mages.


    "No! Noooo!!!" a pathetic scream resounded as the demon killed one of my expensive mages. I ignored it. I had been in this same situation when knights were chasing our hideout.


    "Damn it, I should not have taken this job!" the mage cursed as we ran. However, the girl was already in front of me, smiling mockingly as fresh blood from my coworker bathed her face. How come? Wasn''t she at the back just now? We stopped and looked back in shock.


    "Damn it! It''s one of her illusions!" Luke halted before rushing towards the girl, passing through her body. However, I stood my ground. She was abnormally fast. I had observed her speed as she moved. Escaping wasn''t an option.


    True to my instincts, she sprinted towards me like an arrow released from its bow. As she closed in, I swiftly unsheathed my sword in an Iai stance. It was a technique I had learned from a friend during my time in the war. It might have been crude, but it was effective. I felt this strike was the most swift and graceful slash I ever did. The slash cut through the air like a hot knife through butter, cleanly severing her head from her shoulders.


    "Yes! I''m a reaper! I''ve faced both humans and monsters in battle. You''re just a kid daring to challenge me!" I boasted as I looked at her headless body. I glanced around at the grim scene ¨C this kidnapping had turned into a total catastrophe. All of my men were dead, and I had also lost two of my valuable mages.


    "Ahh! Get away! I''m sorry! I''ll pay you anything! Ugh!" Luke''s screams abruptly ceased, leaving me bewildered. What had frightened him? The demon girl was already dead. However, a dreadful realization washed over me as I stared at her lifeless form and her detached head.


    Her severed head suddenly turned to face me, wearing the same mocking smile as before I had killed her. The headless body of the girl I had just beheaded stood up as if it were a reanimated corpse. This was an illusion, and I had no idea where the real girl was.


    *stab


    I felt a sharp prick at my neck, followed by the sensation of warm liquid seeping through my clothes. When I turned my gaze to the left, red liquid drenched my shirt. I was going to die. As I realized my impending doom, my legs gave out, and I fell to the ground. With my vision fading to black, I saw a glowing red eye fixed on me, smiling contemptuously.


    "M-m-monster..."


    <hr>


    Blessing of the Killing Star has risen to lvl 2


    Choose your upgrade


    - Vampiric strength


    - Stealth


    - improved agility lvl 2

 Chapter 13: Aftermath, Alicias feeling

    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9548%">Blessing of the Killing Star has risen to lvl 2


    Choose your upgrade


    - Vampiric strength


    - Stealth


    - improved agility lvl 2</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The blue box appeared before me, and I stared at it silently. I had never heard of a skill leveling up, but I wasn''t in the mood to think about skills at that moment. My eyes shifted back to Laura and Alicia. Alicia looked at me with fear in her eyes, understandably so. She would cry if even a tiny amount of mana leaked from my eyes, and now she had to witness me killing people with this skill.


    "Monster... don''t get near me," she stammered, trying to slide herself back but unable to move far.


    I turned my gaze to Laura. I hadn''t used my skills much, but exhaustion threatened to overcome me. I walked slowly toward Laura, hoping beyond hope that she had survived the attack. Her body lay there, still and unmoving. My hopes of her survival diminished with each passing second. When I reached her lifeless body, I neither cried nor screamed. I simply held her hands and called her name softly.


    "Laura... Laura..." But she didn''t respond. Blood continued to pour from her wounds, forming a puddle on the ground. I knew she was beyond saving, having lost too much blood.


    Minutes passed as I looked at Laura''s lifeless body. When I turned my head, I saw Alicia still staring at me, her eyes filled with fear. A crowd had begun to gather, but no one cared enough to extinguish the flames caused by Alicia''s magic. They all gazed at the ten-year-old girl who had ruthlessly killed a dozen bandits without shedding a tear, only smiling as she did it. Water trickled down my cheeks, but it wasn''t tears. The sky opened up, sending a drizzle to help the foolish citizens extinguish the flames consuming their homes.


    "What happened here? Oh my God!" Zach, accompanied by dozens of knights, finally arrived. They looked around in horror, and when they saw me, they were startled and drew their swords involuntarily.


    "Eli, please contain your mana. Hey, what happened here?" Zach looked around before approaching me to inquire about the situation.


    "Please help Laura..." I said weakly before falling unconscious, my head resting on her chest. I was too exhausted to move, and I could only hope that my brother Zach could work some miracle.


    <hr>


    I was gripped by fear and unease. Bob, Miss Eli''s guardian, had been brutally killed by bandits who were attempting to kidnap me. These men were pure evil, reminiscent of the loan sharks that relentlessly harassed my father. Worse still, they claimed to have my father in their clutches.


    Zach, Miss Elidranthia''s brother, approached me, flanked by two other bandits who had been spared from Eli''s rampage as they were unconscious. Zach understandably chose to question me first. I began to recount the events, explaining everything that had unfolded from the moment I strayed from our intended path to the grocery store, with Lady Elidranthia following us. I omitted the petty quarrel that had taken place earlier and focused on the encounter with the bandits. I also remembered the strangely deserted streets that day, and Zach raised an eyebrow at that detail.


    I continued my account, describing how about a dozen bandits had surrounded us. Bob had been killed in front of us, and Zach solemnly held out his arm to honor the fallen soldier.


    "Bob may not have been the best soldier," Zach said, his voice filled with grief. "But I recruited him because he had no other jobs nor specialties. His parents asked me to look after him. He should have been a butler or gardener..." Zach mourned the loss of one of his people. Then, he continued his questioning, "My apologies. We still have one more soldier to find. Please continue."


    I explained to Zach that the bandits had not asked for money or inquired about Lady Eli. Instead, they had specifically mentioned my name and claimed to have my father. It suddenly struck me that I was the cause of Bob and Laura''s deaths. Eli was sharp; she must have realized that I was to blame for Laura''s demise. The bandits had been after me, not Eli. Dread washed over me as I recalled Eli''s red eyes tracking the menacing bandits, akin to a hunting predator.


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    "We will find out where your father is," Zach assured me. "So, am I correct in assuming they killed Laura, and Eli managed to eliminate all 14 of them on her own?"


    "Yes," I replied, my voice trembling. "She spared no one except for the one I had already incapacitated when my magic went out of control."


    Zach frowned, clearly impressed. "Hmm... I knew she had some talent. But this is unbelievable. When did she even learn to use knives? That knife has never been seen in this country," he mused. "I thought that knife was nothing more than an antique or a decorative piece."


    Just then, one of Zach''s subordinates approached. "Sir! We have interrogated the prisoner. They revealed the whereabouts of John. He is located in the neighboring village, just two hours away by horse."


    Zach wasted no time. "Alright, we will raid that village. Prepare fifty cavalry!"


    I couldn''t hold back my desperation. "Please, let me join. I have to find my father!"


    "Very well. You will come with me. Let''s ride!" Zach declared.


    Zach''s efficiency was astonishing. He had his troops ready in less than twenty minutes, and we set out for the village. Upon our arrival, Zach quickly dispatched several troops to block all exits. However, when we entered the hut, we discovered a gruesome scene. My father and everyone else had been brutally murdered. I was devastated. I had lost my family, and I was alone.


    "Damn it, who the heck is our enemy? They killed them so methodically. Were they all poisoned?" Zach muttered as he searched through their belongings. Unfortunately, we found nothing of significance.


    I knelt beside my father''s lifeless body, tears streaming down my face. As I held his corpse, I couldn''t help but think of Elidranthia''s reaction when she discovered Laura''s lifeless form. Laura had been like a mother to her, and I had been foolish to consider Elidranthia a monster or a psycho. After all, I was a monster too. I had lost control of my magic, inadvertently causing a fire that consumed part of the slums. I was a worse monster than her.


    "Alicia, let''s go back. Night is falling. You can stay at the mansion for as long as you like," Zach said as he embraced me from behind. His warmth and comforting presence helped soothe my pain. I fell asleep on his horse during the journey back, and when I woke up, I found myself in my bedroom at the mansion. The memories of my father came flooding back, and I couldn''t hold back my tears. Despite our poverty and the debt that burdened us, he was the only family I had. I remembered all the ordinary moments we had shared, eating together and listening to his stories of slaying monsters at the gate. Now, it was all just memories. The last words I said to him were that I hated how we were always poor, and how becoming a mage never gave me the chance to spend my own money. If I had known how much he had also suffered, I wouldn''t have been so selfish. I felt empty now. Someone, please end my suffering.


    A week passed, and I mindlessly worked as a maid, trying to fill the void left by my father''s absence. I hadn''t officially worked for Count Shadowstep, so I received no pay, and no one had asked for my help. I would simply go to the kitchen or request a mop from the other maids. Lady Elidranthia had not returned to her cheerful self. Although her eyes were now normal, as she kept her mana under control, her gaze was colder than ever. Unlike before, she never spoke to me or looked in my direction. I couldn''t help but feel like a terrible person, having squandered my opportunity to befriend her over something as trivial as her eyes.


    "Lady Eli, dinner is ready."


    "Hmm? Okay," she replied, her nose buried in a book. I glanced around her bedroom, which was sparsely furnished with a few tea sets and ornamental knives. As I observed her from behind, she seemed small and delicate, like a rabbit. Yet, her intense glare could send shivers down anyone''s spine, like a tiger calculating its next meal. I found myself oddly excited.


    "Eli!" I shook her shoulder to get her attention.


    "Eek!" She jumped forward, her glare now fixated on me. When her unbridled red eyes locked onto mine, it felt like they could see right through to my soul, ready to devour me. I used to despise that look, but now, it filled the emptiness in my heart. Was this love? The kind of love that my friends often chatted about in our neighborhood?


    I had made up my mind. I would become Eli''s personal maid. I wanted to be with her always. I would serve her with all my being, a way to repay her kindness. She had helped me cover my tuition and had tried to befriend me. I used to reject her attempts. It is my karma. When she wanted to be my friend, I hated her, and now that I tried to befriend her, she seemed to reject me.


    With newfound determination, I headed to Count Shadowstep''s chambers with a spring in my step.

 Chapter 14: Middle School

    A year and a half has passed.


    I gazed out the window. Brother Zach had informed me that Alicia''s father was killed. In the end, I couldn''t save him. This was bad. It seemed that I couldn''t alter the course of events from the novel. At this rate, I would meet my demise at the age of 17 during my second year of high school. I was preparing to attend middle school in the Royal Capital.


    I was already familiar with the story''s progression from the novels, but the web novels lacked many illustrations. I didn''t even know what Claire, the female protagonist, looked like, or how handsome the first prince was. The novels began in high school, but I was bound to encounter the princes and their guards during middle school, right? Ah, I also needed to avoid the princes at all costs. I wondered how I would manage that. The web novel briefly mentioned how the second prince had been sweet-talking Eli since middle school, but that was all the detail provided!


    Choose your upgrade


    - Vampiric strength


    - Stealth


    - improved agility lvl 2


    Thinking about the differences from the novels, I glanced at my status again. The choices were still there, but additional information had yet to come up. Vampiric strength was out of the question. I had no interest in becoming anything like an assassin. I definitely did not want to be a vampire, what with the whole blood-drinking thing. As for Stealth, it would make me appear even more like an assassin. The only option was improved agility, but I didn''t have the stamina to sustain it, rendering it useless. Perhaps I should keep it for when the need arises. I didn''t even want to level up this blessing!


    "Lady Eli!" Alicia playfully tickled my ear as I was lost in thought.


    "Eek! Stop that! It''s ticklish!" I shot her a playful glare. She jumped back, startled, but then smiled and moved closer. She had been like this ever since her father''s death. Was this teasing? Was it her way of getting back at me for failing to save her father? Was she simply cuddling me out of fear because she had no one else in this world?


    Nevertheless, Alicia also joined me in the Royal Academy middle school section. I should take it as her being cordial with me for now. However, I should review our relationship again when she met the heroine. Her father''s debt had died with her father. So, with her earnings as a mage drafted by my father and her work as my personal maid, she had more money than she could ever spend now. More than me, even.


    Our County Shadowstep had finally overcome its financial struggles, and we were no longer operating at a deficit. However, it would still take a long time to repay our debt to the kingdom. The cheap and unique wood from the northern forest really sealed the deal. Craftsmen were pouring into our county. But we were still in debt; that''s why my payment was only a fraction of what I should have received. Neither of us had much need for money aside from our school expenses, so Alicia''s wage was essentially treated as a debt from my father.


    A rather fancy carriage was prepared for us. Alicia, dressed as a maid, loaded everything onto the carriage before we set off. The journey to the capital would take a week by carriage. Unlike messengers on horseback who could travel straight and camp outside, carriages stopped at villages for rest. They were much slower. We had the option of using a stagecoach, but my father forbade it after the attack. So, this carriage came with four knights on horseback. Ever since the implementation of traps in the northern gate, We had more knights than we knew what to do with. Fewer people got injured, after all.


    "Ah! What village is this?" I asked Jim, our driver, with excitement.


    However, my excitement didn''t last long. There was nothing of note in this village. If I could even call it a village. There were barely five houses here. The places we visited were merely rest stops, so they only had inns. The food was decent, but our mansion''s chef was better. Since I had nothing to do, I decided to tease Alicia a little. I looked at her, and she averted her gaze. She couldn''t stand my eyes when I unleashed my mana. When my head followed her eyes, she tried to meet my gaze but blushed and looked down. I stopped soon enough; I needed to avoid teasing her too much. I knew how to control myself now. I gave her some chocolate I had brought from home as a bribe and apologized for my early behavior. She merely said that she didn''t mind, and I could glare at her as much as I wanted. Her politeness was uncomfortable, but I learned not to fuss about it.


    After a boring seven-day trip, we finally arrived in the majestic Royal Capital, marked by lush golden fields and a stone wall. As I entered the academy, everyone''s eyes were fixed on me. I had arrived on time, had I? Teachers and students alike were whispering.


    "Welcome to Althemer Academy, the finest institution in the Royal Capital," the caretaker greeted us. I tilted my head since I had no recollection of any other academies in our empire. When seeking knowledge, one usually hired a tutor or attended an academy; these were the two main methods of obtaining education in this world.


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    "Hurry up, servant. Do not waste the time of these esteemed mages!" The caretaker, whose name I had just learned was Lilieth, barked at the serfs. The serfs nodded and promptly followed her instructions as they politely collected Alicia''s belongings as well.


    I noted that up close, mages were often held in the same regard as nobles. Since I was both a mage and a noble, I expected to be honored, but it surprised me that they also bowed to Alicia.


    "There''s no need for shouting, Miss Lilieth. Just lead us to our room," I replied, but the curious gazes persisted. "We aren''t late, are we?"


    "Oh, you''re certainly not late, Miss Elidranthia. The lessons commence in two days. I heard that you''re an exceptional student, as reported by Richard."


    "You mean Richard, my older brother? Didn''t he graduate from here several years ago? He only finished his high education last year."


    "We maintain contact with promising students, dear. As long as you don''t make foolish mistakes like Fiona or Alucard, you''ll be fine," Lilieth warned me. But Alucard was simply fleeing from unfavorable battles, and Fiona''s affair hadn''t even been proven yet.


    "She is Elidranthia? The bandit slayer? She''s smaller than I thought," I overheard whispers in the corridor.


    "Sorry for being petite, alright! Who said that?" I grumbled internally as I glared around, searching for the culprit. But everyone was looking at me.


    "Don''t worry! My mistress is cute!" Alicia suddenly hugged me from behind. Her soft, developing curves enveloped my head. Anger surged within me at the unfairness of the world. We were the same age! How could she have grown up faster than me? She was starting to resemble my sister than my friend!


    "Eekk!" Some students scattered when I inadvertently released my intimidating aura. I immediately withdrew all my mana. Thankfully, only a few students had locked eyes with me. After Lilieth, the dormitory manager, took me to our room, she left. She had offered separate rooms for both me and Alicia, but strangely, Alicia had refused. Was she scared of being bullied by other noble kids?


    I had some time before school started the next day. When I asked around, it seemed that my reputation had preceded me and was greatly exaggerated. I was already famous in this school since a year ago. They talked about how I had killed hundreds of bandits all by myself. Moreover, there were rumors that I drank the blood of the poor bandits or that I was blessed by a forest monster because I had survived the assault alone. Some even claimed that I had eaten the flesh of my mother and grandfather when I was lost in the forest.


    Of course, I denied all those accusations. When I was attacked in the middle of a forest before I turned ten, I had simply hidden in a compartment inside a carriage. I didn''t kill hundreds of bandits; there were only a dozen. I never practiced cannibalism of any kind, nor was I blessed by monsters. I did have the Blessing of the Killing Star, but I kept that bit of my personal information a secret. I was relieved I hadn''t chosen Vampiric Strength. Now, I found myself contemplating my next choice. Should I opt for Stealth, after all? The constant curious gazes were beginning to get on my nerves.


    School started on Monday. The lessons were something I had already learned from books and the math was straightforward for me. In magical studies, Alicia and I were moved to a special class where we could complete the entire magical curriculum in two years instead of the usual three. Apparently, the fundamental lessons of magic, taught by Alex, lasted for a year in this school. It was more challenging for students with less than level 6 talent to learn magic.


    In this accelerated class, the second prince of the empire, Ludwin Seraphim, was present. It didn''t take me long to recognize him since he was always referred to as His Highness, the Second Prince of the Empire. So, he was a mage, too? When I looked around, fewer mages were present than I had hoped, with less than 30 people in this class.


    "Hey, Eli! You''re mages from the frontier, right? Have you killed monsters?" some students asked me. This was it! This was what I had been dreaming about¡ªchatting with friends at school. The topic was a little concerning, as I didn''t want to be seen as a murderous kid, but since this was a fantasy setting, I guessed it couldn''t be helped.


    "Of course. We''ve killed monsters before. Mages fired their spells from the top of the gate while the knights held them back!" Alicia stole my thunder.


    "I see. Well, did you know about the phone magic tools that have been employed by the wind mages recently? I heard they were going to make something that can be used even by commoners!"


    "Why do you still use knights? My house is currently training archers with mobile magical cannons. Knights are outdated nowadays. We could imbue a feystone inside a tube. Even a commoner could use it!" Another piece of gossip reached our ears. I agreed. Since I''d read the webnovels, I knew for a fact that they were talking about flintlocks but with magic feystones. The knights who used it would be named Magic Archer Knights, not musketeers. The days when knights swung swords would soon be over.


    The lesson didn''t interest me much. I hadn''t come to this world to become some genius scientist or the greatest OP hero. I was here to make friends. I''d already marked a few people I wanted to befriend. There was Safira, a water mage girl with a talent level 7, and Nana, a fellow dark mage girl with a talent level 6. They seemed like kind girls. The other girls rejected me, either because they had patrons with their own lords, like Alicia, or simply didn''t like me because I was just the fifth child of a count.


    Ever since the dawn of magic tools, dark mages were no longer outcasted. In fact, the government protected them almost as well as others because they were valuable in the police force for interrogating criminals, and they tended to be better at charging feystones. Did I want to join the police or the Secret Service? The answer was no. The only other occupation available was an entertainer or a feystone battery.


    "Alicia, how many have you killed? How much were you paid at Shadowstep?"


    "Damn it! Let me kill some monsters in your territory! I''m so jealous of fire mages!"


    Unlike me, who only had two friends, Alicia seemed more famous. Almost all the students, and even the second prince, greeted her. But why?

 Chapter 15: I Came to Make Friends not Study!

    Five months had passed since then. I kept looking around, but I found neither the first prince nor Claire in this academy. I had already strolled around every classroom in our grade, but they could not be found. I tilted my head at these bizarre events. The second prince was here, but there was no sign of the first prince? The first prince was supposed to be only one year older than us. I could understand Claire''s absence, as she was the exchanged princess from another kingdom and was likely studying a middle section curriculum in her homeland.


    By the way, there was no elementary section in the Royal Academy. The elementary curriculum consisted only of reading, writing, and basic math (addition, multiplication, and division). The school relied on home tutors or parents for that.


    "Eli! Look! The second prince is coming!" Nana, my fellow dark mage, was fangirling over the prince. Safira smiled at my disinterest.


    "Even though you look like you''re not interested, deep down, you do find him handsome, right?" Safira said.


    "Well, he certainly has a pretty face. But when there are loads of girls flocking to him, if he somehow took interest in you, those girls would make your life hell, wouldn''t they? I don''t want to start unnecessary fights," I muttered while glancing at the second prince.


    "Oh, Safira, he''s the second prince, right? Where is the first prince?"


    "Oh, you didn''t know? He''s studying overseas. He''ll join us in two years in the high school section. There will be chaos when that time comes," Safira said. Unlike Nana, who was simply a fan, Safira was a noble and thus knew the intricacies of politics in the capital.


    "Argh!" I shuddered at the thought. In the webnovel, there would be a power struggle between them, and it often ended with one of them ordering the other''s execution. Just the idea of either a coup d''¨¦tat or fratricide haunted me.


    "Well, I know your pain. The first prince is supposed to be the crown prince. But seeing the popularity of the second prince... Well, I hope they will be kind to each other when they meet. I heard they were good friends during their childhood," Safira said.


    "Class, gather around!" The teacher entered and instructed us to step outside.


    "Alright! You are the pinnacle of all mages, the top 1% of all mages. You are the backbone of this country. It would be a shame if you were to be killed by monsters. So, here I will teach you about magic duels. Miss Elidranthia, I''ve heard great things about you. It''s rare even for an expert mage to survive an ambush by armed men. Would you please be my partner for this magic duel lesson?" Mister Albert asked. I nodded and walked to the front. After all, this is just a lesson.


    "Alright, class, let''s begin with the basics of magic duels. In a magic duel, you aim your spells at your opponent," Albert explained. He conjured an ice ball and a fireball and launched them toward me. I was impressed to see that he was a double-element mage. He was similar to Alex. However, he was currently attacking me, so I had to focus on my defense. I quickly extended a magic tentacle and parried the spells. My dark bindings clashed with his magical projectiles, causing both magic to dissipate.


    "Hmm, as expected of a level 8 mage. You summoned your dark bindings very quickly. Alright, as you can see, the binding technique, or as some would call it, tentacle magic, has its uses. Though they can only extend a few meters, they can also be used like this."


    "But tentacle magic takes a long time to cast!" one student complained.


    "Yes, Eli is special. Usually, you just read the mana flow and dodge or cast a faster spell to deflect an incoming attack. Even a high-level spell like a firebomb can be deflected with a lower-level fireball. Eli, try casting a dark ball or dark lance at me!"


    I followed his instructions, forming multiple dark balls without chanting and launching them at him. He responded by casting multiple fireballs and expertly colliding them with my dark projectiles. Then, he intentionally missed a dark ball, and when it approached from the front, he dodged it by rolling to the ground.


    "That''s the basics. Miss Elidranthia, you may find this class too basic for your skill level. There''s nothing more I can teach you here. Your abilities already exceed those of a beginner in magic duels. Now, before we move on to duels, I want you all to practice these fundamentals. Shoot at those targets over there. Oh yeah, please lower your output."


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    I received an exemption for math and magic. There were only three more lessons left: language, history, and noble etiquette. Well, I wasn''t here to study; I was here to make friends! Let''s skip these lessons and try to befriend everyone!


    <hr>


    "Losing the Wolf Brigands was unfortunate. How are you going to pay for this? We lost over thirty men because of two child mages, and now the justiciars are on my tail."


    "My apologies, Duke Luca. I never knew that those two mages had received military education."


    "Elidranthia, huh? She killed three mages despite being a dark mage at the age of ten?"


    "Yes, that''s what the Reapers told us, Milord."


    "Well, never mind. We still have business in the capital. The anti-mage faction is acting up again."


    "Should we send in the Reapers?"


    "No, I don''t care about the mage and commoner squabble. I simply want to profit," he contemplated. If he still had the Wolf Brigands, he could have raided the anti-mage faction. But those bandits were dead now. He had to use a more elusive method.


    "Send the Reapers. We will assassinate a high-ranking member of the anti-mage faction. Just one. Make sure to use magic. That will stir them up. Then, their demands from the mages will increase. We could make the kingdom provide more stipends. If the kingdom doesn''t agree, we can simply sell weapons to both the anti-mage faction and the mage faction."


    Unbeknownst to the kingdom, a lot of subsidy money was being corrupted by Duke Luca, the leader of the merchant guild. He thrived on the suffering of others, robbing people both legally and illegally. The method didn''t matter to him. Even though there were two other dukes beside him, none were as wealthy as he was.


    "So, who will we assassinate, Duke Luca? Will it be Count Shadowstep?"


    "Nah, he is much too well-guarded. We will target his daughter instead. The price should be cheaper then. His daughter is a mage, even though he is in an anti-mage faction. This will be interesting."


    <hr>


    Well, I suppose I should have known that I couldn''t go out to the city alone. A twelve-year-old noble girl going out alone in a fantasy world where kidnappings were rampant was a death sentence. The academy guards prohibited anyone from going outside. If they wanted to leave the grounds, they should bring a group of at least five kids and three guards.


    "But I couldn''t make friends inside the academy grounds. Everyone knew me and actively avoided me!" I screamed in my mind.


    Should I sneak out? Or should I bring Alicia and her friends?


    As I wandered around the academy grounds, I looked out from the gates. These nobles didn''t play like I had hoped they would. Maybe I should visit the knights'' grounds. Even if only briefly, I could hold my own with a sword. The supervisor frowned but let me in any way.


    "Dark mage, please use the illusion of a troll. Make four of them appear here." I was surprised that the knights employed a dark mage. It turned out the dark mage was hired to use their illusions. I see. Since it is just an illusion, it wouldn''t actually hurt the knights. Ten knights, along with their instructor, were put into the illusion, and all of them saw the illusions and fought against them.


    From my point of view, the archers were shooting at nothing but air, while the knights were also hitting nothing with their swords. With mana sense, I could sense dark magic affecting them in the eyes. However, I couldn''t see the illusions.


    "Hmm... I''m also a dark mage. Want to see my version of trolls?" I said to one of the knights, and the instructor''s ears perked up.


    "Really? Wait, have you ever seen a troll?"


    "Yes. My region in Shadowstep saw them every month."


    "Excellent. Dark magic users are quite rare. Moreover, the one who has seen a monster. If you have time, please help us train these guys!" The instructor smiled from ear to ear.


    "Alright! Bring me an ogre!"


    And so, I spent the entire afternoon playing with the guys. However, they weren''t very skilled. Even with the trolls slowed down, they struggled to dodge the attacks. The instructor told me to slow down the trolls further since these lessons were not for real knights but teenagers. They didn''t have adequate strength yet to dodge them. The students did try their best to fight the trolls, but the instructor scolded them for their weak efforts. In an actual situation, they would get blown away, and their lives would be at risk. When I looked at them again, thinking of them as kids, I realized they weren''t actually that bad. Their moves tried to imitate the real knights in my territory.


    One positive thing about them was their enthusiasm. The knights in my territory would often groan if they had to fight a stampede of monsters, but here, they eagerly charged at the trolls to land the best slash.


    Ah! One kid jumped and slashed a three-meter troll right in the neck. It was counted as a kill, and the instructor asked me to erase the illusion. When I asked about the kid, the instructor identified him as Abel, a skill holder enrolled at the academy. He then scolded Abel for acting selfishly and breaking out of formation. However, I was impressed by his skill. Yet, the instructor was dismissive of skill holders since they were rare and unpredictable. Abel would undoubtedly become a great soldier. Becoming a lieutenant was a given, and if he worked hard, he might even become a captain like my brother. The instructor acknowledged that Abel was very skilled, but he stressed the importance of cooperation.


    I offered to come again, but the instructor politely declined. Unlike Count Shadowstep''s territory, most knights here needed to fight humans in skirmishes and wars. Thus, lessons on battling monsters were only a part of their curriculum, not the entirety of it. However, my reputation skyrocketed among the knights, and I was even offered treats and chocolates.


    "Thank you. See you!"


    "Come again, Lady Eli! We can play together again!" the boys shouted.

 Chapter 16: Parties

    Holidays had finally arrived, and we could go outside! I was so bored with the classes that kept repeating nonsense. After receiving my report card, I could finally return to the Shadowstep territory for this semester. With the holidays approaching, the school relaxed its guard, and I was able to visit the outside world with just Alicia and a guard.


    In the past five months, I had only managed to get out of this ''prison'' two times. I felt like I was stuck inside a golden cage! However, when I went outside, I realized that the wealth gap was even worse than County Shadowstep''s. As we walked past the noble circle gate, every poor person attempted to beg for money or even rob us. Since we had a guard, there were no issues, but I wondered if I should complain to the second prince about this situation.


    The capital was essentially divided into three areas, four if you include the royal castle. Outside of the stone walls were filled with fields and shacks or wooden houses for farmers. The inner circle contained the slums and other commoners, while the noble circle was home to all things shiny; nobles and honorary magicians were allowed to live here. Our royal academy was located in the noble circle, of course. The castle was technically inside the noble circle but had its own wall. Making it the fourth area. However, stores, blacksmiths, and craftsmen were all situated in the inner circle, along with the slums.


    The noble circle was filled with villas for nobles. By the way, Shadowstep also owned a villa here. Even though we were still in debt, we had maids and butlers taking care of the villa. The house was impressive by medieval standards, but it looked like my house back on Earth. A simple house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a dining room, similar to a 3LDK house.


    My third brother, Alucard, was still in the capital. He dropped out of school and served as a southern gate guard captain. It was quite a lowly position, but better than nothing. He rarely came to this villa, so that meant the villa was mine to use! I could host sleepovers, parties, or whatever I wanted. What a shame that I had to live in the dormitory at the academy. Even though it was only a ten-minute walking distance, the school still prohibited me from commuting.


    However, the holidays had finally arrived. After working for a week, I was able to hold a party at this villa in the capital. Yay! More than ten knights and my mage friends were coming. The party was a simple one, just a barbecue party. After we ate, I planned to show them illusions.


    "Miss Eli, they''re here!"


    "Hello, Miss Eli! Thank you for inviting us to your villa," Abel, the leader of the knights'' apprentices, greeted.


    "You''re welcome!"


    "Ah, she''s the dark mage who often comes to play with us, right?" one of his henchmen commented. They were a bit rude, but boys would always be like that. Some of the knights in my territory were like that, too.


    "Are you sure this is wise? Won''t they just make fun of us?" Alicia asked.


    "Lady Eli is the sister of Zach, a captain in the northern frontier. In fact, just look at her dagger. She must be well-versed in martial combat, too. If only she were a man, she''d probably take a knight course along with her mage class," Abel answered.


    "Ah! You knew my brother?"


    "Of course. Nobody in the knight course doesn''t know your brother. He is the youngest one to be made a captain. Soon, he will be promoted to a major, and after the wedding with Duke Bron''s daughter, he will be promoted to sergeant or even straight to general!"


    "I see. As I thought! My brother is amazing!" I clapped my hands. I didn''t know much about military affairs or how they were ranked. But a general sounded amazing. Was a sergeant higher than a captain? I wasn''t sure about that.


    "Ah, actually, my father also talked about you! He is a clerk in Military Affairs," Damian replied. After some banter inside the house, there was a knock at the door. It was Nana and Safira. Apparently, they were our only mage attendees for today. Oh well, I knew for a fact that mages were quite arrogant and refused to mingle with knights.


    "Ah! You asked for mages to attend, too?" Lily growled. Surprisingly, there were two girls here who took the knight''s course, even though Brother Zach said there were less than 10% of them. Moreover, her body shape was fine! They didn''t look like gorillas. The other girl, too! None of the soldier girls looked like the muscled gorillas my brother said they were! That idiot brother lied to me! It was fine for women to do knight''s exercises!


    "Don''t worry. Both Nana and I are in the moderate faction. I am satisfied with being paid more than you. I will not degrade or mock knights. Eli here has already explained how important knights are when defending her territory," Safira said.


    "Yes, I''m just a commoner," Nana added, a little shy. She was cute, with her black robe and purple hair enhancing her cuteness. Unlike me, who was a little tomboyish, she was what an ideal mage you would think of. Delicate and dainty body with a shy and demure attitude. She also didn''t take any sports and had stamina even worse than me. She had a serf that took her books to the classroom, after all.


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    "Alright! First up is a game. The one who loses in this throwing match must cook the barbecue!" I said as Alicia prepared the stove. The stove was a metal sheet with a magic circle and a feystone placement in the corner. One feystone could last for several days, depending on usage. When I placed a feystone, a fire would light up along the magic circle. A pan was usually placed on top of it after putting a stove rack on it. However, since we were grilling barbecues, we didn''t need such a thing.


    "Let me cook the barbecue, Lady Eli. I am your maid, after all," Alicia offered.


    "Nope! You will also be joining us, Alicia. The loser will cook for the winner! And everyone else, too! Even me! If I lose, I will have to cook for you! Noble etiquette could get outside for this party! And no magic! It would be pointess if I simply used dark tentacles to put the ball into the cup from a distance."


    "Eh?" Alicia seemed shocked. However, this was my dream! I would not let you take it. When I was in a hospital, I could only imagine this kind of game from books or TV.


    "Ahh! Lily may not participate then," the knights looked at her with pity.


    "Huh? Why?"


    "Lily has a skill. She cannot miss," Abel explained.


    "No fair! I wanted to eat too!"


    "If I win, I will share with you. Just sit this one out!" Damian said.


    "Really?"


    "Alright! Line up, guys and girls!"


    The game then began. Of course, I didn''t win. Damian was the winner. I suggested that Lily play along. She wouldn''t be nominated as the winner, but a game is not just for prizes; it''s for fun. What Abel said was true. She could perform trick shots like throwing from behind, blindfolded, etc. She could even throw the ball with her foot, and it still wouldn''t miss. The next game was darts, but she would be excluded again. In that case, how about Twister? I had already prepared the sheets with colors.


    "It''s not fair for women! They are more flexible!" Damian complained.


    "Oh, shut it. Nana and Safira lost immediately. You just lacked practice," Lily said. There was no chance for mages who never do sports to win against knights.


    "Alright! Now, let me show you a movie!" The finale had finally arrived.


    "What is a movie?"


    "It''s an illusion. I will show you the scene where a horde of monsters attacked our county!" I set up a wall as the place where I put the illusions. Then, the movie started from when the emergency alarm rang inside my county.


    "Ah, that alarm wasn''t using a standard bell from the empire," Damian, the nerd, complained.


    "Oh, please, Damian. Really? Who cares?" Abel dismissed him.


    "Alicia is there." Someone pointed at the wall.


    "That''s also against the law. Recruiting minors," Damian nitpicked again.


    "Well, I agree on that one. But they were employed as mages. It is safe."


    "If only the knights did a better job, County Shadowstep might not need to use such an extreme measure," Safira said.


    "The knights are fine! Look, the battle began." I defended my territory''s knights. Safira had a sharp tongue. No wonder she had few friends.


    "I see. So, that''s why our instructor keeps nagging at me. This is the real battle." Abel said. "Ugh! All the trolls and big games were handled by mages!"


    "Ah! But without knights, it is impossible for us to win. They were the ones who held the line! Even after we put many traps and bottlenecked them there, there were a lot of enemies that passed through." I replied, trying to defend the knights. "The battle plan needed both mages and knights. Without either of them, we might lose or suffer casualties."


    "I see. If you look at it that way, knights are certainly important. I shall let you know that we were not trained in close combat like that. A goblin sneaking in could even kill us when we were not looking."


    "Did you even look at anything? I knew some mages who closed their eyes when chanting. Ah, look. There, that mage was closing his eyes. Alicia also closed her eyes," Lily berated Safira and mages in general. "No offense, but it was unthinkable for me to close my eyes like that in front of enemies."


    "I don''t do that anymore! It was hard controlling magic. You need to focus," Alicia defended herself. We all laughed together. The banter between the mage''s camp and the knight''s camp continued.


    "Alright! Now that Eli has shown her magic, it''s my turn! Here is my specialty!" Safira rolled up her sleeves. "Eli, do you have milk and sugar? I''m going to make frosted milk! I''ll also need a metal bowl."


    I looked at Alicia. "Alicia, do we have any?" Alicia nodded and gave her what she wanted. As she mixed the milk with a spoon, mist started to gather in the bowl, and the milk began to transform into a sticky ice cream substance. Then, she scooped one down onto a plate and tasted it.


    "Delicious! As always," she said and then started to share it with both the boys and us. Ice cream! A heavenly substance that I could only eat once a month due to my medical condition. I never thought this fantasy world would have ice cream.


    "Wow! Awesome! Delicious!"


    "You''re welcome!" Safira bowed elegantly.


    "Now, Nana!"


    "Eh? M-me? I-I don''t have anything to show," Nana tried to hide in a corner.


    "Why don''t you show your dolls? You often showed them to me."


    "W-well... Alright!" Nana brought out her dolls and then moved them without touching them. The dolls were dancing on the table. I was surprised to see that dark magic could move non-living objects. When I used mana sight, I could see black tendrils inside the dolls extending from Nana''s feet. As a fellow dark magic user, this was great information.


    "Awesome!" I clapped in excitement. Others were not so impressed, but they clapped in respect regardless.


    "Auu¡­ thank you!" Nana said as she hid her flushed face.


    "Tomorrow, I''ll also host another party!"


    "Eh? Will you have parties every day until we go back home?" I wanted to say yes, but Alicia was glaring at me. Yeah, partying for a week here might be overdoing it. I didn''t have that many games for them to play with.


    "Hmm. Partying every day is tough. I have to message my parents, collect my report cards, etc. Maybe for three days?"


    "Alright! See you tomorrow at 2PM!" The boys and girls went home when the food ran out and the sun began to set. They sure had a healthy appetite to dig all of that beef I bought. I wanted them to stay over. But a 12-year-old party late at night with boys and girls might get out of hand without an adult supervisor, so I held it in. Maybe if I just invited Nana and Safira, we could have a sleepover...


    "Greetings Lady Elidranthia. My name is Ludwin Seraphim. The second prince of the empire of Althemer." The prince came the next day unannounced during my party.


    Huh? Why has the second prince come to parties held by a fifth child of a count anyway?

 Chapter 17: Prince Ludwin Seraphim

    "Greetings, Prince Ludwin. May I ask why you came to our humble abode?" I couldn''t contain my nervousness. He came to me in person! Why did he come? I had never even made eye contact with him.


    "I heard from some knights that they happily visited your villa and had the so-called barbecue party. I am curious. I thought girls only drank tea and ate a cookie when they had a party. So, I elected myself to come. Was I uninvited?" The prince smiled so radiantly I thought there was a halo behind him.


    "Yes! You were uninvited!" I screamed in my head, but I couldn''t tell him that.


    "Of course not, Your Highness. Please come in."


    "Hey, Eli! Let''s grill another! Safira lost the coin-grabbing game!" the boys shouted as Alicia helped refill the feystone for the stove.


    "Ugh! Damn it, gloating over a mere single victory! It is obvious I will lose in a physical game with a muscle brain like you! Eek! Your highness!" Safira complained but shrieked a moment later when she saw the second prince. I had never heard her make those sounds. She must be astounded. The fun and boisterous atmosphere froze in an instant. It was like somebody poured liquid nitrogen into the atmosphere. Nobody moved a muscle as the second prince entered.


    "Hello, guys. I want to introduce someone¡­" I smiled wryly as I introduced the second prince''s retainer. "Let me introduce you all. He is Prince Ludwin Seraphim, the second prince of the Althemer Empire."


    "Greetings. I heard from Damian and Abel that Elidranthia was hosting a rather unique party. So, I got curious." All of us glared at the traitors. "How cruel of you not to invite me when our families were so close. Your grandfather is the current general of the empire, is he not?"


    "Ah, Your Highness. I was merely trying to invite some other knights. I didn''t know that this plebeian party would interest you." Abel, even though he was a noble himself, spoke for his fellow knights.


    "Plebeians? Is that right, Eli? But I see quite a few nobles here." Prince Ludwin referred to mages such as me, Safira, and Nana. Mages were treated as nobles even though they didn''t have titles.


    "Yeah! Yeah! This party doesn''t care about noble standings. Whether they were mages or nobilities, it didn''t matter. The loser of the game had to serve the winner! Safira just lost and had to cook for others!" I absolutely messed up. If I knew Prince Ludwin would come, I would have studied etiquette better. I glanced at Alicia, and I could see her face fall to despair at my behavior.


    "I see. Then, seeing as anybody could join as long as they threw away their status, I would like to join! This seems like a good change of pace. May I join?"


    I could sense a glaring refusal behind me. I didn''t even need to look at them to know they didn''t want the prince to join. But, what can I do? I couldn''t refuse a prince. Moreover, this party is for everyone.


    "We would welcome Ludwin to join our party," I said, defeated. I could hear the knights groaning at my acceptance.


    "Hey! What do you mean by that?" His henchmen glared at me.


    "Gladeus, Thor. This party disregards status. Please call me Sir Ludwin here. Absolutely no Prince Ludwin or Your Highness. Isn''t that right, Lady Elidranthia? Or should I call you Eli?" His voice, like a sweet whisper, sent shivers down my spine.


    "Yes, sir."


    "Alright! So, what is the game?"


    "We are playing a coin-picking game. You throw a rubber ball up, then collect as many coins as possible. Then, after the ball bounces once from the floor, you have to catch it." Lily gave an example for the prince to follow. "Ah, you may not use magic."


    "Why?"


    "It would be unfair that way," Lily said.


    "So, I have to stoop to the rank of the manaless for the game to be fun? I see. I didn''t see it that way. Does Safira, Elidranthia, and Nana approve of such a rule?" The prince seemed to take offense but backed down when he knew other mages were okay with it.


    "It was proposed by Miss Eli."


    "Very well. This is her party. I shall follow her rules then," the prince reluctantly nodded.


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    A few minutes later...


    "Ugh! If only I was allowed to use magic! Holding this ball or shooting it into that target would be a piece of cake!" Prince Ludwin said as he roasted another barbecue as a punishment. "I had to do servants'' work! Aren''t you agitated, Eli?"


    "No? It is fun even if you have to cook!" I honestly answered. I even thought it was better if I lost. The knights tensed a bit every time the prince complained, but he still did the punishment game. Alicia kept looking toward the prince somehow, gauging his reactions. Several times, she had to replace Ludwin when he was tired of doing the punishment game.


    When the sun set, the prince finally returned with his two retainers. They sulked! I have offended the prince! What should I do now? Am I going to die early?


    "Eli, are you okay?" Abel asked.


    "She is not okay. This face is the one she made when she knew she screwed up somewhere."


    "It is not my fault. Why did the prince even come here? We have never even talked to each other before!" I complained. "Alicia! Did he come here because of you?"


    I stared accusingly at my maid. She had befriended every student in special classes in less than a month. I am sure she had attracted some imperial minister''s son and asked the second prince to be a bridge so they could have a chance to marry her.


    "No. I did not. Please stop your baseless accusations, Lady Eli. The prince specifically mentioned that he heard knights talk about your party. Unlike you, I never visited the knights'' quarters."


    It was futile to point fingers at one another. I could only pray the second prince would stay away from our party tomorrow. He was not a masochist, right? He wouldn''t come to a party that he didn''t enjoy. Right?


    <hr>


    "Prince Ludwin. Why would you visit that count''s daughter? Are you interested in her?" Thor, my retainer, asked as we returned from that count''s daughter.


    "You were the one who told me about her party, Gladeus." I looked to my other guard.


    "I just told you about a party I heard from Abel," Gladeus shrugged. They were apprentice royal guards. I had hoped Abel would fill the position, but he refused. So, I was left with these two Earl''s sons. Abel was my childhood friend. I was so disappointed when he wouldn''t serve me. He said he wanted to be a frontier guard or something. That may be why he tried getting closer with Elidranthia.


    "Well, you seemed to enjoy the party too, Your Highness," Gladius smirked.


    "What? I enjoyed such a rowdy, uncultured party?" I was fuming at his words. I am a talented triple magician with a talent level of 6 in water magic, 7 in dark magic, and 4 in earth magic. That party was for apes in the slums incapable of using mana. Moreover, I was asked to cook for those apes? They must be joking!


    "Yes, Gladeus. Watch your mouth. His Highness only seemed interested simply to be polite to the Shadowstep family," Thor said, mocking her incessantly, picking on her every detail. "There is no way His Highness would be interested in such a creepy girl with red eyes like a murderer. Moreover, look at her blemished hands; she must have been so poor in the boonies that she had to cook for herself. She even brought daggers on her person! What kind of female behaves like that? Did she want to copy her brother? That brain-dead soldier is too good to wed with Bron''s family."


    "Yes. The Shadowstep family is important. They hold the third-largest army in our empire," I answered. Her hands had burn marks from somewhere. Even with those burns, she still maintained a dainty look, so the fact she had burns passed through their minds. "If her brother married, her house would rival royal armies in strength. Regardless of her looks, we must not be hostile to them."


    "Well, I can confidently say she is stronger than every apprentice knight there if she were to be pitted one-on-one. She has seen murder, after all. Those eyes resemble my uncle''s a bit. There is a difference in the eyes of a person who has killed someone," Gladeus said. His uncle was a decorated war hero in the war five years ago. His achievements alone elevated his prestige from knight to baron. He will soon be promoted to a viscount, just like the Shadowstep Family was with Eli''s grandfather.


    "Well, getting close to Elidranthia was necessary. Let us crash their party again tomorrow," I said as I relished the experience of the knights laughing at me when I lost. Oddly, I didn''t feel offended by them. Their mockery was unlike those of the ministers in the castle.


    I needed to become the crown prince. Or else, this kingdom could fall into ruins. The first prince''s letter was talking about how mages should serve the masses. If we enacted his crazy idea and the mages were to leave our empire, it would bring us ruin. Then, the war on the western frontier would be lost. Eli is the key to getting Shadowstep Family into our faction. Moreover, that accursed princess who charmed my brother would come to our empire in three years. I would have the chance to harass them then.


    However, I need to be prepared if Eli decides to join them. Eli is a mage, so she shouldn''t join their faction that easily. However, from today''s party, she clearly didn''t hold such contempt for commoners. That attitude in itself was good. The kingdom has always walked on a tightrope between supporting the masses and the mages. But she and her family seemed to support the anti-mage faction even though she and her maid were mages.


    If we support mages entirely, there could be a massive revolt from the masses. However, if we support the masses, the mages could leave the country. If we could perfect the hand cannon feystone, the war could have been effortless, and mages would hold all the power. The kingdom didn''t have many mages as loyal to them as Duke Luca did, and that was straining our economy. Duke Luca had so many mages, and they were all loyal to him. Yeah, just like Alicia to Eli. We must adopt their method; otherwise, the kingdom could go bankrupt.


    I heard that Shadowstep County had gone from red expenses to black just because Elidranthia and Alicia were helping them. They even started paying their debts to the kingdom now. I am a mage, while my brother was not. It was clear who should be the crown prince.


    I should butter up to them some more. Now that I remember it, Elidranthia and Alicia never confirmed their attendance for the castle''s banquet for this semester. They probably didn''t have any partners. I should invite her to ensure her cooperation in the future. Maybe Gladius or Thor could ask Alicia out?

 Chapter 18: Banquet

    On the third day of my party event, even more mages and knights entered my villa. I frowned, as this was getting out of hand. However, this was the last day I would hold games and parties like this. So, I relented and let the now over twenty students, a mix of knights and mages, into my villa. My small villa was getting cramped. By the way, the second prince came again with his cohort of mages and guards.


    "Ugh! I demand a match that uses mana!" Prince Ludwin threw a tantrum after his consecutive losses. The knight apprentices could only ignore him, as his pride wouldn''t allow others to take pity on him. He was such a difficult child, wasn''t he?


    "Alright! I approve. It was getting boring playing darts or snakes and ladders game like this," Safira said.


    "We also want to watch magic duels!" The knight apprentices who had already warmed up to us said. This sentence seemed to raise Prince Ludwin''s mood. He loved it when others praised his magical talent. Eli and Alicia never praised him, though. They never went into magic duels together, after all.


    "Alright! Magical duel it is! I will show you how mages fight! Let us go to the garden! The garden is small, but it should suffice!" The prince was ecstatic. "Alright! Eli! You will be my opponent! I have improved by leaps and bounds ever since you skipped classes!"


    "Alright!" I got fired up. It is still a game. We all used training bullets here. A training bullet is simply a ball attack that causes no harm to its enemy. During training or magic duels, only mana bullet was approved for attacks. At worst, it would only cause concussion. That''s why it was dubbed a training bullet. That teacher who tested me at first was crazy to use real fire and ice bullets, albeit its firepower was drastically lowered. Alicia claimed it was okay to use a ball attack if the participants could ensure the firepower was low enough that it would not hurt its opponent.


    "Alright! Here I go!" He started to swarm me with a barrage of black bullets. I sidestepped while blocking the ones that would reach me with my dark tentacles. Then, I shot him in the head with a black bullet. The bullet hit his head, and the match was over. He was too focused on attacks.


    The match continued, with Nana being the loser of the ten mages attending the duels. The prince was actually really good, earning third place. Alicia''s mana was just cheating. She just shot huge balls of mana one after another. A mage''s quality was measured not just by their talent but by their mana, too. She showed us that. Safira was mediocre. She lacked training but still got in fifth place.


    "Wow. Eli was better than I thought. I thought Alicia was excellent when she ranked number one during the monthly duels," Safira said. Unlike me, Safira and Alicia didn''t skip the class. I couldn''t skip classes forever, though. Alicia had been telling me that students were whispering that I had bribed the teachers. No one actually believed it now after everyone saw how I beat class number one, Alicia, and class number two, Prince Ludwin.


    Starting from the second semester, we would learn about enchanting and magic tools. I had an idea about what magic tools a dark mage could create. A VR headset! Movies and animation were in the realm of light magic, so I couldn''t create it. Moreover, it was stupidly expensive. There were no TVs for the masses, but there was a cinema in the capital. I think only royalty owned a TV.


    "Ugh!" The second prince knelt on the floor in frustration. I had a cheat in this world, after all. None of this year''s students had talent level 8, and I also had a beast instinct skill. It was a sensing and dodging skill. Somehow, I got a sense of where the bullets would hit. Frustratingly for me, moving this tentacle was easier than moving my own hands. Alicia often scolded me when I used this tentacle to eat. I obeyed since I didn''t want to be like a cripple and had to do everything by magic. It was creepy, too.


    "Alright. It''s too bad this is the last party we will have today. It was fun! Invite us sometime in the future, Lady Eli!" Abel said as he waved goodbye.


    "Lady Eli, I also happen to be hosting a party tomorrow. Will you come?" the prince said as he bowed down to me. His hand engulfed mine as he knelt in reverence.


    "Eh? Um¡­ W-w-why would you invite a countryside girl l-l-like me?" I tried to refuse, but he was adamant.


    "You are the daughter of Count Shadowstep. You have the right to attend. Count Shadowstep won''t be a countryside lord for much longer once the war with the western frontier dies down. Once it dies down, we could develop your territory. Clearing the woods and bandits," the prince said as he whispered sweet words to me. "Will you come? A count is still a noble, after all. Please come. If none had claimed you, I shall dance with you."


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    "Moreover, I would prefer you and Count Shadowstep, who braved the frontier and defended our kingdom, instead of old families who did nothing right now." His smile turned more sweetly as he kissed the back of my hand. My spine sizzled up at his blatant approach.


    "A-a-alright. I will come." I nodded to hide my blushing cheeks.


    Once he left, I wondered why he paid so much attention to me. Now that you mention it, why did the second prince ensnare Eli anyway? In the novels, our county was deep in debt and had to do everything the second prince said. In the novels, Eli decided on herself that she wanted to kill the heroine. Was that it? Was he simply ensuring that I didn''t go to the first prince''s camp?


    The second prince always hated the heroine and the first prince. He was a mage elitist! The novel was a typical commoner vs. nobility. It only changed the aristocracy with mages, and that''s enough to make the novel popular. The scene of his death in the novel was met with praise for how he was a good antagonist. It was when the first prince killed him, and he uttered the last arrogant words.


    "Lady Eli. Stop it! Don''t get caught by the prince''s honeyed words!" Alicia suddenly hugged me from behind. Her bosom engulfed my head.


    "I-I did not! I was simply wondering why the prince invited me to the party." I stammered.


    "By party, you mean the banquet that is going to be held tomorrow?"


    "Eh? You know?" Alicia was a commoner. How come she knew something that I didn''t know?


    "Of course. Other noble girls in the academy have been talking about it for a month now. How did you miss it? Wait. You didn''t plan to go there?" Alicia suddenly turned sour. I knew about it. I knew about it. It simply slipped off my mind. I never planned to attend that party!


    "Yes."


    "Since the prince has invited you, that is no longer an option. I wonder if you have nice clothes to wear tomorrow. You need to attend alone since the party is only for nobles."


    "Eeeh? You mean, you won''t come? No¡­ no, no, no, that won''t do! I can''t go to the ball alone! You have to accompany me. I must take you with me." I pleaded with tears, similar to a certain water god from Earth''s video games. I could dance. However, my etiquette only extended so far. I have no idea about the current trends those nobles would talk to me about. I would be a laughingstock there! A banquet is the villainess nemesis in these romance novel genres.


    "Lady Eli. Your disinterest in noble etiquette astounds me. Even I had better etiquette than you. How did this happen?" When Alicia became my maid, I focused on practicing my magic. I also took on several construction jobs helping Brother Zach and thus neglected my lessons entirely. I am not a real genius! I am just a cheater with memories from Earth.


    The fact was that this ball was not like other parties. I have read about this kind of ball countless times in web novels. This was the part where the villainess got shamed, either by canceling the engagement or airing her dirty laundry. As a potential villainess, this court ball was my worst enemy. I might get mocked for my intimidating eyes or be called a murderer. I definitely couldn''t go to this ball alone.


    "Please! You may even wear my new clothes, and I will wear the used ones. But you must come with me." I pleaded so hard that I accepted being engulfed in her bosom and glanced upward, begging.


    "Y-your clothes wouldn''t fit me, Lady Eli. I must go to the clothing store now and see what I can find there. I hope they have second-hand dresses that suit me¡­." She turned her eyes away with flushed cheeks.


    "Thank you! Thank you, Alicia! You are my bestest friend! Ever!" I hugged her unreservedly. Even when she hated me so much, she still helped me. Thank you, Alicia. "Tell me the price. I might not be able to pay all of it. But at least I will pay half."


    "No need, Lady Eli. It''s time for me to indulge and buy some dresses after all. I could not possibly ask for such a thing when my master has less money than me." Alicia said as she patted my head.


    The dreaded day finally arrived. A carriage came to pick me up from the castle. How many carriages did the royal family hire for this? Weren''t there thousands of nobles coming to this ball? Do they pick them all one by one? The driver cast a glance at Alicia. However, I insisted that she must come no matter what. I even threatened not to join the ball if Alicia didn''t come, and he finally relented. After a short trip that seemed to last for an eternity, we were finally brought to the ballroom.


    "Ugh. Why must I wear a black dress¡­" I complained. I looked like a bloodthirsty vampire.


    "The other dress you have is a pink one, which doesn''t suit you in the least. The green dress has a short skirt, which is unsuitable for this occasion. The blue one is ripped. We either need to repair it or throw it away. You hate the red ones more, right?"


    I nodded. If I wore that red dress that looked like it had been bathed in blood, which also happened to match my eyes, I might even scare the entire ballroom into fleeing. It was a hand-me-down from Fiona, my only sister. I wonder how she''s doing back home. Her blue eyes matched well with the dress.


    "Greetings, Lady Eli. Have you been well?" Prince Ludwin personally greeted me and escorted me to the ballroom. Alicia superficially greeted him and wandered off, looking for food in the corner when we arrived at the ballroom. What a traitor! I thought she was my best friend, but she left me alone with this manipulative second prince!


    "Will it be okay for you to be together with me? Won''t your fiancee or girlfriend be jealous?" I asked him. Many girls were obviously eyeing for a chance to talk to him. However, it appears that I stole it all. I felt bad for them. Moreover, wasn''t I supposed to get away from him? Why did he come to me on his own?


    "I don''t have a girlfriend. And if the powers above me let me be engaged to someone other than you, let us at least indulge tonight''s party." His words resounded within me, as sweet as honey and as beautiful as roses. Looking around, I felt many mocking gazes, but somehow, I felt at peace due to the prince''s words.


    "Let us enjoy the ball tonight," I replied to him. Letting him lead me to a dance.

 Chapter 19: Not my Place

    "So, how was your night?" The prince gave a sweet smile as he escorted me to the center of the room. I could see every other girl at the corner of my eye, red with envy as he courted me to dance. We waltzed at the center of the stage, together with some seniors and other nobles who were confident with their dancing skills or had a lovely partner of their own.


    "It was a marvelous night," I said, looking into his blue eyes that mesmerized me, like seeing a clear blue sky on the plain. We continued to dance among the shining chandeliers in the ballroom. Music flowed into our ears, and the calm waltz accompanied us, making the world seem like it was just made for us.


    I messed up. I think I almost tripped and stepped on his foot about three times. When I stepped on his foot, his face scrunched up, but he held his voice before returning a smile to me. Before the next music started, I asked Prince Ludwin if I could watch from the sidelines. I was getting embarrassed after I tripped and fell into his embrace.


    "Eli¡­ You need to study etiquette more," Safira said while Alicia was chewing on a new delicacy, a sugar cane imported from the south. On both of their plates was a disproportionate amount of food; meat on Alicia''s side and cookies on Safira''s side.


    "Alicia, you left me¡­"


    "What do you expect? The prince wanted to dance with you, and I didn''t have a partner," Alicia replied, shrugging her shoulders. Even then, she kept moving her fork and munched on the meat stew in front of her.


    "Ugh¡­ let me grab some cookies," I replied. My dancing was terrible. Even Safira was criticizing it. I swear, royal parties like this were made to make villains like me suffer.


    "That was beautiful, Lady Eli. You were like a princess about to marry a prince!" some girl I didn''t know praised me. I knew her face. She was in special classes like me, but I couldn''t recall her name.


    "You are welcome. I believe I danced poorly. It must have been an embarrassing sight," I replied.


    "Well, yeah, you were right on that. You were just like Cinderella. A poor girl who lacked etiquette yet somehow managed to get herself a prince. How did you do it? Did you use your dark magic on Prince Ludwin?" Her tone suddenly grew harsh as envy seeped out of her words. Her sarcasm went over my head, though.


    Oh yeah. A long time ago, ballroom dances like this were popular in princess settings. Even folktales like Cinderella used it. The dancing part usually symbolizes the love the heroine has for the male lead. However, that kind of story fell out of favor long ago. Right now, the ballroom is synonymous with when the prince cancels his engagement with the villainess. I am a villainess. Thus, ballrooms were my nemesis.


    "Huh? Getting tongue-tied? Did you finally confess you used mind-tampering magic?"


    "Huh? No! Of course not. That kind of magic is illegal. Moreover, if such magic was used, magic tools on his highness would surely detect it." The unknown girl scolded me for being absent-minded. Whoa! Her line was exactly like how a villainess that wanted to bully the heroine looked like. She had the talent to become a fellow villainess. We were both villainesses. Why were you bullying me? The novel was not that kind of book, though. The novels lacked the bullying part and went straight for the neck, at least in the first volume.


    "Hmfh! You might be able to fool everyone! But you must certainly use some weird magic to charm the second prince during his visit to your house yesterday!"


    "Don''t forget! You are just a count''s second daughter!" another girl joined the fray.


    "Yeah. Prince Ludwin is more suitable for either me, a duke''s second daughter, Margareth Blight, Or her, the first daughter of Earl Soothsayer, Jasmine Soothsayer."


    "Thank you for giving me your name," I was speaking that sentence in my mind. I sighed in relief. I was getting nervous about forgetting their names even though they went to the trouble to greet me.


    "Of course, Lady Jasmine and Lady Margareth, Prince Ludwin merely asked me to dance simply to show that he treats all nobility as his vassals equally. I am sure he will accept you now that he is freed from my bumbling dancing." I said as I bowed down to them.


    "Good that you know your place. Here, some juice for plebeians."


    "Kya!" I screamed as Margareth threw a juice at me.


    "M-Margareth?" Jasmine was astonished, "Wasn''t that a bit much?"


    "Hey! What are you doing!" Alicia quickly went over to our side together with Safira. Nana didn''t come here because she had to take care of some business at home. She was the same as me anyway. She didn''t want to be here. Such a shy girl would prefer some exams rather than dancing.


    "Shut up, commoner! You just got lucky that some countryside nobles picked you up. How did a commoner end up in this royal ballroom anyway?" Seeing Alicia mocked, my blood boiled at once. As my eyes glowed, everyone took a step back.


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    "G-guards!" Margareth screamed. I quickly calmed myself down when she took a step back. The guards took my dagger, but they didn''t confiscate my karambit, which hung around my neck. It would be a disaster if they found out I still had a blade with me.


    "Alicia, Eli, let''s just leave," Safira said when she noticed a waiter approaching. He would probably defend a duke''s daughter rather than a count''s daughter like me or a baron''s daughter like Safira.


    "Alright." I nodded. Argh! I haven''t eaten a single dish since the beginning of the banquet! It was a royal party, and I didn''t get a chance to taste a single dish? It was all because of that Duchess Luca! Hmm? Luca? Have I heard that name somewhere before? Ah! So, she was the daughter of one of the three dukes. I never knew. Well, no wonder she acted so smug.


    As Safira bid farewell to Margareth, she warned them. "Lady Margareth, it would be prudent of you to remain cordial with Lady Elidranthia. Her brother will marry the daughter of Duke Bron."


    "I don''t need your advice. She was a cursed child anyway. There is no way she was actually loved inside her house." Margareth left. Her words stung deeply. It was true that my father and mother were rather cold towards me.


    Prince Ludwin was still busy greeting others. However, I didn''t want to stay in this place anymore. Safira couldn''t leave because her brother was still there. So, I was left alone with Alicia.


    "Here is your dagger. Please stay safe, Lady Elidranthia." The guard said as he returned my dagger before I entered the carriage. The dagger felt comfortable. It was cold and soothed my burning rage. As the carriage moved on, I unsheathed the dagger, and the silver blade gleamed like a mirror. On the blade lay red eyes, like blood poured into a white canvas. The stare frightened even me. Holding this dagger seemed to soothe me somehow. Similar to when I held my smartphone on Earth. Elidranthia was a psycho. I am Elidranthia, and thus, I am also a psycho. I realized now that I couldn''t change that.


    "Lady Eli, please don''t let what she said get to you. You are not a cursed child."


    "I see," I glanced at Alicia. When our eyes met, she flinched but remained in eye contact with me. She certainly has gotten braver. I threw my gaze outside. A bird saw me and suddenly flew away as if a tiger was chasing its life. Of course, no tiger was here. Our eyes simply looked into each other. When I locked my mana, the next bird or cat was unfazed.


    No one knew the real me. No one wanted to see the real me. I needed to behave better than to let my emotions run wild. Ah, yes. Just like the second prince. He was charming to me. However, I knew he was simply being polite. This was not my place. Not my home. Such realization settled in my mind after I arrived back at my villa.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0529%">You have chosen Stealth! Your movement will not make any sound.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0529%">Blessing of the Killing Star (lvl 2)


    - fearless


    - intimidation


    - improved strength


    - improved agility


    - beast instinct


    - dark magic


    - Stealth</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Late at night, I woke up from my bed. After wearing a cloak, I sneaked outside. Alicia''s room was beside me. However, thanks to my newly acquired skills, I got out effortlessly. This is the first time I sneaked out on my own. The last time I went out was to the park outside the hospital, and I fainted, leading to a week-long hospitalization and worrying everyone. My mother was mad at me, the nurses all advised me to take care of my health, etc.


    However, I am healthy now. Moreover, I have cheats, and this world has no levels. I could defend myself. As I went outside, I just realized. I have no destination, no purpose. I just wanted to get out of this life. Before I knew it, the noble gate was before me. I cast my illusion magic into two guards and left the noble quarters.


    The inner city was different at night. Most streets were empty, with occasional candlelights peeking out from the window. I continued my walk to the slums. The most dangerous place in the city. Deep down, I knew. Elidranthia was a psychopathic murderer. I didn''t want to be like that. However, here I am, going to the most dangerous place in the capital city where not even ordinary commoners dared to venture in broad daylight.


    "Hello there, little kitten. Are you lost? Did you know that playing here at night is forbidden? Hieek!!" a bandit greeted me from behind. Before turning to him, I cast a spell at him to make me look like a big-breasted woman with blue eyes and silver hair. However, when we locked eyes, he immediately stepped back in fear.


    "Yes, I am lost. May I know why playing here at night is forbidden?" I asked him while maintaining the illusion. My left hand was already holding my karambit, while my right had a dagger behind my back, ready to fight. However, instead of attacking me like a normal bandit, he scurried away.


    "He was one of those bad guys, right? Why did he flee? Come at me and harass me like what a bandit should, you coward!" I cursed in my mind as I continued my night walk. I am sure my spells were effective. When our eyes met, he should only see blue eyes. Yet somehow, the intimidation skill still kicked in. These blessings were more like a curse now.


    I gave up trying to play damsel in distress after two more hooligans ran away in fright when we locked eyes. I enveloped myself with my shadow. With this, I easily blended together with darkness as I continued to skulk around the slums. When I saw the short one-floor roof these houses usually had, I thought about jumping on top of it and playing ninjas, but I quickly dismissed such a thought. I didn''t have the stamina to do that. I could probably jump one or two houses, but I might faint afterward. And fainting in these slums is a big no. I loved dangers and challenges, but I was not suicidal.


    "AH! I am sorry!" a scream resounded.


    "Damn useless mages! You are mages! You are supposed to feed me! I need money! You hear! Fill more of these feystones!"


    "I can''t. My mana is spent!"


    "But you still had the mana to burn the ropes yesterday, huh?"


    Screams echoed from a rather sizable building. Initially, I thought it was a tavern, but the cries inside hinted at a different narrative. As I approached, two individuals stood guard at the entrance. Swiftly, I moved to the back, leaped, and reached for a window on the second floor. Peering inside, I discovered several mages bound by chains, compelled to fill feystones. Had they been kidnapped?


    "Well, this is my time! If they are being forced, I can always deal with the perpetrator," I muttered as I climbed to the roof. Excitement welled up within me. Walking to the other corner, I found an open window, and a portly man peeked his head outside. I observed the chubby neck, waiting for me to plunge my knife into it.


    However, I hesitated. I stared at the unsuspecting figure while my inner self waged a war.

 Chapter 20: Urges to Kill

    Unlike before, this time, I killed them of my own volition. It was not fear that stopped me, but my reasoning. If I killed them, I would truly become a murderer. However, so what? As long as no one knew, that is fine, right? Even if I were caught, I would be saving mages from captivity. Slavery was illegal in this country, and anyone who coerced others into slavery was punishable by death or heavy fines. I was doing justice work.


    Surprisingly, it took a short time to convince myself. Desire welled up within me. My hands moved on their own, and a dagger plunged into his neck. The aim struck true to his atlas bone. I had just reaped a life. Using my shadow tentacles to hold onto the window, I climbed inside with the rotund man''s corpse.


    His room was so opulent in contrast to the bleak atmosphere where the mages worked. Mirrors with golden frames hung about in the corners, and red carpets with gold trimmings laid on the clean, polished wooden floor. I rummaged through his room, and as expected, this opulent man ran many shady dealings. Human trafficking, extortion, and murder were among them. The financial report said it all.


    When I glanced at the clean mirror, a red-eyed girl was smiling back at me. Her eyes were enraptured, like a moth drawn to a flame. My eyes then pulled away from the image of the blue-haired girl. The night had just begun, and I had more killing to do. I opened the door leading to the hostages. My steps were stealthy, and my body was small. None found me within the messy pile of boxes filled to the brim with feystones.


    The room was large, with over five guards manning the fifteen mage slaves. I could kill them. Mana Sight told me they were not mages. However, there were two more guards outside. I fished them one by one with a feystone. When I threw one feystone in a corner, one guard approached it and met the same fate as the opulent man. Then I fished another, and another. They were so stupid that three of them fell for the lure.


    The guard finally felt something was amiss and no longer came alone. However, only two of them are left. I could take them.


    "Wait! He is ¡ª Ack!" I stabbed him right in the head through the right eye with my dagger. I quickly pulled back my dagger, and before the other guard reacted, I slit his throat with my karambit. Unlike before, blood splattered everywhere. However, I didn''t dislike the smell. It was fragrant. Clean and bloodless kill was a beautiful art, but a messy kill like this was the peak of instinct.


    "Hey. What happened? Wait, is he dead?" Some of the slaves were roused by the sound of falling bodies. "Help! He is dead!"


    "Stupid. Don''t make any sound. There are still two guards outside. This is our chance!" The foolish slave asked for help, but he was silenced by another. But the two guards came in any way due to the ruckus.


    "What happened? Holy! Joe, Charlie! Fuck! Who did this?" He glanced around in anger. I had already hidden myself long ago, just below the roof, on top of the roof beam. With my shadow tentacle, I could raise myself up quickly. I then injected the guards stealthily with my dark magic. All the mages looked up at once, but I simply pressed my finger to my lips, gesturing for them to stay silent. I was wearing my shadow magic on my body and cloak. All they should see is a mere black humanoid figure like in those detective stories.


    "You guys! Stay here! I will kill you if you move a muscle!" the guard shouted. "Check the boss."


    "Shit, he is dead!"


    "Is it one of those damn reapers?"


    "Well, yeah. All the gold was left here. The fuckers probably left! Now is our chance! Let''s grab the gold and run, too. We don''t want to mess with those!"


    "Hey, I am feeling faint."


    "What are you talking about? We should¡­ run¡­¡±


    The remaining guard then dropped like flies. The debuff worked, and now they lay there paralyzed. I continued applying the magic, and soon, they departed this world, painless but full of suffering. That''s how dark magic worked. It stole vitality bit by bit, and then, when you had nothing left, you would fall unconscious and then collapse. If you continued with the magic, they would lose more vigor until they couldn''t breathe and died. It was unpopular and was regarded as the weakest magic. But now I realized it was a perfect assassination tool.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9548%">Blessing of the Killing Star has risen to lvl 3


    Choose your upgrade


    - Improved Mana


    - Camouflage


    - Improved Strength lvl 2</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    A blue box appeared before me, but I dismissed it without even reading it. I had something more important to do. I needed to flee before they asked me questions.


    I climbed down from the roof beam and then left through the front door. Once I left, I undid my shadow cloak and returned to my pristine form. Not a speck of blood was left within me. I had just carried out a perfect assassination. This body was raging with excitement. I felt fulfilled. This was my purpose.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Hehe¡­." I giggled as I skipped back out of the slums. Today was a happy day. As I thought, castles, ballrooms, and dances were not for me. This excitement was addicting. When I pressed my dagger into their neck, it felt so exhilarating. The way the blade slid into their neck was fun!


    "Whoa! Awesome little fella! I never knew you could kill 8 guys like that. So young, but so talented!"


    "Eek!" I quickly jumped away when a voice greeted me from behind. Who?


    "Such a girlish scream, too. Whoa. You have a cute face, but your eyes were something else. You were clearly born for the job." An old man came out from the shadow. Oh no! He saw my face! I was so dead! He caught me red-handed!


    "Superb action betrayed your girlish attitude earlier. That knife was imported from the southern countries, right? How did you get something like that?" He judged me as I drew my karambit. Should I play dumb? No, it was too late. I had already drawn my knife. Moreover, I hadn''t washed the blood from the knife yet.


    "Relax. I am not your enemy. I just wanted to tell you that you just stole my commission."


    "I didn''t take any commission. You can claim it," I answered.


    "Now, now. Even I have honor, you know. How could I steal from a little girl like you, Miss Eli."


    I shot out like a bullet towards him. He needed to die. Not only did he know my face, but he also knew my name. I quickly fired several dark lances, but he repelled them all with his version of dark balls. It was like a magic duel back in the academy, only ten times faster with an intention to kill. However, that was enough. I was already at striking distance. I jumped and aimed my karambit at his jugular vein, but he caught it with his dagger. However, victory is mine. I have practiced this move ever since my first kill. If someone blocked my karambit attack, I shall swing with my dagger.


    "Fast, but a little unpolished. Straight and predictable as an arrow." I swung my dagger, but he caught it with his arm. I was astonished at first when he was blocking my dagger with his arm, but the clanging noise when my dagger hit his arm confirmed it. He was wearing a vambrace beneath his long-sleeve shirt.


    I jumped back, and my tentacles wrapped around him, but he negated it with his own tentacle. I jumped to the side, trying to catch his blind spot and using all my skills. Strength and Agility. I made the fastest move possible, jumping toward a wall behind him and then jumping back, aiming for his atlas bone. This was an all-out attack. If I missed it, I was finished.


    He blocked my karambit the same way he blocked my previous attack, but it pushed him back this time. Unlike before, I didn''t swing my dagger, but I did a thrusting motion. My dagger was aiming straight for his throat. He bent his head backward as his foot raised upwards. My dagger never reached him, and a kick sent me flying back.


    "Agh!" I fell on my back as fatigue started to haunt me. My hands were heavy. I could maybe push for another attack, but that would definitely knock me unconscious with muscle pain tomorrow. My breathing started to get ragged, and my sides ached, too. I moaned as tears began to well up in my eyes. It hurts.


    "Whew. That was dangerous." He sighed. "Alright! That''s enough for a test. Just as I said before, I didn''t come to harm you. I simply wanted to invite you to my guild. Here is my card."


    He flung a thin metal card at me. There, a skull with a scythe was shown. I gazed at the card blankly. This is no ordinary metal sheet. A unique magic has been engraved into it.


    "Come to the Pavilion Samantha at 11 in the morning or evening tomorrow. I will show you around." He then put the hood of his cloak back while waving at me. "C ya."


    I lay there for several minutes as he left. Picking up the card, I brushed the dust from my cloak and left the slums. My heart raced all the way, consumed by the consequences of what I had just done. I killed eight people, and someone saw me doing it. What was he planning to do to me now?


    I also put back the hood on my cloak until I reached the noble gate. Using the same tactic I did when going out, I snuck back into my house. The sun was almost risen when I was back in my bed. I quickly put away my cloak. It is a little dusty. I hope Alicia didn''t notice.


    Nevertheless, I didn''t go back to sleep but merely sat on a chair while gazing at the sunrise. I was sweating, and it felt disgusting going to sleep like this. So, I sat around while watching the sunrise and occasionally glanced at the card he gave me.


    "Lady Eli! Morning!" Alicia cheerily came to my room. She never knocked. She knew I wouldn''t be awake at this time, so she usually simply snuck into my room, cleaned, and then woke me up when breakfast was ready.


    "Ah, you''re already awake? How rare," she said. However, I ignored her, staring at the horizon while watching the rising sun. My mind felt hazy, swinging between the excitement of yesterday and the dread of being discovered.


    "Lady Eli. Are you ill? Don''t tell me you have been sitting on the window since yesterday? What if you got a fever?" Alicia put her hand on my temple and found out my forehead was a little bit warm.


    "I will take a bath. After that, I will continue to rest. I am sorry for worrying you, Alicia." I hugged Alicia as I sluggishly moved to the bathroom. The exhaustion had finally caught up. I hadn''t gotten a wink of sleep. It was bad manners to sleep immediately after a bath. However, I was too tired to care.


    In my dreams, I saw myself dyed in blood. A smile crept up on Elidranthia as twenty people piled up in a heap behind her. The red comet shone on us. Instead of being scared of such a sight, I returned a smile. She then hugged me. It was odd seeing two Elidranthia hugging each other. However, it felt soothing. As if I wasn''t alone anymore.


    I woke up with Alicia holding my hands. Trauma surged within me because her action reminded me of my time in a hospital before. I quickly drew my hands while checking my breathing, chest, and other nonexistent anomalies within my body. No anomalies were found. This body was healthy and fit. Sensing me moving on my bed, Alicia woke up, too.


    "Ah, you finally awake. Sorry that I slept on the job. Hehehe." She smiled. I scanned the surroundings, and the sun was high in the sky.


    "What time is it?"


    "Noon has just passed moments ago, Lady Eli."


    I guess I missed the morning meeting, huh? I have to sneak out again tonight. I also had to prepare for my return trip to County Shadowstep.

 Chapter 21: Reaper Guild

    ¡°Lady Eli! How''s the parfait! I heard the parfait here is good!¡±


    "Hmm¡­ too sweet," I replied. The food wasn''t bad. However, with sugar being subsidized and also considered a luxury, many people tended to overuse it in their dishes.


    "Eh? You don''t like sweets? How come?" I thought girls loved these things, so I offered Alicia to try it during one of our outings. She loved it very much. But when I tried them, I found out I didn''t like them that much.


    Right after taking care of myself, Alicia took me to a restaurant in the inner circle. It was a neat place with a discounted open-air seat, although such designs were unpopular. There was nothing to see in the outskirts here; this kind of thing could only work if the restaurant faced a town hall. However, this one was facing the slums.


    "Here is your order. Triple choco donuts. Miss Mages."


    "Thank you!" Alicia, who paid the bill today, seemed to enjoy sugar. Being a mage really is a blessing, huh? They were well-paid and held in high regard. Moreover, they could work out simply by using magic and filling feystone. You would be hard-pressed to find a fat mage in this country. However, I now knew that not all in life was shiny. Yesterday was proof. Some people would steal from others.


    "Eli¡­ You are so somber today. Please don''t let what happened yesterday weigh on your mind. You know, there will always be some people like that."


    "Yes¡­ I know," I replied half-heartedly. My mind was still relishing the excitement of last night. I was also trying to prepare myself mentally for tonight''s meeting.


    "Eli!" Alicia pinched me on the cheek. "Try to stare at me. Come on!"


    "N-no. Why would I do that?"


    "It''s fine! I will prove that I am your friend! I can take it."


    "Not here. We will scare some bystanders."


    "Well, I guess it is true. Let''s finish our meal and then head home. We also need to prepare for our return trip to Shadowstep." Alicia planned the following event for me, and I simply nodded at her.


    Instead of going home immediately, we went shopping. As usual, tea sets and jewelry were not to my taste. I bought a set of throwing knives instead. When the seller asked me, I answered casually, claiming it was for sports. He chuckled while selling me the knives and advised me to stay safe.


    "Here is the throwing knife set. Please be careful. They are sharp."


    "I wouldn''t buy them if they weren''t sharp. They could kill people, right?"


    "Yes, they could. That''s why, don''t use them on other people," he said with a smile. I never let go of my mana lock, so the shopkeeper took my banter with humor. None of them took me seriously.


    "Ugh! Lady Eli, please stop buying knives! Buy some jewelry and dresses instead. A daughter of a count such as you should not only have five dresses for balls." Alicia rolled her eyes when she said that.


    "But this knife looks pretty! Look! There are gems embedded in it. It counts as jewelry, right?" Alicia gave me a sickened look.


    "You already have fifteen similar knives in your room. You can''t show those to anyone except the steak knives and the cooking knives. What''s the point?"


    "Ugh¡­ they are not similar¡­ one is a wakizashi, five are throwing knives, three are daggers, two are folding knives, two are steak knives, and the other three are a cleaver, paring knife, and filleting knife. You use them too!"


    "The fact that you remember them all astounds me."


    "Sorry."


    "Nah. It is fine! Everyone has their own hobbies. I knew that Safira had some weird hobbies as well. She went around collecting milk, you know."


    "I see."


    "Then we have Nana, then Johnny. You know. Nana is timid, right? However, lately, they have been getting close! And then¡­" Alicia and I continued to chat until sunset. Even when night came, Alicia kept talking while preparing for our return.


    "Ugh. I left a little too early today. I hope Alicia doesn''t come to my bedroom." I muttered as I used my newly acquired stealth skill to sneak outside.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0529%">Blessing of the Killing Star (lvl 3)


    - fearless


    - intimidation


    - improved strength


    - improved agility


    - beast instinct


    - dark magic


    - Stealth</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0529%">Choose your upgrade:


    - Improved Mana


    - Camouflage


    - improved Strength lvl 2</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The vampiric strength and improved agility disappeared from my previous choices. So, does every new level grant different options? I wonder what camouflage does. I already have stealth. I leaned more toward improved mana. However, my mana was already good. I never ran out of mana except when I worked overtime for feystones because I needed additional money.


    As I pondered my newly gained skills, I reached the pavilion tavern the old guy told me about. "This is a bar, right? Could underage children come in?" I wandered around the said tavern for close to an hour. I must have looked incredibly suspicious. I covered my cloak with my dark magic, but I didn''t cover my face; otherwise, the other guy might have a hard time finding me.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "Hello there, little brat. You missed the morning call. Trying to embarrass your new mentor? What a rebellious kid!"


    "Eek!" I jumped back.


    "That scream was worth the effort I put into scaring you. Hahahaha. Alright, come in! Ah, please put your hood down."


    "N-not yet! How did you know my name?" I quickly pulled out a karambit from my necklace.


    "Oh! I see. My apologies. Where are my manners? I must have been in this business for too long. My name is Edwal. However, in this business, you must call me Reaper Number 4, and you would be Reaper Number 666. As for why I knew your name¡­ pfft. My apologies. However, no nobles in this empire have never heard about your name."


    "Huh? I was that famous? For killing 12 kidnappers?"


    "Hahaha. It is not the number you kill. It is who you killed. You killed a pretty famous mercenary when you were ten years old. Because of that, three reapers failed their quest."


    "You!" I glared at him, full of hatred. However, my reasoning won out. I couldn''t beat him, and there was no proof that he did the deed anyway.


    "It is not me. I did not kill Alicia''s father." He glared back at me. It was my first time seeing someone who was not afraid of my eyes.


    "Alright. If you would please stop staring at me. I am not a pedophile, you know. If you think your eyes are scaring anyone in the reapers guild, you are dead wrong. In fact, a lot of people might like it. Any other questions, Reaper 666?"


    "No. Reaper 4," I answered with his codename.


    "Alright. Come in." I did as he said. As expected, the inside was a bar. Following him like a duckling, I was brought to a bartender.


    "Bartender. Usual order number 4 and 666 on the menu," he said as he swiped the card in front of him.


    "Ah! So she is the one. Fruit Juice for you, missy." The bartender smiled as he gave me a glass of milk.


    "Huh? This is milk." I tilted my head, but I drank it anyway. The milk was tasty.


    "Hahaha. Well, come inside. She already has the key, right?"


    "Yes." No further words were spoken. The bartender only smiled when I asked him questions about reapers. Reaper four scolded me for it and dragged me downstairs before I finished my milk.


    "It was just a storeroom," I muttered.


    "Yes! R666. I heard you were smart, So listen carefully. From this point forward, you never see anything. You never talk about anything. You know nothing. Are we clear?"


    ¡°Huh? Ah! Secret thingies?¡±


    "Yes! This is serious. If any secrets leak, a bounty might be placed on you. This is very important. Moreover, since you are a count''s daughter and not a nobody from the slums, you would have a double identity. Understand? This is very important."


    "Alright. We work in the darkness to serve the light!" I was giddy with excitement. This was like those assassin movies. Will I have to take a pledge? What was the pledge again? Where others blindly follow the truth, remember, nothing is true?


    "Whoa, you certainly read too many poems. We didn''t serve the light. We serve money."


    Edwal slid his card inside a crevice of a wall and moved out of the way as the wall with the shelf in front of it rotated. The secret door revealed a path with a spiral staircase. I marveled at the secret door. As I activated my magic sights, I realized the wall was a magic tool with a magic block on the outside. It would only look like an ordinary wall from the outside, even if a mage saw it. As we came down, a guard talked to me.


    "What''s the password?" I asked him. "I wanna try."


    "What password?" he tilted his head as he came in. Huh?


    "What''s the guard for then?"


    "What guard?"


    "That one!"


    "I didn''t see anything." He smirked at me. At that moment, I knew what he meant. Ahh, yes. I see nothing. I know nothing. The door led to an office space with several cubicles. However, unlike the boisterous mood outside, here it was completely silent. Edwal then came forward to the guild receptionist look-alike.


    "Hello. This is Reaper 666. She needs her ID card. She is a mage. She doesn''t need the phone. But give her the clips. Eli, give your card to him." After I gave out my card to him, the bartender then eyed me curiously. Perhaps he found it amusing that I was smaller than he thought.


    "Of course. Congratulations on your successful registration, Reaper 666. Your operator will be assigned in a few days. Would you want to set a nickname now?" He then gave me a card with two clips on it.


    "No," I answered. I didn''t know anything about this assassin organization. I didn''t want to do anything yet.


    "Nope! Set her name as Killer Rabbit. You know, because she is actually more dangerous than she looks." Edwal replied. I glared at him. However, I gave up on intimidating him and nodded.


    "Very well, you are now registered as Killer Rabbit. Remember that your official name is Reaper 666. First, let me introduce you to our guild rules. You may take commissions from that wall. You will be paid in points. Points can be turned into money or something else."


    "Okay. May I take a look at the wall?" So, their system was like an adventurer guild, like in those guilds upstairs? What a disappointment. Well, I guess I shall see some goblin-slaying commissions and call it a day.


    Commission 77: Poison a water well in Bron territory. Reward 20p.


    Commission 45: Kill Baron Bluke. Reward 50p.


    Commission 81: Kill Elidranthia. Reward 100p.


    "Huh? Wait a minute! My name is in here!" I almost shouted toward Edwal, only for him to cover my mouth as he glared at me. He whistled merrily.


    "Sir, may we know who commissioned these commissions?" Edwal asked the receptionist.


    "That would be 800 points, sir," He then winked at me. It finally clicked into place. I could use this place to gather information and prevent another misfortune from befalling my friends. The fact that my name were here meant that I had angered someone important.


    "Ah. I forgot. You need to do at least one commission every week. One more thing. You may not mention anything about this guild to the outside nor its commissions. Doing so will put a bounty on your head. Ah, an operator will be assigned to you, so you don''t have to come here in person, and you will always be able to look at the commissions. Just use your card''s virtual room or phone."


    "Huh? Is this a phone?" I tilted my head at the clip that was attached to the card. "Weren''t phones extremely expensive magic tools that only dukes and royalties use? They gave them out to all members?"


    "R4, are you sure she is a good candidate?" the receptionist finally asked him and broke his stoic face. "You registered her even though she didn''t have a lick of training? She didn''t even know anything about us until just a moment ago."


    "She has the skills. I will impart the necessary knowledge later. Moreover, she is in nobility. We need that kind of person. We are terribly shorthanded lately."


    "I see. I sincerely hope she doesn''t turn into something like R400 to 500. They are a nasty bunch."


    "Well, we shall see. She is a bit unique, you know."


    "She certainly is. Is she ten? Or eight? Well, for such a kid to be recruited by you of all people, she must be unique. In more ways than one."


    "I am twel¡ªBft!" Edwal closed my mouth more strongly now.


    "Alright. I will be your operator for the time being. Let''s go to an empty room upstairs. Give me the 666b card."


    I wonder who I should kill this time. I will have to refuse to kill innocents, though. I am a psychopath. But even I have standards!

 Chapter 22: Reaper Card.

    "First is a virtual room. This is a card that is enchanted with dark and wind magic. Could you fill it with mana and put it on your head?"


    I did as I was told and was immediately brought to a white room. "Whoa, this is a medieval or Renaissance age fantasy, and they already have a VR room?" I pondered at the white room as Edwal coughed beside me. He too had the card on his head.


    "Like this, a pair of cards could talk to each other. You will talk to your operator here, you know, about commissions, plans, prizes, etc."


    "I see."


    "During missions, you can also wear your clips on your ear, and we can talk to each other in almost real-time."


    "Whoa! Awesome." I put the clips on my ear. It was a bit uncomfortable, but I can manage.


    "So, let us begin. Here is your mission. I want you to go into the slums and then search for the slave trader. Unfortunately, since you killed every last one from before, I lost any lead for it."


    "Eh, that was my fault? Sorry then."


    "Nah, this is just a practice mission. I don''t expect you to find anything. I just want to give you a tour of how we operate. By the way, we also have missions in County Shadowstep."


    "Alright."


    "Off you go."


    With that, I put the card back into my pocket, and my vision returned to the inn room we rented at the Pavilion Tavern. I put my hood back on and went outside with Edwal in tow. With the clips in our ears, Edwal talked to me. I retraced my steps through the slums like the day before. The slums were empty tonight. There were no burglars or bandits in sight.


    "Nobody here."


    "Same."


    As I glanced through the surroundings, I finally found someone. However, when we locked eyes, the person immediately turned around and sped up. Somehow by instinct, I chased after him. Mana sight shows that he is a normal human. When he turned into a corner, he immediately ran. Weirdly, any people he passed through ran along with him.


    "Ahh! The assassins are here," the man screamed as he ran.


    "R666, what are you doing?" Edwal asked through the clips.


    "I don''t know. I saw a suspicious person, he ran when I met him. So, I chased him."


    "Stop the chase. You are making a ruckus. We do not do that. Our work must remain unnoticed."


    "Alright." However, before that, I put a mana marker on him. A mana marker is a simple harmless spell that sticks into their clothes. This will help me trace him later. I stopped chasing him, activated my stealth, and went in a different direction. However, I was curious about why these goons fled on sight, and thus, I returned stealthily to the same spot and followed the marker I put before.


    "Why the hell are those assassins following us? Who is he chasing?" The men questioned each other.


    "I don''t know! I only pickpocketed some random merchant! I swear!"


    "I only had a brawl this morning!"


    "Small stature and black figure from head to toe. That was the assassin who killed Boss Larry. He must have been searching for the remnants of his business. He didn''t look for small fry like us idiots. Why did you run anyway?"


    "I-I-I don''t know. I just felt fear when I looked into his eye."


    I immediately cast illusions on the five men who were discussing with each other. This should distort the image they had of me to that of a male with blue eyes. I also added some canines, horns, and other demonic features to make him scary.


    "Greetings, human. You are correct that I did not look for you. Now, I heard the mage slave trader I killed yesterday had some friends. Do you perhaps know anything about it?" I approached and asked them calmly. However, they wet their pants as soon as they looked at me. They then fell on their butts and seemed paralyzed.


    "I-I don''t know anything!"


    "I won''t kill you if you are innocent. However, I can''t go back empty-handed either."


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "I don''t know anything. I just know that the boss had family outside of the capital. He worked for Duke Luca."


    "I see. Stay back, R666," Edwal called me from behind. I almost jumped back startled.


    "Okay," I replied and did as he told.


    "Who is this ''family'' you mentioned?"


    "We don''t know."


    "I see. Thank you for your information. I think we are done with the capital today. I hope you have a nice day. Stay safe, gentlemen."


    "Freaking Reapers. I knew it! Larry must have pissed a lot of people for Reapers to come here!" the hooligans cleaned up their shirts as they fled while cursing.


    "They seemed to know a lot about us."


    "That doesn''t mean we should not keep secrets, R666. By the way, our organization is rather famous. However, no one knew us as well as ourselves. It was like everyone knew about Elidranthia, but none actually knew where Eli lived. And that is important."


    "I see."


    "Well, I will submit what I found to the guild. You may go home."


    "Will I get points for that?"


    "Depends. You might even get a deduction if you pissed the wrong people."


    "Alright. See you soon. I need to be back home now. I don''t want Alicia to catch me going out in the night," I said as I pictured Alicia''s wrath. She started to scare me lately.


    "You have weird priorities. I wonder if I made the right call recruiting you because you killed seven people competently."


    I quickly went back home. I snuck back in. I didn''t sweat today, and after I picked up my pajamas I left on the floor, I slept, only for Alicia to sneak into my room a moment later. The sun had not even risen yet! Why did she wake up so soon?


    "Lady Eli!" she skipped alongside the bed as she muttered. I woke up groggily and annoyed as I looked outside the window.


    "It is still dark."


    "Ah, you are awake? My apologies. I just wanted to check if you slept. I just woke up too. You could go back to sleep," she said as she sat beside the bed. It was really uncomfortable. I am not a patient.


    "Do you want to sleep together? You could get sick sleeping like that."


    "Really? Well. If you insist¡­" She grinned as she climbed onto my bed and lay beside me. All the way, she continued to stare right into my eyes.


    "Are you asleep?"


    "No. I could not sleep with you staring at me."


    " I see. My apologies, but the bed is a bit small for me to roll around. And I want to look at you anyway."


    "But you are afraid."


    "Not anymore. I find your eyes beautiful. Lady Eli."


    "Stop joking." I pulled my blanket and turned the other way. She then hugged me from behind.


    ¡±Pardon my rudeness.¡±


    "Your hands are long. How did you grow up so fast?" I muttered as soft flesh was padded behind my head.


    "It was all thanks to Lady Eli taking care of me ever since my dad died. No, it was ever since you paid for my tuition. You are the only one left that cared for me. I don''t want to see you hurt," her hug grew tighter.


    "I am fine now." I lied. Actually, I did not think I was okay. I am a bonafide assassin now. This was going exactly like what happened in the novels. I could only pray that I did not cross paths with the second prince and the heroine again.


    Morning came very soon and we didn''t get a wink of sleep. However, unlike me who didn''t sleep the entire night, Alicia seemed refreshed. She did sleep after all. The carriage ride seemed to lull me back to sleep but some bumps on the road rocked me awake. This is hell.


    "Alicia. Sorry but would you please sit here." I pleaded inside the carriage. It was a little cramped, but I finally was able to lean on her to sleep.


    "Gladly!" she answered as she offered her shoulder to me. I wonder if she no longer hates me. I drifted to sleep as I unconsciously fell on her lap.


    <hr>


    Lady Eli is on my lap. What bliss. Her petite figure reminded me of a doll I asked my father a long time ago. I can pat her head, right? Those silky smooth blue hairs were pleasant to touch. Yesterday was bliss too. Does this mean she has finally opened up to me? We slept together, after all. I feel like I could hug her forever in that state. Too bad the sun came up early today. I wonder if I could extend the trip; she would only sleep until the next village.


    Lady Eli woke up long before we reached our supposed rest stop. What a shame. Now that I think about it, she couldn''t possibly be sleeping the entire way when she had just slept on a comfortable bed last night. However, sitting so closely like this, looking at her beautiful eyes, is not bad either.


    "Sorry, but it is a little cramped. If you are not moving, I will move to the other side," she said as she moved away from my grasp.


    Damnit. I will smash this carriage and build a larger one next time.


    "Is that a new trend? Putting clips on your ear?" I asked Lady Eli as she jumped away, startled. She got startled easily. It was kind of cute. You should be more aware of your surroundings even if you were in your own room at the inn. A bad wolf might sneak into these poor villages after all.


    "Hieek! Huh? Oh, yeah. I just got this as a present from someone. I wonder if it suits me. Well, it doesn''t matter anyway, right? My hair hides it."


    The clips were indeed fancy enough to be worn by noblewomen, and I have seen some of my friends use them instead of earrings due to the less pain and non-piercing attribute they had. However, are those magic tools, right? I could sense mana floating around them. How did she get them?


    "Lady Eli, when we return to your mansion, how about we reproduce that pie we ate yesterday? I want to cook! Our region has the fattest pork. Ah, but you didn''t like it very much. And so¡­" I tried to make small talk inside the inn. Talking was the only way to stave off boredom in these rest-stop villages. Usually, she would reply about how she would order some craftsmen to build this tool or make new traps or explore the northern wood. However, she was out of focus today.


    "Lady Eli! Are you listening?" I raised my voice.


    "Hie! You scared me, Alicia!"


    "How could I scare you when I am right in front of you?"


    "Sorry. I was tired today. Maybe we could sleep early? The carriage wasn''t pleasant."


    "Oh well, you were right on that one. Very well. I shall prepare the bed."


    Lady Eli was weird today. Maybe it was true that she was simply just tired. The following day, she was back to normal. But why? She rode the same carriage and slept the same amount of time. Moreover, we slept on the same bed for almost the rest of the trips; we definitely got closer. I couldn''t be a replacement for Laura. However, I will do the best I can to serve Lady Eli.

 Chapter 23: Counter Assassin

    "HUH?? Someone took that commission? You told me nobody would take that commission!!" I fumed inside my bedroom at R4 or Edwal, who had assured me that nobody would accept the Elidranthia kill commission. Panic started to settle in as my blood froze.


    "Well, I thought nobody would take that commission since the reward was too low and the job too hard. But apparently, someone did."


    "I am a guild member! How could they approve such a quest?"


    "I just wanted to inform you. The guild is not monolithic by any means. They don''t care what they do as long as it produces results. It has happened multiple times where the guild produces conflicting commissions, such as protecting and assassinating the same target. It is up to you to take the request after all," Edwal said, but then an amusing whistle cut in. "You know, you could probably rank up quite nicely if you could kill your offender."


    "Ugh! I don''t care about ranks! But why? What did I do to them that got my name up there!"


    "That would cost you 800 points. Please work hard and rank up. You only managed to scrape 5 points from the info yesterday."


    "1 point is 1 gold, right? So, 5 points is 5 gold. It is a lot of money, right?"


    "Well, this is just how our world works. Don''t compare yourself to those commoners, Reaper 666. Think outside the box. We offer so much because we do everything and anything."


    "Ugh! How am I supposed to defend against an assault by veteran assassins!"


    "Lady Eli. May I help you? I heard weird sounds coming from your bedroom."


    "Hieek!" My heart jumped when Alicia suddenly came into my room. I needed to make rules to forbid anyone from entering without permission. However, I also often intruded upon her room uninvited. "Nothing! Nothing! I was simply muttering to myself about how I miss my home or how I wanted to drink milk or something."


    "I see. Do you want to talk? I am sorry, but this village has no milk this season. It is very rural after all. They don''t have a refrigerator."


    "Of course. I know."


    "Do you want to chat?"


    "Ehm¡­ sure, sure! Let''s chat. We have nothing to do here anyway. I am going to prepare! Don''t worry, Four! For tea! Do you want tea?" I tried my best to talk to both Alicia and R4 at the same time.


    "Geez! You are such a handful. Good night. Sleep with your eyes open. I can''t help you there. R4 out. " The mana was then cut off, and I freely continued my chat with Alicia.


    I turned my mouth on autopilot as I racked my brain on how to defend against the assassins. We leisurely rode a carriage here, so after 3 days, we were only halfway there. However, the distance to the capital could be crossed in two days with a single horse or even one day with a fast horse.


    "How many assassins were after me? My kill commission was 100 points, or the equivalent of 100 gold! It was quite a bit of money. If I offered it in the slums, I could probably hire ten or twenty people! But those are ordinary citizens! The me right now could handle that much. However, what if the assassins only hired five or three experienced individuals? They could get to me while I am asleep or use poison."


    "I see. I will work hard! If Lady Eli wanted parfait, we could buy the required fruit in our territory. And then¡­" Moreover, what about Alicia. I was famous. Even in the academy, everyone already knew me. What if they targeted Alicia.


    "Alicia. It is already night! Let us sleep."


    "Alright. Good night, Lady Eli." As she began to leave the room, I called out to her.


    "Wait. Will you sleep together with me?" I mumbled. She would probably hate it. But this is for her own safety. I did my best to suppress my mana to avoid frightening her.


    "Is it okay? For us to sleep together?"


    "Yes. Please."


    "Well¡­ I am just a maid. I couldn''t possibly."


    "It''s fine. Please! Sleep together!" I said, and Alicia finally relented.


    The next day, I looked outside the carriage relentlessly. I watched every tree and every patch of grass out there. Is it possible for them to attack the carriage? We have two knights guarding the carriage. They couldn''t possibly attack us in the open, right?


    Several horses passed by us. They glanced toward us and left. I grabbed my dagger and karambit, but it turned out to be a false alarm, and we safely reached our rest stop by evening. My nerves were frayed, and I wanted nothing more than to sleep soundly inside the inn. When I was about to lie down, the metal plate vibrated. I took a clip from it and put it on my ear.


    "Hey, 666. Are you still alive? See anyone suspicious? They could be within your doorstep by now."


    "Nobody. Just some horses passed by."


    "Hmm? How could several horses pass by you? That is not a direct route to the capital." R4 questioned me. He thought it was unusual for there to be multiple horseriders riding along that path. They didn''t belong to the messenger guild as they often traveled alone. So, they must be mercenaries.


    "Hm? Oh, shit!" I quickly grabbed my dagger and karambit and rushed to Alicia''s room. There were four horse riders that passed by us today. I thought there was nothing strange. Maybe they wanted to go to this rural village or something. However, now that R4 has pointed it out, there was a possibility that they were the assassins.


    "Alicia!" I opened the door in a panic.


    "Kyaa!! Oh my god! Lady Eli! Would you please knock next time you enter?" Alicia was naked. We were both girls, so I didn''t care about that. I scanned the surroundings and observed any potential weak spots the assailants might come through.


    As I approached the window and peeked outside, my instincts moved my head a bit to the left, and an arrow flew by my head. Alicia screamed again, but I ignored it. I scanned the outside, but it was too dark. All I could see was a glint as another arrow passed by my head. I immediately grabbed Alicia, killed the light, and stayed away from the window.


    "Lady Eli. W-w-what happened?"


    "We are being attacked."


    "B-bandits? The same ones who tried to kidnap me years ago?"


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Possibly."


    <hr>


    I harbored a strong resentment towards nobles and mages, viewing them as an entitled and arrogant bunch born into luxury without facing any hardships. My upbringing in the slums had been harsh, and when I defended myself by killing three bullies attempting to rob me of food, a man shrouded in a hooded cloak approached me. Impressed by my tenacity, he offered me the opportunity to join the Reaper Guild.


    The sense of empowerment during my first assassination mission was exhilarating. Finally, I could exact revenge on those wealthy individuals who had tormented me. Moreover, the substantial earnings allowed me to live a life akin to nobility¡ªfrequenting cafes during the day and indulging in wine at night.


    Joining the most fearsome guild instilled pride in me. As a professional killer, I reveled in the fear I instilled and the glory it brought. I was no longer the oppressed citizen I once was.


    Yet, there were always bigger fish in the pond, above the sky, there was always be a higher sky. And a hierarchy was formed within the organization. Despite my efforts, I remained at the bottom, never completing a quest exceeding 100 points. This time will be different. Elidranthia, a mere countryside noble''s daughter, earned the ire of certain figures who sought her demise for a reward of 100 gold.


    Unable to take on a noble alone, I had to split the task among three comrades, all brought from the slums. Forty points were allocated for horses and supplies, leaving the remaining 60 points to be divided among the four of us¡ª15 coins for each, tasked with killing a mage and a noble. Few would accept such a perilous mission, but my intense hatred toward nobles compelled me to undertake it.


    My target was the girl who had slain Boss Larry. Living a life of privilege, she had a well-endowed personal mage as her maid and hosted extravagant parties in her noble quarters daily, funded by the exorbitant taxes we paid. While assassinating someone within noble quarters was deemed impossible by my operator, an attack in the middle of the woods or at a rest stop presented a feasible opportunity. The girl would likely be returning to her countryside residence soon, providing me with a chance to end her life.


    An opportunity had finally presented itself. The noble girl ventured out as anticipated. Swiftly, I instructed my operator to accept the kill quest and set out with the rented horses along with my comrades. My work ethic was unmatched. While the privileged nobles slept soundly in every inn, I pressed on through the night with my horse. I intercepted her carriage as she recklessly peeked out, but her two imperial guards stood vigilant.


    Despite the presence of her guards, her fate was already sealed. I planned to wait at her inn and strike during the night¡ªa time when sneak attacks were our forte. Without their armor and weapons, even knights were no match for our skill. As the sun set and night fell, our chances of success increased. Just as I prepared to launch the attack, my friend spotted her once again, stupidly gazing at the moon and stars through an inn window.


    "Should we attack?"


    "Yes. Kill her!"


    My friend, an archer with over a decade of experience, could easily hit her. I chuckled at what seemed like an easy quest. This commission was proving simpler than anticipated. I watched as the arrow flew toward her temple. However, she moved her head suddenly, and the arrow, which should have found its mark, missed. I gasped in surprise. How had she dodged it?


    "Shoot again!" I nearly shouted at my friend, who stood in shock. He fired a second arrow, and the same outcome occurred. She deftly moved her head, avoiding the shot.


    "It''s a skill. I''m sure of it. My friend has something similar," remarked another companion, a myrmidon. Myrmidon, a term chosen with pride, was merely a fancier way of saying sellsword or mercenary. However, out of respect, we refrained from calling him otherwise. "My friend said it''s a form of short-term foresight. He knew when he was going to die and thus evaded it. Oh, and don''t forget my bonus. This information didn''t come cheap."


    "So, that noble daughter has a skill, magic, and nobility? Damn, the world is unfair. The gods must have been pampering her. She got all three gifts everyone ever wanted," the hulking guy with two axes groaned. "So, shall we charge at the inn now? She killed the light and had to stay away from the window. At this rate, we will have to face the two soldiers she''s sure to awaken in a few moments."


    "Alright! Let''s go. Hit it! Fast! If we slow down, she will call her knights. Then it will be four of us against two mages and two knights."


    We charged at the inn at once. The axe guy smashed the front door in a single swing as we tried to climb to the second floor. The knights woke up all at once, but we had all the advantage. They were shirtless. Myrmidon and I dispatched them swiftly.


    "The knights are down. Let''s kill the mage noble bastard!"


    We didn''t know which room they took. So, when we got to the second floor, we had to open all six rooms one by one. The axe guy broke down the doors one by one. When he broke down the third door, a dagger flew through his throat.


    "ACK!"


    "I won''t be a burden to Lady Eli! Die, bandits!"


    "Watch out!" I screamed as a fireball shot out from the fifth room. Explosions destroyed part of the inn we were in. Myrmidon and I jumped through an empty room and escaped the blast, but the archer didn''t make it.


    "Scram!" I ordered. The narrow hall was the worst place for an artillery mage like her slave to be in. We didn''t have anywhere to dodge. Moreover, we didn''t have any mage who could detect mana. I should have bought those mana glasses instead of using the points for beer. Damn it.


    "Damn it, we lost two people," I cursed.


    "You have taken the quest, Reaper 451. If you fail, your balance will be turned into a minus due to penalty. You know what will happen then, right? We don''t take kindly to failures."


    "Damn it! I know! Just shut your mouth, telephone guy!" I shouted at the block of wood the size of a water bottle in front of me.


    ¡°I am Operator Unit 16B. As requested, I will stay silent during your mission."


    "What should we do?" I asked the Myrmidon. "Damn it. How could R453 get killed by an ambush? Was he blind?"


    "Hmm... Her battle technique bore a resemblance to R4. I wonder¡­."


    "Huh? The legendary Reaper that was still alive from the beginning of the Reaper Guild?" I asked him. Many thought R4 was immortal since his name was there three hundred years ago. But no one ever knew. He might as well be a different person with the same numbers. We recycled quite often.


    "Yeah. I met him once and offered thirty points for a single friendly match. I lost. It is not because his skill is superior. I was simply tricked by an illusion. His body suddenly vanished and appeared behind me."


    "Yeah. She is a dark mage. She could do that. I thought dark mages were supposed to only summon monster illusions or something! When did we get hit by her illusion anyway? We didn''t see her at all!"


    *crack


    I knew that sound. A twig was stepped. Myrmidon quickly brandished his sword. "Hey, is this one of her illusions?"


    "Let''s escape. Let''s run and kill her another day."


    "You won''t run. I won''t let you! I will find you! And I will kill you," Red eyes floated from behind the inn and into the woods. This village only had five buildings, and then a jungle was only a few steps out. How did she find us?


    "She found us!" I whimpered. Fear started to take hold of me. Even as she walked slowly, we didn''t dare make the first move.


    "Is she real?" I asked the Myrmidon.


    "She is real! Charge!" The Myrmidon took out a vial from his pocket and drenched himself with it. That vial could dispel mana or curses applied to the user. He then wore glasses and activated the feystone in them. R445 always bought several magic tools with him using our team''s money. I moaned at the ridiculous 30-point price, but apparently, we needed it now. I thanked his cautious attitude inside my heart and promised to treat him to a beer later.


    The girl smiled as we charged at her. Her red eyes sent a shiver along my spine. Why did she smile? Is this some kind of illusion? Was she playing tricks on us?


    Myrmidon prided himself as a swordsman. I thought it would be over with a single slash of his sword. However, both of us were surprised when his sword was blocked by her weird curved knife. A counterattack soon followed, and the Myrmidon jumped back with all of his strength. A silver comet seemed to flash by, aiming at his neck.


    I charged with my buckler and slashed at her. She sidestepped and cut at me from the side. As I swung my blade, her weird knife caught my blade again. However, she was too arrogant. Just because she could do a bit of close combat, she dared to challenge two reapers at once. We could win this.


    "Damn it. She is too small, too fast," Myrmidon cursed.


    "Bye-bye!" She then took a step back. Her feet were as light as a feather. However, we couldn''t chase her as light filled my eyes in the middle of the night.


    "Don''t touch Lady Eli!"


    "Watch o¡ª!" An explosion, bigger than before, resounded before Myrmidon could warn me. The ten-or-so-meter fireball was like a sun dropping right down to us. The earth and trees seemed to shake, and my world seemed to turn upside down.


    "Ugh. Kohok!" I coughed as I lay defeated. My body was hurt all over from the burns; I couldn''t even lift my sword. The girl, dressed in black with red eyes, then came to me as she walked merrily. Her eyes smiled at the chance of stabbing me with her dagger.


    "Damn it. Mages and nobles¡­ this world. Unfair¡­." were my last words before her dagger plowed through my throat.

 Chapter 24: Commission

    ¡°Lady Eli! Are you okay?¡± Alicia ran and hugged me, her breathing ragged. ¡°D-d-did you?¡±


    ¡°I am fine. I had to¡ª I had to¡­¡± My breathing was ragged with excitement. The thrill of kill or be killed blanked my mind. I turned toward Alicia with my coercion at full force. She took a step back but kept moving forward and hugged me back.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know. I know. I am sorry,¡± Alicia apologized. Her hands trembled, but she still hugged me with care. Why was she apologizing? It should be me who apologized for being a psycho killer. This guy was already harmless when Alicia¡¯s spell hit him, and I killed him for fun. Now that he is dead, I couldn¡¯t get any information on who commissioned that quest.


    We made a lot of ruckus just now. The inn was almost demolished, and all of the few residents here woke up with farmer tools in their hands, thinking we were attacked by bandits or there had been some major accident. Those buckets and spades were useful for putting out the flames Alicia brought, though.


    ¡°Alicia, may we ask what transpired in our peaceful village late in the night?¡± a village elder came forward. I was a bit irked when they asked for Alicia and not me, the actual noble. But I am pretty tired tonight and let her do all the talking. The excitement from killing still lingered. I was sure to scare them out of their minds if I were to talk to them face to face.


    ¡°Someone attacked us, either trying to kill us or kidnap us,¡± Alicia said.


    ¡°They killed our guards too, Bobby and Nolah,¡± I mumbled on her breast. Alicia hugged me tightly to prevent me from seeing the villagers. Blood was smeared on her white maid uniform as my face and hands, still coated in blood, touched her.


    As soon as the second arrow almost killed me, I killed the lights and went downstairs, but I stopped in my tracks on the stairs when a hulking man barged through the door like an orc. I then used my stealth and spied from the stairs as my knights sprung awake. However, despite them being one of my elite knights, they were trounced and killed.


    Then, I went back with Alicia and informed her about what was happening. I planned to ambush them using my usual combination of illusion and dagger. I killed one of them, but Alicia wanted to be of use and proposed that she launch a fire cannon from the farthest room. The plan worked wonders, and the assailants fled with tails tucked behind their legs.


    Instead of letting them go, I chased them. Blood filled the air as I lost control of my body. I wanted to kill them; my excitement overpowered me. I planned to trail them using the magic marker I left on them. However, they didn''t flee too far. They were waiting in the woods, just a few tens of meters behind the inn. I smiled in glee at them as fellow predators. They were reapers, alright. They were hunting, just like me.


    I challenged them to a frontal fight. I didn''t know where I got the confidence from, but somehow, I believed I could win. Using my skills, I fought them to a stalemate. When I planned for an all-out strike, I heard Alicia''s scream and fled at once. Alicia was the star tonight. I was too tired. I couldn''t deal the finishing blow. The heat from the explosion was felt on my body even though I hid behind a fence.


    And thus, feeling a little annoyed at Alicia, who stole my kill, I performed a coup de grace on the remaining reaper. The kill was still on me. I rejoiced at the fact I reaped another life. Alicia then talked to the remaining villagers while still hugging me along the way. After I felt calm enough, I detached myself from her and spectated the meeting. The village elder discussed how we should proceed when my knights were dead. Should I charge through with my carriage and driver alone? Or should they use a horse from the carriage to bring a message to my family and ask for reinforcements?


    Ultimately, Alicia chose to stay in the village. She reasoned that it would take less than a day to travel back and forth here with a horse. Meanwhile, the carriage would still need two days to reach my city. They also regretfully left a message to my family to recompense the destroyed inn. I nodded since I knew if the inn was not fixed, a lot of travelers would suffer.


    Zach, my brother, personally rode his horse with over forty horsemen to our village late in the afternoon. After inspecting the corpses, he shook his head and bowed down to his fallen comrade as a sign of honor. He then left five soldiers here and asked us to ride with him. At night, we reached the city and our mansion.


    "Good job surviving that! They aren''t our sharpest tools in the shed. But surviving an assault as a rookie reaper was admirable. Oh yeah! You survived not once! But twice! That''s not luck anymore, Hahaha!" R4 was laughing in glee at my report. I didn''t comment on him. I felt tired and simply wanted to sleep.


    "Is that all? I wanted to sleep."


    "Oh yeah! Your operator is finally here! Greet your new operator. Call him R25B."


    "What''s that?"


    "Each operator was assigned up to forty reapers. That''s why they have different numbers. R25B, say hello."


    "Greetings R666. I am operator R25B. Nice to meet you. I need to tell you that Elidranthia''s kill commission is now 120p. "


    "Ehh, it increased?!"


    "Hmm. I will try to ask a guildmaster. Your case is a bit unique. Usually, we do not approve a bounty on law-abiding guild members. However, your revenge commission was up there because you killed our reaper as Elidranthia.


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    "Moreover, due to self-defense guild law, you will take points from your reaper opponent. Your points are now 25P. They are piss poor. Too bad you couldn''t recover their magic tools. It should add a bit more." R25B was annoyed at how small the points were. "R4! Number 400 something should at least have 200 points, right? They have been in this business for more than a year!"


    "Well, not all of us have finance acumen as well as our killing skills. Alright, 25B, do your thing. I shall leave now."


    "bye-bye, R4. Now, R666, will you look at a new mission? We have a scouting mission in County Shadowstep for 40 points and scouting the neighboring kingdom for 50 points. Ah, your father commissioned this one! The other is from the military! Will you take it? You have newbie protection. For a month, you will be exempted from any penalty for a failed commission."


    "Sure. What is the commission about?"


    "If you choose to take on the commission, a Kamera will be provided. Your father wanted to know if there were any important resources in the jungle. He was reluctant to send any knights since that will rouse the monsters."


    "What about the other one?"


    "The other one is a scouting mission to the Elderan Empire. If you cross the jungle, you will reach the frontier region. They want to know how things are going there."


    "You know I am just a 12-year-old child, right? These missions seem like they could take weeks."


    "For the jungle, yes. But you could always take the time to map the forest. You would stay there for a month, right? You could simply sneak out every night. Meanwhile, for the neighboring country, hmm¡­ your points will decrease a lot. But it will still be a pass. You could simply use a horse to ride to the neighboring country, take a picture, and then come back. It would only take a single night." 25B said as he pondered.


    "The rewards are rather low, huh?"


    "Yeah, your father is a cheapskate. The military, too. No wonder no one took it." My eyes widened at his insolence.


    "Sorry, but we are in debt! Stop berating my father!"


    "Well, he is a new customer. I wonder if he knew his daughter is in a criminal organization, Hahaha" He giggled.


    "I am going to kill you!" I raged, trying to intimidate him as much as possible.


    "Whoa! Sorry there, miss. It was just a friendly banter. I will literally lose my head if I leak the identity of a reaper. This is an absolute rule. Damn! Stop being such a scary bitch. Cool down a little and act more cute. You are only 12 years old, right? I thought R4 was a lolicon when he brought you to our guild. Hahaha. WAAH!!" His laugh was soon followed by a scream as Edwal''s voice was heard in the background.


    "Listen here, new guy. Even walls have ears in this kind of business. Keep your mouth shut if you want to live long. By the way, we will have periodic meetings. You can complain about your operator there, R666."


    "I want to speak with the manager!" I said, sounding like a Karen.


    "Whoa, are you that annoying customer? Why is a person like you always following me everywhere!? If you complain to the guildmaster about this, you will get me fired!"


    "Alright, R666 and 25B, both of you are new. So, I will make this clear. Talking about private life is not recommended when on business. Talking about personal identity is forbidden. If somebody heard that speech, R25B, you would get a reprimand."


    "But we are inside HQ!" R25B argued with him.


    "That''s why you are still greenhorns! Not all reapers are your friends!"


    "You may continue your fights. However, may I sleep? It has been a very tiring day."


    "Of course, R666. Good night." R4 said, and I closed the call. When I returned the clips to the card, I immediately drifted back to sleep.


    <hr>


    "Father! What is the meaning of this!" I stormed into my father''s office. Bobby and Nolah, two of my knights, died. Eli has been attacked for the second time. I just found out who the culprit is. And yet, instead of rallying the soldiers, we let them be? Moreover, Father tried to butter them up?


    "We simply could not win against them with brute strength. You will be married in three months. Do you want to die? Moreover, they are recommended by Duke Bron, your fiancee''s family."


    "You will sacrifice your own daughter?"


    "They said that they would remove Eli''s kill commission."


    "Yes. That is correct, milord. Elidranthia''s kill quest has been removed." A shadow came through the wall and formed itself into a man. I wanted to draw my sword, but Father forbade it. "We apologize for the inconvenience. Let me introduce myself. I am Handler 315. H315 for short."


    "It is not I, but you who picked a fight first."


    "Let me clarify that it was your Elidranthia who picked a fight first. She killed one of our members, after all."


    "Oh yeah? The bandits who ransacked our county and tried to kidnap our mages? Do I need to mention the fact that your bandits wanted to kidnap my sister, too?"


    "Yes. Well, as you said, the fault lies with us. We apologize. But the fact remains that someone wanted you dead. We never act on ourselves. Someone must have made that commission. Does anyone ring a bell?"


    "Damn it. Those debt collectors!"


    "That''s why, Zach, we could not openly fight with these guys. We are new nobles. This is how nobles in the empire act."


    "War will be too costly for both of us. We have headquarters everywhere. Do you seriously want to wage war with every duchy, earldom, and county?"


    "Damn it." I had to admit, he was right. We could simply avoid them, but then others who used their service would still be able to harass us.


    "How could I trust that you removed Elidranthia''s kill quest? Those debt collectors could simply put the quest back, couldn''t they?"


    "Indeed. If that was the case, you could simply commission us to protect your precious sister."


    "Huh?" I blanked out. This organization willingly turned on itself?


    "We side with no one. The one who took the quest will be responsible. Whether the reapers die or live, it is up to them," he answered.


    "How could we trust you when you so willingly put a contradicted commission?"


    "Most new clients do say that. Hehehe," he chuckled. "But that is simply how we work. If you have no other business, we shall take our leave."


    "Wait. I want to test your service," Father said while putting 100 gold coins on the table. It was a ridiculous amount for our small county, worth about 5 years of an average person''s salary. It was his savings for Eli''s tuition. However, since she became a mage, he assumed she would not need it anymore. "Send a reaper to scout the forest. Tell me if they find any treasures or something worth more."


    "Commission confirmed. If we fail, we shall return your money. I shall send a suitable reaper to map the forest. If we do find a treasure, we will speak back to you. If we don''t, we shall send you a complete map of the forest."


    The men then blended back into the wall. A week later, we received a report. These guys worked fast. That forest was not something any average human could traverse. Father was right not to pick a fight with them. R666 huh? What an ominous number.

 Chapter 25: The Forest

    Morning arrived at our mansion, and Alicia only woke me up when the sun was already high in the sky. She must have needed the extra sleep as well; yesterday was terribly exhausting, so she slept in too. However, I had a new mission for today ¨C to scout the forest. R25B had informed me that I could begin the reconnaissance mission as soon as I received the Kamera. The said Kamera was already on its way, and I expected it to arrive tonight.


    Excitement for my first mission consumed my thoughts, overshadowing the content of breakfast, lunch, and Alicia''s chatting. When dinner finally came around, a butler delivered a package containing the Kamera. What is a Kamera? It''s a magical tool for capturing photographs using a light enchantment. The blend of Renaissance fantasy and modern technology intrigued me. Monochrome Cameras were invented in the 19th century on earth, and I even heard that these monochrome pictures could be turned into colored images with special processing.


    As night fell, I turned off the lights, ensuring that Alicia and my family were asleep before venturing outside in my trusted cloaks. Wear and tear had become visible on this cloak, and Alicia suggested replacing it tomorrow. She mentioned that a boutique had been approved to open in my territory six months ago by my father, and we planned to test it out.


    Sneaking out of the city proved to be easy enough, but navigating the forest posed a challenge. R25B suggested marking every tree on my right side with an arrow so I would know my way back. My silver dagger wouldn''t suffice, so I opted for my karambit. Additionally, I utilized my dark magic marking for easier triangulation of my positions. Magic marking was a magic that took a long time to disperse. That way, I could see my own way back.


    Upon opening my notebook, my body instinctively rolled to the right as a giant spider jumped toward where I had been. Reorienting myself, I swiftly dispatched the spider with my dark magic. "Ugh! I used stealth! it could still see me?" I muttered, realizing that stealth only erased sound and footsteps. Consulting my status screen, I chose camouflage from my skill options to avoid getting ambushed again. It was a stroke of luck that this encounter involved only a single spider; a pack of wolves would likely result in certain deaths to me.


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    <td style="width: 99.0529%">


    Blessing of the Killing Star (lvl 3)


    - fearless


    - intimidation


    - improved strength


    - improved agility


    - beast instinct


    - dark magic


    - Stealth/camouflage (lvl 2)


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    </tbody>


    </table>


    Somehow, my stealth had leveled up to level two. When activated, my body blended with my surroundings like transparent glass. This was also considered a skill? No wonder people referred to skills as the seventh magic. I continued adding magic markers and scoured the forest.


    Hiding atop a tree, I used my tentacle magic to pull myself up as I heard various sounds. Masses of orcs and goblins had gathered in a distant cave, with monsters pouring out. I inched closer, benefitting from the assistance of my stealth.


    "Huh? You found monsters gathered inside a cave?"


    "Yeah."


    "And they did nothing but stare at an orb?"


    "Yes. Ah! A goblin magically emerged from the ground."


    "Don''t come any closer. Take a picture with your Kamera and leave. That''s a spawner. If we destroy it, your monster problem will be gone. Unless there are other spawners."


    "Could I destroy the orb?"


    "Could you?"


    "How hard is it?"


    "I don''t know. Want to ask a guild master? I suggest not. If you break it, the monsters will turn into a frenzy, and you''ll have to fight them all."


    "Tell me beforehand, okay! That''s dangerous!"


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Sure. Sorry, R666."


    "Ah, you''ve become a lot more polite."


    "We are at work. Focus, R666. I don''t want any of my units to die."


    "Roger. I will leave."


    I retraced my steps when R25B informed me it was 3 AM. It took almost an hour to return to my bed, and just in time, Alicia stealthily opened my bedroom door at 5.


    "Good job, R666. I will inform my superiors that you have found a spawner in the reconnaissance mission."


    "Alright. Ugh¡­ I don''t know if I could do this for a week." I moaned. I was getting sleepy and even ignored Alicia''s calls during our outings for new clothes. I almost fell asleep right there in the changing room cubicle. As we walked outside together, R25B gave me a rundown of what we had found yesterday.


    "A spawner is a naturally occurring phenomenon that happens in this. As its name suggests, it spawns a monster. I found a cave leading underground yesterday, and it was full of monsters there with an orb at the middle¡­" he explained. However, his words fell on deaf ears as Alicia was treating me to a cake. I needed more sugar for my drowsy self.


    "Next is a cake at the restaurant. They have milk cake and pudding there!"


    "I wonder how that tastes."


    I was too tired, so I sat on a bench in the plaza. Alicia''s chatting seemed like a lullaby to me, and I inadvertently dropped my head on her lap.


    "Lady Eli! That''s a little unbecoming of you! But¡­ but.. if you desire it, I will allow it¡­" Alicia was a little panicked. However, since she didn''t see my eyes, she allowed it. What a convenient maid she was. I wonder if our relationship will continue until high school.


    The following night was another reconnaissance mission. I rented a horse since the afternoon with my money. It was merely 5 silver. R25B proposed a whopping 3 points for the same horse. What a scammer. At night, I stealthily went outside again after circling the city with my horse from the west exit. Our county is kinda unique. Guards only guarded the northern gate, and anyone could exit from the unwalled west or east exits. It kinda shows how rural this place is. We only expected monster attacks here.


    The horse plowed through the forest. I have scouted this part of the forest and now the next. Beyond the forest was a rather hostile Elderan Empire. The formal road to the Elderan Empire lies to the east, after circling this forest and passing through a mountainous area north of the capital. If Elderan wanted to invade, they either had to go through the mountain, through the woods, or through a defensive fort a little bit more south with the Western coalition. All had a fair share of difficulties.


    With the magic marking, I crossed the forest on horses. A lot of monsters were on my tail. However, after casting illusions on them, they lost me in the jungle. This dark magic was made for assassins. Now that I think about it, R4 was also a dark magic user. Maybe he picked me because I was also a dark magic user? When I looked around, the scenery was totally different than Shadowstep. A stone wall was erected before the forest. Numerous soldiers guarded the towers and the gates even at night. I dismounted and approached them stealthily before taking a picture of the town.


    "HELP!!"


    A soldier was chased by five goblins as he cried around for help. However, I didn''t help him. It was too suspicious. First, what did he do here at night? Moreover, why did he run to me instead of the gate? As he came here, I nudged my horse to return to the forest. My body shook to the left suddenly as a throwing knife went past my neck just now.


    "Nice reaction. Are you a spy? Hey! Stop! Damn it, pest. I am done with you. Die."


    I didn''t answer and raced my horse through the woods, leaving him to deal with the goblins. However, when I looked back, he was right on my tail. How did he move that fast? Was it another skill? It didn''t take long for him to block me inside the forest. I could dodge his knives, but my horse couldn''t, and he killed it soon after. His shot went for its belly, and it bled a lot before stopping and died. Shit, I messed up again. Now, I have to fight my way out. This is supposed to be an easy scouting mission!


    "Now you can''t get back." He smirked at me.


    "Why are you blocking me? I was just taking a look!" I almost yelled. Now I was sure going to get an earful from Alicia. It would be impossible for me to get back on time on foot.


    "Now, now, that won''t do. I was employed specifically to prevent you from looking at us."


    "Why? Are you planning to start a war?"


    "Hmm? Wait, you are one of those Reaper guys, right? Why do you care about wars? Ah! Is that your commission? Damn, those guys have ears everywhere." He spat out while holding his ears. "Hey! I got a prey! Those guys messed up. Reapers have found us. What should I do? Huh? Okay!"


    "R25B. I got intercepted. What should I do?" I do the same with my earclip.


    "Huh? Just use an excuse like a lost wanderer or something. Or escape with your horse."


    "No, I don''t know who he is. But he seemed like an anti-spy that specifically targeted people like me."


    "What? Uh¡­ damn! I am new here. Let''s see. Does he have any distinguishing features? Is he one of us? Ask for his Reaper number maybe? We could talk this out then."


    "Are you a Reaper? I am a Reaper, too. I am new, so maybe we can talk this out?" I asked him.


    "Huh? Am I a Reaper? Hahaha! Die!!" He laughed before suddenly charging at me. I quickly drew my new Wakizashi and trusty karambit. The silver blade of the Wakizashi and the red glow of the karambit danced through the night sky. Unlike me, he used a cutlass. I charged with the usual style. Caught the blade with the karambit and stabbed with the dagger. It was Wakizashi this time. Wakizashi''s edge is a little longer than a dagger and much thinner, too. It was weird when the usual weight of my dagger suddenly turned almost the same as my karambit.


    "Whoa!" He flew back. I meant, he jumped back as if he flew. That''s almost a five-meter distance. He was swift.


    "I see they weren''t sending some noobs. Let''s get serious then."


    "R666 where are you now? A counterintelligence agent never works alone. If you can kill him, that''s good. However, you should flee if you couldn''t kill him fast enough." R25 B''s advice was useless. I needed to focus now. This guy was also a mage and skill user! Just like me. I sensed mana whirling around him.

 Chapter 26: Narrow Escape

    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    "Die!" He swung his blade. I thought nothing was going to happen with how far he was. However, as a fellow mage, I saw mana building around his cutlass and heading in my direction. The so-called wave slash was coming my way.


    "Oh, you see that? Then dodge this!" He charged at me, throwing several knives in random directions. I deflected the knives with my dark binding. As he came closer, I whipped my tentacles around him.


    "Tch! Dark mages. You are an elite, aren''t you?" He jumped away again.


    "No. I just registered yesterday." I answered honestly. There was no need to lie. As advised by R25B, I tried to gain distance from him, and I knew just where to lead him. However, that place was quite a distance away.


    "Hey! Hurry up! She is getting further and further! What if she had a backup?"


    Sounds of galloping horses were heard in the distance. I tried to flee as wind blades raged behind me. I haven''t used my skills yet. I simply need a good distraction to get away from him. However, he locked eyes with me, and I couldn''t use my camouflage that way. Sensing that I was simply trying to escape, his attacks became bolder. My beast instinct had already saved me countless times now.


    "Hey! Hunter 25! Let me join the fun!" His cavalry soon arrived. There was still more than a hundred meters to the cave. Should I risk it?


    "Ugh!" My instinct was telling me to dodge again. Icicle bullets were shot from his hands. Then, another one flanked me from the side as he fired more fire bullets. I dashed with all my might, disregarding the recoil of my skills. I will probably faint at this rate. However, if I manage to reach the spawner, I could use the distraction to hide. It was a gamble.


    "Hey! She sped up all of a sudden. 25!"


    "On it!" 25 was chasing me. As I thought, he had a similar skill to mine. His speed matched even mine. And he was using it from the beginning? I only managed to use it for several seconds.


    "Hey. Give up already. Althemer is still a distance away. You look like you could collapse any moment now. That skill was using your stamina and not mana, huh?" He gave me a mocking grin as I sluggishly walked toward my goal. I mustn''t faint now. The cave is within my sight. I sat down while leaning on a tree.


    "Too bad I have to kill you now. The reapers were certainly correct in hiring you. You have a lot of potential. Your voice seems very young. How old are you? 14?" He said.


    "25! Did you kill him?"


    "Not yet. Want to capture him?"


    "Well, I doubt she will have many uses. Let''s capture her either way."


    "Hahaha. I am not done yet." I removed the dark cloak that engulfed my face, revealing my grim red eyes.


    "Whew! She is more beautiful than I thought. Probably will fetch a fortune at the slave trader! Good job not killing her, 25!"


    "Damn lolicon!" 25 cursed at his comrade.


    "Damn goblins! This forest was infested with them. I already killed 20 on my way here." the other counterintelligence agent finally caught up to me. The counterintelligence agent cursed as he burned a goblin with his glance. Just by looking, a goblin was fried. The fire mage with a short sword and buckler, the ice mage with a longsword, and the wind mage with a cutlass.


    "Hehehe. You haven''t won yet." I giggled. As I moved my hands before me, I cast multiple shadow balls in the direction of the wind mage.


    "Hmm? What''s that? Is that your last attempt?" The wind mage easily dodged it by side-stepping, but my true aim was a spawner inside that small cave. A roar was soon followed by thundering steps from the caves. Trolls, ogres, and numerous goblins spawned forth from the cave, coming straight at me.


    "What? How come there are so many monsters?"


    "That''s a spawn point!" The wind mage then looked at me with contempt.


    "Damn it! Kill her fast, then deal with the monsters!" he charged. However, in his panic, I managed to put an illusion moments before his sword connected. As I dodged, he bisected nothing but air. He was a mage; my magic won''t last long on him. He could see my magic and dispelled it with his own. But the momentary distraction was enough. I activated my camouflage and fell into the bushes.


    "Damn it! Show yourself." The counterintelligence agent trio were angry. If this happened when they were calm, they would surely be able to find me by either tracing my mana or by destroying the surroundings. But they had more pressing matters now. The monsters had already swung their clubs at them.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Damn insect! We can''t fail the mission now! Clean up these insects and find her!" the wind mage cursed as he bisected a troll in two.


    "Whoa! He managed to bisect a troll into two? These guys are insane," I muttered as the fire mage blasted another troll in the head while the ice mage dealt with the goblins that charged at them all at once. I used my Kamera to take a picture and left. I didn''t know if I was able to take a good picture because they were moving so much. But at least I was able to get their faces, I think. R25B will check the result later.


    "R666, are you still alive?"


    "Barely. I lost them, but I think I am going to faint now. They are dealing with that spawner."


    "They could? They were elite then. Monsters are crowding that place. Find somewhere else to hide and rest. The top of the trees, for example. Do you think they will win? If yes, then don''t go in the Shadowstep direction. Go west."


    I did as he recommended and took a breather on top of a tree. Explosions resounded through the forest, along with cries of monsters gathering on them.


    Several hours later, the sun was beginning to rise. The agent had won. Three mages won against a stampede of monsters usually held by over 100 knights. I could only laugh. I was wondering if they could decimate my county alone.


    "Damn it! Where is that girl!" the wind mage was drinking some blue liquid as he chopped the wood a little far away. I had almost regained my strength. But now, we had to play hide-and-seek. They really wanted me dead. When I was resting at the tree, I wondered if I knew those trio. But there were no illustrations of them in the webnovels, so I wasn''t sure. But they resembled the Three Musketeers that joined the hero''s party later as they came to rescue the heroine in volume three. I was already dead by that point, but their names were Beryl, Samuel, and Agathe. Their names received specific mention because they were also the ones who killed the second prince.


    But that story would only happen far in the future. I had my own worries for now. Let''s return.


    The sun was already high in the sky by the time I returned to County Shadowstep. I messaged R25B about the horse I rented. It was dead. He simply replied it would be taken care of by subtracting 5 points from me. Ugh. It was a whole 5 gold coins. But the price of a healthy horse surpassed 15 gold coins. I wonder if the stable owner will get adequately remunerated. I felt guilty for the stable owner. My points were now 20.


    I walked to the mansion with a heavy heart. What should I tell Alicia? She must have been freaking out by now. As I walked through the town square, I saw a stall selling food, and a light bulb popped out in my head. I quickly went over to them and bought kebabs, then I went to another stall, and the peddler there sold some necklaces. I purchased two matching ones. Alicia was a simpleton. This should be enough to appease her.


    "Excuse me, have you seen Elidranthia? The count''s second daughter?" Knights were questioning passersby and stall owners. Huh? They summoned the knights? What should I do? I should go back to the mansion immediately.


    When I sneaked into the mansion, Alicia was pacing back and forth with Zach in front of Father''s room. I hugged her from behind to surprise her.


    "Alicia!" I tried to surprise her.


    "Hieek!! Oh my god, where have you been, Eli!" Alicia hugged me as tears poured out from her eyes.


    "Eli! Where have you been!" Zach glared, his eyes full of reproaches.


    "Hmm? I woke up early and went outside. Look! I found kebabs and hamburgers wrapped up for you!" I tried to play dumb. Alicia and Zach gave dubious glares, but they sighed in relief.


    "Eli, please don''t go outside without telling Alicia or me ever again. She knocked on my and Father''s door first thing in the morning while crying."


    "Alright. I am sorry." I nodded my head.


    "As long as you are safe, Lady Eli." Alicia hugged me again.


    "Whew, you are exaggerating things. You are not her mother, Alicia." Zach sighed. "I am going to call off the soldiers I sent to search for her."


    "Sorry, brother."


    "Huah¡­" I yawned. Alicia''s breasts are too comfortable. They were soft and enveloped my head nicely.


    "Hah, this is because I let you sleep on my lap yesterday. Your sleeping schedule has become erratic." Alicia started to scold me. However, when I looked into her eyes, she didn''t seem to be that mad.


    "This is fine! We are on holiday anyway¡­." I replied lazily. Ugh. I still need to recon the forest. That forest was huge.


    "Well, that''s true." Alicia nodded.


    "R25B. I took a photo of the antispy yesterday. When will you pick it up?" I said in my bedroom. After much pleading, Alicia let me sleep again. This is a three-week holiday. I need to make good use of it.


    "Right now."


    "Huh?" I immediately shot up from my bed.


    "Your reaper card could transfer data. Hold on a minute. I will prepare the transfer. Put the feystone and your reaper card on your head and channel mana into it."


    I followed the instructions and found myself in the virtual room. However, this room was no longer empty. Hologram pictures were flying about the room. This was the first time I saw R25 B''s face. He looked young, around 27 years old, with an ordinary salaryman face. He was so common that I might forget his face as soon as I left this room, just like I forget ads on YouTube.


    "Whoa, you are smaller than I thought. Your eyes really are intimidating. Please hide your killing intent better. You are too conspicuous," R25B commented on my face. This was the face I was born with. Do you have any problem with it?


    "I see. You captured their picture at the perfect moment. I am impressed. This picture alone is worth 40 points at least."


    "Huh? That much!?" I shouted. That was about as much as a whole commission!


    "Yeah. I could tell from the picture that you face three-elite sword mages with good coordination. I could see their weapon, their magic, and even how they swung their weapons in this photo. Let''s transfer the data."


    "So, how many points do I have, and what can I buy with it?"


    "Glad you asked! You currently have 25 points. I will submit your picture. It could net you some points. Then, from your commission, you will have 40 and 50, respectively. But since you haven''t finished mapping the forest, and we haven''t got feedback from the Ministry of Defense, you will have to do with 25 points for now."


    "Ugh¡­"


    "However, seeing our inventory catalog is free! And I advise you to see it!"

 Chapter 27: Shopping

    "R666! Your commission has been declared completed without penalties! And your picture has been rewarded with 100 points," R25B said gleefully the following day. I chose not to continue the recon last night. I was tired, and Alicia had been eyeing my bedroom. Did she think she was my mother? I couldn''t comprehend her thought pattern sometimes.


    "So, your points are now 175 Points. It will turn into 215 after you complete the forest recon. Congratulations! Wow! I am excited. Getting 100 points in a single stroke is a sign of veteran reapers, you know! By the way, the guild issued an assassination quest for those three. It was 1000 points! For each of them! Will you¡ª"


    "No," I answered flatly. "At least not now."


    "Figures. I am simply telling you. Glad you have some common sense. They are too strong. Even R4 wouldn''t take them by himself."


    "Oh yeah! Now that you have points. Why don''t you try to buy stuff? We sell everything that money can buy!" R25B now started to behave like a salesman. "I recommend either a reconnaissance set for mages or an assassin set for mages!"


    "Recon sets consist of a flashbang, smoke grenade, and a cartographer tool that is compatible with your reaper card. It costs 130P. The Assassin set contains three types of poisons: the fast-acting poison spider, paralyzing moth paste, and a tasteless, colorless, and dilutable sleeping pill. Not only that, the assassin set also has crossbows and a standard knife. It costs 100P."


    "I will run out of points if I buy them, right? How do I carry them anyway? Wouldn''t it be weird for me to carry them around? People already give me glances when I carry daggers."


    "Well, you can make custom adjustments for another 30 points. While flashbang and smoke grenades are okay to carry around, you will have problems with guards and justiciars for carrying any of the poisons."


    I pondered at the option. I obviously couldn''t buy everything, but I couldn''t buy nothing either. The last ambush would have been much easier if I had the flashbang or smoke grenade. R25B explained that a cartographer tool was a map-making device. By carrying it, you won''t get lost ever; it traces your footsteps. But that''s just a minimum. By accessing it via the Reaper card, you could add legends to it. Then, it would become similar to medieval maps sold here. Moreover, the data was in 3D. So, you could explore a cave or winding mountain easily.


    "I want the recon set and the sleeping pills. Just for confirmation, sleeping pills are harmless, right?"


    "Of course. Even if you overdose, the most damage it could do is vomiting. There are no side effects. It needs to be ingested, though."


    "No smearing types?"


    "No. To induce sleep, one must be in a state of relaxation. You can''t make your enemy sleep in the heat of battle. It works 5 to 10 minutes after ingestion. There is a more dangerous one, though. The inhalation type. Do you want it? It could make your opponent unconscious. "


    "Dark magic could make people sleep in battle or knock them unconscious. You guys are getting realistic in weird places!" I tried to complain about this weird fantasy setting. But I accept the instructions.


    "That would be 150P. Thank you for the purchase. Your points are now back at 25P with 40 more on the way. The goods might take a while to arrive. Around 2 or 3 days."


    Now that the shopping was done with, I went on an outing with Alicia. Spring was almost over. Farmers started to plow their fields. Peddlers usually flocked here in autumn, but summer was also a busy season for merchants. The knife peddler I met a long time ago was here again.


    "Greetings, young miss. Care to retake a look at my wares?"


    "Yes! Do you have any other karambit versions?"


    "I''m afraid not. But here, I have a rapier and an estoc. Or do daggers remain your favorites? These swords are certainly unwieldy. How about these stilettos?"


    The peddler explained the weapons. I knew of them from games. A rapier was a thin sword. Many girls in our academy used them for a fun sport. An estoc is a blunt version of a rapier, but the tip is very sharp, perfect for stabbing. It is more durable, too. Stilettos were a short version of the estoc. I would buy it later. It was better than the European-style daggers I used. It was lighter.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Look, Lady Eli. You like this, right? Rapiers are quite fashionable among nobles, instead of those weird knives or daggers. It''s better if you have this!" Alicia was raving about it. She planned to buy one. Rapiers were undoubtedly fashionable. The blade also gleamed the way I liked it. However, it didn''t quite pull at my heartstrings.


    "Young miss wants more unique weapons, am I right? I don''t have any karambits in stock, but I have this. This is a mithril-coated steel dagger from the east. The official name is the parrying dagger swordbreaker. However, people usually refer to them as The Swordsbane. The notches at the back of the dagger are used to catch swords swung in your way."


    "What an ugly knife¡­" Alicia complained. However, my heart screamed to me that it wanted it!


    "Well, that''s why they aren''t that popular. Hahaha. Here is another version of daggers. I heard sailors on the eastern shores call it the trident dagger. It is designed to mimic Poseidon''s trident. Many sailors in the east use this."


    "Deal! I will buy the Swordsbane and trident knives!"


    "Ugh! Lady Eli is buying weird knives again!" Alicia moaned.


    "Let''s buy the rapier too. We are nobles from the military. It would not be weird to see us dressed in arms." I replied. Only then did Alicia finally smile.


    Two days later, the aforementioned goods finally arrived. I wanted to complain that there were only 2 flashbangs, 2 grenades, and 6 sleeping pills in the container I bought, but R25B only replied wryly. The cartographer tool looked like a smartphone tablet. It had no screen and was merely a metal box with some enchantments inside. There was a slot on the side to insert my reaper card.


    The woods were no longer dangerous. I didn''t even encounter any monsters during my first walk after the anti-spy trio messed up with the jungle. With my camouflage and the sparse amount of monsters, it was a walk in the park. I finished cartographing the jungles in a week. There were no notable resources there except a swamp, trees, honey, and other plant life. I saw several bananas and spices. On the ground, this one looked like garlic and cinnamon. That one looked like pepper and nutmeg. It was often used on modern Earth. However, we already had these, and they were not popular in this world.


    However, the true jewel was the citrus tree! If we could farm it, let alone getting rid of the debt, we could become a prosperous county or even be elevated to a duchy or earldom in one go! I will photograph this later. Fruits were expensive everywhere you go. There are several ways to preserve them, such as using a refrigerator or sugar. However, they were still expensive compared to meat, which could be preserved with methods such as salting, smoking, or vacuum packing. Bringing a box of fruit using a fridge for the whole way plus their feystone cost was quite pricey. Citrus was the most expensive of them all because it could not be preserved.


    "Well, no gold mine, Mythril mine, or gems. I thought this forest was a treasure trove. But I guess I was wrong," R25B said. "Hey, at least you mapped the forest and found citrus. That''s a good improvement."


    "You''re welcome," I said. This wasn''t the overpowered reincarnation I read about in novels. I was supposed to discover a gold mine or salt or mythril. Yet, all I found was spice, bananas, oranges, and sugar. Life is hard. Fruit was expensive, but not that expensive. I even wondered if it was worth the effort.


    "Ah, here''s a tip for you. The Ministry of Defense was in an uproar due to your photos. The news might arrive to you as soon as you come to school next week."


    "Do I have to recon there again?"


    "There was a recon quest. However, that one is a designated quest. It means they assigned it to a specific reaper. Give it up. You are still new. Your trustworthiness isn''t up there yet."


    "Alright. I didn''t have the courage to go there anymore. I was almost killed there."


    "Either your luck is extremely bad, or your luck is extremely good."


    News about the neighboring Elderan Empire came faster than expected. I got a dinner invitation from the second prince, and Duke Bron sped up my brother''s wedding. A messenger brought the news the following day.


    "Wow. I see you have made a connection to a royal family. Do you think you can become his wife?" Father laughed. He actually showed an expression for the first time! I thought he was as stoic as a stone person. His humor, however, was received with cold eyes from everyone.


    "Father. Did you even care for Eli at all? If she were to marry Prince Ludwin, she would become a mistress. His first wife would not like her due to her looks," Zach said.


    "Yeah! The second prince was already popular. Lady Eli was down when she got bullied by a duke''s daughter the other day when Prince Ludwin asked her for a dance," Alicia nodded to Zach.


    "Don''t marry into nobility! They will only discard you like trash or even falsely accuse you! They will cage you inside their golden mansion!" Fiona, my only sister, reproached me. She turned into a total misandrist since the last time I saw her.


    "So, will I go to the wedding banquet first before school? Skipping my brother''s wedding isn''t an option, huh?"


    "Huh? What do you mean, Eli? Did you hate me that much?"


    "I hate banquets. Not you."


    "Ah, I see. We still haven''t issued a complaint about your treatment during the ball, huh? Want me to do it during the banquet? Sorry, but I am just a count marrying a duke''s second daughter. Duke Bron will be the one who holds power there."


    "No. Dukes infighting will turn into a civil war," I replied.


    "You are right. Thank you for thinking about us when you have been ridiculed."


    "By the way, why would Duke Bron ask me to hasten the wedding?" Brother Zach and Father pondered. I wanted to answer but suddenly remembered that I wasn''t supposed to know about it yet, so I shut my mouth.


    "Huh, you know something, Eli?" Zach glanced at me.


    "No. I didn''t know anything." I turned my head sideways. Despite being an assassin, I was bad at lying.


    The awkward supper finally ended, and we departed for the cathedral. By the way, I completed my quest the other day, bringing my points to 65P.

 Chapter 28: War Council in Marriage

    The cathedral in Duke Slane''s territory was quite distant. We had to travel south, passing through 15 villages and 2 cities. The journey itself took two weeks, twice as long as the journey to the capital. It was mandatory for noble weddings to be held at the Cathedral of Mana. The reason the Cathedral of Mana was located in Slane territory and not the capital was that we were once a vassal of the Eastern Kingdom. When we were granted independence, the cathedral was moved there because the royal family feared its influence.


    However, all nobles in our country were familiar with the teachings of the Mana religion. It was the source of mage elitism and commoners'' disputes. The doctrine asserted that mana was the source of all, claiming that god is mana and mana is god. Consequently, those who could control the most mana were to be revered, and in return, they were expected to provide bountiful harvests for all.


    Yet, I let these teachings pass from one ear to another. Today marked the day of my brother''s marriage. Brother Zach was to marry Duke Bron''s second daughter, Catherine. Despite being an arranged marriage, Catherine had never visited our house. Zach informed me that he had met Catherine at the academy, describing her as a rather slender woman with a few pimples on her face. She might not be the most attractive person, but she wasn''t bad either.


    "Greetings, Miss Elidranthia, Miss Alicia," the bishop greeted Alicia and me first. Through my mana sight, I sensed that he was a mage who didn''t even bother suppressing his mana. Had he suppressed it, I wouldn''t have been able to tell he was a mage.


    "Greetings. It seems my reputation precedes me. I apologize for my rude behavior of not knowing your name," I bowed, adhering to the etiquette I had learned.


    "Greetings, I am Alicia. I serve Lady Elidranthia as her maid. Please greet the man of the house before me," Alicia also bowed gracefully, politely declining the greetings.


    "Very well, if the lady mage says so. This is your brother''s blessed day. I am glad to witness yet another loving family with their mages," the bishop bowed to me and then addressed Zach and my father. "Greetings, Count Shadowstep and Zach Shadowstep. May this be a joyous day as a husband and wife are united by the threads of mana. May mana guide you on the righteous path."


    "So, that''s how the actual church behaves. Our priest wasn''t so..." Alicia muttered, but she held her criticism. I couldn''t agree more.


    "We still have a war in the west. Moreover, troubles are arising in your territory, Lady Mage," an old man suddenly addressed us. My father immediately bowed his head.


    "Greetings, Duke Bron." When my father said the title of the man before me, I quickly bowed in respect to him. He is Duke Bron! I never knew.


    "G-g-greetings, Duke Bron," I stammered as I tried to mimic the way my father addressed him.


    "Hmm... I heard my grandchild, Abel, was in your care. I am glad to see that you didn''t discriminate just because you have an abundance of mana. It is rare to see a person like you," he smiled. "I hope your relationship with the family will be everlasting."


    "Of course," I replied. I didn''t plan to leave my family anytime soon.


    The cathedral resembled Christian ones, minus the crucifixes. Stained glass cast a rainbow light flowing from the windows. The floor was made from polished marble, and ceramic art adorned its beautiful white surface. When the bride and groom entered the hall, multiple light mages cast holy light, bathing them in ethereal beauty. The floor itself was adorned with feystones, glowing like rainbows. It was as if the couple walked into heaven, blessed by the god himself.


    "No wonder it is so expensive..." my father muttered. Our family was a new noble. When he married, our family was only a knight and was exempted from marrying in the cathedral. Zach''s wedding was our first noble marriage. Our finances were improving, but my father moaned that he had to take another loan from the government just to pay 30% of this wedding.


    He couldn''t let Duke Bron pay for everything. However, even his share alone cost him more than 300 gold. Zach gave a wry smile. Even when Catherine is the one marrying into our house, he couldn''t selfishly be thrifty and abandon noble customs.


    "Catherine was more gorgeous than I thought. Brother Zach spoke of her like some ordinary woman," I muttered.


    "Clothes make the person," Alicia said. We eyed her carefully, and she pointed out several tricks the seamstress and the makeup artist did to make her more appealing. The wedding gown was loose in several areas, and the bust was padded. Moreover, the makeup was thick, too.


    Stolen story; please report.


    "Alicia, how old are you?" I asked rhetorically. I never used makeup, and neither did she. How come she knew such tricks? I was returned with a glare more sinister than my usual red eyes. It was like a demon spawned forth behind her.


    "Eli, how old are you? You need to start learning those things," Alucard, my third brother commented. When I heard the question thrown back at me, I winced, and Alicia giggled.


    The wedding went by as planned. After an oath of marriage, the light mage sent a twirling light down at the couple. It looked like fairies were blessing the union of the two houses. Meanwhile, Prince Ludwin also attended the wedding, and he occasionally glanced my way. His gaze sent shivers down my spine.


    "Greetings, Duke Bron, Count Shadowstep. And you too, Elidranthia," Prince Ludwin finally greeted us after the wedding ceremony. We were in recess for two hours until the wedding reception. My mood soared when barbecues were mentioned as one of the foods presented. I could see the chef roasting barbecues live. Prince Ludwin''s greeting ruined my cheery atmosphere, though. He must have come here for trouble again.


    "You haven''t replied to my invitation to the tea party I will hold with my sister. Will you come? I am sure she will appreciate the gesture. I also want to get to know you more." His voice was sweet and alluring, and I unknowingly nodded.


    "Yes." I couldn''t refuse him. When he started to get close, Alicia took my hand.


    "Lady Eli! Let''s taste the new pudding! It was made with seaweed imported from the west!"


    "Huh? Oh, yes. Let''s go to the pudding!" My reply was a mess, but I thanked God Alicia came to the rescue. With plates filled with pudding and cakes, we went to congratulate Brother Zach and Catherine. He was engaged in a serious conversation with Father.


    "Brother Zach! Congratulations on your wedding! May I call you Sister Catherine?" I intervened and greeted Brother Zach and my new sister-in-law.


    "Is this Elidranthia?" Catherine asked Brother Zach. "Hello. Yes, you may call me Sister Catherine."


    "Zach! Now is a good time; will you please go to the meeting room? I didn''t have enough time. Let''s talk it out before I return to the capital," Duke Bron said, and we were immediately brought to the meeting room, leaving attendees to dine on their own. Catherine, still in her wedding gown, took a seat. A family meeting was imminent. He would probably talk about that, huh?


    "So, why is our wedding hastened? Duke Slane and Duke Luca couldn''t attend because you selfishly moved the schedule. Only half of the invited guests came to this wedding," Catherine expressed her dissatisfaction.


    "Zach, this is currently a secret. But it will be revealed soon enough. That''s why your family could all hear it. This is the news: we have found out through our intelligence network that the Elderan Empire is preparing to cross the northern woods."


    "I see." Zach widened his eyes but then silently nodded.


    "Oh, you aren''t surprised?"


    "I am surprised. However, I haven''t seen any monster assault this month. I thought something was going on in the forest, so it was them. I started to connect the dots. They prepare such a force to clear it? Moreover, there was a spawner in the forest. Will they be able to do it?"


    "They have destroyed the spawner. Here are the three elites that have done it." Duke Bron slid a picture on the table. Father and Brother Zach looked at it in awe.


    "Whoa, who took a picture of this? I just knew we had an intelligence department a month ago. Is it from that organization?"


    "That was me, brother," I commented in my mind. However, I played dumb and looked at my plate. I still need to finish my pudding.


    "Yes. They were attacked during scouting¡­"


    I rolled my eyes; I wanted to complain to R25B about this. They spun an entirely new tale about me. They claimed this was not done by reapers but by their own intelligence department. Then, they went on to assert that it was carried out by a group¡ªresulting in many casualties¡ªand involved three dangerous individuals. The part where they insisted it was their own intelligence department seemed absurd to me. Both of them were aware that Duke Bron employed reapers to gather that intelligence. Ah, but perhaps Prince Ludwin didn''t know. I suppose Alucard and Richard, my second and third brothers, are also in the dark.


    "We thank you for the information, Duke Bron. However, I am ashamed to say that we are not prepared to engage against a committed attack by foreign countries."


    "We''re not?" I asked him. We had hundreds of knights and tens of mages. How many did he think the enemy nation would throw at them?


    "Eli, real wars against nations don''t rely on mages and knights alone. We need expensive magic artillery and probably a planted magic bomb, too. Several hundreds of them. Those wooden palisades would do nothing against the enemy''s cannons. We need a stone wall with magic resistance. And we also need more horses."


    "Yes. I plan to move the first battalion toward your county. You have two months to prepare to receive them."


    "Huh? The first battalion? That would mean half of the royal guards!" The second prince, who had been silent, finally protested. "We didn''t even know if they would attack for real."


    "Well, we didn''t know if they would attack for real. But we still need to prepare."


    "Absolutely not. If they are going to attack, we should defend the capital or at least move the army to a more defensible city. Such as Alrisa."


    "That would mean sacrificing County Shadowstep; moreover, our grain production would also suffer. We couldn''t do that. If County Shadowstep falls and they make a beachhead there, they could attack the entire western provinces. Our fortress in the western front will face a pincer attack."


    "Ugh¡­" Prince Ludwin groaned. "Alright. We have no choice in this matter. Go on with the plan."


    "Thank you, Your Highness." They continued with the war council, but it fell on my deaf ears as I savored my pudding.


    The war has nothing to do with me yet. I still have school now. I could ignore their words for now. It was not my problem but Zach''s and Father''s.


    Little did I realize war was everywhere.

 Chapter 29: Sudden News

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    When I arrived at the academy, news about the war was a hot topic among students. This semester, the teachers were going to introduce us to magic enchantments. Magic enchantments could only be done with the corresponding elements. For example, I needed a wind affinity if I wanted to make a phone. Multiple students could cooperate if they lacked the affinity. I bet the reaper card I had must have been made by several mages.


    "And so, that is the theory about magic tools. Next is about Runecrafting. Runecrafting is applying your magic to the tools you want to enchant. Here is the chart for symbols. Using magic ink, we could draw circuits from the feystone slot to the enchantments. Since I am a wind mage, here is a simple recorder tool," the professor started to explain after he gave us all magic ink.


    Magic ink had six different elemental types. First, we had to draw a circle, and each circle could only serve one function. Consequently, we had to connect those circles. For example, the recorder that the professor used had two commands: the first command was to record the voice, and the second was to repeat the voice. After the circle was drawn, the mage needed to insert the command using their magic. This is the part where mistakes happened a lot. However, we could only connect two circles with this drawing. The three-command and the four-command circles would be taught next year.


    "Good work, Elidranthia. Illusion staff. The command is to touch, then use this illusion on the touched. This might come in handy for knights." He replied. Although his words were kind, it was all lip service. His eyes were blank.


    "Your eyes were mocking us," I gasped. I thought I said my thoughts out loud. It was the second prince who said it. He was being up- now. "Be honest, professor."


    "Well, haha. I guess you nobles have some sharp eyes when reading facial expressions. Is that a new skill? Relax, I didn''t demean you in particular. It was simply hard to be impressed by a twelve-year-old''s work. I am a sixty-year-old with over forty years of experience in this stuff. It was hard to get me excited with this basic enchanting." He commented while laughing. He smiled, but his smile didn''t quite reach his eye.


    School teachers never had any training to be teachers in this world. The academy simply hired the best in their field to teach us, hoping they would impart all of their knowledge to us. The teacher certainly tried; however, as you can see, some of them were rather arrogant and hard to please. Now that I think about it, Alex, our teacher from two years ago who taught us the basics, was the same.


    A light bulb popped in my head as a devilish grin crept out from me. I filled in my illusion staff with my mana. The staff was activated, and the magic was maintained. Then, I touched the professor''s back with it.


    "Hiyaa!" a funny yelp of surprise resounded within the class. A skeleton''s head popped and laughed before his face. Of course, dark magic only cast an illusion on the victim, so only the professor actually saw the skeleton.


    "Miss Eli, I must tell you that attacking a professor using magic is against the rules."


    "It was an accident that you touched the staff. Besides, a dark magic illusion is not considered an attack by the magic duel professor." I made excuses. It was a childish excuse, so childish that some children giggled at my behavior. The boring professor, though, was now amused.


    "Very well, I admit it was not an attack. Please be careful when handling magic tools, Miss Elidranthia. Magic tools are not toys."


    "Why can''t it be a toy?" I asked back.


    "Well, because it is expensive? Why should we use feystone for children? Moreover, if handled poorly, feystone could cause a deadly hazard. Such as, but not limited to, explosion, combustion, mental attack, freezing damage, and lacerations," The professor answered. But I noticed a hint of uncertainty in his words. I have never heard of a magic tool exploding. But it was true that raw feystone could cause such a phenomenon if handled poorly, such as being struck with a hammer.


    "Hmm, will it be profitable if I sell toys?"


    "Hahaha, well. It might be. But who would spend 50 silver or more for kids just to play around? Moreover, you have to switch out the feystone regularly." The professor laughed. "Amusing idea though. Continue your classes, lads."


    Stolen novel; please report.


    The classes continued. Now that I am no longer skipping magic classes, the prince''s ranking didn''t climb as he wanted. I sometimes overheard him dissing me for my scores. I realized I might not be suited either as a noble or assassin. I couldn''t keep my emotions from showing on my face.


    "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia." Prince Ludwin came for me in the afternoon with smiles on his face. I was amazed that he was able to greet me so cordially when he just badmouthed me in the morning.


    "Greetings, Prince Ludwin. May I help you?"


    "I sincerely apologize that the tea party was delayed so much due to that Western country''s fiasco. You must have been waiting for my invitation, and yet it never arrived. However, we have time for the aforementioned tea party tomorrow. Will you attend?"


    "W-when?" I asked nervously. I hadn''t been waiting for his invitation. In fact, the tea party had disappeared entirely from my mind.


    "Here is a formal invitation for you to attend our tea party at our villa. As promised, my sister will also attend." The prince smiled. I turned toward Alicia. The prince''s smile didn''t falter.


    "Alicia could come too as your handmaiden if you wanted."


    "Thank you!" I beamed a smile back to him. With Alicia on my side, I wouldn''t mess up too badly. She had better etiquette than me. Alicia, however, was not amused. A commoner from a random village entered a castle? This must also be a first for her.


    "What''s Ludwin''s problem?" Alicia grumbled at lunch in the cafeteria. Together with me, Safira, and Nana, she spoke ill of Prince Ludwin and even forgot his honorific. I was slurping on the strawberry juice without a care in the world. It was fun seeing Alicia so animated like this.


    "First, he badmouthed her with his friends, then now, he sweet-talked her to the tea party!"


    "That''s what nobles do. My dad often gossiped about unsavory customers behind their backs." Nana said. "He also often heard gossip about bad nobles too."


    "Alicia, with the war that''s been going on, Prince Ludwin must have been trying to secure cooperation from Eli''s family. That''s why he cajoled her." Safire, a baron''s daughter, claimed.


    "I know. I know. I know! But the way he approached seemed like he was interested in Lady Eli as a woman. You know! For romance! Not the business way. Curse be upon him if he used his honeyed words only to use Lady Eli."


    "Maybe it was a chance? Being a prince''s concubine was a prestigious title! Something that I could only dream about. It might even be better than my arranged marriage with a count''s first son to become his third wife. He was already over thirty years old by now! It was almost the same as marrying my father." Safira, finally fed up with Alicia, let out her own complaint. She was a water mage with talent 7. Water mages and light mages were the most desirable elements since only both of them could do doctors'' work. However, Safira had no intention of becoming a doctor. She wanted to become a patisserie, making cakes and stuff.


    "All water and light mages above talent 6 must become a doctor, my ass! Moreover, due to my high talent, I was being watched by that lecherous son of a count! Eli! At least the prince was the same age as you and didn''t look down on you directly, right! You have a better fate than me!" Safira started to diss me.


    "Excuse me for a moment." I left them for a moment to water some flowers. My card suddenly sent a magical shock to me from my pocket. This meant R25B needed to talk to me. When I was inside the toilet stall, I wore the earclip and spoke to him. This reaper job was a hassle.


    "R666, you are a noble child, right? Could you infiltrate the castle? I received a commission there." R25B went straight to the point. What a coincidence. Or was it?


    "How do I get inside? And what do you want me to do? Does it have to be a child?" I asked many questions. "Do I even have to take it? Wait, why do you need to call me using the card anyway?"


    "Let''s see¡­ a commission was put up. This is not a sure thing, but rumors about rebellion seemed to spring up in the capital."


    "HUH?? A rebellion?" I almost shouted. Rebellion here? On my doorstep? Why? Wasn''t the war in the western front or my county?


    "Yes. You see, there was a lot of dissatisfaction between nobility, mages, and ordinary commoners. So, when Duke Bron planned to move royal guards out from the capital, they will spring an ambush."


    "Huh? That''s insane. What would they hope to accomplish from that?"


    "We don''t know that yet. There were several commissions looking for information. You will be paid handsomely if you do figure it out. Among my 30 reapers, only 7, including you, were inside the capital, but none of them were nobles. So, I could only rely on you.


    "Ugh¡­"


    "The commission was not clear. But don''t be afraid. If your work has worth, we will pay you."


    "That''s not what I am concerned about. Rebellion in the capital? That means all of my friends were in danger! Besides, weren''t there still half of the royal guards inside the capital even when the first battalion moved out?"


    "We didn''t know that yet. Want some more shopping? Your equipment right now is lethal. You need something for apprehending. Your priority will be information gathering. However, you might need to take some assassination missions."


    "I think I need some of that paralyzing poison. How much does it cost?"


    "40 points for a bottle plus its antidote. It''s a high-grade, fast-acting poison. 10 seconds with a scratch on their limb, and your opponent will be immobilized. Careful though, if you apply it too near the heart or neck, you might kill your opponent."


    "I will take it."


    "Alright. I will keep you posted. Be careful; the royal guard will move out within two months. Your points will be deducted to 25P."

 Chapter 30: Juveniles Debate

    The day of the tea party soon arrived. Ludwin''s younger sister, Charlotte, was in attendance. She was only 9, and even though she was that young, she was the same height as me! Rage almost built up in me, but I suppressed it. This was a royal tea party. If she cried because of me, it could be the end of House Shadowstep.


    "Greetings, Miss Elidranthia. Welcome to my salon. I am Charlotte. We are pleased to receive you," Charlotte said adorably.


    "Your curtsy was very elegant, Princess Charlotte. I wish Lady Eli would learn from you," Alicia said. In the first meeting, she already buttered her up by mocking me. This Alicia needed more discipline. I was being too lenient with her lately. It was true, though; her curtsy was elegant. It must have been her clothes. Her blonde hair matched well with her pink dress, and her small stature gave off an adorable appearance.


    Behind her, Prince Ludwin snorted a laugh when my curtsy was mentioned. He immediately pulled out his prince persona and greeted me amicably. "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia. Thank you for coming. Our tea party here consists of many nobles from Bron dukedom. I am sure you will enjoy your time here."


    "Greetings, Lady Eli." Safira was in attendance. I forgot which baron she was from. Was it under Bron dukedom?


    "He¡ªGreetings, Lady Safira." I was about to say hello as usual, but Alicia elbowed me. I then fixed my speech and greeted her formally.


    "Just talking will be boring. I have brought games for you all. Look, a dart and towering blocks." Prince Ludwin copied my games from a few months ago.


    "This is only for fun; the loser will not be punished. The winner will receive a cookie from my sister Charlotte. Have fun, everyone!" Prince Ludwin was eyeing me. What a sore loser. He deliberately announced he would not punish the loser of the game. Was he traumatized being told to cook barbecues for two days during my party?


    "yay! I want to play too!" Charlotte said.


    "Of course you may, Charlotte. Enjoy your day with everyone," her nanny replied.


    "Wow, your style of parties is getting popular; even the prince is copying you. Tea parties used to be about sweets and flower arrangements. Now they include games," Safira said.


    "You sure know a lot of nobles customs, Safira. I am jealous, "I muttered.


    "Well, my family of Baron Kharn had been a baron since two hundred years ago. I could introduce you to all the attendees here, old and new nobles alike," Safira said. She then began to introduce the nobles one by one until Prince Ludwin interrupted us.


    "Greetings, I apologize for interrupting your nice chatting. Would you greet my sister? She wanted to talk to you."


    I was led to the princess'' personal table. Her smile was cute and elegant, while mine was stiff. Prince Ludwin talked about the country and the greatness of magicians, while Charlotte focused on dresses¡ªboth of which I had no idea about. The chat continued discussing mundane topics before, suddenly, they threw a curveball in my direction.


    "Lady Eli, what do you think of the current government?"


    "Huh? What do you think about it?"


    "Don''t you think mages should hold all the important positions?"


    "Why? I think the current system is already good enough."


    "Yes, Brother Ludwin. Why do you keep pushing for mages to become monarchs anyway?" Charlotte asked.


    Hmm? Was this the thing R25B asked me to find out? I suddenly came to a realization. If the rebellion was spearheaded by the second prince, it all makes sense. However, no matter how smart and handsome Prince Ludwin is, he couldn''t possibly lead the country as a 12-year-old kid. That means someone was influencing him.


    "Prince Ludwin, may I ask why you want to change the current system?"


    "Mages are close to mana. It is only right that we lead the people as the most capable. We are better than normal people. You should know that."


    "Hm¡­ what if I didn''t want to lead? Mages have other duties too, such as filling feystones and making magic tools. Doing government work on top of that would exhaust me."


    "Yes! You are correct, Lady Eli! Finally, some mages that understand my father''s view!" Charlotte screamed as she held my hand. A feeling of discomfort immediately permeated my hand. It was disgusting, as if something had crept beneath my skin.


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    "Eek!" I immediately pulled my hands out.


    "Huh?" Princess Charlotte stood dumbfounded with an outstretched hand. Her face was filled with despair.


    "What are you doing to Princess Charlotte!" The girls at the salon began accusing me.


    "Ah! I am sorry. Lady Elidranthia is from the countryside. She never experienced magic repellent tools!" Prince Ludwin clarified.


    "Ah. I am sorry! I will remove it now." Charlotte started to remove her necklace and bracelet, but Prince Ludwin stopped her.


    "No. Charlotte. It is important that you use it. Otherwise, you might get assassinated by magic," Prince Ludwin said.


    "I apologize, Lady Charlotte. I didn''t mean to embarrass you. I am sorry, everyone." I bowed to Charlotte and to everyone in the salon. Then I tried to hold her hands.


    "Alright! I can hold her hands. It feels uncomfortable, but if I know it is safe, it is not a problem," I said as I held her hands. The disgusting feeling crept in from my hands; however, it stopped there and never went beyond the arm.


    "Alright! Thank you, Lady Eli. I understand. My brother was also disgusted by it when he was held by my father. All the royal family needs to wear it for protection except when we are alone with family members.


    "But you didn''t wear it, Prince Ludwin."


    "I am a mage. I have resistance against magic." He said proudly.


    "I see. I apologize once more for my lack of knowledge."


    "Okay! You said that mages should not hold high positions, right? However, if someone who is more proficient came, it would be either mages or skill holders, right? Right now, I think the kingdom needs to change. We can''t be eternally relying on bloodlines," Prince Ludwin then continued his discussion.


    "If you don''t rely on bloodlines, how do you know if they are trustworthy?" Charlotte answered. "Does that mean I should not trust my brother or father who raised me?"


    "Ugh. Well. But we need to change!" The prince and princess were having a debate a kid shouldn''t be having. I was actually older than I looked. In addition to my previous life, I should be 28 years old by now. However, their discussion was not something I even heard back in my junior high school when I attended there once in a while.


    "Prince Ludwin. Why do you think we need to change? Who said that?"


    "Prime Minister Johan, my uncle said so. Moreover, not only the mages, but the internal ministry also said so, and he was not even a mage. That''s why I am certain that it is true. They said that if we don''t put some honor or special privileges into mages for their work, they will leave for another country because they are paid better there."


    "Hmm? How could another country pay mages better? I thought we were already paid very well. Even commoners are jealous of me and Alicia." I muttered. I only needed to work for a week before opening that three-day party full of beef meat, and fresh vegetables. Plus, all my knives, which often cost more than a gold, were easily obtainable by giving out feystones.


    "See, brother? That news about another country paying mages better was nonsense. I heard some top royal mages were paid even better than father''s allowance. It is impossible to pay them better than that. The only ones that left were useless mages. Even useless level 4 or below should still be self-sufficient if they could fill feystones."


    "But it is true there were some migrant mages that left the country. We need to do something," Ludwin said. Charlotte scrunched up her face, unable to reciprocate.


    "If you want to do something, then at least assign a guard for us¡­." Alicia whispered quietly. Her words didn''t escape my ear, though.


    "Huh? What did you say, Alicia? Sending us a guard?"


    "Eh, I-I apologize, Lady Eli."


    "Wait, did she say something?" Prince Ludwin asked me.


    " Y-yes. I merely whispered that if Prince Ludwin wishes to care for us mages, instead of assigning us to become government officials, we should get easier access to the Justiciars or guards."


    "Hmm? Why would you need the Justiciars?"


    "You see, Lady Eli and my lives have already been targeted twice. Moreover, my father also died because of me. Because I am a mage."


    "What?" Prince Ludwin said, astonished. "Ah! However, I heard Lady Eli was able to repel them. Surely, such greedy lowborns couldn''t match the strength of a mage. As they say, power comes with responsibilities!"


    "However, I couldn''t do anything. It was all Lady Eli. She defended me. Moreover, when I killed them, I felt guilty. Have you ever killed anyone, Prince Ludwin? When I sleep, I still picture the fear and the eyes of those bandits. They were cursing me. Have you ever felt your magic burn the person you love? Hurt them? Have you ever lost the person you loved because you are a mage? My father already called the Justiciars, but they failed to save his life."


    "Well, they are bandits. There is no harm in killing them. It was self-defense¡­" Prince Ludwin said. However, his eyes betrayed his words. "I see. Security, huh?"


    "Yes! I will talk with my father! If we provide security to mages, I am sure he will agree!" Charlotte said.


    "Yes! Good idea, Charlotte! Thank you, Alicia! With this, I no longer have to fight with my father! I will tell Minister Johann about this, too! Mages do not need to rule the kingdom, nor do they need a pay raise! All they need is security. And it is our noble job to provide them with safety! It is our noblesse oblige!¡± The prince smiled. His smile seemed 100% more genuine than usual. He even jumped and raised his hands like a twelve-year-old should.


    The prince had become more open now. However, all the credit goes to Alicia. He immediately interrogated her about what sort of protection commoner mages needed. However, I saw the girls in the salon grow hostile as the prince and princess seemed to inch closer to Alicia. Even when she wore her maid uniform, being seated next to me seemed to rub the peanut gallery the wrong way.


    Alicia, being the socialite she was, knew about the glare she received from the gallery. However, the prince didn''t care at all and continued his interrogation about the way we were attacked and how such a thing could be prevented.


    The dreaded tea party at the salon finally ended. However, a more sinister scheme had been produced.


    "Alicia¡­." I glared at her.


    "I-I-I didn''t know about this!" Alicia yelled.


    Before us was a royal invitation from the king to attend a secret meeting.

 Chapter 31: Royal Meeting

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    Refusing such an order was tantamount to suicide. We had to accept them. However, the letter specifically asked for Alicia. Now, she begged me to come. The situation had done a complete 180-degree reversal from the previous ball.


    "Lady Eli! You wouldn''t leave me alone to go to the castle, right? I am sorry for calling you a bothersome child before! Don''t leave me to meet with royals alone!"


    "Oh, my Alicia. How could I leave my precious friend to them alone? Of course, I would go with my precious little sister. Here! Give me your head."


    "We are the same age though¡­ ugh¡­ Older sister Elidranthia. My benevolent benefactor. Please. Come with me to the capital."


    I decided not to bully her too much. However, patting Alicia''s head felt fantastic. I felt like an older and more dependable sister. The fact that she finally knew her place filled me with bliss. After spending more time rubbing her head and accepting her on my chest (she had to kneel for that), we then proceeded to the castle.


    "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia and Miss Alicia. I am King Andre Seraphim, the king of Althemer Empire. This is Prime Minister Johan Seraphim, the prime minister of our empire and also my dear cousin. I apologize for such a hasty meeting, Lady Elidranthia and Alicia. I heard you have been very good to Prince Ludwin and Charlotte. Now, I have heard about the interesting debate our children have had with you. May we share the details?" The king introduced himself. Since this was a secret meeting, only six people attended: Me, Alicia, Prince Ludwin, Princess Charlotte, King Andre, and Minister Johann.


    "Ahh, I see why Prince Ludwin and Princess Charlotte seemed way too competent for that talk. They were regurgitating the king and minister''s words!" I thought. It was apparent by how they seated themselves. Prince Ludwin seemed closer to Minister Johan, while Princess Charlotte seemed closer to her dad.


    "Father, Eli and Alicia have presented an alternative to our predicament..." Ludwin then presented the alternative. Minister Johann then looked at us inquisitively.


    Ludwin''s solution consisted of noting every mage in the empire, then listing them as the kingdom''s personnel. This way, the empire could ''persuade'' mages to live in a certain area, ensuring that every region had a sufficient mage of every elemental. This might be difficult since people are not cows to be displaced at will. But the main objective is the list of mages in the kingdom. This should be easy. In fact, the kingdom already had those lists, though incomplete.


    Then, using those lists, he also proposed to do a periodic check on them by the justiciar, then lowering the fee on justiciar''s service. The king and minister didn''t like it, but he didn''t outright reject it. If there were more mages, feystone would become cheaper. It might even cover the cost of lowering justiciar''s price. But mages were wealthier than civilians. Why would they need to subsidize justiciar for mages? But direct access to help was indeed necessary. This is where my plan came in. We could simply hold a magic tool to ask for help. It was like a birdie alarm every girl had to deter lolicons.


    "Were these your own words? Or did someone prompt you?" The king asked Alicia.


    "It was my own words from my experience, Your Highness. When everyone knew I was a mage, my friends kept teasing me and spoke of jealousy for having such an easy life. Then my father died from the bandits hired by a debt collector to kidnap me."


    "Why do they want to kidnap you?" The king asked further.


    "Maybe for filling feystones? Alicia''s mana was even larger than mine," I replied.


    "I see. Will this satisfy the mage tower?" The king asked.


    "Alicia presented a unique case. However, her words couldn''t be dismissed so easily. Our intelligence has revealed some disturbing facts about the organization that kidnaps mages and forces them to fill feystones," Minister Johan said as he held his chin contemplatively.


    "Those fifteen mages wanted to leave this country to the south, right?"


    "Yes. They have made their preparation and will depart in a month." Hearing the minister''s words, Prince Ludwin gritted his teeth. "They felt unsafe here."


    "This is unacceptable! We should execute them immediately. Elidranthia and Alicia were right. Mages need more security than others. Just because we are mages doesn''t mean we are invulnerable!" Princess Charlotte and Prince Ludwin shouted. "Those fifteen were low-level mages. But they still provide mana for this country."


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    "The bandits are already dead, Your Highness. Sadly, the intelligence agent killed them in a scuffle." After hearing their report, I began to wonder. Was it me they were talking about? When I killed those bandits in that big building? The number fit. I wanted to shout that it was me! However, this report should be confidential. I could only remain silent.


    "I see. I will make the law after I consult with the other ministers. However, this will prove to be difficult. This law proves that we are not neutral toward mages and civilians."


    "Well, I also need to consult with the mage tower. The higher echelon was adamant about replacing several ministers with mages from their guild."


    "Are they planning a rebellion?" The king asked.


    "Not yet. They were looking to gain a diplomatic advantage. They didn''t like Duke Luca''s way of doing things."


    "Huh? Not Duke Bron? Duke Luca was neutral in the mage and anti-mage faction, right?"


    "I was surprised, too. Maybe they had some spy feeding them information or maybe they didn''t like nobles under Duke Luca. His way of doing commerce was questionable, after all. I will inquire about it."


    "Ah, they also hired ''that'' huh?"


    "Yes. Of course. Who doesn''t?" Johan shrugged his shoulder.


    "Should we gather from the source, or should we ask them politely?"


    "I believe asking them politely was better. Using ''that'' would be expensive, after all."


    "Huh? What are you talking about, father? Uncle?"


    "Nevermind that, Ludwin,"


    "So? What about our suggestion?"


    "It will be accepted after I survey the mages in the mage tower," Minister Johan said.


    "It will be made after confirmation that the mages and the Ministry of Nobles will end their dispute," the king said. He also smiled, "Thank you, Ludwin. You might have saved this kingdom. And you too, Lady Elidranthia and Alicia."


    "Your words were more than enough, Your Majesty," Alicia said, and I followed her lead. My lack of etiquette was showing again.


    "Yes!" Charlotte and Ludwin held hands and said goodbye to us. Before we left, the king gave us a plethora of cakes and cookies, which Alicia gladly received.


    "I see. Mages wanted to rebel and put Ludwin as puppets, huh? There was a discourse in the royal family about that. Thank you for your info."


    "Hey, R25B. Whose side are we on?"


    "Reaper guild does not take sides. We follow where the money goes."


    "Whose side are you on then?"


    "... I lived in this kingdom. I would be troubled if there was a civil war," he replied. His words made me feel at peace.


    "Does R4 side with the kingdom, too?"


    "I don''t know. He was shrouded in mystery. Ah! I also need you to infiltrate a noble house. Could you do it?"


    "Why?"


    "Using your info, I have pinpointed several nobles we need to keep an eye on."


    "Roger. I will be heading out now." I said while buying new cocoa juice. I then slipped in a sleeping pill and gave it to Alicia in our dorm. Sorry, Alicia. But you need to sleep now. I have something to do.


    <hr>


    "So, how does the survey go?" I asked Johan for the survey. With the suggestion of my children and the new noble, Elidranthia, I proposed a new law to my cabinet. It was not received well, but they ultimately agreed if the justiciar extended the protection to commoners, too. We could reason that it was not favoritism to mages but extended protection to all civilians. Ultimately, all agreed except the finance minister.


    "70% agree with the newly proposed law. Your Highness. Quite a high number. But, the other 30% was... problematic."


    "Who disagrees? I too have received complaints about the rising cost."


    "Yes. The moderate faction and pro-civilians agree. But mage elitists disagree. It was the same as usual. They believe they should be the ruling class. Oh, by the way, 20% of mages who wished to migrate will cancel their migration if this law is passed." The prime minister was all smiles. I too feel the weight has lessened somewhat. With war looming at Shadowstep County, our feystone supply took a hit. If civil war happened here, this country would never recover.


    "We shall proceed then. I am surprised my children are such competent and caring individuals."


    "I apologize for our earlier dispute. This shows that we are too distant from commoner mages. This law was made due to Alicia''s suggestion."


    "Maybe we could recruit Alicia to be our advisor in the future? She represents the commoner mages who are hated by nobles, ridiculed by noble mages, and leeched off by normal commoners. I heard she ranked second overall in the special curriculum."


    "I will try. However, she seems very attached to Elidranthia. People who have faced life and death together rarely part, my liege."


    "What a shame. We need more loyal mages like her. Ludwin, Charlotte, try to befriend Elidranthia and Alicia. Okay?"


    "Yes, father!" Ludwin nodded.


    "Ugh! I want to befriend them on my own! Don''t give orders! It makes me look like I have ulterior motives for befriending them!" Charlotte, my pure girl, complained.


    "We are royals. Our moves must all be calculated. Besides, it''s not like we''re trying to befriend Elidranthia to stab her in the back. I genuinely want to befriend Shadowstep and their county. It is vital for our kingdom for all nobles to be cordial to each other," Ludwin said. As expected of my son. I hope he will become an excellent prime minister one day, just like Johan is to me now.


    "Now, onto ''that.''"


    "Yes. The reapers. I will issue a commission to investigate some of my underlings. Which members are currently hostile to us?"


    "Baron Kharn seems like a greedy man. I will take a look at whether he has made dealings with foreign countries," Johann said.


    "Eh? But Safira''s family has been for us for hundreds of years," Charlotte said.


    "Her family might have been dissatisfied with being a baron since 200 years ago," the king said.


    "But we couldn''t simply promote them when they have committed many small transgressions. They got lucky with Safira. But then, they sold her off to some dukes. No wonder they stayed baron," Ludwin said.

 Announcement!! I have a new commissioned art.

    As the title said, an art i commissioned since chapter 10 (i forgot but it was almost a month ago) finally finished!!


    the artist gave me several version of it. which one do you think best?


    1. red comet + blue light


    2. normal comet + light


    3.Red comet+reddish light


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I personally liked number 3 the best.


    Here is the new book cover. i will change it in two or three days. by the way, even though the commissioned art was much better. i had some attachment to the AI art i used all this time lol.


    It was like, when i first found AI art, it was when i wrote parallel world connection and it was superb quality (At least that''s what i thought at the time) if you were the lucky few who managed to see the previous book cover of PWC, you should notice the difference between AI art and stock image from canva. but now i have commissioned an art from artist, it felt like i was climbing up the ladders. But AI art has supported me though 1 full fiction (the tails) i hope you understand why i got attached to AI art.


    the previous AI Art cover book


    and here is the new book cover:


    The wait was worth it. it took a long time to draw this, it was all thanks to your support in patreon that i was able to financially recover from buying this art . please comment on the impression you have from AI art to commissioned art and various version of our Eli (1,2,3)


    Credits:


    This art was commissioned to @ziachiart. his watermark was in picture 3.

 Chapter 32: Spy

    "Lady Eli, open your mouth! Aaa." Alicia fed me my breakfast at the cafeteria. The spying work I did last time bore no results, and I only got 2 points from it. Since I fed her sleeping pills in the evening, she slept until sunrise and was absolutely refreshed. Unlike me, who looked haggard.


    "I have never seen a noble who lets their maid do whatever they want like Eli. Alicia looks more like your mother now than your maid. We wouldn''t know if not for her maid attire," Nana muttered. Was I embarrassed? I was too tired to feel ashamed. I considered taking a sick leave. But I was not actually ill, so I got dragged by Alicia outside.


    "Lady Eli, it is not good to skip classes."


    "I already got good scores¡­"


    "It is no longer perfect like before, right? That''s why your teacher no longer allowed you to skip classes. Moreover, there are etiquette classes today," she said while wiping my mouth.


    "Nya¡­"


    "A! How cute!" she immediately rubbed my head. I glared at her.


    "Whoa!" Safira dropped her spoon. Nana also squealed in surprise.


    "Ah! Lady Eli''s glare! Don''t worry, Lady Eli. I wouldn''t hurt you!" Alicia continued to rub my head. She no longer feared my glare and seemed to ask for it lately. I tilted my head in confusion.


    "Was that Eli''s infamous magic impression?" Safira asked.


    "Yes. Sorry about that."


    "No. It''s nothing. I had one too. My body''s temperature was lower than normal. I got sick often during my childhood because of it. It was only when a teacher sent from the capital came that I was able to fix it two years ago."


    "Could you do it again, Lady Eli?" Nana said. Since there was no one in our immediate surroundings, I indulged her. Safira and Nana''s bodies jumped, but they held their voices.


    "It is scary, isn''t it?" I asked them.


    "Your face didn''t change. However, I felt a pressure inside my heart. It gave a sense of fear. Quite fascinating," Safira commented.


    "Lady Eli is not scary at the least! Her eyes are beautiful! If you get used to it, it gives you a sense of excitement instead! I love it!" Alicia raved about it, seeming proud to be able to withstand my intimidation.


    "Alicia¡­." I turned off my intimidation. Safira and Nana gave out a sigh of relief.


    "Whew. That was quite an experience."


    "Haha. I wonder what led Lady Elidranthia to develop that kind of magic impression? It was said that magic impression was formed due to our innate desires. For me, I adored ice when I saw an ice sculpture in the winter. That''s why I have that kind of magic impression. What about you, Nana?"


    "I don''t have a magic impression," Nana admitted. She was the same as Alicia then. When she looked at the clock, she picked up her bags in a hurry. "Let''s go. We are almost late."


    The lesson went by in the blink of an eye, and night soon came. I slipped out of my dorm and went to the noble quarters. The guards were patrolling, but they stood no chance against my camouflage and illusion. The target this night was Baron Kharn.


    Just like last night with other nobles'' villas, I jumped the fences with my skills. Since the door was locked, I went through the chimney. Chimneys were still used despite the smokeless magical stoves, either because they were fancy or added there as extra windows. Nobody thought a thief would go in there. It was too small for an adult.


    Then, I crept into various rooms. The doors leading outside were locked, but doors inside villas were often left unlocked. These noble manors often had the same designs, just slightly fancier or worse, to denote their standings. After opening the study, I installed several wiretaps. These tools were expensive. I would have to pick them up again next week. I groaned every time 15 gold coins of these magic tools were left in somebody else''s house.


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    "Alright. This and yesterday will make up for 5 houses under our surveillance. Don''t forget to check any documents in their drawers or study. Photograph them if you find something interesting, especially if you find any finance reports."


    "Will these be worth it? We spent almost 60 gold coins here."


    "You are such a child. If we found evidence of corruption, we could prevent thousands of golds in damage. Moreover, we could score a good relationship with the country. Or if they didn''t want to budge, we could use this as blackmail material."


    R25 B''s words slapped me with some reality check. Just as he said, I was still a child. 60 gold was more than a year''s worth of salary for peasants. But here, the guild risked it to spy on random houses of nobles. R25B even admitted that since these were just villas, we might not even get anything.


    After I photographed everything, I unlocked the window and left the villa. That''s how I rolled for a week. In total, I got paid 20 points for my trouble. When the king then made an announcement about the new law for mages, mages were happy about it. However, commoners were a bit conflicted. They were delighted about getting protection, but they seemed a bit irked since they knew it was mainly for mages.


    "Lady Eli? Are you okay? You seem easily exhausted lately." Alicia muttered as I rested my head on the school table. She didn''t feed me since I was grumbling all the way. The capital felt peaceful. However, reports from R25B were anything but. The discordance between what I saw and what R25B said was making me nervous.


    "Eli! How was school today! We would like to have you at another tea party!" Prince Ludwin''s voice jolted me awake. I stared at him, releasing my intimidation. "Eli? Who is Eli? Why didn''t he use any honorifics?" my thoughts screamed in irritation. But Alicia swiftly covered my eyes with her hands in a practiced motion. She was used to doing this.


    "Greetings, Second Prince Ludwin Seraphim. May I help you?" Alicia greeted him.


    "Ah! My apologies, Alicia and Elidranthia. I came here merely to invite you to another tea party. This law seemed like a success, and I wanted us to have a party together. Will you come to our salon?"


    "Lady Eli seems to be under the weather lately. We shall see if we could make it there?"


    "Very well. I shall await your response." Ludwin smiled as he waved goodbye.


    <hr>


    "Happy birthday!"


    "I love you, honey,"


    "AH! AH! Oh my God. It feels so good."


    A mixture of voices came from multiple wiretaps R666 installed in noble villas since a week ago. It ranged from nobles having affairs, parties, and lukewarm dinners. The Ministry of Defense had issued a quest to gather intelligence on a possible rebellion. R666 had a tip from the royals. The focus of the intelligence gathering was then moved from commoners to nobles.


    "We spent hundreds of gold planting wiretaps in your houses. But all you do is copulate like animals¡­" I muttered.


    "R25B, how is it going there?" R24B asked for my progress. Five operators with an extra ten reapers were tasked to monitor the wiretaps. In total, we put surveillance on over 30 houses plus the financial reports R666 and others photographed for us.


    "Nice! I got a porn audio tape over here. You want it?" My flat voice denoted full sarcasm mode. She chuckled before returning to her desk.


    "Lol. I don''t want a fat-ass porn audio tape." She said "lol" instead of laughing to humor me. She too was tired of listening to some nonsense.


    "R25B. Will R666 be more available? She only clocked less than 3 hours for a critical mission last week." Senior 3 was pressuring me.


    "R666 has already done more than her share of work, didn''t she? She has noble duties, too."


    "Ah! She was a noble? I forgot. Then, would it be possible to sneak into the castle?"


    "Huh? But why? It''s impossible to plant a wiretap inside the castle. Moreover, she is a new noble. Why don''t we ask R25, R145, or R224? They are nobles, too." I answered.


    "R224 was missing in action yesterday. He screwed up. R25 and 145 are not in the capital. I did not want a wiretap but a recorder. Will that be possible?"


    "Who''s going to pick it up? If the castle is cleaned and it is found out, R666 will be screwed. I know you are impatient. But we shouldn''t endanger our agents."


    "Ah! Found it! Found some evidence!" R24B exclaimed. "Here! The finance report of Baron Kharn reads that he earned more than he should."


    ¡°Huh? Wait! Let me see! Isn¡¯t this just a normal bribe because that fat ass sold his mage daughter to some nouveau riche count or viscount¡¯s son?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. That could be it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe there wasn¡¯t a rebellion and the Ministry of Defense simply jumped at shadows?¡± I said slovenly to Senior 3.


    ¡°Maybe! However, the fact that R655 found weapons in an abandoned building in the slums raised an alarm throughout the ministry. Some of them were mining explosives, too. The ministry wants hard proof there was no rebellion, and if there was, they wanted proof of who did it. The commission is 1000 gold! Divided among all participants.¡± Senior 3 shouted to encourage us all. But we knew it was just a market scam. We employed many reapers and personnel. That 1000 points will be divided into many, and even the guild takes a cut from it due to the tools the guild provided.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡± I sighed.


    ¡°Listen! The weapons have been found by those damn reapers! What about the other locations? Huh? What? Do you want to change the plan again? Let''s meet at the castle tomorrow! The underway will be secured; I will make preparations.¡± The sound from wiretap number 6 caught my attention. The sound was male. Did he talk through a phone? Only his voice was heard inside the villa.


    ¡°Alright! Alright! Got it. So, plan C? I need to talk with Mala then. Yeah. Okay! Hail King Stephen. Glory to Elderan Empire.¡± A shudder came up within me all at once. Spy from outside? Among nobility?


    ¡°Sir, I found something,¡± I reported my findings to Senior 3.

 Chapter 33: Counter Rebellion

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    "R666, you are a noble, right? You have been invited to a tea party, right?" R25B asked me in the middle of the night. Well, not exactly the middle of the night, but his timing annoyed me. I was about to doze off.


    "Hm? So?"


    "I want you to go to the castle tomorrow."


    "Ugh¡­ I don''t wanna¡­" I whined. Facing that prince was such a chore. Moreover, I was tired from sneaking around all night for a week.


    "R666, this is a serious matter. If this mission is successful, your reward could go up to 50 points. Bring a recorder with you."


    "I don''t care about rewards¡­ I don''t wanna go to the castle! I don''t wanna skulk around spying! Let me kill something!" I could almost hear an audible sigh from R25B. But I am tired and bored. This menial work is not worth it. Even when he said 50 points. I am just a child and a mage. Why do I even need that much money?


    "Please, R666. You are the only one who has a connection to the royals. We need to get into the castle tomorrow! Pweaseee!!" His childish tone to appease me irked me more. I am not a child. I am an adult on the inside.


    "Alright. Alright, stop acting like a baby. I will go there¡­." He really knew how to butter up people, didn''t he? I went to Prince Ludwin the following morning and asked for the tea invitation.


    "Eh! You want to go to the second prince''s tea party?" Alicia said, astonished.


    "Yes!" I chirped. "Prince Ludwin, you said you wanted to invite me yesterday, right? Could I come there now?"


    "Of course. My sister has been waiting for you! Please rest assured. You are also invited, Alicia." Ludwin smiled. His smile seemed 40% more genuine than usual. "I shall see you this afternoon. I hope you will enjoy our tea party, Lady Elidranthia. And you too, Alicia.


    "As you wish, Your Highness."


    "Listen, this phone is not registered with the royal guards. The castle is designed to prevent wind mana from sending information out. That means our communication will be a one-way street," R25B said as I was inside a carriage with Alicia on our way to the castle.


    "Your mission is to sneak out from the tea party. Make some excuses, like going to pick flowers or something similar. Afterward, make your way to the underway."


    "What''s the underway?" I whispered to the card, hidden from Alicia''s view. From her perspective, I should only appear to be gazing outside the window, enjoying the scenery.


    "The underway is the secret passage royals prepared if there was an emergency. It leads to multiple passages outside."


    "Wow, you guys knew that? Isn''t that supposed to be a secret?"


    "Of course. We even have a complete map of it. No secret could stay secret for hundreds of years. Well, I am afraid our enemy knows it, too. That''s the target anyway."


    "I see. The enemy will attack us from the passage?"


    "No. From our intelligence, it is supposed to be a meeting."


    "We don''t even know when the meeting will commence. I can''t stay there forever!"


    "No. Your job is to open the passage. You see, to prevent infiltration from the outside, this underway is locked. You need to unlock it."


    "Do you have the key?"


    "You do not need one. It''s just moving a lever from the other side. These passageways were meant for emergencies. If royals who passed it forgot the keys, they would be screwed. That''s why they installed a simple lever instead."


    "I see. Then?"


    "Then, I will send R663 to your location. He will be the one to wait in the passageway with the recorder for two days. Hopefully, we will find the spy."


    "Wow. How clever!" I exclaimed. "Alright! I will do my best!"


    "Please do. We all rely on you, R666."


    After I superimposed my cartographer tool inside my reaper card with the maps R25B sent me, I breached the castle. First was a welcoming greeting toward the prince and princess. Then, after one or two hours of waiting, I asked for the toilets.


    However, big trouble occurred. A guard was escorting me to the toilet and waiting for me. Fortunately, the washroom had small windows, small enough for me to fit through. Using my skills, I jumped through the two-meter ventilation and hopped out, beginning to execute my mission.


    I wish I had glasses that sync to my Reaper Card. If I did have them, I would have a HUD display about my whereabouts in this giant castle in real-time. However, since the said glasses cost fifty points, I had to make stops and check through my reaper card''s maps.


    The underway was not so hidden. I was expecting a magical tool like the one we had in the reaper''s HQ, but the underway was located in a kitchen and covered by a door. Just like what R25B told me, after ten minutes of walking through the narrow and branching stone corridor reminiscent of a medieval dungeon, I reached a dead end.


    It was a dead end, but R25B already told me how to open it. The wall at the corner here is actually a door. The fifteenth stone from the bottom could be pulled out to reveal a doorknob. Then, you only need to pull the lever inside, and the door could be pushed open.


    "!!" I held back a scream as a young man with a scarf over his face greeted me.


    "Good work, R666."


    "Greetings. Please find the rebels and the spy."


    "Of course! Rest assured. God save the King. Long live Althemer Empire." He then performed a military salute. The salute was crude compared to the knights. From that, I knew he was just mimicking the knights. He probably does it for money and merely says that to appease nobles. I smiled nevertheless at his encouraging words.


    "May our mission be successful. You and I work in the dark. However, we serve the Light. Our failure will be seen, and our success hidden. Hidden it may be, nonexistent it will not, for it will be felt by many as natural as breathing air and eating bread. It was nice to see a fellow comrade. May God bless us all." I performed a noble curtsy while copying lines from games.


    We then parted ways as I returned back to the tea party.


    <hr>


    "Son, remember, we are not knights. However, our work is equally important," my father said countless times. We were on the veranda of an inn inside the capital.


    "Yes, father. For the Althemer Empire!" I screamed my patriotism.


    "Good! See this kingdom? It is not a paradise, but it is the only one we have."


    "If only the nobility cared more for us and the mages were not so greedy. We could do far more." I complained.


    "That''s not right, son. That''s not the problem this kingdom has. See there, that''s the problem. The small part of it." He pointed toward a lazy husband making his wife do all the work. Then he also pointed toward some scums extorting storeowners.


    "I see. They were small-time criminals, not worthy of being brought to justiciars or even local soldiers. However, small things accumulate, and then they fester in our society."


    "That''s the small fish. Sooner, they get smarter. You see over there, once they get enough money, they lend it to others or pull off scams or bribe soldiers to make their business more legitimate. Harass other stores, etc."


    "We should kill them!"


    "No. We should not. Our work is to shed light on the eyes of our leader. They will be the ones to sweep them away,"


    "I see. You are awesome!" I reminisced about the time with my dad. He worked as an intelligence officer. We hopped around the empire, trying to gather information about criminal activity.


    "Remember, society should not be repressed. We need to defend the weak. Corruption is intolerable,"


    However, some corrupt nobles he investigated turned the tables on him, and he was killed. Knowing that my father had angered some prominent nobles, none of my relatives took me in, and I lived in a slum as a menial laborer with a salary of less than 5 silver per month. Just barely enough to eat. That was when I was only 12 years old.


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    I lived like that for two years. Work was hard to come by for someone who didn''t have family, skills, or magic. In this world, the strong took from the weak. Many stole from us, and I resisted in vain until a man clad in dark approached. A single swing from his blade and all of my bullies were dead.


    "Boy, wanna join my guild? You are that man''s child, right?"


    Turned out he was a member of the Reapers. Even in the slums, I knew about the infamous Assassin Guild. The members were feared by nobles, mages, and commoners alike. When he extended his hand to me, I slapped it.


    "I won''t be joining bad guys. You need to defend the weak! Not repress them!" I wavered. The guild paid its members well. Everyone knew that. However, my father''s words kept ringing in my ears.


    "Then do it. Defend the weak by joining us." His words shook me to the core. I could help the weak by joining them? He was right. If I was feared, I could defend the weak better. The guild could provide me with money, and I would do justice with it.


    I extended my hand to him. He smirked. "Wise choice. You are certainly that man''s child, huh?"


    He then trained me for two years before I was officially recruited by the Reapers guild. Everyone knew what the reapers were. However, they also didn''t. They only knew the reapers to be hired assassins or spies willing to do anything for money. But they didn''t know we had a choice. I later learned that my dad was also a part of this guild. My dad and this man didn''t take all commissions. They only took the ones that came from the government. That worked wonders for me. I could uphold my father''s teachings, and my living environment would improve. And so, I worked tirelessly for them for two months now. The work was challenging. I am just a kid from the slums with no magic, no skill blessings, and no money. However, I will persevere, for I love this country.


    "R663, we have reapers inside the castle. She will open the door for you," R25B briefed me about my mission.


    "Roger."


    "Greet R666 for me. She is our rising star."


    "She is just a noble brat, right? Why would reapers recruit her? Do they need reapers inside nobility that badly?"


    "She has talents. She possesses skills and magic, too. She was recruited by that R4, you know!"


    "Why would someone like that join Reapers? Did she take proper commissions from us?"


    "Ack! You hit the sore spot. My boss has been nagging me to increase her working hours, but she did take our commissions, mostly for spying and reconnaissance. Those damn seniors didn''t even care they worked a minor here. Hahaha."


    The friendly banter soon ended when the wall inside the well was pushed open. This underway connected to many exits, one to the well inside noble quarters or the sewers to the slums, and it even extended outside the city. R4 asked me to wait at a particular spot with recorders in my pocket.


    The hidden passage revealed a girl who can''t be more than 12 years old. However, her eyes were different from that of an average kid. I felt an instinctive fear when gazing at her eyes.


    "Good work, R666," I whispered, but my voice still echoed in the narrow hallway. She must have heard me. I then nodded to continue my mission. After entering, I was supposed to hide in the kitchen until someone else entered the passage.


    "Greetings. Please find the rebels and the spy," she said to me in a polite, noble way. Oh yeah, we were reapers. We didn''t know each other''s identity. I knew she was a noble, but she didn''t know I was a kid from the slums. So, she treated me like fellow nobles. How naive. But I liked it.


    "Of course! Rest assured. God save the King. Long Live Althemer Empire," I said, offering a military salute. I had never enlisted, yet I wanted her to understand that, even within a faceless guild, my heart still beat for this nation and its people. However, her response astounded me.


    "May Our Mission be successful. You and I worked in the dark. However, we serve the Light. Our failure will be seen, and our success hidden. Hidden it may be, nonexistent it will not, for it will be felt by many as natural as breathing air and eating bread. It was nice to see a fellow comrade. May God bless us all," she said. Her childish voice betrayed the contents.


    It shook me to the core. She must have been at least 5 years younger than me. I was kidding myself. She could look at my attire and know I was a poor commoner. Yet she still called me a comrade. Moreover, she encouraged me. My dad died being hated. However, I knew his work was not in vain. Public order in the region where my dad worked turned for the worse after his passing. Extortion was rampant, and then the rich and capable people fled the region. Without any mages nor artisans, the region soon devolved into a rural, unknown village.


    She left before I had a chance to react. She knew what work we did. She was a mage and noble. Unlike me, who worried about what to eat for tomorrow, she had all the luxuries in the world. Then, why would she risk her life to join a dangerous reaper guild like this? "I see. She was the same as my dad. She had something to protect, so she was the rising star, huh?"


    "R663, heads up. You won''t be able to contact me once you are inside."


    "I know. I will do my best. I just need to hide in the underway and wait for two days. Right?"


    "Yes. Don''t forget to close the door."


    "Roger."


    I planned to spend two days living in the underway with recorders on me. I was residing in the slum. As long as I had something to eat and something to drink, it didn''t matter where I lived. However, it turned out that I didn''t need to camp out for that long. I hadn''t even taken a single bite of my rations when footsteps were heard in the distance. R25B had mentioned the meetings should be tonight, but he still gave me rations for two days just in case.


    A man walked suspiciously, glancing alternately to his left, right, and the map he held. I had already memorized this underway, and so had R666. This man was just a greedy noble, used by outside forces to undermine our kingdom. I wanted to kill him right here and now, but my mission was to gather intelligence.


    ¡°Damn! It stinks here. Why must a noble such as myself have to come to this godforsaken place? Couldn¡¯t he set the meeting somewhere more aesthetic? A plebeian¡¯s restaurant will do. Why here?¡± I photographed the grumbling man as he turned toward another exit at the end of the tunnel.


    The man then opened the tunnel entrance while glancing at his pocket watch. I waited a little bit far behind with bated breath. I needed to find evidence of his wrongdoings. Doing so would save hundreds, if not thousands, of poor children in the slums.


    Minutes felt like hours, but a man with a hat finally arrived. His wet shoes made distinct footsteps in the tunnel. The noble greeted him with a smile.


    ¡°Greetings, Lord Mala. We finally meet. As requested, I have opened the passage for you.¡±


    The noble then spoke in a more elaborate and ornate manner to the man called Mala. It didn¡¯t ring any bells. I needed to consult with R25B later about who this Mala was. He seemed important. Could he be a noble from another nation?


    ¡°Stop with your chattering. Now, with half of the weapons gone, we couldn¡¯t overtake the castle. I will consult with Minister Sebastian from the mage tower. Meanwhile, I will use this passage for my agents. You said you wanted to kill someone?¡±


    ¡°Yes! That Prince Ludwin was an eyesore! Thanks to him, justiciars will be sent to my fiefdom, and my records will be checked. The royals too. He should stay quiet. Johan was easy to manipulate as he was easy to sway. But that damn Ludwin messed up my plans. That creepy child too. I underestimated that brat.¡±


    ¡°Now, now, you''re going to ask me to kill a royal? And a mage on top of that? You must be joking. Where are your loyalties?¡±


    ¡°They are not my liege. My loyalty lies with money.¡±


    ¡°I see. Baron Denah. Elderan Empire will surely grant you your promise. 1000 gold to you and Baron Kharn for this rebellion. You should prepare yourself to flee outside the capital.¡±


    ¡±Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ hold on a moment. Let me step away for a bit.¡± He stepped outside the door while holding a box beside his ear. He must have phoned someone.


    ¡°Yes. If we could kill Slane members or Luca members, they would surely petition Bron to pull the troops, and Shadowsteps would be ours. Yes. Hmm? Okay. Just put that thing here? Alright. No action, huh? Wait. Who¡¯s there!¡±


    My heart jumped. I almost instinctively ran, but I held my breath. I didn¡¯t make any sound. How did he detect me? Is it a skill? No, if it is a life-detecting skill, he would have found me long ago. As he walked closer to me, I saw a rat scurrying away. Did it sneak up on me to steal my rations?


    As soon as it was out in the open, the man unsheathed his blade, and the rat was bisected in two. My eyes popped from their sockets. The man was a skill holder. Fear gripped me. If he found me, I would be dead. I began to tidy up my belongings. I already have enough evidence. It was time to go.


    ¡°Fucking rat. Should have set this meeting in the restaurant instead of here!¡± The noble cursed. They were so close that I feared they heard my heartbeat. Only one intersection separated us.


    ¡°Someone is here. That rat was carrying bread in its mouth,¡± he said.


    I sprinted at once, forgoing all of my stealth. The two men immediately ran after me upon hearing my footsteps. However, I was already far away. The winding path proved to be to my advantage. The path reached a dead end. My hands scattered to the wall. Not bothering to count the fifteenth stone from the bottom, I scrambled my hands to each of the bricks before I found the one I was looking for. Pulling the lever, I slammed the door open.


    ¡°25B!! I am being chased!¡± I grabbed my big-ass phone used for commoners as I climbed the well. The world was unfair. Mages only needed a card, while a commoner needed a box.


    ¡°Where are you? Who chased you? The guards or the target?¡±


    ¡°The spy! I got it! I found the spy! He is from Elderan!¡± I breathed air in and out of my lungs as my racing heart began to settle.


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°Just one! With that bastard Denah. Kharn was also involved,¡± I said while taking a breather on top of the well. No noble used this well; it was merely for aesthetics ever since the invention of tap water. But that only applied to nobles. Not us in the slums. My clothes were not fancy enough to go unnoticed here. If anybody caught me, I would be screwed.


    ¡°Roger. Did you need reinforcement?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I am in the noble quarter. I need someone to get me out of here. I couldn¡¯t get back to the underway.¡±


    ¡°Roger! Help is on the way. R666 will support you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I was ashamed to ask for help from a kid. But she is a noble. At least she could get me out of here.


    ¡°Stay alert! Did you lose him?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Maybe? No. I didn¡¯t lose him!¡± I unsheathed my shabby sword as a figure jumped out from the well. I looked around and judged I needed to make my last stand here. If I turned my back to him, I would meet the same fate as the rat he bisected earlier.


    ¡°Damn it. We have been found out!¡± The man cursed. The noble soon followed him, climbing pitifully like apes.


    ¡°Kill him quickly!¡±


    ¡°We have been found out. He already took out his phone. That means the reapers have found out about us. The plan failed.¡± The man said. Hope started rising within me.


    ¡°Yes. You are right. If you leave now, I won¡¯t chase you. You will have the time to escape before the guards arrive.¡± I said. My voice was shaking, which made him smirk.


    ¡°You must kill him now! Destroy his camera and recorder. If they send proof to the ministry, I am finished!¡±


    ¡°Ah, you are correct. It seems like I can¡¯t let you go now. I would be troubled if you were to be executed.¡± He unsheathed his sword and swung at me from over ten meters away. I paid close attention to his blade as if my life depended on it. As soon as I saw his sword swing, I rolled out. The slash made a small gouge behind my position a second ago.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± he cursed as he dashed at me. He knew I figured out his secrets.


    *clang


    Our blades crossed. Visible chips started to appear on my blade. Each time we crossed blades, cracks began to form. Then, with an upward swing, my blade broke.


    ¡°Ack!¡± a croak sounded from the noble. A few seconds later, a knife flew at the hat man. He blocked it with his sword. A dark figure arrived.


    ¡°Hm¡­ a small figure clad in darkness from magic. Hehehe. So, you are her?¡± The spy muttered. He knew her?

 Chapter 34: Reinforcements

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    "R666! Answer! R666!" My card was ringing me. I picked up my earclip and shouted at him.


    "So noisy! Do you know what time it is!" I complained right to his face.


    "R663 is requesting backup. You are the only one in the area."


    "Hmm? Why would he be in the noble quarters anyway?" I tried to jog my memory. If I recall correctly, the underway''s exits branched into multiple locations such as noble wells, slums, sewers, and some even led outside of the city. Why did he pick the one that leads here? Did he forget the underway''s map?


    "He was being chased by the target."


    "I see. I am on my way." I replied. His situation reminded me of my own reconnaissance. I almost died there. After putting on my cloak, I left my villa and ran to the well.


    "How many targets?"


    "He said one skill holder. Proficient with swords. He is currently engaging them now. R666, in the worst-case scenario, you must retrieve the Kamera and Recorder."


    "Roger." I hastened my steps and found them. The young man was crossing blades with a man wearing a hat while a noble-looking man was skulking behind the hat man. My mana sight shows that the noble was preparing some spells. I threw my throwing knife laced with paralyzing poison at him. He croaked like a frog.


    The other two turned toward me all at once. My shadow covered half of my face, so I was not worried. But the hat man recognized me immediately.


    "Hm¡­ a small figure clad in darkness from magic. Hehehe. So, you are her?" he chuckled.


    "Have we met before?"


    "Well, you are a bit famous. Not many have fled the three musketeers saint alone and lived to tell the tale."


    "You are from Elderan," I growled. He might be strong. However, this world has no levels. As long as I can embed this knife into his throat, he will die like any other man. Moreover, I had new paralysis poison coated on my blade. He then swung his sword from a distance. Waves of mana flowed toward me, but I sidestepped the slash, and it passed by me harmlessly.


    "Whoa. You dodged that easily. As expected. I couldn''t win easily against the children of gods. But I heard this empire''s children of gods are slothful, never trained. Let''s see how you fare up close."


    We charged at the same time. His blade swooshed in, but my trident dagger blocked it. Then, with my stiletto, I thrust in. He dodged it, but his moves were wide, and thus he was unable to retaliate. He was gaining distance from me, and I let him.


    He stepped in with an overhead swing, and he swung at me with such confidence. However, I had already put him under an illusion. I stepped away from him as he cut my illusionary body. From his perspective, I must have tried to block his sword with my trident knife in vain as he overpowered me.


    "Hah! You are no big deal! You think you can parry me with that thin knife of yours?"


    I looked upon him from a distance away as he dwelt on his glory. Something about him irked me. He then swung his blade sideways. I dodged his sword aura. He used a skill. However, unlike my skill which consumes stamina, his skill seemed to use mana. Even though he was not a mage, he could still use mana? This world sure has no absolutes.


    "You are smart. But your bloodlust failed you this time," he spoke as he turned in my general direction. He could not see me, but he could sense me. His words irked me more. Ugh. Why am I so annoyed? My heart started to race as I looked at him. Unlike before, when I faced the musketeers, I felt no danger this time. I could take him on. I wanted to kill him.


    I spread my tentacles across my body as I crouched down before charging him. He was sweating; he was afraid. Yet, he didn''t run. How amusing.


    I charged toward him with the intent of finishing him. As he swung his blade, I parried with my trident dagger, and then, within my cloak, my dark tentacle stabbed him using my throwing knife coated with poison. The battle finished in an instant as I retreated back.


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    "This trident knife is crap. Its blade was chipped and almost cut off," I muttered while looking at the paralyzed men before me. As I disarmed him and the nobles, I reported back to R25B.


    "They have been captured. May I go back to sleep now?" I said with a hint of sarcasm in my voice.


    "Really? Excellent job, R666. Of course, you may go back to sleep. I have contacted my client. He will send an appropriate person to retrieve the package."


    The battle left me feeling unsatisfied. I kept looking at the noble and the man. My knives were still drawn. The fight was over. I should go home and sleep. But when I look at their defenseless bodies, I want to carve them up. Stabbed them. Pierce their throat.


    "R666, thank you for saving me." R663 undid his scarf and showed me his face. He was a young man and still could be a teenager. R4, my mentor, said none in the reaper guild were scared of my eyes. And yet, when I glared at him, I could sense fear. He was not in the reaper guild. He feared me. I should kill him.


    ¡°R666?¡± He called me again. It knocked me from my stupor.


    "Huh? Sorry. So, how are you going to leave? Should I escort you to the noble gate, or will you leave through the well?" I blushed as he called me and tried to speak nonsense. I also undid my darkness cloak and revealed my face.


    "Well, R25B said they will send an intelligence agent here. I will hand over the package."


    "Sorry. But I will leave now; I couldn''t face them."


    "Yeah. You are too young to be believed as a reaper. Let me handle it from here. Once again. Thank you." He smiled. His smile was beautiful. He could be more handsome if he bathed more.


    "Bye-bye," I said while running away. My face blushed.


    Returning home, I went back to my bed and buried my face in my pillow. In my heart was a mixture of emotions. Unsatisfied, I had the urge to kill, yet when he smiled, my frustration disappeared. It was similar to when I looked at Alicia lately. My body calmed down somewhat, yet it was replaced with embarrassment.


    I fell asleep. In my dream, I met Elidranthia again. She didn''t smile this time. She inched closer and hugged me tightly. Something felt repressed within her. Something unsatisfied. The red moon shone behind her as the red comet turned dark. I woke up, and it was noon. The sun shone through the window, blinding me with its light.


    "Alicia?"


    "Yes, Lady Eli?" Alicia entered. She was replacing water in a jug and had just returned.


    "Why didn''t you wake me?"


    "You slept soundly. I didn''t want to disturb you. Besides, today is Sunday."


    "I see. Oh yeah, today is Sunday." I muttered.


    "I will bring you lunch. Have you reviewed our lesson? Let me bring lunch to our dormitory from the cafeteria, okay?"


    "R666! Good work last night. The intelligence army has interrogated the suspects. Baron Denah was easy to talk to. But this guy, we call him Mala, was silent. However, we have a strong conviction he was from the Elderan Empire."


    "Anything new?" I yawned in sarcasm as I talked to him. I already knew from the way he spoke and about the three musketeers that he was from the Elderan Empire. I didn''t know anything about the Elderan Empire except his name. However, in the webnovel, the Elderan Empire was hostile to this nation because we accused them of helping the Western coalition. Yet, there was no formal war declaration between us.


    "Well, thanks to you, we have figured out several of their weapon locations. Moreover, Baron Denah will be released."


    "HUH?? Why? He is a traitor to the crown!" I raised my voice before realizing I was too loud in my dormitory. Alicia was currently ordering my lunch. She could come any moment now.


    "Well¡­ that''s where we come in. An assassination request has been issued for him by the Ministry of Defense, of course. You see, the kingdom negotiated with that baron such that they would release him if he paid a hefty fine and provided information about all of his wrongdoings. In this kingdom, it was hard to enact the death penalty under normal law. There were a total of thirty assassination quests, totaling 200 points. It is for Baron Denah and the other possible members of the rebellion or assassination attempts housed in the slums."


    "I see. Should I kill them tonight?" I whispered to hide my excitement. My blood seemed to boil over at the prospect of being able to eliminate bad guys.


    "No. Not yet. Don''t kill them too early. The client said we must wait a minimum of 1 week."


    ¡°Aw¡­ that shucks¡­.¡± I whined. My excitement was rising, and he doused it with cold water.


    "Lady Eli. Here is your lunch!" Alicia opened the door while carrying a tray full of bread, soup, and fruits.


    "Thank you, Alicia. Look. I have finished my homework. It was easy," I said while opening my workbook. The only thing I needed to work on was my dancing.


    "Wow, nice work as always. You are very quick on this!" Alicia praised me. I smiled back.


    "Where are yours? Let me teach you! You have problems with maths and history, right?"


    "Sure! Thank you, Lady Eli."


    For that day, I was incredibly restless, making it hard for me to keep my mana locked. The class today talked about mage history. I noted several things regarding this lesson since it was not fully mentioned in the webnovels.


    Mages in this world had six elements they might be adapted to. Alex, my previous tutor, already mentioned this. However, he didn''t mention the history of mages. Before the invention of magic tools and feystone, mages had very distinguishing tasks, and people could see which kind of mage they were at a glance. Fire mages usually worked in the furnace, helping weaponsmiths. Light mages and water mages were doctors. Earth mages were construction workers.


    That time was the dark time for dark mages. No pun intended. Dark mages were often associated with mind manipulation. They were often hired to torture criminal nobles without harming the body or to give pleasure without actually engaging in the affair. That''s what they did in civil affairs.


    For military affairs, dark mages were also the least favorite. They were often employed as tutors for their illusion magic. Wind mages were messengers, and fire mages were artillery on top of the castle. Fire and wind were the most precious things during wartime. But other mages were also in high demand, except dark mages. Water and light mages worked as doctors and earth mages were involved in wall and fortress construction.


    Dark mages were often discriminated against during that time. However, with the advent of magic tools, their discrimination lessened because other mages could perform tasks from various branches of magic. Furnaces could be powered by feystones, clean water purifiers could be powered by feystones, pulleys for construction could also be powered by feystones. Cement makers were powered by feystones. They even had tractors and cars, although horses remained the primary and cheaper transportation method.


    The end of dark mage discrimination occurred during a war 200 years ago. Our small kingdom at that time won a decisive victory due to inventions like cannons, flamethrowers, and explosive traps¡ªall of which required feystones. The kingdom, now an empire, began to view feystones differently. Feystone channeling became incredibly important, triumphing over discrimination. They immediately monopolized all feystones, regulated their prices, and ensured their production.


    After the exciting history lessons and other boring ones, one week passed, and the kill quest was finally confirmed.

 Chapter 35: Night Killing

    "Great news! Your achievement this time has granted you 145 points, bringing you up to 192P." However, his words entered one ear and exited the other.


    "So, about that baron," I urged him to hurry up, growing impatient after a week of waiting. During this time, my thoughts were consumed by fantasies of my dagger piercing their bodies. Armed with my karambit, dagger, stiletto, five throwing knives, and swordbreaker dagger, I found myself equipped with more weapons than I had hands. Although, with the ability to control up to 10 dark tentacles, I could wield them all if I desired.


    "Of course! You are free to kill him now! By the way, you are competing with R663 and other guild members. It will be a first-kill, first-prize basis."


    "Tell me the name and place. I will leave Baron Denah for last."


    "Roger. The slums are the place. If you find proof of rebellion, you will be further compensated. There are five places in the slums. I will assign you to one, 663, and two other newbies to another, and the rest were not tasked to me."


    "Okay?," I replied while humming, unable to contain my excitement at finally escaping the monotony of reconnaissance missions.


    It was a crescent moon tonight. As I gazed at the moon, I couldn''t help but think it would be stained with blood today. With the coordinates provided by R25B, finding the traitors'' location was easy. I brought my recorder and camera too, just in case they were innocent.


    "I am a bloodthirsty psychopath. However, I have standards," I kept telling myself to avoid becoming like the real Elidranthia in the web novels.


    I examined the building¡ªa short, one-floor structure. However, R25B mentioned a dungeon beneath it with smuggled weapons. If I discovered weapons there, it meant they were guilty, and I could eliminate them without repercussions.


    <hr>


    The night was serene, and our rebellion plan drew near. With its success, Prince Ludwin that mage elitist would fall, and our kingdom would finally be liberated from the tyranny of the mages. We envisioned a life of prosperity and freedom.


    Baron Denah had warned us about the danger posed by Prince Ludwin. Ludwin had successfully influenced the king to enact laws protecting the mages. While the king and nobles were meant to safeguard the kingdom, mages were intended to contribute to its wealth and prosperity. However, all we experienced daily was a meager ration of bread, as the mages and nobles took the lion''s share of wealth. Nobles, who were once as impoverished as us, inherited lands from their forefathers. Through generations of perseverance, they attained peerage.


    But what about the mages? They simply relied on luck during the magic exam ceremony and earned more than nobles without demonstrating loyalty to the empire. How did they deserve such privileges?


    The rebellion was supposed to commence two days ago, yet there had been no word from Baron Denah. It seemed that issues, possibly involving spies discovering our armory''s location, were causing delays. In the worst-case scenario, we might have to undertake the mission with only these limited weapons¡ª20 bullets and three magic muskets. How could we confront the combined forces of knights and mages in the castle with such few guns?


    "Attack! We are under attack!" My underlings shouted as they grabbed whatever weapons they could find. Approaching with a musket in hand, I inquired, "What happened? Where is the attack?" After emerging from the basement, where we had concealed ourselves so well that the establishment appeared as an average tavern from the outside, I found my men holding their weapons without purpose, scanning left and right.


    "I-I don''t know. The guards outside are dead! And two more people upstairs are also dead."


    "Huh? Are you saying we got hit by some invisible monster?"


    "Ack!" A knife stuck to Denis''s throat, and he dropped lifelessly.


    "Huh?" Denis was beside us. I didn''t see it? Who did it?


    "Hihihi." A girl giggled. "You can''t see me?"


    "Ack!" another one dropped dead, and then a small girl appeared before us with bewitching red eyes.


    "Watch out! We are being attacked with magic! This must be an illusion! Where is the purifying water?" Goblins and trolls spawned from the girl''s shadow.


    "Monsters!!"


    "Calm down. It''s just an illusion!"


    "Ack¡ª!" another one dropped dead. It''s supposed to be an illusion. But blood poured out from his neck like a fountain.


    I ran downstairs to grab purifying water from our supplies in the basement. Together with five men, we went downstairs. The basement only had one exit. I would be able to see him.


    "Hahahaha." Laughter came from the door, and the little girl from before came out while humming. "Traitor? traitor? come out and play?"


    "Why is the girl still there? Where is the man? Are we tricked? Is this not a magic purifying water?" The boys started to panic. A black shadow began enveloping the girl, and tentacles poured out. She no longer looked like a girl but a monster with a human torso as she sauntered toward us.


    I fired my musket at her in panic. A loud explosion rang through the room, but she didn''t even budge. Did I miss? Or was she an illusion? She then strolled toward us.


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    "AAH!!" We were in a frenzy. We grabbed everything we could¡ªchairs, tables, mugs, and even pans. We threw them at her. However, she dodged it. Her tentacles receded and sprouted back out from the back, each of them holding a varying blade. As the tentacles flew toward us, I knew my life was at an end.


    "I should not mess with the country. Those scums even employed monsters like this to hunt us." My vision fell as I lost strength within my body.


    <hr>


    "La?la?la?" I skipped along the house, rummaging for evidence of their wrongdoing before a blue box emerged before me.


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    <td style="width: 98.9548%">Blessing of the Killing Star has risen to level 4.


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    - Vampiric Stamina


    - Improved Kinetic Vision Level 1


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    The blue box informed me that I had leveled up. Why did I have so many options to become a vampire? Did the Killing Comet want me to become a vampire? I wondered about the criteria for leveling up these skills. I killed 12 people and then leveled up. I killed another 8 and leveled up again. But now, after killing more than thirty people, it only leveled up once.


    "I cleaned out this house! There were three muskets with several bullets," I reported back to R25B. "I found three magic muskets. They are from the empire, which means someone in the military has been sending weapons to these guys. But they couldn''t even use them."


    Magic muskets were much simpler to use than prehistoric muskets back on Earth. Earth''s muskets required you to insert gunpowder inside a tube, then jam it with a stick. Following that, a bullet was inserted, and it needed to be jammed again with a stick. Finally, using a flintlock trigger or a fuse, you ignited it from the breech, and the weapon would fire.


    Magic muskets only needed a bullet and a feystone to be inserted. The process was different and lacked a breech. After inserting a bullet, a feystone was placed on the trigger lock. Then, after pressing the trigger, the musket would fire. However, these muskets were the new version. They had a breech. Unlike Earth''s muskets, the breech could be used to insert the bullet, speeding up the reloading process. However, the breech must be closed before firing. Otherwise, the bullet would lack penetration power or might not even leave the barrel, just like the mistake these guys just made. They didn''t close the breech either because of panic or because they didn''t know.


    "Can I keep one of these muskets?" I asked R25B. These muskets were described in the web novels, and it went to great lengths to explain them. I wanted one for my collection. You could even attach a knife as a bayonet here!


    "Of course not. How are you going to explain it to other people in your dorm if they found it? You couldn''t hide that 1-meter musket, could you? You already had trouble hiding a single bottle of poison."


    I whined but ultimately gave up on it. These magic muskets were old compared to those in the web novel that would happen in two years, but they were still fairly new now. Even my brother hadn''t seen the new muskets, only the old ones. Enough about muskets; now, I have another prey to hunt. The house of Baron Denah. I returned while skipping through the noble gate, sneaking around with camouflage.


    Baron Denah''s house was a few blocks away from my own villa. I approached his house, draped with my dark tentacles as a cloak. A person came out. Baron Denah came out by himself just to meet me. Or did he?


    "Damn it. I got house arrest! Luckily, the empire could be negotiated with. I need to contact those lowborns and inform them about the plan cancellation. Shit! All the money I put into them went up in smoke. Huh? Who are you?" Baron Denah muttered to himself as he walked outside before meeting eyes with me. He asked me who I was before his face turned pale.


    "Wait. The damn empire hired reapers for this? Damn! I already paid them three hundred gold!" He ran back to his house without locking the front door. I followed him merrily. All noble villas had the same structure; if he came through the back exit, he would still need to circle back through the front gate, as this one didn''t have a back gate.


    Surprisingly, he didn''t run to the gate but to his study. I skipped my steps as I chased him, taking my time. He had no place to escape. As he entered, he didn''t even lock the door. I opened it only to find him ransacking his desk and grabbing his phone.


    "Hey! Handler! Someone sent a reaper to me! Hurry up and cancel it! How much? Alright! 500 gold!" He spoke in panic before turning to me.


    "Reaper! Stop there. I have talked to a handler! You don''t need to kill me! He will pay you double!"


    "Hmm? R25B, could he do that?" I questioned him.


    "Wait. Yes, a request came in just now. You will be paid 220 points for letting him go."


    "Huh? What about the previous request?" I was confused. A feeling of anger and irritation welled up in me. It took my all not to shout back at him.


    "Well, the kill quest for Baron Denah will be canceled if you accept this offer." I was stunned. Money could buy everything here. A laugh welled up in me. There was no way I could follow these orders.


    "The kill commission should have been canceled! If you don''t believe me, here is the phone! The handler confirmed it!" Baron Denah said. I burst out laughing.


    "Hahaha! Kill commission? Who cares about that!" I said as I came closer to him.


    "Huh? Wait a minute! If you are not a reaper, I will pay you directly! Just spare me!"


    I threw a knife at his chest. The throw was weak, but the paralyzing potion should keep him from escaping. As he crawled, he came to a stop. The paralyzing potion must have worked by now. I unsheathed my trident dagger. When I stabbed it into his belly, he screamed, but I ignored him. Then I drew my other dagger, this time my new swordsbane. As the blade entered his chest, the feeling was no different than the trident. As I expected, a stiletto was the best at stabbing. I thrust it into his skull. The blade entered smoothly, and he stopped screaming.


    "Did you kill him?"


    "Yes."


    "Ouch. Well, there goes our extra points. I will tally your points later. But why? Are you that patriotic? R663 was also the same," R25B complained. But I realized something. I wanted to kill him. I didn''t know why, but I wanted to kill him. The realization made me sick, but my body felt elated.


    "I just feel like it," I said as I looked toward the moon. It was faintly red today.


    <hr>


    "How is it?"


    "The rebellion has been squashed, King Andre of Althemer," Handler 5 reported as he knelt before me. "Denah also died."


    "Hmm? Why? Didn''t he make a counteroffer?" Johan asked him.


    "The reaper ignored the cancel commission," Handler 5 said plainly.


    "What? Does the reaper have a personal grudge against Denah?" I asked.


    "Information about reapers is not for sale, milord. However, we are now in a predicament. You didn''t make a counter-counteroffer. Yet the reaper continued on with your commission anyway. Will you pay for his work?"


    "Yes," I said. "It was a shame Denah died. We could have dealt a more significant financial blow to his faction and could possibly trace his leader. Could he seriously spare 500 gold? Nevertheless, I am interested in this reaper. R666, right? I will ask for him next time. He seemed loyal with justice on his heart and not just some money-grubbing thugs like you."


    "Very well, my liege. I am glad to be working with you. I am sure R666 would also be glad to work with you." Handler 5 then left as he smiled. My mockery went to deaf ears with these guys. It gave me a sense of dread that they could ignore words from kings such as myself.

 Chapter 36: Elidranthia Part 2

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    In my dream, I found Elidranthia skipping on top of the dead bodies I had killed. She was joyfully jumping on the corpses, playing hopscotch with them. Her giggles, accompanied by her red eyes, were mystique and enchanting. She then turned her gaze towards me, her mirror image, and skipped in my direction, fixing her red eyes upon me.


    No words were spoken, but I felt a bit repulsed, and she knew it. "Why did you kill him when there was no profit to be made? That was against the order. Do you truly enjoy murdering people? Torturing them?" Such thoughts were transmitted to her. No one could lie in this place. All our thoughts, all our feelings, all of our beliefs were laid bare. I didn''t mind killing one or two bandits; video games and novels do it all the time. But the way she¡­ the way we do it was unsettling. The satisfaction bubbling inside me was making me nervous.


    Elidranthia then approached me and extended her hand to my face. It was cold and soothing. Then, a vision came to me. In the dark forest, my grandfather and my mother were having fun chatting with me and playing with a rabbit doll, but there was no sound. They opened their mouths, but the sounds of horses, carriages, and the clanging of metal were absent. The doll was battered, but I liked it that way. The path was narrow and lifeless. The moon was red, marking the arrival of the red killing star. I knew then that it was just moments before I arrived in this world¡ªthe moment when my grandfather and mother were killed by monsters.


    Then, the carriage abruptly stopped. Our guard knights, four of them, were engaged with monsters. Four knights seemed a bit excessive, even when guarding the head of a house. The path to County Shadowsteps was already cleared. No monsters, barring a single or two goblin, were supposed to be encountered here.


    However, what lay before us was a group of over thirty goblins, two trolls, and an ogre. It was about a quarter of what we usually encountered in the northern forest with over 200 knights guarding it. Grandfather quickly picked up his sword and went out to engage them with the knights. If only he had his war axe, we might have had a chance. But all he had was a ceremonial sword from the capital.


    Mother was looking at them with a worried face, but she comforted me with a forced smile. ''It will be okay,'' her mouth gestured to me. The clash between the knights and the monster was intense, and the muted sound from her dream made it even more impactful. Elidranthia was not afraid. She looked at her grandfather with excitement. Even with a sword, her grandfather battled with valor befitting his name¡ªthe war hero of Althemer.


    Everyone except Eli missed it, but Grandfather''s movements suddenly turned sluggish. I didn''t know what happened, but the symptoms reminded me of the paralyzing poison we had just acquired. Then, a slam from a troll''s club ended his life. With grandfather gone, the battlefield turned for the worst. One by one, our tired knights fell. Mother then looked at me with a ghastly face. She hugged me as she cried. ''Please, God, protect her,'' her mouth moved to form the words in the silent world. With little time remaining, she put me in a box, then opened the carriage door and threw all of her belongings together with a box containing me. She then raced the horse, trying to break the encirclement by force. Eli didn''t know what happened after, as she was inside a box. But from the reports of Zach and the others, the carriage was found nearby with my mother''s mangled corpse. Brother Zach and Father mobilized over seventy knights to scour the forest after that incident. After eliminating those monsters, they declared the road unsafe, and carriages had to detour, avoiding that route and traveling should not be done during the night.


    Eli didn''t know how long she was inside the box. The box was unlocked, but she didn''t dare to get out. She thought Mother was feeding her to the monster at that time and cried incessantly. Fortunately, her crying didn''t leak out, nor did it attract the monster.


    When hunger kicked in, she opened the box to get out and found a serene forest still in the dark of the night. The night was getting redder than before, and she rummaged through her surroundings to find food. All food and water were littered beside her, together with other things her mother threw away. Her grandfather and his soldiers were already dead, with crows and rats feeding on their bodies. Days had passed with Elidranthia staying at that place filled with fear. Slowly but surely, as she bathed in the night of the coming of the Reaper comet, fear soon became her home. Elidranthia then looked toward me as her red eye glowed.


    I never knew what intimidation felt like, but when I saw her eyes, I understood. The pressure, fear incarnate. The avatar of fear manifested within her window of the soul. The memory trip soon ended with Elidranthia looking at me again, smiling. I smiled back, and we hugged.


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    Birds chirped from a distance as I woke up from my dreams. Melancholy filled me when I reminisced about it. The vision was so vivid compared to the memory of what Eli gave me when I first came to this world.


    "Lady Elidranthia! Good morning! Eek!" Alicia opened my door while carrying breakfast but dropped it when she saw me.


    "Come on, Lady Eli. Why are you not suppressing your mana? You scared me. I dropped our breakfast just now, geez¡­" Alicia said as she picked up the tray she dropped. Thankfully, the breakfast was a sandwich with a glass of water, so it didn''t create a lot of mess. She then looked back at me before turning aghast," Lady Eli? Oh my god. Why are you crying?"


    "Eh, huh?" I raised my hand to my eyes and found it was wet on my cheeks.


    "Lady Eli? Are you okay? What happened?"


    I organized my feelings. My mana was harder to control, and it took several breaths before I relaxed and handled it. "Sorry, Alicia. Is it okay now?"


    "Lady Eli. What happened? You have never cried before!" Alicia hugged me.


    "I am sorry. I just had a bad dream," I replied.


    "It''s fine! It''s not your fault. It is those bandits'' fault!" Alicia hugged me tighter.


    "Let''s go to school. We are late," I dismissed Alicia''s nonsense and picked up my bag.


    The day went by uneventfully at least until lunch. Elidranthia ''s expression kept me awake through the lesson, but nothing went into my head. So, that''s why she was such a psychotic murderer, huh? She was trying to find her grandfather and mother''s killer.


    "Lady Margareth, may I help you?" Safira turned to the woman approaching me. I ignored her as I wallowed in my own melancholy.


    "Will you please get off my Ludwin? You''ve already attended his tea party twice, right? Are you eyeing royalty?" This kind of harassment again? I stared at her like a cat in that particular meme against a shouting woman. I had forgotten her face since six months ago.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about, Lady Margareth. Lady¡ª"


    "Shut it, commoner. Although it''s annoying that Lady Elidranthia is getting close to royalty, it''s even more absurd for you, a commoner, to even face His Highness.¡ª Hiek!"


    Calm down, Eli. She wanted to pick a fight, but I must not be baited, I told myself. But it was challenging to control myself after such a dream.


    "I apologize, Lady Margareth." Alicia and I bowed to her. She was a higher-ranked noble. This was standard aristocratic etiquette. "We merely acted on Prince Ludwin''s request."


    "Good. Please stay away from him. I am also a mage, so he is the most suitable for me."


    "Elidranthia! I have been looking for you! I apologize for yesterday''s tea party; our chef and menus are still new. Do you think I could make it up to you at our next party this Sunday? My sister was glad to meet you!" Prince Ludwin barged in just as Margareth was about to leave. I rolled my eyes at her glare when Prince Ludwin greeted me first, but not her. It was not my fault!


    "Ah, greetings, Prince Ludwin." My smile was stiff as Margareth stared daggers at me. However, everyone seemed to take this day to be totally oblivious to my bad mood.


    "So, this Sunday evening. Is that alright with you?"


    "Prince Ludwin, I was not invited to this tea party of yours. May I ask why you invited Lady Elidranthia but not me?" Margareth asked. She sure was brave to ask a prince directly like that.


    "Hm? You are Lady Margareth, right? Why should we invite you? You have ignored our invitation before."


    "What!? That butler sabotaged me!" Margareth shouted aghast. "I didn''t receive that invitation!"


    "Your butler said it would be unwise for Lady Margareth to come alone since only Duke Bron and Duke Slane''s faction attended."


    "Ugh¡­"


    "Well, in that case, I would ask to be granted permission to invite all my retinue. They would gladly come over."


    "Ugh¡­ Those Manaless loan sharks?" The prince scrunched up his face. Oh yeah, Alicia was a mage despite being a commoner. So that''s how he saw things huh? "I will ask my father about that¡­ but maybe no more than three?"


    If I remember correctly, Duke Luca was an ardent supporter of the first prince. He was the richest of all three dukes. The book didn''t depict him that badly. However, his greed was natural. His greed was a running joke for the book. This was his daughter? Wasn''t she a bit too arrogant for that rotund merchant who kowtowed to the first prince at the first chance of opportunity?


    "I thank Your Highness for his magnanimity." Margareth, now defeated, tried to excuse herself.


    Duke Luca was a new duke appointed from the merchant guild seventy years ago. His territory oversaw the large sugarcane farms in the west and also the owner of magic tools copyright. Theoretically, magic tool copyright was owned by the empire. However, someone had to manage the permission for mages to make magic tools, and he willingly put himself at the front. People knew the three dukes as the three managers. Duke Slane handled politics, Duke Bron handled military and security, and Duke Luca handled commerce.


    "So, I shall see you on Sunday. You too, Alicia." Prince Ludwin left. The atmosphere froze as glares from other students intensified. I looked at them, and other students averted their eyes. Some even openly discussed us. Little did I know their target wasn''t me but Alicia. I grew increasingly irritated.

 Chapter 37: History and Animosity

    The school subject explained the history of our Althemer Empire in a little more detail than what my father did in his free time. Prior to the decisive victory 200 years ago, Althemer was a vassal of the Theocracy of Mana in the southeast. The king at that time was a mage, and his retinues were also mages. Instead of being merely called King David, they were referred to as King David, the child of mana, signifying our status as vassals to the Theocracy of mana in the east.


    War became inevitable to the north and west. The Theocracy and other eastern kingdoms planned to sacrifice Althemer to buy some time. King David chose to stand with his kingdom and face death. However, his loyal retainers, Duke Bron and Slane, refused to surrender. Alongside their retinue, they innovated by creating cannons and flamethrowers. After toiling day and night, filling feystones and crafting tools, they marched into war.


    Unlike their master, King David and his retinue used ordinary commoners for war. He gave them weapons. And thus, with the help of feystones, the minuscule army of a hundred mages could expand into a hundred mages plus two thousand commoners with magic weapons. Since many casualties were commoners, it didn''t hurt them much, and thus, he managed to hold his capital. After he won a defensive war, he launched a counterattack and pushed them back. His victory changed the tide of the war. The losing and defensive side were now an attacker and the winning one. All thanks to the cooperation of both mages and commoners.


    King David''s merits were recognized, and he became famous. However, no good deeds go unpunished. He earned much ire from his peers for providing weapons to commoners. Despite the pressure from other kings, he didn''t abandon his commoner knights who had died for him and elevated them to the ranks of nobility.


    The ranks of nobility followed a bloodline and not mages with mana, as taught in the teachings of mana previously adopted in Eastern countries. However, mages were still considered nobility, so David''s son, despite not being a mage, had to marry a count''s daughter who was a mage. This trend continued until the fifth generation seventy years ago. The breaking point was when the king had to marry a knight''s daughter. This hurt the nobles'' feelings, and prejudice against mages and nobles intensified until the current king''s grandfather decided not to take a mage bride.


    King David''s son and grandson then won many other wars. The method of utilizing commoners with mages backing them soon became their primary strategy until the opponent caught up with the technology a hundred years ago, and the war turned into a stalemate on the current Western front. By the way, my grandfather and great-grandfather won wars on cleaning up the northern area and were thus promoted to our current count status.


    The eastern alliance with the Theocracy was about to declare war on us, but it was stopped by the Theocracy. They knew they couldn''t win against us in direct confrontation, even if they had a casualty ratio of 10 to 1 in their favor. They used pure mages in their military, after all. During combat, even mages proficient with blades could only handle three to five knights with magical weapons. Mages comprised only 5% of the population. They knew they would lose. So, the Theocracy allowed our independence and hoped for an everlasting friendship, at least on the surface.


    Thus, the history lessons. My teachers also promoted loyalty to the empire and spoke ill of the other kingdoms. As mages, they would love to go to the eastern country. But rank four magic was discriminated against there, just like barons. Moreover, the work was tough. You had to work from dawn until night. They used rank four instead of talent level four in the southern and eastern countries.


    When a student asked about the western nation, other students and teachers laughed at him. It was a common conception that western nations were barbarians who held mages as prisoners and sucked their mana day and night. However, I knew it wasn''t exactly right. The webnovels started there, after all. While some western countries did precisely just that, Claire''s small country was not one of them. It was like ours in government. But her people were naturally less racist towards mages. The novel mentions a revolution and coexistence between mages and commoners. Claire and the prince wanted to do that in this kingdom, too, which brought a boatload of problems with our alliance in the south and east, and the second prince and most of his supporters didn''t like it.


    Such was the history of our nation. This history didn''t matter much to me. It already happened a long time ago, after all.


    "Lady Eli, could I talk to you for a minute?" a female student walked up to me the day after that lunch. Who was she? Wait, I think I saw her during Brother Zach''s wedding ceremony. However, she never introduced herself. Where was Alicia during this important time? The socialite Alicia must have known her.


    "Hmm? I am afraid my reputation precedes me. I thought I saw you at my brother''s wedding. However, I believe I missed the chance to be introduced to you?"


    "Ah. Yes. You are right. We are in different classes, after all. I studied in general education. My name is Ronya. I am Duke Bron''s first granddaughter." She then gave a curtsy. I believe she had been following me since the fiasco at the cafeteria. The cafeteria was the only place we could bump into each other if we were in different classes. The fact she studied in general education meant she was neither a knight nor a mage.


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    "Greetings, Lady Ronya." I also gave a curtsy.


    "Lady Eli, I was curious about your relationship with Alicia. It seems like she wanted to steal a march on Prince Ludwin from you. He has been talking to her quite a lot, even at the previous tea party, and even now, when you are away. Look! The prince is talking to her there in the cafeteria." Ronya pointed toward the chef, and true to her words, the prince was greeting her. He probably asked about my schedule with Alicia. To be honest, I didn''t care in the least. But, was that how people perceived us?


    "I didn''t like the way the prince approached Alicia. The law about nobles marrying mages was supposed to be abolished fifty years ago." she started to berate Alicia.


    "Ah! Are you aiming for Prince Ludwin, too?" I started to connect the dots. But my answer was so far off the mark that it left me confused about her intention.


    "Uhm¡­ well, I am not a mage, so I could not compete with Margareth or you. But I could not accept it if Alicia, the commoner, had a chance." she gritted her teeth. She then gossiped again, "The way the prince talked to her so casually irked me that I even lost sleep! Aren''t you agitated, too?"


    I am an otherworlder. That noble stuff is of no concern to me, but let''s just nod to ease her worries. She seemed like a good kid, after all, I thought while looking at her. She had long, straight hair with a slender figure. She was even taller than Alicia, even though we were the same age. She looked more like she was in grades above us. She lost utterly in the breast department, though.


    I felt disgusted with myself for feeling glad at her flaw. I then smiled more. "I never thought non-mages or manaless like that. I am the only mage in my family, after all. I am happy with how they treated me. So, please, don''t bow your head to me. You are higher-ranked in nobility."


    "I see. Thank you, Lady Eli. I see that your intimidating eye betrayed your inner self. You are a very good person," she smiled back. "Good to see mages were loyal to our noble system."


    "Lady Eli! I have been looking for you. Here is your lunch!" Alicia hugged me from behind as she put my lunch on the table.


    "You are a maid, right? Why are you so clingy to Lady Elidranthia?" Ronya''s face turned sour.


    "Ah, my apologies, Lady Ronya." Alicia quickly bowed and took a distance from me. Alicia knew the proper etiquette. She just didn''t follow it when she was with me. She gets clingy sometimes, possibly because she had no more family by her side.


    "Ah, you are invited to Prince Ludwin''s tea party, right? I also wish to come, but I wasn''t invited¡­" she said forlornly.


    "Hm¡­ maybe you can come with me, then? I will ask Prince Ludwin to allow you to come."


    "Really? Thank you!!" Ronya said.


    "Alicia, let''s go meet Prince Ludwin."


    "As you wish, Lady Eli."


    Unlike Margareth, Prince Ludwin easily allowed Ronya to attend the tea party as my guest. However, he noted that Ronya was in a bad relationship with her second brother, who is a mage level 4, and the household also doted on him. Unlike her other siblings, Ronya was suspected to have deep jealousy with her brother.


    "Why does she have deep jealousy, though? She is female, right? Females can''t continue the house unless they take in a bride from other noble houses¡­" I muttered a while later after my meeting with Prince Ludwin.


    ---------------


    I hugged my pillow in excitement. Lady Elidranthia was kind to me even when she was a mage, unlike my brother who kept bullying me as trash or unsoldierlike. My first brother was blessed with a skill, my second brother was a mage, and my youngest sister was also blessed with a skill. Only I, Ronya Bron, was a useless granddaughter of a duke.


    Whether in appearance or skill, I didn''t have much. My grades were average, I am tall, so boys avoided me, and my breasts were small, too. I am unattractive, unlike that wretched commoner Alicia. Even my arrogant second brother was aiming for her.


    The day of the tea party arrived. Lady Eli was picking me up. Even though I am a duke''s daughter, Prince Ludwin only accepted me as Lady Eli''s guest. However, since nobody supported me, I finally understood that they were correct. Eli was a mage. I was a duke''s granddaughter in name only. My future was a simple military accountant, something that even a baron could do. I even got a stink eye for that position.


    "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia, Alicia, and Lady Ronya. Welcome to our tea party. Charlotte and I have been waiting for you. Today, not only do we have cakes, but we will also have ice cream prepared by Lady Safira!" Prince Ludwin said gleefully as he entered the tea party venue. It was the first time I have been to a royal tea party. It reminded me of my birthday before my magical exam ceremony.


    "Oh, and I also prepared some beef! If sweets are not to your liking, you can always have a more fulfilling meal." Prince Ludwin smiled.


    "Yay!" Lady Eli raised her hands like a little kid. Alicia quickly went to the barbecue and cooked some for Lady Eli and herself. She then went to the playing zone for boys, playing some darts or throwing rings. I didn''t follow her and opted to sit down with the rest of the girls. This is how girls should be, talking about clothes and flowers. All of my siblings always talked about swords.


    "Greetings, sorry to impose on you. But, may I know your name?"


    "I am Ronya, the first granddaughter of Duke Bron."


    "Ah! Duke Bron! How''s the preparation on the new northern front? Did you come here to make relations with Lady Eli? I see you guys came here together. Preparing for such a sudden war must be exhausting. Even the royal guards were mobilized, you know. That hasn''t happened since seventy years ago!" someone asked me with excitement.


    I froze. I didn''t know anything about the military. It was never my intention to work with those sweaty men. I was promised a job as a clerk, but it was not enough to answer her questions.


    "Ah, the preparations are going well. Lady Eli said so. It was a sudden attack, so my grandfather was not amused. He often had fights with my father and uncles." I fabricated a harmless story.


    The tea party went stiff afterward. Knowing they couldn''t get any information from me, they left me alone, and I went home with Lady Elidranthia, who was cheerful to the very end.

 Chapter 38: Letter

    "R666, your mission tonight is to deliver a threatening letter to Baron Kharn. Make sure you remain unseen when infiltrating his house," R25B instructed me.


    Another stealth task, I thought wearily. The previous one was dull. Moreover, wasn''t Baron Kharn Safira''s father? Well, he was a corrupt figure, alright. I wondered what would happen to Safira if Baron Kharn were caught by the Justiciars. His name was mentioned in the previous rebellion.


    The task was relatively straightforward, worth only two points. After activating my camouflage, I slipped the letter inside his house through the crack in his windows. There were other tasks in the capital, but reconnaissance and tailing someone were out of my reach. They would disrupt my school time.


    "R25B, wouldn''t it be simpler if we just killed Baron Kharn¡­"


    "He was corrupt, yes. But the empire wasn''t enraged enough to warrant his death. He has been with the empire since forever, after all," R25B answered. "But his recent dealings raised concerns for the Ministry of Defense."


    "I see. If something happens to him, please tell me, okay? At least, I want to save Safira," I said. It was a mere premonition, but I didn''t believe Baron Kharn would live long enough to see us graduate. Moreover, if he did survive, Safira might be married off to some unsavory characters. It would be ideal if there were an assassination commission for him, and I could take Safira to my county.


    "Baron Kharn oversees the distribution of military goods and weapons. He is not the only one there, of course. That''s why we assume he is merely following someone''s orders. Well, even if something happens to him, Safira will be safe. The kingdom couldn''t possibly kill a level 7 water mage. She is more valuable than you, magically speaking. She would probably be sent to an orphanage or adopted by someone else."


    A few days later, another commission sprung up. I was tasked, together with R663, to recon the warehouses. R663 couldn''t sneak into the warehouse, which is why I was asked to do it. I whined since R25B explicitly ordered me not to harm anyone no matter what. R25B said the management deducted his performance points due to me going wild with the previous baron.


    "I am sorry, R666, but the security was tight. They didn''t want to employ an outsider like me. And sneaking wasn''t my strong suit since my mistake the other day," R663 explained. He then continued with a briefing of what he saw during the recon.


    "Well, apologies aside, here is my briefing. Baron Kharn was seen going in and out of that warehouse lately. That, in itself, wasn''t strange. However, since his name was mentioned the other day with the rebels, R25B put a mark on him. That''s why R25B wanted this mission to be flawlessly stealthy."


    "Alright."


    "Glory to the empire!" He saluted.


    He still said that? Oh well. Might just as well humor him.


    "May our empire be safe and prosperous."


    I then went on. The warehouse was located in the slums. The location itself raised several alarms, but since over twenty knights were guarding that place in shifts, it was deemed safe by the empire''s standard. The warehouse was not a simple armory. It was huge, like those usually placed in ports or harbors. Ever since a hundred years ago, when magic tools became an integral part of wars, armories no longer store just spears or swords but traps, explosives, guns, flamethrowers, etc. The items stored in them increased, and now we even need a dedicated clerk for it. That''s why a simple building like those in our county no longer suffices.


    There was only one way to enter the warehouse, and it was through the front gate. The fence was climbable, but there were stakes and nails covering it. Hmm¡­ I could probably force myself through the wall. I could force my dark tentacles to withstand those nails and lift me up higher. But I chose to go the usual route. It would be a disaster if there were soldiers on the other side. I couldn''t cast illusions on targets I couldn''t see.


    I cast illusions on the front gate knights and enter as usual. It was a practiced movement at this point. There was a knight with magical glasses that could detect mana, but he was sleeping. Well, wearing magical glasses also cost feystones, might as well put mages as guards, but they didn''t because all mages contracted with the empire needed to make feystones for war preparations. These royal knights weren''t the most disciplined bunch. Well, dark mages with my proficiency were so rare that they didn''t prepare much against invisible magical attacks, perhaps.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    As I entered, I tiptoed to the warehouse. Nervousness was getting to me. This warehouse was like an open field. Even with my camouflage, I was worried I would get noticed by wandering knights.


    "I am in. What now, R25B?"


    "I need you to look at the financial report and goods movement, both outbound and inbound. More specifically, look at the goods that were easily smuggled, such as muskets, bombs, and feystone traps."


    "How can I look at the financial report when there was a person staring at it even this late at night?" I complained when I saw a clerk having overtime with a feystone lamp in the corner of the warehouse.


    "Well, I don''t know then. As long as we find some evidence that Kharn or his superiors were sending weapons to some illegal entities, the commission will be completed," R25B said. I tried to glare through him, but it was impossible unless I visited the virtual room.


    I photographed the entire warehouse, evading knights and opening every crate to take pictures of it. Even when the day changed, that person was still there. Moreover, he brought two of his friends with him now to look at the reports.


    "Baron Kharn is entering. Tail him and record his conversation," R25B said.


    I did as I was told. The rotund man was easy to spot, but he had ten knights behind him. I moaned in despair as I couldn''t get close to him.


    "What did you write in that letter, R25B? I couldn''t get close with all those knights around him." I exclaimed at the absurd number of protection he had.


    "Wow. He sure didn''t spare the expenses to save his own skin. Even though he was in debt like your father," he took a jab at me with my measly two knights guarding me last season.


    "Are the weapons ready? Ship them to the shadowstep. Wait, these ones go to the western front," Baron Kharn was directing the warehouse manager. The manager quickly sent the laborers to put the goods into the cart.


    I crept near them; the knights were on full alert, so I was rather nervous, but I could still hear them. To my disappointment, there was nothing suspicious about his activity. He was just directing where the ammunition and military supplies go, and he didn''t name any weird places where he could potentially smuggle it. Seeing no further gain, I returned to my dorm before sunrise.


    "Sorry, but I will have you scout that warehouse again for a week. Be grateful your points are now 210. We paid you handsomely for simply sneaking around! And it will be up to 220P when the mission ends," R25B tried to cheer me up, but it fell on deaf ears.


    Alicia woke me not even two hours later. With a haggard face, I followed her as she led me to the bathroom and washed me. I stole some sleeping time during the professor''s lecture today as well. The professor didn''t even rebuke me in the slightest, considering my stellar performances. But some of my classmates did comment about me. Alicia was apprehensive about my truancy.


    What a different culture we live in. Back on Earth, it was the other way around, with teachers constantly nagging rebellious children even when he was intelligent. Here, the result determines all. I had never been in such a situation, of course. I rarely went to school, after all.


    The night went on just like yesterday. However, that overworked clerk stole some sleeping time at his desk. It was my chance to get near and put illusions on him so he could have a better sleep while I rummaged through his documents. Illusions could work on a sleeping man, giving them better dreams. I didn''t have time nor the skills to analyze the files on the go. I will ask R25B later, but I didn''t find anything suspicious at a glance.


    "Lady Eli. Lady Safira, and Nana. Thank you for welcoming me into your group despite being Manaless," Ronya said as she dined with us in the cafeteria. She was apprehensive at first because Safira was a noble mage. But my circle had nothing to do anymore with the discrimination against mages and manaless. Children were easy to sway. Safira used to look down on commoners, too. However, ever since she saw me, a higher-ranked mage, playing together with those knights at the party, she opened up a bit more.


    "Lady Eli. I am sorry to intrude, but may I stay in your county during this semestral vacation?" Safira came to me with an outstanding request.


    "Yes! Of course! You can¡ª"


    "If I may be so bold, Lady Safira. May I know why you made such a request? As you may know, our county is currently embroiled in a war with Elderan Empire." Alicia cut me off before agreeing.


    "The truth is, my father received a letter saying that someone was to kill me. So, he asked me to ask for protection from you. You know the reapers, right? I heard you survived an assault from them. So, he asked me to ask you to protect me¡­"


    "What? Kill you!" I shouted. R25B never said anything about that.


    "I see. Those bandits dare to even intrude on the capital of our empire. I knew something was wrong the moment they dared to hunt us. Let us join forces together and defeat those reapers!" Alicia held her hands against Safira. Her eyes were full of convictions.


    "Wait¡­ reapers?" I stared at Alicia blankly.


    "Yes! I knew from a friend that there is this famous international criminal syndicate called Reapers. They do all those bad deeds, including kidnapping mages and killing nobles. In fact, I just learned that those bandits in our county and the assassin who attacked us in rest spots were Reapers, too! We must unite to fight those bad guys!" Alicia pumped her fist.


    "Really? You''re willing to help me fight against those criminal syndicates?" Safira said with gleaming eyes. Her cheerful attitude hurt me.


    "Yes! Of course," Alicia replied. "Let us fight those Reapers together. Together, we shall not let them kidnap our precious mage again!"


    "Yes!" Safira said.


    "Yes¡­" I also said, albeit non-enthusiastically.


    Everyone, I am sorry for being in the same organization as those guys. But I am on the side of the good guys. I promised.

 Chapter 39: Benefit of the War

    "Hmm? What we wrote on that note was this. ''Don''t play around or we will kill you.'' That''s all," R25B said when I complained to him about what I heard from Safira yesterday.


    "But Safira said we wanted to kill her!"


    "Now, that''s funny. Well, he wasn''t known to be an honest and righteous person after all. Don''t worry. As far as I know, our job was to deliver a threatening letter."


    "I see."


    "Regarding that, congratulations on your advancement to the second grade of the academy," R25B congratulated me.


    "Thank you." I grinned. I had never attended a class advancement ceremony before and thought I would have it this year. But, nobles being nobles, the academy mailed Alicia and my report card directly home. I was so jealous. The capital nobles and commoners were having their meeting with the professors, and yet I got free time? No showing off my scores to my father and mother? No talking about it with my friends. I am jealous¡­


    "Sorry for intruding. And once again. Thank you so much for having me," Safira said as she boarded a carriage with me to my county. Our research into her father''s embezzlement didn''t bear fruit. There was no evidence that any weapons were smuggled outside the empire under Baron Kharn''s watch. All that spying was for nothing. I complained, but R25B only said this was part of the job. Not every recon will bear fruit. R663 still watched the warehouse to this very day.


    The carriage was a bit cramped with the three of us and 8 knights outside. After the previous incident, Father and Brother Zach guarded me more zealously. I thought it was excessive. Ah, but Safira''s father was also encircled by ten knights.


    "There are fewer knights guarding you than I thought," Safira said.


    "I don''t need them. Two or three are enough." I didn''t want knights following my every footstep. It would make it harder to sneak around. Thankfully, this was just a trip to the county, so I can manage.


    "Lady Eli is a hero! My hero! She is proficient in both magic and knife fighting! It''s natural, even though mages are seen as inferior in CQC! When she first killed those bandits, she cast an illusion on them, and then, when they got distracted, she stabbed their neck." Alicia raved about my achievements all the way to the rest stop. Safira listened attentively. Due to our history, mages were not taught martial arts. It has proven to be more efficient to have mages cast spells from afar or fill feystones for magic traps. I wanted to complain to the government about our curriculum after seeing those three musketeers kick my ass, but I guess they were the outstanding ones. And we did have magic duels, though that was treated more like a sport in this country.


    "Lady Eli! Don''t use shadow binding to snatch some food. Use your hands or ask me politely." Alicia slapped my tentacle, and it dispersed due to her magical defense. Mages could coat their bodies with mana to prevent mana from harming them. It is far from perfect but better than nothing. This is why it was hard for my illusion to hit mages like those three musketeers but easy to hit the spy. Alternatively, commoners could douse themselves with magical water to gain similar effects.


    "Alright¡­" I relented and moved my hand inside the basket. After taking out an apple, I gave some to Safira, too.


    "Wow. So that''s level 8, huh? I could use water binding well. But using it as well as a hand needed much concentration for me." Safira exclaimed as she tried to mimic me using her water tentacle. Water grew out from her hand and grabbed the apple reminiscent of my dark binding. The apple moved sluggishly into her mouth, and she took a bite out of it.


    "Nah. It is going to get the food wet. I couldn''t use it like hands." She gave up and dispersed it, then grabbed the apple like normal.


    When I arrived in the county seven days later, I almost couldn''t recognize it as my own county. Stone walls were erected three times the length of the old wooden ones. Four circular towers with cannons mounted on top showed how majestic it was. All of that was visible from the back gate, the place where the new wooden wall and gates were erected with soldiers manning it. Judging from the scale of the development, the royal family planned to make a fortress in my county.


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    When I entered my mansion, I could see the barracks beside it full to the brim. The building for our troops had risen two floors higher than I remembered. Streets were littered with peddlers, weapons dealers, and knights. Lots of knights.


    "Where am I?"


    "It certainly improved a lot, isn''t it?" Alicia replied to my stupid question.


    "So, this is a fortress under construction¡­ our efforts in the western fronts were delayed by more than three years because of this¡­" Safira, a noble from the capital, muttered.


    "Welcome Home! I have seen your report card! Good work, Eli and Alicia. You got top scores again! Please come inside. This is Safira, right? Alicia''s letter arrived two days ago. Please treat our humble house as your own." Brother Zach welcomed us.


    "Brother Zach. Our county has changed a lot."


    "Yeah. We were just a newly established county forty or fifty years ago. The knights garrisoned here were meant to repel monster incursions. But now, we are preparing for war. There have been skirmishes in the jungle already. It''s a good thing we have the map of the forest. We had the upper hand so far, but it was merely an opening before a real attack." Zach answered.


    "Can we win?"


    "Of course. As long as we pay attention to their elite mageknights, we will win. No matter how elite they are, they are still human. A bullet or two from a musket will still kill them." He smirked.


    "Do you know what my role will be?" Alicia asked.


    "Hm¡­ As the usual military strategy. Fire mages will be artillery on top of the wall. But, you don''t need to come personally. We aren''t desperate enough to enlist children even though you do have a military rank, Alicia. It would be more beneficial for you to fill out the feystones. Like other mages do."


    "I could still help."


    "The time has passed for mages to help directly. Muskets have the range of an arrow. Moreover, they can pierce metal armor or gaps between it at closer range. Mages only have a range of 40 to 50 meters. They are only useful if the enemy is clumped together for fire mages to bomb them."


    "I see. I will help with the feystone then."


    "Your help will be greatly appreciated."


    "I can''t imagine you guys building all of these in mere 4 months..." I muttered at that tower.


    "Yeah. The empire employed seventy earth mages, with some of them at level 7. I am impressed myself. We have four towers, each housing up to four cannons, with another six towers on the queue. But walls need to be built first. The walls need to envelop this town. Then we can focus more on towers."


    "Let us visit the new wall tomorrow! I also wanted to visit the towers." I said excitedly.


    "Sure. Do you want to come, Safira?"


    "Yes."


    We visited the walls the next day with light steps, donning our casual clothes, as noble ladies usually do when going shopping. We climbed the stairs to the wall, and it felt like we were on vacation to the Great Wall of China, though this one was supposed to be shorter than that. Never mind traveling outside the country; I have never been to beaches or Disneyland. I only read about them on Wikipedia.


    The walls now had stairs, not mere ladders like before. Several soldiers were manning the wall and the gate. I questioned nearby soldiers about why they built an entrance at the front. They replied that it was to let our cavalry out if we were to chase the fleeing enemy.


    We were currently at war. But it didn''t happen all the time. Visiting walls was fine because muskets couldn''t reach here from the forest. The sentry at the tower with telescopes would find any trespassers, but the soldiers still warned us not to go too close to the battlements. Battlements were the raised wall on the front to act as railings and to protect our shooters.


    After a visit to the wall, we enjoyed our time in a cafe. With most of the new knights coming from the royal guard, they had money to spare, and business was booming. As I enjoyed myself together with Safira and Alicia, my card vibrated. I hurriedly asked for some alone time in the bathroom before putting on my earclip.


    "R666, I have a new mission for you."


    "Can we talk later? Does it have to be now?"


    "Oh, well¡­ if I don''t receive confirmation from you, the commission might be snatched up by others, so it would be best to do this as fast as possible."


    "Very well. What''s the mission?"


    "I want you to sneak into the barracks and spy on the new vice commander from the capital."


    "Sneaking into the barracks? Do I have to sneak? Couldn''t I visit them normally?"


    "You need to sneak. Otherwise, you wouldn''t discover their wrongdoings, would you¡­" R25B sighed. "Despite your talents, you can be dumb sometimes."


    "Don''t call me dumb! Alright! Alright! I will scout the barracks this night! It would be impossible to tail him at noon, right?"


    "If possible, we also wanted to scout him during noon. But this will do for now."


    That night, R25B forwarded me some images of the vice commander of the troops. He was John Sark, a count under Duke Bron, similar to my father. The current head was a level 5 earth mage and thus rose to prominence, and his position now rivaled even my brother''s. R25B suspected he did some embezzlement with Baron Kharn from the warehouse.


    "He doesn''t seem like a bad guy," I commented.


    "We don''t know that yet. Just because they are mages and rich doesn''t mean they can''t become corrupt," R25B said, "Moreover, I also want to confirm if the supplies that arrived there match the ones that were sent from the warehouse."


    "Roger. I will check the military supplies."


    "No, you idiot. Traps could have been planted on the field, and no one actually counted it, and finances could be manipulated. Feystones and bullets might have been used in training. There would be no evidence of embezzlement if we look at the accounting book."


    "There might be some!"


    "Well, if you do find evidence of corruption from their accounting book, I might have to applaud the stupidity or diligence of the military accountant. See you this night, R25B."

 Chapter 40: Hypocrite

    The barracks appeared different from my recollection. Moreover, guards were scattered throughout, even in the dead of night. However, a simple illusion sufficed to slip past them. As always, their discipline left much to be desired. Upon opening the vice commander''s room, its light still illuminated the interior where he conversed with another person. I immediately halted and, through the gap in the door, began to eavesdrop.


    "Hmm? Yes! The shipment arrived safely. The numbers are still okay. Elderan couldn''t push past the jungle. We could snitch some more." I activated the recorder, obtaining the proof I needed.


    "Hmm? Who''s there?"


    I hastily departed as he discerned the door was open. Utilizing my dark magic, I melded into the night. John emerged from the room, searching in vain for the intruder. Puzzled, he returned inside, locking the door this time. However, that didn''t deter me. Using my dark tentacle, I scaled the window into his room and listened from the outside. My dark binding was potent and extensive enough to span from one window to the next.


    "Sorry, sorry. Maybe the wind opened the door. I have locked it." John was speaking, and his window had conveniently remained open the entire time. It was summer, after all, and the barracks must have been stifling. "Continue on. Don''t forget my share, and I will make sure to match your accounting."


    Soon after, I exited the barracks and rendezvoused with R25B in the virtual room. Despite what I believed to be conclusive evidence, he sighed and shook his head.


    "No. This is not what our employer is looking for. What we want to know is where the embezzled weapons go. While embezzlement itself is quite common, if he were discovered selling to a foreign nation, only then could we consider the commission complete."


    "Eh? This is not enough?" I moaned. "Look! He was talking about embezzling for money."


    "We need to find out where the embezzled weapons go. Without that, the country won''t pay."


    "Who cares about pay!" I whined.


    "Hah¡­ please, dear Elidranthia. Will you do this request for me? You are but the noblest of hearts. You wouldn''t kill innocents just to satisfy your bloodlust, right?" R25B replied. His tone was annoying, but his words were true. I am a psychopath, but I promised I wouldn''t kill innocents.


    "Alright. I will scout him tomorrow, too." I relented, albeit begrudgingly.


    "Thank you!" R25B said in a flat tone. He wasn''t actually happy with the extra work, either.


    The following day, Alicia greeted me as usual. However, it was apparent that I was in a bad mood, causing Safira to steer clear from my sight.


    "Sorry, Safira."


    "No, it is fine. Magical impression is not something you can always control. I had my episodes, too. Are you mad about something?" She looked away even though she was talking to me.


    "Come on! Lady Eli was not mad. She merely shows her true self! It was a privilege," Alicia tried to flatter me. However, her words didn''t make me happy in the least. I put myself back in control. This was getting dangerous, wasn''t it? My killing urge was getting stronger day by day. It was especially bad if I was denied killing by my contractor.


    During breakfast, John Sark was dining in our house. He lived in a barrack but came up here for lunch or dinner. It was the first time I saw him during breakfast. But now was a good time to confront him.


    "Greetings, Lady Eli. It is an honor to dine with the higher children of the gods. And you too, Alicia. And Lady Safira. I am blessed to be able to dine with a higher water child of mana." He smiled.


    "Greetings. We too, are honored to be able to dine with the land children of mana," Safira replied without missing a beat. We followed her example a moment later.


    "Oh, they didn''t teach the etiquette for mages in this countryside? I was rather aggravated when I saw commoners greet me so casually here. But such is the countryside, and I see that you even supported them, Lady Elidranthia. That won''t do." He sighed. Well, I didn''t want to listen to him. I have read too many web novels to know where I would be going if I became arrogant like that.


    The mages were split into two factions in the web novels. The ones who understood and supported the first prince, while others were like him¡ªthose who thought that all commoners were beneath him. I have influenced Prince Ludwin and Safira not to act so high-handed against commoners. But adults were out of my league. They simply won''t listen to children like us unless they directly benefit from it.


    "Hmm?" Safira tilted her head, but Alicia answered her.


    "We are a military family. Not churches, Lord John Sark. We follow the military chain of command here."


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation."I see. That is also important. I am busy building walls to care for petty accounting details, after all. Moreover, I think there were rats here inside the fortress."


    "Rats are everywhere. Even the capital is rife with them," I answered. Alicia looked at me aghast, and John Sark looked at me questionably.


    "What? Just go to the slums, and you can find them scurrying about. Even though we have the most mages there, the hygiene for lower commoners is neglected."


    "Lady Eli¡­ that''s not what he was talking about¡­" Alicia facepalmed. And John Sark laughed.


    "Hahaha. No, I think I know what she meant. She wanted us to do more jobs for the masses if we wanted respect from them? But that was naive. If the commoners had too much power, they would rebel. We need to make sure we have somewhere to throw unnecessary citizens who disobeyed us. I retracted my word. This place was clean enough. Compared to the capital, that is. Hahaha."


    "Really? Mages are awesome, right? Just several tens of earth mages could build this magnificent fortress. Can''t you fix housing and construction works for the entire capital?"


    "We couldn''t. You guys are still in the first year, so you don''t know. But you know that creating something from nothing is much more taxing than simply moving or transforming them. Am I right, Lady Safira?¡±


    "Yes, you are right. But was it important?"


    "Yes. To build this kind of fortress, if you rely on mages alone, it could take years just to get here. So, to speed it up, we brought materials from somewhere else and used our magic to quicken the process. Those resources were taken from somewhere. Do you know from where?"


    "Western front?"


    "Yes. Wars were constant there, so forts were damaged all the time. We took quite a risk when moving the supplies from there to building this fortress here."


    "We are grateful for it, Lord John. Please, spare the children from such political talk," Brother Zach said. "The order to build a fortress here was from a royal decree and had support from Duke Bron and Slane."


    "Many were against it. It would be better to sacrifice this county and do a pincer attack from the capital and the western front when they make a landing here. Our weapons were more offensive-oriented. Maintaining a fortress took a lot of work, especially against enemy cannons. Not all mages could fix walls, unlike muskets and flamethrowers, where all they need are some commoners and a magic tool powered by a feystone. Which all mages could do, even for our newbie mages here."


    I glared at him while tilting my head. I knew for sure he had embezzled money. However, I didn''t know where the goods went. But seeing him so passionate about the Western Front, I had an epiphany.


    "Did you embezzle military supplies to send them to the Western Front from here? Also, I need to correct you that building muskets and flamethrowers is difficult. They need specialized mages to enchant them," I asked him. The atmosphere froze immediately. Zach glared at me while John no longer laughed.


    "Stop with such accusations, Lady Eli. If you were not a mage and a child of nobility, I would directly sue you for tarnishing my name."


    "So, you didn''t send any supplies to the Western front? You seem to have an attachment there. More than here, at least."


    "We only have 10 casualties here ever since the first skirmishes with Elderan. Do you know how many died on our current Western front? Over ten thousand just for the last month. I urge you not to be so selfish, Lady Elidranthia."


    I was silenced. His answers were incomprehensible. I thought he was going to refuse or laugh at me. But now, did he admit that he was pilfering some goods from the military? Moreover, did he think he was doing himself justice?


    The breakfast was then filled with some more idle talk, and when we were done, he left for the walls.


    "Ouch. So, he admits sending supplies to the Western Front, huh? Well, I guess our investigation ran to a dead end, then. Shucks." R25B sighed. I was lazing about in my bedroom after that eventful breakfast.


    "Hey, are we in the Shadowstep County selfish? Should we care more about the Western Front than protecting this county?"


    "Hahaha. That''s why you are still a greenhorn. A little speech from a hypocrite like him, and you are being weak already? He was embezzling money, you know! He sold goods that were supposed to be sent here to the Western Front. There is nothing admirable about what he has done."


    "But¡­"


    "Or do you think that the shitty mage was smarter than the entire high military command who devised this plan? I didn''t know what the high military command planned for us. But I ain''t trusting some corrupt mage''s words."


    " I see. Then¡­¡±


    "But our investigation is at an impasse now. While he certainly embezzled military supplies, he didn''t give them to a foreign nation. This won''t be enough to prosecute him. There were some people who supported that mage''s plan in the military as well. They probably only saw him as a savior who managed to save supplies from our front and then sent them to someone who needed them more. Well, we should still receive a minimum of 5 or 10 points for it. Good work, R666," R25B explained to me.


    "By the way, I have received a commission to survey the forest again. Do you want to do it?"


    "No."


    "I see the meetings with the musketeers left you afraid, huh?"


    "I have never been so close to death except during that time."


    "But this might be an opportunity, you know? We got a sabotage commission. If you could destroy their feystone supplies, the kingdom will pay handsomely for that."


    "Would it be that easy to infiltrate enemy headquarters?"


    "Well¡­ No. But I thought stealth was your specialty! That''s why the kingdom pays about 200 Points for it. Moreover, it doesn''t even have to be a stealth mission."


    "Really? Is destroying supplies worth that much? Moreover, it doesn''t have to be a stealth mission? The ones currently in the forest were only the vanguard, right? It''s not even their main army."


    "Yeah. You could kill them all, or you could put bombs in the tents. The method is at your discretion. Even if they''re only vanguards, it would still be a good blow."


    "R25B, how''s the war going on our front?"


    "It went well so far. Better than we could ever hope! We won on every skirmish due to our familiarity with the forest. Zach''s ambush was on point, and the enemy''s Elites couldn''t catch him. If only their elites could be lured out into the open, we could bomb them with cannons, and the Elderan Empire would be ours. We will be the ones doing the attacks." R25B said with a glee. I tilted my head at his words. How did he even know all of that was supposed to be secret military information? Moreover, he spoke of them so nonchalantly.


    "Let''s go then. I will scout the area tonight. But I make no promises. If I find those three musketeers, I will flee."


    "Good thinking."


    "By the way, I need those glasses that sync with my reaper card."


    "Roger. Glasses for mages that sync with your reaper card come at 50P, bringing your points down to 170P."

 Chapter 41: Assault

    The glasses should arrive in two days. Meanwhile, John Sark continued to dine with us. He paid no mind to my previous insolence and continued with his visits. I noticed, however, that knights from the royal capital weren''t received well here. Most of the royal guards were an entitled bunch of noble''s sons, so I kind of get it when they got arrogant. However, money always won over these issues until a knight decided to rape a fifteen-year-old mage girl. The town then made a formal complaint. The knight in question unapologetically admitted his fault and was willing to marry her, but it was rejected. That caused a ruckus among the citizens and the royal guard.


    Thankfully, with the new law, Justiciars were called swiftly. After hearing from both sides, and the victim''s refusal to settle this with money or marriage, the knight was sent to prison and was stripped of his military rank. The knight was bewildered, and the look in his eyes was amusing to watch as he threw a tantrum, accusing the mage girl of inviting him first. The new law our king made was used effectively. It would be difficult for the Justiciars to come to our aid before. Well, we all knew what the goal of that knight was when he specifically targeted a mage girl to harass. I had several high-ranking knights making passes at Alicia and Safira, too; however, none made passes at me.


    "Alicia, why are you so good at socializing?" I whined to them at the cafe. "You too, Safira. None of the knights even greeted me more than necessary."


    "Did you intimidate them with your eyes?" Safira asked. "Or maybe because your body is still so small."


    "Ah, no. That''s not the case. It was gossiped that our prince took an interest in you. That''s why no one dared approach you, Lady Eli." Alicia, our socialite, informed me.


    "Huh?"


    "Well, he came to you in person every time he invited you to a tea party, you know. That sent a clear message to most people." Safira nodded. She then eyed Alicia but decided to avert her eyes. What was that eye gesture supposed to mean?


    "So, you have been to our county for three days now. Do you find it to your fancy?"


    "Yes! My family was landless nobles. So, I was intrigued by those who owned land and how they built it. My father kept cursing other nobles because they had lands; they could be promoted, and my family could only stay as barons forever because we had no lands. He didn''t know how hard it was to govern a land. That court case yesterday was exciting. But it must have been very troubling for you. I can''t imagine how your people will view royal guards now."


    I tilted my head, and Alicia refuted her, "That can''t be right. There were landless nobles who got promoted."


    "Yeah. You are right. That''s what my father was scheming now, too. He planned to marry me off to higher nobles so he could get promoted to viscount or an earl from that. That viscount has a connection to Duke Luca. And if he could get a merchant guild member, he planned to open a business."


    I raised an eyebrow at her father''s plan. He seemed too wishful. When I eyed Alicia, she simply shook her head. "Do you really think your father would get the title for that?"


    "Dunno. I am just a baron''s daughter. I am a mage, but the royals only look and treat me as a baron. Many were expecting me to become a great doctor due to my talent, and many even offered to become my patron, but¡­ I don''t know¡­" Safira confessed about her future''s uncertainty.


    As for her future, that would have to wait until next week when I return to the capital and advance my grade. But for now, I had to spy on the enemy nation.


    Two days later, armed with my newly acquired glasses and a bomb, I superimposed the forest maps with my reaper card and cartographer tool. Carrying every smoke bomb, flashbang, and poison at my disposal, I departed for the forest. Exiting the city was no longer trivial, as I had to cast an illusion on the gate guard at the back gate. Leaving through the front gate was not an option due to it being locked and guarded by mages.


    The forest was as dark and creepy as I remembered. However, there were no more monsters ambushing me. As I ventured deeper, I found the enemy''s headquarters right in the cave where I had previously encountered the monster spawner. Unfortunately, there was no direct way to enter. The enemy had mages and troops equipped with glasses to scout the surroundings. This highlighted the difference between disciplined frontline forces and laid-back defenders at the back gate. Incidentally, the front gate of our county facing the enemy also had similar security measures.


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    "Hmm¡­ I could probably climb the barbed fence using my darkness tentacle. But there would be magical residue. Should I risk it?" I muttered to myself as I stared at the impromptu palisades around the cave. The enemy''s main force hadn''t arrived yet, so attacking this camp had little benefit except delaying the inevitable. However, the reward was 200 points, which was possibly enough to buy another magic tool. My trident dagger needed replacement.


    I decided to take the risk and climbed the barbed fence with my dark bindings. When two enemy knights noticed me, I cast an illusion to deprive them of their senses and swiftly stabbed their necks. They didn''t scream immediately upon discovering me because they were unsure of what they were looking at, thanks to my camouflage skills. I then made my way to a tent overflowing with crates. After dispatching the tent guard, I planted the bomb inside and swiftly left.


    "Intruder! Chase him!" Soldiers who noticed me killing people started to chase me. Camouflage didn''t really work when I attacked them. But I had already put the bomb in place; I only needed to get out of here. When soldiers surrounded me, I threw a smoke bomb and jumped out from the palisades blocking me. Then, I reactivated my camouflage and waited for a while.


    A loud boom resounded, and the soldiers all ran back to the HQ. I took the chance to leave as R25B was rejoicing at the easy point we got.


    "Nice work! 200P in the bag! Your points are now 370P. Hahaha. It sure was nice gloating over other operators. Who knows, we might be the best new employee of the month! This is a 200-point quest, you know! Hahahaha."


    "You sure seem happy. Even happier than me," I replied.


    "Of course. Whenever reapers receive points, we, as an operator also receive 2% of separate remuneration. That means the quest you just did has secured me this month''s salary!" I sure didn''t want to meet him in the virtual room now. For some reason, i imagined his smile would rubbed me the wrong way.


    "I am glad you are happy¡­."


    "Tch! This is why I hate privileged people like you. Other people would dance and party when they receive 200 gold, you know! Ah¡­ I forgot. You are a mage and a noble. Money was never an issue for you." Operator R25B was putting on a childish act again.


    "Hey! I am just a second daughter of a count, alright! I am a noble, but not really!" I answered. It was customary for the second or third daughter of a noble to marry down the rank. For me, I would either be a baron''s wife or even a wealthy commoner''s wife.


    "You are a second daughter. But the first one blundered in high society, right? I forgot who she was. So, even if you are a second daughter, I didn''t think others saw it as so."


    "Really?"


    "It depends, though. Your reputation within Duke Bron''s Faction is solid. If the war goes well, your father can expect to be promoted to a Marquess or a Margrave. Your reputation is currently that of a dark horse within noble society. It could rise to unprecedented heights by marrying Ludwin or fall into nothingness if you lose the war. That''s why no noble picked a fight with you." I raised an eyebrow at his statement. Margareth did pick a fight with me after all. Moreover, he shouldn''t know about our nobility''s circumstances, so what he heard must have been hearsay. I shouldn''t take it as absolute truth.


    The town was in an uproar when I returned. Apparently, the explosions were heard by the guards on the watchtowers and they scrambled to find out the cause, putting the entire garrison on full alert. Thankfully, the back gate was still lax, so I could still sneak in. The following day, my achievements were spread among the soldiers, and John Sark was gloating over it, with Brother Zach praising him.


    "Hahaha. Our intelligence agent finally managed to crush those Elderan''s supplies. Tons of feystones puffed out into smoke and dust. Those Elderan never knew how to make war. They only hide between their nasty and barbaric friends in the Western nation! I shall ask the high command to strike them! If Elderan becomes ours, the Western front is as good as won."


    "Was it that huge explosion that was heard even until this mansion?" Safira asked.


    "Yes! I admit I panicked a bit when I heard that explosion, but it was worth it, don''t you think?"


    "Yes. So, that''s how war is run before the actual war¡­ "Safira said.


    "Are the operatives safe?" Alicia asked.


    "Yes. If they didn''t make it, then how would they bring the news? Though I admit there were some casualties, but that''s how war is."


    "I am glad they made it. I hope we can finish the war with the least casualties," Alicia responded with such an angelic smile. I stared at these individuals with exasperation¡ªthe lying and boasting commander, the excited newbie, and the pure-hearted maiden. They made an excellent comedic trio.


    "Hey, look at me. I was the one who did all of those. Why did you look at the lying elitist mage!!" My jealousy was hard to contain, but Alicia''s words pushed it past the tipping point.


    "Oh my! Lady Eli. Are you excited about the wartime story, too? But you still must stay in control of your emotions, alright. Not many have resistance against your unique magical impression, after all."


    With a grudge in my heart, I departed from my county and returned to my dorm. The holiday had come to an end. Safira and Alicia enthusiastically discussed John Sark''s achievements while returning to the capital.


    It was all my achievement though!

 Chapter 42: Side Job

    "Hey! Do you know about the swordsmanship tournament? Who are you rooting for?" Ronya asked me. She mentioned that the girls were discussing the annual swordsmanship tournament. This was my first time hearing about it.


    "Where was the tournament last year?" I asked.


    "Hmm? They are held every year around this time. Ahh... Do mages miss it? I still remember some mages attending it, though." I tilted my head and looked toward Alicia, who promptly answered.


    "She was talking about the general mages who are level 5 or below, attending the normal mage classes. Our special curriculum didn''t allow for such leniency, so the school elected not to tell us so we could focus on our studies."


    "I see. Special grade students didn''t attend it."


    "Well, we will surely see them when we graduate the special classes next year. There are no acceleration classes there, after all," Alicia said.


    "I see. I guess gifted students have their own difficulties. I never thought you guys would be prohibited from attending or seeing such tournaments."


    "Well, Level 6 and above account for less than 0.1% even in the entire empire," Safira, who had just returned from picking up her lunch, commented to Ronya. "I must tell you, though, that it was not all shiny up here. My family just got a threatening letter because of me two or three weeks ago, after all. Alicia and Lady Eli here have already faced assassins."


    "I see. Sorry. I didn''t mean to sound so jealous," Ronya replied.


    "Alicia, where is Nana?" I asked Alicia.


    "Nana is currently studying. She got left behind in some of her studies. She might finish her test any moment now." As I heard Alicia''s answer, I wondered if we could hold a study session together. Just because we were mages doesn''t mean we could abandon our studies.


    "Hmm? Nana? Who is she?" Ronya asked.


    "Ah, her father is a merchant, right? She got admitted here due to her high level of magic. She is level 6," Safira replied. Ronya''s face clouded over whenever she heard "commoner" and "mage" in the same sentence.


    "Let us be friendly with each other. Such things like mages or nobles can take a back seat, Ronya," I said to encourage her.


    "Um... Yes. Thank you." She gave a wry smile. She wasn''t too keen on neglecting the noble status, huh?


    "R666, could you have R663 work as your butler in your noble villa?" R25B said when I gave my daily report. There has been no suitable commission for me lately. There were commissions like harassing storeowners, but I didn''t want to do that.


    "Hmm? Sure. But would he accept it?"


    "He was the one who asked for it. He had a quest in noble quarters, but since he was a commoner and not a student at that, he was having trouble entering noble quarters." A light bulb popped into my head, and I accepted it immediately. I was having a hard time getting out from Alicia lately. If I used this opportunity, I could do more quests. It''s too bad the investigation on Safira''s father turned out to be nil.


    "More than that, R25B, how about if you made him a CEO of a company? How much does it cost to own a company?" I asked further. If we had an entire building for myself, I could kiss this strict noble upbringing goodbye. I could have parties and befriend anyone I liked! I would no longer have responsibilities as a noble because I have a company! I could live by myself without relying on nobility!


    "Your points would barely be enough to start a company. But why did you ask me?"


    "You see, I was planning to start a company. But a 13-year-old having a company would be weird, right? That''s why I was planning to have R663 be the CEO instead. He looked like he had too much free time on his hands!" I tried to explain my plan to R25B.


    "He worked full-time in our guild, unlike you. Please don''t say ordinary reapers that worked hard for us as having too much free time, alright?" R25B was pissed for the first time. "But I acknowledge the merit in doing so. I shall issue a quest for it."


    "Meanwhile, I shall have R661 be your butler. He will be known as R663''s little brother."


    "Alright." I nodded. I then went to Alicia to tell her the good news.


    "Alicia, I hired a new butler. I think he will arrive somewhere tomorrow or this week."


    "Hmm? How did you hire him?"


    "I just met him when I was sneaking out from the noble quarters. I wanted to hire him." I tried to make excuses. I didn''t account for her to be wary when I invited some unknown guy to become a butler. Alicia then gave me a stink eye when she heard I sneaked out from the dorm.


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    "Lady Eli, at least bring me during one of your outings. The capital''s slums are known to be unsafe. If something happened to you, I don''t think I could take it."


    "Yes, Mom," I answered sarcastically.


    "Yes, come here to your mommy." She tried to hug me, but I dodged her. I returned an accusing glare to her.


    "Ahem. I apologize." We ended the awkward banter as she affirmed me about the new villa butler. Letters pertaining to the butler came to her the very next day. There stood a gorgeous man with long silver hair to his shoulder that could be mistaken for a woman in our villa. He was slim and was a bit short for a man. He was about the height of Ronya, a thirteen-year-old tall girl. His round face was cute, and his voice was also androgynous. The school gave me some time off on Sunday. I gawked at him, feeling lost. Beside him stood R663. That means this beautiful man was R661?


    "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia. I am glad that we meet again. Please, let me introduce myself. I am Narwhal, and he is Leon, my brother. We are mere lowborn, and thus, we didn''t have family names."


    "You can call me Eli. I don''t really put that much emphasis on noble etiquette. Ah, but please call me Lady Eli in front of other guests. This is Alicia. Narwhal, Your brother¡­ He is¡­ male?" I stared at R663.


    "Yes. He is a male, Lady Eli. His face might not look like it. But he is a male." R663 smiled wryly. This was all just a cover story. We knew it. But I never thought R661 could be such a beautiful guy. Ugh! I am so jealous. But I kinda understand why our guild recruited people like him. He could go to places like men''s bathrooms, and he could also disguise himself as a woman to exploit men''s weaknesses.


    "I shall welcome you to my estate. Since we are just students, I didn''t expect to visit here often. But please work hard, okay?"


    "Of course. My loyalty lies with you, Lady Elidranthia. You have saved me! I owe my life to you. I wished to be the one that serve as your butler." R663 started to rave about how he adored and respected me.


    "Whoa there, R663. I know this is only for the commission, but you are overacting. Look, Alicia is getting suspicious¡­" My thoughts fleetingly went to Alicia, but she didn''t show a single speck of wariness.


    "Yes, you are right! Lady Eli saved me too. As fellow people from the slums, we have to serve Lady Eli the best we can! She is the best noble in the world. If there were more people like her, this empire would be safe from power harassment and mage discrimination." R661 was accepted without any issue. Alicia, you should be more suspicious of him. How easily influenced you can be. Though her acceptance was to my benefit this time.


    "By the way, what kind of company did you open, R6¡­ I mean, Narwhal?"


    "Glad you asked. I plan to sell toys such as dolls or wooden swords. I hope you will be my patron. Of course, I also accept custom orders, Lady Eli. Here are some of my goods. As a sign of my goodwill, please choose one of the dolls here." I was amazed as he laid down three dolls. One was a squirrel rag doll, one was a rabbit rag doll, and the other was a bisque doll in local noble dressing. I chose the bisque doll, of course. They were pretty. They sure polished R663 to open a shop. He looked like he had that shop for years with how smoothly he talked. His behavior didn''t look shady at least. I hope he worked on his salute better than before. "Unfortunately, we are still looking for stores to rent. They are expensive in the capital."


    "Why not open it in our county?"


    "Lady Eli, would it be wise to open a toy store aimed for kids in our county? There weren''t that many rich kids in our county."


    "Hm? Toys are not exclusive for children, you know. We could have something like chess or cards. Cards don''t have to involve gambling either. Something like a card memory game or Uno is enough."


    "Brilliant! As expected of Lady Elidranthia. I will strive to meet your expectations," Narwhal said with stars in his eyes. He looked delighted.


    <hr><hr><hr>


    "R663, are you willing to open a store? This will be your chance to have a stable job." I asked R663 to get a stable job. Higher-ranking operators and reapers all had their own establishments. If I could rack up R666 points, I could become a mid-tier operator in one go. Along with that, all of my reapers could get a raise.


    "Am I fired?" R663 said horrified.


    "No. On the contrary, this will be counted as a friendly commission by R666. She was willing to put 350P or 350 gold into this venture. I suggested hiring you as a butler, but she went far and beyond and asked to open a store. With a store bearing the count''s name, it would be far easier for you to accept jobs that include nobility. And it would be easier to act as a middleman with a storefront. As expected of our rising star."


    "Really? She was willing to go that far for me? I was doubtful she would even hire me as a butler. Being a reaper on top of that might tarnish her good name. I see. She wanted to separate the reaper''s job from her house name. As expected of nobility, huh? She could throw away 350 gold like it was nothing."


    "Don''t say it like that. It was almost all of her points. Moreover, we should work together as a team. So, what kind of business should we open?" I replied. She was a mage and didn''t splurge. Even if she did, she used her legal money from her mage work for it. She didn''t need money from a dark organization like ours. I sometimes wondered how R4 managed to recruit her.


    "Hmm. I don''t know. Maybe jewelry? But that would be expensive. How about toy stores! I always wanted to sell and give out toys to children! And maybe a little food, too!"


    "Excellent. Let''s go with toy stores. I also wanted you to open an orchard, since County Shadowstep has just found citrus and banana trees in their region. While that would establish your base in her county and not the capital, we can always expand. Since we have no external support, the store still needs to turn a profit. Otherwise, R666 and you would have to invest money each month to cover the deficit."


    "We could certainly open that too. I think it would be enough to open a small farm. Land prices are still cheap around Shadowstep, right?"


    "It is rising exponentially day by day. I shall arrange for you to buy land in our rising star''s county." I replied. It shall be our name, though. I couldn''t let him get all the passive income, could I? I shall also arrange for R661 to become her maid. R666 needed someone to distract that Alicia. She stuck around R666 like glue. R666 could pick more jobs if Alicia wasn''t so clingy.


    After arranging everything and even working past midnight, I coordinated several reapers to buy land at County Shadowsteps. Using 200G to buy 10 Hectare of land, we planned to divide it by four and plant citrus, spices, and bananas there. Then, using the rest of 150 gold, I could hire craftsmen, farmers, and orders from cheap workshops in two months. I wonder if we could make a profit here. If we do make a profit, we could kiss this job goodbye. Hehehe. I no longer needed to worry about my rent.


    It was during my daydreaming that I got a surprise commission from Handler 5.

 Chapter 43: Assassination Failed

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    "Hmm? What? Kill Kharn? But why?"


    "It was revealed that Baron Kharn planned to desert our country. Our empire couldn''t tolerate it, and thus, they asked you to dispose of him silently. It was worth 150 points."


    I was taken aback by the organization. Kharn hadn''t done anything wrong in the eyes of the law. Yet they wanted to kill him just because they couldn''t accept a level 7 mage leaving? They really made us do their dirty work, didn''t they?


    "Are you telling me to kill my friend''s father?" I growled at R25B.


    "There was another commission. It was a ''protect Baron Kharn'' mission for a week. You could take that if you wanted. This one''s worth 250 points and is divided among whoever takes the commission and defends Baron Kharn during that time."


    "Huh?"


    "Yup. The infamous contradicting commission is here. It was the first time I saw it in my short life working here. Please remember that it will be fine if you don''t take the commission. I am just an operator. My job is simply to inform you. I also have mixed feelings about contradicting commissions since we might have to kill our fellow coworkers. But this commission was about your friend, right? I just want to tell you. Good night, R666. No regret between us, alright?"


    "Thank you for telling me. Bye-bye." I closed the line as I slept in my pajamas. Killing Safira''s father, huh? He said it as if it was my choice, but he knew if I ignored this, I would regret it. Safira might be kidnapped by other reapers for their selfish gain. If I chose a defense mission, then Safira would go abroad, and we would never meet again. Must I choose the assassination mission? Should I kill my friend''s father? If I did, Safira would go to the orphanage. She would face the same fate as Alicia. I would make my friend an orphan.


    I didn''t take the lesson that day too well. All I did was gaze upon the board while staring at Safira. Surprisingly, she still attended classes. During our lunch, she was the first one to confide in me about the movement.


    "Lady Eli, I am sorry, but I didn''t think we would meet ever again. The reapers were pressing on us, and my father couldn''t take it anymore. He had expended most of his assets for knights, and if this keeps going, he will go bankrupt," Safira said. I could only stare at her in awe, just like that Pikachu meme.


    "Safira¡­ don''t leave. What about your studies?" I tried to plead with her. "At least you can stay with us until the situation calms down. I will protect you. I promised."


    "Yes. Count Shadowsteps will protect you, Lady Safira. Lady Eli will protect you. We can''t protect you if you are so far away." Alicia nodded. "Don''t run. Let''s fight those reapers together."


    I wanted to argue with Alicia. We didn''t do anything. It was all Baron Kharn''s machinations. He lied, but I couldn''t say anything. This was awful. He made it look like the reapers were the bad guys, even though he was also a crook.


    "My father has decided to flee the country. We will head to the Eastern Theocracy. My father said our ally in the theocracy will protect us from the reapers."


    "Safira, must we part?" I asked once more. "Do you want us to part?"


    "But, my father said¡­." She nodded down while wearing a sad frown. Ahh, I forgot that we are still kids. Even when we were given power, we could not defy our fathers. She knew deep down in her heart that her father was wrong. Yet she could not defy him. I should have known. I now knew what to do. Baron Kharn was not guilty by the empire''s law. It was his right to decide Safira''s fianc¨¦. It was also his right to move out of the country. But, for my friend, I had to kill him.


    "R25B, let''s kill him," I replied. However, unlike other times, I was not excited for the kill. My voice was heavy and reluctant.


    <hr>


    This empire is useless. My family has been loyal for over 200 years, yet what do we get in return? Ridicule and contempt. Before this empire gained its independence, my family was loyal. Yet, we stayed baron. Others surpassed us and held us in contempt as eternal barons. So humiliating. Those new nobles only worked a minuscule amount, and they got to be a count. Some even got to be a duke! How unfair.


    Facing such unfairness, I chose to leave this empire. If I moved into the theocracy, as Safira''s father, a level 7 mage, we would get a treatment similar to a family of a duke. Money and honor will come automatically to me. Moreover, I could become a real duke if I moved into one of theocracy''s vassals. Sure, they were all small kingdoms, but It''s better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond. It might just be for a moment, only during Safira''s lifetime, but it was still better than here. That Count Dester, I only owed him a thousand gold. Yet now, the interest alone was a hundred gold per month. I won''t marry Safira to him. Let him and his debt rot. He won''t be able to sue me in a different kingdom.


    Those useless knights too. I have paid 100 gold a month for their protection, and all they did was circling me for two months. The empire must have planned to ditch me. That''s why they sent that letter to threaten me and let me rent these expensive knights without them doing anything.


    Let''s use the money to hire reapers instead. As they say, fight poison with poison. If I hired knights, they definitely wouldn''t let me leave the country. So, I have to fire them all, then hire reapers for my escape. If I hired reapers, they wouldn''t kill me. Making the threat letter ineffective. If they kill me, their customer, their reputation will be thrown into the dirt. I won''t spend a single dime on the empire any more. Let''s hire those reapers to leave this country. With Safira, the Kharn family will prosper.


    "Boss. Are you ready?" Five reapers came forth to me. They will be the ones to guide me out.


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    "Yes. Let''s go to the academy. I have to pick up my Safira," I answered. Bishop Ledger said he would welcome me as the father of a level 7 mage. So, I don''t really have to pick up Safira during her busy schedule in school. But we will migrate. I might as well bring out all of my assets and tell Safira to catch me at theocracy later. She is a mage. She could even ask her count''s daughter friend to guard her. Everything is going to be okay.


    As we went nearer to the academy, three figures blocked my advance. One of them was so small and clad in eerie darkness, while the other two merely wore masks. My reapers were combat-ready. Several of them whispered to each other.


    "Shit. That small one is a famous reaper. Killer Rabbit. Be careful. Damn, if I knew that one was on the other side, I would not take this commission."


    "Dogs of the empire. Think we could handle them?" one of them asked the other.


    "What do you mean dogs of the empire? You guys were in the same organization, right? Why are they blocking our way?"


    "It means their primary customer is the empire."


    "Shit. I knew it. The empire was after my downfall! Get them! I paid a lot for your service!"


    "Calm down. We will protect your life, alright. But killing them was not in the contract. Let''s try to talk this one out. So, dogs of the empire. Will you leave? I have jobs to do." The petite guy threw a knife at me, which was deflected with a swing of a sword from my reapers. My heart skipped a beat to his first bloodlust.


    "Be careful. These guys were seriously trying to kill him," the reapers assembled themselves, trying to protect me. I feel relieved knowing they wanted to protect me. It was worth it paying these guys. All drew their blades. Even though we were in the dead of night and were still in noble quarters. They had the audacity to fight and dirty this pristine noble quarters; what a barbaric lowborn. The fact that nobody came to me was a testament that the empire was colluding with these rats. Even though he was the smallest, he appeared to be the leader of the other two as he was the one who led the assault on me.


    Everyone immediately charged toward them. The petite guy was able to overwhelm two out of my five reapers with black shadowy tentacles holding knives. A noble mage was joining them? As expected, dark mages were evil. To think a mage could stoop so low. However, that mage was powerful; a single swipe from him, and they were down.


    "Watch out! He used paralyzing poison!" one of my reapers shouted. Why was I always surrounded by incompetents? I hired from the same organizations! Why did they give me these guys?


    "Retreat!" Another of my reapers shouted as he threw a smoke ball at the petite guy. As smoke engulfed us, he grabbed me and led me out of the battle zone.


    "Are you guys okay?" the leader asked as he was giving bottles of potion to the paralyzed member of his team.


    "Yeah, we are fine. The other guy didn''t use any poison." We recollected ourselves in some streets quite a distance away.


    "If they used poison, why didn''t you guys also use it? Such incompetents. Now, what do we do? Shit! What do we do now?" I almost shouted while accusing them of their incompetence.


    "Well, boss, should we use it?"


    "Nah. Paralyzing poison would be useless against him. He was using magic to control those knives."


    "Should we use lethal poison then?"


    "No. He would definitely have the antidote. The guild sold them in the same set. That 100P set. Moreover, he didn''t seem to intend to kill us. Hey, R445."


    "Yeah. He was menacing, but he didn''t want to kill us yet. He didn''t deliver the killing blow to R448 when he was down. But our job is to protect Kharn, and he seemed to intend to kill him as though he had a grudge against him. What should we do?"


    "Can we escape from him?"


    "Seemed easy enough. They just circled the academy." Another reaper peeked through the wall behind us. But we were almost two hundred meters away. With several intersections between us. How did he see them?


    "I didn''t see anything¡­"


    "It was his skill. He could see through things. So, they didn''t move?"


    "Yeah, they simply patrolled around the academy."


    "Damnit. They knew I was going to get Safira!" I replied.


    "What now? Wait? Who is Safira? That wasn''t in our contracts¡­."


    "She is my daughter!" The reapers looked at each other dumbfounded. The leader then brought out a phone as i screamed at the reapers. "i insist to get her out from the academy!"


    "Hello, R17B. Operator. The client said we must also save his daughter."


    "That wasn''t in the contract¡­" another reaper whispered, and the other reapers also nodded.


    "What do you mean? Let me get the handler! he agreed that he would include Safira!" I said. I knew I had omitted some details to these money-hungry rats. But wasn''t it a given that when I asked them to protect me, they must also include my family? They agreed to protect Safira too!


    "Greetings, Baron Kharn. We agreed that our protection extended to your mage daughter only if you have her with you. I have said that you would have to get her out from the academy yourself." The handler was finally on the phone as the leader switched the phone to loudspeaker mode, I could hear his annoying voice as he tried to dodge the contract we agreed upon.


    "You didn''t say that! You merely said you will protect me along with Safira!"


    "Indeed we are. But you can''t really ask us to assault the academy, right? If Safira didn''t want to come, we couldn''t exactly protect her unless you stay close together in the same room with her for the week we agreed upon."


    "Of course not. I asked you to get rid of the reapers from blocking my way. Safira will come when she meets me. She is a good, obedient child!"


    "Now, I am sorry but I can''t do that. While it is rare, a conflicting quest could still happen. You mentioned before that we sent a threatening letter to you, right? Would you like to put a counteroffer to cancel your assassination commission? I must say though. You are unlucky as your opponent is now a bit problematic; he has been known to ignore such counteroffers. But you can still try. I would not charge you if he ignored us again."


    "Huh? He ignores commission? That guy is crazy. Boss, let''s bail! We could not win if we confront him head-on." one of the reapers spoke up.


    "Boss, they are coming this way!" the reaper told us in a panic. "It is still some way off, but they widened their patrol. They will be here in half an hour or less."


    "Damn it! Fine! Let''s leave. I will send Safira a letter later to come after me! Damn it." I cursed as I left the noble quarters in haste


    -------


    "R666, should we chase them?" R663 and R661 asked me.


    "He will come to pick Safira up. He will come here later¡­" I answered, "Besides, our goal is not to kill him but to save Safira."


    "Um¡­ the commission was to kill him though." R25B interjected. I know, but that was not my mission. It was theirs.


    "Is it okay to ignore the guild''s order?" R661 asked worriedly, "What about our penalty?"


    "Hmm? R25B said since we are new, we don''t need to worry about the penalty. We are fine!"


    "No, I am not! I am not included, alright! I will still get chewed out by my manager for letting this slide! Think about me!" R25B shouted from my earpiece. "Well, even if you fail, as long as Safira doesn''t leave the country, it will be fine."


    "But what can we do? Our opponent seemed experienced. They used a smoke bomb just now, right? And I don''t want to kill them either. And now, they are gone. I don''t know where they went."


    "Well, you are right about that."


    "Let''s patrol the area. As long as we circle the academy, we will find them." I replied.


    Little did I know I was mistaken. Deciphering the thoughts of foolish individuals proved to be more challenging than understanding the minds of the intelligent. It wasn''t until two days later that I discovered Baron Kharn had departed the country without Safira.


    I worked for two days for nothing!

 Chapter 44: Safira

    The day after tomorrow, I found Safira in my room, crying. A letter from her father had arrived, instructing her to visit him at the border town of Slane territory. Of course, the principal didn''t permit her to leave without her guardians. Even if the letter was legitimate, which he wasn''t sure of, he could not allow a child, especially a high-level mage, to travel so far without proper supervision.


    I tilted my head at their behavior. I had been allowed to go home to my county with a few knights. Still, the academy here forbade Safira from doing practically the same? When I pondered it, the country''s intention became clear. They purposely prevented Safira from leaving the country. It was nasty, but I supposed our goals were aligned in this case. Now, how should I persuade Safira not to leave?


    "Lady Safira, are you okay?"


    "Lady Eli, what should I do? Father said I should leave this country because it is not safe. The letter says he asked me to go to the border town and then to the Theocracy of Mana."


    "He asked you to leave without assigning even a single knight? How irresponsible! I thought your father simply made some bad decisions when he asked you to marry some nouveau riche count. But this has crossed the line! You should just stay in the dorm or with us. It would be safer for you that way!" Alicia said what I was thinking exactly. I had entertained the thought of inviting Safira to our county, but Alicia went ahead and said it.


    "He said I should go incognito. A rather powerful reaper apparently went after his life yesterday when he was about to pick me up. His guard was almost dead because of him."


    I rolled my eyes when I heard her confession. That Baron was such a compulsive liar. If I weren''t there in person, I wouldn''t even know where he lied and where he was being honest. Maybe his head was banged by something in the past, and he had some problem there? Perhaps he lacked a healthy diet, and that''s why his brain was malfunctioning? I didn''t know. The worst part was that I didn''t even know where to begin to correct her without revealing that I was a reaper.


    "That''s even more reason you should not go outside! You should stay with us, together with our knights, or in the academy where knights and teachers would always be with you! We were attacked on the streets and almost lost our lives! Two of our knights died. These reapers always aim when we are most vulnerable! If you go out alone, you will surely be attacked!"


    "But what about my father?" Safira asked Alicia. I merely looked at her with worry. I couldn''t say anything without spoiling any information. Moreover, Alicia had already stolen all of my lines.


    "Your father is safe, right? You should stay with us until the situation calms down. Maybe until you graduate. After you graduate, you could hire several knights to escort you to your father!"


    "What about my daily necessities, my food?" I tilted my head at her question, looking inquisitively toward Alicia. She also tilted her head, indicating she didn''t know.


    "Um¡­ Lady Safira, weren''t you taught how to fill feystones by your tutor?"


    "Yes, of course. I was asked to fill 100 feystones weekly as my noble mage duty."


    "100 per week? That means over 20 gold per month or four times the normal wage of commoners!" I exclaimed. Well, we also did more than that amount. But not getting paid at all from that... I facepalmed. Even Alicia''s face turned stiff.


    "Well, I guess it was admirable for you to help out your family by donating mana. Even Lady Eli also helps our county''s finances by donating feystones. But this concerns your safety. Baron Kharn shouldn''t cheap out like that..."


    "Eh, wasn''t it mandatory to donate feystones to the empire? You guys got paid for that?"


    "It was five silver per feystone! Didn''t your tutor for high-level mage tell you that?" I almost shouted at this point.


    Alex, my magic tutor. I thought he was an arrogant nasty teacher. But I was mistaken. Thank you for being honest with us. I don''t regret paying you 2 gold now. I clapped my hands as I prayed for his well-being and hoped the gods above would erase my previous curses to him.


    "N-n-no. My tutor said that feystone shops were only made for poor mages, so they should not worry about their livelihood. Noble mages should donate feystone daily to the empire as proof of their loyalty and duty¡­ You guys didn''t donate feystones? All of our friends donated to some extent!"


    "W-well. We certainly donate. B-but, if you donate, you should receive a certificate which updated everytime you donated feystones¡­ by the way Lady Elidranthia has 1500 while I has 800 in this past three years¡­" Alicia had more mana than me. But she had more necessities, and thus she sold most of her work, thus the lower donations. We never talked about this, but apparently, this donation certificate was akin to bragging rights in most noble mage meetings. I did it to alleviate my county''s finances, though.


    "Eh? They keep count?" Safira exclaimed.


    "Of course. The first page was filled with congratulations and thanks, while the second page was about how much you contribute."


    "All these years¡­ My dad only said he forgot to bring the second page¡­" Safira went pale at the realization that her dad tricked her.


    "Well, helping out in the family was also okay. It would be nice to sell feystone and give it to your family rather than giving it to the empire. Family is more important after all. If you still have it¡­" Alicia turned her head as she whispered that hurtful words. Safira clenched her hands at that. Tears started flowing again.


    "What will happen to me now?" Safira mourned. But R25B chose this exact moment to tell me some unfunny news.


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    "Whoa. The kill commission for Baron Kharn shot up to 800 Points! What a shame the bastard is now outside the country. Well, this jackpot was never meant for us. R666, consider Safira''s father dead now. If someone put this much money, they needed to be some kind of royal family to deter the greedy reapers."


    "Hm? Why did the kill commission shoot up?" I whispered a little further back while Alicia attended to Safira during our lunch at the cafeteria.


    "He must have pissed off his debtors in this country by fleeing. Thus, the debtors put a huge bounty on his head."


    "But they still won''t get any money that way¡­ why won''t they issue a kidnapping quest instead?"


    "It is not about the money. It is to send a message. It was impossible for Baron Kharn to pay the debt without Safira anyway, and if he returned to this country''s nobility to marry Safira to another count, he might be killed by another commissioner. I am talking about you. It was pretty similar to Alicia''s father. Though in Alicia''s case, we are the assholes," he replied coldly. I gasped as I looked at what I had done to Safira and Alicia. I gathered my resolve and quit my pretentious mask.


    "Lady Safira, you have two choices now: either stay at the dorm or go together with us," I said as I held her hands with a forlorn gaze. I didn''t want to be tough, but she needed to know. "I am afraid your father will meet the same fate as Alicia''s father."


    Alicia gasped as she looked at me. I then looked at her while nodding. "Please send letters to your father to return. Otherwise¡ª"


    "Alicia, it''s already too late. You know how your father met his end. They might use Safira''s father to enslave Safira. I couldn''t let that happen either."


    The lunch ended with a heavy mood, and Safira was out of focus the entire lesson. Two days later, a letter arrived, and R25 B''s words were realized. Safira''s father had perished. Unlike Alicia''s father, there were too many vested interests in Safira. On one hand, we had the neighboring country that wanted to extract Safira.


    On the other hand, we had greedy nobles here who also wanted the same. So, it was better to kill Baron Kharn outside and then ask Safira to choose whichever noble she wanted to get along with. At least Safira still got to stay inside the country.


    <hr><hr>


    For my whole life, I lived by the advice of my father. I was the only mage in the entire family, and I felt joy seeing him so proud during my magical exam. His happiness only grew when it became known that I was a high-level mage. As a mage, I enjoyed more lavish meals, but in exchange, I was expected to fill feystones. This duty was in accordance with the mana religion we practiced, a tradition that predates the founding of our empire two hundred years ago.


    My father made decisions for me when I was a child, guiding me through my education. However, my siblings were harsh, insisting that, as a mage, I had the duty to feed the family. I did my best, tirelessly filling feystones day and night until my mana ran out. Yet, they never seemed satisfied. While I wasn''t physically bullied, the cold treatment from my brothers still persist. If my father knew I was harmed physically, he would scold my brothers. He would say that was unbecoming of honorable nobles. One day, he informed me that I would be married to a count''s son, and I realized he never truly saw me as his daughter. His focus was solely on the glory of our family. Hurt and frustrated, I had a heated argument with him. But i couldn''t change his mind about the engagement.


    As I attended tea parties and school, I discovered that this situation was unfortunately common. Many of my friends were also engaged with individuals not of their choosing. Since then, I have accepted and forgiven my father''s selfish decisions. However, that changed when I met Lady Elidranthia.


    Lady Elidranthia was unique in many aspects. As a new noble and the youngest daughter, she held a mage level even higher than mine. Her fame preceded her arrival at the academy due to a failed assassination or kidnapping attempt on her life. What set her apart was not just the fact that she repelled her attackers but that she killed all of her assassins. The scuffle resulted in the death of a knight and a maid, and countless houses were destroyed in the process. Despite her fame, she wasn''t popular among us upon her arrival, given her status as a dark mage.


    Additionally, her magical impression was intimidation. However, she never seemed bothered by that. As a high-ranking mage, I was taught how to control our emotions, as an uncontrolled magical impression could run wild. I assumed she was taught too, but she seemed to lack training as her magic impression often leaked out. However, the detail about this leaking negative magic impression and how to control them was only known by a few individuals. Not many could reach a magic level beyond 6 and developed a negative magic impression. Personally, I struggled with maintaining a warm body and often fell ill due to this condition. Maybe she thought it was okay not to train seriously since her impression was only intimidation and thus, not life threatening?


    I initially befriended her on a surface level, merely acting polite due to her higher noble rank and advanced mage level. However, her words and demeanor set her apart from other children. Unlike them, she never looked down on me or displayed any sense of insecurity that might lead to mockery. There was a depth to her words, a double meaning that intrigued me. While most children spoke of making friends for personal gain, as taught in my family, Eli didn''t adhere to that. Conversations with her felt enjoyable, and despite my family''s warnings about her possible affiliation with the anti-mage faction, I couldn''t help but be curious.


    Eli''s situation puzzled me. How could she align herself with the anti-mage faction when she herself was a mage? Furthermore, her assailants were commoners, which struck me as odd. She had been ambushed in the slums, an area densely populated by poor commoners.


    I gained deeper insights into her mindset when she hosted a party at her villa during our holiday. The event seemed bizarre, as she asked us, high-level mages, to mingle with commoner soldiers. My father had warned me about the dangers of interacting with them, emphasizing the potential risk of being kidnapped and manipulated to serve their agenda. Given my value to the empire, losing me to commoners would be a disgrace to the Kharn family.


    She had a profound understanding of how the relationship between mages and commoners should progress, a comprehension I only started to grasp as I delved into our history a year later in class. While we nobles idled in our chairs, crafting tools and perfecting our magical abilities, commoners sacrificed their lives in droves to defend our empire. Lady Eli had already internalized this truth before even entering the academy, causing me to reevaluate my perspective on commoners.


    Yet, the letters from my father this time were deeply troubling. He urged me to desert the country, sever ties with all my friends, and relocate to the eastern kingdom. When I sought counsel from Lady Eli, she skillfully evaded the issue, providing superficial answers. It was evident she knew something was amiss¡ªthe involvement of the reapers, the empire, and my father. Why didn''t she share this information with me? Was it something she had learned from her father or Duke Bron?


    Now faced with a critical decision, I questioned whether I should trust Lady Eli''s words. Leaving the academy might result in my demise, as hinted by her cryptic responses. With my entire family having already left the country, I grappled with abandoning my noble privileges to live under Lady Eli''s protection. Alternatively, I considered following in my father''s footsteps, adhering to the path I had always known. Joining an orphanage was out of the question; I still had a family, and the idea of relinquishing control over my destiny didn''t sit well with me.


    "Lady Eli''s territory does seem appealing. Perhaps I should consider a change... I wonder if I could open a patisserie in her domain," I mused aloud from my bed.

 Chapter 45: Recruitment

    A week later, letters arrived from the Theocracy of Mana, reporting that Baron Kharn and his family had been assassinated by over 20 assassins, resulting in the deaths of 10 knights and 5 mageknights of the Theocracy. The Theocracy expressed anger and held our empire responsible for the loss of their precious knights. Mageknights, ranging from level 3 to 5, had fallen in the attack, causing a notable decrease in their national power, although it was a modest loss considering the Theocracy''s size.


    Our empire, predictably, ignored the blame and, in turn, accused them of killing our noble. The news circulated in the newspaper. I couldn''t help but smile wryly when I heard Safira crying over the incident. We all knew it was the doing of the reapers. The bounty on their heads had soared to 600 points. R25B informed us of numerous casualties on our side, and his managers chastised the reckless operators and reapers for their imprudent actions.


    "Safira, what are your plans for the future? Will you come to our house?" I asked directly during our lunch.


    "Well, I am no longer a noble. So, I guess if you would employ me, I would accept. Please treat me well."


    "Hmm? You are still a noble, though. Baron Kharn was never dismissed as a noble. So, when you come of age, you will be officially recognized as Safira Kharn. Right? Prince Ludwin?"


    "Lady Eli is right. Safira, the death of such loyal subordinates was regrettable. It was all because of the reapers. Someone must hold a grudge against your family. If you come as our court mage, I promise I will protect you," Prince Ludwin said as he interrupted our lunch. "I promised to honor your loyalty to the empire. You can succeed your house when you come of age."


    "I thank you, Prince Ludwin. But I guess I will stay with Lady Eli. She has experience dealing with reapers¡­" Safira said. I tilted my head at her. She chose our poor and countryside county over the royal court? Well, a boon is a boon. I should not deny her. Let''s just smile as I welcome her to our house.


    "Don''t worry about reapers. I will be sure to guard you. We could even have knights guard you here. It is your right. We had the new law specifically for this," Prince Ludwin said as he continued to solicit her. Well, every leader always wanted capable workers. Was he trying to recruit her?


    "Well, um¡­ Thank you, Prince Ludwin¡­ maybe¡ª"


    "Safira, what would you like to be? I shall accommodate you as best as I can!"


    "She would become a doctor, of course! What else?" Prince Ludwin scoffed at my seemingly stupid question.


    "Um¡­ if possible, I want to learn how to make a cake. O-of course, I would not neglect my healer training¡­ but¡­ I want to make sweets¡­ is it okay?"


    "Of course! I will give you a shop! Your ice cream was delicious the other day! My father could arrange for a cake store to be opened. If that is what you want, Lady Safira. Alicia, let''s write to Father about the circumstances. Moreover, I would also like to pen Narwhal to cater to her. She would need a place to work too. We can''t hire a baron''s daughter as a maid like you, right?" I clapped for Alicia, and she bowed to me, affirming my decision. Her smile was a bit stiff, though.


    "Urgh¡­ we need more doctors¡­ why make cakes of all things. You could become a magic tool inventor, a doctor, or an environmental caretaker. Making cakes¡­ even commoners could do that!" Prince Ludwin complained, and when I looked around, even Alicia tried to force a smile at me. Did I misspeak?


    "Sorry¡­" Safira nodded down in shame. "Yeah. It was a stupid dream¡­"


    "Don''t worry, Safira! You could become a cake maker and a doctor at the same time! Just have this kind of store on one side and a clinic on the other! Everyone needs a hobby! Helping others is a must. But that doesn''t mean you should abandon a hobby!"


    "Thank you, Lady Eli."


    "Well, Lady Eli, please take care of Safira. And Safira, if you feel inadequate, don''t forget that our doors will always be open for you," Prince Ludwin smiled at her. It seemed like he had given up recruiting her for now. He couldn''t show such blatant favoritism to a single individual as royals, so I guess he would let me have her? He won''t ask for ridiculous requests later, right? "If you plan to become a doctor and make cakes as your hobby, we also could support you. Well, I apologize that we couldn''t support you directly. It would affect our impartiality as royals, after all. Lady Eli, I trust her in your hands. Please protect her from reapers."


    "T-thank you, Prince Ludwin, and also, Lady Eli. Please take care of me."


    Letters came back to me in the following week. Both from Narwhal and Father. R663, or Narwhal, said he had already procured a store in my county along with lands to grow fruits. He also said that he could lend a portion or even all of the store to Lady Safira if I wished it. I knew I funded his store. But could I really do that? I mean, should I directly order him to lend his store to Safira?


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    "Children, I hope you have a fun holiday. You have learned about magic enchantment up to the two-circle command. Now, I shall teach you about a higher-order 4 command. By the way, you may use up to medium-grade feystone for this. After this, you will learn how to fix magic tools, and then you can graduate."


    The professor continued his boring explanations. By the way, medium-grade feystones were counted as 10 feystone points according to the empire standard. Feystones were divided into several grades. The smallest one, the size of a marble, is the usual feystone the masses use. It is counted as 1 feystone. The medium-sized feystone is counted as 10 feystone points. The circuit for a medium-grade feystone is easier to make than connecting 10 small feystones together.


    Then, there are large-sized feystones. The empire has a standard for medium and small feystones, but there is no standard for huge feystones. They were varied in size. In the novel, an airship that the empire has, uses five huge-sized feystones. Apparently, such an airship has yet to be built, even though the events in the novel should start next year when we are in high school. I wonder if they had begun to construct it now...


    Lady Safira ended up under my protection. She would be provided with a guest room in my house, and my family would become her guardians until her graduation from high school; we would also pay for her tuition. Well, Safira would pay for her own tuition by filling feystones and doing some public service. However, an adult still needed to come to pay for her tuition. I sometimes felt annoyed that children couldn''t do anything in this world. Some adults had to become guardians for them.


    Many nobles opted to adopt Safira. However, she rejected them all and chose to be with me. I tilted my head at her. We were not that close. Why did she choose me rather than the more familiar central nobles?


    "Ah, by the way, the upper management was quite pissed that you failed to kill Baron Kharn. He then chose to uplift your newbie protection. From now on, whenever you fail a commission, you will be punished at 20% of the commission rate," R25B informed me later that night. He also informed me that the protection removal was also applied to R663 and R661.


    "Eh? They could do that?"


    "Of course. You have been with us for more than six months. The newbie protection was considered a trial for reapers. If you fail many commissions during this time, you will be fired. But since your work was good, and the client was satisfied with it, Yes. Oddly, the client was fine with you not killing Baron Kharn but keeping Safira here and killing that traitorous Baron Denah despite his counter-offering. They put in some good words for you."


    "Am I in danger of getting fired?"


    "Not yet. The client was all satisfied anyway. How lucky you are. You failed, but your customers are still happy. I wish I had that kind of luck when I was a common clerk working for that arrogant seamstress."


    "The client knew who I am?! You said no one knew my identity!"


    "The client only knew you as Reaper 666, nothing more. Ah, they also knew the service you did for them, of course. Our handler gave a report to him under your reaper number after all."


    "I see." I breathed a sigh of relief. It was rather late, but I seemed to get closer to this organization. Some of them were evil, but many of them were good guys to me.


    Even though Safira had already been accepted into my county, our life was no different than before. We still had school, and right now, Safira and Nana were grappling with the infamous math exams about fractions and decimals. Safira was smart. However, her family circumstances have made her lose focus lately.


    "Lady Eli, why is it when you said half of 20, you multiplied 20 by one over two? Half is divided by two, right?" Nana asked me. "It is supposed to be 20 divided by one over two!"


    "How did you do it when you said twenty divided by one over two? Twenty divided by one per two is different from twenty divided by two. Twenty divided by one over two makes the number go larger, right?"


    "What do you mean the numbers go larger?" Nana said. I glared at her while suppressing my wrath. She shut up and listened.


    "But here, the next number said if half a kilo is 10 silver coins, how much is a kilo? When the question was 1 kilo is 10 silver, 2 kilos is multiplication, right? Why is this one division??!" Safira asked me. Nana held her head in frustration as tears started to gather at the corner of her eyes. Even Alicia admittedly had troubles in this part. I understood them because I am a high school student from Earth. But unfortunately, I was not smart enough to explain it to them.


    "Um¡­ if a package were to be divided by two, each half would be called half a package, right? If this half of a package was five. Then, one package is ten, right?"


    "But why is it division?" Alicia asked.


    "Remember, in fraction division, you need to switch the numerator and denominator of the divisor. To reach the 10 from five, it needed to be divided."


    "But we don''t know the answer!"


    "This is the model. After you know half a package into one package, you can determine if it is one hundredth or one thousandth. It follows the same procedure. Division," I tried to explain.


    "What is a thousandth? Why does five multiplied by two over one become ten?" Nana muttered. Safira also moaned. Girls, five multiplied by two over one is the same as five multiplied by two. Have you forgotten how to do basic multiplication?


    "Nana¡­ aren''t you a merchant''s daughter?" I said in frustration. "There are still harder questions. But how could you pass if you didn''t even understand this."


    "Don''t bring my family into this, Lady Eli¡­ just because my father is a successful merchant doesn''t mean I will."


    "Well¡­ as long as we can fill feystones, you don''t really need to work," Nana added her lazy piece. Safira and Alicia nodded. She was shy, so she didn''t talk much. But after a year, she started to show her true nature.


    "Don''t say that! Have more pride! That kind of behavior is the reason commoners look down on us!" I exclaimed. On this rare occasion, it was me and not Alicia who lectured them this time.

 Chapter 46: Harassment

    After the exam period, the second prince approached me once again, this time after class.


    "Eli! Wait up a bit. Before you go, I want to ask you something. You are in the anti-mage faction, right?"


    "Prince Ludwin, I am just a child. I didn''t join any political factions in the empire. Please direct such questions to my guardians." I smiled. He came to bring trouble to me again. However, I was prepared to deflect his invitation.


    "You see, my uncle and father had a fight again. This is about the knight that harassed your citizen."


    "Oh, but I believe the case was over with the justiciars giving the verdict." That guy was a rapist. Why would Prince Ludwin care about him? Father and I have also checked. The knight was simply a baron''s third son. He was not important. "Does the royal family have any issue with it?"


    "I personally don''t have any issue with it. The knights were fully in the wrong, and they should get punished. However, some nobles criticized us for the way we handled it. It was the noble who thinks we pandered to the mages again." Prince Ludwin then explained that when the victim refused marriage and compensation, the noble frowned their eyes. They thought the commoner mages should be grateful to be able to marry into nobility. He further explained that usually, in the empire, if such harassment occurred, the victim was married off to the perpetrator to maintain her purity. The only case where the knights were justified to be imprisoned or even face a death sentence was if the victim already had a fianc¨¦, which wasn''t the case here.


    "It was the victim and her family''s choice to get the knights into prison," I replied. I was a female both here and in my previous life. I could only roll my eyes at their outdated, toxic culture despite the advanced technology.


    "However, they were commoners, and commoner women should marry better men. The man who raped her was a royal guard and thus had a stable income. The nobles were questioning if the victim was sane. They accused you of influencing the victim''s decision to deal a blow to that baron''s family and possibly their faction, who were in Duke Luca''s." His words were grating on my nerves. "They were petitioning the royal guard to stop supporting your county."


    "I didn''t influence her. Our family didn''t even meet the victim''s family. If you were so inclined to defend that knight, you could use your royal prerogative to release him from prison and even reinstall him back as a royal guard. As long as he didn''t visit our county, his life was no concern to us." I tried to hold in my anger and negotiate the best I could. However, this noble business was getting so infuriating that I lashed out at him. "Prince Ludwin, what if Charlotte got harassed? Won''t you simply kill the perpetrator?"


    Prince Ludwin looked at me wide-eyed at my hostility. "However, she was a commoner."


    "Prince Ludwin, that knight was only a baron''s third son. He was manaless too. He was not a better man than the victim. Even if the victim was no longer pure, she was still a mage. On the other hand, he got into the prestigious royal guard simply because of money. Moreover, he could die at any moment because of war. If you wanted to weigh who you should defend for the better empire, do it properly. Even though you were supposed to be in the mage elitist faction, how could you protect a nobody?" I started berating him. My morals from Earth and Elidranthia''s hatred for nobility found common ground here, and my emotions ran wild at the prince.


    "Whether you look at it as the anti-mage faction or mage elitist faction, it is clear who should receive justice."


    "I see. I was wrong. I guess I was too afraid of these nobles'' pressure. I apologize." He bowed his head. Thankfully, we were in the special classes and not the usual cafeteria, so the peanut gallery only consisted of thirty people. Most of them were commoners, with a few nobles mixed in. I hoped this issue wouldn''t blow up to others.


    Little did I know that gossip travels faster than lightning. Margareth and her company harassed me again right when I went to lunch with Safira, Nana, and Alicia.


    "What did you do to Prince Ludwin, huh? I heard you raise your voice to our prince. Was that treason?" Margareth had the villainess aura more than I did. The smug look, together with the croissant drill hair, was perfect. She really had the ohohoho villainess look down to a tee. Where was she in the original novel? I couldn''t recall she made an appearance there.


    "Lady Margareth, your faction''s lowly knight has harassed a mage from my county. Moreover, you banded together to plead with Prince Ludwin so that the lowly knight could be forgiven? Or do you think rape was forgivable as long as the other party is a commoner? Does this mean you intended to steal our mages?"


    "We pay better than your puny county. It''s only right that your mage goes where it pays best! You too, Lady Safira. Have you been brainwashed by this red-eyed witch?"


    "Well, fortunately, they didn''t flee to your dukedom. I guess your egregious solicitation has come to an end. I actually wondered if you actually paid mages better. If you did, then you have violated the imperial decree of feystone prices," I said as I released my intimidation. I sincerely hoped they would flee, but they didn''t. Of course, what I am saying is a baseless accusation. The empire won''t defend me, but we are in a children''s fight. I wonder if her parents would sue me to the justiciars.


    "Damn witch. Don''t think I will be afraid of your evil eyes forever," Margareth said as she left.


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    "Am I in trouble?" I turned toward my friends. My trio of friends was nodding intensively.


    "R666, I need your help. Viscount Mateo has an affair with Countess Isabella. He wanted to know if Isabella''s current husband had an affair with other girls. And if you do, he will pay 150P, and if not, he will pay 10P. I have assigned this to R661, but you will support him if possible." R25B didn''t mention sharing the profit. But I didn''t want to discuss it. It would be fine if all of the communication went to R661. We needed to help each other whenever we could.


    "Well, if it was only taking him to a cafe or restaurant, I didn''t really mind," I replied in a whisper through my earpiece. Lately, the capital was calm. There were no big jobs, and I ended up as support most of the time. However, I had my own troubles in my noble life. Margareth was seriously picking a fight with me. She already started a rumor about me brainwashing Safira or threatening her.


    "Miss Elidranthia¡­ umm¡­ can we speak for a moment?" Nana came to me feeling gloomy. Is she going to ask for another study session? I would be glad to attend. This social life was getting tiring for me. I had to explain Safira''s case and the knight''s crime all over again. I never thought I would find a study session so relaxing.


    "Yes, what is it, Nana? Would you like to hold a study session again?"


    "Umm¡­ No. I had words from my father. He¡­ um¡­¡± She stuttered. Even after a year, she was still shy, even around me. It was a bit heartbreaking.


    "What did your father say?"


    "He wanted to form a trading connection with your county. He mainly sells grain. So, he was wondering if you need any or if you were willing to sell any?"


    "Sure! County Shadowsteps produces foodstuff. You could go to Narwhal; he will lead you around my county. There are two villages that farmed grain. Moreover, Narwhal said he would start farming fruits! You might not be able to get citrus and bananas yet. But some spices grow quickly. I will tell him to welcome your father." I said as I promoted my store. We always sell to the country. However, unlike feystone, grain is not watched that closely here.


    "R666, I have a new mission for you. This is an assassination mission. Four baron''s families need to die. Can you do it? The commission is 150P each. Here is the list." R25B told me with gravity. "By the way, this is a direct commission. That means the client specifically asked for R666."


    "Is it because of that royal guard''s behavior? The one who raped my citizen?" I facepalmed.


    "Yes. Wow. Word sure travels fast. Didn''t expect you to know about it."


    "Why did the client appoint me?"


    "Dunno. Maybe the client expected you not to give in to counter-offering. That was against the company''s policy though. But a direct commission like this is more secretive because only several people know about it. If it was the normal commission, other reapers might leak it to another party."


    "Eh? That is allowed?"


    "Of course not. The reapers will be fired, and we will put a bounty on his head. If there were proof." R25B''s last words made me frown. Did he mean the guild knew information was leaking but let it go because of no proof? This world sure was complicated. I simply wished to kill some bandits like in video games. Why did I have to kill nobles? And assassinations at that.


    "That royal guard was a nobody. Why was everyone so bothered by him so much!" I screamed out in frustration.


    "That royal guard was not important. However, after Baron Kharn''s desertion, everyone was on edge. The empire started to regulate travel, and nobles have been accusing His Majesty of being a tyrant."


    "Then killing these four barons would only increase the tension!"


    "That''s not for us to decide. It was the client. Will you do it or not?"


    "Alright. I will do it."


    "The time is up to you, but all of them need to be killed in a week after the first assassination. If you take too long, they will flee and put up guards in their own houses."


    "I will kill them all in a day. Now is a good time to let out some stress. Duke Luca''s daughter has been picking a fight with me lately. These nobles were in the merchant''s faction, right?"


    "Oh? She did? Now that is interesting info. I wonder why she did that. Her attitude was different from the majority of Duke Luca''s policy. Maybe because she is a mage? Albeit not as high as you?"


    You have picked improved kinetic vision level 1


    I picked my level-up bonus. I refused to become a vampire. So, there was only one choice for me.


    Blessing of the Killing Star (lvl 4)


    - fearless


    - intimidation


    - improved strength


    - improved agility


    - beast instinct


    - dark magic


    - - kinetic vision lvl1


    - Stealth/Camouflage lvl 2


    <hr>


    "This is bad," I muttered as I reviewed the files.


    Reports about the empire kept coming in. When Baron Kharn was assassinated, the theocracy put the blame on us. However, the empire put the blame on the merchant guild due to them actually putting the bounty and executing it. Well, both of them put the bounty, but the empire withdrew it after they found out Baron Kharn left the country without Safira. It was like the pot calling the kettle black.


    After such a fiasco, the empire and theocracy imposed a ban on travel and tax increase. This put a massive strain on the merchant faction. Their trade partners were mostly the theocracy and its vassals because the empire had already banned them from conducting trade with enemy nations. Now, with the worthless royal guard being imprisoned, they used it against the royals, inciting the anti-mage faction. Count Shadowsteps was also being shunned due to R666 being a little bit too close to the prince, who is in the mage elitist faction, and many of their suggestions promoted the mages. Thus, she was disdained by the merchant faction.


    However, the knight candidates all adored her, so her position remained secure in Duke Bron''s faction due to her easygoing and humble attitude. Her being a level 8 mage, the highest in all of the academy, also smoothed things over with Slane''s faction, and she was seen as the bridge between mages and commoners. Thus, the merchant faction had difficulties reining in R666, who cooperated with the prince and had backing from Slane and Bron''s faction. They felt cornered, and thus, the rebellious attitude.


    Now, with the assassination quest of the four barons, the royals wanted to put them all in their place. However, they took a massive gamble with this. This could lead to revolt instead, and with the war on the County Shadowsteps on the horizon, the damage could be irreparable. If the merchant group had pulled all their support from Duke Bron''s planning and favored Count Sark instead, R666''s county would have been lost.


    War on the Western Front was supported by the theocracy and its vassals, but the empire would be alone in the war against the Elderan Empire. The empire didn''t want to put more tension against the anti-mage faction by allowing theocracy''s knights into Duke Bron''s territory.


    "Well, I will make an escape route if worse comes to worst. At least Count Shadowstep and R666 should live," I muttered as I arranged for our handler to inform Count Shadowstep about the escape route if they lost the war against Elderan.

 Chapter 47: Bloodthirst

    The next day, R25B provided me with the names of the four barons I was supposed to assassinate. I spent another four days memorizing the city layouts and synchronizing them with my reaper card. After superimposing the noble quarters map with my cartographer tool, I meticulously planned the assassinations. The four families I was supposed to kill were Baron Jack, Baron Don, Baron Kachek, and Baron Heil. The commission required me to kill all their main family members too. Baron Jack had a wife and a twenty-year-old son. Baron Don had three wives and five children. Baron Kachek had a fianc¨¦e, so I only needed to kill him. Baron Heil had a four-year-old son.


    "Do I have to kill their children too?" I frowned at the request.


    "Hm¡­ you can spare Baron Heil''s child, but you still need to eliminate the others," R25B said.


    "But Baron Don''s daughter is only 7 years old."


    "I would prefer it if you killed them all, R666. If you don''t, these children might be adopted and used against the empire. Killing them serves as a warning to their faction. If we spare them, the warning won''t be as effective."


    "Is the situation in our empire that dire?"


    "We don''t know for sure. But the handler who provided the info mentioned that we need to eliminate their families as a warning to the opposing faction. Here, the opposing faction refers to those against the royals and the empire."


    "I didn''t realize our situation was so critical. Was there any indication of rebellion?"


    "No, that''s why they hired us. The empire could give death sentences to the traitors. However, the merchant''s faction simply redirected their war effort from the northern front to the western front. Such a move could be seen as treasonous, but they weren''t truly traitors because some of the military supported them. That''s why this assassination is necessary¡ªto send a warning for them to adhere to the war plan outlined by Duke Bron."


    Anger surged within me. Were they planning to sacrifice my county for their selfish gain? This plan was formulated because Duke Bron understood the significance of my county as a bulwark. If it falls... Oh, I see. If it falls, the merchant faction would gain numerous customers. Drawing from my knowledge from my previous world, I knew that some companies on Earth, even contracted military providers, would sabotage their own country to prevent a quick victory. This strategy increased their profits as they could sell more weapons at higher prices. Even if the country fell, they would simply flee and restart their dirty business in a foreign land.


    "Lady Eli, are you unwell? Your eyes look a bit intense tonight," Alicia asked as I was about to go to bed.


    "Don''t worry, Alicia. I''m just agitated by something."


    "Is it Margareth again?"


    "Maybe, but I''ll sort things out in a day or two. Sorry for worrying you. I just need some time to calm down." I smiled back at her. However, my smile didn''t reach my eyes as my emotions ran wild. I wondered if Alicia knew what I was about to do. I wasn''t good at lying, after all. But that didn''t matter. Tomorrow, I would take care of them all.


    ------


    "AARGH!!" A knife flew into the screaming woman''s throat as Baron Jack lay lifeless on the couch. My first target was Baron Jack''s family. His wife was there with him, lounging in the living room. I quickly dispatched him to the next world.


    "What''s the commotion mo¡ª who are you?" his son came out from his bedroom. As I charged towards him, he screamed and shouted. With my improved strength, I broke down the wooden door and found him running for the window. He never reached it, though, as my tentacle bound him, and then I made him follow his father''s footsteps. His scream was muffled through the entwining tentacle.


    "That''s one down." I breathed a sigh and tried to regulate my breathing. My skills took too much of my stamina. I could break down doors and even overpower an adult in arm wrestling, but I soon found myself gasping for air as weariness rushed in from my muscles like a tsunami. I could faint if I didn''t limit myself, and fainting when facing my opponent would cost me my life.


    "Alright, next is Baron Kachek, Heil, and Don," R25B said.


    "Roger. I am going there now," I said as I jogged through the streets. Twenty minutes later, I found the house of the bachelor baron. As I walked near his house, I saw him locking the door and preparing to get outside.


    "Going out in the middle of the night? It is dangerous, you know," I warned him. He looked at me quizzically before widening his eyes as a shock ran through his body. He immediately drew his sword as he looked around for an avenue of escape.


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    "Who are you? What do you want?"


    "Why? Do you have something to feel guilty about that you immediately drew your sword upon meeting strangers?"


    "You. You are Reapers! I knew it! Kharn is my friend. It was you who killed him!"


    I tilted my head. "Though you may not believe me, it was not I who killed him. Well, then, please die."


    I threw my flashbang, which I had bought a long time ago, together with a throwing knife. I covered my eyes by extending the dark shadow that engulfed me as a ball of magic tool flashed a blinding light. A few seconds later, the victim lay paralyzed on the ground with a knife sticking out of his left arm.


    "Two down¡­" I muttered as I slowly approached him to finish the job. He inched away from me, trying to prolong his pathetic life even for a minute. However, I didn''t see his hand that reached for something.


    "Die," he muttered as he pulled a gun from his pocket¡ªa short-barrel flintlock. The gun blazed out with a roar like thunder.


    I saw him pull out his gun, and as the pistol screamed, I sidestepped the bullet that narrowly missed my temple. Thank goodness there was no automatic weapons in this world. Thanks to my new skill, I saw the bullet fly toward me. If not for my improved agility, I might have died even with beast instinct and kinetic vision.


    His eyes widened in astonishment. His mouth was agape. He must have been in shock as he saw the only hope of surviving extinguished. I heard he was a knight and was trained for muskets. His pride must have been torn to tatters when he saw himself miss a point-blank shot.


    "Wait! I have a fiancee! We will get married next month! Please! Don''t kill me!"


    "Bye-bye." I used my dark tentacles to slit his throat. His plea passed me like a wind that carries meaningless leaves as my excitement grew. The shadow seemed delighted as it received the soul of the next victim. I could picture that girl dancing in joy again tonight.


    "R666! Are you okay?! I heard a gunshot just now," R25B asked. Panic filled his voice as he kept repeating my name.


    "Sorry. He was not quite dead. He is dead now," I replied.


    "Whew, I lost several years of my life there. Make sure the target is dead before you report it to me."


    "Why? Is it because of the sound?"


    "It''s YOU! Your life!! Do you know how many elite assassins died because they were caught off guard!?" R25B screamed on my earclip. I giggled in amusement as I continued my kill. I looted him to find several bullets with him, plus his gun. This guy was ready for an assault. I wondered if he loved to pick a fight. This pistol musket was quite rare and expensive.


    "Now it''s Heil."


    "You don''t have to kill his son. I know it would be hard for you. I will arrange some orphanage to take him in."


    "No. I will kill him too. I need to do it. If not, the merchant faction would use him against us." I said, full of conviction.


    After a ten-minute rest, I jogged to Baron Heil''s villa. I was already gasping for air when I reached his house. After resting for 10 minutes, I entered the villa through the chimney. The creaking of the antiquated wooden floor was the only noise heard in this house. It made me question if there were a father and a four-year-old son here.


    I tiptoed into the room one by one and found a bed with a boy younger than even Daniel sleeping peacefully. His father was sleeping on the couch nearby and was nudging in his sleep. I inched closer with daggers in hand, preparing to sink my blade into his chest.


    "Ugh. Daniel¡­?¡± He woke up groggily. I never asked R25B about the boy''s name. I stopped moving when I heard the name. He immediately jolted awake as he realized the black shadow before him was not Daniel, his son.


    "W-who are you?"


    "It would be nice if you keep sleeping. It would be painless that way¡­" I sighed.


    "Are you from the empire? Why did you want to kill me?"


    "Why did you think the empire wants to kill you?"


    "Ridiculous. I was only selling to the highest bidder. It was natural for merchants! Besides, I am just a clerk! I was just following advice from the merchant guild!" I stared at him and the boy.


    "You need to understand. If I didn''t do this, I would be ostracized by the merchant guild. My son, Daniel, is sick. I need money! Besides, I didn''t betray the empire! The Western Front needed the supplies more! You have to understand!" Anger surged again at his selfish words. I raised my dagger and stepped forward.


    "Papa?" The boy woke up.


    "Daniel!?"


    "Who is she?" The kid asked his father as I gripped my throwing knife with my tentacle and shot it toward Daniel in reflex. Baron Heil, somehow faster than my tentacle, jumped toward Daniel as he shielded him with his body.


    "Argh!" He groaned.


    "Papa!!" Daniel screamed and cried.


    "Be silent. Please, Daniel." Baron Heil said. His voice stuttered as he tried to hide his fear. Daniel''s cry turned into sobs as he tried his best to follow his father''s words. Baron Heil then turned to me. Smiling. "Is this... poison? Am I going to die? I feel numb. Good then. You have accomplished your mission. If I may bother you, please take Daniel to his aunty."


    My wrath kept boiling as euphoria filled me. I smiled and giggled. No, wait. Why am I giggling? Let''s just finish the job and leave. Kill him and leave the children alone.


    "No," Eli spoke with my voice. A tentacle was raised with another throwing knife. Aiming toward the boy. Thoughts then whispered to me. I should kill all of them. Sparing him will lead to more trouble later. This assassination request happened because I failed to kill Baron Kharn. If I killed him in this country, these nobles won''t rebel.


    "Wh-wh-why? Please! Please! NOOOOOO!" blood splattered as the knife plunged into the neck of a helpless child. As the father cried tears, Eli stared at him.


    "You won''t get away with this. Damn Reapers! Daniel was only 5 years old!" his curses were met with a smile. My body was no longer in control as the menace within me surged forth. Slowly, my darkness cloak peeled off from my face and body, revealing my real face.


    "Then kill me. Like what you did to my mother." She looked at him in the eye. His eyes widened. His body was petrified. Then, slowly, Eli came forward with her stiletto. Still looking at him, she calmly pushed her stiletto into his throat. Our eyes met, and his hatred turned into fear as light seeped out from his eyes. His lifeless corpse then dropped, and Eli giggled at the scenery. Her giggle turned into a laugh.


    "Last is Baron Don. Kill the noble, kill the peasants, Kill the king, kill them all." She chanted.

 Chapter 48: Elidranthia Part 3

    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    "Three down," I gasped as I walked to Baron Don''s villa. Sensation returned to my fingers, and I could move them again. *cough *cough


    "Good work! Next is Baron Don. He was supposed to have a huge party at his villa. This might be the hardest one yet since you also have to kill his 3 wives and 5 children."


    "The pay needs to be tripled¡­ he has 9 people there in contrast to the other three barons," I muttered. However, my voice lacked the usual power in the retort. It sounded flatter and lacked energy. I was exhausted mentally.


    "Hmm? What''s wrong? Are you tired? Yeah, going to three different assassination spots in a day was tough. But you were the one who proposed this plan. Want to keep going, R666?"


    "Yes, I will continue," I replied. My hands trembled as I held my stiletto and trident dagger. However, I was still excited. Disgust and excitement mixed together. Eli really wanted to kill them. She was just like the webnovel, a deranged psychopath. The moment she smiled and killed him was the worst. Moreover, I just realized now that our emotions were connected. I was feeling disgusted, but she was feeling delighted. Her euphoria washed away my anxiety. Killing people was fun.


    I finally reached Baron Don''s villa. Even in the dead of night, light flowed out through his house, and the sound of laughter was faintly heard from outside. I came forward. The stupid baron left the door unlocked either because they were expecting a guest for their abhorrent party or they just forgot.


    "Greetings, may I see your invita¡ª Argh!" a butler died with a knife at his neck.


    "Kyaa!!"


    A cacophony of screams soon followed as the maid saw the tragedy. I laughed as my tentacle continued to do the dirty work for me. Some man brandished his noble ceremonial sword but was soon taken down by a barrage of flying knives. The tight corridor of a modern house only fits 2 or 3 people. I couldn''t get surrounded, but I could surround my enemies with over ten knives.


    "Butler! Hendrick! Hold him for a moment! Jacqueline! Where is my phone! Hold him until I call the handler!" the baron scrambled for his phone once he knew a reaper had barged into his house.


    My tentacles waved around like snakes and lashed into the necks of every man and woman they could find. They were hungry for blood, and corpses continued to pile up. One, two, three, four¡ªthe body count continued climbing despite some resistance. Some of them were knights, but they made the same mistake my knights once did. They only brought their ceremonial swords and no armor, so it was easy to kill them. It was useless compared to knives.


    "Brother, protect me! Fireball!!" a teenager asked for his brother''s protection as he cast some spell.


    "Wind shield!" a woman cried out. Judging from their strength, they can''t be more than level 4 mages.


    I was amazed this house had two mages with them. However, low-level mages were powerless against me. His fireball was blocked by sacrificing a single tentacle, and her wind shield only slowed down two tentacles as others simply surrounded the shield, and their only knight vanguard was dead in mere seconds.


    "Wait! I am calling the handler! Cease your assault! I can pay you mo¡ª Arg!!" I shot him without waiting for him to finish. The gun I looted before was useful. What a shame I couldn''t carry this home. Alicia knew all of my belongings, so I had to throw them out here. I won''t make the same mistake as I did with Baron Kharn or that traitorous Baron Denah. Politics could change with a simple word or call. As I reaped his life, a blue box appeared before me.


    Blessing of the Killing Star has risen to lvl 5


    Choose your upgrade


    - Poison Resistance lvl 1


    - paralysis resistance lvl 1


    - Improved kinetic vision lvl 2


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    Tears started to flow from my eyes. I leveled up again. This level-up didn''t make me happy in the slightest. It represented how many humans I had killed. A massive pile of corpses lay behind me in this now silent villa. I rummaged through the bodies, as ordered by R25B. I kept count from the beginning and informed him that I had killed ten servants and fifteen other people here. However, R25B instructed me to photograph every single one of them.


    "Two of Baron Don''s children were not here. And the guest you killed was quite problematic. Urgh. The client won''t be happy with this one. Some of them were high-ranking nobles." R25B reported after I sent the photographs to him 3 hours later in my house. I didn''t get any sleep that night, and for the rest of the day, I simply stared out the window in a catatonic state. It was a good thing today was Sunday.


    When I heard R25 B''s report, I mentally calculated to myself. I should have killed 9 people there: Baron Don, three of his wives, and five of his children. If there were fifteen casualties and two missing children, that means I killed 8 unrelated nobles and ten servants.


    "Will I be in trouble?"


    "No. This is an assassination request, not a protection one. The client specifically allowed for collateral damage. They have no room to complain. Well, look at the bright side. You are going to be famous overnight," R25B reported. His voice was pained though. He obviously wasn''t happy with the result.


    "What about the escaped Baron Don''s children?"


    "The commission will be marked half complete. You will not fail, but you will receive a third of the amount. You still kill the head of the family, after all. We will dispatch another reaper to find the missing children then," R25B said. Frustration filled his voice. "Now, on the good news. You have assassinated 3 families perfectly, which means 3 multiplied by 150P equals 450 P. Baron Don''s equals 50P, so after adding 500 points, you have 520 points. Congratulations!"


    His words fell on deaf ears as I continued to stare outside, even during the evening.


    "Come on, Lady Eli. I know it''s Sunday, but you can''t stay cooped up in the room all day. Let''s go outside!" Alicia said. "Either go to the garden or to the cafeteria; it''s fine! Do you want to play magic? Or do you want to play chess? Or go to Ronya''s salon?"


    "Whatever." I grabbed Alicia''s hand as she led me out to our dormitory. She continued to talk about various things while taking me to the school garden and then bought some juice in the cafeteria. However, all of her words slipped past my ears as I answered her on autopilot.


    "Lady Eli, what happened? You were so unresponsive today," Alicia asked with concern. This made me remember my past life. When I was unresponsive during school, my classmates immediately pulled their conversation away from me, concerned about my health. However, here Alicia was.


    "I don''t know," I muttered. I then looked at Alicia. The sun was beginning to set, and fatigue started to settle in. I feared sleeping alone. Eli will definitely come into my dream tonight.


    "Alicia, can I sleep with you?"


    "Hmm? Our rooms are already next to each other, though. W-w-wait, are you asking me to sleep in the same bed as you?" Alicia flushed at my words. She stammered at her own words.


    "W-w-well, if Lady Eli desires it. Our bed would be small, though. But don''t be afraid. I believe it shall be enough for us." Her words suddenly aggravated me. I know I am small, but you didn''t have to point it out like that. However, my anger didn''t last long as I merely smiled instead. I thanked her for her understanding. Even though I had been ignoring her all day, she still offered me a warm welcome.


    When night came, fatigue was building up. My eyes were unfocused as I was about to fall unconscious anytime soon. Without any deeper intention, I hugged Alicia on the bed, treating her like a hug pillow as I fell into dreamland. Her breast pillow was exceptionally soft beneath my head.


    When I opened my eyes, a red sky shone forth. As I feared, I was here again in the dreamland. Corpses piled up into a mountain as Elidranthia sat there, smiling at me cheerfully. She was in a good mood. However, I was not. Our feelings were connected. She must have felt my disgust and apprehension. When I looked around, the corpses had grown into a sizeable number. And I knew several faces among them. None of them were faceless corpses. They were all my victims. The petite corpse of a 5-year-old Daniel was also there. I inadvertently looked away from him.


    I directed my anger at Elidranthia. She pouted, feeling hurt. But this time, I held my footing and opposed her with a question, "Why did you have to kill him? He was not the target! He was just a little kid. R25B specifically said it was okay not to kill him!"


    She smiled, then she looked at the red comet behind her. She finally spoke, "What is the difference between monsters and humans? Humans and animals? We kill to survive. The more we kill, the more we will survive."


    "This is not a game world! There are no stats or levels here. No matter how many you kill, you could still get killed by a bullet."


    She then turned to me. "We do have levels. They don''t, but we do."


    "Why kill humans? If you wanted to level up, just kill some monsters in the countryside!" I interrogated her. "Is that what you wish? To kill every single human being in this world?"


    She then pondered. Her eyes looked away from me. She then looked at the red comet, "No. I don''t."


    I breathed a sigh of relief. She was not completely lost yet. I could feel it. She was a bit guilty now. She was not a total psychopath. Then she looked at me more closely. Her red eyes were only several inches from mine.


    "I promised that I won''t kill your friends. They are my friends too now that we share bodies. However, why should I care about nobodies?"


    She then hugged me while smiling. Her hug tightened. She said, "Thank you! I want to be your friend."


    Then the red world dissipated, replaced with the soft flesh of Alicia''s bust. Dawn shone upon us. As I opened my eyes, I saw Alicia staring at me.


    "Eeek!" I was startled. When I looked around, it was Alicia''s room. I didn''t bring any knives when I was asleep, and I felt unsettled. I felt my body, looked around, and found my Karambit on the table.


    "Finally awake? It was fun watching you asleep while hugging me." I hugged her? Ah, I must have done that yesterday. My breathing calmed down. "You can sleep some more, Lady Eli."


    I looked outside. The sun was shining brightly through the window. "Don''t we have school?"


    "Well, I guess you are right. What a shame." Alicia pouted. She seemed in a bad mood. Do I have a bad sleeping habit? I wanted to know, but I was too afraid to ask. Let sleeping lions lie, they say. I wonder if The murderous Eli will keep her promise.


    We went to school like usual, only to be met with hundreds of knights as the entire capital was in an uproar.

 Chapter 49: War

    "Greetings, students of the empire, and especially you, the future high mage of the empire. My name is Carl Marx, and I am a Royal Guard platoon commander. There has been a security issue, and new rules will be implemented in response. I hope you follow them obediently. First, going outside of the dorm is strictly prohibited, no matter the cause. Second, all mage students must be within eyesight of Royal Guards except after they reach their dorm. Third, report any suspicious individuals. That is all."


    The Royal Guard then left. I tilted at their overreactive behavior. Then, while wearing my earclip, I asked R25B about the situation. I suspected I killed someone important during my work yesterday and wonder if R25B already collated all the data. Two days have passed, after all.


    "R25B?"


    "Well, congrats. The capital is in chaos due to your work yesterday."


    "Hmm? But it was the royals that wanted this assassination, right?"


    "Yes. It worked a little bit too much. I am not sure about the details, but Duke Luca arranged a meeting with His Majesty today after the news of your assassination became public yesterday. By the way, I just received word that the commission with Baron Don was completed in full. There would be no penalties. So your points become 620P. The clients simply asked us to stop all assassination."


    "Alright. Exams are around the corner anyway. Don''t wanna go outside in the night with royal guards guarding the school."


    "Hahaha... exams huh? I sometimes forget you are still in school."


    Although the guards made the announcements seem incredibly important, it was none of our business. We could simply go through with our lives as usual. We could treat these Royal Guards like an additional decorative statue.


    <hr>


    "Your Highness! These assassins were killing us! Last night, hundreds of our members were killed!" Duke Luca exaggeratedly reported to me in the throne room. Johann stood beside me as the prime minister, with all the other dukes present. The assassination we ordered went a little too well. We intended to scare them a bit, but R666 went ahead and killed several sons and daughters of a count. Moreover, he also killed three mages.


    "Indeed. This must have been because of an assassin from the Elderan country. We have caught one of them that caused the death of Baron Denah. Unfortunately, we have yet to obtain much intelligence regarding Elderan." I bullshitted this merchant faction noble with the facts about Denah and Mala, whom the reapers caught a few months ago.


    "Was the interrogation not going well?"


    "Yes. They were tight-lipped. Unfortunately, Baron Denah, who we later found out worked for them, was assassinated."


    "But I heard Baron Denah was assassinated by reapers?"


    "Elderan might have hired reapers. Remember, they weren''t exclusive to us. Other countries might have hired them too."


    "I see. Then, what should we do? Should we hire reapers, or should we rely on our intelligence agency?"


    "If we crush the Elderan empire, they will ultimately stop sending these assassins," I said.


    "But what about the Western Front?"


    "Hm¡­ Western Front is certainly important, Duke Luca. But remember, we are not alone on the Western Front. It is time for our friends to pull their weight there. Elderan should take priority as our allies are too far from County Shadowsteps."


    "We need to pull the Royal Guards! The Shadowsteps certainly didn''t do a good job acting as a border town there! First, the one with Baron Denah, and now!" one of the new viscounts lashed out. If I recall, his child was one of the victims during the assassination.


    "Calm down, Viscount Remilton. We will not pull the Royal Guards. This incident should make it clear that the Elderan kingdom is a bigger threat than the Western Front. In fact, we should prepare for it more," Johann said to the panicking viscount. His mage son was a level 3 mage. After bribing our academy and paying a hefty tuition, he finally managed to make his son graduate as a respectable mage, only to be killed during Baron Don''s party. I understood his grief.


    "Yes, His Majesty was correct, Viscount. We should unite and crush Elderan with our might, and then we can continue with the Western Front. I thank Your Majesty for his wisdom. It seems as if the doubt in my heart has cleared away." Duke Luca bowed. He then moved out of the way, finishing the meeting. I held my chin in contemplation as the throne room emptied. Then, I looked at Johann for his advice.


    "Do you think the merchant faction believed our scheme?"


    "Our scheme was perfect. We have Mala, the spy whom R666 captured along with Baron Denah, as proof that Elderan has infiltrated our country," Johann said.


    "He seemed to back down a little bit too easily¡­" I muttered. I thought Duke Luca was going to ask us for compensation for the bereaved family or more knights to guard their mages or hound the reapers responsible for the assassins. It happened right on their faction, after all.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Well¡­ it was good, right?" Johann shrugged.


    A week later, surprising news sprouted up from County Shadowsteps. About a thousand royal guards were sent back to the capital. I immediately called Duke Bron for confirmation. However, he was currently on the Western Front, so we had to use the Virtual Magi room, an expensive magic tool made by a Light mage and a Wind mage, to produce a hologram from both sides.


    "Duke Bron, I heard half a division of royal guards were called back from Shadowsteps. May I ask why?"


    "I didn''t order them to pull back. From the report, Count Shadowsteps was the one who kicked them all out," Duke Bron replied. "I tried to get in touch with him with the phone. But the call didn''t go through. "


    "The call didn''t go through?"


    "Yes. The enemy must have used a signal-blocking tool like the one they used on the Western Front''s frontline."


    "Ah, the one we also used in the castle. Does this mean the battle there has gotten serious?"


    "Yes. These royal guards either abandoned their post and reported that they were kicked out by the count, or Count Shadowstep really kicked them out due to supply issues; the guns we sent them barely cover a third of their forces after all." Duke Bron replied. Duke Bron mentioned the possibility of desertion. Royal Guards were known for their discipline and training. However, Duke Bron noted that most of them had never seen real wars and thus lacked appropriate judgment in emergencies.


    "Can Shadowstep County weather this attack? Does it need support?" Johann asked the capital military affairs. "The Shadowstep hero died three years ago."


    "While the current Shadowstep is not as great as his father, he has experience in war. He is going to be fine," Duke Bron dismissed the notion that Count Shadowstep would fail.


    "Very well. I shall trust in your judgment," I replied.


    The video call then hung up as both parties had nothing more to discuss. Johann reported that the returned royal guards were quickly tasked to guard the merchant faction''s family and mages. Moreover, numerous complaints arose from the royal guard that Count Shadowstep had taken all their equipment. Many of them returned to the royal capital with only the clothes on their person. The muskets, swords, and armor were all taken by Count Shadowstep.


    "Johann! Elidranthia, Count Shadowstep''s second daughter, was in the capital, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Do you think she knew what happened in her county?"


    "I doubt it, Milord. The Royal Guard returned here just three days ago, and she has been in the capital for almost 4 months due to her studies."


    "I see. Make sure she stays in the capital. I have questions for Count Shadowstep when he returns," I said to Johann before retiring to my room. War is coming. We are in danger.


    <hr>


    "We are going to lose! The enemy is coming!" The royal guard burst into our HQ in a panic. We were under siege, with cannons positioned at the border of the forest. Wooden towers and walls were scattered across the battlefield.


    "Relax! We only lost one tower! Get your act together!" My father, Count Shadowstep, said as he listened to the report. John Sark, beside him, remained silent. He seemed a bit aggravated by my father''s decisions.


    "We should hole up in this city! Why did you send those men to die? Why did I build this tower and wall if you risked an open war?"


    "We couldn''t let them surround us; if they do, our supply route will be cut off," I replied. "Moreover, from last week''s attack, you should realize that the enemy outnumbers us twenty to one."


    "We have provisions!"


    "Not enough, especially the ammunition. If they launch another committed attack like last week, we would only last a single engagement."


    "It is enough; we have provisions for a single engagement even if they surround us! It took less than a week to get the royal capital to help us and break the encirclement."


    "There won''t be reinforcements from the royal capital. We need to keep the line open ourselves," Father said.


    "Huh? What are you talking about? If there was a supply line, that includes replenishment soldiers too!" John Sark said.


    "The deal was to defend this place with what we have. The royal capital couldn''t afford manpower right now. Even if they send more people, it would be farmers or peasants from the slums. They don''t have any training whatsoever. Training the next batch of knights takes years. Moreover, they still need to protect the capital. We can''t expect reinforcements from them."


    "Then all the more reason for you to stop this ridiculous plan. If the empire didn''t send reinforcements, it would be doubtful they would send supplies too."


    "Like I said, Count Sark, we needed supplies: bullets, feystones, cannonballs, mines, bombs, and food still needed to be delivered from the capital. We have to protect this supply line." I supported my father. Even though John Sark was in the military, he didn''t graduate from the Military Affairs School and thus didn''t know what soldiers needed. He was not the only one; all mages were only required to graduate from magical training in the academy, and they could apply for any job.


    I didn''t know what they learned at the academy, but I honestly couldn''t appreciate John Sark for his inability to assess our situation correctly. My little mage sister, Elidranthia, and her mage friends, Alicia, said that in advanced magical academies, there were curricula for military affairs. However, they were all optional. After all, mages were expected to fix magic tools, not strategize and do clerk jobs. John Sark has proven to be very capable of building this fortress and completed it before Elderan attacked. He has earned respect even from our soldiers, so it was a bit hard to reprimand him.


    When we had our own debate, an alarm rang. The usual monster alarm now turned into an alarm signaling an ambush by the enemy. I left the two debating uncles and ran to the wall. Rows of soldiers lined up with muskets and bows. We only had 200 old muskets and 50 new-generation muskets on us, so bows were still used.


    "Cannons ready!" a military engineer shouted, aiming our cannons at the approaching enemy. Last week, a committed attack by 100 cannons was launched by Elderan, and it took down one of the four towers in front. We managed to repel them, and our cannons managed to destroy 30 of theirs. I have high hopes we could win this.


    Our fortress was hastily built and needed more defense at the rear and the side. We only have 2 towers there. We only have 20 cannons in total, with five in repair by John Sark''s aide. Luckily, we had no need to move our cannons as they stupidly attacked our front incessantly.


    "What''s the status?" Father came to the wall with John Sark.


    "Same as yesterday: two thousand goblins, fifty trolls, four hundred humans, and 80 cannons. Against four thousand of our troops. Repelling them would be simple, but I worry about our supplies."


    "How did Elderan control that many monsters?" Count Sark asked.


    "They didn''t destroy the spawner in the forest but analyzed them and recreated it for their own," Father mused. "I need to send letters to the Royal Capital. Give me your best messenger."


    The second day of battle began, and we lost yet another tower. Morale was plummeting, and the inexperienced royal guards formed a whisper.


    We will lose we have to retreat

 Chapter 50: War part II

    "Ride out. They''re trying to surround us again!" I rallied my morale. I had only been fighting with goblins, orcs, trolls, and other monsters. My grandfather was the one who had been in the real war with my dad when they cleaned up this region. However, his decisions, such as hiring reapers and that atrocious assassin organization, were questionable to me. However, I could see now that he made the right decisions. Having that map of the forest was a godsend to us at the beginning of the war.


    However, another conundrum lay ahead. He asked me to lead cavalry to intercept enemies. We were wasting men. I partly supported John Sark, but Father adamantly refused it. We only had five thousand people here, and ten or twenty soldiers died every day doing this patrol. Moreover, we weren''t even given a musket. Only swords and bows.


    "This is ridiculous. Why do we have to use these ancient weapons?" The royal guards were getting upset. "We have muskets, right?"


    "All of them were in use at the wall," my father replied. "Go, that''s your order."


    "Shit! We should at least have ten or twenty muskets, then. Do you want us to flee like dogs when the enemy charges us with muskets like yesterday?" I frowned at him. Cursing or talking against orders was punishable by five or ten lashes. Yet these so-called disciplined soldiers couldn''t even keep their basic etiquette anymore.


    "Why can''t you deal with five enemies with muskets when you have over 50 men with bows? Their range only differs by a few meters," Count Shadowstep whispered. His answers weren''t heard by the angry guards. "Go, this is an order."


    "Enemy up ahead. Fifty goblins," my vanguard knight warned me about goblins. Goblins were seen up ahead in the distance a few moments later. They stopped sending humans? I readied my bow and ordered my men to stop. These stupid creatures would charge toward any human as soon as they saw them. I didn''t need to waste time chasing them.


    "Cavalry, ready your bows. Guard the path to the capital," I shouted, and as soon as the goblins were in range, we fired our volley. However, only a quarter of them were dead. I clicked my tongue at the royal guards behind me. They boasted they had training from dawn until dusk. Yet they were even worse with bows than my knights.


    "Second volley, then engage them with your spears," I ordered. The second volley did better now that the goblins were closer. However, 15 goblins still lived.


    "Ready your spears! Charge!!" I shouted. Today was the lucky day when we didn''t have any casualties. However, I knew they would try again this evening.


    "Son, I will give you 10 new muskets for the next patrol. Give them to your royal guard. They will only carry 5 bullets each. Remember, use the muskets only on humans. We have limited ammunition."


    "Do we have to worry about ammunition so much, Dad? Supplies will come next week, right?"


    "They might come, they might not come, or they might come and get intercepted. Don''t put your hope in them," he replied. I nodded. As much as I loathed it, he might be right.


    "Alright, Dad."


    The patrol encountered yet another group of seventy goblins. However, the ten Royal guards wasted all of their ammunition even though I told them to use bows. They even proudly stated they alone killed the most goblins. While their words might be valid due to the accuracy and ease of reloading the new guns, I still scolded them for wasting bullets.


    My father didn''t let it slide, though. He ordered fifteen lashes for each of them, and that''s when the heat and frustration started to explode. They bragged about their achievements of shooting small goblins over two hundred meters, and even though it was supported by fellow royal guards, it fell on deaf ears with my father.


    Mutiny then started as soldiers began to ignore Father, supporting John Sark for a week now. Father was a count. He technically owned this county. However, his military rank was not a captain but a sergeant under my grandpa. He never went up in rank due to his duty as a count, so technically, I held the highest rank, but this battalion of soldiers was too big for a single Colonel like me. (I just went up in rank a month after I married Catherine). There was another Colonel beside me, and that was John Sark. He was promoted because he was a mage and participated in the Western Front. Unfortunately, there was no general here to make decisions, so the colonels had to discuss with each other or act alone with their own units. The supply line got messy afterward.


    "Why are you disobeying orders?" Father asked when he interrogated twenty men bringing out their rifles to patrol and bullets. Even though he tried to ask calmly, frustration seeped out from his every word. "John, are you letting them?"


    "No. I said I was only letting them bring out ten." John Sark was a bit more lenient but also in support of Father''s decisions. "However, it appears they pressured the armory to give all the patrol a gun."


    "Look at these! Ten new rifles were broken!"


    "They were not broken, sir; they only needed repairs." the Royal guard corrected him. "We only need to change the flintlock on the six guns and the breeches for the others. Then clean and oil the parts. The smith could do that."


    "There were no smiths here who could repair this! Not even the Western Front smiths could make the new breeches. Even if we had the parts in the supplies, we could not fix this on our own. Do you guys have the specialized screwdrivers? What if you broke the bolt or worse, the threaded hole! Have you been trained to repair a gun?"


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it."Count Shadowsteps, there were two smiths from the royal capital just for this exact occasion, right? It was not the end of the world." John replied. "But, I will inquire about our remaining supplies. Even they could not repair these guns without the specialized mold and furnace."


    "If there were no smiths, your head would fly right now due to insubordination!" Father said.


    "Sir, This is a military matter. I sincerely hope you will not interrupt us." The royal guard said. Some of them snickered. My father was technically lower in military rank than me or John Sark. That''s why these soldiers were getting bolder.


    "Guys, if you don''t shut up, I will issue a formal punishment and a letter of reprimand. I know Count Shadowstep from my father, alright. He might not have the military rank, but he has the skills," John Sark said. "Zach, try to calm your father down. By the way, I will leave it to you to punish these men. They still need to go to war; please don''t punish them too harshly. Count Shadowstep, while their action regarding our precious guns was regrettable, guns were not our main problem. It was the towers. Remember that. We lacked both towers and cannons. I could remake the towers, but it would take two weeks since we ran out of building supplies. Moreover, if they shot their cannons at the wall, I needed to repair it first, and thus more delays."


    After John left, the royal guards started to belittle Father more. "Colonel Zach, I know your father was an underling of some war hero. But times have changed; we have trained extensively using guns. Bows, arrows, and swords are outdated. Sword fighting is only a plaything with junior students nowadays."


    "Guns are better than bows. I acknowledge that. However, my father is also right. What if we run out of ammunition before supplies arrive?"


    "Are you implying ammunition is more important than soldiers'' lives?" The guard said.


    "If the supplies don''t arrive in the next three days, all of you will be court-martialed," my father said. "Begone. I have no time for your petty punishment."


    The royal guard and my father glared at each other before they left. As the royal guard left, Father only stared at the map of our county and sighed. He also refused to talk to me further.


    The patrol the next day; the royal guard refused to go outside without guns, and Father tasked them to guard the walls with bows instead. There were limited guns after all. Not everyone will get them. The county''s knight will be charged to patrol from now on instead.


    "Sir, if you have no respect for the royal guards, why don''t you just defend this countryside by yourself?" Another fight broke out when I returned. First was the harassment, and now this? These royal guards were an entitled bunch.


    "Why did you put a ban on food supplies? Are we marching on the enemy nation here? We still have loads of food!"


    "All food is under military jurisdiction, right, John Sark?"


    "Yes. We have to start stockpiling food from now on. Our communication was jammed. We lost contact with the capital, and they didn''t promise us supplies the last time I contacted them. Instead of three days, we might need two weeks instead. You were right; our supplies ran quite dangerously low if we have to survive two weeks instead of one."


    "All food will be rationed equally between the military and the citizens. I have sent letters to the capital."


    "Sir. The enemy made another attack! The towers were damaged!"


    "Damn it." John immediately ran out of the HQ and headed to the tower. He was an earth mage. Without him, we would lose another tower.


    "Dad, do you think we can hold on?"


    "I don''t know. I hope they can send the supplies as soon as possible¡­" He muttered.


    The day passed, and we had 150 dead. With only one tower in working condition, the enemy reached the walls, and those goblins climbed it with the help of ladders. The royal guards were efficient warriors, but they lost morale easily, and many fled once they saw we had casualties.


    "What kind of soldiers ask to go home after seeing casualties? Aren''t you guys royal guards?" John Sark shouted. My father just had a deadpan expression while staring at the map. He had long lost respect for the royal guards.


    "Sir, the battle here is hopeless. We couldn''t win against an endless wave of monsters."


    "If you guys wanted to go home, then you may. However, you may not bring any weapons home. We need them more than you do. Sir Zach, if you will write the letters?" My father said. His gaze moved from the map and stared at the soldiers'' faces. I couldn''t read his mind lately. I have no idea what he was thinking.


    "Sir. Thank you, sir!" The soldiers smiled in relief.


    "Please request some reinforcements and supplies from the capital when you return. Okay?"


    "Yes, sir. I will, sir."


    With that, a thousand soldiers applied for leave and thus returned to the capital. Not all royal guards left. Many still stood side by side with us. When I looked around, I breathed a sigh of relief. Not all of them were assholes.


    "Why did you let them go? We need them," John Sark said, furious.


    "We don''t need them; what we need is the supplies. These royal guards barely knew sword fighting and archery. All they could use was muskets, and we only had 250 of them."


    "We lack more men. These guys were still better at sword fighting and archery than peasants." John Sark defended. "You couldn''t possibly ask to defend this county with only your personal knights!"


    "If you forced them to stay here, we ran the risk of mass desertion during the real thing. Moreover, not all of them go. From now on is where the real war starts."


    "I hope they will bring supplies. We need them," I whispered as my father and John Sark argued.


    After John left, Handler 3 came into our room and introduced himself. He began listing four possible ways to retreat, but my father interrupted him.


    "Reaper, how much should I pay you to give Elidranthia, my daughter, a message?" He asked. The handler went silent and then giggled.


    "Four gold. I will give you a discount. How fast would you like it delivered? We have a telephone, after all."


    "Preferably in two days." He said.


    "Huh? Why?" I asked him but was ignored.


    "What''s the message? If it was a secret message, you could deliver it via letter."


    "You will still open it, right?" He smirked.


    "We will, of course. But relax, we know how to keep a secret. We won''t survive in this business without trust, after all. Hehehe."


    "Very well. I will assign R661 for the job."


    "R666 is currently in the capital, right? Why don''t you telephone him for the job? Or is he too expensive?" My father and I were impressed by his work when he scouted the forest and when he bombed the supply depot several months ago.


    "Well, he was our rising star, after all. Gotta let others in on some cash too. Or do you insist on using him? I have to charge extra then."


    "Well, never mind. It was just some simple message delivery. It was not even that confidential. Here is the message. ''Elidranthia, this is Count Shadowstep and Zach. I want you to meet with Prince Ludwin and ask him to deliver supplies to our county. We need guns and ammunition. Here is what we need, and this is our situation report. The enemy employed thousands of monsters as a meat shield. If they pass through here, our empire is doomed.''" My father said as he gave Handler 3 a list.


    "Got it. Consider it delivered. Dear me, those pesky Elderans had to use a jammer in this region. I have to walk all the way back outside the area to deliver the message." Handler 3 then left while complaining.


    "Dad, why waste money on reapers again? We already sent a messenger to military affairs."


    He then looked at me gravely. Then, I finally understood. He trusts no one.

 Chapter 51: Supplies

    "R666. Umm. Elidranthia. Hmm.. how should we approach this?"


    "Hmm? Why use my real name?"


    " We have a commission to deliver a message to you. From your father."


    "Huh? My father knew I was a reaper!!"


    "No. Arghh¡­ I am sorry. Let me ask R661 instead."


    A few moments later, R661 knocked on my door. "Lady Elidranthia, I have a message from your father."


    "Yes?"


    "Your father asked The Reapers to deliver a message to you. Here is the message." He handed me a paper that says, ''Elidranthia, this is Count Shadowstep and Zach. I want you to meet with Prince Ludwin and ask him to deliver supplies to our county. The enemy employed thousands of monsters as a meat shield. If they pass through here, our empire is doomed.'' That''s what they say, milady. They also listed several things they needed and their current supplies."


    *badump


    My heart beat in shock. My eyes were red as my emotions ran rampant. I closed my eyes, trying not to scare Narwhal, and simply said good night to him, excusing myself from his sight. As the night grew darker, I looked at my reflection in the window, and a pair of glowing red eyes stared back at me. Anger and sadness filled me as images of that fateful night flashed before me.


    Controlling monsters? My grandfather and mother died because some monsters ran amok at them. Moreover, Grandfather was somehow distracted when he fought monsters. That group of monsters was obviously being controlled by someone. It was Elderan Empire. However, there was no scene of Elderan Empire conquering our Althemer Empire in the web novel. There has been some proof they supported the Western Front as enemies, but that''s it. Why are we fighting them upfront right now?"


    "R25B, do you know Elderan Empire could control monsters?"


    "No. It was a huge piece of information to us too. We made a big buck by selling it to other empires and kingdoms." R25B said. I sighed at his remark, but that''s the nature of his organization, I guess.


    As I continued to stare into the ceiling, dawn finally broke. I went to classes as usual. Thankfully, the first period was just math. I could sleep and would still get 100% on it. I kept looking out the window during class and nobody batted an eye due to my score. Meritocracy is awesome, isn''t it? Clocks exist, but they are rare. This school only had one in the lobby. So, I gazed at the sun and tried to gauge how many hours were left until lunch break.


    As soon as the bell rang, I went up to the prince. "Prince Ludwin, could I have a bit of your time?"


    "Sure. Where do you want to talk? Want somewhere more private?" He said, seeming to expect something.


    "Um¡­ We could talk here. As long as only our retainers can hear it. I am fine."


    "Alright. Let''s go to the cafeteria then. I will book a table that''s a bit further away. I am famished."


    When we reached the cafeteria, Thor and Gladeus, Prince Ludwin''s guards, were there. They waved at him with a smile.


    "Umm, you said a retainer could hear it, right? If I may trouble you¡­" He stammered a bit, looking toward his entourage and mine. I nodded at once. It would not be fair if I surrounded him with my girls. With his entourage, it would be three girls and three boys.


    "Alright. Prince Ludwin. I have just received a message from my father that the Elderan Empire attacked County Shadowstep. He desperately asked for your assistance in supplies. The enemy was using monsters. Thousands of them." I got to the point at once.


    "Hmm? That''s not what the report said." I see. Ludwin seemed unfazed. "I knew about the attack. The soldiers who retreated gave us their debriefing. I knew about the monsters. But I didn''t know about the supplies. The soldiers merely complained that your father kicked them out from his county."


    "However, we know that Elderan began its assault on your county seriously now. We also know they employed monsters. However, thousands of them?" Ludwin looked at his guards. "Well, we sent the royal guards there. They are the most elite of soldiers. We won''t have to worry as long as they have their guns and bullets."


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it."Will you send supplies? My father said the county could fall if we don''t send it to him."


    "What the f¡ª?" Thor almost cursed, which was unbefitting of nobles when he looked at the supplies. "Hey!¡­ Ahem. Lady Elidranthia. Is this correct? It says your county only has 150 guns? I remember my father said you should have about double than this. Was he so incompetent he lost half of the rifles in wars?"


    I was astonished at their accusation. However, Alicia defended me. "No. That is impossible. I was in the military too, and Count Shadowstep and Zach weren''t the type to lose that many supplies. This number was the amount of supplies the empire sent us. We didn''t lose a single rifle."


    "What?"


    "Ah! I see. It was John Sark. John Sark was diverting our supplies to the Western Front." I muttered. Everyone looked at me.


    "Lady Elidranthia. That was a serious accusation. You were accusing Count Sark of embezzlement of military supplies during a war. Do you have proof?" Thor and Gladeus glared at me.


    "Em¡­ No. But when we had breakfast together, he mourned the ten thousand soldiers that died in the western front and told me not to be selfish."


    "That was not enough proof."


    "However, the fact remains that Count Shadowstep lacked the necessary supplies for war due to no fault of his own." Prince Ludwin said. "If Shadowstep falls, we will be screwed. We are not ready to defend Alrisa should Shadowstep fall."


    "Yes. I didn''t want to accuse anyone. War and my county come first. Please help us. We can discuss who was at fault later," I pleaded.


    "Ugh¡­ I have to ask Johann and Father directly about this. Give me two days, Lady Eli." Prince Ludwin said. As our meeting concluded, he muttered. "Monsters, huh? They could control monsters?"


    <hr><hr>


    Ludwin POV, Royal Castle.


    "Papa! Lady Eli said her county needs more supplies." Charlotte and I reported to Father and Johan.


    "Yes. We just learned about it." Johan nodded, and Father facepalmed at the grave news.


    "I should have dealt with more of those merchant crooks; they''ve been a thorn in our side lately. Why stop at four baron families?"


    "We couldn''t do that, sir. Without them, the distribution of our goods will be a mess. They are on the brink of rebelling due to our oppression."


    "Yes, I know. I also know it was a mistake to put the blame solely on the merchant faction. A quarter of the Bron faction and half of the Slane faction are also to blame for neglecting Shadowstep County."


    "Father, Lady Eli and Alicia said there has been an indication of embezzlement of weapons by royal guards from their county to the Western Front," I reported. I didn''t want to accuse John Sark immediately; Eli and Alicia didn''t have evidence to back up their claims of John Sark''s corruption. "Due to said corruption, here is the list of their supplies. Alicia insisted that Count Shadowstep couldn''t possibly lose guns in the battlefield."


    "Johan?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. It matched the information we bought from the Reapers. The Reapers also supported Alicia''s claims that no guns were lost to the enemy but merely broken down due to normal use."


    "What can we give them, Johan?" Father nursed his head. I hope our maid can brew some lovely tea later so he can relax.


    "I''m afraid we can only give this much. We still need to guard the prince''s return next month. With the Highland princess in tow, we cannot afford the princess'' safety to be compromised." Johan altered the list Count Shadowstep gave us and handed it to Father. Father frowned. Johan seemed to give a lower number than he had hoped.


    "Why do we care more for the foreign princess than our county, Father?"


    "Because if she is treated well, the Western Alliance promised there would be a ceasefire and even peace," Father said.


    "Peace?"


    "Yes, that''s why we sent our crown prince to the Western Nations in the first place," Johan chimed in.


    "But will the Theocracy agree?"


    "We are independent. If the peace treaty succeeded, we would simply hand over County Thorandum to the Theocracy so they have direct access to the Western front. Then they could wage the war on their own."


    "I see. Hmm? will he agree?"


    "He was a devout believer of mana child. I am sure he will be glad to join Theocracy. We have too much land lately. Count Thorandum could ask the Theocracy for supplies instead of us to develop his county."


    "Yes. Our empire expanded a bit too quickly. We need a moment to breathe. With us developing Shadowstep County arbitrarily, new counts have been asking us to develop theirs too."


    "Will the Theocracy accept our policy? They have criticized our policy for commoners. Peace with the Western nation would be tantamount to betrayal."


    "They have to. If they attacked us out of the blue, they would face our empire and the Western Alliance simultaneously. Moreover, on the surface, it is a ceasefire, not a peace treaty. So, we could go to war with them again anytime we want. We just need some time to breathe," my father said. "We are currently relying on Reapers more than our own intelligence department. I can''t figure out which one is lying and which one is telling the truth."


    "I believe we have digressed, Father. What about County Shadowstep?" Charlotte asked. I almost forgot. The main point of this meeting was to discuss our reinforcement to Shadowstep County.


    "We can only help this much. The muskets and the bullets can only be produced in the royal capital workshops, and they have been running 24/7 for the past year. We are currently in the process of enlarging the workshop, but the demand keeps going up," Johan sighed.


    "Well, something is better than nothing. Shadowstep knights have been dealing with monsters since its founding. You may reply to Elidranthia that way, Ludwin." Father gave me the list of supplies he would send.


    "But this is only half of what is required¡­" I frowned when the list was finally handed to me.


    "If Shadowstep can weather the assault for two weeks, we can fulfill all their requests for supplies. Who was in charge of the supply lines?"


    "It was Baron Kharn, Your Majesty."


    Everyone facepalmed at the fact. "I see. So, he was silenced due to this embezzlement too. What a shame. All evidence went to the grave with him."


    With a heavy heart, I reported back to Elidranthia, apologizing for only being able to do this much.

 Chapter 52: Supply Run

    "Lady Eli, may I have a bit of your time?" The prince approached me first thing in the morning.


    "Sure. May I help you, Prince Ludwin?"


    " Here is the reply from my father about what we talked about the other day. Sorry that we could only do this much." He tried his best not to look down, given his royal status, but his eyes shifted away from me as if feeling guilty.


    "That was quicker than I expected," I said. When I opened the letter, I read the list of supplies the royals could provide and how they would send it together with the recently returned royal guard.


    "Please excuse me for a moment," I asked permission to pick flowers from Prince Ludwin. I needed to talk to R25B. The supply given out was less than half of what my father had requested.


    "Sorry, but my father said if your father could hold the frontline for two more weeks, we could give you more."


    "Alright. Thank you, Prince Ludwin. If you will excuse me." I went away to the toilet at once and wore my earclip.


    "R25B, I have the reply from Prince Ludwin. Could you give it to my father?"


    "Yes. That would be 5 Gold."


    "What?"


    "Sorry, kiddo. But business is business. Besides, you can afford it, right?"


    "Fine! It was just talking to R663. Why does it cost so much money!?"


    "Your county is currently jammed. The phone''s wind magic couldn''t get in. So, Narwhal has to get outside, then come in again as a trader."


    "Really? Will he be safe?"


    "His chance of survival is high. The road isn''t blockaded, so he could make a run for it. Handler3 said the road was quite safe as long as you didn''t stick out like a sore thumb on it. He also noted several pockets of ambushers. But your father diligently wiped them every day, so the road is safe. As long as no big convoy was there, R663 could come and go as he pleases."


    "Alright. Thank you. Will the supplies be enough for the next attack? Will my family be safe? Have you prepared an escape route?"


    "I don''t think your father will want to leave County Shadowstep even if it costs him his life."


    "But the supplies aren''t enough! Do you think we could buy more?"


    "Well, buying would be a no. 500 points would only net you 10 guns and 300 ammo. It would barely make a dent. I would suggest embezzling guns from others. Just like what John Sark does."


    "Eh? How can we do that?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe ask the prince. According to the info I received, we need more ammunition, building supplies, and gun parts. Maybe you could swap them out?"


    "I have no idea what he needed. Everything looked important." I looked at the list Father gave me. It basically consisted of building supplies, cannonballs, bullets, gun parts, cannon parts, and feystones. He could probably do away with feystones because he still had mages, but I wasn''t sure. Feystones could be made into exploding devices, such as modern mines or grenades. In that case, feystones were as important as ammunition.


    "Well, is this all of the message? Your points will be reduced from 620 to 615."


    "Ask my father if he could withstand the assault."


    "Okay."


    "And also, the prince said he would send the royal guards to guard the supplies," I reported. "They will set off tomorrow."


    "Hmm? The incompetent Royal Guard? That''s not good then." R25B frowned. I couldn''t actually see him frown, but his tone was negative.


    "The incompetent? Didn''t my father kick them out because of a lack of guns?"


    "But his county has arrows and bows. But they couldn''t use them. Hence, I said they were incompetent. Moreover, Handler3 also noted their bad, condescending attitude."


    "I see. But they were just going to deliver goods, right?"


    "I think I have to ask you to accompany them. Knowing them, they wouldn''t be able to do anything if ambushed."


    "What about my school?"


    Stolen story; please report.


    "Your school or your county?"


    "Urg!! My education might be in danger because of this. I wonder if Alicia could help me."


    "R661 will also help you. But you have to ask the prince to let you in on the escort."


    "No need. The prince would be suspicious if I brought some random beautiful boy."


    I returned from my talk with R25B and found out that the morning lesson was over. During lunch, I walked up to Prince Ludwin.


    "Prince Ludwin, if I may be so bold, could you permit me to accompany the supply task with the royal guards?"


    "What? Are you out of your mind? It is dangerous!" Prince Ludwin half screamed, together with his royal guards. His royal guards looked at me agape at my crazy idea, but one of them smirked.


    "There must have been a reason, right? Why did my father send reapers specifically to me so I could ask you for the supplies."


    "Relax! Lady Eli. The royal guard is the most elite of soldiers. Your supplies will reach there in time."


    "Prince Ludwin, if I may interject, I think Lady Eli was doubting our royal guards'' loyalty." Gladeus, one of Prince Ludwin''s guards, smirked while looking at me.


    "What?"


    "Well, she might have some bias against the royal guard due to the incident several months ago. But that doesn''t excuse her decision now. Besides, what can she do if the supply is ambushed?" Thor, the other guard, commented.


    "I only wanted to make sure the supplies arrived on schedule."


    "You think the royal guard will lose if ambushed? Besides, if they do, what can you do?" Thor was irritated. His father was in the military department, so he was not so happy when I derided military prowess.


    "I see. It was to ensure no embezzlement occurred, huh?" Prince Ludwin said.


    "Hm? Prince Ludwin?" Thor asked.


    "There were signs of embezzlement of our military supplies to County Shadowstep."


    "Well, how much?" Thor asked.


    "Huh? You knew? What do you mean, how much? Any amount of embezzlement would warrant capital punishment!" Gladeus retorted. "We must have those supplies and suppliers audited immediately!"


    "Gladeus, my father is in military affairs, and when I looked at his accountant book, there was always some kind of corruption. As long as it is not too big, the superiors are going to turn a blind eye to them. Investigating them would take more resources after all." Thor shrugged. I facepalmed at the morals and behavior of this country. Are we going to be okay? No wonder rebellions happened left and right in several years in the webnovels.


    "My apologies, Prince Ludwin."


    "No, thank you for your honesty. It is not my place to punish you or your father. But I will not let this situation slide so easily. We will re-order our nobles and cast away those corrupt officials." Ludwin clenched his fist upon hearing Thor''s honest remark. While I saluted his endeavor, I don''t think it would be that easy to govern them. Just look at Baron Kharn. If he was the standard noble in the central, then Prince Ludwin would have a bloody path ahead of him to clean them up.


    "So, Prince Ludwin, may I go?"


    "No! Prince Ludwin, let me be the one to go. Lady Eli is not part of the military!" Alicia was outraged. I looked at her, astonished. Alicia, why pick now of all times to act crazy.


    "Well¡­"


    "Of course not, Prince Ludwin. While Alicia is a warrant officer, she was a commoner."


    "What if you are attacked?" Alicia exclaimed with worry.


    "I can defend myself! You know it."


    "No. At least, let me join you."


    "Alicia¡­"


    "Hm¡­ Well, if you want to go." Ludwin frowned. "I will make arrangements."


    "Thank you, Prince Ludwin."


    "You are welcome. I know you must have been so worried about your county. My father said it was a trait of a good leader to care for your citizens. I will meet you at the royal barracks tomorrow."


    The prince then left with his entourage. I had a few people asking me for details, and Alicia indulged them for the rest of the day. Together, we created some kind of propaganda about what had befallen County Shadowstep¡ªhow we should help each other, how the northern frontier needed assistance, etc. While many knights were encouraged and gave us their cheers, some of them (mostly merchants) doubted our words.


    Morning came, and I shed my school uniform in lieu of my traveling clothes. As I opened my chest, I recoated my throwing knives with paralysis poison, then I put them inside my vest, all sheathed. After checking my reaper card and my cartographer tool attached to it, I rendezvous with Alicia in the front yard. She too, was dressed in traveling clothes. Seeing her bust protrude out of the vest made me angry. She looked like a novice mage you see in games, while I looked like her archer younger sister.


    "Are you ready, Lady Eli?"


    "Yes. Let''s go."


    We hired two horses for the trip (Alicia was the one who hired them). We could technically buy these horses; I had talked to Alicia about it, but we needed a stable boy for it. When I mentioned Leon (R661 in disguise), she wondered if we actually needed it as students. By the way, there was a horseriding class in the academy. I passed it with flying colors, as magic could be used, but it was very awkward in the beginning. My skill, Fearless, stopped me from panicking due to the fear of heights, but I couldn''t help my hands going stiff.


    After a slower start, I used my magic on the horse to show him an illusion of where he should go. First, a simple illusion showing some kind of unique shiny things, making the horse walk towards it. Then a floating grass, causing the horse to trot to wherever I wanted (I gave it a real carrot for its hard work). The last one was a scary illusion that made him gallop away from it. With illusions, I no longer needed to learn about riding crop, leg cues using stirrups, or even reins. I only needed to focus on my body and balance it on the horse.


    This cheating method was then copied by the prince, who came in second. Nana, who whimpered and believed she would be placed dead last, looked at my method and used illusions to train the horse, securing third place in the class. Our instructor mentioned that our riding skills were nowhere close to knights engaged in battle, but he passed us anyway since it was enough to run away to save our lives. Safira, on the other hand, could barely climb to the top of the horse by the time we were done with the lesson. She needed to learn it the hard way. Maybe I could make magic devices so she could control the horses more easily. I could picture reins with five buttons on it: walk, trot, sprint, left, and right?


    As my horse trotted to the barracks, the prince was there¡ªnot in his royal garments or school uniform, but in his traveling clothes. His guards were also present in similar attire.


    "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia."


    "Greetings, Prince Ludwin. You dressed fairly modest today."


    "Well, I am joining you on your campaign to Shadowstep County!" The prince declared.


    ...


    "What?" Alicia and I stared at him in disbelief.

 Chapter 53: Stolen

    "Prince Ludwin, why would you embark on such a dangerous journey?" Alicia preempted me with her question.


    "Yeah, please consider, Your Highness," Thor supported Alicia. However, Gladeus merely smirked.


    "Father already gave his verdict. Do you want to oppose royal orders?"


    "No, sir. I apologize, sir." Both guards immediately backed off.


    "Well, I see that you have brought your horses. No need to tire yourselves; I brought a carriage. Please come in, Lady Elidranthia and Alicia." He smiled.


    As it turned out, our horseriding lessons were in vain, as the prince carried us all in his fancy carriage. Behind the carriage was another one that housed our county''s supplies, covered by clothes like a canopy. I was about to check those supplies, but the prince assured me the numbers matched. He then proudly showed me the boxes filled with the supplies inside the cart and mentioned each item on the list. I smiled and thanked him while bowing my head.


    "Lady Eli, we are heading into a war zone. Please carry this, just in case." The prince handed me a box with a pistol inside.


    Yes! Finally, I got my own musket. With the open-carry firearm permission the prince gave me, I could even buy guns in the reapers'' market. There were no Hit Points stats in this world. Anyone shot in the head would usually die. Guns were the meta, even in web novels.


    I had been contemplating how to hide the guns I was planning to buy from the market, but I had no way to hide them from Alicia. So, I was left with just knives. I loved knives, but after meeting the musketeers, I knew to be more pragmatic.


    "Thank you, Prince. Your gift will certainly be put to good use." I smiled. The prince looked dashing to me right now.


    "I pray that day never comes, Lady Eli."


    "Wow, Lady Eli has shown interest in something other than knives!" Alicia said, surprised. Sorry, Alicia, but guns are OP. I could not neglect it in favor of knives.


    "Oh, you might just call me Eli, you know." I smiled again as I lifted the pistoleer. As expected of the prince, it was equipped with the latest technology¡ªa breechloading flintlock with a feystone and a few precious stones to adorn it. Along with the box, there was a small case that housed six sphere bullets inside. The bullets were neatly cushioned and separated with a partition inside the case like pearls, even though they were just ordinary metal balls.


    "Really? Well, ahem, Eli, I hope we can support the county with these supplies. My father said the fate of our empire rests within County Shadowstep. And thus, he also sent me on this mission."


    "With six bullets?" I questioned him. A smirk rose within my lips, but we all knew it was a jest. I could outsource the bullets, so it didn''t really matter.


    "Well, we would never use these pistols to begin with. If we nobles ever need to use more than one, then we might as well surrender. Or so my father said. But There were two thousand bullets in the supply cart behind us."


    "Thank you. Hmm? Two thousand?" I pondered. Two thousand seemed like a lot. But if there were 250 rifles, that meant each soldier would only get less than 10 bullets! That''s less than a tenth of what you would typically receive in an FPS game.


    "Will that be enough?"


    "It should be. We only need to hold it for a week. However, the most crucial thing would be to investigate the Elderan Empire. We need to know why they have so many monsters and how they control them. My father noted that we might have to pull all resources into the northern war if this keeps going on. And we can''t abandon the Western Front before the peace treaty. So, we would suffer calamitous damage if we let Elderan continue with the monster onslaught."


    "Peace Treaty?"


    "...Sorry. Forget I said anything. It is a royal order." He suddenly closed his mouth with his hands and blushed. He just blabbed confidential information, huh?


    "Well, it was good that there was peace, right?" Alicia muttered, and I nodded.


    "Ahem. Please be silent about that. It was not set in stone yet."


    "Of course. Our lips are sealed." I mimicked a locking hand gesture to my mouth. Both of them giggled seeing my antics.


    "May I suggest playing chess while we wait, Eli?" Prince Ludwin offered a game while we wait. It''s going to be a long week.


    "Alright."


    We took turns playing games. This is a military campaign, and thus, we skipped some rest stops. Moreover, since this caravan was accompanied by over a hundred men, there weren''t even enough beds in the rest stops anyway. I was reluctant when the prince offered a room inside the rest stop instead of some important-looking people he brought with him. But they insisted that a lady should get a room while the men should camp outside. Sometimes, toxic masculinity has its benefits. I indulged in their pride.


    As dawn broke, Alicia offered to help with cooking. But I noticed something strange when I looked back in the cart, some sort of feeling at the clothes draping over it folded or dirtied. When I got near, I was blocked by the royal guards. They guarded it day and night, so I should not worry about it; however, a glimpse through the cloth canopy sent shudders into me.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience."Prince Ludwin! A box is missing!" I knocked on his bedroom and reported it to him. Apparently, he was sleeping with his guards. I didn''t know you could ask the innkeeper to move three beds into one room if you want it. Moreover, this room was twice as large as the others; how they did that makes me wonder. That''s a prince for you. Even Alicia slept in different rooms.


    "Hmm? A box is missing?"


    "Yes. In the wagon, the box alignment was different than yesterday even though no one was supposed to touch it."


    "Thor, Gladeus, follow me."


    "Guards, I want to see the supplies."


    "Sir, a person of your stature need not to trouble yourself with such a menial task. We should depart post haste to Shadowstep County," the guards said. Cold sweat poured out from his forehead. He was nervous.


    "Hmm... it is true we need to depart as soon as possible. Very well, let''s recount the supplies at Shadowstep. It was no use counting it here anyway."


    "I want to check the supplies now. Can we at least have a look?" I pleaded with Ludwin.


    "... very well. No more than an hour, okay." Prince Ludwin relented with a frown.


    We checked the boxes. I was not alone, as Gladius and Thor also helped. Apparently, the prince couldn''t stand seeing women lifting boxes, even if she was a commoner like Alicia. He let me lift those boxes with dark binding, though. What a double standard. Hands were seen as inelegant, but magic was okay by these guys'' standards.


    "... Prince Ludwin¡­"


    "Yes? Gladius? If you are done, let''s pack up and leave." The prince yawned. He didn''t believe me when I said a box was missing, huh?


    "Um¡­ two boxes worth of supplies were missing. It contained some ammunition and spare parts," Thor reported. I felt faint at his report.


    "Huh? What? How can two boxes be missing? Where is the list! You must have missed it! Bring all the boxes out in the open!" The prince snapped awake and ordered the royal guards to help out. However, even after checking it for the third time, a box was missing, and another one was empty. The prince only gawked at the missing box while alternating his glance at the list and the supplies.


    "No!! It was not just a box but two!!!" I cried. Alicia didn''t stop me, as her face was turning pale at the loss of the supplies too. Losing two boxes meant we lost about 15% of the whole supplies even though the whole supplies were less than half of what was required. Moreover, it was ammunition, of all things! Now we only had half of the ammunition compared to before.


    "Who was in charge of guarding these supplies?!" Ludwin screamed. "bring them here!"


    "We didn''t know, sir. We stood guard as usual. Nobody came near!"


    "You mean a box could come out of the wagon by itself? Even if it did, why didn''t you catch it? Huh? It was your job to guard these supplies!" Ludwin furiously asked. the guard had no mean to defend themselves when caught redhanded like this.


    "We truly didn''t know, s-sir."


    "DAMN YOU! Imbecile manaless!" Ludwin drew his sword and slashed at the guards. However, he wasn''t very skilled at it. Moreover, it was just a ceremonial sword. Thus, the corrupt guard only had shallow wounds on his shoulder. Tch! He was a mage, so it was understandable that he lacked swordsmanship, but that was lame.


    "ARGH!" The soldiers screamed.


    I helped the pitiful prince finish his job, bound the royal guard with dark bindings, and drew my dagger from its sheath. The guards, now bound and kneeling, were now at a more suitable reach for my dagger. Looking at them with my red eyes, I questioned, "Where are the supplies?"


    "W-w-what are you doing? You are going to raise your hands against the royal guard?"


    "Where are the supplies? I am a royal! You dare go against me?"


    "I-it was an order from the ministry of military affairs!"


    "Your Highness?" Gladius muttered as Ludwin stole his sword. Then, like an axe, he swung it downward and cleaved the guard''s head in two as the sword stopped just a bit above his mouth. Damn, he stole my kill.


    "FUCK YOU! Do you know what you have done? If Shadowstep County loses, we have to pull all forces from the Western Front, or our capital will be in danger! Tell me right now! Where are the stolen supplies!" Ludwin cursed, unbefitting of royals. The royal guards all drew their swords.


    "Hey! You dare to raise your swords to a royal prince?!" Thor shouted. Gladius then inched closer to Prince Ludwin.


    "Let it be known you will be marked traitors!" Gladius picked up his sword, which was lodged in the dead guard''s head.


    "No! I am not part of this!" one of the guards dropped his sword. Some others followed suit until all of them dropped their swords. I see. These guys were corrupt, but not all of them. Moreover, it seemed like they didn''t dare raise their sword to Prince Ludwin just yet.


    "I-it was ordered by the ministry of defense!" A quarter of the guards who surrendered confessed.


    "So, where are the stolen supplies?"


    "It was hidden in the stables there last night. It was scheduled to be transported to the Western Front by a messenger, sir." The other guards who guarded the supplies, now afraid for their lives, finally confessed.


    "It was an order from the military! I-I-I was only following orders!" he pleaded, but it reached no one. "They said the Western Front needed it more than Shadowstep does!"


    "Shut it! You were only following that order just because you got paid, right? I knew it from John Sark!" I shouted. "Don''t act patriotic now!"


    "You dare to steal under Royal orders? Gladeus, get the supplies with two of these guards! Their punishment will be for later." the prince said. However, it was too late. The stable boy said that someone had already picked up the package four hours ago at dawn.


    "Damnit!" Prince Ludwin cursed again. I was too occupied with the supplies that I didn''t notice this was the first time he ever cursed like that. "Thor, made note about who these imperial soldiers are, their families, and who specifically send the order. we will made the query later at the ministry of defense or whoever in charge of these buffoon!"


    "Prince Ludwin, let''s go," I said deflated. Four hours, the messenger could run away anywhere within that timeframe. Two boxes could be strapped onto a horse, and we would never catch him. He could be in a jungle or a main road. We already wasted like two hours checking the boxes.


    "You three! I order you to find those boxes. If not, I swear I will give you capital punishment in the capital! Bring these horses and go! Do it to retrieve your honor and I will let this matter slide." He gave orders. He then sighed and then looked at me.


    "Elidranthia, I am sorry. I will be there. I will fight with you. As long as we can defend it for a week, my father will give additional supplies." He gazed at the ground beneath me, feeling guilty.


    "Let''s go." I climbed up the carriage. Not the prince''s carriage, but the supply one. Getting angry and killing these guard were not worth it. maybe we could use them as meatshield for my father. Now, we need to deliver whatever remained to Shadowstep and prevented anymore supplies to be stolen.


    "Elidranthia?"


    "Lady Eli?"


    "I will stay here. Let''s go."


    "Lady Elidranthia, let me stay instead." Thor offered.


    "You can stay here, but I will stay here. I need to watch these supplies so no more gets stolen."


    "Alright. I guess we all have to stay inside this supply carriage. It is going to be a tough journey though. Sitting on the hard boxes that constantly moved around," Prince Ludwin said.


    "Um¡­ I am afraid we couldn''t do that, sir. The horse and the wagon axle will bear too much weight in that case. I suggest we alternate instead," Gladeus commented.


    "Ugh¡­ let''s go. We need to deliver these supplies to the county. We can''t dilly-dally here. Let''s go! Thor, I order you to be beside this wagon at all times. We march!" The prince gave a bitter smile as we departed from the rest stop.

 Chapter 54: Arrival

    "Watch out! An ambush!" Thor shouted. The carriage sped up as I used my dark tentacle to bind myself to the boxes. When I peeked outside, the guards raised their muskets like dragoons from those Renaissance movies. A squad of guards lined up their horses, firing at the approaching horsemen. All the horsemen died. However, goblins came from behind the marauding horsemen, and Gladeus drew his sword, sounding the charge.


    "Eli! They are coming your way!" Prince Ludwin and Alicia came out from their lofty carriage and ran to me as a platoon of goblins ran towards our carriage and entered. The carriage was quite a distance away, so it took them about a minute from their carts to mine. I slaughtered them with my throwing knives held by my tentacles. After more than twenty goblins died, they left for a softer-looking target, which was Alicia and the prince. Alicia roasted them with her fireballs. Afterward, I stepped out from the supplies wagon.


    "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Prince Ludwin asked.


    "I am fine. This is nothing," I said nonchalantly while moving the goblin corpses from the wagon''s path with my dark binding.


    "Are you okay, Milord?" Gladeus came to us.


    "Yes, we are fine. Where are the royal guards?"


    "Half of them were chasing down the fleeing monsters and Elderans, while the other half circled our perimeter."


    "You are late! What kind of guard lets the thing they were supposed to protect be raided by goblins?" the prince scowled.


    "Well, there were about five hundred of them, and only 30 of our guards had muskets. The others had to chase them with their spears. Horseriders are not meant to be stationary or defending." Thor and Gladeus soon rendezvoused beside their liege.


    "Rally! Abandon the chase. We need to get to the fortress!" Gladeus shouted, and the royal guards rendezvoused and marched to the fortress. There were no more ambushes, and the resistance behind the fortress was weak due to Father''s orders to patrol this area insistently, resulting in casualties every day. Thanks to that, we only encountered one weak ambush, and we delivered the supplies safely, minus two boxes though.


    "Thank you for the supplies, Eli. Hm? Oh! Pardon my manner, Prince Ludwin Seraphim." Father smiled as he welcomed me back with supplies. However, when he looked back at the carriage, he immediately bowed and knelt. He was caught off guard that the prince showed up. John Sark then came in and knelt after he assessed the situation from a distance.


    "Greetings, Count Shadowstep. No need for formalities. Here are the supplies you requested. I apologize beforehand that the supplies were less than half of what you hoped."


    "I see. When will the next supply come?"


    "In a week or two. How''s the war, Count? Are we winning?"


    "If I may be honest, your highness. It will be difficult. The enemy is employing monsters, and it seems as if they could regenerate those monsters endlessly. During these two weeks, we have killed over ten thousand enemies, most of them monsters with few humans in each wave." I was aghast at the number of bodies. It was almost half of the Western Front''s casualties per year.


    "Please do not worry, Prince Ludwin. We will surely triumph!" one of the guards stated the opposite of what Father said.


    "John Sark, what say you?"


    "As Count Shadowstep has said, we would have trouble in a defensive position. The enemy is willing to throw as many monsters as possible. We are running out of ammunition and supplies. We have managed to defend the fort. But offensive action needs to be taken soon." John Sark said gravely. He turned from a money-pinching corrupt official several months ago to somewhat decent now, huh?


    "Ah. Weren''t you saying that the Western Front was more important than this little town in the countryside a few months ago?" I tried to slander him to vent my frustration. He glared at me, but I didn''t flinch. I had the fearless skill. I can''t be intimidated even by adults.


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    "I was wrong. If this county were to simply fall to Elderan, we could retake it after mustering forces in Alrisa. That''s how it''s always been in Western Front. However, with monsters in play, our citizens would not face mere oppression but annihilation."


    I see, so they were flipping castles in Western Front. Was it guerrilla warfare? I thought while contemplating his words. Was he merely finding excuses, or was it genuine? Nevertheless, we are going to have an excursion at the backline in Western Front from the academy soon. It was a mandatory curriculum. I could find some information there.


    "I will see what I can do. The king said that he would give us another supply if we could hold out for two more weeks. I will write to the king. Thor, follow me. I will need you to go as a messenger," Prince Ludwin said. "Let us rest. If I may trouble you, Count Shadowstep."


    "Of course, our doors are always open to you. Please come in." The prince was then led to our mansion.


    "Hmm¡­ your rooms and house are small," the prince muttered. Gladeus elbowed him softly, but I still heard it. Alicia and the others didn''t, though.


    "Prince Ludwin, we are merely a new county. We only came out from red deficits recently and were working hard on repaying the rest of our debts. We apologize for our modest residence," I tried to apologize while putting sarcasm in it.


    "Oh! What I mean is that, thanks to prominent mages like you and Alicia, your county has gotten out of debt, so I thought your county was flourishing. It was odd that the head of the county lived in a modest house like this. I thought you guys have finally amassed wealth, and your county was out of debt," the prince, with my sarcasm flying over his head, replied honestly. "Some barons or viscounts have fancier homes even though they are in debt. But they are not the bad ones. The mercantile factions taught us that debt needs to flow. It is fine to have debt as long as your wealth rises up more than your debt."


    "Damn rich, privileged boy," I mentally cursed. I have never been poor, both in this life and before, but even I was not as ignorant as him. And what did he learn from his teachers? Debt was good? His teacher must have been insane. Thank god Alex wasn''t like that.


    "Hahaha, that''s why countryside nobles rank up fast, milord. They prioritize their land and jobs first before themselves. If I may be so bold, Lady Elidranthia, let me apologize on behalf of my master. You see, Prince Ludwin knows a lot of central nobles that have debt and have much grander houses than yours. That''s why, when he knew that your county was out of debt, he assumed your house would have amassed more wealth than them, somewhere between a marquess or relative of a duke," Gladeus replied with a joke. It was good that he treated this as a joke and the atmosphere lightened. I apologized that our mansion only had 5 bedrooms (father+mother, Zach+Richard, Fiona, me, Daniel), 2 guest rooms (one is Alicia''s), and 2 bedrooms for maids plus a kitchen, bathrooms, and dining rooms.


    "Count Shadowstep IS a relative of a duke now, right? I attended Eli''s brother''s wedding. Why don''t they renovate their mansion?"


    "War is coming, Prince Ludwin. That''s why I said countryside nobles rank up quickly. They did their jobs. Moreover, the marriage was just 6 months ago."


    "Ah, I see. We sure were busy this year." Ludwin nodded his head. This entitled prick sure had a sharp tongue. He wasn''t as blunt as this in the novels. In the novels, he was a polite and charismatic individual!


    "We apologize once again for our modest house, Prince Ludwin. Here is our guest room. There is only one bedroom, though."


    "Umm... Lady Eli, maybe you could give my room to the Prince''s guards? I know my place and refuse to have the same treatment as nobility. I shall empty my rooms and move to bunk beds for the maids?"


    "Huh? A mage living with manaless commoners? These are my personal guards; they could sleep on my bedroom''s floor or in the barracks. A mage should have their own room with their personal attendants!" Ludwin said discriminatorily. I tilted my head. What does this prick want?


    "Well, I am afraid your guards couldn''t sleep on the floor as it was not wide enough. Alicia, how about if you sleep in my room? I think the bed is enough for the two of us." The room was not wide. Only about 3x3 meters. With a 2x2 bed, chest, and table, the other guards would need to sleep below the bed if they wanted to fit. Moreover, it is going to be hot with so many people in such a small room.


    "Certainly! Please, Prince Ludwin, Sir Gladeus, and Sir Thor, accept our humble offering. It''s a mere guestroom of a countryside county, but we shall treat you to the best of my abilities. Here are the guest rooms!" Alicia beamed at my words. She latched onto it very quickly and forcefully sent Thor and Gladeus to her room. I thought she had personal articles in her room, but apparently, her room was almost vacant except for the wardrobe and a chest in the corner.


    "As only one bed exists, we shall bring you an additional mattress. I apologize for there being only two guest rooms."


    "No, it is fine. One of us could sleep in the barracks anyway. And this is wartime. We couldn''t ask for such luxury. Even our dinner was modest. Count Shadowstep must have rationed even food supplies."


    "Thank you for your understanding, Sir Thor. Good night."


    And so, our new guests were finally asleep. We couldn''t sleep peacefully, though, as the sound of cannons and bells rang out intermittently every two or three hours.

 Chapter 55: Siege

    Morning arrived, but Prince Ludwin found himself not in his bedroom, but rather in my father''s study. He groggily made his way to the dinner table and sat there, appearing listless. Alicia seemed unusually cheerful after we spent the night together, her maid uniform fluttering as she skipped while serving toast with ham and cheese.


    "Good morning, Your Highness. May I inquire why you slept in my father''s study?" I asked.


    "Eli, didn''t you hear the cannons yesterday? We were attacked. As a prince, I have to be there to encourage our soldiers," Prince Ludwin explained.


    "Oh, I heard them alright. But why bother? We have a rotation schedule. I trusted the acting captain to handle it. There''s no need for you to personally go to the wall or stay at headquarters for every attack, is there? Right, Alicia?" I turned to Alicia, who had direct military experience.


    "Yes. While we only have one general, captain, or team leader, we also have vice leaders. They usually handle tasks the leaders cannot do, such as night raids or surprise attacks. According to Sir Zach, scout teams or vice leaders should wake the leaders if they encounter something they can''t handle. Hence, we should sleep in an easily accessible area. Were you woken up by a scout team or vice leaders, Prince Ludwin?"


    "Of course not," Gladeus smirked. "They could lose their job if they dare disturb royals."


    I rolled my eyes. However, the prince isn''t a general; he doesn''t have to be a de facto leader. It makes little sense to disturb his sleep unless dire circumstances, such as a need to retreat, arise. After hearing our discussion, the prince widened his eyes, but his henchmen remained unfazed. Either they informed the prince, and he ignored them to play the hero, or he didn''t know, and they didn''t inform him.


    "Well, Lady Eli, we are leaders! Good leaders need to work harder than everyone else!" the prince declared. He was trying so hard to hide his embarrassment. But I could see his cheeks flush a red tinge.


    "Let the military general handle military affairs. We should fill feystones for them to use, shouldn''t we?" I turned to Alicia, and she nodded.


    "My coworker promised to teach me how to enchant feystones to explode. I need a feystone full of mana for that. Your help would certainly be appreciated, Lady Eli, since you have greater mana control than me."


    "I am a dark mage though."


    "The drawing could still be done by you while I enchant them. And I know you''re a triple mage with 4 in fire and water too. If you still cannot handle your secondary elements, just fill feystones which I and the other fire mage could use."


    "Alright! Let''s go there after I take a bath," I said while yawning. "Prince Ludwin, you may follow us after a respite. It was hard seeing you so haggard."


    "Hck!" Gladeus held his mouth, suppressing laughter. Thor turned the other way, his face still stoic, but his mouth twitched. The prince blushed. Well, he was a pampered kid in the capital. He has never been attacked in the middle of the night by monsters, unlike Shadowstep County, which has constantly been under attack by a stampede of monsters weekly.


    "Let''s go to the barracks."


    We left the vain prince alone and went to the barracks. After filling about a hundred feystones, I took a walk on top of the walls. A soldier accompanied me all the way, fearing something would hurt me. As I took in the view, bells rang, signaling an attack from Elderans. Hordes of monsters emerged from the distant forest, and several humans with cannons followed suit from behind.


    Cannons were fired, and we retaliated with our cannons. Meanwhile, goblins and orcs marched from down below to the wall. Troops gathered and shot them with guns and bows. Uncaring of monster casualties on their side, they shot at our walls and towers, cannonballs flying back and forth.


    "How many times have they attacked us like this?" I asked a soldier who had been following me.


    "About twice a week. We desperately need ammunition. Without it, we couldn''t hope to withstand those thousands of monsters."


    "Shadowstep County dealt with these kinds of monsters all the time when we were a countryside county. Though I must admit there were a lot more monsters this time," I muttered. "But those cannons at a distance were really distracting. We couldn''t focus on these monsters without taking care of them."


    Yes. When cannons hit the wall, it disturbed our balance. Goblins and orcs have some claws on their feet, so they don''t slip. Moreover, cannonballs hitting the walls really disturbed our morale.


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    BOOM!


    Speak of the devil. A cannonball struck a wall near me just now. The violent rumble sent tremors from the front wall to my feet. The cowardly soldiers all ducked at once, and the covering fire from their arrows stopped, allowing those goblins to gain ground as they climbed the walls with their claws and ladders.


    As I looked toward Elderan''s direction, a sound whispered to me, and my heart thumped. Hatred surged within me, saying, "Kill them! Kill all Elderans!"


    My vision turned red. I walked toward the battlements and drew my gun. But I held back and whispered to my other self, "Stop it. You are insane. Guns are not effective at this distance. Don''t waste bullets at mere goblins."


    My vision turned back to normal as I breathed a sigh of relief. Goblins started to climb the battlements, but with my dark tentacles, I grabbed them and threw them away from the wall. The ten-meter drop would surely kill any invading force. My tentacle strength could even lift Alicia now. If one tentacle was not enough, such as for orcs, which weigh about 200 kg, I could simply use two or even three tentacles for easier throwing.


    These stupid small fry were easy for me since they had no ranged weapons. I wondered why these soldiers were having a hard time with them. Well, if you got surrounded, I''m sure you would be having a hard time. But this is not on the plains or fields; it''s atop a wall. The royal guards were struggling when surrounded by more than three goblins or two orcs? Not only that, they got surrounded even when they had superior numbers atop the wall? How laughable. I could control fifteen tentacles now, so as long as I''m not completely enclosed, I''ll be fine.


    I threw my twelfth goblin and fourth orc from the wall when Prince Ludwin and Alicia came up to me, seemingly worried. I ignored them, walking up the stairs in a crouching position like a novice. I remembered Alicia being taught to walk like that during military training. But they were so slow; it was amusing. Well, they were still in their teens and never had their first battle yet, so it was understandable. They were not used to it. I was helped with the fearless skill, so I was okay even if cannons hit the wall in front of me.


    "Lady Eli! It''s dangerous. Let us return to the barracks!"


    "Eli! What is a lady such as yourself doing here on the front line? Let''s go back. Frontlines are for foot soldiers, not leaders!" Prince Ludwin chided me, with Thor and Gladeus backing him up.


    "Hmm¡­ Alright! Let''s go to Narwhal''s place! I wonder how his store is doing!" I had seen everything I needed to see here. The only thing left to do was rendezvous with Narwhal.


    At the bottom, I was scolded by Gladeus and Thor for risking my life unnecessarily. I argued that the enemies didn''t have guns and cannons could not reach the battlements, but they didn''t relent.


    "I see. Eli''s suggestion was sound. How about we help directly against the invading force? As Eli suggested, enemies do not use guns, and we mages could show our powers directly against mere monsters that have been harassing our soldiers." Prince Ludwin and Alicia nodded.


    "Well, this battlefield is unique as enemies do not have dedicated range troopers such as gunners or archers. I guess it would be permissible?" Gladeus frowned as he tried to judge the danger our proposition entailed.


    "Cannons could collapse a wall. If it did, you will be in danger!" Thor vehemently refused.


    "Well, it didn''t seem that way to me. We have John Sark here. So, walls cannot collapse. The enemy only has 10 cannons," Prince Ludwin said. He was eager to go against goblins and orcs, huh?


    "Well¡­ However, Your Highness, please follow our direction. It is a danger zone up there. The enemy also has guns too. It was simply our luck that they didn''t use it in this attack yet."


    "Nah¡­ as long as we are three steps away from it, they couldn''t hit us even when they had guns from below the walls. Or we could simply hide behind battlements," I tried to explain about the archer''s point of view and the parabolic path, as well as the soldiers in front of us.


    We managed to persuade Thor and Gladeus to permit us to patrol the wall. Gladeus argued it could raise morale dramatically if soldiers saw royals directly on the battlefield, and that put the final nail in the coffin for Thor''s decision. He then agreed to let Prince Ludwin be on the wall and kill goblins with their protection if they added another ten royal guards with him. But that''s the talk for tomorrow. I wanted to see Narwhal now.


    Narwhal''s store was bigger than I expected. As I came in, it looked more like a restaurant than a toy store. Seeing that, we ordered pasta from the clerk and seated ourselves. Of course, I left the group soon after they found their seat and approached Narwhal at his office.


    "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia." I looked around, and he nodded.


    "R663. How''s it going with the store? Why is it a restaurant?"


    "Please call me Narwhall as we are in public with your friends. The store went swimmingly well. Toys were sold at that table, but they weren''t very popular, so I improvised. The toys are now an addition. You can play after you order something to eat. Your games of chess, Othello, and cards without gambling were only popular with friends, after all. The more expensive toys like ''Illusion War VR,'' as you named it, were too costly for even the royal guards to buy. Knights preferred to kill zombies or goblins and show them to each other in the rooms upstairs. It cost five silver just for two games, and it was quite mana-intensive. The device itself cost ten times that, so it was not sellable."


    "I see. I was just testing it. If it comes to this, I should suggest things like leaderboards, a subscription system, microtransactions with swords and blades, price discounts if you came with others, and rentals." I tried to narrate as many marketing suggestions as I could to Narwhal. I asked him more deeply, but apparently, this business hasn''t recouped its investment but is no longer in the red.


    On the other hand, the farms we invested in as a side business were a disaster. With Elderans staying so close to Shadowsteps, the farms were often deserted and raided by them. They didn''t kill any villagers, but they took everything of value. My father chased them, but it was futile. I sighed and set aside another 300P or 300 gold and told him not to worry about it. After we kick Elderans for good, those crops will yield a profit.

 Chapter 56: Siege part 2

    "Soldiers of the empire! I am Ludwin Seraphim, the second Prince of the Althemer Empire! The empire is now being attacked by these Elderan scums. I will be here with you. Now, I order you to fight! We will not give an inch of our land to them," Ludwin rallied the troops in the barracks. I wondered where he copied his lines from. He sure has a talent for rallying the troops. I could see the royal guards seemed to be encouraged by his speech. Their roar reverberated.


    As if on cue, an alarm resounded from the wall, and we marched forth to it. The attackers were the same cannons from afar and goblins as vanguards. After they lined up, they ran towards us in abandon. Prince Ludwin smirked at the action of these monsters. It was the first rule of military tactics: do not waste your stamina.


    "Stupid monsters."


    "They are monsters, Prince Ludwin. While monsters could feel fatigue, they are different from humans. They seem to have more stamina than most humans," I replied.


    "Oh. Really?" His smirk was gone, and he looked toward the battlefield.


    "Yes."


    "Ready your arrows! Arrows only!" Thor and Gladeus shouted as they prepared their arrows. Like in the movies, the royal guards finally showed their discipline. But I soon realized that their skills were subpar. Half of their shots missed, even among the goblin crowd.


    "Urgh. I am not very good at archery. I wish Lily was here," Gladeus said. The prince cast an icicle magic and flung it into the goblin crowd. Oh yeah, I forgot that he was a triple-element mage. He hasn''t learned to control his third element though, so he couldn''t help John Sark with the castle walls. I wanted to learn my second and third element too. But my talent for them was only four. Let alone manipulating them, I couldn''t even feel it like I did with my dark tentacle.


    "Prince, get back. The cannons are targeting you," Thor and Gladeus pulled Prince Ludwin as he inched closer and closer to the battlements so he could shoot at those goblins more easily. As they predicted, a cannonball flew just below Prince Ludwin''s position. The battlements cracked and crumbled with it.


    "Wah!" the prince screamed as dust and some shrapnel were thrown at him. He soon got up and looked around like an idiot, but thankfully, Gladeus and Thor were at his side, and they ran toward the safer place. Like yesterday, the cannons disturbed the royal guards, letting goblins climb the walls. As they climbed the walls, I threw them off with my numerous tentacles.


    When the prince saw how effective my tactics were, he started to mimic them. It was slower, and he could only control five, but it was compelling enough, as Thor and Gladeus didn''t allow him to engage with goblins and orcs directly no matter what. With Prince Ludwin at the walls, the other royal guards charged like maniacs. All trying to show him their valor and be promoted by the second prince. While their motives might be questionable, it was effective nevertheless as we repelled the goblins and orcs with ease that day.


    Just several more days before the next supply arrives. I wanted to sneak out of this city to scout the forest; however, I couldn''t find the right timing as Alicia and Ludwin kept sticking beside me like glue. Moreover, Narwhal also hadn''t given me a commission. Should I leave this city to gain internet access (Wind magic connection) to access quests from headquarters, or should I outright go to the forest and destroy the jamming machine?


    "Lady Elidranthia, Narwhal wants to meet you," Alicia informed me as I doodled away in my book, trying to study. My mind kept wandering on the siege, but I have to study for the finals. The finals might be months away, but we didn''t know how long this siege would make us stay. We could and should technically go home today or tomorrow, but the prince still wanted to see this war to an end.


    "Alright! Nice work, gentlemen!" The prince was having a cheer with John Sark, Zach, Father, and his royal guards as I passed down the dining room to the door. Even though it was a small skirmish, he was elated to have won his first battle. He acted like he had won a decisive war.


    "Greetings, Lady Eli. Could we have a drink outside?" R663, aka Narwhall, said. He then peeked and glanced through his surroundings. "I have a mission from R25B."


    "I see. Let''s go then." I followed him alone, asking Alicia to pick me up later after she had done her task.


    "Very well, here are the files. R25B couldn''t call you in this jammed zone. We first needed to fix that," Narwhal said as he handed me files of what the jammer looked like. Along with it were the cafe and toy store''s finances.


    "I see. Thank you for giving it to me, R663."


    "You are welcome. I got 4 points just to walk away and then came back with a rented horse. It was no big deal. By the way, this quest was worth 400 points the last time I checked with R25B. It was commissioned by the military." I blinked at the absurd price. He shrugged and smirked at me. "You are going to infiltrate a fortified enemy position. It can''t be cheap. I am sure I couldn''t do it. I am still skillless and have no magic. This world isn''t fair sometimes."


    "Are you jealous?"


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    "Yes. But I was told by my father that I should be grateful to have a capable ally. We are a team, right? Other reapers might get jealous, but I know even without you, my wage won''t increase within the guild. In fact, it might decrease, or I might lose my life instead."


    "I see. Thank you." I smiled. A sense of camaraderie grew within me. I adored his honesty. When I was sickly on Earth, some of my friends were whispering behind my back because I had passed the exams, but they didn''t. They thought I didn''t study and was just sleeping all day. I hated those types.


    "You are welcome."


    "After destroying the jammer, I have another commission. It was to investigate their HQ. This one was worth 150 points."


    "Hmm? Was the jammer so important?"


    "Yes. With the jammer, the royals didn''t know whether they should support County Shadowstep or muster their forces in Alrisa to retake the county. Their army could be ambushed if County Shadowstep didn''t send them any words. Without the jammer, Count Shadowstep could reorganize their troops to patrol and clear any ambushes the day the royal army arrived. That could minimize casualties, unlike now, where he had to periodically clear the supply lines. Moreover, you guys were still ambushed yesterday."


    " I see. Father has been getting a lot of heat clearing the supply lines because of it. It seemed useless."


    "Yes. But He was forced to. If he didn''t, the ambush would be more severe as the enemy would have encamped in the area."


    "All right. I will do this tonight. Thanks, R6¡ª" Lady Eli. We arrived!" Narwhal" Alicia cut me off as I was about to say his codename. I immediately called his alias to mask it.


    "Who is this guy? You shouldn''t be dining with manaless commoners so nonchalantly, Eli," Prince Ludwin said as he glared at Narwhal.


    "Greetings, Prince Ludwin. My name is Narwhal." R663 knelt and bowed. "Lady Eli has graciously invested in my shop. I invited her to this restaurant merely to inform her how the toy stores she invested in went."


    "Toy store?"


    "Yes. It was a dark magic virtual glasses used to train knights. But we dumbed down the monsters so even children could play with it."


    "I see. Let me take a look!"


    The prince then wandered through my toy stores as he tested all the toys. This prick sure was easy to steer. My images of him as a devious and evil orchestrator were shattered.


    <hr><hr>


    Elderan''s Basecamp


    "Why can''t we breach that damn wall!" an Elderan officer ran through his troops in anger.


    "Sir, they have several earth mages supporting those walls and towers, sir. If we have more cannons, we might be able to breach it."


    "We had over 100 cannons when we arrived here! That already put us in debt. If we don''t win this, we are going to be a laughing stock for the Western Alliance.


    "We only have 15 cannons now."


    "That''s your fault for getting them bunched up close and being shot by their cannons! I shouldn''t have accepted that idea from the beginning. Even though we have an overwhelming advantage with monster taming, they still have the high ground!"


    "If we don''t get that close, we couldn''t do significant damage to their cannons¡­ look, 85% of our shots missed."


    "Don''t worry. We have spent their ammunition. We already studied the spawner our intelligence department secured. By injecting it with mana from our mages, we could make 2 thousand monsters daily." Another officer, the one in charge of monster taming, finally showed themselves.


    "Greetings, General." The officer turned meek and saluted. His angry voice turned 180 and became a saccharine-flavored smile as he kissed his superior''s butt.


    "But I must agree, these Althemerians have quite the spirit. To withstand our assault day after day. I thought they would be out of ammunition by the third day." The general, who stood at the back and never saw the frontlines, commented.


    "Sir, they have begun to use bows and javelins, sir. Moreover, I see some small handcrafted ballistae on the wall lately."


    "Huh? I see. If it was arrows and pikes, they could recover them after shooting, unlike bullets. Hmm? Does that mean they already ran out of ammunition?"


    "Yes, sir! We should crush them right now!" the officer agreed and smiled. However, the cannon engineers shook their heads.


    "Yes. Do you have anything to say?"


    "They just had supplies yesterday, sir."


    "What! Didn''t the fourth company waste over 400 Elderan soldiers and over 3000 monsters to disrupt the supplies? They still let the supplies in?" the general panicked. "Worthless."


    "Hmm¡­ if they kept getting supplies, our dream would be finished. We can''t control more than 6 thousand monsters, and the fort was well-equipped to fight against more than 10 thousand without cannon support. What do we do, general?" an officer in charge was getting impatient. "The spawner we captured was also starting to show some degree of degradation due to us force-feeding it mana to spawn monsters. The quality of monsters produced has been dropping."


    "What? Goblins are goblins, right?"


    "Their strength still varies. Some goblins born in a natural mana-rich environment could take two or three arrows, while ours will almost certainly die with one. They were weaker too. Ours have an average lifting strength of about 25kg, while the first ones had almost 35kg."


    "Damn. What are our options? Should we go charge with our measly 1000 troops? We had more than 10,000 soldiers, but we only barely had 500 guns. If we lose, our country will collapse due to insufficient manpower."


    "Maybe we should retreat? We could work the monsters to drive up the economy and pay debts. Can we, general?"


    "No! Without the breadbasket in Althemer''s region, food prices will stay high, and we will have no chance of repaying our debt. Moreover, do you think those Althemerians will leave us alone if we retreat? They will surely invade us as they did to the former Luna Nation, which they renamed Shadowsteps now. And we are losing ground day by day on the Western Front."


    "We are taking too many risks invading Althemer," the officer complained.


    "If we succeed, we Elderans could become the next Althemer! Those Althemerians were once smaller than our kingdom. But after they won by risking their lives, they managed to break free from their master, the theocracy. And now, they are considered a major power in the east. If we win, Elderans will be considered a major power, and we no longer have to pay support for the Western Alliance. Those crooks were corrupt. They kept asking us for money and didn''t even gain ground on the Western Front." The general exclaimed. His passionate speech went in one ear and out the other, though, as the engineers and officers knew their victory would cost them a lot.


    "Hey, how about the traps? If the garrison received supplies and reinforcements, they might dare to launch an attack on our camps. If they did, we must be ready for them." The general then walked away to find his other officers to preach. The engineers moaned as they would have more to do setting up the siege.

 Chapter 57: Showdown

    Night finally arrived, and the operation to destroy the jammer commenced. I still had the forest map, and with my new glasses, I could see a HUD that showed my real-time position superimposed onto the Shadowstep map using my cartographer tool. With Narwhal''s help, I rented a horse and sneaked out of the fort through the back door.


    After activating my camouflage, I dismounted and walked into the forest. It was quiet, with a flicker of light in the distance. As I approached, I felt a sensation, like a flicker of film passing through me. I looked around at the strange feeling, then continued my advance, only to be blocked by a familiar face. My camouflage failed me as he sneered at me.


    "Hey, we meet again, Reaper! And it''s the same Reaper too!" I froze as he blocked my path. The realization then hit me.


    "That thing was detection magic?"


    "Smart girl. Hehehe. We have never let a spy pass by us in our whole life, you know. You really tarnished our reputation. Now, die!"


    He charged toward me, his blade coated with some sort of magic. It was the cutting magic he used before when we first met. I couldn''t block it with my dagger, as it would only break. After putting some weight into my agility skill, I dodged one slash and countered with five throwing knives using my tentacle. He flew back, just like when we first met, but my tentacle chased him, and I managed to graze his hand.


    "Damn, you have improved," he cursed as he brought out a potion from his pouch and drank it. I was stunned. "Well, poison was almost mandatory for rats like you. We have come prepared."


    "Kill him. Kill Elderans!!" Whispers echoed from the depths of my heart. Despair, sadness, and anger surged.


    "Damn, Eli. She didn''t want to flee from this battle, even though the musketeers should not be her grandfather''s killers," I whispered as I grasped my chest. The sudden surge of despair and anger choked me, and I faltered. After I jumped to gain some distance, I charged again. However, he drew another blade from his waist and swung wildly while dual-wielding.


    It looked like a child''s act, but because of the wind blade coating his two blades, it was a devastating attack. My instincts made me jump out and low while he slashed like a madman. I then forced Eli down in my heart and tried to escape. I could probably beat him if I really tried, but I didn''t want to collapse here. Moreover, he had two more friends the last time I met him, right? With such reasoning, I forced my anger down, and Eli finally relented.


    But as I escaped, the musketeer dashed faster than I ever thought. As my instincts screamed at me to duck down, a blade passed just above my head and slashed at the tree beside me. He then connected his strike to his leg, and it hit my stomach.


    "Gah!" I groaned as I lay flat on the ground. I then glared at him, but he snorted.


    "Your dark magic won''t work on me again, bitch. I have no intention of bringing you back alive. Now DIE." He sneered at me as he gloated about his victory. Then he charged at me while swinging his sword down¡­


    BANG!


    "AARGH!!" I shot him in the face. The bullets hit him right in the eye, and he fell down while whimpering and groaning.


    "I didn''t want to let you live either," I murmured as I drew my dagger. But my beast instinct screamed at me to jump away, and I did. A colossal flame was aimed at my position just a second ago, so massive was the fire that it grazed the wind agent in the face even though he was not the target.


    "ARGHH!!" The wind agent screamed again.


    "Hey, you okay, bud?"


    "Fuck you, asshole! You burned my face!" He cursed. He seemed lively for someone who got shot in the face. I will complain to Prince Ludwin later. He sold me a shitty gun!


    "You were about to die back then. A little thank you would suffice. You''re welcome, by the way."


    "Come on. Couldn''t you just arrive like 3 seconds later? I will deal with you later." I moaned. "He was worth 1000 gold."


    "Sorry, missy dark mage. He was a coworker. I can''t let you kill him. By the way, your bounty was worth 800 Ela. It was about 800 gold too. After tonight, I am sure our bounty would be on par with each other."


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    We looked at each other. The wind agent seemed unable to move as he was simply groaning on the ground. Can I defeat the fire mage alone? Nah, I can''t get away with this. These agents would definitely hinder me with everything they got. They must have been tasked with guarding the jammer.


    The fire agent was silent. Unlike the wind agent, he didn''t move first. Maybe this is my chance? I threw my knife at him and then took the opportunity to reload my gun. The man blocked my knife with ease, and then twenty fireballs were made and flung around me. I dodged, and with the burning forest behind me, I counterattacked.


    "Dark Spear!" I whispered as a four-meter black spear materialized in my hand. I poured more mana into it, and the spear enlarged further, getting thicker and radiated with black miasma. Then I threw it¡ªnot at the fire agent, but at the wind agent currently on the ground.


    "Damn it! Fight me fair and square!" the fire mage blocked it with fire spewing out from his hands. As the spear was deflected and went into a random tree, he was already breathless. I suppose it cost him more mana than I thought. I grinned. My level 8 dark magic finally triumphed for once. He could not escape if he wanted to protect his wind agent friend. So, this is just a contest of mana, and in a magic duel, even Alicia couldn''t beat me.


    I cast more dark lances this time, less concentrated and more about quantity. He blocked them with his sword and a fireball of his own, but some still hit him regardless. Dark magic didn''t burn or explode; it simply corroded his body or sapped his strength. Moreover, because of his magic defense as a mage, it would take some time before he was down.


    "Damn!" he then threw a fireball into the air, and it exploded spectacularly like fireworks. I am not an idiot. I ran back to Althemer despite Eli protesting in my heart. The agent didn''t move and only cursed. Footsteps of Elderan''s soldiers echoed in the distance. Some men in uniforms began appearing one after another. Using my camouflage, I snaked past them and went back to my horse. Then, I returned to my mansion. I failed, but I will try it again tomorrow. I needed that jammer to be destroyed.


    <hr><hr>


    "Damn it! Fuck! It hurts!" The wind agent cursed as his eye and half of his face were ruined. The fire agent walked beside him as soldiers brought him on a rescue litter. Then, after he was brought to a medical bed, a healing mage started to operate on him and pulled out the bullet in his eye. The medic was only level 5 in light magic, so while he could save the agent''s life, he could not save his left eye.


    The ice agent, who was patrolling on the other side of the forest, came in and brought some fruit five hours later. The fire agent was sleeping beside him. After a while, the wind agent woke up, and the ice agent joked around him to cheer up the mood.


    "Yo. I heard you got owned by that dark mage girl."


    "Fuck it. Beryl," he cursed. Then he looked toward the fire agent. "What happened? Agathe?"


    "Agathe is sleeping right now. Sorry. But you were so far away, and with the jammer, I didn''t know you were in trouble."


    "I am awake. Good! You are still alive. Sorry about your eyes and face. The eye was not my fault, though." He joked around as he rose from his sleeping position beside the bed, but his eyes spoke differently.


    "Damn bitch."


    "Agathe, Samuel lost?"


    "Yup, when I heard the commotion in the forest on my patrol, he was lying on the ground and was about to be stabbed by her. I cast fireballs into her without care. He was this close to getting his heart stabbed." Agathe was motioning his fingers to describe how close was Samuel to the dagger of the dark mage girl.


    "Ugh. Our reputation is going to take a hit again." Beryl, the ice agent, groaned. "Samuel, was she that strong?"


    "I got surprised by her gun! That''s all."


    "It is not good to lie, Samuel," the calm and cool fire agent narrated. "Yes, Beryl. She is very strong despite her very youthful face. At least, she has much greater mana than me. I went into a magic duel with her, and she beat me."


    "Huh, you lost? To a dark mage? Dark magic was the second weakest element, right? Does that mean she beat you after she beat Samuel? A level 8 wind mage? Then, after that, she beat you? A level 6 fire mage? She must be at least level 7 or maybe level 8. wow, how did those reapers recruit her? Let alone level 8, I barely met 5 people level 7 in my whole life."


    "She had much greater mana and control than me, at the very least. Moreover, she fled immediately when I signaled a firework in the sky. She is going to live long, and she grew so fast. If she sided with Althemer, we might lose this war," the fire agent commented.


    "She must have come for the jammer! I am going to get her next time. Let''s go," Samuel, the wind agent, groaned as he lifted himself from the bed. The burns on half of his body were severe, and with only one eye, his steps were shaking.


    "Oi. You are still injured," the ice agent said. "Chill out."


    "No. She might try again. I have to catch her now, or our team''s reputation will drop. You guys have sisters, nephews, and nieces to feed, right? I am a wind mage. Finding the spy is my job. My only job! You guys will not be able to find her in the dark."


    "Well. It is true that we will need his magic to find her," the red agent said. "But don''t do anything else, okay. We care about you. You are wounded and need time to heal. Even the best doctors have limits on healing."


    "Yes. I understand. I will leave it to you to engage her." The wind agent relented.


    "Alright. We will set your detection trap in the afternoon. I will bring out the wheelchairs," Beryl, the ice agent, said.


    "I don''t need a wheelchair! Thanks for the fruit, and wake me up at 3!" he ordered his teammates with irritation. His head was spinning, and he felt his worth decreased with this loss. He didn''t want them to abandon him; that''s why he had to do his job. He had to find her at all cost.

 Chapter 58: Shop

    "Ugh¡­" I slammed the pillow in frustration, a surge of anger coursing through me.


    "I HIT HIM SQUARE IN THE FACE! IT''S A HEADSHOT!" I groaned, clutching my chest and tossing around in bed. Alicia remained peacefully asleep beside me, unfazed by my turmoil. No matter what I did, she wouldn''t stir. I''d drugged her with sleeping pills before. I continued to toss and turn until dawn broke, then dragged myself out of bed, my face worn with exhaustion.


    "Oh, Lady Eli, what''s the matter? You look pale today. Something troubling you?" asked my maid, noticing my disheveled appearance.


    "I couldn''t sleep well last night," I replied wearily.


    "Ah, yes. I noticed you tossing and turning. Was it uncomfortable sharing the bed with me? I could sleep on the floor..." she offered.


    "No, it wasn''t that... Ugh! I was just upset about Narwhal''s financial report yesterday," I lied, trying to mask my frustration at failing to eliminate the counterintelligence agent.


    "Really? Did something happen to his business?" Alicia inquired.


    "Yes, it was the farms. The ones with citrus, spices, and bananas were raided by the Elderans," I explained.


    "What?" Prince Ludwin interjected, joining the conversation after emerging from his room. "What was raided? The villagers?"


    "Why are we still here? We must liberate those villagers from Elderan''s oppression! I''ll gather the troops immediately!" the impulsive prince exclaimed, storming out, but no one followed him.


    "Was Prince Ludwin always so hot-headed? I remember him being more composed back in the academy," I remarked to his royal guard, Gladius.


    "Lady Eli, Prince Ludwin was always dutiful. He received his first royal task from His Majesty, King Andre," Gladius replied, though Thor interjected.


    "Gladius! That''s confidential!"


    "Well, the task has been completed, and Prince Ludwin and Lady Eli are close enough that he dropped the formalities willingly," Gladius shrugged.


    "Well, that''s true. I''m going to catch up with His Highness. You can talk to them. He needs to be stopped. A prince shouldn''t lead wars on the front lines. What will I do if he gets hurt!" Thor exclaimed, running out while muttering curses directed at his prince. I wanted to laugh, but the situation wasn''t exactly humorous. Gladeus was present, and he seemed eager to discuss Prince Ludwin.


    "So, Prince Ludwin received a task from His Majesty?" I inquired.


    "Yes, indeed. The task was simply to deliver supplies. He was thrilled, you know, feeling like he was finally making a contribution. But when the supplies were stolen, he felt he had failed his father and you. He felt responsible and chose to stay here," Gladeus explained. I rolled my eyes at the explanation.


    "Isn''t his unannounced presence in the castle likely to cause trouble?" I asked.


    "We''ve already dispatched messengers to the royal capital..." Gladeus hesitated, avoiding eye contact. I knew what he was about to say.


    "The messenger was from the Royal Guards, wasn''t he? And if questioned about why the prince chose to stay, he''ll have to admit the Royal Guard lost a cache of supplies. Do you think they''ll deliver the message?" I pressed.


    "Well, I informed the messenger that the prince sought greater achievements here than mere supply delivery. Hopefully, that will suffice as an excuse," Gladeus shrugged. I sighed, realizing we had no choice but to rely on these individuals to defend our county.


    "Thank you, Lady Eli. You''re more composed and clear-headed than I anticipated. Other nobles might scream and shout at me, feeling their rights have been infringed upon. It''s refreshing to be honest with you," Gladeus remarked.


    "Screaming and pointing fingers will achieve nothing. Our county has only 300 knights, while the Royal Guards, a coalition of knights from other duchies and counties, numbered two thousand. I have to swallow the bitter pill if I want my county to survive," I concluded with a resigned tone.


    "Thank you. I suppose I should go find my liege now. See you." He waved goodbye, and I replied, feeling a hint of melancholy.


    "Tell Ludwin I said thanks." I waved back, though my energy was waning. I hadn''t slept a wink since yesterday.


    "Oh yeah, I still haven''t dealt with the jammer. I''ll have to go there again tonight. Ugh... the guards will definitely be swarming the place tonight," I muttered to myself as I gazed out the window. I still had to refill the feystone. I figured I''d have to rest after that.


    "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia," Narwhal greeted me as I responded to his summons. I hadn''t actually gone to his house; it was the other way around. He had signaled that he wanted to speak with me, so I invited him to the mansion, and then we went together to his restaurant.


    "Sorry, but the attack failed yesterday," I reported. "The musketeers blocked me."


    "I see. The musketeers? I have no idea who they are. I''ll report your findings to R25B later," Narwhal responded.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation."The musketeers are the three mage counterintelligence agents. They consist of a wind mage, fire mage, and ice mage," I explained. Narwhal''s eyes widened at the revelation that I had been up against three mages from the Western Front.


    "I see. I didn''t come here solely to hear about your mission, however. R25B sent some support. It will cost you points though," he said with a wry smile. I glared at him and the figure of R25B behind him. Was he offering goods at this time? The jammer had really interfered with my ability to contact him. He seemed to be able to anticipate my troubles. How did he know I was in trouble?


    "So, what did he offer? Can I refuse?" I asked.


    "Yes, of course. So, first, there''s the replenishment smoke grenade and flashbang at 50 points. I only brought two flashbangs, two smoke grenades, and three explosives."


    "Sold. Next." I accepted without pause. It came at a very opportune moment. With flashbang and smoke grenades, I could distract them more easily. It was a no-brainer.


    "Next are throwing knives. There are two variants, though: one with a hole in the handle and one without."


    "Pass. I still have ten throwing knives on me. I don''t need another one. Plus, these seem of lower quality anyway. They don''t shine as much," I replied.


    "Next is¡ª" I interrupted Narwhal as he showed me a stick. But I knew what it was. A slider beside it revealed a hidden knife. Moreover, through my mana sight, I detected a fire enchantment inside. Could this be... a ballistic knife? The kind that shoots out! So cool!


    "It''s not just an ordinary pocket knife, R666. R25B says it''s a cutting-edge knife that can shoot out its blade when you''re in a pinch. It costs 40 points. They call it the Strider Enchanted Knife. You... really want it?"


    "Do you sell just the blades too?"


    "Yes, they''re 2 points for a dozen of them."


    "Sold," I said, examining the captivating blade before me. Smooth with a claw on its back, I could already envision using it in close combat against those agents. But then, a realization struck me. I couldn''t carry all of these. With ten throwing knives, a trident dagger, a standard dagger, and a karambit, adding this would weigh more than 3 kilos. "Wait. I don''t need a dozen. I only need six. So, 1 point for six blades."


    "Alright," Narwhal agreed, setting aside the blades before picking up something else.


    "Next is the katar. It''s a push knife commonly used as an assassination weapon against armored bodyguards. R25B says most users of this weapon also learn boxing. It comes equipped with an H-shaped handguard, so you can even use it for parrying. It''s sold as a pair. Do you want to switch out your hand weapon?"


    "Hmm..." I pondered. This weapon certainly resembled something an assassin or ninja would wield. However, considering I already had a trident dagger and a standard one, I hesitated. "Ugh... I don''t know. Let''s purchase it for now."


    "Then, the next item is a gun. Um... do you need it? I believe the firearm the royal prince gave you is superior. I''m not sure why R25B even mentioned this one," Narwhal commented, unveiling a one-meter rifle with a scope. It resembled a sniper rifle, but with a musket-like appearance, I doubted its effectiveness beyond 200 meters.


    "No, I need the bullets. How many bullets, and do they fit my pistol?" I inquired.


    "There are 10 bullets here, and each cost 2 points, so it''s 20 points in total," Narwhal replied. I paused, incredulous. One bullet costing a person''s monthly income?


    "That''s exorbitant for a single 1 cm diameter metal ball," I muttered.


    "Yeah, ammunition prices have skyrocketed. The empire is buying it up, and R25B informed me about discussions of seizing ammunition from other counties, except those near Shadowsteps and the Western Front," Narwhal explained.


    "I see. Well, I have to purchase them anyway."


    "The gun costs 70 points, and the bullets cost 20 points," Narwhal clarified.


    "Just the bullets. The gun can wait," I decided.


    "Alright. The last item is the patta. It''s useful if you''re anticipating a fight against multiple opponents. The patta is a sword welded directly into the gauntlet," Narwhal described.


    "Hey, this looks like something R4 would use. So it''s called a patta, huh? I didn''t know," I remarked.


    "R4? That legendary reaper? Oh yeah, I heard you were recruited by him. Did he use a patta?" Narwhal asked, inspecting the weapon closely.


    "I''m not purchasing that, though. It''s too heavy," I replied.


    "R661 and I could probably use this when we have enough money," Narwhal mused.


    "How much is it?" I inquired.


    "It''s ten points," Narwhal answered.


    "Alright, that''s all I buy. how many points do I have left?" I inquired as I gathered my newly acquired items, particularly the ballistic knife.


    "Alright, hold on. Let me calculate," Narwhal replied, reaching for his ledger. "The flashbangs and grenades are 50 points, plus the ballistic knife and six blades, which total 41 points. It''s a magical tool, so it''s a bit pricier. Then there are the 10 bullets, costing 20 points. Finally, the katar is 10 points, bringing the total to 131 points."


    "If my calculation is correct, that means 615 minus 131 equals 484 points. But I need to set aside 300 points to rebuild the farm and store we lost. So, I only have 184 points left."


    "Sorry about that," Narwhal apologized.


    "It''s not your fault. It was raided, after all," I reassured him as I packed my items into a bag. Narwhal promptly closed his suitcase, but his gaze drifted behind me.


    "Lady Eli! What did you buy?" Alicia exclaimed from behind.


    "HIEK!" I screamed and dropped the katar I had just bought.


    "More knives?" Alicia questioned. She only saw the ballistic knives and katar I held as the flashbang and the smoke grenades were already tucked inside my pocket.


    "Hmm? What''s going on?" Prince Ludwin appeared behind Alicia, eyeing the knives. Gladeus also approached to inspect the dropped items.


    "Oh, an assassin''s knife," he muttered.


    "Why did you buy an assassin''s knife, Lady Eli?" Thor chimed in.


    "It was just a hobby!" I protested.


    "Do you also sell knives?" Thor asked Narwhal.


    "Well, we didn''t actually sell knives, but Lady Eli loves them. So when I traveled to stores and saw some antiquated knives, I wondered if Lady Eli would like them. After all, she has supported my stores," Narwhal explained with a smile. His smile seemed genuine, unlike mine.


    "I see. Did you sell baselards?" Thor inquired.


    "Of course. I have some decorated daggers such as the baselard, stiletto, dirk, rondel, and even Mughal daggers. The Mughal one is especially expensive, with its hilt decorated with jewels and coated in gold," Narwhal replied without missing a beat. Then, he retrieved a display case of decorated daggers from his room. However, I had no interest in them, as I already had my stilettos and standard daggers. They all served the same purpose.


    "Oh, I like this one. You have good taste. Do you also collect swords?" The prince smiled as he inspected the case of gold-layered knives and their scabbard.


    "Your praise is wasted on this humble servant, milord," Narwhal knelt. "I never collected swords as Milady never desired them. She deemed them too heavy and masculine."


    "Here, Eli. You have a fondness for daggers, don''t you?" the prince smiled, presenting me with the Mughal dagger. "I''ll purchase it for you. This dagger seems to suit you. It''s fitting for a militaristic noblewoman to possess a dagger or two."


    "N-no. I don''t want it," I declined. The curve of the Mughal''s blade was shiny and alluring, but it was merely a decorative piece of gold. It was only sharp enough for one cut. I couldn''t use it. From the corner of my eye, I saw Gladeus and Thor facepalming at the prince''s behavior. Please scold him! Don''t just stand there! You''re his retainers, aren''t you?


    But my thoughts reached no one.

 Chapter 59: Success

    Night fell, and armed with my new tools, I ventured outside. My body felt heavier with the addition of the ballistic knife and bombs. Thank goodness I hadn''t brought the katar. As my horse trotted towards the forest, I focused my vision, detecting a thin film, more like a haze of mana scattered here and there. These must have been the detection spells the wind agent used to track me. He was undoubtedly a diligent agent, back in action so soon after I shot him in the face yesterday.


    Leaving my horse behind, I strolled around, but he had been thorough. There were no blind spots. Well, if I knew what was coming, I knew how to handle it. I threw a small feystone from afar, and as it passed through the detection field, the mana haze rippled. I quickly fled and hid in the bushes as several soldiers arrived with over seven mages, two of whom I recognized as the ice and fire agents.


    After they departed, I sneaked past before they could install another detection spell. Apparently, those spells could be converted into magic tools and distributed. I wondered if R25B sold them. I''d ask him later.


    As I crept around, I finally reached their basecamp. They had cleared a large swath of our forest to build it. What a waste of logs. Gates, towers, and fences¡ªall constructed from wood. I scanned the area, searching for more traps, but apart from several mages guarding the gates, there seemed to be none.


    Using my tentacle, I scaled the waist-high fence, which had barbed wires entwined around it. However, given the scarcity of these wires and their sparse placement, I knew they were stretched for resources. Camouflage was now doing its job. As long as I avoided mana detection, this camouflage would still fool ordinary humans.


    An hour had passed, yet I still had no clue where the jammer was. A jammer is a magical device, and I thought I could locate it using mana sight since it should emit some kind of mana pulse. However, I hadn''t found anything of the sort here. A jammer shouldn''t be concealed, as it would affect its jamming ability.


    "Kill..." Eli whispered from deep within me. I suppressed her voice, but the sensation lingered.


    "Eli, I know what to do with you. Instead of randomly attacking citizens, I''ll spy on the officer in charge of monster taming," I resolved aloud, and the heavy sensation of hatred and despair vanished instantly, causing a slight vertigo. Then, I moved stealthily from one tent to another. Goblins and orcs were scattered about, some seated like cattle or horses in a stable.


    Monsters emerged from a large tent and sat alongside the others, exhibiting almost robotic behavior. How could humans tame monsters? And where did the monsters come from?


    The answer came when I sneaked into the tent. A spawner was there, accompanied by several mages. I waited with bated breath as mana swirled from one mage to the next, forming a whirlpool before being absorbed into the spawner. It birthed monster after monster until finally ceasing. Twenty or so guards immediately bound the monsters with practiced efficiency, using chains and cuffs. The orcs, immobilized by steel cuffs with weights, struggled against the guards, while the goblins, with lighter iron cuffs, also resisted but were held firmly. Even orcs found it challenging to overpower five royal guards with only one arm. Several mages then inserted magic devices into the monsters, rendering them motionless. Like robots, they walked outside, wearing the same expression as the monsters in the clearing.


    "I see. But that''s impossible. Magic equipment costs at least one gold. It would be impractical for them to throw away thousands of gold every day for these monsters. While it''s cheaper than training knights and soldiers, the numbers don''t add up," I muttered, analyzing the situation. With my camera tool, I photographed everything, but I heard there was another tool for recording videos that I wanted to buy.


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    I contemplated destroying the spawner. It should be the only one the Elderans have, and if I destroyed it, they would likely retreat.


    As I pondered what to do with the spawner, several mages switched to provide mana to the spawner, birthing more monsters at a rapid pace. In just ten minutes, ten monsters were born. No wonder they could launch attacks with over two thousand monsters each day.


    Even as Eli raged inside my heart, sending me her wail of anger, hatred, and despair, I suppressed it and reasoned with her. We needed to capture one of the officers alive for interrogation. Besides, we couldn''t win with hundreds of soldiers surrounding this camp.


    I trailed the officers as they emerged from the tent. It was convenient that the important-looking officer seemed to have his own tent. His insistence on privacy worked in my favor. After entering the tent, I removed my camouflage. The officer, looking like he was about to enjoy a good night''s rest, widened his eyes in shock. Before he could scream, I bound him with my tentacle.


    "Don''t shout. Answer my question," I commanded. The officer was a mage, but he appeared to be a low-leveled mage, probably level 4 at most. My illusion could penetrate his magical defense at this distance. He realized he was under an illusion, but that didn''t matter. All I needed to do was mask my identity.


    "How do you control these monsters?" I demanded.


    "Please... Please don''t kill me!" he pleaded.


    "Answer me," I insisted.


    "It was the slavery implant. It detaches your consciousness using dark magic!"


    "How did you use the monsters to attack County Shadowsteps? How much does one implant cost?"


    "The implants were used to train monsters, not to use them as war machines. Monsters could be tamed by adjusting the implant. It''s like training a horse or a dog! The trainers work with them during the day, but as for the specifics, I don''t know. That''s the responsibility of other departments!"


    "Where are the jammers?"


    "Jammers? I don''t know. Wait, I''m sorry. I really don''t know where the jammers are! Please, argh!"


    "I see. Thank you," I said with a smile before slitting his throat. Sorry, but the demon inside me really wanted you dead. However, he didn''t know where the jammers were. That''s bad.


    After threatening and assassinating seven more officers in a larger tent, I finally discovered the location of the jammers. Along with them, I found several files strewn on the table, which I photographed before leaving. The jammers were hidden inside bushes, and there were cloaking devices to mask the pulse emitted by the jammers into ambient mana. It was easy to find them, but the jammers were guarded by three mages and two buff-looking soldiers. The soldiers were probably skilled fighters, as they wore different equipment than the standard Elderan soldiers. However, the RGB (red, green, blue) musketeers were nowhere to be found. This is my chance.


    "Who''s there?" one of the soldiers drew his weapon, and my stealth was deactivated. As color returned to my body, I looked at him agape. But there was no time to ponder how he deactivated my skill. I immediately threw my smoke grenade and drew my dagger as they did the same.


    Then, I tossed all my flashbangs. The guards and the mage reacted instinctively, but the flashbangs exploded in their faces. Disoriented, the guards struggled to maintain their balance, while the mages dropped to the floor. In the thick of the smoke, they couldn''t find me. I then threw my bomb at the jammer, which exploded with a powerful shockwave, knocking them all to the ground. With my dark tentacle holding onto my throwing knives, they all found the guards'' necks, and I preemptively slit them.


    "R25B?" I tried my earclips, and they finally connected.


    "Oh! The jammer is gone! Yay! 400 points for you and 8 for me! I''m safe this month with more for booze! I think I''m on my way to a promotion! Good work, R666!" R25B cheered. I started to miss his gaudy and easygoing voice, but somehow, I wanted to kick him in the face right now.


    After all the time we''ve been silenced, this is his first greeting to me? I was appalled, but I continued regardless. "I want to go home. I think I''ve also completed another commission. About those monsters."


    "Really! Wow, you sure worked hard! Even though you only clocked less than a tenth of other reapers, you did more than most of them! You investigated their HQ? 150 points, then. But you have to send me the photos. I can''t give you the points without evidence. You know, standard protocol and formality stuff. Thank you for your hard work!"


    "See you," I said, heading home in confusion.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0529%">


    Blessing of the Killing Star has risen to level 6. Choose your upgrade:


    - Poison Resistance Level 1


    - Vampire Plague Level 1


    - Necromancy Level 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 Chapter 60: War Conclusion

    I leveled up. It''s the second time now, yet I haven''t chosen any upgrades. When I called upon my status boxes, these words appeared:


    Blessing of the Killing Star has risen to Level 5


    Choose your upgrade:


    - Poison Resistance Level 1


    - Paralysis Resistance Level 1


    - Improved Kinetic Vision Level 2


    Blessing of the Killing Star has risen to Level 6


    Choose your upgrade:


    - Poison Resistance Level 1


    - Vampire Plague Level 1


    - Necromancy Level 1


    Poison resistance came up twice. Does this mean that previous skills could reappear? Could the vampiric strength and regeneration I abandoned ages ago reappear again? And then there''s necromancy. Apparently, the system wants to pair me with undead skills at all costs. I dread the day when all of my upgrades would imitate undead. However, since the choices here are all separate entities, I could simply skip the upgrades! I was tempted to choose poison and paralysis resistance. We never know when we could get poisoned.


    "I should pick necromancy and poison resistance," I whispered to myself as I lounged around in my mansion. Yesterday was tiring, but since I broke the jammer, communication has been restored. Father, John Sark, the king, and Duke Bron could finally converse and plan for the resupply.


    Blessing of the Killing Star (Level 6)


    - Fearless


    - Intimidation


    - Improved Strength


    - Improved Agility


    - Beast Instinct


    - Dark Magic


    - Kinetic Vision Level 1


    - Stealth/Camouflage Level 2


    - Necromancy Level 1


    - Poison Resistance Level 1


    I would probably regret this as improved kinetic vision seemed enticing. But I was able to dodge a bullet even though it was at Level 1, so there was no need for me to upgrade it any further. I am against anything that would change my physique, such as vampire skills. However, necromancy was simply a magic skill that could be turned off and on. I could simply not use it if I didn''t need it, unlike vampire skills, which might demand blood periodically.


    I delved into the Royal Academy library months ago to explore skill descriptions. I discovered there was a skill that could alter one''s physique, such as people growing cat ears and claiming improved hearing. There were even skills like beastification that would transform individuals into talking animals without them changing back to humans. Of course, such skills were not inherited by descendants and were thus very rare. That''s why I was vehemently against acquiring vampire skills.


    The first thing the king asked about was his son, Prince Ludwin. Upon learning his son was safe, he breathed a sigh of relief. He then inquired about military aid, and Count Shadowstep provided an explanation. Afterward, he requested some alone time with his child.


    "Damn it! Those guards! Who recruited those assholes!" Prince Ludwin cursed as he barged out from the call room with His Majesty.


    "What''s the matter, Your Highness?" I asked.


    "Well, those guards we sent to retrieve the goods and messengers apparently lied again when reporting. They claimed that Count Shadowstep was imprisoning us so His Majesty would send reinforcements faster," Gladeus explained. I rolled my eyes in disbelief.


    "The problem is, we can''t solely blame this on all royal guards. Many of them risked their lives here at the fort, after all," I sighed, choosing to let the matter slide.


    "Now that communication is back online, His Majesty will be able to assist you more efficiently. I suppose we could return home in the meantime? The reinforcements will arrive in three days, they said," Thor suggested.


    "By the way, this is supposed to be top-secret information, but we know how the enemies employed the monsters now," Gladeus said, winking at the prince. I did my best to act surprised. It must have been the information I gathered at their HQ.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Ah, yes. My father planned to divulge the information to the count and John Sark this evening. So, basically, they had control of a spawner and trained those monsters to attack us. It was similar to how a hunter trains their hunting dogs," Prince Ludwin explained.


    "Destroying the spawner will put an end to Elderan''s invasion once and for all. I wonder how Count Shadowstep plans their counter-invasion. He was quite famous as a strategist when your grandfather was a hero," Gladeus smirked.


    "My father said only two or three thousand people were trying to invade us. We will win this war easily. No need to worry, Eli. You can count on the empire to save Shadowsteps," Prince Ludwin smiled, puffing out his chest.


    "Oh, great. If this war is no longer a concern for us, let''s all return to the Royal Academy. We have tests to catch!" I skipped merrily.


    "Yeah, sure. Let''s go," Prince Ludwin agreed.


    "After the communication and the information about the spawner were in their hands, the empire went silent. I thought for sure there would be a commission to destroy the spawner," R25B said the night before my departure. I was sitting by the window, gazing at the moon.


    "They needed some merit. I can''t take all the credit. The Royal Guards messed up several times in a row. The prince was very angry with them," I whispered.


    "I see. The Royal Guards were caught stealing directly before the prince. That put their loyalty into question, huh?" R25B said. "There''s going to be an execution of three traitorous Royal Guards in four days. Is it because of that?"


    "Yes. Prince Ludwin banished them to look for supplies, but they went home instead. It was impossible for them to take the supplies back. Even if they met the messenger somehow, they were only three people. They would have been killed by the other party," I surmised.


    "Well, they''ll be dead in three days anyway."


    "Hmm? Are you sure? I thought they would be pardoned after some penalty, just like the Royal Guard who raped one of my villagers."


    "No. R661 in the capital says so. It will be a public execution. Some nobles, possibly the families of those three Royal Guards, went to R661 directly at your villa. They wanted Leon or R661 to persuade you to persuade the prince to show leniency."


    "You know I can''t do that, right?"


    "You could, if you wanted. If you begged the prince and wove some sweet words, you could probably lighten their punishment."


    "Why?"


    "Exactly. You don''t want to. That''s the difference. People have this sort of impression of you. Be careful when you arrive at the capital. By the way, R663 has some letters for you. Don''t think much of it. Consider it some of his easy, mundane job, just like what you did previously. He needed money, unlike you. See you. Hahaha."


    Not even an hour later, Narwhal, aka R663, snuck into my mansion and arrived before me. I was amazed he was able to sneak around without a skill. Apparently, he had studied the guards'' behavior and rotation the last time he was here.


    "R25B said you have a letter for me?"


    "First of all, it was a commission by R25B, and I was just delivering a letter to you. Okay? I have no intention of enacting anything written on it," R663 said.


    "Alright," I nodded. He then gave me the letter, and when I opened it, an insulting death threat followed.


    "We desire for you to forgive Mark, Lucas, and Bob. This letter asks for a bargain. If you comply, please negotiate with Prince Ludwin for the release of the empire soldier. If not, we shall use Reapers again in a more forceful manner."


    Such was the letter given to me. I tilted my head at the wording before it occurred to me that this was a threatening letter. They wanted to hire Reapers to kill me.


    "They sure beat around the bush, huh? Why not just say, ''Ask Prince Ludwin to release our traitorous family, and you may live?'' Hey, R25B."


    "Yes? Has the letter reached you? It was a twenty-point mission, so I asked R663 to deliver it to you. Consider it his reward."


    "Will the Reapers go for my life?"


    "Well, it is highly unlikely. But we are in a difficult position since you are also a noble. If they specifically ask to kill Elidranthia, we have to post the commission. Some unwary or naive Reapers might take it. But I trust you have no problem with that?" I already had two encounters with Reapers. One was when they accepted the noble kill commission, and the other was when I tried to kill Baron Kharn. If those were the normal skill levels of reapers, I could manage. I could not resist if someone like R4 were after me, though.


    "There are other nobles who became Reapers, right? How do you deal with them?"


    "We do have nobles who became Reapers, but they are mostly harmless in their political life. So, not many want their life. Like the seventh son of a count or countryside baron. But you have made some enemies as Elidranthia. Moreover, you seem to be very close to the second prince and thus are seen as a threat. The closest one we have in your situation was when a second son of a viscount, who is a Reaper, reaped a lot of war merit in the Western Front and thus reaped a lot of jealousy among their peers and thus wanted reapers to reap his soul." R25B tried to make a bad pun. But I ignored him.


    "What happened to him?"


    "We earned a lot of gold and simply faked his killing. It was fortunate he was not attached to his family or nobility. After we gave him a new identity, he worked full-time as our Reaper. By the way, my colleague said that he was laughing because he was assigned for his own killing. He earned 1,000 points." I see. I grinned as I imagined someone hiring R666 to kill Elidranthia.


    "I see. But I heard I have a bounty in Elderan for 1,000 gold." I was reminded of my encounter with that wind agent.


    "That was a bounty against R666. We don''t assassinate our own guild members except if they break the rules. That''s why nobody knows each other''s names. If they put a bounty on R666, we could simply hand them a random corpse marked as R666. I don''t think the organization was willing to kill you. Or even fake killing you as Elidranthia. You are too valuable as a Reaper and a noble. It was hard to get insider information, and you will be in a perfect position in several years. Maybe we will consider it if your bounty as Elidranthia reached 100,000 points? You will be able to live in a rural village in peace and become an occasional assassin. Not that you need it. We also have other jobs for retirees, especially for mages. Making a Reaper card, for example."


    "Not yet. I have something to do," I answered him. The invitation was enticing. However, Eli''s soul inside me refused it vehemently. As the anger and hatred surged, I was reminded to find who killed my grandparents and mother.

 Chapter 61: Heroine Claire

    "Once more, my deepest thanks for your support and provisions, Prince Ludwin," Count Shadowstep intoned, bowing gracefully before the prince. "Our fortunes shifted when our covert operative managed to locate and neutralize the enemy''s jamming device. Our lands are now secure, thanks to your aid." His gratitude was palpable, yet I couldn''t help but mask my cynicism with a forced smile. In my mind''s eye, I rolled my eyes. Had Prince Ludwin truly contributed anything of substance? It seemed to me he had merely played the role of a glorified messenger, participating in a skirmish here and there before returning home. Yet, why did John Sark and the rest of the royal guard laud him as if he were a savior? I had felled more foes than he during the goblin raids!


    As we made our way back to the capital by carriage, the city was abuzz with festivities celebrating the royal prince''s triumphant return alongside the main heroine. Upon our arrival in the noble district and the academy, all anyone could talk about were Prince Heracles and Claire, a Level 8 Light Mage.


    "Hmm? Wasn''t Claire supposed to join us in the academy''s higher education program? Why is she already here?" I pondered aloud to my companions in the cafeteria.


    "Oh, you''re aware of my brother and his fianc¨¦e?" Prince Ludwin interjected, breaking into our conversation with a familiarity that bordered on intrusion. Royals, it seemed, recognized no boundaries when it came to inserting themselves into others'' discussions.


    "Ah, yes, of course," I replied, maintaining politeness.


    "They''ve indeed arrived a bit early. As you mentioned, they''ll be joining us as classmates in the higher education program once we''ve completed our accelerated course. Claire was eager to get acquainted with the academy and forge bonds with us as fellow mages. By the way," he added, extending an invitation with a flourish, "this is for you, Alicia, Safira, and yourself. I''d be honored if you attended our tea party."


    "...Yes, Your Highness," I responded, albeit with a hint of reluctance.


    Trapped by circumstances, I found myself at the tea party, where she was inevitably present. Despite having never seen her face¡ªas the web novel offered no illustrations¡ªher unique mana signature was unmistakable. I intended to keep my distance, yet it was she who sought me out. Could she possibly have something to discuss with me?


    "Good day. Might you be Princess Claire?" I inquired, with a polite nod.


    "Indeed. And you must be the much-talked-about Lady Elidranthia. Rumors suggest you''re quite close to my fianc¨¦''s brother, Ludwin. Have you aspired to become my sister-in-law, Lady Elidranthia?" she replied, her tone laced with curiosity.


    "Far from it, Princess Claire," I assured her, my smile tight and polite. At that moment, Charlotte, Prince Ludwin''s sister, approached with warm greetings.


    "She may not admit to being close, but Lady Eli is certainly a leading figure in that regard. Please, join us," Charlotte encouraged, her presence as the protagonist of "The Assassinated Princess: Returning Back in Time to Live a Happy Life" making her both approachable and humble. Her welcome stood in stark contrast to the cold reception from other nobles, who seemed to deliberately avoid her.


    "Why would you extend such a warm welcome to a heretic? Despite her status as a mage, she''s nothing but a demon''s puppet, one who has turned her back on the teachings of mana," another noble hissed to me, accusing Claire of being the heretic. Their words echoed the silent agreement of many in the room.


    I watched the unfolding scene with a puzzled tilt of my head. In the novels, the prejudice and accusations against Claire were directly led by Ludwin, making this undercurrent of gossip unexpected. The novels depicted slander as overt and confrontational, often escalating to dramatic confrontations and even rebellion. They were not known for resolving conflicts through dialogue but rather through intrigue, counterplots, and the inevitable fall of those in power.


    "I see," I murmured softly. Ludwin''s change of heart meant he no longer served as a tool for the theocracy''s discrimination. In his absence, they resorted to spreading slander to tarnish the reputations of Heracles and Claire.


    Suddenly, a striking figure entered the room. His blonde hair and blue eyes, hallmarks of royal lineage, left no doubt of his identity. He must be Heracles, the eldest prince of the Althemer Empire.


    "Greetings, Brother Heracles. It''s been five years since we last met."


    "Yeah, never thought you''d be starting school next year. Shame Ludwin couldn''t wait for you. He had to move ahead to the advanced classes, leaving his sister behind."


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "Indeed, Ludwin is special. Even in the accelerated class, he stood out as one of the top students," Charlotte responded with a hint of melancholy. "I, on the other hand, am just a manaless nobody."


    "Come now! You''re my sister, a royal! We don''t abide by the discriminatory doctrines of those churches. They care for only a fraction of their flock."


    "Brother, the truth remains that without mages, our capabilities are limited."


    "Mages are the progeny of deities, entrusted with enriching the land and nurturing those beneath them," Heracles proclaimed. His outlook was reminiscent of the Western Ideologies I''d heard of, yet strikingly similar to our own theocratic beliefs surrounding mana.


    "Indeed, brother. But isn''t it also taught that those without mana must heed the mages'' guidance?" Ludwin interjected smoothly, joining our¡ªnow clearly our¡ªconversation. I had to remind myself not to be lulled into the illusion of being merely an observer to their familial discourse. The moment for my inclusion was imminent, as evidenced by Claire''s smiling glance in my direction.


    "That doesn''t mean we must become their inferiors," Heracles added,


    "Nobody was a slav¡ª Agh!" Claire, wanting to support her fiance, suddenly clutched her throat, her eyes widening in shock as she began to cough violently.


    "Hmm? What''s wrong, Lady Claire?" Charlotte and Ludwin inquired with concern. Claire glanced around, her gaze landing on me with an expression of astonishment.


    "Erm. No, nothing. Just swallowed my tea wrong. Hehe," she managed a strained smile before excusing herself to pick flowers.


    "Alright, as I was saying, Brother, nobody is a slave here. Our country values meritocracy: those who contribute more, receive more. It''s as simple as that. Even the West follows a similar principle, right? Unless, of course, they intentionally suppress mages'' wages and restrict their movement to other countries by force."


    "It''s reassuring to hear that, despite being mages, you stand apart from those corrupt priests in the theocracies," Heracles continued, warming to his theme. "However, I must tell you about the Lustria Kingdom, where Princess Claire hails from. It truly embodies the ideals that the theocracy of mana preaches but falls short of implementing. Lustria stands as a beacon of what they aspire to achieve, demonstrating how mages and civilians can coexist harmoniously."


    Heracles went on to extol the virtues of a nation not governed solely by mages or monarchs but by a senate representing both mages and the common people. He preached about democracy, where every voice is heard, and the people live in harmony.


    "Elidranthia, what do you think?" Ludwin asked, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Charlotte seemed agitated by the conversation and looked at me, her eyes pleading, ''You''re our only hope! Counter him with your intellect!'' But I''m merely a count''s daughter.


    "So, are you suggesting you''d renounce your royal title? If the Senate governs everything, why does Princess Claire remain a princess?" I posed the question. Charlotte tensed, her fists clenching as if she were about to celebrate a victory, but she restrained herself, mindful of proper etiquette. Ludwin, seizing on the opening in Prince Heracles''s argument, quickly interjected.


    "Yes! What purpose does a princess serve if the Senate governs everything?" Ludwin almost shouted in excitement. Heracles fell silent, his gaze shifting thoughtfully towards Claire, who had just returned from picking flowers.


    "Long ago, the king and queen endorsed and supported this vision. And since the transition occurred without any bloodshed, the roles of king, queen, princes, and princesses were preserved. However, they are merely titles now," Claire added, providing clarity.


    "I see," Ludwin murmured, his expression turning to a frown, while Charlotte seemed to find encouragement in Heracles''s vision, her smile a silent nod of support. It appeared that the notion of retaining a princess''s title was particularly appealing to her. I wanted to express that such a transformation was unfeasible here, but the words eluded me. With three dukes in power, and presumably only the merchant faction endorsing these ideologies, backing Heracles would mean pitting the royal family against the Slane and Bron factions. A civil conflict of that magnitude would be devastating. Even if, by some chance, we managed to sway Duke Bron to our cause, the Slane faction, with the theocracy''s support, would inevitably declare war on us.


    "So, does the problem then shift to the dukes? Are you suggesting we demote Duke Bron, Duke Slane, and Duke Luca to commoners?" I inquired, turning the spotlight on Prince Heracles and Claire, who were momentarily taken aback by the question.


    "Well, I don''t expect such changes to occur overnight. It will take time, but I''m confident they will come around in the end. All I ask is for my sister and brother''s support," Heracles reasoned with a hopeful tone.


    "Well¡­" Charlotte began, exchanging a glance with Ludwin. Her smile faded as she noticed Ludwin''s stern gaze fixed on Heracles.


    "No," Ludwin stated unequivocally. "Ousting the nobility would only invite chaos. A king is made to rule. His Majesty exists to make decisions. It is not merely a fancy title."


    "I see. Well, today''s gathering was meant for tea, not deep political discourse. Let''s enjoy ourselves," Heracles conceded with a smile, eager to lighten the mood. He proceeded to serve the new tea leaves and cookies made with Lustria''s kingdom''s recipe to everyone, steering the conversation back to more pleasant topics.


    "Sorry," Ludwin said with a stern gaze, taking a bite from the cookies Heracles had offered.


    "Likewise. The mere fact that you didn''t outright reject us is already a huge boon to me. I half-expected you''d try to have us killed the moment we set foot in this country."


    "I share your sentiment. However, I''m not ready to dismantle our nobility system just yet."


    "I understand. It would be nice if we could end this in peace."


    Our conversation drifted into more casual topics, mingling with other guests until the sunset, and it was time for Safira, Alicia, and me to head home.


    "Ugh! Why do the royals always bring trouble wherever they go? Politics are such a headache!" I vented, more to the air than anyone in particular. Yet, R25B chuckled at this, while Alicia and Safira could only offer wry smiles in response.

 Chapter 62: Staking

    "Alright, same as always, I want you to scout the castle''s surroundings."


    "Why?" I blurted out, sounding foolish even to my own ears.


    "The higher-ups are questioning the prince''s loyalty. If they find proof of his betrayal, like discreet communication with a Western country, it could fetch a handsome price."


    "I see," I mused, impressed by the efficiency of Reaper''s intelligence system. Could they already be aware of our discussions during the tea party?


    "Why would they care about a children''s tea party, anyway?" I muttered to myself.


    "Hm? ''children''? Despite your petite stature, you''re fourteen, right? Or is it thirteen? In any case, you''re considered an adult at fifteen, so you are almost there. Prince Heracles is two years above you, which means Prince Heracles is already seen as an adult. He holds some rank and has official duties, which is why we''re being cautious. If there''s a way to gather intelligence, we''ll pursue it, and you''re the perfect candidate. This task, although it seems menial, is worth 100 points! It''s rare for a lower-level Reaper to receive such a mission just for scouting. Ah, but you''ll have to split it with R661. He took the afternoon shift."


    "I see."


    "What a dull reaction. Show some enthusiasm! You''re moving up the ranks here; you''re no longer a novice. What a boring child."


    "I''m not a child, remember?" I sulked but went about the task anyway. I met up with Leon, who was lounging near a tree, his beauty illuminated by my magic lamp as if he were a servant skiving off his duties.


    "Hello, R661," I greeted.


    "Greetings, R666. How''s everything looking?"


    "So far, so quiet. There are a few entrances around, but no one suspicious has come or gone."


    "Hmm¡­ Watching from the outside seems ineffective. We can''t be certain that those exiting aren''t spies, can we?"


    "We''ll know for sure. Officials wear uniforms and must have an ID. Magiphones require permission and are thus monitored directly by intelligence officers. The only means of external communication would be through spies or using animals, like birds. With this telescope, we can check if birds are carrying any letters or unusual attachments."


    "Really? That''s valuable information, thank you."


    "Sure, take these binoculars. I need to take a break now. I''ve got errands at home, or Alicia will have my head. Hahaha. We need to maintain the facade that I''m your servant, after all."


    "Understood." R661 then departed, leaving me to quickly succumb to the dullness of the task.


    "Hey, R25B, are you certain this task is meant only for me?"


    "The surveillance? Certainly not. It''s about what follows. Should Prince Heracles or Claire be found leaking information, you''ll need to determine the nature of the leaked or incoming information. It seems we might have to resort to wiretapping within the castle walls this time."


    "But you said months ago that wiretapping inside the castle was impossible!"


    "Just focus on your task. If not us, someone else would be assigned. We should be grateful for this opportunity; it translates to more earnings for us."


    "Alright then..."


    As the boredom intensified, I attempted to engage R25B in some shiritori or word games, but he was having none of it, even going as far as to scold me. It turned out he was juggling support for at least ten other operators who required his attention. It dawned on me that I wasn''t in this alone; he was likely coordinating with other Reapers in the vicinity to keep tabs on the prince and princess.


    Indeed, the first day passed without incident. Not a single bird stirred in the night sky of this fantasy city, adding to the tedium. The thought of enduring this for an entire week, with my sleep at stake, was downright torturous.


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    The next morning, I found myself asleep in my classroom. The teacher, rather negligent, paid me no mind, especially since I had topped the last test. This year was different from the last; my classmates now held me in high esteem, offering praise even as I dozed off during lessons.


    "Wow, you must have been studying hard! The teacher''s lessons are probably too simple for you. As expected from a Level 8 mage! By the way, have you been working on mastering your second element?" says someone who was obviously bootlicking me because I have a connection to the prince and the top of my class. However, I indulge in the odd and exquisite taste of praise.


    "Yes! Watch this. ''May the light of fire gather here!''" Focusing my mana, I sifted through it, separating the darkness mana and channeling my fire affinity mana to my fingertip. A small flame, akin to a candle''s, flickered to life.


    "And look! I can also manipulate water!" Eager to show off in the wake of their rare compliments, I invoked another spell, and a water ball about the size of a ping-pong ball formed at my fingertips.


    "Wow! Amazing. Soon, you''ll be able to perform melded magic!" Safira exclaimed. Her affinities lay in both water and light, though her proficiency with light was a modest level 3, barely enough to execute light magic.


    "I''m already capable of melded magic!" Ludwin, the arro...I mean, the prideful prince, boasted. "Behold! This is a fusion of earth and water¡ªclay magic!"


    From his fingertips, mud oozed out, which he shaped into a small and austere earthenware basin. "The royal mage believes I''ll manage cement magic without a catalyst if I keep at it. Mastering it would make any conflict with Elderan or on the Western front much more manageable!"


    "Incredible! I have dual elements, yet I struggle to even produce firefly magic. Meanwhile, you both are mastering your second and third elements!" Safira mused, a hint of envy in her voice.


    "Well, we are the chosen ones, after all. But don''t fret, Lady Safira. Your talents, especially in water and healing magic, are likewise exceptional!" He might have been boasting, but no one seemed to mind. In fact, his skills and flair were met with admiration rather than resentment. Even the knights in the cafeteria showed no signs of disdain, with some even applauding as if they were spectators at a captivating performance.


    I found their reactions curious and somewhat off-script compared to the novels. In those stories, commoners and the manaless regarded Prince Ludwin with hidden contempt, their silent disapproval born of fear. Yet here he was, his arrogance unchanged, looking down on the common folk and the manaless, but now met with admiration rather than animosity. What had changed? Why did they view his prideful demeanor with enthusiasm instead of hate?


    "R666, we have a lead. The manager reported that another reaper had identified a contact. Your mission is to infiltrate the castle and determine the sender and recipient of the code. You''ll be coordinating with four other reapers, including R661."


    "Roger," I responded.


    "What does ''roger'' mean? Never mind. We''ll regroup in three hours. The suspect has just received something. It''s your job to investigate."


    "Okay."


    The mission commenced after my school day ended. I slipped out of my dorm and into the well, avoiding the main entrance since I didn''t have an invitation to another tea party. I utilized a secret passage I had discovered years ago. R25B chose me for this task, believing I could bluff my way past the guards if necessary. While other reapers might be executed upon detection, R25B was confident in my ability to evade or concoct a plausible excuse should a guard spot me.


    I adjusted my glasses, and a minimap appeared in the corner of my vision, revealing many unexplored areas of the castle. Thanks to my stealth skill, I navigated the castle freely and made my way to the western section and into the garden, where R25B indicated the contacts had been spotted. There, I observed Claire meeting with a hooded figure.


    She was dressed in leather armor and had her rapier at her side. I kept my distance, watching their interaction. After a brief exchange, they parted ways. Claire''s behavior struck me as odd¡ªwhy did she carry her rapier? Was she anticipating trouble? She also seemed cautious, constantly looking over her shoulder.


    Despite her peculiar actions, my focus was on the hooded man, especially after witnessing Claire hand him something. Pursuing him was my priority, setting aside my curiosity about Claire for the moment.


    "R25B?" I whispered, tracking the man. Now that we left the castle''s proximity, I could use my earclip again.


    "What have you found?"


    "I''m tailing a suspect. Claire passed something to him."


    "Interesting. See if you can intercept him. Using force is permissible."


    "Really? What if it''s something innocuous? Just a report to say hi to her parent, maybe?"


    "I highly doubt it. She would use official channels for such mundane tasks. This must be confidential."


    Suddenly, a knife whizzed towards me, which I deflected with my dagger, inadvertently revealing myself. My darkly cloaked form was now visible.


    "I see. Lady Claire was right; I am being followed. Remarkable foresight."


    Claire knew I was on her trail? Unlikely.


    "Not talking, huh? Lady Claire warned me about your strength. Escaping might be my only option." The man deployed a smoke bomb, vanishing into a cloud of white. I responded with a volley of dark bolts to tag him with a mana marker and pursued him into the slums.


    In the slums, I found myself encircled by five of his allies. It seemed I was about to engage in combat once again. The thrill of the hunt surged through me, a dangerous allure. Eli''s bloodlust was becoming more pronounced, her grip on sanity loosening. I need to control her somehow, or I will suffer the consequences.

 Chapter 63: Necromancy

    "Get him!" The man in black shouted to his henchmen. Unlike the typical rush seen in hero movies, his henchmen approached me gradually as if weighed down by a heavy burden. They were terrified of my red eyes, my intimidation. It seemed they were not special forces, just your regular henchmen.


    I looked at them and smirked, eager to test my new weapon¡ªa push dagger known as a katar. Its use resembled boxing; one would punch towards the enemy''s neck, driving the blade in to deliver a fatal blow.


    "Argh!!"


    "Watch out, spread out!" the men screamed. But it was too late; my dark tentacles had already ensnared them, tripping them up. I moved in swiftly, jabbing them in the neck. I killed another one. I giggled in ecstasy. There are still more than seven men to kill. I shall savor every last one of them.


    The hooded man didn''t retreat. It was a commendable attribute, but his skill didn''t match up with his loyalty. Using his falchion, he slashed at me. It was monotonous. I don''t even want to compare it with RGB musketeers. Even Ludwin''s personal guard was better than them, even though they were still students.


    "Damn it! Reapers! This empire is already infested with them!" the man in black cursed just before I slit his throat. The katar went in through his artery vein and stabbed into his spinal cord.


    "Wahh!! Run! He will kill us all!" The small fry ran away after I killed their boss.


    Silence ensued. Even after all this ruckus, the slum people didn''t even bat an eye as people in their houses closed their windows. I rummage through the man''s body to find Claire''s letter.


    "So, what''s the letter about?" R25B rang me through my earclip after I held the aforementioned letter in my hand. Upon opening one, it burst into light particles and vanished. The light shone through my eyes, blinding me for a moment.


    "Ah! The letter!"


    "Huh? What happened to the letter? Are you okay, R666?"


    "The letter vanished!" I exclaimed, rubbing my eyes after being momentarily blinded by the unexpected flash. "It burst up into light."


    "Huh? Wait a minute, Manager, R666 reported that the letter vanished. Huh? I see. The letter was trapped. He said we will need to consult the middleman. You''re still young, so he''ll send a more experienced interrogator. You can hand the middleman over to him." R25B replied to me after talking to somebody else. Is his manager with him on his desk right now?


    "Uh¡­ the middleman was¡­"


    "Hmm? What is it? Tie him up, and we will send people on your way."


    "Can your interrogator read the minds of the dead?"


    "Of course not¡­ wait. Dead? Why? You should have captured him, not killed him! He was alone; there was no need for violence!" R25B exclaimed, his voice filled with frustration.


    "Well, he resisted. And he wasn''t alone; he brought like ten goons with him into the slums."


    "Ugh¡­ I see. So, our line was cut off then. Well, screw-ups like this happen from time to time. Ugh, well, as you have heard, manager. She was surrounded by them. Apparently, our target was cautious; they managed to ambush R666. Alright! Good work, R666. You may return home now. See you!" R25B ended the call, leaving me alone with 4 bodies in the slums. Doors were shut, and lights turned off, as no one had screamed, even when I had just eliminated four individuals. It truly highlighted how what I had done wasn''t seen as out of the ordinary here. I had to admire their resilience.


    An idea struck me upon viewing the corpses. I decided to employ my new skill on them. However, I dragged them inside an abandoned house with my tentacle, preferring to keep my actions hidden from any prying eyes. When I activated my skill, a tentacle made of darkness latched onto one of the corpses and penetrated it. I severed the connection quickly, realizing it would consume too much of my mana, and instead focused on the middleman corpse. He should have the most information.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.My hypothesis was accurate. The Necromancy technique drained a significant amount of my mana. I had only experienced such exhaustion once before, during a desperate attempt to gather over 100 feystones in four hours for money. This necromancy technique proved just as costly before it elicited any response. The corpse of the middleman stirred and rose, its movements shaky as it staggered toward me.


    "Ghaaa¡­" I slit his throat cleanly, So he still appeared human. However, my black tentacles emerged from him, binding him and lending an ominous air to the scene. Even though the body was immobilized, the tentacles constricted around and wiggled inside him, making his body twitch and undulate.


    "Help... me..." He groaned. Desperation tinged his strained voice. My incision at his neck was precise, aimed at either the jugular vein or carotid artery, sparing his windpipe. Yet, he struggled immensely to speak.


    "Can you hear me? Who sent you?" I began my interrogation. I could sense my tentacle taking hold of his soul. He moaned and grieved as I refused to let him pass to the afterlife.


    "Claire Lustria¡­" He moaned. "Please¡­"


    "What is your goal?"


    "Unification¡­"


    "Does Claire want to rule the entire continent?"


    "No¡­ she is an oracle¡­ the prophecy... the world will be doomed¡­"


    "Ah, the demonic cultists?" I suddenly recalled an antagonist from the fourth book¡ªa cultist who summoned a demon. I had thought they were akin to Elidranthia, a Volume 1 book boss monster, merely a temporary threat. I haven''t read past the fifth volume, as it hasn''t come out yet during my short life on Earth. It was mentioned in the novel that the cultists wanted to destroy the world. However, Claire and the Heracles managed to subdue them. It appears they have significant backing, more so than what the novel entailed.


    "More than that¡­ I don''t know¡­"


    "What was in the letter?"


    "Proposals for peace talks¡­"


    "What do they want? What are their demands?"


    "I don''t know¡­"


    "Okay. Thank you. Bye-bye." I severed the mana supply, and the dark bindings dissipated, leaving the twisted corpse of the middleman behind. I had always thought necromancy involved controlling the undead and using them as immortal soldiers. I hadn''t anticipated it could be applied in this manner.


    Reflecting on it, during the Middle Ages, people sought necromancers to uncover hidden treasures or to communicate the will of the deceased, not to raise an undead army. This skill proved to be a valuable discovery, albeit a mana-intensive one. Even as a level 8 mage, casting this spell was a challenge. Estimating my remaining mana after this usage, I deduced I could only perform this spell twice or thrice daily.


    "Hm¡­ R25B wouldn''t believe me if I mentioned something about demonic cultists," I mused. Should I confront Claire directly? She seems to harbor many secrets behind that innocent smile.


    The following day brought news of the empire''s retaliation. A formidable force of ten thousand soldiers was set to march to County Shadowstep, aiming to occupy the Elderan empire. Should Elderan fall, the western front would be compromised, likely leading to a pincer attack from us and the theocracy.


    "Will they succeed?" I inquired of R25B.


    "Occupying the whole of Elderan with just ten thousand troops will be challenging, but reinforcements will arrive later. The greedy nobles are sure to seize any opportunity to grab land. They''ll send their soldiers to plunder whatever can be taken."


    "Ugh... no wonder Claire has so many supporters." I was disgusted by my own nation''s ideology and code of conduct.


    "Ah... about Princess Claire. Could you try to befriend her? It would be invaluable to understand her ultimate objectives. Our manager would greatly appreciate as much information about her as possible. She may appear innocent, but she has been a source of headaches for our managers in the past."


    "Did she manage to escape some assassination attempts through sheer luck, I presume?"


    "...How did you know that?"


    "I saw Claire meeting with the middleman. I was about to intervene, but Claire seemed wary of being followed."


    "Yes, that''s essentially it. She may seem innocent, but she''s knowledgeable in counter-assassination techniques. Be careful not to arouse her suspicions."


    "Okay."


    Days passed, and the ten thousand-strong army from various noble houses set forth from the capital''s gates. It was a magnificent sight: hundreds of soldiers marching in well-ordered lines, each battalion carrying the flag of its noble house with pride. Captains rode their armored war horses at the forefront, their shining armor gleaming under the sun. Many students from the royal academy watched from the sidelines as the army surged down the noble street towards my county, resembling an endless wave. However, their excitement seemed to wash over me without leaving a mark.


    The current world diverges significantly from that of a novel. What would happen if the empire successfully occupied the Western nation? Such a victory would completely disrupt the original story''s plot. If the empire succeeds, there would be no peace talks. Without peace talks, Claire would lose her influence here, preventing a civil war from occurring and leaving the peasants to continue suffering under their hardships.


    "Lady Eli, what''s wrong? You seem so forlorn. Didn''t the sight of the soldiers marching interest you?"


    "No, they are boring. Let''s return." I decided to head back to the dormitory halfway through. Opting to sleep instead, the days passed until I received a notification from the school regarding our graduation.


    "Alicia, what''s happening with our graduation?" I wondered about the details.


    "Sadly, Count Shadowstep and Zach won''t be able to attend," Alicia informed me.


    "Are they participating in the war?"


    "No, they''re not. They''ve been assigned to guard the border."


    "I see. Thank you." I leave the noble street alone and head back to my dorm.

 Chapter 64: The Failure

    Three months later, the attack on the Elderan Empire ended in failure. As the empire''s forces marched through the forest, they were ambushed by the RGB musketeers and Elderan''s army. Out of the ten thousand soldiers that set out, over three thousand perished within the forest. This news cast a shadow over every faction except for Shadowstep. Shadowstep had abstained from participating in the attack, thus avoiding heavy casualties. Their only losses occurred during a rescue operation to extricate coalition soldiers from the forest.


    "Your Highness, I regret to inform you that our troops have failed in their attack on Elderan," Johann reported in the throne room, surrounded by several noble commanders. Upon hearing that three thousand of his men had already been lost in the war, King Andre massaged his temples in frustration and swiftly called off the attack.


    "So, what''s your excuse?" he demanded of Matthew from the Bron faction, Sully from the Merchant faction, and Trinity from the Slane faction, who commanded the attack. Also present were Richard, the second son of Count Shadowstep; Duke Luca, the head of the Merchant faction; and Duke Slane, the head of the Slane faction. Duke Bron was unable to attend, as he was holding the western front, so he had appointed a representative from the Shadowstep family who was near the capital¡ªeither Richard or Alucard, the third son. Richard was chosen because he has not made a blunder in the capital during his tenure. Claire and Heracles were also present but merely as spectators.


    "Sir, we led the vanguard of the attack. However, Sully''s forces did not participate in the attack! They are cowards!" Trinity accused. "These lowborn merchants should never have been allowed to join us in the first place."


    "What did you say? You arrogant fools recklessly attacked the Elderan Empire with only 400 mages. Are you mad? Did you learn nothing from the military academy?" The argument escalated, with accusations flying until the Shadowstep family became a target of blame.


    "This failure occurred because Count Shadowstep did not provide any support!"


    "Sir Sully, my father and brother were unable to participate due to their assignment. We were tasked with protecting the fort at Shadowsteps and securing the supply lines," Richard, the second son of Count Shadowstep and Zach''s brother, promptly deflected the insult. He then retorted, "Moreover, we have provided assistance by supplying the army with a complete map of the forest. The fact that your troops could still be ambushed only speaks to your lack of skill."


    The truth is, Shadowstep was excluded because they have been perceived as hogging glory by successfully repelling Elderan''s previous attacks. Currently adopting a passive stance, Shadowstep also needed time to recover after defending their city. Thus, they embraced the role of guarding the back line with delight. King Andre and Duke Bron, who were observing remotely, could only sigh at the outcome.


    "What kind of incompetent commander gets ambushed in their own country?" Prince Heracles added insult to injury as he reviewed the document detailing the attack. Claire, his fianc¨¦e, also attended the meeting but was excluded from examining any documents, as she had not officially married Heracles yet.


    "My king, the purpose of this gathering is not only to discuss our offensive failure but also to share news from Elderan. We have received a letter from Elderan proposing peace," Johann continued.


    "Ah! Peace is good!" Claire exclaimed with a sweet smile.


    "Yeah! Peace is good! As expected of the wise Princess Claire," Duke Luca and the Merchant faction concurred with nods of approval. However, the Slane and Bron factions were not as receptive.


    "Peace? After they launched a unilateral attack on us?"


    "Peace? With the Western nation? Where will our dignity stand if we sign a peace treaty after such a humiliating defeat by a barbarian country?"


    "Johann, what''s your opinion?"


    "The terms of peace are not unfavorable. They propose making the forest a buffer zone and establishing a border gate there for international travel," Johann explained.


    "Your Majesty, if we accept these peace terms, we stand to gain significantly. We could enhance our trade with the West, exporting or importing goods more freely. Moreover, we could send our intelligence officers there as scouts or spies. This would reduce our reliance on Reapers for gathering information."


    "Duke Luca, don''t let your greed dictate your decisions," Richard cautioned.


    "You know I''m right! We''ve been over-reliant on Reapers. Without them, we are practically blind! Who was it that tipped us off about Elderan''s impending attack? Who disrupted Elderan''s assault by eliminating a jammer? Who captured a mole hiding not in the slums, but right here in our very castle?"


    "Are you implying you were responsible, Duke Luca? To my knowledge, the nobility under your faction has shown the most treachery."


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    "We''re all in the same situation. Many of my nobles were originally from your faction, Slane. And this military expedition was led by Bron''s faction."


    The debate grew more heated. Had Duke Bron been present, he would surely have countered that most of the ineffectual imperial soldiers hailed from Luca''s faction. However, it''s undeniable that the empire expanded too swiftly, necessitating a vast recruitment drive. This period saw many peasants elevated to nobility, including the Shadowsteps. The Western war claimed the lives of many brave and competent soldiers, while numerous inept ones remained safe within the capital, contributing to the empire''s decline.


    Even the Shadowsteps were not exempt from fault. Count Shadowstep and Zach courageously fought at the front, while their third son, who fled from battle, remained safely behind as a guard in the capital. Should Zach and Count Shadowstep fall in this war, the line of succession would naturally pass to Alucard, the third son, or Richard, a mere military administrator in the capital. Elidranthia, being a woman, would not inherit the Shadowstep title unless directly decreed by Count Shadowstep.


    "We shall listen, if they so wish," the king responded.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. The envoy from Elderan will arrive shortly. They, too, are keen to discuss a peace treaty."


    "Nice!" Claire''s smile stretched from ear to ear. Had it been Heracles or any other noble from the empire who had reacted in such a manner, they would have been executed on the spot or reprimanded harshly for treason. However, Claire hailed from the Western nation, and her endorsement was seen as a positive sign that the Western Front sought a peace agreement with the empire.


    "Good. Peace is beneficial."


    "Very well, let their ambassador come to us."


    "Your Majesty! I must object. Allowing these barbarians into our borders will incite the wrath of the theocracy!" a member of the Slane faction protested, kneeling.


    "We are not seeking friendship with the Western nation. We aim to recuperate. Our losses were significant. Do you have any additional mages or soldiers to offer, Duke Slane?"


    "That''s¡­"


    "If so, you are free to launch another attack."


    "...Very well, I will consider the ceasefire agreement. We do indeed need time to recuperate."


    "Their proposal is a bit too favorable to us. Do you understand why?"


    "Yes. I believe their failure to invade us played a significant role. Even with our losses, they would still have to pay a heavy price for their failure."


    "But I''ve also heard they didn''t lose many soldiers, correct? They were merely stalled in the forest."


    "We''ve learned that Elderan is on the verge of a financial crisis," Duke Luca replied. "They may propose some trade agreements in addition to the peace deal. I hope Your Majesty will take this into consideration?"


    "Do you have a proposal, Duke Luca?"


    "I trust Your Majesty''s judgment on trade deals. Our warehouses are at your disposal."


    "I see. Thank you. This could provide us with a strategic advantage. Richard, please inform Count Shadowstep and his son, Zach, to come to the capital. They deserve to be honored."


    "What?" Trinity and Matthew exclaimed in surprise.


    "Hmm? He is the one who truly succeeded in this war, isn''t he? He managed to defend the Shadowstep county from Elderan for many months, even without adequate support. Moreover, he saved our army from the forest after the failed expedition. Thanks to him, the army was able to escape."


    The three commanders clenched their teeth in silence. Envy was painted in their eyes. But they could not complain any further.


    "Johann, what do you think would be an appropriate reward for Count Shadowstep? Would promoting him to Marquis or Margrave be sufficient, or would it be excessive?"


    "I believe promoting his title without offering land or additional support would be imprudent, my king. We can''t afford to elevate someone to the status of margrave without any tangible gains from this war."


    "Our losses are indeed significant. However, this must not prevent us from recognizing and promoting outstanding officers. Let''s elevate him to marquis and then we can negotiate a deal with him regarding the gate. He should receive a share if they are interested in establishing trade."


    "I see. That would be a prudent approach, milord. Nevertheless, we must tread carefully. Shadowstep has remained neutral; he might align with Elderan if we impose too much on him."


    "How about arranging a marriage between Ludwin and their daughter, Elidranthia? I''ve heard Ludwin is quite fond of her. This union would also appease the theocracy, wouldn''t it?"


    "Excellent! Although they are dark mages, a marriage between mages is a rare event, even in the theocracy. Moreover, uniting a level 8 with a level 7 mage is a commendable decision, Your Majesty." Slane bowed deeply, his smile wide.


    "Heracles, as the crown prince, how do you get along with your brother?" King Andre inquired. However, Heracles frowned, not simply affirming but instead redirecting the question to Claire.


    "Claire, do you think you can get along with Ludwin?"


    "I believe I can manage. He isn''t as fixated on mage supremacy as I initially thought. Eli, too, is kinder than I expected, despite her intimidating appearance."


    "I see. Well, that''s good then. Heracles, remember that our Althemer Empire pledges allegiance to the throne, not to mages. However, we cannot thrive without them. Please, treat your brother kindly. This meeting is now adjourned."


    With that, King Andre departed. Unbeknownst to him, Heracles'' heart was no longer with the throne but yearned for the simple life of a commoner. He longed to shed his burdens and live contentedly with Claire, weary of the constant machinations and schemes that unfolded before him. Even in that moment, he found the behavior of the nobles in the throne room repugnant, their smiles and deference to the king mere facades to further their own interests.


    Slane''s loyalty lay with the theocracy rather than the throne, Luca was driven by greed, and Bron harbored a deep-seated animosity towards the Western nation. Heracles wished to distance himself from these factional disputes.


    Yet, destiny had other plans, particularly for Claire, who harbored ambitions of her own. Despite her nation being a republic, she retained her status as a princess¡ªa role that extended beyond a mere title. She wielded significant influence not only within the borders of her own Lustria kingdom but across the neighboring Western nations as well, unlike her brother and parents, whose influence was confined to their palace.


    With her unique position, Claire possessed extraordinary powers and garnered support from many who stood to benefit from a peace treaty, both domestically and abroad.

 Chapter 65: The Entrance Ceremony

    Having graduated, I am now entering high school. This is the crucial part. The journey of "The Assassinated Princess: Returning Back in Time to Live a Happy Life" begins now. The first scene unfolds as Claire enters the site for the magic examination. Magic examinations at Althemer Royal Academy are conducted to showcase a mage''s talent and skill.


    What she did at the site closely mirrored the book. Using a measuring tool, she was declared a Rank 8 Light Mage. Following this, she was asked to perform a spell with which she was familiar. As she elegantly flourished her dress, she cast her light spell, "Heaven''s Light." Just like at my brother''s wedding, a golden light seemed to shine down from the sky, filling the entrants with hope and joy. I must admit, even I was entranced by it.


    It was deemed an aesthetic spell by the masses and professors, yet it harbors a secret usage in the novel. This spell can dispel any camouflage skill, and anyone bathed in its light will be freed from any mind-controlling magic. It was my nemesis. With a round of applause, Claire exited the stage. Despite being from a Western nation, her status as both a mage and a princess earned her respect from us, the people of the Althemer Empire.


    Next was Ludwin. Heracles was skipped, as he was not a mage. Ludwin cast a compound magic of all three elements. First, he combined his water and earth elements to form three mud golems. Then, using his shadow binding, he controlled those golems. Dark tentacles enveloped the golems'' arms and legs like chains. Standing like a majestic king atop the ten-meter golem, he flourished his cape with pride, smirking at the crowd as if to assert his superiority. It might have been my imagination, but he seemed to glance at me more than anyone else. Was he challenging me to a magic duel? Sorry, but I can only show dark magic. My other two elements, fire and water, are not my forte.


    After that, it was my turn. Considering this was merely a show, I didn''t feel the need to go all out. Thus, I simply conjured my dark tentacles to lift myself off the ground. My dark magic then morphed into a shark, which I launched at the dummy target, biting its head off. Following me was Safira, who summoned an ice field around her. Her surroundings quickly transformed into a winter wonderland, with ice spikes emerging from the ground.


    Alicia, on the other hand, chose the opposite approach, casting a lava field. Her surroundings became swelteringly hot as flames engulfed everything within reach. Thankfully, the extent of these fields was confined to a twenty-meter radius. Nana, as usual, was playing with her dolls, manipulating them with her magic. It made me wonder¡­ Had Ludwin borrowed Nana''s dark binding technique for his golems?


    After the entrance ceremony for mages wrapped up, the swordfighting tournament commenced. This was where Heracles truly excelled, besting everyone but Abel. According to the book, Heracles and I had a deadly encounter, with him and Claire turning on me after I had defeated them multiple times in other timelines. Like Abel, Heracles possessed a unique skill that allowed him to move twice as fast as me, even with my enhanced agility skills. While I could handle him alone, thanks to his vulnerability to dark magic, Claire''s presence complicated matters. In the story, Claire wielded the power to reverse time to a designated checkpoint, dubbed "the blessing of the sky." After several attempts, Claire and Heracles figured out a strategy, and together, they defeated me.


    Now that I think about it, I also possess "the blessing of the killing comet." Does Claire have a similar leveling system to mine? The intermediary mentioned she was regarded as an oracle, so at the very least, she might have precognitive abilities. Or could she, like me, be a reincarnator?


    "Lady Eli, would you prefer this dress or that one?" Alicia''s question snapped me out of my daydream. In her hands were two dresses: one red, echoing the color of my eyes, and the other blue, mirroring my hair. After the entrance ceremony show of talents, a dance ball was scheduled. She was selecting my outfit for the event. Admittedly, I lacked a keen sense of fashion; both dresses appeared equally appealing to me. Yet, admitting as much would only encourage Alicia to embark on a frenzied quest to try other dresses, extending my ordeal. Thus, I opted for the blue dress.


    "Abel truly is an exemplary knight, isn''t he? He was magnificent in yesterday''s tournament! Truly befitting the grandson of Duke Bron and the brother of Ronya," Alicia chattered as we navigated through the ballroom. I humored her with encouragement.


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    "Indeed. He even defeated Prince Heracles. It''s reassuring to see he didn''t hold back just because his opponent was a prince."


    "Do you think the others really held back? It didn''t seem that way to me."


    "Some appeared to hesitate before striking Prince Heracles. But it''s not as if he would lose easily, even if they were more aggressive. Prince Heracles seems to possess a unique skill, right?"


    "Absolutely! His speed was astonishing. Even Abel appeared to struggle against it."


    "If Abel hadn''t been so diligent in his training, he would''ve been defeated there." I mused aloud as we reached the ballroom. The grandeur of the space overwhelmed me, my gaze inevitably drifting toward the exotic food and beverages displayed in a corner. Safira, Nana, Ronya, and even Abel greeted me immediately, thwarting my attempt at the rare seafood showcased on the sidelines.


    "Lady Eli, what a pleasure to see you here. It''s not every day that knights and mages assemble for conversation in this academy," Abel greeted, bowing gracefully with a hand over his chest.


    "Greetings, Sir Abel," I responded with a succinct bow, "Congratulations on your victory in yesterday''s tournament. It was a splendid display of valor."


    "Thank you. I must admit, it felt like a stroke of luck. Had Prince Heracles not been preoccupied with his royal duties and had more time to dedicate to swordsmanship, I''m certain the outcome would have been different," he replied with humility, though his grin stretched from ear to ear. Boys will be boys, always reveling in the thrill of a good tournament.


    "King Andre Seraphim!" The court herald''s voice boomed, announcing the arrival of the king. My attention snapped to the door instantly, and there he was. Why would the king visit a school?


    As the king proceeded down the red carpet, everyone knelt like a wave from the one closest to the one furthest. Reaching the podium, he gestured with his hand. Ludwin, Heracles, and Claire followed suit, bowing before positioning themselves slightly behind him at an angle. Was he here to make an announcement?


    "Greetings, children of the empire. Hello, Ludwin. Congratulations on your admittance to the Althemer Royal Academy for mages."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    "You may be wondering why I have come today. My visit is for a simple yet significant announcement," King Andre began. "Alongside the engagement of Prince Heracles Seraphim to Claire Lustria, I am here to declare the engagement of Ludwin Seraphim to Elidranthia Shadowsep. May these unions propel the Althemer kingdom to even greater heights of prosperity."


    The king''s announcement was met with a flurry of hushed conversations. I stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. Was he seriously saying I was to marry that insufferable prince?


    "With that, I have delivered my news and will take my leave," the king stated, exiting as swiftly and unexpectedly as he had arrived. Immediately, I was surrounded by a crowd offering congratulations, with some even seeking to curry favor.


    "Congratulations, Lady Elidranthia. It seems you will soon become a princess!" Alicia exclaimed.


    "Ahem! Well, it appears we are engaged now, Eli," Ludwin commented, his smile strained. It was clear he was just as taken aback by our sudden engagement as I was, while Heracles and Claire approached to offer their congratulations. His expression was a mixture of surprise and discomfort.


    "It seems we''ll be sisters before long. I hope we can become friends, Lady Elidranthia," Claire said, her smile warm and inviting.


    "Prince Ludwin, Prince Heracles, why would the king choose me as Ludwin''s bride? This isn''t about becoming a princess consort or a concubine, is it?"


    "Yes, brother, this is news to me as well. How could father make such a decision on his own? Were you aware of this?"


    "Actually, you''re to be Ludwin''s formal wife. Oh... Father didn''t mention it? It was decided several days ago. Father wished to honor Count Shadowstep for his defense of the county, so he arranged for his daughter to marry you," Prince Heracles explained.


    I couldn''t hide my frustration. "You had no objections, Prince Heracles, Claire?" It was expected they would object! A marriage like this could spark a civil war! Ludwin''s influence would surely expand within Slane''s faction.


    "Well, not exactly. The alternative was making you my concubine, which would''ve caused an uproar. Ludwin and Claire would kill me if I made you my concubine. Hahaha. Besides, despite your intimidating aura, you''re not so bad. Some officials display more hostility than you," he said, glancing at me and Claire with a chuckle.


    It was clear; I stood alone. The engagement was a fait accompli. Even Alicia offered me no comfort.


    "Moreover, there''s cause for celebration as we''re nearing a truce, perhaps even a peace treaty with Elderan. They''ve requested peace talks, and their diplomats are on their way. Tonight is certainly one for the history books!" Heracles exclaimed, raising a glass of champagne in toast. Claire joined in, echoing his sentiment. The room erupted in cheers.


    Yet, within me, a storm suddenly brewed. A tempest of anger and unresolved vengeance. Eli was far from content with this peace. She had yet to avenge her mother''s murder.

 Chapter 66: The Engagement

    The king''s proclamation was clear: my engagement to Ludwin was announced. Our wedding was destined to occur two or three years after our graduation from Althemer''s Royal Academy. I stealthily escaped. As the ball continued, I found solace in the solitude of the night, sitting by the fountain in the garden, clasping my hands over my heart. Whispers of fury intertwined with my very essence.


    "Eli..."


    "Kill them... No peace..." The whispers were insidious, laden with images of sorrow and despair. The visage of my mother''s smile haunted me, a relentless reminder of the seething hatred that lay dormant within. Gazing towards the ballroom, I realized that even after an hour, I remained the sole figure in the darkness. In this world, I was utterly alone.


    "Lady Eli, are you alright? Many are eager to speak with you inside," Alicia approached, her presence startling me, yet my burdened heart stifled any reaction. Her perceptiveness quickly cut through my facade.


    "Is something on your mind, my lady?"


    "Yes, this is all too sudden. I''m unsure about marrying Ludwin," I confessed, my voice a blend of Sana''s and Eli''s¡ªSana, the soul that had journeyed to this world to inhabit Eli''s body. The actual Eli harbored only one desire: to unveil the assassin of her mother and grandfather. Hence, the notion of marriage had little consequence for her. My feelings, however, were tangled in doubt.


    "I understand the prospect of royalty may seem daunting, and your distaste for the aristocracy is an open secret. But take heart, you''re to be wed to Prince Ludwin, not Prince Heracles. Ludwin, as the second prince, will likely assume a ducal or margravial title under one of the three factions should nothing befall Prince Heracles. Your obligations won''t be as burdensome as you fear."


    "So, I am to become a princess, and then a duchess once Prince Heracles ascends the throne?" I said, reminiscent of Johann. I wonder if Prince Heracles and Prince Ludwin will be as cordial as King Andre and Prime Minister Johann.


    "Yes," she replied, catching the melancholy in my smile. I was, after all, merely the second daughter of a count.


    "Alice, did you know? I am a¡ª" Before I could finish, my confession was abruptly interrupted by none other than Prince Ludwin, who excitedly asked me to return to the ballroom. "Eli! I''ve finally found you! Let''s go back; a dance has started, and I want to dance with you." His intrusion couldn''t have been more ill-timed, effectively burying my secret even deeper. Now, it seemed likely that my identity as a reaper would follow me to the grave, unnoticed. I wondered if R25B was aware of this development.


    After a somewhat quotidian dance, consumed by frustration, I returned to my dormitory without engaging in other antics or requests, the echoes of rage accompanying me. That night, as I surrendered to sleep, she manifested in my dreams under a moon dyed red, standing atop a mountain of corpses, her red eyes seething with undisguised loathing.


    "Are you displeased with the notion of peace?" I dared to ask her.


    "No," she responded curtly. "You are aware of my pursuit."


    "Yes, I''ll continue the search for your mother''s murderer. The monster tamer is in Elderan, correct?" I sighed, weary. It would be preferable if she could relinquish her thirst for vengeance and hatred. The toll of lives I''ve taken in her name weighed heavily; a child like her should be immersed in play and joy, not the grim pursuit of killers.


    "No." Then, a deluge of despair overcame me. Visions of her grandfather, consumed by decay, flickered before me. She emerged alone from a box in the forest, foraging for sustenance, rummaging through discarded suitcases and boxes. The rustle of animals startled her back into her makeshift refuge, a box that offered a semblance of comfort in its darkness.


    Yet, she harbored the memory of the one responsible¡ªa figure shrouded in a hood. Through the box''s crevices, she spied on the sinister silhouette. Abandoned, despair was her only companion. Food spoiled, and hunger encroached, yet the fear of wolves, drawn by the scent of life amidst death, kept her confined. The hyenas, unsatisfied with the remnants of her grandfather and soldiers, hungered for her, their hunger blocked by a firm metal chest. Night after night, she wished for death, yet the instinct to survive persevered.


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    Then, in her solitude and despair, she prayed for someone, anyone, to avenge her grandfather. As the night of the killing comet enveloped her world, she found herself blessed through a mysterious contract.


    "I see. You''ve endured so much," I said, embracing her. The horrors she faced must have been unimaginable. It''s said that one''s magical essence is influenced by their deepest desires or experiences. She yearned for safety, which is why her magical aura was so intimidating. Her gaze alone could deter the predators lurking in wait¡ªthe wolves that craved for her. "I''m truly sorry."


    "Thank you," she replied, her voice light as she danced across the mountains of the dead in this crimson realm. "I know about your struggles, too. Living in a white cage, seldom venturing outside. Our parents loved us deeply, yet we felt powerless to do anything in return."


    Her words pierced me, a sharp reminder of my own inaction. My parents and Eli''s mother sacrificed so much for us when we were young, barely ten years old and seventeen.


    "I will find the killer, I promise. And when I do, you''ll choose their fate."


    "I will entrust you with my body," she promised. "You deserve freedom. You''ll surpass me, who was consumed by vengeance. You have friends; I did not. Even as a child, I was isolated, feared by even the household staff," she confessed. "I envied you for befriending Laura, the maid. Now, you have Alicia, Nana, Safira, and even Prince Ludwin."


    "But Laura is gone..." I said with a bitter smile, recalling how Laura had died at the hands of bandits attempting to kidnap Alicia. "I was helpless. She cared deeply for you."


    "I''m quite awkward, aren''t I? I should leave now. Thank you, Sana. I entrust my body to you, for the moment."


    "Thank you, Elidranthia. For bestowing upon me gifts I once believed were only possible in dreams. Thank you for lending me this body. I vow to find your mother''s murderer. Having the freedom to move and act as I wish has brought me happiness. Something that I lacked before." I bowed respectfully, and in response, she attempted a curtsy, albeit clumsily.


    "You might want to work on that curtsy. What have you been doing here, anyway?" I asked Eli. She can''t be here on the mountain of corpses all day, right?


    "I''ve been observing you," she replied, turning her gaze towards the crimson moon. "Our time together is drawing to a close. Until we meet again, Sana."


    "Goodbye."


    I awoke from the dream back in my dormitory, the room still engulfed in darkness. Dawn had yet to break; it seemed I had gone to sleep unusually early. Slipping into my fluffy sandals, I ventured out to the open-air cafeteria for some fresh air, despite knowing it would be closed.


    My conversation with Elidranthia lingered in my mind, a haunting yet oddly tranquil memory. Her sorrowful demeanor and depth of despair urged me to assist her despite her occasional stubbornness. Now that I think about it, would it not be simpler to embrace the peace deal, travel to Elderan, and seek out the monster tamer? It appeared her judgment was clouded by hatred, impairing her ability to think clearly.


    Contemplating on Eli''s memories, I recalled Elidranthia''s fascination with sharp objects, despite the occasional injuries they caused. Laura was always concerned about this; Elidranthia''s mischievous nature probably led her to feel unloved by Laura. Yet, when I took over her body and showed Laura kindness, she warmed up to me instantly. It was regrettable that she met her end so soon.


    With information from the novels and Reapers network. It was easy to surmise the mastermind of Alicia''s kidnapping attempt after a while. However, unlike Eli, I harbored no desire for vengeance against Duke Luca or the merchant faction responsible for her demise. Could this be the root of our differing behaviors? On Earth, we rely on the police to resolve such grievances. Here, however, the judiciaries are distant, and the concept of settling scores through official channels is foreign until one attends the royal academy, allowing resentment to fester into a thirst for vengeance.


    Finding nothing else to occupy my time, I stood up from my seat in the cafeteria and decided to return to my dormitory.


    "R25B, how many points do I have?"


    "Previously, you had 184 points. With the jammer''s demise, you were awarded an additional 400 points, and then 150 points for your last reconnaissance of their HQ. It''s baffling how the invasion faltered despite the intelligence you provided¡ªutterly incompetent. Anyway, the last 100 points were for monitoring Claire, totaling 834 points," R25B detailed. "Is there anything you wish to purchase?"


    "No, I''m seeking information. I need details on Elderan''s monster tamer."


    "Elderan has been resilient against our probes, so acquiring such specialized information will be expensive."


    "What''s the cost?"


    "We''ll start the bidding at 500 points. However, I can''t promise the availability of the information. Should there be no takers, we might need to raise the price."


    "Agreed."


    "You''re truly embodying the role of a seasoned reaper despite being with us for just over a year. Your targets are notably unique. Should you manage to investigate them, our guild would compensate you generously. But let it be known, you''re delving into high-risk territory. Do you think it will be worth it? What were you after?"


    "Revenge," I stated, my voice steady and imbued with an unwavering calm.

 Chapter 67: Date

    "Revenge," I affirmed.


    "Revenge? Is it personal, then? But why? Your profile didn''t mention anything of the sort. I assumed you''d be interested in information regarding Duke Luca and the incident involving your maid from a year ago. I even prepared a quest for it but held off on posting it, waiting for your signal. And now, you''re seeking details from Elderan? Have you ever been there?"


    "Do you really think I''ve traveled to other countries?" I retorted, settling into my chair within the dorm, gazing at the luminous moon outside while pondering. How much did the reaper truly know about me?


    "From what we''ve gathered, you haven''t ventured beyond our borders. Your background painted a picture of a kind yet intimidating girl, often seen in the company of your grandfather and mother, roaming the areas around the capital until that critical moment."


    "Your information aligns with reality. Ensure the commission is posted. I''ll be waiting for it." I confirmed his deductions. Indeed, I had never ventured outside of this country.


    "Alright, your points will be deducted, leaving you with 334 points. Before I proceed with your request, could you specify your inquiry? Seeking ''any'' information on monster tamers might yield results you''re already familiar with, like the need for a spawner and magical tools."


    "I''m interested in the identities and backgrounds of those capable of monster taming. If the numbers are substantial, I''d like to know about the institutions in Elderan that endorse such practices. Ideally, the information should date back at least four years." Honestly, I was somewhat speculating with these specifics. Reflecting on my past, I was nine when my grandfather passed. Now, being over twelve, the events in question would have occurred three to four years ago, if not longer.


    "Four years? I''m curious if Elderan even had monster tamers that long ago. You should know, the concept of monster tamers is likely more recent."


    "If there''s any lead, however small, I''ll take it," I responded simply.


    "You know something, don''t you?"


    "I''ll exercise my right to remain silent on that. If you''re so curious, it''ll cost you a thousand points to find out," I said with a smirk.


    "That''s practically the same as telling us to drop it. No one''s going to pay that much."


    "It''s not crucial information, just something personal."


    "Alright, I''ll get your request posted, starting at 500 points. I''ll just need to confirm with my manager."


    "Thank you, R25B."


    "You''re welcome. And hey, if there''s anything you''re willing to disclose, it would really help tailor the search to your needs."


    "I''ll bear that in mind," I sighed, ending the call. A sense of peace washed over me, knowing I was honoring my promise to Eli within.


    The next morning brought a semblance of joy for many, reveling in the peace treaty Prince Heracles and Ludwin had discussed at the entrance ceremony. Yet, the king''s announcement about my impending marriage to Ludwin was not forgotten.


    "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia," Safira greeted as she joined Alicia and me in the cafeteria for lunch. Around us, whispers started to swirl, each word a sharp sting. Were they speaking loudly on purpose?


    "Look, she''s to join the royal lineage."


    "That intimidating girl? I''d much prefer Lady Claire."


    "Perhaps the king chose her for her magical prowess. She''s merely fortunate. After all, Prince Heracles and Claire are the likely heirs."


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    "Hush! Imagine if Ludwin ascends to a position akin to Prime Minister Johan. Angering her would be unwise."


    "Lady Eli, pay them no mind. They''re simply envious," Alicia reassured me with a smile.


    "Eli!" Prince Ludwin approached, omitting any form of title in his address.


    "Greetings, Prince Ludwin. How may I assist you?" I inquired, yet he appeared somewhat displeased.


    "There''s no need for formalities between us. Just Ludwin will do. We''re engaged, after all," he said, his smile suggesting he was at ease with our engagement.


    "It would feel improper to address you so casually so soon, Prince Ludwin. Please, allow me some time..." I hesitated. The idea of becoming close to this prideful prince was unsettling. My aim was to remain detached from the nobility, especially considering that closeness to them could potentially lead me down a perilous path with Claire.


    "I understand. You seem more reserved than you were two years ago, but I''ll give you the time you need. It must have been overwhelming to transition from being the second daughter of a count to entering the royal circle. Anyway, I came to invite you on a date. Heracles and Claire recommended a flower viewing. Would you join me?" His grin was infectious.


    Despite my reservations, I found myself unable to decline. "O-okay," I conceded.


    "Great! My guards will escort you this weekend. I look forward to it."


    "Until then, Prince Ludwin," I replied with a polite smile, while behind me, a whirlwind of excitement brewed among the onlookers. Alicia and Safira clasped their hands together, thrilled at the prospect of their friend navigating romantic waters.


    "How thrilling! Prince Ludwin is so considerate, asking our Elidranthia out despite their social standings!"


    "A secret rendezvous! A tryst! How romantic! Oh, how I envy you."


    A tryst implies a secretive, romantic encounter, Safira. This, however, is akin to a public spectacle, a royal parade. There''s no room for romantic endeavors here; it''s purely a political gesture.


    Time sped by, and the day of the outing quickly approached. True to my expectations, Prince Ludwin didn''t come to fetch me personally. Instead, he entrusted the task to Gladius, who greeted me with a grin and a wave as he dismounted his horse to accompany me to the carriage.


    "I must apologize, but Lady Elidranthia''s attendants won''t be joining us just yet. My deepest apologies for this inconvenience," he informed us.


    "Oh, certainly! We wouldn''t dream of subjecting Prince Ludwin to our mundane chatter!" Alicia replied, her bow steeped in courtesy. Her smile was broad, buoyed by the thought of my date with the prince. She gave me a conspiratorial wink, silently urging me to share all the details with her later.


    While excitement bubbled within them, I felt a sense of dread at the prospect of this carriage ride to meet Prince Ludwin, yet it was an obligation I couldn''t evade. The journey began at a leisurely pace, leaving the familiar sights of the Nobles'' District behind. I sought comfort in the familiar weight of my daggers and karambit, clutching the handle of the blade to calm my nerves as we advanced toward the castle.


    Arriving at the royal gardens, I was greeted by the sight of vibrant Red Lilies and Blue Roses, a vision of regal beauty. Prince Ludwin awaited me there, clad in his royal finery, his presence emanating a sense of tranquility and anticipation. Gladius dismounted and stood aside, allowing the prince to approach and lead me from the carriage.


    "Sorry, have you been waiting long?" I blurted out, immediately recognizing the folly of my question¡ªafter all, he was the one who had sent for me.


    "No, I could wait for you eternally, Lady Elidranthia," he offered a sweet smile. Mine, in contrast, was strained, finding his line uncomfortably saccharine. Had such phrases been a hit in otome games back on Earth?


    "So, what''s our destination?"


    "Please, follow me. We''re headed to the Althemer Empire''s Garden, reserved exclusively for royalty. I''ve planned a tea party for us in the gazebo."


    He mentioned the garden was strictly for royal enjoyment, yet the presence of numerous maids and butlers puzzled me. Was this space truly for our benefit, or were we merely a source of amusement for them? They seemed to watch us with eager anticipation as they served tea and laid out cakes in the gazebo.


    "Is there something specific you''d like to discuss, Prince Ludwin?"


    "Indeed not, milady. I wouldn''t dare burden such a distinguished guest with political matters. Instead, let''s converse about the lighter subjects of flowers and fashion. A minister recently gifted me a unique item from a specialty store..." Ludwin then continued without pause.


    Despite his striking looks, his choice of topic quickly dampened my interest. He talks gibberish, like how Bellis Perennis''s white and golden colors adorned my clothes. Then he pointed toward some flower called iris. Then he spoke of its history, how it got planted here, etc. Nevertheless, I maintained my smile, aware of the many servants and aristocrats observing us. A few nobles even passed by the garden, stealing glances before nodding approvingly.


    "Does our conversation not entertain you, Lady Eli?"


    I glanced around at the surrounding staff.


    "Lady Eli?"


    "Prince Ludwin, may I speak candidly? Keep your voice down, if you will. I have to ask, was this arrangement not of your choosing? Your topics don''t seem reflective of the Ludwin I''ve come to know."


    "...Eli..." Ludwin appeared startled before suddenly covering his mouth, unable to suppress his laughter. "Pftt. Hahahaha!!!"


    "Why are you laughing?"


    "Ahaha, I''m sorry, Eli. It''s just that your reaction was too amusing. But let me be clear: no, I wasn''t coerced into this. Actually, it was I who sought advice from the maids and butlers on how to please you for our date. I had a hunch you might not enjoy this, but after hearing that Heracles and Claire had a tea party here just two days ago, I thought it might be a good idea to follow suit!" He explained, his previously charming smile reverting to the smugness I recognized.


    So, he was clueless about courting and sought guidance from the enamored Claire and Heracles. Had there been an actual scene of them enjoying a tea party? I recalled passages about their declarations of love from the web novels; perhaps it took place in this gazebo.


    "My plan seems to have misfired. Clearly, discussing flowers and fashion isn''t to your fancy."


    "Was your intention really to spend the entire day talking about such things? Here, in this gazebo?" I inquired, a sense of dread washing over me as I surveyed our surroundings. It felt as though I were trapped in a beautifully embellished golden cage.


    "Well, that was the plan for the morning, followed by lunch, and then spectating some sports, like horse riding or knights'' bouts."


    "Just observing¡­" My gaze drifted away.


    "Yes."


    "I''m going home," I declared, standing abruptly, no longer willing to endure this charade. The dress was restrictive enough without having to sit idly like a display piece all day.


    "Wait, please. I''m truly sorry. Don''t go. I apologize if this wasn''t to your liking. If we could talk a bit more, what would you prefer to do?"


    "Then, let''s head to the city!" I countered, offering Ludwin a challenging smirk.

 Chapter 68: A Day in Disguise

    I used my dark illusion magic on the guards to render us invisible, and we headed towards the inner ring, where the noble quarters were located. However, my actual intent was far different¡ªI longed to explore the slums and savor some street food like ice creams. The pastries and puddings prepared by the royal chef were undoubtedly delicious, but the intimate stares of the nobles around soured their taste.


    "Wait. Where are we headed? This is the gate to the slums, right?" Ludwin asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "Why are we going to such filthy places?"


    "We''re going to the commoner area, not the slums! It''s still clean!" I retorted, correcting his assumption.


    "Ah... so we''re going incognito to mingle with the commoners? Claire enjoyed such escapades too! I never thought you had that in common with her," Ludwin remarked, guessing my intentions.


    "Well, I certainly came here unprepared. I didn''t bring any money or bread to give to the paupers. Did you bring any, Lady Eli? I promise to reimburse you," he added, slightly embarrassed.


    "Hm? What exactly did Claire do again?" I asked, curious about his reference.


    "Heracles mentioned she often sneaked out of the castle to distribute alms to the poor around here. I''m not privy to the exact routes since they never shared those details of their adventures with me, nor do I wish to know," Ludwin explained.


    "Don''t worry, Ludwin. I''m not as saintly as she is. I just wanted a break to sneak out and perhaps tinker in my own workshop," I clarified. As usual, I cast an illusion on the gate guard and we sneaked past into the slums. Ludwin was a little peeved when he learned we came out sneaking without notice, but nevertheless, he let me lead the way.


    Our venture was not just a whimsical escape; it held a deeper purpose. With spices and fruits that R663 (Narwhal) cultivated in Shadowstep territory, R661 (Leon) had utilized them to open a restaurant here in the slums. Leon was still officially my butler, so he had delegated the restaurant''s management to others. I often visited this spot with Alicia when we had spare time. I was aware that some private rooms in this restaurant served as hubs for reaper activities, but I remained indifferent to these clandestine operations.


    As we arrived at the restaurant, the atmosphere struck a perfect balance. It wasn''t rambunctious like a bar or tavern, yet it wasn''t as serene as the dining halls of the nobility. Quiet whispers and soft conversations floated through the air, reminiscent of a fancy restaurant on Earth. Conversations from nearby tables were audible, but at a moderate level.


    "A table for two, please!" I requested from the waitress. "At the rooftop terrace!"


    "Right away, milady and sir," the waitress responded politely, leading us to a corner table. Ludwin seemed uncomfortable observing the table settings, which differed from what he was accustomed to in noble dining. The tablecloth only covered the middle portion of the table, unlike the lavish spreads in noble settings that draped all the way to the floor. The simplicity of the table left him puzzled about the lack of extensive coverings. Moreover, the tables were not ordered by status, so people could sit where they wanted.


    "Hmm? What''s the matter, Sir Ludwin? Sorry, since we''re incognito, I will use ''sir,''" I joked lightly.


    "Just call me Ludwin. I''m not familiar with this establishment. Is it intended for nobles, or is it a place for commoners?" Ludwin asked, looking around curiously.


    "Anyone is welcome here, whether they''re nobles or commoners. I don''t mind as long as they can pay," I answered just as a complimentary plate of cookies was served.


    "Hm?" Ludwin expressed his surprise.


    "Ah! Lady Elidranthia, greetings," a man said as he bowed to me.


    "Who is this?" Ludwin asked defensively, but I quickly calmed him.


    "This is Thomas, the manager I''ve entrusted with this restaurant. We''re trying to keep a low profile, so please, no honorifics," I explained to him.


    "Very well, sire," Thomas nodded, bowing to Ludwin. Despite our efforts at incognito, Ludwin''s attire, embroidered with royal insignia, was a dead giveaway to those familiar with royal symbols. I had asked Thomas beforehand to exercise discretion to avoid drawing attention to Ludwin''s status.


    "I''ll head up to the rooftop terrace. We can dine there! Come on, Ludwin!" I called excitedly, bounding up the stairs as if beckoning Ludwin like a dog. He just stood there, gawking.


    "As you wish," he finally replied. We left Thomas behind as we climbed up to the third floor. Narwhal and Leon had renovated this space on my suggestion. Instead of the usual attics and sloped roofs, I proposed converting it into an open-air terrace. The idea was well-received, though it required a significant investment to remove the old roof and install proper stairs leading to the new flat roof. From here, the castle could be seen in the distance, encircled by walls.


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    "There''s your home, Ludwin," I smirked. The view was hardly spectacular, given the walls surrounding the capital, but the crisp spring air made sipping tea and nibbling on cookies quite delightful.


    "Hm¡­ this is actually nice," Ludwin remarked as he sipped his tea.


    "The tea at the royal castle is better, though? How odd, even though we use the same tea leaves." I pondered. The tea at the royal castle was more fragrant. Either they used a very specialized tea set, or they added some additives.


    "It''s the view and the breeze I''m enjoying. I once suggested we have a garden atop a tower, but the security department vetoed it," Ludwin explained.


    I winced. Typical of a bourgeois prince. He had proposed constructing a tower large enough to accommodate a garden and a gazebo on top. Ignoring the cost of building the tower, the maintenance of the garden alone would be astronomical. I mean, that was a ten-story building. How would you carry water there without magicians?


    "Well, it''s pleasant here. While we''re passing the time, we could play chess. Or would you prefer cards?"


    "Nah, I just want to enjoy the view for a while longer," Ludwin said, his gaze wandering between his castle and the pedestrians below.


    His demeanor was captivating as the sun highlighted his sharp features and his eyes shimmered like sapphires. It was no wonder he attracted a following despite being the villain in the novel. Now, he was no longer that villain. His gaze towards the commoners below had shed any hint of condescension. There was no disdain in his eyes as he observed the pedestrians from the terrace, just curiosity.


    Hours drifted by while I idly played with my food, slicing the cake as thinly as possible or cutting it to make rabbit-shaped cookies. Ludwin was handsome, but staring at his still face for over two hours was boring. The daydreamer prince, absorbed in his thoughts, continued to watch the pedestrians until sundown. I suspected that this once arrogant figure was now caught in a reflective mood, perhaps contemplating how he could effect change and bring prosperity and peace to his realm.


    He was a prince, after all. It was his duty to ponder such matters. Yet, the steak he had ordered had long since gone cold¡ªan absolute waste! I had wanted to order steak too, but felt constrained by the societal expectations that women should stick to lighter fare like cakes or salads in such settings. The etiquette lessons Miss Sarah had given us at the academy seemed utterly pointless now. I regretted ever paying attention to them.


    "Ludwin, let''s head home. It''s almost sunset. The people at the castle must be worried about us," I suggested.


    "Hm? Oh! Right! My apologies. I must have zoned out. How long was it?"


    "Almost four hours, I think. Was the food not to your liking?"


    "No! It was good!" Ludwin exclaimed, flustered. He quickly finished his steak, and we made our way back to the castle just as we had come.


    "Um¡­ Lady Eli, I apologize for zoning out like that."


    "Me too. Sorry for bringing you to such boring places," I replied, feeling a bit guilty.


    "No. It wasn''t boring at all."


    "Hmm? Then why were you staring into space for two hours?"


    "I was just caught up thinking about nobles, commoners, and mages."


    "I see. Did you figure anything out?"


    "Um¡­ I figured out that you are amazing," he then reached from my shoulder to my cheek.


    "H-how flattering! You need not to flatter me so!" I ran back to the noble quarter. I felt a sudden shudder of embarrassment and hastily passed the gate, forgetting to hypnotize the additional guard stationed there.


    "Halt. State your name!"


    "I may only be the second prince, but have these imperial soldiers really forgotten my face so quickly?" Ludwin came and mused aloud, prompting all the guards to kneel instantly!


    "Prince Ludwin! We have been looking for you! Where have you been?"


    "Merely indulging in a trivial diversion. There''s no need for concern. Let us return to the castle. Lady Eli, I apologize for any offense I may have caused. I will make it up to you. See you soon, Lady Eli." With that, he turned and strode back to the castle with the knights in tow.


    What an arrogant, self-entitled prick! He left me alone in the street¡ªa frail lady left to fend for herself after he had his fun. Is this the new medieval way to treat a lady? By the gods, he was the most entitled man I had ever encountered. I needed to consult with Alicia on how to annul this engagement with the prince.


    "R666, are you there? I see the line is connected. That means you are outside of the castle. Prince Ludwin, the second prince, has been missing. You''ve been seen with him, right? Do you know where he went?" R25 messaged me at just the right moment. "He''s been gone for five hours now. The intelligence bureau wants any information on his whereabouts."


    "He was with me!" I responded, my voice a mix of exhaustion and frustration.


    "Did you just kidnap a prince? How bold of you! There''s no ransom on him. Are you trying to create a demand?"


    "We were just hanging out on my restaurant''s terrace. I thought Thomas would have informed you."


    "Well, he''s not a reaper. And there were no reapers there today. I guess this was a rare gap in my intelligence network, huh? I need to sharpen up. I thought you had planned something."


    "I didn''t plan anything. The prince has already returned, so you can kiss your commission goodbye."


    "I see. What a shame, but relax. Such information was better and more pricier than merely kidnapping the prince. The commission might be worth more now. On to the next one then. Your commission was completed the other day. I''ll transfer the data to your reaper card."


    "Is it about the monster tamer?" The lighthearted atmosphere with Prince Ludwin vanished instantly. My heart pounded louder at the mere mention of the monster tamer.


    "Yes. Here is the map of the Elderan Capital, the location of the monster taming facility, and some of the known members."


    "Wait. Let me sit down and access the white room." I paused R25B and found a bench nearby in the noble quarter''s park. As I accessed the white room, several names, a map, and some photos were uploaded to my reaper card and cartographer.


    "Well, with this, your commission is settled. I hope it was worth the 500 points. By the way, these names aren''t all the monster tamers. The location wasn''t particularly hard to find, but only the most famous monster tamers'' names are known to us."


    "The information came surprisingly fast. It only took like a week."


    "Well, we are reapers. Oh, by the way, one of them will be coming to Althemer."


    "They are coming here?"


    "Yes. They have been chosen as diplomats."


    "I see¡­ thank you." I closed the call. My mouth curved into a wide grin.


    Eli grinned at the rare opportunity that had befallen us.

 Chapter 69: Diplomat

    In the Castle, From King Andre''s POV


    "My name is Dregorn, King Andre of Althemer," announced the diplomat from Elderan as he arrived, accompanied by a mage named Samuel, a Level 8 wind mage. Our intelligence department confirmed their identities; he was one of the renowned ''Three Musketeers'', a trio of high-level mages.


    "My name is Samuel. Please pay no attention to me, as I am merely an escort to Sir Dregorn, Your Highness," Samuel said, maintaining a low profile. I acknowledged their introductions with a nod, careful not to respond verbally. Given our nations'' strained relations, it was crucial not to appear too familiar or overly flattering.


    "Welcome to our castle, envoys from Elderan. You must have had a taxing journey. We wouldn''t presume to discuss peace the moment you stepped into our castle. Please, take some time to rest. We have prepared a bedroom specifically for your use," Johann offered graciously.


    "We are honored to receive such a warm welcome. Please call upon us at your earliest convenience," replied the envoy. The maids and butlers then escorted them to their guestrooms.


    "So, Johann, what do you think?"


    "They don''t seem in any rush to start peace talks. I must say, we''ve lost some leverage there. It appears we won''t be able to deviate much from their initial proposal."


    "The diplomats from the Theocracy will also be challenging to deal with."


    "They''ll be arriving in three days. We could use their dissent to nudge our agenda forward slightly."


    "Perhaps I should have Ludwin manage them. Ah, better yet, Ludwin, Heracles, and Claire should handle it. Given that Claire is a mage, they should afford her some respect, even though she''s from a Western nation. Heracles could also learn to become a king."


    "Indeed," Johann agreed, his tone becoming less formal now that we were alone in the throne room.


    Even after the envoys from the Theocracy arrived three days later, the representatives from Elderan maintained their composure. We suspected Dregorn might have been in contact with his home country via his wind mage, but that was nothing unusual; after all, he is their envoy. In hindsight, pairing Elderan and the Theocracy for the meeting may have been a mistake; even though they bickered as we hoped, somehow, neither of them made a blunder we could capitalize on. The Theocracy insisted on being present at all meetings, and the Slane faction encouraged this.


    "We are grateful for your willingness to facilitate this meeting. As stated in our prior correspondence, we seek a truce and the establishment of a border gate between our nations," they stated with a smile. Present at this meeting alongside me were my trusted brother, Johann, my sons Heracles and Ludwin, and Claire, their princess. Claire appeared particularly pleased to welcome the Elderan delegation.


    "Hmf! So, are you going to play nice now that you are on the losing side? You should have considered this years ago! I bet while you sit comfortably on your laurels, you''ll continue to support those barbaric nations in the West!" remarked the envoy from the Theocracy.


    "Well, this is not a peace agreement, dear envoy from the Theocracy. This is merely a truce, which has occurred numerous times on the Western front. You shouldn''t be so concerned," Claire retorted. Her words hit a sore spot; the Theocracy had signed numerous peace treaties in the Western front, though none lasted more than two months. There''s no reason we couldn''t do the same here.


    "Your proposal is quite acceptable. What remains to be discussed is the location of the border gate and the level of tax to levy on citizens wishing to cross," I concluded, signaling the close of the meeting. By some extraordinary twist of fate, here we were, on the brink of a peace treaty. If Elderan had such a grasp of diplomacy, why had they attacked us before?


    "Ah, we also need to discuss extradition, if possible."


    "Some of our nobles seem to have fled to your country. Will you return them?" Heracles inquired.


    "Yes, but there will be a price."


    "Hmm¡­ I see. We shall consider it. Thank you for informing us in advance. Now, as our ally, the Theocracy, mentioned, how can we be sure you won''t attack us during this peace term? You initiated the previous conflict," I pressed, taking the offensive in the debate. The envoy responded to my question with another question.


    "We have suffered considerable losses during the war and wish to recover. Your willingness to host us indicates that your majesty desires the same."


    "Very well. We will take your words into consideration. This first peace meeting is now adjourned," Johann declared. "Next week''s agenda will cover taxes and borders. We will prepare our proposals."


    "We thank you."


    After the envoys from both Elderan and the Theocracy departed, Claire joyfully celebrated the progress of the peace treaty. Ludwin remained stoic, seemingly indifferent to the outcome, while Heracles celebrated with Claire.


    "What''s wrong, Ludwin? You seem downcast. I thought you''d be elated by this peace, especially since your fianc¨¦e''s county is adjacent to the war zone. Wouldn''t this truce please her?"


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    "Ah, it will certainly please her," Ludwin replied.


    "Good. However, we must ensure the Theocracy isn''t too displeased. We don''t know what they might do."


    "Hmm? What could they possibly do here? Isn''t Althemer Empire a free country?" Claire interjected, though her gaze lingered on the departing envoys. I tilted my head, pondering whether her remarks were merely superficial.


    "Well, we have some vulnerabilities, Claire. Why are you both wearing swords during a peace negotiation? It''s quite rude, you know." I observed Heracles and Claire, noting their attire resembled that of military officers. Were they attempting to align closer with the Bron faction?


    "What kind of vulnerabilities? Ah, this sword is a national heirloom. My father said I must wear it to show the dignity of Lustria." Her sword was certainly well adorned, but it didn''t really have that high of a quality to be called a national heirloom.


    "It''s about the reapers, Claire. We have intelligence reports that they can infiltrate the castle at will. That''s why, if the Theocracy really wanted to, they could jeopardize this truce," Heracles explained, though his gaze was fixed on me rather than Claire. Was that a secret message to me rather than Claire?


    "Hm? I see. Reapers, huh? Their activities are well-known even in Western countries," Claire murmured. "But I don''t recall them being so bold there as in here. Ah, I must leave now. Please excuse me."


    "I see. Do you think the reapers were after Lord Dregorn''s life?" the king sighed.


    "These insects have been bold lately," Heracles remarked. "They''ve killed three noble families!"


    "It''s unfortunate," I nodded. We were the ones who had hired the reapers to assassinate those nobles. It was a necessary evil; they don''t ask many questions and will do the dirty work as long as we pay them. We were certain the nobles we targeted were corrupt, and there was some evidence, but they were cunning. Assassination seemed our only option, and the Reapers were the perfect organization for the job. Was Heracles irated by that? or was it something else?


    However, I realized they were becoming too powerful. We couldn''t rely on them indefinitely. The cost of assassinations had skyrocketed. Moreover, they held no allegiance to the crown. They could target my children next if some corrupt nobles paid them. Our defenses against them were too weak.


    "But they have been effective so far, right? I mean, we''ve used them quite a bit," Ludwin interjected.


    "But the assassinations were brutal. They aren''t loyal to the crown! There are others whom they have assassinated. Innocents!" Heracles exclaimed, visibly disgusted. "Who''s to say you won''t be their next target?"


    "That means we should be cautious about who has enough wealth to hire these assassins, right? Isn''t the Merchant faction on your side, Heracles?"


    "The Slane faction might fund these assassins using the Theocracy''s coffers, you know."


    "Well, I''ll leave you to your discussions. Heracles, Ludwin, keeps an eye on both the Theocracy and Elderan. Don''t let them pull any stunts here. Reapers might be dangerous. But they will not move without money."


    "Yes, Father."


    <hr><hr>


    Elidranthia''s POV


    "So, he is the envoy..." I watched as the envoy exited the castle. Alone. If there was ever a chance, it would be now. However, outright killing him wasn''t an option. I needed to corner him in an abandoned place where I could interrogate him about who in his organization actually killed my mother.


    After seeing his face, which matched the photos R25B sent me, an impulse to kill him surged within me. Yet, I couldn''t find the right opportunity. Somehow, Claire came at the most inopportune time, seemingly searching for something.


    "Greetings, Lady Claire. How may I assist you?" the envoy asked.


    "Ah, Mr. Dregorn. Please, stay safe. The castle hasn''t been too safe lately."


    "There''s no need to worry, I am protected. My guard is a high-level wind mage. He''s quite capable of detecting any interlopers, although I must admit, he would be powerless if the entire castle were against us."


    "Of course, that won''t be necessary. I can assure you that most of the soldiers in the castle support this peace treaty. Let''s have tea and discuss things further. Did my letter reach you?"


    "In that case, please, be my guest. Of course, your letter has reached Elderan. This peace treaty was only possible thanks to you." Both of them then entered a room. I decided to abandon my surveillance for the day. There were no openings, after all.


    Days later, Ludwin invited me to a dinner with the envoys. During lunch in the cafeteria, he asked me to join him and Alicia for a meal with the envoys. It might sound absurd, but I heard from Ludwin that this peace negotiation could last anywhere from two months to even a year.


    "Wasn''t it supposed to be a simple truce?" I asked him, lowering my voice.


    "That''s just the front against Slane and the Theocracy."


    "So, we''re aiming for a true peace?"


    "We expect the peace treaty to last at least ten years, not just the usual truce in the Western front that lasts only a few months at best. But keep this between us," Ludwin whispered back.


    "My father asked me to dine with the envoys to understand why they attacked us. I wondered if you would accompany me, Elidranthia."


    "...Why?" It was unusual for women to be involved in diplomatic matters. Even I haven''t even met the queen outside of a tea party with Charlotte.


    "Well, Heracles keeps bringing Claire everywhere. Many people praise her as an intelligent and charming woman¡­ I think you are better than her," Ludwin said, looking away. A smirk crossed my face.


    "Really? So, your brother brings his girlfriend to work, and now you want to do the same? I wonder if I should indulge. It''s uncommon for women to be involved in diplomatic matters, right?"


    "Haha, you''re right. How foolish of me." He backpedaled too quickly. That''s very troubling.


    "But I will come. I want to see the envoy myself." I retracted my statement too. His invitation was a godsend. Attending this dinner might give me a chance to be alone with the envoy and press him for information about the monster tamer who killed my mother four years ago.


    "Oh. You will come?"


    "Yes! Please invite me to this dinner of yours. Though, I''m not sure about being put on a pedestal. Claire is a princess, while I am merely a count''s daughter. Comparing me to her might end up disappointing you."


    "Princess or titles don''t matter. I just want the world to know what a wonderful woman you are," Ludwin replied, smiling charmingly at me. I felt a mix of cringe and happiness at his compliment.


    "T-t-thank you."


    "Very well. See you in two days," Ludwin said as he left. Alicia, Safira, and Nana burst in excitedly.


    "Ahh! So, how was your day with Prince Charming?"


    "Ugh¡­ I''m happy for you. But I''m also jealous," Safira admitted. "When will my time come¡­ I don''t need a prince. A count or margrave is fine..."


    "I am just happy with this boy from the knights'' course. But I don''t think we''ve progressed very well¡­" Nana began to ponder her love life.


    "We need to start hitting the library, guys. Prince Ludwin invited Lady Elidranthia to dinner with Elderan''s envoys. We must study hard so as not to shame our lady!" Alicia was inexplicably enthusiastic.


    Our chat continued with discussions about cookies and what clothes I should wear to the dinner. Little did I know the surprises that awaited me at that fateful dinner.

 Chapter 70: Diplomatic Dinner

    "Greetings, Mister Samuel, this is Lady Elidranthia, my fianc¨¦e," Ludwin introduced me to Samuel, one of the RGB musketeers from Elderan. I was taken aback as he smirked at me. Samuel has seen my face in Shadowstep County! We have tried to take each other''s lives two times already. "And this is Dregorn, the envoy from Elderan. He is here to discuss a truce between Elderan and Althemer."


    "Well, well, who do we have here? What a lovely lady. Your eyes really remind me of a friend in the intelligence department who took care of this eye of mine," Samuel remarked, gesturing to his eye covered with black leather. His appearance, complete with a pistol on his belt, reminded me of a pirate from the movies I had seen on Earth. We were in his room, which was more akin to a small apartment than a typical guestroom, complete with its own bathroom and living room.


    "Hm? She is Prince Ludwin''s fianc¨¦e, Samuel. Keep your distance. We don''t need one of your skirt-chasing antics here. My apologies, Prince Ludwin. He''s a commoner, so his manners are somewhat lacking," Dregorn interjected, bowing to Prince Ludwin.


    "...Eli?" Ludwin nudged me, waking me up from my daydreaming.


    "Ah! My apologies! It''s a pleasure to meet you, Samuel, Lord Dregorn," I said, bowing.


    "Will we have another guest?" Dregorn asked.


    "No, today it''s just a friendly supper. It is, by all means, informal. By the way, here is our proposal for the day," Ludwin replied, handing him a document before sitting down. The butlers and maids began serving the meal on a simple table. They brought out bread and soup first, with Samuel still standing, clearly more accustomed to the role of a guard than a guest. I assumed he would have his dinner later in private. "Let''s start with something light. We have white bread with soup. Our soup used imported spices from theocracy. It is the best it is."


    The bread was soft and white, and the soup was savory, dotted with pieces of meat. Behind the maid was a trolley carrying various dishes. The meal was straightforward: soup and bread for the appetizer, followed by sausages with potatoes, and pudding for dessert.


    As we leisurely ate our supper, Dregorn skimmed through our documents and frowned. "I see. I must say, I expected a much lower tax rate on our border crossings. Forty percent is too much, don''t you think?" I was taken aback. Forty percent tax from both sides? That''s effectively 80%! That was outright extortion! Even pirates and bandits took less than that from cooperative victims.


    "I agree. But this proposal was drafted by the Ministry of External Affairs. So, we are obligated to present it to you. Let''s just say we''re testing the waters. Do you have your own proposal? We can compare them."


    "I see. Well, in fact, we do," Dregorn replied, signaling Samuel to retrieve the document. Samuel bowed and did as instructed.


    "Thank you. We shall review this at a later time," Ludwin nodded as he accepted the paper. Like Dregorn earlier, he skimmed the contents but refrained from making any comments. His poker face was flawless. I am curious to know whether he read the letter and thought it was not a problem or didn''t understand what he read. I was eager to take a look myself! But leaning over to peek during a formal meeting would certainly earn me an immediate failing grade in etiquette. So, I held back. Ludwin was such a pain. The least he could do was to comment and summarize the contents of the document.


    "Good. I look forward to a prompt response," the envoy said, bowing.


    "On an unrelated note, we were curious why you launched an assault against us. While our relations have never been perfect, we have been neighbors for about fifty years, haven''t we? Was it merely an attempt to expand?"


    "Ah, about that, I am a bit embarrassed to say. There has been a bit of a power struggle in our country. So, someone decided to assault Althemer once it was clear the spawner was under our control."


    "I see. So, it was seen as an achievement? Were you aiming for material gain? Or was the act of victory against us the goal? You certainly do us good in the forest."


    "We did wish to expand. However, all of our neighbors, including ourselves, are part of the Western Alliance. So, you were the only viable target at the time. It seems fate has decreed our lands not to be disturbed. Either by subtraction or addition."


    "I see. Thank you for sharing such valuable information." Ludwin''s smile never left his face throughout our dinner, and his gaze remained fixed on Dregorn just as mine stayed on Samuel. He merely smirked back at me whenever our eyes met.


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    "Lady Elidranthia, may I inquire why you gaze upon me so intently?" Samuel bowed slightly as he spoke, his smirk still in place. "To be honest, I find it rather exhilarating to be stared at by your captivating ruby eyes."


    "Hm? Yes, why have you been staring at Samuel so intently?" Ludwin chimed in.


    "Ah, it feels like I''ve seen Samuel somewhere before, but I can''t quite place it; thus, it bothers me." I scrambled for an excuse. "Ahh! That''s right! His face was on a bounty issued by the Ministry of Defense. It was worth a thousand gold!"


    "Hm? Prince Ludwin?" Dregorn''s brow furrowed.


    "Really? I''ll need to check with the Ministry of Defense later. We can''t have our guest being a wanted individual. If his face is indeed there, I will ensure it''s removed immediately. Thank you for your sharp observation, Eli."


    "It pleases me to know that I am infamous enough for a country to issue a bounty on me. Likewise, Lady Elidranthia, Prince Ludwin, I''ve come across information suggesting that reapers might target your lives."


    "Hm? Why? There''s no way that''s true¡­" I responded instinctively, immediately denying his claim. It was only a moment later that I realized I had walked right into his trap.


    "Oh? How can you be so certain?" Samuel grinned at me, causing sweat to begin to bead on my forehead over such a naive blunder.


    "I mean, we''ve used their services frequently; there''s no way they would target their clients, right Ludwin?"


    "You shouldn''t assume so hastily, Eli. Reapers have been rather bold in our country lately." Ludwin chastised me. This idiot really couldn''t read the room.


    "I see. So, does that mean our lives might be at risk?" I asked him back.


    "Hahaha. Even reapers would think twice before targeting royals and the empire''s guests. No need to worry, envoy from Elderan. Our imperial guards are well-trained for this," Ludwin smiled. I almost tilted my head at his bold statement, but then I realized he was putting on a front to make our guest feel at ease. "Nevertheless, if you happen to meet those rats, please do inform us."


    "I see. I thank you," Dregorn bowed. Likewise, Samuel bowed down and didn''t press any further.


    "Well, the night has grown late, and our dinner has run its course. We shall not impose on you any further. Let us leave, Eli. Sir Samuel, take this opportunity to nourish yourself, Mister Samuel."


    "Your concern is misplaced, Prince Ludwin. I shall dutifully take care of myself," he responded with a bow, and we both left. As we walked into the corridor, I asked Ludwin about their proposals. I was not sure Ludwin even read them, but at least he could show me the letter.


    "Taxes to 3% for luxuries, 7% for foodstuffs, and 5% for raw materials," Ludwin answered succinctly. I was surprised that he did read their proposals.


    "That seems awfully low." I pondered. Given that the taxes are applied both ways, it''s hard to compare to Earth standards, but it still seemed low to me.


    "Yes, it is very low. I expected it to hover around 10 or 15 percent, but it''s much lower than anticipated," he answered.


    "The luxuries are the cheapest. Does that mean they want to drain our silver and gold?" I speculated randomly about their intentions. "Or do they want the foodstuffs to feed their country, so they taxed it the highest?"


    "But it''s still cheap even by our standards. So, we can''t be certain. Usually, if the country needed something, they would tax it the highest so they could procure it. But all of them are low. Suspiciously low. Maybe they simply want to spy on our country, looking for weaknesses to exploit."


    "Hm¡­ why don''t we simply ask them about their reasons for these tax proposals?"


    "Well, I don''t think they will spill the beans that easily. I will ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs and External Affairs to review it. We''ll hear about their conclusions soon enough. Let the experts handle it," Ludwin said, waving the proposal papers and casually sliding them back into their envelope. We met the crown prince couple. My heart skipped a beat at the meeting with the heroine.


    "Yo, Ludwin. Meeting with Dregorn?"


    "Yes, Brother Heracles," Ludwin responded politely.


    "Ah, bringing your fianc¨¦e? Greetings, Lady Elidranthia." Heracles winked and bowed at me.


    "Greetings, Prince Heracles and Princess Claire," I curtsied.


    "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia, or should I call you Princess Elidranthia?" Claire replied.


    "Please! Don''t joke about that. I am not a princess," I shuddered at the mere mention of being royalty.


    "Well, we are going to be sisters soon. I don''t mind calling you princess now," Claire smiled sweetly.


    "So, Brother Heracles, will you be meeting with Dregorn too?"


    "Claire made an appointment with them. She wants to discuss military behavior and the establishment of a DMZ or buffer zone, and intelligence networking."


    "I see. Claire, huh?"


    "I''m not very good at this. I support peace, but the details are better handled by the Ministry of External Affairs, right, Ludwin? But Claire insisted on clarifying some points directly."


    "Good luck with the meeting then. Now, we shall excuse ourselves." I curtsied and tried to excuse myself. However, as I signaled Ludwin to depart, Claire called out to me.


    "Thank you. Um, Lady Elidranthia, if possible, maybe we could have a meeting tonight. Please, be my first guest at my tea party. I brought tea from Elderan. Here is an invitation for you and your lady in waiting. Bring Alicia, Safira, and Nana too, okay?"


    "Eh?" I widened my eyes at the unexpected attack.


    "Please, you have to come, okay!" Claire started to pressure me.


    ¡°Um¡­ if chance permits¡­¡± I tried to politely decline, but she persisted.


    "Make the chance then, we are soon to be leaders. We need to meet up with each other once in a while. Charlotte will be there too!"


    "Um¡­" It was nice that she included Charlotte, but Heracles and Claire are the hero and heroine. If I want to escape my death flag, I need to stay as far away from them as possible.


    "Claire, maybe she''s a bit shy?"


    "That won''t do, Ludwin. Are you expecting a cold royal family where everyone tries to intimidate each other? Don''t worry, Charlotte will be there too, unlike me, I''ll be alone. There''s no reason for her to be afraid. I just want to get to know all of you better!"


    "Wait. Alone? Does that mean Ludwin and Heracles won''t come?" I prickled my ear.


    "Yes. It''s just girl talk. So, will you come?"


    "Girl talk! An event that I could only have dreamed about in my previous life is coming right at me! She truly is the heroine. How nice of her to invite me like this! Let''s attend! Moreover, she''ll be alone. As long as I don''t pick a fight or accept a killing order from Ludwin to kill her, she won''t kill me with Heracles. Moreover, according to the novel, they had to be together to beat me, so if it was Claire alone, I am safe!" My thoughts brightened at the prospect of having girls talk with Charlotte and Claire. She also said I could bring Alicia, Safira, and Nana. So, there''s no reason to refuse.


    "Sure, I will attend!"


    "Great! I''ll send the invitation over at your earliest convenience," Claire smiled.

 Chapter 71: Tea Party

    The invitations finally arrived. Being freed from the royal princes was a relief. However, uncertain about what topics might interest young ladies¡ªdespite being one myself¡ªI brought Ronya along. Although she isn''t a mage, she is the Duke''s granddaughter.


    "Greetings, Lady Eli. May I ask who she is? I remember her attending my tea party once, but I must apologize. My memory has escaped me."


    "Greetings, Princess Charlotte. I was invited by Lady Elidranthia to this party. My name is Ronya."


    "Ah, yes. You must be Lady Ronya, right? I heard you are the granddaughter of the current Duke Bron? I apologize for my earlier forgetfulness. Please, have a seat." Charlotte finally recalled who the girl beside me was. I was surprised that Princess Charlotte had momentarily forgotten Ronya. It seems someone without a skill or magic is easily overlooked here. If Ronya were a commoner, Charlotte might not have remembered her at all.


    We started off with idle chat. Ronya was excellent at steering such conversations, which I envied. She began by complimenting our clothes and then guessing who our tailors might be. She then admired how Sapphire demonstrated making ice cream¡ªa rare delicacy that only a water mage could prepare. Ronya continued to discuss flowers and various garments inspired by them.


    "Eli, do you agree with the peace treaty?" Claire casually broached the topic with me.


    "Hm? Yes, it would be nice to have peace," I replied, tilting my head as I tried to discern her angle.


    "Good! I was worried that you might harbor dissatisfaction. Your county was ravaged by the Elderans, after all. Well, this is currently a bit of a secret, but we''re trying to push for Count Shadowstep to handle taxes for the Elderans. I hope your father can find it in his heart to forgive Elderan for their reckless behavior."


    "We don''t mind at all. We also tried to retaliate. Although some villages were ravaged, they didn''t kill anyone."


    "Good! Money and tools can be replaced, but not lives. I''m glad that you are willing to let that transgression slide. Thank you! Let''s make this peace treaty a success, shall we?"


    "You''re welcome, Princess Claire. Would that be all?"


    "Yes. Now, I shall take my leave. I still have plans for tomorrow. Meeting plans and some bridal training. I shall see you soon, Lady Elidranthia. GAH! HAFU!" Claire suddenly fell, dropping to the floor. Her eyes popped out in surprise. "Damn it!"


    "Eh? Lady Claire?" We all looked at her as she cursed. She turned around, looking confused, before fixing her gaze on me. Her eyes widened.


    "May I help you?" I offered her my hand, but she stood up and left, half running. Her face was in shock.


    "That was impolite of her to neglect you like that," Alicia muttered, puzzled. Charlotte overheard her.


    "Maybe she was ashamed of herself when she tripped. Let''s pay her no mind."


    "Ah, her sounds when she fell were quite amusing. Well, I happen to have quite some experience falling from a horse. A lapse in manners is to be expected in unexpected situations..." Ronya didn''t mind Claire''s antics and returned to her own world. She now talked about sports and some paintings. Despite being the granddaughter of a duke, she wasn''t arrogant.


    "Oh my, we certainly have talked late into the night, haven''t we? While I enjoyed your conversation, Lady Ronya, we must not be tardy."


    "You are correct, Princess Charlotte. How careless of me. I must learn to control myself next time."


    "But this presents a conundrum. I think it would be inappropriate for royals to send you home at such a late hour. How about you stay the night here in our guestroom?"


    "Would that be permissible, Princess Charlotte?" I asked her excitedly. This was the perfect opportunity. If I could stay here, I might be able to sneak around and spy on Dregorn.


    "Yes, please. It would be poor manners to let you ladies go home so late. I will inform my brothers and butlers," Charlotte said.


    "We thank you," Safira and Ronya bowed.


    "Do we have rooms that can accommodate four people, Magdalene?" Charlotte inquired of her maid.


    "I''m afraid we don''t, but we could arrange for their rooms to be next to each other, Princess Charlotte."


    "That will do."


    "If I may, may I sleep with Lady Eli? I am her personal maid, after all."


    "Sure."


    With permission from Charlotte, our accommodations were arranged. I pondered Princess Claire''s strange behavior earlier. That gesture reminded me of her powers from the novel I read back on Earth. I knew from the novel that she had the power to rewind time, but what timeline were we on right now? None of the events mentioned in the book seemed to have transpired lately. The differences between timelines were slight: Ludwin hadn''t scolded Claire, no orders to kill Claire had come from the reapers, and no insults had been thrown at Claire by the nobles. Ludwin, while still arrogant, was not so obnoxious that he saw commoners as trash.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Hm¡­" I mused, gazing at the white moon from the balcony of the castle. Alicia was making my bed, and, as usual, I slipped a sleeping pill into her glass and filled it with water. I then poured myself water into a different glass and took both of them.


    "Thank you. You even poured water for me. Even though you are a noble, you always treat us the same way. I am honored to be your maid, Lady Eli." Alicia trustingly gulped down the water, unaware of its effects. I felt guilty for having to put her to sleep like this every time I needed to carry out my nightly activities, but the sleeping pills were not harmful in the slightest. R25B said it was even good for health.


    She yawned and fell into a deep sleep shortly after. I then rummaged through my wardrobe and donned my black attire. After activating my magic to obscure my face, I headed out, using my glasses synchronized with my reaper card and cartographer to navigate the castle towards Dregorn''s guestroom. However, I stopped a short distance away when my mana sight detected a wind magic-based alarm around its perimeter, likely set up by Samuel.


    I was about to approach the window and climb into his room when I sensed a magical disturbance nearby. Realizing a mage was close, I quickly deactivated all my magic and hid behind a potted plant. My mana sense detected a distortion, motes of fading light in the hallway, but my eyes saw nothing. A wave of dread followed¡ªit was Claire. She was using her light magic to bend light and render herself invisible.


    A knock was heard on Dregorn''s door. Samuel, who answered, appeared disturbed by the sight of seemingly empty space. However, barely a second later, he drew his knives. His survival instinct and mana sense won him over.


    "Who''s there?" he hissed, mana gathering on his blade. With a light swing, he could cleave whatever assassins came his way. However, he held himself back.


    "It''s me, Claire."


    "Show yourself," he demanded. Claire then deactivated her light magic, revealing herself in a white cloak with her rapier sheathed.


    "Where is Dregorn?" She asked.


    "Oh my, Princess Claire, what a fortuitous meeting. Or was it? You came so armed and¡­ discreet?" Samuel winked, finally lowering his guard. "Was it one of your dreams again?"


    "Yes, I need to meet with Dregorn."


    "As you wish," Samuel let him in.


    "Ugh! Why does she always mess up my plans?" I whined. Claire was always there at the most inopportune moments. She was a mage, and so was Samuel. I couldn''t beat them together.


    "Let''s just sneak a wiretap through the window. I hope it won''t get noticed," I sighed. After scaling the wall like a superhero villain using my shadow tentacle, I found a crevice in the wall. I scraped it, and after making a hole, I placed a wiretap inside the room by turning my dark tentacle as small as the wiretap and the hole.


    "So, Lady Claire, you said someone is after my life?"


    "Yes."


    "I see. Was the empire behind it? Do they want me dead, after all? why?"


    "No. It was Shadowstep. It seems more personal. Have you made any enemies?" Claire''s voice was bitter.


    "Didn''t you say earlier that the peace treaty was successful? You mentioned Shadowstep has no problem making peace with Elderan? Sure, we took some grains from their territory, but we didn''t kill anyone!"


    "Hm¡­ I have no idea why Shadowstep would be after your life. Eli is such a sweet girl, too. I can''t believe she would lie. But, her eyes. did you kill any of her family or friends during the war?"


    I gasped. Claire was lying. Shadowstep hadn''t planned anything against Elderan. I told Claire today that we were okay with the peace, and I didn''t lie! What the heck? I never thought Claire could be such a conniving person! She was so different from the novels. In the novels, she never lied like this!


    "I see. Well, thank you for the information, Princess Claire. Was there anything else?" Samuel placed a cup down with a clink. I only heard this through the wiretap; I didn''t see what happened. I need to buy a mana-powered camera along with a listening device later. Not seeing their gesture made it hard to discern their motives.


    "Hm¡­ Now that you mention it. You don''t intend to deviate from our plan, right?"


    "Of course not. The economy of Elderan is stagnating. So, as you intended, Miss Claire, we lowered the taxes to support both the importation and exportation of goods. This should improve our economy. What an ingenious plan. As expected from the proprietress of Lustria. Your business acumen is second to none, Princess Claire."


    "Good! If we can pacify the eastern frontier, we will be ready for the calamity to come. Thank you, I will visit again. In informal settings, ''Miss Claire'' or just ''Claire'' will do. I don''t like royal titles."


    "As you wish, Miss Claire. But, what is this disaster you spoke of?"


    "I can''t yet reveal it to you; I am not merely a proprietress, I am a prophetess too. In the near future, I will need an army and the support of everyone."


    "I see. However, while our nation thanks you for sharing your vision and helping save Elderan from its downfall during the war, there are boundaries that we cannot cross. These meager taxes have drawn a lot of complaints from Elderan''s nobility and conglomerates."


    "In that case, I will stop giving you advice. Who knows when Althemer might resume their attacks?"


    "Are you betraying the Western Front?"


    "An alliance member who disobeys orders is not an ally, Mister Dregorn. I went through many hells and nightmares to share this information with you."


    "I see. I apologize."


    "Thank you. May peace be with us." She then stood up and left, the sound of her chair grating against the floor marking her departure. There was never a second clink from the cup, which means she never touched the drink. Then, she left the room, looking left and right before activating her invisibility skill.


    "Can she really see the future?" Samuel asked, his voice hushed, unaware that my wiretap was still in the room. The unique clink of a saucer and a cup was heard.


    "Well, I guess we can''t do anything regarding this peace treaty. What a surprise. It was to be expected from her divine power. She seems omniscient, don''t you think? That''s all for today. Good night, Samuel. We shall now retire for the day; today was certainly busy."


    "What a disaster. I hope someone gets rid of her. She has outlived her usefulness." Samuel voiced his exasperation.


    Should I strike now? Samuel is still inside, so there might be some noise, but he is alone. Dregorn is also there¡ªI could use him as a shield to beat Samuel swiftly. He''s strong, but now that he''s lost one of his eyes, he''s much weaker than before. I could beat him. As long as Dregorn''s corpse isn''t too mangled, I could revive him using necromancy and question him about the monster tamer.


    "Greetings, Miss Eli." Claire, who was supposed to have left the room a moment ago, greeted me from behind as I was approaching Dregorn''s door. She wasn''t smiling. She was glaring at me. "What might you be doing this late at night?"


    "Hieek!" I screamed.

 Chapter 72: Sudden Hostility

    "Princess Claire? What a fortuitous meeting." I tried to make small talk, but she drew her rapier, her eyes glaring menacingly at me. I instinctively reached for my dagger and trident.


    "I thought you were my friend. Why?" Tears started to flow from her eyes. I could only look at her blankly. What was she talking about? I hadn''t done anything to her, yet she spoke as if I had killed her parents.


    "Princess Claire? What are you talking about?"


    "Ah. I am sorry. It hasn''t happened yet, has it? What orders did you receive from Shadowstep?"


    "Orders? I didn''t receive anything from my father. He said to let the peace treaty succeed." Did she have some suspicion that my father was going to betray the peace negotiation?


    "I see. Then why did you try to kill Dregorn? Ah. I am sorry, you will try to kill Dregorn in a moment, right?" I finally understood what she meant. She still had the powers from the novels. She could rewind time. She had pretended to leave and come back to Dregorn''s room.


    "What timeline are we on?" I instinctively asked. I realized my blunder at once.


    "You... You can''t be allowed to live." She charged with her rapier.


    I deflected her thrust with my trident. She didn''t follow up but instead took some distance. As she charged a second time, a burst of light shone from her rapier. Blinded, I panicked and summoned my tentacles, whipping them randomly around me. It seemed to work as I felt a rebound from one of them.


    Once my vision returned, Claire was still there, her sleeve torn. My tentacles had been effective. Her sword glowed, and my danger sense screamed at me to dodge. When she pointed her sword, a laser shot out from her rapier. I pressed her. This technique, while terrifying due to its high penetration, was easy to dodge. I knew it from the novel. I just needed to watch where she pointed her sword.


    My shadow tentacles pushed forward, throwing knives held by them aimed at her neck. Then, her body glowed. This time, it wasn''t blinding, but all of my shadow tentacles dispersed, leaving my throwing knives clattering to the floor.


    Agitated, I lunged forward and tried to stab her. With my enhanced strength and agility, I could overpower her in pure strength, but she kept dodging my attacks. She might be a mage, but she was as capable as our best skillless knights.


    My danger sense screamed at me to pull back as someone shouted her name. A sword flew past my eyes. A man then jumped from outside through the open window into the hallway. It was Heracles, using his skill to leap from outside. He came in from where I had been sneaking and planting the wiretap in Dregorn''s room. What a blunder. Did this mean he knew I was spying on Dregorn''s room and chose to remain silent?


    "What are you doing? Are you trying to kill Claire!?"


    "She was the one who attacked me first!"


    "Claire?"


    "She''s with the reapers. She was trying to kill Dregorn!"


    "..I see." Heracles paused and then nodded. He turned to face me. I looked around. We were in a large hallway with Dregorn''s room behind me. Yet, no guards arrived. Not even butlers or maids. Only Heracles was here, the one who trusted Claire unconditionally. I shuddered at the realization.


    Heracles sighed as he spoke to me with a tired and forlorn gaze, "I thought we were friends. I thought it was a bit fishy that you guys welcomed us so much. I never thought you would be the one to betray us. Before we begin, may I ask who ordered you? Was it Count Shadowstep who didn''t agree with the peace after all? Or was it Duke Bron''s order?"


    "Kill Elderans¡­" I muttered. "You are their ally, aren''t you?"


    "You are a girl and so young, yet you have such bloodlust. Just how many...?" Heracles bemused.


    "Don''t be fooled. Her eyes are merely a Magical Impression," Claire interjected.


    "That bloodlust isn''t just a Magical Impression. She has killed countless people before. She had the same look as some captains who had been to war." Heracles replied, readying his sword. "Good thinking of you to call me. Even though you are ranked in the top ten knights of Lustria, I doubt you could face her one-on-one. Heck, I might even lose against her."


    "Move. I have business with Dregorn. I do not wish to kill you," Eli roared. She had taken over my body. She then charged at Heracles. Using dark tentacles, I helped her. However, he moved so fast that my thrust missed its mark, my shadow tentacle also tried to chase him in vain. As Eli was about to charge, she dodged to the side. A laser beam shot out from Claire''s rapier, hitting where her head had been a moment ago. A premonition struck me: we were going to lose. This scenario was like that in the novel where Elidranthia was killed by Heracles and Claire as she summoned her dark tentacles, wildly swinging them while chanting her trademark phrase.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Kill! Kill Elderans! Kill them all!" Eli chanted. Sensing that Eli was about to use her dark tentacles again, Claire activated her magic, Heaven''s Light. Her body glowed, and a magic circle grew from her feet. Enemies within the circle would have trouble activating their magic, especially dark magic. This was the same magic she had used at the entrance ceremony a month ago.


    "I can''t use any other magic while this one is active," Claire said.


    "Can you move? She is no pushover even without magic. Be careful," Heracles glanced at her, his other eye never leaving me. We then charged at each other. Using my trident dagger, I tried to capture his sword, but it was gone before I knew it. Without my magic, I had to rely on my enhanced speed and strength.


    Another bout ensued, but with Claire constantly interrupting our clash at the perfect moment, their cooperation was so immaculate that I couldn''t land a fatal blow. Even when I countered and managed to slash her face with my dagger, she healed instantly, and my paralyzing poison didn''t work as long as she used that magic. Heracles then swung his sword, and my trident dagger chose that moment to finally betray me. One of its prongs broke, allowing the sword to slide and cut my arm, leaving a small incision. Blood started to drip from it.


    "Eli! You have to flee! You can''t win at this rate!" I shouted from within her heart. We couldn''t possibly win a battle of attrition. Our breathing was already ragged after just a few bouts of trading slashes. If we kept this up, we would lose!


    "Kill Elderans¡­"


    "They aren''t Elderans!"


    "They tried to prevent me from finding my mother''s killer."


    "We will have another chance! But you won''t be able to win against them now! Our dagger is broken, and we can''t use our tentacles to throw knives."


    She hesitated. Unlike in the novel where she blindly assaulted the duo like a rabid beast, this time she knew who was responsible for her mother''s death and wasn''t guided by Ludwin to kill Claire. So, she had no prior hatred against Claire and Heracles. However, her gaze still wandered to Dregorn''s room. Its door remained shut despite the ruckus.


    "Mother''s killer?" Heracles was stunned. He had only heard half of our conversation. But when Eli mentioned her mother, he paused. He didn''t take advantage of Eli''s confusion to attack, and instead, he turned to Claire.


    "I didn''t know. She didn''t explain that before."


    "you didn''t live long enough, huh? So, should we really kill her?"


    "She knows about my ability."


    "How did she find that out?"


    "I don''t know. She might have a similar ability."


    "Guh!" I was returned to my own body. Eli then whispered from my heart, inaudible except to me, "Next time, we must succeed."


    Once I had full control of my body, I dashed away.


    "Don''t let her get away!" Claire exclaimed. But I was ready. I held out my gun toward Heracles. As if reading the future, Claire shouted, "Head!"


    But I didn''t aim for his chest or head. I aimed for Heracles'' foot. She probably saw me kill him in another timeline when I killed Heracles. However, that was Eli, not me. I had no desire to kill her or Heracles. I read the novels and I was actually rooting for the protagonist. Claire and Heracles were good people. We were the ones who were evil.


    "AGH! Claire?" Heracles dropped down, holding his leg.


    "She aimed at your head in my vision..." Claire was befuddled, but not for long. Light magic was the second best in healing. It wouldn''t be long before Heracles recovered and chased me.


    Ludwin came into view in the hallway as I was about to return to my room. What the heck was he doing here? I was just a bit further away from being able to return to my room. Looking at me, he worriedly asked, "I heard gunshots. Why are you wearing a cloak, Eli?"


    I facepalmed inside my mind at his antics. He heard gunshots and came to the source? Did he not have any self-preservation instinct?


    "Ah! Lady Elidranthia? Why are you outside in the middle of the night?" safira and Ronya came into the hallway, wearing their negligee.


    "I was just taking a walk! Ehehe." I smiled sheepishly. "I wore a cloak since it was a little chilly. Moreover, it was a bit improper to be seen by a man or stranger wearing a negligee."


    "Ah! how embarrassing! I thought no one would be here this late at night!" Ronya blushed with Safira.


    "Did you hear that gunshot? Lady Safira, Lady Ronya?¡± Ludiwn''s mind was somewhere else as he paid the two girls no mind.


    "Hm? Maybe some excited and diligent soldiers were training? We are quite close to the training field for royal guards, aren''t we?" Ronya, the clueless, had an even worse sense of danger than the prince. She never thought anything could happen in the castle with its tight guards.


    "Wow! They sure are diligent!" Since it was to my benefit, I nodded to Ronya. Safira frowned but didn''t press further. She didn''t want to be part of any dangerous event happening in the castle.


    "Hm¡­ Maybe I should call on Sebastian or Thor." Ludwin then walked away, but Claire and Heracles came over to us. I got ready at once, holding my necklace and preparing to draw my karambit. My trident dagger had been broken by Heracles, after all.


    "Good evening, Prince Ludwin, Lady Ronya, Lady Safira, and¡­ Lady Elidranthia..." Claire paused before saying my name.


    "Good evening, Princess Claire and Prince Heracles. What a fortuitous event tonight is. Apparently, all of us were somehow fated for a night walk! What a true coincidence," Ronya said excitedly.


    "...I am afraid I will not join you. We would prefer to be alone for a moment. If you will excuse me," Claire said as she walked away with Heracles. He silently followed her while glaring at me.


    I was saved. If not for Ludwin, Ronya, and Safira, they would have killed me. I don''t want to take part in this, but I still have to interrogate Dregorn. How am I going to do this with this duo guarding him? My mission seemed impossible.


    Elidranthia is such a troublesome girl!

 Chapter 73: Claire

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    Claire''s POV


    I never thought Elidranthia would become my enemy. I always had this power¡ªthe power to turn back time. Five years from now, an army comprised of people and demons from the central continents will conquer this land. Everyone will be enslaved. To avoid that fate, a light mage blessed by the sun prayed for intervention. As she sacrificed herself to the comet that shone on that day, she laid a curse upon me. Not a curse, but a blessing. An opportunity to rectify what''s wrong.


    I was sent back to my childhood into when I was seven years old. My blessing could turn back time by setting a checkpoint, but these checkpoints were predetermined by fate¡ªby the light mage who oversees my work. I conversed with her on a yearly basis in my dreams, and each time I talked with her, I cried. This reincarnation thing was painful.


    The first time I died was when I attended school in Lustria. It was when Heracles was poisoned by nobles of the Western nations. He was from Althemer, and many Western nations hated Althemer for supporting Theocracy''s dogma. However, in the future, when the Western nations and Theocracy''s vassals fell, Althemer would be our last line of defense. If Heracles died in Lustria, I would lose any means of going to Althemer before the invasion.


    So, I saved him. After dying and getting killed about five times, I figured out the plot. Heracles would either be assassinated by two families at a banquet. Getting killed was painful. The darkness, the shadow, the despair¡ªit was brutal. It was a curse for disobeying the law of nature. Every time I died, I was cast into a hell-like place filled with darkness. My soul and my body felt like they were torn apart before being returned.


    But I persevered. I succeeded in saving Heracles with the money I obtained from gambling. I bribed one family to betray the other, then used the fact that one family betrayed the other to cause infighting. The family I bribed informed me when the assassination would occur. Heracles and I killed the assassin with my light magic that could nullify most poisons used by assassins. Once their power dwindled and the stubborn head of the family died, I saved the family and turned them into my henchmen. Heracles was more than impressed with how smoothly I manipulated the court to my will.


    "I love you," he said the night before we left for Althemer, on the rooftop of my villa.


    "I know." I nodded. "I love you too."


    "You lied."


    "Yes. I don''t love anyone right now. However, I think you''re still at the top of the list. I don''t mind spending the rest of my days with you once I''ve done what I must."


    "Thank you for the honesty. What is it that must be done?"


    "Uniting the continent."


    "I see. That would be wonderful, Claire. I will not wait for you. I will be going with you. Please, let me help you. I, too, abhor the situation in my hometown¡ªthe discrimination against mages and commoners."


    "I see. Thank you, Heracles." I kissed him on the mouth, then smiled. "You have about five years to make me fall for you, I guess?"


    "How did you do it? In just three months, you made those three families into your lapdogs."


    "You see, I have some sort of skill that allows me to predict the future." As a sign of commitment to myself and a sign of trust in him, I unveiled my power.


    "What a ridiculous skill. So, I have died five times, huh?" Heracles closed his eyes, absorbing the fact.


    "Seeing you die was painful. You''re a good guy." I laid myself unto him; his arm was muscular, proof that he didn''t just laze around but trained. Improved by his skill, he has become the best swordsman in Lustria.


    "Thank you for saving me. I need to say this five more times, I guess. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for saving me." He shut his eyes, then chuckled as he looked at me. "That was a mouthful. But I know now that your pain was far greater. I tried to imagine that event happening to me five times."


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Then, we headed to Althemer. The reception was better than I expected. When I arrived here as a refugee, it was worse. We were treated like slaves, and the fact that Lustria had killed Prince Heracles didn''t go unnoticed by Prince Ludwin and Princess Charlotte. Nevertheless, they accepted us and provided us with minimal living conditions.


    A new problem, so different from before, arose when I arrived at Althemer. With Heracles surviving, the inevitable conflict between him and the other prince for the crown looms on the horizon. Ludwin was intelligent and cunning, and Charlotte was with him. However, Ludwin was an ardent believer in mage supremacy. It was fine during the war with the other continents, but now, he was our main enemy.


    What I expected from the commoner-mage discrimination didn''t happen, at least not to the extent I anticipated. When the war started, Ludwin treated commoners'' lives like expendable pawns. Their doctrine of mages making tools and commoners becoming soldiers was enforced further. However, Saint Sistiel, the light mage who sent me to the past, agreed with it. Their doctrine was efficient. But it was too late, and there weren''t enough mages and commoners during wartime.


    If I could secure peace between Althemer and other nations, we could supply them with mages and commoner soldiers. Then, we would have a chance against the demons. Heracles had supporters within the Althemer kingdom¡ªthe Merchant faction headed by Luca. The first step was to contact them. Since they were merchants, their loyalty was to money.


    However, I died. I thought it would be easy, but I died three times due to the so-called reapers in the castle. Reapers were so helpful during the war. The reason Althemer could hold on longer than even Theocracy, despite Theocracy being behind them during the war with the demons, was not only their magic technology and doctrines but also the Reapers who acted in the shadow gathering information and excellent scouts.


    Having them as my enemy now was the worst outcome. I didn''t know they were this powerful. They could even walk inside the castle as they pleased. It was hard to get information out. After some trial and error, I managed to get letters to my spy agent in Lustria through a decoy. I let one of my henchmen die while holding a magic letter. As long as he got out of the castle, the letter would transmit itself to my spies in Althemer. I died three times just to get this information out. I even considered playing nice and not contacting the outside at all. But that was not an option. If I hadn''t let this letter out, I would not have had an escape route if worse came to worse. And I couldn''t let Althemer win against Elderan either. If they did, the war would intensify for the Western nations, and none of us would have enough time to recuperate for the demon''s attack in the future.


    The following month, the king declared Elidranthia to be engaged with Ludwin. This was a momentous occasion as she was the least discriminatory against commoners. She had a commoner and low noble mage serving her and a manaless noble she befriended with. I was so happy that the unification of our country finally had smooth sailing. Eli had a magical impression in her eyes. It made everyone she stared at feel a shudder. This has prevented her from making a lot of friends. But such meaningless mental attacks were nothing to me.


    But another problem occurred. The reapers switched their targets from me to Dregorn. Dregorn has died four times now. In addition to that, the reapers also employed poison and wouldn''t hesitate to poison Princess Charlotte, me, Ludwin, Elidranthia, and Heracles. When I thwarted the poison plot by using my trusted maid to supervise every dish, cookie, and tea made by castle cooks and watched it all the time, they changed their strategy to assault Dregorn directly.


    The assassination was carried out by an exceptionally proficient reaper. I confronted this particular reaper four times and lost each time. The reaper was a high-level dark mage with a petite body, like that of a girl. He was very skilled with daggers. In the dark of night, he struck and disappeared quicker than the wind. After dying four times to ensure the certainty of the future, I set a trap for the assassin.


    When we cornered him, he shot Prince Heracles. However, before I was killed, I managed to see his... no, her face. It was a glimpse, but I was confident. It was Elidranthia. The sweet and shy girl I met during the tea party with Ludwin was actually a reaper! I felt so betrayed. I died almost twenty times before reaching this point. Almost half of those deaths were because of her!


    "Traitor..." I muttered before I snuck up behind her. A surprise attack outright wouldn''t work. She dodged it every time I tried. So, I greeted her like usual. Heracles was due to be here any minute. I just needed to endure her assault, maybe making small talk. But her slip of the tongue surprised me.


    "What timeline are we in?" she asked. I widened my eyes in horror. She knew about my ability to rewind time.


    "You can''t be allowed to live!" I panicked and pressed on the attack. She knew about my ability. My ability, while powerful, was not omnipotent. Like playing chess, even if I could rewind one move, I could still get checkmated. If she knew about it, I had to kill her.


    Eli was good. Without my experience of being killed by her multiple times, I would have died. Her strikes were fast and fatal. Why did such a good girl choose to be a bloodthirsty assassin? Even now, when I revealed that I knew everything about her being a reaper, she still played dumb. By appearing weak, the enemy usually revealed who or what they worked for. Then, once they killed me, I could use the information in the following timeline.


    However, she continued to play dumb. No wonder, if she knew about my ability, she wouldn''t leak any information about herself even when she is winning. When Heracles arrived, she fled. She also didn''t forget to leave a present¡ªthe thing that killed Heracles in the previous timeline. However, somehow, she did it differently this time. She didn''t shoot him in the head but in the leg before escaping.


    ¡°Claire?¡± Heracles probed.


    "I don''t know. She didn''t do that before." I ran to him and cast my healing magic. The bullet was slowly squeezed out before his flesh was mended back together.


    "Did we do something different this time? Maybe because she said something about Dregorn killing her mother?"


    "She didn''t say that before. Maybe it''s just to confuse me. She knows about my ability. I can''t predict her anymore."


    "Her eyes didn''t seem like those of a liar, though..." Heracles said.


    "Let''s chase her!"


    "Nah. She would have returned to her room. Our trap didn''t extend to her friends. If her friends helped her, we would have to kill Alicia, Safira, and Ronya too. You said Safira must survive, right?"


    "Yes. Not only does she become a doctor, but her being high-level also helps in making refrigerators in the future. It helps with food and medicine preservation. Ronya is valuable, too. She''s the granddaughter of Duke Bron. However, because her siblings all went to war, she is the sole trustworthy connection in the Ministry of Defense. Alicia was important, too. She was the front-line commander; her meteor has killed countless demons." I tried to remember the circumstances of my first timeline.


    "Well, I guess we missed our chance then. Let''s just greet them normally. Apparently, Ludwin was there too." Heracles shrugged as we walked past Elidranthia. Her eyes were a mix of fear and anger directed at me.


    I failed.

 Chapter 74: Plot

    The day after that incident, tensions were sky-high. Claire and I avoided each other. Her eyes always looked at me with caution. And rightly so. I couldn''t pull back either. I needed to find some sort of opportunity in the castle. I had to interrogate or assassinate Dregorn.


    "Eli! Good news. The truce has been agreed upon and finalized. The signing ceremony will be in three days," Ludwin greeted me.


    "Oh my, how wonderful, Lady Eli. With peace on the horizon, we can finally spread our ice cream," Safira enthused at the prospect of opening her patisserie with Narwhal. I had paid him to replant the farm that was devastated by Elderan during the war. One of the crops was bananas, and when I told her about banana splits, she was absolutely entranced. Even though she was the one who made it, she ate most of it during our tea party.


    "Lady Safira, your ice cream was absolutely delectable. I would ask you to be our patisserie in the castle, just for this occasion. Would you mind?" Ludwin smiled.


    "As you wish, Prince Ludwin. I would be honored to serve my ice cream. But the ingredients are currently rare."


    "As long as it can be bought with money, the castle will cover the expenses. I am sure Shadowstep County isn''t the only place with bananas and citrus," Ludwin chuckled. I smiled in return, signaling Safira not to worry. In the future, I hoped for her to be my customer. But not now. Moreover, we couldn''t possibly go against the empire.


    When the idle talk between me and Prince Ludwin concluded, realization dawned on me. I had to strike within these three days. If the peace treaty concluded, Dregorn would naturally leave. That meant the information about the monster tamer he held would be gone. Eli wanted me to find her mother''s killer.


    "R25B, I need something. Do you have a paralyzing poison that works instantly, or a sleeping poison that works similarly?" I called R25B while lying on my bed.


    "Hm? But that would ruin the stealth part. If you want to incapacitate them, you could simply knock them out, right? Wait, you''re a dark mage, so it should be simple for you to incapacitate your foes."


    "So, do you have it or not?"


    "We have paralyzing gas. It works immediately but needs to touch the skin for a certain amount of time to completely paralyze someone. Or you could use a CO gas canister. It''s odorless and can incapacitate your enemy without them knowing, but it needs to be inhaled," R25B seemed confused. "Both of these have side effects if used too much. I wouldn''t recommend using them on your friends. And both of these gases could affect you too."


    "Ugh... Anything better? "I was hoping for some kind of magic drug that could incapacitate the enemy with a scratch, but I guess that''s not available. I should prepare a trap. But Claire could simply rewind time. How am I going to do this?


    "If we had anything better, we would include it in your beginner pack. That''s where the most-used poisons are. You need to be more specific."


    "I see." I rolled around in my bed while talking to him via my reaper card. "I''ll think about it. Give me stronger smoke bombs then."


    "Done. Minus twenty points. Your points are now 164. By the way, there are several commissions for you. Would you like to look at them?"


    "What kind of commissions?"


    "One of them is to kill Claire. This one was commissioned by Dregorn. He somehow found a way to our handler. His information network is astounding despite being here for less than a month. He put a crazy price on it too: 2,500 points. Even our princes'' heads are only 1,000 each."


    My eyes widened at the information. "I thought they were friends¡­"


    "Yeah, Western Nations aren''t as monolithic as you think. I have no idea why Dregorn wants Claire dead, though. So, will you take it? You''re close to Claire, right? You could simply poison her and put the blame on Dregorn."


    "No, I won''t take it," I said firmly. It''s impossible to kill Claire no matter how you do it. She has the power to rewind time. I then asked him, "I thought you were loyal to the nation."


    "What? Why? It would be easy. You could simply sneak into the castle and hit her while she sleeps or put poison in her tea during your tea party," R25B said. "Killing Claire and Heracles would stabilize the throne. We wouldn''t need to fear a coup d''etat or civil war anymore. In fact, many operators here have taken the quest, but none succeeded. So, the quest was passed to us. It''s our chance!"


    I blinked at his smooth reasoning. Then, I suddenly came to a realization. "Wait, stabilize the country? Does that mean Ludwin and I have bounties, too?"


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    "Of course. But the quest for your assassination is hidden. So, nobody should be able to take it. As I said before, Ludwin''s head reaches 1,000 points. A similar price is also attached to the other prince."


    I breathed a sigh of relief. I remembered their law: reapers shouldn''t assassinate each other. Then I realized another reaper''s rule. I couldn''t use the fact that Dregorn wanted to kill Claire to my advantage. The reaper''s guild forbade information sharing with outsiders. If I broke this rule, the reapers would kill me. If someone like R4 were to come after me, I wouldn''t win no matter how many skills I had.


    "Are you sure it''s fine to tell me that?"


    "As long as you don''t tell others, it will be fine. This commission was skipped for you multiple times because of that reason. But since other reapers gave up, the offer returned to us nevertheless."


    "I see." I nodded. As long as I don''t say a word about it, it''s fine. Now, how should I use this information to my advantage? Surprisingly, Dregorn hates Claire. Dregorn is Elderan''s envoy, which means someone in Elderan wants Claire dead.


    Then, a realization hit me. Dregorn tried to poison Claire. The reason Claire didn''t touch the tea made by Dregorn in his chamber was because she knew he wanted to poison her. Did he want to kill her so badly that he was willing to risk doing it in his own room? Or was the poison non-lethal? Wait. If his poison was non-lethal, Claire shouldn''t be able to activate her time-rewind ability unless she was killed in the near future. Or was the checkpoint for her still far away? The webnovel says that the checkpoint was decided arbitrarily after an arc was done.


    An idea then popped into my mind. I couldn''t tell anyone about Dregorn wanting to kill Claire. But I could tell Dregorn about Claire. So, if I told Dregorn that Claire wanted to kill him, he could be convinced that I was telling the truth. Should I give a hint about Claire''s power? Samuel knew I was a reaper. So, it should be easy to convince him that I was undertaking his commission.


    "R25B, could you prepare me an introduction letter to the Reapers guild?" Now that I had formed some kind of idea in my mind, I was getting calmer. Eli wouldn''t like it if I got chummy with Dregorn, But it was for the greater good. Dregorn was only in the same organization as the one who killed her mother. Nevertheless, he will die either way. Why didn''t I think about this before? I should have approached him not as Elidranthia, but as a reaper.


    "Lady Eli, the sun hasn''t set yet. You shouldn''t be idling away in your bed," Alicia said as she came in with my laundry. I turned off my earclip immediately.


    "I have nothing to do today. Should I prepare some clothes for the upcoming peace treaty?" I muttered without thinking. But it actually set off a bomb in Alicia.


    "Buying clothes? Yes! Yes! Milady finally took care of her appearance! Is this the power of love? Let us make no delay! We have a shop to catch! The sun will set very soon, and I would be devastated if Milady shamed herself with outdated clothes! We couldn''t possibly let the envoy and Princess Claire see you in the same clothes over and over!"


    "Huh? Oh¡­ I never thought you would get that excited."


    "Let''s march to the boutique right this instant!"


    Alicia literally threw my finished laundry into the wardrobe and grabbed my hands. She then marched outside, only to be stopped by Ludwin.


    "Greetings, Eli, Alicia. What''s the hurry?"


    "Greetings, Prince Ludwin. We are on our way to a boutique. The sun will set soon, so it would be imperative we depart posthaste," Alicia said. Her bow was quick, signifying how rushed she was. However, Ludwin only tilted his head.


    "Hm? Is this your antics with mingling with commoners again, Eli? You can do this anytime, right? Could you wait in the dormitory at least until the peace treaty is concluded? The safety of the capital, especially in the lower district, has been a bit concerning as of late."


    "This is a matter of great importance, Prince Ludwin. As you might know, Lady Elidranthia is modest. This has been no problem as she is merely a second daughter of a count. However, now that she is your betrothed, wouldn''t it be a bit of dishonor for her to wear the same clothes over and over again?" Alicia was so passionate that it even affected her speech pattern. Where did she learn to speak like that, I wonder?


    "Oh. That certainly is a matter of great concern. You may then wait in your dorm. I shall summon the royal seamstresses from the boutique right to your dorm. The peace treaty and the banquet will be held in three days. I shall order them to expedite your order."


    "Oh yeah. Royals don''t actually go shopping. They summon the shops to their castle," I muttered inside my head. I rolled my eyes at the fact that I was about to join these royals soon.


    "I-I-I see. We are certainly grateful to Prince Ludwin for his consideration," Alicia stammered.


    In less than an hour, four men and two women from the boutique arrived, carrying several boxes. We sat in our dormitory common room, which, by Ludwin''s authority, was emptied for this occasion. There were still other common rooms for the students, so it wasn''t too much of a hassle. But the gazes from senior nobles were a bit painful.


    "Greetings, Lady Elidranthia. My name is Juliette. Oh my! You certainly have quite modest measurements. Hmm, this outfit will need the fewest alterations." Juliette eyed me, her words stabbed directly into my heart. I certainly have modest measurements. My body is petite, my breast is small, and my stomach is slim. But she didn''t have to say it like that. I expected her to be more tactful to her future princess. As I was fuming, She nonchalantly picked up a blue skirt with some cute frills. Alicia helped me change inside a partition set up by the men who followed her. Apparently, Juliette could gauge my measurements just by looking at me. The clothes actually fit. It was a bit loose here and there, but it won''t be noticeable to bystanders. Was that a skill?


    "No. She is not seven years old," Ludwin frowned. The clothes looked cute, and Alicia beamed when she saw me. But it was hard to satisfy royals. I wanted to question why he was even here, but I refrained. This is his seamstress, after all.


    "Oh, my apologies. It certainly is a bit childish. But I made it to counteract her peculiarities. And since it only needed fewer alterations, it could be done by dawn."


    "Anything else? We will be using this for a banquet for our country''s truce. I want something more dignified. We need to instill some sort of awe. Royals nearing their coming of age will wear this."


    "More formal occasion then? Hmm¡­ instead of counteracting her peculiarities, how about we enhance them? This red dress might fill your soon-to-be betrothed with dignity." Juliette then picked up a red dress that flowed like blood. I could imagine myself wearing it. Coupled with my intimidation, people would scram at the mere sight of me. I had been dodging this kind of dress for so long, but Ludwin asked me to try it.


    Unlike the blue dress, this red dress was a bit too loose; Juliette had to pin the clothes so I could fit into it. Nevertheless, I looked into the mirror. Even when I controlled my magical impression as best as possible, I still looked intimidating.


    "Alicia, do I look like a bloodthirsty queen?"


    "You look absolutely stunning, Lady Elidranthia. Everyone who looks at you will feel a sense of awe." Alicia, my yes-girl, seemed to love me wearing anything high quality. Somehow, she has grown to like my menacing eyes, so she adored it when I wore anything to emphasize my intimidation. Both Ludwin and Juliette grinned at me. I twitched my eyebrow when I looked at myself in the mirror. Instead of awe, they would probably flee in fear.


    "Good. This will not shame the crown at the banquet. Don''t forget to fix the measurements so the clothes don''t look like hand-me-downs." He smiled and was about to leave.


    "As you wish, Prince Ludwin."


    "Ludwin¡­ do I have to wear this?" I frowned.


    "The clothes look fine on you, Elidranthia. It''s stunning." His smile seemed to disperse all the worries inside me. His voice seemed to soothe me. He then sent a parting word before leaving: "See you at the banquet, dear."


    My cheeks grew hot at his flirting, and I briefly released my magical impression. Juliette and her assistants yelped when they looked at me.


    "These clothes are no good after all," I thought after coming back to my senses.

 Chapter 75: Conversations

    I wasted a day. I was so tired from the fitting for clothes yesterday that I fell asleep as soon as I hit the bed. When the sun came up, I realized that I still had school and could only visit Dregorn late at night. As usual, Claire looked at me warily during our school day. She looked left and right before leaving, as if she was anticipating an assassination attempt. Now that I had confirmed her powers, there was no way I would meddle with her.


    After putting Alicia to sleep as usual, I sneaked out from my dorm to the castle. There, I climbed to Dregorn''s guest room through the window. Samuel had diligently placed wind alarm magic tools all over the place, so I purposely activated one.


    "Hello." I waved a hand. "Sorry for the late introduction. Could you get Dregorn?"


    "What do you want?" Samuel prepared his dagger.


    "I thought you hired us to assassinate some princess? Why the rough welcome?" I tried to act coy, but it was terrible.


    "I see. You picked my commission, huh?" Dregorn came out from his room. Castle guest rooms were not simple bedrooms; they were more like small apartments or condos with spacious interiors. To lower his guard, I removed my darkness mask, revealing my real face. Samuel already knew my face anyway, and Claire, too. It was futile trying to hide it anymore.


    "Heh¡­ I thought Samuel was joking when he said you were a reaper. Apparently, it was true. So, what is it? I don''t think reapers have a habit of introducing themselves. What makes you approach me?"


    "The assassination failed. Apparently, Claire figured out that you were responsible. Please be careful."


    "Oh. You''re the rising star among reapers, right? Was this your first failure? You''re surprisingly calm about it. How could you fail against some random princess with meager skills like Claire? You wounded our pride. You were the only one we failed to obstruct after all." Samuel frowned when I announced I had failed. I never thought he would put his pride in his rankings like that.


    "Claire has premonition skills similar to mine. Any kind of ambush will not work on her. I believe her premonition skill is better, though. She did set up that trap against me yesterday." I mixed some lies with the truth. It was true that Claire set an ambush for me, but it was false that Claire was my target. It was these two Elderans before me that I wanted to kill. It''s ironic to see this triangle of hate: I wanted to kill Dregorn, Dregorn wanted to kill Claire, and Claire wanted to kill me.


    "I see. So, what should I do? Are you saying Claire will kill me?"


    "What do you think she will do?" I asked back. I wanted to lure Dregorn outside the castle. That way, Claire wouldn''t even know he was dead. Maybe he didn''t need to die outside; the castle''s escape way would prove to be sufficient. Dregorn frowned hard.


    "If I may be so bold, why would you want Claire dead anyway? Didn''t she help your country when we tried to attack you?"


    "Is that how reapers are nowadays?" Samuel smirked.


    "I might be a reaper, but I am also a noble. I understand why some of us want her dead due to the succession crisis and our differing ideologies. But what about you?"


    "I see. You sided with Ludwin''s faction, huh?" Dregorn smirked. Knowing I was not on Claire''s side seemed to put him at ease. He then began to talk about Elderan''s internal politics.


    "Our country has senates which stand above kings. Many Western nations, including Lustria, have adopted such a system. Claire has amassed wealth beyond reason. Through the power of her bribery, the Senate is effectively under her control. We can''t allow that."


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    "Sir Dregorn, should I take some precautions against Claire''s henchmen?" Samuel asked.


    "Nah. She won''t do anything to a small fry like me. It won''t sit well with her saintly image. Useless too. She wanted to become the empress of the entire western and theocracy factions."


    "I see. So, you are a small fry within Elderan. I heard you were a prominent member of the monster tamer guild, though?" I faked a smile. It''s ironic, but I would prefer Claire to control all Western Nations. We are not saints, but from the book, Western nations were worse. Some of them are good, but the system they employed was like a dystopian capitalist country.


    "Hm? How did you know?" Dregorn turned his eyes to Samuel.


    "I had a chance to play around Elderan''s headquarters during the war. So, I knew about your monster-taming institution. Samuel was there. You are such a slave driver. Even though he just lost his eye, you forced him to donate mana to the monster spawner." I smirked and Samuel''s gaze turned harsh. He reached for his dagger, almost drawing it before stopping himself.


    "It was for the cause. And I didn''t order it. The military department was the one who did it. I''m from the civil department. Want some tea?"


    "Civil? Are you planning to use monsters like horses or cattle?"


    "That''s the idea."


    I tilted my head. Using monsters for such work might seem remarkable, but it costs so much mana to maintain the slavery collar. They might as well open up a ranch for horses. "Why not use horses?"


    "Horses need feed. Elderan mostly imports their food. Grass and such are uncommon."


    "I see." Elderan''s food or politics was not my problem. But now, I need to find this so-called military department for Elderan''s monster tamer.


    Kill Elderans, kill them all. Kill all monsters.


    I nursed my head when Elidranthia''s soul whispered to me from deep within my heart. Keeping monsters except for military purposes was illegal here in Althemer. So, even a civil worker like Dregorn might face prison time, but it was justifiable; all of them are bad guys. However, as usual, Elidranthia wanted blood directly.


    "Thank you, Mr. Dregorn. I will ask Ludwin to send you more food. Althemer isn''t exactly a breadbasket region, but we do have a self-sustaining food industry."


    "Just do your work as a reaper. Claire is the most important threat to the nation right now." Dregorn shrugged.


    "Very well. By the way, do you know the castle''s secret routes?" I asked him while smiling. The maze inside the escape routes was a perfect place to murder him. People seldom traversed there; if Dregorn was killed there, his corpse wouldn''t be found for at least a day. A week if I was lucky.


    "Hm? Secret routes?"


    "Here are some of the maps of the castle''s secret escape routes. Just in case. I apologize for my failure."


    "Hm?" Dregorn tilted his head, only to be answered by Samuel.


    "Reapers are similar to us, Elderan''s Counterintelligence Agency, in an ironic way. She might share these escape routes in hopes you would put in a good word for her when a handler arrives. Her failure, and the fact that she let out the information that you wanted to kill Claire, might lead to severe penalties after all."


    "But a failure is a failure. I won''t pay. But I will surely put in some words to the handler. These routes will serve Elderan nicely." Dregorn accepted the paper and put it in his breast pocket.


    "Of course. See you." I left. Dregorn''s part was done. Now comes the dangerous part: Claire. If she had that ability, this method would also determine which timeline I was in. However, since Claire kept surviving, I should assume that this is always the last timeline, meaning it was Claire''s best timeline. She should know what I want to do.


    I left the building and returned to the dorm. The peace treaty will be conducted tomorrow. I couldn''t waste any more time. Claire''s room should be on the third floor of the dormitory. After I climbed to her room from the window, she just sat there staring at me menacingly. She didn''t bear the charisma of an innocent maiden but the calculating gaze of a princess who seemed to know everything¡ªthe saint of Lustria. She then held out her hand. At that moment, I knew that she already knew what I was about to tell her. I succeeded. I managed to inform her about Dregorn without explicitly saying anything.


    "Sorry." The fact that she was sulking and seemed to know everything meant I had killed her at least once. I hadn''t done anything to her in this timeline, so it might seem unfair for her to direct her anger at me. But it was me in another timeline who killed her, so I kind of understand why she seemed to be in a bad mood.


    "At least your knife is sharp. It didn''t hurt that much."


    "It wasn''t the pain that made you hate returning back in time, was it?" I reminisced about the web novel. Claire in the novel hated her power and often explained it as a curse. The book described her returning in time as painful beyond words.


    "Hm?"


    "I heard the pain was akin to being torn asunder and then remade into whole."


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    "My apologies. Here is the introduction to the reaper guild."


    "You are forgiven. However, I must tell you that I need this peace treaty to succeed. His life is no concern of mine afterward."


    "Noted. I am glad we could come to an understanding. I didn''t want to harm you, you know."


    "We shall see. I have yet to find proof of your innocence. If what you said is true, here is the recommendation for the monster tamer''s guild. By the way, please limit the revenge to one person. I still need that institution for the upcoming battle."


    "I can''t make any promise on that."


    "Then you need to repay me back later."


    "I will try my best. By the way, I am R666."


    "What an ominous number. See you at the banquet, R666." She put the introduction letter inside her pocket and gestured for me to leave. I nodded and exited through the window. She never showed a single smile during our course, which made me anxious. With that, the preparation for my plan was complete. I returned to my dorm and slept, only to be awakened by Alicia a mere two hours later.


    The sun had risen, and I hadn''t slept enough. As expected, the reaper''s life is tough. I pouted, whined, and rolled on the bed in protest at Alicia, who woke me up without consideration. Despite my efforts, she didn''t relent on waking me up for school.

 Chapter 76: Banquet

    The plan was hastily made, but it was the best I had. The peace treaty finally came. Since I was Ludwin¡¯s fianc¨¦e, I was invited not only to the banquet at night but also to the actual signing ceremony, which happened during the day.


    Two tables were prepared side by side. The room wasn¡¯t grandiose; it was solemn and professional. We arrived an hour early and were instructed to stand before the table. The entire royal family, including Charlotte, was present. Johann, the prime minister, attended with his son, who was the same age as Heracles. Additionally, some low-ranking nobles were assigned to serve as butlers and knights.


    ¡°There are fewer people than expected,¡± Ludwin frowned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. The other side only has Samuel,¡± I smiled wryly. Samuel stood beside us, smirking the entire time. His smile was eerie, reminding me of the time he wanted to sell me to a slave dealer when we first met.


    The peace treaty began. With a trumpet, the king and Mr. Dregorn entered the room. As they both sat down, Johann, the prime minister, brought the treaty to the king. Afterward, Dregorn signed it.


    ¡°With this, a truce has been signed. We hope the peace between us will be everlasting,¡± Johann smiled toward Dregorn. Dregorn, with a flourish, brought out his precious wine and presented it to the royal family.


    ¡°Cheers to King Andre the Wise. May his wisdom ensure that the peace between Althemer and Elderan is everlasting! I brought wine from my home country. This white wine is a bit strong, but please, have a drink.¡± He smiled and poured the wine into cups, presenting them to the royal family. The wine smelled nice. As he said, it was intense. Even I felt a bit nauseous just from sipping it from a small cup.


    As we drank together, a splashing sound of liquid hitting the floor caught our attention. Claire had overturned her cup, spilling its contents purposely. In my etiquette lessons, I learned that rejecting a gift, especially in such a manner, was a clear insult. Claire wasn¡¯t just denying Dregorn¡¯s wine; she was making a statement.


    ¡°Claire?¡± Heracles questioned, his voice laced with confusion.


    ¡°This peace treaty is merely a truce, right? I don¡¯t think we should be that close, Mr. Dregorn,¡± she said, smiling menacingly at him. Panic gripped me as several possibilities flashed through my mind. Claire¡¯s deliberate spill must mean she believed the wine was poisoned!


    ¡°Wait, calm down,¡± I muttered to myself. If the wine was poisoned, she should at least stop Heracles from drinking it. But that wasn¡¯t the case. Could it be that only her cup was poisoned? No, it all came from the same bottle, and our butlers have washed the cups. Could he have poisoned it? He was the one distributing the glass, so it was possible.


    ¡°I see. You are certainly correct, Miss Claire. But at the very least, I plan for this peace treaty to last as long as I live,¡± King Andre responded diplomatically.


    ¡°Is that so? Then forgive me for my insolent behavior. Such a joyous occasion was not supposed to¡ª¡±


    Crash


    Claire¡¯s speech was interrupted by the sound of glass breaking. I tilted my head in confusion. The attack was supposed to happen during the banquet at night. What were R663, R661, and R25B thinking? I had spent a hundred points to sabotage the banquet, and now they were messing up? I knew they weren¡¯t mages, but were my expectations too high? Or was my commission unclear? Understandably, I am still new to making commissions.


    ¡°Guards!¡± Heracles yelled.


    ¡°Sir, a knight did it,¡± one soldier came to us and reported.


    ¡°Watch out! He¡¯s not one of the room¡¯s guards!¡± Claire warned. I frowned at her warnings. She must have seen this from another timeline. Claire shouldn¡¯t even know who was guarding the room outside. Being a heroine is harsh; she must have died and rewound time just now. Heracles moved immediately to protect his father. However, the knight didn¡¯t aim for King Andre but for Dregorn. Using my dark tentacle, I grabbed a chair and threw it at the knight. The force of the impact blew him away. Thank god for the luxurious and heavy chair. Even though he wore armor, the crash still stunned him. The nearby guards proceeded to subdue him. When I glanced at Claire, she nodded approvingly at my intervention.


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    ¡°I¡¯m surprised this empire has survived this long¡­¡± I muttered softly at the rogue knight, but Ludwin seemed to hear me. I had just saved Dregorn to gain his trust. The knight¡¯s attack was doomed to fail anyway, given that Samuel was beside Dregorn.


    ¡°Hahaha. That was a good reaction, Eli. I have reports that the Theocracy faction is dissatisfied with this treaty.¡± Ludwin laughed bitterly. ¡°We are certainly being shamed by our subordinates. Maybe we should enact harsher punishments. If only the neighboring countries were not so meddlesome.¡±


    ¡°So, the Slane faction is responsible?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Ludwin answered. I peeked at Dregorn¡¯s reaction. If he was scared enough and chose to run, that would be my cue to follow him and kill him in the escape path. I had wasted 100 points for nothing! If I had known Slane was going to do the same thing as my plan, I wouldn¡¯t have paid R25B for the commission! It was 100 points! I barely had 60 points left!


    ¡°I apologize, Mr. Dregorn. These knights disobeyed our commands. They will be put in jail and will atone for their crimes.¡± Johann bowed to Dregorn. King Andre couldn¡¯t apologize, so Johann decided he should do it.


    ¡°Will the banquet be canceled?¡± I asked Ludwin.


    ¡°Of course not. We have prepared for it. Don¡¯t worry, Eli. I promise that your friend¡¯s ice cream will be enjoyed by all.¡± His answer threw me for a loop. I almost looked at him incredulously but stopped myself. Did he think I was worried that Safira¡¯s cake and ice cream would go to waste if the banquet was canceled? Now that he mentioned it, it kind of worried me a little. Her ice cream was delicious, after all.


    ¡°Mr. Dregorn, will you come to the banquet?¡±


    ¡°I will think about it. I know that our nations were just at war not too long ago, so I understand why some of you are hesitant to welcome us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. But the peace treaty will still stay in effect, no?¡± Heracles asked. Dregorn nodded.


    ¡°Of course. After this peace treaty has been signed by the Elderan senate, the peace treaty will come into full effect.¡± I peeked and saw Claire¡¯s hand make a fist. She almost made a victory pose right there.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I need to tell you just in case. I think your diplomats might face a similar fate in Elderan. There are factions displeased with the treaty too,¡± Dregorn warned King Andre. However, his eyes glanced at Claire, seemingly sending some hidden message.


    ¡°No need to worry. I will make sure the treaty is a success. I have some friends in Elderan,¡± Claire smiled, and Heracles supported her.


    ¡°Our diplomats might face some disapproval, but it¡¯s a small price for peace. Right, Claire?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You are correct, my prince.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Excuse us,¡± Dregorn said before leaving.


    We soon disbanded, and when I was out of the castle, I contacted R25B.


    ¡°R25B, did you know the castle was attacked? I thought you guys missed the date!¡±


    ¡°Come on! We reapers sometimes don¡¯t fully complete the mission, but we aren¡¯t that sloppy. It was during the banquet, right? So, now what? Are you going to cancel the commission? The cancellation fee is 20% of the commission cost. Ah, we have begun preparing, so minus the preparations. So, about 50%.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ I don¡¯t know. Dregorn and Samuel didn¡¯t say clearly whether they wanted to attend or not. Let¡¯s just continue.¡± The plan is now a mess. I don¡¯t know what Dregorn will do. 100 points seemed cheap for assaulting a castle. However, it¡¯s not like I asked them to kill Dregorn directly. I only asked them to send a threat that made it look like Dregorn¡¯s life was at risk. One such plan was to set a timed crossbow outside the window. The chance of actually hitting a moving target with a timed crossbow was low, but as long as the arrow seemed to target Dregorn¡¯s life, I was content with it. And yet, here we are. Dregorn might not even attend the banquet. What did I tell Claire in another timeline? She was weirdly cooperative with me and so hostile to Dregorn.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Lady Eli, there is a message from Prince Ludwin. He asked you to attend the banquet three hours early,¡± Alicia said as she came to my dorm room. My pondering came to a sudden stop at the sudden news.


    ¡°That means now, doesn¡¯t it?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°...I¡¯m afraid so.¡±


    ¡°Ugh... let¡¯s use a simple but expensive dress. I also need to wear pants underneath the skirt.¡± I need to be able to follow Dregorn. But it seems fate has said otherwise.


    ¡°Hm? Why would you layer the clothes?¡±


    ¡°Ludwin must have asked me to come early so I could help him with something. The dress is going to get in the way. You know I don¡¯t like gaudy dresses.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ but that would make your figure a bit bulky.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. At least I won¡¯t look like an 8-year-old kid.¡±


    ¡°The red dress you ordered doesn¡¯t have any sleeves¡­ it¡¯s impossible, Lady Eli. If you want to look mature, I would suggest wearing high heels.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Okay¡­ at least bring two pairs of shoes. I¡¯ll wear the ones with higher heels later.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Lady Eli,¡± Alicia nodded, though she frowned because the shoes I was comfortable with didn¡¯t really match the dress. Well, I came three hours early; I wasn¡¯t going to dress up perfectly just to see that arrogant prick.


    ¡°...Are you coming too?¡± I asked Alicia, who continued to follow me to the carriage.


    ¡°Yes. The letter said you could bring your personal attendants!¡± Alicia seemed happy to follow me. However, my mood worsened. I couldn¡¯t do my reaper activity openly if she were around.


    ¡°I wonder what that prick wants¡­¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that, Lady Elidranthia. I know it¡¯s just a jest, but Prince Ludwin¡¯s feelings might get hurt if you speak like that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mom. Let¡¯s go. Are you sure you want to go there in your maid clothes?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I am your personal attendant, after all!¡±


    And so, a happy girl and a grumbling girl rode a carriage to the castle.

 Chapter 77: Banquet part 2

    As expected, the banquet wasn''t ready. Many servants were still arranging tables and chairs. Even though the banquet was a standing buffet, they still had chairs at the side for those who had drunk too much alcohol. I had no idea why Ludwin called me here. What did he even want help with?


    "Eli! So, how does it look?" Ludwin, the arrogant prick of a prince approached me. "We still have three hours. If you have any ideas or wishes, tell us. My father was grateful for what you did at the peace treaty, and he gave me some freedom to decorate this venue as I wished. I thought it was weird; you are the one who did the deed; why do I get the privilege? So, I invited you here to design the party."


    I was dumbfounded. This prick invited me to dump his work on me? What a typical attitude of Althemer country. So, if people did well, they got more work? I couldn''t exactly say that out loud, though, so I put forth some random suggestions.


    "I see the buffet is all being piled in the middle. Don''t you think it will be a bad idea for people to be congested in that area? How about we spread them out and make some stands here and there? Moreover, just because it is a buffet doesn''t mean all the food needs to be ready-made. Soup could get cold. So, I think we should also bring pots and the cook here. With our mana stove, there won''t be any smoke."


    "To show the wealth of Althemer, we usually pile our food in the middle, then people start taking food according to their degree of importance. Food needed to be ready to eat because nobles didn''t like to wait. But I guess it is typical of you to show concern even for small nobles." Ludwin muttered. "But it would show disrespect to the chef if his food were put in a corner, right?"


    If all the food were in the middle, everyone would have to queue to take food. If we spaced out the tables, nobles would only line up for the food they wanted. It is more efficient that way. I had no idea why Althemer didn''t see this. I guess the image of luxurious food and cuisine piled in the middle of the room impressed them so much that they forgot about convenience. Althemer! You need to care about UX more than just UI!


    I decided not to debate with him about silly things such as food. After I said my piece, I closed the conversation and wandered around. I didn''t forget to tell him to call me if he needed any more help. It was just for politeness'' sake. Women shouldn''t be put to work directly for this.


    "Safira, how is it going?"


    "Ah! Lady Elidranthia. Welcome. Would you like a taste?" Safira offered me some kind of milk concoction. She was preparing her ice cream. Ice cream would melt at room temperature, so she would only start making it ten minutes before the banquet.


    "Nah. I will also be wearing this dress for the banquet. I don''t want to get it dirty."


    "Oh my. Of course. Sorry for my inattentiveness."


    "Don''t mind. So, what do you have?"


    "Here is the cold milk that will be the main base of ice cream. There are chocolate chips, slices of banana, and oranges for toppings." She pointed toward some pots and cut-up fruits.


    "It looks delicious!"


    "Your praise warms my heart! Thank you, Lady Eli."


    "You are welcome."


    Claire and Heracles then came. Even though she was so cooperative during the peace treaty, she still looked somewhat hostile to me. She greeted me nevertheless.


    "Greetings, Princess Claire."


    "Hello, Eli. How is it going?"


    "I think I will manage. The party seems to be proceeding well, doesn''t it?"


    "Very well. In that case, I will excuse myself." She said and left the party venue. What transpired seemed like a typical greeting, but it wasn''t. Now that talking and greetings were over, it was time to do my job. I walked out of the party venue toward Dregorn''s guest room. However, inside I found maids cleaning the room.


    "Excuse me, do you know where Sir Dregorn is?"


    "He said he had an appointment with one of his friends. Since he planned to leave the castle after the banquet, I am tasked with cleaning the guest room, Lady Eli."


    "Hm? Do you know where he went? Is it outside the noble quarters?" I tried to calm myself, but Eli was screaming inside. The maid trembled because I couldn''t control my intimidation.


    "Yes. If I am not mistaken, he went to a restaurant downtown."


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    "Does he plan to ditch the banquet after all?" I frowned hard, but the maid shook her head.


    "Um¡­ I don''t think so. His belongings are still in his carriage. We will know if he wanted to leave the castle."


    "I see¡­" I then hurried my steps. When I saw some idle guards, I told them to report to Ludwin and watch Dregorn''s carriage. If he wanted to leave, it''s all on him. But leaving without a word would put a mark on the royals. I suddenly stopped when a realization hit me. Wasn''t this a perfect chance? Dregorn is alone now. I could take him.


    However, Dregorn wasn''t at the restaurant when I arrived. I tried to keep my cool and reassured myself that Dregorn was still in Althemer''s royal castle. He couldn''t possibly leave all of his stuff behind, could he?


    "Eli! Where were you? The banquet is about to start," Ludwin said. "Ugh, you''re sweating. I will ask the castle servants to let you take a bath. Dregorn is not in kindergarten. You don''t need to search for him like that."


    "But what if he is absent? Won''t it tarnish our reputation?"


    "If he is absent, it''s his choice." Ludwin shrugged. "The peace treaty has concluded. All we have to do is send our delegate to Elderan. Dregorn is no longer important.¡±


    "You''re right. Sorry."


    "Nah. It''s fine. I know what you are thinking. It is certainly better if we leave a good impression on him. Let''s go."


    After returning to the castle, I did as I was told and prepared myself for the incoming banquet. Even though I appeared calm, the ghost inside me was not. She kept pressuring me to kill him, making my head dizzy.


    "Look, Lady Eli. Ludwin took your advice. The food is now separated into different tables! We can line up wherever we want. Let''s try Safira''s ice cream!" Alicia said excitedly. Her maid uniform fluttered as she turned to show how she and the castle maid worked to decorate the venue. I am not exactly impressed. The parties in the castle were too bourgeois for me.


    "They are all still in the center, though¡­" What a Ludwin thing to do¡ªtaking half of the traditional method and half of my method. The food still appeared grandiose since it was still in the middle, but there were some alleys so people could line up at each food station. It''s better than before, but it still feels cramped.


    I looked around and saw a glint in the castle''s window. The trap had been set by R661. If Dregorn came, it should aim at him. However, he has yet to arrive. Impatience started clouding my judgment, and I unconsciously tapped my foot on the floor.


    "Are you waiting for someone, Lady Eli?" Alicia asked me.


    "Eh? Ah¡­ I am worried about Dregorn. He has yet to arrive."


    "I see. It is certainly worrying, isn''t it?" I knew I was not the only weird one here. Dregorn is a guest! If he didn''t arrive, it would tarnish both of our reputations! Yet it seemed no one cared about him.


    "Don''t worry, Eli. Dregorn is coming," Ludwin said. "I have received word from a soldier."


    "Good. Let me step out for a bit to get some fresh air." I sighed. Whenever I heard his name, Eli inside me was seething with hatred.


    "But, there are so many guests here who are eager to meet you, Lady Eli." I looked at the people lining up behind Alicia. Judging from their looks, they appeared to be nobles from all three factions. I have no use for them. I already have Ronya from Bron faction. Slane faction worships magic, and I am the best mage in the kingdom. As for the Merchant faction, I have Nana and Safira. There is no need to entertain them.


    "Well, the banquet has just started, Alicia. Let them enjoy the banquet first. It would be a shame to let our food go cold. I simply need to take a breather. Somehow my head is a bit dizzy. Maybe the light is a bit too dazzling." I smiled.


    "Yeah, you shouldn''t rush out to search for Dregorn in the city. You might get a cold due to the weather. I will prepare some warm baths and hot chocolate and milk after this party." Alicia let me go. She then looked toward the lining nobles and entertained them.


    "Lady Eli!" A beautiful man greeted me after I stepped out of the party venue.


    "Leon! Are you okay wearing that? Why are you walking out here so openly?" R661 approached me in his butler suit. Apparently, he didn''t even need to use the secret path. The palace guard knew he was my butler, so when he came through the front door carrying crates, they didn''t even question it and let him in. I almost popped my eyes out when I heard about the slacking guards.


    "You weren''t questioned by the guards carrying crossbow bolts?"


    "The guards even smirked. They really want Dregorn dead," Leon shrugged. "Ah, this is a secret, but I overheard another assassination plot against Dregorn."


    "... Not from me? How are they going to kill him?"


    "I have no idea. I have no idea whether they were reapers or not. We can''t contact R25B in the castle. Apparently, your plans weren''t the only ones."


    "Why? The treaty has been signed¡­"


    "They probably think killing Dregorn would ignite the war again."


    "I am not one to say this¡­ but these nobles need to love their country more¡­"


    "You wanted to kill him too, right?"


    "Yes. I did¡­"


    "Why? Could you tell me? I have no idea how high-level reapers think. There wasn''t even any commission about killing Dregorn¡­ I don''t think it will be worth it."


    "It''s vengeance for me. It''s personal¡­" I said. "And... There are commissions about killing Dregorn. You just didn''t know it."


    "I see. Maybe it''s vengeance for them too. The war shamed the entire imperial guard." Leon frowned. he viewed me as a high-level reaper, huh? That''s news to me. Did he want to learn how to earn a high earner in the Reaper community?


    "Ugh¡­ If the imperial guard was shamed, then they should start being loyal and follow orders!" I almost screamed my heart out.


    "Maybe. But if the peace treaty succeeds, they won''t have any chance to score merit except in the western frontier."


    "Is Narwhal here?"


    "Yes. I was tasked with planting the device, Narwhal is tasked with finding Dregorn."


    "How did he come in?"


    "Through the front door. He carried fruits you need for the banquet."


    "I see. The banquet has already started. Where are Dregorn and Samuel¡­?" I muttered. The trap has been set up properly. This is the first time I set up a commission through the Reaper guild, so I was nervous, but they apparently did a good job.


    "A fight happened on the west flank."


    "Again? Slane and Bron should call it quits already¡­" Some guards ran in a hurry.


    I felt a bad premonition. "Leon. Do you know where Nar¡­ I mean, R663 went?"


    "I think they went in the same direction as the guards that just passed us."


    I hate it when my premonitions are right.

 Chapter 78: Assassination

    A soldier flew past me as I looked for the source of the commotion. Samuel was defending Dregorn, blowing one soldier after another away. All the soldiers battling him were still alive.


    "Gyah!" I grabbed one soldier with my tentacle and threw him away from Dregorn. He was my prey; I needed to interrogate him. Seeing me arrive on the scene, the assassins fled. They knew they couldn''t win anymore, not that they ever had any chance of defeating Samuel.


    "Heh¡­ so you could hold back after all." I tried mocking him, but Samuel ignored me.


    "Lord Dregorn, we should flee right now."


    "Dregorn! The banquet has started. Do you want to attend?" Ludwin came to me after hearing the commotion.


    My eyes grew red. He is leaving, and I can''t do anything about it.


    ---------------------------------


    Ludwin POV


    Eli is amazing. With such a calm face, she threw a chair at the assassin when all of us could barely react against the rogue knight. As expected of nobles in the frontier, even their daughters were sharp against malice. She then criticized our empire. It was honestly embarrassing because what she said was the truth. We have no control over these knights, for they answer to their factions led by their respective dukes. However, I couldn''t say that out loud. Father told me to be calm and act as if everything is under control. No matter what happens, the empire will pull through, he said.


    I am glad Eli shared my worry about Dregorn. I said that it was fine, it was okay. But killing an ambassador was a treacherous act. Moreover, it happened after the peace treaty. Such an act could not be easily forgiven, even by our ally, the theocracy. If Dregorn were to perish, our standing prestige would hit rock bottom.


    After knowing imperial knights barely listened to the king, my father gave me full reign to handle the banquet. Heracles was supposed to be the one handling it, but the mistake on the peace treaty assignment was pinned on him. He and Claire were the ones who assigned the guards. The fact the guard he chose let the assassin through was a severe oversight. Nobles who didn''t like Claire kept blaming them.


    Doubt began to haunt me. It was a good thing Claire knew that the knight was not part of the guards she assigned. However, I don''t have that kind of ability. So, I called upon Elidranthia again. She surely would have trustworthy knights.


    She wasn''t wearing her heels, which made her look shorter. Was she being considerate? Nevertheless, she gave some advice about the food arrangements. I thought she was being nonchalant, but I received reports about her butler and merchant. Then, I realized she must have planned something. She sometimes looked like an airheaded girl, but that was unquestionably an act. She has proven herself in decisive moments. Even Father praised her. So, I just let her do as she pleased.


    Then, another assassination attempt occurred. I almost panicked and jogged toward Dregorn. As expected of Elidranthia, she was already on the scene and apprehended some of the culprits herself.


    "Dregorn! The banquet has started. Do you want to attend?" I ran to him. However, he declined. I guess it was to be expected. Someone was clearly after his life. It would be ridiculous to attend the banquet now.


    "Very well, Mr. Dregorn. Let me escort you to your carriage." I politely offered my escort. The rogue knights wouldn''t be able to do their silly tricks with me around. We can''t do anything about our tarnished reputation, but we won''t be seen as treacherous¡ªmerely as rude and unstable. I brought Thor, Gladius, and two other knights with me.


    As I walked down the pathway, I sensed dread. My feelings were clouded with fear as if a predator bared its fangs beside me. It was so unnatural that I looked around me and found out the sense of unease came from her. I sighed with relief at Eli''s petite body. We all knew about her magical impression.


    "Eli, tone down your magical impression. You''re making us nervous." I spoke to her casually. When she looked at me, her red eyes seemed to pierce my soul. I am a mage, but her magical impression seemed to affect me too.


    "Hieek!" Two of my knights drew their swords immediately. If it was Gladius or Thor, they wouldn''t be this rash. But I could see Thor and Gladius reflexively grabbed their swords as well. They didn''t draw them, though.


    "Calm down, you two. This is just her magical impression. Her impression scares others."


    "WATCH OUT!" Gladius immediately pulled me away as Eli summoned her tentacles. A clank resounded as Eli''s dagger met Samuel''s. I only sensed her tentacles, but apparently, her hand also held a karambit. The karambit met Samuel''s attack head on.


    "Oi, I thought we were on the same side," Samuel said. His usual frivolous attitude was nowhere to be seen as he glared at Eli.


    "I will never be on the same side as a monster tamer! Die!" Eli yelled.


    "Guard His Highness. Prince Ludwin, step aside for a bit." Gladius and Thor drew their weapons.


    "Wait. Who attacked first? Was Samuel attacked first?" I was confused. Was Eli saving me? I immediately shouted toward my guards, "Guards, apprehend him."


    "Stop! If you value your life. Their skills are outside of our capabilities," Gladius said.


    "Gladius! Are you disobeying me?"


    "Sorry, Prince, but my job is to defend your life. While Lady Elidranthia buys us some time, we shall retreat and call more guards. Ones with guns."


    "Wait! You would use a woman as bait? Aren''t you ashamed?"


    "Yes, it is embarrassing. But I know my own skills. Thor! Run and call for help. I will drag Prince Ludwin away."


    "I am also a mage! I will help her!"


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    "No," Gladius answered decisively. He then forcefully picked me up like a sack of wheat and carried me further. He turned at the intersection in the hallway and put me down.


    "Damn it, Gladius!"


    "Relax, Prince Ludwin. It seems like Lady Elidranthia is winning. It''s crazy how she could cast magic, move around, and even display such monstrous strength and speed." Gladius said as we took a peek from a safe distance. A gunshot then resounded, and Samuel lay there on a pool of blood.


    "Ah! Lady Eli used your gun. She won," Gladius said.


    "She is incredible." I sighed, but Gladius still held my arm.


    "Wait. It''s not safe yet."


    "What are you talking about? Dregorn is not a fighter, is he?"


    "We are not sure who attacked first. Samuel might have been coerced to attack Eli due to her magical impression. She might be guilty too."


    "Prince Ludwin, I brought some guards! Prince Heracles and Princess Claire also joined," Thor said. As he promised, he brought some guards. Abel, grandson of Duke Bron, a skill holder who beat Heracles, was also there together with Heracles and Claire.


    ¡°Heracles, help Eli.¡±


    "Wait! Lady Eli!" Gladius screamed. I looked in his direction as Eli, with her bloodshot eyes, stabbed Dregorn in the neck with her dagger that she picked from Samuel. The dagger slit through Dregorn''s throat, and a fountain of blood spewed out from his neck.


    "Damn it! I knew that bitch couldn''t be trusted. Fucking Reaper!" Heracles spat out.


    "Eli! What have you done? Why did you kill him?" We ran toward the scene. Eli, with her dark tentacles, held Dregorn''s corpse aloft. It''s over. Dregorn is dead. If Elderan learns of this news, we will go to war again.


    "Claire! We should kill her now!" Heracles Tried to engage with Eli and asked Claire for help.


    "Wait! There must be a reason for this!" I tried to stop him, but he merely pushed me aside.


    Heracles drew his sword, but since Claire didn''t reply, he turned back and saw Claire merely looking at Eli. He widened his eyes and stood closer to her. I didn''t know what they were thinking, but it seemed like he didn''t plan on engaging her without Claire.


    As I looked back toward Eli, Black ichor trickled out from her dark tentacles. Each one of them then slithered inside Dregorn''s every orifice.


    "What is she doing?" Heracles muttered.


    "I think it''s necromancy. It is a very advanced dark magic. I have never seen it myself, though. Heracles, let''s go. I want to check Dregorn''s carriage. Thor, I want to know what she got out of that corpse later." Claire walked away, seemingly uninterested. I was confused. Wasn''t she the one who supported the peace treaty? How could she stay so nonchalant about the death of an ambassador? What if we were embroiled in another war?


    "Help me¡­." A ghastly voice chilled my spine. Dregorn groaned helplessly.


    "Four years ago, there was a monster tamer who attacked Shadowstep County. Do you know who he was?" Elidranthia asked, her red eyes staring at him with hatred. "He should be among the founders of your monster tamer guild."


    ¡°Droner Gustav, Tione Alex, Seles... order from... Gustav...¡±


    "I see."


    "Release me... it huurts....."


    "Very well... You may go." Dregorn''s corpse dropped at once on Eli''s command. Our eyes met, and she then hung her head and ran away.


    "Wait! Eli!" I tried to stop her, but she only spared me a glance and ran. A hint of sadness escaped her eyes. I chased her, but she disappeared after using a smoke bomb on us. Her behavior was like that of a trained assassin. I refused to believe it, but... was what Heracles said true? Is she really a reaper?


    "Prince Ludwin?" Gladius came to me.


    "I have to see Claire."


    "Fucking traitorous scum!! After all I have done!" Claire spoke some obscene words when I arrived at Dregorn''s carriage. She rummaged through Dregorn''s belongings without permission. Her hateful words were directed at a glass bottle that looked like it was filled with water. She threw the glass with all her strength, and it broke, spilling its contents on the floor. A sweet aroma wafted from the bottle.


    "Claire, are you okay?"


    "Dammit! I never thought that bitch was right. Find an alchemist. Research that water, but don''t touch it. That water might be poison." She said. But her expression was enough to tell me that she was 100% sure it was poison.


    "Claire?"


    "What?" She was visibly annoyed and forgot even basic courtesy when addressing me.


    "What happened?"


    "Hah... wait a minute... I think Dregorn was trying to poison us. Or me. I have no idea. But since he brought poison here, he must have wanted to kill someone." She then sighed again. After she gained her calmness, she pleaded to Heracles, "Heracles..."


    "Alright. I shall handle it. Hey, you. Pick up some glass and a spoon and secure some of that water on the floor." He directed our guard to collect the poison.


    "I am sorry. I don''t know what has gotten into me..."


    "Well, betrayal certainly hurts. I am glad you are not completely indifferent about it." Heracles hugged Claire sweetly.


    I was jealous. I wondered if I could ever be as close to Eli as they were. But now, we had to fix this mess. How did Eli even know Dregorn was trying to poison someone to begin with? Why did she have to kill him? Why not just subdue and question him later?


    "Claire¡­ did you know Eli was going to kill Dregorn?" I questioned Claire. She looked at me and nodded, confirming it.


    "Elidranthia is a member of the Reapers. So, she knew something that we did not. Either she received a request to kill Dregorn, or she did it on her own. I can''t... I don''t know."


    "...Impossible. She was almost killed by Reapers two years ago. Do the Reapers allow their members to kill each other?"


    "Elidranthia had two identities. There is no way for the Reapers to stop people from aiming at her as Elidranthia." Claire shrugged, seemingly uncaring. I wanted to reproach her for being so indifferent, but my mouth stopped. I was ashamed. I had been with Eli longer than she had, but she seemed to know her better.


    "So, she knew Dregorn was here to kill someone."


    "Well, we shall see whether what she said was true or not," Claire sighed.


    The following day, an emergency meeting was held by my father and uncle. All the dukes were also in attendance. The topic was, of course, the assassination of Dregorn. I tried to find Eli in her house, her dorm, everywhere. But she left everything behind and didn''t even return to her dorm after that fateful night. She didn''t even tell Alicia and Safira about it.


    "I knew there was a rat in our country. It was that conniving bitch who seduced our prince Ludwin. These new nobles are cunning without a speck of loyalty!"


    "But Eli has saved us. Maybe even your son or anyone who attended the banquet. Our alchemist has proven that Dregorn carried a powerful poison!" I defended her. The result from the alchemist was in. It was a slow-acting poison without a cure. It would kill the victim in seven days or a month if the patient were treated by doctors.


    "But she is a Reaper," Duke Luca insisted firmly.


    "Be silent. Right now, what I want to ask you is simple. Should we announce the truth, or should we hide Dregorn and Samuel''s bodies?" My father spoke, and the room fell silent. "The only ones who witnessed Elidranthia''s actions were Ludwin and a small number of knights. We could hide his body."


    "There are letters asking when Dregorn and Samuel will be back. I don''t think we could hide this much longer," Duke Luca said.


    "I see. In that case, we shall say that Dregorn was assassinated, but we shall feign ignorance that it was Elidranthia," the king nodded. "Duke Luca, we need to take the peace treaty to Elderan. Is your daughter ready?"


    "Um¡­ Your Highness, we can''t possibly go to Elderan like this. Are you planning to kill Margareth?" As the leader of the Merchant faction, Duke Luca was the closest to Elderan. So, he volunteered to be our diplomat, but with recent events, he was too scared to go there. What a coward.


    "Hm¡­ then, I shall appoint Count Shadowstep to be our diplomat to Elderan. Will there be any objections?"


    "Good. He should take responsibility for his daughter''s mistake!" Duke Luca agreed.


    "Wait a minute, Your Highness." Claire stopped him. "I propose to go there with Prince Ludwin. I could calm some of their hatred, and Ludwin would show that we are sincere."


    "What?" I looked at her. She glanced at me and whispered. Her voice was too soft to be heard, but her mouth was apparent.


    "Eli will be there," she said.


    She read me like a book. Now that I knew where to look, I had to go there.

 Chapter 79: New Journey

    "Sir, R666 has completed the assassination of Samuel, one of the three musketeers of Elderan," R25B reported, submitting his documentation. Senior 3 frowned, surrounded by other higher-ups in the reapers guild. The emergency meeting had been called due to Elidranthia''s actions.


    "Why the heck did she kill him? And right inside the castle?" Senior 3 demanded.


    "She said it was personal vengeance, sir. Her target was Dregorn, but she killed Samuel too since he was protecting him," R25B explained.


    "I wonder if they will pay us..." Senior 3 sighed. "Handler?"


    "It would prove to be difficult," the Handler replied. "But our contract with the kingdom did stipulate them to pay."


    "So, you will not pay R666 her rewards? Even though this is all the fault of Althemer?" R25B tried to defend Elidranthia and his own paycheck. "She had specifically told Ludwin, and he had also informed the intelligence bureau to remove Samuel from the wanted list."


    "Really?" Senior 3 asked, eyebrows raised.


    "Yes. It happened several days after R666 met Samuel inside the castle," R25B confirmed.


    "Give us your card for a while," Senior 3 ordered.


    "Yes, sir." R25B handed over his reaper card, which was connected to Eli''s card. Unknown to most, the senior members knew that reapers'' cards had a recording function. Through R25 B''s card, seniors in the reaper guild could always know where she was and what she said.


    "Um... Senior 3. Eli also killed Dregorn. So, shouldn''t she be awarded 300 points from his kill commission too?" R25B asked further. Three hundred points seemed small compared to the 1000 points bounty Samuel had, but it was significant. Two percent of that meant 6 gold for R25B, and he wanted that money. But the seniors in the guild thought otherwise. They suspected R666 was cheating somehow.


    "It was Claire who sent us the commission. We suspect R666 leaked information about Dregorn to her, prompting her to give the kill commission instead of a counteroffer. That is illegal," Senior 3 stated firmly.


    "But did R666 do that? She indeed visited Claire in the middle of the night before the commission was up, but she did it to introduce Claire to become one of our reapers, right?" R25B argued.


    "So, Handler?" Senior 3 turned to the Handler for a decision.


    "Indeed. R666 never mentioned anything about Claire''s kill commission. She went there, gave our introduction letter, and left. Claire seemed to know Dregorn wanted her dead before Eli even arrived and merely used us as it was more convenient than getting her own hands dirty." The Handler, a dark magic user with the authority to peer into R25B''s card, which was connected to R666''s card, had reviewed the recordings and found no violation of the reaper''s rules. Elidranthia never told Claire anything.


    "How did she know?" another senior asked, but it was answered by other seniors.


    "Our reapers failed in assassinating her. She had a bounty of 2500 points, after all. Many tried, but all failed."


    "So, she surmised her commissioner to be Dregorn from our dead reapers?"


    "Yes," the Handler said. "Nevertheless, we should withhold Dregorn''s commission. It was a bit too suspicious."


    "Hm¡­ So, on another note, should we accept her?" Senior 3, in charge of managing reapers and operators, waved a reaper application letter from Claire. "Should we accept R777?"


    Eli had been a reaper for over three years. During that time, over 100 reapers were recruited, but only a third survived. Such is the harsh life of assassins. R25B could only sigh at Claire''s number. R666 would raise a fuss if he told her Claire''s number.


    "Why would a princess want to be a reaper? She is known to be a virtuous princess! This doesn''t make any sense!" Handler and other seniors were scratching their heads.


    "R25B, you were the closest to R666, and she was the one who introduced Claire to us. Do you know why Claire wanted to become a reaper?" R25B could only stare at them blankly. Eli made it her priority to stay away from Claire. So, he was actually surprised when Eli wanted to make an introductory letter for her.


    Moreover, what''s even crazier was that Claire accepted and applied the very next day. No wonder seniors were suspicious of Eli and Claire. They had no secret talk, no connection except harmless tea parties. Then one day, they tried to kill each other, but then, Eli introduced the virtuous princess to an assassin guild, and she accepted. At this moment, R25B realized seniors were suspicious of whether Eli had somehow eluded them and made a secret talk with Claire.


    "Perhaps she wanted to make a commission?" R25B could only spit out random answers. He had no grounds for this except for the fact that Claire gave them 500 gold to make a kill commission to Dregorn when she applied to become a reaper. The seniors discussed among themselves before him. R25B was only a lowly operator. He had no idea what these seniors think.


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    "Ah. I see. But that wasn''t our job. It was Handler''s. One need not to be reapers to issue a commission." Senior 3 was confused and so were others.


    "Handler, how could you miss her?"


    "I was about to contact her. But she killed our agents," he said. Everyone sighed at the oversight. It was unfortunate, but Dregorn''s kill commission had led Claire to suspect everyone around her. Any sign of reapers was killed without questioning by her agents before they could even enter the castle or even the capital. It was ironic since Claire wanted to make connections with the reapers.


    "If we accept her, our kill commission will be shadow-banned. Might as well cancel it. We will lose 3000 gold." Another senior who was in charge of commissions complained. Claire''s kill commission was 2500 points. Since the guild take fees, the other person had to pay 3000 gold.


    "But accepting her means we get a connection inside the castle. Now that R666 escaped the castle and nobles, she could no longer be relied upon as an informant." Senior 3 said. He was on edge about whether accepting Claire would benefit the guild.


    "R666 was not convicted yet. She could return." Another senior pointed at the fact that Ludwin and the royals obscured who killed Dregorn.


    "Her identity was exposed to many nobles. Do you think she will be safe in the castle?"


    "Claire is a princess. Will she do any commissions? She doesn''t seem to be in need of any money."


    "But she is a princess of TWO kingdoms now! The Western alliances also relied on her. Imagine how much information she holds."


    "And you think she will share it with us?"


    "If she refuses, we could mask it as a commission or trade information. She applied to us willingly. She must want something from us."


    And so, after a lot of back-and-forth debate among the senior management inside the Reapers guild (With R25B being the silent audience), Claire was reluctantly accepted as Reaper 777.


    With a lot of side notes.


    She will definitely cause an enormous headache for her operators.


    another side note, R25B was also instructed not to talk about Dregorn''s kill quest to R666 under any circumstances.


    ----------------------


    clank clank*


    A carriage made a rattling noise as I looked toward the red sky. Dawn had arrived, and the red sun emerged. It was easier than I thought. Dregorn gave me three names of those who killed my grandfather and my mother. There was no need for torture and misinformation. Necromancy was more useful than I thought. It cost a lot of mana, but the corpse told me what I wanted without any fuss.


    "Whoa! I never thought you were aiming for Samuel''s life. The quest for his life was still there! 1000 points in the bag! But you certainly made a mess, huh? The castle was in chaos after you left." R25B phoned in and celebrated. "Yippee! 2% of 1000 is 40 points! 40 Gold!! My paycheck for this year is secured!!"


    It seemed R25B was happy as long as he got money. Now that I cut off connections with Althemer''s nobility, I am headed for Elderan. I saved the names of some bigwigs from Elderan''s monster tamer, but one name was not in there.


    ¡°R25B, who is Gustav?¡±


    "Hm? How should I know?"


    "Could you post a commission? Ask for information on Droner Gustav and his relations with the Monster Tamer Guild. And I want more in-depth information about Tione Alex and Seles." Their names were on the list that I had commissioned from the reapers'' guild before. It says Tione is the secretary of the current Monster Tamer Guild. I was expecting the head of the Monster Tamer Guild to be the perpetrator, but Tione is a secretary while Seles is a random monster researcher.


    Even if they are directly linked to that fateful night, they likely received orders from Gustav. But I don''t know who this Gustav is. Is he some kind of Elderan''s noble? Well, I already put up the commission. Information about him will come soon enough.


    "R666, where are you planning on going now?" R25B asked.


    "I am going to Elderan."


    "R661 and R663 won''t come with you. They still have their own business."


    "Yes, I understand."


    "1000 points are nice. But damn¡­ you missed out on being a princess there, R666."


    "Princess Assassin has a nice ring to it. But yeah, too bad. This is all because of the Slane faction getting in my way." I almost cursed but held my tongue. I never wanted to become a princess in the first place. I am not Lady Elidranthia anymore. Right now, I am just Eli.


    "Never heard of a princess being a reaper before. The highest we got is a baron or the fourth son of a count. And now we got... you." R25B made a weird pause there. Was he mocking me? Sorry for not being a princess-like.


    A week later, I spent 50 points to get R25B to give me some stuff in a remote village near Shadowstep. That included clothes, several bags, daggers, throwing knives, a poison kit, contact lenses, hair dye, and 5 gold. Hair dye was a hassle, so I only used the contact lenses to change my eyes from red to blue.


    "So, am I a fugitive?" I asked. I was about to buy a horse from a nearby stable but hesitated. Maybe I should have asked the reapers to deliver one for me. It is a bit more expensive.


    "R663 said that the castle announced Dregorn''s death, but they didn''t know who killed him. All the blame was pinned on the reapers."


    "Hmm? Why?"


    "Well, your sweetheart must have pulled some strings. Aren''t you glad? So, want to go back to the castle?"


    "No. I have something to do in Elderan. I also need a horse and 10 more gold."


    "Ok. Another 50 points taken. Where should it be delivered? It will arrive tomorrow, perhaps?"


    "Thank you. I will arrive in the Shadowstep suburbs in two days. The Alucard village.¡± Some villages in the Shadowstep territory were named after his son. If this territory grew, will there be an Elidranthia village? Nah, unlikely. There was no Fiona Village, after all.


    "Roger."


    "Monster!" The carriage shook. When I peeked outside, several goblins with wolves were surrounding us. The mercenaries the carriage had hired drew their swords and engaged them. They seemed able to finish the ten or so goblins by themselves.


    "No need to draw your dagger, miss. I know you are quite experienced, but we can handle this." one of the mercenaries greeted me. "Greetings, I am Lucas, fifth-ranked in the Wolf Mercenary Group. If you need our services, just call for us."


    "No need," I answered curtly. How did he know I hold a dagger? Is he a powerful individual? I did hold a dagger, but it should be concealed from his viewpoint.


    The journey went by peacefully. As R25B said, a man gave me a horse and my package after I showed him my reaper card. Then, I continued on towards Elderan after passing by my county and the forest. I tried my best to avoid people.


    The peace treaty was just signed a week ago. So, there were no checkpoints here yet. I could pass easier than when I did it last time when monsters swarmed the area. Then, before me was the country of Elderan. Its fort-like wall was smaller than ours, but it certainly had hold off the Althemer army.


    I went to the gate. This time, there were no counterintelligence agents posing as wandering villagers in need.

 Chapter 80: Elderan

    "Who are you?" The guard stood imposingly before me.


    "I am a traveler from Althemer," I told the gate guard.


    "Hm? Althemer?" He frowned. "Why are you here?"


    "We just signed a peace treaty, so I thought it would be okay to travel." I considered getting inside discreetly, but it would be troubling if they had unique identification for this fort, so I opted to be honest.


    "What''s your business in Elderan?"


    "I wish to visit the Elderan city."


    "Ah, you wanted to see our capital?"


    "Yes, I wanted to see the Monster Tamer Guild."


    "I see. Good. You may rest here. The entrance fee is one gold."


    "One gold?"


    "Yes, you are from Althemer and thus not in the Western Alliance. We might have peace for now, but we don''t know about the future. Pay or be gone."


    "Okay¡­" I am a mage, so I could pay them. But this was obviously a robbery. They essentially asked for half of a knight''s monthly wage for entrance to the city. Moreover, I have to do this for every city. I regretfully paid him the gold coin.


    Even though we are enemies, the inside of this fort strangely reminded me of Shadowstep County. Most houses were made from wood. There were dirt roads with pavement only covering the front of a few houses. I didn''t need to guess which houses belonged to nobles or affluent families.


    "Damn you! I worked ten years for you, and you just cut me off when I was in trouble?" A mage shouted to the innkeeper. From my mana sensing, he was about a level 3 mage.


    Wow. Was this country so full of mages that they could afford to fire any? In Althemer, people would hire any breathing mage with a pulse. Well, it was not my problem. I nudged my horse to walk forward until I found an inn. It was expensive, 5 silver per night. I grumblingly paid the innkeeper and went on to my own room.


    "Are you a traveler? You look like you could fight. How about registering as a mercenary?" the innkeeper assessed. Was it because of my intimidation? Or was it because she saw my dagger? It was nice not to be treated like a kid due to my petite body.


    "I want to go to the capital."


    "Then all the more reason to register as a mercenary. You get to have an identification card. With it, you could go inside any city for free. It does not work for all cities though, but at least you might get a discount." The innkeeper gave me a tip.


    "Really? Okay!" I only had 5 gold at the moment. I could always draw more from R25B, but it would cost me 10 points to deliver it here. So, I rode toward the guild immediately.


    When I came inside the guild, it looked more like a tavern. I was suddenly reminded how I was recruited as a reaper. I certainly passed through taverns like this one. They say it was a mercenary guild, but it looked more like the adventurer guild we have back in Althemer. Was the difference simply that they also accepted commissions from the military?


    "Little miss, do you want to make a commission?"


    "I want to register. The innkeeper recommended it. They said you could pass the city gate for free if you were registered."


    "I see. There is a test. After you pass, we will give you a temporary guild card. You have to complete at least two quests using that temporary ID. Then, you can have the real one."


    "What''s the test? And what quests do you do here?"


    "The test is combat with our veteran members. You don''t have to beat our tester, but at the very least, you need to hold out for two minutes. Well, even if yo lose, i will be the judge whether or not you will pass."


    "I see." I looked out the window. The sun was almost down. "When does the test happen?"


    "Right now, if you wish. Hey! Hellhound! You''re up!"


    "Huh? What''s a kid doing here?" A bald bandit appeared. His smug look was the epitome of a small fry in the fantasy anime I used to watch to pass the time back on Earth.


    "She said she wanted to become a mercenary. Go to the ring," the receptionist smirked.


    "I don''t hit women or children."


    "I am not a child! I am 16!" I said. The legal age here is 15, so I am an adult.


    "Oh? Is Hellhound scared?" I widened my eyes at the receptionist who was egging him on. I took a closer look at the punk bandit before me, he looked at me cautiously. Was he some powerful guy? There was no such thing as an appraisal system here, so looks could be deceiving. Since there were skills, even a kid like me could match the strength of an adult. So, size was not a guarantee either.


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    I went to the training area with dread. The punk used a scimitar sword. However, the blade was sheathed. Looking at him, I immediately sheathed my dagger. Even though he looked like a bandit, I guess he had the decency to sheath his blade when sparring.


    "Begin," the receptionist volunteered to be the referee in addition to the judge. As soon as he said begin, the punk disappeared. My danger sense quickly told me that I would lose my head, so I ducked down. Part of my hair was whizzed by a passing object above my head. I quickly stepped away from the skinny man behind me.


    "I see you have quite the skills. That was some superb dodging there. If you pass, wanna join our party?"


    "I need to get to the capital first."


    "Good. We have an escort commission there. I will recommend you. Only if you can actually beat me or survive for two minutes." He smirked. This punk was not your typical bully but a battle maniac! Once he knew I had some skills, he suddenly acted cozy and warm.


    "I will beat you in 20 seconds," I retorted. I am an experienced assassin. I have killed tens of people. I really wanted to put a bump at his punk, handsome face.


    "Oh¡­ we shall see." He chuckled. A hint of mockery was seen on his face. His expression said a lot about how he would put me in my place by kicking my butt.


    I dashed toward him. I wasn''t as fast as him, but with my enhanced agility and petite body, I was like a speeding bullet or a flying arrow. My sheathed dagger aimed for his throat. However, he disappeared once again. Without looking back, I unleashed my dark bindings and felt a feedback. The tentacles hit him. Then, I hugged him using my tentacles and slammed him on the ground. As he groaned in pain, I prodded him with my sheathed knife.


    "How many seconds was it?" I asked the referee.


    "All right. You passed. It seems like Hellhound didn''t pull any punches, either. Since you are a mage, your commission will be deducted by 40% according to tax law compared to other mercenaries. Welcome to the Elderan mercenary guild, Eli." he ignored me! I merely stood agape. They took almost half of what I might earn in the future simply because I am a mage. Well, I registered as a mercenary, not for money. So, I reluctantly accepted the guild card.


    "You didn''t tell me you were a mage," he cursed.


    "You said you have an escort quest to Elderan City, right?"


    "Not really. The escort will be to the city before it, Sami City. After reaching there, you can simply take any request or go there by coach. There is no direct route from here to Elderan city."


    "I see. Can I join you?" I tried to remember the Elderan map but drew a blank. I could vaguely remember the geographical terrain leading to Elderan, but I had no idea about the surrounding villages and cities.


    "All right. Since you have the recommendation of Hellhound, I will make an exception and allow you to leave the city. I will also make your registration free," the guild receptionist nodded. "Normally, I would ask you to take some quests around filling feystones, construction, killing monsters, or healing others. But if you were recruited directly, I can''t interfere. Those Claire''s faction is pro-mage, after all. You should help others while at it, though. It''s your duty as a mage."


    The receptionist left, leaving me stunned. I turned to Hellhound and asked, "Is that how you normally treat mages around here?"


    "Ever since Claire''s faction arrived, mages born in Elderan could work anywhere. Before, all mages were required to sign with Elderan''s government and were employed directly by them. Anyone who wanted to employ mages would need to call the government. It was a good thing for us! We mercenaries could finally get mages! Don''t worry. My group will treat you better than others! I promise."


    "I hope Claire will gain more power here¡­ I thought she already owned all of the Western alliance."


    "Where are you from again?"


    ¡°I am from Althemer.¡±


    "Ah. I see. It''s the land where we commoners have to kneel and kiss your feet whenever you pass by, huh? It might be rough for you to move here. And word of advice, don''t ever mention Princess Claire''s name recklessly. You might get killed."


    "Hm?" I thought Princess Claire was loved everywhere like a goddess. Why would mentioning her name get me killed? But before I asked further about Claire, I needed to correct their misunderstanding about mages. "Althemer isn''t like that. That''s the Theocracy."


    "But you guys are allies, right?"


    "Well, yeah, I guess." I was stumped. So, it was a crime by association, huh? I shouldn''t talk about Althemer recklessly now. If towns in the borders were like this, I can''t imagine what the capital would look like. I wanted to shout that they were the ones who attacked us first, but that might prompt them to answer that our lands didn''t belong to Althemer but to the now-conquered and defunct country of Shadowland.


    "I want to talk about Claire. How is she perceived here?"


    "We like her. She is fair and just. Thanks to her, the mages aren''t monopolized by the nation, and even us mercs could finally get a hand on some. But don''t ever mention her to rich guys or nobles. You might get into some trouble."


    "I see. So nobles hate her, huh?"


    "Nope. Not all of them. That''s the tricky part. If someone asks you if you''re a Claire follower, answer, ''I don''t like her very much, but she saved Elderan from the Althemer invasion.'' If they''re in Claire''s faction, they''ll nod and try to preach her benevolence, justice, fairness, yada-yada. If they''re in the opposing faction, they''ll say something about how Claire isn''t fit to be the Western Alliance figurehead despite her merit. Her behavior supported mages like Eastern nations. Either way, you won''t earn much ire."


    I gazed at him incredulously. "I see. But I''ll still get a sermon, huh?"


    Hellhound smirked and nodded. "How is she perceived in Althemer?"


    "I think it''s about the same. She sided with the anti-mage faction despite being a mage. That puts her in the middle ground. Many have tried to assassinate her, both from the anti-mage and mage factions."


    "I see. I personally support her. Rather than those corrupt nobles."


    "I agree." I nodded. I''d read about the Western Nations'' policies regarding mages, but reading and experiencing it are different. I really support her from the heart despite her trying to kill me.


    Despite her trying to kill me. I need to say it twice. I support her, but I must remind myself that she might hate me. We did try to kill each other not a few days ago. She seemed amicable during the Dregorn case, but her eyes said otherwise. I have no idea what she''s thinking.


    I wonder whether we became friends during our talk that night. I have no idea what I said to her during that night since it happened in another timeline. I only planned to tell her about Dregorn, Monster Tamer, and Reaper''s commission about killing her. But was the talk spread out to other stuff? Did she know about my parents? I hope she forgives what I did to Dregorn. I''m not stopping, though. I might need to kill more of her followers. I hope she doesn''t have many followers in the monster tamer guild.


    "See you tomorrow. Don''t forget to gather at the mercenary guild at dawn. We''ll depart two hours after," Hellhound said, breaking me out of my daze.


    "Okay," I answered.

 Chapter 81: Sami

    The sky was red in the dream. Eli walked to a pedestal, placing Dregorn''s head on it. Mountains of corpses were strewn across the dreamscape. She looked forlorn, as if she were in a haze.


    "Oh. Welcome."


    "Regretting your decisions?" I teased her. Her expression looked sad when she placed Dregorn''s head. Unlike other corpses which were strewn on the ground, Dregorn''s head seemed special to her. Does this mean her quest for vengeance finally begins? Or ended?


    "Hm¡­ I''m sorry, I guess." A feeling was transmitted. She didn''t feel sorry for them, but she felt sorry for me. I had abandoned Alicia, Ludwin, and everyone else in Althemer. I didn''t care very much about Ludwin, but Alicia and Safira were important. I didn''t really want to leave them if possible. But alas, I have to. For her. For the girl who seeks vengeance before me.


    "I wonder if you can make friends after all of this¡­" She hung her head.


    "I''ve decided to help you. I didn''t like it when you went out of control, but I did want to search for the one responsible for your parents. Was killing Dregorn satisfied your vengeance? He was innocent, right?"


    "He knew about it. That must mean he was in the same group that killed my mother. He has no excuse!" She glared at me. Her guilt was washed away by the rage from deep within her. That was stupid of me. If she was going to stop by mere words, she wouldn''t have offered her soul to the reaper comet like this.


    "I see." I sighed. "Well, he did know, and we got three names from him."


    "Thank you for your understanding. Once we kill these three, you will have your body back." Eli went back and stared at Dregorn''s head. We were the complete opposite. I had healthy parents. I left them first due to my sick body. I didn''t know how it would feel if my parents were killed before my eyes. Death, after all, was better than living in sickness.


    "Let me hug you for a bit, Eli." I walked up to her and hugged her. Our faces and bodies were the same, so it looked like two twins hugging each other. Our bond grew deeper with each nightmare. As I hugged her, I could tell that she was suffering here too. There was no one who loved her. She was scorned by everyone. The one who loved her was murdered.


    "Our time is up. By the way, you have a level-up notification. It appeared after I killed Dregorn and Samuel. Goodbye." She smiled. "You did something unnecessary. No matter what, I won''t stop."


    Blessing of the Killing Star has risen to level 7.


    Choose your upgrade:


    - Necromancy level 2


    - Vampire dominance


    - Improved speed level 2


    "I understand. At least, I wanted to help you."


    The dream ended. An unfamiliar ceiling was above me. The inn here was subpar compared to the ones in Althemer, and it was expensive to boot. I later figured out that most of the expenses came from food. The food prices here were about quadruple those in Shadowstep and double those in Althemer''s capital.


    "Thank you. Are you checking out?"


    "Yes. I have an escort commission to Sami from the mercenary guild."


    "I see. We will miss you. Please stay here during your return trip to Althemer, okay?" the innkeeper smiled sweetly. I nodded and left the inn. When I arrived at the guild, Hellhound was at the door, tapping his feet. Was I late?


    "Was I late?"


    "Just a few minutes. By dawn, I mean before the sun rises. You''re a newbie; show some consideration. We don''t know our client''s temper." He preached. I tilted my head as he lectured about punctuality. In this world, where clocks are a luxury, dawn means when the sun rises. Is this like that Japanese custom where you are required to arrive 15 minutes early?


    "Okay." I nodded.


    "Here is Hell Biter, Hell Archer, and Hell Knight. Guys, this is our temporary member, Eli. She is a dark battle mage."


    "Greetings. I am Eli. I use daggers."


    "I am Hell Biter. I use swords."


    "I am Hell Archer." He wasn''t an elf; he looked more like a fantasy ranger. I bet he used daggers, too.


    "Hell Knight. I am the tank of this team."


    "Greetings." I bowed. I almost curtsied out of habit but refrained, which elicited some chuckles from the group.


    "Are you a noble? Hellhound, did you manage to snare some innocent mage girl from a rich family? I didn''t think you had it in you! Hahaha."


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    "I didn''t! It was during the entrance test. She beat me!"


    "Hey, stop slacking off! I know she''s cute and all, but if you slack off on the recruiting criteria, she''ll die!"


    "I didn''t slack off! I didn''t know she was powerful, okay? She could even dodge my skill!" Everyone went silent when his skill was mentioned.


    "Well, we''re late. Let''s go to the gate. The caravans we''re escorting are parked there." Hellhound went on leading the way. The gazes from his teammates say it all. They didn''t believe I was able to dodge his skill.


    The five horse riders then trotted to the gate. After reaching the gate, Hellhound dismounted and greeted the caravan owner. There were about five carts in the caravan we were to protect. The plump man and his wife welcomed Hellhound with a smile, but he frowned when he saw me.


    "Hm? Since when did you start recruiting girls? Is she a freeloader? The fee to Sami is two gold, miss," the caravan leader named Fran said arrogantly. I frowned at the price. Two gold was ridiculous. That was like asking for a knight''s monthly salary for a mere ride to another city. Even plane tickets to other countries were cheaper than that.


    "No, I am part of the caravan escort ." I looked at Hellhound and tried to gesture to him that I was uncomfortable with this client''s attitude.


    "Yes, she''s right. She''s a proficient battle mage. With her around, we can rest easy against monsters that can use magic."


    "Oo, a mage, huh? Did you hire her from the Gulag? How did you get past the mage bureau? I want a mage for myself, too." The merchant sized me up. His smile wasn''t lecherous, but he seemed to measure how much I was worth in feystones. That doesn''t make it less creepy, though.


    "Gulag?" I recoiled at the ill-sounding name. There was no Russia or Soviet Union here, so the name must be a coincidence.


    "No, she''s a foreigner. She''s not a national mage. I caught her when she was registering in the mercenary guild."


    "Don''t hire her. You''ll get blacklisted, you know." The merchant frowned.


    "Mercs were already blacklisted from the Gulag a few years ago. Besides, even when we weren''t blacklisted, we always got the worst of the mages. The Gulag can go to hell for all I care," Hellhound shrugged. "What, are you going to cancel the escort quest?"


    "No. I am just warning you. But when people talk to me, don''t mention she is a mage, and don''t make her use magic."


    "Of course. I don''t want precious mage to be stolen by crooks like central nobles."


    "What is Gulag?"


    "The Gulag is a national company filled with mages. Before Claire''s act of mages'' freedom, every mage had to register themselves with the Gulag, and they would be the ones to assign work to you."


    "I see. Do they enslave the mages there?" I frowned. The books I read back in Althemer Royal Academy started to make sense. So, this is how slavery was going.


    "Hmm¡­ not really. The Gulag was made to ensure that commoners and mages were equal. Some level 3 and below are paid similar to usual laborers, while those above level 6 are paid similar to nobles."


    "I see." Well, the Gulag doesn''t sound too bad if I hear it from him. But that''s not my problem. I have money; the Gulag has no business with me.


    "Let''s go."


    "Hey girl, rather than becoming a merc, you should try the Gulag. It''s fairer that way. I will ensure you have a patron." The merchant scoffed but returned to the front carriage. We encircled his caravan as guards should. Hellhound took the front, Hell Biter and I covered the flanks, while Hell Archer and Hell Knight guarded the rear.


    "No thanks," I muttered softly so he couldn''t hear. I am level 8. Besides, if I were level 3 and below, I might have a more complicated life than that random mage who was fired yesterday. I was born as a poor count''s daughter. Alicia was also a poor commoner before she discovered her talent. She wouldn''t be able to escape debt and poverty if she was treated with The Gulag.


    I looked to my right. The dirt road was narrow, and we traveled more slowly than when I was in Althemer. Despite using horses, our travel speed was only slightly faster than walking, maybe just a light jog. I suddenly felt uneasy; this caravan had an arrogant merchant, an inefficient road and travel plan, and only one guard per carriage. It was practically inviting trouble.


    When I saw movement in the bushes in the distance, I immediately extended a tentacle that held a dagger towards it, stabbing the bushes. A person suddenly jumped from it with a surprised squeal.


    "Hey! What are you doing?" I looked at him. He looked like a bandit. "Are you a bigot mage?"


    "Bandit?" Hellhound muttered as he trotted in our direction. I nodded, but he didn''t seem to believe me since the bandit was unarmed.


    "Um, we are sorry. We are currently guarding the caravan. If you have no business with our clients, I hope you keep your distance." Hellhound replied cordially. I tilted my head at the nagging bandit and why he was unarmed. Then I figured out he was merely a vanguard. The bandits hadn''t completely encircled us yet; that''s why he was here to buy time. Unlike caravan escorts, bandits were usually poor and could only afford a single low-quality weapon. That''s why they needed to encircle the caravan to prevent our escape.


    "Hellhound, we might get surrounded soon."


    Hellhound, who had been trying to calm the enraged bandit, suddenly sprang up, realizing he had been trapped. "Caravan! Speed your horses! Escort! Charge! Damn it, I forgot! I thought he was merely a mage hater."


    But it was futile. As we dashed forward, The road ahead was blocked by some wire mesh. The carriage wasn''t meant to travel in a forest, so we couldn''t take a detour. We were stuck.


    "Surrender your goods and we might spare you. Oh, and leave the mage girl here," the bandit leader said. A total of twenty bandits rushed towards us. The scout from earlier smiled smugly as their plan succeeded.


    "Guard the carriage. I will engage them!" Hellhound shouted. He jumped and stepped on his horse, then disappeared. It was the same skill he used on me during the test. He reappeared next to the bandit leader and decapitated him.


    "Apprehend the merchant! Make him stop!" one of the bandits ordered.


    As the bandits surrounded us, I matched their number with my tentacles. With a throwing knife in each one, the tentacles shot to their necks and slit them, ending their lives. Three more bandits fell to Hellhound while I was killing the ones surrounding me. I observed him; he couldn''t use his skill consecutively and needed about five seconds before he could activate his teleporting ability again. That skill was ridiculous. Anyone without a danger sense skill would be ambushed easily. I wondered how far he could teleport.


    "What the¡­ hey, you said she was a battle mage!" Hell Archer exclaimed.


    "Oh, she is capable of combat, alright." Hellhound cleaned his sword with a cloth.


    "Damn. Thank god you''re on our side, miss. Leave some for us next time. I feel bad for taking the commission without even doing anything." Hell Biter said as he sheathed his sword.


    I didn''t leave blood on my knives either. I used water magic to clean them. The members were shouting again, asking whether I was a dual elemental mage. I am a triple elemental mage, but controlling other elements was so hard. Even though I was supposed to have level 4 water magic, I could barely hold the waterball to produce water constantly.


    Secondary magic was so hard.

 Chapter 82: The Stilted Stampede

    A week later, we arrived at Sami, a commercial hub for Elderan. A wooden gate wall contrasted with the paved road leading to it. Sami was closer to the capital, and it really showed by the number of lamps that were lit during the night. The streetlamps stayed on all night. I wondered how many mages were needed to keep these lamps burning. If I recall correctly, a low-level mage could only maintain three or four lamps during the night.


    "What a waste¡­" I muttered as I stared at the lamps. They were spaced evenly every twenty or so meters. The paved road reminded me of Althemer''s capital.


    "Right? Those damn nobles keep all the mages for themselves. Look at these feystones wasted on streetlights at night." The mercenary nodded to me. "I heard one mage is tasked to maintain one lamp. If only they would lend the border cities more mages, we could have nice paved roads or even some of those lights at the gate."


    The nationalist merchant couldn''t even argue back at the mismanagement of mages. In Althemer, the capital was slightly nicer than border towns like Shadowstep, but we certainly had our share of mages as long as we had money.


    "Well, I guess our escort ends here." We all came to a stop before the merchant''s tavern.


    "Yes. Thank you for the escort. Here are some of my wares. I hope we can have a cordial relationship." The merchant gave a bottle of beer to the mercs and a bottle of juice to me.


    "I am not a kid¡­" I muttered at the juice.


    "Unless you have solid identification, I can''t be sure if you are actually fifteen. So, no, I can''t give you a beer." The merchant smirked. I pouted at such discrimination but accepted the juice. It didn''t seem like he scammed me. This blueberry juice was refrigerated with a magic tool inside his caravan. It was technically more valuable than the beer.


    "Well, I don''t like beer anyway. Thanks for the juice, but you better treat me like an adult next time. If I remember correctly, it''s also against the law to employ underage persons." I smirked back at him.


    "If I may ask, what level are you? I need to report to Gulag if the mages are shirking their duties. I thought that refrigerator needed the mana of at least two low-level mages." The mage asked. I was asked to provide mana to his refrigerator on the road. Even though I was reluctant, I did it nevertheless due to wanting to make a good impression in my first commission. People here asked mages to do their bidding like they would ask others to photograph or borrow a pen. They thought it was a small favor.


    "I am level 8." Everyone went silent at once.


    "Bwahahaha! Nice joke! Level 8, huh? Why would that kind of mage be walking around like a lost child? Well, you''re certainly a better mage than others. Maybe qualified for mid-rank." The merchant laughed and then announced to people in his store. He then patted my head. "Look! We have a court mage here! Bwahahaha! It''s good to have confidence! Alright, see you. If I need a competent mage, I shall call you. Level 8."


    The merchant strode off. Should I tell him that I am also triple elemental? Well, I can''t call myself triple, though. My fire and water mastery were only suitable for washing hands and lighting a matchstick. But that merchant sure was rude! Even Alicia or Ludwin never patted me on the head!


    "Are you really level 8?" Hellhound asked me with an incredulous face. I smirked at him and rode my horse back to the mercenary guild. After I finish my second commission, I would finally have Elderan''s ID.


    "Yo, want a commission in Elderan?" R25B called me through my reaper card. I hurriedly strode to an empty chair on the corner of the mercenary guild.


    "I thought I would never hear from you again. Where were you?" I asked R25B.


    "Well, jobs in Elderan are rare, you know. I won''t come over to you just to chat. I have a life here, you know." The easygoing R25B never changed. Hearing his voice somehow soothed me.


    "Alright, what''s the commission? By the way, did you have any development with the commission I asked you?"


    "This commission should be right up your alley. It''s about a monster rampage. If you can find out the cause, you will be given 200 points. For your commission, the reaper who provided us the last time already moved to another country, so you might be on your own now."


    "Alright." I nodded. I then scanned the surroundings. When I came to the receptionist desk, Hellhound came beside me. Was he waiting for me to go to the receptionist''s desk?


    "Are you spying on me?" I asked Hellhound. I already scanned the surroundings. He shouldn''t be anywhere near me to hear my conversation with R25B.


    "How''s the juice? Was it tasty? It is a good habit to scout talented members. I hope you learn that someday. I will pick some harder quests; you may follow. It will still count as your achievement. How''s that? You might be a mage, but you certainly can''t do everything alone, can you?"


    "Why not?"


    "Here, for example. This is a bit above your paygrade, but with me, it will be safer." He shoved a commission into my face, "Be grateful. Not every day, you got a quest this nice."


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "I didn''t recall the mercenary guild having rankings," I questioned him. I would prefer working alone, but this guy certainly has the skills to back up his words. I would like it if he joined as a party member.


    "They don''t, but they record your achievements and talents. They wouldn''t let you handle this quest alone. You could get killed, the quest could fail, and the guild would lose face. Everyone loses. So, they wouldn''t give it to solo members. So, how about it?" He smirked. The punk''s attitude was getting on my nerves, but he was correct. Moreover, the commission he was holding seemed related to the commission from the reaper guild. The commission was to exterminate the monsters in the mountain.


    "Alright."


    "First, you need to get thicker clothes. You can buy some in the market. The place we''re going to is cold," Hellhound said. He then waved me goodbye. "See you tomorrow. Here at dawn."


    I did as I was told and bought a cheap jacket near the guild. When the morning came, we departed for the forest east of Sami. Far in the distance, the capital of Elderan, Elderan City, was visible on the mountain path. I could get inside without an ID, but it would be troublesome. Moreover, even if I forced myself, I likely wouldn''t get inside the Monster Tamer Guild without an ID, so I guess I have to do this job.


    "Hell, do you know about the Monster Tamer Guild?" I tried to make small talk as we rode our horses outside the city. The horse trotted slowly.


    "Of course. Elderan officials are always bragging about it," Hell said as we rode our horses through the forest. When we came to the mountain, I realized it had many forests. I thought Elderan would be more like a wasteland since they struggled with food, but it has many greeneries. I wonder why they struggle with food production. Couldn''t they just have chopped down the forest and opened up agriculture?


    "Really?"


    "They even have people selling monsters here for 2 gold and 3 gold for the collars. It''s just goblins, though."


    "Why aren''t we using it?"


    "Because it''s useless. First, many people bought into it. They said the monsters didn''t need food and could work tirelessly forever. But we discovered the monsters slowed down and died about a week later."


    "Why?"


    "We just found out that monsters feed on mana. Without it, they die and disappear. So, to keep them alive, they have to eat feystones. Ridiculous, isn''t it?"


    I rolled my eyes. Feystones were priced at about 3 silver per piece in Althemer, but that only applies if the empty feystones were returned later. Since the monsters actually ate the feystones, the price should skyrocket.


    "Do we have that many empty feystones?"


    "Of course not! And they didn''t eat empty feystones either. They need to be filled. Crazy, right? Well, some people can actually afford it. But it was only kept as a pet to impress the capital nobles. If the monster didn''t work, the feystone it ate would also decrease."


    "I heard from Althemer that you used monsters here because you couldn''t afford horse feed."


    "Hahaha. These monsters can''t even be used as meat shields in wars. Thanks to those fuck-ups, we were almost enslaved by Althemer!"


    "We don''t enslave people¡­." I argued. Althemer has no history of enslaving their people. County Shadowstep is a prime example.


    "Occupation, annexation, whatever. Words are just words. No way I''m kissing up to mages every day." Hellhound said, "You seemed like a rich girl. Why are you traveling alone?"


    "I have business in the capital. With the Monster Tamer Guild."


    "I heard ya. But really? No letter of recommendation, no guards, no parents. Only a horse?"


    "I can fight, so there''s no need for guards. Would you actually accept a letter of recommendation from Althemer? I do have some letters from Claire, but I heard she''s less welcome here than I thought." I replied. I don''t actually have that kind of letter, but I do have her permission to visit the Monster Tamer Guild. Should I ask R661 to get a formal letter of recommendation from Claire? The thought certainly crossed my mind. But when I heard Claire was not very welcome here, I decided against it.


    "That''s wise. You would get so much trouble from both factions if they knew you were close to Claire." Hellhound nodded.


    "So, what''s the deal with the forest?" I asked him.


    "Some anomaly. Monsters are more numerous than usual."


    "Hm¡­ do they know the cause?"


    "If they did, they wouldn''t have hired us." We continued our talk to the forest.


    "Salamanders!" Archer said as he put an arrow in its eye. Hellhound finished it with his trademark warp skill before he and Archer let out a warning. "There are two more!"


    "This one is ours!!" Hell Biter and Hell Knight engaged the other salamander. They didn''t have any skills, but they certainly pulled their weight. Hell Knight took on the aggro while Hell Biter attacked its flank. Hellhound finished it with another warp strike to its head.


    I looked at the remaining salamander and quickly cast Darkness Bullet. The bullet would make the target hallucinate and shift our positions a few meters away from our real ones. As the salamander leaped and charged into the air, I slithered my tentacle and stabbed it in the neck like Hellhound did. But its scaly skin deflected my blade. The smooth green skin of these salamanders had blended quite well in the forest, making my blade slide out when I tried to stab it. It was harder than it looked, too.


    "Hah!" Another warp strike later, the salamander I was toying with was stabbed by Hellhound. I swear, if he were wearing a tuxedo, he would look like a playable character from that famous game back on Earth. It''s too bad that this one is dressed like a bandit.


    "That sword is unexpectedly sharp¡­" I muttered.


    "First time handling a salamander? Its scales are hard and slippery, so you need to push it with your weight. My skill didn''t just transfer me, but the force that was applied to me too."


    "Alright." I didn''t actually need to do it like that; I could simply entangle it and drain its life force with dark magic. But I guess his method was faster.


    "Come on, Eli. Stop being so lazy. You didn''t even step down from the horse," Hell Archer said.


    "Why? It''s comfortable here. The road is muddy." I yelled.


    "Well, mages from Althemer sure are a spoiled bunch, hahaha." The party laughed. The corpses of the salamanders we had just defeated disappeared into motes of light, signifying they were monsters.


    Monsters can be created from mana particles in the air, but three appearing simultaneously is rare. A premonition flashed through my mind at the possibility of another spawner.


    "Have you ever heard of the horde of monsters that infested both Althemer and Elderan several years ago?" I asked the mercs.


    "Hm? Yes, We dealt with them all the time. Now that you mention it, the stampede stopped about two or three years ago. It''s because the soldiers are clearing the forest between Shadowstep and our border town, right? They took our jobs! Thanks to them, there are fewer jobs in border town!"


    I fell silent. They didn''t know about a spawner, huh? We continued deeper into the forest. I didn''t tell them about the spawner because I wasn''t sure this was caused by one either. But I wondered whether I should even mention it. If I have a spawner, the Monster Taming Guild would surely welcome me with open arms.


    I wonder what I should do.

 Chapter 83: Dragon

    "Shit! We can''t do this. There are too many monsters!" Hellhound said as he warped back to our defensive position after his fifth kill. Twenty more salamanders were still around, slowly encroaching on us.


    "Is using warp exhausting?" I asked him.


    "Yeah. You get tired when using mana too, right?"


    "Sort of," I answered noncommittally. This was definitely caused by a spawner. We shouldn''t attack from the front like this; there would be no end to them. "The three musketeers could take this on, I presume."


    "We are not those godly warriors! You''re a mage too, right? You said you''re level 8! Do something!"


    "I am a dark mage. I specialize in illusions. They aren''t attacking us because I''ve impaired their senses. They shouldn''t be able to see us," I answered. "Wanna run?"


    "Couldn''t you direct them somewhere else? Like off a cliff or something?"


    "Hm¡­ maybe one, but all of them would be difficult." Dark magic is specialized for one-on-one. Maybe I could make a dragon appear to scare them off? But they could also sense mana, and if they don''t sense any in the dragon illusion, there''s no point. "I thought I could simply wait here while you kill all of them. I''ve hypnotized them. It should be as easy as hitting a dummy."


    "Let''s leave," Hellhound said before I stopped him.


    "They will all die in about an hour," I said as I fired darkness bullets at them. As the corrosion began sapping their life force, they started to slow down. I need to get that spawner.


    "Hm? You''re suddenly motivated," Hellhound tilted his head when he saw me dismount and cast magic repeatedly onto the herd.


    "There is a spawner there. If we don''t do something, a monster stampede will occur."


    "Spawner?"


    "It''s the same reason why there was always a stampede in Shadowstep every month. The stampede stopped because Elderan stole the spawner for themselves," I finally told them what I knew. The party looked at me weirdly. I took some risk in telling them. I hope they didn''t dig too deep.


    "How did you know this?"


    "Well, the Shadowstep military talked about it."


    "Whoa. You''re in their military?"


    "Um¡­ yes?" Technically, it was Alicia, but since I''m her master, I am also counted.


    "How old were you again? It was like two years ago, right? Does Althemer employ underage children in their military? I guess Althemer is no better than our Gulag." Hellhound sighed. "This world is fucked."


    "No. Gifted children are taught how to fill feystones from the age of 10. Then, someone else buys them. Or, they can seek permanent employment anywhere, including the military, if they want to."


    "Yeah, a child like you would surely get scammed." Hellhound scoffed at Althemer''s policy about mages. I knew I wouldn''t be able to win an argument with these guys. Let''s wait until all the salamanders in this forest are dead.


    "The salamanders stopped moving," Hell Biter said.


    "They''re still alive, but if you want to hasten the process, you could go and finish the job," I said. "Be careful; they could still jump at you, maybe."


    "Alright! Ohh! This one dropped a feystone!" they nodded and slew the salamander one by one. After we cleaned up the battlefield, some salamanders dropped feystones, and we ended up with three of them. Three feystones for over twenty salamanders seemed like a bad harvest, but these guys were chill. They accepted any kind of extra income.


    As we progressed through the forest, Hellhound suddenly stopped and turned to where we came from. He sighed and told us to retreat calmly. all of his party members follow suit. I, who is a tad bit shorter, lifted myself up over the bushes with my tentacle to look at what scared them.


    "Let''s leave. We can''t possibly clear that." Over three hundred scaly monsters were visible in the distance.


    "I suppose we have to warn the mercenary guild," Hellhound said as we retreated. If only I were a fire mage, I could cast a wide-range fire spell to annihilate these salamanders. Oh well, I guess I''ll come back here again at night. The journey back was uneventful, but we didn''t lower our guard.


    "So, how''s the commission?" The mercenary guild receptionist asked, but Hellhound frowned.


    "It was really bad. There were hundreds of monsters there¡ªwyverns, salamanders, snakes¡ªall kinds of monsters. A stampede even worse than what happened in Shadowland might come for Sami and the capital."


    "Really?. Did you know the cause?"


    "We cannot confirm it, but Eli here said there was a spawner."Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "A spawner¡­" The receptionist frowned, but he didn''t seem surprised.


    "Oh, you know about it?"


    "Heh, this young lady is more informed than I thought. Well, she is a mage; she gets that preferential treatment. Now, this is a secret, but a spawner is a treasure of condensed mana that sometimes spawns in abandoned areas. The country will pay you handsomely if you can get your hands on it. So, think you can do it? It''s easy with your skill, right? You just need to warp there and back. "


    "Nuh-uh, my warp strike range is 100 meters at most. I can''t see the spawner, so it''s futile. I''m not stupid enough to transfer in the middle of a monster zone. By the way, a stampede is going to happen. You must warn the capital and the Duke of Sami!"


    "Well, your loss. Anyway, I''ll mark the commission as complete. You have done a good job scouting the area. A message about the incoming stampede will be sent to the respective lords." The receptionist shrugged his shoulders and filled out the commission form. Seeing him reminded me of R25B. I had to give reports to him too before I headed out to the forest again.


    "... So, that''s the gist of it. I''m heading back to the forest now." I reported my findings to R25B inside the inn I rented.


    "Gotcha. 200 points in the bag. Excellent work!"


    "Was the reward this time a bit big?"


    "Yeah. Elderan is in a hurry to get that spawner. If you can get it, they''ll pay 1000 points!"


    "I heard it was a dead technology, though¡­"


    "Really?"


    "Yeah, people here don''t actually use monsters in their everyday lives. People still use horses. Monsters aren''t efficient enough to replace horses despite the increase in food prices."


    "I see. That''s interesting information. I''ll tell my seniors. So, you didn''t see any tamed monsters in Elderan?"


    "They said tamed monsters are used more like pets or to show support for Elderan''s national policy."


    "I see. This info is from your mercenary group, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Alright. I''ll record the information. Now, go get that spawner, my little reaper! 1000 points are on the line! That''s a full 20-gold for me! It''s fascinating how you always seem to be in the right place at the right time! Big quests like this keep happening in front of you! I think a promotion and salary increase is on the horizon!" R25B kept blabbering about his achievements and how he would soon be rich. I ignored his tirade and headed back to the forest.


    I didn''t intend to hand over the spawner to the reapers. I planned to use it to bribe the monster tamer guild. There hasn''t been any new information about Droner Gustav, Tione Alex, or Seles. I asked the mercenary guild about influential lords around here and those with contacts in the monster tamer guild, but it bore no fruit. There was no mention of this Gustav.


    As I approached the forest, the growls of salamanders could be faintly heard. The bushes rustled as I passed by on my horse. Sensing that I was making too much noise, I dismounted and continued on foot. Using my reaper card and the glasses connected to my cartography tool, I had already mapped the path leading to the monsters we encountered this afternoon.


    A few hours later, I found the monster group. In the shade of the night, I ambled, silently casting illusions on every monster that came near me. Dark mages cast illusions inside the brain, unlike light mages, who bend light to create illusions. So, I could obscure their sense of smell, too.


    I should have been able to obscure the mercenary group from the monster too, but since I had yet to grasp our group''s behavior, I didn''t say it to them. I didn''t know if they would make surprising movements like attacking the salamanders, touching them, or being seen by them before I could cast my magic. The salamanders weren''t stupid; if I obscured all their senses, they might go into a rampage.


    "Hm¡­ this is harder than I thought," I muttered. I had cast magic on over two hundred monsters, but I still couldn''t find the spawner. The Shadowstep Forest only had ogres and goblins, so it was easier. Moreover, there was a dragon here sleeping in the distance.


    The dragon was beautiful. Its silver scale seemed to shimmer like jewels. However, when I cast my illusion on it, it reflected my magic! I needed to stay away from it. If it sensed me, I would have to fight it, which was impossible among these monsters.


    "Ugh¡­ should I give up the quest?" Dragons were very rare, but they were no longer as invincible as the myth. A well-placed cannonball could kill it. The garrison would suffer tremendous damage, but Elderan should still stand even if this stampede occurred. Heck, even Hellhound could probably kill it by teleporting a blast charge or dynamite onto its back. However, I lack the capability to fight it now.


    A few hours later, I still couldn''t find the spawner. I had already gone to the edge of the monster group where the monsters started to thin out. That left only one place to search: the area around the dragon. But I couldn''t possibly search for it without awakening the dragon.


    "Hah¡­ I should wait here for a while. Maybe I should visit daily or camp out. I could steal the orb when the dragon is out." I formulated a plan as I returned to the mercenary guild when dawn arrived.


    "You''re still here, Miss Level 8?"


    "My name is Eli, Hellhound. Yes, I''m still here. Why ask?" My irritation peaked as this punk greeted me while I lounged in a restaurant he recommended. He joined in and ordered a hot dog with coffee as he teased me.


    "No, I thought you would take the carriage to Elderan City. You said you wanted to visit the monster tamer guild in the capital, right?"


    "Well, the spawner in the forest piqued my interest. I want it."


    "We want it too, you know! The mercenary guild phoned the capital, and now they''ve issued a quest to take the spawner. It was worth 300 Gold!"


    "Instead of giving it to the mercenary guild, how about giving it directly to the Monster Tamer Guild?" I asked them.


    "Hmm¡­" Hellhound and the others looked at each other before nodding. "Maybe it''s worth the money? 10% isn''t much in usual cases, but this spawner could be worth more than three hundred gold in the capital." Hellhound seemed used to low-level commissions. It might be unthinkable for him to consider that the spawner was valued at 1000 gold.


    "Yeah. The commission taken by the guild must be enormous. It would be better to hand it over directly." Hell Knight and Hell Archer agreed, but Hell Biter had a different opinion.


    "But what about the guild''s reputation?"


    "That''s what I''m worried about," Hellhound nodded.


    "Come on, it''s just one quest," Archer said.


    "But how are we going to get past that field of monsters?"


    "It''s Easy. We just need to wait until the stampede happens. Then, as the monsters move out to the city, we can steal the spawner," I said.


    "... You''re unexpectedly heartless, Eli. What about the people in the city?"


    "We already told the guild the stampede is going to happen, right? It''s up to this city''s lord to deal with it. Do you think you can make a difference? If you feel so philanthropic and selfless, stealing the spawner is still at the top of the list. I heard the monsters spawned by a spawner would disappear if the spawner was destroyed." That last part was a lie. I didn''t know whether the monsters would disappear or not.


    "I see. Very well, we are in your debt. Let''s do it and steal that spawner!" Hellhound said and went off to do some shopping for our camp.


    Ah! I forgot to tell him about the dragon¡­

 Chapter 84: The Spawner

    "Watch out! Salamanders!" Archer shouted as we rode our horses away from the monster group. I quickly grabbed one with my shadow tentacles and cast an illusion spell on it. When another salamander spewed its venom, I used another tentacle to shield the group. It was just our luck that the monster group started moving right as we entered the forest.


    "Head to the side! The monsters should prioritize going to the city," Hellhound shouted, steering his horse away from the approaching creatures. We all followed him, urging our horses to race faster.


    I feared the worst, but fortunately, it didn''t come true. The stampede didn''t follow us; they moved toward the city as predicted. Although this was my suggestion, planning and actually executing it are two different things. I felt a bit guilty watching the stampede head toward Sami.


    "Alright, we''ve finally lost them. Let''s get to the spawner. Archer, do you know the way?" Hellhound asked.


    "I marked it on the map, but the stampede might have changed the terrain, so I''m not entirely sure," Archer replied.


    "Don''t worry. We''ll know when we get there. The spawner will always be guarded. I think I saw a dragon there," I added.


    "A dragon!?" the group shrieked. "When did you see it?"


    "Um¡­ Last night?"


    "Bullshit. There''s no way you could travel through monsters at night without waking them!" Hellhound sighed, clearly not believing me.


    Well, if he didn''t believe me, that''s fine. He will see it firsthand later. I had already bought some explosives at the store earlier. All he needed to do was plant the explosive on the dragon. Mana explosives weren''t rare; you just needed to enchant the mana tools and fill them with feystones. It was even taught in Althemer Royal Academy. The price here was a ripoff, though.


    Hellhound had to work extra hard today. Due to the stampede, many stragglers came our way. In just two hours, he had killed his tenth salamander. The team dynamic was odd but compelling in its own way. It was clear that the team relied heavily on Hellhound''s abilities, but they didn''t take advantage of his skill. They all did their best to complement him by scouting, tanking, and even kiting. Hellhound didn''t brag about his skill, either. This made the team dynamics more like a family than a mercenary group. It was endearing.


    "See? A dragon, I didn''t lie!" I puffed my chest as the silver scales of the creature came into view. The landscape had changed a lot, and now that it was noon, we had a full view of the dragon. Its blue eyes glared at us menacingly.


    "We¡ªwe''re gonna be rich!!" The team shouted in joy. "Dragon scales are at least a gold for a piece!"


    "But that''s a monster, you know. It won''t drop loot, just a feystone," I informed them. The group collectively slumped in despair. I smirked in amusement.


    "Damn it! You didn''t have to pour cold water on us, girl! It''s a boss, it should be different!"


    "Is there even such a thing as a boss monster?" I asked. I want to believe it, too, but such a concept doesn''t exist in this world. If it does, Shadowstep County would be rich with its monthly stampede. Monsters made from mana crystallized into feystones; there''s no such thing as boss monsters dropping dragon fangs or scales that can be molded into armor or swords. However, besides monsters, there are also animals. The body of an animal doesn''t disappear, so if someone really wanted dragon scales, they could get them from a dragon that''s not a monster.


    "No, there isn''t. Ugh¡­ I just wanted to dream a little."


    "If we beat it, we could call ourselves dragonslayers! Isn''t that enough?" Hell Biter said.


    "Alright, let''s go. Watch out¡ªdragons can use magic," Hellhound warned as we dismounted. The dragon merely stared at us like it didn''t care. As expected of a monster created by a spawner, its job was to protect the spawner, and it wouldn''t attack us until we were within range.


    I thought we would get an easy kill because Hellhound could teleport onto its back and plant my explosives there. But when he tried, he missed by a good 5 meters. After scrambling with all his might for five seconds under the dragon''s onslaught, he teleported back to our location.


    "Damn it! I can''t get close¡ªit blocked my skill." He was running out of breath as he returned to us.


    "Let''s run!" Archer wanted us to retreat but the dragon flapped its wings. now that it has been disturbed, it views us as a threat and will chase us.


    "The dragon is chasing us! We can''t outrun it even with our horses. Let the horses go; we have to engage it from here!" I didn''t mount my horses and fired off a dark bullet, but its scales seemed to block any skills and magic. The dragon soared into the air, and in the spot where it had taken off, I saw a silver glimmer. It was the spawner. The dragon was guarding it like an egg.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    As the dragon chased the team who left me with their horses, I ran toward the spawner. The mercs didn''t hear me and continued fleeing with their horses. Sensing that I was approaching the spawner, the dragon turned to me at once, abandoning its chase. When the dragon got close, I summoned all of my tentacles, each carrying a dagger. The resulting spell made me look like a phalanx formation readying itself against a cavalry charge.


    It might have been effective against horses, but this dragon was immune to magic. My tentacles vanished before they even made contact with the dragon, and the daggers lost their momentum against its thick scales. I used my tentacle to throw myself out of its path as it landed.


    Using my enhanced strength and agility, I darted forward like a speeding bullet. I charged toward the dragon and stabbed my dagger into its thick skin. It worked! My blade embedded itself deep into its flank. As the dragon roared and swiped its tail, I made a mistake. Out of muscle memory, I tried to grab the dragon with my tentacle, attempting to vault myself over it, only for the tentacle to disappear upon contact with the beast. Sensing the imminent danger, I jumped backward and crossed my arms in defense.


    The huge tail slammed into me like a truck, sending my body flying like a ragdoll in a video game. I skipped across the ground multiple times, like a stone thrown on a lake. I groaned in pain¡ªit was intense¡ªbut I had no time to worry about it. The dragon was charging at me full speed. I grabbed the pistol inside my shirt and shot it.


    It seemed I had some talent for shooting someone in the eye because my shot landed right on its fragile right eye. The dragon reared back at once, howling like a cornered beast. I immediately used my tentacles to scurry away like a cockroach. My hands throbbed, and my body screamed in pain as I moved my body using dark tentacles.


    "Die!" Hellhound warped forward, flying to the dragon''s other eye and slashing it with his scimitar. I scanned the surroundings and noticed that the team had returned while I was engaging the dragon. I thought they were more of a "every man for himself" type, but they actually came back.


    Now that the group had regrouped, Hell Knight took charge in front while Hell Archer used rope darts to restrict the dragon''s movement. The dragon was blind now, which made it more unpredictable but also made the battle easier. Unlike other dragons, this one didn''t use breath attacks or magic, and Knight''s shield and armor could withstand its physical assaults. Was this dragon invested all its points into its skill and magic nullifying scales?


    "Die!" Hellhound ran and climbed to the dragon''s back, strapping the explosives I had given him to its neck before teleporting away. The resulting explosion blew its neck apart. The death throes of the dragon resounded through our ears. As the dragon dissipated like other monsters, it left behind a colossal feystone, about the size of a soccer ball.


    "Yeah! We''re Dragon Slayers now!" Hellhound danced gleefully, holding the feystone above his head. His teammates joined in the ridiculous dance while I propped myself up. I groaned as feeling returned to my hands and back. None of my bones seemed to be broken. Slowly, I walked to the spawner and picked it up. The spawner was perfectly round, unlike the feystone, which was shaped like an uncut diamond. Moreover, it glowed with a white light. It was uncanny.


    "So, this is a spawner, huh...? It does seem important," Hellhound and the group commented behind me. They had done their ridiculous dance and remembered why we came here in the first place. I yelped in surprise and dropped the ball. Thankfully, unlike the dragon, the spawner didn''t resist my magic, and my dark tentacle managed to catch it.


    "Don''t scare me like that! I almost dropped a 1000-gold treasure!" I yelled at the punk and his muscle-brained team.


    "1000? I thought it was 300?"


    "I mean, it''s very precious! We have to treat it with care. A single arrow or impact could crack this thing and render it worthless!" I remembered when I shot a dark arrow at the spawner in Shadowstep territory to distract the monsters and divert the attention of the three musketeers. The spawner cracked, which is why Elderan could only produce low-level monsters.


    "Sorry! Well, here''s a bag with padding to keep it safe. Now, where to, girl?"


    "To Elderan''s capital, of course¡ªto the Monster Tamer Guild," I replied.


    "Before that, do you think we could check on Sami? I''m tempted by the extra money, but I''m not willing to sacrifice thousands of people there for a noble''s plaything. We have to destroy the spawner if the wall is breached." Hellhound looked at me sternly. "I hope you understand that."


    When I looked at his face, I realized he wouldn''t budge. I merely nodded. If worse came to worst, I might have to kill this team and steal the spawner.


    Wait...


    It''s not guaranteed that handing over the spawner will make them give up Gustav. I might even have a better chance of doing all this discreetly, sneaking in at night and using necromancy on the researchers there. I don''t want to betray this group that helped me against the dragon.


    Conflicting thoughts roused within me as the group called for our horses. One part of me said I shouldn''t be cruel; human life is more important. But my goal¡ªto find out who Gustav is and who killed my mother¡ªwas equally pressing.


    "Here! Some salve. You were thrown pretty badly back there. It might not compare to light or water magic healing, but this is the best we''ve got." Archer handed me a bottle of yellowish, mysterious substance. As he poured it onto my hand and I rubbed it in, a refreshing, cool mint sensation washed over my aching arms. He handed me the bottle.


    "So, want me to rub your back? You were hurt there too, right?" Hellhound smirked, but he quickly backed off when I shot him a death glare full of intimidation.


    "So, we''ve got a lolicon here. I never thought you were that kind of person, Hound," I teased him with a smirk.


    "Hey! That''s a false accusation! You were wounded! It''s only fair I helped you. I''ve rubbed that salve on all my teammates, and they''ve rubbed it on me too! It''s a friendly gesture!" Hound spat out his defense, but his teammates didn''t believe him. "Besides, you said you''re fifteen. You''re legal!"


    "Your argument is sound, but not with that smirk and face, boss," Hell Knight and Hell Biter sighed, and we all laughed.


    I exhaled in relief. I''d made my decision. I''d give them the spawner if they wanted to save Sami. There was no way I would kill them and hand it over to an organization that''s essentially my nemesis, sacrificing thousands of people in the process.


    ...It turned out Sami was fine. The wall was a little scratched, with pieces of debris here and there, but the city stood strong against the stampede.


    Give me back my sentiments! It was all useless worry!

 Chapter 85: The Capital

    Like a jewel in a barren wasteland, the capital of Elderan was a sight to behold. The city radiated with the wealth extracted from the poor. A pristine marble wall, free of blemish and dust, surrounded the city. Golden lights illuminated the streets at all times, casting a warm glow over everything. The polished surface of the castle in the center made the city shimmer, like a crown with the castle as its crowning jewel.


    Silver-armored soldiers guarded the gate. After verifying our identities, they not only let us in but also pointed us toward our goal¡ªthe Monster Tamer Guild.


    Surprisingly, the guild was open to the public. The first floor hosted various monsters, from salamanders to goblins. I was surprised to see they had creatures other than goblins, but the prices were outrageous. A goblin was worth 1 gold, but other monsters ranged from 10 to 100 gold. It was ridiculous¡ªhorses only cost 10 gold!


    Well, it must be expensive to hire experienced adventurers to catch these monsters, so I could understand the price. Goblins were cheap since they had a spawner for them.


    I browsed through the monsters until I reached the receptionist. I asked to meet the manager or someone high up, mentioning that I had a spawner for sale. The manager smirked, but when Hellhound opened our bag with a flourish, his expression turned to one of marvel, and he quickly went upstairs.


    "Greetings, my name is Seles. You said you have a spawner?" A woman in a researcher''s lab coat approached. My blood ran cold. Seles was one of my targets, one of those responsible for my mother''s death. The moment I realized this, Eli nudged me inside my heart to make the first move, but I stayed put. We still had Droner Gustav and Tione to find.


    "Behold! This is a spawner! This cursed artifact has the power to summon monsters and nearly brought ruin to our beloved town of Sami. We witnessed its terror firsthand¡ªit summoned a dragon! Its majestic wings, its glistening scales filled us with dread. But we persevered! We slew the dragon guarding this treasure! All for the glory of Elderan, and thus, we offer it to you. We pray that you reward us accordingly." Hellhound held the spawner aloft, flourishing it as if it were the most precious thing in the world. I wanted to ask where on earth he learned to speak like that, but I refrained. A guild higher-up was watching us closely.


    "I see. This is certainly a spawner," Seles said, her smile gleeful. But then she looked at us with suspicion. "How do you know this is a spawner?"


    "Well, you placed a commission with the Mercenary Guild, didn''t you? And at such a high price, too. We kind of need more money right now. I need new weapons, and the price hikes are hitting our families pretty hard. So, that''s the situation." Hellhound coughed, hinting that he wanted a better reward than what was offered in the mercenary guild.


    "I see. So, you need more money. I''ll see what I can do." As Seles was about to leave with the spawner, Hellhound stopped her.


    "Sorry, ma''am. We''ll hand this over once appropriate payment is made," he said politely, asking Seles to return the spawner. With a blank expression, Seles handed the spawner back to him, and we left the building. Hellhound reassured her beforehand, "Don''t worry, ma''am. We''ll surely give you the spawner once proper payment is arranged. If you''re not satisfied with the spawner''s condition, we''ll take our business elsewhere, like the Mercenary Guild, for example."


    As we left the building, I frowned at Hellhound''s decision. I hadn''t come here to bargain the spawner for money but to interrogate the Monster Tamer Guild about the assassination of the previous Count of Shadowstep. But Hellhound was the leader of our group, so I had to follow his lead.


    "Shouldn''t we have just left the spawner with that lady?" I asked Hellhound once we reached a nearby pub. "She said she''d pay us later¡­"


    "Tsk, tsk, you don''t know how to deal with Elderan''s nobles, my 15-year-old Loli. You can''t hand over the goods before you''ve got the money in hand," Hellhound lectured me, acting all high and mighty as we entered a nearby eatery. His condescending tone was infuriating. He then ordered hot dogs and beers for everyone. I opted for fruit juice; I don''t like beer, and I prefer to stay sober in this country. "Just look at her eyes. She really wants that spawner. There''s no doubt she''ll pay us 400, no, 500 gold for it¡ªway more than the 300 gold the Mercenary Guild offered us! This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance."


    "Are you sure we should be doing this, boss?" one of his members questioned.


    "Hey! It''s not like I''m extorting her! As long as she offers more than the Mercenary Guild, it''s fine. She can decide how much this glowing ball is worth. We''re being very generous, right? She can talk to her superiors or her noble backers, and then, once the price is set, we''ll hand over the spawner! Everyone knew the Monster Tamer guild had government subsidies! They were drowning in cash!"


    "I see. That''s good, then! I support you. Hey, once we get the money, how are we going to split it?" all the members nodded. Hellhound''s decision except me. I sighed as greed seemed to outwit me in this game. I think I just lost the chance to get close to the guild cordially.


    "Hmm? We''ve got five members. If we get 500 gold, we''ll split it evenly¡ª100 gold each. If it''s 400, then 100 each for me and Eli, and the remaining 200 split among the three of you. Fair? Eli earned the money. She worked hard against that dragon."


    "More than fair! That''s why you''re our boss!" The team lifted their beers and toasted. As they celebrated, the door suddenly crashed open.


    "Freeze! We are Royal Knights!" The knights barged into the restaurant and stormed over to our table. Without delay, they apprehended us and Hellhound.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Hey, what did we even do?" Hellhound shouted as we were being carted to the carriages.


    "You''re accused of employing an unregistered mage and spying for Althemer!"


    "What? She''s no spy! Everyone knew we had a peace treaty with Althemer; peddlers and adventurers are welcome!"


    "Cease you mumbling! Come with us! Install the mana restriction bracelet on the girl!" the commander ordered. "Search their belongings. Find the goods."


    They carted us out and threw us into their carriages. Through the thin wooden walls, I could hear their conversation.


    "Did you find the spawner?"


    "Yes, sir."


    "Good! Let''s move out." That short conversation told us everything we needed to know. They wanted that spawner so badly that they were willing to break the law for it. As the carriage headed to the prisons, I got a call from my earclip.


    "Hey, R666, that commission I mentioned? Sorry, but it looks like it got canceled because they found the spawner. Did you have anything to do with that?" R25B annoyingly asked me through my earpiece. After ensuring I was alone in a corner of the cart, I whispered back.


    "Yeah, they just robbed me of that spawner¡­." I replied.


    "Oh? Trying to get more money, huh? Naughty girl. Sorry, but that''s going to be tough. You see, when someone makes a commission, they have to put up the money upfront, and it can only be returned after five working days. No organization just has 2000 gold lying around. Well, I''m disappointed, R666. I thought we had a better relationship than that. I guess this commission is a no-go, then?"


    "Yeah," I sighed.


    "Who are you talking to?" Hellhound asked.


    "I''m talking to someone in Althemer," I lied. Technically, the Reaper organization has a base in Althemer, and R25B is from there, so it''s not entirely a lie.


    "Oh! Are you talking with Princess Claire? I knew you were someone influential! Please tell her to get us out of here! We''ve been falsely imprisoned!" Hellhound perked up immediately, and his idea sparked one of my own.


    "Hey, could you send a message to Princess Claire? Tell her I''ve been imprisoned in Elderan''s capital," I instructed R25B. "Seles and the Royal Knights are the ones who imprisoned me."


    "Hm¡­ that''s a bit tricky. We don''t have any other Reapers in Elderan. How does 100 points sound?" R25B suggested. However, he didn''t sound troubled at all. I realized he just wanted to squeeze some points out of me.


    "Ugh! Fine, 50 points, okay! Wait, Claire is in Elderan?"


    "Yup, she''s on her way there. Don''t worry, your payment has been received. Reapers always do their duty with utmost efficiency! She''ll get your message in less than a day."


    "How did you do it?" I was puzzled. If he said there were no Reapers in Elderan, how did he get the message to Claire so quickly? Did he use some Magiphone like my earpiece and happen to know Claire''s number? But phones here don''t have numbers; they''re made in pairs, like string phones.


    "That''s a trade secret. See you in the morning." R25B ended the call.


    "What did she say?" Hellhound asked expectantly.


    "I wasn''t talking to Claire directly. But I was told she''ll get my message tomorrow. Also, Claire is apparently heading to the capital."


    "Princess Claire is coming here? Thank God! Thank you, Princess Claire! You''re truly a goddess! She''s so much better than these rotten crooks! Long Live the Princess!" Hellhound sounded relieved as he cheered with the others. Our journey to the prison was accompanied by Hellhound''s rants about how terrible the nobles were and how wonderful Claire''s benevolence was.


    It must be nice to be so simple-minded. Claire''s coming here is probably related to the peace treaty. I wonder how she''s going to fix this mess. It''s doubtful she''ll help me at all. She might seem nice, but she''s cunning. All her good deeds are calculated, just ways to improve her standing.


    "Stay here! If you really are innocent, we will release you in less than a week!" The guard threw us all into a prison cell with no discrimination about gender. What kind of police did Elderan have? No wonder Althemer called these guys barbaric.


    "Ugh!" I groaned, imagining her smug grin if Claire does end up saving us. It infuriates me. She might be on good terms with Elderan now, but she definitely has henchmen within the Monster Tamer Guild. That makes her my enemy, right?


    I scanned the surroundings, assessing if I could escape, and sure enough, I felt like I could. This mana-sealing bracelet only blocks my magic, but I still have my skills like camouflage and enhanced strength and agility. If they opened the door, I could knock out the guards and escape.


    "Hey, you''re not lying when you said Princess Claire is coming to help us, right?"


    "I never said she was coming to help us. I said Claire is coming to the capital, probably for the peace treaty ceremony."


    "What? But she''ll send someone, right? Right?" Hellhound asked, twice as worried now. But I''m not Princess Claire¡ªI can''t guarantee that two-faced princess will actually come to our rescue.


    Just then, a guard came by with our meals.


    "Here. Have som¡ª Hey! What are you doing?" The guard pulled back, but it was too late. I had already stolen the gladius from his waist. Then, using it like a lever, I slipped the sword into the bracelet on my left arm and cracked the bracelet open.


    "Help! The prisoners are escaping!" The guards shouted as I broke the bracelet on my other arm using the same method. As my magic returned, I summoned several dark tentacles¡ªone to pick the jail''s lock and another to cast hypnosis on the guards. After knocking them out and unlocking the door, I gestured for Hellhound to follow me.


    "Let''s get out of here," I said, but they just stared at me as if I were crazy.


    "Are you nuts? Attacking knights and escaping prison is a capital offense! You''re going to get us all killed!"


    I looked at them, surprised and baffled. Why were they suddenly so law-abiding at this point? Well, they''ve always followed the law despite the bandit getup. I guess I''m the odd one out. But the deed is already done. All I could do was make sure the blame was on me."If you don''t want to escape, that''s fine. You can stay here. If the knights ask, just blame everything on me."


    "Ugh! Why did you attack the knights! They just said we would only stay here for a couple of days if we were found to be innocent! Sorry, but we''ll stay. The worst they can do is lock us up for a few months or years. I''m not risking capital punishment over some misunderstanding. Moreover, we have family here," Hellhound said. Apparently, they believed this was all just a misunderstanding. I wondered what Elderan''s nobles would really do to them.


    "If the judge asks, just tell them that Princess Claire knows Elidranthia Shadowstep¡ªthat''s my full name. If you get killed, I promise I''ll avenge you." With those parting words, I left the prison. Several guards were alerted, but I put them to sleep with my dark magic. Our belongings, except for the spawner, were placed on a table. After retrieving my things, I left the knights'' station. Once out in the open, I used my camouflage, and nobody could sense me.


    I felt disappointed and betrayed. I thought we were closer than this, but they made their choice. So, I left them in prison. Thinking back, they were never really part of this. The Monster Tamer Guild is my mission, not theirs.


    Under the cover of the new moon, the night was as dark as my heart. I approached the Monster Tamer Guild with a purpose. To interrogate Seles. I should have done this from the very beginning. It was stupid of me to cajole these Elderans.

 Chapter 86: Retreat

    The guild was still lit, even in the darkest hour before dawn. With the advent of feystone lamps, working late into the night was possible, but few companies did so. Feystone was expensive, and people needed rest. The fact that the Monster Tamer Guild''s windows were still glowing meant someone was still working.


    It was much harder to use my camouflage skills in a brightly lit room. I had to find some dark corners to hide in. Despite the light, there was only Seles inside. Sensing no one else around, I approached her, entwining my dark tentacles around her. Surprisingly, she had some talent as a dark mage and resisted, but I was more proficient.


    "What are you doing? Are you assaulting a government employee? That''s treason, you know."


    "Why should I honor agreements with people who steal from the poor? You sent those royal knights to steal the spawner from us, didn''t you?"


    "The money will be ready in a week. Just be patient! Blame the mercenary guild, who only took upfront payments and needed 5 working days to cancel. We will pay 400 gold for the spawner." Seles answered calmly, though I could see beads of sweat trickling down her forehead.


    "I didn''t come here for money." Her eyes widened in shock when I told her the truth.


    "Five years ago, in Shadowstep County, on the roadside, you brought hundreds of your summons to attack a carriage. On the night of the Reaper Comet, you killed my grandfather and mother. Do you remember?"


    "That''s impossible. No one was left alive there! There shouldn''t be any witnesses!"


    I tightened my grip around her neck, ready to snap it. Eli was watching, but I was still in control¡ªprobably because we both wanted the same thing. We had to avenge our mother!


    "Wait... cough... I didn''t kill your mother. A noble wanted to conquer Shadowstep. We merely provided the monsters." I loosened my grip as she coughed and gasped for breath.


    "So, who was the mastermind?"


    "Alana. A friend of Princess Claire." Seles smiled, thinking she was finally going to be let go. But that was her mistake. I never planned to let her go, even if she told the truth.


    "Really?"


    "Yes! It''s true! The real villain is Claire! She sabotaged our country and started this war!"


    "Well, let''s confirm that with your corpse." My blade slid smoothly into her chest. Seles looked at me, bewildered, as the light left her eyes. The stab was clean. Unlike the other kills I''d made, this one felt exhilarating.


    "You..." Seles couldn''t even let out a curse after she died.


    I began using necromancy on her. The corpse animated, the body still fresh, her skin still flushed as the blood hadn''t even dried yet. But just by looking into her eyes, now staring like endless voids, it was clear she was dead.


    "Now, tell me the truth. Did Claire and her friends orchestrate the killing of my mother?"


    "No. It was Droner Gustav." I repressed the anger rising within me. These nobles¡ªthey even lied in death. No wonder corruption could never be rooted out. They could lie even when faced with their own demise. I was almost impressed. I will never question these guys again. From now on, let''s just use necromancy for interrogation.


    "Why did you lie?"


    "Because Droner promised Tione Alex would become the new maquis, and I''d get to be a baron."


    "Was Dregorn part of this?" I closed my eyes as the truth settled in. My resolve to kill these people only grew stronger.


    "No. He was just a clerk."


    "I see."


    ¡°Argh¡­ help me¡­¡± Seles moaned as I pondered my next move. Her moans of despair made Eli giggle. She tickled me and whispered to me to prolong the spell for a little bit longer.


    "Where are Tione and Gustav?"


    "Tione is in the House of Lords. She rarely comes here. Gustav was exiled after the invasion''s failure." Seles answered.


    I wanted to take her body with me, but the mana cost was severe. I doubted I could maintain the spell for more than a day. Attacking a noble''s residence in the middle of the night while carrying a dead weight like this was impossible.


    "You may go." I cut the connection.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°One down¡­ two more to go¡­¡± Eli whispered from within me, her smile of satisfaction reaching me. I sighed. I was growing tired of this revenge. I wondered if I could just relax and play with Alicia and Safira at the restaurant. But Eli was hellbent on this vengeance. I''m sure I''ll see her again tonight in my dreams. The image of her skipping gleefully around Seles''s corpse was a bit too vivid for me.


    I threw myself out of the room using my tentacles, smashing through the window and slamming into the dirt outside. I didn''t know why I did it¡ªmy danger sense simply screamed at me to run. A massive surge of mana formed inside the building, and moments later, the room I had just escaped was engulfed in a sea of flames.


    "Damn it! How did she evade our ambush like that?" Two men appeared. Dread filled me as I recognized them. They were the remaining two of the Three Musketeers.


    "Be careful. She has a gun," one of them warned.


    "I know."


    "Is this revenge?" I asked.


    "There are two reasons. You see, Samuel was like a brother to us. Sure, he was a bit snobbish and arrogant, but we lived together in the Gulag. So, yes. One reason is vengeance," the red-clad man spoke.


    "And the other?"


    "Your head is worth 1,000 gold."


    The two of them dashed toward me. The ice mage encased himself in ice armor and wielded a sword, while the fire mage took the rear, the water swirling around him threatened to engulf me. I had no business with them, so I ran.


    "Wait! Don''t run, you little bitch!"


    Using my camouflage and dark tentacles, I sprinted away. I had enhanced strength and speed, but I paced myself by relying more on my tentacles. Enhanced strength and speed drained too much stamina, and if not managed carefully, could leave me fainting.


    As I leaped over the fence, I managed to lose the two Musketeers chasing me. When I returned to my inn, I pondered the Three Musketeers. Fighting them would bring me no benefit. In the worst-case scenario, Claire might come after my head if I killed them. The Three Musketeers were her henchmen in the book. However, the wind mage had been Dregorn''s subordinate. Things were already different from the book, and I wondered what kind of relationship Claire had with the Musketeers now.


    Morning came. Eli didn''t visit me in my dream somehow. With my newly bought hood, I started asking around about Tione Alex. She wasn''t a very prominent member of the nobility¡ªjust mediocre. People knew where she lived and what her job was, but that was about as much information as I could gather. Similar to the Althemer royal capital, the nobility here had their own space, guarded by five people. Unlike Althemer, however, the guards here were strict. They had magic glasses and a mage on duty. I couldn''t use my camouflage or illusions to fool them.


    "Hey! Have you seen a girl with red eyes and blue hair around?" a guard nudged me from behind. I turned and cast an illusion on him.


    "No, sir. I don''t recall ever seeing one."


    "Heh... you''re quite beautiful. Want something to drink?" The guard smirked. "I like your blue eyes and white hair."


    I shuddered. Was I being hit on? Ah, how nostalgic. It reminded me of being picked on like this before I became a reaper in Althemer.


    "You said you were looking for a red-eyed, blue-haired girl? Did she do something?" I asked.


    "Yup. She attacked a guard station. Be careful; despite her petite stature, she''s quite dangerous. Probably some assassin from Althemer. So, want some food or drinks? I know a few restaurants around. Hehehe."


    "No, thank you. I''ll be off now." I was disgusted. Was this guard seriously hitting on me in broad daylight?


    "Come on, just for a while! If not, I''m going to report you to your parents. Naughty girl. What are you doing here in front of the noble quarters? Trying to poke around noble society? I can teach you about that. I actually know some women who sneak around the noble quarters. Want me to teach you? It''ll only cost one night." The smirk on the guard''s face grew wider as he assessed my body. I was about to slap him, but when I heard about a way into the noble quarters, I hesitated.


    "Oh my! You know how to get into the noble quarters? You see, I''m a mage. This noble wanted me, but somehow, I wasn''t let in just because I''m a commoner." I suppressed my disgust and played along.


    "I see. A promising young girl. Beautiful and also talented. I like you! Let''s go to an inn. Or would you prefer a secluded alley?" He smirked as he caressed my cheek, his disgusting chubby fingers slithering down to my nape.


    "Wherever you want, handsome. Though, I''d prefer not to have an audience." I didn''t actually smile, but through my illusions, he must have seen me as a goddess smiling seductively at him. Once I confirmed that there was no one else in the alley, my dagger slid into his windpipe. He let out a soundless scream as his life flickered out like a dying candle.


    "Damn trash, lolicon." I muttered as I wiped my bloodied blade with water magic. I then cast necromancy on him.


    After throwing his corpse into a random barrel, I went to the aforementioned backdoor. It turned out what he had said earlier was true. There was a hidden backdoor to the noble''s quarter, used by some noble''s prostitutes, and sure enough, it was unguarded. Luckily, this guard had the key. It was purposely left unguarded to prevent any witnesses to the nobles'' debauchery. I had mixed feelings about this¡ªdisgusted but grateful at the same time.


    With the key, I opened the steel door and slipped inside. The door didn''t even make a noise, proving it had been lubricated and maintained despite its abandoned appearance.


    After sneaking into the noble quarters, I asked around and found that Tione''s house was a small place in the corner. Despite being the head of the monster-taming guild, her house was surprisingly modest and mediocre. The wooden gate wasn''t even locked. I debated with myself whether I should wait until nightfall or sneak into her house right then.


    I opted to wait until nightfall. There were too many eyewitnesses around. Even though her house was in a secluded area, there were still pedestrians walking by.


    I was about to leave the premises and return at night, but Eli stopped me, forcing me to look at the house again. A man entered, fitting the description of Tione Alex. I sighed in resignation. I knew Eli wouldn''t let me go after seeing that.


    "Eli, what kind of assassin kills in the middle of the day? It''s dangerous..." I muttered, my words carried away by the wind. She didn''t listen.


    As I picked the lock of the house with my dark binding, I found Tione on the ground, bound. A woman with golden hair and a silver tiara sat on a comfy couch, staring down at Tione. Her maid stood beside her while other goons held Tione down.


    It was Claire.


    "Greetings, Elidranthia. Please, have a seat." She motioned toward a couch beside her as her maid poured a cup of tea for us. Claire sipped her tea elegantly, but her eyes were fierce.


    Am I in trouble?

 Chapter 87: Corpse Interrogation

    ¡°C-c-Claire?¡± I stammered.


    "Will you sit? You can have him after I''m done questioning him."


    Feeling the pressure, I obediently sat beside Claire. She began interrogating Tione as her maid gave me tea. "So, did you know how Dregorn planned to kill me?"


    "No, Your Majesty. I have no idea that Dregorn would do such a despicable thing! We have only the utmost loyalty to you!" Tione desperately pleaded. His performance was convincing, but after seeing how well the people of Elderan could lie, I had my doubts. Seles had managed to lie even with a knife at her throat, after all.


    "Is that so? Wonderful! Here''s some tea for you." Claire smiled sweetly. She requested a cup of tea and poured water from a glass vial. The vial was exquisitely crafted. How much money had been wasted on such an intricately designed glass vial? It held even less water than a teacup. These rich nobles were so wasteful. First the street lamps, now this vial. No wonder Elderan struggled to progress.


    "What''s that?" I asked.


    "Hm? Just some scented water. Here, Tione, have a drink."


    "HIEEK!! No!!!" Tione''s reaction was immediate. He recoiled as if his life depended on it. Realization hit me instantly.


    "It''s poison!" I spat out my tea reflexively, fearing she had put some of the poison into my tea earlier. I looked at Claire, horrified. How could I have been so careless? I''m dead now. My only hope was to beg R25B for an antidote. But if the poison she gave me was a fast-acting poison, I could be dead in a few hours!


    "It''s just water, my dear. I swear." Claire smiled sweetly. "I simply had a glassworker in Althemer make this exquisite bottle to resemble the one I found in Dregorn''s luggage."


    I glared at her with as much intimidation as I could muster, but she merely sighed. She then pondered, placing her hand on her cheek and tilting her head as if she were troubled. "I wish Elderan could learn a thing or two from you. You rarely lie¡­"


    "Princess, I have brought the mercenaries you requested," a soldier said, kneeling before Claire. Behind him, Hellhound and his group knelt in unison.


    "Princess Claire! My name is Hellhound. I am eternally grateful for freeing us from the unjust apprehension by the royal knights," Hellhound declared.


    "I heard you took good care of my sister here. Thank you for being with Elidranthia!" Claire smiled as she hugged me. Goosebumps crawled across my skin as I shuddered. Why on earth is she calling me her sister?


    "Sister?" Hellhound''s eyes widened like a saucer in disbelief as he looked at me, bewildered.


    "I don''t know what she''s talking about!" I protested.


    "Don''t be shy! We''ll be sisters when Ludwin marries you, and I marry Heracles, right?"


    "Eh? That th¡ª" I tried to respond, but Claire cut me off. "Stop it, sister. The engagement hasn''t been canceled, you know." I thought I was practically a fugitive after killing Dregorn, but now Claire is saying I''m not? And the engagement is still on?


    "Eli, are you a princess of Althemer?" Hellhound asked, surprised.


    "No. I''m just a count''s daughter¡­"


    "She is, but since she''s a level 8 dark mage, the prince and the mage faction have taken a liking to her. She soon will become their princess!" Claire said, elevating my status as she pinched and poked my cheeks.


    "You''re really level 8?" Hellhound stared at me in shock, then dropped into a perfect dogeza. "I apologize for my disrespect, Princess Elidranthia! Please, find it in your heart to forgive my impertinence and rudeness."


    "No, it''s fine. Really, stop calling me princess. I''m not a princess. Eli is fine." I felt embarrassed and wanted to find a corner to hide, but Claire held onto my arm.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Ahem, enough with the small talk. Eli, could you cast necromancy on Tione? Hellhound, your gratitude is appreciated. Ah! I almost forgot. I must thank you for bringing the spawner to us. I really needed it. As a reward for your efforts, I shall give you 500 gold coins. Will that suffice? You don''t need to share with Eli; I''ll give her a separate reward later. She will be my family, after all."


    "Huh?" I blurted out, still trying to process everything.


    "Necromancy. You did it in Althemer, right? That''s how you figured out the plot Dregorn and Tione cooked up to assassinate me," Claire said, lying as effortlessly as she breathed. I had done no such thing.


    ¡°But¡­ that means¡­¡±


    "Yes. Kill him if you must."


    "Your Highness, please! Forgive me! I had no part in this! I knew of the assassination plot, but I didn''t participate. It was all the nationalist faction! I swear! Please!" Tione started sobbing, desperately begging for his life.


    "More lies? Can you give me any names, then?" Claire asked, sulking. She wasn''t from Elderan, but she must have stayed here long enough to understand the typical behavior of these treacherous nobles.


    "Um¡­ yes! It was Droner Gustav, Gregory, and Elizabeth! They are the masterminds! Please, forgive me, Princess Claire. Aren''t you the most magnificent and benevolent princess of all? Please, show me a bit of your infinite kindness!" Tione pleaded desperately.


    "Princess Claire¡­ he''s a jerk, but should you really kill him?" Hellhound asked.


    Claire sniffled. "I''m sorry, everyone. But to prevent civil wars, I must do this. I don''t want to kill these people. That''s why I''ve hesitated for so long. I''m weak and indecisive. What if there were innocent nobles involved? However, thanks to Eli''s ability, I can finally identify each. Tell me, between the lives of three hundred thousand people in the capital against the lives of forty nobles, which are more important?" Claire cried crocodile tears. Her acting was so convincing that, even though I knew it was fake, it still moved me.


    "Princess Claire! I beg for your forgiveness. My foolish mind failed to grasp the brilliance of your plan. Yes, you are absolutely right. I should not be swayed by the tears of the wicked. The evil must be punished! Let''s find out who dared to conspire against you!" Hellhound and his team were utterly captivated by Claire''s masterful words. They gazed at her as if she were a saint.


    "Eli, I''m sorry for placing this burden on you. Please, let me handle it instead." Claire motioned to one of her lackeys, but a dark tentacle shot out from me, holding him back.


    "Kill! Kill! Kill!" Eli shouted inside my mind. I sighed. Even though Claire put on a sorrowful expression, I could see a faint smirk playing on her lips. Her face told me that she expected me to owe her for this "privilege" of killing Tione.


    "I''ll do it. You don''t need to dirty your hands¡­" I muttered, drawing a dagger from my waist as I approached Tione.


    "Please! I''ll give you anything! Don''t kill me! If you kill me, the nationalist faction will retaliate! A civil war will break out! Do¡ª"


    Spurt.


    A fountain of blood erupted from his neck. Once again, I had aimed for the neck, the most vulnerable part of the human body. My hand seemed to move there instinctively. I was a bit tired, but after measuring my mana, I figured I had just enough to cast a single necromancy spell on Tione.


    Dark tentacles invaded his body, defiling the corpse that had once been Tione. After expending a tremendous amount of mana, Tione''s body stood up, his eyes wide with horror as he spoke in a raspy voice.


    "Where is Droner Gustav?" I demanded. The last of my list. The one who planned everything.


    "I don''t know¡­"


    "Are you sure? You don''t know? don''t lie!" I raged. However, necromancy shouldn''t be able to lie because it directly asks the user''s soul. If he didn''t know, he didn''t know.


    The answer was simple and concise. The trail had gone cold, and it dashed my hope for an easy resolution of my vengeance, and now I would have to start from scratch to find the last man responsible for my mother''s and grandfather''s deaths. I need to kill Tione''s friends or family to ask about Gustav''s whereabouts. As I pondered my next move, Claire walked over to me. An idea popped into my head: I could just follow Claire. If I stayed close to her as she eliminated her enemies, I would find Droner sooner or later. After all, his name was also on Claire''s hit list.


    "Are you done? May I ask him some questions?" Claire asked. "I want to find out who planned my assassination and who else was involved in the plot."


    I nodded. The corpse ignored Claire''s question, but after I repeated her question, Tione started answering. The undead only obeys the caster.


    "The nationalist faction consists of twenty members. They are¡­" The undead spoke a list of names. Claire waved her hand, and the maids hurried over with pen and paper. After The maid was done, Claire slumped in the corner, breathing heavily. A tired sigh exuded from her mouth.


    "That''s over twenty names! How dare he only mention three when he was alive!" Claire groaned, crumpling the paper the maid handed her. After looking at Claire''s tired expression, I resolved myself to escape from Ludwin''s engagement. I don''t want to become a princess. I don''t want to handle this kind of political affair!


    "Let''s get them all!" Claire''s henchmen roused Hellhound and the maid, and they followed the rally.


    "Kill these corrupt officials!"


    "They wanted to kill Princess Claire! They must not be forgiven!" Hellhound was even angrier than Claire when he realized how corrupt these officials were. He and Claire''s maids and soldiers instantly bonded over their shared mission to capture or kill these lowlifes.


    "Eli, let''s go!" Claire said. "I want to catch Droner Gustav, too."


    "I''m a bit exhausted. I don''t think I can use necromancy anymore¡­."I slumped down. I could probably handle one more necromancy, but I didn''t want to push it. I need to save some mana for myself, just in case.


    Claire paused when she heard me. "I guess I''ve overworked you. I apologize for being insensitive. Could you tell me the conditions under which you can use necromancy? I can''t let you bear this burden alone."


    "Um¡­ as long as the head isn''t separated from the body, I guess? But the fresher the body, the better."


    "Very well. Thank you for the information. Lisa, please take Eli to her room in my mansion and let her rest."


    "Hm? not to the castle?"


    "No. I don''t want to disturb our guests there. They will go back to the mansion tomorrow anyway. The castle is not very safe."


    "Yes, Princess Claire," the maid replied, bowing before escorting me to a carriage.


    The twilight of dusk had passed by the time I reached Claire''s mansion in the noble district. It was practically next to the castle gate. As expected of the novel''s protagonist, although Claire was wealthy, she didn''t flaunt her riches. All of her decorations were simple but high-quality. The guestroom the maid brought me to was modest but comfortable. Only a single bed, a chair, a table, and a wardrobe. No gaudy carpets, chandeliers, or bed curtains and canopies.


    The following day, I was surprised to find a group of men tied up in front of Claire in the guest room. Hellhound proudly presented them to me and asked me to interrogate them. Apparently, Claire had been working through the entire night to capture these rebels. Since she no longer trusted their words, it was up to me to use my necromancy to uncover the truth about their organization.


    I worked hard, casting necromancy on three people that day, and Claire got new names for her witch hunt. Hellhound, who was turned into Claire''s obedient dog, ran to fetch the corrupt officials.


    In the end, the last person we needed was still missing: Droner Gustav.

 Chapter 88: Demon

    I sat quietly as Claire explained the situation. They couldn''t find Gustav in his mansion. Claire planned to search his villa in other cities, but the chances of finding him were slim. Gustav had been missing ever since Elderan''s failed invasion of Althemer.


    "Please find him. I need to ask why he killed my mom and grandfather."


    "Very well. I shall¡ª" "Lady Eli!!!" Suddenly, a familiar soft pillow-like sensation enveloped my head from behind. This softness, this warmth, this bounciness¡ª


    "Alicia!?" I turned around, my cheeks brushing against her soft flesh as I recoiled in surprise. I confirmed with my eyes that it was indeed Alicia. Guilt immediately washed over me, and I looked down in embarrassment. She was my maid, my friend, and I had betrayed her. Because of me, she had lost her position¡ªlife must be hard for her in Althemer now.


    "Yes, Lady Eli, it''s me, Alicia."


    "I''m sorry."


    "It''s fine! I know everything¡ªPrincess Claire told me all about why you killed Dregorn at the banquet. Dregorn was evil; he tried to kill Princess Claire, right? If only I had known your circumstances¡­ I''m the one who''s sorry, Lady Eli. I couldn''t even support you during those difficult times. It must have been so hard making such a decision to protect our kingdom." Alicia hugged me again, this time from the front. The suffocating bliss choked me. Alicia was such a kind friend.


    "Yeah, you should''ve told us about Dregorn''s plot," a man''s voice chimed in. "It''s embarrassing to learn about your true intentions through Claire, who''s only known you for half a year. I thought we were closer than that." My vision was still blocked by Alicia''s embrace, but I recognized the voice.


    "Alicia, Eli is your lord. Please don''t treat her like a child." Alicia finally released me, and as my vision cleared, I saw Ludwin standing nearby.


    "My apologies," she said softly.


    "Never mind. So, now that we''re here, what are your plans, Princess Claire? The castle was more welcoming than I expected, which proves that Dregorn didn''t act alone. He had support from within the court."


    "We''re currently addressing that problem, thanks to Lady Eli, of course. Her necromancy magic gave us a list of names, and I plan to retire them." Claire replied.


    "Hm? Necromancy requires the person to be dead. Are you sure you''re willing to go this far?" Ludwin frowned, glancing at the corpses. "Won''t this affect your reputation?"


    "It only strengthens our faith in Princess Claire, Lord Ludwin! Justice must prevail! With Lady Claire, we shall root out all evil!" The soldiers behind Claire, including the four punks, chanted in unison. Claire nodded in approval.


    "This isn''t our country. As long as the peace treaty succeeds, it doesn''t matter," Ludwin sighed. He couldn''t complain, considering our country had its flaws as well.


    "Eli, you should rest. When you''re ready, I need you to interrogate these people." Claire handed me a list of names. One was a duke, and the others were his servants. Apparently, Claire suspected them of being the masterminds behind the nationalist faction. Of course, by ''interrogate,'' she meant I had to kill them and use necromancy on them.


    "Should I help? I''m a dark mage, too," Ludwin muttered.


    "I suggest you don''t. Necromancy is a very taxing task, and I need you to prepare for the peace treaty. We have to go to the Ministry of External Affairs so the documents can be reviewed and signed."


    "Damn it... you''re right. I''m sorry, Eli. At the very least, I''ll leave you some feystones." Ludwin cursed under his breath as he walked back to his room. Did he live here too? Are we going to share a house in Elderan?


    I did as I was told, and we obtained a few more names. However, news of Claire''s witchhunt spread quickly. Those people had fled the royal capital and were now in the port town of Sand Pearl. Claire, busy with the peace treaty, asked me and the four punks to sneak in and either capture or kill them.


    "Yes! Princess Claire, let us eliminate these corrupt officials for you! I promise to be your knight of justice!" Hellhound gave a military salute.


    "I am glad to have such loyal citizens. I shall await the good news."


    "Let''s go, Princess Eli! We shall vanquish all evil!" Hellhound exclaimed with high spirits.


    "You''re just happy to have a legal excuse to kill these nobles, aren''t you? And don''t call me princess." I sighed.


    "These nobles are pirates in disguise! They''re nobles in title only, but their hearts are as dark and vile as rotten fruit!"A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Yeah! You''re right, boss! I don''t even need any payment if I can land a punch on these vile creatures." The group was ecstatic at the chance to fight against the nobles. I swear, when I let them kill the duke we captured, their faces were even more intimidating than mine. Those smirks of bloodlust, they enjoyed every moment of it. It was like the deep-seated grudge they held against the nobles was finally being satisfied.


    We then traveled to the Port city of Sand Pearl. Althemer was landlocked, so I had never seen a beach or the sea before, even on Earth before I was reincarnated. It was less impressive than I had imagined. Sand Pearl was a port town, so the sea wasn''t blue; the water was more of a brownish-black color due to all the rubbish they dumped in it. Still, it wasn''t all bad¡ªthe ships anchoring in the city were quite majestic.


    The guard was surprised to see Claire''s name on our permit. After checking to see if the seal was genuine, he let us pass with the utmost respect. Claire was hated by the nobles, but she was popular with the common people. When Hellhound quietly whispered our mission to the guards, they even pointed us to the baron''s mansion. They didn''t know what was going on, but they informed us of some strange happening: people with hoods were getting inside the mansion.


    "Let''s raid this place! We are justice! We will prevail!" Hellhound declared as we stormed the mansion in broad daylight. Before the mansion, they announced loudly, "By order of Princess Claire, we are tasked with bringing Baron Judas into custody!"


    Of course, no one listened. The mansion''s guards were hired by the baron himself. But a few thugs were no match for seasoned mercenaries like Hellknight, Hell Archer, and Hellbiter. Along with Hellhound, who is a skill holder, all the goons went down quickly.


    Or so we thought. A blast from the door sent Hellknight flying. Then, a man with a horn on his forehead stepped forward.


    "Hm?" I tilted my head. The Assassinated Princess: Returning Back in Time to Live a Happy Life didn''t have demi-humans, as far as I remember.


    "Who are you? Are you with Baron Judas?" Hellhound shouted. Then, another man emerged from the building.


    "These are Claire''s henchmen. You must kill them. They pose a threat to your cause," the shrewd-looking man whispered to the demon.


    "Is that so, Gustav? I guess we have to kill them then. Die." Fireballs shot toward us. I immediately dodged to the side while Hellhound teleported right beside the demon and decapitated him.


    "Are you Droner Gustav?"


    "Hieek! I''m sorry, I''m sorry!" The man ran away like a frightened chicken. Hellhound chased after him, but he suddenly teleported back outside the door. The reason became clear when several ice and stone spears hurtled toward his previous position.


    "Watch out! There are so many mages. High-level too. They must be over level 3!" Hellhound muttered. "How could a mere baron recruit so many mages?"


    "Why do they have horns?" Hellbiter asked as several more demons poured out of the house.


    "Ask later. They''re our enemies now!"


    "Retreat! They''re all mages! We can''t win," Hell Archer shouted, and we bolted toward the gate. Using my dark bullets, I managed to deflect some of their spells. Level 3, my ass! These guys with horns were as fast as Alicia or Safira. They must be at least level 6!


    "Retreat! Eli and I will cover the rear!"


    "Hey! What''s¡ª AAAAAHH!!" An innocent guard came after hearing the commotion, only to be burned to a crisp. Their scream resounded through the city. Around twenty demons sprawled out from the house and attacked them.


    "Die!" One of the demons lunged at me with a sword resembling a katana. I parried with my dagger, and at such close range, I cast an illusion. It was dispelled in seconds since he was a mage, but that two-second window was all I needed to slit his throat.


    "Use this!" I threw my gun to Hell Archer. After his arrows were shot down by their magic, he shot one of the demons in the head and tossed the gun back to me. Explosions echoed through the port town as the fire mage bombed nearby houses to chase after us.


    "R25B! There''s a reaper near Claire, right? Tell him there are people with horns resisting our capture. At this rate, the entire port town will go up in flames. There are about thirty demons here, all of them mages, at least level 6 or 7!"


    "Huh? Alright, I''ll spare you the cost this time. Hold on for a few seconds¡­"


    "Claire says you must retreat. She''ll personally lead an army here in an instant. She also says to keep her updated. Was there a ship with a flag that resembled a red horn over a green crown?" R25B responded. It only took a few seconds. How close was the reaper to Claire? Was it her maid or one of her soldiers?


    "I don''t know! I didn''t get a good look at the port," I replied.


    "Very well, stay safe then. Did you kill any of the demons?"


    "Yes. We managed to kill about five of them. Hell Archer and I took down one, while Hellhound got three!"


    "Claire says you can''t run because they''ll chase you without regard for their own lives. You''ll need to find a way to wipe out that squad."


    "Huh? Has she dealt with these demonfolk before? She seems pretty knowledgeable about them."


    "I don''t know, I''m just the messenger here."


    "Damn it, they''re chasing us!" Hell Archer cursed. "Biter, take Hellknight and get inside one of the houses. We need to make a stand here! Go to the stone houses¡ªtheir fire magic will be less effective there!"


    "Roger!" Hellbiter obeyed, but Hellknight, who was injured by a fireball earlier, groaned in protest.


    "Ugh! I can still fight!"


    "The opponents are mages. You can''t do anything if you can''t get close! One spell and you''re dead!"


    "Archer, you need to escape with the others. Hellhound and I will draw their attention."


    "Huh?" Archer looked at me, baffled.


    "I can hide." I demonstrated my camouflage skill to them. They nodded as I lunged forward.


    I snuck around and killed another one of the demons. Then, I deflected several more fireballs that were haphazardly shot at me. Unlike Alicia, their spells focused more on speed than power.


    "Why are you attacking us? We don''t have any issues with you. We''re just apprehending traitors to the country!"


    "You shall bow to our Great Lord Rausha. You are a kinslayer, you must die!" the demon declared. Thankfully, I''m level 8, so I was able to parry all of his magic. Another one down.


    "Hellhound, are you okay?"


    "Just tired!" I could see Hellhound gasping for air in the corner. His skill seemed to drain a lot of his stamina.


    "They''re retreating¡­" I muttered.


    "Good! We should do the same!"


    We couldn''t leave the city. The demons had taken over the walls and gates. Since they were all mages, if I used magic to scale the wall, they would notice.


    How many of them were there? And how could all of them use magic?


    These questions kept repeating in our minds throughout the night.

 Chapter 89: Death

    A red sky. But Eli no longer jumped or played happily on the mountain of corpses. A stake stood high in the middle of the hill, and Eli was chained to it. She gazed at the red moon, now closer than ever, its color deeper, blood red. Eli stared at it intently.


    "Greetings, Sana." Eli turned toward me.


    "What happened? Why are you chained up there?"


    "The price of my wish. Droner Gustav has been found. Vengeance is within my grasp. Once it''s fulfilled, my soul will be devoured by the Reaper Comet, as per the contract," Eli said.


    "You''ll be gone?"


    "And my body will be yours to do with as you wish. Please, be happy for my sake." Eli smiled. A wave of sadness washed over me. Eli was a psychopathic maniac, but her fate struck me as tragically unfair.


    "Is there any way I can free you?"


    "No. This was my decision. I loathed everyone. Nobody loved me. The only ones who ever loved me were my grandfather and mother." She cursed under her breath. "And maybe you... but it''s too late. I can''t break the contract. And even if I could, it would mean your death."


    "I see." I nodded. When I was in the hospital, my mom and dad always talked to me about heaven. They kept saying I was a good girl, and that I''d definitely go to heaven. In heaven, I''d be able to walk, I''d be healthy, and I''d be able to play with others who were as kind as I was.


    I didn''t dare say that to Eli. She''s a villain. She made a pact with demons for her revenge. Even if heaven exists, it won''t accept her. But still, she is my friend. Thanks to her pact, I was able to live here. I made friends, I could exercise, and I even became an assassin, like the ones in video games. I couldn''t bring myself to curse her.


    "I wonder if there''s also a place for me there. Could you wait for me?" I muttered absentmindedly. Eli looked at me, bewildered.


    [Blessing of the Killing Star has reached maximum level.


    Choose your upgrade:


    Vampire transformation]


    This upgrade finally appeared in the end. Fate seemed to want me to become a vampire. I didn''t mind; I was quite bloodthirsty and had killed many people of my own accord.


    "You really are pure, aren''t you, Sana? Why don''t you call me like what they did? Creepy kid. Evil kid. Demongirl¡­¡± Eli looked at me, her darkness surfacing as she mocked me.


    "People who mock others¡ªthey''ve never suffered. That''s why they can look down on others. Because they feel like they''ll never be in their shoes."


    "Enough talking. I''m not sure how you''ll survive this. Good luck. These demons are born with a natural mana aptitude."


    "Bye-bye." I hugged her again


    "Thank you, Sana. I''ll see if I can reserve a spot for you here. Bye-bye."


    I woke up with a start. The sun had set a long time ago. I yawned, about to complain, but then I remembered why we were here.


    "Enemy attack?" I asked Hellbiter and Hell Archer. The answer came a moment later in the form of an explosion on the stone wall. I leaped to the window, sensing danger.


    "Let''s fight them!" Hellhound roused himself, teleporting outside and decapitating another demon. We all followed him. Fireballs rained down on us like meteors. The demons didn''t hold back, scorching the very earth around us. I tried my best to shield everyone with my dark tentacles, but the intense heat from the barrage overwhelmed us.


    "Eli!" Hellhound shouted as we all lay beneath a pile of rubble. Smoke filled the air, and there was nothing in sight. All the buildings had been leveled. The western part of Sand Pearl was in ruins.


    *Cough cough


    "Are you okay?" Hellhound asked, but I screamed as his words were cut short. The demons came down in droves. Just as one was about to kill him, Hellhound teleported.


    "Damn it," he cursed. He was ready to retaliate but froze when another demon grabbed one of his friends.


    "Surrender, or your friends will die," the demon said. Hellhound hesitated, but the demon smirked and plunged his sword into his chest the moment Hellhound let his guard down.


    "Boss!" Hell Archer screamed. "What the hell are you doing? He surrendered!"


    "You will die! This land belongs to Rausha, our king. Perish!" the demons sneered as they slaughtered Hellbiter, Hell Archer, and Hellknight one by one. Using my enhanced strength, I broke free from the demon holding me and slashed his throat with a spare dagger. Their skin was tough, condensed with muscle like rubber. Without enhanced strength, I doubted I could cut through it. Either their blades were duller than my dagger, or I was just too exhausted.


    "Die!" the demons screamed. I glanced around and saw over two hundred of them¡ªall bearing signs of being mages. My strength was fading. I needed to escape or... should I use that?


    "Ah!" I was knocked back. My vision blurred as my strength drained from me. In the end, I couldn''t achieve what I wanted.


    I looked at the blue box that appeared before me.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    [Choose your upgrade:


    Necromancy Level 2


    Vampire Dominance


    Improved Speed Level 2]


    [Choose your upgrade:


    Vampire Transformation]


    "Eli¡­ if I fail to kill Droner now, will your soul go to heaven?" I muttered. I could probably escape if I transformed into a vampire. However, when I remembered how Eli was chained on that mountain of corpses, my hand froze. She had looked so lonely. Despite her dismissive and brave front, I knew she must have been afraid. The encroaching red moon was terrifying. Why did I never notice it until now? Eli must have been shielding me from its menace. If my death could prevent that...


    "What a silly girl. Let me do that for you. I''m sorry you had to go through this, Sana."


    Eli''s whisper resounded in my heart¡ªnot harsh and full of bloodlust like usual, but gentle, like the flowing water of a spring. It reminded me of my childhood days in kindergarten. Even though I wasn''t able to play on the field, I was still allowed to watch them. The warm weather, the sunny sky, the gentle breeze.


    My hand clicked on the blue box, selecting Vampire Transformation and Dominance. But afterward, nothing happened. A demon quickly approached and pierced me from behind. I felt the blade slip from my back through to my chest, and then the demon lifted me like a piece of meat hanging on a skewer. Pain rose up from my chest. However, it quickly subsided before I could even groan. Blood flowed from the wound like a river.


    "We''ve suffered some losses. We should fortify our position to welcome reinforcements," one demon said. Then he smirked. "Well, as expected from lowly races. Only a few of them pose a threat to us, the Divine Horned Race. Our magic will crush them."


    "Yes!" another demon saluted.


    "Capture the remaining humans and kill them. This continent will be ours! The next transport ship will be here in a few months."


    "Yes, sir!"


    I felt my body growing colder, but my heart burned hotter. The smell of blood was intoxicating, like sweet wine. Anger swelled within me as I realized I had abandoned my humanity. I cried. Even though I was ready to die, Eli wouldn''t let me. She would rather sacrifice herself to the Reaper Comet than forget her vengeance.


    If that''s her wish¡­ I''ll comply. I''m her friend, after all. A good friend tries to save their friend from prison. But a best friend? They join them in prison. Eli, please save me a seat there. I''ll join you soon.


    "ARGH!!" One of the demons screamed as I bit his leg when he walked past me. I jumped to my feet, blood dripping from my mouth.


    "She''s still alive!"


    "How is she still alive? I stabbed her through the chest!" The demons began to panic.


    "Kill her!"


    "ARGH!!" The demon I had bitten screamed as the curse spread through his body. When his comrades tried to help him, he bit one of them in the neck, causing further confusion. With my transformation, my stamina was no longer limited. I quickly dashed toward another demon. He blocked my dagger with ease, but I had new weapons¡ªmy teeth. I bit his hand, and within seconds, the curse seeped into him, turning him into a vampire like the others.


    The number of victims rose from three to six, then to ten, then to twenty. The demons hesitated to fight their own kin, knowing that one bite would turn their comrades against them.


    "Kill her, and the curse will disappear!" one of the demons shouted. But it was futile. I could command these demons as I wished. They lunged at their former allies, protecting me. Magic was cast by those who had been turned into lesser vampires.


    "Fire! Even if we kill our comrades, I declare that you won''t be a kinslayer! We must kill her! She''s a heretic to our cause! She''s desecrated the bodies of our kin! She must be killed, and her body shall be cursed," the captain demon ordered.


    I snuck among the ruins as my vampires caused more chaos. Even though they had the same abilities, my vampires felt no pain. They charged at the demons like maniacs, behaving more like zombies from a B-rated movie than vampires. With my mana perception, I could see some demons trying to reach me, but unlike before, they were too disorganized. With my endless stamina, I dispatched them easily.


    "Stop! We surrender! Spare¡ªAHH!!!"


    "Why should I accept your surrender when you didn''t accept ours?" I sighed. It felt anticlimactic. Vampires are known to be weak to sunlight, so I needed to move to the baron''s mansion and interrogate Droner Gustav about these demons. That should give Claire some valuable information.


    As dawn arrived, all the demons were dead. After interrogating some of the servants in the mansion, I discovered that these demons had come from massive transport ships docked at the port, disguising themselves as merchants.


    "You''re supposed to help me! Didn''t we have an agreement? You let me become governor of Elderan, and I''ll let you take the rest!" I returned to the baron''s mansion, where a middle-aged man was complaining endlessly to my vampires. His words held no weight; he knew something was wrong with them, but he couldn''t do anything. He was a mage, though a low-level one¡ªbarely level 3.


    "Greetings. You are Droner Gustav, right?"


    "Is this your magic? Did you subdue all of them on your own? Great, great! Help me. You must understand, I was forced! If they¡ªAGH!!" I stabbed him in the chest. It was foolish of me to even ask him questions. He couldn''t even introduce himself.


    I cast necromancy on him. However, my necromancy had improved dramatically. His corpse wasn''t sluggish; he stood up and knelt before me. Other zombies I had raised couldn''t move with such sharpness.


    "Are you Gustav?"


    "Yes, Milady." Even his speech had improved.


    "Do you remember five years ago, when you killed my grandfather and mother? Why did you do it?"


    "Forgive me. It was a ploy to take back Shadowstep''s territory. By killing the war hero, we hoped it would make it easier to seize Shadowstep''s lands," Gustav replied.


    "Eli?" I muttered. Shadowy tentacles emerged from me, forming the shape of a human. I knew who it was.


    "So, you killed my Mother and Grandfather just to satisfy your own greed? To take more land? Is there another one to your ploy" the shadow spoke.


    "Yes. The plot consists of assassinating nobles in Shadowstep County. Once they are weakened, we plan to invade them. However, when we failed to do so due to the reapers, I was demoted. Then, these horned humans offered me to be their henchmen. In return, I have to provide them with food and maps. Sand Pearl, together with four other cities, was supposed to be their beachhead in their invasion."


    "Anyone else in your ploy?"


    "Me and the assassinated members of the Monster Taming Guild were the only ones who planned the plot."


    "I see." The shadow vanished, and my consciousness was drawn back to the familiar mountain of corpses I often saw in my dreams.


    "You''re calmer than I expected," I greeted her. Eli looked at me. As I said before, she was calm. I was expecting her to rage and throw stuff after learning about Droner''s ploy.


    "People kill each other. They rob each other. We were no different. I can''t hate him when he''s just like us¡ªmurderers. This emptiness... Is this the end of my path for vengeance? It brings no satisfaction."


    "I told you a long time ago¡­"


    "Yes, you did. Well, this was less climactic than I''d hoped. But our contract is fulfilled. I won''t be bothering you again."


    "You were never a bother, Eli." I hugged her. We were like twins in this world. Even though we had different souls, we were the same.


    As I embraced her, motes of red light began to float away from her. Each light took a piece of her ethereal body until she disintegrated completely. At that moment, I understood¡ªEli was gone. I could feel that my heart was mine again. The burning vengeance that once fueled me had vanished like the wind. I glanced at my knives. I no longer felt any admiration for them. I sobbed.


    Eli was a villain. She was evil. But why does it hurt so much now that she''s gone? She was irreplaceable to me.


    That evening, an army marched toward Sand Pearl.


    Claire, you''re late.

 Chapter 90: Invasion

    The sun began to set. As I stretched my arm toward the fading light, I felt a tingling warmth spread through my body. Seeing that my arm didn''t turn to dust, I braved myself to meet Claire outside. Strength left me as the sunlight bathed my pale skin, but I could still walk. As the sun dimmed, my strength returned. I sat on a bench near the fountain, waiting for Claire to reach me.


    Claire''s henchmen were shooting at my zombies, but it was ineffective. When Alicia cast her fireballs, my connection to the zombies was severed as they turned to ashes. When Claire and her henchmen realized the demons weren''t fighting back, they stopped firing. I couldn''t help but notice the Althemer muskets in their hands. Claire had been smuggling weapons to Western nations.


    "Lady Eli? What happened to you? You look so pale!" Alicia started to run to me, but Claire stopped her.


    "Careful. Something''s off with her. Her body is leaking some kind of strange mana. Eli, have you used forbidden magic?"


    "Maybe¡­ otherwise, I''d be dead. You''re too late, Claire. They''re all dead. Hellhound, Hellbiter, Hell Archer, Hellknight¡­¡± I muttered, somewhat incoherently.


    "Damn it, they were good people. I needed his skill," Claire cursed, then paused. "Wait, did you kill all these demons?"


    "What do you think?"


    "This is mana infection¡­ I see." Claire approached one of the demon zombies and cast a healing light on it. It dropped dead soon after. She murmured, "This is forbidden magic, Eli. You''ll need to continuously kill mages to sustain it."


    "Yeah... I''m afraid so. I''m on borrowed time now. I guess I''ll be joining my friend in hell soon. Will you do the honor?" I asked Claire, implicitly asking her to end my life.


    "Don''t say that, Lady Eli!" Alicia hugged me, her bosom engulfing me once again. I no longer needed to breathe, so I simply indulged in the soft sensation.


    Thump


    I pushed Alicia away when I felt a thump in my heart. Hunger began to gnaw at my reasoning before calming down.


    "Lady Eli?"


    "Stay away. It''s not safe," I muttered. Claire looked at me incredulously.


    "Did you feel compelled to devour Alicia and me?"


    "Yes¡­"


    "I see. Can you control it?"


    "Probably."


    "Alicia, give her some feystones. Try eating them. It should sate your thirst for a while," Claire muttered. Then she smiled in euphoria. "This is an interesting power. With this, I no longer need to fear demons. With this, the continent will be safe! Hahahahaha!"


    She suddenly hugged me in excitement, lifting me up and spinning while still hugging me. "You are my savior! My precious! Will you help me?"


    Unlike before, her smile seemed genuine this time. It felt like she had returned to being a teenager, no longer the cold, calculating princess. What had changed? She exhaled, a significant burden seemingly lifted from her shoulder.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Didn''t we already talk about this in Althemer? Ah... that was in another timeline... I guess I have to repeat myself. You see, I came from the future. In that future, these demons come and enslave us. There are millions of them, all battle-hardened mages at a level similar to Alicia''s. To prevent that bleak future, we need to unite. All the Western nations, Althemer, and theocracies must unite against this threat! We don''t have time for infighting and civil wars. We need to survive!" Claire spoke passionately, her eyes flaring with anger as she glanced at one of the demon corpses.


    "However, your ability is a godsend. With it, we can save the continent from demon usurpation!"


    After a lengthy discussion, Claire returned with us in the carriage. I realized just how coldhearted she truly was¡ªshe didn''t even mention the deaths of tens of thousands in Sand Pearl. The future she must have faced must have been so bleak that she was willing to sacrifice an entire town''s populace just to rid us of these demons.


    The very next day, we returned to Elderan''s capital. Ludwin was surprised when he saw how pale I was, but he welcomed us to Claire''s house and mentioned the recent invasion. Soldiers had brought him news that several port towns had lost contact after Claire ordered them to comb the towns looking for people with horns.


    "All of them are mages, so the only way for commoners to resist them is by using guns. They also need to spread out more to avoid bombardment," Claire said. "I''ve deployed reapers to those areas. They''ve reported that several hundred demons have occupied the towns. This is just the vanguard. Thanks to Eli''s necromancy, we also know where their main army will land. They might split their forces if they took a beachhead in one of our ports. They came faster than I expected, but we can win. We have the upper hand now."Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Claire was confident. She then arranged for me to be dispatched on a week-long journey to another port town, not in Elderan, but in another western nation, Ellynias. However, Ludwin was against it, feeling I was carrying too much of the burden in this war.


    "Wait, Claire! Elidranthia is Althemer''s citizen. You can''t just use her as you please."


    "She''s a vampire now. If she doesn''t kill, she''ll suffer. Wouldn''t it be better for her to kill the enemy rather than someone she cares about?"


    "Ugh¡­ But she could stave it off with feystones, right?"


    "Sorry, Ludwin, but I have to use every means necessary to fend off this foe. Eli agrees with me. You haven''t faced our enemy yet. Do you know what these demons did? They wiped out the entire town just for the sake of it!" Claire''s tone rose.


    "I see. So, you''re saying these demons are our common enemy?"


    "They are enemies! They plan to kill all of us!"


    "If we can capture two or three of them unharmed, I think I could convince Althemer and even the theocracy states to support your cause."


    "Really? The threat of these demons is real. Good. I''ll capture one or two of them to be displayed," Claire said. "That was so simple. If only I did that before. Ludwin died in the previous timeline."


    "Hm... You''re different than usual, Claire." Ludwin couldn''t help but notice her change in attitude. The elegance she once carried was gone since she had faced the demons.


    "Now that the demons are here, there''s no longer any need for this facade. Everything I''ve done has been for this moment. Once the demons are gone, you can do whatever you want¡ªoccupy the western nations or whatever."


    "Claire¡­"


    "I trust all of you, so I''m telling you my true feelings. Almost everyone I trust has heard my prophecy about the demons anyway."


    "Let''s go," I said, not wanting to discuss it any further.


    "Lady Eli¡­"


    "You stay here, Alicia. I''ll go alone." I ordered her. I couldn''t stay sane knowing Alicia might be in danger because of me.


    "But¡ª"


    "Alicia will be with me. She''ll be a good sub-commander," Claire interjected. "Don''t worry. She''ll be safe."


    We departed the very next day, leaving Ludwin behind. He had to handle logistics, report back to Althemer, and coordinate with Heracles for more guns. Besides, we couldn''t possibly let a prince from another country get harmed. He was more valuable elsewhere.


    Claire had sent messages to other Western nations, calling for a truce on the Western front. I asked her if they would listen. Surprisingly, she admitted they might not, but the fact that she warned them was all that mattered.


    Claire said that when the demons come knocking on their doors, they''ll naturally stop their infighting and help each other. She had seen it in the future. There would be no more dissent or discrimination between mages and commoners but full cooperation against common foes.


    I doubted her. If people were truly desperate, they might do exactly that. But we weren''t at that point yet. Nobles like Droner Gustav could crop up everywhere, taking advantage of the situation. They might switch sides instead of supporting us.


    Claire agreed, but there was nothing they could do about it. She could only send commissions to assassinate such nobles if necessary. I was amazed by how familiar she was with how the reapers operated. She told me that reapers were incredibly useful for taking care of people like that and for spying on traitorous nobles.


    As we traveled to our destination, I asked why she hadn''t contacted the reapers when she first arrived in Althemer or even in the Western Nation. She said she didn''t have an invitation. Reapers tend to avoid people who appear incorruptible like her, so she couldn''t find the handler. Then, there was the case with Dregorn, who had access to the reapers first. Since he connected with them before she did and asked the reapers to kill her, it effectively closed that path for her.


    I found it ironic that someone like Claire, who wanted a connection to the reapers, couldn''t find them, while I had reaper invitations shoved at me by the reapers themselves. I guess appearances do matter in medieval times. My evil appearance must have attracted them.


    It took some time before we reached the port city in Ellynias, but the panic had already spread by the time we reached the border city between Ellynias and Elderan. Refugees had gathered at the border, trying to escape the demons.


    Claire brought two thousand musketeers for this campaign. As they lined up in marching formation, the citizens began to feel hope.


    "Citizens of Ellynias, fear not. I''ve heard of the invading force of these demons, and I swear to defend the Western Nation from this threat!" Claire rallied the masses.


    "Finally, these western scum have arrived. Do your job! We pay you hefty sums for our safety!" Some citizens mocked her instead of offering support. I glanced at Claire, but she didn''t seem to mind their words in the slightest.


    "Ellynias doesn''t border any enemy nations, so they receive the highest taxes from the Western Alliance compared to other nations," Claire explained.


    "Real leaders have such thankless jobs, don''t they?" I looked at Claire with pity. We had arrived as quickly as possible, yet these people were mocking us instead.


    "I don''t care. As long as the demons are driven out, nothing else matters," Claire said, her obsession clearly abnormal.


    Claire rallied her troops and marched into the port town in Ellynias. Dragoons (horse riders with muskets) acted as scouts. A gunshot rang out across the plains.


    "Well, they''re a bit hasty. This is a perfect place to make trenches and fortifications. Alicia?"


    "Yes, ma''am." Alicia nodded and gathered the other mages, guiding them to create trenches while the soldiers scouted with their binoculars.


    Many refugees ran in our direction, and our dragoons guided them, acting as their rear guard. They pointed their guns backward, shooting at the approaching cavalry. In return, icicle lances and earth lances were shot back at them. As the cavalry battle raged on, the refugees arrived at our location. Claire let them make camp to rest before sending them to the border town the next day.


    "They brought horses from the other continent? That Rausha king must have invested heavily in this invasion," I muttered. The demons retreated once they saw we had fortified the area and were losing to our dragoons.


    "They stole the horses from nearby stables, silly," Claire sighed. "They can train any animal in less than a day using dark magic."


    "Are we heading there now?"


    "Nah. This is a good position. We''ll build a simple fortress here before advancing several days from now."


    The war had begun anew. As I looked toward Claire, a chilling premonition crept over me.


    Do I have to go there alone to activate my vampire magic?

 Chapter 91: Flame and Metal

    Gunshots rang through the night as Claire reinforced her fortifications. Alicia sent up flares with her fire magic, and her marksmen fired shots at the demons hidden behind a stone wall. Once the demons understood the threat of guns, they quickly reacted, using magic to raise earth walls and inching them closer and closer to our position.


    Such hastily built walls could easily be destroyed by cannons, but we didn''t have any. Claire had opted for speed, hoping to sever the demons'' landing zone, but she was too late. The demons had already taken a port town and established a beachhead. She had ordered cannons, but their arrival was delayed.


    Meanwhile, I sat munching on bread, even though I wasn''t hungry. I simply had nothing to do. Claire had forbidden me from refilling feystones since I was no longer human. Refilling a feystone, she said, was like charging one power bank with another. Instead, I was given a portion of feystones for my daily sustenance and told to watch the proceedings.


    "Hm... it''s hard to capture them alive," Claire muttered during a meeting with her officers. They smiled wryly. Guns were meant for killing, not wounding. Moreover, most demons prefer death to captivity. Her forces had grown to five thousand, and that''s after she had already turned away over ten thousand volunteers due to a shortage of supplies.


    "I''m grateful that you''re willing to fight for our cause. Rest assured, we have enough men for now. Please spread the word so everyone knows about the vile creatures invading our land. This is not the time to fight among ourselves; it''s time to unite against a common foe!" Claire roused the citizens, many of whose families had been massacred in the demon-occupied territories.


    Her speech gave hope to many. Once again, I was amazed at how skilled she was at rallying the masses. Many bowed down to her, accepting her as their new leader.


    However, words alone don''t win battles. Claire had underestimated the enemy. Without proper walls, we couldn''t gain the high ground. Without cannons, we couldn''t break through the demons'' makeshift stone barriers. Fortunately, we had grenades made from feystones, courtesy of Alicia. With improvised slings, we managed to hurl them over the enemy walls. They caused some damage, but not enough to turn the tide of the battle.


    "Ask our dragoons¡ªwhen will the cannons arrive?" Claire facepalmed. "I never thought I''d make this kind of mistake."


    "You can always try again, right?" I said, remembering her ability.


    "No. Wait¡­ no. This is the best option. If I had brought cannons, we''d be late. The demons could have occupied this area," Claire said, talking to herself and weighing her decision. "No, this is still better. I''ve already asked my dragoons to escort the cannons. The demons shouldn''t be able to... hm... I''ve warned the Western nation of Tundraise, but I doubt they listened. I wonder how many casualties they''ll suffer..."


    "We should help them! We can send a detachment!"


    "We''re pinned down here. What if the demons push again?" Some of the adjutants began arguing among themselves. Claire looked at them, wondering if she should hand over some of the soldiers to assist. They seemed loyal and competent. But then she glanced at me and smirked.


    "Hmm¡­ we should sacrifice useless nobles as fuel for Eli."


    "I''m not sure my ability works on non-mages," I replied.


    "I believe it will. If not, we''ll use their corrupt mage nobles. As long as Eli has one underling, she could infect the demon camp."


    "I think I can manage without that," I muttered. "I just need someone stealthy to cover my tracks when I attack their scouts."


    "I''ll hire some reapers for you. They''re perfect for this. But I need one of the demons unharmed. As much as I loathe to ask, Eli, please try not to kill all of them."


    "Alright," I said. It was time to earn my keep. I''d been sitting here with Claire for who knows how long. I couldn''t even fill feystones without feeling hungry. I was more useful back in Shadowstep when dealing with the monthly stampedes.


    Claire summoned ten of her dragoons and a hundred soldiers. Some of them are from Tundraise. She still wanted to remove some of her political enemies there, and the fact that she could show this attitude without anyone flinching was astonishing. These officers have been thoroughly brainwashed.


    "My trusted men from Tundraise, behold your homeland. You see it desecrated by these demons. I warned your nobles and leaders, yet they did not heed my call. Now, it''s time for them to fulfill their duty. I will use them as a poison against our enemies. With your help, we shall make our lands safe from the evil horn!"


    "Yes, ma''am!" The soldiers saluted and mounted their carriages.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    We departed in the middle of the night from Claire''s base. Using our horses, we circled behind the demons and headed toward Tundraise. All the reapers and soldiers carried muskets, showing just how much Claire depended on this plan.


    It took us about two days to reach Tundraise. I expected a similar experience to Elderan¡ªannoying nobles and inefficient bureaucrats getting in our way. However, what we found in Tundraise were ruins. Houses were burned, and demons were looting them. Through a special window in the carriage, Claire''s soldiers shot at the unsuspecting demons as we charged through.


    The dragoons she had as personal guards were incredibly efficient; they were accurate and fast enough to dodge fireballs and ice spears. Hm... I recognized some of them. Hm... didn''t I recognize some of these soldiers? Were they part of Althemer''s imperial guard, the ones Shadowstep County rejected during the war? They certainly had good marksmanship but nothing else. I guess they were perfect for this job.


    Ugh... these were the entitled noble sons and daughters who had caused chaos in my territory. Had they finally repented? I didn''t see the arrogance they had when dealing with regular soldiers.


    "The city is in ruins¡­" I muttered as I looked at the scenery. Other soldiers in the carriage winced.


    "Princess Claire was right! We could never trust the nobles. We paid heavy taxes, and they failed to protect our land. The demons have massacred everyone!" one of the soldiers from Tundraise cried in rage.


    "No survivors," the dragoons reported to the soldiers in the carriage. They had circled the city, calling for any survivors, but no one answered.


    "Alright! On to the next one." The soldiers set their caravans in motion.


    The next town was in better condition. The demons had made camp a little outside the city, and while the walls were battered, they were holding the demons off. I thought we''d charge at the demons immediately, but the soldiers seemed hesitant.


    "How many are there?" one of the soldiers asked.


    "About a thousand. A bit too many for us," one of the dragoons replied.


    "Damn. We can''t risk fighting them now."


    "We have Lady Eli, don''t we?"


    "Can''t we wait until nightfall?" I asked.


    "I don''t think the city will last that long."


    "My ability doesn''t work well during the day."


    "Ugh¡­" The soldiers groaned.


    They held on. The walls were crumbling, and people were building makeshift barricades, but they endured. As the sun began to set, my powers returned, and we charged toward the demons. The soldiers disembarked from their carriages and took up shooting positions, while the dragoons circled around, attempting to flank them.


    Using stealth, I moved forward, but the demons spotted me. As mages, we could detect each other, making my stealth useless. Nonetheless, my strength and agility far surpassed what my petite frame suggested. No longer limited by stamina, I deflected their fire and stone projectiles with my dark magic.


    Once I got into melee range, it was easy to bite them. The infection spread quickly, and my vampire horde grew from the ten demons I had just defeated to twenty. They began attacking each other. I heard the demons scream their kin''s names as that very kin gorged on their blood.


    "What''s happening? Agh!! Stop! You want to be a kinslayer?"


    "Stop it! We''re fated to rule this land! Think of our families back home! Aah!!"


    Screams echoed as the confused demons panicked. I sensed my link growing¡ªa vampire horde was forming. But then it began to shrink. The demons had finally had enough and chose to incinerate their kin. My vampire horde couldn''t use magic, making them vulnerable.


    But then our cavalry arrived. Claire''s troops ambushed the demons, their shots disrupting the formation, and my horde continued to grow. By dawn, a thousand demons had been turned into a thousand corpses. I tilted my head, realizing the link was still there. However, the vampiric demons couldn''t move under the sun. I severed the link, as it required mana to maintain them.


    Claire''s soldiers rallied, cheering as they entered the city. The townspeople hailed them as saviors, some even kneeling and offering plant leaves on the road for us to step on. The mayor rushed to join the parade but frowned when he saw Claire''s crest on the soldiers. As our eyes met, the soldiers immediately chased him and the nobles with a vigor that belied their efforts the night before against demons.


    "Capture them! They are traitors!"


    "Capture him! These nobles have failed in their duty! They have failed our kingdom!" the soldiers shouted. Soon, the mayor and five other nobles were apprehended. I was surprised that the townspeople sided with us instead of their local soldiers, but apparently, these nobles were quite hated by the populace. As the soldiers dragged the tied-up nobles to the town hall, they screamed, accusing us of being Princess Claire''s dogs. But Claire''s soldiers were unfazed.


    "I am the mayor! Claire''s dogs! Unhand me!"


    "I swore an oath to Princess Claire, you scum! Did you think you could get away with your failure? Princess Claire warned you years ago that these demons were coming, yet you didn''t prepare! Where are all the guns? The cannons?" Claire''s soldiers spat at him.


    The aftermath was predictable. The nobles kept making excuses¡ªblaming Western Alliance taxes and various reforms¡ªbut after the soldiers broke into their mansion''s cellar, it became clear they had been plundering the wealth of their citizens. The soldiers threw the gold back at them, and the townspeople lynched the nobles. I felt uncomfortable with the display of violence and chose to gather myself at a patisserie, sipping coffee and eating cake.


    ¡°It¡¯s bland¡­ it has no taste¡­¡± I muttered. It wasn''t the coffee or the cake¡ªit was my tongue. The milk and sugar in front of me were tasteless as well. A realization hit me: I was no longer human.


    One of the soldiers approached me.


    "So, what''s our next move?" I asked.


    "We found no weapons, ammunition, or cannons... I guess we''ll have to go with Claire''s plan. We''ll surround the advancing demons near Claire''s position and ambush them from behind. Could you inform Princess Claire of the plan? I heard from her Highness that you have one of those devices that can connect directly to her, Lady Eli."


    "Sure," I called R25B to inform Claire about the recent developments.


    We then departed from Tundraise to Ellynias, circling around the demons. It would be a few days'' ride. Ah! I forgot to capture one of these demons alive. I have to ensure not to bite one demon when we return to Ellynias.


    I felt languid. Am I going to live like this for my entire life?


    I don''t want to eat tasteless cake forever!

 Chapter 92: Demons Ploy

    Nothing noteworthy happened. I slaughtered all the demons in my way. I simply needed to sneak in with a few elite dragoons, bite one of the enemies, and the virus would spread. Soon enough, the demons were scurrying for their lives. Their law against kinslaying worked against them, making them hesitate to attack the vampiric demons.


    "Ahh!!" one of the humans screamed. I quickly cast my dark aura toward a vampiric demon to ward it off.


    "Lady Eli! You said they were under your control¡­" one of the soldiers complained.


    "I retract that statement. I only control the ones I can see. They''re set to attack anything they encounter," I replied.


    "Ugh¡­ Can''t you do something about that?"


    "I can''t help it. There are too many of them. I can''t command them to only attack demons. They''ll attack all living things. They''re not that fast or strong. As long as you don''t get bitten, you''ll be fine."


    "That''s the scary part¡ªthey lunge at you! And they don''t even go down when you shoot them in the head," the soldier said. The vampires'' weakness was actually their heart, but it would take several bullets to destroy the mana core there, so I hid the information. I don''t want to spread or cause misinformation. It was better to stab it with a spear or sword. However, these soldiers weren''t prepared for that. They didn''t even draw their guns when the vampires were clearly approaching them.


    "Just stay close," I muttered.


    "Will do."


    *Bang


    A gunshot rang out beside me, killing a demon I was trying to capture. I had been playing it carefully, using five vampires to act as if they had regained their sanity, intending to use them to capture one demon. But the soldiers shot it.


    "What are you doing!" I retorted. "You killed it."


    "You missed one. Claire told us to purge all demons." The soldier finally revealed his true colors¡ªarrogant and menacing. They were enjoying the slaughter. "They''re evil! We must kill them all!"


    "She told me to capture one of them alive and unharmed!"


    "Eh?" The soldier looked to her comrades, and most nodded, supporting me. However, someone certainly forgot the memo, as several of them tilted their head. Seemingly trying to recall what Claire said to them.


    "Yes, what Lady Eli said is true."


    "Oh, I just remembered. She did say that, didn''t she?" The soldiers in the carriage whispered among themselves. The soldier who had shot the demon went pale at once. "Lady Eli¡­ why didn''t you tell us? I didn''t know. I thought we were supposed to kill all of them¡­."


    "Speak of the devil¡­" I said as I saw a dragoon approaching us. He must have been sent by Claire.


    "No¡­ what am I going to tell Princess Claire¡­" The soldier agonized, kneeling down.


    Nevertheless, we were brought back to headquarters, where Claire greeted us with a smile, serving me bland tea inside her makeshift tent. The soldiers smiled stiffly as they sipped their tea. The fortress prioritized towers and walls, so everyone was sleeping on the ground tonight¡ªClaire and me included. We had some mattresses, so we were better off than the common foot soldiers.


    "What a joyous occasion. In just a week, we''ve managed to recapture Tundraise from the demons. Even though we were a bit late, I''m pleasantly surprised by all your hard work! Well done, dear Eli!" Claire came over and playfully pinched my cheeks, hugging me from behind. Her bountiful mound was undoubtedly there, though more miniature than Alicia. Claire''s was no less prominent if one looked from afar. I sighed and bemoaned my own lack of such bounty as she playfully pinched my cheeks. "If you had been here before, I wouldn''t have needed to go back in time¡­ I can''t believe how easy all of this is."


    "Weren''t you the one who killed me in the previous timeline?" I muttered. I wasn''t sure how much of the novel''s story actually matched reality anymore, so I was just rambling, but Claire looked at me incredulously.


    "How did you¡­? Well, you tried to kill me first, Eli. You can''t fully blame me. If I had known the future then, I would have saved you no matter what."


    Claire tried to placate me, but we both knew it wouldn''t work. Then she asked, "Oh yeah, about the live demons. Did you manage to capture one?"


    The cheering soldiers suddenly paused. I sighed and pointed toward them. They kowtowed in shame, realizing there was no way out of this.


    "We apologize, Princess Claire. We accidentally killed the one Lady Elidranthia was trying to capture," the soldiers said, bowing.


    "Ah, well, there are still more of them. We still need to capture the port, and another one has been sighted in a different province." Claire dismissed the soldiers without much concern. They looked at her and cheered for her benevolence. It was easy being an idol. She has brainwashed these soldiers well.


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    "Yes, Lady Claire!"


    "We''ll have the port town in sight. Tonight, we''ll lay an ambush while Eli sets up her vampiric horde again."


    I tilted my head, then realized they assumed my horde was dead since the sun had risen. However, I still had a link to them and could easily raise them again tonight. But should I? I knew Claire hated these demons to her core, but I wasn''t sure what she had seen in the future. What if she eventually saw me as a threat and decided to kill me, too?


    I chose to remain silent and cut the link between myself and my vampire horde, leaving just five intact, just in case.


    "Ah, I saw some pigs outside. Soldiers, why did you bring them here?" Claire asked, referring to the corrupt nobles as pigs. She certainly didn''t mince words when dealing with them. I thought her bluntness would contrast with her saintly demeanor, but her soldiers didn''t seem bothered in the slightest.


    "Lady Eli didn''t seem to need them for her horde, so we brought them here to ask Princess Claire for further directions."


    "I don''t want to bite humans¡­" I replied.


    "I see. Off with their heads, then. Hah¡­ millions of gold wasted, and they couldn''t even serve as fodder in our fight against the demons," Claire sighed.


    "Lady Claire! Please forgive us!" came shouts from outside the makeshift tent.


    "They must have a death wish. How dare they call Princess Claire'' Lady Claire''..." Claire''s ardent followers mocked them. One of the soldiers was about to go out and deal with them himself, but Claire stopped him.


    "Wait. Don''t do it inside the fortress. It would bring bad luck to have them die here."


    "Yes, Princess Claire."


    "You''re surprisingly superstitious," I remarked.


    Claire merely shrugged. The rest of the day was fairly laid-back. I had nothing to do, and the demons had gone quiet. They had stopped attacking us ever since we destroyed over half of their forces in a pincer attack. We had killed over ten thousand of their troops, but Claire said there were millions of them.


    "If there are millions of them, couldn''t they simply devastate our coastal ports? And were there really that many?"


    "Yes, there were that many in my vision. Even if all our coastal ports were destroyed, we could simply use the river and land transport, so it would merely become an inconvenience. It''s not fatal. I have no idea what they''re doing, but they definitely want to kill us all. I have seen it in the future. If we can deny them a beachhead, we can install advanced cannons on top of the towers and shoot their ships from the shore."


    Claire told me her plans. They seemed solid, but I knew things wouldn''t go that smoothly with the uncooperative nobles. Nevertheless, Claire didn''t need to watch all the coastal towns¡ªjust the one located in the north.


    A week passed, and Claire launched her assault on the port. With proper cannons, the demons had no chance of defending themselves.


    "The demons want to negotiate, Princess Claire," a soldier announced as he entered the tent. Claire''s eyes widened as she looked at him.


    "What? How could that happen?" Claire was utterly dumbfounded by the message. I tilted my head, thinking it was natural for an enemy to negotiate for peace, or at least a truce, when they were losing. They had clearly suffered massive losses here. But such a thought didn''t seem to cross Claire''s mind. Did she genuinely believe these demons were inherently evil?


    "Um¡­ the demons just released a human to deliver us a message."


    "Does that mean someone is still alive in the port town?"


    "No. They captured some people from a nearby rural village."


    "What a joke! After everything they''ve done, do they really expect us to negotiate?" one of the soldiers scoffed.


    The negotiation request went unanswered, and Claire continued to bombard the port town with cannons. The demons, once brave and arrogant, now skulked like rats.


    While clearing the town, she saw the demon ships leaving and ordered them to be bombarded. After the ships sank, she departed.


    "The demons seem to be surrendering," one of the soldiers said. Claire was caught off guard, not believing her ears. She insisted that the demons couldn''t possibly surrender.


    Only when the soldiers brought the demons before her did she finally believe them.


    "Is it true you''ve surrendered?" she asked.


    "Yes," the demon replied. Despite surrendering, he didn''t seem afraid. Some smirk was left on his face.


    "Why?"


    "Settler number 13 has lost 95% of its inhabitants. We''ve lost. The loser must obey the winner."


    "Settler?" Claire asked.


    "Yes. We are settlers. We came to inhabit this uninhabited land and develop it for King Rausha."


    "I see¡­" Claire pondered.


    "Kill them!" the soldiers chanted, but Claire spoke otherwise.


    "Send them to fill feystones. We need more ammunition. How many of you are left?"


    "A bit over 50."


    "Call them here. If they don''t attack, we will guarantee their lives. But now, you must work for us. By the way, how many settlers are there?"


    "About 45 in total. Each settler has around 5,000 Leymen."


    "Leymen?"


    "That''s what we call ourselves. From your translation, ''demons'' are beings from the underworld who do evil. We are no such thing. We come from Rausha''s Utopia on the central continent. It''s overpopulated, with over four billion Leymen, so we were tasked to establish new settlements here," the demon, named Naughtar, explained.


    "Four billion¡­" Claire massaged her temples, then smirked as she looked at me.


    "Claire?" I felt a sudden shudder, but she dismissed it.


    *Bang


    Claire shot the demon right in the forehead. Everyone was disturbed, but Claire merely looked at me and asked, "Eli, would you be so kind as to revive him with your necromancy? I want to know if he was telling the truth."


    I did as she asked and revived him. His demeanor changed immediately.


    "So, is it true there are 45 settlers?" Claire asked.


    "No. There are 125 groups. Each carried over 10,000 troops."


    "Why did you lie?" Claire facepalmed and sighed, while I rolled my eyes.


    "We planned to downsize our fleet. It was illegal to tell the enemy our real strength. We also want to analyze the source of the Death Bite. The death bite was fatal, so we wanted to eradicate its source as quickly as possible or find a cure. I have sent the rest of the fleet on to abolish kinslayer act on other settlers. The rest of the settlers won''t go down easily."


    "Never mind that for now. Let''s go. We''ll take the remaining demons hostage," she said, turning her attention to the map. She asked whether the demons had other lies, but he denied them.


    "Let''s return to Elderan. We disrupted their landing at Sand Pearl Port, but judging by the casualties there, we still have over 9,000 demons to kill," Claire said. "I also want to visit Althemer. We need guns from there. I wonder how Ludwin and Heracles are doing. Eli must want to see her beloved soon."


    Claire''s stress must be higher than I thought. She''s hallucinating that I have a good relationship with Ludwin, after all. Was the new information that devastating?


    "Lady Eli, your body is so cold. It''s nice."


    Meanwhile, I had been turned into Alicia''s hug doll along the way. She sure liked hugging me lately. I could only close my eyes and try to distract myself from biting her by focusing on the soft sensation of her chest pressing against the back of my head.

 Chapter 93: The Rally

    Claire pushed through a forced march again when she heard that Elderan was under attack. Luckily, she managed to reach the capital before the demons arrived. Once again, she left her cannons behind, bringing only her dragoons, me, and the troops inside carriages. She believed the cannons at the capital would be enough, but we ran out of ammunition. The demons had modified their siege tactics, somehow realizing we had limited ammo.


    "What''s happening? They weren''t this smart in the future¡­" Claire bit her thumb. Mud fortresses had been erected at a distance, with rows of earth magic walls forming a labyrinth. All of this was designed to prevent us from shooting them with our muskets.


    I participated too, but true to what the demon had said earlier, the kinslayer law had been abolished. The moment I infected one of them, the others immediately attacked the vampiric demons with their magic. Claire was stunned that my magic wasn''t working as effectively.


    "Weren''t your vampires supposed to be immortal?" Claire asked. "They were fine when I shot them in the head."


    "They can withstand bullets, but there''s nothing I can do when they''re incinerated, crushed under two tons of boulders, frozen solid, or chopped to pieces."


    "Ugh. These demons are getting smarter," Claire groaned. Nevertheless, we weren''t losing. It was merely a stalemate. Alicia was with us, and she could blow apart any stone wall the demons conjured if it was within range.


    When night fell, I attacked the garrison again. I ran up and bit them during melee combat, but the demons'' soldiers in the distance didn''t hesitate. They launched firebombs in my direction immediately.


    Several days later, something changed on the battlefield. The demons brought out something resembling a cannon. From a distance, a beam of fire slammed into our walls. Claire stood agape, fear plastered across her face.


    "They didn''t have that before!" Claire was losing her mind as our walls took a beating. "No! This can''t be happening! Why?!"


    "Princess Claire, what should we do? We lack the ammunition for our cannons to retaliate."


    "I''ll assault the cannon," I volunteered.


    "No! It''s too dangerous, Lady Eli!" Alicia hugged me.


    "Ugh¡­ If it''s too dangerous, you''re free to go back," Claire said, biting her lip. "But if they keep firing those cannons, we''ll suffer losses when the wall breaks."


    As ordered, I sneaked out under the cover of night. The capital''s walls were ruptured in several places, but the defenses held firm for now. However, if I didn''t bring the cannon down, that would soon change. I felt empty. I wondered why. Even with thousands dying before my eyes, I didn''t feel sad. I didn''t even know why I volunteered. Was it because I wanted to help Claire? Or was it because I wanted to kill people?


    A few soldiers offered to accompany me. These weren''t Althemer''s soldiers but Elderan''s. They knew we couldn''t use guns during the ambush, so they brought short bows and daggers. It struck me as odd how skilled they were with the daggers. My suspicion was correct¡ªthey were reapers. And their numbers were fewer than I''d expected at about three hundred. Meaning they were my seniors.


    "I''ll be in your care, senior."


    "There is no seniority among reapers. Only results." They smiled.


    Under the cover of night, we slithered into the demons'' camp. They always relied on magic, so Claire had assumed they were barbarians. I have no idea why she believed they couldn''t make magic tools. But the cannons they brought today proved otherwise. The demons were no longer underestimating us. Their hastily constructed fortress had no gaps to exploit. Their scouts and guards were perfectly placed, covering all blind spots.


    I slit the throat of one of the demon guards and, using my stealth, led the way. However, just as we stormed the emplacement, the other guards arrived all at once.


    "Damn it. I knew we shouldn''t have forced it," the reaper cursed, but somehow, I felt no fear. My body just moved on its own.


    "Destroy the cannon and carry one back to Claire. I''ll hold them off," I commanded. The reapers did as they were told.


    "They''re attacking the cannons!"


    "That rabid biter is here!"


    "Focus on the biter!"


    I charged in. The demons were numerous, and they were no longer afraid to kill even their own allies if it meant taking me down. I kept biting, slashing, and parrying their spells.


    Then, one of the demons stabbed me from behind with a sword. I felt a thud in my chest. But that was it. Even though I could see the blade coming out from my chest, There was no searing pain like before. So I just kept stabbing and biting until no one chased me, and I rendezvous with the reapers outside. The reaper group was waiting outside the fort with their horses, the stolen cannon tied with a rope. When they saw me, they whipped their horses, and we all made our way back to the capital.


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    "Lady Eli! Medic! Get here! You! Call a medic!!" Alicia screamed, her voice frantic, as she saw the meter-long sword sticking through my chest from the back.


    "It''s fine. It doesn''t hurt," I tried to calm her down as I pulled the sword from my chest from behind. It clattered to the ground with a metallic clank. Alicia looked at the wound, ripping her sleeves to bandage me, but the wound healed right before her eyes.


    I sighed. I really am no longer human. Then I glanced at a bewildered Alicia. The soldiers who gathered around had mixed feelings, but I could definitely see fear in their eyes.


    "I''m a medic. Eli, are you hurt?" Claire rushed over.


    "Lady Eli was stabbed through the chest just a moment ago!" Alicia explained, her voice rushed, but Claire tilted her head, confused, as she didn''t find any wound on my chest.


    "Well, it must be her new skill," Claire muttered. "I''ll cast some healing light just to be safe."


    Then, I felt a searing pain from her touch. My body burned as black spots emerged on my skin. I immediately dashed away from her, thinking she was trying to kill me.


    "Ouch! What are you¡ª" I started to curse her but stopped myself.


    "Claire?" Alicia dropped her polite tone and accused her, her eyes suddenly sharp. Claire frantically shook her head. "Wait! That wasn''t my intention! It was just normal healing light! I swear!"


    "I see. I''ll rest in my room. Don''t worry, it''s not your fault, Princess Claire. I''m no longer human, after all. Magic healing probably hurts me instead of healing," I said, excusing myself. I guess it was my fate. No matter what, I will be killed by Claire.


    I covered myself with a blanket, though I neither felt cold nor hot. I sobbed at the misfortune that had befallen me. After regaining my breath and calming down, I eventually fell asleep. Thank god I could still sleep.


    In my dreams, I saw the mountain of corpses again. The red moon shone through the dark sky. I thought I''d never return here, but I was wrong. The mountain was taller than ever before, so high I couldn''t see the top¡ªthousands of demon corpses piled up.


    My heart raced for a moment, thinking I''d see Elidranthia again. But she was gone. There was no one here but me. I wandered around, but all I found were demon corpses. I climbed to the top of the mountain, where Elidranthia had once stood before vanishing.


    When I reached the peak, a screen passed before me, listing many skills that were offered. But my attention was focused on the bottom line.


    [Make a contract? What do you seek?


    Vampiric Wings = 300 souls


    Intelligent Vampire = 2000 souls


    Fire Resistance = 500 souls


    Fire Magic UP = 700 souls


    Stronger Vampire = 1000 souls


    Origin Vampire = 3000 souls


    Blood Magic = 2000 souls


    ¡­


    Current souls = 3420


    When a contract is made, you will bind yourself to the Reaper Comet. Y/N]*


    "No," I said. It meant I would become like Elidranthia, trapped here and possibly die like her. I wasn''t sure if that was a good thing or not, but I chose not to make the contract.


    Then I woke up. The sun was high in the sky. I checked my body and was relieved to see that the wound caused by Claire had healed. It had taken longer than usual, but it healed eventually.


    "Great!" Claire hugged me as she escorted me to the table. There were more feystones than usual placed there for me.


    "So, about the cannons¡­ I''m afraid we won''t be able to use them effectively. They''re basically magic weapons. By infusing them with mana, we can fire a beam of mana from them," one of Claire''s henchmen, who seemed to be a mage, explained.


    "Why can''t we use them?" one of the military officers asked.


    "Oh, we can use them. It''s just that they''re incredibly mana-intensive. They require about forty times the mana of our standard cannons."


    "Forty times?" The officers'' eyes widened.


    "Yes. Since there are no feystones that can hold that much mana, we''ll have to use mages directly. But even Miss Alicia could only fire two shots before being completely depleted."


    "What a joke! Hahaha," the officer laughed, but Claire facepalmed. It seemed a headache was on her way.


    "This cannon doesn''t require ammunition, right?" Claire asked.


    "Um¡­ apart from mana, yes."


    "Damn it," Claire cursed. She knew all demons were mages, so mana wasn''t an issue for them.


    "Ma''am, we''ve received scouts from Althemer. Prince Heracles and Ludwin are coming with reinforcements!" a soldier reported, his face bright with a smile.


    "Really? Are they bringing cannons?"


    "Yes! Ammunition, muskets, the latest cannons, earth mage engineers¡ªthey''re fully equipped. Here''s the list."


    "Yes! With proper supplies, there''s nothing we need to fear. Along with help from the Western Nation and the cannons we left behind in Tundraise, we''ll have enough strength to crush these demons!" Claire beamed. "When will they arrive?"


    "They should be here tomorrow or the day after."


    "Excellent! Focus on defense. When Heracles arrives, we''ll pulverize their shady fort!" Claire said, jumping with excitement. "The meeting is dismissed. Get back to your posts!"


    She skipped her way over to invite Alicia and me to lunch at a fancy restaurant in the capital. Her mood had swung drastically.


    The night passed without incident; we simply conducted our routine patrols. The demons fashioned another cannon to bombard us, but our walls held firm. After analyzing their cannon, we used mana-resistant material to coat the walls.


    At dawn, soldiers bearing the Althemer flags began to gather. The two princes rode at the front on finely decorated horses. Heracles dismounted when they arrived at our gate, and Claire leaped to hug him.


    "Heracles! You arrived at the perfect moment! Thank you! It must have been exhausting arranging this many soldiers to march into former enemy territory!"


    "I would cross the tallest mountain and deepest ocean for you, my love! Some old men in the capital are no match for our love."


    "Oh my! Such a smooth talker! Come, you and your soldiers must be weary. I''ll brief you about the war, and then we can crush the demons tomorrow!" Claire said, leading him into the castle.


    That''s Elderan''s castle, you know. Claire sure walked in like she owned the place. After what she did to her enemies in Elderan, I''m sure everyone here is a yes-man now. But still, she showed no hesitation.


    "Eli! I came too!" Ludwin greeted me, arms open wide.


    "Thank you for coming, Prince Ludwin! Your arrival certainly alleviates our burden!" I curtsied before his open arms. It had been quite some time¡ªI might''ve forgotten how to curtsy properly. Ludwin frowned as he looked at me.


    Was my curtsy that bad? But he didn''t even salute! In etiquette lessons, men are supposed to put their right hand on their chest when greeting women, not open their arms like that.


    What''s wrong with him?

 Chapter 94: Swarm

    Cannonballs flew, darkening the skies as infantry took cover behind earthen walls, with fireballs and other elemental spears raining down upon them. When the demons'' cover was blown, lead bullets reaped their lives. Little by little, the demons were forced back. Heracles watched the battle unfold. Althemer''s new invention, the rifle, could shoot over 300 meters, giving us a significant advantage. Their cannons were no longer a problem as long as we had a line of sight.


    Moreover, an airship had been built. While it might be a stretch to call it a floating fortress, it gave us air superiority. From above, the airship rained cannonballs down on the demons. Claire was elated beyond belief as she saw we were winning.


    "So, these are the demons you''ve been talking about¡­ They''re smarter than you made them out to be, but weaker too. A gun can kill them," Heracles remarked.


    "Well, in my vision, they used magic for everything¡ªfrom building houses and so on. I never saw them making weapons, except for the swords they''re using now," Claire replied.


    "So, they do have some form of technology. Too bad it''s so mana-inefficient for us. We need to be cautious."


    "Yes. But we have more troops now. The enemy may be smarter than I thought, but our objective remains the same: we can''t let them land."


    "We''ve already lost the initiative there."


    "Yes¡­ but we haven''t lost yet."


    "Of course. We''re winning right now."


    The rickety fortress soon collapsed under our bombardment. The demons crawled out of the fortress like rats fleeing their nests. When they did, our infantry unleashed a salvo of lead bullets upon them.


    After clearing the fortress, we marched into the ruined Sand Pearl Harbor, where the demons had made another defensive settlement. We bombarded it day and night and soon occupied it. When we cleared out the rubble and piled the demon''s corpses outside the city, Claire noticed a demon that wore somewhat nicer clothing than the rest.


    "Eli, please use necromancy on this one," Claire asked, pointing to a demon who appeared to be wearing better clothing than the others. I did as I was told, and Claire began her interrogation.


    "How many settlers do you have?"


    "150 groups of settlers. Each group has about 25 ships, with over ten thousand people."


    "Wasn''t it 125 before?" Claire looked bewildered by the discrepancy. She didn''t believe the corpse could lie, so either the commander had lied to his subordinates or...


    "New groups of settlers arrive every week."


    "How?! You can''t stay on ships forever!!" Claire screamed in desperation. "Twenty-five new groups mean over 250,000 people!! How can you send them one after another without supplies?"


    "150 settlers? That means over a million demons are coming our way. Our bullets won''t be enough to handle them," Ludwin frowned. I checked the supplies. We were good for now, but our ammunition wasn''t limitless.


    "1.5 million¡­ Even Lustria''s population doesn''t reach that high," Heracles commented, comparing the population of Claire''s homeland to the incoming demons. I, too, was baffled. 1.5 million was more than the population of a large town. Even battalions in World War I didn''t reach those numbers in some places.


    Seeing her efforts bearing no fruit, Claire was slowly losing her composure. "No, we haven''t lost yet¡­ as long as we can hold on¡­"


    "I should go to their homeland¡­" I whispered.


    "But they no longer have the Kinslayer Law. They''ll kill your vampires on sight!" Claire cautioned.


    "Why was such a law made in the first place?" Ludwin asked. "How could these demons follow it so obediently? We have laws against killing humans, but plenty of people still do it¡­"


    "Demons have to follow their master. There''s some sort of magical pact," Claire explained, but then she stopped, realizing how little she actually understood about the demons despite believing she knew them best. "I''m not too sure about the details... You, answer. You must have some information," she demanded of the demon.


    ¡°Through a magical binding contract, we pledge our souls to obey the higher order. We¡¯ve done this since childhood. Fifth-class demons must follow fourth-class demons, fourth-class must follow third-class, and so on.¡±


    ¡°That sounds very convenient. I wonder why we don¡¯t do it. It¡¯s all magical, right?¡± Heracles asked.


    ¡°If the binding is done by a mage, it¡¯s possible. But our continent lacks enough mages, and mages don¡¯t want to be bound,¡± Claire explained. ¡°It has to be done by a light mage. Rausha must be a light mage as well.¡±


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    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Heracles asked.


    ¡°Not really. Demons are all mages anyway. Now, about the Kinslayer Law. What do you know about it?¡±


    ¡°The Kinslayer Law was made to prevent assassinations. It forbids killing by all people.¡±


    ¡°What if someone wanted to rebel against injustice from the king?¡± Claire pressed.


    ¡°They could, but the contract would cross their names. Those whose names are crossed will be executed.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ that¡¯s tamer than I thought. I assumed it was complete obedience or death if you disobeyed,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°I see. If killing is forbidden, there would be no wars. Without wars, the population would expand endlessly, leading to massive and rapid growth,¡± Claire added.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd. There are other ways to manage that, like child taxes or even infanticide. Some societies in the past resorted to those measures during famines,¡± Heracles frowned.


    ¡°Killing is forbidden. That includes abortion.¡±


    ¡°Well, now that we¡¯re in this mess, what are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°Has the Kinslayer Law been abolished for all demons?¡±


    ¡°Only for about a quarter of the settlers¡ªthe ones on ships, those about to leave the supply archipelago, and those already here.¡±


    ¡°Who has the power to abolish the Kinslayer Law?¡±


    ¡°Only the king can fully abolish it. However, settler leaders are given exemptions. They are chosen to become this land¡¯s new kings. Even then, their names are still crossed. Those with crossed names will be given a special place once we conquer this land.¡±


    "I see." Claire was considering my proposition. Ludwin was heavily against it.


    "No! We can''t send Eli alone into foreign enemy lands!"


    "We aren''t going to send her alone, Ludwin. At least Claire or I will tag along," Heracles sighed.


    "We need more time to think about this strategy. We have yet to obtain their maps. We don''t even know where the demons'' continent really is." Claire sighed. "Can you draw a map to your supply base or to your main continent?"


    "No. The maps are held by the captain of the ship."


    "Ugh. We have to capture one of their ships." Claire groaned in frustration. She thought everything was finally resolved. Nevertheless, she began to calm herself as she found a way out of this mess.


    "Despite seeing this event years ago, you are surprisingly unprepared for it, Claire." I jabbed at her.


    "I did my best! It was hard for a princess from a small kingdom like me to do anything. Lustria was even smaller than the territory of some dukes¡­" Claire trailed off.


    "Well, if you put it that way and consider how treacherous the nobles of the West are, I guess you are right. Moreover, you are a mage¡­."


    "You really understand me, Eli!" Claire hugged me. I suddenly felt giddy. Since when were we this close?


    "Now, where to next? Should we bombard one of their ships using our newest airship?" Heracles asked.


    "Sinking them is no use. We need the maps¡­"


    "We can sink one or two of their ships. Let''s go."


    Now that we had Sand Pearl once again, we embarked on a journey with the flying airship. It didn''t take long for a massive ship to be spotted on the horizon. It looked more like a moving island than a ship; even carriers from Earth''s navy weren''t that big.


    "That looked like an island. They even have farms! How could they have that?" Alicia asked.


    "They have water mages watering those plants," Claire answered.


    "So the ships I saw from Sand Pearl last time weren''t their main ships. I was wondering how they could transport ten thousand people here. The demons need to eat, too. The supplies needed must be massive."


    "Of course. No ordinary ship could house ten thousand people. It had to be that large," Heracles said.


    Yeah, if you stopped to think about it, he was right. This airship, by comparison, could barely hold twenty people¡ªus, the crew to man the three cannons, someone for the rudder, snipers, and mages to handle the mana.


    Without delay, we rained cannonballs upon them. The enemy tried launching their magic and even using cannons, but we were too high and far for them to reach us. I looked into the distance.


    "Watch out! Flying monsters!" a scout shouted, drawing our attention.


    "Where''s my rifle? Ludwin! Grab a rifle too! We need to shoot them!" Heracles ordered.


    "On it!"


    The mage academy never taught us how to use guns, but we were still taught how to maintain and even make them. Realizing there were more rifles than people aboard the ship, Ludwin grabbed rifles and handed them to Alicia, Claire, and me. The fliers had demons riding them.


    "The demons are riding those fliers."


    "They keep coming up with one trick after another, huh?" Heracles aimed his rifle and fired. I was impressed by his accuracy, but I managed to hit one as well. Even though the wyverns were fast and flying, they were huge targets. The new muskets were easy to reload, and the thirty or so fliers fell easily before they got in range to cast their magic.


    "How many airships do we have?" I asked Ludwin and Heracles.


    "This is the prototype. So, there''s only one. We started making this baby two years ago. The project was kept so secret that even I didn''t know about it," Heracles said.


    "Eh? How come the crown prince didn''t know about such an important detail?"


    "Let''s just say this ship was built by geniuses we offered clemency to in exchange for the blueprints¡­"


    "Ah, so they wanted to rebel, huh?"


    "We offered them clemency, so they''re not rebels."


    "I understand." I sighed. Regardless of their methods, we profited in the end. That''s always been our way.


    "Sir, we failed to destroy their ships. It seems our shots didn''t affect their gargantuan vessels at all."


    I saw the enemy hiding inside their floating islands, and we couldn''t damage them further. But if we got too close, they would surely fire their prized spells at us. We were at a stalemate.


    "Should I go down there? I can swim."


    "No. We just need to signal our ships anchored at Sand Pearl port to come here. Luckily, even though they razed the city, the port and the ships themselves were intact."


    "They''re not brainless, Claire. If they destroyed the ships, how would they flee?"


    "Let''s use that to our advantage," Claire said. We raised a smoke signal, hoping it would be seen.


    A few hours later, two ships came to our rescue. However, as they boarded the demon''s moving island, it suddenly trembled, followed by an explosion. Slowly but surely, the island fortress began to sink. I gasped in horror.


    "What happened? Did our cannons do that?" Claire asked.


    "No. We stopped shooting a while ago," Ludwin replied, watching the sinking island.


    "Order the ships to retreat!!" Heracles commanded.


    "But our men are still inside!"


    "It doesn''t matter! Tell them to swim! We''ll pick them up later! If that island capsizes, it could take our ships down with it! Hurry! Give the order! This is a direct order from Heracles!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    We managed to save our ships, but we lost several soldiers when the demon''s island sank. Later, through the testimony of the surviving crew, we learned that the demons had blown up the keel of their own ships, causing them to sink. Heracles, though surprised, believed the testimony.


    These demons were undoubtedly crazy.

 Chapter 95: Sabotage

    "Well, too bad we didn''t capture their ships, but at least we sunk one!" Claire said. I was sitting on Claire''s lap as she nuzzled me and patted my head. For some reason, Claire had been doing that a lot lately.


    "So cold! I love this!" Claire hugged me even tighter. She seemed to enjoy hugging me, but my maid was glaring daggers at her.


    "Princess Claire, could you not hug Milady so nonchalantly? It''s improper," Alicia said, scowling.


    "Come on, don''t be mad. Let''s share. Here!" Claire handed me to Alicia like I was a puppy.


    "You are so kind, Princess Claire!" Alicia immediately changed her attitude. As she hugged me, I could feel her usual soft twin pillows pressing against the back of my head. Yup, she is bigger than Claire, alright.


    "You used to be warm, but ever since you became a vampire, you''ve been cold¡­ It feels like the Lady Eli I know has changed. You don''t even resist when I hug you like this anymore¡­"


    "Ahem¡­ I brought some cake. It''ll be a while before we get back to Elderan''s capital," Heracles said, bringing several plates and feystones for me. However, I simply dozed off on Alicia''s bosom.


    "Cakes!" Claire clapped her hands in joy. The tart cake with strawberries certainly looked delicious, but I wouldn''t eat it. I''d suffer irreparable mental damage if it tasted bland on my tongue. I preferred to savor the imagined taste of the tart, where the flavor remained perfect in my mind.


    "Lady Eli, you don''t want any?"


    "No, I won''t eat it," I replied while licking the feystone. Alicia had probably filled this one¡ªI could recognize the warmth of her mana.


    We arrived at Elderan''s capital two days later. The news about the demons had stopped abruptly. As Claire bolstered the port town, she received a report that the Theocracy had attacked the Western front, capturing one of its fortresses.


    "I almost forgot about that place¡­" I muttered. I haven''t actually been there, but the war effort on the Western Front kept becoming a free topic in our school, and it is almost impossible for anyone not to know about it.


    "We still have soldiers stationed there. But I thought we had a one-year truce¡­"


    "Urgh¡­ why are we still fighting amongst ourselves when the demons are at our doorstep?!" Claire cursed. A knock was then heard at the door. When our soldier opened it, a researcher burst in, shouting with joy and lacking any semblance of manners.


    "We did it!!" the researcher exclaimed. "Princess Claire! We succeeded! With this, our monster tamer guild will no longer be looked down upon!!"


    "You''re in the presence of Princess Claire. At least be polite," one of the soldiers said; knowing that Claire didn''t care much about rank or status, they amended their words. They didn''t ask the researcher to kneel, just to show more consideration.


    "Ahem! Our first dragon mount is ready to serve you, Princess Claire," the researcher said, kneeling with excitement radiating from him. he bowed like a knight with pride. As if he had slain a dragon for their princess.


    "Dragons?" Ludwin and Heracles turned to Claire. However, Claire was elated.


    "Oh! So the research from the spawner Eli brought has finally paid off? Let me see! Is it in the stables?" Claire asked, thrilled by the good news.


    "It resides in the laboratory, Princess. May I guide you there?"


    "Of course! Let''s go, everyone!"


    We went to the laboratory where I had killed Seles for my revenge. In the backyard, a dragon with gleaming white scales stood proudly in the sunlight. Behind it were five wyverns, all wearing chokers. Even though the dragon was white, like the one we killed when getting the spawner, I didn''t sense any mana-repelling scales on it. This was just a normal flying lizard. Did it even have breath attacks?


    "Wow¡­ what a majestic creature!" Claire exclaimed.


    "We were lucky with this one. After sacrificing mana from 30 mages, day and night, we finally got this breed."


    "What''s the maintenance like? I heard these creatures eat feystones¡­" I trailed off, suddenly realizing how similar I was to this monster.


    "Oh, yes. They eat about two feystones per day when idle and five when flying. If they''re in combat, they may need even more. But it''s well worth the cost! A dragon will carry an enormous advantage in air superiority!"


    "Well, let''s put that to a test! We''re going to use them immediately. The wyverns too. We''ll train the imperial soldiers to ride them. I wonder if they can shoot the enemy from the air. I heard Althemer''s soldiers are very proficient with rifles."


    "As you wish, Princess Claire."


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    With the airship, we reached the Western frontier in less than a week. As the airship landed, the general knelt before Claire, glaring at Heracles and Ludwin with contempt. They hadn''t even done anything. Did these generals hate Ludwin and Heracles merely because Althemer was allied with the Theocracy? It was not Althemer who orchestrated the attacks. Moreover, they were just princes, not the king.


    "Report?" Claire asked.


    "Fort Anabelle has fallen to the Theocracy''s armies. They attacked us at night, despite the truce, pretending to be peddlers."


    "What cowards! Is this true?" Ludwin said, doubting his ears.


    "They''re here," I said. I sensed a mana signature in the distance. Ever since I became a vampire, I had grown sensitive to mana, sometimes even seeing wisps of it in the air. The Theocracy often employed mages as their soldiers. Their mana lighted up like fireflies in the distance.


    "Who?"


    "The Theocracy''s soldiers, perhaps. They employ mages as their soldiers, right?"


    "Really? Where?"


    "There," I pointed toward a forest. The mana signature grew closer and closer until it reached our backdoor. We intercepted them as they tried to break in.


    "Althemer''s uniform? I knew they were turning traitor!" one of the captured mages cursed as we placed mana shackles on them. Being mages, they usually had the upper hand unless we shot them with guns. However, they were only level 4, 5, and 7 mages. We had Claire and me at level 8, Ludwin at level 7, and Alicia at level 6. Moreover, we had Heracles, who was a skill holder, and countless loyal soldiers in this fort. They stood no chance.


    "Oi! We''re in a truce! The demons are invading our continent!" Heracles said.


    "Lies. How could you side with these barbarians who enslave the sons of mana?"


    "Who are the real barbarians when you violate something like a truce?" Claire sighed, then pulled out her gun.


    "Wait. I''m a prisoner! Will you really kill¡ª" BANG Claire shot him. She then looked at me. I merely sighed.


    "Alright," I said.


    "Thank you, my dear sister!"


    "We are not sisters¡­" I grumbled as I used my necromancy to revive the mage.


    "Why did you want to revive him?" Ludwin asked.


    "To question him, of course. So, what''s your purpose? Why did you attack the fort?"


    "Count Dolores was paid by merchants of the Western Nation to take that fort," he answered. I tilted my head.


    "Why would merchants from the Western Nation want people to attack their own fortress?"


    "I don''t know."


    "They want to reignite the war. By labeling the Theocracy as having broken the truce, they could spark a more intense conflict. The Theocracy, on the other hand, wanted to gain merit. This is all just speculation, though," Claire sighed.


    "Which merchants? My sweetheart controls the merchant guilds in every Western country. We could embargo them."


    "A Thousand Slash merchant," he answered.


    "Are you a reaper?" I asked. It was just a gut feeling, but from his gait and the equipment he used to break in, he seemed to know the craft.


    "Yes. I am R245."


    "Sorry, senior¡­" I bowed. The other two mages, who hadn''t been shot, trembled in fear.


    "Red eyes that made you tremble as if you are looking into hell. Are you R666?" They muttered. I merely nodded.


    "Why are you asking if they''re reapers?" Ludwin asked.


    "Nothing, I was just curious. It''s not important," I sighed. My number is 666, but Reaper''s work is perilous. Another one just died. I wondered how many reapers with numbers lower than mine were still alive.


    "Heracles, do you think an arms dealer is trying to hijack the market price?" Ludwin asked his brother.


    "They probably are. Their region hasn''t seen demon attacks. Or maybe this has been planned for a while. I don''t know," Heracles replied.


    "Let''s raid the company. Confiscate all the weapons they have. Let the other greedy merchants know that Claire is looking for weapons to combat the demons. They don''t need to pull ridiculous stunts like this to jack up the prices," Claire told her subordinates.


    "What about Fort Annabelle?" one of the commanders asked.


    "My dear, will you ask the Theocracy to kindly give the fort back? And whisper to them that one of their devoted believers has made a pact with the Western nations."


    "Roger that." Heracles returned to the airship to write the letter. I was shocked at how quickly the process unfolded. The reply came not even two hours later. All thanks to the mana fax machine.


    Of course, they didn''t comply. In the reply letter, the aforementioned count was hanged, though. Claire considered her options but ultimately chose to ignore them.


    "The demons come first. Let''s go back and scout Sand Pearl and Tundraise. Guard, expect more treachery from the Theocracy. Don''t let your guard down."


    "Yes, Princess Claire."


    Two weeks later, we spotted another attack in Tundraise. Claire had stationed cannons there, thinking her defenses were perfect. But apparently, they weren''t. The demons froze the ocean when they realized their ship was about to capsize, then assaulted the garrison. We shot back with guns and cannons, managing to defeat them, but we used more ammunition than expected.


    Port Ellynias, situated between Tundraise and Sand Pearl, wasn''t faring as well. Claire had to personally come and bombard the town again to retake the city.


    "Kites!" a soldier reported.


    "They''re getting smarter and smarter¡­" Heracles muttered. As the soldier had said, several kites, each carrying demons, plastered the skies. Using wind magic, they were able to lift themselves and attempt an assault. If this were medieval times, they might have caused trouble. However, we were in a Renaissance-era with guns and even airships, so they posed no significant threat.


    "Let''s retreat¡­ I think we shouldn''t hold Ellynias. The ammunition can''t keep up with the assault," Ludwin sighed. Heracles didn''t chide him; he implicitly agreed with him. However, as Claire was his lover, he remained silent, but Claire was insistent.


    "No. If we let them land, it will be harder to repel them." Claire said.


    "If that moving island comes, our cannons would be useless anyway¡­" Heracles said. Claire pouted at him.


    "We should not be overly cautious. We need to take some risks to protect this continent!"


    Her words fell off my ears. Deep down, I already knew what had to be done. We had a dragon now. I could just talk to the corpse and learn the location of their island¡ªknowing the general direction, like north or south, would be enough. If I asked how long they''d been at sea, I could also estimate the distance. We don''t need a map.


    Judging from the settlers'' speed, a dragon should be five or even ten times faster. I could simply carry enough feystones for sustenance and launch an assault on the core of their forces. The enemy might have realized we could fly. If they were smart enough, the Kinslayer Law might have already been abolished in their settler camp. We must hurry to strike them before the law was really abolished.


    "Everyone, please listen to me. I have an idea." I approached the group, explaining my plan, fully aware this mission could be my last.


    This is our final war. If we make it through, our continent will be safe. Everyone felt the weight of that truth.