Chapter 90 – Shadow (1)

“It must be Marshal. Austin said so. That although the Roderick family received unofficial permission to enter, the only one who can actually enter the academy is Marshal.”

Just a moment ago,

Henry captured a suspicious movement.

The bizarrely twisted flow of mana approached at a very high speed, then took up a position where it could watch Henry’s group while keeping a sufficient distance.

“I will pretend not to see. He won’t think I found him. Since I would never have been able to find him if it weren’t for these eyes.”

[Melissa didn’t feel it either, right?]

[Wasn’t Marshal an ally? Didn’t Austin say he trusts and follows him or something?]

“It seems Sir Melissa hasn’t noticed either. And while Austin said he’s an ally, honestly I don’t know. After all, his position is what it is.”

It was not that he did not trust Austin.

It was just that Henry was in the relationship of a third party to Marshal, and thus he was merely being a bit more cautious.

Considering the situation they were in, there was nothing bad about being careful.

“It would be nice if I could see his face. At least I would be able to know what thoughts the opponent had when approaching.”

Just as he had purchased Melissa’s information, if he purchased Marshal’s information, he could confirm which side he stood on.

Also, the disposition of the person as well.

Since he was said to be the leader of the shadows, if Marshal was an ally, they could definitely expect significant help.

“But not now. I will delay telling Austin until after we pass through the gate.”

To purchase information, one had to face the opponent directly.

Calling him out in this situation was no different from suicide.

“We should maintain a gap. I will use the gate thirty minutes after you pass through. Since a magic barrier is installed near the gate…”

Melissa was summarizing the plan.

In truth, it was a simple detail that could barely be called a plan.

Henry and Austin use the gate first.

Melissa would follow slightly behind, and then tail them while maintaining a certain distance.

“The possibility of my movement being detected?”

“If we weigh the possibilities, it isn’t none, but he is not a person who would do so. He possesses significant pride in the shadows.”

Austin explained, smiling leisurely.

Duke Roderick seemed thorough, but at the foundation of his personality lay pride in his own military power.

The explanation was that because he performed things perfectly even when ordered roughly, he ended up obtaining an image similar to perfectionism.

Also,

although he didn’t tell Melissa, Roderick’s eyes were also one of the causes that shaped such a personality.

He was in a position to see through the opponent’s lies.

No matter whom he dealt with, there was no worry about being stabbed in the back, and because of that, his actions became bold. The result? Naturally, it was always good.

“So you do not need to worry. They will not notice Sir Melissa’s presence.”

The shadows will focus solely on Austin, the target, and as long as Melissa appears at the appropriate moment, the situation will end.

Melissa nodded her head.

“Let’s move.”

***

Henry and Austin headed to the warp gate of the royal capital.

A facility through which one could go anywhere in the entire kingdom, as long as they paid the cost.

The mage managing the gate guided them inside with a smile, as if he saw Henry often.

“You can use Gate 16.”

It felt almost like being guided to an inn room.

Just because it was a warp gate did not mean it was a place where a giant magic circle simply sat alone.

Inside, there were dozens of spaces containing tables and chairs, and each one of them led to a different place.

“Have a comfortable journey.”

The door closed.

A space decorated with simple chairs and a table.

Sitting on chairs facing each other, Austin showed a grin as if excited.

“How long has it been since a journey?”

“A journey?”

“For me, it’s a journey. I don’t know how it sounds to you, but I have never left the royal capital since I was born. Even then, it was because I fled to the academy that I was able to wander inside the capital.”

The young Austin was no different from being imprisoned in the family.

Only after obtaining the status of a trainee at the academy did he barely obtain the qualification to wander the capital.

Austin gestured outside the door with his chin, smirking.

“Everyone must be busy. Because they will have to use the gate with fake identities.”

“Will they follow immediately?”

“They will probably keep a slight gap, right? Because they will think I’ll recognize them. They won’t make contact until we escape the range of the gate.”

“What about Marshal?”

“Marshal? Ah, Marshal must have been excluded from this mission. Even Father knows. What the relationship between Marshal and me is like.”

“Are you sure?”

“Sure. Unless he plans to let me go.”

[He really doesn’t seem to know?]

[A screw is always loose in his head lol, isn’t he living too joyfully?? lol]

[But traveling via gate is hilarious lol, is it some subway? lol]

[Line 4! The target has transferred!]

Chats rising countlessly.

Now Henry was able to pull out ‘useful information’ from among them.

The mages’ judgment was as follows.

Austin really doesn’t know. Austin’s trust in Marshal is absolute.

‘What’s important is the ground of that trust.’

It was precisely the right place and time to ask.

Because by its nature, the gate in transit was safer than even the king’s residence.

“At the academy, Austin.”

“Huh?”

“There was someone watching us.”

Austin tilted his head.

“Someone watching?”

“He was in a state of stealth. It was a stealth so outstanding that even Sir Melissa did not notice his presence.”

“Then you, Henry… Ah.”

Henry pointed to his own eyes, and Austin nodded as if understanding.

“It should be possible. With those eyes. Did you find out his identity too?”

“Not that far. My guess is it might be Marshal.”

“It is possible.”

“…Didn’t you say he would be excluded from this mission?”

To think he would admit it so easily.

But Austin had agreed in a slightly different sense.

“He must have been excluded from the mission. Surely. He probably followed out of worry. He won’t intervene in any case, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Not intervene?”

“Because constraints are placed on him. He cannot perform actions that obstruct the mission. Watching is his limit, and even that is possible only because it’s Marshal.”

[Why is he so calm? lol]

[Hearing it like this, it really feels like nothing]

[In some country, this and that happened, lol]

[It’s just someone else’s business, lol]

“…What if you call him?”

“Still, he won’t come out. The mission is ongoing. The target is me, and Marshal has been excluded. Meeting him would only be possible after this mission ends.”

“What if you fail?”

“Ah, that doesn’t matter. In any case, it is important that the mission is terminated. Because it means it exerted no influence on the mission.”

“If you say so.”

Henry accepted Austin’s story.

It was details difficult to understand with his common sense, but in any case, Austin was in a position of having grown up in an environment outside common sense.

“It seems such a situation is not very surprising to Austin.”

Henry put forth a short comment.

Fortunately,

the mages did not seem to feel any particular aversion to Marshal’s presence.

Because reactions like Austin’s ‘character setting’ being unique, or being curious about the reaction after it ended, were the mainstream.

“We have arrived!”

Just then, the cheerful voice of the mage was heard. The door opened, and the two stepped outside.

“Welcome to Heritz.”

The mage with a kind smile welcomed them. Henry carefully asked a question.

“Mage. May I ask you one thing?”

“Of course!”

“Are there perhaps more personnel currently traveling to Heritz? The departure point is the royal capital, and the scale is about ten people.”

“Uh, I am sorry, but,”

the mage smiled with an embarrassed face.

“I am in a position where I cannot disclose information about other customers.”

“Ah, excuse me.”

“It’s fine. You only asked. Then… Ah, are you perhaps of the same group?”

“Pardon?”

“If you are of the same group, I can deliver a word. There is no such rule against that.”

“No. I was just curious if there are many people visiting the Heritz region. Thank you.”

Henry backed away. Although looking puzzled, the mage was kind to the end.

As soon as he came outside the gate, Henry spoke.

“They are really coming via the gate. It seems there is also no change in the number of people.”

[How do you know that?]

“It is thanks to the question about being of the same group. Honestly, I can’t be completely sure, but if there were no personnel using the gate, I don’t think he would have asked.”

In truth, he had only wanted to obtain a bit more certainty.

It was then.

Something caught the eyes of Henry, who was looking back toward the gate.

It was not an unfamiliar phenomenon. Simultaneously with exiting the building, mana twisted bizarrely. Who had hidden their appearance inside was obvious.

“Marshal has arrived too. The other guys aren’t here yet.”

“Because they would have to move early to grab a good spot. So, where do we plan to wait?”

“Here.”

Henry pulled out a map and pointed to a spot.

It was a point roughly halfway between the mission site and the gate.

Befitting Heritz, which possessed the characteristic of a ‘plain,’ it was also a place where there were no obstacles blocking the view.

“Good. Walking is better, right?”

“I’m going to run.”

“Really?”

Austin grinned. Just like Henry, he concentrated mana in his lower body. Widening the distance early on was definitely not a bad choice.

Because both Duke Roderick’s shadows and Melissa would catch up with the two in an instant if they set their minds to it.

[Why so fast? lol]

[With this movement speed, they wouldn’t even need warp or whatever??]

The surrounding environment was pushed back rapidly in an instant.

It was a simple run without a single pinch of artifice, but that speed was enough to break through walls had they crashed into ordinary private houses.

“We must choose a location where even the environment is favorable to us. As you can see now, if there is even a slight obstacle, it would be like giving wings to them.”

It was the same for Austin.

Although he had received training as an assassin, the level of the opponent was far above.

It was better to stand back-to-back with Henry in a wide-open area and hold out.

And how long did they run?

Henry was able to arrive at the desired point.

It was a place wide open on all sides, where one could verify events even several kilometers away if their eyesight permitted.

“Marshal has arrived too. Because the environment is like this, he cannot approach closely.”

Being able to hide one’s appearance in a place with nothing was certainly a great ability, but even with that ability, this distance was the limit.

In other words,

it meant that other assassins would be detected by Henry’s eyes before they could even approach that far.

***

Marshal felt his mouth grow dry and parched.

Marshal was a person who had dedicated his entire lifetime to the House of Roderick, and had never even thought of defying the master’s command.

Yet only one person.

The existence of Austin Roderick aroused a strange emotion in Marshal.

Like a son, and like a disciple.

It was an emotion that he had never possessed toward human beings in his entire life.

And now,

Marshal was even feeling fear.

‘Young master!’

In his heart, he wanted to spring out right away.

He could send back the approaching assassins, or he could even slash the throats of all of them himself.

Since he could pull Austin out of this place in any case.

The Duke would demand accountability, but Marshal was not afraid. That much was not a very great matter to Marshal.

However, Marshal’s thoughts could not lead to action.

Whenever he harbored thoughts contrary to the master’s command, his body did not move, as if electrocuted.

Marshal resigned himself. His fingertips trembled finely. It was the price of trying to defy the command.

‘They won’t be able to hold out.’

Marshal grit his teeth. The appearance of Royal Knight Melissa rose in his mind. Marshal knew what kind of plan Austin had set up.

It was a foolish and arrogant plan.

Seeking the help of a Royal Knight was wise, but the part about holding out until she arrived was the problem.

With Austin’s skill, at most five minutes. Perhaps a time shorter than that would be the limit.

‘That guy won’t be any different either.’

He saw the companion standing beside Austin. He was called Henry Camilton. A guy who had achieved rapid growth recently, and thus was full of confidence in his own skills.

Marshal stared at Henry with a displeased look.

Who spearheaded this plan was obvious without even looking. The confident Henry Camilton had suggested it, and Austin would have accepted with a half-giving-up mind.

‘…Already.’

Shadows were approaching. It was a distance only Marshal could feel. Austin and Henry surely wouldn’t have noticed—

“…?”

Marshal narrowed his brow.

Henry Camilton. The trainee who had dragged Austin to this spot, was staring precisely in the direction the shadows were approaching.

BJ Swordmaster