As I thought, Dino had placed surveillance.
My master can’t antagonize the Assassin Guild. It’s not just that he can’t keep fighting, but as a Dark Elf, it must have taken him considerable time just to secure a safe place in this country of humans. He might be able to escape, but to do so, he would have to rely on the underworld again.
But I’m different. As a human, I can escape anywhere, and I can blend into a village and hide.
That’s why Dino had this place watched. Not to make me work without letting me escape, but to prevent me from escaping as a hostage against my master.
Dino probably never counted on me, a child, from the start.
So, I thought that Dino’s approval of me taking my master’s place was to keep me, a hostage, bound to the Assassin Guild.
Dino was too understanding back then. Even I, as a magician’s apprentice, wouldn’t believe that a child could do assassinations. So, I figured that Dino, who left so easily, must have left surveillance, and as expected, there was a watcher.
It was difficult to find him because he was a specialist in surveillance, but if I knew he was there, I, who can see Mana Particles in color, could find him.
Just in case, I created an illusion to lower his guard while approaching him in Stealth, and finished him off with a single blow from the Pendulum. I expected he wasn’t a combatant, but I was lucky to kill him with one hit.
I buried the equipment from the corpse in the ground, carried the corpse, which had become lighter after the blood drained, far away, and discarded it. If left alone, wolves would probably take care of it, so this is the most reliable method.
The time has come to leave this forest where I spent five months.
In these five months, the season has changed from early summer to the end of autumn, and I, now eight years old, have grown a little taller again, reaching about the height of a typical 11-year-old.
I still lack thickness and weight, but my speed alone is approaching that of an adult. My hair, as well as my body, had grown considerably, but I never cut it short except when my master trimmed it. The long hair was braided and wrapped around my neck so it wouldn’t get in the way.
“Goodbye, Master.”
I don’t know when I’ll be able to return next. I’ve already said my farewell to my master.
Even so, after muttering just one last word, I shouldered my luggage and ran towards the direction of the simple base I had made before.
I won’t head towards the human settlements. It’s been five months, so I think the surveillance by Grave’s organization has eased, but I shouldn’t let my guard down yet.
But I have one thing left to do before leaving this noble territory.
Winter is approaching, but in the southern Kingdom of Claydale, it doesn’t get cold enough to snow. Camping without a fire has become a bit harsh, but if I can use Body Enhancement, my body won’t be in bad shape.
Using Stealth, Night Vision, and Detection to their fullest, I ran through the forest for about two days and arrived at the simple base in the forest, which already feels nostalgic.
It was almost buried in fallen leaves, but it’s better than starting from scratch. I brushed away the fallen leaves with tree branches, replaced the rotten sticks, and burned insect-repelling herbs.
During that time, I headed to the riverside to collect clay, and then returned to the base and started making something.
＊＊＊
I hide my face with a shawl and walk through the night streets.
I confirmed the rumors with traveling merchants outside the city and confirmed that I had made it in time.
I’m glad I made it before the season became fully dry. I had predicted with my master that I would have half a year, but it could have been wrong.
That thing shouldn’t have been able to move to heal its wounds. With its existence shaved down to the limit, tormented by intense hunger, it should have been struggling in a state of suspended animation to survive.
But as the air begins to dry, that will be its limit.
From my previous experience, I had marked the place where it would be. It must be near here. It will attack again to regain its strength.
While blending into the dark night, I used 【Water】 to flow water into the waterway near the Seyles family, and I could feel its presence, rapidly approaching.
“I’ve come to settle things, Water Spirit.”
【Lesser Water Spirit】
【Mana Capacity: 135/503】
【Overall Combat Strength: 148/553】
【※Condition: Madness, Weakness】
『――――――！！！』
As I thought, it was alive. I thought it had been destroyed by Grave’s Combat Art, but spirits don’t die that easily. …Grave really did something unnecessary.
The Water Spirit, possessing the bloated corpse of a stray dog, must not have had the spare capacity to use magic, as it manipulated the dog’s corpse and attacked me.
『――――！！』
“【Harden(Hard)】”
Using Martial Arts to evade the attack, I fired a 【Harden(Hard)】-enhanced bullet with a small slingshot.
『――――！？』
What I’m using this time is a two-centimeter “ball” made of clay. In the previous battle, I learned that I only needed to reduce the Water Spirit’s Mana, so I stopped being particular about weapons.
While evading the Water Spirit’s attacks, I accurately hit it with the bullet, shaving away at the Water Spirit’s existence.
Its movements are slow. It’s weakened… I still wish I had finished it off with my own hands back then.
But I can’t leave those siblings in danger by leaving the Water Spirit alone. Besides, I had my own reason to defeat you.
I said I wouldn’t be particular about weapons, but I still baked a small knife out of clay.
Combat Skills grow significantly in life-or-death battles. Even though I continued to train for these five months, even though I defeated the Giant Spider, it didn’t increase…
“I’ll make your life my ‘sustenance’.”
I put away the slingshot, held the clay knife in my right hand, and met the Water Spirit head-on.
I’ve seen that “technique” many times.
I saw Viro use it to defeat the bandits.
I saw the Female Thief use it, and I directly received that attack.
Imbuing Mana as if engraving the technique burned into my eyes into my soul, I didn’t flinch from the approaching Water Spirit and activated it, believing that I could definitely use it.
“――【Double Edge】――”
The Combat Art 【Double Edge】 of Dagger Arts Level 2 was activated, shattering the teeth of the water corpse and piercing its brow.
『――――――――！！！！』
The Mana of the Combat Art shattered the Water Spirit’s protection, and the Earth Attribute 【Harden(Hard)】 Mana pierced its core, causing a large amount of water to overflow from the stray dog’s water corpse, which screamed a voiceless death cry, and its Mana diffused.
【Aria (Alicia)】【Race: Human Female】【Rank 2】
【Mana Capacity: 112/165】5Up【HP: 97/120】15Up
【Strength: 6 (7.2)】1Up【Endurance: 6 (7.2)】【Agility: 8 (9.6)】1Up【Dexterity: 7】
【Dagger Arts Lv.2】1Up【Martial Arts Lv.2】【Throwing Lv.2】【Thread Manipulation Lv.1】
【Light Magic Lv.2】【Dark Magic Lv.2】【Non-Attribute Magic Lv.2】
【Utility Magic ×6】【Mana Control Lv.2】【Intimidation Lv.2】
【Stealth Lv.2】【Night Vision Lv.2】【Detection Lv.2】【Poison Resistance Lv.1】
【Simple Appraisal】
【Overall Combat Strength: 148 (During Body Enhancement: 166)】20Up
I defeated the Water Spirit and obtained the 【Dagger Arts】 Skill Level 2.
Dagger Arts Level 2 is essential for future battles, and it was necessary to acquire it without waiting for my body to grow, but it wouldn’t increase with ordinary opponents.
That’s why I forcibly raised Dagger Arts to Level 2 by ‘slashing’ a special existence called a Spirit and unleashing a Combat Art with desperate resolve.
Normally, it’s almost impossible to obtain a close combat skill level 2 under the age of 10, but I finally managed to get it.
But I can’t afford to bask in the afterglow forever. Even though it’s a bit far away, I could hear people’s voices from the Seyles family due to the use of Mana and Combat Arts.
I immediately used Stealth and hid myself in the dark night.
Just a little further ahead, from the terrace on the second floor of the Seyles family’s mansion, those siblings were anxiously peeking out.
I was relieved to confirm their safety, even though I thought they were fine.
With no more worries, I turned back one last time just before leaving this place, and it looked like Rody, the younger brother, said ‘Aria.’
＊＊＊
I leave Baron Seyles’ town during the night and head to my destination.
I don’t take the main road. I avoid the daylight as much as possible and move at night. I retrace the path I came from Dandole, and in about ten days, I arrive at the County of Hedel.
There are two large towns in the County of Hedel, one is a prosperous commercial town where Count Hedel lives, and the other is a town with many craftsmen where industry is thriving.
Important facilities such as the Adventurer’s Guild and the Commercial Guild are in the town where the Count lives, but I need to go to the other town where the craftsmen live.
The city was neatly divided into two distinct areas: the southern residential area for artisans and the northern industrial district. Apparently, the movement of artisans to and from work in the mornings and evenings created a lively atmosphere, but during the day, it was surprisingly calm.
This was because the largest chapel in the Northern Frontier District stood at the boundary between the residential and industrial areas. Among the low-rise buildings, the chapel stood tall, exuding a unique presence.
That chapel was my destination, and it was also the base of the Assassin Guild’s Northern Frontier District branch.
From the outside, one might doubt that it had anything to do with the Assassin Guild, but it matched the memo I received from Dino and what I had heard from my master.
I had heard the location directly from my master, but Dino’s memo contained instructions on how to contact a guide instead of the exact location.
Even with my face hidden by a shawl, I didn’t use Stealth much in the city. Using Stealth in a situation where you don’t know which organization’s people are around is like walking around announcing your identity.
I spent a day exploring the city, and the next day, I went to the area where they sold groceries and daily necessities. I tossed a Silver Coin to a beggar in the back alley.
“I want to request an ‘escort’.”
“…’Where’ to?”
The beggar, who caught the Silver Coin I threw with considerable speed in one hand, raised a dirty eyebrow slightly and replied.
“To the ‘graveyard’.”
“…Follow me.”
The beggar stood up silently and walked ahead, and I followed a few steps behind.
This beggar was a ‘Guide’ from the Assassin Guild. Not just a guide, but probably also monitoring this area, as he had a combat power of nearly 200.
“I’ve heard about you. You’re really just a kid.”
“…Aren’t you going to verify?”
“We won’t be caught by the lord of this land. Even if you’re an intelligence agent from another territory, you’ll be the one on the execution stand.”
“I see.”
…So, the lord is in on it too.
“This is it. Go alone from here. Eighty-eight, six.”
The place was a huge Underground Tomb, accessed by stairs next to the chapel.
I proceeded through the Darkness illuminated only by a few candles, entered a stone hut labeled eighty-eight, and opened the sixth coffin, revealing stairs leading further underground.
Descending from there and passing through a suffocatingly narrow passage, I reached an open space where a young woman in a strange black dress grinned at me with bright red lips.
“I’ve been waiting for you. Disciple of the Dark Elf.”
I settled things with the Water Spirit, and my Dagger Arts leveled up to 2. I was planning to defeat it once I was ready, even without Dino’s situation.
Sorry, I didn’t quite make it to the planned point.
I arrived at the Assassin Guild. Who is the woman who appeared there?
Next time: The Assassin Guild’s job.
The next update is scheduled for Saturday.