14

"Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

"I haven't completely lost my mind either. And yet, I don't remember receiving any information about where Sinel lives."

"I am in the office. Is it that important?"

"Of course it doesn't matter. You have to get my permission to meet my brother."

It was something about his relationship with Sinel.

Of course, if you dig deeper into that part, it wasn't that there wasn't a single puncture mark.

If I bring up my sister who is worried about her younger sister, I have nothing to say.

Nevertheless, if he tried to persuade him, he was confident that he would pass well.

His relationship with Spinel wasn't too bad at first.

So, for now, I was just thinking of changing the topic of the conversation with ease.

"That's the family… … ."

"Because we promised to marry the same person."

Unfortunately, that confidence was quickly shattered.

The story that came out of Spinel's mouth was far more shocking than expected.

* * * * * *

The roof of an abandoned factory located in District 8.

There, a man in a gas mask was looking down at the people.

The man's name is Paranote River.

Along with the Mage Guard and the whole of District 8, he was a figure called 'Black Mist' within this city.

Paranote looked at the people around him with an invisible smile over the gas mask.

"Good morning everyone!"

Facing Paranault were members of a criminal organization occupying an abandoned factory.

They were occupying an abandoned factory and carrying out illegal work.

The most lucrative of these was human trafficking.

They caught low-level wizards wandering the backstreets of the city and sold them at a high price.

Although the number of customers buying has decreased significantly in recent years, it is rare to find a business that makes this much money even in District 8.

So today, in front of them who came to the factory after raising the number of cases, a paranote wearing a gas mask was blocking the way.

"who are you?"

One of the crowds surrounding the abandoned factory asked, looking up at the roof.

It was because Paranote's face, wearing a gas mask, could not be seen properly.

In Area 8, those who covered their faces were not uncommon.

Even more so if it is a gas mask that is easily available in the market.

It was only natural for the group with guns to check their identity before hearing about the business.

When asked about his identity, Paranault stood up from his seat.

"me? Paranote."

"Paranote… … ?"

"okay. I know?"

"no way… Black Mist?"

Upon hearing his identity, the faces of the members of the organization darkened.

The head of the Mage Guard. And the crazy bastard in the back alley.

The infamy of the Black Mist and the Mage Guard was rare here.

Even the Mage Guard had a strange nickname, like a 'dark civic group'.

The awareness of the black mist that led them was close to the level of evil spirits.

"Ha ha ha ha! Everyone knows it!"

Paranote burst out laughing with joy at the sight of the members of the organization recognizing their identities.

However, the faces of the members of the organization who faced him were the exact opposite.

For them, it is a story that cannot yet be fully confirmed whether it is authentic or not.

Even so, if the identity of the opponent was true, they were already dead.

The man at the forefront of the group raised his gun and shouted urgently.

"Shoot… Shoot! You must kill me quickly!"

Despite the fact that the opponent was aiming the gun, Paranault walked on the roof with a leisurely pace.

No guns aimed at him spit fire.

A thick black mist was forming around him.

"It is already late. I tend to use magic quietly!"

In an instant, a black mist spread in all directions.

The spreading mist completely covered the roof of the factory, and even swallowed up the fence of the factory.

The members of the gang, who were wary with their guns, also entered the range of the fog.

Paranote's trademark black mist completely encroached on its surroundings.

"Ouch… … !"

"big… Whoops!"

squeaky. In the fog, shadows of people who fell one after another were projected.

Paranote moved his gas mask-covered eyes to scan his surroundings.

Only those who are prepared can survive in his realm.

And that preparation was not something anyone could do.

At least the crowds in front of them were not given such qualifications.

Paranote, looking at the quiet factory with happy eyes, opened his mouth.

"So where do the wizards touch their bodies?"

It was the long-awaited time to play in the water to come after dinner.

Even though there were people who had been playing in the water since long ago to say that it was a long-awaited event.

Anyway, right after I finished eating, I cleaned up the traces of the meal that were lying on the sandy beach.

Even after the meal was over, Sinel was looking at me as if something was missing.

Of course, there was no more food left for her.

The skewers that filled the top of the brazier were piled up on the sandy beach with the contents empty.

As I prepared according to the number of people to eat from the beginning, I did not have the energy to leave behind skewers.

"It's a little sad."

"Did it taste good?"

"It was delicious."

"Then you are lucky."

None of those who ate the skewers complained.

It would be disrespectful if you complained about it without even helping with preparations.

At least, it was certain that the taste of the dish I had prepared for a long time was good.

After arranging all the tableware that had been laid out like that, the swordsman who had entered the sea suddenly shouted with an excited voice.

"ruler! If you come to the beach, you can play in the water!"

"I'm already in."

"Percival! Come in here!"

Seeing the swordsman calling me waving his hand, I immediately nodded.

Still, he did not forget to turn his head to look at the spinel lying on the sunbed.

Even after finishing her meal, she remained relaxed and occupied the sunbed.

"Aren't you planning on going into the sea?

"Well, just looking at the sea is good."

"Don't do that, come quickly!"

Did you overhear the conversation between me and Spinel?

The swordsman waved the water and beckoned towards us.

A harsh wind blew around the sword castle that spoke like that.

It was not difficult to know what she wanted.

A huge wave began to slowly come from behind the sword.

The shadow of a huge wave fell on the beach in an instant.

"Did you use magic to play in the water now?"

Anyone who looked at it seemed to have caused a tsunami by using magic.

Spinel, who was sitting on the sunbed, got up and kicked himself out of his chair.

Of course, I was also included in the path of the tsunami towards Spinel.

Water play using magic.

It was an incredible sight to behold.

There seemed to be no way to escape with the magic I had.

"I'm going to get wet."

"[Levitation]!"

"Go together."

Did you not have the intention of getting wet so easily?

Spinel immediately tried to float in the air using magic.

Seeing a spinel like that, it was a waste for me to get wet with the water.

I hugged Spinel from behind and grabbed her by the waist.

"Come on, wait! Where are you touching?"

"I can't be the only one getting wet."

"It's heavy, so fall quickly!"

"I'm thinking of leaving it like this... Gagging!"

Kaang-!

A heavy can of food flew from afar and hit me in the head.

Spinel used levitation to move the can.

The shock caused me to let go of the hand holding the spinel.

The body, which had lost its support, floundered in the air.

The soft sandy beach and the shadows of the thick waves were visible below.

The cinel in a tube that was moving while riding the waves was a bonus.

"Swordsmanship――― Wave Sword!"

"A wave is not a sword… Burrrrr."

Seawater rushed into her mouth wide open.

His throat was completely blocked and he was silent.

With the waves that the swordsman wielded, my body began to be swept away.

The vision trapped in the water was overturned several times, and the body submerged in the water could not keep its equilibrium.

In the waves crashing in succession, I tried to catch something.

Every time I floundered in the water, a little bit of air bubbled out.

"president."

How much effort did you put in to breathe?

After many struggles, I finally managed to get to the surface.

What I saw when I came to the surface was Sinel.

Sinel was floating on a tube, looking at me repeating the absurdity of swimming.

"… … Sinel."

"yes."

When I saw her riding the tube, the first thing I felt was envy.

If I could also hang on the tube, it would be a little more comfortable than it is now.

However, it was impossible for me to swim to her, who could only endure it now.

I ended up calling Sinnell for help.

"Save me."

"yes. [Haste]."

Sinel gladly accepted my request for help.

Flap. Flap. Flap.

Each time Sinel's feet fluttered behind the tube, Sinell's body moved a little.

okay. It started moving little by little.

mainly backwards.

"Why do you feel so far away?"

"It's an illusion."

"No, I don't think it's an illusion."

"It's perspective."

After ten seconds, the distance between me and Sinel doubled by mystical perspective.

After 15 seconds, I gave up holding on to Sinel.

And after 30 seconds, most of the waves that hit the island were gone.

Of course, along with the waves, the tube on which Sinel rode was also being swept backwards.

I naturally turned my gaze to the swordsman who caused this tragedy.

The swordsman was also standing in the trajectory of the waves, but he didn't know what means he used, but he didn't get wet at all.

A spinel was floating in the air on top of the sword castle standing with a confident face.

"You tried to put me in the water first, right?"

A huge sphere of water floated in front of the floating spinel.

In terms of size, it was about the size of a villa next to it.

Spinel was slowly moving the position of the sphere to the top of the sword castle.

"… … That looks a bit heavy, doesn't it?"

"It has to be like this, I can't avoid it."

"No, avoiding is not the problem, people… Ah! Swordsmanship―― Wave Sword!"

Spinel dropped a sphere of water, regardless of the attitude of the swordsman.

Of course, Geomseong did not stand still either.

The waves started to come in once again, and the Sinel that was on the waves was swept away.

I sat quietly in my seat and thought as I watched the waves crashing.

He said that I had no talent for playing in the water unexpectedly.

* * * * * *

The noisy water play time passed once, and more than half of today's day has also disappeared.

At sunset, the day is getting dark.

I lit a bonfire in the middle of the sandy beach and took a seat.

Of course, it was not a situation where it was possible to make a bonfire without laying anything.

It's been a long time since the sandy beach had become wet due to the splendid battle between the sword and the spinel.

Still, it was not at a level where you could not light the fire at all if you did some basic preparation.

Tap-. Kick-.

The sound of firewood burning in the flames echoed in the sunset sea.

bright orange. And the permeating yellow.

Seeing the burning firewood revealing each color, I felt calm.

"Isn't it nice and atmospheric?"

The swordsman who was sitting across from him looked at the pile of firewood in front of him and said.

A campfire on your travels.

It was a good experience for us to enjoy a little bit together in this way.

The only island we have. And the sea where we are the only ones.

Isn't it a very romantic scene to see fireworks with the sea dyed in the sunset light?

"Certainly it is. I have prepared well for this."

"It is worth the effort to light the fire."

"I'm glad the firewood didn't get wet."

Spinel also seemed satisfied with the campfire.

The sea breeze blew and her braids fluttered in the wind.

Maybe it's because it's not summer yet, but the evening was colder than I thought.

Is it because everyone is wearing thin swimsuits?

Each of them was showing a little more clinging to the bonfire.

"Isn't it good because it feels peaceful?"

"A feeling of peace?"

"okay. There is no life-threatening battle here, and there is no reason to be nervous."

"It's surprising that a dark merchant who seeks out places to fight would say something like that."

I laughed a little at Spinel's words.

In retrospect, it wasn't so wrong.

Ever since I woke up in this city, I've always been caught up in big and small events.

It was not intentionally swept away by the incident.

Most of those events were of their own will.

To set foot on a limb with one's own will, and to speak words of peace on such a subject.

It may seem strange to others.

"Because such events are inevitable."

"Isn't it like you didn't move because of money?"

"I don't hate money either. Well, I don't know how many such people exist."

"I see."

When I first came, it was a matter of survival.

Because at that time, money was the only way he could wield a person.

Then there was the matter of leisure.

When I had someone to take responsibility for, I had to have money to support them.

And now, it was just an excuse to tie up relationships with people.

There are too many people around me right now who cannot move with money.

"However, I am not a good person who loves peace recklessly."

"Then you think I'm a bad person?"

"Well. If the moment of choice comes, I will choose it without hesitation."

If necessary, you can become such a person.

It wasn't that difficult.

Did you not gather the executioners with that determination from the beginning?

"...."

"Killing people, or trampling on someone. After all, I have to be that person."

The 'succession' of the association is a kind of curse.

One day, when the end of the story came, someone had to bear the burden.

Not everyone could be free from the succession of the association.

Someone must inherit the fate of running towards destruction.

One day, the moment of choice will come and go.

When that time came, I had to pick the right ending for the story with my own hands.

Who can have a happy ending?

It was a future choice.

"It's very noisy."

A week has passed since the short vacation.

Just because we went on vacation, our daily lives did not change dramatically.

A large and stylish office.

And the beautiful view looking out the window.

When I returned from vacation, the office had not changed at all.

However, the atmosphere of the city felt more noisy than before.

The cause, of course, was an incident that was leaking in the news.

"It looks like there was a terrorist attack recently."

"Is it terrorism?"

"okay. It looks like the mage guards are starting to move."

After returning the answer to Sinel, I continued to stare at the news screen.

The anchor was reporting the incident, showing the buildings in District 2 on fire.

Terror caused by magic that occurred simultaneously at the government offices in District 2.

As a result of this incident, close to dozens of casualties were counted in Area 2.

Several members of the Mage Guard were also reported to have been arrested after the incident.

As time passed, the guys who had been hiding in the corner of the story began to appear.

- "The chief security officer, Standing Committee member Abel Terdos, ordered the security forces in the entire district to be on strict vigilance."

- "However, in addition to the long-standing problem of the security forces, such as a shortage of manpower, complaints about the security forces are emerging due to the frequent violent crimes in recent years."

Mage Guard's jundong means one thing.

The influence of the security forces will be weakened.

The security of the city is already ruined, but it will become even more chaotic in the future.

Since the incident has occurred, the security forces cannot leave the mage guards unattended.

It was necessary to allocate a manpower dedicated to the investigation of the Mage Guard within the security forces.

Now all the forces will come out of the shadows.

The current security forces cannot stop all the criminals from backflowing.

Even hunting dogs that promote criminals are meaningless in the face of terrifying numbers.

"Are you going to subjugation?"

"You won't be able to see your face for a while. You'll be busy running away from the security forces."

"is that so."

"It will be more troublesome in the future."

More than anything else, the fact that the Mage Guard has begun to move means that the end of the story has begun.

There are countless forces that move within the city.

It won't be long before Usher Hayes finds out about the plot.

We didn't have much time left either.

If there was anything to be dealt with, it had to be sorted out as soon as possible.

Our role was only to jump on the rails of the story.

We couldn't stop the flow itself.

While watching TV with that thought in mind, the anchor was showing a different screen all of a sudden.

- "We jumped on this trend, and recently, it seems that the secondary beat has been receiving security inquiries."

- "Secondary Beat President Jack Belts said that Secondary Beat is helping to stabilize the city's security… … ."

What followed was the story of the secondary beat.

It is a private military company that was on the front line to protect the horse tower at the time of the attack on the horse tower.

secondary beat. Hearing that story, I felt a bitter taste in my mouth.

In the last raid, I saw the secondary beat's mercenaries quite harsh.

In particular, I didn't want to think about the things I experienced against the sword spirit.

tuk. I turned the TV off by pressing the button.

Now, there were many more urgent tasks than watching TV.

I immediately got up from my seat and looked at the swordsman who was sitting on the sofa.

"Uel. Get ready to go out right away."

"no. Where are you planning to go?"

"I have a place to go quickly. I wish I could accompany you as an escort."

"escort? Not Sinel, but me?"

Geomseong pointed at himself with his finger and asked.

Of course, as she said.

It wasn't Sinel who was accompanying me this time, but the swordsman.

"okay. Instead, you will need a simple disguise."

"I have to disguise myself… … ?"

"It's kind of a secret thing."

The weapons and fighting styles used by Sinel are all too well known.

Taking her as an escort was no different from letting me know that I was a dark merchant.

On the other hand, in the case of the sword castle, it was easy to hide magic or identity.

Except for one thing in the swordsman's attire.

"And I'm going to put down that sword and go."

"Uh, even a sword?"

"That way you can call it a disguise."

Who would consider a sword-free sword castle to be a sword castle?

I was confident that her identity would not be revealed.

* * * * * *

The city, shrouded in crime and corruption, was one of the weakest places in the empire.

There were two reasons the Empire was not able to properly influence the city.

One is that the city is located on the outskirts, and the other is that the position of the nobility who rules the city is too strong.

However, this did not mean that the Empire was completely withdrawn from the city.

They secretly sent the elite of the empire to watch the city move.

rear atlas. She was one of the members of the Imperial Guard that was dispatched for that reason.

"They were tenacious."

Lear looked down at the enemies he had defeated and murmured.

In front of her were several people who had been hit by bullets and had stopped breathing.

It was all the result of her creation.

Wizard eye. Her magic of contemplating everything makes it possible to look at things around her from a third person's point of view.

Defeating the enemies hiding behind the wall was not that difficult for Lear.

"by the way… The guys from the death row must have been hiding in a place like this."

After confirming that there were no enemies left around, Lear looked into the arms of those who had fallen.

An ampoule with red blood. A note scribbled on something meaningful.

Finally, even the money envelopes I was going to use at the trading place.

The contents Lear captured today were of considerable value.

Even those who were trying to make a deal with the members of the association were silenced, so for the time being, they would be busy finding each other for the culprit.

"It's a pity that we can't take care of it. What… That would be enough."

Lear, who had collected the objects that could be evidence, stood up.

We found out that the Society was hiding in this city and gaining power.

I discovered that there is also a point of contact with the security forces, so if you upload a report to the upper level, you will be recognized for your revolutionary achievements.

As Lear pulled out the communication terminal and typed a message to send to her boss, she felt a small gesture of popularity behind her.

tuk. The sound of hitting the floor slightly.

Lear's finger, which was about to press the transmit button, suddenly stopped.

"Did you do all this?"

Lear's head slowly turned back.

Lear turned his head in disbelief, and behind her stood a middle-aged man wearing a fedora hat.

gulp. Lear swallowed the saliva and reflexively pressed the send button of the message.

The vision of the surrounding radius, where the magic was being activated, was always drawn in Lear's mind.

If someone was getting close, there was no reason for her not to notice.

But the middle-aged man in front of her suddenly appeared behind her without any warning.

The impossible happened in front of her.

"… … Who are you?"

"I'm sorry, but I asked the question first. I want you to hear the answer."

It's a question not worth answering.

If it was Lear, he would have ignored the middle-aged man's words.

However, the middle-aged man in front of her right now was showing tremendous intimidation.

The overwhelming presence that I encounter for the first time in my life.

It felt as if I had become a herbivore in front of a wild beast.

"okay. I killed him."

"is it. It's fun."

"So, who are you?"

"I am Bruno Retriere. As you can see, his leg is a bit sore."

Tub. chin.

Bruno stepped forward with a crooked gait.

A name flashed through Lear's mind as he watched it.

Lame Bruno.

The worst criminals in the darkest history of the city.

An unprecedented figure who said that most of the combat forces of the security forces were mobilized to subdue one.

His name slipped out of Lear's mouth.

"Bruno the lame… … ?"

"You know? I'm glad the introduction doesn't have to be long."

"Why are you here… … !"

Lear dropped the terminal from his hand and quickly pulled out a pistol.

shudder. The pistol's muzzle was aimed at the lame head.

It was quite fast

, even she thought .

Lear intended to pierce the lame in his head before he could move.

That was the moment Lear's finger was about to pull the trigger.

"this. I thought he was being kind to me."

Taang! Lear's pistol fired fire into the sky.

All of a sudden, her vision was completely turned upside down, and she was looking straight at the sun.

After shooting towards the sky, Lear turned his head and looked around.

Her body, floating in the air, was falling towards the roof below.

Her position was suddenly reversed.

It was a moment of confusion at the sight that had changed in an instant.

Lear straightened out the fall method and minimized the impact from the fall.

"Ugh… … ."

Lear stood up and looked at Bruno, enduring the pain.

As soon as she aimed the gun, her position changed.

His right hand, which was holding the pistol, was broken without being able to withstand the shock of the fall.

You can't shoot a gun properly with this hand.

It was unstable, but required to fire with the left hand in order to continue fighting.

Just as Lear was about to move the pistol he was holding to his left hand.

The heavy voice of a lame man echoed on the roof.

"Left arm."

A crack opened vertically in the air.

Ji Yi-ing.

A strange noise echoed from her right.

With tinnitus shaking his ears, Lear looked at his arm.

The broken right arm that was holding the pistol was disappearing.

"Ugh! turn it off... … !"

A scream erupted from Lear's mouth as he saw the missing right arm.

Lear covered the wound on his shoulder with his other hand.

The pain that seemed like it was going to pass out was rushing through me.

The lame's gaze turned this time to the other side of the wound.

To the right for the lame.

It was where her left arm was located.

"Right arm."

Jiying-.

Once again, a crack appeared in the air.

The roof of an old building.

A piercing scream continued from there.

"So, you want to go on a boat with us?"

Paranote rear. The head who leads the Mage Guard opened his mouth as he looked at the man in front of him.

In front of him was a one-eyed man wearing a black coat and an eye patch.

The name of the man sitting in front of the Paranote is Nicholas.

From the public, he was called the consecrator Nicholas.

To Paranault's question, Nicholas nodded in response.

"Literally. I want to be with you."

"In the past, what, I heard that you formed a combo with a friend in armor?"

"Calvin? He's been dead for a long time."

"Ah, this one. I asked about something sensitive!"

"Don't worry about it, it's old."

crisp. Paranault bit the cookie in his mouth.

Nicholas's eyes narrowed at the sound of biting the cookie.

But Paranault didn't care and ate up all the sweets in his mouth.

After completely emptying even the cup of coffee lying on the desk, Paranote's actions ended.

After having emptied all the coffee, Paranote opened her mouth with a satisfied face.

"Why do you want to come in all of a sudden?"

"Because I don't have to hide from the guys who were chasing me."

"Did you run away? to whom?"

"Ghost corps. As a wanted criminal... He was part of a suspicious group."

"Express? That's not a big deal. I am also a wanted criminal."

Paranault shrugged with a hint of nothing.

Nicholas turned his head to one side and sighed.

short silence. Shortly thereafter, Nicholas pulled a cigarette out of his pocket.

Nicholas pulled out a cigarette and glanced at Paranault with one eye remaining.

"Does it matter?"

"Oh, it's okay! It's acting, I drink a lot, so what?"

"...."

Nicholas, seeing Paranault's gas mask, immediately lit a fire with a helpless smile.

Tobacco and cigarette smoke.

Even thinking about it, it was a very funny thought.

"Compared to poison gas, I feel a little sorry for the tobacco companies."

Nicholas took a sip of his cigarette after making a light joke.

Paranault's Black Mist was quite famous in Area 8.

The lethality is excellent, and it is also effective in suppressing people.

Above all, among the instant mages scattered throughout the city, few had magic as extensive as the Paranote.

That's why Paranot got the notoriety it has now.

"it's okay. It's bad for the body, isn't it?"

"Let's do that for now."

"Then why did our volunteers set their minds on the wizard human rights movement?"

Wizard's Human Rights Movement.

Hearing those words, Nicholas' lips twisted slightly.

Is there a way to ennoble the indiscriminate terrorism in the city in that way?

It was so ridiculous that it was about to burst into laughter.

But Nicholas exercised restraint and held back the laughter.

The person he was facing now was the Black Mist.

Even in the city, there was nothing good to stimulate a handful of maniacs.

"I'm also very nervous about the security guards."

"Ohh. Don't you like the security guard?"

"And I still have a lot of debt to pay off."

"That's a pretty understandable reason. The security guards have to torment the wizards so much."

Paranault nodded and stood up.

Paranault stood up and held a bare paper cup in his hand.

Paranote walked towards the water purifier with a paper cup.

Then he said as he filled the empty paper cup with hot water.

"I mean, I've heard rumors about the fortifications for a long time."

"...."

"It is a waste to roll such talented people everywhere. So I'm asking, do you still think you're useful?"

Paranault's gaze ran over Nicholas' left arm.

A large hook took the place where the hand would normally be.

Nicholas raised his hooked arm.

A heavy weight was transmitted from the raised arm.

It was a trace of the painful wounds suffered by the security forces.

"It will be better than the rumors I've heard before."

"Better than rumors? Does it seem that even one circle has risen?"

"It happened."

"Heh heh! He was a more talented person than I thought."

Paranault let out a satisfied laugh.

Then he threw the freshly poured coffee on the floor.

As the coffee spilled, Paranote's coffee cup rolled over the floor.

Nicholas' gaze alternated between the Paranote and the coffee cup.

Paranault said without paying attention to Nicholas' gaze.

"It's pass."

"… … That's good."

But why did he throw away a cup of coffee that he wouldn't even drink?

Nicholas swallowed the question that was about to spring out.

Fortunately, the reason was soon discovered.

Paranot returned to his seat, picked up the gas mask, and asked him.

"Do you like welcome parties? Then let's go right away."

"Where do you want to go?"

"Bank robbers."

* * * * * *

Cradle of the Enforcers located in Area 8.

When I, wearing a bird-beaked mask, entered the hideout with a grand name, a swordsman wearing a fox mask followed me.

At first, he was a swordsman who felt repulsed by the fact that he was wearing a mask.

But soon after hearing about the executioner, he changed his attitude.

Executors who have hidden their identities. And a huge conspiracy surrounding the city.

This kind of story was the most certain to convince the swordsman.

Perhaps she was excited to be entering the secret base, she was more excited than usual the whole time she followed me.

"messenger. You are back after a long time."

- "Is it number seven? Long time no see."

"I was worried because I hadn't been in the cradle for a while."

- "There was a good reason."

The first thing that greeted me was Philip, Number Seven, wearing a gas mask.

He was also the oldest of the enforcers here.

To what extent have you begun to adapt to the manager through your activities in the past?

He was showing a different attitude from the first time he showed nervousness.

And next to him was Oswald, who was also wearing a small mask.

Oswald looked at me with a simple thumbs-up.

- "Number eight. Are you learning well?"

"of course! Because I am an expert at this."

- "That's good. I wish you all the best in the future."

"There will be no compromise on the dignity of the executor. Please trust me."

It is the quality of the executioner.

I wonder if there is such a thing as dignity in a newly established organization.

But Philip, standing next to Oswald, was quite impressed.

I felt it from the moment I brought him, but he was a guy who adapts quite well to the atmosphere.

Of course, Phillip wasn't the only one reacting to that.

gulp. He heard the swordsman behind him swallowing his saliva.

It seems that he remembered his dream of becoming a secret agent.

- "Number six. Have you had any problems in the meantime?"

"There was no noticeable trend of association."

- "It seems that you are still taking care of yourself. i get it."

The following was a conversation with Herio, who was in charge of Number Six.

He had a natural appearance in his disguise, sunglasses and a mask.

Maybe it was because of the convenience he gave to his life and calls, but Herio showed a healthy appearance as before.

According to the message from Bell, it seems that Herio was in frequent contact with him.

There won't be any inconvenience, except for not being able to communicate with the people of Nighttail.

"Who is behind?"

After a short Q&A with Herio, Philip looked at the sword castle behind me and asked.

In the meantime, there are only three people here who have been resident in the hideout.

It was a natural question for Philip, seeing the sword for the first time.

Fortunately, there was something prepared in advance when it came to the introduction of swordsmanship.

I pointed to the sword castle with my hand and introduced it to Philip.

- "It's number five. A person specialized in combat."

"Number five… … ."

- "She is the type that focuses on outdoor activities. She probably seldom comes to her cradle."

"There must have been a reason why I couldn't see well. It's number seven! Take good care of me."

Hearing the introduction, Philip bowed at a right angle and greeted.

It was the attitude of a newcomer toward a distant senior.

Gum-seong looked at him blankly for a while, apparently in a bewildered way.

But as soon as he understood the situation, he coughed and cleared his voice.

It was meaningless because the voice was altered anyway.

"… … okay."

"thank you!"

Seeing the all-out declaration ceremony, Herio let out a sigh.

Hearing Herio's sigh, Number Seven trembled for a moment.

It was like watching a funny situation play.

Herio sighed and immediately turned his head to me.

"So what happened today?"

- "I came to you today because I have something to tell you."

"What to instruct?"

- "For the time being, there is a person that needs attention."

The reason I came here today.

It was to check the other guys who would move with the mage guard's movements.

I am not looking for a movement of association.

It wasn't even that he was trying to follow the movement of the Paranote.

The person I was trying to track this time was a more dangerous person than that.

"Who should I pay attention to?"

"Renyl Weitz."

4th Guards Captain, Lenil Weitz.

He was an Archmage of the 6th Circle who led the guards who infiltrated the city.

And he was the one who would tell Usher Hayes the truth about the city.

The story of 'War City' comes to an end when Lenyl tells Usher the truth of the incident.

After hearing the truth about the incident that happened years ago, Usher is furious and kills Abel Terdos, a member of the standing committee, with the gun Ney gave him.

And the city will collapse from that day on.

Naturally, Nay and Usher's relationship is also torn apart.

Usher, who has spent her whole life seeking revenge for her younger sister.

There was no way to stop Usher from finding out who killed her sister.

He didn't care about his own life from the beginning.

Working silently in the 7th Special Task Force of the Security Forces, which faces a tragic end without exception, was only possible because he could only see his sister's revenge.

"Who is Lenil Weitz?"

- "Captain of the 4th Guard. He is the Archmage of the 6th Circle."

"royal guards… They must have been active in this city as well."

After hearing about the Guard, Herio said.

The notoriety of the Guard was famous throughout the Empire.

There were few people who did not know the Guards just because it was a city.

In particular, it was a name that came up and came down often in the mouths of luxuries who like to fight famous people.

Oswald, who heard the Guard's story, also nodded with an unusual expression on his face.

"The Guards have started moving? Then maybe… It must be a suspicious move in the organization."

- "The association is already moving."

"Are you saying the association is already moving?"

- "A member of the Guard has already died at the hands of the lame."

According to the flow of the original, it was about that time.

A member of the Guards who was trying to figure out the cause of the death will die, and the successor will gain new abilities through her.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to stop the situation.

First of all, I don't know where she is.

Even in the original story, it was written that a battle had occurred between the two, but there was no specific location given.

Above all, the opponent was the famous lame.

Lame Bruno. Standing in front of him is effectively suicidal.

At the time when his office was already attacked, didn't he see his skills with his own eyes?

At that time, Bruno was lucky enough to step down, so there was no guarantee that he would back down if we met again now.

It was best not to run into Bruno if possible.

- "You must have already grasped the movement of the association. How much does he know?"

As I recalled the bad memories of Bruno, a woman's voice resounded in my head.

It was not a familiar voice.

I naturally turned my head to look at the sword.

Geomseong looked at me with indifferent eyes as soon as they made eye contact with me and asked.

"What's up?"

- "No, nothing."

I must have heard it wrong.

I tried to move on as if nothing had happened.

It was a swordsman who expressed his doubts a few more times, but I tried to ignore the reaction and turned my gaze to Herio.

"So, how do you find that guy named Renyl Weitz?"

- "There must be a man in District 7 named 'James DeVon'. He's a little taller than me, with brown hair."

"Is that the secret guard captain?"

- "okay. Using the clues I gave you, you will be able to find him easily."

"How can I find him?"

The reason I asked you to find Renyl Weitz was never to fight him.

On the contrary, it would be difficult for him to find out about this movement.

When the security forces begin to lose their influence, one way or another, Lenyl will show a move.

The role played by the executors was enough just to watch him.

It was my job to keep Lenyl away from Usher as much as possible.

- "Just to keep an eye on it. It's good to report any suspicious trends. Never approach him."

"i get it. Do as instructed."

- "There is nothing good about fighting an Archmage. Again, you'd be better off not approaching him."

This was the end of the instructions to the executioners.

I tapped Number Seven on the shoulder briefly, then turned to the door of the hideout.

Herio added a word to me as I was about to leave after finishing my business.

"Are you thinking of going back already?"

- "You don't have to stay that long. With you, I won't have to worry."

It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a longer conversation if it was a private meeting.

But now, we are in a position to hide our identity and meet.

He had come too far to say hello warmly.

After a brief greeting with Herio, I immediately left the hideout.

Beyond closing the door, the sorrowful heart of the swordsman was transmitted.

* * * * * *

"In the end, unfortunately, it ended."

On the way out of the hideout and back to the office.

As I was walking to the bus stop to get on the bus, Geomseong, who was following me, spoke in a dull voice.

Was the romance of the secret organization bigger than expected?

Since leaving the hideout, the swordsman continued to show a droopy figure.

"I don't know if I liked the cradle."

"Cradle of Enforcers? It felt good to have a real secret base somewhere."

"is it."

"The people inside were also serious."

It will be exhausting if you look at the reasons for becoming an enforcer, but it is clear that each of them is fighting for the future of the city.

The fact that the city is in crisis, and that we are moving to prevent the association.

Neither of them was true.

Of course, the one who was most fascinated with his role among them was Philip, number seven.

"So, since when have you been in the secret organization?"

"This cradle is new."

"Then, did you have activities before that?"

"It would be like that."

I didn't want to break the romance of the sword castle, so I pretended to be the most plausible answer.

It wasn't a complete lie when I went in one by one.

If I see myself as an executor, I have started my activities from the moment I came to the city.

It was also true that the cradle was recently built.

You have the confidence to not feel any kind of remorse.

"Percival was a great person than I thought."

"There is no need to lacquer it right in front of you."

"By the way, the name of the Dark Merchant is also very famous."

"… … Are you that famous?"

"Those who know know the story. I mean, there are great information merchants who are called dark merchants by other people."

The rumors of the Dark Merchant have already spread there.

I felt goosebumps running up my spine.

As a dark merchant and a great information merchant, it was a funny story when you think about it.

Wasn't the reason that the story was brought up in the first place to convince Mr. Trilo?

Watching the excuses that I reflexively brought up have grown to this point, I feel the fear of rumors anew.

"It's difficult because too much is known about his identity."

"Are you worried that mysticism will disappear? Don't worry too much. Am I not anyone? It's not something that can be easily gleaned."

"...?"

Except for the fact that she was the daughter of the lame Bruno, she was the most ordinary person around me.

I thought it was a bit far from saying that it was special.

Of course, speaking of her travels, even me, I had nothing to say.

Rumors of mercenaries claiming to be swordsmen while wearing swords are already famous in the industry.

After hearing the words of the swordsman, when I looked at her with curious eyes, the swordsman gave me a meaningful gaze and said,

"Why don't you respond?"

"… … You're very supportive. "

"Yeah, you know Percival well too."

"The name of the sword castle is famous all over the city. I am proud to have that great swordsman as a subordinate."

"Hehe… … ."

It was a swordsman who was satisfied enough to be burdensome.

her. I'm sure you'll get a reaction like this.

I wondered if I should have complimented him a little more often.

It has been said since ancient times that praise makes even whales dance.

If you can win people's trust with a word of praise, it's not a bad thing at all.

"… … Percival, look over there."

As I was walking along the road like that, the swordsman suddenly stopped.

I also stopped at the sight of the swordsman who stopped walking.

why did she stop

The reason was easy to find out.

"Looks like something happened."

There was a bank in the direction the swordsman's finger was pointing.

It was a branch of the Herenants Bank, which can be found everywhere in the city.

And black smoke continued to rise through the window of such a bank.

It must have been something happened to the bank.

"What do we do?"

Gumseong looked at the bank where the smoke was flowing and said.

But I didn't care what she said, I just watched the smoke come out.

The smoke coming out of the bank was completely different from what it was when the fire broke out.

It is as if someone intentionally opened a smoke screen.

okay. It looked too artificial.

"no. Once you enter, put it on hold."

"Are you holding back from going in?"

"It doesn't look like there is a fire."

Indeed, if someone deliberately smoked, there was no one who could have guessed.

Black Mist Paranote.

He has the magic to create poison that covers a certain radius.

Poison Fog. Paranote's magic that creates a mist of poison selects any of the negative effects such as corrosion, paralysis, sleep, and delirium and applies it to a target within range.

By simply breathing in, you could be affected by Paranote's magic.

Unless a gas mask was prepared, it was impossible to enter the black mist laid out by Paranault.

It was for that reason that I stopped the swordsman from going inside.

"Are you saying that someone made up the acting on purpose?"

"I think maybe… It is most likely the work of the Black Mist."

"If it's the Black Mist, you mean the madman of the Mage Guard?"

"okay. Paranotes commit crimes for no reason."

"If it's a black mist, it will be difficult to go inside without preparation."

Hearing my story, Geomseong quietly nodded.

She must have heard about the dangers of the Black Mist.

In fact, about the notoriety of Paranault, there were not many people around here who knew it.

What's more, hasn't your face been shown frequently in the news lately?

It was strange that I didn't know about it now.

"I will use another method instead."

"other way?"

"You don't have to go out of your way to do things that don't even cost you money. Rather, it would be better to call in the right people for this job."

I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out my phone.

Then I looked up the contact in the phone book and made a call.

It was obvious who was calling.

Brian Rail. He is an information merchant close to the errand center who always collects information on my behalf.

tyring.

The call was connected to Brian with a simple beep.

- "… … What's up?"

"I have an urgent request."

- "Request? What is your request?"

Why did I call Brian?

It was to find the most rational and economical solution to the crime.

I don't have to solve every crime.

It was enough to call the police and report it.

"I wish I could call the police and report it on my behalf."

- "Declaration? What report?"

"A black mist appeared. They're robbing the Herenants Bank in District 7."

- "No, why did I report… … ."

"I'm going to introduce you to a big job soon."

- "Of course I have to. Wait a minute."

A business phone is a basic skill of an information trader.

Brian connected the phone and reported the crime scene in Black Mist to the police as I instructed.

The Mage Guard and the Black Mist were the opponents that the current security forces were chasing with their eyes wide open.

It didn't take long for Brian to finish the report.

After using a different cell phone to report, Brian came back to me to report the progress.

- "I called. Are you leaving soon?"

"Of course you have to come quickly to catch it. Good job."

- "So what's the job?"

"I'll come back next time and let you know."

- "Eh?"

tuk. I hung up with Brian.

The call ended with this.

Brian reported the crime scene to the police, so they will be here soon.

The moment I was thinking like that.

An unpleasant plosive sound resounded everywhere.

shit. blatantly.

A column suddenly rose from the building, and the bank building was split in half.

Two people were standing on top of the soaring pillar.

"What do you think? Did you enjoy the reception?"

"… … Don't let that happen."

"Isn't the reaction too cool?"

"It would be better to get out of the seat before the police arrive."

One man wearing a gas mask.

And next to him is a man wearing an eye patch.

The identity of the person wearing the eye mask was unknown, but it was not difficult to recognize who was wearing the gas mask.

The leader of the Mage Guard, the Black Mist.

The Paranote River was standing there.

* * * * * *