The mont I stepped into that dark dining hall in the middle of broad daylight, I understood at once.
This man had no intention of killing here.
That was why he set up this heavy, oppressive atmosphere instead.
The murderous aura radiating from the knights hidden in the shadows pressed down on . But if they had truly ant to kill , they would have swept away the darkness, lit up the room, and lulled into ease. Assassins conceal their killing intent until the mont of the strike. They don’t leak it out like this.
No doubt the baron was wary because I had killed Gustav’s gang. Two of them, including the one who gifted a sword, had even been Aura users.
Realizing that, I put aside any thought of blades suddenly flashing for my throat. Instead, I decided to prod the baron, see what kind of man he was, by acting and speaking more brazenly than usual.
Slice, slice.
The toad carved at his at and asked, “Well then, does the food suit your taste?”
I skewered a piece of steak on my knife, turning it this way and that, “How should I know? Haven’t tasted it yet.”
“Why not?”
I didn’t bother answering. I simply stared across the table at him.
The toad chuckled, “No need to worry. There’s no poison.”
That assurance, of course, made trust it even less.
Still I said nothing, my gaze fixed on him.
He popped the at into his own mouth and chewed, “If you’re that worried, I can always have my knights taste it for you.”
“Ah, now that’s a fine idea.”
I slapped my forehead lightly and glanced around the dim hall, “Sir Kali? Where’s our dear Sir Kali?”
“…”
No answer.
“Oh? Where’d he go? Off to take a shit? But it has to be Sir Kali, no one else will do.”
Even then, silence. At last the baron prompted him, “Kali.”
A voice crept from a corner. “…Here.”
I bead, “Ahh, there you are, Sir Kali!”
“…”
“So shy, aren’t you? Co on now, have a bite.”
With a broad grin, I beckoned.
Kali strode stiffly to my side, glaring daggers. He couldn’t spit insults like before—his master was speaking to with respect, after all.
“Lord Ashuban. On my honor, I swear there is no poison. Please eat with peace of mind.”
I widened my eyes in mock disbelief, “Hold on. Isn’t ‘honor’ sothing a man must first possess to swear upon?”
Kali’s face twisted. The baron gave a short laugh.
Grinding his teeth, Kali tried again, “There is no poison. My lord is not such a man.”
“And how am I to believe that? Put yourself in my place, Sir Kali. When you hold a treasure everyone covets, the pressure is crushing. Even a passing mongrel looks like it might lunge for your throat.”
“…”
“Why, a falling leaf can make your heart stop. Do you know what that feels like?”
His eyes narrowed, “…Not really.”
“But what if it’s true?”
Kali, clearly unwilling to be my personal food taster, kept protesting, “Lord Ashuban. I understand your concerns, but if you keep this up it’s an insult to my lord—mmpf!”
“Enough chatter.”
I stuffed the steak straight into his mouth.
The glare he gave —if looks could kill. It only made grin wider, “How is it, Sir Kali?”
“…Delicious,” he ground out.
“Then off you go.”
“…Yes.”
The toad burst out laughing at the scene, “Hah! When did you and Kali grow so close?”
“It just happened. I’m a man of deep affection, you see.”
“Kali may have wronged you, but it seems all is well now.”
…Shaless bastard.
I chewed another piece of steak, feigning agreent, “Indeed.”
The toad smiled as if nothing had happened, “By the way, Lord Ashuban. Might I ask your family na?”
“Family na? Don’t have one.”
His face stiffened, “…You an, you’re a commoner?”
I smirked, “What of it? You sound as if it’s so grave sin. Are you offended? Shall I get on my knees and apologize? Or is it that you don’t wish to deal with commoners at all? Hah, suddenly I’ve lost my appetite.”
I set down my knife and fork with a clatter.
“Ha… ha! You misunderstand. I never said such a thing.”
He quickly smoothed his expression, rushing to calm .
But I had seen it, clear as day—that fleeting look in his eyes, the contempt of a man gazing at sothing low and dirty.
“So,” he said, shifting topics, “You truly wish to sell Ophosis’s Dagger?”
I nodded, “Yes.”
Cautiously, he continued, “Since any deal rests on trust, I would need to verify first…”
I didn’t let him finish. I drew the dagger from my robes and held it up.
“O… ooooh!”
Leaning across the table, heedless of his clothes brushing food, the toad stared, greed gleaming in his eyes.
The sight of it turned my stomach.
“Good enough?”
I tucked the dagger back into my breast.
He blinked, ca to his senses, and sat back down with a cough. “Cough, cough. Without a doubt, the genuine dagger of Ophosis.”
“That’s right.”
I bit into another mouthful of steak.
He rubbed his palms together eagerly, “So then… how much do you want for it?”
I scowled, “Listen, Baron.”
“…Baron?”
I clicked my tongue, “Do you expect to choke on my food? What kind of fool rushes into talk of price like this? If that’s how it’s going to be, why invite to dine? You could’ve sent a man to haggle outside. A al like this is ant for small talk, flattery, pleasantries—not just coin.”
For a mont his face twisted, the mask slipping to reveal raw contempt. No doubt he wanted nothing more than to crush the insolent commoner sitting before him.
But just as quickly, he smoothed it over with a forced smile, dabbing sweat with his handkerchief.
“Haha… perhaps I was too hasty. Please, eat at your leisure.”
“…Tsk.”
After that, the talk drifted away from business.
Mostly the baron would sweat and chatter, while I tossed back halfhearted replies.
When the atmosphere had llowed enough, I chewed on my steak and asked in a casual tone, “So then, do your people follow you well?”
The toad smirked. “Those lowly wretches? Too stupid to deal with. Words never get through their thick skulls.”
He rambled on, forgetting entirely that I myself was a commoner. “Just the other day so fool claid he was sick and didn’t show up for work. So I made an example—had my knights beat him to death in front of everyone. The next day, not a soul was absent. Hah-hah-hah!”
“…That so?”
I’d heard enough.
Wiping my mouth on the white tablecloth, I leaned back. “Let’s talk business now.”
The baron straightened, adjusted his clothes, and asked gravely, “How much do you want?”
“A thousand gold.”
“…A thousand? That’s… rather steep.”
“Once you track down Ophosis’s Legacy, that sum will look laughably small.”
“But it won’t be easy to find, and many others must be after it—”
“Then forget it.”
I rose from my chair without hesitation.
The baron blurted, “N-no! A thousand gold it is. But it’s such a vast sum—I’ll need ti to gather it…”
“How long?”
He wiped his brow, nervous. “Stay in your chamber for now. I’ll raise the funds as quickly as I can.”
“Fine.”
I tilted my head in a nod and strode from the dining hall. “Thanks for the al.”
As I walked toward the door, stray threads of killing intent tickled the back of my neck.
I had never liked nobles. Nine out of ten were fools. And this one was no exception.
By the ti the sun had set, dusk crawled across the land outside my window.
A thousand gold was no paltry sum, but for a lord of a territory, it shouldn’t take this long.
His ploy was obvious: stall for ti, then kill and take the dagger.
Knock, knock.
Right on cue, the door opened and a group of serving won entered with trays of wine.
“What’s this?”
They bowed respectfully. One stepped forward and spoke for the rest, “My lord says the paynt will take a little longer to prepare. By tomorrow morning at the latest it will be ready. He asks only that you wait.”
I clicked my tongue, “Tch. So much for keeping to an agreent.”
“It is already late. It would be dangerous for you to set out now. My lord has ordered us to attend to you with the utmost care until morning, that your stay may be pleasant. Please, accept our service.”
They bowed again.
In the back row, I caught Claire’s eyes.
Her gaze seed to say: I told you to run.
I just smiled back at her.
Master.
[What is it?]
Can I use energy to burn off alcohol?
[Child’s play.]
After hearing his brief instructions, I grinned brightly at the won, “Hahaha. Well then, no helping it. Guess I’ll have a drink for once.”
“How is he?”
“He drank himself senseless, my lord.”
“You’re certain?”
“Yes. Ten bottles of wine. No man could stay upright after that.”
The baron hadn’t dared slip anything into the drink—Ashuban was too wary.
But after the deal was struck, perhaps his guard dropped. Or maybe he was simply fond of drink.
“Ten bottles, you say?”
The baron raised an eyebrow. The maid nodded.
“Yes. He’s completely out cold. Snoring loud enough to shake the rafters.”
The baron gestured to his n. “Check for yourselves.”
Sir Kali pressed his ear to the door.
The baron still recalled the man’s insolent attitude—
A lowborn commoner daring to sit at the sa table as him.
And those words. That arrogance. He had wanted to tear his mouth apart right there.
Even now, the mory boiled his blood.
But then a wicked smile crept across his lips, “Heh-heh-heh. Ophosis’s Legacy will be mine.”
With that dagger, he would beco the richest man in the realm.
And Kali, who bore his own grudge against Ashuban, was eager for the chance.
From the door, Kali gave a nod.
The baron’s grin widened, “Good. Do it.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Kali eased the door open. A stench of wine rolled out.
Sure enough, Ashuban lay sprawled on the bed, snoring.
The knights crept in behind Kali.
Shhhk—
Kali stepped into a shaft of moonlight, raised his sword high over Ashuban’s head, and muttered coldly, “Farewell.”
Swish—Slash!
The blade fell, cleaving bed and neck alike.
“Is it done?”
“Yes. His head is off,” Kali replied.
“Then find the dagger!”
At once, Kali searched the corpse, “He doesn’t have it, my lord!”
The baron’s lip curled, “Playing gas, are we? It must be in this room. Search!”
“Yes, my lord!”
The knights tore through the chamber, overturning everything in sight.
Outside the door, Claire watched with sorrow in her eyes.
She had warned him to flee. Now the scarred man was dead after all.
With a bitter face, she turned to leave—
Clatter.
“…Huh?”
Her eyes flicked back.
Ashuban’s severed head rolled across the floor… and opened its eyes.
“Kyaaahhh!”
Claire scread, then collapsed in a faint.
“What in blazes—!”
The baron and his knights stared, dumbfounded.
From the floor ca a low, eerie laugh.
“Heh-heh-heh-heh…”
“……!”
Every head in the room turned toward the sound.
“Heh-heh-heh… hahahaha… HAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Ashuban’s severed head was laughing like a madman.
(End of Chapter)
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