“White Mask, are you insane?”
I heard Evelyn’s voice from somewhere. I looked at where the voice came from but I couldn’t see anyone. She probably used Transparency Magic to hide.
After spitting a little bit of blood out my mouth, I checked my Fraker-skin vest. It got torn apart here and there due to many magic attacks but still, it was nearly intact.
“Insane? This is the way of Assassin’s swordsmanship. Even if you get killed, you must kill your opponent. Did you forget about this fact?”
“Chut, you’re right. But there’s also another fact. Running away from an unbeatable opponent is the way of Assassin’s swordsmanship as well.”
“Yeah, you’re right. That’s why I am good at running away.”
“Don’t you think it’s time for you to run away right now?”
“Not at all.”
I chuckled. She must be thinking that Transparency Magic was a very powerful skill.
However, there was a critical downside of Transparency Magic. The one who used that magic couldn’t see anything as well.
Of course, Masters could feel the opponent’s movements through energy and mana but only if the opponents were normal people. They could not feel the energy or mana of those who learned Assassin skills like me.
I immediately silenced all the energy and mana in my body.
Now, we were in the same situation. As I couldn’t see her, she couldn’t see me as well.
‘Run away? Or keep fighting? What is your choice, Evelyn?’
I picked up a few sharp stone pieces around me. Then I intentionally stepped on a slate of stone as if it was a mistake. As she heard the sound, she spelled Calypter Attacks and Explosion Bombs right away.
Those attacks hit only my surrounding areas. It seemed she couldn’t find my exact location. Her attacks were scattered and inaccurate.
Several pieces of broken stones made a few scars on my body and cheeks but I didn’t care about them. I kept staring at where those magic attacks came from and looking for my opportunity.
Shortly after, I threw two sharp stone pieces. And one of them got stuck in the air.
“Argh.”
I heard a short groaning sound from somewhere so I slightly lifted one corner of my mouth. It didn’t give her huge damage but I achieved my goal anyway. The blood was dripping from the area where the stone piece was stuck.
‘Nice.’
The blood kept dropping. Every time the blood dropped, I threw stone pieces to attack her.
At last, she showed herself and rushed towards me.
“White Mask!”
“Let’s finish this duel.”
After a few collisions, my waist got slightly sliced by her Zelsa. It was not a deep wound yet I felt a severe pain. Then I grabbed her forearm and stroked her shoulder with my right wrist very hard.
Now, she had only one dagger in her hand. I didn’t stop attacking her. I kicked her waist with my knee a few times.
“Dammit.”
She tried to put her two daggers together to use magic skills but she couldn’t because I was grabbing both of her hands. Magic skills of most Sacred Weapons could only be activated by both specific shout and specific posture. So, I stopped her from making the posture.
After I gave her a knee kick many times, she fell down on the ground helplessly. I pressed her down to the ground with all my strength and put the tip of Yojo on the back of her neck.
“Why didn’t you just run away?”
“You… White Mask…”
“Let’s finish it here.”
Her eyes were full of despair. She probably sensed that her death was near.
“Hey, you’re making a mistake right now. If we become dead, you will be dead as well.”
“What bullshit. Every human dies anyway.”
At the moment I was about to pierce through her neck, Yojo started trembling. My hand was very cold. So, Yojo just must be crying right now.
The signals of Yojo were always only two, either yes or no. And this time, I felt Yojo was telling me not to kill Evelyn. I was about to kill her a moment ago. So, unless Yojo was trying to stop me, it didn’t have to cry.
‘Why the hell?’
Evelyn was a very dangerous woman. If I let her live this time, there would be a huge trouble in the future.
However, Yojo’s signal was always correct only except when it led me the way during the fight against Katrianne. I mulled it over for a while and then poked Yojo on the ground right next to Evelyn’s face.
After she saw Yojo poked on the ground, she stared at me with trembling eyes.
“Are you sparing my life?”
“Yeah. So just beat it.”
Once I took my hand off from her, she quickly stood up.
“Why are you sparing my life?”
“I don’t even know.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
She was confused but I didn’t care about her and picked up my Yojo.
At that moment, I felt an enormous energy from outside the building. Evelyn and I made frightened faces and looked at the destroyed prayer room at the same time. Yet, we couldn’t see anything. The energy must be coming from afar.
“Dammit! Why is she coming now? Why couldn’t she come earlier?”
“What’s wrong? Do you know whose energy it is?”
I didn’t answer her question and hurriedly picked up the Jade Magic Ball of Great Sin on the floor. Then I threw it far away into the middle of Lake Kara.
As soon as I threw the ball out, the wall of the prayer room collapsed down and one person came inside the building. She was Armida. She dusted off her clothes and walked into the hallway.
“It’s around here for sure…”
Evelyn’s eyes were trembling because of Armida’s enormous energy.
I glanced at Armida.
“Wow, you came so early.”
“Huh? You’re here too? What are those scars?”
As she made a fuss about my scars, I sighed shortly.
“Nothing. Why are you coming now?” What were you doing until now?”
With a sheepish face, she smiled.
“Got a new haircut and some supplements as well. Also, I got skincare treatment… I told you already about going to a salon.”
“Alright then. Let’s go home now. The festivals are over. We don’t have to stay here anymore”
Yet, she made an awkward face and kept looking around.
“Well, there’s something I need to investigate…”
“Like what?”
“I felt that someone was summoning demons. It must be around here for sure. Haven’t you seen anybody?”
I stared at Evelyn who was trembling with her head hung low. If I told the truth to Armida right now, she would be dead for sure.
I pointed at Lake Kara.
“I was fighting with that guy until shortly before. And the guy ran away.”
“Oh, really? Okay then. See you later.”
Armida quickly flew towards Lake Kara. Evelyn looked at Armida flying far away and then walked closer to me.
“Who the hell is she?”
“I know you already got the scent of it. Why are you asking? She’s a spinster whose age is over 10,000 years.”
Evelyn seemed to figure out who she was. Actually, she kind of knew it already. There’s no human woman who could spout out such an enormous energy.
“Why the hell did she come down to this world…?”
“I have no idea. She told me that she’s trying to find some kind of crazy friend of hers. She said her friend is trying to destroy the whole world. But I think it’s just bullshit.”
“Hehe.”
She giggled in a small voice. Then I scowled at her.
“Why don’t you go home now?”
“Yeah, I should.”
“Leave in a hurry before I change my mind.”
As my eyes got full of murderous spirits again, Evelyn distanced herself from me.
“Anyways, I owe you big time. See you later.”
“I am not gonna see you again.”
“Yes, you will. Actually, I think we’re gonna meet pretty often down the road. So, I will pay my debt next time.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Goodbye.”
She jumped down below the building in an instant.
I quickly took the healing potion out of my Subspace Pocket and sprayed over my scars. I didn’t feel much pain during the fight. But once it’s over, my body hurt everywhere.
* * *
The plaza was a total mess. The bodies of dead Belbokes were here and there. The Holy Knights and some of Kara’s soldiers were wandering around and double-checking the dead demons.
I looked at the place where people were gathered around. Zenbe was standing in the middle of the crowd and scratching his head because people were praising him.
As I looked around the surroundings, I made a frowning face because the person I wanted to meet had already gone.
I walked closer to Zenbe while huffing and puffing.
“Uncle Zenbe!”
Once I appeared and started making an angry voice, people around him moved to the sides.
Zenbe said hello to me with a happy face.
“Hey, human. Are you okay?”
“Where’s our client? I am talking about the Emir.”
“Oh, she left already.”
“I told you to stop her leaving until I came back.”
He felt embarrassed and tried to read my face.
“How could I stop her leaving when she wanted to?”
“What about the service fee that we’re supposed to receive from her?”
Zenbe rolled his eyes.
“She said thank you to me very sincerely.”
“Just said thank you?”
“Yeah. It was a very polite and sincere thank you. Unlike an Emir of a city, she was very humble as well.”
I smoothed down my face. He’s so stupid. He just fought for one of the richest women in the world and got satisfied after hearing a sincere thank you from her. Phew. I would never be able to teach him how to make money.
We just saved the life of Kara’s Emir. Her social status was very high and her wealth was tremendous. She would probably repay her debt in other ways.
“Well, if she’s a good person, she will repay her debt to us in some way.”
“Yeah, maybe she will.”
“Maybe?”
As I scowled at him, Zenbe changed his words.
“She will certainly repay her debt.”
I started looking around again. There’s another guy missing.
“Oh, what about that zombie uncle? He also left?”
“Zombie?”
“You know, the skinny Master Swordsman. You said he came to your street vendor once, right?”
“Oh, that guy? Why are you looking for him right now?”
I made a suspicious face.
“He never came here?”
“No. I haven’t seen him for a long time.”
“Really? Other people haven’t seen him as well?”
“Well, I don’t know.”
“Could you ask people if that guy was here? He also came to this temple today.”
Zenbe went to ask some of the Holy Knights and Kara’s soldiers around us. And shortly after, he came back.
“None of them saw him.”
“Really? That’s so strange…”
Callan came to this Saint Euroa Temple with me because he had business to attend to and we got separated around the halfway point. Thus, he must have seen the demons as well and should’ve tried to join us to fight against the demons. However, nobody had seen him. It was very strange.
‘No way, that zombie uncle… is he on Evelyn’s side?’
I could not completely rule out that possibility. He kept asking me to go home when we walked to the temple together. Besides, he said I would be in huge trouble because of women. It seemed he was talking about Evelyn.
‘If he and Evelyn were on the same side, their target wasn’t the Emir of Kara…’
If their target was the Emir of Kara, he should’ve come here where the Emir was. Also, Evelyn was a professional assassin so it would’ve been better for her to kill the Emir.
Instead, Evelyn drew people’s attention to herself by summoning and controlling demons. It didn’t make sense at all if their target was the Emir.
“Oh, they told me that someone robbed the holy relics chamber which is located in the underground temple.”
Once I heard that I turned my head quickly.
“Who was the robber?”
“Well, I don’t have details. Some of the witnesses said it was an unidentifiable swordsman and a magician.”
Apparently, their real target was the holy relics chamber. The demons which came out of the main chapel were the distraction for the Holy Knights and Soldiers.
“A swordsman and a magician… which items did they rob?”
“I have no idea.”
“Well, we will be able to figure it out soon.”
Anyway, I felt quite uncomfortable.
They possessed the ‘Jade Magic Ball of Great Sin’ which seemed to be made in Kronos, the Sky City as well as the daggers made of the God’s Metal. Also, they robbed the holy relics chamber of the famous temple and used Demon Summoning Magic which was totally forbidden in this world.
I could only think of only one group of people who would do these kinds of things in this world. They must be the ones who were working for Armida’s friend who ran away.
‘Fuc**** a**holes. Why did they come here and made me tired?’
* * *