Chapter 80

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Each's Stance on Assassins
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“I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“Be careful on your way.”

“Yes.”

Lately, Count Shurayton, Sei-an’s father, had been spending a lot of time with Behitz.

Their acquaintance had rapidly deepened since Behitz first visited Count Shurayton’s estate with the intention of finding Prince Idis’s friend.

Sei-an, who had found favor with Behitz, played a significant role in this.

Surprisingly, conversations about Sei-an getting along well with Prince Idis always dominated their discussions.

“It’s much later than I thought.”

Count Shurayton, who had been enjoying tea and conversation with Behitz again today, realized how late it had gotten as he observed the already dark streets, and quickly boarded his carriage.

Clatter… clatter…

Thwip! Thwip!

“...!”

How much time had passed? In the space where only the quiet sounds of the carriage moving could be heard, a strange noise erupted, and the horses began to panic.

Arrows had flown from somewhere.

“My Lord Count!”

“...Again?”

“Yes.”

A few knights, escorting Count Shurayton, surrounded the carriage, protecting him.

Their agile movements suggested this wasn’t their first time dealing with such an incident; they seemed quite accustomed to it. They even carried shields specifically for blocking arrows, as if they had been prepared for this very situation.

“Enemies are approaching.”

“Hmm.”

A moment later, the assassins, having seemingly deemed further arrows useless, drew their swords and began to reveal themselves before them.

Then, with swift movements, they charged rapidly towards the knights, swords drawn.

Thwip! Thwip!

“...!”

“Ugh!”

But the next moment, the assassins who had attempted to attack Count Shurayton showed signs of confusion as daggers came flying from somewhere.

They tried to swiftly dodge the daggers, but it was impossible to contend with both the daggers flying accurately towards them from the darkness and the knights who had already charged forward to attack.

Ultimately, some fell on the spot from the daggers and the knights’ attacks, while others swiftly fled into the darkness and vanished.

“Damn, they’re all dead again.”

“Vicious bastards.”

The knights examined the fallen assassins on the ground, subtly furrowing their brows.

“Did they all commit suicide again?”

Meanwhile, new figures emerged from the darkness and addressed the knights.

A man whose cold, almost indifferent demeanor perfectly matched his low voice — it was Lucian.

“Tsk! Stubborn fools.”

And beside him was Cliff, Lucian’s close friend.

“Are you alright, Father?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

The two inquired about Count Shurayton’s well-being from inside the carriage.

“It seems we failed again. There’s no one alive.”

“Haa.”

Despite purposefully throwing daggers to avoid vital points and the knights wielding their swords to minimize fatalities, everyone present clicked their tongues in dismay at the sight of the assassins who had died by releasing poison hidden under their tongues.

“The assassins are being sent more and more frequently.”

Lucian nodded slightly at Cliff’s words, gazing at the dead assassins on the ground.

Recently, a group of assassins had been targeting Count Shurayton. Though the exact reason was unknown, it was clear they were after his life.

That’s why Lucian and Cliff had been secretly following and guarding Count Shurayton.

As it was uncertain when the assassins might strike, the knights alone were insufficient to fend off all their attacks.

“It seems that’s the cause.”

“It appears so.”

Though the precise reason remained unknown, Lucian and Count Shurayton had a rough idea of who was sending the assassins.

“It seems the more deeply we investigate that man, the more frequently these assassins appear.”

“Yes.”

Viscount Chiikan, whom they had begun investigating recently due to growing suspicions, was precisely the culprit they suspected.

The more secretly they investigated him, the less they found, yet simultaneously, assassins suddenly began attacking Count Shurayton.

There were too many coincidences for it to be mere chance.

“Viscount Chiikan…”

Count Shurayton’s suspicion towards Viscount Chiikan intensified. With a resolute gaze, as if vowing to uncover the secret he was willing to kill to protect, he quietly uttered the man’s name.