Due to the emergency of the attempted assassination of the Count, Iris Lune was temporarily taken off Catherine’s body double duties and made to stand by in adventurer combat readiness in the party’s living quarters.
It was after sunset when Benedict returned to the room.
“When I inquired with the Adventurer’s Guild about the man we captured, information came back immediately. He’s not directly related to Night Python, but he’s a fairly well-known assassin. He specializes in sniping with magic bows.”
Benedict’s expression was grim.
They managed to prevent the assassination by a hair’s breadth, but it also suggested that Night Python was finally getting serious.
Benedict placed his large, paw-padded hand on Iris Lune’s head.
“It’s all thanks to Iris. If you hadn’t defended him with magic on the spur of the moment, the Count would be dead now. The Count also expressed his gratitude.”
“Yeah, seriously amazing. This time, it’s completely Iris’s achievement.”
“That’s right. You really protected the Count well in that instant.”
“That’s the job…”
Iris Lune was a little unsure of the appropriate response, so she tried to feign modesty.
She had been able to detect the attack in advance thanks to her ability to sense emotions, but Iris Lune thought that she deserved praise for properly protecting the Count with magic that ‘Iris’ could use at that moment. She was really glad she didn’t accidentally say ≪Disruptive Gale Blast/Wind Shear≫ or something.
“But… they’re targeting the Count instead of the Lady.”
“Well, yeah. Because he went outside the castle.”
“Ah. We should have eliminated the insiders in the castle… but going to meet someone means the other party also knows about the Count’s outing, so the information must have leaked from there.”
“They’re targeting him just for leaving the castle?”
“Of course, they are.”
Iris Lune had assumed that the body double was necessary because ninjas could infiltrate the castle from anywhere. However, Benedict and Hugh thought that assassinating a lord’s family who secluded themselves in the castle was extremely difficult in the first place.
“For example… Hugh. Do you think a sixth-grade elite-level thief could infiltrate this castle and kill the Count?”
“If I prepared perfectly, I think I could do it. Gaps in security patrols, routes for infiltration and escape, strength and placement… if I knew all of that. But that preparation is the hard part. If there are no openings on our side, even if Night Python has a sixth-grade elite-level user, I don’t think they would throw them in knowing they could die. I don’t think Night Python has many spares at that level.”
“Yeah. In this country, a sixth-grade elite thief… well, there’s the bearded guy and the ruins fanatic?”
“Tayla Kaine’s she-male.”
“I still don’t know if that person is male or female.”
“It’s a guy, right?”
“It’s a guy.”
“And how old is he?”
“At the very least, he’s in his 30s.”
“Looks like he’s only in his mid-teens…”
The image of the ‘she-male person’ pulled from Iris Lune’s memory was a petite, impish, beautiful girl who looked about mid-teens in human terms. But the reality was a middle-aged man who was also a master thief, a slightly over-the-top adventurer. Apparently, he’s famous within Ciel-Terra.
“Thieves are supposed to be the most numerous after fighters, but looking at it this way, there aren’t many who go to the top.”
“Three people in Ciel-Terra’s scale is enough, right?”
“It’s still few. When you get to the sixth-grade elite, it’s in the realm of natural talent. Effort alone can’t do it, and thieves can’t compensate with equipment as much as fighters. Anyway, they wouldn’t want to waste such valuable talent on revenge against a mere lord. The risk and return don’t match. If that’s the case, they’ll prepare to kill and escape for sure, instead of leaving it to chance… but you can’t stay holed up in the castle forever. It’s easier to kill him when he comes out. “
And that’s why they were targeted today.
In a fantasy world, it might seem like there would be plenty of ninja-like assassins using magic or magic items to infiltrate, but if that were the case, the Count’s side would also have magicians, which would be enough to counter them. It seems that the other side doesn’t have anyone with extraordinary skills either. This is a petty (but life-threatening) battle between a rural mafia controlling a small country and a small lord of that country.
“But, if they kill the Count now, wouldn’t the Night Python elimination operation stop? I think there’s a reason to come and kill the Count, even by force…”
“Ha ha. If they wanted to stop the operation, they wouldn’t need to target the Count.”
Hugh shrugged playfully.
“Not everyone can hole up in a castle and be protected by their knights and magicians. They’ll kill an easier target, if it were me.”
Hugh’s prediction came true immediately.
The Count had formed an anti-Night Python unit from his subordinate knights and elite soldiers, and they were moving from town to town within the territory, destroying their bases one by one. Their families were attacked.
Night Python’s assassins would probably be unable to win a head-on battle with the raiding party. However, they could kill their families who had no power to fight. Then everyone would fear that their own family might be next to die. Morale would be shattered, and there would be deserters.
“…Already, some have deserted and are trying to cross the border with their families.”
“So, they’ve made their move.”
Oswald frowned as he read through the report in his office. As usual, Benedict chimed in.
No matter how motivated Oswald was, he couldn’t do anything if his subordinates didn’t move. Even if he tried to replenish the vacancies, many would refuse if it meant ‘joining the unit would endanger their families.’ If they became unable to fight, Oswald would automatically lose. It was like having a rope around his neck, slowly being strangled to death.
“But there’s also a strange report… from the castle town, there’s a story of someone being attacked by a mysterious intruder and being saved by a mysterious ninja at the last moment.”
“…Huh?”
“It’s the family of someone participating in the subjugation unit.”
Benedict looked utterly dubious, but even Oswald, who was explaining, seemed confused. The story of the mysterious ninja had also come up when a servant’s family was taken hostage and escaped, but the two still had no idea who it was.
“The identity of the mysterious helper is still unknown… but what is certain is that we must settle this before any more deserters appear. We’ve cut off their limbs in the past few days. We’ll capture the executive who oversees the activities in the territory within a day or two.”
“Is it finally happening?”
“Yes. Originally, I wanted you guys to come too, but…”
Oswald paused for a moment, as if thinking.
“Well, it should be fine. More than that, please take care of me and my daughter.”
“Understood.”