Chapter 5: Shadows of the Forest

Though I offered to help, all I could truly provide were medicines. Indeed, in the eyes of those who knew me, this was my sole capability, for I had never revealed to anyone that I could fight, nor that I possessed no magic.

Not everyone could wield magic, yet every individual harbored mana within them, even if only a trace. This inherent presence provided a foundation for anyone to learn spells.

Perhaps I was the only person in the entire world devoid of mana.

To Harold, I was merely an apothecary, incapable of magic or combat.

Thus, during the day, he secretly requested various high-priced potions from me: night-vision elixirs, healing draughts, and a few bottles of my newly developed concoctions. He paid for them with his own funds.

The caravan members knew the bandits were hiding in the forest outside the village. Many within the merchant company opposed provoking them, intending instead to bypass the area the following day.

However, Harold, fearing the bandits might pursue them, resolved to covertly lead a small group into the forest to eliminate the threat. He privately purchased these potions from me, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances.

Before joining the caravan, Harold had served in the Farl Kingdom’s army, possessing considerable combat experience. The caravan’s bodyguards were also exceptionally skilled, making their confidence in confronting the bandits far from baseless.

Yet, I still found their plan too reckless. A single trap could lead to their complete annihilation. I had tried to dissuade them, but Harold refused to listen.

He claimed it was for the good of the caravan, fearing a sudden attack might harm his companions, and told me not to worry. Perhaps they were simply overconfident.

However, my current identity was merely that of an ordinary apothecary, a single father living a mundane life with his daughter in a village. Fighting was not for me; I simply wished to raise my beloved daughter well.

If I encountered trouble, it would be inconsequential, as I could secretly resolve it on my own. But I absolutely could not implicate my daughter.

Besides, she was the Demon King’s daughter, harboring immense power within her. Although it was currently sealed, I could not guarantee it would never be exposed. The worst-case scenario was an outburst triggered by agitation.

I had promised Bella that I would ensure Nina’s happiness. Having raised Nina for so many years, I deeply understood that only this peaceful and stable life could bring her true joy.

Therefore, I would not allow anyone to disrupt this tranquility.

But…

“Alas…”

Inside my workshop, I anxiously scratched my head, then set aside the compounding work I had been doing. It was night, and Nina was already asleep.

I remained in the workshop, primarily due to my worry over Harold’s situation, which kept me from sleeping and even from focusing on my work.

‘Will they be safe? Should I go help? Even if I just secretly follow them, what if they discover me? That would only lead to greater trouble.’

I wrestled with this dilemma, unable to find peace, my head bowed as I aimlessly ruffled my hair. Finally…

“Ah—I’ll just go!”

I decided to follow them in secret.

Even though Harold had military experience, nighttime operations were exceedingly perilous. If anything unforeseen occurred, what would become of the caravan?

It wasn’t that I genuinely cared for them. It was simply that most of the village’s trade relied on this caravan.

If they met with disaster and the company disbanded, the village’s resources would diminish, the channels for selling medicines would shrink, and my household income would plummet. That would pose a significant problem for Nina’s life!

‘Yes, I am absolutely not worrying about the caravan; I’m merely concerned for my daughter’s well-being. How could I possibly expose my identity willingly? This is all for my lovely daughter, to protect our happy life together. It’s perfectly reasonable.’

After tidying my workshop, I donned my night-suit and retrieved my sole weapon, the “Prism,” from a drawer.

This was an item unique to me, appearing as nothing more than a small box, about half a palm in length and width, and roughly the height of an index fingernail.

Its front face was inlaid with a nine-square grid keypad, while ten small, aquamarine prismatic gems were vertically arranged on its right side, the bottom two already lit.

A crimson strip of crystal was embedded on the left, and a button adorned with a tiny red gem sat precisely in the center of the top surface, used for confirmation and as a substitute for the digit ‘0’.

My escape from the royal palace, my arduous journey, and my solo trek to the Demon King’s castle were all thanks to this single, personal tool.

At least, in my eyes, it was far more effective than any holy sword, divine bow, or godly spear—though I had never even touched those divine artifacts; they were not meant for me.

Using the adhesive stone on the “Prism’s” back, I fastened it to my waist. Then, I put on my mask and hood, leaving only my eyes exposed, and secretly departed from my home.

‘I hope this mission turns out to be a wasted trip,’ I prayed silently, pressing ‘239’ on the keypad, then confirming with the top button, and sprinting toward the forest outside the village.

***

Meanwhile, under the moonlight, in the forest outside the village, before Ken’s arrival.

Harold sat alone by a campfire, a sword and a canvas travel bag resting on the ground beside him.

He held a shield in one hand and idly toyed with several precious gems in the other, his expression grim as he stared into the flickering flames.

His companions, paired off, hid in the shadowy corners of the trees, vigilantly observing their surroundings.

They had decided on a rather risky strategy: Harold would act as bait to draw out the group of bandits.

Given Harold’s skill, he could certainly defend against a surprise attack, allowing them to pinpoint the enemy’s positions. If the bandits attacked en masse, the companions concealed in the shadows could then counter-ambush them.

The caravan’s guards were highly skilled assassins, formerly belonging to a certain assassin organization.

Years ago, the Farl Kingdom had expended significant manpower and resources to hunt them down, taking several years to dismantle the group.

The dozen or so survivors, gravely wounded, escaped the purge and wandered the wilderness. Fortunately, they encountered Harold’s caravan. Harold, without questioning their origins, took them in directly and healed their injuries.

To repay his kindness and find a new home, they concealed their identities, followed Harold, and worked for the caravan while also serving as guards for their companions.

It wasn’t the first time the caravan had encountered bandits; each time, the threats were dealt with easily and covertly, without a drop of blood shed.

Thus, their confidence was not unfounded. This time, at most, the enemies might be more cunning, perhaps wielding poisoned weapons, requiring only a bit more caution.

As for Harold, he had once been a general in a small city. Although he had retired due to injury, he was more than capable of handling petty wilderness bandits; indeed, he was overqualified.

“…!”

The guards spotted it: a bandit, eyeing the gems in Harold’s hand, was preparing to attack from a nearby tree. However, the guards merely observed, with no intention of acting yet.

“!!”

The next second, the bandit launched their attack, pushing off with their legs and leaping toward Harold.

“Hmph!”

As the bandit’s sharp blade descended, Harold released the gems, swiftly drew his sword, and spun, severing the bandit’s arm. He then reversed his grip and struck again, decapitating the bandit.

“You mere rogue, daring to ambush me.”

After a disdainful glance, Harold kicked the corpse aside, picked up his shield, and braced himself for battle.

“Come on!”

He roared into the forest, declaring war on the hidden bandits.

Immediately after, from the shadows of the forest, a bandit leaped through the tree branches, fleeing into the distance.

“Pursue them.”

Two of the guards voluntarily gave chase, following the target’s figure. Both sides moved with great speed, quickly moving away from Harold’s position until the campfire’s glow was no longer visible.

“Our speed isn’t enough to catch them?”

“Perhaps our opponent is also a very formidable assassin. It seems we underestimated their strength.”

“Which means… Hmph!”

The two suddenly stopped, raising their daggers, and simultaneously spun around.

*Clang!*

The sound of metal clashing rang out before them. They had successfully blocked a surprise attack from two bandits who had appeared behind them.

As for their initial target, they had vanished without a trace. The two bandits before them were clad in black, their faces obscured by masks, making their features indistinguishable.

“If you’re going to ambush, at least be professional.”

“Don’t underestimate us!”

The two guards swung their blades forcefully, deflecting their opponents’ weapons. In the next instant, the two bandits vanished from their sight.

The bandits circled the two guards, leaping through the trees at incredible speed. Coupled with the darkness of the night forest, an ordinary person’s eyes would be utterly unable to track their movements.

However, as professional assassins, the two guards easily anticipated such actions, clearly discerning the trajectory of their leaps.

*Clang, clang, clang!*

Suddenly, they launched an attack. Within a second, the two bandits each made three slashes before the guards. After being blocked, they vanished back into the undergrowth. Ten seconds later, another three slashes, and then they disappeared again.

“This speed won’t kill us.”

“Next time will be your demise!”

The two guards awaited their opponents’ third attack, their confidence assuring them that they could strike down the bandits next time. These two attacks had already given them a rough understanding of their opponents’ attack patterns.

However…

“Wait, their presence…”

“Can’t feel it?”

“…Danger!”

A bandit silently appeared behind one of the guards, their blade descending sharply. Fortunately, the other guard noticed in time and pushed their companion away.

But in the very next second, from the direction of the push, another bandit emerged from the shadows, raising a sharp blade and bringing it down swiftly.

*Clang!*

Thankfully, the guard turned and blocked it, but the blade’s tip was right before their face. A second slower, and their head would have been pierced.

Seeing their ambush fail, the two bandits retreated into the shadows, disappearing once more, preparing for their next attack.

“This is…”

“Shadow Art.”

“Is that the assassination technique only mastered by highly skilled assassins?”

“Yes.”

The Shadow Art they spoke of involved concealing oneself within shadows, eliminating one’s presence, and instantly moving short distances between shadows. Their movements could only be detected the moment they emerged from a shadow.

Therefore, in this environment, for the two guards who couldn’t use Shadow Art, an enemy could appear from any shadow around them.

“Isn’t that… a skill only our former squad leader possessed?”

“Yes, quickly, get out the illumination stones.”

“Tch…”

They felt a deep sense of frustration. As assassins, they were being forced to illuminate their positions in the dark of night, actively exposing themselves to the enemy. But if they didn’t, the surrounding shadows would claim their lives.

However…

“!!”

The moment they reached into their pockets, behind them, blades from the shadows were already descending toward their heads.