Chapter 8: Hands who are not invited

I quickly grew accustomed to living in the sisters’ house.

Since I had always wandered from place to place, a change of sleeping arrangements was no problem.

Moreover, the bed in my room was spacious enough to sleep in any position,

and thanks to Raylin and Sei-lin washing the bedding multiple times right away, it was cozy and fragrant.

Thanks to this, just two days after arriving, I was able to sleep soundly and wake up to the morning sun.

When I stretched refreshingly and came out, the sweet aroma of breakfast being prepared filled the air.

As I savored the scent and came down to the first floor, Raylin and Sei-lin, who were preparing breakfast, greeted me.

“Good morning, Lord Deron!”

“Breakfast is ready. Let’s eat together right away.”

There were times when I worried if proper food would be served, given that only the two sisters lived there,

but it didn’t take long to realize that my worries were unfounded.

The sisters’ cooking was excellent, as good as any food I had ever tasted.

Moreover, it was filled with their sincere effort for me,

to the point where I looked forward to every meal.

“Please enjoy your meal~”

Raylin propped her chin with both hands and smiled brightly at me.

Raylin and Sei-lin always waited until I took my first bite,

and only began eating themselves after I started my meal and said it was delicious.

Feeling like I was receiving too much care, I offered to help,

but the sisters shook their heads vigorously, saying it wasn’t necessary.

“Helping us with our training is more than enough. We should naturally serve you meals.”

“Isn’t this only natural for women who serve Lord Deron?”

After the meal, the sisters immediately started washing dishes,

and they bickered every time to a surprising degree.

“Sister, don’t you see this here? There’s a stain.”

“Where? I don’t see it? Ah… isn’t this fine?”

“No. Dishes always have to be washed thoroughly.”

“It’s true they should be clean, but you’re too meticulous, Sei-lin. If you wash them that many times, we’ll have to fetch water again soon.”

“We can just fetch more water.”

“Honestly.”

While the sisters bickered and washed dishes,

I inspected my weapons and prepared for training.

This was to learn their abilities in as much detail as possible and provide suitable training.

As I prepared, wondering if there were any abilities I hadn’t yet discovered,

before I knew it, the sisters, having finished their training preparations, each took up a wand and a sword and led the way to the training ground.

“We’ll go ahead and get ready~!”

Raylin, holding her wand, skipped cheerfully outside as if dancing with the wind,

and Sei-lin followed her outside, shaking her head behind her.

Watching them, I let out a small laugh.

The peace I felt after a long time was quite pleasant.

****

Late in the evening, I was enjoying my leisure in my room.

I couldn’t even remember the last time I sat at a desk and read a book without any worries.

However, it seemed I couldn’t break old habits so quickly,

as I was once again reading a book related to history.

Specifically, a book about the chaotic history before the Kingdom unified the continent.

By the time I was able to officially go to the battlefield, the Kingdom had already unified the continent, and most conflicts had been resolved.

Nevertheless, unsuppressed factions and various heretics continued to cause problems in various places,

and I, who appeared then, systematically dealt with the remaining issues with overwhelming force and a belligerence that reveled in combat.

I fought at the forefront until no power strong enough to incite rebellion remained.

But even after that, heretics continued to emerge in various places, causing problems,

The Kingdom, vexed by this, incorporated me, who was not particularly a non-believer, into the church as an inquisitor, allowing me to continue my activities.

Since I also wanted to keep fighting, I accepted the position without complaint.

Thanks to this, I fought relentlessly against heretics and knew them so thoroughly I could recall them with my eyes closed,

but conversely, I didn’t know much about the chaotic times.

So, whenever I had time, I would study that era.

However, despite such research, I still knew very little.

Whether historians couldn’t properly record it due to the chaos,

or if the Kingdom intentionally erased records, there was very little information left.

All that could be known was that heroes and nations rose up in various places and fought each other.

“There’s not much useful information here either…”

I couldn’t hide my disappointment and muttered, closing the book.

It was a cycle of getting excited whenever I found a new history book, then closing it in disappointment.

“When will I ever clearly know what happened?”

I leaned back in my chair and sighed.

After a moment of closing my eyes and thinking,

I suddenly opened my eyes and straightened my posture.

‘An assassin.’

‘Or at least someone secretly watching me.’

I instinctively reacted to the faint, malevolent magic I sensed.

‘To approach so thoroughly, hiding their presence,

they’re no ordinary thug.’

I carefully picked up my sword and stepped out of the room.

Having exited the house without the sisters, who were spending time in their respective rooms, noticing,

I immediately focused my gaze on where I felt the magic.

In the dark forest, where the sun had already set and the moon was not yet full, on the path leading up to the mansion,

I sensed eyes watching me from between the tall, overgrown trees.

I silently stared at the eyes for a moment,

then instantly drew my sword and charged at the intruder.

Giving them time to react would only help them escape,

and since they wouldn’t be able to escape me anyway, I wanted to avoid the hassle of chasing them.

I instantly lunged at the intruder and swung my sword,

and the intruder tried to parry my sword strike with their own.

However, due to the difference in strength, the intruder barely held onto their sword and was pushed back considerably.

“Who are you?”

I spun my sword and asked, but the intruder did not reply.

While assessing the surrounding terrain, I observed the intruder’s appearance.

The intruder, whose body was wrapped in black cloth so no skin was visible,

felt different from typical heretic assassins.

Unlike heretic assassins who always resorted to underhanded tactics, this one seemed to fight with pure martial prowess.

“Who sent you?”

When I asked again, the intruder replied by raising their sword and taking a combat stance.

‘How bothersome.’

‘It’ll be easier to subdue them first and then ask questions.’

I sighed, then charged at the intruder again.

The sparks that flashed in the moonless forest as sword clashed against sword,

flickered only a few times before quickly dying out.

The intruder’s black cloth garments were torn and stained with red blood,

and the intruder’s sword, which had met mine, lay rolling on the ground.

Approaching the fallen intruder, who was bleeding, I spoke again.

“Who sent you? And how did you know I was here?”

Only the chirping of insects echoed through the silent forest.

I, who had my sword pointed at the intruder, plunged the sword into the intruder’s leg.

It must have been quite painful, but the intruder didn’t let out a single groan.

‘A stubborn one.’

“You’d better answer quickly. Who sent you?”

Just as I, unable to tolerate the silence, was about to plunge my sword into their side,

the intruder quickly reached their right hand inside their garment towards their chest.

Soon, a small explosion occurred, and the intruder’s body was torn into pieces and scattered.

“What a mess…”

I lowered my sword, which had blocked the explosion, and muttered.

It was common for heretics to self-destruct when at a disadvantage,

but it was the first time I’d seen one explode so cleanly.

There was nothing left to learn from the intruder, who had already become a mass of flesh.

It was unsettling that someone knew my location, but with nothing more to discover, just as I was about to return,

a light appeared from the path leading up to the mansion, and a voice was heard.

“Deron?”

I reflexively raised my sword, then realized who the voice belonged to, sighed, and lowered my sword.

Soon, pink hair approached me, accompanied by a light that illuminated the path like a torch.

“Dana, how did you know to come here again?”

“I heard rumors while passing by this area and came to check. Your description matched exactly…”

As Dana approached me, she flinched and stopped upon seeing the scattered pieces of flesh in front of me.

Seeing the finely shredded pieces of flesh, Dana recoiled and made a disgusted expression.

I was about to say I didn’t do it, but I just kept quiet.

‘She wouldn’t believe me anyway,

and talking to her only makes my mouth hurt.’

“You haven’t changed.”

I nodded.

“Killing a person is by no means a light matter, you know.”

I nodded again.

“I won’t report your presence here to anyone.”

I nodded vigorously.

‘Yes, please don’t tell anyone.

It’ll only cause unnecessary trouble.’

“Seeing it directly makes it even clearer. You were never suited for the church. I won’t report your location, and I’ll completely erase your traces from the church. The very fact that a ruffian like you was in the church…”

As Dana was spewing what sounded like insults at me,

a gust of wind, tearing through grass and trees, strongly slapped Dana’s cheek.

Smack–!!

“Ack!”

The moment Dana screamed from a sound and impact like a slap to the ear with a hand,

someone approached like lightning and kicked Dana hard.

“Kyaak!”

Dana screamed again and was sent flying, rolling on the dirt ground.

Wondering what was happening, I saw Raylin and Sei-lin standing beside me with angry expressions.

“Who are you to speak so disrespectfully to Lord Deron?”

“Get lost. Unless you want to see worse.”

Raylin and Sei-lin, each holding a wand and a sword, growled at Dana.

Dana, wobbling as she got up, clutching her cheek, glared at me then turned and left.

‘Yes, please just leave quickly.’

“Lord Deron, are you alright?”

“Should we teach that b*tch… no, that woman a further lesson?”

After Dana left, Raylin and Sei-lin clung close to me and spoke.

“It’s fine. She’s just a common church imbecile. Not worth bothering with.”

“What about this corpse?”

“That too… no need to worry about it. Just a passing heretic.”

Thinking there was no need to cause the sisters anxiety, I vaguely brushed it off.

As I returned home with the sisters, I thought to myself.

‘From now on, anyone who comes looking won’t leave peacefully.’