Chapter 9

Tampering with evidence

The hooded men who snuck into the Iphelleta House.

None of them could move a muscle any longer ; this was due to the mysterious stranger who just spoke to them.

'Just then...'

It was more than enough to shock them when the stranger managed to detect, listen in and intercept their Mental Message*.

*Mental Message, previously known as 'Jeone Um'. TLN: After further interpretation, we would like to clarify that Jeone Um allows a person to speak and make it so that what is said can only be heard to whom the speaker wishes. Like telepathy. We couldn’t quite decide on what to go with for the previous chapter but from now on we will translate it as “Mental Message”. Thanks FudgeNouget!

'How...'

Not to mention he had managed to send the message to every single one, who were all hidden meticulously.

It was understandable that all of them were stunned.

'...And where?'

The leader of the hooded men, Tes quickly turned his eyes around.

No matter where he looked, he couldn't find the Mental Message's point of origin.

Which meant there was a clear difference in ability between them and the stranger.

'The Iphelleta House had someone who could hide his presence this well?'

As far as Tes knew, the Iphelleta House did not consider assassins as equals.

In fact, the house was a congregation of people who despised and wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of them if they ever saw one.

'It's as if...'

Tes gulped nervously.

Considering the skill of the Mental Message, the stranger was at least as skilled and powerful as himself.

It was not easy to remove such a powerful presence.

But... he couldn't sense him at all.

'I'm seeing a ghost...'

Presence, or mana.

Or anything else.

Along with such power, there are distinct features which get left behind. They can be used to distinguish them immediately from the rest.

But even those features could not be found, as if it really was a ghost.

This was a feat only the most skilled assassins could accomplish.

'Tsk.'

Underneath the mask, Tes frowned.

He did not like it.

The situation he was in.

The fact his daughter was cornered, that he flinched against some random stranger.

'I don't know who's joke this is, but there must be something holding him back if he decides to hide like this.'

Otherwise there is no reason for him to remain in the shadows.

If he wanted to continue threatening them, he should of kept sending that killing intent at them.

That's what Tes believed.

'Don't... annoy me?'

Tes clutched his dagger as he remembered those words.

He had no intent on annoying him.

In fact, he hated such situations.

All he needed was his colleague's body and the dagger.

Quietly.

Then, all their business in the house would be done.

<We are moving.>

He had come all the way here to help his troubled daughter.

They had to move now, otherwise the mission would be impossible to complete before they began.

The warning from the previous Mental Message hadn't come back since then.

There was no time to waste.

<I will go to the 'son's office' where the dagger is.>

Tes jumped out of the bush he was hiding in.

As he slips into the mansion like the wind, his subordinates gain heart and follow behind him.

The hooded figures begin slipping into nooks and crannies of the mansion like rats.

<No. 2 to 10 will take the body.>

Tes ordered though Mental Message.

<The rest will make some noise to gain the mansion's attention. If in danger, remove all evidence through suicide.>

Bang!

As soon as his second order was given, an explosion occurred somewhere in the mansion.

It seems the fight had already begun.

---

"You sons of bitches!"

The old man shouted.

He was wearing butler's clothes and held a straight sword in one hand.

It was a normal sword, but it was made of good steel and boasted superior hardness.

The old man swung his blade.

"Uuuck!"

"Kuuck!"

How could a man well into his 50s have so much strength?

With but a single strike two hooded men were knocked back.

"Where do you think this is!"

The old man swung at them once more.

The blade suddenly glowed blue and showed its power despite the gap between them.

"...!"

The aura blade.

The blue light was shot from the blade and cut through the hooded men along with their daggers.

"Hm! Were they just grunts?"

The old man shook his arm and turned around.

"Ian-nim!"

"Sera!"

Sera.

She was one of the maids serving in the mansion.

It seemed the chat for reunion will be cut short, as the sword she held also had blood on it.

"I will take care of Lady Iris' room. Ian-nim should go protect Young Master!"

It meant to find and bring Riley back from the garden.

Ian understood and nodded in agreement. He moved immediately.

"Alright, don't push yourself! I'll be right back!"

It would only take 10 seconds for Ian to reach the gardens from Lady Iris's room.

If there weren't any obstacles.

'Young master, please...'

Riley would often play 'hide and seek' in times of danger.

Ian ran through the corridor.

Praying that Riley would once again show that ability and get himself to safety.

'Please be safe!'

1 second...

5 seconds...

7 seconds in, Ian met with an obstacle.

"Tsk!"

Ian's facial expression crumbled.

From his presence, one could tell this was not your run-of-the-mill fighter.

It would likely take some time.

Time that could determine Riley's life or death at any moment.

This wasn’t what Ian wanted.

"I do not like to run my mouth too much, but I'll let you live if you leave now."

Ian threatened the hooded man.

His sword glowing blue with killing intent.

"..."

Even so, the hooded man stayed silent.

He simply tucked his chin, and pulled his dagger.

He didn't know Ian's intention, but he wasn't letting him pass.

"You bastard."

From the reaction of his eyes, the hooded man was not deaf.

Ian grinded his teeth in anger as the man ignored his warning.

"I have no time-…"

Ian stopped mid sentence and charged toward the man, and the sword and dagger met.

Bang!

Sparks flew and Ian's arm engaged with the hooded man's.

"...-to play with you!"

Ian shouted as he twisted his body.

Just when some distance was made between them, Ian's and the hooded man's weapons swung at different angles.

Aiming for each other's lives.

'Ku?'

Was it due to the fact that two blades imbued with mana clashed?

The two mana blades’ trajectories faded slowly.

Afterwards, Ian's shoes could be heard sliding on the carpet.

"Fuck!"

Ian swore as he was pushed back.

The match was a draw.

In strength, of all things.

'What power from such an old man...'

The same was the case for the hooded man.

He was just as surprised as Ian.

As one of the 5 strongest people in the guild, he didn't expect to be pushed back like this.

Thankfully the mask was hiding his emotions right now.

"Move you lil’ bitch!"

"..."

Ian had been watching his tongue since he began working as a butler, but his habit from his mercenary days was starting to show.

"Move it... no move your mute ass out of here! Just fuck off!"

At this point he was swearing like in the old days.

His face turned red like the face of a demon.

That's how desperate he was.

Any more time wasted, and there was no telling what might happen to Riley.

'I can't... let this man pass.'

The hooded man cracked his wrist which was still shaking from the strike before, and fixed his stance.

He believed this old man was nothing short of extraordinary.

'That asshole...'

Ian tucked his chin in.

If he could kill a man by glaring, the hooded man would of died a hundred times over.

Sadly, he didn't have such powers.

The hooded man was quite the adversary.

'Young master! Wait for me... just hold on a little longer!"

Ian grinded his teeth.

'These old bones will come and get you.'