The Blood Knight’s Villains

My Villains Episode 518

67. Lord of Icebobalt (11)

The garden built behind the ‘Fiancée’s Mansion’ is dark and forlorn because it is surrounded by a high wall. Although there is a dirt road through the forest, it is narrow and the scenery is not very good, so it is far from a nice walking trail.

The shape standing tall in the middle of it looked like the shadow of a linden tree because its outline was so faint. The shadow, which appeared in response to the signal of the mute whistle of the sheep horn, glanced at the person lying in front of it.

A man who passed out and is being looked after by a ‘half elf’. He was quite tall, but his age seemed to be in his late teens at most.

“…In a nutshell, do you mean to train interest?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Not like that. I am just curious about the story.”

“Story?”

The woman stared at the questioning shadow.

Facing each other, the two were dressed exactly alike. Black and matte greaves that seemed to sink into the darkness, a skull-shaped mask with a mane, and even a short cloak.

However, while the man’s mask was black like the armor, the woman’s mask was white with demonic energy flowing through it.

“Do I even have to tell you that?”

The woman’s voice, passing through the white mask, was low and mixed with unpleasant metallic sounds. The bizarre voice modulated by the ‘Howling Mask’ made listeners shrug their shoulders involuntarily.

Standing under the shadow of the linden tree, the man answered without any expression, as if the grotesque voice was familiar.

“It is impossible to take in disciples without listening to the explanations of the hemisphere. Shouldn’t you at least know who the interest is?”

“That is your job. take it and find out I will also pass on the talents of the society.”

“You mean all tricks?” After thinking for a while, the woman in a white mask nodded her head coolly.

“As long as talent and time permit.”

The man ‘Kshan’, who was immersed in the shadows, narrowed his forehead without even realizing it.

“How much time would you allow?

“Take him away in the evening and return him around midnight.”

“…her. You’re a very busy body. But that way, even after years of hard work, you won’t reach the level.”

“Hurry up though. Because I want to show my achievements before I leave.”

The man’s face contorted violently. Thinking that he was lucky to be wearing a mask, Kshan slowly opened his mouth.

“It is not the will of the sword master, but the will of the prince. Again.”

In spite of the shadow’s disgruntled words, the owner of the destroyer sword didn’t seem to care.

“Does it matter? After all, I am giving orders.”

Opiya, who was taking care of the fainting Egon while alternately unleashing the spells of ‘China’ and ‘God of Cloud’, took a glance at Rannon and Kshan.

Since I didn’t know the language of the East at all, I couldn’t tell what kind of conversation was going on, but it was easy to notice that the atmosphere between the two was not very friendly.

However, there was no way to know whether it was because of a specific problem or if it was a daily appearance.

That would be the case, and the Rannon she had seen so far was generally like that. Serene but sharp eyes and low but cold voice…

It was the same when she was called ‘the black woman’, and after she got a strange mask, she was nicknamed ‘white banshee’ or ‘the woman who walks silently’, and it got even worse. Although she seldom shows herself, she occasionally gave off a threatening presence when she stood up in the dark.

The minions called by Rannon from somewhere, aka ‘masked shadows’, were no different.

Originally, they were so secretive that even among high-ranking officials in Eisbobalt, few knew of their existence.

However, in the process of suppressing the uprising of nobles and landlords and establishing an information network throughout Bangbaekryeong, its existence became known. To be precise, rumors spread about bizarre masked assassins and informants.

In the end, all the people who knew it became known beings, but among ordinary people, there was still a difference of opinion about whether this secret group existed. As is often the case with ominous and intriguing stories, rumors about masked shadows grew in size with vigorous vitality.

The masked shadows were unfamiliar and uncomfortable even to Iophya, who lived in the ‘Fiancée’s Mansion’. So, after confirming that Egon’s condition had improved, she slipped behind Rannon.

“…I will accept it. You say it’s an order.”

Kshan, who answered quietly, gestured toward the back.

In response, the darkness under the wall stirred. Two figures with black faces, no maneless black masks, stood up. They took Egon like luggage and disappeared to the other side.

“Before you retreat, I have something to report to the sword lord.”

“report?”

“This is a report on the expansion of the information network in the capital.”

Kshan lowered his voice, which was not even loud.

Considering the language exchanged between the two and the situation around them, it was as if there were no ears to overhear, but the shadow was extremely cautious.

“As reported, we are reinforcing the existing information network centered on banks. We are planting ears with the goal of 3 places, and ‘Volgoron Cathedral’ among them has achieved some results thanks to the full use of surplus funds. On the other hand, the Royal Palace and the ‘Hall of Dawn’ were as expected by the swordsman…

Rannon listened silently to Rochshan’s calm voice. Occasionally, they asked questions for confirmation, but they listened to understand the contents.

From the perspective of Iofya, who had stepped back a few steps, the atmosphere between the two seemed to have softened a little. Rannon displayed an unexpected concentration, and Kshan was very satisfied with that attitude.

After finishing the report on the establishment of the royal capital’s information network, Kshan continued as if adding.

“And I have some disturbing news. It’s a spy from ‘Mid Isle’”

“…Mid Isle?”

“yes. Mid-Isle is an island in the center of the Crescent Islands-”

“I know. I have been.”

After interrupting Kshan’s explanation, Rannon remembered the Marquis of Ibayle. A powerful sorcerer, called the guardian of the East Sea, and the owner of the Alphard family.

Marquis Ibayle, who was the great lord of the Crescent Islands, was killed by Rannon before he got his name. He poured out a strange curse at the last moment, and the assassin hiding in the bedroom was transformed into a small wild boar.

“…sir. Sword Lord?”

“ah. huh.”

Rannon’s gaze, which was lost in thought, turned to Kshan again. Instead of expressing a question, he

continued to report

casually .

“I said it was spying, but in fact it is more like an eyewitness account. A party equipped with powerful martial arts appeared in Mid-Isle—somehow it bothered me.”

“…that’s the Crescent Islands.”

“Yes, it is.”

Among them, the Mid-Isle of the Crescent Islands is a city that has built up its wealth by mediating trade between the world of Gwangmyeong-gyo and the East for over half a century. It was common for eastern warriors to appear in the Crescent Islands as there were many goods and people coming and going.

“However, when I checked the news in detail, it seemed that a member of the Zemu sect (諸武宗) was included in the party.”

Its origin was an accidental group of ascetics who pursued longevity and monks wandering the highlands, but after a very long time passed, the group transformed into the most famous martial arts in the East.

As Rannon showed interest in his silence, Kshan added, still in a small, low voice.

“A kick that breaks the thick pole of an old garment that looks like a gray robe of curled hair with a typical oriental feature, like a millet. Except for the last one, there shouldn’t be anything special, but since all of these are combined, of course we should be suspicious of the species.”

“Did you come to find Iljin?”

When the woman in the white mask muttered to herself, the man in the black mask nodded.

“It is very likely, but there are doubts.”

“say it.”

“It has already been a year and ten months since Prince Eun and the ‘Pacheon Shinseung (破天神僧)’ disappeared at the end of a series of incidents. It would have taken some time for the news to reach them, to make a decision, and to take action—the legendary head of the law, whom they were proud of, went missing, and Jemujong finally responded. There is a suspicious aspect to it.”

“What are you suspecting?”

“If it’s not a martial arts meeting, what else would you doubt?”

“The famous Pagan Monk came to the Western Continent in pursuit of the Sword Lord. It is evidence that Mu-geomhoe and Jemu-jong were playing tricks hand in hand. There is no guarantee that that bond is now broken.”

Contrary to his stern tone, what Kshan was harboring was a tainted suspicion, and there was no specific content or evidence to support it.

Rannon remained silent. As usual, it will flow in moderation.

Kshan is the executive director of the Three Swordsmen, a secret society with roots in the East. It was natural for him to show a paranoid, even wary, attitude toward the martial arts society, which was a distant relative of the main stream.

Somewhere between feigned reticence and born annoyance, Rannon suddenly remembered what his dearest friend once said to a subordinate.

“…it needs attention. I’ll leave it to you for now.”

Kshan expressed his doubts through silence.

In fact, it was always his job to manage the gang members she borrowed from the ‘bank’ as the Pasa swordsman. It was not only new, but also a bit funny, to say that I will leave it to you now.

In any case, it was not the reaction Rannon expected. She asked with a grim expression behind her mask.

“Do you have anything more to say?”

“no. That’s it, sword lord.”

The conversation ended with that.

The woman in the white mask turned around and the man in the black mask disappeared under the wall.

Rannon wanted to run straight to the top of the mansion. However, the first step was to remove the annoying lump.

She looked back at Iophya, who was looking at her with curious eyes as usual, with an unmasked face.

“It’s patrol time.”

“Oh yes? Oops… it’s already time.”

It is not the passers-by on the street that Rannon is looking at, but the aristocrats, wealthy people, and high-ranking officials. When walking around the mansion late at night, he was bound to pick up useful stories.

In fact, the number of times that Rannon has personally ‘patrolled’ since coming to Eisbovalt is so small that it can be counted on two hands. There are dozens of assassins who bow their heads at the name of the Pasa Sword Master, so why would she go through the trouble of being a thief?

However, this excuse she had been using for a long time gained enough persuasion in proportion to the length of time she used it. Iofya pursed her lips as if it were easy, then opened her mouth while looking at her eyes.

“Can I borrow your arms?”

“I hate today.”

“What if I just quietly hide? I won’t even stick my head out.”

“You said you didn’t like it.”

The young shaman’s face darkened at the resolute refusal.

Seeing the world in the body of a small beast was one of Iophya’s few hobbies. Transformed into a pure white flying squirrel, she enjoyed sitting on the shoulders of galloping riders or clinging to the hem of the cloak of leisurely strollers.

To Iofya, Rannon was by far the best vehicle—no, a medium of entertainment. Rannon was a creature that roamed the rooftops like a cat with wings, and hanging from the hem of her clothes, I could taste the sensation of the world spinning around.

Iofya felt sorry for her. If the opponent had been a little dull, he might have followed secretly. But as she knew, there was no one in the city who could fool Rannon’s senses.

“Wait a minute Mr. Rannon. Then”

Iofya hesitated and parted his lips at Rannon, who was about to cross the side road next to the mansion and head to the main road.

“’Fairy Tale’ is—” As she strode forward, she glanced back at the witch doctor. It was fortunate for Iophya’s emotions that his face full of uneasy emotions was covered by a mask.

“Why do you ask that? Do you think you’ll allow it?”

“that. Maybe.”

“idiot. Will you?”

It was an unpleasant thing to share the senses with others, led by witchcraft that Rannon had experienced only once. Do you feel like you are being robbed of privileges granted only to you?

Rannon made a stern expression on his face, probably forgetting that he was wearing a mask.

“You can’t even steal. If I get caught, I will sell my eyeballs.”

“O”

“The same goes for Poe and Hala. If you do a creepy thing, you get a creepy thing too. okay?”

“…It’s creepy. I just.”

” just?”

When the bizarre mask came right in front of her nose and let out a falsified voice, this Opiya muttered, ‘No…’, but shut her mouth as if it was unfair.

After removing the lump, Rannon wandered in the shade between the residential areas and returned to the fiancée’s mansion.

Instead of entering through the front door, she burned the outer wall. Stepping on the fine grooves drawn at intervals of about 2 meters, she arrived at her room on the 6th floor in the blink of an eye.

She made no noise until she opened the latched window, entered the softly carpeted room, opened the thick door, passed the hallway, and poked her head toward the stairs. Rather, it was a quietness close to magic.

‘ eww?’

Rannon, who narrowed his eyes and focused on his sense of smell, tilted his head.

What she was after was the scent. Like when a handful of fresh nuts are sprinkled on a subtly heated pan, the smell is fresh and at the same time somewhat warm

. For a while, she moved to the 7th floor as if possessed.

Ellen’s room was the most luxurious space in the huge mansion. In a way, it was natural. Ellen isn’t the kind of person who can afford to have her room lower than the others.

Rannon distinguished different smells from the strong scent of perfumed oil made from briar roses, which Ellen had recently been using.

It was clear who belonged to all kinds of herbs and the smell of cloves, so I immediately ignored them.

Rannon, who entered the bedroom in pursuit of the scent of his lover, narrowed his eyes in front of a bed full of traces of an affair.

Ellen was lying down with a cotton blanket finely covered from the neck down, and only traces and scent remained on the seat next to her.

Rannon looked down at the sleeping rival.

The face with the sweaty hair clinging to it in a mess and the expression that came to mind was so sad. Judging from the fact that even though the anger is well developed, the desire to live is not aroused, it seems that affection has accumulated in its own way.

Tsk Moongchi clicked her tongue and left the room. Jungin’s scent led her down the stairs.