Chapter 79

“The meeting just ended, but I think there’s still some people hanging around.”

Nina squinted and lowered her voice as Adrian talked about consecutive disappearance cases.

“Does Adrian think the culprit is a sage?”

“If the place keeps overlapping, it means that even if the culprit is not a sage, he’s at least a person involved. It’s worth investigating.”

“Why didn’t you ask Jack to do it?”

“If the other person is really a sage, nothing will happen even if I tell him to go.”

“I understand.”

It was a work that the spirit contractors, Adrian or Nina, could do since they have to deal with a sage. It’ll be too much for ordinary people to deal with.

“But don’t they usually have a curfew in the capital city?”

“It gets loose during the social season.”

“So now all we have to do is go around and see if anyone is suspicious.”

It’s a stakeout.

The moment Nina said, ‘It’ll definitely be boring,’ an unpleasant chill came up her spine.

“?!”

Without realizing it, Nina covered her mouth with her hands. She felt nauseous.

‘What is this?’

Looking around Adrian, he seemed to feel the same way.

His fair complexion turned pale.

Nina focused on her senses. The first intense displeasure was gone, but she still felt something fiercely unpleasant.

They could tell exactly where it was felt.

Adrian took a step towards it and whispered.

“Nina, be careful.”

“I know. Adrian, too.”

Nina nodded her head. Adrian tapped her palm with his finger and disappeared into the shadow.

It tickled, so Nina clasped her hand once and laughed.

She started coughing as soon as she took a deep breath, and began to walk toward the source.

‘Uh, I feel really bad. Can’t anyone feel this?’

Normally, she would have been wary of what would come out of the darkness and the shadows, but that doesn’t apply today.

All cast shadows are on her side.

Nina’s steps were quick and confident.

‘The closer you get, the worse it gets. Is Adrian okay?’

Thinking of the sensitive Adrian, it was better to finish the situation quickly. She felt like she was walking through a dark cloud that smells sticky and disgusting.

“You’re just a convenient tool to use for the meantime. What a pity you’ve caught on.”

A voice came in.

She could hear it through her ears, but the tingling voice also rang through her skin. It felt like a crawling insect with a lot of legs.

“Your kind teacher was also such a human being. I’ll end your poor life here.”

‘What? There’s another person?’

Who are you trying to hurt!

The moment she jumped out of the narrow alley and went into the big alleyway, she saw the back of a dreary human being exuding an unpleasant energy.

“You villain!”

When she shouted, her opponent was surprised and turned around. She could see something like a crystal ball in his hand.

That is the root of this displeasure.

“Yap!”

The moment he turned her way, Nina’s kick hit his side.

As she felt that person’s bones break, the person wearing the hood flew like a leaf and fell into the corner. After dealing with him, Nina identified the man who had been hidden by the villain.

“What? Randell!”

Nina’s voice grew as it was a really unexpected person.

The hood engraved with a pretty star was dirty, his mouth was torn and blood flowed.

Surprised to see her, Randell sat on the floor and stared blankly at Nina with a dumbfounded face.

“What’s going on? Are you alright?”

As she approached and asked, tears gathered around his eyes, and drops began to fall from his sparkling achromatic eyes.

“Randell? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Surprised, she sat on one knee. His tears flowed like crystal.

“No, no.”

He stuttered and couldn’t keep talking. Nina whispered when she saw him crying with his hands trying to cover his eyes.

“You’re surprised. It’s okay. Let’s take care of that guy first.”

Randell nodded sharply at her words.

“Nina, it’s dangerous. He has—”

“Kieeek!”

Even before Randell’s words were finished, a painful scream rang out in the dark alley amidst the night.

Nina turned around and reflectively spread Winter’s shield.

Before that, she saw a shadow rising like a wave. The shadow swallowed the black flame and sank back to the floor.

Only then did Nina grasp the situation. Black flames were pouring out of the opponent’s eyes, mouth, ears, and arms.

‘How can he still get up?’

Aren’t wizards physically weak?

She kicked him quite powerfully, and at the very least, he would’ve had a broken rib that could penetrate his lungs resulting in a pneumothorax.

(Note: The condition of the lung membrane being filled with air.)

His gut would have been a mess.

But he still stood up?

Of course, he doesn’t look normal, but still······.

“What’s wrong with him?”

He was staggering and spouting fire everywhere, but it didn’t look like a normal movement. And rather than attacking with will, he seemed to struggle in pain.

In fact, she could see some black flames eating into him.

“Adrian······?”

“This way.”

Coming out of the darkness behind her, Adrian touched her shoulder. Nina was relieved and put her hands on his hand and asked.

“Is that Adrian’s work?”

“All I did was cut off his wrist. He won’t let go of the crystal ball.”

“Did you not see it even in that situation?”

“More than not letting go, it was more of a bead that wouldn’t fall off.”

He glanced around.

“I think the guards are coming.”

“Ah, do we need to explain this? How do you explain something like this? Rather, I don’t think people should come here.”

“He’s moving so ominously······.”

What are they going to do if it suddenly explodes?

Fortunately, his movements were getting slower, then he collapsed turning into ashes, leaving only his clothes.

The apple-sized crystal ball rolled out of the ash as if it had its own will and stopped as if to let them look at it.

It was somewhat disgusting because it looked clean and shiny without any ashes on it.

The crystal ball contained about a third of an amber liquid.

Adrian frowned slightly on the back of his nose. It was a sign that he was very uncomfortable. The same was true of Nina.

‘The mere sight of it makes me uncomfortable.’

But she’s going to hold it because it’s pitiful to let Adrian hold it.

Nina was about to approach it but was suddenly grabbed by the wrist from both sides.

‘Hmm?’

When she turned around, she saw Adrian on one side and Randell on the other.

“Huh? Why?”

“What are you going to do?”

Nina pointed at the bead with her chin to Adrian’s question.

“You can’t leave it as it is. I was going to pick it up.”

“That? You? Why?”

“Then who’s going to?”

Adrian’s rose-colored eyes were distorted by Nina’s words and Randell opened his mouth first.

“You’re both spiritual contractors, so you’d better not touch that.”

He took off the hood he was wearing and carefully wrapped the crystal ball with it.

“In my opinion, it’s a piece of the fallen spirit king.”

“What?”

When Nina asked back in surprise, Randell smiled weakly. But he couldn’t smile properly because of his torn lips.

“Long time no see, Nina.”

His greeting made Nina feel strange.

“Yes, it’s been a long time.”

At her reply, Randell dropped his head.

“We can’t talk here. Let’s move. Come to my manor.”

At Adrian’s words, Randell raised his head, glanced at Nina, looked at Adrian, and nodded.

“Yes, sir.”

“Let’s go, Nina.”

Nina held his hand and replied, “Yes, Adrian.” which made Adrian feel relieved.

It’s still ‘Adrian.’

His and her time is not yet over.