Episode 13.13

This room's ceiling is quite high for a bedroom, it's got swellings and excessive decorations. Those swellings are hollowed in parts, with a hole at the edge.

A man has just stealthily moved into one of that hollowed parts, a cylindrical thing is poking out of the hole at the edge.

(A dart blowgun.)

Blowguns are a weapon of choice for assassins even in Lecan's former world. Which appears to be the case in this world as well.

The man managed to creep in without a sound splendidly, however he doesn't seem to posses an ability to hide his presence like Dovor and Gido.

"You have been tricked by this outlaw. Or perhaps, he's threatening you?"

Zepus glanced at the ceiling while speaking to Eda.

This man is aware of the assassin's existence in the ceiling. He must be the one who gave the order to the assassin.

"Would you have cared about me even if I weren't a <Recovery> user?"

The assassin in the ceiling is focusing on Lecan. Looks like he's still groping where to attack Lecan.

"This mansion will grant you happiness. We shall give however much wage you want. We will make you any kind of clothes. Good food and dreamy men await you here."

A blowgun dart has a low penetrating power. Since Lecan doesn't have much of his body exposed, it must be difficult to get a good aim.

"And in exchange, gone are all my freedom. Just like Norma-san's mother."

Prado the present master and Kanner the butler gasped. Zepus had a surprised look before changing into a furious expression.

"That lowly woman dared to yammer about a noble house's confidential matter, our house's secret."

The assassin in the ceiling inhaled. He's about to shoot the blowgun.

"<Flame Spear>!"

Lecan had already converged his mana.

A <Flame Spear> made of a huge mass of mana broke through the ceiling, piercing through the roof before disappearing into the sky. A <Flame Spear> was only supposed to be about as big as woman's wrist, but the one Lecan shot just now was huge enough to swallow a man whole.

Due to the extreme heat it emitted, both the ceiling and the roof had a clean cut hole opened. Scattered fragments fell down the bedroom.

No one could make a sound for a while.

Lecan felt a tinge of regret. He didn't see any other hole besides the one where the blowgun poked out on the ceiling. Yet the assassin had a perfect grasp on Lecan's position. It must have been thanks to the weird magic tool the assassin had on his face. Lecan was curious about that tool, but it was blown away along with the assassin. That said, it's not really serious since he already has <3D Perception> anyway.

"I just got rid of an assassin about to shoot a blowgun in the ceiling. Go on."

The moment Zepus finally understood what just happened, shocked look came up on his face before warping into horror.

Eda shook her head.

"There's nothing more to talk about."

"I see. Then it's my turn to ask."

Lecan put his left hand into the bag on his waist, grabbed four mid-sized magic stones and absorbed mana off them before discarding them on the floor. The mana-emptied magic stones rolled down the floor noisily.

Lecan thrust out his sword before Zepus.

The thin silvery blade had Arios's blood dripping on it, exuding a lurid beauty.

"Hi, hii, hiiiiii"

Zepus's legs tangled as he stepped back, falling on his back. Lecan stepped forward and lowered his blade. Pointing it straight at Zepus's face. Blood dripped down on Zepus's white shirt, seeping on it.

"How did you know that Eda had the predisposition?"

That's one mystery. This whole thing might see a repeat in the future as long as they don't know why.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

"It's me."

A hoarse voice came diagonally from behind. It's Prado's.

"A Blessing Ceremony was performed at the royal capital's Erekus temple during the coronation of a new king. I bore witness to <Purification> then. Hence how I immediately knew that Eda-dono's spell was <Purification>. Besides, mere mid or advanced level <Recovery> spells will not ever work on this body of mine."

It's actually quite simple now that Lecan heard it. Prado had seen <Purification> in person. And he knows how advanced level <Recovery> are like. Of course one such person would be aware of the truth.

Lecan threw the next question with his line of sight still turned at Zepus.

"How and when did you know I'm a dungeon conqueror. How'd you find our house."

Zepus's mouth flapped open and shut without a word out. Kanner the butler replied in his stead.

"Zepus-sama has people watching over Norma-sama all year round. He knew about the training you two had at Norma-sama's house from the very first day, which he reported to Prado-sama. As well as the location of your residence on that day."

Which means they had been tailed on. Lecan didn't realize.

"This house also has its own intelligence network, and we were aware about the second conquest of Golbul Dungeon on the 35th. But we foolishly overlooked the fact that Lecan-sama was the very same person as the <Overlord in Black>."

Dungeon conquerors don't normally study under a downtown medical practitioner. It's only natural they wouldn't notice.

"I was in charge of delivering goods to Chaney Company's head clerk this morning, that was when I found out about it. That Lecan-sama is the <Overlord in Black>. I immediately went to report to the master as well as the young master. But by that point, the young master's subordinates were already well on their way to bring Eda-sama."

Apparently, this was all Zepus's doing. Lecan is starting to feel like he could believe it.

"I had my doubt as to how they would persuade Eda-sama when I heard about it, but never in my wildest dreams would it be an abduction."

Zepus shook his head left and right. He looks like he want to deny something. Either way, this man's word holds no value. Zepus squeezed his voice out and made a proposal to Lecan.

"I-I'll give you big gold coins. T-two of them. Take them and hand that girl over."

Kanner spoke before Lecan could respond.

"Lecan-sama."

"What"

"Pardon me, but could that sword be made of Sacred Solid Silver?"

"Yea. Shira said it's a Sacred Solid Silver sword without impurities."

"Thank you very much. Zepus-sama."

Zepus raised his face toward Kanner when his name was called.

"Kanner. You help me persuade this man. Two big gold coins aren't a sum mere adventurers could ever obtain in their whole life."

"This house cannot afford to expend two big gold coins at a moment's notice. Nor is there any meaning in that. Six years ago, the royal family paid one white gold coin for a <Dagger of Harut>, the same one hanging on Lecan-sama's waist here."

"Wha"

"And if the sword Lecan-sama has in his right hand right now is truly made of Sacred Solid Silver, even several pieces of white gold coins might not be enough for it."

"Whawha"

"You have absolutely no idea just what kind of beings adventurers who have explored the depths of dungeons are. Even just the Sacred Solid Silver sword and <Dagger of Harut> alone are worth more than the entire fortune of this house."

"T-that can't be."

"They are individuals who would casually use and discard such valuable items in a battle."

Kanner took a glance at discarded magic stones scattered about on the floor.

"Moreover, they are those who won't hesitate to lay down their lives in a battle. We cannot win against them, and even if we could, we would surely suffer unimaginable losses. Hence why no noble would try to go against them. But if you wish to, you have to have the same kind of individuals in your camp or at least rear some dungeon knights beforehand."

Zepus could only flap his mouth open and shut without a sound.

"You have made a mistake. In which the responsibility lies on me. I should have not opposed your disinheritance. I should have recommended your younger brother as the heir instead. In the end, I did not have the capacity to bring you up into the next master."

Lecan has grown tired of listening to the master and servant's exchange.

And it looks like there's a little brother even if the eldest son's dead. Lecan never gave a shit to that though.

"Done talking?"

Kanner looked at Lecan with stern, and sorrowful eyes.

"Yes."

With a stroke of Lecan's sword, Zepus's head parted from its neck.