Chapter 30

[Translator – Prøks][Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 30: To the Academy (4)

What happens when someone born as a human denies their humanity?

They are cast out by society, left to wither away alone, and are denied recognition by anyone.

When weak individuals gather, they establish order and create laws.

To remain within such a group as a human, one must adhere to these rules.

What happens if they break them?

It’s simple, they cease to be human.

Look at the heinous criminals who commit murder, rape, assault, etc.

Do we treat them as human?

As they have acted in ways that are not human-like, we do not include them in the same category.

Denying one’s essence may seem trivial, but it is a terrifying thing to do.

It’s uncertain what these marginalized individuals will eventually become…

So why am I bringing up this topic now?

Because among the noble and divine beings, there is one who has fallen in a similar manner.

Even among the gods, there are those who have been cast out and rejected from the divine realm.

One such individual is the forsaken God, Aeru, also known as the God of the Black Mist.

Such measures were applied equally to the creatures known as humans.

One must not worship the God of the Black Mist.

Though no one had taught this explicitly, it seemed ingrained in their minds from birth like a taboo.

This concept has persisted in human society for a long time.

However, just as human hearts cannot be consistent, neither could these beliefs last forever.

One day, the first black mist was seen on the continent, a group of people appeared who challenged the long-held notions of the gods, and they came to be known as the ‘Followers of the Mist’.

They were the first among humans to accept Aeru as a god and to worship him, even rejecting the other existing gods.

But denying the guidance of the gods came with a heavy price.

Those who adhered to the traditional beliefs considered them negative entities that should not exist in the world, advocating only for rejection and extermination.

In essence, they denied their humanity.

Thus, the Followers of the Mist were thoroughly rejected and ultimately exterminated by their fellow humans, and the few survivors later regrouped to form an organization known as the ‘Mist’.

Having experienced one downfall, they no longer held any illusions of leniency.

Their ambition was to challenge the order of the world centered around the light and to expose the vile aspects of humanity hidden from the world, and assassination was the means to achieve it.

Their main targets were usually the upper echelons of human society who had committed heinous acts unknown to the public.

However, due to the brutality of their methods, they did not receive favorable views even among the common people.

In the end, like the being they worshipped, they had been denied the very essence of being human, which had persisted until now.

Now, why do I know this story?

It’s because I was once an assassin affiliated with the Mist.

According to the widely known tale, we were all subdued by the ‘Purification Army’, centered around the Knights of Light, but that was just a distorted fact.

They didn’t get subdued; they simply went into hiding.

They were waiting for the day when the successor to inherit the power of the gods would emerge, but that’s just nonsense. The main reason was the fickleness of those wretched gods.

Anyway, the biggest reason I’m going to the academy is to make contact with the Mist again.

But what if they’ve already started their activities without me?

Unless I confirm with my own eyes, I won’t be able to go to the academy with peace of mind.

I looked around calmly.

Behind every bright sculpture illuminated by light, there was likely a shadowy figure. Even in a prosperous city, there were no exceptions.

Roads stretching in all directions with buildings crowded in between. At the sporadic luxurious buildings, guards armed with swords and armor were stationed at the entrances.

Looking around, I noticed that most of the guards were ordinary mercenaries rather than professional guards who had served as knights.

It was a dreary atmosphere, with no sense of recognition.

[Are you out hunting humans because you don’t have enough demonic creatures to chase?]

Kaeram, who had materialized somehow, asked.

“I just wanted to take a look with my own eyes.”

[Is it about that Mist or Meatball thing? Aeru is quite unique, huh? Did he want a group of followers who would worship him as a god?]

Kaeram’s ignorance about the Mist might come as a surprise. She had been asleep for hundreds of years, missing the rise of the organization that had only gained prominence in recent decades. Furthermore, she didn’t particularly fancy the wretched god who was practically her father.

[Do you have a needle to find in a haystack? How do you plan to find someone who might not even be there?]

“It’s nothing much. Just throwing a bait to catch some fish.”.

I ventured into the depths of an alley where even the guards were nowhere to be seen, let alone any people, leaving only a hollow emptiness around me.

The atmosphere was perfect for quietly killing someone without anyone noticing.

Thinking I had found a suitable spot, I sat down on the ground, crossing my legs deeply.

Then, I gently closed my eyes and drew out the energy of the black mist that had been locked inside me.

*Ssss*

The thick masses of mist filled the narrow alley.

If an ordinary human without a shred of courage passed by, they would immediately flee without a backward glance.

While an assassin’s duty is to leave no trace, the followers of the black mist are different.

Where they have been, a dense black mist appears unnaturally, almost like a sign proving their presence.

So, if you truly are hiding within this city, you won’t be able to ignore the scent I’m emitting right now.

Therefore, come forth and confirm my presence!

I, too, will prove whether you are the ones I seek or not!

“….”

However, as mentioned earlier, if those who would sniff out my scent are not within this city, then this black mist would ultimately be nothing more than smoke.

I waited for 30 minutes in one spot, but all that approached was the humid night breeze.

Suddenly, I began to feel a sense of self-reproach about what I was doing.

[My master, are we playing useless statues again?]

Kaeram was mocking my antics.

Well, despite waiting for so long and not seeing a single ant, it’s safe to say they’re not in this city.

Come to think of it, instead of all this, couldn’t I just go to where I saw them last and wake up that wretched god to ask?

I’ve been doing nonsense like this instead of opting for the most surefire method.

I stood up and brushed myself off.

*Sssss*

As I was about to dispel the mist and return to my lodgings, I heard a strange noise from the other end of the alley.

It sounded like something being dragged with great effort.

I immediately turned my ear in that direction.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Gun]

*Shuffle, shuffle*

Accompanying the noise were footsteps of an unfamiliar individual.

While there was only one set of footsteps, the presence I felt wasn’t just one person.

Moreover…

[I smell blood?]

Kaeram remarked as if she were savoring a fine fragrance.

The foul odor of blood mingled with the thickening smoke.

Was I glad that the 30-minute statue play wasn’t just a waste of time?

My lips, which had been in a straight line, were now gaping open wide.

“….?”

Just as I eagerly awaited their approach with an excited heart, the gradually approaching footsteps suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

*Trot trot trot!*

I thought they had stopped, but then I heard the sound of them running at full speed again.

The problem was, they weren’t coming towards me; they were moving away.

In other words, they were fleeing from me.

[Are they running away?]

“Are they crazy?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, I immediately sprang into action and chased after them.

After all that waiting and baiting, they just sniffed and ran?

It was clear that he hadn’t fled from the unfamiliar mist out of fear but rather had become aware of my presence within the mist and bolted.

As I pushed through the mist and turned the corner to the left, I came face to face with the back of the guy who was running away.

*Thunk!*

Without hesitation, I grabbed him by the throat and slammed him to the ground.

“Gah!”

The guy, subdued in an instant, coughed as if in agony.

I calmed my racing heart and quickly assessed his body.

He was around 170 centimeters tall and weighed about 70 kilograms.

His face was hidden behind a black mask, but judging from the wrinkles around his neck and his voice, he appeared to be a middle-aged man.

In his outstretched right hand was a bloodywooden club.

Next to his wandering left hand was a large sack that seemed perfect for stuffing a person into.

Stains of blood peeked through the tattered fabric, indicating that the smell of blood had come from here.

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The bloody wooden club danced through the air.

The guy, wielding the weapon, had swung it at me.

However, my grip on his throat was firm, making it far from reaching me.

I tightened my grip on his throat even more.

“Gah…!”

Unable to gather his senses amidst the pain of his vocal cords being strained.

As his body grew cold and approached the point of unconsciousness, I reluctantly let go.

[Is this guy really a follower of that scum god?]

Kaeram was poking her head with her finger, perhaps to check if he was still alive.

With the black mask, bloodied club, and the sack that seemed like it could contain a person, it seemed like all the conditions were met… but it all seemed too amateurish.

“P-please…”

He managed to muster his voice as he gasped for breath.

“A-alive… Please spare me…!”

A desperate plea for life.

The moment I heard that, a sigh escaped me involuntarily.

Pathetic.

Just a poorly crafted fake with no substance.

An assassin who sends tremors across the continent is pathetically begging for his life.

Such a disgraceful sight is absolutely unacceptable for true members of the Mist.

This guy is definitely not part of the Mist.

-Groan-

The sack lying beside me suddenly wriggled and squirmed.

“Ugh…”

Accompanied by an unpleasant groan.

Judging by the thick and coarse voice, it didn’t seem like a beautiful maiden was inside.

Out of curiosity, I decided to open the sack and take a look.

Hmm…

Inside was a middle-aged man with no hair on his head and a bulging belly.

Although his face was unfamiliar to me, his attire suggested that he was quite wealthy, perhaps a nobleman.

There were wounds on his forehead, with dark red blood flowing down as if he had been hit by something blunt.

It didn’t seem like he was struck with the intent to kill instantly; perhaps they intended to knock him unconscious and then kidnap him…

What a mess.

I came to find the Mist, but somehow ended up stumbling upon a scene of serious crime.

This could turn into more trouble than it’s worth…

“That, that guy… he’s not…”

The masked man reached out towards the sack with a desperate look in his eyes.

If someone saw this, they might think he’s holding a golden nugget.

His incredibly pitiful appearance almost brought tears to my eyes.

I resealed the sack and handed it back to him.

“…?”

The eyes behind the mask blinked as if they didn’t quite understand.

“Even if I don’t know what’s going on, if you don’t want your limbs torn apart, don’t go around doing things like this.”

“…Yes?”

“If it were anyone else who saw you, you would’ve been dead.”

Gradually, the fog that had surrounded us dispersed.

Leaving the guy lying there like he had lost his mind, I casually left the scene.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Gun]