Chapter 94: The Assassin of Chenerus (1)

While performing the Balhol, I saw countless traitors, too many to count.

To survive, to save their families, for personal gain. The reasons were countless.

Well, even I had once sided with the devil worshippers. Back then, it was just a game.

In any case, I wasn't targeting every traitor.

'Then there would be too many people to kill.'

Sometimes, someone who was a reliable ally in one play would become a difficult enemy in the next.

It would be better to make an effort to turn them into allies.

Actually, there was a bit of caution involved. My actions could inadvertently lead someone to be recruited by the devil worshippers.

But it's better to seize a sure opportunity rather than worry about uncertain things.

Because of this, I set conditions for my targets. These were the three conditions I decided on after much deliberation.

One, a guy who had a 90% or higher chance of siding with the devil worshippers during the Balhol.

Two, a guy who would become more troublesome if he defected than the butterfly effect I might cause.

Three, a guy who is currently in the capital of the empire, including the above conditions.

The first was a matter of probability. Difficult targets to recruit. The second was a selection of those who had caused significant harm.

The last was a constraint due to my range of action. Even if the surveillance had disappeared, I couldn't leave the capital.

Because of these constraints, there weren't that many people I could kill immediately.

During the process of deducing these conditions, I added one more.

'They must be someone not under the surveillance of the Imperial Intelligence Agency.'

The Imperial Intelligence Agency is the best in this continent.

Whether or not the empire created devil worshippers, they would certainly know of their existence.

And there's a high probability that they are monitoring those who are communicating with them or are at risk of doing so.

If there are elite agents of the Imperial Intelligence Agency, it's better to avoid the risk of attempting an assassination.

'Even if there's a wind, it's too dangerous.'

It was also why it was difficult to assassinate the princes. There are always elite spies near Erendil and the princes.

That's why I targeted Tootun instead of the prince during the purge. Even if I had succeeded in killing the prince, I might have been caught.

In any case, I set my primary targets. One knight, one noble, one bishop. A total of three people.

Speed is of the essence, as I don't know when surveillance might resume.

'It would be nice to finish everything by tonight.'

I couldn't be certain. In fact, there was no guarantee that all the assassinations would succeed.

The most important thing in assassination is preparation.

The target's schedule, usual route, special habits, and the scale of their entourage, including their guards.

Even with all this information, it's not an easy task.

It meant that the situation was not ideal for assassination. I had no plan or information on how to kill them.

I could get information through Haisen, but it was a matter I couldn't talk about, so I had to do it alone.

However, I was confident in the power of the wind. At least two out of the three can be killed.

* * *

At dusk, I took a seat at a café near the residence of Count Pueto.

I placed a cup of coffee in front of me and opened a newspaper.

The street was bustling with people. Those who had finished their daily work were returning home with happy or gloomy expressions.

None of them gave me a second glance. It was a rare makeup job, but my skills were still there.

I focused on the virtue of being ordinary. I took a sip of coffee and turned a page of the newspaper.

My attention was focused on the wind.

'There are many ways to kill.'

I could stab them with a poisoned weapon while they were in the crowd, like those who had targeted me.

Or I could infiltrate at night and take care of them.

However, I wanted to make it as least suspicious as possible. Unnecessary suspicion had to be avoided.

I couldn't be sure if the disappearance of Imperial Intelligence Agency surveillance was only happening to me.

'It might be a deliberate test.'

Of course, considering various situations, it's more likely that something significant happened due to the devil worshippers...

If many things happen right after the surveillance disappears, I'll be a suspect again.

Given this, the best option is to make it look like an accident or a natural death.

Actually, it was the most difficult method of assassination. But since I have the wind, if the situation is right, it's possible.

Count Pueto was one of the people recognized for his abilities and had considerable influence in the imperial army.

He was known for his strategic wisdom rather than military might and usually commanded over 50,000 troops in the war against the devil worshippers.

However, at some point, he defected to their side.

He was the one who revealed all the movements of the imperial army, causing massive damage. The wind reached the count.

"I'm going out, so get ready."

"Where are you going?"

"San Marte."

It was one of the high-end restaurants in the imperial capital. I had deliberately targeted the evening time...

It felt a bit off. Should I have come 20 minutes earlier?

I had to come first, but in this case, it would be better to come at night.

I could suffocate him while he was sleeping.

Suddenly, the large chandelier at the entrance of the count's residence was detected in the wind's senses.

An idea flashed in my mind from an unexpected angle.

Exactly 10 minutes later, the count came down after changing his clothes. I calculated his movements.

At the precise moment, the wind cut the chandelier's chain and bound the count's body.

"Huh? What's happening..."

Thud! The heavy impact and the sound of breaking glass were transmitted through the wind. I confirmed that the count had turned to mush.

Screams were heard from inside the residence.

An accident.

Things went well from the start. It was a more perfect assassination than I had expected.

* * *

The next target was the knight Leveto. Actually, he wasn't that prominent at the moment.

He was one of the royal knights, but he wasn't particularly distinctive among them.

Leveto sided with the devil to become a Sword Master.

Actually, even if he did, becoming a Sword Master isn't easy. If it were, everyone would have sided with the devil.

The problem is that he really becomes a Sword Master after accepting the devil's power.

He was one of the difficult people. A future Sword Master. It's better to take care of him now.

At 11 PM, five hours after killing the count. I hid in the shadows of an alley.

He was drinking heavily at a tavern.

'How should I deal with this guy?'

Still, he's a royal knight. Above-average combat skills. It's not easy to kill him with the wind like Count Pueto.

It would be difficult to make it look like an accident or a natural death.

Should I just take care of him directly? He's drunk, so the fight itself won't be too difficult.

It's worth the risk. I'll wait for him to return home.

While watching him, a strange feeling lingered in my mind.

It wasn't a bad feeling. It was more like a vague idea that kept flickering.

I had plenty of time to think since I had to wait anyway. I pondered for about 30 minutes.

'Ah.'

Then, a memory from a few years ago came to mind. The time when I made Mohen eat the Salam mushroom.

I took out the Dream of Salsa from my pocket. I had brought it just in case...

I didn't expect to use it. After all, preparation is key. I guided the powder with the wind.

It passed through the alley and entered the tavern through a window gap, finally landing on his drink.

The Dream of Salsa, which induces eternal sleep, is a drug that only a Sword Master can withstand.

However, if he dies immediately, it will look like poisoning, so I adjusted the dosage.

'30 minutes.'

Considering his physical condition, it would be just enough to cause a severe nightmare. My role comes next.

I was relieved when I confirmed that he had drunk the drugged drink.

Sure enough, 30 minutes later, he dropped his drink and staggered.

"Damn it."

"What's wrong? Are you drunk?"

"The alcohol isn't working today. Derrick! Did you put something in my drink?"

"Come on, what are you saying? It seems like you're just not having a good day. Sir Bell is fine, isn't he? I just served you the drink."

"Ugh... I suddenly feel very sleepy."

"You did drink a lot today. Especially that strong Night of Merin, four bottles in a row."

Fortunately, he didn't seem to notice anything strange. Even a heavy drinker can have a bad day.

"I'm sorry, but I need to go home."

"It's okay. Everyone has bad days. Last time, I was the one who collapsed first, right?"

Leveto tried to stand up but stumbled. The drug was starting to take effect.

He couldn't take a few steps before grabbing the wall. The knight next to him stood up.

"Leveto, it's better to stay here tonight. You don't look well. Or I can take you home?"

Conveniently, the knight next to him offered to help.

"I can manage. Derrick, give me a room."

The tavern had a lodging facility. Leveto went straight to the upper floor and lay down.

It took less than 5 minutes for him to fall asleep.

Now. I moved the wind. While controlling his breathing, another idea flashed in my mind.

I used the wind to bring the food in his stomach up through his esophagus.

Death by choking on vomit. Yes, that would be appropriate. It's a much better picture than just dying in his sleep.

It took 13 minutes for him to die. A short time, but also a long time.

Choking. It usually takes 5-6 minutes to reach brain death, but he, a trained knight, held on for quite a while.

That's how the future Sword Master died. With food spilling out of his mouth.

It was a gruesome death. I walked through the alley, where shadows fell. The wind erased any trace of my presence.

One more to go.

* * *

The last target was the bishop who served the God of Light, Lu Nuada.

There is religion on this continent. Although there is no real god and no divine spells, it's rare for a place to have no religion.

However, religion wasn't powerful enough to threaten the authority of the emperor and the king. The founding emperor made many changes.

In ancient times, religion was so powerful that even the king was said to be given by the gods.

Then, the founding emperor was called a disciple sent by Lu Nuada and was severely punished by the emperor.

Since then, it has been quiet like a mouse, but over time, it has regained considerable influence.

After all, for ordinary people living their lives, there is no better object to rely on than a god.

'In fact, the emperor and the king use it too.'

Religion was a convenient and beneficial tool for ruling the people as a dominant ideology.

Of course, the situation is a bit different from Earth.

How many people can say there is no god in a world where devils exist?

In the history of this continent, only the founding emperor suppressed religion.

And it's a world with magic and mysticism.

Those who serve the God of Light, Lu Nuada, say that magic and mysticism are gifts from the gods.

'It's an environment where believers naturally arise.'

In any case, Bishop Yorop was a figure who would later become an archbishop and side with the devil worshippers.

A significant number of people on the continent believe in the God of Light, which means his influence is that great.

Even in the game, Bishop Yorop was a top-priority target. Because of him, a religious civil war even broke out.

A huge number of people even turned to the devil.

"Phew."

It won't be easy. He's a bishop with a high position and resides in the temple.

It's full of holy knights, and they are quite skilled.

That's why I chose him as the last target. I had to wait for a late hour.

I checked the surroundings with the wind outside the temple.

There were no third parties who could interfere with the assassination. I guided the wind inside the temple after checking the outside.

2 AM. Despite the late hour, he was having a conversation with someone in the reception room. It didn't feel good.

"...Only for me. If the princess had also died, it would have been a great help to the grand plan."