Chapter 51

Having finished my business, I left the Adventurer's Guild.

The receptionist asked me to take on a quest since she had just told me various things, but I had no obligation to listen, so I declined.

There weren't many appealing quests, and it was just too much trouble.

The receptionist looked as if she wanted to say something about how unreasonable it was... but, well, it doesn't really matter.

Anyone can do D-rank quests, not just me.

"But the Assassin's Guild, huh? I once had a run-in with them during my adventurer days."

On the way back, Silfa muttered.

"While guarding a certain wagon, an assassin from the Assassin's Guild attacked us under the cover of night. I didn't notice their presence until they were right next to me. I managed to repel them somehow, but it was a tough fight."

"Silfa?"

It was hard to believe.

The Silfa who could find me no matter where I was hiding and reading a book, getting ambushed? That seemed impossible.

It couldn't be just a matter of skill.

Perhaps there was some magic I didn't know about.

I had always thought assassins were not much different from thieves, but now I was suddenly very interested.

"Silfa, do you know where the Assassin's Guild is?"

"No, they don't have a grand building or anything. I've heard that there are hidden passages all over the city, and one of them leads to the guild headquarters. ...Surely you're not planning to go there, Lloyd-sama?"

"Of course not... I wouldn't do that. Haha, hahaha..."

"Really?"

Silfa looked at me suspiciously as I laughed nervously.

No, no, not at all. I just thought I might stop by if it was nearby.

But if I don't know where it is, there's nothing I can do.

I'd like to go if I get the chance.

***

That night, I woke up suddenly from my sleep.

I sensed something. Or rather, I sensed nothing.

This world is filled with the presence of insects, animals, and people.

But from that spot, I felt an unnatural absence.

I noticed it because the flow of magic in that area was off.

It felt like a cut-out section.

Perhaps it could be called a blank presence.

If I hadn't heard Silfa's story, I might not have noticed this slight distortion.

Even Shiro, who would normally jump up at the slightest sign of an intruder, was snoring away.

"The presence is moving..."

When I sharpened my senses, it was definitely moving with intent.

Could this be the assassin?

To completely cut off not only the presence but also the magic flow is a fascinating technique I've never seen before.

...Well, since I'm here, I might as well catch and question them.

I don't know their purpose, but if they broke into someone's house, they should be prepared to be caught and interrogated.

With that in mind, I got up and headed towards the presence.

Fortunately, they were in the courtyard, so even if I made some noise, it wouldn't be noticed.

"The other side is a specialist in concealing presence, so they might notice my movement. ...Then I'll use this."

I cast the wind magic spells 'Flight' and 'Dash' in quick succession.

As soon as the incantation was complete, swirling winds enveloped my legs.

With the combined magic of high-speed flight, I should be able to reach them before they can escape.

"---Here I go."

Kicking off the ground, I flew towards the target at an incredible speed.

It's too fast, too fast. I can't control it at all.

Like a bullet, I flew straight ahead and, just before impact, I applied an emergency stop, managing to stop just above the ground.

"Whoa... that was close."

I almost crashed.

The magic barrier would prevent damage, but if I destroyed the garden, the gardener would be in trouble.

Gently landing, I saw someone slumped in the grass in front of me.

"Wh-What!?"

The one who cried out in surprise was a boy dressed entirely in black.

Peeking through the gaps in the black hood were poisonous purple hair and eyes, and brown skin.

It was an obvious outfit. This boy was definitely the intruder.

"Why is a child here?"

"Damn!"

Ignoring my question, the boy immediately got up and jumped back.

But it was futile. I had already cast the wind magic 'Sky Cover' around him.

The boy's head hit the air barrier hard.

"Ow...!?"

Holding his head, the boy squatted in pain.

He tried to run again but changed his expression when he realized he was surrounded by a barrier.

"It's no use. I've completely trapped you. Let's talk."

The boy closed his eyes in resignation at my words.

"Magic... I didn't want to use this power against a child..."

Saying that, the boy stripped off the black outfit.

Underneath, the outfit was drastically different, with a high degree of exposure, resembling a string-like undergarment.

The chest, barely hidden by a small piece of fabric, was slightly swollen.

It was not a boy, but a girl.

A faint, sweet floral scent wafted to my nose.

What is this? It's a very sweet smell.

"Black Mist...!"

The girl muttered, and the world in front of me distorted.

I felt nausea, dizziness, and a rapid heartbeat.

This is poison.

I noticed that the girl's body was being covered by a black mist.

She must have used some kind of poison sac.

But I can counter it with an antidote spell.

Healing magic 'Purify'

This spell eliminates various toxins found in insects, plants, and animals.

It also works on concocted poisons, so it should neutralize any poison...!?

"The poison... it's not disappearing...?"

The poison, which should have disappeared immediately, showed no signs of fading.

The girl looked down at me, who was kneeling from dizziness.

"It's no use. My poison can't be purified by anyone."

The 'Purify' spell can eliminate existing toxins.

Conversely, it can't eliminate toxins that don't fit this description.

So the nature of the poison the girl used is...

"---Magic, is it?"

"Right. But even if you figured it out, it doesn't matter."

The girl answered coldly, looking down at me.

There are a certain number of people born with magic, but they all learn to control it as they grow.

However, some can't control it.

Their magic is so unique that it's difficult to control on their own. ...Like Ali's ability to gather animals.

They can't control the activation of their magic and often die before adulthood due to their abilities.

Especially those with abilities that harm others are looked down upon and called...

"The 'Cursed'... As you might guess, I am one of them. I was born with a body that spreads poison, and thanks to that, I'm called the 'Poison Moth Ren.' I usually cover my body with thick clothing, but as you can see, without it, the poison spreads. ...Well, you only got a little, so you won't die..."

As she spoke, the girl named Ren widened her eyes.

I, who had been kneeling and about to fall, stood up straight.

"Why... why isn't my poison working...?"

"It is working. I'm just recovering at the same rate."

I was using the healing magic 'Recovery Breath' and the 'Qi' breathing technique I learned from Tao, both of which promote physical recovery through breathing. By using them simultaneously, I was constantly recovering from the damage caused by the poison, neutralizing it.

However, the principle behind this was a mystery. It was probably due to a change in the nature of the magic, but what kind of change, what tools were used, why showing her skin, or something else... I was curious.

"Sorry, but I need to investigate a bit."

I smiled and took a step closer to Ren.