Chapter 70

A man and a woman were walking through the streets of the capital city.

The woman was beautiful.

She had fair skin and long silver hair that reached her waist, which she had tied up high on her head and let fall behind her.

She was tall, but the man walking beside her was also tall, not outshone by her. He was muscular and well-built.

Red hair, black eyes—his face was handsome, but there was not a trace of the sweet, princely demeanor one might expect. Instead, his face bore the strength of a warrior, with sharp eyes that gave off a predatory aura.

The woman walking beside him laughed.

"How do you find it, Lugard? It's been a while since you've been in the capital, hasn't it?"

The man, the leader of the 'Dark' faction, Lugard, glared at the woman, Faltime, who spoke with a teasing tone.

"Maybe you should stop, Faltime. Calling my name here—"

"Hehehe. Don't worry, no one is listening."

This was the main street of the capital. The already busy pedestrian traffic had increased even more in preparation for the kingdom's festival. People were bustling about in the cheerful noise. The countless sounds would likely drown out their conversation.

The woman continued.

"If you're so worried, why didn't you wear your usual mask? No one would recognize you, right?"

"You'd be treated as a pervert and questioned by the guards right away..."

The mask he wore in the Dark Temple was not something Lugard enjoyed.

It was one of the ritual objects given to him as the Child of Darkness. He wore it in the temple to show others, but he had no intention of wearing it outside. In fact, Lugard knew that if he wore it and walked around, he would be arrested.

"Just kidding, just kidding."

Faltime laughed.

"Don't worry. As long as you don't meet an acquaintance face-to-face, you should be fine with that ring, right?"

Lugard had a ring on his right index finger.

A ring imbued with magic.

Lugard's black hair was red due to the ring's influence. The ring also had the effect of impairing others' auditory recognition, making his voice less distinct. Even if someone who knew the old Lugard heard his voice, they probably wouldn't immediately recognize him.

"...Yeah."

While answering, Lugard thought to himself.

(...Even without the ring, old acquaintances might not recognize me...)

Lugard touched his face.

His expression was cold and devoid of emotion. He knew his eyes were sharp, lacking any warmth or kindness.

The bright, outgoing person he used to be—

His current face was probably unimaginable to that person.

The woman, Faltime, spoke again.

"But, is it really okay? For the leader himself to infiltrate the capital..."

After saying that, she continued.

"This is a trap."

"...I know."

Lugard and his group's target was the 'Mark of Darkness' in the capital.

The treasure, which had been hidden deep within the academy, was to be publicly displayed during the kingdom's festival.

And the timing of the court magician Carlysle's absence.

It was too perfect.

"Plus, the publicity is so obvious... even a child could see it."

"Knowing it's a trap, are you still going to jump in?"

"...There's no choice but to jump in."

The Mark of Darkness.

It was an important item for Lugard and his group. If this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to obtain it—regardless of whether it was intentionally created by the enemy—it couldn't be ignored.

Lugard recalled Carlysle's face. A year junior to him in the academy. They didn't have much interaction, but Lugard knew of his talent.

Carlysle's well-structured face smiled mischievously.

—We've prepared the bait you want. Take it as much as you like.

While surrounding the bait with obvious traps, that genius said such things.

He had heard the rumors that Carlysle was a tough nut to crack—

And he really was.

"Well, he's straightforward, at least."

Faltime laughed.

"The trap is obvious, after all."

An obvious trap can be used as a threat.

Show it off to corner the enemy.

Carlysle was asking, with a blade at his throat:

—Do you have the courage to jump in?

The court magician's maliciousness was clear.

"Since we've been invited, we can't ignore it. We'll break through and take the prize head-on."

"You're so determined. But, have you noticed?"

Faltime relaxed her beautiful lips and continued.

"That means you're falling for their provocation, right?"

"I know—falling for the provocation to crush their plans."

That's why the leader, Lugard, was on the mission. If necessary, he had the magic sword Dainsleif. It was a matter of brute force.

Faltime continued.

"Jumping into a trap is inevitable, but... really, Lugard? Are we that short of capable people?"

"We are short of capable people, that's a fact."

Lugard recalled the subordinates who had died.

"Losing the sigilist was a blow."

The battle at the Grisia marshes was reported to be on the verge of victory. But it ended due to the sigilist's death.

"Hermit was really flustered, wasn't he?"

Faltime laughed, remembering the scene.

Hermit was an old man in Lugard's group.

"S-S-Such nonsense! I heard from the sigilist that we were clearly winning!"

Faltime mimicked Hermit, surprisingly accurately.

"I thought the old man would faint, I was so surprised."

Faltime laughed and continued.

"But, who could it be? To break the sigilist's absolute defense. That's not something just anyone can do."

"...The mage with the white arrows..."

"White arrows?"

"I heard from Hermit that there was a mage who could fire abnormally powerful white arrows—so the sigilist said."

Perhaps the sigilist provoked the mage and was defeated.

The lizardmen might have some information, but the Grisia marshes are now under strict surveillance by the kingdom. It wouldn't be easy to get information.

"Faltime, what magic do you think of when you hear 'white arrows'?"

"Hmm..."

Fourth rank—Faltime, who could wield over 400 magics, put her finger to her lips and thought.

"...Magic Arrow, maybe..."

"Magic Arrow, huh."

Lugard, who used to attend the academy, thought the same. But—

"I don't think Magic Arrow could kill a sigilist."

"I agree. ...Maybe it's an original magic. That would make anything possible."

Faltime tilted her head.

"...A mage who could kill the tough sigilist without giving him a chance to escape... Honestly, I don't want to meet such a person."

"I agree."

But, Lugard had a premonition that they would meet.

A person capable of killing a sigilist. In this situation, where many fates and schemes intersect, it was inevitable.

Who could they be?

(...No matter who they are, it doesn't matter. If they get in the way, I'll cut them down.)

Lugard thought coldly.

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