Hidden Under the Shadows (2)

“I don’t know.”

“……”

“He’s been wandering around without telling even us.”

When I asked about the current situation, all I got back was ‘I don’t know’…

It feels like something’s stuck in my throat.

After pondering for a while about what this uncomfortable feeling could be, I simply nodded.

“I see. That old bastard, I thought he seemed sloppy with his work.”

“He does have that side to him. If it weren’t for his abilities, he wouldn’t be Shade, right?”

“Then that’s fine. It’s not important anyway, just please prepare the information I requested.”

“Sure thing. Mar, go get it.”

“Yeah yeah.”

“Watch your tone!”

When Viera shouted with a stern expression, Mar left the room with an embarrassed look. Soon after, she returned carrying a stack of documents piled up to her head height.

“Since he’s a duke, there’s quite a lot of information. Though among them, there’s not much substantial info. If I had to pick out information you might be interested in…”

Such quick processing despite her casual attitude.

The way she sifted through the enormous amount of documents to extract only the necessary parts was enough to confirm she truly inherited Shade’s blood.

“This should do it.”

“I see. Then it’s time to pay up? How will you settle this?”

“How about information about the Pantheon Temple’s new apostle?”

“…That’s quite an expensive price for this information. This won’t be enough to cover it.”

“I see. Then…”

I meet eyes with Mar who’s glaring at me with a twisted expression.

After staring back at Mar who doesn’t avoid my gaze for a moment with a smirk.

“How about arranging a date with Shade’s precious daughter?”

“What nonsense? Why would I with you?”

“Mar, go ahead.”

“Oh, fuck this.”

*     *     *

After receiving information about Wallace Hope and Another Hope. Around when we finished eating and came out to the streets.

“I probably shouldn’t say this but your companions seem a bit strange too. Like, why does no one care?”

Mar appeared before us in casual clothes, still frowning.

If she had dressed up all fancy I would have teased her, but seems that’s not the case.

Guess she’s not completely tactless after all.

“Like, how should I put it when I see people calmly eating while watching a crazy guy who asks out a stranger for a date? Are they really your companions?”

“It’s endless if you question every single thing Lost does. He has so many impulsive actions after all.”

Linea answers with a gentle smile.

There wasn’t a shred of doubt in it. It was faith that there must be a reason if I do something.

In some ways it’s touching and in other ways it’s awkward.

I wonder if they’ve developed a fixed notion that I’m always plotting something.

I mean, my date request could have been genuine.

“Still, doesn’t it bother you?”

“What part?”

“Uh… No, never mind. I must have thought wrong. I just assumed because you’ve been traveling with such a shady guy. No, then what is it? What could you possibly lack that you’d travel with someone like him?”

Mar rambles on, badmouthing me in front of Linea.

To that, Linea answered with a bright smile as if there was nothing to think about.

“Because it was fun. It was my first time traveling with friends.”

“…Sounds like a fairy tale.”

A noble lady’s escape turned journey. It is like a fairy tale.

It’s obviously not easy to just look at the present while setting aside various calculations and practical issues.

“Well, if that’s how it is, fine. I didn’t want to suffer by getting between two people due to a misunderstanding anyway.”

“You’re having quite the fairy tale imagination.”

Mar responds with a bitter expression to Linea’s sharp observation.

“…If what I said earlier was offensive, I apologize?”

“Ah, it wasn’t particularly offensive, just your thinking is a bit…”

Linea averts her eyes subtly. She probably stopped speaking thinking that pointing out Mar’s naive imagination could be hurtful.

But it’s already too late at this point given that reaction.

“What… No! That’s not it! It’s not like I always think that way! I just meant that sort of thing could happen, right? What’s wrong with me! I mean, what could possibly be wrong with me!”

“C-calm down.”

“Right, calm down. Young lady Mar. That sort of thing could happen. It’s not strange for you to have such dreams when you’ve been surrounded by assassins all your life?”

“Shut up! You bastard!”

I barely manage to calm down Mar who started grabbing my collar and shaking me.

For someone raised in an assassin lineage with proper education, she has quite extreme emotional ups and downs.

“Anyway, just tell me what you need to say.”

“Seeing that crooked attitude, seems we should go talk where Titan is.”

“…Fine.”

“Yeah, still scared of Titan?”

Though I could probably win if we fought now, even I’m still scared.

Just looking at his appearance that reminds one of a hero of reversal makes my knees weak.

This is a natural phenomenon coming from appearance rather than actual combat ability.

“You’ve probably noticed to some extent, but seems there’s an enemy within Shade so I needed to call you out.”

“…I guess so. Since there are still elders who oppose that dad arbitrarily turned it into an information guild.”

“No, that’s not it.”

There’s an enemy within Shade.

This is something I’ve suspected for a while. Of course it makes sense, doesn’t it?

This is Shade we’re talking about. The king of assassins.

The fact that his family was exposed to threats without any protection. Does that make any sense?

From the beginning, those who hadn’t even revealed their identities lost family members who had no direct connection to work.

“They probably existed from before that. Maybe there’s someone who doesn’t like the current master.”

“…What?”

There’s an enemy inside.

It doesn’t make sense otherwise.

“Even moving alone without telling anyone now is like that.”

Inner enemies are more dangerous than the ones in front of you, aren’t they?

Moreover, if that inner enemy is a well-trained assassin, there’s nothing more to say.

Not giving an opening in the first place would be the wisest method. That’s why he’s moving alone.

“But there was a mistake. If he wasn’t going to trust anyone, entrusting your safety should have been the same.”

It’s good that he didn’t reveal his movements. Though his range of action would be limited, at least he wouldn’t have to worry about being stabbed in the back.

But at the same time, leaving Mar at the Coinur branch was a mistake.

If there’s an enemy inside, targeting Mar would be natural.

He probably thought he was entrusting her to the most trustworthy person but…

“That person Viera, can she really be trusted?”

“…She’s someone who’s been taking care of me since I was young. Anyone else I might doubt, but not her.”

“I wonder about that.”

Viera said she doesn’t know what Shade is doing.

But if that’s the case, there’s one unnatural point.

The discomfort I felt.

When I thought about where this came from, I could understand.

“These days, people can betray lifelong companions for just one reason.”

It was like that in Rubia too.

The fact that Anne, who was Kruud’s guardian and investor, betrayed him.

Of course, I can’t even know if that was real betrayal now but…

At least humans can betray people for their own issues.

“If she really didn’t know, it would have been natural to question the term Spore Witch.”

She’s the head of an information guild after all.

Moreover, being in charge of the capital branch means even more so.

She could practically be considered Shade’s second-in-command.

“That, that can’t be, that…”

“It’s not certain. Just saying there’s that possibility.”

It could be the opposite.

She might have pretended not to know because she didn’t want to reveal Shade’s movements.

Suspicion is just suspicion.

Just the fact that she let Mar go so simply proves that.

Releasing Mar who had sufficient value as a hostage means there’s considerably less reason to suspect her.

But what if that was intentionally taking a loss to deceive us?

An assassin’s blade is sharpest when unseen, when not paying attention. Between being suspected and losing a hostage.

Which one to put more weight on would be up to the person.

“Hey Lost.”

“What? Can’t you see I’m having an important conversation?”

Claire asks while tugging at my clothes.

“Isn’t that just paranoia? No matter what, that tone sounds like you’ve already decided they’re the culprit.”

“……”

She’s not wrong.

The things I’m saying are close to paranoia.

Just taking one possibility and doubting all the positive factors because of it.

But there’s a reason for that.

“Having an enemy inside is already confirmed. In that situation, the fact that Shade is moving like this means that inner enemy must also be aware of what’s going on.”

This is when we need to be most careful and suspicious. Not just Shade but me too.

I’ve already received Belial’s declaration of war. And in this situation Mar is in Coinur.

Connected to the Blade of Calamity.

Considering that blatant hatred Belial showed me when we faced each other, he’s likely to cut off my hands and feet first.

Since he knows I was in Forys territory, he must have factored in my connection with the information guild Shade.

Of course a duke would know about an organization like Shade.

“And there are many other problems… but I can’t tell you about those.”

I know. The difference between the current Shade and the Shade I knew.

The Shade I knew was when Mar was the leader. Someone who strived to live proudly for parents who sacrificed themselves.

Shade was murdered. By the hands of Blade of Calamity Margaret.

But the Shade I saw, even if he couldn’t win, wouldn’t have lost like that.

Even if losing, assassins can at least escape with their lives.

Yet the king of assassins couldn’t even escape and was killed by a half-demon specialized in mass destruction?

By just a Blade of Calamity?

“But as Claire said, since I can’t talk about it, my opinion is just excessive worry. So I won’t touch that side.”

Looking back and forth between Claire who’s watching me with half-closed eyes and Mar who’s glaring at me with a hardened expression.

After looking at both of them, I voice the best option for the current situation.

“So Mar, until this situation ends, you should entrust your safety to the Pantheon Temple rather than that place.”

I don’t think I need to help Shade. He probably doesn’t need my help.

So all I can do is completely remove variables. In other words, taking charge of Mar’s safety.

“If you understand, introduce yourself to Linea first. She’ll take care of you from now on.”

“Um… me?”

“Yes, you. Please, Linea. You’re the only one I can trust.”

“…That’s how it always is.”

But really, I don’t have anyone trustworthy besides you.

*     *     *

After first guiding Mar’s safety to the Pantheon Temple side. I had her show her face at the restaurant periodically.

They might make an issue of her being absent.

Linea, who already had experience taking care of two children, took charge of looking after her and as I expected, she quickly succeeded in opening Mar’s heart and becoming friends.

“No, Linea. Is this right? Is what I’m seeing right?”

“If you mean Lost, then yes. He’s always been like this so you just have to get used to it.”

“Linea, how do you live with a guy like that?”

“Mar, please be mindful of your word choice. We’re not living together, we’re just traveling together.”

“Ah, right. That’s important.”

They seem to have bonded over badmouthing me, but I’m glad she’s following along well.

What does it matter?

Linea has the right to express such complaints. After all, I dump most tasks on her.

Before I knew it, she became an indispensable person in our group.

Without Linea, who would take care of the picky Claire, and who else could handle travel expense calculations and health management?

“Linea always cooked meals…”

“No, Linea look at this. I don’t understand. What’s the reason for traveling with this shameless bastard?”

“…He’s surprisingly kind?”

“No, don’t talk like a wife who’s accepted domestic violence…”

And at least it’s undeniable that she’s better at cooking than me.

I could do it if told to, but I’m not confident I could do it as well as Linea. Though I trained to adapt to harsh situations as a heresy inquisitor, I rarely had to handle traveling with multiple people like this.

“By the way, is it about time…”

Leaving behind Mar who’s actively badmouthing me and Linea who’s defending me, I think of someone who rarely talks these days due to focusing on training.

Come to think of it, we came to the capital Coinur for his purpose too. Since we’ve received a lot of help and expect to receive more, I agreed to help with his goal.

So I promised to get him the right to attend the hunter’s guild master qualification verification.

Anyone who’s a hunter can watch. Of course, you need to pay to buy a spectator seat.

Duke Forys said he’d prepare the rights. We could go to his villa to receive it, but we can meet him there when the date comes.

After all, Edge Forys is Allen Wise’s guardian.

“So everything’s ready once you’re prepared. How is it?”

“Still far from enough.”

Someone who would usually confidently shout that there’s no problem has been a bit different lately.

“I haven’t fully regained my old senses yet, but that much shouldn’t be a big problem. I hope it can be a good experience if possible.”

“Yeah, it’s good to see you not obsessing over winning.”

Titan has only been losing lately.

Though we haven’t sparred separately, I would win now.

Titan has only trained his body and technique. He’s already won against strong opponents only a handful of times.

The penalty of not being able to use mana has made his growth even more sluggish than ordinary hunters who can use mana.

Of course, being at that level despite this is impressive in itself.

Anyway, he’ll probably lose this time too. Allen is at least the most skilled among the hunters I know besides the hunter’s guild headquarters master.

“Defeat is not humiliating. What’s humiliating is learning nothing from defeat.”

Though looking at the mental aspect, he seems even more solid than Allen Wise who’s in his late twenties.