NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 59
– 1 –
“This is pretty.”
“Oh my, it would suit you very well, my lady.”
“Hehe. Thank you.”
Lady Hailey Shum Gremit, the Baroness of the Kaisen Kingdom, had never thought she was unlucky in her life.
Although her family was merely a modest branch of barons, she had inherited decent looks, not resembling her parents, and she looked quite youthful as well.
Moreover, her husband was a baron who owned a stable territory and a castle near the royal capital, so she had lived a life free from financial hardship long before the current situation arose.
“Yes. Surely, this is a happy life.”
Though there was no love, there was loyalty towards family, and she had a husband who had never committed infidelity.
With such a husband, she had a lovely daughter and an adorable son who resembled her.
From wealth to family, she was fairly satisfied with her life.
“As always, handle the payment, and please send the items I’ve chosen to the mansion.”
“If it’s your word, my lady, consider it done!”
“Hehe.”
Additionally, she indulged in luxuries and joys far beyond her peers.
So much so that everyone she knew, aside from her family, envied and wondered about her mysterious source of funds.
Little did they imagine that it came from the dark and vast hands of the continent’s underworld.
“No matter how I think about it, that opportunity was a stroke of luck from the heavens.”
That source of funds came from an underground organization of shadow merchants, the Underworld Trading Company Midas.
She had worked alongside her husband as an external collaborator for that organization, attracting suitable clients and dealers for several years now.
She regarded it as a gift from the heavens.
The Underworld Trading Company was notoriously picky about managing its personnel, but instead, it rewarded those who passed its standards handsomely, winning their loyalty.
Together with her husband, Gerald, they assisted the organization and reaped wealth and military power beyond measure, managing to double their held territories.
“Though it got a little dangerous at times, I could live as richly as a Count.”
She thought her position was just right for her.
Though she didn’t have access to the organization’s main secrets, she had learned certain simple secrets and shared a portion of its wealth.
Her pride might occasionally be hurt, but it wasn’t significantly risky.
“I can live modestly now, and as long as I can send my children to the Academy…”
If someone truly skilled in divination had formed a bond with her, they would have surely advised against crossing paths with a significant force like Midas, known as “those with great fortune.” But she had no idea about that now.
In fact, it was already too late.
A shadow had begun to lurk behind her, eyeing a gem held in the “giant black hand.”
“My lady. You’ve drawn the attention of a stalker.”
As she exited the banquet hall and heard this, she did not think it was a big deal.
“It’s strange; there aren’t many people on the street. Could they be following from there?”
“I’ll find out.”
“As always, I trust you to take care of it.”
She believed the escorts provided by Midas would always handle it confidently.
If there were those they could kill, they would do so, and for those they couldn’t, they would deal with them through transactions.
Gah!
Arrgh!
Crack!
P-please, help!…!!
“Y-Yohan…? Gemini…?”
However, that thought quickly shattered.
As the bodyguards boldly stepped into the shadows of an alley, screams echoed from within.
“W-what’s going on…?”
The shrieks were so horrific, she could only think of it as one of two things: either the cries of a prisoner crawling out from hell or those of a devil executing that prisoner.
Of course, it was closer to the former, but it was neither.
“You have a guard not suited to your level, human child.”
Creek…
Though the voice was somewhat cute, it resonated with an unnaturally deep tone, amplifying its calmness.
And along with it came the sound of something heavy dragging across the floor.
“You should’ve been more cautious in your actions when you had a guard. Your failure to do so has brought today’s disaster upon you.”
From the darkness emerged a figure, its skin so white it appeared almost pale, with beautifully dark hair adorning its face.
Its lustrous violet eyes shone mischievously.
Wrapped around its body was nobility, and following at its feet were shadows and death.
“I suppose you should take some responsibility for the deaths they will soon meet.”
As it casually flicked its fingers, several round bundles that had been dragged by intangible force were carelessly tossed towards Hailey’s feet.
Thud! Crash!
“H-Hii…!”
What had initially appeared as mere round shapes flew towards her, emanating a dreadful aura.
Hailey realized too late that these were corpses.
As the gore from the violently impacted bodies splattered onto her cheeks, she understood exactly who their owner was.
“S-Save me!!”
She was somewhat well-versed in dark affairs.
Upon realizing the situation, she did not simply freeze in place; she made an effort to yell for help to signal her presence, but…
In truth, having trusted her guards and remaining still at that moment sealed her fate.
“Ugh…!!”
At some point, a cold body had seized her wrists with one hand while pressing a dagger to her throat.
In the face of the gleaming blue blade and the chilling sight of the skeletal figure beyond it, Hailey writhed in fear; however, her frail body could not escape.
She herself might have been a high-level archer, but she hadn’t been in an actual battle for quite some time.
『Trait – … Rusted Senses, Long-Rested Body』
The new sacrificial character’s abysmal trait made Libertus’s eyes narrow, confirming that the target had already submitted.
A negative trait deemed high-grade was a brief proof of how long they had lived a life of neglect.
『Attribute – … Low Resistance 3』
On top of that, the ‘Resistance’ stat weaker than that of Sonia, who was entirely damaged, corroborated this assessment.
“… Let me go. ‘Shadow Blade.'”
And she was a demon who hated unnecessary sloth.
Slash!
The blade that emerged from the shadows charged towards Hailey’s neck.
Slash!
As soon as Evangeline released her grip, Hailey, having unconsciously relaxed her tension, suddenly saw the slicing blade approaching her neck and let out a bizarre scream while regaining her stance.
Fortunately, the blade did not immediately sever her neck.
It merely avoided that fate.
“Ugh…!!”
The blades arising from the shadows halted precisely near her body.
If she let her guard down, she would be tasting pain and blood at any moment.
“S-save… please…!”
Drag…
Although it wasn’t good for her long-term back health, Hailey had frozen in a position necessary to avoid the blades.
“Hailey.”
“W-who… how do you know my name…?”
Libertus, glancing at the stream trickling between her legs, casually approached and began speaking.
“You possess information beyond your station, human child.”
“W-what do you mean…?”
“The Dungeon Core. You know its location.”
“That… how…?”
Hailey’s eyes widened in astonishment upon hearing that.
She had thought it was something she had hidden well. After all, it was indeed something meant for ‘humans.’
It was just unfortunate the listener was not human.
“I heard the unwitting words spilling from your lips.”
“B-but, there was… no one to hear it…!”
Meanwhile, as Libertus spoke as if he himself had been present in the banquet hall, Hailey’s eyes filled with realization as they met his gaze.
“You… surely, you’re that… lady…!”
“You have quick wits. Only your wits, though.”
Despite changes in hair color and eye color, and even a slight alteration in demeanor, she recognized him as the “small, beautiful lady” she had seen at the banquet.
‘Those who believe themselves clever often miss the simplest of truths with little consideration. Just like Talhan.’
Recognizing that alone could lead to her demise, an amusing blunder made by someone moderately cunning.
For Libertus, it was also natural to recall the man who had been the original of Talhan.
“If you do not let me go safely…! I won’t say a word…!”
“Indeed.”
“Uh…?”
As Libertus finally revealed his intention, having thought that was her last ally, she uttered those words with hostility.
Nodding in agreement with that, Hailey’s expression showed her thoughts had been completely severed.
Of course, if she knew what this necromancer was going to do next, rather than that, she would have attempted to escape from that spot.
Or die.
“You are already… ‘safe,’ human child.”
“……?”
Through the hollow gaze of the noblewoman, Libertus’s eyes glimmered.
Shining with mischief in violet.
“I am… safe.”
“Yes. The place you are meant to be has always been by my side.”
“… By… your side…”
“My name is Libertus. You are bonded to your fate with your master.”
“Master…!”
After that, Libertus firmly implanted the suggestions into her mind, making sure they had taken root before finally waking Hailey.
Snap!
“… I meet my master.”
Of course, the way Hailey treated Libertus upon awakening was now a complete 180 from before.
– 2 –
While Hailey had to be governed by hypnosis and suggestions, there was no need for guards to undergo such a process.
Hailey had to utilize her ‘knowledge’ fully, but there was no need to replicate the guards’ deep memories or subconscious.
And no matter how expensive it was to maintain the Summon, it was naturally less costly than the hassle of directly sustaining and renewing hypnotic magic.
“Devour them.”
– Yes…!
“S-save me…!!!”
Crash!
The ‘Cerebrum Skull’ possessed three intellectual elements.
Awareness of having once been human, some memories sufficiently resembling human habits, and finally, the instinct to obey its master.
“Talan is clearly an exceptional case.”
He harbored an unusual obsession with his former life, wishing to escape his current form and occupy a better body, but therein lay no possibility like that of the Cerebrum Skull.
“You four will protect Hailey and handle communications.”
““Yes, master.””
“Hailey. You will act as you usually do, but simply inform me of the time and place when you head to the black market. When will you depart?”
“Three days from now, master.”
“Very well. Let’s meet then.”
“Please take care.”
After responding to Hailey’s escorts’ salutations with a gesture, he left.
Following closely behind were soldiers, including Evangeline and Axe, disappearing into the shadows, and Xue, as always, clung to his side.
“You’ll find that child’s core…?”
“Since we’re exchanging favors, wouldn’t that be a good idea?”
– Snap!
“I see…”
Emotions flowing from the shadows and Xue’s sulking expression.
Whether they were unable to hide them or simply chose not to, it was clear.
“I see feelings of affection and goodwill that exceed ordinary limits toward me in these children.”
And though deep down, they wanted to give more, they were holding back as if wary of something.
Every time they directed their attentions elsewhere, an anxiety or dissatisfaction bubbled forth, and how could he be unaware?
‘Sometimes, this is amusing, too.’
It was entertaining and cute enough that he didn’t feel the need to reveal it.
He also believed they would eventually talk properly.
“Rather than that, tomorrow…”
Thus, wishing to keep them focused on tasks instead of succumbing to jealousy…
That became unnecessary.
Bang!!!
In the next moment, he found himself watching Axe and the soldiers, shield raised, while nestled tight in Xue’s and Eve’s arms.
Kyaaaaah!!!
From across the city, an explosion and smoke erupted, and frenzied screams echoed.
‘Today was indeed the day for something to explode.’
It was a prelude to an assault that anyone could recognize.
“… Let’s go to them. Quickly.”
– Snap!
And it was monsters that were the culprits.