Chapter 6 – Picked Up (4)
Shadow.
Arthur Modriter’s servant and a repentant assassin.
He was also a disciple of the ‘Wandering Dark King.’
His level was as high as Superior Sword Expert.
A level capable of annihilating an army alone.
Such an expert was secretly eliminated.
Overwhelmingly so.
‘How exactly did you do it?’
Adrianna and Arthur knew nothing of this fact.
If I had known, Arthur would have contacted me first.
Therefore,
Evan had eliminated Shadow without anyone knowing.
Just what is his true identity?
Knowing the secret that only God and Adrianna should know,
Knowing Arthur Modriter’s secret as well,
Having such overwhelming power too.
Isn’t he like an absolute being?
‘…It probably isn’t to that extent. However-‘
It’s true that he possesses extraordinary power.
His strategy must be excellent too.
The potion that Evan handed over was effective.
That’s why Saint Adrianna couldn’t do anything.
That potion.
It was the only lifeline that could cure the disease.
‘…It seems our gift wasn’t to your liking.’
He seemed to have quite a violent personality.
Saint Adrianna recorded this information.
Evan Alcart.
The only known information was that he was the second son of the Duke’s family, an ‘alchemist’, and that he had a weak constitution.
Even his face wasn’t properly known.
His reclusive personality had a big impact.
The only people he associated with were servants.
A slave was added a few days ago.
Apparently, they came along when he sent out a golem to rescue Theodore Alcart.
There wasn’t anything particularly special.
Just somewhat pretty, perhaps?
There were rumors about a chimera, but she didn’t believe them.
A chimera is a monster.
Within Adrianna’s common sense, a chimera couldn’t take human form.
Originally created as a weapon of slaughter.
There was no reason for it to take human form.
Originally, bringing in pretty slaves or servants was a nobleman’s privilege.
There was no particular issue.
The child’s age was around ten.
No matter how brilliant a genius, at ten years old, they couldn’t defeat someone at the Sword Expert level.
Especially not at the expert level.
All she could do was suspect there was another hidden power.
‘…For now, gathering information takes priority.’
She couldn’t win right now.
Adrianna acknowledged defeat. The first taste of defeat she’d ever felt.
Adrianna had always been successful.
It was so when she was born and raised,
And even after receiving the curse.
Chosen as a saint, hearing God’s will,
Manipulating the Sun Temple as she wished for the greater cause,
Maintaining good relations with the Full Moon Church,
And forming connections with other continental powers.
A smooth flow without any obstacles.
For the first time, an obstacle had appeared.
Her cold heart beat roughly.
One was tension, the other was ‘competitive spirit.’
‘Huh, huhuh. Good.’
Playing above Adrianna’s head,
Evan Alcart, who might be the true ‘mastermind.’
He was a ‘competitor’ and ‘wall’ that Adrianna needed to overcome.
“Huh, huhuhuh. Let’s see… who’s playing above whose head…”
Completely misunderstanding Evan’s intentions, Adrianna opened the letter.
“…Indeed.”
The corners of Adrianna’s mouth turned upward.
***
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The next day.
Evan woke up refreshingly.
‘…What is this? This feeling of being late?’
He glanced around the room but he couldn’t see well.
Because of the curtains on the windows.
“Dolph.”
“…Y-yes, young master.”
Dolph’s stiff voice.
Beyond tension, it was evident he was scared.
Evan’s face hardened too.
Could it be that someone had sneaked in?
Clank! Clank!
The golems surrounded Evan.
Evan quietly moved to the corner of the bed.
Damn!
If only I wasn’t so fond of sleeping in, I could have handled this well!
‘No, wait. My life is the most precious thing right now…’
He’d rather not risk dying by acting rashly.
Hiding his trembling hands, Evan opened his mouth.
“…Carefully remove the curtains.”
“N-no, you can’t!” Dolph shouted, trying to stop it.
But the golem was cold-hearted.
The obsidian golem’s arm drew back the curtains.
Swoosh!
As sunlight entered, the room’s scene was fully revealed.
“…Oh, shit.” Evan unconsciously cursed.
In the corner of the room.
There was one bright red cocoon the size of an adult male.
Drip, drip.
Red liquid flowing from outside the cocoon.
It was definitely blood.
As if a corpse had been made solid…
It was fortunate that its body was frozen with tension.
If not for that, he might have fainted screaming.
“Y-young master! You shouldn’t look at such a horrible thing! I-I’ll clean it up…!”
“Are you awake?”
Squeak, Evan turned his stiff neck.
Lapis entered the room, pressing down on her moistened hair.
Looking particularly energetic today, Lapis spread her arms wide and stood in front of the cocoon with a “Ta-da!”
“Ta-da! How is it? My present?”
“……present?”
“Yes! Here’s the present!”
Lapis pointed to the blood-soaked cocoon.
Now even the floor was getting wet with overflowing blood.
Evan felt dizzy.
This kind of thing a present?
“……This is not a present.”
“Huh? Why not?” Lapis tilted her head.
Poke poke. She prodded the cocoon with her index finger.
“This person was secretly watching Evan. Isn’t that bad? They could have made things dangerous.”
Did Lapis really do this?
The hair all over his body stood on end.
‘Could she have awakened through Sin?’
Should he run away now?
‘……No, probably not. She’s still young.’
Lapis was still just a 10-year-old girl.
If she had awakened through Sin, she would have become an adult.
There should have been changes, like being taller than yesterday at least.
But there were no changes at all.
‘Her original nature?’
……Damn.
So the theory of original Sin was right?
Should I drive her out now?
Or scold her?
……No. Driving her out would be, well, not right.
The reason Lapis made that cocoon?
It was because of Evan.
If you think about it, it’s a good thing.
It means she recognizes Evan as ‘someone who needs to be protected.’
‘But it’s ambiguous.’
It’s practically like a time bomb.
Come on! Imagine this. While taking a walk, if Evan bumped into someone.
True to medieval times with no concept of manners, if they raised their fists and threatened:
-Hey you! Want to die? How dare you touch me!
If Evan gets slightly shocked and coughs up blood, that’s the end.
The next day, a cocoon would appear with a thud!
It wouldn’t even need to escalate to an argument.
If someone liked Evan too much and sent a love letter.
If she thought that was stalking?
Another cocoon would appear.
This is when problems arise.
What if the other party was a direct royal family member?
Or if they were nobility?
If it was the noble themselves or their child-
‘……You’d become the continent’s enemy just like that.’
Being labeled a criminal would be getting off easy.
It wouldn’t be strange to receive capital punishment.
They’d be driven out of this mansion too.
With no money, no connections, nothing.
Unable to provide proper food for Lapis.
Then what?
-I’m so hungry. I might have to eat you.
‘Shit. Absolutely not.’
It absolutely cannot happen. He must control Lapis without fail.
If he were Lee Han-ol, an ordinary 24-year-old Korean man, he couldn’t have done it.
But who am I now?
‘I am Evan.’
17 years old, pretty boy, duke’s bloodline, young and rich.
A veteran of one year of survival.
A man of both literary and military arts.
‘You can do it, Evan. You can do this.’
Whew!
Taking small breaths to avoid hiccups.
“……First, let me tell you what you did right. You did well protecting me.”
“Really?!”
“But it wasn’t for my sake.”
“……Huh?”
“If you kill everyone who slightly threatens me, will you kill the whole world?”
“……If necessary?”
Indeed, an answer befitting a Sin.
But it wasn’t the answer Evan wanted.
“It would still be fine. Because ‘Ira’ is strong.”
“!”
Lapis reacted to the word ‘Ira’.
She stared at Evan with her two red eyes.
Goosebumps rose on his forearms.
‘Shit. So scary.’
But he had to endure.
Gulping down his dry saliva, Evan continued.
“But I’m not. I’m neither strong like Ira, nor sturdy. If we turn the continent into our enemy, I’ll probably die.”
He doesn’t discuss Lapis’s power.
Instead, he discusses the death of ‘Evan’ who needs protection.
“……!”
“You won’t be able to eat the vegetables and fruits you like either. Is that really what you want?”
“……What if I become really strong?”
“Dolph. If Dolph were as strong as me, could he protect you alone?”
“I… don’t think I could.”
Dolph was quick on the uptake.
He immediately gave the desired answer.
“Even with great strength, there are limits to what one can do alone.”
“That’s correct. Ira. You shouldn’t use power recklessly. Because that cocoon could be me someday.”
He gave a slight whip.
Now it’s time for the carrot.
“I’m not saying Ira did wrong. I just wish you knew a bit more. This is my fault for not educating you properly. I’m sorry.”
‘It’s not your fault so don’t get angry.’
Because it’s scary.
“No… that’s not…”
Lapis stammered.
Evan spoke first.
“So Ira, from now on, please don’t immediately turn people into cocoons just because you judge them dangerous. Understand?”
“……Yes, I understand……”
“Instead.”
He had no intention of ending it here.
Protecting Evan? Thanks.
Rather, this should be used.
“When my life is in imminent danger, or when someone openly threatens to kill me, ask me first. If I say it’s okay, then Ira can protect me at that time. That’s fine, right?”
“……Yes……”
Lapis nodded, looking very gloomy.
Is this working well enough?
I let out a deep sigh of relief inside.
“Come here.”
Evan patted his knee.
Evan’s height was quite tall, probably due to genetics.
In contrast, Lapis was still young and short.
Just short enough to sit briefly on his thigh.
But I couldn’t stand for long.
Even after just ten minutes, his knee would hurt.
Usually, she would have rushed over.
Instead of running over, Lapis hung her head.
“Because… I did something wrong…”
“?”
“Don’t call me Ira…”
Tears began to fall from Lapis’s eyes.
Evan was shocked.
‘What, crying over this?!’
After casually turning someone into a cocoon?
Evan was momentarily flustered.
‘…Right. That can happen.’
Evan quickly regained his composure.
He patted his thigh with his hand.
“…Yes. I understand. Lapis. Come here.”
“Ye-yes…”
As Lapis approached while Sniffling, Evan crouched down to meet her eye level and stroked her head.
‘At least it’s resolved well.’
He let out a sigh of relief. Fortunate that it ended here.
It could have been his last breath.
‘Now, how do I clean up after this?’
The cocoon. Who could it be?
He had a rough idea of who it might be.
Someone gloomy enough to secretly monitor and follow him.
‘Probably sent from the Black Dawn.’
Who else could it be but an assassin?
Black Dawn.
The continent’s highest-ranking assassination group.
It would take someone of their skill level.
‘Have they been watching since that previous entanglement?’
A mistake made while practicing alchemy.
Back then, he had gotten involved with Black Dawn.
He thought he had cleaned up well after that, but apparently not.
…Well. Should he be grateful not to have been assassinated yet?
‘Return kindness twofold, grudges tenfold.’
The assassins’ code.
Getting on their bad side was troublesome.
Just don’t die!
As long as you’re alive, there must be some way to resolve this.
“I’ll open it… Sniff”
“Dolph. Please wipe Lapis’ nose.”
“Y-yes… L-Lapis. Come here.”
“Sniff”
Lapis took Dolph’s hand and followed him out.
In the room where Evan remained alone.
The golems surrounded the cocoon as if laying siege.
The Living Golem, which was left unfinished yesterday, approached Evan.
Hiss!
The head part of the cocoon opened.
Shadow, covered in blood, struggling to keep his eyes open.
His eyes met with Evan’s.
