Chapter 258 – Assassination Family Raven 3 (12)
To avoid the watchful eyes, he returned wearing the same military uniform as when he escaped.
While I was fighting the fragments of Shahemos, there was a loud noise outside and there was no significant change in the camp.
‘I’m not sure if it’s a fragment of Shahemoth or if it just stuck with an orc shaman.’
Rather than feeling like I was fighting something special, I felt more like I was possessed by a ghost.
If all the orcs we met yesterday were like a mirage, would all their corpses have disappeared tonight?
Or were they real orcs? Since we couldn’t be sure about that, hallucination was a skill that couldn’t be ignored.
Anything that directly affected my mind could be ignored as an effect of self-establishment, but there was no way to deal with something that indirectly affected it.
Once I cleared the quest, I lay down on a dry bed and checked my Shadow Mastery level.
【Skill: Shadow Mastery (C)】
【The shadow leaves no trace.】
【One. Shadow Craft: Materializes shadows. Can remember (5/6) complex shapes.】
【2. Shadow Armor: Protects the body by condensing shadows.】
【3. Shadow Strap: Creates a string of shadows.】
【4. Shadow Dive: You can assimilate with a shadow and jump a certain distance.】
First, the number of forms that Shadow Craft can remember has increased.
In fact, I can say that I can now memorize one more magic circle, but I don’t think it’s a huge change since I don’t tend to use magic circles in battle.
And when the ability called Shadow Strap was created, Shadow Dive went down, but only the order changed, and there doesn’t seem to be any difference in anything else.
But what is the string that creates a shadow? I was curious, so I tried it right away.
At the tip of the finger placed on the stomach, the shadow took the form of a string and began to stretch.
The string made of shadows that bend according to my will could not maintain its shape if I removed it from my hand.
Should I say that if you break the shadow strap from your hand, it will immediately become a shadow and disperse?
‘It’s originally that kind of ability.’
However, since I am learning Shadow Craft, I was able to produce slightly different results.
By using the power of Shadow Craft when creating and breaking the thread of shadow, I was able to maintain its form for a certain period of time, like when I made a weapon and threw it.
Is it for no reason that Shadow Craft is the final stage of Shadow Mastery? If you think about it, Shadow Armor could also be strengthened with Shadow Craft.
‘There is a need to increase the overall proficiency of Shadow Mastery a little more.’
If you need a skill with high power, it is better to mix it with the Flame God Art through skill link, but you need to become more familiar with the original Shadow Mastery.
In this regard, I thought that Terrance Raven, the matriarch, had told me to master Shadow Mastery first.
Better results will come from mixing completion with completion than mixing incompleteness with incompleteness.
Of course, I have to clear quests to grow my skills.
The problem is that the next quest is to kill Shahemos…
I thought that rapid growth due to quests was not that easy.
*
By evening of that day, we were able to arrive at the Thembus Kingdom.
On the way, the merchants and adventurers were very nervous that they might be attacked by orcs like yesterday, but around lunchtime, after seeing another merchant group go to the Yurisian Empire with their guards, everyone relaxed.
We arrived in a relaxed atmosphere, went through a formal immigration inspection at the Kingdom of Thembus, and received compensation.
I received 55 silver, which was much more than others, and the merchants paid it to me right away without complaining.
Seche said when he saw me counting the money.
“I received a lot more than what I usually get as a top escort.”
“Originally it was 2 Silver or 5 Silver, right?”
“Yes. This time, almost everyone received 5 silver, so it can be considered as 5 silver. It must have been quite a loss for the upper management, but there is nothing more expensive than the cost of life, right?”
“That’s right.”
When 55 silver was put into the wallet, the adventurers gathered in groups of twos and threes and headed to the bar.
Since you had a hard time, it would be normal to drink and rest.
And Seche, who was standing next to me, couldn’t take his eyes off the bar.
“Would you like a drink, Seche?”
“Well, Mr. Xian is a little busy, but it’s late, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to have a drink, right?”
“I’m planning to find out a little about Edburneel’s estate in advance. Would you like to have a drink with your friends first? I might not be able to see you for a while.”
The Adventurer’s Guild hasn’t closed yet, so you can just look through the mission table and talk to the receptionist.
“Um… Okay. Come over right after work?”
“I understand.”
Seche gave me a quick greeting and ran towards her friends who were heading to the bar first, her red hair flowing.
Even if it looks like Naen, a mercenary is a mercenary.
I joined the adventurer’s guild.
The Adventurer’s Guild in Creyodun, the northernmost region of the Thembus Kingdom, was crowded, perhaps because it was nearing closing time.
I walked slowly and looked through the list of missions, and there were a few missions like searching for giant monsters in Edburnil’s territory.
Maybe four? It seemed like they were trying to recruit as many people as possible by setting different recruitment conditions, but it was clean probably because no one did anything.
I took out a paper recruiting adventurers of silver level or higher and immediately lined up in front of the receptionist.
I rarely had to wait in line for Global Academy’s Q class, but standing in line like this felt a little unfamiliar.
After the two people’s turns passed, it was my turn.
The neatly dressed receptionist looked at me and lowered her head.
“This is Eileen from the Adventurer’s Guild Crayodoun Branch. What are you looking for?”
“I’m trying to investigate an incident in Edburnil’s territory. Are there any conditions?”
“Hmm… Is that the mission? Honestly, there are so many problems that I can’t recommend it.”
Receptionist Eileen said with her wry smile.
“Still, an acquaintance asked me for help, so I have to go to Edburnil’s estate. What on earth happened to Edburnil’s estate?”
“It looks like he is really close to him, or he is his enemy. In the village near Edburnil’s domain, only the residents have disappeared seven times already. On the days when such a thing happens, a monster so large that it can be seen from the lord’s castle is said to pass by outside. They say it looks like a huge elephant, but no one has actually seen it.”
When I heard from Temple Chief Gwen, it seemed like there were six villages, but before I knew it, there were seven.
If we give it more time, I think Edburnil’s territory will be devastated. Isn’t this a pretty big deal?
“If the village is disappearing, shouldn’t the Kingdom of Thembus send someone in? I don’t think it’s something the Adventurer’s Guild can solve.”
I guess the Holy Kingdom already thinks that the Thembus Kingdom is also related to the devil, but I thought the response was lukewarm.
“You belong to the Empire, right? The Thembus Kingdom doesn’t have that much money. It’s already close to an Empire, so I often hear people talk about why they maintain the Kingdom. But I also heard that a few knights were dispatched recently, but it hasn’t been resolved yet. I haven’t heard of it happening.”
“Um, I understand.”
“I’ll put this back in.”
The receptionist quickly retrieved the paper and I moved out of the way for the person waiting behind me.
‘Are the Thembus royals ultimately being stubborn in order to maintain the kingdom?’
The moment you borrow the power of the Holy Kingdom, the value of the Kingdom’s existence falls to the ground.
Wouldn’t it be better to be absorbed into the empire just above it? The voice will be heard from all directions.
Since this was actually done by the devil, I don’t think there will be much damage to the Thembus Kingdom even if they receive help from the Holy Kingdom or the Empire, but looking at the situation, it seems like they are really scared.
If you belong to the Empire, there will be a warp gate and nothing bad will happen, but is it because you are afraid of the Raven family? If you have done a lot of bad things, you can say that you have made a choice to save your life.
I left the Adventurer’s Guild and headed to the bar that Seche went to with his friends.
The bar was noisy with familiar adventurers who had finished escorting the upper class and adventurers who had completed their mission in Crayodoun.
Among them, I went to see the red-haired Seche sitting with his friends.
While I briefly obtained information from the Adventurer’s Guild, I had a few drinks with my friends, and several of the bottles were empty.
“Mr. Xian. Did you get the information?”
“Yes. It doesn’t seem to be much different from what I heard.”
“We’re going on a very dangerous road starting tomorrow, so it’s okay if we spend a day getting wet, right?”
Seche said as he held out his glass to me.
“It’s okay because I’m the type to sober up quickly anyway.”
Because I have a good skill that solves problems related to physical strength by just sleeping for one night.
When I sat down and received a drink, it was filled to the point of overflowing.
“Good! Then, let’s work hard starting tomorrow!”
“I understand.”
“Let’s sleep! Cheers to a new beginning!”
“Cheers!”
After emptying the glass, he immediately started pouring another drink.
This is my first time hanging out with mercenaries like this. Do you usually drink like this non-stop?
“A toast to Mr. Xian’s safe return!”
“Cheers!”
‘If you pray for a safe return, you should drink it in moderation.’
I thought to myself as I watched the wine glass being refilled.
*
After the drinking party, I took Seche, who was shaking, and headed to the inn.
“Are they all double-occupancy rooms?”
“Adventurers don’t use single-person rooms to save money. And that’s good to do, too.”
I paid 50 coopers, received a key for a double room, and went to find the room.
Seche sat on the bed, sobbing, and gulped down the water on the table.
And he looked at me with a red face and said.
“Mr. Sian, have you ever slept with Edburnil’s woman?”
It seemed right to answer that there was no existence in the first place, but there is now.
“Yes, there is.”
“Then you know that the adventurers’ after-party starts now, right?”
Seche said with a drunken face and a bright smile.
There is no need to refuse.
